Xu Yan took his wife to say goodbye and went home, but his reminder and "take care" still lingered in Xue Ji's ears.

"The autumn season in various places has ended, and the list can be sent to the capital tomorrow at the latest." Xu Lang came in from outside with a stack of official documents, put things on the table, and dragged a chair to sit down.

Xue Ji frowned, glanced at the official document he had just sent, and sighed: "It's another big exam, eventful autumn...... as he said this, he raised his head to meet Xu Lang's eyes, and asked, "How is Chen Shao lately?"

Xu Lang said: "I heard that he is inseparable from Fang Huai, and sometimes he stays in the house behind closed doors, and he stays for three or four hours."

It's probably not a good thing.

Xue Ji secretly sneered in his heart, put his hand on the rosewood paperweight on the table, and rubbed his thumb against the side of the paperweight repeatedly. Suddenly, he raised his hand, dropped heavily with the paperweight, and said resolutely: "This year's big exam, I won't mix it up."

Xu Lang was shocked, and his eyes showed confusion. "Every time there is a big exam, these people can always toss up trouble, and you are not the first year of invigilation, you haven't seen any storms, how can you escape?"

"It's not an escape, it's an understanding of the times." Xue Ji was bitter in his heart, and said with a gloomy expression: "Your Majesty has no trust in me at all, and ordinary and small things at this time may make my situation worse, let alone the Spring Exam."

In short: do not be suspicious of employing people, and do not use suspicious people. If there are still suspicious people in the employment, this matter will definitely go wrong. Xue Ji was like a mirror in his heart, but he couldn't go into the palace to talk to Qin Xu about employing people.

Since ancient times, monarchs and ministers have been very similar to husbands and wives, once they encounter contradictions and disputes, there are not so many rights and wrongs to speak of, only concessions, compromises, and harmony-based. Compared with husband and wife, it is more clear between monarchs and ministers.

Only for the courtiers to make concessions, how can there be a reason to compromise for the monarch?

It is precisely because he understands that Xue Ji will make a decision - this year's big exam is a hot potato, and he can't take it anyway.

At the end of the sixteenth year of Changning

In the cold winter, the snow is falling, and from a distance, the city is covered with snow, and there are two figures in a frost color.

Xue Ji vaguely remembered that there had been such a scene a few years ago, but things were wrong, and he and His Majesty's state of mind were no longer what they used to be.

Qin Xu tightened the fox fur he was wearing on his body, his face was as calm as water, and there was a faint gloomy atmosphere between his eyebrows. "You mean, you don't proctolate?"

Xue Jigong replied respectfully, "Yes, the minister has not been back to Jiangling for more than ten years, and his parents are old...... I want to go back."

Qin Xu's eyes were cold, and he stared at him tightly: "When can't you go back, do you have to pick this bone eye? Avoid spring and shirk responsibility. Prime Minister, you are Prime Minister!"

Hearing this title, Xue Ji felt as if he had been stabbed with a silver needle in his heart. He breathed a sigh of relief and said in a sincere tone: "The beginning of spring is the most leisurely in the year, and the minister's vacation for a month will not affect the office. Who can't host Chunfu? Lord Xu is highly respected and can also take on this important task. And Chinese New Year's Eve is a night of reunion, and the minister also wants to reunite with his family and hope that His Majesty will be fulfilled."

"I can grant you two months off, but Chunyu, don't try to shirk it." Qin Xu's face was completely cold, and he flicked his arms and turned around to leave.

"Your Majesty!" Xue Ji was anxious, and then hurriedly followed his footsteps, with an eager expression on his face, and raised his voice and shouted: "The Spring Exam is held every three years, and the minister is only asking for leave this time, why not!"

Qin Xu glanced back at him: "Prime Minister, if you don't have a weak heart, why don't you be afraid of other people's gossip."

"People's words are terrible, but people's hearts are unpredictable." Xue Ji paused, shuddered in his heart, and replied in a deep voice.

Qin Xu raised his hand and coughed violently a few times, his face was a little more tired, so he waved his hand at Xue Ji, threw down a sentence of "It's all an excuse", and walked slowly towards the Warm Pavilion of Zichen Palace.

There is only less than half a month left before Chinese New Year's Eve, and the piles of official documents on the table of the political affairs hall are gradually decreasing, and Xue Ji has not closed his eyes for twenty hours, only caring about dealing with the trivial matters at the end of the year.

His Majesty refused to let go, and it was impossible to return to Gangneung before the year and avoid Chunfu by the way. If you want to push this hot potato out, you have to make another plan.

The night was silent and deeper

Dew weight.

The light in Xue's study has not been extinguished, and through a thin layer of window paper, you can vaguely see Xue Ji's busy figure bowing his head.

Shen Yurong had already laid down, but after lying down for a long time, his side was empty, and he always felt at ease, and he couldn't sleep, so he simply put on his clothes and got up.

The study was warm with charcoal fire, and Xue Ji was only wearing a dark robe, and his forehead was already sweating. He noticed that there was an extra figure at the door, put down his pen and ink and looked up, it was Shen Yurong who came in with a bowl of medicinal food.

"Why didn't you go back to the house to rest?"

"You haven't closed your eyes for almost two days, where can I sleep soundly."

When the words fell, Xue Ji moved slightly to the side, making room for Shen Yurong to sit down.

Shen Yurong sat down next to him, pushed the medicinal food in his hand in front of him, and put a spoon in one hand to his mouth. "Do you still think you're young and vigorous? I didn't sleep all night, I didn't need dinner or dinner, look at your face, it's almost yellow to wax."

Although Xue Ji was helpless, a warm current poured into his heart, swallowed the medicinal food in his mouth, took the porcelain bowl from her hand, and sighed in his mouth: "If it was ten years earlier, how could I be so worried."

Shen Yurong smiled, raised his hand to stroke the hair on his sideburns, and sighed twice: "My worried hair is gray. Why, Banzai still doesn't agree?"

When he mentioned this, Xue Ji panicked in his heart.

"It's a blessing or a curse, it's a curse that can't be avoided. But now it's clear that it's a disaster, and it's another tough battle...... Xue Ji said in a deep voice: "It's a big deal, I see what tricks he Chen Shao can play."

Shen Yurong turned his body slightly sideways, staring at the screen on the side in a daze and thoughtful. "You can't avoid it."

Xue Ji was puzzled and raised his head to meet her gaze.

Shen Yurong chuckled lightly and said eloquently: "It's a big deal to be sick temporarily, there are unforeseen circumstances in the sky, people have good fortune and misfortune, and the king of heaven and Lao Tzu can't help but let you fall ill suddenly."

That's an idea.

But Xue Ji still had some worries in his heart, if he suddenly fell ill, he would need to temporarily change the examiner, such a big move...... I'm afraid that I will add chaos to the Ministry of Rites and delay the business.

The spring exam can't be child's play.

Shen Yurong seemed to guess his concerns, and then said, "Husband, you can inform the Ministry of Rites and Master Xu in advance and let me know."

"No." Xue Ji frowned when he heard this, Cheng Buyi, who was still an immortal in the Ministry of Rites, would definitely not be able to avoid his eyes if he wanted to communicate with the Ministry of Rites. The Imperial Historical Observatory has been restored, and they have to make a big fuss about it at all, and at this time, they are doing things in private, that is, they are rushing to give people a handle.

Shen Yurong had no choice but to put this matter aside for the time being, waiting for him to clean up the stack of paperwork on the table, and the two went back to the house to sleep together.

Turn the day, the seventeenth day of the lunar month.

From the morning the day was gloomy, and the clouds were so thick that they obscured the midday sun, but there was not much snow. In such a cloudy day, people always feel uncomfortable when they look at it.

It is the end of the year, and the end of the year is approaching. Most of the shops on the streets of Chang'an have closed, and only a few small vendors are still setting up stalls on the side of the road.

There were few pedestrians coming and going on the road, only a few chariots and horses of dignitaries and dignitaries passing by, all of them in a hurry, and no one had time to stop to watch the hawker selling.

I don't know if it's providence, I was depressed for most of the day, and after noon, I suddenly heard whispers, and wherever there were people, there was a lot of noise. When I asked before, I found out that the old imperial history and the book of the Ministry of Rites, Cheng Bu was not surprised by Lord Cheng, and he ...... early this morning It's up.

When the news came, Xue Jishang was in his mansion, holding a big hat in his hand, and was about to put on his clothes and go out of the mansion to the political hall. As soon as he heard the news, the movements in his hands subconsciously stopped, and he looked at the subordinate in front of him in disbelief.

It stands to reason that Cheng Bu is not shocked at this age, birth, old age, sickness and death, it is normal. But he has stood for so many years, admonishing the king and reprimanding the courtiers, and the civil and military officials are resentful and very dissatisfied with this, but they are also used to it.

This man died suddenly, and it was really ...... Against all odds.

Shen Yu

Rong Gang warmed the rabbit down collar for him, and as soon as he came out of the front yard, he heard the subordinate tell him about it, and he was stunned for a moment. It wasn't long before something came to her mind. After the messenger left, she slowly approached Xue Ji's side.

"The absence of Master Cheng in the Ministry of Rites is a good thing for you."