In Taixue, Du Jinning and the others had dinner in the dining hall, and then went back to the library to read, until it was getting dark, and then they dispersed.

When he returned home, Qi Muyuan asked the porter, "Is the old lady back?" ”

"Back to the young master, not yet." The porter was respectful.

Qi Muyuan nodded, walked in, and was about to go back to his yard when he heard a mother-in-law greet him and say, "Young master, are you back?" My wife is waiting for you to eat. ”

Qi Muyuan stopped, glanced at the mother-in-law, and said, "I'll wait for my grandfather to come back and eat together." You go back to your wife and let her eat with the old master and the second young master, you don't have to wait for me. ”

When he first returned to Beijing from Gui Province, his mother invited him to go to the backyard for dinner. Later, he found out that Su Xiu was present every time, and Su always led her to talk to him, so he was annoyed. If the Su family sent someone to invite him again, he couldn't excuse himself. Even if the Su family was grounded by his grandfather and was not allowed to come to Qi's house again, he was unwilling to go to the backyard to eat again.

With his father by his side, if he wants to come more than him and less of him, his mother won't care too much.

After returning to his yard, Qi Muyuan waited, but he still didn't wait for Qi Bokun to come back, he had to eat dinner alone.

It wasn't until the end of the day that he came down to report that Qi Bokun had returned.

Qi Muyuan hurriedly went to the main courtyard.

Qi Bokun had just changed into his regular clothes, and sat there drinking tea with a tired face, when he saw Qi Muyuan coming, he motioned for Qi Muyuan to sit down, and sent everyone away, and then asked, "What are you looking for me?" ”

"Grandfather, does the emperor plan to name me as the champion?" Qi Muyuan got straight to the point.

Qi Bokun looked at Qi Muyuan, put down the teacup in his hand, and slowly sat up straight.

"Who did you listen to?" He asked.

"Today, the emperor summoned Feng Xuezheng from Taixue and asked some about Du Jinning's situation."

Qi Bokun pondered for a moment and asked, "So, it was Du Jinning who guessed that you could win the champion?" ”

Qi Muyuan nodded.

"What do you think?" Qi Bokun asked again.

"I think so too." Qi Muyuan said, "The dragon skill of following the emperor to fight the world needs to be rewarded." ”

A smile appeared on Qi Bokun's face.

He patted his grandson's solid shoulder: "You can analyze who is the champion based on this, and my grandfather is very relieved." ”

"But this champion should have been Du Jinning's, I can't want it, and I don't want it."

Qi Bokun's expression suddenly became serious: "This is the emperor's decision, and no one can change it." Thunder, rain and dew are all Jun'en. Whether it is the champion, the second class, or the third class, what the emperor points to you is, you are what you are, how can you pick and choose? ”

He looked at Qi Muyuan's eyes and continued: "I know that you and Du Jinning have a deep brotherhood, but you have your family, and you need to consider your family in everything you do. Winning the champion is not only the glory of you alone, but also the glory of the family. You can't forget your father and brother for the sake of your brotherhood. I hope you can tell which of the two is more important. There are things that can be made, and there are things that need to be defended to the death. ”

Qi Muyuan shook his head: "If my article is better than Du Jinning's, I won't give in." But now let me rely on you to get this champion, not on real skills, I blush. Do you know how embarrassed I was when Guan Jiaze congratulated me today? I, Qi Muyuan, am not incapable, why should I rely on my family background to rob other people's hands? ”

"How is this robbery? Having a family background is also a skill. Besides, this title is not something we can give up if we want to. The emperor made a decision, are we qualified to put a beak? Qi Bokun frowned and shouted.

Although he has power, although he is known as the first celebrity in front of the emperor, he has experienced the battle for the heir, and he is in awe of the imperial power more than anyone else. That's the existence that wants you to die, and the next moment your head will fall to the ground. Figuring out the will and trying to change the holy will is the first taboo of being a courtier.

Qi Muyuan is the junior he has high hopes for, and Qi Muyuan is about to become an official, he is afraid that Qi Muyuan will not have a sense of aus, so he told Qi Muyuan these ways in detail.

In the end, he said: "Xiaoyuan, if the emperor's decision is related to our life and death, honor and disgrace, then it is worth the risk of trying to change." But for this kind of thing, if you ask me to go to the emperor to talk nonsense and point fingers, my grandfather's trust in front of the emperor will disappear. ”

He patted Qi Muyuan's shoulder earnestly: "Behind my grandfather, there are not only you, but also other followers. Without trust, my grandfather will not only fail to protect you, but will also be ashamed of those who follow me. ”

Qi Muyuan shook his head, and in the candlelight, his handsome face was extremely serious: "Grandfather, you think of me too naïve and shallow. I don't want to be the champion, and I don't just say anything about it, and I ask for it in front of you, but it's deliberate. ”

"Oh?" Qi Bokun's deep eyes lit up.

He looked at his grown grandson with a solemn expression, treating him as an equal: "You say, I listen." ”

"I don't want the name of the champion, it's because of what you call trust." Qi Muyuan's facial features looked very three-dimensional under the reflection of candlelight. He is seventeen years old, and his face has departed from his former childishness and has become a mature man.

"The son of a poor family is very valued by the emperor. He just wanted not to chill you, so he considered giving me the champion. If you go to the emperor and ask him to give this champion name to Hanmenzi, this is from the overall situation, it is for the emperor's consideration, the emperor will inevitably feel that you understand the righteousness, so as to remember our favor, he will only believe in you more than before. ”

Qi Bokun was silent and did not speak.

After a while, he asked, "You've decided?" Being a champion is the most glorious moment that all scholars dream of, and there is only one chance in a lifetime. Do you really want to give up the champion you get? ”

"It's not mine, it belongs to Du Jinning." Qi Mu is far away.

Qi Bokun stared at his grandson's increasingly resolute face, and nodded slowly: "Okay, I'll talk to the emperor tomorrow." As he spoke, he leaned back in his chair with a tired look.

"Grandfather is tired from the day, let's rest early." Qi Muyuan stood up and prepared to leave.

"Sit down, grandfather will tell you something." Qi Bokun stretched out his palm and pressed it down.

Qi Muyuan had to sit down again.

"Two years ago, I asked you to get married, and you said that you would wait until after the spring to talk about it. Now that the spring has passed, and you are seventeen, it is time to set down the family affairs and strive to get married at the end of the year. Qi Bokun said in a gentle tone.

"Grandpa Hong, the governor of Zhongshu Province, I don't know if you remember? The little granddaughter of his family also came to our house when she was a child, and you have seen it. A few days ago, your grandfather Hong came over and wanted to marry our family. ”