The flat-nosed man saw Zeng Yu's strange expression, and hurriedly asked, "Could it be that you, do you recognize this person?" ”

Zeng Yu smiled and said, "Of course I recognize, Jiang Yuanrui - in his forties, white and thin, with short hair, right?" When he spoke, he dragged his tone, paying close attention to the expression of this flat nose, at first when he said that he recognized Jiang Yuanrui, this flat nose was obviously a little nervous, and his pupils were dilated, but when he said that Jiang Yuanrui was in his forties and his face was white and thin, his flat nose relaxed, and he smiled: "Almost, almost, it's such a person, Gongzi really knows Jiang Yuanrui, is there such a coincidence?" ”

"Just kidding, just kidding." Zeng Yuha said with a smile: "Where do I go to meet the people of Guangxin Mansion, when I think about it, is there Jiang Yuanrui among the new students in Guangxin Mansion, at the beginning of the month, someone copied the list over there, but I can't remember if there is this name, the list of new students in Fuzhou Mansion arrived three days ago, and you can tell me which one of them has your help to go to school?" ”

The flat nose shook his head again and again: "I can't say this, Fuzhou is close to here, if you spread the word, won't it ruin that person's reputation - this son, are you willing to spend a little money to benefit for life?" ”

Zeng Yu was dumbfounded and said: "Fifty taels of silver is a small amount of money!" ”

Flat nose said: "I mean pay three taels of silver first, you get the seat number to pay three taels of silver, think about it, since I can arrange your seat number, then I can arrange for you to go to school, if I only lie to you The three taels of silver are not enough to arrange the scribes and officials who guard the dragon gate." Saying that, he cocked his thumb and pointed to the examination booth, "I have someone inside, hehe." ”

Zeng Yu didn't want to ask any more, he didn't come to investigate the fraud case in the imperial examination, although he really wanted to find out if Jiang Yuanrui really spent fifty taels of silver to buy the fame of Xiucai, but his own make-up examination itself is a rare opportunity, and he must not cause trouble again, if he accidentally falls into it, not only will his previous achievements be wasted, but it is very likely that he will also cause a lawsuit-

"But I don't have any silver, I can't take out twenty taels, can I pay you back the silver slowly after I enter the school?" Zeng Yu said seriously.

The man's flat nose crooked and sneered, "You entertain me? ”

Zeng Yu also said angrily: "It was you who entertained me first, called me aside to say these inexplicable words, the master of the school is an adult and a gentleman, and he will do such a thing for fifty taels of silver, and the gentleman must be right, slow to say that I have no silver, and I will not do such a thing if I have silver, it is insulting to Sven, insulting to Sven!" ”

The man tried his best to talk to Zeng Yu for so long, but he was amused by Zeng Yu, he was very annoyed, but he couldn't do it, and he was even more afraid that Zeng Yu would talk nonsense everywhere. "With that, he slipped away and left.

Zeng Yu deliberately scolded a few words hatefully, and wanted to follow this person to see where he lived, think about it, don't mess with right and wrong, the sunset has set on the Yichun platform behind the examination shed, he has to hurry out of the city, immediately lifted the examination basket and strode towards the east gate, thinking as he walked: "Jiang Yuanrui is in his thirties, Huang Fat has no need, I deliberately said Jiang Yuanrui as a different appearance to test that person, that person's expression changed significantly before and after, I am afraid that there is really such a fraudulent thing, Huang Tixue has a clear name, and he should not let his subordinates do such things, It is expected that there is a problem with the few masters and friends hired by Huang Tixue to help with the papers, and it is not uncommon for the masters to hide and bully their superiors and subordinates, and to make profits in the middle. ”

I thought again: "If it is true that the flat nose said that Jiang Yuanrui's fame was bought, then wouldn't my name fall to Sun Shan have a lot to do with this, it's hateful to think about, isn't it all because of my hard work?" But now I have to endure it, and I will talk about it after passing the make-up examination, I still have to find a way to find out the treacherous people around Huang Tixue, and the flat nose will cost fifty taels of silver to sell the school quota when I meet someone, which will greatly damage Huang Tixue's reputation. ”

Zeng Yu returned to the small inn by the Qingshan Wharf outside the east gate to have dinner and rest.

The next day, Zeng Yu stayed in the small inn all day to read and practice, the back window of his guest room was facing Yuan Shui, and his eyes were looking to the left to the Qingshan Wharf, in the evening, he suddenly heard the official shouting, and went out to see, but it was the prefect of Yuanzhou and the county of Yichun with two classes of auxiliary officers and messengers to the wharf, Zeng Yu knew that Huang Tixue's official ship was about to arrive, and hurriedly dressed neatly, so that Sixi stayed in the room, and he rushed to the dock alone.

At this time, the east side of the Qingshan Wharf has been separated by the official soap, and the idlers are not allowed to approach, Zeng Yu decisively bribed a soap with five cents of broken silver, saying that he had an old relationship with a document on the ship of the academic officer, and wanted to pick up the boat, so the soap Li asked him to follow behind the more than 20 squires, and told him not to make loud noises, if he collided with the academic officer, he would be punished-

The sunset is obliquely shining, Yuan Shui dyes gold, Huang Tixue's boat is slowly moored at Qingshan Wharf, a group of drummers immediately blow and blow up, there are guardrails on both sides of the pedal frame between the boat and the shore, the white and weak Jiangxi Xuezheng Huang Guoqing walked ashore in the company of several adjutants and staff, Yuanzhou Governor and Yichun Zhixian went up to greet each other, and some local Zhishi officials and well-known squires also stepped forward one by one to salute, Zeng Yu was separated behind where can he get closer, and he also had to avoid taboos, how could he rush up to Huang Tixue to try to settle the ticket.

Seeing that Huang Tixue got on the four official sedan chairs, the official shouted, and went to the city, Zeng Yu was anxious, although Huang Tixue personally allowed him to take the make-up exam that day, let him wait in Yuanzhou, and would give him a ticket for the college examination, but at that time he didn't say how to give the ticket, and Zeng Yu was more worried that Huang Tixue was old and mediocre, and he had already forgotten about it-

Suddenly, someone on the pedal of the official ship shouted: "Which one is Zeng Gongzi, which one is Zeng Gongzi, here is a letter from Mr. Linqing Xie." ”

Zeng Yu was overjoyed, and hurriedly stepped forward to greet the man who looked like a scribe: "Down there is Zeng Yu." ”

The clerk looked at Zeng Yu twice and said, "Tell me about Mr. Xie's number?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "Mr. Xie is a native of Siming Mountain. ”

Only then did the clerk smile and said, "Zeng Gongzi will wait in front of the yali room of Yuanzhou Mansion before noon tomorrow, and I will give you a courtyard trial certificate, okay, you go back first, I still have something to do." ”

Zeng Yu saw that the scribe did not leave immediately after saying this, and nodded and smiled at him, knowing that the scribe still had a plan, he immediately took out a tael of silver and stuffed it into the scribe's hand, and said, "Thank you for your work." ”

The scribe quietly put away the silver, obviously a habitual person who accepted bribes, and nodded: "Zeng Gongzi remembers to come tomorrow afternoon." "Go back to the ship.

Zeng Yu silently turned back to the small inn and walked, unhappy in his heart, he came here for thousands of miles to ask for the make-up exam, asked for Lu Hanlin's recommendation, got the selfless help of the old poet Xie Zhen, Huang Tixue is also very elderly, but now in the face of a scribe, he has to observe the words and look decisively bribe, for fear that the scribe will embarrass him, what gentleman must be right, as long as he seeks fame and fortune, then he can't do the right way, he is conceited that the literary talent is available again, and there is no intention of fraud in the bank bribe, Yan Shifan said well, the imperial examination is purely for the corruption of the world's talents, One subject every three years, once the title of the yellow list, although the deep mountains and poor valleys also pass on its surname, it can be exempted from servitude Tian Bin, can be sacrificed by the slaves and maids of the field, and can be more powerful and blessed for the officials, with such fame and fortune, of course, it makes the world's corporal people rush to the camp to compete, and they are eager to read the sage books and be officials, so there is no pure reader-

Zeng Yu asked himself in his heart: "Zeng Jiuli, what do you want, you just want your mother and Niuniu to be safe and happy, not to be bullied, extravagant devotion is not what your mother likes, and you yourself, just a casual person, you like music, can play Go, calligraphy and painting are quite fine, good at swimming in landscapes, such a life should not be difficult to achieve......"

Zeng Yu comforted himself and hinted at himself like this in his heart for a while, and then his mood improved again.

At the end of the night, on the first day of the sixth month, Zeng Yu rushed to the door of the ceremonial room on the east side of the Yuanzhou Mansion at the end of the day, stood for a while, and saw the clerk hurriedly come out yesterday, handed him a note, and said: "Huang Tixue arranged for Zeng Gongzi to take the exam with Pingxiang Wentong. ”

Zeng Yu took the ticket for the hospital examination and thanked the clerk, and the clerk said: "When you hand in the papers tomorrow, you will send it to the examination shed lobby to present it to Huang Tixue, and Huang Tixue will test you on the spot in front of the magistrates of the four counties of the prefecture, you have to be prepared, don't panic then, that is also to sweep Huang Tixue's face." ”

Zeng Yu bowed down and said, "The student will definitely live up to the great master's love." ”

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