A few people quietly stretched out their feet and pushed the melon seed shells all over the ground to their feet.

Jiang Shen walked over with his hands behind his back, stepped on the orange peel that he didn't know who threw it, stumbled and almost fell down, and hurriedly held on to the corner of the table, speechless for a while.

There was silence in the public hall, and there was a dead silence.

Jiang Shen is the most easy-going on weekdays, even in the face of the seven-grade petty officials at the end of the year, he has never put the head of the civil official, the cabinet elder, but the person who has been in the top position for a long time, and the momentum of not being angry and arrogant condensed is not something that can be covered up by easy-going.

But it is the first time that it has been so cold and majestic as it is today.

After being quiet for a long time, one of the cheerful officials who were snorting melon seeds didn't hold back, so he knelt on the ground with a puff and asked for guilt tremblingly: "Xiaguan, Xiaguan is guilty, begging, begging for forgiveness." ”

As soon as he knelt like this, he was knocked down.

After all, he is not the only one who eats melon seeds, and he is not the only one who is eating melon seeds, as well as peeling peanuts and eating snacks.

Although eating dim sum in the stomach is equivalent to destroying the corpse, unlike melon seeds and peanuts that will leave shells, but the corner of the man's mouth is still stained with the end of the dim sum, and he can't rely on it.

There are six long windows on the north and south walls of the official hall, and the long windows are wide open at this time, and the brilliant golden sunlight shines into the hall in the next day, and the eight vermilion columns standing in the wide hall are particularly bright.

The sun is warm on a spring afternoon, but the atmosphere in the hall is a little cold, so cold that people shiver.

Jiang Shen saw that the momentum was almost done, so he said with a cold face: "Although this pavilion has always been lenient, if you go too far, this pavilion will not be able to tolerate it. ”

Several officials jumping up and down suddenly became honest, and honestly knelt and kowtowed: "Xiaguan, Xiaguan and others are guilty, guilty." ”

Jiang Shen sneered, turned his head and stopped talking about it, but he didn't tell these people to get up, and let them kneel honestly.

Although the kneeling people are all low-level officials, but because they are on an errand in the sixth department, they are also used to being high-spirited on weekdays, except for facing the peak and low eyebrows, they have rarely been offended like this, and they are quite delicate and expensive, and they can't stand it after kneeling like this for a long time.

A burst of heart-piercing pain was entrenched in the knee, like a needle, someone trembled, and fine beads of sweat oozed from his head, which snapped and dripped on the green brick floor, quickly penetrating into it.

Jiang Shen stopped, looked down at the kneeling and swaying people, and the sneer on his face widened.

I can't even stand this little crime, so it's no wonder that I can only be a petty official.

When facing the saint, it is common to kneel for half an hour and an hour, who dares to kneel so crookedly, waiting for the board to be beaten.

There was no mockery on his face, just a faint and cold voice: "Get up." ”

These people stood up on the ground as if they had been pardoned, and they were just relieved, but they fell head-on with another blow.

"Sanlin, write down the names of these people, and after the provincial test, move them to a place." Jiang Shen turned his head to Mu Rongyan and said.

Mu Rongyan glanced at these people, and should claim to be.

Hearing this, several people suddenly turned pale.

What a move, to put it so tactfully, it's clear that it's going to push them to the end.

But no one dared to beg for mercy, but they were only dismissed from office instead of being condemned, which was already a great blessing, so they all lowered their heads and went to the end.

In the hall, there were one hundred and twenty bookcases and beds for one person, all of which were full of pen, ink, paper, and inkstones.

Jiang Shen lifted the hem of his clothes, sat behind the wide bookcase at the top, glanced around coldly, and raised his hand: "Sit down." ”

Everyone should have heard in unison, and according to the size of their official positions, they sat behind their respective bookcases nervously.

Jiang Shen was silent for a moment before he asked expressionlessly: "You all know today's rumors." ”

Everyone looked up in surprise.

Jiang Shen said again: "Otherwise, your melon seeds and peanuts can't be eaten so fragrant." ”

Everyone was suddenly embarrassed, saying yes is not right, saying no is not right, and they are in a dilemma, like sitting on pins and needles.

Jiang Shen continued to sneer and use the topic to play: "Since you know everything, and you are talking about it so lively, it is better to tell my old man to listen to it, and let me be lively and lively." ”

Everyone shrunk their necks and pretended to be quails, and no one would be the first bird.

Jiang Shen coldly swept around and ordered someone to come out: "Zhang Yu." ”

The man named Zhang Yu stood up in a panic, got up in too haste, and brought down the narrow Hu bed, making a loud bang.

This Zhang Yusheng is short and fat, his appearance is not obvious, he is in his early twenties, he entered the Hanlin Academy three years ago, and after three years, he is still a seven-grade palm.

He never dreamed that the unattainable Pavilion Elder would know his name.

He walked out tremblingly, saluted, and trembled for a long time, and he didn't tremble.

Jiang Shen actually didn't know Zhang Yu either, and before today, he hadn't even heard of this name.

It's just that when he was up, he happened to hear this Zhang Yu saying that the exam papers were leaked, so he noticed this person, and ordered Mu Rongshu to check, and found out who this person's surname was.

He glanced at Zhang Yu and said coldly, "Where are your previous words?" ”

Zhang Yu trembled, looked up in shock, and finally knew where today's disaster came from.

Woe comes from the mouth.

He lowered his head and pinched the corners of his clothes nervously, not knowing what to say.

Jiang Shen turned his head to Han Changdui and said, "Lord Han, this person will be handed over to your Internal Security Division, how about it?" ”

It was only at this time that everyone discovered that there was one more person behind the bookcase of Jiang Shen, who was empty on weekdays.

The appearance of this life is handsome, but there is an awe-inspiring coldness that no one can enter, just looking at it, it makes people's scalp numb and chills.

Even the official hall was a little colder, as if it was late autumn all day.

When Han Changwei heard Jiang Shen's words, he knew that it was time for him to appear, so he got up and saluted: "Yes, Xia Guan also thinks that such a treacherous and cunning person should try the means of the Internal Security Division." ”

As soon as this remark came out, everyone was shocked.

This person is an internal guard, and he is actually an internal guard.

How can the internal guard come to the public hall and participate in the deliberations.

This person was still sitting behind the first bookcase of the head of Jiang Ge, wearing a purple robe and jade belt, obviously his official rank was not low.

Han Changdui didn't care about the surprise, surprise, jealousy, or resentful gaze in the hall, raised his hand and patted it twice: "Come in." ”

The words fell, and two people came out from behind the black paint screen.

One has a green face, and he is a little kind.

An almond-eyed peach cheek turned out to be a girl.

Everyone was even more surprised, and suddenly someone exclaimed: "Woman, how can a woman enter the Tribute Academy, isn't this an insult to the Holy Master!" ”

He didn't say a word, such a delicate girl became an internal guard, isn't this a tyrannical thing?

The girl retracted her footsteps, turned her head to look in the direction from which the voice came, and her eyes were cold, as if she had been swept away by cold water.

The man was suddenly silenced, this girl can kill, no matter how delicate she is, she can't ask for it.

Han Changdui nodded at Zhang Yu in the hall, and said coldly: "Yao joins the army, Meng Zongqi, this person will be handed over to you, be sure to pry his mouth open." ”

After doing a full set of acts, Yao Qi and Meng Sui answered yes, and dragged Zhang Yu with a stiff face.

Zhang Yu was pulled by the two of them, and the whole person recovered from the huge shock, fell to his knees with a puff, and said tremblingly: "The lower official is wronged, wronged." He was so frightened that his soul flew away, and with tears in his eyes full of shaky tears, he shouted: "The lower officials say, the lower officials say everything." ”

He had already figured it out, these people were the internal guards, the people who sat at the front, the people who could make the dignified lords treat each other politely, the purple robe and jade belt were cold, and they were obviously the new envoys of the internal security department.

It is said that the three fires of the new official are extremely strong, but they can't burn on his body.

He is a petty official with no family background and no one in the court, but he can't stand it.

It is better to lose your official position and dismiss your post than to lose your life.

He kowtowed deeply: "Xiaguan, you must know everything, and you must say everything." ”

Han Changwan raised his eyebrows, and said in a calm tone, "Take it down." ”

Yao Qi and Meng Sui claimed to be separated, and while pinching an arm, they took Zhang Yu to the next room.

As soon as this change came out, everyone was silent, and some of them were not determined enough, and they almost slipped from the bed to the bottom of the bookcase.

Jiang Shen and Han Changdui glanced at each other, calmly picked up the tea cup in hand, and took a sip slowly.

The two of them knew very well in their hearts that one of these people here was counted as one, and none of them were clean.

Who hasn't heard a word of rumors from above, who hasn't interjected a word, and who hasn't added a word of gossip?

After a while, Yao Qi and Meng Sui walked into the hall together, holding two pages of tissue paper in their hands, one page handed to Jiang Shen, and the other page to Han Changdu, and then stood respectfully behind Han Changdu.

Jiang Shen glanced at the handwriting on the paper, his face sank, and Han Changdui bowed slightly.

Han Changwan raised his lips and smiled, the sun spilled in through the long window, his smile was bathed in red golden light, but it was inexplicably a little cold.

He clicked on the piece of paper and said expressionlessly: "Yao joined the army, Meng Zongqi, and those who were named were brought over." ”

Yao Qi should claim that it was, and Qing Lingling's voice swirled through the hall.

There were a lot of names on the paper, Yao Qi clicked on one, and when he heard the person with his name, he trembled, and before the person stood up, Meng Suiqi had already walked over quickly and dragged the person out.

Some people have a lot of eyes, and when they hear their names, they pretend not to hear them, shrinking their heads and thinking that they are deaf, but they can't stand Han Changdu's gaze like a torch.

At the same time as Yao Qi's roll call, Han Changwei held the tea cup in one hand, as if he unintentionally swept around, Yao Qi's voice fell, he raised his eyebrows, and he could find the person who was named, and at the same time raised his chin slightly, not giving people the slightest chance to fish in troubled waters.

Meng Sui rushed over with an arrow and dragged out the man who was pretending to be deaf and dumb.

In this way, no one has any luck to hide, and it is useless to hide, it is better to hear his name, and he will walk out happily by himself, and he will not be dragged around, and he will lose the last dignity.

After Yao Qi read the last name, it seemed that a small half of the people in the hall had already stood up.

Jiang Shen's face was extremely ugly, and he waved his hand, asking Yao Qi and Meng Sui to take everyone down as soon as possible, which was an eyesore.

Mu Rongshu sat opposite Han Changdu, since Yao Qi began to roll call, his face turned white inch by inch, the names were like thunder, and they continued to explode in his heart, he tried his best to control his face as calm as before, but the hand holding the tea cup trembled slightly without listening to the control.

Han Changdui looked over unintentionally, lowered his head, and took a slow sip of tea.

Wang Jingzong and Ruan Ping'an sat at the bottom of Han Changdu, a trace of surprise flew past their faces, and then they lowered their heads to look at their faces rippling in the tea, as if they hadn't seen anything.

The silence in the hall was a little eerie, and even the sound of breathing was extremely low, not to mention the sound of coughing.

I don't know how long it took, and the dozens of people who were sent out all returned to the official hall in a decadent manner, all of them were as earthy as they were, and they were dejected, and there was still the slightest bit of official decency.

Yao Qi and Meng Sui walked in behind everyone and handed Han Changwei and Jiang Shen a list.

According to this list, the two named dozens of people.

In this way, all the 100 or so people in the hall were spared, and they all left two confessions with fingerprints in the Department of Internal Guard.

Some people are desperate, this confession is ironclad evidence, after the errand of the Gongyuan is over, I am afraid that my career will also be over.

Some people are lucky, although the confession is left in the Department of Internal Defense, but the old saying does not blame the public, and it is just a few rumors spread by hearsay, which is not a major crime, and there may not be any heavy punishment.

After getting these confessions, Han Changdui glanced up at Jiang Shen.

Jiang Shen nodded and said calmly: "This time is a wake-up call for you, I want you to always remember that trouble comes from the mouth, these confessions and lists will stay in the Internal Security Division from today onwards, and your mistakes today will be temporarily recorded by the Internal Security Division, if you commit it again in the future, you will be punished for both crimes." He paused slightly, and looked around with a cold gaze: "Do you know what this pavilion means?" ”

He said this very beautifully, and he also picked himself very clean, which means that if there is anything in the future, don't come to him, go to the Internal Security Division, it is a small account kept by the Internal Security Division.

Everyone got up one after another and said in unison: "Xia Guan understands that he will never dare to commit it again." ”

Jiang Shen was very satisfied with the attitude of these people, and said a few words of advice calmly before getting up and leaving.

In fact, today's punishment, the punishment is secondary, mainly for beating, and to get those confessions and lists.

It is better to be sparse than to be blocked.

Rumors are not terrible, by spreading these rumors, find out the most powerful birds jumping up and down, take the opportunity to peel off the cocoon, follow the vine and touch the melon, and then go to turbidity and Yangqing, this is Han Changdu's purpose.

Therefore, Han Changwan didn't care what Jiang Shen said.

Anyway, his reputation is bad enough, and he doesn't care about adding a few more.

The group talked as they went upstairs.

Jiang Shen said to Han Changdu: "Lord Han has already got it, and the rest will be hard for Lord Han." ”

Han Changdui said politely: "The elder is polite, this is the responsibility of the lower officials, and the lower officials will definitely go all out." ”

The two reached an agreement temporarily, got along a little better, and spoke very politely.

Jiang Shen nodded Ruan Ping'an, and his words were very affectionate: "If Lord Han has something, just look for it directly, he is familiar with him, and he will definitely be able to help Lord Han." ”

Han Changwan said with a smile: "Thank you Pavilion Elder, the lower officials must not bother Lord Ruan." He said to Ruan Ping'an again: "Thank you for your hard work, Lord Ruan." ”

Ruan Ping'an hurriedly saluted: "Lord Han is polite." ”

After saying such kind words for a long time, the group separated at the staircase, and Han Changdui and the three of them held two thick stacks of confessions and went up to the third floor from a separate staircase.

As soon as Jiang Shen and the others entered the conference hall on the second floor, their minds were suddenly relaxed, and the whole person was relaxed in the bed, not talking about any rules and regulations at all.

Jiang Shen didn't find fault with the laziness of these people, knowing that they were facing the heavy pressure of the Internal Security Division, even if they remained immobile on their faces, they were still nervous in their hearts.

Mu Rongyan hurriedly changed the hot tea, put it on Jiang Shen's bookcase, and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Elder Ge, this, this matter can be regarded as the past." ”

Jiang Shen glanced at Mu Rongyan, and said in an ominous voice: "This matter, the Department of Internal Security will handle it, you keep an eye on the hundred or so people, control their mouths, and don't make today's mess again." ”

Mu Rongyan's expression froze, and he responded embarrassedly.

He is the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and the provincial examination is the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites, from the selection of the corresponding officials to the determination and printing of the examination papers, from the monitoring of the scholars' admission to the marking and reporting, all of which are within the purview of the Ministry of Rites.

Then, if there is a mistake in the provincial test, it is naturally the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites.

He is a scholar of the Ministry of Rites, and it is difficult to escape the blame.

Fine sweat broke out on his forehead, and he heard a little unfinished meaning from Jiang Shen's words, which was the smell of conspiracy.

Could it be that this matter is not over yet, or is this matter just an introduction, a starting point?

He was ominous, inexplicably a little frightened, his hand shrunk into his sleeve, and he pinched it involuntarily.

Jiang Shen didn't seem to notice the changes in Mu Rongxi, turned his head to look at Ruan Ping'an and Wang Jingzong, and said in a deep voice: "Baowen, you will consider a few more current affairs today, and hand them over to me early tomorrow morning." ”

Wang Jingzong calmly said yes.

Jiang Shen said to Ruan Ping'an again: "Wen Ran, you put together the affairs at hand, hand them over to Baowen, and fully cooperate with Lord Han's errand first." ”

Ruan Ping'an was stunned for a moment, recovered as usual very quickly, answered yes, paused, and said cryptically: "Then, every day, the next official still needs to ......."

Before Ruan Ping'an finished speaking, Jiang Shen intercepted his words and said calmly: "No need, your errand on Lord Han's side, you don't need to return to the pavilion." ”

He didn't want to listen to what the Internal Security Division had done, what had been found, he had easily picked himself out of these pickled things, and he hadn't picked them up yet, so how could he have plunged into them again.

He wants to walk out of the tribute courtyard innocently and retire innocently.

Ruan Ping'an saw Jiang Shen's resolute attitude, so he didn't say anything more.