Outside the city, the Zhu family manor.

The old lady Zhu Jiashi was anxiously waiting for news from the city.

For most of the candidates in Anlu, the success of this palace companion selection is gratifying, and the failure is not unacceptable, after all, where to study is not to read?

But in the eyes of the Zhu family, this is a key battle for whether he can turn over.

Finally, when the sunset was approaching, Zhu Wanjian came back in a hurry and ran to the back hall to report to the old lady: "Mother, things are not going very well. ”

Zhu Jiashi "sighed" in his heart: "But the election has a result?" ”

"I don't know if there are any results, but none of the five children sent by our family to take the exam made it to the final round, and all of them were sent back in advance!"

Zhu Wanjian had a bit of schadenfreude on her face, and she was waiting to see the joke if it didn't matter to herself.

Zhu Jia's face instantly became gloomy: "My family chose to send so many children, and even the tenants' families sent them all the good ones, and they actually ......."

Zhu Wanjian said: "I heard that the new young master of the Zhixian family has a kid named Zhu Hao...... He performed well in the first two selections and made the cut with little to no mistakes...... That's all for now...... By the way, mother, the one named Zhu Hao...... It can't be the little Haozi of the third family, right? ”

"Zhu Hao?"

Zhu Jia's face was even more ugly.

At this moment, Steward Liu came in and said respectfully: "Old lady, Jinyi Weilin Baihu came to visit. ”

Zhu Jiashi knew that Lin Baihu was not good, and it was estimated that he came to the door to denounce the Zhu family's failure in this selection of companions.

I didn't want to see it, but I had to.

Lin Baihu, as a special envoy sent by the imperial court to inquire about the inside of Xingwangfu, and he had previously stated that the secret agents who had recently lurked in Xingwangfu had re-established contact with him, and his information channels were by no means comparable to those of the Zhu family.

"The old man will go to see him, none of you are allowed to disturb, and prepare another two hundred taels of silver......

In Zhu Jia's opinion, the children of the family failed to participate in the selection of companions, so they could only make up for it from elsewhere, feed Lin Baihu with silver, and use their news channels for the Zhu family to use, or they could give it a try.

……

……

Zhu Jiashi met Lin Baihu.

Lin Baihu's face was not as dark as he imagined, but with a kind of admiration and compliment, he hugged his fists and saluted her as soon as he came up: "First say congratulations to Old Madam Zhu." ”

Zhu Jiashi frowned: "Where does the joy come from?" ”

"Oh!?"

Lin Baihu frowned, seemed to be a little puzzled, rolled his eyes, seemed to think of something, and said with a smile, "The final result has not yet been announced, but we have found out from the internal department that among the two shortlisted for this selection, in addition to the son of the Changshou Zhixian family, there is also one who is the young master Zhu Hao of your Zhu family's third room......"

"Isn't it gratifying that the Zhu family can send the children of the family to the Xingwang Mansion with their own ability in this kind of fair and just selection?"

Lin Baihu's words revealed two important messages.

The most important thing is the one called "Zhu Hao", who is Zhu Jia's grandson and the grandson of Zhu Hao.

There is also Lin Baihu who can now be described as "supernatural", and when the Xingwang Mansion has not yet announced the results to the public, he found out the news in advance, and he didn't come to show off his might?

Even if your Zhu family sends your child to Xingwang's Mansion as a companion, how much important information can be transmitted? It's better for me, just contact Neiying, and you can bring out what you want to know!

Zhu Jia's face was as calm as water, and he was not moved by Zhu Hao's selection, and asked calmly: "There are so many children who are running, but only two are selected in the end?" ”

Lin Baihu said: "Yes, just the two of them, there is no fallacy in the news, it is precisely because there are many children in the election that you say that the old lady is far-sighted...... I heard that the relationship between your third room and you has always been bad, so that the children of the third room of the Zhu family are running, and if they are selected, it will not have much to do with the Zhu family, and the people of Xingwangfu will not be suspicious...... Otherwise, how can I say that you are far-sighted, old lady? ”

Zhu Jiashi sneered in his heart.

I clearly didn't know it, and I was actually said by Lin Baihu to be "far-sighted"?! If the other party is deliberately pretending to be confused, this remark is pointing at the bald man and scolding the monk - using the topic to play.

However, looking at Lin Baihu's reaction, the other party obviously didn't know the reason, otherwise he wouldn't have come to the door to congratulate him...... Perhaps Lin Baihu just thinks that now that the Zhu family has the value of use, he will be so easy to speak.

That being the case......

It seems that the money prepared in advance to bribe the other party can be dispensed with.

Who needs to give gifts to whom when using each other?

"Old lady, to be serious, the selection of the young master of your mansion seems to be a good thing, but it is not necessarily true...... It is impossible for the Xingwang Mansion to be defenseless against the Zhu family, for fear that he will ...... after entering the palace. It will also be the same as the previous internal situation. Lin Baihu expressed his concerns.

Zhu Jiashi said: "You mean, someone will attack my Zhu family's children?" ”

Lin Baihu sighed: "When it comes to the inheritance of the throne, even adults will quietly disappear from the world, let alone a child who is not deeply involved in the world?" This son entered the Xingwang Mansion, which can be said to be extremely dangerous...... The old lady still made plans early, and if there was a need for someone Lin, just ask. ”

As soon as these words came into his ears, Zhu Jiashi thought it was a kind of advice, but when he heard it, he could only think that the other party was a threat in disguise.

Don't think that if a child enters Xingwangfu, he can crush me, this child has no one to help in Xingwangfu, it's almost like a headless fly.

Whether things can be done or not, it is not certain when it will be hung up.

"Dare to ask Lin Baihu, if my child enters Xingwangfu, can I get in touch with the dark line buried by Jinyiwei in Xingwangfu to discuss the strategy of advancing and retreating?"

Zhu Jiashi immediately took a posture of negotiation.

Since they are using each other, both parties must show sincerity.

If you still want to hide people, it's not a cooperative attitude.

Who knew that Lin Baihu just smiled and said, "If there is a need, it is not impossible, but this person's identity is extremely special, and I want to get in touch with him again...... It was not easy, and he was very worried that his identity would be revealed...... Speaking of which, it took a little trick to force him to comply. ”

"Coercion and temptation?" Zhu Jiashi probably understood.

"Pretty much."

Lin Baihu didn't hide it, "Because of this, I can't tell the truth about my true identity, and the fewer people who know, the less likely it is to be revealed." Now I am the only one who knows the details, and even my boss doesn't know it...... The little master of your mansion enters the Xingwang Mansion, and in case of emergency, I will arrange for this person to secretly help, otherwise...... If you can't see it, try not to see it! ”

Zhu Jiashi understood that Lin Baihu didn't want to expose the trump card in his hand.

Originally, she could have fought for it, but after thinking about it, the child in the third room was selected, and she didn't know about it, so she didn't know what to say next......

Can that kid be the trump card in his own hands?

If you don't have a card, what do you exchange it for?

"Lin Baihu, after my child enters the Xingwang Mansion, I hope you will help me...... Let's discuss it again, if the old body still has something, I won't send you! ”

……

……

Zhu Jiashi asked Lin Baihu to be sent out of the mansion without giving any bribes.

In her opinion, getting Zhu Hao done right now is more important than anything else.

At this time, Zhu Hao had already returned home, but it was not until sunset that Zhu Niang came back from outside...... She is going to hand over to the people sent by Su Xigui and bring back the silver she earned after selling the snowflake salt.

Uncle Zhong and the others followed behind, carefully protecting the three big black burdens.

Zhu Niang instructed Uncle Zhong and the others to put the burden on the counter, and then opened the drawer herself and gave each person 200 yuan.

Uncle Zhong and the others said goodbye with interest.

Zhu Niang and Aunt Li took a look left and right after sending people out, returned to the shop to partition the door panel, breathed a long sigh of relief, and then walked to the counter and opened the baggage, and immediately revealed the white silver, and there were fifteen silver ingots of ten taels.

The long-term shortage of funds faced by the small courtyard was easily solved.

"Madame, why is there so much silver?"

At this time, Aunt Li's eyes were straight, she had never seen so much money since she was a child.

Zhu Niang looked at Zhu Hao, her eyes were full of smiles: "It's all the credit of Xiao Hao, we took advantage of the good weather to dry more salt, Su Dongzhu is very satisfied with the quality of our salt, it is said that he has sent the first batch of salt to Jinling for sale, very smooth, so this time a pound of salt added an extra penny to us." ”

Zhu Niang was very happy.

Zhu Hao heard the question: "Mother, why does he want to add money when he is so good?" Nothing to be courteous or a thief, I have long seen that the surname Su is not a good person. ”

“……”

Zhu Niang and Aunt Li glanced at each other.

You were the one who advocated doing business with Su Xigui at the beginning, but now that the business between the two sides has just improved, you say that Su Xigui is not a good person?

"Mother, today I went to the palace to study." Zhu Hao said again.

Zhu Niang nodded, she didn't have much hope for this matter, so many children went to the election, it is said that they have to study for more than two years to have a chance, Zhu Hao is not even enlightened, at most he followed Mr. Lu for a few days and then ran to apply for the election, how could he be elected?

"It doesn't matter if you are not selected, my mother has silver in her hand now, and she will invite the best gentleman for you, as for going back to Zhu's house...... It's a big deal to give your grandmother some silver...... Mother will beg her to let you go......" Zhu Niang has her own considerations.

Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Mother, in fact, what I want to say is that I did well in the exam, and if nothing else, I should be able to be selected." ”

"Huh!?"

Zhu Niang was very surprised.

My son hasn't even completed enlightenment, and most of the knowledge he has mastered is a few words that she usually teaches, so that he can pass the assessment?

At this moment, there was a knock on the door outside: "Is this the mansion of the little son of the Zhu family?" ”

Zhu Niang hurriedly hid the silver, tidied up her clothes and went to open the door, and Zhu Hao followed behind.

As a door panel was removed, Zhu Hao saw Jiang Lun standing in front of the door with an entourage.

Jiang Lun was stunned when he saw Zhu Niang, and then saw Zhu Hao again, nodded as a greeting, and helped remove the other door panel and put it aside.

"Who is this official......?"

Zhu Niang didn't know Jiang Lun, and her face was a little confused.

Jiang Lun said: "I am from the palace, and I specially came to inform the little son of the Zhu family...... is the little Langjun behind you, he has chosen to read with the palace, and the morning after tomorrow, pack up everything and go to the palace to read for the prince...... In the future, food and accommodation will be in the palace, and there will be 100 yuan of pocket money every month. ”

When Zhu Niang heard this, she immediately became nervous: "Enter the palace? This...... This ......"

Jiang Lun said with a smile: "This must be the widow of the loyal general, the mother of the little son of the Zhu family?" Mrs. don't worry, enter the palace as a companion, come out to visit the family every ten days, reunite with the family during the New Year's holidays, eat well and sleep well in the palace, study with the son, and have a bright future! Without further ado, I'm going to inform the other two families...... Say goodbye, say goodbye! ”

Zhu Hao chased out the door and asked, "Mr. Jiang, I don't know who else is elected?" ”

Jiang Lun said: "There is also the son of the county magistrate, as well as the son of Lu Dianzhan." ”

Jiang Lun is a real person, and all the candidates and dishes are revealed, and he does not hide it at all.

This fully shows that he is very optimistic about Zhu Hao, and rushed to inform him as soon as possible, and then went to Jing's house and Lu's house. But Zhu Hao thought about it, the Lu family still needs a special notice? Just say hello to Lu Song directly and ask him to turn around and bring his son into the palace, wouldn't it be superfluous for Jiang Lun to run away?