On April 21, the Baohe Hall in the Forbidden City should hold a solemn palace examination.

Candidates enter at dawn and go through rituals such as roll call, scattering, saluting, and saluting, and then issue questions.

Emperor Guangxu personally presided over the palace examination in the Baohe Palace. Aixin Jueluo Zai Yan came up with a policy topic: "Three Sentences of the Meridian Boundary", "Whisk Water Willow Flower Ten Thousand Points to Get the "Flower" Word", more than 300 candidates took the test for a whole day, and then handed in the papers, and then Taishi Taifu Weng Tongyi and other three markers began to tick, and then handed over the most O tributes to Guangxu Hand-picked, and finally the gold list title of the first three people, Nantong Zhang Jian High School champion, Nanxun Liu Jinzao and Hunan Phoenix Xiong Xiling were ranked second class, Liu Jinzao was the 52nd place in the second class, and Xiong was the 63rd place in the second class.

After the palace test, the Guangxu Emperor announced the ranking of the Dengke Jinshi, on the day of the announcement of the ranking of the palace test, the emperor announced to the palace, undertaken by the pavilion door, passed on the steps, and the guards shouted in unison, which was called the legend.

On the day of the transmission, the sky was not yet bright, and Luan Yiwei set up a halogen book to drive in front of the palace, and set up Zhonghe Shaole under the eaves of the palace...... The official of Honglu Temple introduced the new jinshi into place. Liu Anjiang and Zhang Jian stood straight under the steps outside the palace gate at the place specified by the imperial court, where they quietly waited for the announcement of the results of the palace examination, feeling both happy and nervous.

A serious occasion must be in order. Guess, there were not a few people waiting that day, but there was silence all around. It didn't take long for the rumor to begin, and there was a roll call that was raised, and the first call was announced: On April 15, the twentieth year of Guangxu, the first class of the world's tributes, the first Jinshi and the first, Tongzhou Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian really ranked first in high school, that is, the top student in the new department.

Liu Anjiang is a two-time jinshi, ranking 52.

After the roll call, the music was composed, and all officials and new scholars from the university to the three grades performed three kneeling and nine bows. Zhonghe Shao music plays the chapter of peace. Licheng, the emperor returned to the palace by public opinion. and a feast to celebrate.

Because the banquet is held in the famous Qionglin Garden, the banquet is called "Qionglin Banquet". After three days, they will participate in the Qionglin Banquet, and then these people will be led to a specific place in the palace (according to legend, it belongs to the inner courtyard of the palace, that is, the harem) to change their clothes (once in a lifetime, they can enter that place). Of course, the top three have a privilege, take the emperor's exclusive road once (the same life only needs this opportunity, and in the future, they will trespass), and after going out, they will boast about the official parade on the street.

On the fourth day, he met with Zuo Zongtang, the Minister of Military Aircraft, and learned the rules and regulations of officials (in short, many things). After returning to his residence, he chose a day to meet the chief examiner, because this chief examiner will be his godfather in the officialdom.

......

32-year-old Liu Anjiang was so excited that he sent a telegram to his family: Two Jinshi, to be awarded. At the same time, he wrote a letter to his father, and someone advised him at that time, "Your family has money, why don't you donate money to buy a bigger official?" Liu Anjiang was moved, so he wrote home to discuss with his father Liu Yong.

Liu Yong received telegrams and letters, he was really happy, his son was the first Jinshi of the Liu family, Liu Jinzao was not easy, and finally made a face for the Liu family, the news was transmitted back to the town, 70-year-old Liu Yong was excited and couldn't help himself, his son finally fulfilled his unsuccessful dream, and he really felt a little glorious ancestor. But he sent another letter to Liu Anjiang. wrote: My family is prosperous, and it is all the ancestors who have accumulated virtue. I didn't expect this to happen. Now I'm worried that you're still not satisfied. Although my ancestors are thick, it is advisable to leave some leeway, and I should leave some for my children and grandchildren, how can I enjoy myself? I hope that you will be humble and take care of your family, so as to inherit the virtue of your ancestors forever, and I don't want you to be high-minded.

Liu Anjiang felt that Daddy's words were reasonable, so he no longer thought about the size of his official position in the future.

This great wisdom of knowing how to advance and retreat has become a family motto of the Liu family in the future. In the end, he was also admitted to the Jinshi because of his son Liu Jinzao, and his career was successful, and he was crowned by the emperor as the honorary official position of the second-grade "Tongfeng Doctor".

......

One day, a fast boat sailed on the Nanxun River, and the gong sounded endlessly, knocking on Liu's house, accompanied by "Liu Jinzao received the seal!" Liu Jinzao took the seal! A large crowd followed. At this time, a good deed man had already run to the bazaar, and when he saw dumplings, rice dumplings, and other snacks, he took them so that he could come back to entertain the reporter. Those who sell dumplings and zongzi don't care about this person, they all want to be happy, but then they always pay the price.

The Liu family's house was facing east, so a table was set up in the living room facing north and incense and candles were lit, although Liu Anjiang was still waiting for the official and did not show up. Liu Yong wore a red tasseled hat, put on a coat and walked out, knelt three times to the north and bowed nine times, and then opened the seal. Tang Xuanxuan plucked a gold ear from his head and opened the seal, and as usual, the gold ear digging went to the reporter.

The reporter also took out the "golden flower" and inserted it on the heads of Liu Anjiang's two wives. In short, it's glory. When this set was performed, the house was full of people. Because, for many years, there has rarely been a jinshi in the local area, especially the Liu family, the first jinshi, so it is relatively rare.

The two reporters wrote the "report" in the hall, and the report was written on red paper and in Song style: "Good news to the lord of your mansion, Liu Jinzao, high school Jiawu Branch Jinshi and first." ”

After the reporter left, the family held a "congratulation". The hall and the courtyard are all hung with lights, and they are colorful. The governors of nearby counties, as well as relatives and friends from near and far all came to congratulate him, Qiu, Jin, and Jiang families came, and Dongmei and Qiumei also came. A large number of business gentry in Nanxun Town, such as the Zhang family, the Gu family, and the Pang family, came one after another, and they all came to congratulate and send congratulatory gifts. Even Jiading Liu Yong's in-laws, Xiangguo Yu, also came to congratulate him. It stands to reason that this congratulatory gift is a lot of income. Some people want to climb high, especially the heavy ones. This gift was not accepted, but it made the giver uncomfortable, wondering if he had offended the Liu family. Liu Yong decided to simply post a notice at the door: Liu Anjiang's Jiawu Kejin Shi and the first are the fruits of Nanxun's father's and villagers' upbringing, and he declined all kinds of congratulatory gifts.

People looked at this notice and were all impressed by Liu Yong's realm.

Liu Yong stood at the door with a smile and greeted the guests with a smile. When the guests enter the door, there are three cannons outside, and the music is blowing inside. The guest kowtows, and the host returns the salute. After the ceremony, treat the guests to eat the "horse running table". The horse race table is to invite him to eat a table of wine regardless of the time, so as to avoid a large banquet, and it is generally held for three days. The whole Liu family is very lively, and the town of Nanxun is also full of joy.

......

If it is a big happy event, Yu Yaqing is smiling on the surface, but she can't be happy in her heart. She knew in her heart that although her husband and official had become bigger, she was getting farther and farther away from herself. The husband is an official in the capital, and the mountain is high and the emperor is far away, but there are a few young and beautiful women in the future, what can you do? Men, who are there too many women around? Therefore, Liu Anjiang is in high school, but it has become a piece of her heart.

Jin Xiaoying is okay, anyway, she has a big belly, and when she unveils the seal, she has to be supported by someone to support her, and she is tired enough, anyway, she will not be able to suffer herself and her children in the future. How can you think so much. After the ceremony, he went back to the inner room to rest.

......

After a few days of excitement, it gradually calmed down.

One day, Liu Yong said to Liu Anlu: Nowadays, your brother is an official in Beijing, and he can't come back for a while. Besides, it is also convenient for the whole family to live in Shanghai. As a father, I have to live in my hometown temporarily, and there are many things to deal with here. Why don't you go back to Shanghai first?

Liu Anlu said: Daddy said the same. It's a blessing to my family that you're alive. Shanghai's affairs, please rest assured, Daddy will take care of it. If you don't understand real estate, you will ask Brother Zhou Xiangyun for advice. I'll arrange to go back to Shanghai.

Liu Yong said again: As for your sister-in-law in the big house, whether you stay or go back, it's up to your sister-in-law. Anyway, they have nothing to do, it's the same everywhere.

Liu Anlu said: My sister-in-law's biggest heart disease is the cultivation of my nephew. In my opinion, it is better for them to stay in Nanxun and study in Xunxi Academy. In a few years, I will take the children's test, and the candidate's jurisdiction is Huzhou Prefecture, which is also convenient.

Liu Yongdao: What you said also makes sense. It has really hurt her in the past few years. A woman, although she doesn't have to worry about food and clothing, it is not easy to be alone with a child. But it's better to let her be.

Liu Anlu said: Nai also made.

......

Liu Yong asked Yanyan: In the future, An Lu will take the old and the young with him, and he will return to Shanghai, and I will stay in Nanxun with Aunt Xuan and An Bo temporarily, and some things may be taken care of, you can do whatever you want.

Yanyan said: Daddy is really grateful for thinking about his daughter-in-law. Although life in Shanghai is convenient, there are no acquaintances to get along with, and here, you can walk around your family if you have nothing to do. Besides: Let Chenggan study in Xunxi Academy, and take the children's test in the future, the candidate's jurisdiction is Huzhou Mansion, and it will be convenient at that time.

Liu Yongdao: Nai also makes. An Lu thought the same. Anyway, we are here, if you have to pay, just go to the account office to get it, I have taken care of the account room.

Yanyan said with a smile: Daddy Xie takes care of it, and he doesn't bother with food and clothing, so what is the cost.

Liu Yong smiled and said: Hey, you can't say that, life is in the world, and you treat people and things. Especially women, rouge pollen, etc., is there a reason not to spend money?

Yeon-yeon smiled slightly.