In the small study room of the Taiji Hall of the Imperial Palace, the eldest grandson Wuji urgently reported to the emperor: "Your Majesty, the results of the preliminary examination of the imperial examination have been reported, and the situation and situation do not seem to be very good. ”

Li Er frowned slightly, "Why is it not good?" ”

The eldest grandson Wuji said in a deep voice: "The students who came out of the government-run school hall failed half of the list in this preliminary examination. ”

"What? Halfway? Li Er asked in surprise: "Auxiliary, are you sure it's half?" Isn't the statistics of the yamen in various places wrong? ”

Eldest Sun Wuji nodded: "It's even a little more than half." ”

Hiss......

Li Er took a breath of cool air, the government-run school that we had high hopes for made its first appearance, and he couldn't even pass a small first attempt? So how do you fight with the gate valve family?

"Did someone tamper with the questions in the preliminary exam?" Li Er thought of a possibility.

The eldest grandson Wuji sighed and shook his head: "No, it is a question that is based on the practice of previous years." We all participated in the review and there were no problems with the topic. The difficulty has not increased, it is simple literacy and sentence breaking, daily articles. After all, it was the first test, and there was a township test at the state road level later, and finally I came to Chang'an to participate in the examination. In this way, it is screened layer by layer and eliminated step by step. ”

"In the imperial examinations that can be passed, the pass rate of the initial examination is more than ninety percent, and there are ...... like this"

Li Er waved his hand: "Maybe it's normal, in the past, those who participated in scientific examinations, even if they were children from poor families, were all literate since childhood." This time is different, the government school has been hastily studied for two years, and the literacy and sentence breaks, letters and articles have not been fully studied, probably because many students have no time to study on weekdays. ”

Eldest Sun Wuji nodded: "It's also possible, after all, most of the students are croppers, and they don't have time to go to the school every day to listen to classes." ”

"But...... Wechen is worried that if we continue like this, we will lose the battle. The government-run school is the great plan of the imperial court, and it is also the main force that the Hou Ye uses to argue with the family, such an achievement is not good for the future. ”

Li Er smiled, "Although I don't know what medicine is sold in Xiao Rui's gourd, he must have thought of this result a long time ago." It's better for you to go to Xiaojiazhuang, tell him in person, and then see his reaction. ”

The eldest grandson Wuji thought for a while, nodded and said: "It's okay, the commander of this imperial examination is Hou Ye, but he is whimsical and loves to take risks, which makes people have to be afraid." ”

Li Er laughed and said, "Because of this, our opponent is probably like this, confused, right?" ”

Forehead......

It seems that even we ourselves can't see through it, how can the opponent guess it?

In the afternoon of the same day, in Xiaojiazhuang, Xiao Rui took Xiangcheng to stand at the entrance of the village to greet him.

Although the eldest grandson Wuji is not Xiangcheng's own uncle, Xiangcheng was raised by the eldest grandson queen herself, and it is appropriate to call him uncle.

In the study, Xiao Rui and the eldest grandson Wuji sat down separately, Xiao Rui said with a smile: "If Rui guessed correctly, Uncle Guo came here for the first examination of the imperial examination." ”

The eldest grandson Wuji laughed and said, "I can't hide anything from Master Hou." Your Majesty said, all this is within your expectations, but this time you will brush half of it, how will you start a war with the other party in the future? ”

Xiao Rui said confidently: "I have never pointed to these people to fight a decisive battle. ”

What?

The eldest grandson Wuji asked in surprise: "Then, how will you win in the future?" Do you have any other back-ups? ”

"No, no, the name of the department starts with the first exam. The people who sign up now, in addition to the people of the family, are the poor people, and then the people who run the government. If the Hou Ye does not use the people from the government-run schools to go to war, then he can only be the children of the poor family, although there are many of these people, but over the years, there is almost no precedent for defeating the children of the family in the imperial examination...... So this ......"

Xiao Rui waved his hand and said: "The previous poor candidates have not won, that is because the people who wrote the questions are all from the family, this time Ben Hou personally made the question, as long as he carved the question a little, hehe, the advantage of the children of the family will be gone." ”

The eldest grandson Wuji's eyes lit up, "No wonder Hou Ye insists on participating in the proposition, it turns out that the trick is here." ”

Xiao Rui said with a smile: "It's not all. If the cold door wins, people may not be willing to admit defeat, so in the next step, I am ready to recruit talents, and there will be brave men under the heavy reward. All candidates outside the government-run school can find Benhou to register, all the expenses of this scientific examination are covered by Benhou, and each person will be given another 100 taels of silver as daily preparation for the exam. ”

"There is only one condition, I will be on the list in the future, and I can declare that I am Xiao Rui's subordinate."

This......

The eldest grandson Wuji was shocked inexplicably, not only Xiao Rui's strategy, but also amazed by his financial resources, one hundred taels of silver for each candidate? How many poor roads do the state roads add up? If you don't have ten thousand, you have to have eight thousand...... It is calculated to be hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, which is enough to fight a national war.

"It is said that Master Hou is rich and rivals the country, and today is really an eye-opener."

Xiao Rui hurriedly waved his hand and interrupted: "Uncle Guo, don't get me wrong, it's not that I, Xiao Rui, am rich and rival the country, this battle is for the imperial court, so the money has to be paid by the imperial court, where do I have so much money?" Ninety percent of the money for the operation of the Xiao Family Chamber of Commerce was confiscated by my father-in-law, except that the output of this farm was my private money, Xiao Rui did not have it. ”

Burst......

"Master Hou, do you mean to let the imperial court pay this money?"

"Or else?" Xiao Rui asked rhetorically.

But......

The eldest grandson Wuji whispered: "The imperial court has no money. ”

Xiao Rui smiled, "Impossible, you told me five years ago that the treasury was empty." Can now? After a few years of recuperation in the Tang Dynasty, if there were no hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in the treasury, the household department should have been shaved out. ”

"Ahem, by the way, Tobe Gaoshangshu is your own uncle...... Since it is my own person, and Gao Shangshu is capable, I am sure that the treasury is full. ”

The eldest grandson Wuji reminded: "The money in the treasury is used for various purposes, not to mention that it is you, the Hou Ye, even Your Majesty cannot use it." And...... If you give out hundreds of thousands of taels at once, Your Majesty will not agree. ”

Xiao Rui spread his hands: "Then I can't help it, I'll wait to lose next year, my Xiao Rui's personal reputation doesn't matter, the court will be pressed under the five surnames and Qiwang again, tsk...... You and I are both errands, and the most uncomfortable thing has to be my good father-in-law. ”

Burst......

The eldest grandson Wuji couldn't help it, and actually laughed.

He arched his hand towards Xiao Rui and said, "Okay, I will convey the words of the Hou Ye to Your Majesty." By the way, is this your real countermeasure, Master Hou? ”

Xiao Rui nodded: "It's not all, but it's definitely useful." If there are any accidents, I have other back-ups. By the way, there is one more thing to discuss with Uncle Guo. ”

"Master Hou, please speak."

"You and I are all in the same boat, people like you and me, relying on their respective families behind them, not from a poor family, but also not with five surnames and seven hopes, so the children of our families participate in scientific research...... Whose future results will be counted? ”

Hiss......

The eldest grandson Wuji exclaimed: "Master Hou, do you want to ...... From a family like ours, select a group of talents to participate in the scientific expedition? This, this...... It's not in order. ”

Xiao Rui shook his head and said, "Uncle Guo, Xiao Rui is young and knowledgeable, and he doesn't know too many rules. But I know one thing, isn't the reason why we want to go to war with the family is for the sake of a big blood change in the court in the future? As long as you can replace all the officials in the court with people who are loyal to Your Majesty, is there anything wrong? ”

The eldest grandson Wuji smiled bitterly and shook his head: "No, it's not this." The so-called rules are not the rules of the court, but the rules behind a big family like you and me. ”

(Happy New Year, everyone!) The holiday season is over, and the update resumes today. ）