In the past two days, Zhao Yao has been struggling with one thing, whether to get the wind-powered waterwheel out and give it to the emperor as a birthday gift. However, if you go to do a wind-powered waterwheel now, it will be too late to give it to the emperor, after all, there are not a few days left before the Wanshou Festival.

He thought about it later, and now that the season for planting irrigated rice has passed, it is not useful to make a wind-powered water wheel for the time being, so forget it.

Besides, it's too late to get anything else out. After some struggle, he decided to carve a small figure for the emperor.

Zhao Yao hadn't carved before, but Zhao Yao in his dream could carve. Zhao Yao tried it and found that he would too.

In the past two days, Zhao Yao has been carving the emperor's villain, and the carving is not bad.

"Yaoyao, is it really okay for you to send such a villain to the emperor?" Liang Run felt that Zhao Yao's birthday gift to the emperor was a little light. "Do you want to buy something for the emperor, or choose a valuable one from the Western Regions to give away?"

"Second uncle, I'm just a six-year-old child, it's too expensive to give gifts, it's too strange." While carving the villain, Zhao Yao said to Liang Run, "The stinky father also said that the things I sent were not good, and he would be angry." Then I'll have to make something myself and give it to my stinky father. ”

"Then you make something good."

"Second uncle, what good things can I make as a six-year-old child." Zhao Yao said, raising the little figure in his hand that was still one step away from carving, "It's already very good that a little child can carve a small person." ”

Liang Runshu smiled and said, "Yes." He always forgets that in the eyes of others, Yao Yao is just an ordinary six-year-old child.

"I have a lot of injuries on my fingers in order to carve the villain." Zhao Yao had several wounds on his fingers, and he was still bandaged. "If the stinky father doesn't like it, I'll bite him to death."

Liang Run was amused by Zhao Yao's last sentence: "Yaoyao, do you have the courage to bite the emperor?" ”

"Yes, the stinky father has made me anxious, and I will really bite him." Zhao Yao didn't bite the emperor.

Liang Run took out a brocade box from his arms and handed it to Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao looked at the brocade box handed over by Liang Run with puzzled eyes, "Second uncle, what is this?" After speaking, he reached out and took the brocade box, opened it, and found that it contained a red jade pendant.

"This is blood jade, found from the things brought back from the Western Regions today, and it can warm up when worn on the body." Liang Run introduced, "I heard that it also has the effect of warming the body, you can take it to the emperor." ”

"The effect of warming the body?" Zhao Yao took out the blood jade and looked at it, it was the same size as the jade plate that his father gave him before. The whole piece is dark red, as if it was stained with blood. In the middle of the blood jade, there were several blood streaks, which at first glance thought were cracks in the blood jade.

Zhao Yao lowered his head and sniffed the blood jade in his hand, but instead of smelling blood, he smelled a faint fragrance. The scent is a bit like a medicinal scent.

"I heard from the people over there in Wusun that this piece of blood jade comes from the Dawan royal family." Liang Run bought it for a lot of money, "I heard that people who are not in good health, or have injuries on their bodies, carry it for a long time, it can not only warm the body, but also relieve the pain on the body." ”

"Really?" Zhao Yao didn't believe it, "Can it really relieve the pain on my body?" ”

"That's what the person who sold me said."

"Second uncle, you won't be deceived, right?"

"I've found someone to see it, and this is indeed a high-grade jade." Liang Run said, "You can take it and give it to the emperor." ”

"How can I explain to the Stinky Father Emperor that I have such a good blood jade?"

"You just said I gave it to you." Liang Run said with a smile, "Yaoyao, you don't think the emperor doesn't know that I'm in the capital, right?" ”

Zhao Yao was silent, and then said, "Father knows that the second uncle is in the capital. "The villa in Dahua Village was built by the stinky father.

"It's just that it's not good to send a carved villain, you might as well give this piece of blood jade to the emperor." Liang Run said in a serious tone, "The emperor often fought when he was young, and he must have suffered a lot of injuries. Although these injuries are all healed, they must have left more or less pain. When it comes to cloudy and rainy days, it will definitely hurt, and this piece of blood jade can relieve the pain on the body, and it is just right to give it to the emperor. ”

Liang Run didn't say it, Zhao Yao couldn't think of this, because the emperor's body looked healthy, not like he was in pain.

"I listen to my second uncle, I will give it to my father when the time comes, but I can't send it openly, I can only send it privately." Giving such a good blood jade to my father on the surface will arouse the suspicion of others, so I can only send it secretly.

"Then you can send it privately." Liang Run said again, "By the way, this piece of blood jade was once soaked in Dawan's famous medicinal herbs, so it has the effect of relieving pain." ”

"No wonder there's a medicinal scent."

"Unfortunately, I only got one piece." Liang Run said with regret on his face.

"Second uncle, it's already very good that you can buy such a good blood jade."

"I've already told Lao Qi and them, if you see blood jade, no matter how much it costs, you have to buy it." Liang Run said, "Women are most suitable for wearing blood jade. ”

"That's right." Zhao Yao's subordinate Blood Jade thanked Liang Run, "Second uncle, thank you." ”

"What are you polite to me?" After Liang Run finished saying this, his face became serious for a moment, "Yaoyao, I heard about something today. ”

"What's the matter?" Zhao Yao saw that Liang Run's expression was a little solemn, his heart was slightly cold, and his face became solemn, "What happened?" ”

"The Wang family has opened a few pawnshops in the capital, you know?"

"Is there anything wrong with the pawnshop opened by the Wang family?" Zhao Yao said, "All the families in the capital have pawnshops or money houses. ”

"If it's just an ordinary pawnshop, there's nothing, I heard that the Wang family uses the pawnshop to buy and sell officials."

"What, buying and selling officials?" Zhao Yao's brows instantly furrowed, and his expression was a little unsightly, "What's the matter?" ”

"I heard that if someone has something to ask the Wang family, or wants to get an official and a half position, they don't go directly to the Wang family to give gifts, but take things to the Wang family's pawnshop, and then only charge a penny." Liang Run continued, "Then, they took a lot of money to redeem the things. ”

"Really?" Zhao Yao asked.

"Really, the Wang family not only opened such a pawnshop in the capital, but also opened such a pawnshop in other places." Liang Run said, "It seems that there are such pawnshops in Yangzhou." ”

Zhao Yao frowned, and said with a cold face: "I didn't expect the Wang family to dare to be so bold. ”

"I guess it's not just the Wang family that's doing this, other families are also doing it." Liang Run said with a cold face, "I also heard that they make a lot of money every year from pawnshops. ”

"I didn't expect the family to be so rampant."

"The Wang family sells some official positions in other places, and they are not too big officials, such as county lieutenants and county officials." Liang Run continued, "A slightly older official is engaged in Langzhong or county order ......"

Zhao Yao said with a cold face: "The family has officialdom in their hands, no wonder the emperor's grandfather and father want to move the family." ”

"These families are really arrogant, and the children of these families are all over the world." Liang Run said, sighing lightly and said, "It's really too difficult to completely eradicate these big families. ”

Zhao Yao frowned and did not speak.

"These families control the officialdom in other places, and use Emperor Shangao to seek benefits for themselves, regardless of the life or death of ordinary people, this is really hateful."

Zhao Yao sighed in a heavy tone: "The imperial power does not go to the countryside. ”

"That's right, the imperial power does not go to the countryside, but if the family has been allowed to manipulate the officialdom in other places like this, then capable but poor students will have no future." Liang Run's expression was very calm, "These people who buy officials by spending money will not benefit the people after becoming officials, but will only exploit the people, so that the local people will not have a good life." ”

"Yes, if the family is allowed to do this, the life of the people will not be easy." It seems that the imperial examination cannot wait until he goes to Lingnan to open it. "Second uncle, send me to the second uncle, I have something to look for him."

"It's night, do you really want to go over now, won't it disturb your second uncle too much?"

"Second Uncle won't mind."

"Will you be back tonight, then?"

"I'm afraid I won't be able to come back." There is a curfew at night, and when it is too late, people are not allowed to walk on the streets.

"Okay, I'll send you there now."

He Lianfang didn't expect Zhao Yao to look for him at night, because Zhao Yao was with him during the day today.

"Is there something wrong with coming to me so late?" He Lianfang asked.

"Second uncle, I won't go back tonight, stay with you." Zhao Yao grinned at He Lianfang and smiled, "I can help you warm the bed." ”

He Lianfang listened, and the corners of her mouth overflowed with a helpless and conniving smile: "If you want to stay, stay." ”

Zhao Yao said with a smile: "I knew that Second Uncle, you wouldn't drive me away." ”

The housekeeper appeared silently, silently brought Zhao Yao a cup of tea and a plate of snacks, and then silently withdrew.

"Say, what's the matter with coming to me so late?" Although He Lianfang didn't spend a lot of time with Zhao Yao, she had already figured out Zhao Yao's temperament.

Zhao Yao pouted slightly and said, "Second uncle, what you said seems to me to have nothing to do but go to the Three Treasures Palace." ”

He Lianfang stared at Zhao Yao without speaking, and raised her brows slightly.

Zhao Yao put away his hippie smile, and his expression became very serious: "Second uncle, I want to tell my father about the imperial examination." ”

When He Lianfang heard this, he paused to pick up the teacup, and then he put down the teacup and asked in shock, "What happened?" ”

"Second uncle, do you know that the Wang family has opened pawnshops in the capital and other places?" Zhao Yao said, "Do you know that they use pawnshops to buy and sell officials? ”

Zhao Yao told He Lianfang what he had just heard from Liang Run.

After He Lianfang heard this, she didn't show a surprised look on her face.

"What are you surprised about?"

Zhao Yao saw that He Lianfang's face was calm, and asked with some surprise: "Second uncle, you already know?" ”

"It's not unusual." He Lianfang said in a light tone, "Otherwise, why would your imperial grandfather and father want to eradicate the family?" ”

"Second uncle, do you mean that the emperor's grandfather and father know this kind of thing?"

"It's nothing new, what are you fussing about?" He Lianfang was a little surprised, Zhao Yao was so surprised.

Disgusted Zhao Yao: "......" is really embarrassed, he is too uninformed.

"It's been like this since ancient times, otherwise you think the family has survived to this day." He Lianfang's tone was a little indifferent, "No matter which dynasty it is, the family controls the court and officialdom. "The iron-beaten family, the emperor of flowing water is not talking about playing. A family can survive for hundreds of years, while a dynasty cannot exist for hundreds of years.

Zhao Yao gave He Lianfang a small roll of his eyes, and said angrily: "I'm sorry, I made a fuss." ”

"You want to tell your father about the imperial examination because of this?"

"Well, I'm thinking that if I wait until I go to Lingnan to take the imperial examination, it will take at least ten years, and in these ten years, the families will do a lot of such things, and I don't want to see this." Although he is not interested and has no ability to be an emperor, it does not mean that he does not care about the lives and deaths of the people. Now there is a way to weaken the family's control over officialdom and let ordinary and capable people serve as officials, and it is not good for him to hide it and not say it.

"Now that the imperial examination has begun, it can't shake the family immediately." Zhao Yao continued, "At the very least, it will take ten years to truly weaken the power of the family. In this way, when I go to Lingnan, the family will no longer be able to control the officialdom as before. ”

He Lianfang was surprised that Zhao Yao cared about the people, but he didn't show it.

"You yourself said before that once you tell your father about the imperial examination, you will be in danger, are you sure to tell your father about it now?"

"Second uncle, do you think I should say it?" Zhao Yao came to He Lianfang, but he had hesitation in his heart and didn't know whether to say it or not, so he came to He Lianfang to get an idea.

He Lianfang naturally hoped that Zhao Yao would say it, but he also knew in his heart that this would bring danger to Zhao Yao.

"You are still young, and suddenly proposing such a good and unprecedented imperial examination will make the ministers and the world astonished with your resourcefulness. You are no longer an innocent Ten Princes in front of the world, but a prince with extraordinary wisdom, is this what you want to see? ”

After Zhao Yao heard this, he sighed in his heart, and then quickly shook his head and said, "This is not what I want to see." ”

"Then don't say anything." He Lianfang said in a serious tone, "Now is not the time. ”

"Actually, I know in my heart that now is not the time, but I listened to what my second uncle said about the Wang family, and I didn't feel angry in my heart, and I wanted to show the family a little color." He didn't want to see the family control the life and death of the people.

"Your father is not a fool, he has long known about these things that the Wang family has done."

Zhao Yao was stunned and asked, "Then why didn't the father punish the Wang family?" ”

"Your father is insidious and despicable, and he will not easily move the family, but secretly lay a net of heaven and earth, and then annihilate the Wang family in one fell swoop." He Lianfang's eyes were full of mockery, and her tone was full of sarcasm, "That's how the family over there in Yangzhou was annihilated by your father. ”

"Second uncle, what is your relationship with my father?" Zhao Yao felt that the second uncle seemed to hate his father, but when it came to his father, the second uncle seemed to appreciate his father a little.

He Lianfang's face suddenly became very cold, "It doesn't matter. ”

The second uncle seems to be very disgusted with his father.

The second uncle's eyes just now seemed to hate his father very much.

It seems that the relationship between the second uncle and his father is very complicated. Or, the second uncle has something to say to his father.

"The Wang family opened a pawnshop to buy and sell officials, so don't worry about it." He Lianfang said, "It's not something you should worry about as a six-year-old. He Lianfang deliberately bit the five words "six-year-old child" very hard, "Since you pretend to be innocent on the outside, then pretend to be the end, don't do anything too out of the ordinary." ”

Zhao Yao nodded obediently: "I know." After saying that, he reached out and scratched his head, "I'm just a little angry." ”

"There's nothing wrong with you being angry." He Lianfang didn't talk about this matter anymore, and changed the topic to talk about the art of war.

Zhao Yao's attention was successfully diverted, and he listened carefully to He Lianfang's explanation of the art of war.

At this time, Zheng Xilin, who was far away in a mountain village in Pengcheng County, looked at the letter written to him by the emperor and sighed worriedly.

"The emperor actually asked me to be the gentleman of the Ten Highnesses, it's really ...... Sorry for me. ”

The emperor originally wrote to ask his former husband, Mr. Tang, to teach Zhao Yao, but Mr. Tang was old and not as good as before, so he could not travel long distances to come to the capital to be Zhao Yao's husband. Moreover, his old man's mind has become confused, and he often forgets who he is, and he is unable to teach others at all.

So, the emperor hit Zheng Xilin with the idea. In the letter, he told Zheng Xilin that he didn't need to go to the capital to be Zhao Yao's husband in person, just write a letter to teach Zhao Yao.

Zheng Xilin was shocked by the emperor's proposal, he didn't expect to be able to do it.

"I have resigned and returned to my hometown for many years, and the emperor still doesn't want to let me go, it's really ...... It's too tough. ”

Zheng Xilin couldn't agree to this proposal, otherwise with the emperor's temper, he would ......

Write a letter, it's better than going to the capital to be a gentleman.

Thank you for the monthly passes, and you are crazy to compare your hearts with the old irons.

Zheng Xilin: I've been returning to my hometown for many years, why can't you let me go?

Emperor: Don't think!

Zheng Xilin: Your Majesty, I really just want to be a farmer.

Emperor: I still want to be a farmer, can I do it?

Zheng Xilin: Your Majesty, you must be jealous that I can be a farmer!

(End of chapter)