Zhao Yao was packing up the books in Mr. Meng's study, and when he heard that the five talents of Jinling had come to visit Mr. Meng, he was not curious, and he did not go to watch.

The five great talents of Jinling often go up the mountain to visit Mr. Meng, and today is not the first time they have come to visit Mr. Meng. Every time they came, Mr. Meng was very happy, and his complexion would become better.

Li Wei and the five of them talked with Mr. Meng for a while, and when they saw Mr. Meng's expression, they got up and said goodbye. When they were leaving, Mr. Meng told them not to come back in the future. When he is gone, they will not come to see him off. His old man said that he just wanted to leave quietly, and he didn't need everyone to spend their minds on him to die.

Mr. Meng told them to take the imperial examination again, but Li Dao did not agree to him. Of course, he didn't say no to his old man.

After Li Wei and the five of them left, Mr. Meng asked Zhao Yao and Zheng Xilin to go to his house.

Zheng Xilin saw that Mr. Meng's face was tired, and persuaded him to rest quickly, and talk about anything when he was rested. After hearing this, he deliberately said in a joking tone that he was about to sleep forever, and that he would be able to rest well then, and that he would not sleep for the time being.

Hearing Mr. Meng teasing himself like this, Zheng Xilin and Zhao Yao didn't know how to comfort him for a while.

Mr. Meng had long looked down on life and death, although he had some regrets in his heart, but in the face of the impending death, he did not have panic and anxiety in his heart, only calm. However, there are some things in his heart that he can't rest assured.

During this time, Mr. Meng did not have much time to wake up. Every time he woke up, he would explain something to Zheng Xilin and Zhao Yao. When I woke up this time, I called them to his side to tell him something.

Zheng Xilin also wanted to persuade Meng Lao, but was rejected by his old man.

Old Mr. Meng sat on the edge of the bed, his expression calm, and he looked at Zheng Xilin and Zhao Yao kindly.

"I can't last a few days, so I'll talk to you more while I'm still awake."

Hearing Mr. Meng say this, Zhao Yao felt very uncomfortable. He knew that Old Mr. Meng didn't like to see them sad and sad for him, so he didn't dare to show half of it on his face.

"Third uncle, Meng Lao has something to say, just let him say it."

Zheng Xilin sighed slightly in his heart, and then said to Mr. Meng with a helpless face: "What else do you have to order, just give it." ”

Mr. Meng was amused by Zheng Xilin's words: "I don't have any instructions, I just don't worry about Li Ji and a few of them, so I told them to take the imperial examination, but they didn't respond." “

"You know they won't agree to take the imperial examination, so why do you bother." Zheng Xilin said, "They will not participate in the imperial examination, and others will not be able to participate." ”

"I know, but I just want to try." Mr. Meng said and sighed softly, "It's me who can't do it." ”

Zheng Xilin said deliberately: "You are about to die, what are you doing with this mind." ”

"Meng Lao, they are not as important as you think, and their failure to participate in the imperial examination does not have any impact on the implementation of the imperial examination." Zhao Yao comforted Mr. Meng and said, "The imperial examination is very difficult, even if they are highly educated, they may not be able to pass the examination." I think they are afraid that they will not pass the examination, so they dare not participate in the imperial examination. ”

Mr. Meng didn't think of this. He asked with a look of surprise on his face, "Is the imperial examination difficult?" ”

"Of course it's difficult, it's even more difficult than taking the exam." Zhao Yao felt that Mr. Meng was underestimating the imperial examination, "It is thousands of times more difficult than taking the exam, after all, this is to select talents for the imperial court." Besides, the imperial examination is not only about writing articles, poems and songs, or writing songs, but about real materials. ”

He also said: "The five great talents of Jinling are very good at writing articles, poems and songs, but this does not mean that they can pass the imperial examination. I think they won't even be able to pass the easiest county exam. ”

Mr. Meng only knew the content of the Four Books and Thirteen Classics in the imperial examination, but he did not know exactly what was examined. He thought that the content of the imperial examination was similar to that of the previous examination and the perception examination.

In the last pass of the previous conquest and detection, the emperor would personally test everyone. And the emperor's previous exam questions were also from books such as "Analects", such as "There must be my teacher in the threesome" question, so that candidates could answer the questions.

"I don't know what this year's imperial examination will specifically test, but it will definitely not be a simple test of articles and poems and songs." Zhao Yao said with a serious face, "The purpose of the imperial examination is to select talents for the imperial court, and the purpose of selecting talents is to benefit the people, and the benefit of the people does not depend on writing beautiful articles and poems. If they want to benefit the people, officials must do practical things, so the imperial examination is a practical test. ”

After Mr. Meng heard Zhao Yao's words, a puzzled look appeared on his old haggard face: "What is the truth?" ”

"It's people's livelihood." Zhao Yao said, "Of course, there must be other aspects, but people's livelihood is the main thing." Speaking of this, Zhao Yao showed a sarcastic sneer on his face, "Where do the children of the family know about the people's livelihood, they don't even know how much a bucket of rice is." ”

Mr. Meng asked with a smile, "Your Highness, do you know how much a bucket of rice costs?" ”

"Of course I do." Although Zhao Yao is a prince, he often goes out of the palace to play everywhere, and often buys things outside the palace, so he knows the price of things outside the palace very well. Moreover, every time he buys something, he will specifically ask for the price. Sometimes, he also went to the rice store to ask about the price of grain. "Twenty dollars for one bucket of rice in Beijing, and eighteen dollars for one bucket of rice in Jiangnan." When he took his four brothers to visit Jinling City before, he also went to the rice store to inquire about the price of grain in the south of the Yangtze River.

Mr. Meng didn't expect Zhao Yao to really know. He had a surprised expression on his face, and then he heard Zhao Yao talk about the prices of various dishes, cloth, and wine in Jinling City...... He was stunned when he heard it.

The price of these things that Zhao Yao said, Mr. Meng didn't know a lot. Over the years, he has devoted himself to research, and it can be said that he has not heard anything outside the window. He cared very little about things other than studying. However, he has always been concerned about the price of food.

The chaotic times caused by the previous dynasty left countless people starving to death without food. At that time, grain was sold at sky-high prices, and a few dozen taels of gold might not necessarily buy a bucket of rice. Since then, Mr. Meng has been very concerned about the price of grain, but he does not care much about the price of things other than grain.

"Your Highness, why do you know this?" Mr. Meng didn't know the prices of various dishes, nor did he know the prices of pork, chicken, duck, and goose, but Zhao Yao knew it clearly.

Zhao Yao said as a matter of course: "That's what you asked." ”

Mr. Meng was shocked, but at the same time he was very ashamed. He always wants to do something for the world and the people, but he doesn't even know these most basic things. He is a man who has lived for eighty or ninety years, and he is not as good as a ten-year-old child.

He suddenly felt a little ridiculous and a little hypocritical. If he really cares about people's livelihood, it is impossible not to even know these things that are directly related to people's lives. Compared with His Highness the Tenth, he is really self-conscious.

Zhao Yao not only knew the price of grain in the capital and Jiangnan, but also the price of grain in many places in Lingnan. He even knows the price of grain in several countries such as Annan.

Zheng Xilin unconsciously changed into the state of a teacher, and asked Zhao Yao: "Do you think the price of these things is too expensive, or is it cheap?" ”

"It's not expensive, compared to the most prosperous time of the previous dynasty, it can be said to be very cheap." Zhao Yao learned about the prices in various periods of the previous dynasty, "The emperor's grandfather and father ordered to reduce the price of grain, just so that the people could afford to eat food. "Now the price of grain has risen a little, and when the emperor's grandfather first established the Great Zhou, a bucket of rice was only five or six yuan.

"The emperor's grandfather and father are right to implement the policy of rest and recuperation, and now half of the people in Dazhou can not only eat enough, but also have surplus food at home." When rice from Annam is planted on a large scale in Lingnan, Yunnan, Qiongzhou and other places, more people will be able to eat at that time.

"Elder Meng, don't worry about the imperial examination anymore." Zhao Yao pulled the topic back again, "Father will not let anyone destroy the imperial examination. ”

After hearing this, Mr. Meng felt a little relieved. He no longer talked about the imperial examinations, but also about what happened behind him.

"I'm dead, bury me immediately, don't put on a show of spirit, and don't let other people come to pay tribute to me......" Speaking of this, he gasped a little, "I don't like to be lively, and I don't like many people crying in front of my spirit......"

Mr. Meng explained things in a tone that didn't concern him as if he was talking about other people's affairs. Zheng Xilin and Zhao Yao listened quietly.

After talking for a while, Mr. Meng finally couldn't hold back his heavy sleepiness and fell asleep.

Zheng Xilin took Zhao Yao and quietly retreated.

"Third uncle, do we really want to handle his funeral as Meng Lao explained?"

"This is his wish, or it is better to get his wish, and it is not safe to let him go." Zheng Xilin understood Mr. Meng's feelings, "He didn't want his funeral to become...... The ...... of the power struggle field"

"Also, a few of the people who came to participate in the funeral were sincere, and they were basically false."

As he was talking, Tongxi walked over and whispered a few words in Zhao Yao's ear.

After Zhao Yao heard this, he hurriedly said to Zheng Xilin: "Third uncle, I have to go back to the room beforehand." ”

"Go ahead."

Zhao Yao hurried back to his room, and the secret guard was already waiting in the dim place.

"Your Highness, the ministers have traced the whereabouts of those people." The secret guard said, "They went to a Zhuangzi outside Jinling City, which is owned by the Jiang family of the Cao Gang. ”

Zhao Yao was stunned at first: "Cao Gang Jiang family, the head of the Cao Gang?" Then, he raised the corners of his mouth and said with a smile, "I didn't expect the Jiang family to value me so much." ”

"Your Highness, the ministers have also found out about other things."

"What's the matter?"

As soon as Zhao Yao's words fell, there was an extra scroll in Tongxi's arms.

"Your Highness, everything that the ministers have found is written in this scroll." It's not that Dark Guard Armor doesn't want to report to Zhao Yao in person, but the things recorded on the scroll are very difficult to talk about.

Zhao Yao didn't rush to open the scroll to look, but asked, "These people in Jinling won't be staring at me anymore, right?" ”

"No, they are waiting for Mr. Meng to die."

When Zhao Yao heard this, he immediately frowned, and asked with a somewhat cold face, "What do they want to do?" ”

Kavinka is amazing, give me two more days to figure it out, and it will definitely be smooth. The number of words updated will be a little less before smoothing out. I won't wait for Kavin, I'll definitely do more.

In the end, it is a humble request for a monthly pass!