Yongjiafang in Tonghua Gate, at the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty, it was only the place where the imperial prince's mansion gathered, but with the construction of Daming Palace, it has gradually become the residence of prominent high-ranking officials, such as the mansion of Mao Daxiangguo in the dynasty, it occupies one-sixth of this workshop, and the door is open on the wall, which is also a unique honor for the important ministers.

In the evening of this day, the sunset on the horizon is still brilliant, the sound of twilight drums has not ended, a group of carriages and horses along the Tonghua Hengjie to the east, through the square gate without entering, directly to the north to the wall of the open aconitum gate in front of the front, and when the seven or eight mounts before and after the hug of the golden emblem sandalwood car rolled and stopped, a tall horse a black-faced Kunlun slave knelt and pedaled, after a few breaths, a black leather six-fold boot stepped on his back.

Dressed in purple Ayaluo, with a jade belt and a golden hook around his waist, although he worries about state affairs all day, but Mao Daxiangguo is still in good spirits at this time, he stood firm, took a look at the fire and clouds in the west sky with his beard, waved his hand and waved away the shoulder that was about to come forward and wait diligently, and moved with great interest, even though the square inside the gate actually has no scenery worth admiring, but along the wall of the house there are halberds that show the status of the head of the family, which is enough to make Mao Wei feel comfortable.

He is not from a prominent background, ten years of hard study and several twists and turns, and finally through the imperial examination to fight for his background, remembering that he worked hard to recommend himself, almost exhausted with pride, and finally got the post of county lieutenant, how many cold eyes and ridicule he received, how could he ever think that now that his sideburns are not frosted, he is an important minister of the country, how can he not make people high-spirited and proud.

God rewards hard work, and the fruit is the truth.

Mao Wei sighed so emotionally, walked into the more magnificent door of the house, and just bypassed the main hall, but saw a person on the corridor hurrying towards him, but it was the nephew Mao Tend.

He couldn't help frowning slightly, just because although he had a lot of dealings with this nephew in an important position, but now that there was a curfew, Mao Chao was still waiting in the Prime Minister's Mansion, and he looked like he was in a hurry, it was obvious that something had happened, Mao Wei immediately raised his hand, avoiding the polite noise, and then paused to go to the inner house, and turned to the study: "Go in and talk." ”

But when Mao Chao almost finished saying three or two sentences about the sudden accident, Mao Wei couldn't help glaring at his nephew: "Just for this little thing, it's worth burning the fang?" You have been in charge of this Jing Zhaoyin for many years, why are you still anxious, and you can't hold your breath at all. ”

Mao Chao laughed dryly, but his tone was still eager: "Father, Xue Qian is just demoted this time, and the rest of the Xue family is even more unimplicated, and I don't know what the Queen Mother thinks, but she still allows Xue Xu to serve in the ministry...... Xue Luli applied for the Jingzhao Mansion this time, and his nephew, Jingzhao Yin, was really not sure what to do, and he hoped for his father's guidance. ”

"I didn't expect Xue Qian to be demoted, and Xue Luli actually planned to take the exam at this juncture." Obviously, this matter was also very unexpected by Mao Wei, he pondered for a while, and then asked again: "Is he applying for the Wannian County Examination?" ”

Ten thousand years of Cao Gang was recommended by Feng Bozhang, and he had some old feelings with the Xue family, so Mao Wei's question was also taken for granted, but if Cao Gang let Xue Lu leave the test, or even take the top spot, it would take some thought to depose him, and he might even make a commotion, the key is that the Queen Mother's attitude towards the Xue family is ambiguous, and seeing that this autumn release is the first important thing after the Queen Mother officially declared that she was involved in politics, she really wanted to be used to make trouble, and the Queen Mother's face was not good-looking.

The safest way is to find out what the Queen Mother thinks, if you want to suppress the Xue family, then you must think of something here in Cao Gang, and it is best to kill two birds with one stone.

As soon as this plan came up, Mao Wei heard his nephew's response: "It's not Wannian County, Xue Luli actually wants to take the Chang'an County test." ”

"Really?" Mao Wei was surprised, and after getting Mao Chao's affirmation again, he immediately changed his mind: "Then we don't need to be troubled, Chang'an ordered Yu Wensheng to protect Wei Yuanping, this matter deserves Wei Yuanping's brains, if Yu Wensheng allows Xue Luli to take the county exam, it proves that the Queen Mother has no intention of suppressing it, let's just let it go, regardless of whether Xue Luli is in line with it." ”

He groaned for a while, and chuckled at the corners of his mouth: "Xue Luli avoided Cao Gang, but it seems that he deliberately drew a line with Xue Qian, just by virtue of this, it can be seen that he is not stupid, and the rumors about his and Xue Qianming's secret fight seem to be true." ”

Since the clan uncle pointed out the clear road, Mao Xian's hesitation was completely put down, and then he said: "The saint will not ask about political affairs in the future, and the military and political affairs are the queen mother's final say, and the father of the world may be prepared for a rainy day...... Wei Xiangguo has always had a dislike for Xie Xiangxiang and his father, over the years, Wei Xiangguo has befriended Jing Zhaoliu and pulled the king of Nanyang County and other clans, but Xie Xiangguo is far away in Hanzhou, we and Wei Xiangguo can no longer be the powerful opponents of the past. ”

"I heard that you have been in a lot of dealings with the king of Yoshikawa recently?" Mao Wei glanced at Mao Tend.

"It was the county king who took the initiative to get close to ......" Mao Chao lowered his voice: "My nephew thinks that the county king takes the initiative to make friends, which is beneficial and harmless, and the saint has fainted since the last time, although the imperial doctors all said that it was not a big problem, who dares to guarantee that it can really recover...... The saint has no heirs, but Princess Wei has a son-in-law, and the key is that Princess Wei's son is not yet three years old......"

This bold remark shocked Mao Weidu's heart, and he slapped the case heavily: "You give me caution, dare to say this?!" ”

However, Mao Daxiangguo couldn't help but think about this possibility over and over again all night-

If the Son of Heaven really has a case, Princess Weijun's infant son He Er is really the right person for the new monarch!

——

In fact, there is no fixed date for the Jingzhao Mansion examination every year, sometimes in August, sometimes even delayed until October when the weather is cold and freezing, but of course it will be held before the entry of the township tributes into Beijing in Layue, and since the reign of Empress Wen, but anyone who can get the Jingzhao Mansion ranking, that is, the top ten lifters, if there is no accident, seven or eight out of ten can be nominated for the gold list, so the Jingzhao ranking has always been the candidate's striving, and the intensity is no less than the provincial examination.

And since the Jingzhao Mansion allowed the candidates to sign up in July, the self-recommendation of the examiners has reached a climax, and the princes, nobles, and important ministers are all crowded in front of the house, and even the two Chixian county yamen have openly come to the door to carry out the papers.

However, although the county order is nominally the main examiner, most of the officials who actually preside over the invigilation of the county examination questions are the county lieutenants, and the county orders are actually only responsible for the overall planning, and rarely do it themselves.

Of course, if there is a dignitary who "greets" or promotes a candidate, the county lieutenant does not dare to be the master, and needs the permission of the top boss and the county commander.

That is to say, the invigilation and even grading of the exam are based on the county lieutenant of Gongcao, but the quality of the results must be decided by the county order, unless authorized by the county order, so that Gongcao is fully responsible.

Since Yu Wensheng was transferred back to the capital, this is the first time he has experienced the county examination, and he also understands that this year's imperial examination should not be neglected, so he will naturally not irresponsibly hand over the burden to his subordinates, and even decided to draw up the examination questions himself, so even if the person who recommended himself almost surrounded the corner gate of the county party, he refused to see it all, and even the face of the prince of the clan was not given, showing that he wanted to be selfless, which certainly made many seekers grit their teeth with hatred, but Yu Wensheng had Wei Xiangguo's support behind him, and he could only grit his teeth and slander.

However, on this day, when he heard that the servant reported that Xue Liulang had come to visit, Yu Wensheng did not hesitate to personally welcome him out.

"It's a coincidence that Ayazhi came, I've been busy with official business lately, but I don't have time to play chess with Ayato." Having said that, the U Wenming Mansion itself was full of regret.

"Today's visit is not for a game of chess." Lu Li smiled lightly, took out a roll of hands from his sleeve and presented it.

Yu Wensheng was shocked.

"I'm here to come to the Ming Mansion...... Self-recommendation. ”

Yu Wensheng: !!

After being stunned for a long time, Chang An Ling took the scroll of paper scrolls tied with green silk, but he was still not sure: "Xuanzhi wants to go to the test site this year?" ”

Of course, trivial matters such as verifying the registration and registration of the examination are not done by the head of the hall An Ling, but Yu Wensheng did not know that his chess friend Lu Li was applying for the exam under him this autumn.

"I heard that Yu Wenming Mansion refused to file behind closed doors, it should be a fair and selfless insistence, although it is presumptuous to make this trip, but there is nothing else to ask for."

After this sentence was confirmed, Yuwen Shengfu replied: "Xuan's heart is worried, I can understand that you are so outspoken during your visit this time, it can be seen that you believe me as a confidant." He unfolded the small scroll and saw that it was a long poem, the words were clear and lofty, and it was not the example of the flattery of most scholars nowadays, so he looked more and more happy, but he simply got up neatly to send off the guests: "Go to the exam with peace of mind, at least Chang'an County will try this level, and you don't need to worry." ”

After Lu Li's speech, Xuanji, who stepped out of the door, saw that Yu Wensheng was still holding the scroll to appreciate it, she sat down not far away, and did not look at the poem, and she had already expected it to be good: "Xue Liulang's literary brilliance is undoubted, although he has not been careful to become famous over the years, but the popular kabuki sings poetry, one or two of the ten songs are his old works, and the history is very solid, even if Lang Jun is not allowed to redeem the scroll this year, it will not be difficult for him to paste the scriptures, in fact, if Xue Liulang has already deposited the idea of Shi, he has already entered the Shi and the first, why wait until now." ”

Seeing that Yu Wensheng was very approving, Xuanji smiled lightly: "It's just that now it's not as good as at the beginning, when the Queen Mother is in power and Xue Xiang is demoted, no one can tell whether the Xue family is on guard for the Queen Mother, and Lang Jun really wants to be selfless?" Perhaps, it is better to discuss with Wei Xiangguo first. ”

"I can tell." Yu Wensheng raised his eyebrows and looked at Xuanji: "The Queen Mother's pardon for Xue Qian is the attitude, now the support of the family is extremely important to the Queen Mother, and I have a feeling that this autumn Jingzhao County test, I am afraid that it will not be calm over, as long as there is chaos in her life, the Queen Mother is likely to take this opportunity to show her benevolence, so I must be fair in order to make Cao Gang the target of public criticism." ”