After a few people left the Xu Mansion, they went straight back to the Imperial Examination Hall.

As soon as he stepped into the door of the hall, he saw Bai Xingjia, who was pale, with a swaying body and not standing very steadily.

Gu Yunji stepped forward to help him and asked, "How are you, are you better?" I just fainted yesterday, and you're still weak now, so you should stay in your room and rest. ”

Bai Xingjia smiled weakly: "Lao Gu Gongzi is worried, I'm much better." Yesterday I was in a hurry, and I hadn't told my family about the exam, so I went out early this morning to send a letter. It's just that my body is very tired, and I walked step by step for a long time before I walked back. ”

Gu Yunji said: "Then what are your plans next?" Will you recover from your illness and then return to Songjiang Mansion? ”

Bai Xingjia shook his head: "I don't plan to go back to Songjiang Mansion." I'm going to stay in the capital and wait for the next session in three years' time. ”

"You're not going back to Songjiang Mansion?" Gu Yunji looked at him unexpectedly, "You are still sick, you are not familiar with the people in the capital, and no one takes care of you, are you sure you can?" ”

"I emptied my family and went to Beijing to take the exam, and in the end I ended up with such a result, what kind of face do I have to go back to see my family?" Bai Xingjia showed a wry smile, and his tone was self-deprecating, "Besides, my illness is caused by the lack of adaptation to the water and soil, if I go home and stay for three years and come back, I am afraid that I will get sick again, it is better to stay in the capital and slowly adapt to the climate here." ”

Cheng Yan was worried: "But the cost of the capital is high, how can you support these three years?" ”

Bai Xingjia smiled slightly: "I haven't used up the coils I brought this time, and my family will also send money from time to time, no matter how bad it is, I can still copy books and sell calligraphy and paintings, there is always a way." ”

Although Bai Xingjia's tone was relaxed, Gu Yunji and Cheng Yan listened with a heavy heart, and they didn't know what to say.

After a while, Bai Xingjia took the initiative to break the silence: "What about you? When to take the temple exam? After the palace test, it should be conferred on the official, right? ”

"Hmm." Gu Yunji nodded, his voice was a little muffled, "The palace test is in early April, and there are still more than ten days left before now. ”

Bai Xingjia said with a smile: "Then you have to prepare well, if you come back from the top of the list, my fellow countryman will have a light on his face." ”

Gu Yunji's heart became more and more sour when he heard this, and he wanted to say something, but he was afraid that whatever he said in his identity would give the other party a sense of showing off, so he hesitated for a long time, and finally only said "take care" when Bai Xingjia left.

After saying goodbye to Bai Xingjia, Gu Yunji and Cheng Yan looked at each other, sighed silently, and then went back to their rooms.

After confirming that Gu Yunji had returned to the room, a black-clothed gentleman in the hall retracted his stretched neck, raised his chin in the direction he left, and said to his companions beside him: "See, that is the Huiyuan of this year's examination just now, Gu Yunji." ”

"He is Gu Yunji?" The companion's eyes widened suddenly, and his eyes were shocked, "It's all in Huiyuan, and he didn't even set off firecrackers and throw red envelopes to celebrate, so I didn't know that he lived in the same hall as us, which was really low-key." ”

A white-clothed gentleman next to him came over: "He is the cousin and nephew of Gu Yuanhui, the secretary of the Criminal Department of the Dynasty, and he is a figure on the cusp, so he naturally acts in a low-key manner on weekdays, which is normal." ”

The black-clothed man seemed to remember something, and his expression was meaningful: "Gu Yuanhui is the chief examiner of this year's examination, right?" As his cousin, Gu Yunji was able to pass the Huiyuan exam in one fell swoop at a young age, could it be ......"

Although he didn't say the rest of the words, the meaning was already obvious, and several scholars present instantly understood it.

"Shhhh Be cautious. The white-clothed scholar looked around cautiously and reprimanded him in a low voice, "The stakes in this imperial examination are very important, and every admission quota is carefully discussed and determined by the lords in the court, but whoever is in the examination, which one does not have real talent and real learning?" What's more, Gu Yunji is an evasive candidate, the exam is a separate paper, and the examiner and marker are all assigned separately, do you think this is so easy to do? ”

"Besides, the admission list of the tributes has been reviewed by His Majesty, and even His Majesty thinks it's okay, you dare to raise an objection? Arbitrarily debating admission qualifications and questioning the fairness of the imperial examination, do you still want to have a head? ”

The black-clothed man was so frightened by him that his neck shrank, and he subconsciously swallowed his saliva: "I just said it so casually." After all, in previous years, there were no examples of evasive candidates being admitted, but in order to avoid suspicion, most of the rankings were suppressed, and there has never been a ...... like him who directly passed the entrance examination."

"You don't know that, do you?" A middle-aged man at the next table leaned over, with a mysterious expression, "There's a lot of truth in this!" ”

Realizing that their conversation was being eavesdropped, several people immediately looked at this middle-aged man with a defensive expression, but after all, they couldn't resist the curiosity in their hearts, and couldn't help asking, "What's the origin?" ”

The middle-aged man smiled proudly, lowered his voice and said, "Gu Yunji, this Huiyuan, that is the one hand-picked by His Majesty's Imperial Pen today!" ”

"Hand-picked by the Imperial Brush?" Several people were shocked, their faces full of disbelief, "Really? ”

"Of course it's true!" The middle-aged man raised his eyebrows, and his tone was categorical, "It is said that Gu Yunji's original ranking was much lower than this, it seems that he was seventeen or eighteen...... It's not a huiyuan anyway. His Majesty looked at the initial admission list and asked the first question, guess what? ”

"What is it? Say it quickly! ”

The middle-aged juzi has a talent for storytelling, and he didn't forget to arouse people's appetite while talking, until a few people were so anxious that they couldn't wait to scratch their ears and cheeks, he showed a satisfied look, and continued: "The first thing Your Majesty asked was-'Why is this Gu Yunji's ranking so low?'" ’”

The middle-aged man learned the tone of Emperor Jingfeng in his imagination, and acted well: "'I have seen Gu Yunji's papers, and the answer is extremely good, not to mention the top ten, even the first rank is also entered, no matter what, it shouldn't be such a low ranking! ’”

"Then His Majesty said: 'Although Gu Yunji is Gu Yuanhui's cousin and should be properly avoided, but the imperial examination is to select talents for the imperial court, and it is unfair to blindly suppress them. ”

This middle-aged man made a gesture and spoke vividly, and several people listened attentively, staring at his movements without blinking.

"Your Majesty's words penetrated into the inside, and the reason was clear, and it was said that the secretary of the Ministry of Rites who drew up the list was ashamed and speechless, and knelt down on the spot to ask His Majesty for his guilt."

The middle-aged man looked righteous and awe-inspiring, and his tone became more and more subdued: "However, Your Majesty was generous and merciful, and did not investigate the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites Shangshu at that time, but turned his head to summon pen and ink, and with a wave of his hand, Gu Yunji personally named Gu Yunji as the first place!" ”

(End of chapter)