Chang Feng, as usual, stepped across the Jinshui Bridge and came to the Guangting in front of the Fengtian Gate to go to the early court.

Unexpectedly, at the beginning of the early dynasty, Xiao Jing pulled his throat and read out a will closely related to Chang Feng on behalf of Emperor Hongzhi.

"Commandment. From now on, the southern and northern towns will be in charge of the commanding envoys. Both the left and the right are not allowed to interfere in the specific affairs of the Department of Suppression. Chin this. ”

After the will was announced, Chang Feng "chuckled" in his heart: Doesn't this mean that I am empty?

He couldn't help but think of the birthday gifts piled up in the hall as a hill.

Chang Feng knew that Emperor Hongzhi had a problem in his heart because of his excessive power in recent years.

Chang Feng understands Emperor Hongzhi very well. The emperor always has to strike a balance. This has always been the case with the Imperial Technique.

After the next dynasty, Chang Feng returned to Jinyiwei.

The commander made Mu Bin gather more than 100 households in Weizhong and conveyed the will of Emperor Hongzhi.

Qian Ning, Shi Wenyi, Xu Fatzi and others were stunned when they heard the will.

The little abacus in everyone's hearts crackled.

Xu Fatzi said in his heart: The emperor is not authentic. Employ people facing forward, not people facing backwards.

Qian Ning thought to himself: It seems that Chang Ye has signs of losing power. It's okay, my godfather is still the governor of Dongchang. Even if Chang Ye falls, I have a backer.

Shi Wenyi thought to himself: Chang Ye has lost his power, and I will have to be closer to him in the future. Save him from thinking that I am powerful. Although we Shi Wenyi don't have any great skills, he is a person who knows how to repay his kindness.

Shi Wenyi is very righteous. Ten years ago, he didn't control his pipe and grabbed the female dependents of the criminal official's family. Chang Feng helped him escape responsibility, and he will remember this for the rest of his life.

Mu Bin explained to the brothers: "Ladies and gentlemen, it's not that I, Mu Bin, am greedy for power. It's really hard to go against your will. ”

"In the future, the affairs of the South and North Divisions need to be reported directly to me."

When he said this, Mu Bin looked at Chang Feng with an apologetic gaze.

Chang Feng immediately said: "Commander Mu is the big shopkeeper of our Jinyi Guard. Brothers are to obey all his commands. ”

Chang Feng expressed his position, and Qian Ning, Shi Wenyi, Xu Fatzi and others echoed one after another.

After the discussion, everyone returned to their duty rooms.

Sun Guishou found Chang Feng.

Chang Feng hurriedly put Sun Guishou on the chair: "Senior, please sit down, I'll make you tea." ”

Sun Guishou coughed violently, and it took half a bowl of tea to suppress the cough.

Sun Guishou advised Chang Feng: "Chang Ye doesn't have to be lost. The emperor is not dissatisfied with you by doing this. ”

On the contrary, he is too satisfied with you and treats you as someone you cannot be abandoned. That's what cut your power. ”

"The leaders of the brocade guards in the past dynasties, the powerful ones, such as Mao Xiang, Jiang Zheng, Ma Shun and others, did not end well."

"You know, power is the most poisonous poison in the world."

Chang Feng sighed: "The old-timers are worthy of being people who have been in the world for a long time. That's what I thought, too. Don't worry, I can think about it. ”

Sun Guishou said: "Well, Chang Ye is a smart person. Not to be happy with things, not to be sad about oneself is the way of a smart person. ”

On weekdays, the people on duty in Changfeng come and go, and all of them are hundreds and thousands of households who come to report on various affairs in the guard.

Today's common wind is full of people.

The wind is always at ease. He read a book for a day in the duty room, preparing for next spring.

In the evening, he rode home on a horseback.

The old father-in-law, Liu Bingyi, stood in the front yard and played with his grandson Chang Ponu.

Chang Feng smiled: "Old Taishan is here?" I asked the kitchen to cook a few more good dishes. Let's have a few drinks tonight. ”

Liu Bingyi sat on the recliner: "Virtuous son-in-law, I have something to tell you." I took a leave of absence for several years and did not go to Nanjing to take up my post. Let others see, it's really not like words. ”

"Tomorrow, I will hand the emperor a recital."

Chang Feng is a little strange. I have the impression that my father-in-law is an official fan, how can I see it so openly now?

The Nanjing Ministry of Rites is one of the thirty-six ministers of the imperial court, so he resigned?

Liu Bingyi saw Chang Feng's confusion: "Alas, I'm getting older, and I've seen a lot of things. It is not a good thing to resign from the government and stay away from the court. ”

Chang Feng proposed: "Old Taishan, you resigned, just move to my house." You gave me this house. In the future, our family will be lively and harmonious. ”

Liu Bingyi smiled: "Okay." When people are old, they like to be lively. ”

Ten years ago, Chang Feng hated Liu Bingyi so much that he hated him for tearing up the marriage contract.

Liu Bingyi also hated Chang Feng so much that he itched his teeth, and hated Chang Feng for causing his daughter to swear to death not to marry the children of the official eunuchs he arranged.

Ten years have passed in the flick of a finger, and the hatred of that year has long since disappeared. Instead, there is a family affection that is difficult to give up.

At this moment, Xiao Jing led several imperial chefs into the Chang Mansion.

Xiao Jing smiled: "Chang Feng, the emperor really values you!" No, the imperial dining room has just recruited a few cooks who cook Suzhou and Hangzhou cuisine. ”

"The emperor asked them to come to your house and reward you with an authentic meal of Suzhou and Hangzhou cuisine."

Emperor Hongzhi is hinting at Chang Feng: Although I have cut your power today, I still regard you as a confidant and favored minister.

Chang Feng naturally knew Emperor Hongzhi's intentions. He said: "The emperor's grace, the minister is really difficult to repay in his life." ”

The next morning.

Liu Bingyi handed over the old paperwork. He has been an official for decades, but in fact, he has no political achievements and belongs to mediocrity.

Emperor Hongzhi specially entered him as the secretary of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites, and told the old man with the title of Shangshu. After the Zhishi, he retained the book of Shangshu.

Liu Bingyi knew in his heart that the emperor gave him exceptional grace because of his son-in-law's face.

Giving the cook and treating Liu Bingyi well are all sweet dates given to Changfeng by Emperor Hongzhi. slapped someone, how can you not give a sweet date?

In the next half a year, Chang Feng became an idle official in the brocade guard.

In the prosperous era of Hongzhi, the cabinet had virtuous ministers in power, and among the three giants of ceremonies and supervisors, two of them were virtuous eunuchs. There are few big cases that need to be handled by Chang Feng in person.

He was happy. Every day, I either discuss art articles with Huang Yuan and Zhang Cai. Or study flowers, birds, fish and insects with my father-in-law.

Occasionally, he was forcibly dragged by Xu Fatzi to Yihong Mansion to study the body structure of Datong's mother-in-law.

The affairs of Wei Linan and Beizhen Fusi are all in charge of the overall situation by Mu Bin. He doesn't care about anything.

Since the emperor thought that I was too powerful. I'm just going to be a hands-off shopkeeper.

The days of comfort passed day by day.

In the spring of the ninth year of Hongzhi, outside the gate of the Tribute Temple.

The gong sounded after the test. Chang Feng walked out of the gate of the Tribute Courtyard with his prospective brother-in-law Huang Yuan and his little friend Wang Shouren.

Chang Feng stretched his waist: "It's over." I don't know how many laps are missing this time. ”

The main exam of today's examination is the elder Xie Qianxie.

The two uncles, Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling, drank too much wine last month and let go of their words, if Xie Qian's department didn't take their eldest brother Chang, they would smash Xie Qian's dog's head.

This matter is a little bit on the line, and it is a ceremony for relatives to interfere with the country.

Chang Feng used his connections to suppress the matter and did not let public opinion in Beijing ferment.

Wang Shouren is full of confidence: "I am set in the apricot list this time." ”

Now Wang Shouren's father, Wang Hua, serves as the Japanese lecturer of Emperor Hongzhi. He is the emperor of the Eight Classics.

Chang Feng smiled: "Then I'll wait for your tribute banquet." Your father was the champion of Chenghua for 17 years. If you can be the champion of Hongzhi for nine years. It would be a 'father-son champion' story. ”

Chang Feng returned home. The house was bustling.

The two brothers of the Zhang family and a group of idle nobles are fighting cocks with Liu Bingyi in the backyard of Changfu.

Chang Tian likes cockfighting the most. I didn't care about the etiquette of the county lord, and shouted with a group of old men: "Bite it, bite it", watching the two fighting cocks peck each other.

Chang Feng walked over and asked, "Have you placed a bet?" ”

Zhang Yanling said: "It just started, no matter what it is, it can still be played." Is it my 'Biting Qinglong General', or Uncle Liu's 'Red Crown Governor'? ”

Chang Feng said casually: "I naturally look forward to Lao Taishan winning." Fifty taels under the red crown. ”

After the tea effort, the "Red Crowned Governor" was defeated and pecked to the ground.

Chang Tian said indignantly: "What a waste! One hundred taels is gone, that's my dowry silver! ”

Zhang Yanling smiled: "Sister." I can give you any money. But the stakes can't be given to you. There is no father and son in the casino, let alone brother and sister? ”

The idle nobles fought for a while, and it was not until evening that the game ended.

Zhang Heling asked Chang Feng: "Brother Chang finished the exam?" How did you do on the test? If you can't make it to the apricot list, I'll take Xie Qian's dog head."

Chang Feng hurriedly said: "Don't talk nonsense, is it done?" Last time, you said this in front of so many officials and nobles. The official of the Metropolitan Procuratorate almost broke the bullet and impeached you. ”

Zhang Heling said with a smile: "If there are many lice, I am not afraid of bites." There have been very few people who have impeached me over the years. ”

Chang Feng had a headache with the mudslide in the realm of these two relatives. Every day, he pinched the roots of his ears and told them to obey the law and be cautious in their words and deeds. They turn a deaf ear every time.

Soon after, there will be a trial release.

Chang Feng came back early, immediately changed into civilian clothes, gathered with Huang Yuan and Wang Shouren, and went to the gate of the Gongyuan to see the apricot list.

After the tedious ceremony of the Ministry of Rites, the red cloth of the apricot bang is uncovered.

In this examination, a total of 300 tributes were taken.

Chang Feng starts to look at the end of the list. When he saw more than two hundred and fifty, he excitedly shouted: "Huang Yuan, you have hit!" ”

Huang Yuan was overjoyed: "Hit, hit!" It's been in vain for eleven years! ”

Huang Yuan was only seventeen years old. Enlightened at the age of six, he has been reading books for eleven years.

A seventeen-year-old young man who took the title of the apricot list for the first time was definitely a great thing.

Chang Feng and Wang Shouren saw the top of the list from the end of the list, and then saw the end of the list from the top of the list, and they didn't have their names after reading them twice.

Chang Feng sighed: "Alas, it's still a shallow learner." ”

Twenty-five-year-old Wang Shouren did not look disappointed at all.

He smiled: "Three years ago, I made a top poem. When preparing for the top prize in the undergraduate school, he recited it at the Qionglin banquet. ”

"It seems that my champion fu will be pressed at the bottom of the box for another three years."

March 15 of the ninth year of Hongji. Three hundred tributes gathered outside the Fengtian Gate before dawn to participate in the temple examination.

Chang Feng specially came to send Huang Yuan to the test.

At dawn, the tributes lined up, passed through the Jinshui Bridge, crossed the Fengtian Gate, and entered the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.

After the roll call, scattering papers, praising and saluting, the palace examination officially began.

The general examination will take three consecutive sessions for nine days. This is not the case with the temple exam, which is only one test for one day.

And the test is not the scriptures, but the strategy. Question 2 or 300 words, answer 1,000 words.

At dusk, candidates hand in their papers.

The palace examination is generally marked on the same night. The next day, the rankings are listed. On the third day, the gold list will be released.

When marking the papers, the eight examiners marked circles, triangles, slashes, vertical bars, and crosses in the examination papers, a total of five kinds of marks.

The circle is five, the triangle is four, the slash is three, the vertical bar is two, and the cross is not.

The examiner ranks the examiner according to the number of "numbers". and then handed over to Emperor Zhu Pi for hand-picking.

At noon the next day.

Emperor Hongzhi checked the list of gold lists reported by Xie Qian in the Qianqing Palace.

Eight examiners knelt before His Highness.

Emperor Hongzhi lowered his voice and asked Qian Neng, who was standing beside him, "What is the name of the young man who is engaged to the lord of Wanping?" ”

Qian Neng replied: "Huang Yuan." ”

Emperor Hongzhi looked at it, and Huang Yuan ranked first and fifty-ninth in the top three. This is not a high ranking, and the official "gives the same Jinshi background".

After all, he is his brother-in-law. Emperor Hongzhi was known for his kindness to the emperor's relatives.

So with a stroke of his pen, he transferred Huang Yuan to the ninety-fifth place in the second grade.

entered the second class, that is, "Cijinshi was born", and the name is better.

After Huang Yuan and Chang Tian got married, they were the guests of honor in the Zongren Mansion and could not hold a substantive position. Emperor Hongzhi's change of his ranking will not affect his ordination.

On the third day, the gold list was released.

A group of tributes came to the gate of Mukden early.

Not all cats and dogs can come outside the Fengtian Gate. Chang Feng had an official position, so he was able to accompany Huang Yuan to watch the gold list.

After another tedious ceremony, the gold list was finally revealed.

Chang Feng and Huang Yuan concentrated on searching for a bunch of names.

The temple test is not a layoff. The two are much calmer than when they look at the apricot list.

Finally, Chang Feng found Huang Yuan's name in Erjia: "Erjia is the ninety-fifth." Hey, Jinshi origin! Wonderful! ”

"After the banquet of Chuanlu and Qionglin, you will prepare for marriage, my brother-in-law!"

Chang Feng, this belongs to "catching sons-in-law under the list".

Huang Yuan was overjoyed: "It's actually the second class!" I thought I would be the top three! ”

How did he know that he was able to enter the second class purely because of Chang Tian's light.

Huang Yuan was hit by the Jinshi, Chang Feng was more excited than him, and he put his arm around Huang Yuan's shoulder: "Tangtang is going to marry the new Jinshi." I have to go to my father's grave and tell him the good news. ”

At the end of the list, the Ministry of Rites began to carry out the ceremony of passing the roast, and the emperor summoned the new scholars.

Chang Fengmu sent Huang Yuan into the Fengtian Gate.

He returned home triumphant. As soon as he got home, he shouted: "Sugar candy, pack up, go and sweep our father's grave." ”

Chang Tian asked, "Huh?" How many Huang Yuan are there? ”

Chang Feng stretched out two fingers: "Erjia is the ninety-fifth, and he was born as a Jinshi." You've got a good husband! ”

Liu Xiaoyan was elated: "Oops." I have to hurry up with the ninth sister to help Tangtang prepare the wedding materials. ”

Chang Feng said: "Don't feel sorry for the silver. One application should be the most expensive, the best! ”

Liu Xiaoyan said: "It's time to prepare a wedding card." ”

Chang Feng hurriedly reminded her: "I only invite the idle nobles in Beijing, the brocade guards and robes, and a few palace people who have a good relationship." Don't ask for a foreign minister. ”

Liu Xiaoyan was a little strange: "Huh? Don't invite foreign ministers? ”

Chang Feng lowered his voice: "The emperor has been very taboo in the past half a year, and I have been very close to my ministers. Unless the emperor decrees and orders the ministers to attend Tangtang's wedding. Otherwise, let's not take the initiative to invite them. ”

Since being cut by Emperor Hongzhi half a year ago, Chang Feng has become very cautious.

Chang Tian got a good son-in-law and was about to get married.

Chang Feng finally fulfilled his life ideal ten years ago: let his sister marry a good family.

For weddings, Chang Feng wants to keep a low profile.

Emperor Hongzhi and Empress Zhang did not allow him to keep a low profile. After all, Chang Tian is the pet of the capital.

The Hongzhi Emperor's Ministry of Rites was responsible for the wedding of the lord of Wanping. And he took out three thousand taels of silver from the inner carrier warehouse to do this.

Emperor Hongzhi also decreed that on the day of the wedding, he and Empress Zhang would come to congratulate him in person.

(End of chapter)