On the afternoon of the eighth day of February.

Before the Sanque Gate of the Shuntian Mansion Tribute Academy, all the candidates were already preparing to enter.

Daming's search for the entrance of imperial examination candidates is very loose, and when entering, there is no need for candidates to "occupy seats" in person, candidates can enter by their own servants and put their own examination baskets in a certain position, even if they occupy the seats.

If you are lucky, occupy a good position by the door for ventilation, and if you are unlucky, you can only rely on the dung number.

This time, Zhang Zhou is going to enter the exam, and the one who will help him occupy a seat will be Jinyi Wei Baihu Sun Shangqi.

Sun Shangqi seems to have never done this kind of errand, and with some excitement, people stand at the front, just wait for the door of the Gongyuan to open and rush inside, others don't know his identity, but the soldiers who guard the Gongyuan know that he is a brocade guard, and there is an official position, and those who may grab a seat with Sun Shangqi have been blocked early.

The starting line is higher than others.

Zhang Zhou estimated that he should be able to occupy a good position.

There are three exams in nine days, and you have to enter the exam three times, the first time is on the eighth day of junior high school, the ninth exam is held, and the paper is handed in on the eleventh.

The second session will be held on the afternoon of February 11 and will start on the 12th.

The third session is to enter on the afternoon of the 14th, start the exam on the 15th, and leave the venue on the 17th.

The marking of the examination will be faster, and the list will generally be released before the end of the month, but Zhang Zhou is familiar with history and knows that in addition to the subject examples in the twelfth year of Hongzhi, if the problem still happens, the imperial court will re-examine the examination papers, and the release of the list will be delayed until the beginning of March.

"Sir, Grandpa Xiao is here. Said to meet before you enter the bar. ”

A brocade guard came over to inform.

Zhang Zhou turned around, and after the vast pile of candidates and test takers, Xiao Jing's carriage stopped there, greeting him from afar.

"Borrowed!"

Zhang Zhou didn't have to occupy his seat anyway, so he walked to Xiao Jing's side under the guidance of the plain clothes brocade guard.

Along the way, I heard a group of scholars talking loudly.

The Ming Dynasty seems to be the most well-informed of this group of scholars, and they like to talk about state affairs the most, and the candidates come from all over the world, and some very talkative people are bragging about what they have seen, and the most talked about at the moment is naturally the Tatar Koubian.

……

……

The Gongyuan is located on the corner of the street.

When Xiao Jing saw Zhang Zhou, he saluted respectfully, and there were also late tributes on the side, and they all got out of the way.

"Mr. Zhang, I wish you the title of the gold list first." Xiao Jing said with a smile.

Zhang Zhou arched his hand and thanked him.

Xiao Jing said: "Our family is here for Your Majesty, you should have counted it all, right?" ”

"Grandpa Xiao, don't get me wrong, I won't do anything wrong, I also said that the most difficult thing in the world to measure is the human heart, I don't know what Your Majesty thinks in his heart."

Zhang Zhouke can't create one for others, he has nothing to do with the image of speculating on the holy will.

Xiao Jing said: "It's still about those two hexagrams." ”

"Is the ground moving?" Zhang Zhou smiled.

Xiao Jing was very surprised, you can still laugh at such a big thing?

Zhang Zhoudao: "Gonggong Xiao, let's be clear, whether it is the ground movement in Ningxia, Shaanxi, or the other time that is about to happen, it will not be too serious, and there may not be any human life injury, and it has not reached the point where the ground is shaking and the mountains are shaking, it is nothing more than a warning." ”

"Oh, that's good, that's good."

Xiao Jing thought to himself, it's not serious, didn't you say it earlier? It hurts these people, and His Majesty is worried about this.

"Then Mr. Zhang, once in Ningxia, Shaanxi, and the other time, where is it?"

Xiao Jing came here to inquire about this.

This is also where Zhu Youzhu is entangled.

Zhang Zhou smiled: "It's not serious, is it important where?" ”

"This ......" Xiao Jing almost wanted to hit someone, you made a prediction, do you have to be so half-to make people anxious?

Zhang Zhoudao: "I think that if the earth movement is a warning from heaven, in order to achieve the purpose of punishing evil and promoting good, it should be directional." ”

"What is directivity?"

"Gonggong Xiao, let me ask you, what do you think this punishment of evil and promotion of good is aimed at?"

Zhang Zhou's question was straightforward.

Xiao Jing smiled bitterly: "Does Mr. have to pretend to be confused?" As soon as Your Majesty heard this, you knew that you were talking about Jian Changwei commanding Peng Quan to participate in the impeachment of Jian Changbo and local robbers and robbing the villagers. ”

Zhang Zhou nodded: "Then it's easy to guess, if it's Jianchangbo, then what kind of place should this earth move happen in Jianchang Mansion, Jianchang County, Jianchangwei and the like...... You say that's obvious enough, right? ”

“……”

Xiao Jing wilted in an instant.

How else can you predict that?

He was secretly frightened in his heart, but after the silence, he couldn't wait to ask, "No...... So a coincidence, right? ”

Zhang Zhou sighed: "Gonggong Xiao, I'm not heaven, I just spied on some of the meaning of heaven, and the omen of heaven is like this, then I want to come to these places, if it is not for Jianchangwei to command the affairs of Peng Quanzao, then I think about it, the heavens will move the earth in Jianchangwei, it should also be the most likely." Grandpa Xiao, what's wrong with you? ”

Zhang Zhou was talking here.

Xiao Jingren couldn't stand steadily, and barely held on to the wheel of the carriage before he stopped.

The Dongchang fanzi who followed Xiao Jinglai on the side also hurriedly reached out to help.

"Mr. Zhang, don't scare our family, our family...... can't stand the fright, if there is really a ground movement in Jianchangwei, you should know...... This is ...... Alas! ”

Xiao Jing's words are about to be unfavorable.

The ground movement happened in other places, and it can be said that it was forcibly contacted in the matter of Zhang Yanling, but it happened in Jianchangwei, and even he, a rational person who never believed in this set, felt that this must be a warning from heaven.

Otherwise, is it so coincidental?

Zhang Zhou wanted to say that it was such a coincidence.

The "Record of Filial Piety" clearly records what happened in February of the twelfth year of Hongzhi: "...... There is a sound of the earthquake in Ningxia, Shaanxi...... Renzi, Sichuan Jianchangwei earthquake sounds. ”

These two earthquakes obviously did not cause any major incidents, and probably did not cause any casualties.

If the ground just shook a few times, there was no need for Zhang Zhou to bring it up, and it didn't even matter if he didn't mention it to warn the Ming court, just like the earthquake in Ningxia, Shaanxi, he just said it directly, just let the emperor know that there was such a thing.

But Jianchangwei is particular about this earthquake...... It happened that Jian Changwei commanded his servant Peng Quan to report Jian Changbo, and it happened that the ground would move.

That can only say that you Zhang Yanling is not good for the past year, you will stuff your teeth when you drink cold water, and God will deliberately fix you?

It's true.

Are you angry?

"Father-in-law Xiao, I'm about to enter the palace here, do you think there is anything else to ask?" Zhang Zhou asked with a smile.

Xiao Jing's heart was already scorched by this news at this time, and he still couldn't help asking, "Are you sure?" ”

"This will happen on the day of Renzi, which is the sixteenth. Wait, let me calculate, the ground movement in Ningxia, Shaanxi Province, should be 癸卯, it happened yesterday...... You see I'm not sure, I guess the news of the heavenly movement will come in the next two days...... Grandpa Xiao, let's say goodbye? ”

Of course, Xiao Jing didn't want to just let Zhang Zhou go.

It's hard to catch someone, don't ask to understand, and the person who was interrogated by the emperor and caught in a hurry after going back was him Xiao.

"Mr. Zhang, ......"

"It's open! It's in! ”

A bunch of people in the back shouted.

Zhang Zhou also looked very anxious and said: "It's time to enter the Tribute Academy, Gonggong Xiao, we have something to say after we leave the Tribute Academy." Anyway, there will be a chance to meet in the future. ”

"Don't ......"

Xiao Jing was about to stay, but found that Zhang Zhou kept walking and ran to the side of the gate.

……

……

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

After Xiao Jing came back, he carefully informed Zhu Youzhu of Zhang Zhou's speculation.

When Xiao Jing finished speaking, the scene was silent, and the celebrant and several people looked at Zhu Youji, not knowing what to say.

"Is it that I condemned Trillium and released Peng Quan, and there would be no such thing in heaven?" After a long time, Zhu Youzhu finally asked this question.

Xiao Jingxin said, "I'll it."

Why didn't I ask this question before I left? I'm still thinking that I should ask all the questions, but it's still sloppy.

At that time, Zhang Zhou should have been detained, and let him finish everything he could say, anyway, he was not in a hurry to enter the venue, why did he let him go? Now I don't have a chance to ask someone back.

Dai Yi said tentatively: "Your Majesty, it should be ...... Possibly. ”

Zhu Youzhu did not comment.

Chen Kuan on the side interjected: "This kind of thing, it's not so mysterious, right?" ”

If you say that there is ground movement, it will happen? Where does it happen? Do you really think you are a god?

Several eunuchs looked at Chen Kuan again.

His eyes seemed to say, you Chen Kuan really dare to say anything, if it really happens, do you want to make any bet?

Zhu Youzhu said coldly: "If I don't have any measures against Trillium, and Jianchang Weizhen has another earth movement, then I ...... In front of the ministers, there is no place to be ashamed! ”

Dai Yi and the others pondered for a moment.

The emperor was not confident, afraid that if he did not deal with Zhang Yanling, he would anger the heavens.

You could say that it was a coincidence, but the question is...... They don't believe in the ministers and the people, they will use the topic to play.

"Then Your Majesty might as well ...... Small punishments, big commandments? Dai Yi proposed.

It can be seen that the emperor doesn't want to punish Zhang Yanling, and wants to punish Peng Quan without distinguishing between right and wrong, so he proposes to let Peng Quan go, and then punish Zhang Yanling with three glasses of wine, maybe God will be exempt from punishment?

As he was talking, a eunuch came to the door: "Your Majesty, the queen invites you over." ”

"Again!"

Zhu Youzhu was also very annoyed when he heard this, and he greeted Xiao Jing, "You go with me, and explain what Bingkuan said to the queen clearly." ”

"Yes!"

Xiao Jing didn't even dare to raise his head.

……

……

Inside the Kunning Palace.

Zhu Youzhu sat on the side, listening to his wife's complaints, and what he said was still just that someone was making things difficult for the Zhang family.

"Queen, I understand your feelings, but have you ever wondered if Heaven would condemn you if I were allowed to shield Trillium repeatedly? At that time, I am not helping Trillium, but harming him, harming the Ming Guozuo Society......"

Zhu Youzhi suddenly has confidence now.

When he quarreled with his wife before, he always felt that he was the passive one, but with Zhang Zhou's so-called heavenly warning as the backing, he could also stand up and fight with his wife.

Empress Zhang said: "Your Majesty, are those nonsense also credible?" ”

"It's not all nonsense." Zhu Youzhu looked at Xiao Jing who was standing on the side, "What's there, you can say it." ”

Xiao Jing pondered the words for a moment, and then said: "Back to Your Majesty, the queen mother, the slave maid has been outside the palace and has seen it...... That Mr. Zhang, he said that there may be a warning from heaven recently, to remind the court to punish evil and promote good, if it is against the will of heaven, there will be a warning, or there will be earth movement! ”

Empress Zhang sneered: "Is the words of a Fang Shi so credible? ”

Xiao Jing said: "Queen Mother, the earthquake in Xinye, Henan Province was predicted by Mr. Zhang, and he said that yesterday was ...... In fact, there have been ground movements in Shaanxi and Ningxia, because they are far away, and it is estimated that it will take two or three days to get the news. ”

Empress Zhang was originally resentful, a little unbelieving.

But thinking of Zhang Zhou's previous predictions, many things have happened...... Even she shuddered.

It's too accurate to think about that.

In case this time ......

"Your Majesty, now that Fang Shi wants to stir up His Majesty's family affairs, will you also ignore it?" Empress Zhang probably also felt that Zhang Zhou's prophecy might come true, so she changed her strategy and put pressure on her husband instead, "Besides, even if there is really a ground movement, what does it have to do with the concubine's younger brother?" ”

"Uh-huh."

Zhu Youzhu cleared his throat, and suddenly felt that he had regained his dignity as a man, and gave Xiao Jing a look, meaning that you continue.

Xiao Jing said: "Queen Mother, Mr. Zhang said that this ground movement may occur in places like Jianchangwei, Jianchang Mansion or Jianchang County. ”

When Empress Zhang heard this, she was anxious: "This is nonsense!" How could it happen so coincidentally in these places? He must have wanted to use this to talk to His Majesty, he regarded himself as a minister, and asked His Majesty to punish Trillium, but it didn't happen, and he said that His Majesty made up for the timely credit. Actually, there was no such thing. ”

Speaking of emotion, Empress Zhang was so anxious that she almost cried.

"Queen, what's wrong with you?"

Zhu Youzhu really couldn't resist his wife's crying.

was still pretending to be a real man with his waist straight, but now his true nature was exposed, and he hurried to comfort his wife.

Empress Zhang said with tears in her eyes: "The concubine didn't expect that someone would bully the Zhang family, even if the concubine's younger brother is at fault, can a group of people in Jianchang Weili blame the younger brother for doing evil under the name of his younger brother?" ”

Oops.

When Zhu Youzhu heard this, even if Empress Zhang was still arguing with reason, it sounded ...... The tone has also changed.

No longer said that his brother was completely innocent, but said that the fault was on those thieves who pretended to be Jianchangbo's reputation.

Zhu Youzhu said: "The queen is right, I will immediately issue an edict and take the Xiaoxiao around Jianchangwei!" You can't let this dirty water be poured on Trillium again. ”

"Your Majesty, what about Zhang Bingkuan?"

Empress Zhang's pear blossoms bring rain.

It means, why don't Your Majesty condemn Zhang Zhou as well?

Zhu Youzhu straightened his face and said: "Queen, I never thought that Bingkuan would provoke the relationship between me and the queen's family in a way that made something out of nothing, and he didn't mean to make things difficult for Trillium, or let me punish anyone. I've thought about it, I'm afraid that even if I do something to make amends, there may be a warning from heaven. ”

Empress Zhang said: "That is, what Your Majesty does or doesn't do, there will be warnings, and ground movements will happen...... So why blame Trillium? ”

Zhu Youzhu shook his head and said: "If you don't do anything, something happens, and I have no shame to face the ministers." Otherwise, I will also put Trillium in prison, and if the deadline is reached, and nothing happens, I will release him. ”

"What if it happens?"

Empress Zhang was unrelenting.

"Then I may be ......"

Zhu Youzhu was also embarrassed to say it too thoroughly.

took Zhang Yanling into custody, and in the end, there was a very directional movement in Jianchangwei and other places, and I had to follow the will of God and severely punish Zhang Yanling.

"Queen, I am not punishing for the sake of punishment, in fact, I am trying to block the mouth of Youyou. I can only hope that the detention of Trillium will let God see my sincerity and no longer condemn me. ”

(End of chapter)