Taihao's affection for coriander is like a hidden stream in the mountains, deep and long. From the moment he first met Coriander Zhi, his heart was occupied by her shadow, the throbbing of love at first sight, like a meteor piercing the night sky, short but unforgettable.

Time flies, they have gone through ups and downs on the road of life, and their growth and changes have carved a deep mark on their faces. However, no matter how many twists and turns he has experienced, Taihao's feelings for Coriander have always been the same, and his persistent love is as firm as a rock.

Now, after a long wait and anticipation, they can finally snuggle up to each other and spend every warm night together. On this night, the moonlight sprinkled the earth like water, and they sat opposite each other again, expressing their deep emotions. Those memories of the past, those visions for the future, and those deep attachments to each other are all poured out at this moment.

Their dialogue is full of poetry and tenderness, as if every sentence contains endless emotions and deep meanings. They are worried about the beauty of everything and sigh at the magic and unpredictability of fate. In each other's eyes, they see the spark of love jumping and burning, which is their expectation and commitment to the future.

In the tranquility, more than 20 days passed quietly like a white horse. However, as time passed, the real winter finally came. Jiutu City, a city located in the northeast, ushered in three consecutive days of heavy snowfall.

The snowflakes fluttered one after another, falling as lightly as goose feathers, dressing Jiutu City in silver, which was extremely enchanting. The trees lining the streets are covered with crystal clear ice hangings and snow stalks, as if they were carefully carved by nature. The cold wind howls and rolls up bursts of snow and fog, making the whole city feel like they are in a fairy tale world of ice and snow.

Winter in Jiutu City came exceptionally early. The last time there was heavy snowfall, it was late autumn, but now it's a cold winter. The people changed into heavy winter coats and walked on the snow with a creaking sound. The fireworks in the streets and alleys are even stronger in the cold wind, which is a trace of warmth that the people are looking for in the bitter cold.

In the days to come, snow will become the norm in Jiutu City. The heavy snow not only brings a lot of inconvenience to the lives of the people, but also makes the winter scenery of the city more magnificent. The people will walk forward in the heavy snow, feel the unique charm brought by winter, and look forward to the arrival of spring.

On this day, the heavy snow finally stopped, and the morning light was as smooth as silk, gently falling on the yamen of Jiutu City. Taihao stepped on the morning dew and came here steadily. His figure stood particularly tall in the morning light, as if with an indescribable power.

Yu Hong was already waiting quietly here, and his face showed a hint of eagerness, which was the anticipation and anxiety of the upcoming major event. When he saw Taihao's figure appear in sight, he immediately stepped forward, revealing his deep respect for Taihao.

"Vice General Taihao, time flies, and in a blink of an eye, the day of the imperial examination is close at hand, and there are only two months left. In order to ensure that this examination can be carried out smoothly, we will hold a general meeting of candidates at the People's Academy in Jiutu City tomorrow, and the list has been promulgated everywhere, and several candidates have been registered. At that time, I kindly ask you to walk side by side with me to discuss the examination related matters. Yu Hong's words were earnest, and every word revealed the importance he attached to this imperial examination.

Tai Hao bowed slightly, his eyes flashed with a determined light, which was a deep understanding and commitment to Yu Hong's words. He knew very well that the imperial examination was not only an opportunity for the people of Jiutu City to show their talents, but also an important turning point to change their fate.

"Yuhong City Lord, you can rest assured, the lower officials will go all out to assist you in preparing for this imperial examination. This is the well-being of the people of Jiutu City, and it is also our common responsibility. Taihao's voice was firm and powerful, and every word was full of determination and conviction.

Early the next morning, Tai Hao and Yu Hong stepped into the People's Academy side by side, their steps were steady and powerful, and their eyes flashed with eager anticipation for the future.

In the academy, the atmosphere is solemn and solemn. Taihao originally thought that he would see the crowded scene and the candidates waiting anxiously, but what he saw in front of him made him slightly stunned. In the huge academy, only eight candidates stood quietly, and their figures looked particularly lonely in the morning light.

Yu Hong didn't seem to notice Tai Hao's surprise, he glanced at the candidates present, and said in a deep voice: "All the candidates who have signed up have arrived, right?" Then, the Candidate Conference is now here! His voice echoed through the academy, and it was unusually clear.

Tai Hao couldn't help the doubts in his heart, and hurriedly asked, "Yuhong City Lord, why is there only eight candidates to start such an important candidate conference?" ”

Yu Hong explained indifferently: "Vice General Taihao, what they are about to face is the 'City Exam', not the 'Beijing Exam', and these eight candidates are all our hopes." You know, no matter what, there are only two candidates who can stand out in the end. Moreover, in fact, only these eight candidates registered. ”

Tai Hao thought that the poverty of Jiutu City would cause the people to ignore education and prevent their children from studying or practicing martial arts, so he had a negative attitude towards the imperial examination. He didn't delve into it, just nodded his head in understanding.

The Yuhong City Lord turned to face the eight candidates, and said in a loud voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, the annual imperial examination will be held in two months. Now, a month later, you will first take the 'city test' here. During this month, you must do your best to prepare, whether it is the books you need to borrow, or the exercises you need for the martial arts exam, the academy will give you full support. You are all experienced candidates, so you should know the test subjects well, right? ”

The eight candidates responded in unison: "I already know it by heart." ”

Yu Hong nodded with satisfaction: "Since this is the case, this official doesn't need to bother much." A month later, the winners of the literary and martial arts examinations will be personally escorted by Vice General Taihao to the capital to participate in the 'Beijing Examination'. Now, you've come to see Vice Admiral Taihao. ”

The eight candidates said in unison again: "Meet Vice General Taihao, the deputy general has worked hard." ”

Tai Hao bowed his head slightly, didn't say much, just calmly asked the eight candidates: "Among you, who is participating in the literary examination, and who is participating in the martial arts examination?" ”

The eight candidates immediately divided into two rows in an orderly manner, and the four in the front row responded respectfully: "Vice Admiral Hui Taihao, I will wait for the literary examination." ”

The four in the back row did not show weakness, and replied in a loud voice: "I'll wait for the martial arts test." ”

Tai Hao's gaze swept over the faces of the candidates, and he continued to ask, "So, what are your respective names?" How many times have you experienced the baptism of the imperial examination? ”

Yu Hong explained softly beside him: "Vice General Taihao, these eight candidates are all experienced in a hundred battles and have participated in the imperial examination at least eight times. ”

After hearing this, Taihao couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "After going through as many as eight times, I still persevere, which is really admirable." So, please sign up and let me remember you one by one. ”

The reason why he asked for this was because he suddenly recalled Yangzhong's previous admonition in his heart. In Jiutu City, the candidates who are qualified to step on the stage of the capital's 'Beijing Examination' are often members of the "Four Great Families". Is it because of this unwritten rule that many children from ordinary families don't even have the courage to try? Are the eight candidates in front of you also members of the "Four Families"?

The four candidates who participated in the literary examination, with clear and powerful voices, reported their names in turn: "Luo Sheng, Mu Yuan, Yang Ji, Sun Dian." ”

Then, the four candidates who participated in the martial arts examination did not show weakness, and they sonorously reported their names: "Tang He, Mu San, Yang Xiang, Sun Lian." ”

After listening to the eight candidates report to their homes, Tai Hao's eyes were slightly raised, and a sneer unconsciously appeared. These names, without exception, all belong to the famous "Four Great Families" in Jiutu City. It seems that Yangzhong's words are indeed true, and ordinary people want to turn over through the imperial examination, which is tantamount to a fool's dream.

Among these eight candidates, the "Four Great Families" of Jiutu City each sent two family members to participate in the competition for the literary examination and the martial arts examination respectively. Luo Sheng and Tang He are the two grandsons of Luo Gu, the head of the Luo family. The reason why one of them is surnamed Luo and the other is surnamed Tang has a special family relationship behind this. It turned out that Luo Gu's son-in-law, Tang Ming, was added to the Luo family. According to Luo Gu's wishes, the eldest grandson was born with the surname Luo to inherit the family's incense. By the time his second grandson was born, Tang had taken over the Locke family's business and had shown outstanding talent and independent decision-making, so he chose the surname Tang, which was not only confident in his own abilities, but also a respect for the family's traditions. Mu Yuan and Mu San are the sons of Mu Dalang and Mu Erlang respectively. Yang Ji and Yang Xiang are a pair of brothers, and they are both the sons of Yang Wei, the head of the Yang family. Sun Dian and Sun Lian are the two grandsons of Sun Fa, the head of the Sun family.

Taihao's heart is surging with dissatisfaction and determination, he knows the injustice of this status quo, but he doesn't know how to change it. He was silent for a moment, and said to Yu Hong with a firm gaze: "City Lord Yuhong, I think the current number of candidates is too small, which is not in line with the original intention of the imperial examination. With a month to go before the exam, we should recruit a few more candidates to ensure fairness in the selection. ”

"Fair?" Yu Hong seemed to be a little disdainful of this word, he snorted coldly, and his tone revealed a bit of dissatisfaction, "Vice General Taihao, you should know that there are only these candidates who have registered in Jiutu City. If you insist on increasing the number of candidates, then you can try it and see if you can find more candidates. There was obvious perfunctory and prevarication in his words.

Of course, Taihao could hear the meaning of Yu Hong's words. He understood that Yu Hong did not want more ordinary people to participate in the imperial examination. There are two reasons for this: first, the increase in the number of candidates will bring him more work burden; The second is the collusion between Yuhong and the "four families". He received a lot of benefits from the "Four Great Families", and maybe the imperial examination itself was an unfair transaction.

However, Taihao was not defeated by Yu Hong's attitude. He had a stronger fighting spirit in his heart, and he decided to work to change the situation. Even in the face of the obstruction of the "four families" and the perfunctory nature of Yu Hong, he will never give up the pursuit of fairness. In the days that followed, Tai Hao began to actively run around Jiutu City, looking for those candidates with potential, trying to break the monopoly of the "Four Great Families" on the imperial examination.