The seventh year of Tianbao, the year of the rat, the 27th day of the first month.

Du Zhai, West Chamber.

The wind gradually stopped, the blown window paper stopped shaking, and the creaking that had been rattling finally stopped.

There was not much time left before dawn, and the people in the room were in a hurry.

"It's time to go back."

"I don't want to move, I envy Yang Yuyao, I can live in a house and do whatever I want.

With these few complaints, someone in the darkness got on the ground and embroidered shoes, and floated away.

Xue Bai turned over in the bed with the warm breath remaining, and fell into a deep sleep...

I don't know when I woke up again, I saw the spring light outside the paper window, he got up quite leisurely, stretched his waist in the courtyard and began to move, while watching the Du family busy preparing gifts, which was to go to Xue Mansion to hire Xue Sanniang as a dowry.

On the surface, it seems that Du Wulang has the ability to convince his grandfather and aunt. In fact, Du Zhai is worried that he will not be worthy of the Xue family if it drags on, and hopes to make a marriage agreement first, and then choose a day to complete the marriage after the spring season.

Xue Bai went to Du's house for two days under the pretext of discussing marriage.

Remember the URL

"Xue Lang, Ah Lang has returned home, please wake up and go over.

When I arrived at the study, I saw a belt on the desk, a silver fish bag hung on the belt, and the fish charm fell outside, and the two sides were engraved with "Ministry of Gong Kaosi" and "Langzhong Du Youlin".

Du Youlin was dressed in a red official uniform, sitting on the Hu bed, his expression was a little hesitant, and when he saw Xue Bai, he said: "There was a little trouble, someone asked about Xue Ling."

"It's just that someone wants to fight for this position."

"I don't know, but Cui Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites has some dealings with me, and I said in private that many scholars have complained, saying that Xue Ling has not shown up for a long time, or has died, you should be filial piety, and you can't participate in the Spring Festival of Jinke.

Saying that, Du Youlin said: "It's because I didn't think it through, you and I are two families, but it has attracted the attention of people with hearts." ”

"It doesn't matter." Xue Bai said: "Someone has already said that our two families are talking about marriage, and Xue Ling does not appear, which makes them more convinced of this matter."

"Do you have a plan?"

"It's just to make them loud now, and when I find Xue Ling, I can make them shut up even more."

"If only I could find it." Du Youlin stroked his long beard and reminded in a low voice: "You should also pay attention to your ordinary name, it's always bad to call him by his name." ”

"Don't worry, that is, in front of my uncle."

Hearing that Xue Bai was so close, Du Youlin raised his eyebrows and couldn't help laughing.

But he was actually muttering in his heart, now that he was just about to get engaged to the daughter of the Xue family, there was this kind of voice, if he really wanted to bring back the gambling ghost, how would these children live.

As soon as Tianbao started the seventh year, it gave people a sense of unfavorable years.

Xue Bai walked out of the study, went to the back garden, and held hands with Du Shi to talk behind the rockery.

"What did Grandpa call you to do in the past?" Du Shi deliberately frightened him and asked, "Did you find out about us?" ”

"Nope." Xue Bai said: "Xue Ling's matter, where are the people placed?" Bring it out and show it. ”

"Before the New Year's Festival, I asked Da Xi Yingying to hide in another place, and I asked her to take people back to Chang'an."

"Okay, on the day of the Spring Festival, let him show up near the Ministry of Rites, just treat it as if he came to see me, and let the officials of the Ministry of Rites see it."

"Got it, I'm checking who made the rumors, it's hard to investigate."

"The fame is too high, that's it, I know that I want to be like this."

Xue Bai said, his heart moved, and he muttered: "When you bring Xue Ling here, let Lao Liang and Jiang Hai keep an eye on it in the dark to see if anyone is following."

Du Shi asked: "Are you worried that he will be killed and have to keep filial piety... Someone is behind this? ”

"I haven't noticed anything unusual yet, Li Linfu is busy, and Li Heng is hiding in the deep palace, but he is just cautious."

"Okay, then you prepare for the exam, I'll keep an eye on it."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Du Shi leaned into his ear and whispered, "Then you ........ accompany me on the day the list is announced." ”

"Okay."

"Stay a little longer, Sister Ah Niang will talk."

In fact, Du Shi said well at night, it is always inconvenient to stay in Du Zhai. When Xue Bai came out of the back garden, Du Wulang's expression was a little strange when he looked at him, as if he knew some secret.

"What's wrong?"

"I've been looking for you and my second sister for a long time."

"Something?"

Du Wulang saw that Xue Bai's face did not change, but he was a little puzzled, and said: "Gao Thirty-five is in the front hall, and the friends you have made are really getting older and older." ”

"He's younger than General Wang."

"No, I asked, he is a year older than General Wang." The years have passed like this, even if Du Wulang has achieved nothing when he lives to Gao Shi's age, now everyone has to take the exam together, and it is always a little embarrassing to be commensurate with brothers.

Xue Bai was not embarrassed, and said: "It's okay, I will talk to my peers according to the title of Brother Zimei." ”

He is two generations younger.......

Du Wulang couldn't help but glance at him, and muttered: "I went to the front hall to see Gao Shi than the two of them, and as usual, I first discussed current affairs in vain." ”

"Now that the holy will has been decided, General Gao was ordered to take over the envoy of the four towns of Anxi, and summon the husband Meng Lingcha to return to the court as an official."

"Huh?" Du Goro asked, "Why?" General Gao is indeed a taboo. ”

"In the battle to destroy Xiao Boluguo, General Gao's performance was too brilliant, and the coach couldn't suppress him and threatened to kill. If General Gao dies for meritorious service, who will die for the imperial court? ”

But in the final analysis, the reason for this result is somewhat influenced by the preferences of the saints. Fortunately, the world prefers Gao Xianzhi and has not caused criticism.

Gao Shi said again: "Cen Shen was appreciated by General Gao and invited him to Anxi to serve as the secretary of the shogunate. He was thinking about it and asked Xue Lang what he thought.

Xue Bai nodded and said, "But, presumably he will decide to go in the end." ”

At the beginning of Tianbao's seventh year, he always had the feeling that many relatives and friends were going to leave Chang'an.

But there are also some friends who will meet, such as Liu Changqing, who will also go to Chang'an for reference.

As he was talking, Quan Fu came over and said, "Wulang, a friend has come to visit, calling himself Yang Xuan. ”

"My friend?"

Although Du Wulang didn't quite agree with this statement, he still invited Yang Xuan in.

"I knew Xue Lang was there." Yang Xuan entered the hall and said, "Grandpa has something urgent for me to tell you." ”

If it was really urgent, Yang Zhao would not let his son come to show it, it was nothing more than to show his merits.

The reason why Yang Zhao is allowed to sit on the throne of Zhongcheng in the imperial history is to win a few Jinshi places for the Yang Party, and there must be results.

Yang Xuan didn't care about Gao Shi, an outsider, and grinned greatly: "Grandpa has already taken care of it, first of all, make sure that all three of us can make the list."

If he only cares about being on the list, Xue Bai doesn't need Yang Zhao at all. Xue Bai should not, wait for the following.

"As for the number of places we want, the right minister also promised to Grandpa." Yang Xuan said: "But there is another way, in a few days, the Ministry of Rites will give us the topic first, if you want to order the Kanto Shizi, the article must be convincing.."

Xue Bai frowned slightly and looked at Gao Shi.

For a moment, he sensed that the other party was not so excited.

Speaking of which, if Gao Shi is looking for a fair opportunity to take the exam, he is afraid that he will beg for fish.

In this world, all they can do is to seek a future and then try to change.

The spring of Tianbao's seventh year is set on the ninth day of the second month.

On the fifth day of the second lunar month, Xue Bai got the test questions of Jinshike from Yang Zhao.

"Li Yan, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, was dismissed by you, and Cui Qiao, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, personally took the exam, and the other is the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, Da Xixun, and I, in the name of the Imperial History, but in the end, it is still the right minister who is in control. The saint asked you to be the head, but you didn't write too badly......"

After explaining for a while, Yang Zhao handed over the test questions, which were quite detailed.

They don't need it; There are five policy questions, and the money, food, and wealth are equal; The most important thing is the poem, and the title of the poem is "Longchi Spring Grass Poem" and "Jianzhi Water Fu".

Although Xue Bai had received the promise of the sage, he didn't dare to hold it up and get ready.

He has never been a decent man, and he will do whatever it takes to get this champion.

It's spring day in a blink of an eye.

This whole night, Yan Yan never closed her eyes, all she thought about was the poems she wrote for Xue Bai, and she was in a daze and remembered to rhyme with "clear and empty, meet fractals".

First of all, I was worried that if someone found out that the poem was written by myself, I didn't know what to do? After thinking about it, maybe the first thing she should consider is whether the poem can be up to the top.

Although she is much better now, she always feels panicked when she can't rest well.

In the end, she simply got up and walked alone to the window,

Looking up at the sky with a little starlight, he clasped his palms and whispered: "Monkey King bless, my brother has won the literary field, and the title of the gold list." Also, it's better not to go to Helong.

Under the same night sky, Xue Bai had already gotten up, pushed the soft Qinglan back into the quilt, and went out alone.

He was wrapped in the robes given by the Du family sisters, carrying the four treasures of the study given by the two female crowns, and the amulet given by Yang Yuyao was hung around his waist.

Walking to the front yard, I found that Du Wulang was staying in the guest room of the Xue Mansion tonight, and he was yawning by the door at this time, and the Liu family and several children of the Xue family had also gotten up, prepared breakfast, and wanted to send them to the Tribute Courtyard.

"Hey, it's not a big deal, you all go back to sleep." Du Wulang waved them back, "We are all people who have been in prison several times, so what's the point of going to the examination room once." ”

Xue Bai said: "If you want to accompany you, you can accompany it." ”

And they all went out together.

Just like last year, the doors have been opened ahead of schedule. The Mai on Suzaku Street is like snow, and it is all lifted.

Before arriving at the imperial city, he joined Gao Shi and Liu Changqing, and saw from a distance that Yuan Zai was inspiring a group of poor scholars, who were all talents collected by the Yang Party, and they were also political prestige in the future.

Xue Bai is not in a hurry to get acquainted with these talents, the bamboo paper is made by him, which is enough to be related to each other, the important thing is that he has a higher status.

"Xue Lang."

Suddenly, someone shouted.

Xue Bai looked back and saw that it was Li Jiayou, so he smiled and signaled.

Li Jiayou was enthusiastic, but he squeezed forward, pulled him aside, and said, "I heard something recently, I'm afraid it's not good for Xue Lang...... Some people say that your grandfather has passed away, and you came to participate in the Spring Festival without telling this matter, if it is true, it will affect the future. ”

"Where did Brother Li hear that?"

"Many people are spreading that the post house where Qingmen, Guozijian, and Xianggong gather, it can be seen that Xue Lang is really famous in Chang'an."

Xue Bai said: "It's just a rumor, don't pay attention to it." ”

"That's fine."

Xue Bai's expression was calm, but he had some doubts in his heart.

He met Du Shi again yesterday and learned that with their current strength, they couldn't find the origin of this rumor, because anyone who had heard about Xue Ling could spread rumors.

Of course, it doesn't hurt if that's all there is, and it's easy to crack. I'm afraid that someone is manipulating behind it, such as the person who designed to wronged Zheng Qian to write the history of the country last time, and he hasn't been able to determine who it is.

Of course, there is nothing out of the ordinary.

Farewell to Li Jiayou, Xue Bai turned around, Du Wulang had already pulled him, and whispered: "I just heard someone say again that my quasi-father-in-law has passed away." ”

Speaking of which, because of Xue Sanniang's relationship, Du Wulang's perception of Xue Ling may be better.

Xue Bai had no choice but to whisper: "Whether you pass away or not, can you and I still not know?" ”

"That's someone talking nonsense, do you remember, Cui Shangshu once wanted to marry a daughter to you, and asked my aunt to pull the strings." Du Wulang said: "You refused. ”

"I refused very tactfully, so as not to offend him because of this, and he has a good relationship with your grandfather.

At this time, the heavy security door slowly opened, and the three thousand lifters walked into the imperial city first, all the way through many government offices, until the Ministry of Rites.

Xue Bai and Du Wulang were separated here, and the subjects on the side of the Ming Sutra were directly north of the Ministry of Rites, and Xue Bai was admitted to the Shike, which was in the south courtyard of the Ministry of Rites.

There are more than 700 scholars who refer to Jinshi, stand in rows, and when the officials call their names, they will step forward in turn with a document in their hands, and search for admission.

Xue Bai waited for a long time, and happened to see Li Jiayou being called forward again.

"Touch me?!"

Li Jiayou is worthy of being a child of the family, and in turn scolded those little officials.

"Since entering the imperial city, just check my family and objects, and wait for the officials to scold and insult me at every turn, and even touch my body? It's insulting to treat my six-foot man as a tribute! ”

"Then don't take the test!"

"I'll take the test."

Li Jiayou still went in, because although his family was good, he had many brothers and no shade.

Nowadays, in this world, those who have the shade of the door still look down on the imperial examination, thinking that these people go around to flatter others, do not write articles on the world, specialize in carving micro words and chapters, and do not have the style of a gentleman.

Xue Bai waited for a long time, and finally it was his turn.

Entering the door, there was a courtyard in front of him, and the two rooms were facing each other, and he walked into one of the rooms and sat down in his place under the guidance of the officials.

Before the curtain was lowered, the surrounding scholars were busy putting everything in place.

Looking into the courtyard, I could see Cui Qiao, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, sitting behind the incense case, with a very solemn face. The first few imperial examinations were all conducted by Li Yan, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, that is, last year's Ye Wuxian case, which made Cui Qiao personally take the examination twice.

Xue Bai was putting the curtain down, and faintly heard a person talking to him not far away.

"That's Xue playing cards."

"I heard that his grandfather is dead, but he is not filial piety, so I came to refer to it."

Xue Bai didn't pay attention to it, he was busy with his own business, put the four treasures of the study on the table, and laid out the blankets.

Gradually, all the lifters sat down, and the south courtyard of the Ministry of Rites fell silent.

Subsequently, the examiner shouted: "Open the exam!" ”

At the same time, Liu Xiangjun was waiting outside the south courtyard of the Ministry of Rites with several children of the Xue family, stretching his neck to look inside.

"Big lady, you go home and rest first." Xue Gengbo said: "The old slave can wait here." ”

"It's okay, I want to wait a little longer, peace of mind." Liu Xiangjun muttered: "Liulang wants to be an official the most.

A cowering figure in the crowd squeezed by, scolding for stepping on someone else.

"Borrowed, borrowed, my son was admitted to the Jinshi ........"

Xue Gengbo heard this familiar voice, looked back, was stunned, and exclaimed.

"Alang!"

"Ah Lang, you're back!"

With his shout, several children of the Xue family turned their heads one after another, with different expressions.

Xue Sanniang was still immersed in the shyness of being engaged to Du Wulang, and suddenly when she saw her grandfather, who she hadn't seen for a long time, she was first shocked, then frightened, and retreated, and then felt ashamed and painful

Bitter, I couldn't help crying.

"Don't come here!"

Xue Xian shouted out almost subconsciously, grabbed Xue Gengbo, and almost pulled the old slave to the ground.

He went mad and pushed his two brothers, shouting, "Don't go over to you!" ”

Liu Xiangjun was already stunned, and when he was at a loss, he saw Xue Ling being pulled by someone and turned around to leave.

"Alang?"

"Xue Ling! You owe me a gambling debt! ”

The scene became a little chaotic as a result.

Not far away, Lao Liang had a gray beard sticking to his face, bent over, dressed as an old scribe, and his eyes quickly scanned.

Suddenly, his eyes froze, and he stared at a ghostly, thin figure.