Dafeng Night Watchman
Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Imperial Examination Fraud

Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Imperial Examination Fraud

Xu Cijiu can't write a shitty poem. I can make him feel ashamed by just writing a few lines. If I hadn't given a poem to his cousin Xu Qian'an, the jade pendant from Ziyang Jushi should have been mine."

Zhu Tuizhi thought of the festival that day and cursed.

"Could it be cheating in the imperial examination?" Liu Jue asked tentatively.

"Nonsense!" The students of Yunlu Academy were furious when they heard it, and stared at him one by one.

The word "cheating in the imperial examination" appeared in Zhu Tuizhi's mind, as if it instantly connected all the questions, and reasonably explained why Xu Cijiu could write a masterpiece handed down from generation to generation and win the title of "Huiyuan".

Immediately, Zhu Tuizhi shook his head: "It's impossible. Poetry is not an article. Knowing the test questions in advance will give you time to prepare fully. Brother Liu, I ask you to write a poem with the title "Spring Scenery" and give you three days. Can you write a masterpiece that will be handed down from generation to generation?"

Liu Jue shook his head: "I am ashamed. I am afraid I can't write it even if you give me three years."

He took a sip of wine, showed a meaningful smile, and lowered his voice: "But, Brother Zhu, think about it, what if the person who wrote the poem for him was Xu Qi'an, the silver gong?" The atmosphere at the table was quiet. No matter the students of Yunlu Academy or the students of the Imperial Academy, they did not refute immediately. Instead, they thought carefully in their minds.

Yes, if it was Xu Shikui, if he knew the test questions in advance, he might be able to write it in one day, let alone three days.

The farewell poem and the poem of praising plum blossoms, as well as the half-poem sung before Yunzhou's "sacrifice", were all written on the spot.

The students of Yunlu Academy even thought of the "Poem to Encourage Learning" posted on the wall of fame of the academy. According to the great scholars of the academy, Xu Ningyan wrote a poem in ten breaths, which was amazing.

"Humph, how did Xu Qi'an, the silver gong, know the test questions?"

Although he thought so in his heart, he would not admit it, the student of Yunlu Academy questioned.

"I don't know," Liu Jue waved his hand and smiled, "It was just drunken talk, just a blind guess. But Xu Qian'an is a silver gong, and it is spread in the officialdom that this person is deeply trusted by Wei Yuan..."

He did not continue to say it.

With this episode, the students of Yunlu Academy lost the mood to drink. After sitting for a while, they stood up and said goodbye.

Liu Jue, who is good at socializing, personally sent Zhu Tuizhi and others downstairs, and then took the initiative to pay the bill. Everyone dispersed outside the restaurant.

A quarter of an hour later, Liu Jue came back and got into a carriage parked outside the restaurant.

In the carriage sat a middle-aged man dressed like a rich man, with a jade ring on his thumb, a walnut in his hand, and a teacup in the other hand.

"Manager Zhao!"

Liu Jue bowed respectfully.

The middle-aged man nodded, put down the teacup, turned over the teacup that was upside down on the small tea table, poured a cup of tea, frowned and said: "You smell of alcohol, have a cup of tea."

"Thank you, Manager Zhao." Liu Jue held the teacup with both hands, drank it in one gulp, and said slowly:

"I have found out some things. According to the students of Yunlu Academy, Xu Cijiu can't write poems at all. His level is terrible. The poem "Hard to Travel" is most likely written by someone else. Of course, I have no evidence."

Hearing this, the middle-aged man smiled with satisfaction and sneered: "No need for evidence, this is enough."

In the outer city, in a yard planted with willow trees.

Taoist Master Jinlian, who had just swallowed the Blood Embryo Pill, was bathed in the warm spring sunshine. He felt that his body was no longer cold and no longer transformed into a yin object, but there was still some yin in his body, which could be eliminated by another Blood Embryo Pill.

"This body is not compatible with my soul. It won't take too long. Fortunately, the Golden Lotus of Fortune is about to mature. The lotus seeds can reshape my body. It's time for me to leave Beijing.

"I hope there will be no accidents by then." Taoist Master Jinlian prayed in his heart.

.......

"Da Lang, that girl doesn't seem to be from Dafeng."

The son of the doorman Lao Zhang thought for a while and described: "She is an ugly girl with dark skin and blue eyes. Her hair is also ugly and curly."

Number five?!

Damn, why did she come to my house? Did Taoist Master Jinlian let her come? Does she know that I am number three?

Taoist Jinlian asked him to help replace No. 5 instead of No. 3, and he could still use "No. 3's rank is too low" to cover it up. After all, the Confucian's words and deeds are followed in the later stages, and the more terrifying the strength is.

But in the early stages, the ninth to seventh ranks are all weak, and only when you reach the sixth rank of Confucianism, you can copy other people's skills and have considerable combat

power.

In the eyes of Chu Yuanzhen and Hengyuan, although No. 3 Xu Cijiu is extremely smart, when he is really needed, his cousin Xu Ningyan, who is powerful, is more reliable.

It seems that I have to skip work today.......Xu Qi'an nodded and said, "I know, I will go back to the mansion with you after I ask for leave."

After asking for leave, Xu Qi'an sat on the horse's back and trotted towards the Xu Mansion. Xiao Zhang, the son of the gatekeeper Lao Zhang, trotted beside him.

Two quarters of an hour later, they arrived at the Xu Mansion not far from the government office. Xu Qi'an handed the reins to Xiao Zhang and went straight into the mansion.

As soon as I entered the outer courtyard, I saw the cooks carrying plates of hot dishes, steamed buns and rice, walking towards the inner courtyard.

"Da Lang is back..." The cooks breathed a sigh of relief, and while talking, they cast their eyes towards the inner courtyard:

"A girl came to the mansion, saying she was looking for you. When asked what her relationship with you was, she couldn't explain it clearly, and she was mumbling, and nine

out of ten sentences were unclear."

Nine out of ten sentences were unclear, and No. 5's southern Xinjiang accent was a bit heavy... Xu Qian'an complained, and entered the inner courtyard with the cooks. From a distance, he heard Xu Lingyue's gentle voice coming from the inner hall:

"Miss Lina came all the way from southern Xinjiang. What do you want to do with my eldest

brother?"

"I'm not here to see your eldest brother, but to replace a few friends and have some experience..." A voice with a heavy accent sounded, speaking half-baked Dafeng Mandarin.

But the voice was like a silver bell, crisp and pleasant, very nice to hear.

"You mean you don't know my elder brother?"

"No."

In just a few words, he found out the details. This girl doesn't seem to be very smart, and she has nothing to do with the elder brother... Xu Lingyue warmly entertained Lina. Aunt sat on a chair not far away, frowning slightly, and looked at Lina with a slightly hostile

look.

This foreign woman really knows how to eat. In half an hour, she ate three days of food at home, which would be more than ten taels if converted into silver.

This is because Aunt specially asked the cook to prepare some rice and flour buns and vegetarian dishes. If it were big fish and meat, how much silver would it cost?

Who can afford such a girl.

"Miss Lina? Why are you here?"

Xu Qian'an stepped into the threshold and looked at the little girl from southern Xinjiang with

a surprised look. Compared with the pale face of yesterday's injury, she now has a ruddy complexion and bright eyes, as if her injuries have healed.

"Master Jinlian asked me to come to you and said that I will stay with you during my stay in Beijing. Thank you, Lord Xu, for saving my life."

Lina quickly put down her chopsticks, swallowed her food, and looked at Xu Qian'an openly. She thought that when she came to Beijing, she would be received by Master Jinlian, No. 3, or No. 4 and No. 6. Who would have thought that she would end up living in a strange man's

house.

Master Jinlian had told her about what happened yesterday, and Lina knew that this young man with excellent appearance was her savior.

Since he was a friend that the Taoist trusted, Lina trusted him without reservation.

She called me Lord Xu, not No. 3... Xu Qian'an stared at Lina for a moment, unable to see any clues from her clear and innocent blue eyes.

Why did Master Jinlian arrange her to be by my side? What is the deep meaning of this? The old silver coin did not discuss this with me before doing it. According to my experience of dealing with the old silver coins, if they discussed it beforehand, there would be no plan.

If they did not discuss it beforehand, there must be a deep meaning.

So, Xu Qian'an asked: "What else did the Taoist priest say to you?" Lina took a bite of the steamed bun and said vaguely: "The Taoist priest Jinlian said that you

are his close friend who he met in the capital, and asked me to stay at home with peace of

mind." After swallowing the steamed bun, she said with some anger and grievance: "The Taoist priest said that I eat too much and can't afford to support me."

Ah... Xu Qian'an's face was dull. It turned out that the reason why Jinlian sent her to me was because she was too hungry and couldn't afford to support her?

This is really an impeccable reason. By the same token, No. 6 who lives in a nursing home and

No. 4 who relies on old friends for food and accommodation cannot support the little girl

from southern Xinjiang.

Damn it, it's not a good feeling to be treated as a dog rich man. When you are in the world,

either you get it for free or I get it for free. This is karma... Xu Qi'an sighed, "I see."

"Ahem!"

Aunt coughed hard, showing her presence as the mistress of the house.

But Xu Qi'an ignored her and said to herself, "Okay, I'll have someone arrange a room for you

right away."

"Xu Ningyan!!"

Aunt screamed in anger, got up from the chair, pinched her waist, and glared at each other: "I am your aunt, you, have you never thought of discussing it with me?"

As she spoke, her eyes frequently glanced at the messy table, telling her unlucky nephew that

this girl was a bottomless pit.

This... Xu Qi'an hesitated immediately. Aunt's consideration made sense. The price of goods in Beijing is expensive, and this girl is so greedy, it is really a waste of money. Moreover, my luck has changed recently. I no longer pick up silver, but accumulate reputation

instead. Then, Wei Yuan deducted my salary again. "Brother, have you forgotten chicken essence?"

At this time, Xu Lingyue spoke up. She calculated an account for Xu Qian'an: "The Salt

Transport Office in the capital issued two thousand kilograms of salt tickets last year and

made a profit of five thousand taels. Of which, you accounted for one tenth, five hundred taels. You have never asked the Imperial Astronomical Bureau for this silver.

"I asked the clerks of the Salt Transport Office. The court plans to open at least ten workshops

this year to make chicken essence. When the year-end settlement is made, it will be an unimaginable huge fortune.

"So, our family is no longer short of silver."

The "salt ticket" Xu Lingyue mentioned refers only to chicken essence. Now chicken essence, like salt, has become an important strategic material for the court. It was born out of nowhere

last year and could not be mass-produced, but after expanding the production scale this year,

the profit is immeasurable.

If you hadn't told me, I would have really forgotten... It must be that old man Jian Zheng who

blocked the chicken essence, so I couldn't remember it. He wanted to cheat me out of my money.

Xu Qian'an was surprised to replace that he was actually the Jack Ma of this era.

Lina didn't understand at all, but she thought it was very impressive. She came all the way

from southern Xinjiang to Beijing, and she knew what a copper coin could buy and what a penny of silver could buy.

At the same time, she also knew how difficult it was to earn money. Subconsciously, she looked at this "Mr. Xu", with pure admiration in her eyes, just like a little

girl seeing the neighbor's brother with a perm, wearing jeans, a decorative iron chain hanging

around his waist, dancing street dance in his yard.

"Why don't I know about this." Auntie said suspiciously.

"Auntie, don't you know? I asked Lingyue to tell you." Xu Qian'an looked at his sister.

Xu Lingyue looked at a loss: "Mom, maybe you forgot."

Auntie opened her mouth, but couldn't speak. She was not sure if she had forgotten, and had

no impression of such a large "profit".

At this time, Lina asked with an admiring tone: "Excuse me, Lord Xu, what is your name?"

This way of asking questions was learned when she was wandering around in Dafeng.

"Xu Qi'an!"

"Xu, Xu Qi'an..." Lina tilted her head, thought for a long time, and suddenly screamed: "You

are Xu Qi'an, didn't you die in Yunzhou?"

Aunt and Xu Lingyue looked over suspiciously.

This foreign girl claimed to know Xu Qi'an, but didn't know that she was resurrected from the

dead, so why did she come to the mansion?

"Excuse me for a moment."

Xu Qi'an pulled Lina out of the side hall, stopped by the flower garden, and explained: "I'm not dead, Li Miaozhen made a mistake. Well, actually I am an external member of the

Tiandihui. Although I don't have the corresponding fragments of the Earth Book, I know everything about you."

"No wonder Taoist Jinlian asked me to come to you." Lina smiled happily and easily believed

Xu Qi'an's words without any doubt.

So easy to deceive........Xu Qi'an said seriously: "This is a secret, you can't leak it to the outside

world, even within the Tiandihui."

"Okay!"

Lina smiled and nodded vigorously.

"Let's go eat."

If everyone in the world is as innocent as No. 5, how nice it would be...Xu Qi'an looked at the

lively back and sighed sincerely.

He still has a lot of things to ask No. 5, such as how she knew that it was No. 3 who picked up

the silver, not No. 3 who made up a friend out of thin air.

No hurry, people with simple personalities are usually more stubborn, and they will definitely

keep it secret if they say they will keep it secret.

But she is soft-hearted, wait for her to eat at home for a few more days, and if she has a

conscience, she will know that it is wrong to get it for free.

Cabinet.

Wang Zhenwen, wearing a scarlet robe, was sitting at his desk reviewing memorials. He had

been sitting for two hours, and he went to the toilet several times in the middle. The rest of

the time was devoted to official duties.

The cabinet is equivalent to the emperor's personal secretary, with great power, far higher

than the six ministries.

All memorials from the court, big and small, and even the suggestions made by the people to

the emperor, were summarized by the Tongzhengshisi, submitted to the emperor for review, and then handed over to the cabinet.

The cabinet was responsible for drafting opinions on how to deal with it, and then the Silijian

submitted the opinions to the emperor for final decision on how to deal with it, and finally the six ministries proofread and issued it.

During the reign of Emperor Yuan Jing, the Tongzhengshisi directly handed over the memorials to the cabinet, and the cabinet drafted opinions on how to deal with it, and finally

handed it over to Emperor Yuan Jing. A process was omitted in the middle.

This was because Emperor Yuan Jing believed that the extra process in the middle hindered

his practice of Taoism.

It was precisely this omitted process in the middle that had the most tricks. Because in this way, Emperor Yuan Jing only saw the memorials that the cabinet asked him to see. Of course, although Emperor Yuan Jing was not a good emperor, he was an emperor who was

good at using power. In order to curb the excessive power of civil officials and undermine the imperial power, he thought of a way to have the best of both worlds.

The name of this method is "Wei Yuan".

From a big picture perspective, the various parties are at odds with Wei Yuan's party. From a

small picture perspective, the parties are fighting fiercely.

Emperor Yuan Jing sat on the Diaoyutai, responsible for maintaining the balance and

practicing Taoism with peace of mind.

Wang Zhenwen opened the last memorial, and after reading the contents, he pondered and

sat quietly for a long time. Then, he took out a piece of paper, wrote down his suggestions,

and pasted it on the memorial.

It was dusk when he finished all this.

At night, Xu Lingyin's mortal enemy appeared on the table of the Xu Mansion.

Xu Lingyin loved and hated this sister who suddenly appeared. She loved because after the

"sister" came, the family had several times more food.

She hated because this elder sister ate too much....

With such a small mouth, she could not eat more than her.

Uncle Xu looked at Lina with a gloomy face, then turned to ask his nephew: "Is she from the

Nanjiang Gu tribe, the Li Gu tribe?"

Lina raised her face from the bowl, with rice grains on the corners of her mouth, and said

crisply: "I am from the Li Gu tribe, how does Uncle Xu know."

Who is your uncle! Xu Pingzhi snorted coldly.

In the Battle of Shanhaiguan, he personally experienced the battle and witnessed the terrible

physical strength of the barbarians of the Li Gu tribe. Their characteristic is that they can eat.

It is common for a strong Li Gu tribe member to eat a cow in a day.

In those days, Wei Yuan never captured the tribe members of the Li Gu tribe, but killed them

directly to save food and grass.

"Brother, let me tell you something." Xu Xinnian suddenly spoke.

"I knew you had something to do, and I never relaxed my brows. Tell me." Xu Qian'an replied

to his cousin while snatching meat from Lina.

"The eldest lady of the Wang family will invite me to go boating tomorrow." Xu Xinnian said

vigilantly.

"What do you think?" Xu Qian'an pondered.

Xu Xinnian uttered a "huh", put down his chopsticks, and said disdainfully: "There are only

two reasons. Either it is out of personal vengeance, and he wants to get back at the niece of the

Minister of Justice.

"Or it is that Prime Minister Wang does not want to let me go, and is secretly holding it back."

"Then which possibility do you think it is?" Xu Pingzhi continued.

Xu Xinnian thought about it and said regretfully: "Although I may become a confidant of

Prime Minister Wang in the future, I won't be so worried about him. I think Miss Wang wants

to do something bad."

Hearing this, Xu Lingyue put down her chopsticks, her face serious: "Second brother, you are

not good at dealing with women, I will go with you..."

She quickly glanced at Xu Qian'an and changed her words: "Although I don't know those

messy fights, women still understand women best."

Xu Xinnian laughed at his elder sister's IQ, "Who said I must go? It was Miss Wang who

invited me to go boating, not Prime Minister Wang. In that case, it would be inappropriate for

an unmarried man and an unmarried woman to go boating together, so I refused. "The Art of War says that when the enemy advances, we retreat. We are weak and cannot confront them."

Not bad, it was handled well... Xu Qian'an nodded: "You have already decided, why are you

asking me?"

The family talked while eating, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

The next day, Emperor Yuan Jing finished his meditation, studied the scriptures for half an

hour, took medicine, and then rested for an incense stick, and the morning class was over. At this time, he would take some time to review the memorials, which would not delay too long, because the cabinet had already made the "draft", and he only needed to approve it. The first memorial he opened was the memorial of the newly appointed Right Censor-in- Chief, which impeached Zhao Tingfang for accepting bribes when he was in Dongge University and leaking the questions to Xu Xinnian, a student of Yunlu Academy. The memorial also cited evidence that during the provincial examination, the student's poetry was ranked fourth (the lowest was fifth). How could he write a masterpiece like "Hard to Travel"? Seeing this, Emperor Yuan Jing didn't care at first. Poetry is not an article. If the article leaks

the test questions, it is very serious. Poetry is lighter. Even if you know the test questions, you

replace it harder to replace a poet than to get the test questions. But then, the memorial mentioned that the student had a cousin who was a silver gong in the

night watchman's office, named Xu Qi'an.

And as everyone knows, Xu Qi'an was the top poet in Dafeng. After reading the memorial, Emperor Yuan Jing's pupils became sharp, but he did not express

his opinion. Then he took off the "proposal" of the cabinet, which contained the cabinet's

suggestions:

"The imperial examination is the top priority for the court to select talents and seek talents

since ancient times. Fraud in the imperial examination is intolerable. I hope Your Majesty will

investigate it strictly."

Emperor Yuan Jing pondered for a moment, picked up the pen, and wrote in red.