Qu Moying and Qi Xiangyu didn't have to wait long before the top few candidates of this year's exam came over. There were four people in total, the top three and the first place in the second list. They all looked young and promising, especially the third place winner, who was worthy of the title of third place winner. Not only was he handsome, but he also had a tall stature.
This caused a group of girls and young wives to drop their sachets one after another, and sachets and handkerchiefs were scattered all over the ground along the way.
Qu Mingcheng and Xiao Hanyuan also booked a private room, and the two of them drank and watched the fun together.
When the people wearing flowers in their hair walked by, the two of them glanced at each other casually. They had met before, but the way they saw each other again was very different from before.
Although Xiao Hanyuan was on the list, he was at the back of the list, so it was hard to say what his future would be like. He had to rely on the Qu Mansion to have a better career. Compared to when he first arrived in the capital, Xiao Hanyuan looked very different. During this period of time, he lived outside the Qu Mansion, and he heard, saw, and talked about a lot more things, and he changed a lot.
He is no longer the same Xiao Hanyuan.
"Cousin, I have already told father about your situation. Father's intention is that you first get a minor official position. I have picked out a few positions for you, all of which are nearby. Although it is just a minor official position, the places are relatively close, and if there is any good transfer, you can respond and make changes in time." Qu Mingcheng picked up the wine glass, smiled and drank it all in one gulp, and drank it all in front of Xiao Hanyuan.
Xiao Hanyuan's ranking this time is not as good as Qu Minghui's. Although he can enter the officialdom, it will not be a good one no matter how you look at it. After hearing what Qu Mingcheng said, he lowered his head.
"Cousin, don't you like it?" Qu Mingcheng asked with a smile.
"My family thinks that if I can stay in Beijing, it would be best for me to stay. Then I can bring my family members over with me." Xiao Hanyuan sighed and said distressedly.
"If you want to stay in Beijing... it's not impossible." Qu Mingcheng thought for a moment and replied, pouring another glass of wine for Xiao Hanyuan.
"What do you mean?" Xiao Hanyuan asked excitedly.
"If my cousin really stays in the capital, this official position may be lower." Qu Mingcheng said with a serious face, "With my cousin's current achievements, it's good enough that he can stay. He really can't ask for an official position!"
"As long as I can stay!" Xiao Hanyuan was overjoyed. He wanted to stay in the capital and was not willing to go to the local area to become an official. He felt that staying in the capital would give him a better future and he would be able to respond to emergencies more promptly. He heard that the emperor's health was not good, and who knew when... If he was in the capital at that time, he would definitely be able to respond better.
He didn't want to go to a place that was far away. Even if it was nearby, it wouldn't be that close. He had already inquired about it before.
"If you want to stay... the East Palace is short of officials recently. If you want to go, I'll ask my father to ask." Qu Mingcheng said after thinking for a while.
"Eastern Palace?" Xiao Hanyuan was stunned. "How can you enter the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace just because you want to?"
"Something happened before, and cousin knows about it. The Crown Prince and His Royal Highness Jing were implicated. The officials of the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace cleared out many people at once and investigated a large number of people. Now the Crown Prince wants to re-select people. If cousin has any ideas, you can put your name up. As for whether it will succeed, it depends on His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's own intention."
Qu Mingcheng explained implicitly.
Xiao Hanyuan was also involved, so he immediately understood what he meant. This time, the fraud case was actually caused by Donggong Xima and Jing
It was done by an official in the palace. Although the Crown Prince and King Jing did not take action, they were reprimanded. It is only right for their subordinates to clean up and investigate the matter.
During this period, of course, some officials would be eliminated. When something happened to the East Palace Groom, he could not be alone, and there must be some manpower. The prince took the opportunity to kick out some people and replace them with his own people.
But if he entered the East Palace, he would be on the side of the Crown Prince. What if Prince Jing gained power in the future? Xiao Hanyuan hesitated. Although the Crown Prince was in a good position, Prince Jing also had a good future. Whenever the Crown Prince and Prince Jing confronted each other, neither of them could get a good result.
It is obvious that the crown prince is the heir to the throne, and the emperor should favor the crown prince.
Thinking further, it is impossible for Qu Mingcheng to recommend himself to find help for his brother-in-law's rival family, so the meaning behind this is even more intriguing...
The fact that he was able to pass the exam shows that he is extremely talented!
"If cousin doesn't want to go, I can help you ask at Prince Jing's Mansion, but the location may not be as good as the Prince's Eastern Palace." Qu Mingcheng said again when he saw him hesitate.
There are also officials in Prince Jing’s palace, but their positions are of course lower, and their titles are not legitimate, so they are equivalent to Prince Jing’s private persons.
The officials under the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace are selected by the court. They will be the team that will lead the Crown Prince to the throne in the future. They usually hold formal official positions, which is completely different from the Jingwang Mansion.
"It's more convenient for me to go to Prince Jing's Mansion. My third sister is now his wife and is favored by him. If my cousin wants to find a position, it's relatively easy." Qu Mingcheng smiled and took out a small jade seal from his sleeve and shook it in front of Xiao Hanyuan. "My third sister will soon become a concubine. His Highness Prince Jing has even made the concubine's golden seal and is waiting for me to come back this time."
This golden seal was the one that Qu Qiuyan secretly put into Qu Mingcheng's sleeve that day.
It is the golden seal of the concubine.
This golden seal was actually made by Prince Jing a long time ago, before Qu Qiuyan entered Prince Jing's Mansion. Later, Qu Qiuyan entered Prince Jing's Mansion as a concubine, which made Prince Jing unhappy for a while, but after she became much more obedient, this golden seal fell into Qu Qiuyan's hands.
Her position as a concubine has always been awkward, but now Qu Qiuyan has helped King Jing so much, and King Jing has agreed to make her a concubine. Now it is only a matter of time.
Qu Mingcheng secretly sent someone to talk to Qu Qiuyan about this gold seal, and Qu Qiuyan brought it back to him when she returned home. Now it has become proof.
"Golden Seal of Concubine?" Xiao Hanyuan saw the golden seal with his sharp eyes.
Qu Mingcheng nodded and played with the golden seal in his hand. The title of concubine printed on it was Qu Qiuyan's name. It was obvious that this was a golden seal for Qu Qiuyan, a ten-for-ten match.
Qu Qiuyan is only a concubine now, but she had already obtained the golden seal of a concubine when she was still a concubine, which shows how much favor Qu Qiuyan enjoys in front of King Jing.
Xiao Hanyuan's eyes fell on the golden seal, and after a long while he nodded: "Then please report my name to the officials of the Eastern Palace."
If King Jing really gets the upper hand in the end, I can definitely find a better job based on my relationship with my cousins. If my cousin wants to do something convenient, I can also help him privately...
All the previous hesitation disappeared when I saw the golden seal.
"It's best that you think this way, cousin, but don't make too much of a claim.
I hope that father will have someone report your name to the East Palace, but whether it succeeds or not is not up to father. If it doesn't work, father will report another alternative to you. We should always try our best to let your cousin stay in the capital."
Qu Mingcheng smiled.
"Thank you, cousin!" Xiao Hanyuan stood up and bowed deeply to the ground.
"You're too polite, cousin. Although you are cousins, I don't have many brothers around me, and I have long treated cousin Xiao as my own brother." Qu Mingcheng hurriedly stood up to support him.
The two smiled at each other, drank and talked happily...
Qu Moying watched the excitement, but she was not that interested in the parade of the top three men wearing flowers in their hair. Qi Xiangyu, on the other hand, watched it very eagerly. When someone passed by, she also threw two sachets. Of course, they were not the ones she embroidered herself, but those embroidered by the maids in the mansion, and they contained some fragrant flowers and the like.
"I also saw it three years ago. At that time, the top scholar was still your cousin. That world was better than this one. Not only was the third place scholar outstanding, but your cousin, the top scholar, was even more outstanding." Qi Xiangyu came back from the window, sat down and praised.
The third place winner is often chosen based on his/her good looks, and the first place winner is definitely chosen based on his/her talent.
"Is your cousin still engaged?" Qi Xiangyu approached Qu Moying and asked with interest.
"Probably... not!" Qu Moying really didn't know about this, and said after thinking for a while.
"Why not get engaged? Could it be that you still can't find the right one? I heard that there were many people who were attracted to your cousin at that time. Although the Yue family in Jiangnan has no foundation in the capital, they are not comparable to ordinary scholars. The Yue family's literary style is very prosperous in Jiangnan. Some civil servants in the capital respect the Yue family in Jiangnan very much."
Qi Xiangyu said.
"That... I'm not sure. Maybe my cousin is not interested in getting married right now!" Qu Moying had no idea what to say, so he could only smile and explain.
"Oh, what a pity! I heard that the number one scholar in this subject got married, but your cousin, who is also the number one scholar, has not yet married." Qi Xiangyu sighed, her eyes turned, and she said, "Fourth Miss, my grandfather said he wanted to be a matchmaker for your cousin, what do you think?"
How about asking myself if I want to be a matchmaker for Yue Wenhan? This doesn't make sense.
"That depends on what my cousin thinks." Qu Moying evaded the question.
"I know that I have to tell Master Yue about this, but I also want to ask you for your advice and what you think. Only if it is possible, Grandfather will act as a matchmaker."
Qi Xiangyu smiled.
Qu Moying was silent for a while. Since the last incident, she had not been to the Duke of Qi's Mansion again. It was as if the Duke of Qi's Mansion had forgotten about her. Only when Qi Xiangyu came over from time to time would she talk about some things in the Duke of Qi's Mansion.
Even if Qu Moying didn't want to pay attention, he had to pay some attention for Qi Xiangyu's sake.
"Which family's daughter is she?" Qu Moying's long eyelashes fluttered twice, and after raising her eyes, she looked at Qi Xiangyu with clear eyes. Since this was said, it must be what the old Duke Qi meant. She didn't understand what the point of telling her about this matter was? Originally, this matter was not something she could control.
But the next moment, he opened his eyes wide in surprise, and was instantly attracted by Qi Xiangyu's words. He clenched the handkerchief tightly between his fingers, and then slowly let go.
"Princess Xiangrong, what do you think?"
She doesn't feel anything!