"Jiaojiaojiaojiao!"
Xiao Qingkong stepped on his short legs and ran into the stove.
Gu Jiao was cutting vegetables and looked up at him: "What's wrong?"
Xiao Jingkong grabbed his bald head and asked inexplicably, "What do you mean by taking the test?"
"Huh?" Gu Jiao chopped vegetables for a while.
Xiao Jingkong said: "I just heard the guest who came to our house talking to my brother-in-law. He asked my brother-in-law to take the test. Does he mean to take them to the test together? Like with Brother Feng Lin and Brother Lin Chengye?"
Gu Jiao's eyes turned cold, she put the kitchen knife on the chopping board, took off her apron and walked out of the stove.
In the study, Xiao Liulang looked at each other with a light expression.
Wang Yun said with a smile: "I said that is still too abrupt, right? Young Master Xiao may not be able to accept it for a while, but after I analyze it with Young Master Xiao, Young Master Xiao can understand. I also understand the situation of Young Master Xiao more or less. , who came from the county town and became a son-in-law in a farm family. With such a family background, he was admitted to the Imperial College with the grade of Jie Yuan. I believe that Mr. Xiao has put in a lot of hard work in private. Regarding Mr. Xiao's strength, Wang I admire him, and Wang also believes that Young Master Xiao can be a high school tribute scholar."
When it comes to this, there is usually a but.
Sure enough, Wang Yun continued: "However, it may not be easy for Xiao Gongzi to become a full-time jinshi. The examiners will examine the exams, and they only look at the test papers, not the people. Hold the Palace Exam in person, and all the candidates will sit in front of His Majesty, and His Majesty will see everyone's faces."
He was talking about his face, but his eyes fell on Xiao Liulang's legs.
The meaning of this is obvious, how could His Majesty choose a lame man to be a full-time jinshi
There are three lists of jinshi, the first one is the champion, the second place, and the second flower, awarded as a jinshi and the second; the second and the fourth, ranging from a few to several, are also on the regular list of jinshi, and they are given a background as a jinshi; Deputy list, given the same background as Jinshi.
Emphasizing the same word means that it is different from Jinshi.
Although this dynasty has relaxed the conditions for applying for the imperial examinations compared with the previous dynasty, none of the top jinshi who came out of the final imperial examinations did not have a disability in appearance or body.
Isn't that obvious enough
Wang Yun smiled lightly: "Zuo, but you won't be able to pass the jinshi exam, you might as well fulfill my son."
Xiao Liulang was unmoved, Wang Yun continued to persuade: "Besides, you are still young, you are only eighteen this year, you really want to take the exam after three years, you will learn to be better after you study for three more years. One more chance of winning, isn't it?"
It sounds like every sentence is considering Xiao Liulang, but every word is contempt for Xiao Liulang.
Gu Jiao's eyes were extremely cold.
Behind Gu Jiao, Feng Lin, the Forestry Department, and Du Ruohan also came to listen.
They had heard about people taking exams on their behalf, but it was the first time they had actually met. This surnamed Wang was too disgusting, and he didn't even look like he was begging for help.
It has to be derogatory and let people retreat, as if in this way he can show how much identity and wisdom he has.
Wang Yun continued: "In terms of remuneration, Young Master Xiao will definitely be satisfied. Young Master Xiao can be regarded as my son with this money to buy Young Master Xiao for three years, but in fact, Young Master Xiao himself will benefit. After adding three years of talent to study, you can still earn a sum of money that will not be spent in a few lifetimes. Why not do it? More importantly, Young Master Xiao can still make a friend like my Young Master, even if he fails the test in the future Being on the list of jinshi, my son can also find a good official for Young Master Xiao to do it!"
What a big breath!
The conspirators dare to say such things, what is the origin
Feng Lin's face wrinkled.
Although Du Ruohan was not very close to Xiao Liulang, he was also very angry with this shameless person.
Xiao Liulang said indifferently: "So full of words, how do I know if your son is worth my friendship?"
Wang Yun smiled arrogantly: "My son's surname is He, and Mrs. Luo Guogong's surname is also He."
…
When Wang Yun came out of the room, Gu Jiao and his party were no longer in the main room.
Wang Yunchong bowed his hands to Xiao Liulang: "Young Master Xiao might as well think about it, I will come back and ask Master Xiao for the answer in three days."
Half of the cards were played, and half of the card friends ran away, and the old lady was depressed.
In the kitchen, the escaped card friends Du Ruohan and Lin Chengye held a small meeting with Gu Jiao and Feng Lin.
Several people sat on small benches.
Du Ruohan: "Luo Guogong's mansion is the only aristocratic family in the capital that can compare with Xuanping Hou's mansion and Zhuang's family, and there used to be Liu's family. If this candidate surnamed He is really the maiden family of the Guogong's wife, then he is really qualified to say those big words. ."
With the power of the Duke's Mansion, it would not be too easy to get a small official in the capital for Xiao Liulang.
After all, it was faster than Xiao Liulang studying by himself.
"Why do I think the surnamed Wang is a little familiar?" Feng Lin held his cheeks in deep thought, "I think I've seen him somewhere."
Du Ruohan frowned: "You said that, I feel a little bit too."
"Hey, Jinghong." Lin Chengye said.
Du Ruohan was not impressed by the name, but Feng Lin remembered it all at once: "It's him!"
"Who?" Gu Jiao asked.
"Pingcheng's court trial leader!" Feng Lin said.
This is what happened when Xiao Liulang was tested for talents. Xiao Liulang won the case in both the county and government exams. In the third hospital exam, because he was given an eight-legged test paper, he missed the case.
Feng Lin paid special attention to the case of the hospital examination, whose name was He Jinghong.
Of course he didn't see him.
Lin Chengye was not in Pingcheng when the child was tested. The reason why he knew about He Jinghong was that in June not long after, He Jinghong also came to the provincial urban and rural areas for the test.
He Jinghong and him stayed in the same inn with Xiao Liulang and Feng Lin.
"I remember it! I remember it! He lives next door to us!" Feng Lin said, "I didn't know he was He Jinghong at first, but I overheard someone calling him. The one surnamed Wang belongs to his family. Steward, I have appeared with him a few times."
Feng Lin was a man who couldn't hide his words. There was a trial case leader in the hospital next door, so he talked to Xiao Liulang, Du Ruohan and Lin Chengye.
Feng Lindao: "At the time, I was joking, could it be this guy who bought the examiner who passed the academy exam and replaced Liulang's exam paper?"
This speculation is not unreasonable.
Xiao Liulang's performance in the early stage was too good, and he was the best candidate for the case. There were only two kinds of people who took him off the horse and profited from it. Within, then the possibility of being admitted to a scholar will be much higher.
There is another kind that is comparable to Xiao Liulang's achievements. Xiao Liulang dismounts, and he is the first.
But there is no evidence, so we can only give up.
Besides, Xiao Liulang didn't care.
But Xiao Liulang doesn't care, it doesn't mean Gu Jiao doesn't care.
Gu Jiao's eyes were dangerous: "Where did you get in the exam in a foreign country?"
"Eleven." Lin Chengye said, he remembered it very clearly, because he never thought that he would be able to rank in the middle, and I don't know how many times he secretly read Gui Bang at home.
Feng Lin's score in the township test was seventeen, and he was six places ahead of Feng Lin. It might be alright in Youzhou, but it wasn't enough in the capital.
The capital is all over the place to solve the yuan, who would care about the eleven of a provincial capital
He Jinghong didn't even pass the Imperial Examination, so there is a high possibility that he will stop at the examination.
And as long as he passed the exam, then the Duke Luo Mansion would have room to control.
Regardless of the fact that the palace exam was presided over by the emperor himself, in fact, this was the deepest pool.
It is true that the emperor presides over the palace exam. The emperor can drive out the candidates he doesn't like on the spot, or he can keep the candidates who close his eyes in his heart. But the emperor could not finish all the examinees' examination papers by himself.
The examination papers are still reviewed by cabinet ministers, who will select more than a dozen excellent examination papers, and the emperor will review them one by one or interview them, and select three first-class jinshi from them, and give them the rank of jinshi.
This is where the game between the emperor and the ministers begins.
Among the dozen or so people, there are bound to be seed players from several major forces, as well as players that the emperor himself likes.
If the emperor wanted to keep his own people, he had to tolerate the people of the ministers, otherwise the ministers in the first pass would put the emperor's favorite people out of the dozen or so, and the emperor would have no chance to promote them.
And even if these dozen people didn't get into the top one, they were also two top jinshi, and there was no risk of becoming the same jinshi.
Of course, the ministers can't go too far. If they put a straw bag in, the emperor will still turn his face.
For someone like He Jinghong, say he has no talent, he has, but he is not top-notch, and he has achieved good grades along the way. If he can get outstanding grades in the exam, it will be more logical to be sent to the palace exam, right?
"Is this emperor doing such a foolish thing?" Gu Jiao asked.
Du Ruohan sighed: "In the past, Empress Dowager Zhuang was always under the curtain, and the power of the cabinet was in the hands of her own brother, Mrs. Zhuang. This year's situation may change slightly. After all, Empress Dowager Zhuang was ill and went to the palace. Cultivation, the power of the banker is not as strong as before. However, it is precisely because of this that all forces must seize this last opportunity, otherwise once His Majesty completely takes back the power, it will be difficult for them to control the palace exam. ."
Feng Lin and the three spent a happy day in Bishui Hutong, except for Du Ruohan who lost miserably, and lost all the pocket money for the next month.
The old lady happily counts money in the house.
Feng Lin and the three said their goodbyes.
Before leaving, the three of them gave Xiao Liulang a strange look.
Xiao Liulang frowned and said, "What's wrong?"
The three shook their heads like a rattle: "Nothing, nothing!"
Jiao Niang asked them to pretend they didn't know, then they didn't know anything.
The three got into Lin Chengye's carriage and left.
He turned around and entered the yard, only to find that Gu Jiao came out.
"It's so late, do you want to go out?" he asked.
Gu Jiao snorted and said, "Go to the hospital."
Xiao Liulang had four days off, and the second owner specially gave Gu Jiao a day off, so that she could accompany her family at home, so logically, she did not have to go to the medical center.
And even if she went, she never went empty-handed.
She will always bring her own small backpack with her small medicine chest in it.
Xiao Liulang gave her a deep look.
Xiao Liulang blamed Gu Jiao wrongly. She really went to the medical center. She went to see how Gu Chenglin was doing. She had already taken out Gu Chenglin's medicine and handed it to Doctor Song, so it didn't matter if she didn't bring a small medicine box.
Gu Jiao swore that she was not going to trouble He Jinghong.
She still didn't know where He Jinghong lived.
But I don't know if I was lucky today. Just after watching Gu Chenglin came out of the hospital, I met a group of stray birds.
"Young Master He! The parrot you asked for is here!" A hawker handed a bird cage to a noble man, lifted the cloth over the cage, and said, "It cost a lot of money to get it, people She refused to sell it at first, but it took me a lot of effort to convince her!"
"My cousin loves to keep birds!" said your son.
The peddler said with a smile, "It's not that I'm talking nonsense, Mr. He, there is no parrot that is smarter than him in the entire capital. The lady of the country will definitely like it!"
The noble man was very satisfied, threw him a money bag, instructed the entourage to take the bird cage, turned and went into the alley.
The surname is He, and the cousin is the lady of the country.
The features are too obvious for Gu Jiao to ignore.
It's not that I'm going to find you, it's you who brought it to your door, right
Gu Jiao followed.
Mr. He personally brought the bird cage over, and while walking, thinking about how his cousin was amused by this parrot, he was in a very happy mood.
He entered an alley.
Seven or eight followers followed closely behind him.
Originally a few people followed well, but unexpectedly—
Swish!
One is missing!
Swish!
One more missing!
Young Master He glanced back and felt something was wrong, but the alley was narrow, and he didn't notice that there were fewer people for a while.
Swish swish!
When he turned around again, there was only one follower left behind him.
The entourage stared wide-eyed and looked terrified!
Young Master He was taken aback: "What happened to you?"
He fell down with a bang!
Gu Jiao appeared in front of Young Master He.
She was wearing a narrow-sleeved Tsing Yi, black hair like ink, and tied a single bun on the top of her head with a white jade hairpin that Xiao Liulang had given her.
Her eyes were cold, with a hint of disdain.
"He Jinghong?" she said.
Young Master He blocked the bird cage in front of him: "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
Gu Jiao said bluntly, "I heard that you cheated in the college test."
Young Master He's eyes flashed: "What nonsense are you talking about! I don't have it!"
It seems there is.
This is no nonsense.
Gu Jiao looked him up and down, and her eyes fell on his legs.
I was thinking about whether to break his legs so that he could not climb to the exam room, or break his hand to avenge the Xiao Liulang Academy exam
As a result, He Jinghong hugged the bird cage and ran away without a word!
Gu Jiao didn't move her eyelids, she jumped up, stepped on the wall, passed over his head, turned around with a roundabout kick, kicked him into the air, turned around, and fell to the hard ground with a bang. .
The bird cage was also smashed to the ground, smashed, and the parrot, which was bought with a lot of money, flew away.
Young Master He is a pampered aristocratic son, how could he have fallen like this? I only felt that my brain was scattered, and my internal organs were also displaced.
Gu Jiao walked over lightly, looked at him condescendingly, grabbed his collar coldly, and picked him up like a chicken.
However, she suddenly felt something was wrong.
A dark shadow fell at her feet, and she followed the shadow and turned to look.
Xiao Liulang came to the alley at some point, standing at the entrance of the alley, staring at her... and He Jinghong in her hand.
Gu Jiao's eyes rolled, she blinked and said innocently, "He fell, I'll help him up!"
After a pause, he said solemnly, "I don't fight!"
Xiao Liulang: "..."
He Jinghong: "..."
"You go back first." Xiao Liulang said to Gu Jiao.
"Oh." Gu Jiao let go of He Jinghong gently, very gentle, "Be careful, don't knock your head."
He Jinghong was shaking all over!
Gu Jiao obediently left.
Xiao Liulang lightly reached out to He Jinghong.
He Jinghong glanced at him in shock, just now he was frightened by Gu Jiao, but now he gradually calmed down and remembered who Gu Jiao was.
He and Xiao Liulang were in the Guozijian at the same time. On weekdays, he was very concerned about Xiao Liulang's every move. Naturally, he had seen Gu Jiao who always came to the Guozijian to pick him up from school.
He Jinghong was suddenly less afraid.
A poor boy who didn't dare to make a big fuss after being replaced by someone in the hospital test, how dare he be arrogant in front of him
Because of his disdain for Xiao Liulang, there was even a little more disdain for Gu Jiao.
He Jinghong grabbed Xiao Liulang's hand and stood up. He supported the wall with one hand and covered his aching chest with the other. He said viciously to Xiao Liulang, "I'll write down this account!"
That woman dared to treat him like this, and let go of his expensive parrot, he won't make her feel better!
Looking at the back of his staggering away, Xiao Liulang said lightly: "Don't you want me to take the exam for you?"
He Jinghong took a step.
Xiao Liulang looked at him calmly and calmly: "I will take the exam for you, and today's matter will be written off."
He Jinghong turned to look at Xiao Liulang, and squinted suspiciously: "That woman is so important to you?"
Xiao Liulang: "I have one more condition."
He Jinghong: "You say it."
Xiao Liulang said: "Before steward Wang promised me the remuneration, you must also pay me."
He Jinghong sneered: "Oh, you beat me, do you still want a reward?"
Xiao Liulang looked at him coldly: "If I hadn't hit you, I wouldn't agree at all."
He Jinghong's eyes flashed, and he carefully measured it in his heart.
He began to pay attention to Xiao Liulang's eight-part essay from Pingcheng. From the township exam to the Imperial College, Xiao Liulang's performance can be said to be impeccable. If Xiao Liulang can really end for him, then his exam results don't have to worry about it. .
Except for Prince An, no one can beat Xiao Liulang.
"Okay, I promise you." He Jinghong raised his chin and said.
"There's no proof." Xiao Liulang looked at a study not far away, "You must put down a letter to ensure that as long as I pass the exam for you, you won't be able to trouble me and my family again!"
He Jinghong frowned: "You can't trust me?"
Xiao Liulang said frankly: "That's right."
"You..." He Jinghong choked, but to be honest, he really had the mind to settle accounts in the autumn, and when Xiao Liulang passed the exam for himself, he would think of ways to clean up the two of them.
Xiao Liulang continued: "Not only do you have to put words as evidence, but you also swear to God that if anything happens to me and my family in the capital, it will be counted on your head!"
He Jinghong pointed at his nose and said, "Don't go too far! Are you guys also me when you go out and bump into each other?"
Xiao Liulang hummed: "That's right, it's yours, so do you agree or not?"
He Jinghong has a toothache!
What an idiot to agree to!
But the temptation of Gongsheng was too great, and my cousin said that as long as he could be admitted as a tribute scholar, his uncle would have a way to make him a real scholar!
The Luo family has only one spot.
Cousin asked him to work hard, not to lose to relatives in other rooms.
He Jinghong slammed his heart: "Okay!"
Anyway, let's talk about it first!
Xiao Liulang and He Jinghong went to the study and asked for a quiet wing.
Xiao Liulang read, he wrote.
The general content is that Xiao Liulang promised to take the exam for him. The specific operation method was to write each other's name on the test paper. Xiao Liulang promised to get him into the top three of the exam, and he promised to pay Xiao Liulang five thousand taels of silver. 's remuneration.
"You must not kill the donkey and trouble me and my family."
"Don't ask for the reward back."
"You can't find someone to steal it back."
"You can't rob it back."
He Jinghong: "..."
Finally, he set up the document, and He Jinghong signed it and stamped it.
Xiao Liulang also drew a bet.
He Jinghong said coldly, "In case you don't get into the top three..."
Xiao Liulang interrupted him: "Half the reward will be refunded to you. If you fail to pass the examination, you will be refunded all."
He Jinghong snorted coldly, it's not too bad!
In duplicate, each party holds one copy. He Jinghong paid half of the deposit first, and then settled the rest of the remuneration according to the results after the ranking was released.
After putting away the documents, He Jinghong stood up and patted Xiao Liulang on the shoulder with satisfaction: "Take the test well, don't let me down."
Xiao Liulang rarely curled the corner of his lips: "Don't worry."
Xiao Liulang seldom laughs, and when he laughs, he is fascinated, even the big man He Jinghong is amazed.
Soon he came back to his senses, cleared his throat uncomfortably, turned his head and went out.
Xiao Liulang looked at the document in his hand, and his smile gradually cooled.
He turned his head and went to Jingzhao Mansion, where a piece of paper brought He Jinghong to court!
Before He Jinghong returned to the Guogong's mansion, he was arrested by the officials of the Jingzhao mansion.
He Jinghong looked confused, what's the situation
"Yes, it's him. He forced me to set up a document and asked me to take the test for him. He also threatened me that if I didn't agree, my whole family would be disturbed."
Above the court, Xiao Liulang said with a sad face.
Xiao Liulang has the reputation of advocating people, so he doesn't need to kneel.
In fact, He Jinghong didn't need to kneel, but he was so emotional that the official sent him to be detrimental to Jingzhao Mansion in a rage, and he slammed down to the ground.
He Jinghong is going crazy!
Is there such a thing as talking nonsense? Who in the end asked who to make a statement
Xiao Liulang sighed: "He said that his cousin is a famous lady of the country. I can't fight him. If you don't want to die, just do as he said, or he will kick me out of the Guozijian tomorrow."
He Jinghong smoked: "I didn't say that! Sir, don't listen to him! He asked me to make a statement! He also took the initiative to take the test for me! He gave me a set!"
Xiao Liulang said: "I have no grievances with you, why did I set you up?"
He Jinghong said angrily: "YinYinYin... Because your wife beat me up! You are afraid that I will retaliate against her, so agree to take the test for me!"
As soon as the word "agree" came out, He Jinghong realized that he had said something wrong.
Xiao Liulang said sadly: "Sir, this matter has nothing to do with my wife, and my wife has never seen him. I don't know who he offended, but he actually poured dirty water on my wife's head and used it to threaten me. ."
It was also the first time that Xiao Liulang was so shameless. He thought it would be embarrassing.
Is he talented at this
Jing Zhaoyin has seen many ways to touch porcelain, and you can tell if it is true or false.
He called He Jinghong's servants over, but no one knew that they saw Gu Jiao.
He Jinghong hit the porcelain with a real hammer.
Jing Zhaoyin: "Do you have other witnesses?"
"Gone!"
"Have!"
The two spoke in unison.
Jing Zhaoyin looked at the two of them and frowned: "Xiao Liulang, you said there was a witness, where is the witness?"
Xiao Liulang said: "In the mansion of Lord Zhuang."
Jing Zhaoyin's heart skipped a beat: "What, which Mr. Zhuang?"
Xiao Liulang said sternly: "Zhuang Xianzhi, the fourth son of Master Zhuang."
Mother, the dealer was dragged in.
Jing Zhaoyin broke out in cold sweat, and had to pay attention to this case: "Who, who are the witnesses you said?"
"Master Zhuang's nephew Du Ruohan."
Xiao Liulang decisively sold Du Ruohan.
Feng Lin and Lin Chengye only knew that Du Ruohan had an uncle in the capital, but they didn't know who his uncle was. Xiao Liulang knew that it was because he saw Du Ruohan and Zhuang Xian in the palace and entered the prefect's mansion.
Du Ruohan also called Zhuang Xianzhi's uncle.
Zhuang Xianzhi was the son of Master Zhuang, and the father and son had different political views, so Zhuang Xianzhi left the government and passed by.
Zhuang Xianzhi was not at the mansion, and Du Ruohan came alone.
Jing Zhaoyin said sternly: "Xiao Jieyuan said that He Juren threatened Xiao Jieyuan and asked him to test on his behalf, and said you were a witness, is there any such thing?"
Du Ruohan glanced at Xiao Liulang, this kid is hiding deep, so he found them listening to the corner!
"Yes!" Du Ruohan said about Wang Yun coming to coerce and lure Xiao Liulang.
He Jinghong's face was pale: "You, you, you, you lie!"
Du Ruohan rolled his eyes: "Did I lie, won't your lord check? It's your turn to make irresponsible remarks!" He looked at Jing Zhaoyin, "If you don't believe me, you can send someone to ask, So many neighbors in the neighborhood have seen his family come here!"
Jing Zhaoyin really sent someone to ask, and it turned out that Wang Yun had indeed been to Xiao Liulang's house.
He Jinghong retorted: "Sir! Don't believe his side words! Why is he in Xiao Liulang's house? They know each other clearly! They... they are a group!"
Xiao Liulang said indifferently: "Knowing is a group of people, and Mr. He still knows Mr. Guo. Could it be that Mr. He's behavior was ordered by Mr. Guo?"
This hat is buttoned!
Jing Zhaoyin almost fell off his chair!
He Jinghong also choked.
He felt that Xiao Liulang was arguing, but he just couldn't refute it!
There are both human and physical evidence, and He Jinghong's crime of cheating cannot escape.
Fraud in the imperial examination is a serious crime, especially this kind of coercion and intimidation, the circumstances are particularly serious! He Jinghong will never want to step into the exam room again in his life!
He who cannot take the imperial examination can only be reduced to the abandoned son of Luo Guogong's mansion.