Zhou Shuren's brain is not a computer, so he can only memorize or remember key words, thinking that he would write them down when he got home. He kept reciting the names of people and places in his mind, and the eunuch came over, "Zhou Bangyan, the emperor summons you."
Zhou Shuren was mentally prepared. He chatted everywhere like an industrious bee. It would be strange if the emperor didn't look for him. By the way, the banquet customs in this dynasty were really free. He thought he could only sit in his seat and drink while listening to the emperor's long speeches that would make people sleepy. Unexpectedly, the emperor only said a few words!
He had never studied the palace banquets of this dynasty. After sitting for a while and seeing the third place winner stand up, he realized that palace banquets were pretty good. People could move around, which was very convenient for him. He liked it very much.
Zhou Shuren followed the eunuch. He was a little excited. To be honest, he really admired the emperor. Now he could get close to the emperor. He was excited, but he silently told himself to stay calm so that he could walk forward without changing his expression.
The emperor had no idea how excited Zhou Shuren was. He was very satisfied with his calmness and composure.
The excitement in Zhou Shuren's heart disappeared when he was performing the salute. Kneeling? Who likes to kneel? He has never kneeled once in modern times. He is an orphan without even parents, so he has nowhere to kneel even if he wants to.
It was better in ancient times. Today, the knees are blue from kneeling!
After Zhou Shuren stood up, the emperor allowed him to sit down. Zhou Shuren sat down generously, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Emperor Zhang Yu's smile deepened. He deliberately called Zhou Shuren first. Zhou Shuren really did not disappoint him. He was not afraid of being envied at all. Well, although Lizhou City was a headache, it was still a fifth-rank official. The decree during the day stunned everyone. Now everyone has calmed down. There are still people who are jealous of Zhou Shuren. He can see it most clearly from above. "Give him some wine."
Zhou Shuren thought, the palace is the palace, today's wine is the best wine he has ever tasted, he wants to drink more to make up for the depression when he knelt down, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The emperor smiled kindly, but his eyes were looking at everyone below. Most of the officials' children were very calm, except for a few who had sarcastic expressions on their faces. Did they look down on Zhou Shuren, or did they think that he was a flash in the pan
Some of those who had no foundation, some were smart and continued to drink, while others were jealous and seemed to think that their abilities were no worse than Zhou Shuren.
The emperor sneered in his heart, human hearts are indeed greedy, he was just testing them, but some people showed their true colors. The top three should have been waiting, but today they were sent out together, and some people became arrogant.
The prince sat on one side. His mother had always reminded him since he was a child that his father was just his father, an emperor, and an emperor who was good at playing with people's hearts. Look, although his father seemed nonchalant, he had already started keeping accounts in his heart.
Zhou Shuren sipped the wine. It was good wine. He drank it with real joy. As for the emperor's test, it was too straightforward this time. He didn't even have to guess.
As for the Jinshi scholars below, he understood better than anyone that among the seventy-nine people, except Wu Ming and Zhao Bo, the others were polite to him on the surface, but who knows what they were thinking in their hearts!
The emperor found it boring and said with deep eyes: "I heard that the houses you bought were not to your liking."
Zhou Shuren, “… … ..”
I also heard that, bah, didn’t you check all these
Zhou Shuren put down his wine glass and said, "I bought two houses but I didn't find any that I wanted."
He was not daydreaming. No, it was dark now. He did not imagine that the emperor would reward him with a house if he asked this!
The emperor wanted to see the second place winner change his face, but unfortunately he didn't. "I have quite a few houses."
Zhou Shuren was a little confused. He really couldn't keep up with the emperor's thinking this time. He was thinking about what the emperor would say next. Would he let him buy it with money? Or would he reward the house if he did a good job? No matter how he looked at it, the possibility was basically zero!
Zhou Shuren pursed his lips and said, "I am stupid."
Scolding myself, well, it feels new!
The emperor raised his eyebrows. Zhou Shuren lowered his head, so he couldn't see his face clearly. "I can reward you with a large house with three entrances. There will be a garden and a pond in the house. The scenery in all four seasons is very beautiful, but..."
Zhou Shuren, “… .”
He just knew that things were not simple.
Zhou Shuren thought, since he had been sent to Lizhou City anyway, his head was already hanging on his waist, he had nothing to fear, and it would be a real benefit to keep the house, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."
The emperor was silent. Didn't he hear the "but" behind him? Looking at Zhou Shuren kneeling, he was very good and had a thick skin.
The prince lowered his head and ate with a smile in his eyes. This runner-up is interesting. No wonder his father values him so much. Originally, he didn't have much expectations for Zhou Shuren's going to Lizhou City, but now he can look forward to it a little more.
The emperor waited for Zhou Shuren to stand up. He was not shy and said, "The reward has a prerequisite. I will exchange it for your house in Pinggang."
These words were spoken in a very low voice, and Zhou Shuren was able to hear them clearly only because he was tense, otherwise he would not have been able to hear them.
Zhou Shuren didn't dare to think too much and quickly replied, "Yes."
The emperor curled his lips, and seeing that everyone was looking at him, he said, "It's just that the house is not yet available for living. The people of Lizhou City need to have enough food and clothing, and this house belongs to you, my dear minister. I am waiting for your good news."
Zhou Shuren, “… … ..”
How painful it must be for Zhulan to be trapped in the house!
The emperor was very satisfied to see Zhou Shuren's change of expression, and motioned Zhou Shuren to go down. When Zhou Shuren returned to his seat, the emperor was happy. He had been eyeing the three houses for a long time. They were not particularly conspicuous locations and were very suitable for surveillance. At present, they were free, which was not bad.
As for the rewarded house, he also kept it for Zhou Shuren. Whether he could get it depended on Zhou Shuren's ability.
Zhou Shuren returned to his seat with a heart attack. He underestimated the emperor's shamelessness. If his father-in-law had not told him the address of the house, he would have vomited blood. Thinking about the address of the house, he felt a little relieved. As long as he met the emperor's requirements, they would make a profit. The house rewarded by the emperor could not be bought with money!
Afterwards, the emperor called the third place winner again. The emperor was very kind to him and said something to encourage him, but the third place winner was so excited that he looked like he was going to do something big.
Zhou Shuren sneered in his heart, the emperor wanted to squeeze out all the value of Tanhualang. Zhou Shuren shook the wine glass, the emperor wanted to continue to consolidate power, he would definitely take action, this time the knife was hanging over the capital. Thinking of this, it would be a good idea to send him abroad.
The emperor met the number one scholar last. After just a few words, he sent Wu Ming away, not hiding his disdain for the number one scholar at all.
Zhou Shuren was not thinking about Wu Ming. What Wu Ming had experienced today was all Wu Ming's own choice, and the cold treatment was also a kind of tempering. The more tempering he received, the more solid Wu Ming's foundation would be. He wished that the emperor would dislike him more!
At Zhou's house, Zhulan had been awake waiting for Zhou Shuren to come back. Zhou Shuren came back at eight o'clock in the evening according to modern time. When Zhulan greeted Zhou Shuren into the house, she smelled the alcohol on him.
Zhulan supported Zhou Shuren and asked, "How much did you drink?"
Zhou Shuren felt a little dizzy and wanted to curse in his heart. He didn't know who started it. Everyone came to toast him when it was over. He was quite sober before, but now many of them were sober.