As the sound of gongs and drums gradually moved away, the noisy crowd also left, and many people watching the excitement followed the team.
The air was still filled with the smell of gunpowder from firecrackers, and the fragrance of powdery powder. The ground was full of flowers and petals, which were trampled into a mess by pedestrians. The shop owner smiled and ordered the guy to quickly clean up the front of the door. .
Wu Wanqiong didn't look back until she saw the woman who hurried away with her head down and walked away.
Originally, she also came to see the new champion, but she didn't expect to see such a big play.
"Girl, let's go back, it's getting late." Yingge stepped up and said.
Wu Wanqiong glanced out the window again, then stood up, and asked Yingge to help her put on the cape and hood, and then lowered her head and let Yingge help her downstairs.
The carriage was waiting outside. After the master and servant got into the carriage, they drove to the Wu Mansion.
When I got home, I could clearly feel a low pressure brewing invisibly.
The situation of Elder Wu Ge has not been very good recently. Although many high-ranking officials in the court have pleaded for him, Emperor Jiacheng has not expressed much.
This is a bit stiff. For civil officials and emperors, one is the ruler and the other is the minister. The ruler is strong and the minister is weak, and the ruler is weak and the minister is strong.
Usually, when it is not time to tear his face, the emperor wants to save face for his ministers. This is an example of a benevolent prince, and it is also to show the magnanimity and tolerance of the emperor to thousands of officials.
But this time Emperor Jiacheng did not give Wu Ge old face, although he did not say how to deal with Wu Ge old, even Wu Wenxuan has been locked in Dali Temple. But in the position of the elder Wu Ge, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is under one person and over ten thousand people. The fact that the papers for plead guilty and grievances have been kept and not published can already explain the problem.
Even if Emperor Jiacheng has been so busy recently, he can't hide the already tense relationship between the monarch and his ministers, so how could Elder Wu Ge be so happy.
If this time is not good, it may be the end of the whole game.
Wu Wanqiong returned to his yard, changed his clothes and went to Wu Ge's study. Before she entered the courtyard, she saw Amber make a gesture to her, and she stopped immediately.
"Girl, don't go in, the master is angry at the moment." Amber whispered.
"What happened?"
"It's not something that Feng Ge did. The master heard that today is the day when the first-class scholar of the Golden Palace passed the horse and paraded across the street, so he smashed the inkstone platform."
Wu Wanqiong sighed: "Father is getting more and more angry now."
"It's also not good for the second master. He did such a thing without the knowledge of the master, and now he has ruined everyone."
Wu Wanqiong pursed her lips. The reason why her second uncle was so bold was because his father had no son, and Wu Wenxuan was the only seed in the Wu family.
And this matter seems to have nothing to do with Wu Wenxuan in the end, but in fact he is the cause.
A dazzling fiery red appeared in front of Wu Wanqiong's eyes again, and the indifferent face as white as jade appeared under the fiery red. The reason why she went out today was because she was curious about who was the one who sounded the Dengwen drum and stirred up the situation in the capital, leaving her father at home sick.
She didn't expect it to be him, and she had seen him before, the husband of the family of three who was scolded by Yingge as immoral.
Unexpectedly, he was the champion of the new division.
She remembered the scene when Duke Zhuang Yuan raised his hand to pick flowers and threw them upstairs, remembered a man in a bright red Zhuang Yuan robe holding a snow-white cute doll, and went to the street in such a grand manner, and also thought of the woman's shy and timid eyebrows before, Liu Mei couldn't help it. frowned.
Wu Wanqiong did not notice that there was still a little admiration on her face, but the admiration was very light and fleeting.
"Amber, then I won't go in. You persuade my father not to get angry too quickly."
"Yes, girl."
Looking at Wu Wanqiong's thin back, Amber couldn't help but sigh. Her own girl has such a good temperament, the only thing is that she suffers a little. He shook his head and went into the yard.
When Xue Tingxiang came out of the Shanxi Guild Hall, it was already dark.
This was because he used his son as an excuse to leave first for the time being.
Because Shanxi has a champion, and according to the rules, the champion has to return to the first place after parading across the street, so the Shanxi Guild Hall not only prepared a feast to celebrate, but even invited a play troupe to add to the fun. Now all the members of Shanxi who are still staying in the capital have come, and of course, there are also new scholars from Shanxi this time. Everyone gathered together and had a good time.
Mao Badou and Li Datian were also there.
In this palace exam, the two of them only won the top three Tongjinshi. Although it is inevitable that they are a little disappointed, it may have been unexpected for the Gongshi to win.
Jinshi is always better than Juren. Even if you can't get into the Hanlin Academy, you will still be an official in the future.
According to the regulations, the top three in the top ranks are admitted to the Hanlin Academy by default. As for the second and third grades, they still need to go through the imperial examination after being passed down, which is commonly known as the selection of museums.
Those who pass the grades enter the Hanlin Academy, that is, Shujishi. Those who have been brushed off are generally sent out to serve as magistrates, or enter the six ministries as chiefs and other petty officials.
The number of shoguns selected for each subject is uncertain, but generally those who are in the top three are rarely selected into the Hanlin Academy. Unless the performance is particularly eye-catching and outstanding, Mao Badou and Li Datian also acquiesce that they will be the result of being released in the future.
The atmosphere at the celebration banquet in Shanxi Guild Hall was not very good, probably because it was not very lively.
There are several guild halls nearby, and every place is full of people's voices, gongs and drums, but here is really a place that seems to be out of Zhuang Yuangong.
Originally, this kind of scene was indispensable for some Shanxi officials in Beijing to come forward, on the one hand, to express congratulations, and on the other hand, it was also to express the friendship of their fellow villagers. In officialdom, fellow villagers and fellow villagers will inevitably form a group, and this is the capital that can be used in the future. But this time it was surprising. The owner of the clubhouse also came forward and invited a lot of people, but none of them were present.
It would be just because he was afraid of getting involved with Xue Tingxiang, and of course there were also reasons for the Shen family. The latter point was guessed by Xue Tingxiang himself.
The only two officials who could hold up the scene were Lin Miao and Chen Jian.
This is another reason why the banquet did not go away.
However, Xue Tingxiang didn't stay for long, and Honger was not used to such occasions, so he left in advance.
"Courtyard."
When he was about to get into the car, a person walked out of the clubhouse, it was Chen Jian.
"What's wrong?" Xue Tingyan asked with a smile.
Hong'er in his arms also opened his eyes curiously at this strange person in front of him.
Chen Jian's expression was very complicated. Fortunately, it was getting late, and there were very few pedestrians on the road, but no one noticed the person and car on the side of the road.
"I… "
"Don't think too much, Ah Jian." Xue Tingxiang advised.
"I-I don't think you should face this, it's not fair to you!" Chen Jian said these words with difficulty.
Xue Tingxiang sighed, got out of the car with Honger in his arms, and came to him.
The two stood face to face, very close.
"There is no so-called fairness and injustice in this world. Ah Jian, I am good, and I have never been better. In fact, this situation seems to be unfair to you, but it is not my chance."
"You mean—Your Majesty?"
Xue Tingxiang smiled and nodded.
"Really?" Chen Jian asked a very naive question. This situation is extremely rare for him, and it is really disturbing. After Xue Tingxiang's incident, Chen Jian was in complete chaos.
"The more others avoid me like a snake, the more your Majesty will reuse me!"
Chen Jian didn't speak. After a long time, he let out a long breath and said, "Ting Yan, I understand."
"It's good to know." Xue Tingxiang patted his shoulder and turned to leave: "Come in, I have to go back, Zhao'er is still waiting at home."
"Um."
The carriage soon disappeared into the vast darkness, and Chen Jian kept looking at that place for a long time and couldn't come back to his senses.
Lin Miao walked out of the guild hall, patted him on the shoulder, and sighed: "Let's go, go in."
Chen Jian nodded, and a picture suddenly appeared in front of him—
Eggs with powder in the white look shiny and smooth under the halo-yellow light, with a charming luster.
He took it subconsciously.
When he reacted, the other party had already turned away.
No alms, no mercy, nothing, but it was precisely this that made him not feel inferior and cramped.
He didn't eat the egg until it broke, so he secretly found a place to bury it.
Chen Jian squeezed the palm of his hand and suddenly made a decision.
When Xue Tingxiang returned home, Zhao'er was cooking in the kitchen.
Hong'er fell asleep on the way back. This kid is not too tired today, he is probably very tired, and he is snoring like a little pig.
Xue Tingxiang took him back to the room and put him down, took off his shoes and jacket, and covered him with a quilt before turning around to change his clothes.
He wore a half-old green robe and went to the stove.
When he entered the door, he saw Zhao'er carrying him, busy doing something on the chopping board.
"Go back? Hong'er went to sleep?" When Xue Tingxiang entered the door before, Zhao'er knew that his son was asleep.
Xue Tingxiang snorted, but Zhao'er still turned her back and said, "Drinking? I see that you are full of alcohol." She could smell the faint smell of alcohol on his body when she stood here.
"Drink a little."
Xue Tingxiang stepped forward in two steps and hugged Zhao'er from behind.
As he got older, he was now a head taller than Zhao'er, and in this posture, he could bury his face in her neck well, which fit perfectly.
"What's the matter?" Zhao'er pushed him, but didn't push him away.
"I just want to hug you." Xue Tingxiang buried his head in her neck and said vaguely.
"It is said that there are four great joys in life, and you are also one of life's great joys. I don't think you are very happy."
"No, I just had a headache after drinking alcohol."
Zhao'er turned around and touched his forehead, and said, "Why don't you go back to the house to sleep for a while? This meal will be ready in a while, you go back to the house to sleep first, and I'll call you when it's done."
Xue Tingxiang didn't look up and said, "No."
"I went back to the house to sleep when I had a headache, but why didn't I do it instead?"
"No!"
Since then, Zhao'er has understood that the man is acting like a spoiled child, just like when he was a child. If he is uncomfortable or unhappy, he will deliberately find fault. If it doesn't work, he will have to be coaxed. It's best. Hold him and shake it. But now a man looks like this, even if Zhao'er claims to be strong, he can't do such a thing.
"Then you can stick it by yourself, and I'll cook."
Zhao'er moved a little to the side and went to get vegetables to cut. Xue Tingxiang lay on top of her and moved with her, but Zhao'er laughed angrily.
"You're not a puppy, why are you so clingy?"
"I'm a big dog."
"The big dog quickly go to sleep with the little dog."
"The big dog won't go, the big dog will be with the little dog."
Zhao'er was defeated, and he no longer pushed him, but let him shove.
Xue Tingxiang also stomped, leaning on Zhao'er's shoulder and staring at her neck in a daze.
Zhao'er finally cut the vegetables and went to the stove. The chicken was stewing in the pot, and when the lid was opened, a stream of white smoke mixed with the aroma of meat rushed toward him, and Zhao’er used a large frying spoon to stir-fry it.
There was a gurgling sound in the pot, and Xue Tingxiang said, "After this, Badou and Datian may be leaving the capital."
Zhao'er paused and asked, "Are you going to Beijing to become an official?" She has been with Xue Tingxiang for a long time, and she has some understanding of some things. The fact that Mao Badou and Li Datian were able to pass the exam this time was considered a piece of shit luck. The Hanlin Academy didn't need to think about it, and if the Sixth Division had no personal connections, it didn't need to think about it.
"That's not bad, the capital is not a good place."
"You also think the capital is not good?"
Didn't expect him to ask such a question, Zhao'er thought about it and answered: "It's not bad, but I found that this place is not as simple as ours, and the people in Beijing are too complicated."
"It could be more complicated later."
Zhao'er snorted, put the side dishes she cut before into the pot, and covered the pot.
"Are you afraid?"
"What are you afraid of? We don't want to be greedy, and we don't bend the law. What's there to be afraid of?"
"When I enter the court in the future, I may be marginalized. In the various houses in Beijing, women tend to look after the man in charge, so you may be..."
Zhao'er chuckled: "Are you afraid that I will be excluded?"
"Maybe not only that." Xue Tingxiang's voice was tangled.
Zhao'er looked back at him funny, but only saw his big head, a mass of crows, like Heizi's dog's head, she subconsciously reached out and rubbed it: "Are you thinking too much? After becoming the champion, entering the Hanlin Academy is also a small official from the sixth rank, and may have to stay in the Hanlin Academy for a few years. Even if it survives, it is still a small official. If you want to be promoted to the third rank or above, I don’t know how much. Years later. That's it, what else do you have to worry about."
After a pause, she said again: "Besides, what can those women do with me, they are not as good as me in terms of strength, and I am not a fool in terms of mind. Besides, I'm too busy with business all day, how can I be so Go with them if you are long or short. Also, since you said that you will be excluded, you must be excluded as well, I just want to be like this, and it will be easy. "
According to Zhao'er, it seems that this is the case.
He doesn't take the usual way, and Zhao'er is also one who doesn't take the usual way, so what's there to be afraid of.
He thought for a while and said, "Our family also has to buy a few girls, as well as a coachman. We can't do everything on your behalf."
Xue Tingxiang had told Zhao'er about this before, but he was busy recently and couldn't find anything suitable.
"I'll go to Renshi tomorrow to see."
"I accompany you."