The hundred taels of gold were delivered to Xu Zhen's home soon.
Xu Zhen looked at the gold, and at the mansion like a daylily that was destroyed in the wind and rain, and couldn't cry.
She turned her head and asked the little beggar: "I'm not mistaken, is this the place we lived before?"
Xun Qianchun looked up at the roof, nodded and replied: "Yes."
Xu Zhen looked at the house, the gate was broken, most of the tiles disappeared inexplicably, and all the furniture inside including the paper books were all rotten.
She was so devastated, how much money was washed away!
Why did I forget to block the house! !
Xu Zhen walked in miserable, very worried that her house would be scrapped.
But fortunately there is still a little beggar.
Xun Qianchun comforted her that she could repair it without spending money.
Later, in order not to attract attention, she changed her appearance a little bit into a Han Chinese, wore Xu Zhen's underskirt, went out to buy some tools, and came back to clean the house.
Xu Zhen also rolled up her sleeves and cleaned up together.
The two sorted out most of the afternoon.
Xu Zhen was exhausted, she sat on the couch to rest, and looked up to see the little beggar was stepping on the stool and scrubbing the wall.
The little beggar was tall and thin, with slender arms exposed when she raised her hand to wipe the wall, and a beautiful and fair ankle. A red rope was tied around the ankle at some point, with tassels hanging from the side. Xu Zhen took a closer look and saw the above The pendant seems to be matched with the small sword.
She lay on the couch and studied the little beggar.
Xun Qianchun felt it, looked back at Xu Zhen, jumped off the low chair after a while, walked to Xu Zhen with a pot of hot water, and asked Xu Zhen to wipe her sweat.
Xu Zhen was too lazy to move.
Xun Qianchun lifted up his sleeve with one hand, dipped his other hand into the water to soak the linen cloth, then took out a piece and wrung it dry.
Xu Zhen saw the little beggar's white arm again.
She thought that the little beggar had been able to split the ceiling with great strength, so she stretched out her hand and squeezed the little beggar's arm, there was not much meat on it.
Xun Qianchun stopped and looked at her.
Xu Zhen pinched it twice more, and asked curiously, "Didn't you learn martial arts? Why don't you have any muscles in your hands? It's the kind of bumpy, hard flesh."
Xun Qianchun said, "I don't know."
Xu Zhen asked again: "If you don't have muscles, will you suffer more in fights?"
Xun Qianchun said: "No."
Xu Zhen asked: "Where did you learn martial arts? Didn't your parents both... so what? No one teaches you now, where did you learn it?"
Xun Qianchun said: "I read the book before, and I still remember it."
Xu Zhen was shocked: "Have you memorized everything?? Then what if you make a mistake? Will there be backflow of the meridians?"
Xun Qianchun thought for a while, then shook his head: "I don't know."
Xu Zhen thought to herself, this little beggar is too desperate, even more desperate than herself to earn merit points.
She tried her best to recall, and remembered that the little beggar later became a villain, because she kept reversing the case for the family but failed, so she had to lead the army to become the leader. Finally, relying on the strength of the barbarians, she broke through Chang'an City and captured the palace in one fell swoop.
How the little beggar became the leader is not described too much in the book, only that it seems to have won the approval of many people by force.
As for the case that the little beggar wanted to overturn, it was nothing more than that her mother had no collusion with the enemy and treason.
It is a bit difficult to reverse the case. No matter where this kind of thing is put, it is a matter of a word from the person in power, and no evidence is needed at all.
So reversing the case is really a technical job.
Xu Zhen was engrossed in her thoughts, and lay on the couch in a daze. When she came back to her senses, she saw Xun Qianchun squatting aside and looking at herself.
Xun Qianchun wiped his face, revealing a clean and true face, which looked more refined, and every line of the outline was outlined with the most delicate brushstrokes.
Xu Zhen couldn't help sighing, she patted the limp beside her and said, "Why are you squatting, aren't your feet sore, come and sit down."
Xun Qianchun shook his head.
Xu Zhen asked, "What's wrong?"
Xun Qianchun said seriously: "This distance depends on the gentleman, it's good."
After speaking, he got up and continued to clean the house.
Xu Zhen was a little confused by the call from the little beggar. She thought for a moment, then crawled to the side, leaned on the window rail and looked down, looking at herself through the water.
Could it be that you look ugly up close, but look good from a distance
Xu Zhen stared at the water beach, touched her face and pondered: It can't be so cruel.
She struggled for a long time, and then continued to get up and clean the house. After another day, the house was liveable, and the gold was hidden in the cellar, above which was a desk for writing.
Xu Zhen felt very relieved.
The life of the two gradually returned to normal.
It was quiet outside the room, and the sound of birds became louder and clearer after the rain. Vegetable cart sellers yelled and passed by, and walked to the lively market, blending into a large crowd.
In the early morning of the next day, the court lady went to Xu Zhen's house again.
This court lady came to give away the official uniform and official seal of Minister of the Ministry of Gifts. Xu Zhen took it carefully and put it aside, and asked the court lady about the situation in the palace.
The court lady kept her mouth shut and refused to say much, she only said that no one would dare to disobey the order of the Holy Majesty, so that Shang Shulang could rest assured.
Xu Zhen couldn't rest assured, she was even worried that the original Shangshu would send someone to murder her in the middle of the night.
This is too ostentatious.
Xu Zhen secretly sighed.
However, she originally thought that this matter was already disturbing enough, but before the maid left, she told her something even more disturbing—
An official of the third grade, Shang Shulang, needs to go to court regularly! !
Going to court is very grueling. You know, Daqing's early court time is five watch, that is, five o'clock in the morning, and the courtiers have to wait at the door around three o'clock!
The previous dynasty was a five-day morning court, but now the Holy Majesty uses a three-day morning court to show his diligence.
That is to say, every three days, I have to go to the palace at three o'clock, blow the cold wind outside, doze off, and wait for the emperor to come over for a group meeting.
What kind of rubbish setting is this!
Xu Zhen smashed her official uniform to the ground angrily, wishing she could step on her feet again to vent her anger.
It's so inhumane to have to go to work at three o'clock when this dynasty is empty! !
After venting, she hesitated for a moment, squatted down, picked up the official uniform again honestly, put it on the table respectfully, dusted off the dust, and covered it with a cloth sincerely.
Xu Zhen vented her anger in the room and did not want to be an official.
At the same time, there were many people in the palace who did not want her to be a minister.
Not many people protested.
Because generally speaking, Shangshu has to stay in Liubu for at least three years before he can take office.
This time, the Holy Majesty directly let a person who has been in Liubu for a few days directly become the minister, which is really outrageous! Does this kind of person know how to be an official? Do you understand how to be a good official
Not long after the morning court started, someone stood up and protested and shouted: "Your Majesty!!!" The person who spoke was an old man wearing a black gauze hat. He knelt on the ground and shouted, "I dare to say a word! Give an official position indiscriminately, Sheji It will cause turmoil!!"
The Holy Majesty was sitting loosely on the dragon chair, holding a ball made of unknown fur in his hand. It was covered with velvet and looked very fluffy.
He didn't answer directly, but let the courtier continue.
The veteran said: "Officials of the third rank need to have the ability to discuss affairs of state!!"
The Holy One said: "That love minister has it."
The veteran said: "But no one has ever been promoted to the third rank so quickly!! She doesn't know how to be an official!"
The Holy One said: "What I need is not someone who can be an official."
The old minister was stunned.
The Holy One said: "What the orphan needs is to help the orphan to govern the country together!"
The veteran came to his senses and was about to change his tune and continue shouting.
The Holy Majesty sneered: "Besides, a person who will abandon his colleagues in the flood, only flatter him, and leaked the questions of the autumn exam before, what qualifications does he have to continue to be a minister?!"
He was talking about the former Shangshu.
The veteran was speechless, but still wanted to defend himself: "My lord—"
The Holy Majesty suddenly saw a female official in red, waved to her and said, "Jijiu, you are here today."
The red-robed Jijiu stood behind, dressed much more formally than usual.
She took a step forward, answered loudly, and explained her recent itinerary, saying that she had recently visited the private schools in the surrounding schools and found many good students.
The Holy Majesty was very happy: "What a good idea?"
Said the wine: "Next year's palace test, the Holy Majesty will definitely see them."
The Holy Majesty put the fluffy ball in his hand on his knee, clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Okay."
The topic gradually turned to the matter of the autumn examination and next year's spring. No one dared to say a word, only the Minister of Rites dared to answer a few words, but most of the time he remained silent.
When it was almost time to go down to court, the autumn test was almost planned, and the Holy Lord suddenly thought that this thing should be obtained by the Ministry of Rites, and also thought that the Minister of Rites was Xu Zhen who didn't understand the market.
He coughed twice, hurriedly greeted the sacrificial wine and said, "Ai Qing also stayed in the Ministry of Rites before. In the past few days, the Taixue has been rebuilt, so Qing should follow the Minister of Rites first."
Jijiu froze for a while, but didn't have time to answer.
The Holy Majesty recruited the little eunuch, and the little eunuch read aloud: "Retire!"
The three-day morning morning is finally over.
No matter how much the ministers had to say, they could only hold back their stomachs, knelt down and kowtowed to send the Holy Majesty away from the palace.
Groups of court officials in official robes walked out.
Most of them were frowning, and acquaintances on the road saw them and asked each other if they wanted to eat, but they were all uninterested and indifferent.
The sacrificial wine is also of no interest.
She wanted to drink a little bit, but when she thought about the new Shangshu, she felt puzzled.
She is not in Chang'an these few days, but she just heard about the waterlogging from the servants around her. Xin Shangshu is the new Yuanwailang from before. .
As for the original Shangshu, because he slandered the new Shangshu during the flood, and his other performances were not good, he was demoted by the emperor to a seventh-rank official and sent to another place.
Prosperity and decline are so impermanent.
Jijiu sighed and walked forward. On the way, he saw the governor he had met before, walked up to say hello, and chatted a few words about the autumn examination.
The governor hurried forward, as if he had something to do.
Jijiu asked, "What are you going to do?"
The governor held the book in his arms, straightened his back, looked around, and whispered: "Go to the bookstore."
Jijiu asked: "What?"
The governor said: "The bookstore suffered from the flood, I will help."
Jijiu smiled and said, "Why is the governor so kind?"
The governor whispered: "It's not for the second volume! If there is no bookstore, where will the author sell books?"
Jijiu laughed even more presumptuously.
She knew the book Cishi was reading before, and the Cishi was also interesting, but she couldn't read it by herself, so she had to ask others to read it together.
If you have to read it, of course you should read a more useful book like the Imperial Examination Guide.
As she thought so, the handwriting and content of the "Guide to Winning the Imperial Examination" appeared in her mind. The writing is really wonderful, but the words are ugly——
Ugly
She suddenly felt that she had thought of some important information, and hurriedly grabbed the collection of short stories from the governor's arms, and opened the article to read!
The writing in this book is not ugly.
Isn't it the same person
She shook her head, feeling that she had been too sensitive recently.
At the same time, Jiangling already had a high sky and a vast expanse of land, and the days were cool and windy, without the humidity of summer, and the climate at this moment was just right.
Big trees stand on both sides of the academy, and the green leaves are occasionally mixed with gold.
At the gate of Qinglongshan Academy in Jiangling, several students carried their packages on their backs and waved inside: "Hey!! Have you got it! If you don't leave, you will miss the autumn exam!"
Ge Xi'er hurried down from the steps, panting and said: "Get it." She was holding several books, and followed several people to the intersection.
At the intersection, there was a young man standing beside the carriage and playing with a leather whip. Hearing the sound of footsteps, the young man turned his head and saw a few people, and roared impatiently, "Hurry up!"
Ge Xi'er walked up quickly and said, "Here we are."
Several students quickly jumped into the carriage and took their seats, and two or three others went to the second carriage, and Ge Xier jumped on it together.
There were students from Baihong Academy and Qinglongshan Academy in this car. Everyone sat together happily, joking with each other and talking about Chang'an.
A member of the family who was an official suddenly wentssip about the change of officials in Chang'an: "I heard from my elder sister that the latest minister of the Ministry of Rites is from Jiangling."
"It must be Mr. Xu!" Someone shouted immediately.
The person next to him pushed him, and scolded him with a playful smile: "Are you a fairy when you are a gentleman? You can become a third-rank official after only one month."
In the carriage, everyone burst into laughter.
When Ge Xier heard everyone mention Xu Zhen, she also raised her lips and smiled. She looked out of the car window and saw the peaks and vegetation that gradually began to move.
This should be the scenery that Mr. Wang saw when he left. Ge Xier thought.
All the students also looked out the window, looked at the white clouds and green grass, and missed the teacher who was not doing well in class.
Some people are like this. When they stay by their side, they are flat and indifferent, like clear water. Only after they leave, can they know how mellow and rich that person is.
Outside the carriage, Li Sanlang swung his whip to drive the horses. The sound of horseshoes sounded, and the loess dust was flying up. Some students read the thousand-character text loudly behind to enliven the atmosphere.
"Read the thousand-character text! If you want to read, read the test questions written by the master!" Li Sanlang said, and couldn't help laughing: "Let's go! I'm going to Chang'an!"
Although there are still many miserable post-disaster scenes in Chang'an, the overall situation has long since returned to red.
And recently Chang'an has become popular to play with a kind of fluffy ball, which seems to be made of some kind of horse skin, and the fluff under the bird's wings is sewn on the outside. .
Students who had just entered Chang'an in the autumn test went to buy it, and they asked the price. It was so expensive that it cost twenty taels, so this thing became a luxury that everyone could not dream of.
There were Hu people lurking in the city of Chang'an. When they learned of this, they quickly went back and told the news to the leader.
There are thousands of students from all over the country, carrying their luggage, driving five-flowered horses, carrying small altars of sake, and staying in restaurants, facing the noisy streets across the river.
Xu Zhen was sitting on the cushion at home, watching the small crowd pushing back and forth outside the window, she was very at a loss as to how she should be a minister—
Shangshu, that is presiding over the imperial examinations, and conducting temple fair etiquette, right? I have no experience at all.
Can you find the emperor for another official
Xu Zhen thought about it, and went out to the palace. Halfway there, she suddenly realized that she still had a manuscript fee, so she turned back and walked towards the bookstore.
As soon as the workshop owner saw her, he ran over enthusiastically again and shouted: "Congratulations to Shang Shulang, you really are the fastest promoted person!!"
Xu Zhen didn't chat, but just asked for money, saying that she didn't plan to distribute the booklets, so she didn't need to transcribe the books, just give the money directly.
Fangzhu was stunned: "But the sales volume is so good, won't Shang Shulang write a second volume?"
Xu Zhen said with a smile: "No matter how good the sales volume is..."
The owner of the shop said: "One book can sell for a whole year, and one hundred and fifty copies have been sold so far!"
Xu Zhen's knees softened and she almost knelt down.
She supported the cabinet and said calmly: "The second book, right? I'll write it, and I'll transcribe it for you when it's finished." After finishing speaking, she had the cheek to ask for money, and then slowly left.
After she left, the governor ran in.
The governor saw Xu Zhen at the door and glanced at her as a greeting.
After entering the bookstore, he casually asked: "That Shang Shulang also came to buy books just now? What books are you buying?"
"No, she sells books." Fangzhu explained.
The governor smiled and asked, "Is she still writing books?"
"Yeah, it's the one in your hand!" Fangzhu said directly.
The governor was stunned: "Which book?"
The owner of the workshop came over to show him.
After seeing clearly that what he was holding was indeed his favorite book, the image of himself beating Xu Zhen flashed through the governor's mind.
This, how is this possible
Holding the book, with a painful expression on his face, he struggled for a moment, then ran out quickly with tears in his eyes.
The author has something to say: I have been crying for the past two days and my work and rest are not good. Starting tonight, I should be able to guarantee an update before 23:00