Chapter 170 Song Jiaren and Li Anning's Hope

As Li Nuo's eyes flashed wildly.

On the code, the newly appeared portraits disappeared along with Wei Xun’s portrait.

Gu Yanran's portrait also turned into countless light spots and entered Li Nuo's body.

This means that calligraphy skills also become permanent.

When Li Nuo was puzzled, Butler Wu happened to walk in from outside. He turned around and asked, "Did anything happen outside?"

Butler Wu was surprised and asked, "Master, how did you know that something happened outside?"

Li Nuo was stunned for a moment: "What happened?"

Wu Guanjia said: "Young Master has arrested the man named Wei, and his disciples and some students from the academy have gathered together and gone to the Dali Temple to cause trouble, asking the Dali Temple to release him..."

"Then what?"

"Then the master ordered those who were causing trouble to be arrested."

“…”

Li Nuo breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder the number of portraits in the law code increased sharply. Spitting was just a public security punishment.

Inciting public opinion, gathering a crowd to cause trouble, and attacking government offices are extremely bad intentions. Under normal circumstances, you will have to stay in prison for two years.

However, the imperial court has always been tolerant of these students, so there shouldn't be any serious consequences.

Although he did not give the order directly, he was still the source of this matter.

It was because he arrested Wei Xun that the gathering incident was indirectly caused. The two events are in a cause and effect relationship.

But that's just right.

It also saves him from having to travel across states to deal with those calligraphy masters.

At this time, in the palace.

The three provinces have received feedback from the Censorate and the Jingzhao Prefecture.

A group of officials looked at each other in bewilderment.

The behavior of those students undoubtedly violated the law and was extremely serious, which was a great provocation to the majesty of the court.

If it were someone else, it wouldn't be excessive to catch a few leaders and behead them in the street.

In the past, the imperial court spoiled these students too much.

This gave them the illusion that the court would give in every time.

Li Xuanjing won't spoil them.

And what about Wei Xun? Did he really think that the imperial court was unaware of the small tricks he was doing in secret and colluding with the rich and powerful?

Did he think Li Xuanjing didn't know?

Why bother him for no reason?

However, although these people are wrong, their identities are special and they cannot be severely punished.

Those students with less experience are the group that is most easily instigated. Now that the imperial examination is approaching, one hundred thousand candidates are gathering in the capital. If we are not careful, things will get out of control.

When that time really comes, it won’t matter who is right or wrong.

Unfortunately, the Dali Temple's powers are extremely independent. When it comes to acting in accordance with the law, neither the three provinces nor Your Majesty has the power to order them to release anyone.

If you want to resolve this matter, you have to find another way.

Prince Chun's Mansion.

Officials from the three provinces came to visit him personally, and Prince Chun could not refuse, so he said, "I will go to the Dali Temple to ask, but I cannot guarantee the result."

Everyone immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Soon, Dali Temple.

Prince Chun served a bowl of soup and asked tentatively, "Xuan Jing, what are you going to do with those students?"

Li Xuanjing said, "Lock them up for three days. If we let them go so easily, they might do the same thing next time. Your Highness, are you here to plead for them?"

Prince Chun waved his hand and said, "No, why would I beg for mercy? I'm here to bring you some soup. It's a little hot, so drink it slowly. After you finish, we can play two games of chess..."

After a while, Prince Chun placed a piece on the chessboard and said, "You said that Li Nuo, this kid, is a great man who would have made a splash if he hadn't made any noise. He got first place in the spring exam without making any noise. Have you really let him play dumb all these years?"

Li Xuanjing nodded and did not deny it.

Prince Chun's eyes widened in surprise, "So what they said is true!"

The next moment, his expression turned complaining, and he said, "Such a big thing, you hid it from others, why did you even hide it from me!"

Li Xuanjing picked up a chess piece and said, "It is precisely because he concealed it from everyone that he was able to deceive everyone. If not for this, he would not be alive today. I hope Your Highness will not blame me."

Prince Chun sighed and said, "Forget it. I can understand. After all, you have too many enemies. If he behaves the same as you did back then, those people probably won't tolerate him..."

After playing chess for a while, Prince Chun thought of something and suddenly raised his head and asked, "Do you think this child will pass the exam and become the top scorer in all six subjects like you did back then?"

Without waiting for Li Xuanjing to speak, he murmured, "This won't do. If he wins the first place in the six subjects, he will have to become An Ning's consort. If he becomes An Ning's consort, he will become my brother-in-law. It will be a mess, a mess, everything will be a mess..."

…

Prince Chun's Mansion.

Prince Chun left for more than an hour before returning from the Dali Temple. Looking at the officials waiting there, he said, "The Dali Temple Minister said that since they are first-time offenders, they will not be prosecuted severely. They will be released after three days..."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

They were only detained for three days, so the Dali Temple Minister must have shown mercy and not even delayed their participation in the imperial examinations.

This is already a good solution.

However, they still had to go to Qingfeng Academy to inform them of the outcome and calm the students to prevent them from taking more radical actions.

Several people bowed to Prince Chun and said in unison: "Thank you, Your Highness Prince Chun."

Prince Chun coughed lightly and said, "You can't just thank me with your mouth. This time, I spent a lot of time and effort to help you. My lips were almost worn out. I finally got the Dali Temple to not pursue their crimes. I asked you for a garden, but you didn't agree for half a year. The garden is empty anyway. Let the Ministry of Revenue give it to me..."

…

The second day.

Many students from Qingfeng Academy came to the gate of Dali Temple.

They did not sit quietly like they did yesterday, but just watched from afar.

After an unknown amount of time, a figure walked out of the Dali Temple.

When the students saw this scene, they cheered.

"It's Mr. Wei!"

"Mr. Wei is out!"

"They really released Mr. Wei..."

Wei Xun walked out of the Dali Temple and subconsciously cleared his throat, as if he realized something, and swallowed a mouthful of thick phlegm.

Everyone came forward, and Mr. Wei was released without suffering any additional torture, and the matter was basically settled.

Ironically, Mr. Wei, who was first arrested and taken to the Dali Temple, was released, but his disciples and students who spoke out for justice had to be detained for another two days.

The Dali Temple said that those people would be released in two days, and they chose to believe the Dali Temple for the time being.

You can only believe it first.

Two days later.

The group of people who were imprisoned in the Dali Temple for gathering and causing trouble were released by the Dali Temple as promised.

At this point, the farce was completely settled, and everyone's attention was focused on the upcoming imperial examination.

The imperial examination, held every four years, is undoubtedly the biggest event in Chang'an.

Compared with previous imperial examinations, this one has special significance.

No matter whether you are the number one in the imperial examination or the number one in six subjects, you have the opportunity to become the consort of Princess An Ning. Not only can you marry the beauty, but you can also become a royal relative in one fell swoop, reach the sky in one step, and have a bright future.

Almost all students are making their final efforts before the exam.

At Qingfeng Academy, Wei Xun looked at several disciples who were painting with a look of satisfaction on his face.

In an inn in Chang'an, Zheng Zhi sorted out his examination papers, his eyes full of hope.

In a quiet private residence somewhere, a figure removed his fingers from the strings, revealing an expression that everything was under control.

In a magnificent mansion and a spacious courtyard, a young man with noble appearance shot several arrows in succession, and every arrow hit the bull's eye.

At the Yunmeng Horse Farm, a dark-skinned young man was driving a carriage speeding along a complicated track.

In the Langzhong's residence, a figure with messy hair and untidy beard pushed open the door and walked out. Although he looked extremely sloppy, the pair of eyes hidden under the long hair sparkled with wisdom.

…

March 1st.

Early in the morning, at the gate of Song Mansion.

Li Nuo and Song Yu got on the carriage and prepared to go to the examination hall.

There were nearly 100,000 students taking part in the imperial examination this year, scattered across 30 examination halls inside and outside Chang'an.

The examination hall with the smallest number of people has at least 2,000 people, and some large examination halls can even accommodate more than 10,000 people at the same time.

Li Nuo and Song Yu were in the first examination hall, and the candidates from the four major academies were basically divided into the first few examination halls.

These examination halls are all located in Chang'an City. They are the closest, have the best environment, and are also a preferential treatment for students from the four major academies.

Li Nuo sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, looked at his wife and Murer Ning'er standing outside, waved his hand, and said, "You guys go back..."

The imperial examination was not a spring exam, and martial law was imposed outside the examination hall. Except for the candidates, no accompanying persons were allowed to enter within a hundred feet.

Song Jiaren stood at the door, watching the carriage go away, secretly hoping in her heart.

I hope he can get the top score in just five subjects.

The carriages were moving slowly on the streets of Chang'an. During the imperial examination period, neither shops nor vendors were allowed to occupy the streets. Students rushing to the examination halls could be seen everywhere on the streets.

When the carriage passed by a certain place, Li Nuo lifted the curtain, was slightly stunned, and waved to the figure standing there waiting.

Li Anning chased after the carriage and shouted, "Don't be careless during the exam. Write the essay on rough paper first, and then copy it if there are no problems. Think more before you put pen to paper, and don't hand in the paper early..."

Watching the carriage leave, she let out a long breath and prayed silently in her heart.

May the ancestors bless him and make him the top scholar in the imperial examination. He must pass all six subjects...

(End of this chapter)