Chapter 52

Lord Zhou Ruwei finished his duty that day and took a carriage back home.

The location of Zhou Mansion cannot be compared with several palaces of the royal family in the inner imperial city, but among the palaces of officials, it can be seen that "Simplicity is in the heart of the emperor". After Taiji Palace, the first is the so-called "Inner Imperial City", where the palaces are located are the palaces of royal family with titles and ranks, and then the official palaces.

The closer you get to the main street, the more you can tell which adult is the "celebrity" of the dynasty.

There is a rule in Dasheng that the gates of the residences of officials below the third rank cannot face the main street. There are only four main streets in Shengdu, and the street is 30 feet wide, about 10 meters. Stalls are not allowed on both sides of the street. If you want to open a shop, there are also rules, just pass the "Second Ring Road".

The Taiji Palace is in the center, the imperial city is within the first ring, and the residences of officials above the third rank are within the second ring.

The Zhou Mansion was not located in the "Second Ring" before. After Emperor Ningwu ascended the throne, Zhou Ruwei did several good jobs and earned the title in exchange for his merits. The current Zhou Mansion was awarded by the Emperor two years ago.

Zhou Ruwei returned to the mansion and went straight to the backyard, his face gloomy and solemn. When Mrs. Zhou saw him, she was a little nervous, "What happened to the master?"

"Don't be afraid." Zhou Ruwei tried to comfort his wife. He was the one who frightened her with his bad face. He said, "From now on, we will reject all invitations from anyone who sends them to our house."

"Don't take the kids out for a walk."

Mrs. Zhou agreed without asking the reason. However, seeing her husband's expression, she tried to comfort him several times, but as a woman, she didn't know what had happened before.

"Does Quaner still need to go to the main hall to study?"

Zhou Ruwei nodded, "It has nothing to do with Quan'er, it's about the court." He stopped talking and said, "I'm going to sleep in the study room in front."

After that, Mr. Zhou went to the study room in the front yard and sat for a while. He had a lot to say in his heart, so he asked the servants to prepare a banquet and invite Master Pang. Master Pang was a candidate who passed the imperial examination during the Zhongrui period. He had passed the examination and could become an official in theory.

Unfortunately, for various reasons, his official career was delayed.

Zhou Ruwei valued talent and spent a lot of money to invite Master Pang to come to his house to be a tutor for several children in his family. Master Pang was called a tutor, but sometimes he was like an aide. In his heart, he regarded Master Zhou as a benefactor and a confidant.

Soon a table was prepared in the study and Master Pang also arrived.

Zhou Ruwei called out his name, and after a few drinks, Zhou Ruwei looked even more distressed, so Master Pang asked, "What is the matter at the court that has troubled you, sir?"

"At the morning court today, Nie Wen from the Supervisory Council reported on the salt administration of Jiangnan Province and the Dong family." Zhou Ruwei spoke slowly, thinking carefully.

Master Pang just listened without interrupting him.

"...We are all officials who passed the imperial examinations. You should know how difficult it is. Fortunately, the current emperor is different from the previous ones. He values officials who passed the imperial examinations very much--"

Unfortunately, one person cannot do anything alone.

Those sponsors from aristocratic families held on too tightly and too closely.

They have been close friends for generations, and through various marriages, their interests have long been inseparable.

Master Pang did not respond, but asked: "The emperor values you, sir, but this incident is muddy waters for you to investigate, sir, please think twice."

"I am His Majesty's subject. If His Majesty is willing to use me, I will go through fire and water without hesitation." Zhou Ruwei had already made up his mind to devote his life to His Majesty, and now he said, "Today His Majesty summoned me, and I thought it was for this matter, but His Majesty asked me: Lord Zhou, who do you think can go?"

Zhou Ruwei thought that the emperor was testing him to see if he was willing to go to Jiangnan Road, so he knelt down and asked for permission to go. But he found out that the emperor did not mean that. "I thought about it and mentioned a few people."

When Master Pang heard this, he realized that these gentlemen were all like Lord Zhou, with upright and incorruptible character. Some of them were from imperial examination families, while others were from aristocratic families that had long since fallen into decline. Their origins were completely different from the Jiangnan Dao and had nothing to do with it.

"That's fine."

Zhou Ruwei shook his head. "After I answered, His Majesty looked dissatisfied. I couldn't guess whether His Majesty wanted me to take care of it this time..."

"If the emperor has not given Lord Zhou his royal instructions, Lord Zhou will not be able to come." Master Pang said.

Zhou Ruwei still shook his head, "If His Majesty didn't want me to be involved from the beginning to the end, he wouldn't have summoned me to the Xuanzheng Palace today."

Master Pang was stunned. That’s true.

What does that mean today?

Zhou Ruwei was a loyal and independent minister, so naturally he had to figure out the emperor's intentions.

Master Pang can teach, but he has never been an official, so he doesn't know the ways of the officialdom. Zhou Ruwei invited Master Pang to drink and talk, not because he wanted Master Pang to guess his mind, but because he was thinking about his troubles in his heart, it might be better to speak them out, and maybe there would be some clues.

Seeing Master Pang frowning in thought, Zhou Ruwei raised his glass and continued drinking. He still had to go to the government office tomorrow, so fortunately he didn't have to go to court as early as today. However, Zhou Ruwei didn't dare to get drunk, so when he got drunk, he thanked the guest.

The servants helped him wash up, and Zhou Ruwei covered his face with a hot towel. The dull heat made him clear his mind, and he was still thinking about every word the emperor said today...

If you want chaos, you have to choose a big chaos.

When he returned home today, he carefully told his wife that he would not be visiting guests recently. Only then did he realize that it was not that the emperor did not want to make any changes to the Jiangnan Road, but he was afraid that he would make a big move. If he did not go, the officials he proposed would have similar personalities to him. The emperor did not want to use them, so he was afraid that he would have to find another way.

Zhou Ruwei half guessed and half understood the situation, and fell asleep under the influence of alcohol.

On the other side, Ji Mansion.

When Ji Min arrived at the mansion, he was worried about something. He had already made up his mind not to get involved in muddy water, but his frown still betrayed his embarrassment and confusion.

The children had no idea what was going on in the court.

Ji Huai'en asked with concern, "Is my father okay?" Ji Min sent him away, so Ji Huai'en returned to his own courtyard, finished his homework, and asked the servant to bring a hemp rope for skipping. He would carry the hemp rope to the main hall tomorrow to compete with Liu Qiang.

Early the next morning.

The Crown Prince sat on the bed with his hair frizzy, stretched, and said incoherently: "It's so nice to have two days off. I don't even want to go to class."

"Your Highness, don't dare say it out loud, in case His Majesty hears it." Wang Yuanyuan felt like he was trying to humiliate the Emperor halfway through his words - he didn't mean to do that, he just said it because he really thought so.

When Xuanyu Fu heard this, he covered his mouth and asked, "Where is my father?"

"His Majesty has just returned from the martial arts arena." Wang Yuanyuan replied.

Xuan Fu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't dare to say any more things like "It's so nice to have two days off, I don't want to go to class", because his emperor father would really shorten his vacation.

If the prince doesn't want to go to school for two days off, then it would be better to change it to one day.

Many people could imagine in their minds what the emperor father would say.

He immediately became alert, stopped dawdling, and stopped lying in bed. "Hurry up, hurry up, wash me up. I love going to school. I'm not sleepy anymore."

Wang Yuanyuan: ...it also has this function.

Zhuixing Zhuyue brought up the warmed clothes and helped His Highness dress.

Xuanyu Fu was halfway through wearing the clothes when he suddenly thought of something, "Wang Banban, is there an abandoned school of study in the East Palace?"

"Yes, it's not far from the East Palace. It used to be where the princes studied."

Isn’t this the only son of the current emperor? The Chongming Palace is much larger than the Qinxue Institute.

"Why do you ask this, Your Highness?"

After putting on his outer clothes, Xuan Duofu sat upright while waiting for his hair to be combed, saying, "I am now in Chongming Hall, which is empty. If we are renovating the East Palace, we might as well renovate that as well. It would be even better if the eunuchs and maids serving me in the palace could learn some writing and read."

Zhuixing and Zhuyue were originally one helping His Highness comb his hair and the other preparing accessories, they were both stunned when they heard what they heard, are they going to learn too?

"I have an inner storehouse, and I will be in charge of it myself, recording things, and writing posts in the future - oh, there are special positions for this." Xuan Fu said this, and he did not stop thinking just now, saying: "It is always good to have many skills, and it is always good to learn to read and write."

The officials in the Eastern Palace who polished articles and wrote memorials were also responsible for writing serious articles, such as polishing memorials for the crown prince when he hosted a banquet to invite officials and young people.

The palace maids and eunuchs who are well-versed in literature and art around him can do different things.

In fact, to make a long story short, Xuan Fu felt that Shuncai and Shunde were "jealous" of each other for praising him because they were too idle. They were only eleven or twelve years old. Let them work. The work was too hard and tiring. It would be better for them to go to school.

They don't need to take the imperial examination, they just need to be literate and able to read and write simply.

Wang Yuanyuan couldn't make a decision after hearing this. "Your Highness, this is a serious matter. There has never been a precedent for eunuchs and palace maids to study."

"Then I will write a memorial to request my father today." Xuan Fu has become an expert at writing memorials to express his wishes to his father, the emperor, ever since he successfully made a wish in his last birthday essay.

After getting dressed, Xuanyuefu was happy again. You Shuncai carried the small schoolbag, and Wang Banban carried the breakfast box. He only needed to walk coolly in the middle.

Walk to school!

After two days' holiday, everyone was in high spirits. Most of the people had arrived and, as usual, they bowed to the prince. Manyu Fu waved his hand and everyone sat down to have breakfast.

Green Tea Tangyuan also sent him breakfast from Lindonghai.

Xuanyunfu was a soft-hearted eater, so he shared his beef patty with the other person. What Li Ze gave him was a glutinous rice cake filled with dried shrimp, seaweed and something crispy that tasted like lotus root or bamboo shoots. He was not sure, but it was a soy sauce and seafood flavor, and it was delicious.

But if you eat too much glutinous rice, the outer layer will be a bit greasy.

"You can't eat anymore?" Yan Huaijin asked when he saw Xuanyufu slowing down.

Xuanyunfu nodded and whispered, "I want to eat more meat patties." He sighed again, "You know, my father can eat four meat patties and still feel full—" Well, that's not necessary, "I can't do that, this glutinous rice is quite filling."

Yan Huaijin knew that Xuanfu didn't like to waste food, so he said, "I'll eat the leftovers, and you can have the meat pie."

"...This is not good. I have already bitten it. If I had known, I would have broken it for you in advance." Many lucky monsters were embarrassed.

Yan Huaijin said seriously: "I don't mind."

Xuanyifu immediately gave the remaining half of his glutinous rice breakfast to Yan Jinjin, and went to eat the beef patties with a smile. Beef patties were his favorite, and it was just right to finish one and drink a glass of milk.

He took a big bite and said to his deskmate happily, "I'll eat yours from now on."

"Okay." Yan Huaijin took a bite of the breakfast in his hand and said.

Both of them became happy.

Li Ze watched from behind. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave the half-eaten food to Yan Huaijin, who ate it. The two seemed to have a good relationship. Li Ze couldn't help but turn to the back and wanted to ask Li Ang and Zhou Quan some questions, but after asking them, the two just chatted casually, talking about this and that, and didn't mention anything about the Crown Prince.

He is very tight-lipped.

Li Ang saw some disappointment in Li Ze's eyes but pretended not to see it.

There was something strange about the conflict in Hanliang Palace the day before yesterday. He reminded Zhong Ziming about it early on. No matter how stupid Zhong Ziqin was, he would not make such a mistake. As a result, Li Ze stepped forward to mediate and be the good guy.

Something was very wrong. Li Ang decided to pay more attention to Li Ze.

Liu Qiang was late again, but at noon today, everyone was taking a nap, but Liu Qiang and Ji Huai'en from the same class actually came to school carrying hemp ropes. Xuan Duofu suspected that there was no book in Liu Qiang's schoolbag at all!

Two people were having a skipping rope competition in the yard, and those who were not sleeping went to watch the fun.

Xuanyi Fu pulled his little classmate to watch for a while. Liu Qiang had the physical strength, but the other one could actually do some fancy moves. He taught himself to do double swings in the air and even cross them. Liu Qiang only had the physical strength, so he was staring in amazement.

"Wow, you're so awesome, Ji, Ji——"

"Ji Huai'en." Ji Huai'en didn't care that Liu Qiang didn't remember his name. He had never played with Liu Qiang before. It was just that the day before yesterday, His Highness taught them how to play with ropes. He liked this, and seeing that Liu Qiang was also interested, he took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

At this time, Ji Huaien: "How is it, brother?"

Liu Qiang was filled with envy and jealousy, and said, "I give in. I admit defeat, but don't worry, we'll try again later."

"Okay." Ji Huai'en was not afraid.

Xuan Xuanfu was so full that he felt dizzy. After seeing this, he took his desk mate back to sleep and stopped watching.

Fortunately, he left early, because Liu Qiang learned the double swing on the spot and wanted to find Xuan Duofu. Xuan Duofu was the first to suggest skipping rope, so he must know other ways to play -

What about many blessings?

Manyufu has gone to sleep, please do not disturb him Zzzz~

When Liu Qiang couldn't find anyone else, he went to harass Wang Yuansun, "Do you think there are other ways to play?"

Wang Yuansun was not very interested in skipping rope. He sat on the corridor railing and said, "Why don't you ask someone else?"

"Oh, Xuan Duofu went to sleep, and you are the only one left."

Wang Yuansun: "There are also Zhou Quan, Li Ang, Yan Huaijin, and Li Ze——"

"What are you talking about?" Liu Qiang sat down next to Wang Yuansun, and the two brothers said in a friendly manner: "The fat boy and I get along well. We play together with the other people, but it's all because of good fortune. The only one who can really get along well and play together is you, besides the fat boy."

Wang Yuansun was silent for a while, his face gloomy and he didn't know what he was thinking. After a while he said, "I didn't sleep well yesterday, so I don't want to play."

"No wonder you look listless and gloomy today. I'll go then." Liu Qiang took the rope and went to learn Ji Huai'en's double swing jump.

Wang Yuansun wanted to support Liu Qiang and should not have rejected Liu Qiang, but he refused.

Liu Qiang didn't think much of it and just started to play. After he finished, he showed it to Wang Yuansun and said, "Look, look, I can do six double shakes in one breath now."

He didn't feel unhappy at all because Wang Yuansun had just rejected him.

Seeing Liu Qiang’s straightforward smile, Wang Yuansun called him a fool.

"Hey, I dance so well, and you still say I'm stupid. You are stupid."

"You're stupid."

"You are the stupidest."

"You are so stupid."

The two fought back for a while, and Wang Yuansun felt that his behavior was no different from that of Liu Qiang, the big fool, and said, "I am stupid."

"Hahaha, you can't handle it anymore, right? It's okay to know you're stupid. I don't mind you being a stupid person, hahaha." Liu Qiang felt that he had won the argument and was very generous.

Wang Yuansun sneered but said nothing else.

The days in the main hall are almost the same. The primary school students all have their own little thoughts, but as the mature and steady prospective man Da Duofu said: they are all a bunch of little kids, and they don’t have any big bad intentions.

So the days passed relatively quickly, no wonder - the first few days after the holiday were actually like going to the grave. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked every day what day it was. By the middle of the fourth day, he was much happier, especially since it snowed early that morning.

"It's snowing, Wang Banban!"

Wang Yuanyuan chased after the prince with a fox fur coat and wrapped him up in it. Zhuyue gave him a soft hat made of fox fur with fur around it, which was warm and beautiful.

Xuanyunfu's ears felt warm when he put on the hat, but his hearing was a little poor, so he raised his voice when he spoke. Xu Xiaoman came out and heard the boy talking in a hoarse voice and laughed. He touched the fur of the boy's hat, and Xuanyunfu felt it. He turned around and raised his head. He was very happy to see that it was his father.

"Dad, it's snowing!"

"Yes, the snow came earlier this year." Xu Xiaoman hugged the baby, "It's snowing heavily, let's eat something warm today, let the imperial kitchen prepare the pot."

Many blessings:!!!

Dad thought the same thing as he did.

The chicks pecked at the rice and nodded.

Wang Yuanyuan responded, thinking that she would go to the imperial kitchen to give instructions after sending her master over. But when she looked up, she saw the emperor coming out, so Wang Yuanyuan made a quick decision and said, "I will go to the imperial kitchen to give instructions right away."

Xu Xiaoman looked puzzled:?

No, the snow went away so fast.

"It's snowing, so the prince's afternoon horseback riding and archery lessons must be changed to studying in the palace." Emperor Ningwu stepped forward and said.

Manyu Fu:! Before he could talk to his companion, he looked at his father, the emperor, in shock, "Father! You, I, don't want it. Why are there physical education classes changed to cultural classes everywhere? I will cry."

"Then cry." Emperor Ningwu was cold and ruthless.

Many blessed children looked at their father with tears in their eyes.

Xu Xiaoman touched the kid's face and said with a smile, "Your father is teasing you, but it's really not easy to practice riding, archery and boxing when it's snowing and the ground is slippery. Why don't you go out to play in the snow for one class and go back to the hall to do your homework for the other class?"

"Okay, okay, father, Master Qingtang." Xuan Xufu was almost about to kowtow to his father.

The couple played the good cop and the bad cop respectively, and with just a few words they made His Royal Highness the Crown Prince go around in circles, and in the end His Royal Highness was very satisfied and went to school happily.

Wang Banban was not around, so Shuncai sent him to school with his schoolbag, and Shunde carried the lunch box, but the lunch box was heavy, and after a while it somehow ended up in Xiaoluzi's hands. Zhao Erxi followed behind the emperor and saw everything, but didn't ask any questions.

A family of three walked in front.

Emperor Ningwu went to Xuanzheng Hall. Jiuqiansui did not leave the palace today and also went to Xuanzheng Hall, so the couple took the opportunity to send the prince to school. The road was slippery on snowy days, and it was reasonable to take a sedan chair, but the family of three walked.

His Highness was curious about the first snow, holding his father's hand. It seemed that his father came to see him and tucked him in late last night. When Duo Xinfu asked, Xu Xiaoman was surprised and said, "You woke up later?"

"No, I was confused and I felt my father touching my butt." Xuan Xuanfu said this and finally understood why his father was so cold and ruthless today.

Zhong Yun glanced at Xuan Duofu.

Xu Xiaoman touched the baby's head and said, "It's getting cold. After playing in the snow this afternoon, remember to drink ginger soup. Don't mind the spiciness."

"I understand, Dad. I will drink it obediently." Xuanyufu knew that his father was afraid that he would have a fever, so he promised quickly.

Xu Xiaoman is very relieved.

After walking for a while, Xuanyuefu looked at his father the emperor again, "Why has your father gotten up so late and gone to Xuanzheng Hall so late these days..." He had seen him in the morning for three consecutive days and wanted to send him to school.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to be sent by the emperor, but he just wants to stick with his father.

Emperor Ningwu pinched the Crown Prince's face. Xuanyufu: ...covering his face.

"Father, are you not doing your job well?"

Emperor Ningwu let go of his hand and asked mercilessly: "How is your schooling? Is it going well?"

Many blessings: his little face fell.

Zhong Yun was amused and said, "I have approved the memorial submitted by the Crown Prince."

"Isn't it troublesome, father?" Xuan Fu didn't know at first that this matter was quite 'serious', because the eunuchs' literacy was a more serious matter than the palace maids' literacy.

My father said: The emperor of the previous dynasty used eunuchs, which led to the eunuchs controlling the government and killing loyal people, causing the country to fall and the family to be ruined.

Then the emperor father said: The previous dynasty was destroyed because of the royal family's extravagance and heavy taxes that forced the people to live without a way out. It was because the locals rose up in rebellion, bandits piled up in the mountains, and there were thousands of starving people.

Xuan Fu understood that the censors of the current dynasty were using the banner of the previous dynasty just to impeach his father.

Sometimes officials fight not for the people but for power and interests.

In other words, if His Royal Highness wanted the eunuchs to learn to read, it would be easy for people to think the wrong thing. There would definitely be a lot of wrangling in the court, and even worse, it would implicate the Nine Thousand Years Old Man of the East Factory.

When Xuanyu Fu thought of this, he decided to back out. He said, "Forget it. Since the eunuchs were not going to study hard anyway, he could just open a big room in the East Palace and have people teach the eunuchs who wanted to learn to read and write."

Don’t make a big fuss about it, just do it behind the scenes.

As a result, today the emperor approved it.

Xuanfu was naturally worried about whether he had caused trouble for his father.

Emperor Ningwu smiled faintly when he heard this: "You are lucky. I have bigger troubles, but no one cares about your troubles."

"Don't report my father. It was me who submitted the memorial." Xuanyu Fu said hurriedly.

"Your father doesn't have any ginseng either."

Xu Xiaoman touched the fur on the cub's hat. It was as soft as Duoduo's, and his heart softened as well.

Xuanyuefu heaved a sigh of relief. He had arrived at his school, so he waved to his two fathers and watched the guard of honor go to the left hall. Only then did Shundeshun follow him up the stairs.

Halfway through the journey, he suddenly stopped because he suddenly thought of -

No one cared or complained when I went to the study center to learn to read and write as an eunuch. So what big trouble had happened? Thinking back to the past few days, my father had been slacking off, coming in late and leaving early, and my father had stopped going out and had been accompanying the emperor every day.

Xuan Fu thought about it for a while and actually started to suspect: Could it be that the emperor father deliberately pretended to be in great trouble, irritable and unwilling to work, so that his father would feel sorry for him and accompany him?

After thinking about it, Xuanyu Fu felt that this idea was a bit "unfilial".

"Go in first." Xuanyu Fu went in and greeted his little classmate, while distributing breakfast and calling Zhou Quan.

Zhou Quan got up and went over.

Xuanyi Fu whispered: "Has something big happened in the court recently?" He noticed that Zhou Quan's expression changed a little, and it seemed that it was true.

"Can you tell me?"

Zhou Quan nodded and said, "Yes, but Your Highness, I don't know much. My father didn't tell me these things." He heard Master Pang mention some of them when he asked about the article.

Not to mention the many blessings, even Yan Huaijin next to him put down the breakfast in his hand.

Zhou Quan: "It seems to be a matter concerning the salt administration of Jiangnan Province. Lord Nie from the Supervisory Office has reported it. It seems that the life and death of another inspector is unknown. Two days ago, someone reported that Lord Nie from the Supervisory Office had accepted bribes. Lord Nie was detained by the Tianying Temple."

"Just after he participated in the salt administration, he was exposed for taking bribes?" Xuanyi Fu looked a little suspicious.

Yan Huaijin thought with a thoughtful look on his face, and said, "There are many blessings, and Jiangnan Road is very rich." He added, "The commercial tax and land tax of the entire Jiangnan Road account for a quarter of Dasheng."

"!" Xuanyufu's eyes widened this time.

No wonder his father said that the diligence he reported was not a big deal.

"This matter is of great importance." Yan Huaijin said.

Zhou Quan nodded, and Xuanyuefu also understood, "It seems that this is not something we can interfere with." So he continued to eat breakfast. He reflected in his heart that he should not think that his biological father was trying to get his father's love and company. This was indeed a big problem at work.

The filial son Duo Nuofu reflected on himself over breakfast.

At noon, they had hotpot in the dining hall in the backyard, and Xuanyuefu was happy again. It had been snowing outside all morning and a lot of snow had accumulated. In the first class in the afternoon, they went to the martial arts field to "practice boxing", which was actually a snowball fight.

Hahahaha.

Xuan Fu relied on his status to bully the tall guy and threw a lot of snowballs at Liu Qiang. Liu Qiang was too lazy to bully the weak, but he still threw a few snowballs back. Xuan Fu: Liu Qiang is really strong.

"Let's just build a snowman." Xuan Xuanfu couldn't win the fight and decided to play some kindergarten 'Makabaka' games with his deskmate instead of participating in the battle.

Because the students were fighting like crazy, some were even pouring snow into people's necks.

Wang Yuansun gave some to Li Ze, and Li Ze retaliated, but his fighting power was not good enough. However, Li Ze had many friends, and in the end, if Liu Qiang had not helped, Wang Yuansun would have become a snowman.

The hair of several people was covered with ice and snow, and they were cold to each other, but no one said anything harsh.

Manyu Fu: "It's stupid to say such harsh words."

Yan Huaijin:?

"He's just strong on the outside but weak on the inside. If he says something harsh, he'll lose this time."

Yan Huaijin understood and said, "It seems that Li Ze and Wang Yuansun are serious."

"?" Manyu Fu: Why didn't he think of this? He didn't quite believe it: "They don't have any conflicts, it's not that serious, I guess they are just playing games."

The first class was very exciting and lively. After returning home, we had to dry our clothes and change them. There was also ginger tea heating on the stove in the hall. Everyone drank three big bowls of it. The tea contained a lot of ginger.

There are really a lot.

Xuanyunfu agreed to his father's request, because he drank it while pinching his nose. Even Yan Jinjin frowned and drank three bowls.

After they finished, they looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief.

The stove in the hall was heated very high and my hands, feet and body soon became warm.

The children played in the snow, attended their last self-study class, and the imperial physician came to take their pulses and gave them some peace soup to drive away the cold. The left hall was as cold as the sky, and more than a dozen ministers knelt on the snow at the entrance of Xuanzheng Hall, led by Zhou Ruwei, and also members of the Supervisory Office and the Inspection Office.

Half an hour later, Emperor Ningwu summoned him, and not long after, Lord Feng came to see him outside the Xuanzheng Hall.

The Imperial Examination Party and the Recommendation Party started fighting two days ago.

Anyone who sees this will say: What’s the point of studying hard for more than ten years? It’s like an egg hitting a stone.

However, these adults who were sitting on the sidelines and watching the fire did not expect that the scholar from a poor family also had blood. At noon today, news came from the Sky Eagle Temple that someone had poisoned Nie Wen's meal. Although Lord Nie did not die, the poison caused him to fall into a coma and his life was in danger.

Therefore, officials from both chambers came before the emperor, kneeling down and asking him to investigate the murderer who poisoned Lord Nie, including the salt administration of Jiangnan Province...

It was as if he was determined to pull Yu Yang down even at the cost of his own death.

"Yu Yang can't be saved.", "I've already said, don't touch Nie Wen first, Nie Wen is nothing."

Some people think highly of themselves and cannot swallow that humiliation. Now that they have hit a snag, they will not admit it. They just say, "Abandon Yu Yang and fool those people from the two houses. This matter will be settled quickly."

"Why do I always feel that this matter is not simple? It's only been a few days, and it's like someone is adding fuel to the fire, causing the court to start opposing each other. It was still okay before, but now those petty officials have gleaming eyes when they see us."

"What are you afraid of? You are their superior."

Because of the spring examinations next year, some candidates have already arrived in Shengdu in December. I don’t know who leaked the news, but the news has spread in teahouses and inns outside...

Two more days passed.

Zhou Quan came to class looking a little listless. Xuanyuefu asked him about it. Zhou Quan's eyes turned red, but he didn't say a word. Li Ang whispered to Xuanyuefu, "Mr. Zhou caught a cold in the snow two days ago."

"So that's how it is. Then I'll ask the imperial physician to come over and take a look?" Xuanyu Fu said.

Zhou Quan shook his head and thanked His Highness for his kindness. He was no longer as narrow-minded as before and said sullenly, "Your Highness, please ask the imperial physician to come to my house. My father may be uncomfortable. We have already asked a doctor to see him."

"Okay then." Xuanyu Fu didn't force it.

A few days later, Ji Huai'en looked a little depressed - Liu Qiang said so. Liu Qiang came to eat breakfast for Duofu, and ate with a mouthful of slurred words: "Ji Huai'en Hai skipped rope with me a few days ago, but recently he doesn't even carry the rope."

Xuan Duofu knew why this happened, because after Zhou Quan said that his father caught a cold, Xuan Duofu thought of the salt administration issue. He asked his two fathers about it while having dinner that day and roughly knew what had happened.

"Then don't go up to play with Ji Huai'en. He is in a bad mood. It must be because of the things that happened in the court among the adults." Xuanyu Fu said.

Liu Qiang nodded, "Of course, I'm not a fool. It's just the adults' business. No matter how sad we are, there's nothing we can do."

"That's true, but if your elders are in a bad mood, are you in the mood to play around?" Xuanyi Fu asked.

Liu Qiang: “That’s right.”

Wang Yuansun, who was standing next to him, said nothing, thinking that if something happened to the Wang family, he would definitely make a scene.

The case of Yu Yang, the salt administrator of Jiangnan Province, eventually led to a dispute between the two parties, which had become irreconcilable in the court. More and more Juren, Xiucai, and Shusheng in Shengdu knew about the incident, and they submitted various petitions, asking the emperor to strictly investigate these corrupt officials and local families.

The curse was harsh, calling the aristocratic families blood-sucking parasites.

It used to have a good reputation.

Ji Min, who was born in the imperial examination system, stood up and asked the emperor to send him to Jiangnan Road. He was willing to investigate the Yu Yang case. When the sponsors saw Ji Min, their voices became quieter.

"Although this person is a graduate of the imperial examination system, he is very smooth and can get along with everyone. It is just right for him to go..."

"Hello, Lord Ji. Please don't act rashly." Lord Feng looked at everyone and said, "This time, when Ji Min goes, I will send someone to take care of it. Yu Yang must be protected and his case overturned. A good official was falsely accused and his innocence will be cleared."

"? Lord Feng, didn't you say sacrifice the pawn to save the king?"

"You are so stupid. Why don't you listen to what people are saying about us? If this matter ends up as Nie Wen and his friends wish, wouldn't that justify those insults? How will you survive in the future?"

"Yes, I am short-sighted."

"All of us aristocratic families prosper together and suffer together. You have all seen that the current emperor is like Taizu and wants to emphasize the imperial examination to select talents. If everyone standing in the court in the future is a graduate of the imperial examination, do you want to wait for that day?"

In troubled times, noble families return to their ancestral home to bide their time. Once the world is settled, they naturally have to enter officialdom to continue the family's wealth and prosperity in order to last long.

His Majesty values the imperial examination background and wants to hold on to the imperial power tightly, so naturally these noble families will agree with him.

Naturally, some people thought that Lord Feng was worrying too much. The world belonged to the emperor, and they could not go too far in opposing the emperor. Moreover, even if the emperor attached great importance to the imperial examination, could it be that the descendants of the noble families were not as good at studying as the poor peasants who had nothing?

How many books do they have? What famous teachers do they have? The books they read are probably all written by various aristocratic families...

To outsiders, the Imperial Examination Party and their sponsoring party are like an egg hitting a stone.

Now they are facing the emperor, which is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Now that the matter of Yu Yang has come to this, it’s not easy to bring this up.

The author has something to say:

Duozai: Reflection on a meal time~