Tong You recalled that when the family was eating together, Alhatu looked gloomy. Shumulu asked him what was wrong, and Alhatu didn't hide it. He said that the Emperor had told him about the Dzungar rebellion and that he was very angry.

Tong Xuewen remembered it clearly because Tong Cheng'er asked him who Jungar was.

Arhatu dotes on his daughter, and when he met her, he explained that the Dzungars were part of Mongolia, and because of their rebellion, they now wanted to attack Shengjing from Mongolia, secretly colluding with Russia.

Upon hearing this, Tong Cheng'er blurted out, "Just fight back! Your Majesty is really being indecisive."

Then Tong Xuewen couldn't help but laugh.

Al-Hatu hadn't expected his daughter to be so capable, daring to speak to the Emperor. Although his own thought was to simply attack until the Dzungars completely submitted.

Because of this incident, Tong Xuewen remembered it. At the same time, he also understood that this issue was not only about the rebellion in Jungar Banner, but also about collusion with Russia.

If it weren't for Russia's support, the Dzungars would have been nothing more than a threat long ago. The two were in cahoots: Galdan wanted territory, and Russia wanted to split the Qing Dynasty in order to further plunder its territory.

None of them are good.

Wu Pingxuan's words were rather idealistic, suggesting that threats and intimidation would force the Dzungars to surrender, but in reality, it's not that easy.

It's not like His Majesty hasn't attacked before, but what was the result? The Dzungars are still alive and kicking, running rampant.

Therefore, Tong Xuewen began by saying, "The Dzungars are in Mongolia. If we want to completely subdue them, we must start with the various Mongol tribes..."

Tong Xuewen had heard about Tong Cheng'er's idea of ​​economically controlling Mongolia. Combined with his own insights, he thought of stabilizing Mongolia first, making Mongolia the main force, and then finding the source of the conflict between the Dzungars and Russia, causing their secret alliance to collapse. He wanted to make the Dzungars lose Russia's support first, so that the Mongol tribes would focus on attacking the Dzungars. At that time, the Dzungars would naturally become no threat.

As Kangxi listened to the recounted content in the private room, he couldn't help but nod. Tong Xuewen's way of thinking was similar to his sister's; he could think of solving the problem through the Mongols and then creating conflict between Russia and the Dzungars. That was indeed a good method.

As for how to make the Mongols willingly serve the Qing Dynasty and obey its commands, naturally it involved the economic control that Tong Cheng'er had mentioned.

As Tong Xuewen finished speaking, most of the people in the hall couldn't help but nod, their faces showing admiration, indicating their agreement with his statement.

Wu Pingxuan stood to the side, his face not looking too good. He was used to being a favored son of heaven and had never experienced setbacks, even in the literary-rich Jiangnan region.

He had competed with others before, but this was the first time he had ever experienced being the one to jump out and provoke, only to be completely crushed. He was blushing and extremely ashamed.

He was now facing everyone in the hall, wishing he could dig a hole in the ground and squeeze himself inside.

The shopkeeper didn't care how ashamed Wu Pingxuan felt. He asked him, "What does Young Master Wu think of Young Master Tong's statement?"

Wu Pingxuan said in shame and indignation, "I admit defeat." After saying that, he slunk away into the crowd, not intending to say another word.

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper smiled and asked the crowd, "Does anyone else have a different opinion?"

With such excellent examples before them, no one wanted to be a liar, and the hall fell silent for a moment.

After a while, the shopkeeper spoke up: "Alright, since no one is willing to step forward, then let's invite Young Master Xu Chengzhi to share his thoughts."

Upon hearing the shopkeeper's words, most people began to frown. What? Was he going to call on anyone to answer?

Xu Chengzhi was surprised when he was suddenly called out, and then he looked scared.

Looking at the shopkeeper's behavior, Fu Boyuan felt that he was bullying people. As the second place in the imperial examination, he considered himself a gentleman and questioned, "Shopkeeper, why did you suddenly call on someone to answer? This behavior seems to be a bit like coercion. I'm afraid it's inappropriate!"

Faced with Fu Boyuan's questioning, the shopkeeper remained calm and explained, "Young Master Fu, what you say is true. This is a legitimate competition. There is no forced sale. The reason why we asked Young Master Xu to answer the questions is also due to certain circumstances."

"Today, Young Master Xu got drunk at Wangyue Tower. In his drunken state, he spoke the truth, saying that Young Master Tong's title of top scholar was obtained through improper means. Because he was drunk, his voice was loud, and many people outside heard it. Wangyue Tower does business right under the city walls. His Majesty is wise and mighty; how could such a thing as cheating in the imperial examination happen?"

"Upon hearing this, the master specially gave Young Master Xu a chance to showcase his talents. He will compete with Young Master Tong to see if Young Master Tong truly has the ability to be the top scholar. Of course, if Young Master Xu is a hidden gem, he can also take this opportunity to shine. Does Young Master Fu agree?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Boyuan's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. He had intended to speak as a righteous and upright person, but instead, his rash words made him appear impetuous.

"The shopkeeper is right; I was being presumptuous."

The shopkeeper quickly said, "Young Master Fu spoke out of righteousness, but it was just a matter of concern that caused his confusion, and it was not rash."

With Fu Boyuan taking the lead, no one dared to speak rashly anymore.

After the shopkeeper's explanation, everyone's impression of Xu Chengzhi really turned sour.

Some people feel that talking behind someone's back is not the way taught by sages.

The remaining group believed that even if such a person was knowledgeable, his character was questionable and he should not be befriended. Moreover, his knowledge might not be truly impressive, and few of those present had even heard of him.

Publicly questioning the legitimacy of the top scholar's qualifications is not only a questioning of Tong Xuewen, the top scholar, but also of the chief examiner of this year's examination and those involved. Thinking further, it is also a questioning of the Emperor himself.

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