Agreement

Gu Yu did not name names, but everyone knew who he was.

"What a pity, what a pity."

The young ladies sighed in dismay. They thought back to how many noble ladies in the capital had dreamed of Shen Changqing, but now he had ended up like this.

"So... people who read a lot are also more cunning. It's better to be simple and straightforward like my brother. He is loyal to his family for generations, and his achievements will surely bring blessings to his descendants."

Gu Yu quickly tried to smooth things over, fearing that once the imperial examination results were posted, everyone would be scrambling to find a husband.

“Indeed,” Liu Xuewu nodded. “Sister Wang married the second-place scholar in the last imperial examination. But that man tried to steal Sister Wang’s dowry. In just three years, Sister Wang was ruined beyond recognition, and that man even took two new concubines.”

There are already ready-made examples, which is great. Gu Yu was drinking tea and listening to everyone's idle chatter when she unexpectedly received several uninvited guests.

The three women, each with their own unique charm, attracted a lot of attention as they walked together.

Dongfang Hongyao greeted her with a smile, dressed in a slightly flamboyant purple robe, gently waving a folding fan, exuding extraordinary air. However, his fox-like eyes were narrowed, making it seem as if he wasn't thinking of a good idea. "Miss Gu."

Dongfang Hongyao probably had a lot of questions he wanted to ask her, but she was surrounded by people. Gu Yu shook her head, signaling him to keep it to himself.

Wei Cong was still dressed in the same simple and plain blue robe, with refined features and the scholarly air unique to a learned man.

Sighing, he clearly hadn't originally intended to come, said, "Miss Gu, it's been a long time. Brother Dongfang dragged me over as soon as he saw you. I didn't mean to disturb the ladies' flower viewing, I'm really sorry."

He bowed respectfully to express his apology. He was refined and cultured, and his appearance and talent were even more striking; some of the young ladies present already had their eyes light up.

"It's over, it's over," Gu Yu lamented in her heart. "Will my brother really be unable to find a wife?"

The last one was Xu Qiu, dressed in a white robe made of Shaoguang brocade, which occasionally shimmered in the sunlight.

If Shen Changqing, who prefers to wear white, is like a celestial being banished from heaven, then Xu Qiu is a gentle and refined nobleman with a down-to-earth air.

If she had to describe Xu Qiu as something, she would think of a jade statue, one that never shows any outward emotion and always wears a smile.

But his smile was so beautiful, perhaps because he had been smiling for so long that even if his lips weren't smiling, his eyes were still smiling.

He said, "Miss Gu may not remember me, but I will always remember you."

Gu Yu sensed the dissatisfaction in his words, but pretended not to know. Indeed, ever since their meeting in prison, she hadn't thought of him at all.

Although Xu Qiu played a significant role in bringing down the Shen family, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly if she hadn't known so much. Therefore, she didn't attribute any credit to Xu Qiu.

“Young Master Xu Qiu, I remember you. My brother mentioned you to me last time.”

"Ayu, you know so many scholars! Why don't you introduce them to us?" A young lady asked eagerly.

With a pained expression, Gu Yu introduced them one by one, and then the main stage for the rest of the time became the stage for these three uninvited guests.

As expected, Dongfang Hongyao was surrounded by the most people. He was the most handsome and eloquent, and many young ladies loved to surround him.

Wei Cong was so reserved that he didn't know what to say. He could only answer one question at a time, and soon all his ancestors for eighteen generations were asked about him.

There were surprisingly few people on Xu Qiu's side, probably because they knew his identity and were somewhat bothered by it. He sent those people away and went straight to Gu Yu.

Gu Yu chose a quiet spot to sit. She looked rather sullen when she saw the visitors and complained, "These are all girls I found for my brother."

"Hehe..." Xu Qiu chuckled, his voice clear and bright, "More than twenty, isn't that too many? Your brother probably can't handle it."

"I didn't know what kind of person he liked, so I looked at all kinds of girls with different personalities."

"Um."

He also stayed with her, watching the stream flow by, where fish frolicked in the clear water.

Gu Yu thought for a long time, but Xu Qiu had no idea what she was thinking. "...I still have enemies alive."

"Um."

Xu Qiu knew all about her background, so she didn't need to pretend in front of him. "Have you ever had any enemies?"

"Of course there is. In life, there are all sorts of relationships, both kindness and resentment. Kindness is like spring rain, nourishing all things, while resentment is like oil on a raging fire, burning away all that is beautiful. How does it feel to take revenge?"

"Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back." Gu Yu laughed. The warm spring breeze couldn't warm her heart, and even if she were burned to ashes, she would have no regrets. "I will not rest until they are dead."

"I've made up my mind." Gu Yu looked into Xu Qiu's dark, emotionless eyes. "Try your best in the palace examination and get the top score..."

"Then what?"

"Then I went to my father and said, 'I want to marry you.'"

Xu Qiu finally got the answer he wanted. He smiled and realized that Gu Yu could only choose him.

He had originally planned to send Dongfang Hongyao's portrait to the palace, and Princess Yuning, who was still unmarried and had a fondness for handsome men, would definitely want to marry him.

Wei Cong is an upright and selfless person, and he doesn't seem like the kind of person who could help Gu Yu succeed.

However, it felt good to be chosen before he even made those little moves.

“However,” Gu Yu paused, “once I finish what I need to do, I will not take your place as your wife, and we will divorce.”

"Okay." Xu Qiu agreed without hesitation.

Gu Yu felt that this arrangement was the best, so that if he ever really fell for some unlucky girl and wanted her to give up her place for the woman he loved, it would be pointless and both of them would suffer.

She knew him; he was cunning and treacherous, even more ruthless than her. He never spoke his mind directly and liked to use tricks.

If this person were to enter the officialdom of Dasheng, he would thrive like a fish in water, and perhaps even Sun Gu would not be his match.

But only someone like that would give me peace of mind as an ally.

"The way you're looking at me doesn't seem like you're thinking anything good about me."

Xu Qiu gave a gentle smile, but Gu Yu felt a chill run down her spine.

"Don't you even know who you are?"

"I am a little unsure, Miss Gu, would you mind telling me?"

Gu Yu was about to curse him when she heard footsteps behind her. She pursed her lips and glared at him.

“Miss Gu, shall we talk alone? I have a lot of questions on my mind, and I was even thinking about you while I was at the examination hall.”

Gu Yu frowned as Dongfang Hongyao described their relationship in such an ambiguous way.

"Alright." Since Gu Yu had chosen Xu Qiu, she naturally had to discard him after he had served his purpose. "Young Master Xu, then I'll take my leave."

However, no matter what requests Dongfang Hongyao made, she would try her best to fulfill them, after all, he had indeed done her a great favor.

Gu Yu and Dongfang Hongyao walked along a shady path.

How does it feel to negotiate with a tiger for its skin?

Dongfang Hongyao laughed, "I'm terrified, this is the first time I've ever felt this way. Since I've conspired with Miss Gu, why don't you let me know the whole story?"

Gu Yu's gaze drifted to the scattered fallen flowers in the distance. "This won't do. Young Master Dongfang, you'd like something else. If it's something I can give you, I'll try my best to satisfy you."

"I'm afraid Miss Gu can't provide it, because someone has already beaten her to it..."

Gu Yu understood the deeper meaning behind his words, turned around with slight surprise, and looked up at him.

The peach blossoms shimmered, the branches stretched out in all directions, and the pale light shone on him, which ironically added to his charm.

His appearance was incomparably handsome, and his purple robes gave him a dashing and unconventional air, like a bewitching demon from the depths of a peach grove, drawing people's souls away.

Gu Yu's breath hitched, but she quickly regained her composure. "The officialdom of Dasheng is nothing more than three factions: the eunuch faction, the Sun Gu faction, and the Qingliu faction."

“You come from the Dongfang family, so you can only choose the Qingliu faction, but your aristocratic background means you won’t be valued by Qingliu officials.”

"The influence of the Dongfang family in the imperial court is gradually waning, and your career path will not be easy."

"Would you like to become the prince consort?"

By attaching themselves to imperial power, they could obtain everything they desired.

"Miss Gu, you're still so insightful."

He casually waved his folding fan, exuding a carefree and unhurried air, saying, "If I want a smooth career, I need to marry a good wife. Princess Yu Ning is indeed a good choice."

Originally, he would have preferred Gu Yu, but since the King of Xiang was in love while the Goddess was not, and Xu Qiu was also eyeing him covetously, it was better for him to give up the idea.

Thinking of this, he felt a sense of resentment. It wasn't that he wouldn't be tempted, but rather that he dared not be tempted.

"Let me help you."

Gu Yu had an idea in her mind: "Becoming a prince consort may cut off the path to becoming a powerful minister, but it also means you are of noble birth. The power and wealth you want can return to you in another form, and your family members will definitely be happy to see it happen."

"good."

He nodded in agreement, then stroked his chin thoughtfully, saying, "I've heard that Princess Yu Ning has a great fondness for handsome men, so I think I have a very good chance."

This man is indeed handsome and self-aware. Gu Yu coldly reminded him, "I heard that you have two concubines at home. If you want to marry a princess, you should deal with it in advance. Princess Yuning is not an easy person to get along with."

"nature."

Dongfang Hongyao closed his folding fan. "Then I'll wait for Miss Gu to make the connection."

*

Today is the day of the palace examination, and the security in the imperial city is even tighter than usual.

The palace examination was usually set by the emperor himself, testing the candidate's understanding of current affairs and strategies for governing the country.

The treasury of the Great Sheng Kingdom was extremely empty, so the questions Emperor Shengyuan set for these three hundred outstanding talents were naturally related to finances.

How to replenish the national treasury? This is an easy question to answer, but also a difficult one.

Sun Gu, the Grand Secretary and Minister of Revenue, has been trying to reform the tax system for years, but he has been struggling to balance the interests of the imperial relatives and the satisfaction of powerful families, and the reforms have yielded little success.

Tax rates are increasing, but the national treasury is still not full; the people are poor, and the national treasury is poor too.

So where did all the money go? No official in Dasheng dared to answer that question.

On the steps in front of the Golden Palace, Emperor Shengyuan's throne was set up. This emperor, who was obsessed with seeking immortality and had long neglected state affairs, came in person for this palace examination.

He was wearing a blue-white Taoist robe. Because he had been fasting and practicing Taoism for many years, he was tall, but he couldn't hold up much flesh.

Emperor Shengyuan sat cross-legged on his throne, his eyes closed as if he were dozing. From the moment he began to meditate, no one below the throne dared to make a sound.

Inside the hall and in the square in front of it, the candidates' desks were neatly arranged. The examiners were Xu Ziliu, a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, who stood solemnly on either side with Liu Pingshi, an official in charge of the examination.

At dawn, the newly appointed scholars, guided by officials, entered the solemn and magnificent forbidden area of ​​the imperial palace and took their seats according to their ranking.

Huiyuan sat in the first seat on the left in the first row, the most prominent position.

The young top scholar's clothes were the simplest among all the candidates, even to the point of being shabby.

Xu Ziliu stroked his beard and sized up the champion he had personally selected. Seeing that Wei Cong did not show any fear when he saw such a solemn and grand scene for the first time, but instead remained neither humble nor arrogant, and his expression was natural, Xu Ziliu knew that this person was a good prospect.

In the silence so profound that even breathing could be heard clearly, the eunuch Chen Wu'en, who was in charge of writing, signaled to everyone that they no longer needed to bow, and the dozens of eunuchs standing beside him distributed the policy questions.

The paper was placed gently on the table without making a sound, followed by the sounds of grinding ink, writing with a brush, and turning the pages.

Everyone fell silent, not daring to utter a single sound.

Two hours later, it was noon. The eunuchs brought out the food that had been prepared in advance, and the scholars carefully put away their written articles, afraid that they might get any stains on them.

After lunch, they continued writing. It was almost evening when someone submitted their policy essay and left the Golden Palace.

When Xu Qiu got up, most of the people had already left. Although he worked for the Eastern Depot, he had never formally entered the palace to meet the emperor before.

He squinted and glanced at the remaining people in the hall. Wei Cong, sitting at the head of the table, was the most eye-catching. It was uncertain whether he could finish writing today.

He handed the policy proposal to Xu Ziliu, bowed, and left the Golden Palace.

Why is the treasury of the Great Sheng Dynasty so short of money? The answer is simple: the silver has all fallen into the hands of the middle group.

When do officials engage in corruption? Naturally, it's when taxes are collected, when they levy exorbitant taxes and impose additional levies without authorization.

The court ordered them to collect 10%, but they dared to collect 30%; the court ordered them to collect for one year, but they dared to collect for five years.

Therefore, the people below suffered terribly, and whenever the harvest was poor, there were corpses of the starving everywhere.

Officials in Dasheng are all like this. How can this problem be solved? It's easy. Just stop collecting taxes, and the problem will be solved at its root.

However, the national treasury of the Great Sheng Dynasty was so depleted that it was in deficit every year. How could it not collect taxes? So as long as the court wanted to collect taxes, this problem would continue to exist.

Therefore, Xu Qiuqie completely disregarded the tax system and instead focused on how to rob money from the middle group.

If he wants to get this done, he really needs the powerful backing of the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion.

He knew his path ahead very well, and that he had to take it one step at a time, with each step connected to the next.

When the moon was high in the sky, only Wei Cong remained in the Golden Palace. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, but he did not stop writing.

Chen Wu'en, the eunuch who was standing beside Emperor Shengyuan, glanced at the emperor's motionless meditative posture, shook his head at Xu Ziliu below, and signaled to continue waiting for him.