"Even though you didn't explain it, I know why."

Song Ming gritted his teeth and said, "I know my father better than you do."

Wu Wencheng sighed and said, "Since that's the case, I'll be frank. The master asked me to take you back to the mansion and keep you under house arrest. You're right. The master is indeed preparing to take Song Chi back to the mansion."

"I knew it, I knew it!"

Song Ming's face was filled with resentment.

"Just because Song Chi is more valuable than me, he wants to treat me as a discarded pawn. He wants to imprison me as a gift for Song Chi to enter the mansion!"

"Okay, you are such a good father to me. You always prioritize profit over anything else!"

Song Ming yelled hysterically.

He didn't expect this day to come so soon, and he didn't expect his father to be so decisive.

"I've been in Jiangzhou for so long, raising military supplies for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I've even won over most of Jiangzhou's wealthy merchants. I've done so much, but am I still no match for Song Chi?"

"What does he have?"

"Talent and learning? Literary fame? What good are these? Do officials use Confucian classics? Do they govern their subjects with poetry and prose?"

Song Ming vented his anger, "Can he still pass the provincial examination? Can he still become the top candidate?"

Wu Wencheng sighed again.

"He can. The master sent Lord Shen to Jiangzhou to be the chief examiner of the provincial examination. His purpose was not to hinder Song Chi, but to help him become the top examiner!"

Song Ming stood there in a daze.

He was mentally broken.

"Then we can't bring Song Chi back home. Father is such a self-respecting person. How could he have the stain of abandoning his wife and children? Now that Song Chi is close to the Qingliu Party, his value..."

"I see!"

Song Ming suddenly realized, "Father wants Song Chi to infiltrate the Qingliu Party, or even expand it so that he can control the Qingliu Party. He won't recognize me openly, he will recognize me secretly."

"If outsiders knew that Song Chi was his son, then Song Chi would have lost his value long ago, so this secret must not be told to anyone."

Wu Wencheng sighed for the third time, "That's why the master wants to take you back to the palace and confine you."

Song Ming looked dazed, and it took him a long time to relax.

"I'll go with you."

"That's right. After all, you are the son that the master has carefully nurtured. The master will not abandon you just like that."

Song Ming didn't say anything.

He had already told His Royal Highness the Crown Prince about Song Chi's true life experience.

Father, I have been with you for so long, and although I haven't learned anything else, I have learned a lot of conspiracies and tricks.

Since I can't resist, I can only accept it calmly.

You regret abandoning Song Chi now, and you will regret accepting him in the future.

His ambition seems to be greater than yours.

I'm waiting for that day to come.

Song Ming reluctantly returned to Beijing with Wu Wencheng.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, nine days had passed and the provincial examination was over.

This was the smoothest exam Song Chi had taken since he took the imperial examination, and he did not encounter any difficulties during the exam.

He knew that it was not only Lu Taiyuan who was behind the scenes, but Song Shiwen also played a good supporting role.

The Right Vice Minister of Rites came not to make things difficult for him, but to ensure that he passed the exam smoothly.

Song Shiwen has already seen his value, which is a change of attitude.

Everything is based on interests, worthy of being Song Shiwen.

He was a little impressed. If that was the case, he had to change as well.

The results of the provincial examination will not be announced until September. At that time, the successful candidates will attend the Luming Banquet hosted by the governor of Jiangzhou and will also be awarded the status of Juren.

A juren is qualified to be an official, and if he is known to others, he is called a juren.

On the night the provincial examination ended, the brothels and gardens on both sides of the Jinshui River were packed, and the candidates and students temporarily put down their pens and ink to enjoy themselves.

Song Chi declined his friend's invitation and went to Yiyuan instead.

It was still the same hall, and there was a full jar of wine on the dining table.

"Is this the same wine we drank last time?"

After asking this question, Song Chi felt that he was a little rash. Last time, after drinking, they were drunk and almost did something presumptuous.

Gu Rongshan nodded with a slight blush.

"Drink less today." Song Chi didn't want to do anything indecent after drinking.

Gu Ronghua said loudly from the side: "You two have been resting in the same room and sleeping on the same bed for a long time, and now you are treating each other with respect."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Gu Rongshan scolded her brother, her expression returning to normal as she said in a deep voice, "There's some news from the court that will be out soon. We've gotten some information in advance, and I want you to make some decisions."

"It's about the taxation."

"You know?" Gu Rongshan was surprised. He thought Song Chi was oblivious to the outside world and devoted himself to reading the books of sages. He didn't expect that he knew so much about the situation in the court.

"I've heard something about it."

Just go to Fanlou and you will know everything.

Sometimes you have to sell your body.

After the last incident, Ningshuang went to Fanlou from time to time. No one knew how she begged Ningyu, but Ningyu actually put forward a condition. If she wanted to get information from her, she had to sacrifice her looks and accompany Ningshuang.

Song Chi was in pain and happy at the same time.

All in all, he still made money.

As for Ningyu, he never touched her again because he had a bet with her.

He wanted to recruit these four sisters and use them for his own purposes.

"The cabinet has issued a decree to increase this year's autumn tax by 30%. Officials will be evaluated based on this. If they can collect the amount, they will remain in office. If they can't, they will be dismissed immediately!"

"In addition, there are incentives. If officials can collect more than they earned, they will be considered for promotion."

Gu Rongshan said in a low voice, "Xuzhou Mu summoned all the prefects to the provincial government office to make the announcement. It will spread to the people in two or three days. This is going to be a big event."

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