Chapter 210 Forced to Become County Magistrate

Zhao Hongye saw that both children were more upright than himself, and asked: "Your Majesty, I heard that you have issued an order to execute Wang Duozi. Can you let the villagers from Xiling go to watch the execution? They will see it with their own eyes. When they go back, they will definitely praise Your Majesty for his wisdom, and the people of Xiling will surely be at peace."

The emperor wanted to join in the fun, but he didn't expect to become the one who made it. He asked Eunuch Yang: "Yang Shun, when will Xu Mo's execution be carried out?"

"Lord Xu said that the imperial examination is a major national event. When the examination is over, the execution will be carried out tomorrow!"

After hearing this, the emperor said, "Then you can ask Xu Mo to arrange for these disaster victims from Xiling to be executed together!"

As if they had made an appointment, the people present said in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

The emperor's desire to join in the fun was abruptly destroyed by them, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

Being an emperor is really boring. He has to be forced to deal with state affairs wherever he goes.

Fortunately, Grand Tutor Tang quickly brought everyone back to the party. He asked inquiringly, "Lord Zhao, I heard that you asked your second son and his two sons to marry into the family. Is it true?"

Zhao Antai said, "It is true. All the male members of my second daughter-in-law's family died in order to save us. I never told Hongjing about his misfortune before. Now they are living in harmony. Letting him marry into the family is also a token of my love for my in-laws. In a few days, let them return to Lijiazhai and be included in the family tree!"

Prime Minister Pei asked in disbelief: "The Lijiazhai in Anyuan County? That place is not close, and the roads have not been peaceful recently!"

The emperor nodded and said, "There was a report this morning saying that bandits were causing trouble in Qingyun Peak not far from Anyuan County, and many merchants and pedestrians passing by were robbed. I was thinking of sending people to suppress the bandits.

However, we have only sent 100,000 people to the western border to support General Su, and the court has no soldiers to send now."

Tai Shi Tang finally diverted the topic and returned to the government affairs. This time it was the emperor who brought it up, and he got angry with himself after he finished speaking. Did he have to say this?

The atmosphere became solemn again, and Su Xiaoxiao sighed in her heart: [These adults are so stupid, it's just to suppress bandits, but they let my second uncle go, and my second aunt was eager to protect her husband, so she did it for him. 】

Zhao Hongjing's hands trembled. Xiaoxiao was really deceiving him. How could he, who was so weak, go to suppress the bandits? Fortunately, the emperor would not listen to Xiaoxiao's bad idea.

As expected, what is feared will come true. The emperor really looked at Zhao Hongjing and asked, "It is said that a tiger father will have a dog son. Lord Zhao's two sons must have inherited your true teachings. What position does the second son hold now?"

Zhao Antai said ashamedly, "My second son has been spoiled by my wife since he was a child. He has no future and can only get the empty title of military officer."

The emperor seemed to be thoughtful: "Military officer, this does not even have a rank. Isn't it a waste of talent!"

Zhao Hongjing hurriedly waved his hands: "Your Majesty, I do not have the ability of my father and brother. This military officer has promoted me. I will resign from the position of military officer tomorrow and accompany my wife to Lijiazhai to farm."

Zhao Antai also nodded frequently.

The emperor hesitated. Is it too much of a joke to promote a soldier who has no rank to fight against bandits? Is Xiaoxiao playing a joke on me?

But Xiaoxiao didn't know that she could hear her inner voice.

[Second uncle is too modest. He is not good at wielding swords and guns, but he is good at strategy. Otherwise, he would not be able to break through many barriers and bring Lao Diao back from Xiling to testify for the eldest uncle.

He and the second aunt are one civil and one military. It's just a few insignificant bandits. Isn't that a piece of cake! After hearing what Su Xiaoxiao

said, the emperor made up his mind and said, "Zhao Hongjing, since you want to resign and go to Anyuan County, I will appoint you as the magistrate of Anyuan County. On the one hand, you can be with your wife day and night, and on the other hand, you can serve the country!"

Zhao Hongjing said with a pale face: "Your Majesty, I am a useless person and cannot be a local official. Besides, there are bandits in that place. Please take back your order!"

Zhao Antai also begged: "Your Majesty, it's not that we are afraid of heavy tasks, but this rebellious "You are really too ignorant to take on such a big responsibility. Your Majesty, please think twice!"

The emperor had made up his mind: "I have made up my mind. It is settled. You cannot enjoy yourself while I am here. I will not bother you here. Prince, you and Xiaojiu should stay with Xiaoxiao for a while. I will return to the palace first!"

Zhao Hongjing wanted to cry but had no tears. Your Majesty should stay in the palace instead of appointing him here. Wouldn't it be nice to be the husband of the leader of Lijia Village? Why should he be a county magistrate who works so hard?

The worst thing is that he is asked to suppress bandits. Isn't this a joke?

Zhao Antai was also confused. As there were guests at home, he drank with Prime Minister Pei and Grand Tutor Tang for a while before sending them away.

After three rounds of drinking, Prime Minister Pei said that the emperor had some whims today and that the arrangement was indeed inappropriate.

Tang Taishi deliberately stayed until the end and said to Zhao Antai, "Sir Zhao, we suddenly heard Xiaoxiao's voice tonight. I'm afraid the emperor also heard it, which is why he insisted on letting Hongjing be the county magistrate!"

Zhao Antai saw that Tang Taishi was frank, so he told him what happened in the ancestral hall today, saying that it must be the goddess' blessing and Xiaoxiao's great blessings that everyone could hear her voice.

But the emperor could hear it, but Prime Minister Pei couldn't, and he began to explain it unclearly.

In the end, the matter could only be left unresolved, and everyone continued to observe.

After the emperor returned, he summoned Cheng Xingzuo, the chief supervisor of Qintian, and asked him if he had seen any unusual phenomena recently.

Cheng Xingzuo said that he had sensed a huge auspicious aura yesterday. He calculated that the aura was strongest in the south of the capital, and then it spread to various places. The imperial palace also received a lot of it.

But afterwards, nothing could be traced.

The emperor had a clue in his mind. The place Cheng Xingzuo mentioned was exactly the location of the Jing'an Marquis' Mansion.

The next day, after Zhao Hongye and other Xiling disaster victims killed Wang Duozi, they set out for Xiling with them.

With an imperial decree from the emperor, Zhao Hongjing became the magistrate of Anyuan County, and he also urged him to take office as soon as possible.

Zhao Hongjing looked at Su Xiaoxiao pitifully, and really wanted to ask her why she disliked him so much that he had to go to such a remote place like Lijiazhai, and still be set up by her.

Li Yunshu grabbed his collar and said, "Why are you looking at Xiaoxiao like that? Be careful not to scare her. What does this have to do with her? It's just to suppress bandits. I'm here."

Xiaoxiao didn't know that the emperor could hear her thoughts. Besides, he felt relieved with Li Yunshu's words.

After a few days, Zhao Hongjing and Li Yunshu also took Li Liwen and Li Liwu, who had changed their surnames, to take up their posts.

Soon, the results of the imperial examination were announced. Kang Lunwen ranked first and became a member. The second place was Zhao Liming. Xue Chenguang ranked fifth, which was a lot better than in the original book.

Xue Chenguang himself was very satisfied, but Xue Ruoxue was very unwilling in her heart.

Xue Chenguang, whom she had painstakingly supported, was defeated by Kang Lun and Zhao Liming. This was not Xue Chenguang's failure, but hers.

Soon after the results were announced, rumors spread in the capital that someone had stolen the test questions. In order to calm the situation, the Ministry of Rites said that the stolen test papers were family test papers, with the purpose of supporting the power of certain people. The rumors

were directed directly at the Zhenguogong Mansion and the Jing'anhou Mansion, because the first and second place winners of this imperial examination were closely related to them.