As soon as the voice came out, everyone couldn't help but turn their heads.
When they saw the middle-aged man who was not tall or handsome, but seemed capable of carrying everything on his shoulders, they couldn't help but gasp.
"Lord Dou."
"Uncle Dou".
"grown ups."
Everyone bowed in unison, respectfully and sincerely.
Xu Mo looked even more surprised, "Why is the master here?"
Dou Weiming stroked his goat beard, half angry and half helpless, "Your drumming has reached the Ministry of Personnel. A little inquiry will tell you that a scholar wants to complain about the unfairness of the imperial examination."
Upon further inquiry, it was learned that the student's surname was Xu, and he was a top scholar from a small town.
Dou Weiming suddenly realized that it had been twenty days and Xu Mo had not come to report the good news. With the kid's ability, he should at least be in the top ten.
"Xu Mo, you have truly surprised and delighted this old man."
They admired his outstanding talent; he not only became a tribute student but also topped the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations.
Surprised by the twists and turns of his fate, he even attracted the attention of the Fang family and dared to challenge them.
But thinking about it, this kid dared to go against the county magistrate when he was still a commoner. After he became a scholar, he sued the magistrate of Xiyang County in the prefectural government. I heard that he also had a conflict with Prefect He. Now he has sued the Fang family in Fengtian Prefecture. He is really lawless and audacious.
But he likes it.
Dou Weiming loosened his goatee and stared at Xu Mo with appreciation. "The Fang family is indeed a top-tier family, and they are indeed powerful and influential. Even the Prefect of Fengtian Prefecture can't do anything about them. Even the Minister of Rites can only avoid their sharp edge, not to mention the Secretariat Secretary."
That's really hurtful.
Qi Huai gritted his teeth in shame, while Zhao Yuan pouted in dissatisfaction, both looking indignant.
Only Xu Mo's eyes were fixed intently, awaiting the next turning point.
As expected, Dou Weiming paused and then said, "But powerful families are not all of one mind. Their interests can be at odds, and they will have many enemies."
Xu Mo's eyes grew brighter as he recalled what Chang Yan had mentioned about the He family, and the grudges between the He family and the Fang family.
If there can be one He family, can't there be a second He family, or even a third He family?
"My lord," Xu Mo tentatively asked, "is it true that as long as we have enough support and enough influence, we can contend with the Fang family and reassure the imperial family to uphold justice?"
This child is teachable.
Dou Weiming couldn't help but stroke his goat beard again, "To put it bluntly, even the imperial family needs backing. As long as half of the powerful families in the court agree, the Fang family can't do whatever they want."
Ultimately, the Dayu Dynasty was not actually surnamed Fang.
Where can one find even half a prominent family that can rival the Fang family, and also has connections in the imperial court?
Xu Mo's eyes dimmed again.
The He family? They only impeached the Fang family once, and they might not be willing to impeach a second time, let alone take sides in the court.
Although Qi Huai supported him, the Minister of Rites was a cunning old fox who would never do something that would offend the Fang family.
As the old saying goes, it is difficult to offer help in times of need, but easy to add flowers to brocade.
Although Qi Zhentian once possessed a strong sense of pride, the passage of time has shaped him to be more inclined towards self-interest, and he will only side with Xu Mo when the tide turns.
“Young Xu, you’re in a bind, aren’t you?” Dou Weiming sighed. “That’s just how realistic Fengjing is. No matter what, you have to use power to fight power. It’s a fate that no one can escape.”
While an outstanding individual may shine brightly, it can never match the efforts of someone else over a hundred years.
A third-generation ancestor once said, "Why do you think you can surpass the accumulation of my family and grandchildren by working hard for ten years?"
The harsher the statement, the more truthful it is.
In times of peace, the imperial examination system already provides opportunities for ordinary people. Without it, without examinations, ordinary people would remain mediocre their entire lives, defeated by the wealth accumulated by aristocratic families and crushed by the power passed down through generations.
Now in Fengjing, if Xu Mo wants to defeat the Fang family, he can only rely on other powerful figures.
Just like the brothers' plan to leverage each other's strength, only this time they're leveraging more and larger resources.
“My lord…” Xu Mo smiled bitterly, “But where can I find help from aristocratic families? And how many families are willing to help someone who has no relatives or friends?”
The fact that Dou Weiming was able to appear indicates that the Dou family is one of them.
The He family's attitude is unclear; all we can say is that there's a chance to try.
But it's still far from enough.
Dou Weiming didn't speak, but he glanced at the chubby little girl in the corner and sighed.
"We should at least try, just in case we can get it." Qi Huai's hope surged again. "Brother Xu, we can't just give up like this."
“Yes, this is our only chance,” Zhao Yuan echoed.
The teenagers had another heated discussion about which family could win, which family was relatively fair, and which family was a fence-sitter.
Taking advantage of her short stature, Jiang Sheng quietly left the crowd and sat on a rock, lost in thought.
She understood the meaning behind Minister Dou's glance and realized that her elder brother was facing great difficulties and needed the support of the aristocratic families.
The Jiang family seems to be a very powerful and influential family.
Can you help me, brother?
Although I don't want to be separated from my brothers, it seems like it would be nice to help my eldest brother get back the Huiyuan.
Jiang Sheng twisted her hands together, her big eyes wandering aimlessly before finally settling on the green dress two steps away.
She looked up and, unsurprisingly, saw Zhang Qiaosheng's face. "Sister Yao, what brings you here too?"
"We came following the sound of the grievance drum." Yao Siqing's eyes were complicated. "You seem to have something on your mind."
Jiang Sheng smiled and said, "Sister Yao, my older brother is in trouble, and I want to help him."
From Xieyang County to Fengjing, she was neither smart nor capable enough. Only at the beginning, when her brothers were sick and weak, could she, relying on seven years of hard work and struggle, barely come up with some ideas and contribute some strength.
Later, as life improved, her brothers began to shine, each one smarter and more capable than the last, making her seem like a useless little thing in comparison.
Although her brothers didn't say anything and her aunt protected her, there were always strange comments.
She probably felt that behind her excellent older brothers, there was no need for a silly little girl like her who only knew how to eat to stand.
Now that I finally have a chance to help out and get rid of the "little good-for-nothing" label, it doesn't seem so hard to accept anymore.
"Sister Yao." The little girl looked up, her big eyes filled with confusion. "Should I go and beg the Jiang family for help?"
Even though she herself had refused to go back.
Even the Jiang family didn't seem to treat her very well.
"Beg?" Yao Siqing frowned. "Little cutie, who said you had to beg the Jiang family?"
Jiang Sheng became increasingly confused. Wasn't this the case? They were the ones who needed the Jiang family's help now.
"Silly girl." Yao Siqing squatted down in front of her and stroked her two little buns. "If you really need to beg, it won't do any good."
The person who truly loves you doesn't need you to beg.
It's no use begging someone who doesn't love you.
Jiang Sheng felt like she had grasped the key. She opened her eyes wide and stared intently at Yao Siqing.
Then, the pretty girl in green clothes stretched out her hand and pointed to the alley diagonally opposite Fengtian Prefecture.
There stood a master and servant.
The master, with his full head of silver hair, could not conceal his nobility despite his simple clothes and hairpins.
The servant was composed and at ease, his concern evident in his eyes.
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