Chapter 11: The Palace Examination Ruined (11)
In the midst of busyness, New Year’s Eve arrived in the blink of an eye.
The last pair of Spring Festival couplets was written by Zhu Qingchen for his own family, and he asked Song Feng to post them after he finished writing them.
Zhu Qingchen stood outside the door with ink on his face, his hands on his hips, his head raised, and he admired his own Spring Festival couplets with confidence.
Looks great! So talented!
Zhu Qingchen, you are not only the best writer in your original world, but also here!
Song Feng climbed down the ladder and glanced at Zhu Qingchen: "Master."
Zhu Qingchen came back to his senses and said to him, "Tell the people in the mansion that if you want to go home for the New Year, you can go back after you finish your work in the morning. I'm alone at home anyway, and there's nothing to serve. Just don't let me starve to death at home."
"Yes." Song Feng said with a smile, "I am homeless and will stay in the mansion. I will not let the master starve to death."
The students all spent the New Year at home, and those who could go home also asked for leave and went home.
Therefore, Zhu Qingchen's New Year's Eve was not as lively as the Little New Year's Eve.
He sat alone at the table, with a plate of dumplings stuffed with leeks in his left hand, a plate of dumplings stuffed with mustard greens in his right hand, and a bowl of fragrant vinegar in the middle, looking like a "poor lonely old man".
Only Song Feng and the system were with him.
Zhu Qingchen propped up his head and thought it would be better to go to the palace for the banquet, at least there would be more people and it would be more lively.
The little ball of light landed on his shoulder and asked, "Are you homesick again?"
"Yes." Zhu Qingchen held his face and sighed, "In the past, the New Year was always lively and everyone had a New Year's Eve dinner together. After dinner, Li Yue and I, along with other friends, went out to set off firecrackers and have snowball fights."
He looked down at the dumplings and said, "I don't like northern tastes, so Li Yue will cook me a bowl of glutinous rice balls."
Zhu Qingchen was feeling sad when suddenly, the voice of a eunuch delivering an imperial decree came from outside.
"Master Zhu? Master Zhu? Where have all the people in your mansion gone?"
Zhu Qingchen quickly stood up: "Here!"
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree led two rows of young eunuchs and came around from the corridor.
He had come here several times and knew the way by heart.
"It's so hard for me to find them. Where are the people in the mansion?"
Zhu Qingchen smiled and said, "Let them go home for the New Year. I am the only one with a few servants in the mansion. Sorry for keeping you waiting."
"It's alright." The eunuch said with a smile, "I am following your majesty's order to bring some dishes to the Master."
Zhu Qingchen bowed and saluted: "Your Highness Zhu Qingchen accepts the reward."
"Your Majesty has shown your grace that tonight, on New Year's Eve, we will not have to go through all these empty formalities. Master Zhu, please take a look at the dishes. Do you like them?"
Zhu Qingchen stood up straight, and the eunuch who was delivering the order waved his hand behind him. Two rows of young eunuchs holding food boxes came forward one by one.
The food box was made of wood, but there was a copper charcoal stove underneath. The charcoal would be lit to keep the food from getting cold as it was carried all the way over.
When passing in front of Zhu Qingchen, the young eunuchs even opened the food boxes and showed them to him.
"Squirrel Mandarin Fish."
“Lychee meat.”
"Sour plum duck."
“…”
As the dishes passed in front of Zhu Qingchen one by one, his eyes gradually brightened.
When the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict saw his expression, he knew that he liked it.
"And the last one, sesame dumplings."
The young eunuch opened the food box in front of Zhu Qingchen. Five glutinous rice balls were placed in a white jade cup. They looked like jade beads, round and shiny.
Zhu Qingchen looked at the dumplings and a strange thought flashed through his mind, but was immediately interrupted by the eunuch who was delivering the imperial edict.
"Your Majesty said that eating glutinous rice balls on New Year's Eve brings happiness and contentment."
Zhu Qingchen came back to his senses and nodded slightly: "Yes, I will taste it carefully. Please, eunuch, thank His Majesty for me."
The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict finally said, "There was no palace banquet this year. The money saved was allocated by His Majesty to the Ministry of Works. They were asked to make some fireworks and firecrackers and set them off outside the moat to have fun with the people. If you have nothing to do, you can go and have a look."
Zhu Qingchen nodded: "Okay, I will definitely go."
The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict reminded him: "It's hard to get a good position, Master, go earlier."
"Okay, I understand. Take care, sir."
Zhu Qingchen had nothing to do just now, but now he has something to do.
He called Song Feng: "Come on, eat something. After you're full, we'll go outside the city to grab a spot and watch the fireworks."
Song Feng nodded: "Yes."
Zhu Qingchen sat down at the table, rolled up his sleeves, held the bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, and ate seriously.
They are two completely different flavors.
Song Feng ate two plates of dumplings, Zhu Qingchen ate most of the imperial meal given by the emperor, and finished the glutinous rice balls.
After the two men had eaten and drunk their fill, they looked at each other, then carried their stools and went out.
The news that the government had prepared a fireworks display also spread throughout the streets and alleys at this time.
A tarpaulin tent was set up outside the city to shelter from the wind and snow. Zhu Qingchen took Song Feng to find a good location.
The government was thoughtful and not only prepared ginger soup to ward off the cold, but also lit a charcoal basin in the shed to keep it very warm.
Zhu Qingchen sat on a small stool holding a hand warmer and looked up at the sky happily.
It’s also a good night tonight. Although there is no moon, the sky is cloudless and the stars are bright.
The system said: "The fireworks haven't been set off yet, why are you looking at the sky with such an idiotic smile?"
Zhu Qingchen smiled and said, "I love to watch the fun the most. As long as I don't have to spend the New Year alone in the mansion, I'll be happy."
The city wall behind Zhu Qingchen is the best place to watch the fireworks, but the city wall is of great importance and ordinary people cannot go up there.
At this time, the emperor was standing on the city wall with a group of musicians.
The emperor placed his hands on the battlements and looked down at the people sitting in the oilcloth sheds.
Zhu Qingchen sat sideways on a small stool facing him, curled up into a small ball.
The emperor couldn't help but move his thumb and index finger, gently pinching Zhu Qingchen's figure.
It was so small that it was not even as big as his finger.
The annoying electronic voice sounded again: "Host, please control your emotions."
The emperor was annoyed: "Isn't this controlled? I didn't rush over to kidnap them, but you can't even take a look at them?"
"Host, please be careful to maintain your character."
"He doesn't approve memorials, doesn't manage military power, and spends all day holding banquets. On sunny days, he even brings musicians and dancers with him to watch fireworks. Isn't this enough of a tyrant? How much more tyrant do you want? If you can't do it, you can be the one."
The system closed its mouth silently: "..."
Suddenly, with a "whoosh", a firework rose into the night sky, and with a loud bang, a tree of sparks bloomed in the night sky.
The emperor turned his head, and the fireworks illuminated Zhu Qingchen's profile. In the next second, he opened his mouth wide -
"Wow!"
Zhu Qingchen had never seen such big fireworks.
"System, system, this is too big, right? Wow! It looks so good!"
The system was helpless: "I see. I have electronic eyes and can see it. You are the prince's tutor, but you are not dignified at all."
“This one looks great too!”
"Those old school officials were right. You are such an ignorant little fool. If you were to go to the modern world in the future, wouldn't you faint on the spot?"
"What is the modern world?" Zhu Qingchen was too busy to listen to its answer. He just stared at the fireworks without blinking, "Wow!"
On the contrary, on the city wall, there was no communication between the emperor and his system.
The emperor didn't want to beat the system on a good day.
The system doesn't want to be beaten on a good day.
Maintaining a delicate balance, as long as they don't talk, nothing will go wrong.
I don’t know how long it took before the fireworks ended.
Zhu Qingchen was still not satisfied, so he covered his ears and could still hear the sound of fireworks exploding.
He sat on the small stool for a while, until Song Feng reminded him, and then he stood up reluctantly.
"Well, there should be no more. Let's go back."
"Yes." Song Feng followed the teacher with two small stools.
Zhu Qingchen walked back slowly, looking back from time to time, looking forward to the next fireworks show.
Unfortunately, it’s gone.
As he walked into the city gate, he suddenly saw the carriage of Mr. Gao, the old scholar, parked on the side of the road.
Zhu Qingchen stepped forward and greeted, "Senior Scholar."
Senior Scholar Gao lifted the carriage curtain and said, "Xiao Zhu, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to watch the fireworks." Zhu Qingchen said, "What is Master Gao doing here?"
"I...I want to watch the fireworks too."
"Oh." Zhu Qingchen was a little confused, "Watching fireworks in a carriage?"
Senior Officer Gao paused for a moment and said, "Didn't you just finish watching and are ready to go back?"
"Oh." Zhu Qingchen nodded, stood there, and looked at him seriously.
Senior Officer Gao paused for a moment and said, "Aren't you going back?"
"I'll wait for the old officer to leave first."
"No need to wait, go back first, I still have things to do."
"Oh, all right."
Zhu Qingchen didn't understand what was going on, so the old scholar Gao stuck his head out of the carriage and waved at him.
Zhu Qingchen felt strange and couldn't guess what he was going to do, so he could only go home.
I returned home and stayed up all night with Song Feng.
After the night watchman outside the wall beat the time, Zhu Qingchen gave Song Feng a red envelope and let him go to bed.
Before going to bed, Zhu Qingchen told the system: "Wake me up early tomorrow morning."
The system was puzzled: "What do you want?"
Zhu Qingchen paused and said, "Nothing, I just want to get up early. You must let me get up early."
"Okay." The system set an alarm for him at six in the morning. *
The next morning, the alarm clock rang on time.
The system called Zhu Qingchen to get up on time: "Host..."
As soon as he shouted, Zhu Qingchen jumped up from the bed.
Without disturbing the servant, he quickly washed, put on his clothes, put on his plush hat, then pulled out a bamboo basket from under the bed, led a horse from the stable, and left the house through a side door.
The people were all on guard last night and slept late, so they got up later today.
There were few people on the street. Zhu Qingchen was riding a horse, carrying a basket, and galloping on the street.
The system could barely keep up with him: "Where are you going? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Zhu Qingchen did not answer.
When Zhu Qingchen rode his horse to the city gate, the soldiers guarding the gate were just about to open it.
Zhu Qingchen was secretly delighted: "Yeah, I must be the first one."
The system was puzzled: "What? What's the earliest?"
As soon as the city gate opened a crack, Zhu Qingchen rode his horse and slipped out through the crack.
He galloped all the way and came to——
Dajue Temple!
According to legend, as long as you burn the first incense stick on the first day of the first lunar month, it can bless the temple where the students go to high school!
And in Zhu Qingchen's basket were placed incense, candles and fragrant oil for sacrifice!
The system was shocked: "Didn't you make an appointment with Master Gao not to come and burn incense?"
Zhu Qingchen dismounted without hesitation: "I have been thinking about this for several days, and I think I should burn some incense."
"It's said in the original book that Pei Xuan is a top scholar, so you don't have to worry."
"Everything in that book is unreliable. What if Pei Xuan makes a mistake?"
"…as if praying to God is reliable."
"Shut up! You are not allowed to blaspheme the 'God of Number One Scholar'!"
The temple was not open yet, so Zhu Qingchen picked up the basket and quickly ran up the stone steps. He lay on the door and knocked gently, for fear of disturbing the "God of Number One Scholar."
Zhu Qingchen looked into the temple through the crack in the door and said softly, "Excuse me, is anyone there? Is the door open? Can I go in and burn incense?"
The young monk in the temple was yawning and holding a broom. He just came out when he heard Zhu Qingchen knocking on the door. A shining eye appeared from the crack of the door, which scared him.
The young monk came to his senses, stood still and bowed: "Please wait a moment, benefactor."
At this time, the sound of a carriage came from behind Zhu Qingchen. Zhu Qingchen looked back and saw several old school officials sitting in carriages, all coming from the direction of leaving the city.
The carriage sped along and they stuck their heads out of the windows.
"Xiao Zhu! Xiao Zhu is there!"
"He's not a little idiot at all, he's a fucking cunning idiot!"
"Faster! Faster!"
Zhu Qingchen turned around, leaned on the door, and knocked repeatedly: "Little Master, come on! Don't bow yet, open the door for me! I want to burn incense for my top scholar! The future of the court of Daqi depends on you!"
The young monk opened the bolt and wanted to say something to him, but before he could open his mouth, Zhu Qingchen rushed in with a basket, leaving only a shadow behind him.
I am the first! I am the first incense stick! The top scholar must be my student...
Zhu Qingchen took two steps at a time and climbed a few stone steps. Just as he was about to rush into the hall, he suddenly saw something and stopped.
"Gao... Senior Scholar Gao?"
Mr. Gao, an old scholar, was holding three incense sticks. He stood devoutly in front of the Buddha statue, bowed three times, and respectfully inserted the first incense stick into the empty incense burner.
a bolt from the blue!
Zhu Qingchen was frozen in place and almost fainted.
He was not the first, his first place flew away.
After offering incense, Senior Officer Gao turned around and saw him: "Hey, Xiao Zhu, you're here?"
He walked forward, patted Zhu Qingchen on the shoulder, and sighed: "Keep working hard next time. After so many years, it's time for me to teach a top scholar."
Zhu Qingchen was still sleepy and said in a daze: "But I came in as soon as the door opened, how come you came in earlier than me..."
Senior Scholar Gao smiled and patted his head: "Silly boy, I stayed at Dajue Temple last night."
"You lied to me!" Zhu Qingchen was so angry that he stamped his feet. "You said it yourself, 'Whoever comes to burn incense will be sorry to the ancestor'!"
"Then you're here too?"
"I... my great master wouldn't be so stingy!"
Senior Officer Gao rubbed his head and said, "Go in quickly. If you go in now, you still have time to light the second stick of incense."
"Um..." Zhu Qingchen responded aggrievedly, picking up the basket and preparing to go in.
The next second, other senior school officials, leaning on crutches, staggered up from behind and entered the hall ahead of Zhu Qingchen.
"Second place!"
"Tanhua!"
“The top three are gone.”
Senior Scholar Gao looked at him with regret: "Poor kid, there is nothing we can do. You are the last one."
Zhu Qingchen threw the basket down, sat down on the stone steps in front of the hall, and cried to the sky: "I quit!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
