Chapter 14: The Palace Examination Ruined (14)
An unknown amount of time had passed, but Zhu Qingchen was almost crushed by the plush clothes on his body when the emperor's voice finally came from above his head.
"Go ahead."
Zhu Qingchen felt relieved and quickly climbed up from the cushion, bowed and left with several school officials.
Because he was wearing a plush hat, his head was too heavy and Zhu Qingchen almost fell forward.
I don’t know if it was Zhu Qingchen’s illusion, but he always felt that the emperor was laughing at him!
But he didn't dare look up.
"System, help me check if the emperor is laughing at me."
The system took a look and said, "Hmm...it seems so."
So annoying!
Zhu Qingchen followed the old scholars out of the hall. The palace maids and eunuchs who served them were already waiting outside the door.
The old scholars often went to the palace and were familiar with the eunuchs in the palace. They raised their hands to signal from a distance.
It was Zhu Qingchen’s first time entering the palace. He followed them obediently. When he turned around, he saw someone he knew.
Zhu Qingchen stood on tiptoe, poked his head out from the crowd, and smiled at the man.
It was the eunuch who often came to his house to deliver imperial edicts. Previously, when His Majesty summoned him to the palace for banquets and rewarded him with imperial meals, it was this eunuch who delivered the eunuchs.
This eunuch was a kind person and gave Zhu Qingchen some advice when he first entered the palace.
At this time, the eunuch stepped forward and greeted the oldest senior academic official who was walking in front.
"Eunuch Yang."
"Mr. Meng, the old scholar."
Eunuch Yang smiled and said, "This year is the same as in previous years. We will live in the Hall of Heroes. The luggage has been sent over, and the palace servants who serve us are also the ones we are used to serving in previous years."
"Thank you for your help." The old academic officer turned around and pulled Zhu Qingchen over. "This is Xiao Zhu. This is the first time he comes here this year. Please take good care of him."
Zhu Qingchen bowed to him: "Eunuch Yang."
I think Eunuch Yang is not an ordinary person.
"Of course." Eunuch Yang smiled and patted the back of Zhu Qingchen's hand, and said to the old scholar, "We've known each other for a long time, why do I need you to be a good person?"
Zhu Qingchen also smiled at him foolishly.
"Let's go and check out the place first."
"good."
The Hall of Heroes is not far from your Majesty's Yangju Palace. It has a dozen side halls and is very spacious, so it can accommodate even a few more academic officials.
Zhu Qingchen returned to his residence, quickly changed his clothes, and then collapsed on the couch to rest.
Soon, the palace servants brought dinner.
After a busy day, Zhu Qingchen was tired.
After dinner, I simply washed up and prepared to go to bed.
Zhu Qingchen put on the plush undershirt he brought with him, patted the pillows in place, and arranged the bedding to make a round nest.
Zhu Qingchen crawled into the nest and adjusted his posture: "System, help me blow out the candles."
"Oh." The system floated in front of the candle. The small electronic screen fanned, creating a breeze. The candle flame flickered and was immediately extinguished.
The ancient man Zhu Qingchen did not know how to use high-tech products correctly and could only use them to extinguish candles.
Zhu Qingchen closed his eyes peacefully: "Thank you."
"……You're welcome."
The next second, Zhu Qingchen opened his eyes again.
The system asked: "What's wrong?"
Zhu Qingchen raised his head and looked at the tent above his head: "What's going on over there?"
He crawled out of bed, ran to the window, pushed open the sash, and looked at the palace opposite.
The eunuch guarding the door heard the commotion and hurried over: "Master Zhu, do you have any instructions?"
Zhu Qingchen frowned and said, "It's so late and there are still people playing the piano?"
The young eunuch looked nervous and reminded him in a low voice: "Master Zhu, it's His Majesty, His Majesty."
Zhu Qingchen quickly covered his mouth: "Oh, I was wrong."
The emperor loved banquets, dancing and music. The room he lived in was opposite the Yangju Palace.
His Majesty was enjoying dance and music in Yangju Palace, and he could hear it from here.
Zhu Qingchen asked quietly, "Then how long does Your Majesty usually enjoy it?"
"That..." The young eunuch thought for a moment, "Maybe not. Your Majesty changed the rules of the palace music hall a few days ago. The musicians and dancers are divided into 30 groups, and each group will perform music in front of the emperor every three days. If Your Majesty is in the mood, there are also opportunities for all-night performances."
"All night?!" Zhu Qingchen was completely shocked.
"Master Zhu, don't worry. There are many people in the music hall, so they won't be tired."
Zhu Qingchen:?
He is worried about himself!
How could the emperor sleep after watching singing and dancing all night?
The young eunuch comforted him: "Master, please relax and go back to sleep first. Maybe your Majesty is tired today and will stop later. Maybe you will fall asleep later."
"That's all that can be done."
He couldn't just rush in and pull the emperor down, because then he would be hacked to death.
Zhu Qingchen closed the window, climbed back into bed, covered his ears and closed his eyes.
But the more he didn't want to listen, the louder the voice in his ears became.
Zhu Qingchen turned over and buried his face in the pillow: "How can someone watch singing and dancing all night? Isn't he sleepy?"
The system said: "Otherwise, how can you say he is a tyrant?"
Zhu Qingchen pulled the quilt to cover his head.
Half an hour later, Zhu Qingchen turned over while hugging the quilt.
The system counted for him: "The five hundredth time."
Zhu Qingchen rolled again.
"The five hundred and first time."
"Ah——" Zhu Qingchen scratched his hair irritably and sat up from the bed, "I'm so annoyed! This disgusting tyrant! I'm going to go out and kill him right now, and I'll be the emperor myself!"
As he spoke, he got out of bed, put on his shoes and put on his coat.
The system was shocked: "Are you serious? No! This will disrupt the world order!"
Zhu Qingchen's hair was in disarray. He rolled up his sleeves and strode out. "If I were the emperor, I would immediately appoint Pei Xuan as the top scholar and Liu An as the third scholar, grant them marriage, and put an end to Prince Jing's dirty thoughts. There would be no problem with the plot! I can still complete the mission!"
"There's a problem! A big problem!"
The system tried its best to stop it, but it couldn't stop the angry Zhu Qingchen.
Zhu Qingchen suddenly opened the door, which once again alarmed the young eunuch guarding outside.
"Master Zhu, are you still awake?"
"I..." Zhu Qingchen held back his anger. He couldn't really say anything outrageous. "I can't sleep."
He strode down the stone steps in front of the palace, ready to go find the emperor to argue.
It's late at night, can't we sleep?!
The young eunuch caught up with him and asked, "Where are you going, Master?"
Zhu Qingchen said solemnly: "I had a flash of inspiration late at night, and went to discuss the spring exam questions with His Majesty!"
"Ah?" The young eunuch tried to stop him, "Master Zhu, let's talk about it tomorrow."
"No, this matter is extremely urgent. It concerns our country. I must go now..."
Zhu Qingchen walked down the stone steps and headed towards the Yangju Palace.
The further you go, the clearer the music becomes.
Just at this moment, the side door opened and a young eunuch came out with tea in his hands.
Zhu Qingchen looked towards the hall, stopped suddenly, and his eyes widened. The Yangju Hall was brightly lit, separated by curtains and screens. Musicians were playing the piano in front, and the emperor was leaning on a small couch behind the screen, with his feet crossed, holding a "book" in one hand and reading it carefully.
The moment the young eunuch closed the door, the emperor seemed to sense something, raised his head and glanced in Zhu Qingchen's direction.
Zhu Qingchen came to his senses and stepped back repeatedly.
“It’s over…”
Zhu Qingchen grabbed the young eunuch with one hand and took away the system with the other, and ran back quickly before the emperor discovered him.
After running for two steps, he realized that it was too obvious, so he slowed down and pretended that he was sleepwalking.
Fortunately, his room was very close, so Zhu Qingchen hid back in the room, and the young eunuch didn't have to keep watch anymore, so he went back to sleep quickly.
Zhu Qingchen climbed back into bed, hid under the quilt, and began to shiver.
The system was puzzled: "What's wrong with you? Is there any problem?"
Zhu Qingchen was still in shock: "It was opened eightfold and sealed in red. He was reading a memorial, or a secret memorial."
The system was also shocked: "Zuozouzou... memorials? Is that what I was thinking of? But he is a tyrant!"
"Yeah." Zhu Qingchen nodded dazedly, "He is not a tyrant at all, he is a liar."
"He indulges in singing and dancing every day, but is he actually reading memorials? Why does he do this?"
"He might be on guard against someone and doesn't want others to know that he actually knows everything about government affairs."
"Guard against whom?"
"I can't think of it for now, but this person is not dead yet, so I will definitely die first." Zhu Qingchen grabbed the quilt and shivered. "I discovered his secret, and he will kill me. It's over. I'm going to die again."
The system comforted him: "Don't be afraid, the door was only opened for a short while, and it was dark, maybe the emperor didn't see you at all?"
"What if he sees me?"
"If he saw you, he wouldn't just let you go like that, would he?"
"Of course he can't kill me openly. Maybe he's already planning how to poison me."
The more Zhu Qingchen thought about it, the more frightened he became. He pulled the quilt over his head and huddled inside.
Now, Zhu Qingchen no longer has to worry about the music keeping him awake.
He lay there for a while, not sure if he couldn't bear it any longer or if he fainted from fright.
He was asleep anyway.
On the other side, in the Yangju Palace.
Zhu Qingchen was right, the emperor was indeed reading the memorial.
The system following him kept sending out electronic sounds: "Host, please pay attention to maintaining your character, host, please pay attention to maintaining your character..."
The emperor leaned back on the soft pillow and turned the memorial over: "Listening to the zither till this late, am I not considered a tyrant?"
The system was angry: "But you were listening to the zither while reading memorials! A tyrant emperor would not read memorials!"
The emperor argued: "Yes, I am a tyrant and a wise ruler at the same time, so they cancel each other out. It's like I didn't do anything. Why are you talking so much?"
"You..." The system seemed to be unable to get around this, and after a while, it said, "You just need to follow the plot, be the emperor for a few years, and then wait for Prince Jing to come and kill you. You don't need to do anything else."
The emperor said coldly: "I can't just sit there and wait for death."
"But according to the plot, you just have to sit there and wait for death!"
The emperor ignored it and threw the folder in his hand forward, just in time to press the small ball of light into the corner of the wall.
Get out of here!
He picked up another new memorial.
The system was unable to stop him and could only keep broadcasting the message: "Host, please pay attention to maintaining your character, host, please..."
The emperor followed the music of the piano, humming a tuneless song, standing still as a mountain.
He asked musicians to play music, firstly to maintain his image as a tyrant and fool the system; secondly, the system made him irritated, and he used the music to relieve the irritation.
Kill two birds with one stone, you are such a genius!
*
The next morning.
Zhu Qingchen woke up slowly, covered his head, and climbed out of bed: "Hiss - why does my head hurt so much?"
The system said faintly: "Host, are you awake? Congratulations, you were not poisoned to death last night."
Zhu Qingchen woke up and remembered what shocking secret he had discovered last night. His furry coat stood on end.
At this time, Eunuch Yang knocked on the door outside and said, "Master Zhu, His Majesty will not attend the court today. Please go to Yangju Palace for breakfast and discuss the spring examination questions."
"...Okay." Zhu Qingchen adjusted his expression and said, "Thank you, eunuch. I'll get up right away."
"Master, don't be in a hurry."
"Um."
Zhu Qingchen sat on the bed and sucked his fingers.
It’s over, it’s over. He was not sure whether the emperor saw him last night or knew that he was outside.
What if the emperor remembered him and poisoned his breakfast? What if the emperor didn't remember him but remembered him when he saw him?
Woohoo, Zhu Qingchen cried, he should have stayed in the room. Even if there was a fire outside, he shouldn't have run out.
The system displayed a slogan: "No self-reflection, try to blame others."
Zhu Qingchen thought it made sense, so he climbed out of bed with tears in his eyes and prepared to change clothes and wash up.
It's all this incompetent emperor's fault. He had to arrange his residence so close to the palace and watch singing and dancing so late at night.
It's so noisy.
All he could do now was to improvise and pray that the emperor didn't notice him.
After Zhu Qingchen finished washing and put on his official uniform, before leaving, he paid homage to the Manjusri Bodhisattva whom he had specially brought into the palace.
Bless you with peace.
Zhu Qingchen nervously put his hands in his pockets and went to Yangju Palace with the old academic officials to meet the emperor.
On the way, one of the old scholars complained to him: "Your Majesty has not attended the morning court for a long time. Fortunately, you still care about the imperial examination."
Zhu Qingchen quickly covered his mouth.
Shut up!
Your Majesty is wise and powerful. You know everything about state affairs even without the need for morning court. Don't be so presumptuous!
When they arrived at Yangju Palace, the group of academic officials saluted and then sat down on the right.
Zhu Qingchen sat down with Gao Laoxueguan. Just as he had straightened his clothes, a palace servant came in from outside the hall with a wooden tray and served him breakfast.
Following closely behind the palace servants was a group of musicians.
Senior Scholar Gao frowned and whispered, "Your Majesty is obsessed with singing and dancing. Has it reached this point? Even for breakfast, you need music?"
Zhu Qingchen quickly covered his mouth again.
You should shut up too!
Your Majesty is a wise man. What's wrong with staying up late at night to read memorials and listening to music to relax during the day?
Zhu Qingchen spent his busy mornings covering other people's mouths and stopping them from speaking nonsense.
The old school officials didn't appreciate it and thought he was making a big deal out of nothing.
Zhu Qingchen was too lazy to pay attention to him and turned to look at the table.
The food in the palace was not bad, with small wontons, crystal crab roe buns, and tofu skin dumplings. Zhu Qingchen sniffed.
It would be nice to use this meal as his last meal before execution.
Zhu Qingchen felt relieved, scooped up a small wonton and put it into his mouth.
tasty!
Zhu Qingchen didn't sleep well last night, and there was a slight drowsiness under his eyes.
The emperor glanced at him, pointed at the unused dishes on the table, and then pointed at the academic officials below. Eunuch Yang understood and personally sent the dishes down.
It’s all due to your Majesty’s grace.
When it was Zhu Qingchen's table's turn, it was served a bowl of pigeon soup.
A whole baby pigeon, placed in a pot with ginseng slices, simmered over low heat for a long time, is an excellent tonic.
Just as Eunuch Yang was about to take it away, the emperor stopped him.
The pigeon was stewed until it was soft. The emperor picked up the chopsticks and gently poked and pulled the pigeon into several pieces.
This makes it easier to eat. Zhu Qingchen is very polite in front of outsiders. If no one helps him separate the meat, he won't eat it.
The emperor took back his chopsticks and waved his hand, signaling Eunuch Yang to take it away.
Eunuch Yang held the soup bowl in both hands and brought it to Zhu Qingchen: "Master Zhu, your majesty's reward."
"Yes." Zhu Qingchen straightened up slightly, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Zhu Qingchen tried hard to maintain his expression, opened the lid and took a look.
Woo woo, the system, it sent me a pigeon with a torn body.
Is he warning me that if I go out and say something wrong, he will drag me out and tear me into pieces?
The system beside the emperor asked: "What's wrong with him? Why is he crying again?"
The emperor said seriously: "Zhu Qingqing should be moved by me again."!
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