Chapter 3: The Palace Examination Ruined (3)
After seeing Pei Xuan off, Zhu Qingchen began to annotate the articles submitted by the students.
The servant boy was there to help him grind ink and make tea.
There were quite a lot of articles submitted, but Zhu Qingchen did not deal with them perfunctorily. Instead, he read them carefully word by word.
While writing, he raised his left hand, slid his sleeve down, picked up a piece of mung bean cake and stuffed it into his mouth.
The waiter smiled and pushed the snacks towards him: "Master, eat more."
"Yeah." Zhu Qingchen swallowed the snack and asked casually, "Are these students not students of the academy?"
The servant replied, "If you are a student of the academy, you don't have to wait until the master takes a day off before asking for an audience."
Zhu Qingchen paused and asked, "The academy doesn't accept ordinary people?"
"It's not that we don't collect it. Emperor Taizu did collect it when he first founded the country. But now... the salary is getting higher and higher. Only the rich and powerful can afford it."
"I see."
Ordinary people were poor and could never get in touch with people like the school officials. They could only crowd in front of the door day after day, waiting to be summoned.
In the original book, Pei Xuan was raped here on the eve of the palace examination, but in the end the matter was left unresolved and he was punished instead. I think this is the reason.
He is weak and alone, he doesn't even have a decent teacher or a few good classmates. Who will stand up for him?
I'm afraid no one even knows what happened to him.
This is not just Pei Xuan's injustice, but a disaster that all poor students may encounter.
Zhu Qingchen sighed, reached out his hand again, took another piece of dessert and was about to put it into his mouth.
The servant quickly stopped him: "Master, you are wrong, you are wrong! This is an ink stick, this is a snack!"
"Oh." Zhu Qingchen came back to his senses, put down the ink stick, thought for a moment, and put down the pen as well, "I'm tired."
The servant said, "Master, I will serve lunch."
Zhu Qingchen stretched and said, "Let's go out and eat. Doesn't Pei Xuan's family own a winery? Let's go and see him."
The servant smiled and said, "Yes, then I will go and harness the carriage."
*
Zhu Qingchen changed into a plain blue casual outfit. Because it was winter, he also wrapped himself in a fox fur cloak and put on a hand warmer.
A servant was driving the carriage outside. Because there was a wooden sign with the words "Zhu Xueguan's Mansion" hanging on the carriage, everyone knew that it was Zhu Xueguan's carriage. Some students also presented their essays to him and asked for his guidance.
Zhu Qingchen accepted them one by one and asked them to come to the school office to pick them up in three days.
After stopping and walking along the way, they finally left the city and Zhu Qingchen quickly asked the servant to take down the wooden sign hanging on the carriage.
If we keep dawdling like this, we won’t be able to reach Pei’s Winery before dark.
The servant said, "Master, don't worry, we will be there soon."
Zhu Qingchen leaned forward, lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked outside.
"The place with the wine flag in front is Pei's Winery..."
Before the servant could finish his words, a group of horsemen suddenly rushed out from the road ahead.
Five or six sons of powerful families had just returned from hunting, all carrying longbows and with rabbits, pheasants and other prey on their horses, looking very happy.
Not only Zhu Qingchen was startled, but their horses were also startled.
“Oh—”
The horse neighed loudly and raised its two front hooves.
The servant held the reins tightly and said, "Master, sit tight!"
The group of powerful and noble children were still talking dirty: "You blind people, you offended His Royal Highness Prince Jing, how many lives do you have to pay for it?"
Zhu Qingchen fell into the carriage. When he came to his senses, he quickly opened the curtain and helped the servant hold the reins.
The carriage came to a complete stop. Zhu Qingchen raised his eyes slightly and said coldly, "I only have one life. Is it enough to compensate me?"
Seeing that it was Zhu Qingchen, they stopped talking, exchanged glances, and hurriedly dismounted, bowing and saluting: "Master...Hello, Master."
Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents and Teacher, they still fear Zhu Qingchen.
Zhu Qingchen lowered his eyes and looked at them.
I just heard them say "Jing Wang", so I guess the person in the front is Jing Wang.
King Jing had long harbored rebellious intentions, but in front of the Master, no matter how reluctant he was, he had to act respectful.
King Jing also bowed, but he was not so flustered: "Master, we are returning from hunting and accidentally bumped into you. Please forgive me."
Zhu Qingchen responded calmly: "Yeah."
Prince Jing glanced at Pei's wine shop not far away and said, "We are just about to go to the wine shop to rest. Master, do you want to come with us? I just got some prey. I will consider it as an apology to you."
Zhu Qingchen frowned slightly.
It turned out that Prince Jing had set his sights on Pei Xuan at this time.
"Okay." Zhu Qingchen got off the carriage and saw the bloody marks on the servant's palm caused by the reins. He said to King Jing, "When you go out hunting, you should bring medicine with you, right?"
"Yes." King Jing turned to look at his companion, who quickly took down the medicine hanging on the horse and presented it to him with both hands.
"Is the Master injured?"
Zhu Qingchen did not answer, but handed the medicine to the servant and asked him to apply some medicine.
Prince Jing's face darkened slightly, but he quickly adjusted himself and followed Zhu Qingchen.
A group of people came to Pei's Winery, and everyone shouted loudly: "Come here!"
Pei Xuan was counting the bills at the counter when he heard someone shouting. He quickly put down his abacus and ran out of the winery.
"Here we are, gentlemen..." Pei Xuan's eyes lit up when he saw Zhu Qingchen, and he quickly bowed and saluted, "Master Zhu."
Zhu Qingchen smiled at him and said, "I was passing by here and came to take a look."
"Master, please come in." Pei Xuan moved aside and saw Prince Jing. He also bowed, "Your Highness Prince Jing."
King Jing replied calmly, "Come back from hunting, and take care of the prey."
"Yes." Pei Xuan stepped forward, rolled up his sleeves, and took the prey off the horse's back.
Blood was still dripping from the place where the arrow had hit.
Pei Xuan pinched the pheasant and rabbit by the neck and said, "I'll go to the backyard to deal with it so as not to dirty the eyes of the master and the gentlemen."
Pei Xuan went into the backyard and asked his mother to come out to greet the guests.
Pei Xuan's mother's surname was Chen, and everyone called her Madam Chen.
Madam Chen learned about Zhu Qingchen's identity from Pei Xuan. She was grateful and arranged a seat for him in the middle of the winery, close to the stove so it would be warmer.
I poured him a pot of wine. The meat and dishes would have to wait a while, so I also prepared some snacks for him to fill his stomach first.
Mrs. Chen wiped her hands vigorously on her apron and pushed the snacks forward: "I wish you to eat more, Master."
Zhu Qingchen smiled and replied, "Okay, thank you."
She stood aside, looking at Zhu Qingchen eagerly. Zhu Qingchen ate two pieces of dessert and nodded at her: "Delicious."
She then breathed a sigh of relief and a natural smile appeared on her face.
Zhu Qingchen said, "You don't have to stand here, go and get busy, I'll talk to the students."
"Okay, I'll go help Xuan. Master and the other young masters, take your time eating. Tell me if you need anything else."
Zhu Qingchen watched her leave, his eyes moved slightly, and asked the system: "After Pei Xuan's accident, how is Madam Chen?"
"Let me check." The system was silent for a while. "Pei Xuan was exiled to the frontier. When Madam Chen heard the news, she became so anxious that she fell ill and was bedridden. She was barely able to survive by relying on the care of her neighbors."
"Later, in order to win over Pei Xuan, Prince Jing took Lady Chen from the capital to the border without telling Pei Xuan, and her condition worsened."
"Later, Prince Jing succeeded in his rebellion. Pei Xuan learned the truth about the ruined palace exam and went insane. He was banished to the cold palace, and Prince Jing even threatened him with Lady Chen."
"What?!" Zhu Qingchen opened his eyes wide.
"That's it..." The system read a passage to him in an electronic voice, "'Your mother is still waiting for you at the border. If you die of illness, I will not bring her back. You and your mother are separated from each other, and you can't see each other even if you die.'"
"The author said that this was because King Jing loved Pei Xuan too much and he was stimulating Pei Xuan's desire to survive."
Normal people inspire the patient's desire to live: Your mother is still waiting for you at the border! You must hold on! Persevere!
Abnormal people arouse the patient's desire to live: Your mother is going to die, haha! You are going to die too, haha! You can't see each other even after you die, hahaha!
Zhu Qingchen:?
At this time, Jing Wang raised his glass to him: "Master."
"Hmm?" Zhu Qingchen came back to his senses and picked up his cup.
Prince Jing smiled and said, "I am a student of limited talent and learning. Since I left the academy two years ago, I will never forget the kindness of your teachings."
Zhu Qingchen said calmly: "Really?"
"Today, I was riding my horse and accidentally bumped into the master. The wine shop is simple and the food is simple. It was really rude. I will go hunting again tomorrow and formally host a banquet for the master. I will ask other school officials to accompany me and apologize to the master."
"good."
Prince Jing drank the wine in the cup in one gulp, and Zhu Qingchen took a sip.
He is not a big drinker, so the fruit wine is light and refreshing, so it is pretty good.
Prince Jing looked at Zhu Qingchen and said, "Master Zhu is so young and talented, and you are teaching students to pass the imperial examinations. Why don't you take the exam yourself?"
Zhu Qingchen said calmly: "I have no intention of pursuing a career in politics."
"I see." King Jing said, "But Master, with such talent, if you don't take up a post as an official, it will inevitably be buried."
"Teaching students is not considered a disgrace." Zhu Qingchen said, "If one or two civil and military officials in the court in the future have been instructed by me, behave properly and are upright, and can think of me for a moment when they are working for the country and the people, then it will not be considered a disgrace."
Prince Jing did not respond.
Zhu Qingchen looked at him and said, "I am also your teacher. Your Majesty is in a high position, so you should be compassionate to the weak and the elderly and behave properly."
"Of course." Prince Jing responded, but turned his head, picked up the wine jug, and filled up the glasses for himself and Zhu Qingchen. "Master, I will never forget your teachings." Zhu Qingchen raised his head and drank the fruit wine in the glass.
That was all he had to say.
Now nothing has happened yet. If he really listened to Zhu Qingchen's words and stopped bullying Pei Xuan, they would have lived in peace.
If he didn't listen to Zhu Qingchen's words and insisted on using such disgusting means to humiliate Pei Xuan, Zhu Qingchen would not let him go.
At this time, Pei Xuan came up with a pot: "Here it is, chicken stewed with mushrooms. Sir, please give way to me, thank you very much."
Zhu Qingchen raised his head, a little shocked and a little surprised.
The system was also shocked: "Why did he bring the whole pot up? Wasn't this just pried off the stove?"
With a "clang", Pei Xuan put the pot on the stone heating stove.
Zhu Qingchen was startled by him.
The pot was steaming hot, with chicken and mushrooms mixed together and bubbling. There were green vegetables in a circle and pancakes sticking to the edge of the pot.
Two distinguished guests came today, one was his teacher who taught him writing, and the other was a prince who often took care of their family business. Pei Xuan very honestly brought all the good things in his home.
The stove is lower than the table, so guests cannot squat down to serve the food themselves.
Pei Xuan rolled up his sleeves, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, squatted down beside the stove, and picked up two mushrooms, two small green vegetables, and several pieces of chicken, piling the whole thing full. Finally, he pried a piece of bread from the side of the pot, covered it with dough, and handed it to Zhu Qingchen: "Sorry for the long wait. Master, eat first."
"Okay..." Zhu Qingchen took the bowl and chopsticks tremblingly, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."
Pei Xuan smiled, picked up the bowl and chopsticks in front of King Jing, and served him food.
Zhu Qingchen called the system in his mind: "Woo, system, I feel like it's going to collapse!"
"Wait a minute, I'll see if there's a fixer in the mall."
"Hurry up, I can't hold it anymore!"
The system looked at the ski bindings, lumbar bindings, and bedside bindings in the mall and fell into deep thought. Which one should it buy? !
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