If you are attentive without any reason, you are either a thief or a thief.

The proud little prodigy looked at the retreating examiner, but did not insult him. Instead, he bowed and saluted in a very decent manner: "Excuse me, examiner, do you have any other questions?"

Seeing this, the famous scholars and scholars around him nodded with a smile.

"This girl has the demeanor of a lady."

Then he looked at Huo Xima with disdain.

She is completely different from some people who bully children by relying on their age and years of education.

Only the female prince consort smiled and glanced at her daughter.

Didn't she know this clever little kid? How could he repay evil with kindness?

The master's demeanor was clearly to hit the snake at its weakest point, knowing that the other party cared about face, reputation, and that a prodigy like her lived a good life and was respected. Then she had to be more tolerant and generous, win a reputation, and make the examiner feel sick to death, but he had to be polite to her on the surface.

Huo

Xima was really about to feel sick, but he could only smile: "I don't have anything else to ask. You are very good and smart. I wish you will be among the best in the child prodigy exam."

Yan Linghui took advantage of the angle and quickly showed Huo Xima a provocative smile in a place where others could not see: "Thank you, examiner, I will definitely be among the best!"

Huo Xima almost lost his composure. Even though he tried hard to control his emotions, his face was still long. With a bitter face: "Princess, please enter the examination room."

Yan Linghui gave a toothy smile that was not at all ladylike, then turned around with a calm and indifferent expression, like an adult, and said to the female emperor consort: "Dad, there is still some time. Do you have anything to say to me?"

The female emperor consort listened, squatted down, and looked her in the eyes: "Before I left Liaoning, your mother asked me to tell you that you dared to leave home without leaving a letter. When we find you, we will hang you up and beat you."

Yan Linghui's adult look suddenly cracked. She rolled up her sleeves, showing her palms, and gritted her teeth: "Can you wait until after the child prodigy exam to beat me? Now I'll beat your palms and charge some interest."

- Because the child prodigy exam does not require paper and pen, but is similar to an interview, the examiner asks questions and the child prodigy answers orally.

Yan Chun looked at her daughter and smiled: "But I know that what your mother actually wants to say is: Well done! You are the pride of your mother and me."

"Ah!!!"

Yan Linghui threw herself into Yan Chun's arms in surprise: "Dad! I will definitely get the first place in the exam!"

Yan Chun hugged her and was about to say "I believe you" with a smile, when she heard her daughter in her arms say softly, in a voice that only she could hear: "As a woman."

The child's voice was vigorous and full of the fearlessness unique to teenagers, and her actions were also so heroic.

Yan Chun's pupils dilated slightly.

When? When did this child know... that she was a woman dressed as a man?

Yan Linghui withdrew from her arms, took two steps back, and waved: "Dad! I'm going!"

What you regret, what mother regrets, your daughter will make up for. Today, I will take part in the imperial examination in an upright manner as a woman, not in disguise.

She wants to take a gamble. After she passes the exam, will the emperor deprive her of her fame, or will he just give her an imperial edict as a reward, or... let her enter the officialdom?

In life, you always have to take a gamble.

Yan

Linghui didn't know if she could win the gamble, but Huo Xima definitely lost the gamble.

——He was found out by the Jinyiwei for his past unfilial behavior. The old emperor was furious and said that he himself was unfilial and dared to use filial piety to demand filial piety from the princess.

Since you can't be filial, don't raise children, so as to avoid raising unfilial children for the country in the future.

The old emperor directly ordered that Huo Xima's children and grandchildren be given directly to other members of the Huo family who were of the same clan as him but had no sons. And castrated Huosima.

The above is the version that Xu Yanmiao knows.

Lian Hang knew even less than him: "What? Castrated?!"

Xu Yanmiao took a deep breath and tried to speak in a gentle tone: "Yes, they were quick and cruel. His Majesty said at the time..." Xu Yanmiao paused and imitated the old emperor's tone in a hoarse voice: "Do you think you are a man just because you have a (meat) (stick) in your crotch? A man should be upright. You are neither filial to your mother nor can you protect your wife from wind and rain. What kind of man are you! You are just like a eunuch. If you had some ability, you would not let your mother and daughter-in-law suffer so much, and you would not leave the responsibility of taking care of your mother and being filial to her to your wife! You are throwing it to your wife! You are embarrassing yourself! Anyway, you have lost your face, so you should forget about the face below."

"Then..."

"Yes, and then he was castrated."

Lian Hang took a breath and couldn't help but cover his crotch.

Although he would not do what Huo Xima did, as a man, he still felt the same way: "So he is now..."

Xu Yanmiao saw him like this and comforted him: "It's okay, it's okay. Although some important things are gone, he is still an official. Your Majesty has not dismissed him."

Lian Hang looked at Xu Yanmiao, and Xu Yanmiao also looked at Lian Hang.

After looking at each other for a long while, Xu Yanmiao was at a loss: "What's

wrong?" Lian Hang's mouth twitched: "Xu Lang, do you really think that he is equivalent to becoming a eunuch, but he still retains his official position. Is this a good thing?"

Xu Yanmiao stared at him blankly, and suddenly reacted: "Ah! You mean, he is disabled, and his disability is well known. Being among acquaintances will only make him suffer?"

Lian Hang said dryly: "Obviously."

Xu Yanmiao blinked.

Obviously, Xu Lang was very cautious and did not express anything.

But...

[The old emperor is really good at torturing people. Not only did he castrate people, he also made them suffer so much that they gave up their careers on their own. That was a career that he pursued all his life and finally got at the age of 60. The emperor did not dismiss you because you were unfilial. You resigned on your own initiative because you were afraid of being laughed at. ]

[Although I can understand it...]

[Anyway, I still have to follow the previous decision and be cautious. I must not think that I am a favorite minister, nor that I am special. History has told us countless times that even if you are a favorite minister, you must not be arrogant if you want to avoid trouble. ]

[Come on! Xu Yanmiao! Think about Huo Xima's life! You can do it! ]

Lian Hang's mouth twitched.

But, Xu Lang's inner voice was leaking out, so no matter how careful he was, it was useless.

[If your life force is not enough, think about the time in the ninth year of Tiantong, when the old emperor himself solicited opinions from the bureaucrats across the country, saying that they could speak freely and point out his mistakes. Some officials pointed it out... Let me see, what were those three points? Oh! The enfeoffment was too extravagant, the punishment was too complicated, and the request for justice was too quick. It was quite pertinent. The old emperor was furious and directly locked him up in the Ministry of Justice! He was locked up until he died. ]

[Hiss——]

[Fortunately, fortunately, I never believed the old emperor's words "I will not punish you. You can speak without worry"! I am awesome! ]

Lian Hang silently raised his hands and covered his ears. He performed a real-life version of the "covering one's ears to steal the bell", because the inner voice can be transmitted directly into the ears, not to mention covering it with your hands, even stuffing cotton is useless.

In a private room of a tavern not far from the two of them, the old emperor happened to accompany Empress Dou to see the former Prime Minister Dou: "..."

Empress Dou sighed in her heart, but didn't say anything.

The old emperor didn't care that his brother-in-law was still there, and bared his teeth: "Stinky boy, Bai is so good to you, can others be the same as you!"

- Anyway, he didn't think there was anything wrong with punishing the official so much.

He said that people can speak freely, but they can't speak freely like this!

From his son to accusing himself, is this what a minister should do!

The former Prime Minister Dou didn't say anything and was very quiet. He roughly guessed that Xu Yanmo might have said something again, but he really couldn't hear anything.

——In this regard, his brother-in-law is very stubborn and insistent. As long as he leaves the court, no one can listen to Xu Yanmiao's voice. He regards this thing as an extension of power and guards it like a treasure. No one can make an exception and no one can touch it.

Although this treasure is always a worry: [Also, the old emperor hung a portrait of the only empress in history in the palace. A minister advised the old emperor to remove the portrait and was directly punished to kneel outside the Meridian Gate for a whole day. ]

[Huh? Wait, this... I don't know if it counts. ]

[From my point of view, I definitely think that the minister is meddling... But it seems that from the minister's point of view, he is worried that the concubines in the harem will learn from the empress and usurp the old emperor's throne. It seems reasonable? ]

[Then let's skip this first. 】

【However, kneeling for a whole day...hiss, should I get some cotton pads to pad my knees in the future? 】

Lian Hang covered his ears even harder.

I don't know what your majesty did in the harem!

I don't even know that Xu Lang wanted to put a pad on his knees and cheat when he needed to kneel.

I don't know anything!

In the private room of the wine house.

The old emperor also pretended not to hear Xu Yanmiao's cheating ideas. He coughed and said to Prime Minister Dou: "Shanbai, let's talk about business."

Prime Minister Dou: "..."

He knew that what he said about being grateful for not seeing his sister for a long time and bringing the queen out for them to meet was all a lie. The emperor's thoughtfulness must have a huge pot hidden behind it, and someone needs to carry it.

Dou Qing slowly sipped a few sips of warm soy milk, slowly put down the cup, and slowly said: "Your Majesty, please tell me, I will do my best."

The old emperor said hypocritically: "What are you talking about, my uncle has retired, and he is old. If there is anything else, how can I let you go in person!"

Former Prime Minister Dou: "!!!" Even

my uncle is called? !

Former Prime Minister Dou stamped his feet: "Your Majesty, no matter what it is, I will do it if I grit my teeth. Even if I retire, my life is yours. However, my family members are innocent! Can you let me settle them down first and hide their identities..."

The old emperor coughed again and poured him cup after cup of soy milk: "It's not that bad..."

Former Prime Minister Dou looked down at the soy milk that was being poured, was silent for a while, and asked bluntly: "Your Majesty, just tell me directly, what do you need me to do that will affect my entire family."

"Uncle, you worry too much."

The old emperor said righteously: "Your nine clans are also the nine clans of the queen!"

The old emperor: "I want to collect taxes from local wealthy families and nobles."