Chapter 1971 Busy
After waiting in the cafeteria for a long time without seeing anyone, Bai Erlang ran to the observation tower to take a look. He didn't see anyone, but he saw the book that Bai Shan had dropped.
There are only two situations in this world that can make Bai Shan drop the book. One is an accident that he cannot control, and the other is Man Bao.
He didn't think that there would be any unexpected events in the palace that he couldn't control and they didn't hear any movement, so he turned around and ran to Manbao's yard to look for someone.
As soon as I entered the yard, I saw two people sitting in front of the window talking. I didn’t know what they were talking about, but they both had smiles on their eyes.
He ran up and shouted to the two of them through the window, "What are you doing? Go have dinner quickly, the food is getting cold."
Bai Shan stood up and said, "Let's go and have dinner first. I'll go check the books in the Chongwenguan later. If possible, I'll go to the Honglu Temple. They know more about the affairs of the Western Regions. It would be great if I could borrow some documents from there."
Then the Honglu Temple is in charge of diplomatic ceremonies. The documents in it, especially some foreign intelligence work, are confidential, and Bai Shan is afraid that it will be difficult to borrow them.
Bai Erlang, who was standing by, was completely confused. "What are you trying to find out about in the Western Regions?"
He thought of something and widened his eyes, "Are you going to the Western Regions?"
Bai Shan glanced at him and said, "Don't make a fuss. This is just our plan. It will take another year or two to complete. Don't tell anyone."
Bai Erlang: "Then you won't take the exam?"
Bai Shan said, "There's no rush for the examiner, but I'd like to take the imperial examination before I leave."
Bai Erlang couldn't help but mutter, "If you pass the Jinshi exam and don't go to the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel for exams, you're just wasting your time."
Bai Shan glanced at him and said, "You can go and take one."
Bai Erlang was just about to say that he wouldn't waste his energy, but Manbao nodded and said, "You can give it a try. Isn't there a Jinshi exam next year? I'll tell the teacher that you all should go down and give it a try."
Shirojiro:......
Bai Shan was also a little stunned, "Is the exam next year?"
Manbao said, "There's still one year and two months left. If you don't take the exam next year, are you going to wait until the year after? That would be two years and two months. And next year I'm sure I'll take the Jinshi exam, but it's still uncertain whether I'll take it after that."
The Jinshi examination is not as regular as the Mingjing examination and other examinations. It is not held every year. Basically, the Jinshi examination is only held when the Ministry of Personnel believes that the officials in the court are old, or for some well-known reasons, there are too many missing middle and upper-level officials, and it is seen that corresponding talents will be needed in the next few years or even more than ten years.
Otherwise, it is usually held once every two years.
Sometimes the imperial court would postpone or cancel it outright using excuses such as insufficient funds.
Fortunately, the Jinshi exam is not cancelled as frequently as before, but one never knows when an accident will happen, so Manbao thinks that this matter should be dealt with sooner rather than later. Anyway, everyone is just accumulating experience. It would be best if they can pass the exam, but it doesn't matter if they don't.
Now not only Bai Erlang, but even Bai Shan felt a little nervous and regretted having said so much.
The three of them had regained their composure when they returned to the cafeteria, but except for Manbao, Bai Shan and Bai Erlang both had a heavy aura about them.
Yin Huo looked curious, "What happened?"
He thought Zhou Man would be the one looking listless, but now she seems to be in good spirits. But Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, why do they look like trees without water, with their branches drooping?
Bai Shan and Bai Erlang shook their heads together, indicating that nothing was wrong.
Manbao has already opened his lunch box. "Eat quickly. After you finish eating, go read a book. I still have to go on duty."
Yin Huo nodded. Feng Zongping, who was sitting at the next table, felt itchy and turned to ask her, "Are you on duty now? Aren't you only on duty during holidays?"
Manbao responded vaguely: "I'm grown up now, and it's time for me to go on duty."
Not only did Feng Zongping not believe this, but even Zhao Liulang didn't believe it. The two of them wanted to ask something, but Bai Shan had already looked up at them and said, "Do you have any idea about the lessons that Kong Jijiu has assigned? After dinner, why don't we go to the library to look up some books?"
Feng Zongping and Zhao Liulang's expressions froze.
Yin Huo smiled slightly and continued, "I did some searching this afternoon and did find a book with annotations, but unfortunately it's still not detailed enough. I'd like to look further. It would be great if I could find some relevant articles from the adults in the court bulletin."
Feng Zongping: "You haven't found the official gazette yet? That will take a lot of time."
Bai Shan said, "Jijiu Kong will need it in the second half of the month."
But the question was so difficult that he hadn't even understood it yet. Zhao Liulang silently poked at the food in front of him and was no longer interested in Zhou Man's affairs.
The same thing happened to Feng Zongping. On the heads of the two of them, or rather on the heads of everyone who pricked up their ears to listen, it seemed as if a huge rock had suddenly fallen down, crushing them to the point of suffocating them.
As Manbao ate, he thought to himself, until the Queen gets better, she should probably eat in the Imperial Hospital or the Harem...
After dinner, the two sides parted ways. Manbao expressed that he had rarely returned to Chongwenguan recently, and even had to eat in the harem and the Imperial Hospital.
Bai Shan expressed his understanding and asked, "Did we help you eat your meal?"
Manbao: "...Shouldn't we tell the cafeteria to stop working?"
Bai Shan said, "No need. The kitchen of Chongwen Hall is separate from the imperial kitchen of Taiji Hall. Your share will not be transferred there. It would be a waste to keep it anyway. Let us help you eat it."
Bai Erlang, who had been feeling dejected, immediately perked up and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes, your food is better than ours, and it can be used to nourish our bodies."
Manbao had no objection and waved his hand in agreement.
She went back to the Imperial Hospital first. Coincidentally, Dean Xiao and the others were also having dinner. When they saw her come back, they pointed at her portion.
Manbao refused and planned to keep it for a midnight snack, just heating it up on the stove.
Xiao Yuanzheng said, "The Queen has had an attack of illness today. It's just that her temper is rising, causing her lungs to become hot and dry. Now she's started coughing. I think the first half of tonight will be very difficult. Will you and Doctor Liu be on duty for the first half or the second half?"
Manbao glanced at the dark circles under Xiao Yuanzheng's eyes and asked, "What about the Queen Mother?"
"Doctor Lu and the others are here," Xiao Yuanzheng said calmly, "I've already arranged for them to go over there. Doctor Zheng is also watching over Prince Gong. I'll be with Doctor Tan."
The Queen Mother was already at the end of her strength and beyond saving. They could only do their best and leave the rest to fate. The royal family had already made preparations for her passing.
Prince Gong's injuries weren't life-threatening, so Xiao Yuanzheng only assigned one imperial physician. The four of them were directly responsible for the Empress, while the rest rotated around the Imperial Hospital, avoiding requests from other concubines or the princes and grandchildren. They also occasionally had to travel to treat the royal family.
Only then did Dean Xiao realize that their Imperial Medical Bureau was still too short-staffed. He remembered something and looked at Zhou Man and Imperial Physician Zheng. After a slight hesitation, he said, "We've suspended classes at the Imperial Medical Bureau and are letting the students study on their own. The palace is short on staff right now, and don't we have a few students here who are already able to prescribe? Let's have them come into the palace and help out."
Today I am just like the title says. See you at 6pm.
(End of this chapter)
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