Chapter 163: It Turns Out I'm Useless (Two Chapters in One)
After leaving the palace, Yan Xia did not go directly to the Ministry of Justice, but returned home first. This case was difficult to handle, and he needed to calm down and think carefully about it.
He decided to go home, get his books, and go to the Imperial College to attend classes.
Yan Xia was a student at the Imperial College, but he could only attend classes for a few days a month. Therefore, he had been in the Imperial College for five years but had not been able to be promoted.
The Imperial College of the Yong Dynasty followed the example of the previous dynasty and established four halls and six halls.
Students entering the Imperial College were divided into three grades according to their grades. If they had completed the Four Books, they could enter the three primary halls, which lasted one and a half years. After that, they would pass the examinations and enter the Xiudao Hall and Chengxin Hall to study, which also lasted one and a half years. After that, they would pass the examinations again. Those who were proficient in classics and history and were good at both arts and sciences could enter the highest class in the Imperial College, the Ratexing Hall. The Ratexing Hall adopted a credit system, and students could graduate after completing the required credits.
Jinshi is the first class, and Jiansheng is the second class. Although Jiansheng can enter the officialdom after graduation, the court has a rule that "only Jinshi can enter the Hanlin Academy, and only Hanlin can enter the cabinet." Those Jiansheng selected from all over the country who want to have a good future will mostly take the imperial examination after becoming Jiansheng and enter the officialdom as Jinshi.
However, for the sons of nobles like Yan Xia and the hostages in Beijing, they would not bother to take the imperial examinations.
The hostages would continue to study in the Imperial College. The Imperial College even opened a junior class specifically for these hostages and nobles. Most of them would start school at the age of five or six, learning while playing. After the age of fifteen, they would enter the Justice Hall, one of the three junior halls of the Imperial College, without taking an exam.
The Imperial College had very low requirements for them. While others assessed them on their test scores, they were assessed on their attendance.
For every day they work, a red circle will be drawn under the corresponding name in the attendance book. One and a half years in the Hall of Justice and one and a half years in the Hall of Monasticism, totaling three years. During these three years, as long as they accumulate 700 red circles, they can be promoted to the Hall of Rateness without taking an exam.
Ordinary students who want to graduate from Ruxing Hall need to take an exam and then do an internship, but they still draw circles. As long as they reach a certain number of red circles, they will graduate from the Imperial College.
The hostages could continue to stay in the Imperial College and live out their days (no need to draw circles or take exams, just hang out), and the sons of nobles could seek proper official positions in the Six Ministries, the Dali Temple and other government offices, instead of having their fathers arrange low-ranking military posts in the Five Cities Bingmasi or the Qishouwei. Those who had titles granted by hereditary titles would have a better future, unlike ordinary students who would only be at the fourth or fifth rank until their death.
In other words, for the children of nobles, the Imperial College was equivalent to gilding.
As long as they draw enough red circles in the Imperial College, a good future will be waiting for them.
However, these seven hundred red circles were as difficult as climbing to the sky for Yan Xia.
This year is his sixth year in the Imperial College, and he has only accumulated more than 200 red circles. In other words, at this rate, let alone graduation, it will take him 12 years to be promoted to Ratexing Hall!
However, no one dared to laugh at him. The last person who laughed at him had been hanged on the big tree in front of the Imperial College.
Yan Xia started looking for his books as soon as he returned to the mansion. There were only five members of the Weiguo Mansion living there. Although the house was spacious, there were only two study rooms.
One room belongs to the wife of the Duke, Mrs. Yu. It is more like an accounting office than a study. Mrs. Yu looks at the account books and gives orders here every day. Occasionally, she plays mahjong and pai gow.
The other room belongs to the father and his two sons. Of course, when Little Sixteen grows up a little, this study will belong to the four of them.
Yan Xia is rarely at home. The older Duke Weiguo gets, the less he likes to read. Therefore, the person who uses this study the most is nine-year-old Yan Shiyi.
Yan Shiyi is currently studying at the Imperial College. Given his age, he will be able to be promoted to the Hall of Justice in six years. If Yan Xia cannot be promoted to the Monastic Hall within six years, he will be in the same class as Yan Shiyi.
Therefore, in order to be able to become a classmate with his elder brother, Yan Shiyi would do his homework every day, because the criterion for whether a student from the junior class could be promoted to the Justice Hall was the homework assigned every day. If he did not do his homework for more than ten days a month, it would be recorded in the assessment. If the number of times it was recorded in the assessment increased, he would not be able to graduate from the junior class.
In fact, this is to scare the children. The teachers in the junior classes are eager to send them all away when they reach a certain age. They are a bunch of naughty kids, who would want to keep them?
Yan Shiyi believed it and did his homework diligently every day.
At this time, Yan Shiyi had already gone to school and the study was empty. Yan Xia gathered his books and prepared to go to the Imperial College to draw a red circle.
As soon as I walked out of the study, I ran into Mrs. Yu head-on.
"Oh, the sun is rising from the west. Is the prince going to school?"
Yan Xia had a headache. How did he meet me?
"Yes, go to school, otherwise you will become classmates with Xiaoyi."
Madam Yu smiled brightly, "You can't collect those 700 red circles anyway, so forget about it. You finally came home, so come and talk to me."
Yan Xia: My mother is really a stumbling block in my pursuit of education.
Finally, Yan Xia reluctantly put down the book and entered Mrs. Yu's study.
Mrs. Yu pushed aside the cards that had not been cleared away on the table, leaned her elbows on the table, supported her chin, and looked up and down at her son in front of her.
"Tsk tsk tsk, my son is tall and strong, and he's also very handsome. I'm really good at giving birth. Congratulations, you have an amazing mother!"
Yan Xia had a look of despair on his face. "The last time you boasted was when my aunt was coming to the capital. You said you had arranged a wife for me and that she was on her way. You also said that you had given birth to such an outstanding son like me, and that you had worked hard and made great contributions. So, considering your merits, I'd better not refuse this marriage."
Yan Xia deliberately mentioned his deceased aunt, and sure enough, the stars in Mrs. Yu's eyes disappeared.
Even before her cousin's body was cold, she wanted to arrange a marriage for her son.
It would be a lie to say I don't feel guilty.
But this cannot be blamed on her. First of all, she did not let her aunt bring her granddaughter to Beijing. It was her aunt who informed her after she set off. Secondly, her cousin was killed by Zhu Yu, and her son almost lost his life in revenge for his cousin. Even if she felt guilty, she was cleared of the guilt.
This brat of hers was doing it on purpose, trying to shut her up and stop her from talking.
That was a close call. I almost got fooled.
Mrs. Yu rolled her eyes. That’s why raising a son is so annoying. It would be so much better to have a daughter.
Alas, she can’t give birth to that soft and sweet little girl, so she can only rely on her daughter-in-law.
"Stinky boy, let me tell you, the other day the Queen asked about your marriage, and guess what, she mentioned the eldest princess of the Liang Palace. It turns out that the eldest princess is the same age as you."
Yan Xia frowned, and he suddenly remembered the name Zhu Yu shouted when he went crazy.
Zhao Yun is warm!
"Why did you mention the eldest princess?" he asked.
There were stars in Madam Yu's eyes again. In the past, when she mentioned those ladies, this brat would either pretend to be deaf and dumb or turn around and leave. It was completely different from now.
Could it be that this guy has been interested in her for a long time?
"You wouldn't believe it even if I killed you. Somehow, Concubine Qiao persuaded Concubine Li to marry the eldest princess to that damned eunuch Zhu Yu. The Emperor didn't agree. But now that Eunuch Zhu is dead and expelled from the Zhu family, the Empress had no scruples and told me about it. After all, our family is related to Prince Liang's Mansion."
Before the Empress entered the palace, she and Madam Yu were close friends and close acquaintances. Now, although their statuses have changed, Madam Yu is still the only friend the Empress can talk to.
Yan Xia suddenly realized that it was no wonder that Zhu Yu was shouting Zhao Yunnuan's name when he was crazy. It turned out that there was such a calculation behind it. The reason why the emperor did not agree to this marriage was probably because Zhu Yu was castrated. If Concubine Li and Concubine Qiao had mentioned this marriage before Zhu Yu was castrated, would the emperor really agree?
Thinking of this, Yan Xia felt a surge of nameless anger in his heart. Although he had never seen Zhao Yunnuan, he had heard of her name. How could a trash like Zhu Yu be worthy of her?
"Just because of that bunch of thieves and whores in the Baoqing Marquisate, they actually dare to covet Zhao Yunnuan. How despicable!"
Mrs. Yu's mind worked quickly. Oh, this brat even knew her maiden name.
"If the eldest princess were to marry into our family, would you be willing?" Madam Yu asked tentatively.
Yan Xia was stunned and blurted out: "How is that possible?"
Madam Yu sighed, "How can it be impossible? Although the Queen didn't say it clearly, it seems to me that the Emperor is determined to bring the eldest princess to the capital as a hostage."
Yan Xia stared at Madam Yu in disbelief. "Be a hostage? How can a girl like her be a hostage? Besides, isn't the second son of Prince Liang already a hostage in the capital?"
Madam Yu shook her head. "That's what I don't understand. I don't know what the Emperor is thinking, but from what the Empress has said, it's already been decided. If it's not Zhu Yu, it will be someone else. In short, as soon as the mourning period is over, the eldest princess will marry in the capital. So... after all, they're relatives, so it's not impossible to marry a closer relative, right, my dear eldest son?"
The corners of Yan Xia's mouth twitched. As long as her mother said "My good son", it would definitely not be a good thing.
"The Emperor is wary of the Liang Palace. If you let the eldest princess marry into our family, aren't you afraid of becoming a thorn in the Emperor's side?"
Madam Yu snorted coldly, "We are a family of uneducated and unsophisticated people. How could we be a thorn in the emperor's side? We are not worthy. If we want to be a thorn in the emperor's side, we should at least be as powerful as the Feng family, with a son-in-law who is a prince."
"Mother, tell me the truth, do you have any other intentions besides strengthening the relationship?" Yan Xia continued to stare at Madam Yu.
Madam Yu roared, "You little brat, what are you staring at me for? What could I possibly want? I just want a daughter-in-law who can support the family and give birth to a daughter. You don't know, that old Princess Liang not only gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, but also two daughters. Daughters are like their mothers. Our Yan family has everything except daughters."
Yan Xia was still glaring at her: "Tell the truth!"
Madam Yu slammed the table in anger: "You little bastard, are you trying my mother like a criminal?"
Seeing her son looking at her like a criminal, Madam Yu sighed, "Alright, alright, what's wrong with what I said? I'm just angry. Why does even a scum like Zhu Yu dare to covet a royal princess? How are you worse than him? Even if you studied in the Imperial College for five years and didn't get promoted, even if you didn't earn a penny in the Ministry of Justice for several years, even if you have scars on your face and are disfigured, even if you were a little stupid after being hit on the head by Madam Wei last time, even if..."
Seeing her son's expression on the verge of tears, Madam Yu finally softened her heart. "Even if you have these shortcomings, you're still better than Zhu Yu. Compared to Zhu Yu, if he's a beast, you're a human. Why can beasts covet someone, but you can't? This isn't fair. I just can't get over it."
Yan Xia stood up, grabbed his book, turned around and left.
Madam Yu called out from behind, "Where are you going?"
Yan Xia: "Today I realized that I am useless. I am ugly, poor at studying, can't make money, and I am a bit stupid. So I am very sad. I want to go and calm down."
Madam Yu...what did she say? She didn't say anything. Who did this brat learn this from? "Be quiet!" Do you know how to write the word "quiet"?
"It's okay, you don't have to feel inferior. You're the only one who's been able to study at the Hall of Justice for five years. No one else can compare to you based on this."
Yan Xia: What a mother! When it comes to stabbing people, she’s more cruel than anyone else.
Yan Xia left the house with his books, but he did not go to the Imperial College. It was not because he had been stimulated and enlightened, but because it was almost noon.
The red circle in the Imperial College has a time limit. If he had not been tripped by Madam Yu, he would still be able to catch up and draw the circle. But now, it is too late. It would be useless to go because the attendance book has been locked.
Yan Xia stood outside the mansion for a while and found that he had nowhere to go.
This case involves a lot of people, and he will definitely be asked for information in the next few days, so he'd better not go to the Ministry of Justice.
Where to go?
As he was hesitating, suddenly, something flew over his head. Yan Xia subconsciously raised his head and saw an eagle flying over.
Yan Xia's heart moved, he remembered that the last time it brought him important information, it was also an eagle.
Yan Xia had raised eagles before, so he understood eagles. This eagle hadn't fully grown yet; it was still a young eagle, about two years old.
It wouldn't be such a coincidence, and it wouldn't be that he just happened to encounter two similar eagles, so it must be the same eagle.
Yan Xia did not hesitate. There happened to be a horse tied to the hitching post in front of the mansion gate. It was not his horse, but it belonged to the mansion. It was the horse that someone rode when they went out to do something temporary.
Yan Xia threw the book into Menzi's arms and said, "Keep it for me!"
He quickly untied the reins, jumped on the horse, and ran forward after the eagle.
Horses cannot be ridden in the inner city, but fortunately the eagle was not flying very fast, as if it was waiting for him. Yan Xia became more and more confused, but he intuitively felt that the person behind the eagle had no ill intentions, otherwise he would not have given him the message last time.
He chased the eagle, walking farther and farther, out of the inner city, to the outer city, and walked a long way. Finally, the eagle flew to a small building. The window on the second floor of the building was open, and the eagle flew in.
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