Chapter 177 Congratulations, Prince Consort
Taichang Temple.
An official bowed and said, "Lord Liu is not here."
The official who was ordered by the Secretariat to examine Liu Shang in the Xuanle Examination was stunned when he heard this and asked, "Where did he go?"
The imperial examination has ended, but the number one in the music exam is still undecided. When it’s time to go to the yamen, the chief examiner, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, is not waiting in the Ministry of Rites. He actually dares to be absent. He has such a big heart...
The official from the Taichang Temple saw that the Zhongshu Sheng summons officer looked unhappy, and immediately said, "Lord Liu is not absent from work, he just couldn't come. Last night, he was arrested and taken to the Dali Temple..."
The Lingshi expression was stunned: "What?"
The official from the Taichang Temple also felt a little embarrassed, and lowered his head, saying: "Master Liu gathered a group of people to visit a brothel last night, and was arrested by the Dali Temple..."
After a moment, the summoning official walked out of the Taichang Temple and shook his head helplessly.
The chief examiner was imprisoned in the Dali Temple, and he, a mere clerk, could do nothing about it.
After returning to the Secretariat, he could only report truthfully.
Upon hearing this, the Secretary of the Central Secretariat was also speechless.
The Minister of the Ministry of Rites was at least a fifth-rank official, and he could get any woman he wanted. But he was caught for visiting a brothel. Isn't that embarrassing...
He didn't want to get involved in this matter.
But there is really no way out at the moment. All subjects of the imperial examination have been settled, except for the top scorer in the music examination, which is still undecided. According to the rules of the imperial examination, without a chief examiner, the next examination cannot be carried out at all.
And Liu Shang was not arrested alone.
He actually took a group of examiners to visit a brothel. It would have been fine if he had visited alone, but he even booked the entire place...
The Minister of the Central Secretariat rubbed his brows and said, "Prepare the sedan chair and go to the Dali Temple..."
Not long.
At the Dali Temple, the Secretary of the Central Secretariat looked helpless as he looked at an elegant middle-aged man and said, "Sir Li, I know this is against the rules, but there is nothing more important than the imperial examination. I have no choice but to ask for your help..."
Hearing this, Li Xuanjing nodded and said, "The imperial examination is important, Minister Wang, please take them away."
The Minister of the Central Secretariat immediately said, "Thank you, Lord Li, for your understanding..."
Soon, he walked out of the Dali Temple with Liu Shang and a dozen musicians.
Liu Shang clasped his fists to him and said, "Thank you, Mr. Minister."
In fact, he felt that there was no need for the Minister to come. He was familiar with the Dali Temple and would be released tomorrow night at the latest. Sometimes he wanted to be alone and quiet, and would even deliberately go to a brothel...
The Secretary of the Central Secretariat glanced at him and said, "Follow me back to the Central Secretariat. You are the examiner of the music exam. I need to discuss with you about the additional exam for tomorrow's music exam."
Liu Shang didn't know what was worth discussing about the additional test in the music department. He would naturally be able to tell who played better by letting the two people compete on the same stage.
Not long after, in a certain office in the Secretariat, Liu Shang widened his eyes and asked in confusion: "Why?"
There's clearly no competition yet, but he's asked to choose one of them as the top scorer. Isn't this cheating?
Cheating in the imperial examination is a matter that will cost you your life.
He shook his head and said, "No, I won't do this!"
Regardless of whether he would lose his head or not, this was an insult to Le Dao and he could not accept it.
A piece of paper was handed over.
Liu Shang took a look and his eyes suddenly widened.
This is a piece of blank paper, but on it are the seals of all the princes who serve as regents, as well as the seals of the two prime ministers and the three provinces.
This means that the royal family and the imperial court have acquiesced to this matter.
King You looked at him and said calmly, "Liu Sicheng, the reputation of the royal family and the court all depends on you. Since you are a court official, you should assume the responsibilities of a court official... Do you understand what I mean?"
Liu Shang moved his lips, but in the end he couldn't say anything.
…
Li Mansion.
Li Nuo just woke up.
The imperial examination is also very energy-consuming. He went to bed very early yesterday and slept until almost noon today.
Butler Wu said that someone came to his house just now and informed him to go to the Ministry of Personnel in the afternoon to take the additional test for the music subject.
Because besides him, there is another excellent Leco.
Music science is not like other subjects. There is no test paper. If you want to determine the winner, you can only do so through on-site competition.
After the imperial examination, he would receive notification of additional examinations at any time.
In order not to miss the notification, Li Nuo slept at home yesterday.
It was almost time, so after a simple meal, Li Nuo went to the Ministry of Personnel with Butler Wu.
This additional test was even more grand than the first one.
A government office was full of people.
Ten examiners, plus a chief examiner.
In addition, three vice ministers from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites were also supervising.
Even my father-in-law, who is a Langzhong in the Ministry of Personnel, is not qualified to appear in such occasions.
Another person who won the Leco Excellence Award was a young man with loose hair.
He sat on a chair, glanced at Li Nuo, and then closed his eyes, as if he was resting.
Li Nuo's examination room is in the front, and according to the rules, he should appear first.
Liu Shang came over holding a wooden box and said to Li Nuo, "Please draw your test paper."
Li Nuo pulled out a wooden sign from the box. After Liu Shang looked at it, he said, "Da Xian, Chapter 7."
Li Nuo nodded, sat in front of the piano and tuned it first.
Liu Shang looked at him, with a hint of pity in his eyes.
His level of enjoyment is not lower than mine.
What a pity, alas...
clang!
The sound of a piano suddenly rang out, and the bodies of the ten examiners, including Liu Shang, were shaken violently.
"Daxian" is music used to worship the god of the earth. The music has a simple and heavy sound, but it is not so loud that the first note of the music makes people feel as if they are in the boundless earth, with the fresh fragrance of soil blowing in their faces.
As the music sounded, a force in Liu Shang's body was instantly activated.
He felt a familiar and friendly aura from Li Nuo.
This is... the breath of joy!
The young man who had his eyes closed suddenly opened them, his eyes full of shock.
At this moment, the officials of the Ministry of Personnel stopped whatever they were doing and walked slowly out of the yamen.
Passersby on the street couldn't help but stop and listen.
The music has a strong penetrating power, and even if it is several streets away, the music seems to be right next to your ears.
Yuyin Pavilion.
Fenghuang was arranging flowers on the table when her delicate body suddenly trembled slightly. She turned her head to look in a certain direction with a look of surprise on her face. She murmured, "Is it the sound of Haoran? No, it's the music of Tao, the real power of music of Tao..."
Song Mansion.
Song Jiaren was practicing swordplay in the yard. She suddenly paused and looked around, but found nothing.
Song Muer ran outside quickly, and soon ran back in, wondering, "It's strange, who is playing the piano? Why can't I find anyone..."
Princess Palace.
In a room somewhere, Li An Ning frowned and said as he packed his luggage, "Play, play, play. Who's playing the piano? It's so annoying!"
Ministry of Personnel, in front of a government office.
Many officials gathered here, looking at a lush paulownia tree with shock in their eyes.
Just now, they saw with their own eyes that this small tree that had just been planted not long ago, accompanied by the music coming from the yamen, grew into a big tree with lush branches and leaves in a very short time.
Liu Shang stood at the door of the yamen, staring at the scene in a daze.
"Daxian" is a piece of music used to worship the god of the earth. There is nothing special about it when played by ordinary people, but if one can comprehend the power of music, one can mobilize the power of the earth.
Liu Shang can also do this kind of thing.
If he played "Cloud Gate" to worship the gods, he could also cause changes in the weather.
So he was promoted three levels overnight, and at a young age, he became the chief examiner of the music subject in the imperial examination.
But the people who can do all this today are just the candidates for the imperial examinations.
Li Nuo's hands left the strings and the music stopped.
Those examiners who were lying on the ground, as if feeling the embrace of the earth, crawled up from the ground in embarrassment.
The three vice ministers of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites flicked the dust off their chests without making a sound.
Liu Shang calmed down, held the wooden box, walked to the long-haired young man, and said, "Please draw your test questions."
The young man glanced at Liu Shang and asked, "Why are you still smoking?"
Haven’t you seen that the trees outside have grown bigger?
Isn't it humiliating himself to let him compete with someone who has already realized the true meaning of the Tao?
He stood up, took a deep look at the handsome young man, and said simply, "I give up the exam."
After saying that, he turned and left without looking back.
The Minister of Rites stood up hurriedly and chased after him with an anxious look on his face.
"stop!"
"You haven't even competed, how do you know you can't win?"
"Don't give up, what if a miracle happens?"
"I beg you, please come back and play a song..."
…
Not long after, the Minister of Rites came back with his head lowered.
In order to preserve the face of the royal family, the court has gone to such an extent that as long as he can play a piece of music, the top prize in the music exam will be his.
But he didn't play.
It's not their fault.
The Ministry of Rites has done everything it should have done, but the result is still the same. We can only say that it is God's will.
He bowed to Li Nuo, forced a smile that was uglier than crying, and said, "Congratulations, Prince Consort..."
(End of this chapter)
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