Chapter 124: Six consecutive hits
After the provincial examination, time passed very quickly. Autumn turned to spring, and the essay questions for the imperial examination were generated before Si Li's eyes. The essay question written by Jiang Hengyun himself was about the value of foreign crops and the value of going overseas. This question was different from the previous questions that introduced the topic by quoting classics. It was like the palace examination was conducted in advance, and the questions were very close to reality.
Because of this topic, the seagoing teams, which had been mainly private companies since the death of the empress, finally entered the court's field of vision again. The two factions of officially opening the sea to restore the function of the ship company and the fact that the country should not compete with the people for profits and the great country should not ask for anything from foreign countries have been criticizing each other endlessly. People are paying more and more attention to the examination. The ranking of the examination papers will show the intentions of the current people in power, and they cannot ignore it.
When Liu Ge, the official historian in charge of marking the examination papers, came out of the Gongyuan, the list had already been posted outside, along with the papers of the top ten candidates, for anyone to see. Among them, the name of the top candidate was the most eye-catching.
"Good news, good news - Huiyuan, Yunyue Mengtaotao!"
The sound of the good news came from the street into Princess Le'an's mansion. Du Wenshan, who was framing a new painting by himself, was stunned for a moment, and the scroll in his hand fell to the ground with a slight sound. "It's Taotao..." The voice was barely audible.
He could no longer remember his late wife's appearance, but he still remembered her name. "A gentleman is happy and will always be my good friend" was his only blessing to his daughter when he was still young.
"Dad?" Du Xun, who ranked fourth in the exam, came in excitedly after receiving the good news. Du Wenshan put away the disappointment on his face and remained gentle and courteous to his stepson.
The name of the winner, Meng Taotao, spread throughout the streets and alleys. When the herald passed through the south and north of the city, he attracted a lot of exclamations. Women who were washing clothes or doing embroidery ran out with their children and shouted, "Excuse me, are you talking about Meng Taotao?"
After receiving a positive answer, the narrow alley was filled with shouts of surprise, "Isn't this Mr. Meng?"
The signature of Meng Taotao on the literacy manual was learned only after the first few characters. This name was deeply imprinted in the hearts of people living in the daily necessities of life. They gathered in groups of two or three to look at the list outside the Gongyuan Gate. After seeing the familiar three characters at the top, some people choked up and fell to their knees, "Mr. Meng, Mr. Meng deserves it!"
The good reputation of "Mr. Meng" and "Wanglaiju" made this examination known again. When asked about it, the men and women who received the favor would always talk for at least a quarter of an hour. The last cold winter has passed, but they can't forget that in the cold winter, a bowl of hot soup and a chance to learn to read were the bridges that changed their fate.
The young teacher from the academy who had just taken her turn to teach at the night school heard about this and smiled shyly at the students who were also sitting below and listening to the class. The thin book in her hands felt heavy. She said softly, "Today we are learning..."
As soon as the name of Huiyuan was announced, the capital city paid great attention to this newcomer, as if he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was selected as a student by Qin Xueshi. No one knew what his past was like. Such mystery increased people's curiosity until someone remembered Meng, the governor of Xinzhou in Yunyue, and connected the two people together.
Many people still remember the story of Du Xinran, the only daughter of Magistrate Meng, who won the first place in the imperial examination. Now there are two more items, one is the first place in the imperial examination, and some people speculate that as long as Meng Taotao does not make a big mistake in the imperial examination, she will become the second person to win six consecutive places since the founding of the country. Suddenly, more and more people mentioned Du Wenshan's past.
The spring examination of the 21st year of Jingwen ended with people looking forward to the show. Jiang Hengyun, who opened the examination on behalf of the emperor, was still wearing the black and red court robe that was forced upon him by the past emperors, which looked unlucky, but he was full of majesty, even more majestic than the magnificent palace. The students finished their answers that day, and on the first day of April, the names of the candidates were announced. The candidates who had studied hard for many years were led to wait outside the palace early, standing in the order of the examination list, exchanging glances from time to time, nervous and expectant.
The most nervous ones should be the girls standing in the crowd of male students. In this first year of joint examinations, they have been ridiculed too many times for overestimating their abilities. The eyes that linger on them are full of mockery and contempt. Now they are also worried that it will be all in vain.
until--
"Three people in the first class were awarded the title of Jinshi. The first place winner was Meng Taotao, the second place winner was Fang Shilin, and the third place winner was Xiao Qi. They entered the palace."
Meng Taotao, who was standing in the first place, smiled lightly, lifted his robe and stepped into the palace first. The three of them entered in turn. Du Xuan, who was left outside the door, stared at Meng Taotao's back and finally lowered his head.
The runner-up, Fang Shilin, was an inconspicuous middle-aged man with a sad face and gray hair on his temples. He must have suffered a lot in his studies. The top and third place winners standing on his left and right were young girls, proud and beautiful, with bright eyes. Jiang Hengyun encouraged them one by one, gave them clothes with flowers and red robes, and the third place winner, Xiao Qi, led the way. The three were about to leave the hall, but Meng Taotao, who had been indifferent all the time, suddenly shook his robe and knelt in the hall.
"Meng Qing?"
Meng Taotao leaned forward deeply, his forehead hitting the golden brick with a loud sound, "I, Meng Taotao, beg Your Highness to allow me to break off my relationship with Du Wenshan on behalf of my mother. Du Wenshan abandoned his wife and daughter, married a second wife, and fled the city of Xinzhou. This is a disloyal and unrighteous person. Please Your Highness, please look into it."
The sound was not loud, but it was loud enough for people inside and outside the palace to hear clearly. Someone took a deep breath. The rumors that were spreading in the capital were finally confirmed by the person involved. The prefect Meng died in the Xinzhou mountain disaster. Although the facts were quickly found out and he was given a higher title, he could not come back. Her daughter disappeared for so many years. Her husband Du Wenshan married into the Le'an Princess Mansion in the capital. Although he was criticized, he was not seriously responsible. Unexpectedly, he was sued by his own daughter on this day.
Du Xuan, who was standing at the first position outside the hall, suddenly raised his head with a confused look on his face.
Jiang Hengyun looked at Meng Taotao deeply and said in a deep voice, "Du Xinran, you deceived your superiors. Do you know that you are wrong?"
There was a moment of silence inside and outside the hall.
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Today was the palace examination, and Si Li had no intention of going early to join in the excitement. She stayed at Jian's house for a night, got up early and walked around the capital, just in time to see the list of winners posted. The crowd that had been waiting for a long time swarmed in, almost squeezing Si Li to the point of stumbling. After Qinghe supported her, the two of them were already surrounded by three layers of people inside and outside.
Si Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "Isn't it okay to not join in the fun? Well, it's just right to see how they did in the exam."
Among the acquaintances, Liu Weiling and two others took the Tongsheng exam this year and planned to take it again in a few years. Si Li quickly found the names of Meng Taotao and Xiao Qi in the first class, but after looking at the list of the top three three times, she still couldn't find Si Tang. Si Li almost suspected that there was something wrong with her eyes.
Regardless of his character, Si Tang's grades in the academy were pretty good. How come he didn't even make it into the top three?
Thinking back, it seemed that Si Tang was not present in the provincial examination. Si Li turned to ask Qing He, and then she realized that Si Tang did not take the exam at all.
"…Last September, I accepted the marriage proposal from the Duke of Dongyang. At the end of this year, Miss Si will be coming of age, so she should be getting married."
Si Li had not known about the affairs of Duke Dongyang and Si Tang for a long time. Now, after hearing about it from Qinghekou, she frowned.
Qinghe observed her expression and asked softly, "Miss, are you going to prepare a makeup gift?"
"Okay." Si Li sighed. Qinghe would prepare for the rest, so she stopped asking questions, but she felt a little sorry. She gave him a way out, but Si Tang was unwilling to take it. "By the way, how is Mrs. Si?"
"Ji returned to her ancestral home and has not been back to the capital for three months, but the second Miss Si should come back before she reaches the age of 15." Qinghe knew everything about the capital. "After the New Year, someone spread a joke that the second Miss Si had a quarrel with Ji in the temple, and seemed to be trying to persuade her not to divorce."
Si Li was truly surprised, "Is that so?"
Unexpectedly, the person who finally took the road she had hinted at so many times was not Si Tang, but her stepmother. Si Tang had clearly seen the vast world in the girls' school, but she chose to confine herself to the four corners of the backyard. When she found her father's indifference and her marriage was frustrated, it was as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed. She was quickly convinced to follow her husband wherever he went. It really made people wonder what to say.
Qinghe protected Si Li and squeezed out of the crowd. The two walked slowly in the capital. In the center of West City were several royal nobles' houses, which covered a large area. Si Li had no intention of visiting any of them. When she reached the alley, she was about to turn around and leave. Suddenly, she heard the sound of horse hooves in front of her. A knight wearing the armor of the palace guards galloped past and dismounted in front of Princess Le'an.
"Hulu?" Si Li raised his eyebrows and stood under the shade of a tree at the end of the street.
The guard leader Hulu opened the door and did not show a good look to the steward of the Princess's Mansion who came to greet him. "Your Highness asked me to bring someone. Where is the Princess's guest of honor, Du Wenshan?"
The manager of the Princess's Mansion was stunned for a moment, then his wrinkled face burst into a smile, "Oh, what a coincidence. You made a wasted trip, you have to go west to the Qianlai Inn to look for her. The Princess just gave me the letter of release last night, and you can't just take on the title of guest of honor, Mr. Du."
Si Li almost laughed out loud, this Princess Le'an was so powerful, it was as if she had a radar that could detect good and bad luck.
Hulu was stunned for a moment, then his face turned serious, "Do you have any evidence or reason?"
The steward looked at him strangely and said, "Seven reasons for exculpation are enough, right?" This was definitely an excuse the steward came up with on the spot, because someone pushed him aside and stood at the door.
"There is no reason. If the prince really wants to hear it, just tell her that I feel a little tired and it is time to let him go. If you feel it is not the right time after a few days, just let him come back." Princess Le'an pushed the steward back with her delicate white hand, and her lazy voice echoed inside the mansion gate. Her hair was tied up sideways, and there was a young man supporting her. Si Li recognized that the person accompanying her was one of the people she had seen in Guangji Temple before.
Princess Le'an leaned on the young man with a half-smile, yawned, and patted Hulu's chest. "I just liked him because he was good-looking. Why would I need a reason?"
Hulu's face flushed from being teased, and he took a step back, clasped his fists and bowed to leave. Si Li met the gaze of Princess Le'an who was looking over at her. The beautiful middle-aged woman tilted her head, hooked the young man's face and turned to Si Li, "Miss Si, if you want someone, that's fine too."
Si Li couldn't stand this man's evil behavior. If she continued to talk, Jiang Hengyun would not let her sleep at night. Although she couldn't do much, it was bad for her health to have too much anger in her heart. She said goodbye and left in a hurry, while Princess Ren Le'an was laughing behind her.
It is said that when Du Wenshan was arrested at Qianlai Inn, he was still describing poetry for Princess Le'an with the students who came to ask for advice, "The princess has an impatient temper, she will be fine after a few days", but everyone in the capital could see clearly that the princess's mansion was full of revelry every night, and the name of Du Yibin would probably no longer be used.
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The author has something to say:
Taotao's name comes from the Book of Songs.
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Princess Le'an is really lucky. She is good at avoiding disasters and misfortunes. She acts willfully all year round and is rich and extravagant. I originally wanted to write a line, but in the end I didn't find a suitable place to write it, hahahaha.
Princess Le'an: "Du Xuan is my child. As for who his father is, is it that important?" Du Wenshan is just a good-looking tool who is favored by others.
I kind of want to write a lucky princess rich flower 2333