Chapter 278: Consecration
The notification from the Ministry of Rites regarding the imperial examinations and the Imperial College's recruitment of students and the imperial edict to Daxingzhuang arrived almost at the same time.
Shen Lie, Shen Ancai, Wei Qinghe, Wang Yunzheng and other classmates saw the specific progress plan of the court on the future of the first batch of students in Daqi at school, and someone came to inform them to return home immediately.
"Someone from your village came to tell you that an angel has arrived at Daxing Village, and asked you two brothers to return immediately."
The state school was in uproar. There was no need to ask who the imperial edict was for. Chen Lie's wife, Sang Xiangjun, received more imperial edicts than the officials of Shezhou. In just one year, she was awarded land and memorial archways, and then she was conferred the title of Xiangjun. Now there was another imperial edict?
Someone asked several students from Daxingzhuang what Sang Luo was doing.
The imperial edict had arrived, so there was no need to hide it any longer. Wei Qinghe and the others who knew the truth told the truth. Everyone was stunned. Someone swallowed his saliva and said, "Shouldn't this confer the title of county lady?"
It was the lunch break, and they were all eager to take action, looking at the teaching assistants who were reading the notice with them in front of the wall.
The teaching assistants were curious too! They looked at each other and said, "Let's go and take a look together."
Well, this time not only Shen Lie and Shen An went back, but all the teachers and students in the provincial school followed them.
As soon as I left the gate of Shezhou City, I saw a lot of people heading towards Daxing Village from afar. Judging from their clothes, they were villagers from nearby.
When they entered Daxing Manor, the Shen family's courtyard was already crowded with people, but no one was trying to squeeze into the yard. Chen Lie was still wondering why everyone was so self-conscious. Chen Dashan and Zhou Dalang also whispered to him outside, "In addition to the angels, there are also several high-ranking officials from the capital. Except for my grandmother and a few familiar aunts in the manor who were helping to set up the incense table and brew tea, we didn't dare to squeeze in for fear of bumping into them."
This is the reason why so many villagers crowded outside and did not step into the Shen family’s gate. At this time, the people really had a natural awe of officials.
Several teaching assistants and a group of students in the provincial school were very much looking forward to becoming officials in the capital. After all, they studied for the imperial examination in order to change their status and become an official one day. They were bolder than ordinary villagers and followed him into the first courtyard. However, they only stopped at the gate of the second courtyard. They vaguely saw that in addition to their governor, there was also a high-ranking eunuch from the palace in the Shen family hall, as well as one official in a red robe and two officials in a green robe. They identified the pattern of the official's uniform and realized that he was of the fourth rank, so they did not dare to go in any further.
At the end of February in the fifth year of Wuding, Daxing Manor welcomed the angel for the third time. When Chen Lie met him, he found that he could barely be considered an acquaintance. It was Cen Xi, who came to Daxing Manor for the first time to announce the imperial decree.
Of course, at that time Chen Lie did not know Cen Xi's name, let alone that he was the most useful eunuch around the emperor. He just remembered that he had been here, so the two brothers bowed to greet him.
Zeng Ziqian now had a special relationship with Shen Lie, so he specially helped to introduce him. When he heard that Cen Xi was the chief eunuch of the imperial palace, his heart almost skipped a beat, and he greeted him again.
However, Cen Xi did not have the airs of a chief eunuch at all. Without even bending down, the two brothers went forward to help the man up, with a smile on his face that was as warm as a spring breeze.
When the Shaoqing and the Cheng of Sinong Temple were introduced later, the two brothers greeted each other again. Looking at Cen Xi's attitude and thinking about the person who would be canonized as the Princess of Yunyang soon, who would dare to act like an official? They were all very polite.
…
The Shen family had packed up, Sang Luo had been dressed up according to her rank, the incense table was ready, and even Ayao and Qianbao, who were just a few days away from turning six months old, were coaxed into being well behaved and brought out. Only then did Cen Xi announce the decree.
The Shen family is now quite familiar with the job of receiving imperial edicts, and they have guessed that the emperor's reward will not be light. However, when they heard that she was canonized as a fourth-rank county lady, the family was still stunned.
Some of the assistant teachers and state school students who were watching at the second entrance to the courtyard gasped, and some even exclaimed softly, saying in a very low voice: "She actually skipped the title of county lady and was promoted to county lady, and she is a fourth-rank county lady with a title."
Rather than from the fourth rank.
Cen Xi's decree was still going on: "The actual fief is 300, and the annual salary is 60 taels of silver and 60 hu of rice. A county lady's mansion is granted, and a 500-acre farm is awarded in the suburbs of Beijing, two fine horses, six boxes of oriental pearls, six boxes of gold, silver and bean leaves, and two pairs of Ruyi longevity locks..."
Others didn't know that Zeng Ziqian, who was listening with his eyes downcast, was talking about a small size, easy to carry, and could be packed up and left...
Sure enough, after the autumn examination in Shezhou, the whole family went to the capital as tribute.
No one in the Shen family thought it was too strange whether it was the title of a county lady or the numerous rewards. However, when they heard the last sentence, they all looked up in surprise.
Cen Xi finished reading the imperial edict with a smile, then stepped forward and motioned Sang Luo to accept the order.
After Sang Luo received the order, she smiled and said to Sang Luo and Chen Lie, "The princess has made great achievements in farming. His Majesty hopes that the princess can come to the capital as soon as possible. He thought that the young lady and the young master are too young to travel, so he set the date after the autumn examination. The princess's mansion in the capital will be ready, and the princess and her family only need to pack their belongings and go to the capital."
Then he looked at Chen Lie and Shen An and said, "I heard from Lord Zeng that you two are studying in the provincial school now. After the emperor knew about it, he granted two places for the county princess's mansion to enter the Imperial College, not limited to the sons of the emperor. But..."
When he said this, he looked at Chen Lie again and suggested with a smile: "Mr. Shen, why don't you try the imperial examination this autumn?"
Chen Lie bowed and said, "My brother and I just saw the notice issued by the Ministry of Rites before we returned from the provincial school, and we are preparing to take the autumn examination."
Chen Lie was telling the truth. He had no idea that Zeng Ziqian and the emperor had a three-year plan for him. Sang Luo had made great achievements time and time again, and his title was getting higher and higher. Chen Lie himself was actually under a lot of pressure. He had also studied very hard over the past year or so. When he saw the notice issued by the Ministry of Rites today, he had already made up his mind to give it a try.
Cen Xi smiled even more: "That's great, very good!"
Then he turned to Sang Luo and Shen Lie and said, "Please take us to the farmland and the fields of the surrounding villagers."
I plant two crops a year, so I always have to see them with my own eyes and visit various places.
How could Sang Luo refuse? She asked Cen Xi and the others to wait for a while, and put away the imperial edict, the ladies' formal dresses and all the imperial gifts. Then she went out together with Shen Lie and Zeng Ziqian, the local official.
It was the first time that the villagers who were watching outside saw Sang Luo dressed up according to her rank and walking with a group of officials. They all made way to the sides, and many people followed behind them at a short distance.
At the Shen family's side, Mrs. Chen and her group of people who were listening to the imperial edict in the yard were dumbfounded.
The country women did not have a clear understanding of how big the difference was between a county lady and a county lady. They had admired the county lady's mansion before, but before they even moved in, it was changed to a county lady's mansion. As for the gold beans and gold leaves, they didn't pay much attention to it. They only remembered one sentence the most.
Sang Luo is going to Beijing.
Chen An, Chen Ning, and Shen Jin were still at home taking care of the two children and entertaining a group of young eunuchs. Mrs. Chen subconsciously pulled Chen An, who was still in the courtyard, and said, "Xiao An, what is the Autumn Examination? Did the imperial edict just now say that your family will go to the capital after the Autumn Examination?"
Shen An's heart was a little complicated, and he nodded and said, "Yes, Qiuwei means the imperial examination held in autumn, which will be in August this year."
Mrs. Chen, Mrs. Gan, Gan Erlang's wife, Feng Liuniang, and Zhou Cunzheng's wife were all a little dumbfounded.
She was happy for the future of the Shen family, but she also realized that Sang Luo, who had always led them away, was going to leave them, leave Daxingzhuang, and leave Shezhou. She was at a loss for how to react.
Chen Youtian pulled his mother and said, "Mom, this is a good thing."
"Of course it's a good thing." Mrs. Chen nodded. She sighed, "I just didn't expect it to be so fast."
In fact, ever since Sang Luo asked Shen Lie and Shen An to go to school, Mrs. Chen knew that the Shen family would leave Daxingzhuang one day, but she didn't expect it to be so soon.
Isn’t it fast?
Over the years, Chen Lie and Sang Luo had become the backbone of every family in Daxing Village. Now, when they heard that they would be gone in half a year, every family felt as if their backbone had been taken away. How could they not be stunned?
Chen Xiaoya, Xu Wenyin and Shi Qiaoer, who had been in the yard, looked at each other in silence.
On the other side, Shen Yin and Shen Tie, who were responsible for coaxing their little nephews and nieces, couldn't help feeling a little worried when they heard that their eldest brother and his wife's family were going to Beijing.
Wei Qinghe, Wang Yunzheng, Chen Dashan and Xu Wenqing were better. Wei Qinghe knew that he also had to go to Chang'an for the imperial examination. If he passed, he might not be able to stay in the capital, but he would probably not stay in Shezhou for long.
Chen Dashan comforted his grandmother, "Why are you worried? I've been negotiating to expand my distribution point to the north. I'm worried that I'll have to travel too far in a few months. Meat jerky and meat floss won't last long, so I can only sell vermicelli and fermented bean curd. Isn't it just right for Chen Lie and his men to go to Beijing? I can open a shop in Beijing, and I won't have to worry about the business in the north. I don't have to feel bad about only selling vermicelli and fermented bean curd. Maybe I can go to the County Lord's Mansion to eat and drink for a few days in a month or two."
This made Mrs. Chen laugh, and she patted Chen Dashan on the arm: "You are so mischievous."
That's true, but it's also true that my mood improved instantly.
Chen Dashan's words also cheered up the faces of several other families.
Yes, they are still working for A'Luo, doing business. Since their business has reached the capital, doesn't that mean they have to go to the capital more often?
As long as we can see each other often and hear from each other often, that's great.
The atmosphere became better, and Shen Yin and Shen Tie seemed less uneasy. Xu Wenyin thought about asking her two brothers to study hard, maybe one day she would be able to go to Chang'an. In short, they all had this idea.
…
It was nearly an hour later that Cen Xi and several officials from the capital returned. Sang Luo and Shen Lie accompanied them on another trip and sent them to the post house in the city.
The posthouse was not far from the governor's mansion, so Zeng Ziqian simply invited Chen Lie and his wife to sit in his mansion.
Sang Luo guessed that Zeng Ziqian had something to say, and she herself hadn't seen Concubine Fan for a while, so she went into the governor's mansion together with him.
Zeng Ziqian did have something to say, and he probably informed Sang Luo about what he had said in the court that day. That's when he asked Xiaofeng, who was waiting outside, to take him to Concubine Fan.
As soon as Sang Luo left, Zeng Ziqian and Shen Lie talked alone.
"This time when I came to the capital, His Majesty asked me to talk alone after the court meeting. He granted two places for the county princess's mansion to enter the Imperial College. You just heard from Eunuch Cen that it is not limited to the sons of the emperor. This is considered a special case."
"After entering the Imperial College, it will be much easier to have a good family background in the future than taking the imperial examination, but..."
He paused here.
Before Zeng Ziqian could finish his words, Chen Lie had already shaken his head: "Xiao An can be used, but it would be best for me to take part in the provincial examination in August, and then go to Beijing for the next spring examination, and really rely on myself to pass the exam."
Zeng Ziqian laughed when he heard this: "I was overthinking."
Shen Lie is smart enough and sober enough.
Chen Lie bowed solemnly and said, "I have a poor foundation. I am so shameless to ask for your help. I am afraid that I will have to go to the state government office every five or six days in the future."
Zeng Ziqian smiled and patted his arm: "Don't wait a few days. Come here every day after school and go back before the city gates close."
Sang Luo is too outstanding, so outstanding that she can lead the Shen brothers to success by herself. However, a person who is led to success like this will not be valued too much by the emperor, and can only be a shadow-like existence.
It's fine since Shen An is still young, and he will have a great chance to make a name for himself after entering the Imperial College. But it's not the same for Shen Lie. Before he even entered the officialdom, he has already been deeply branded as the 'husband of the Lady of Yunyang County'. If he really uses the quota given by the emperor to enter the Imperial College and then seek an official position, he will hardly be reused in the future.
On the contrary, if a farmer's son, who only has one and a half years to study seriously, can pass the exam based on his own ability, the emperor will naturally look upon him with much higher regard.
In the first imperial examination, children of nobles and officials went to the Imperial Academy, while the real competitors were a very small number of children from small aristocratic families, commoners, and civilians who had not entered officialdom. Needless to say, the children from aristocratic families and commoners received poor education since childhood, while the commoners were far inferior in terms of strength or connections, so it was extremely difficult for them to pass the exam.
But Sang Luo's reputation in the court also has another advantage at this time. As long as Chen Lie has enough knowledge and hard skills, the examiners will not dare to look at his family background and directly eliminate him.
Therefore, for Chen Lie, this early trip to the capital was both a challenge and an opportunity. It was a chance for the emperor and the officials in the court to at least recognize him as a person, rather than just seeing him as Sang Luo's shadow and only seeing whether he could do it himself.
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