In October, Han Wenzheng entered the Imperial Academy.
At the opening ceremony, Li Yuncheng, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, personally attended.
I just wanted to see that boy from Jizhou who was not yet twenty.
Newly enrolled students of the Imperial Academy first performed the ritual of offering food to the hungry ghosts.
The ritual of offering vegetables is a way of worshipping the revered teacher Confucius.
This custom originates from the story of "Yan Hui releasing vegetables".
Legend has it that when Confucius was traveling through the states, he was once trapped between the states of Chen and Cai.
Every day, Yan Hui would pick a handful of wild vegetables, place them at the door of Confucius's residence, and bow in respect.
Therefore, later generations used the ritual of offering vegetables to commemorate their revered teacher Confucius, to express their inner respect and their aspiration to pursue learning.
The four common offerings used in folk customs are dates, chestnuts, turnips, and water celery.
When the Great Gan period arrived, the offerings for the vegetable offering ceremony held by the Imperial Academy became much more abundant.
There are not only vegetable and fruit soups, but also fish, rabbit, deer, and wine.
The Grand Master of Ceremonies is searching for Han Wenzheng among the masses.
He was found very quickly.
It's hard to not see it.
Because she is too beautiful.
Just by looking at that youthful face, you could tell that the child was no more than eighteen years old.
"Is this the one from Jizhou?"
The Imperial Academy scholar beside him nodded.
Li Jijiu was puzzled.
How did a child personally favored by the royal family end up in the Imperial Academy?
He should have gone to the Imperial Academy.
However, since the emperor hadn't made it clear and the person had already entered the Imperial Academy, he naturally wouldn't cause any more trouble.
When working for the emperor, the most important thing is not to talk too much.
Listen more, do more, and interrupt less.
The Imperial Academy in Daqian was a boarding school.
Han Wenzheng entered the Imperial Academy and usually lived and ate at the school, only returning home during the ten-day breaks.
With only He Youyou left in the courtyard, it felt rather deserted.
But how could she stay idle?
I go out into the streets whenever I have nothing to do.
That day, as she was strolling through the streets in her carriage, she was suddenly blocked by a large group of people.
He Youyou felt the carriage stop, lifted the curtain and asked the driver, "Why are you not moving?"
The coachman replied, "Madam, there are too many people watching the commotion ahead, blocking the entire road. Why don't we take a detour?"
Is it lively?
Then we definitely can't leave...
What's the point of going shopping?
It's all just for the sake of watching the excitement.
"Park on the side of the road, I'll go down and take a look for a while."
He Youyou jumped off the carriage and went to watch the excitement.
The place where people were watching the spectacle was in front of a gambling den.
The crowd was packed in layers, making it impossible to move.
He Youyou held a handful of copper coins and insisted on buying a way in.
Once inside, I saw that the crowd had created an open space.
There were people standing in the open space.
One acquaintance, and several strangers.
The acquaintance was dressed in a plain brocade robe, with a matching headscarf on his head.
Cheng Tingrui.
It turned out to be Master Cheng, who hadn't been heard from for several days.
Opposite Cheng Tingrui, several strangers, each with their own distinct personality, were quite interesting.
In the middle of the room, a middle-aged man had his clothes stripped off, leaving him only in a thin pair of trousers, and he was kneeling on the ground.
Describes a state of extreme misery.
It was freezing cold in October, and I got goosebumps all over.
There were also a few other people, each holding a baton, dressed in black short-sleeved shirts, who looked like they were from the gambling den.
They pressed down on the naked man's shoulders and back, making it impossible for him to lift his head.
The man was crying out in pain on the ground.
"Arui, Arui, please save me... They want to kill me..."
Cheng Tingrui, however, appeared extremely calm.
He smiled faintly: "Uncle, don't be afraid. Let me find out the reason first. Under the emperor's nose, I doubt these heroes would dare to resort to private torture."
The thugs from the gambling den shouted, "What's all the nonsense? As long as you obediently pay off your gambling debts, we'll release you immediately. If you don't pay your debts, you're not leaving today."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Tingrui clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and asked, "Gentlemen, may I ask how much gambling debt my uncle owes to your neighborhood?"
"I've been gambling since yesterday, and I've lost all my family's house and land. I still owe five thousand taels of silver."
"Tsk tsk." Cheng Tingrui put his hands behind his back, looking worried. "Uncle, this is putting me in a difficult position."
The man stretched out an arm, trying to grab his clothes: "Arui, you have to save your uncle..."
Cheng Tingrui squatted down: "It's not that I don't want to save you, but as you know, the Cheng family has very strict rules. Someone like me who goes out to do business doesn't even have much money to spare. Where do you expect me to get money to redeem you?"
The man called out again, "Arui, the shop has plenty of cash. As the owner of Shengyuanxiang, what's so difficult about you going to the shop counter to get some cash?"
Cheng Tingrui chuckled.
“Uncle, what are you saying? Shengyuanxiang is the Cheng family’s business, not my business, Cheng Tingrui’s. How can I take it as I please? If I take even a penny, the manager will report it to the clan head within an hour. If the clan head blames me and I get punished by the family law, wouldn’t I be wronged?”
"No, no, if my father knew you brought money to save me, he would never blame you!"
The naked man, Cheng Jichang, was the son of the Cheng clan chief.
Cheng Tingrui sighed.
"Alas, Uncle, it's not that I'm being overly cautious, it's just that I'm afraid the clan chief won't believe me... What if he doesn't believe I'm here to save you with money?"
The man said helplessly, "Okay, Arui, let's draw up a written agreement. With my signature and fingerprint, my father won't misunderstand you."
Cheng Tingrui frowned, looking quite troubled, and nodded reluctantly.
"If there's really no other way, then this is the only thing we can do."
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