Just like a knight wandering around the world!

Shen Qianchen raised his hand to touch the stubble on his face, and smiled even more happily because of the prickly feeling under his fingers.

Before meeting Gu Jue, Shen Qianchen was very worried, fearing that Gu Jue had been too tired during the past three days, especially when he saw those frail candidates coming out of the examination room with haggard and listless faces, as if they had suffered a serious illness.

Unexpectedly, Gu Jue was in such good spirits. Compared with the haggard candidates around him, he looked like heaven and earth different, as if he was just visiting.

very nice!

Shen Qianchen's eyes sparkled brightly, and he was completely relieved.

The corpse poison in Gu Jue's body has been cleared, and his health is gradually getting better. From today's perspective, although his physical condition has not reached his former peak, it is far better than these weak scholars.

Shen Qianchen also asked the same question as everyone else: "How did you do in the exam?"

As they talked, the two walked towards a carriage parked not far away.

Gu Jue teased, "Although there are still two exams left, I think even if you can't get the top spot, it should be no problem for me to earn you an imperial decree."

In fact, Gu Jue just made this joke in response to Shen Qianchen's words last night that he hoped he would win the top prize. To put it bluntly, it is just the joy of painting eyebrows, which is nothing more than the boudoir happiness of couples.

Shen Qianchen was amused by Gu Jue again.

They were just joking, but to others it sounded a bit harsh and too frivolous.

A few steps away, a young candidate wearing a straight robe and a turban brushed his sleeves disapprovingly and said to another middle-aged candidate carrying an examination basket, "Arrogant!"

These two words were directed at Gu Jue, and he was obviously not afraid of being heard by Gu Jue, as he did not lower his voice at all.

He really believed so. All the candidates participating in the joint examination today were Juren. Those who could pass the county examination and provincial examination and stand out as Juren were already one in ten thousand. Every Juren was a person of great talent and wisdom, and well-read. However, even the champion of the autumn examination last year could not guarantee that he would definitely pass the imperial examination.

There are too many factors that affect the results of the joint examination, including the form of the test questions, the candidates' ability to perform on the spot, the examiner's preferences, the number of people admitted to this subject, etc.

Even if a person has read the Four Books and Five Classics thoroughly and is very talented, he may not necessarily pass the imperial examination. For example, Wen Jinlin, the prime minister fifty years ago, passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty. His literary talent was well-known in the Great Qi at that time. However, in the following twenty years, Wen Jinlin went to Beijing to take the examinations again and again, but was never on the list. It was not until he was forty-four years old that he won the first place in the imperial examination.

This shows how difficult it is to pass the imperial examination.

Gu Jue was neither happy nor angry, he looked over with a cold gaze in the direction of the voice. Just at this moment, the examinee who had just passed the imperial examination came out of the Imperial Examination Hall late with his examination basket, and he also heard this conversation.

"Brother Wang, Brother He!" Xuan Juren walked quickly to the two candidates, fearing that they would say something inappropriate again, and quickly changed the subject, "Brother Wang, how do you feel about the first round?"

"Brother Xuan!" The two men's attention was diverted and focused on Xuan Juren.

Mr. Wang, who was carrying the examination basket, said worriedly, "This year's examination questions are not easy."

The three of them were discussing the first test questions and walking away.

Gu Jue and Shen Qianchen walked to the side of the carriage and smiled at each other.

Thinking of Gu Jue being called arrogant, Shen Qianchen just found it funny, and she was still laughing until she got on the carriage.

"Arrogant!" She said in the tone of the man just now, but the same two words had a different meaning when she said it. Her voice was soft and delicate, not like a scolding, but more like a coquettish tone.

She was not angry about others saying that Gu Jue was arrogant, because Gu Jue was an arrogant and ostentatious person, and more importantly, he had the capital to do so.

Arrogance with capital is self-confidence, while arrogance without any self-awareness is arrogance.

Seeing her laughing happily alone, Gu Jue also smiled with a tender look in his eyes, and leaned over to kiss the corner of her lips.

His stubble pricked her and she giggled even more. She pushed his shoulder with her hand and said in disgust, "It's so prickly! Let's go back and I'll shave you."

"No rush." ​​Gu Jue shook his head, "Let's go find some trouble first and then go back to the palace."

Shen Qianchen was confused, but from his tone he could tell there was going to be something interesting to watch.

Gu Jue lifted the curtain on one side of the carriage and casually clapped his hands twice. Then, a young secret guard in green shorts appeared beside the carriage.

Gu Jue whispered something to the secret guard, who clasped his fists in response and disappeared again.

The carriage quickly set off. At first, because there were so many people in the Gongyuan area, the speed was extremely slow, even slower than pedestrians. After passing a street, it started to move faster and faster.

After driving through five or six streets, the carriage stopped outside a tavern called "Lee's Tavern".

When Gu Jue and Shen Qianchen got off the carriage, four secret guards dressed as servants also arrived. They all saluted Gu Jue and looked as if they would keep away from strangers.

Although this pub is not very big, it has quite a few customers. About 70 to 80 percent of the seats in the lobby are occupied with people drinking and eating.

Gu Jue and Shen Qianchen walked into the lobby, and four secret guards stayed outside waiting.

The waiter came up to them, swinging a long rag, with an overly attentive smile on his face: "Sir, Madam, please come in, would you like a private seat?"

Gu Jue didn't say anything, but looked around the lobby.

Shen Qianchen said to the waiter with a smile: "No need, brother. We are here to cause trouble." She looked very interested in watching the fun.

Trouble? The waiter was a little confused and didn't react for a while.

The drinkers in the lobby gradually noticed the movement at the door, and more and more people looked towards Gu Jue and Shen Qianchen at the door, including a middle-aged man with a short beard and a slightly hunched back.

The middle-aged man was just taking a casual look at first, but when he saw the person, he felt that he was familiar. He was stunned for a moment, so he took a few more glances and soon remembered: Isn't this that Yin Jiuxia? !

The middle-aged man looked back and forth between Gu Jue and Shen Qianchen. The young couple was really eye-catching. The man was obviously a child of a wealthy family. Such looks and bearing were not something that ordinary people could produce. His wife was also very beautiful, with noble and elegant manners.

The middle-aged man immediately realized that it was definitely not a coincidence that the other party came here, and he was probably coming for him!

really--

Gu Jue walked towards the middle-aged man with a clear goal, quickly picked up a teacup from the table, and poured it on the man's face without saying a word.

The tea and tea leaves were poured onto the middle-aged man's head and face. Clumps of tea leaves stuck to the ends of his hair. The orange-yellow tea dripped down, wetting a large area of ​​his front, making him look as miserable as a drowned chicken.

"Looking for trouble?" Gu Jue raised his sword-like eyebrows, "He sold me fake test questions, so I can't come and 'look for trouble'?"

The middle-aged man who was selling the test questions suddenly changed his expression. He also remembered that this person had bought the test questions from him. Later, the test questions were temporarily changed. He had also tried to contact those people who bought the test questions, hoping to make it a good start and a good end. In this way, when the next year's examination comes, maybe the other party can introduce him to other buyers.

However, he did not know the addresses of all the buyers, and there were several people he could not contact, and "Yin Jiuxia" was one of them.

The middle-aged man hurriedly said to the bearded man, "It's just a misunderstanding. I'll just clarify it with this young master."

He whispered a few more words, and the bearded man walked away and sat down at another table in the corner of the lobby.

Then, the middle-aged man stood up, bowed to Gu Jue, and said with an apologetic smile: "Mr. Yin, I am not a liar. I have been in the capital for more than 30 years. Everyone knows that I am honest. There was a 'mistake' in this matter. I will return the money to you."

Old Yu just wants to keep things quiet.

Gu Jue didn't want him to get his wish, so he said flatly, "No."

"I prepared according to the questions you gave me. I wasted the past month. Now I didn't do well in the first exam. What's the point of you returning the money to me? Do I look like someone who is short of three thousand taels?"

Of course not.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Old Yu was a man with a keen eye. Looking at the white jade pendants and ruby ​​headdresses worn by the couple, he knew that they were not short of money.

Not to mention a mere three thousand taels, even if it was ten times more, the other party probably wouldn't even blink an eye as long as the test questions were true.

Old Yu was also having a headache, and tried to reason with him: "Mr. Yin, the Ministry of Rites suddenly changed the exam questions the day before yesterday. It was too sudden and I couldn't have predicted it. I can't find you, and I can't inform you, right?"

It was not easy for him to notify most of the buyers in just one day.

Gu Jue sneered without being moved: "I only look at the results, not the reasons."

Now, Old Yu was also annoyed.

He thought he had a good temper, apologized, and was willing to pay back the money. What else did this man want? "So what are you going to do?" He frowned and pointed to the door of the tavern. "If you don't want the money, get out now."

"Master Yin, I know your name and place of origin. If you continue to make trouble, I will spread the news that you bought the test papers. Then, not only will you lose your title of Juren, you will also never be able to take the imperial examination again in your lifetime!"

Throughout the dynasties, anyone involved in cheating in the imperial examinations, whether they were examiners or candidates, would have a bad ending. For example, in a cheating case thirty years ago, six first- and second-rank officials of the imperial court were involved in the case. All of them were ordered to be beheaded by the emperor. Thirty candidates were stripped of their honors and were never allowed to take the imperial examinations for life. This case shocked the whole country.

As the saying goes, porcelain should not be touched with rotten tiles.

Anyway, he is a rotten tile, and those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes.

Old Yu held his chin high and sneered arrogantly.

Gu Jue looked at Lao Yu quietly and didn't say anything for a long time.

Old Yu thought that the other party must be afraid, and he also believed that the other party would definitely give in. After all, this is the weak spot of students. Now "Yin Jiuxia" can only fail to pass the exam this time. Compared with not being able to pass the exam for life, the pros and cons are obvious, and any smart person will understand.

"Master Yin," Old Yu softened his tone again and said earnestly, "There will be an imperial examination next spring. It's only half a year away. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"You are still young, in your early twenties, and you have plenty of time. You can just stay in the capital for another half a year until the spring special examination. I will only charge you half the money... You can stay here this time, and if there are any changes, I will notify you in time."

Lao Yu thought he had provided an option that was beneficial to both parties and thought he should be able to coax the person away, so he sat back down.

He took out a handkerchief and used it to wipe the tea off his body, hair and face, cursing the bad luck in his heart.

“Bang!”

The next moment, the table in front of him was completely overturned, and the drinks, dishes, fruits and snacks on the table all fell to the ground. The bowls, plates, pots and cups were smashed to pieces, leaving a mess on the ground.

The waiter and the other drinkers around, who had been paying attention to what was happening here, were all dumbfounded and speechless.

The bearded man in the corner of the lobby stood up suddenly, frowned, and took two steps towards this side, wanting to come over to argue with Gu Jue.

Shen Qianchen's eyes became brighter, as he experienced for the first time what it felt like to bully men and women.

Gu Jue's action of flipping the table seemed to be a signal. Then, the four secret guards waiting outside rushed in together and surrounded Old Yu in a well-trained manner.

The bearded man also saw this scene and hesitated to stop. Two fists cannot defeat four hands. This Yin guy clearly came prepared. Even if he went forward, he would not be able to get away with it.

Old Yu was dumbfounded as he had not expected that this young scholar would bring so many people with him.

This is the capital city. How dare this Bingzhou man make such a big fuss right under the emperor's feet? Isn't he afraid that someone will report it to the authorities? !

"Beat him." Gu Jue pointed at Lao Yu and ordered, "Dare to cheat me of my money, beat him!"

Shen Qianchen nodded vigorously. That's right, he deserved to be beaten.

The four secret guards took action immediately, and one of them kicked the bench under Lao Yu's butt.

With a "clatter", the bench fell to the ground, and Old Yu also fell to the ground with a scream, with one hand hitting the broken porcelain pieces.

The waiter was afraid that they would smash up their restaurant, so he hurried to try to stop the fight: "Sir, if you have something to say, please talk it over nicely..." The waiter thought that if they really wanted to fight, they could do it outside.

"We'll pay!" One of the secret guards threw a ten-liang silver ingot to the waiter, then looked around at the other drinkers present and said loudly, "We'll pay for everyone else's food today!"

The drinkers were disturbed and wanted to yell, but they shut up after hearing what he said. Some left immediately for fear of getting in trouble, while some people who were curious simply stayed and watched the show.

Several secret guards kicked Lao Yu left and right, leaving him with a broken fist and screaming in agony.

Old Yu could only hold his head and curl up his body to protect his vital parts. His hair and clothes were all messy, and he looked more miserable than a beggar.

While shouting and cursing, he winked at the bearded man in the corner, signaling him to go get help.

The bearded man understood what he meant, and quickly left the Li's Tavern with several other drinkers, and then ran away...

(End of this chapter)