Born of Worry

On the second day of September, King Jing Li Ling took up the post of Minister of the Ministry of Officials. Some people objected in the court, but he refuted it lightly and skillfully.

On the fifth day of September, the preliminary review of the examination questions for this year's imperial examinations and rural examinations is over. The list of candidates from all over the country will be compiled by the local government and handed over to the Ministry of Rites in succession.

This is the first time that Li Xian has held an imperial examination since he ascended the throne. Following the old imperial examination system, there is an examination every three years and every two years.

Because of this matter, Li Xian was really troubled. It is well known that the emperor hand-picked the No. [-] Scholar and No. [-] candidate at the end of the imperial examination, but Li Xian, a half-talented man with little knowledge, could not do such a thing. He discussed it with Li Ling for a long time. Finally, it was decided that Li Ling and Lin Xingzhi would make a comprehensive assessment, and after reaching a conclusion, Li Xian would go through the motions. It is very unkind to drag the eldest brother and the second brother into the water. The eldest brother supervises the martial arts, and the second brother supervises the literary examination.

It has to be said that after the incident of Zhao Zhao, a large number of officials were suspended for investigation, and some may be able to continue to be used after being demoted one level, but now, more than 120 officials in Weiyang, the capital of Emperor Guangdi, have been involved, and the lack of them in the early dynasty has reached 40. There were thirteen people, and the whole hall seemed quite empty. Although Li Xian didn't lose his temper, he obviously had a bad face.You must know that only officials of the fifth rank and above can go up to meet the emperor, and not all of them can come every day, and there are only three No. [-] people who are stable in the morning, and there are more than ten less at once. Can the emperor not be angry?The rest of these things have also been learned, and no one dares to touch his bad luck. Even the election of the new Minister of the Ministry of Officials is just a symbolic opposition.

Now there is a shortage of officials in the court, especially young officials, and there is an urgent need for fresh blood.Now the three No. 40 people who can stabilize the early dynasty have an average age of over 40 years old. Among the young people, apart from the left and right generals and a newly appointed Minister of the Ministry of Officials, there are only a few from the Ministry of Industry.It has to be said that these people are all rising stars. Ji Yuncheng, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, is two out of [-] this year; He You, Minister of Yu, is four out of twenty; Wang...Wang what Yu...Wang what Yu is coming...

Li Xian has no impression of that seemingly hard-to-remember character, but after all, people have "Yu" in their names, so they must be like Dayu, and the facts have proved that this Wang Heyu is really capable. The three generations are proficient in water conservancy, and they know the mountains and rivers everywhere, and they are also rare geniuses.

Other than that, there were no bright spots to be found in the court hall. Li Xian couldn't help but sigh. He looked at the obviously empty hall and sighed faintly.

His sigh made all the ministers feel as if they were on the verge of a formidable enemy, Mo Wen turned into a prototype and lay on his shoulder, opened one eye to look, and continued to doze off again.Li Xian tapped on the armrest of the dragon chair with his slender fingers, and said, "Minister of the Water Department."

"The minister is here."

"Well, your name is Wang..."

"My humble minister, Wang Chengyu."

"Oh, Lord Wang, how is the drought in the Huaihe River?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, the relief has been relieved, the food shipped in has been distributed, and the local granary is ready for the winter, but... I have something to say, I don't know if I should say it..."

Li Xian had a bad premonition, but said: "But it's okay to say."

"Yes. I recently went to the Huaihe River to investigate the drought situation. According to my father's experience with me... I believe that the drought in the Huai River may continue."

"Will it continue?"

"Your Majesty does not know that the Huai River has always had frequent disasters, droughts and floods, and there are more than a dozen times in historical records."

"This is difficult... is there a way to solve it?"

"Droughts and floods are beyond the control of the ministers. But rest assured, your majesty, the ministers will go to Lianghuai to pray for rain."

Li Xian nodded, "Ministry of Industry, I will leave this matter to you."

Ji Yuncheng took a step forward: "I obey the order."

After the morning court, Li Xian returned to his bedroom obviously unhappy. Mo Wen followed him in a human form, and heard him talking to himself: "Why can't I let me worry...Natural disasters and man-made disasters, man-made disasters are not over yet, Another natural disaster..."

"Xiao Xian," Mo Wen held him in his arms from behind, "don't think too much."

"I don't think too much, how can I not think too much... I don't think too much, but..."

"Okay," Mo Wen comforted him, "At this point, let's take one step at a time. There is no unparalleled road, don't you think so?"

"...That's the only way to go."

At this time, the little eunuch who delivered the letter ran in from outside the palace, knelt down and said, "His Majesty, His Royal Highness King Jing is begging to see you."

"Second brother? Let him in."

Li Xian hadn't realized that he was being hugged by that stupid dragon, and Mo Wen certainly didn't have the consciousness to let go of it. When Li Ling came in, he saw the "indecent" behavior of these two people, and couldn't help but frowned. , Said: "Hey, hey, what are you doing, you guys, how decent are you hugging and hugging in broad daylight."

Li Xian hurriedly pushed Mo Wen away, pretending to be calm: "Second brother, what do you want from me?"

Li Ling helped him sit down, and asked Mo: "I have something to say to His Majesty, please avoid it first."

Mo Wen glanced at him, showing an expression of "I don't care about listening", and went out.

"Second brother, what is the important matter, why are you so secretive... Xiao Mo is not an outsider, why can't he listen?"

"I said you boy, your elbows are really turning out more and more. Well, let's not talk about those who are there or not, I mainly want to tell you...well, you still remember Tao Wenting, Minister of the Ministry of Rites?"

"...The Minister of Rites?"

"It's Mr. Tao who you called 'pedantic' at the time."

"Is there such a thing... Oh, it seems to be true. Did I keep him from going to court for ten days? What's wrong with him?"

Li Ling smiled and said, "He, he is also quite interesting. Isn't it that the autumn exam is over recently? The spring exam next spring will be the responsibility of their etiquette department to write the questions. Since you said that he is pedantic that day, he has decided to change his past. No, I heard rumors that he asked to overthrow all the exam questions for next spring, and the people in the Ministry of Rites are really sad, I really don't know what kind of moth this Lord Shangshu is going to make."

"Overthrow it and reappear? He has a heart, but what about the syllabus? Has the syllabus changed?"

"Of course it has changed. It is said that he has overturned and rewritten the exam syllabus."

"Hey, actually, I don't know what the imperial examinations are for... In the opinion of the second brother, is it good or bad for him to do so?"

"I think it's pretty good." Li Ling smiled inscrutably, and shook the orchid fan in his hand, "Those scholars are thinking about the title of the gold list every day. Stupid, even if you really pass the exam, you may not be able to achieve anything. Now that Mr. Tao is doing this, I think they will be caught off guard, and they may really discover some good seedlings that are usually buried."

"...Second brother, aren't you just studying hard? Why does the eldest brother say you are poor and pedantic every day..."

As soon as he heard the word "big brother", Li Ling put his folding fan on the table and knocked twice, then raised the volume: "Don't listen to his nonsense! He is only pedantic, so he knows that dancing guns and clubs has no ink. Fortunately, he didn't become emperor, if he became emperor, wouldn't he turn the court into a martial arts conference?"

"..."

"Xiao Xian, let me tell you, your second brother, I have read a lot of books. I have dabbled in Confucianism, ink, law, Taoism and soldiers. The Sun Tzu's art of war that their generals read, I can memorize all the 36 strategies of wind, fire, forest and mountains, and those indivual……"

Li Xian couldn't help laughing, "Okay, second brother, don't be self-obsessed. Do you still want to say, such as astronomy and astrology, the trend of earth veins, and the way of governing the country and family, you are proficient in everything, right?"

"It's not enough to be proficient in everything, but at least..."

"Okay, okay, I know that the second brother is the best."

"...Well, by the way, Xiao Xian, in fact, the second brother is here, and there is one more thing I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"It's that... about the wedding..."

"Oh——" Li Xian dragged his voice for a long time on purpose, with an appearance of "I understand what's on your mind", "Second brother, you came here today to talk about this, right? Oh, then what are you going around?" Ah, just say it straight, we brothers both know it well, don't we?"

Li Ling blushed a little rarely, "You, you little Xian, why don't you give brother face so much."

"Second brother, tell me, how are you talking? Have you discussed it?"

"Ruoqing said that you will listen to me, but... I haven't thought about the specific time."

"For a wedding, of course you have to choose a good day...a good day? Hey, right, next month 26th, October 26th, two days ago my elder brother told me what a good day October 26th is, and asked me to ask his son A name for a blessing or something, I said wait until that day and ask him to remind me, how about, on that day, you and sister Ruoqing get married?"

"What?! Next month? No, no, no, time is too hasty, we haven't prepared anything yet... Besides, it will be winter next month, what kind of wedding is going to be held in such cold weather, no, let's talk about it in the spring of next year."

"Next year? Spring? Second brother, wake up quickly. Do you know how many things you will have in the spring next year? You will be supervised and selected for the spring test. Are you busy? Can you spare time for the wedding?"

Li Ling frowned: "You seem to be really...that's really difficult, but next month is too hasty..."

"No haste, no rush, today is only the eighth day of September, and there is still a month and a half left. I will order someone to take care of it in a while, and it will definitely be in time."

"But……"

"Don't worry about it, second brother, don't you still trust your brother and me? Leave this matter to Xiao Xian, okay?"

Li Ling looked at his very sincere eyes, his heart softened, and he said helplessly: "Everything is up to you, you little cunning, don't you just want Lin Shangshu to marry his granddaughter to me quickly, so that he can follow me?" Shall we step on the same boat to help you do things? With your little thought, you can still hide it from my second brother?"

"I can't hide it, but I didn't want to hide it at first." Li Xian rolled his eyes, "Anyway, you two are consensual, I will help you get married, and you help me get rid of Lin Laogu, it will be beneficial to both, so why not Why, you said yes, second brother?"

"Okay, okay, it's all your fault. By the way, Xiaoxian, there is one more thing. I just hired a famous chef two days ago. He can cook all kinds of cuisines. I am going to have a banquet for you tonight. We brothers Let's get together, what do you think?"

"Okay, of course, what about Dad and Sister Ning'er?"

"Father can't say, let's have fun, and Ning'er wants to accompany him. It's not a problem for us elders to ask her to come."

"Well, I just happen to have nothing to do today, um... shall I take Xiaomo?"

Li Ling raised his eyebrows, "It's up to you, anyway, your third brother dragged General Lin into the house."

"Third Brother is really...Whether Lin Ruxuan is willing to be with him or not...Then I'll go talk to Xiaomo and find you at your house at night."

"Okay, the second brother is waiting for you, we won't go home until we're drunk."