Don't go back to hometown

After the Luming Banquet, the selection exam for the Imperial College was held as scheduled.

The Guozijian in the capital almost only recruits the children of officials and eunuchs, and only a few places are provided to the top six candidates in each province and each township examination.Jinling Guozijian is more open to children from poor families, as long as they pass the selection examination, all can enroll.After a certain number of years of studying in the Imperial College, you can seek official positions through recommendation.

Duan Shuwen was elected to the Imperial Academy five years ago. If he fails to win next year, he can only get a letter of recommendation to seek an official position, and he cannot continue his studies.

There is still a period of time between the selection exam and the start of class teaching. Xie Cheng, who was exempted from the exam, plans to go back to Yangzhou with Jiang Xianyu and Jiang Baizhou.Duan Shuwen asked the Imperial Academy for leave and went with them.

On the day Jiang Baizhou arranged for the passenger ship, Xie Cheng received another invitation from the governor.

The current governor, Fang Zhizhou, is nearly fifty years old. He was sent to the south of the Yangtze River from outside the capital, and he will return to Beijing in the future.

In his previous life, Xie Cheng couldn't figure out why Fang Zhizhou, as a close minister of the emperor, would join the Nine Kings who seemed to have no chance of winning.It was only later that I found out that the Nine Kings, who seemed to be hidden from their mother clan, were actually Fang Zhizhou's grandson.

Fang Zhizhou lost a daughter when he was young.The girl wandered to the southeast and was adopted by a small official. She was raised until seventeen and sent to the palace to be a maid. Unable to recognize his biological father.

In fact, Fang Zhizhou had long suspected that the low-ranking lady was his lost daughter, but due to the situation, he did not dare to recognize her.After she died with regret and regret, she poured her fatherly heart into Jiu Wang and tried her best to plan for him.

It is true that he has selfish intentions, but like the Nine Kings, he loves the people and cherishes talents, is far-sighted, and has the talents of a wise monarch and virtuous minister.

In his previous life, Xie Cheng also made many considerations before choosing to join the Nine Kings.

This time Fang Zhizhou made an appointment with Xie Cheng, and he still spoke beautifully when he wooed him.

"I have read your examination paper carefully. The language is sharp and penetrating. It coincides with His Majesty's idea of ​​promoting business and enriching the country. Although you are only a candidate now, you will take the exam next year and you can win the top spot."

Fang Zhizhou stroked his beard, and the old god was there, "But you also know that although this dynasty does not prohibit children from merchants from taking the imperial examinations, officials from merchants are still excluded by aristocratic families in the court. Your Majesty wants to reuse them to prosper the country through business. , and there are many obstacles.”

"That's why Your Majesty sent me to the rich and prosperous south of the Yangtze River to select talents." He glanced at Xie Cheng with a serious tone, "The people your Majesty wants must not only have the talents to prosper business and enrich the country, but also have the heart and soul." The world, taking into account the overall situation, can not only bear the burden of humiliation, but also be a sharp blade that destroys the old and the ugly."

Xie Cheng had heard these words once in his previous life, and he had also received similar hints on the day of the Luming Banquet. Now he looked humble and calm, and said with downcast eyes: "Such a talent is probably rare."

It is necessary to be able to make money in business, but also to be able to prosper the country and rejuvenate the world. It is also necessary to be a target for criticism, and it is even more important to be a sharp knife to cut wherever you point.

The point is, on the surface, you want to be His Majesty's sharp knife, but behind your back, you want to be the dark chess of the Nine Kings.

It is very humanly possible.

Fang Zhizhou sighed: "You clearly understand what I mean, so why are you so self-effacing? If I didn't like your ability, why would I call you here alone?"

Fang Zhizhou really cherishes talents, appreciates Xie Cheng's appreciation, and wants to win the Xie family's financial support for the Nine Kings.It's just that you love me willingly and sincerely surrender, it's better than coercion and temptation, self-defeating.So when he recruited Xie Cheng, he also showed [-] points of sincerity.

"This..." Xie Cheng got up from the chair, bowed his hands, "I am a junior, I am afraid that it will be difficult for me to take on this important task, and I will fail the trust and appreciation of the governor."

Fang Zhizhou could hear the looseness in his words, and praised: "I can't misjudge people. Among the young people today, there are few people who are as calm and humble as you, who have a certain amount of advance and retreat, and are not eager for quick success. I just said The ones mentioned above do not require you to do it now. Your top priority is to prepare for the exam, and you must not bury the talent of the champion."

He patted the stack of books in his hand, "I have a few old books here, and there are notes on them that I studied with all my heart. It must be helpful for you to take the exam."

Xie Cheng poured a cup of tea, bowed and handed it to Fang Zhizhou: "Thanks to the teacher's love, the students will definitely go all out."

Accepting the book is considered to have accepted the other party's instructions, and calling the other party a teacher, it is counted as belonging to Fang Zhizhou's sect.

Fang Zhizhou took the tea with satisfaction, smiled and said to him: "Sit down, this tea is a gift from His Majesty, it is rare."

Xie Cheng knew that he still had something to say, so he sat down as he said, holding a teacup to listen to what he had to say.

Sure enough, Fang Zhizhou asked: "That day at the Luming Banquet, the kid you brought was invited by the nobleman to stay in the garden for a day, do you know about that?"

Xie Cheng knew that the other party was testing whether he had already connected with Prince Rui, so he said truthfully: "Student knows. It just happened to be a coincidence. A while ago, my friend and I visited Qinhuai at night, and happened to meet a rich girl who was entangled by someone. The friend then helped the girl. Who would have thought that the other party was actually a relative of the emperor, it was really surprising."

Fang Zhizhou observed his expression calmly, seeing that his words did not seem to be fake, he said: "So that's the case, that girl is the jewel in Prince Rui's palm, you helped her, and Prince Rui will also accept your love."

"Don't dare." Xie Cheng hurriedly said, "How dare you claim credit in front of Prince Rui for such a trivial matter? It's just that the princess likes to make friends, so she pestered my friend to take her to Yangzhou."

"Oh?" Fang Zhizhou narrowed his eyes, "Your friend, I'm afraid he doesn't know his life experience?"

Xie Cheng was startled when he heard this, "Birth experience?"

"Twenty years ago, the commander of the Tianxin Mansion sent Jiang Weifeng to poison and murder Emperor Mingren. His whole family was imprisoned and all his families were executed. However, there are rumors that some descendants of the Jiang family escaped from birth and retired to the world." Fang Zhizhou said, " If that friend of yours knows about his own background, he should know to stay away from the royal family."

Xie Cheng got up suddenly, with a horrified look on his face: "Teacher, what is the meaning of this? Xiao Yu and Jiang Weifeng... how could it be related?"

Fang Zhizhou reassured: "Don't be so alarmed. The Jiang family is innocent. Many people in the court know well that the descendants of the Jiang family escaped smoothly because of the help of the power in the court. But this case is related to the royal family after all. Unforgivable."

After the last sentence, he lowered his voice.

"Besides, there are rumors now that they took part of the forces of the Tianxin Mansion to go back to hiding, and their strengths should not be underestimated..."

Fang Zhizhou looked at Xie Cheng with a solemn expression, "Now that their family has been targeted, if you make friends with him and worship his father as a teacher, I'm afraid you will suffer."

Xie Cheng was stunned, his face was pale, he was silent for a while, and said in a difficult tone: "Teacher, a teacher for one day is a father for life. The master taught me martial arts and treats me with sincerity. If someone harms him, the student can't sit idly by."

He bowed his hands to Fang Zhizhou, his expression became resolute: "I also ask the teacher to give me some advice."

Fang Zhizhou looked at him and sighed helplessly, "It's rare that you have the heart, but this matter is really difficult to handle. After all, it was a crime convicted by the superiors. It is not easy to rehabilitate..."

He stroked his beard and frowned, and after pondering for a moment, he gave Xie Cheng an idea, "If there is anyone in the royal family who is facing the Jiang family, I am afraid that the prince is the only one."

……

Accompanying Fang Zhizhou to play a play, it was almost midnight when Xie Cheng returned to his residence, and Jiang Xianyu had already dozed off by the head of the bed in his room.

When he heard the movement, he opened his eyes in a daze, looked at Xie Cheng, and muttered vaguely: "You're back?"

"Yeah." Xie Cheng touched his face, "You continue to sleep, I'll go wash up."

Jiang Xianyu forced himself to wait for him to wash up, and then went to his side: "How is it? Is the deal settled?"

"Well, it's almost the same as the previous life." Xie Cheng took him to lie down, and told him what Fang Zhizhou had said.

Jiang Xianyu lay next to him and yawned: "Aren't you tired of talking like this? It's all twists and turns."

Xie Cheng bent his lips and touched his face, "Just listen to it, don't worry about it."

"That won't work." Jiang Xianyu hugged his arm, "I want to learn too, and learn to be smart."

Xie Cheng smiled, and told him what happened next.

"Are you asking him to help find Brother Duan's father?" Jiang Xianyu suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Xie Cheng.

"Yes." Xie Chengdao, "I heard that Uncle Duan was an official in the capital more than 20 years ago, but he was unsuccessful and was demoted one after another. After returning to Yangzhou, he died in depression, leaving Aunt Duan and brother-in-law to depend on each other. But I always feel that Aunt Duan Treating brother-in-law is really not close."

Xie Cheng told Jiang Xianyu about Duan Shuwen's death from illness and the grievances suffered by his sister in the previous life.

Jiang Xianyu had heard about these Jiang Xianyu after his death in the previous life, and Xie Cheng also picked up the important ones at the moment, the more he listened, the more he agreed with Xie Cheng's suspicion - Aunt Duan might be a stepmother.

Jiang Xianyu said: "If you can confirm your guess, things will be much easier."

Otherwise, brother Duan will be burdened with the grace of life and grace, and if he accuses Aunt Duan of treating him badly, he will be stabbed in the back.

"Well, there will be news in half a month at most."

Jiang Xianyu nodded, pulled up the quilt to cover each other, "Then shall we go back to Yangzhou tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Xie Cheng kissed his forehead, "Let's go home."