Survival countdown

Some systems in Dajing are a bit like the early Northern Song Dynasty that Zhao Baiyu was familiar with. The imperial examination system was not perfect, there was no special examination room, and the office area of ​​the Ministry of Rites was temporarily set up as a tribute court. The phenomenon of cheating, this is the first appearance of the original novel's trickery.

The process was not described in detail. The nurse only said that a candidate who failed the exam sounded the Dengwen drum and reported that someone was selling questions in the market two days before the exam, which led to the largest imperial examination fraud case in the dynasty.

Of course, the focus is not on cheating in the imperial examinations, but in the subsequent establishment of prisons, killing cronies, and defeating the Qin Royal Party.

But Zhao Baiyu didn't know the details of the plot, had no clues, and the test had already started when he was in a coma, and the test questions had already been leaked, so there was no way to remedy it, so he could only wait for the plot to develop as scheduled.

However, he was very busy very quickly. The government office was supposed to manage the affairs of 21 counties in one prefecture, especially since Kyoto is the capital of the Dajing Kingdom, the center of politics, culture and economy at the foot of the emperor, and there is no room for negligence.

It so happened that I encountered a scientific examination at this time.

And because the former government was fatuous and immoral, and when the country was founded, a lot of waste was waiting for prosperity and the national treasury was empty, so they encouraged business and revived the economy, so business developed unprecedentedly vigorously.

The disadvantages brought about by it are the unsuitable market system, urban management model and related laws. For example, the market system is still open during the day and closed at night.

The system urgently needs to be reformed, but the supporting management model and urban security have not yet discussed a solution.

Furthermore, business prosperity is bound to be accompanied by problems such as fraud and collusion between officials and businessmen.

Cheating in broad daylight and shoddy goods happened frequently, and there were also cases of bribing officials in charge of the city in advance to escape accountability, being retaliated by victims, and stabbing to death in the street were not uncommon.

So from February to early April, Zhao Baiyu was so busy that his feet never touched the ground. If it weren't for the dowry from the county prince's mansion brought into Zhao's mansion, he might not have realized the passage of time.

The letter of appointment was put aside the case, and the wedding date was written on the eighth day of the sixth lunar month in small script with gilt hairpin flowers, and the name was written in cursive script on the place where it was signed.

"Huo Jingtang."

The name of Xiaojun Wang is tyrannical, but his handwriting is smooth, wild and uninhibited, he is free and easy, has his own rules, and is not like a person who acts without morality.But good-looking handwriting doesn't mean anything, most of them are good handwriting written by treacherous eunuchs.

"Fourth, oh no, Wulang, here is the list of betrothal gifts sent by the county prince's mansion. It has been counted and placed in the warehouse in the courtyard." Yan Bing took the red booklet and stared at the list of gifts: "Are you I haven’t seen any treasures with my own eyes. The five-foot-high red coral is carved into the shape of a lion. ...I've grown up so much, I haven't seen so many babies."

"Wu Lang, you said that this little county king sent priceless treasures, do you attach great importance to this marriage? Do you particularly like the one in the main courtyard?"

Yan Bing was really worried that after being deceived by the king of the small county, he would blame Zhao Baiyu.

Zhao Baiyu was dealing with official business, and he was surprised when he took time to look at the gift list, "The king of Xiaojun moved all his warehouses here?"

Yan Bing curled his lips: "I'm afraid it's just the tip of the iceberg." He brought the sugar water cooked by Madam Xiu and handed it to Zhao Baiyu, and said, "Our little county king comes from an extraordinary background. The relatives of the emperor of the Eight Classics, the brothers of the Holy One, and the few remaining princes! Besides, the first-class Zhen Guogong and the Zhen Guo General are the heroes who followed the holy ancestor to conquer the world! The biological mother of the Xiaojun King is The only jewel in the palm of the Duke of the State, it is said that the princess did not get this kind of treatment when she traveled from Dongcheng shop to Xicheng with ten miles of red makeup."

Zhao Baiyu raised his eyebrows: "Do you still have this identity?"

The little prince is his psychological shadow, and he has forgotten about the original book. He didn't know that Huo Jingtang had such a prominent family background.

"He has such a powerful family background, why did he go to the battlefield to fight for his own future at the age of 12?"

Which family in Kyoto has the heart to treat their son like this?

"It's Prince Jing, who is the biological father of the Little County King. He doted on his concubine and killed his wife. The Duke, since his eldest daughter died in childbirth, he has lost contact with the palace, and he probably blames the Little County King."

"No wonder."

Unfortunate childhood and native environment are the necessary conditions to create abnormality.

Zhao Baiyu threw down the gift list: "After counting, write down two copies of the gift list, and take one copy to father and mother."

"What are you giving them?" Yan Bing was puzzled.

"The betrothal gift is so generous, I can't get a dowry accordingly? Besides, my father promised me that he would not treat me badly in terms of dowry."

Whether it's comfort or guilt, now his requests that are not painful or itchy will be satisfied.

Zhao Baiyu's posture is correct, his back is as straight as a bamboo, and he can deal with the matter of being forced to marry with a calm mind. Live comfortably and happily during the time.

"Okay!" Yan Bing was full of fighting spirit: "I will definitely make the Zhao family bleed!"

***

Jinhuan Lane is a street of Qinlou Chuguan in Kyoto Prefecture. Many teahouses and restaurants are engaged in skin and meat business, collectively known as flower teahouses.

In the early morning of this day, a shrill female voice erupted in a flower tea house near the moat. The guards hurriedly stepped into the room and kicked the door into the room. They saw a woman with a terrified face sitting paralyzed on the ground, and a man who died suddenly on the bed. .

The leading guard's legs were limp, and he was tongue-tied.

A young man squeezed in from behind, and tremblingly said, "Hurry up, report to the officer!"

The old bustard who hurried over wanted to stop him, but the servant pointed his nose and scolded: "Do you know who my master is? He is the adopted son of the crown prince of the East Palace! You killed my master, and you still want to destroy the body?"

Donggong wet nurse's adopted son? !

Everyone was panicked when they heard the words, the old bustard was dumb and didn't dare to stop him.

***

In the early morning of the next day, an examinee from the south of the Yangtze River beat the Dengwen drum and went straight to Tianting.

At Sishi on the same day, a total of 210 students who went to Beijing to take the exam were all called into the Chuigong Hall to retake the exam. Emperor Yuanshou personally presided over the exam, and the scholars of the Imperial Academy posed the questions. The results were released two days later.

There were 81 more successful applicants than the original list, and 30 failed candidates.

There was no sound in the Chuigong Hall, all the ministers were silent like cicadas, the crown prince and the king of Qin were silent on both sides, and the examiner in charge of the imperial examination knelt on the ground, his back was wet with cold sweat, and he didn't dare to take a breath.

After a while, the eunuch next to Emperor Yuanshou came in, breaking the stiff and terrifying atmosphere, but he respectfully led a purple-robed man behind him into the room. The skin is like white jade, and the leather belt outlines the thin waist and supports the slender legs.Looking at his face covered with an exquisite iron mask, which covers half of his face, one can clearly see his profound features, eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like glass beads, clear and handsome outline, and a wild and uninhibited temperament throughout his body, which is completely unrecognizable. Mortal characters.

"Chen Huo Jingtang pays homage to His Majesty!"

The person who came was Huo Jingtang, Prince of Lin'an County.

When Emperor Yuan Shou saw Huo Jingtang, his livid face softened slightly: "Zi Yin, come and have a look."

The chief eunuch handed over to Huo Jingtang the booklet recording the cause and effect of the housekeeper, and the latter took it, with ten lines at a glance.

"how?"

Huo Jingtang closed the brochure and said: "Opening a course to obtain a scholar, recommending them for promotion, is related to the stability of the country, related to a century-old scene and a thousand-year foundation. Only those who give and receive can strengthen the foundation of our prosperity.”

"Well said!" Emperor Yuanshou's face was covered with frost, obviously he had made up his mind long ago, and he just waited for someone to propose a heavy code picket, and immediately made a decision. Temple, waiting for verification. Other relevant people are not allowed to leave the Gongyuan from today, and they will cooperate with the dispatch for questioning at any time. Ziyu, I will promote you as Dali Temple Minister, responsible for investigating the case of missing questions in the imperial examination. The third department is at your disposal, and the two governments take the initiative Cooperate, don't interfere!"

"The minister takes orders."

The candidates and examiners who had been named collapsed to the ground when they heard the words. At this time, one of the candidates for Zhongju suddenly raised his head and looked at his father with fear and worry, that is, the minister of rites, the same examiner who was involved.

If Zhao Baiyu was present, he would definitely be able to recognize him as senior brother Chen Fangrong.

Hundreds of officials came out of the Chui Gong Hall, in groups of twos and threes, discussing the case of missing questions in the imperial examination, but Huo Jingtang was the one who took the lead, without looking sideways, and quickly left the others far behind.

Seeing the figure of the Xiaojun King walking out of sight, the prince's left and right officials said: "Arrogant to one's talent, rebellious and unruly, and one-heartedly flattering her, she can still win a good reputation as a direct minister."

"Shut up!" the crown prince scolded, but there was nothing left to say.

Seeing this, the rest of the people knew that the crown prince didn't like the king of Lin'an County, because that man was like a stinky stone in a latrine, no matter how he tried to win him over, he would not respond. Congratulations to King Lin'an.

Zhao Boyong passed by at this time, and reminded softly: "Be careful of your tongue. It is the Holy One who praised the county king as a direct minister."

The official who cursed just now turned pale, and kept clapping his hands in the direction of Yanfu Hall.

The prince caught up with Zhao Boyong and asked, "Zaizhi, how is Wulang doing recently?"

Zhao Boyong: "The prince is asking about my son Yuzheng?"

Prince: "Naturally."

Zhao Boyong: "Yuzheng is Shiro."

"Ah yes!" The prince laughed: "I almost forgot that Yuzheng is now Shiro—there will be a bow in a few days, and the winner after the match will be a horse outside the Great Wall. I remember that Shiro's bow skills are the best in Kyoto, and he loves horses the most , and he was angry with Huo Jingtang a few months ago, so he just used this lottery to get rid of the bad luck for Shiro."

At this moment Sanlang, Zhao Yuqing and Qin Wang came from behind, and Qin Wang took the initiative to chat: "Huo Jingtang is weird and has a violent temper. Shiro must have been shocked a lot. I will add a jade ruyi and a coral as a headpiece to make Shiro happier. .”

Zhao Yuqing: "Father, this is a good thing! Shiro has been in the mansion for more than a month, why not go out and have fun, so as not to feel depressed and get sick."

When mentioning the youngest son, Zhao Boyong's expression softened: "Si Lang agrees."

The prince and King Qin said at the same time: "Silang must be very happy!"

After all, looking at each other, there are signs of mutual hostility.

***

After the murder, Hualou was empty.After the autopsy, it was confirmed that the cause of death of the deceased was an overdose of Jinshi powder, and he also took certain folk drugs, which caused sudden death due to excessive excitement.

It is reasonable to question the old bustard of Hualou, but the old bustard can pay a thousand taels of silver to pay off the crime, which is called redemption.

Paying a thousand taels of silver is equivalent to losing the coffin book. The old bustard couldn't stand it, so she released the news of the singing girl in the building to the outside world, and sent someone to inform the old customer. Rumors spread that gorgeously decorated carriages were parked outside the shop one after another, and the shop was full of people before nightfall.

Because the girls in Hualou are of the highest quality, Li Yiru, a famous prostitute in Kyoto, was also pulled out to "redeem her body", which naturally attracted countless men who claimed to cherish flowers.

There is loud noise downstairs, and the battle of horses and cicadas upstairs is chilling.

If you go to the steps and listen carefully, you will be able to hear the thin cries of the women, mournful and endless.

The old bustard slammed on the wooden door and shouted: "What are you crying about, you little bastard? Those who come here are rich and powerful men, and they will take you there to enjoy the blessings! Don't be a whore and set up a memorial archway, you are shameless!"

The room was suddenly quiet, and the old bustard left satisfied. After a while, there was another rustling sound, and a pretty little maid crept in, looked at the sisters in the room who looked sad, and went straight into the inner room and said to the charming woman who was reading on the couch: " Sister Li, I saw people from Zheng Yuan's family in Dongcheng carrying two large boxes of gold, and I'm afraid they must win it."

The woman in the house heard the words, as if mourning and examining her concubine.

Without him, because Zheng Yuan has a good-looking exterior, although he is an official with little real power, he is the nephew of the current imperial concubine. He dare not say that he is powerful, but he is more than enough to deal with a few brothel women.

The little maid cried anxiously: "Sister Li, you should think of a way. A while ago, the girl from the flower tea house next door was bought back by Yuanwai Zheng and placed in another courtyard on the outskirts of the city. I invited pig and dog friends to go there that night... That girl voted for her that night... Suicide! I just heard Zheng Yuanwai’s servants and other people say that their master wants to buy you and your sisters and go back to entertain guests—if you and your sisters are bought, you will die!”

The girls covered their faces and sobbed.

Li Yiru turned her head, her brows were crescent, her teeth were bright and her lips were red, her temperament was as light as a breeze.

"Even the contract of sale is in the hands of others, what can I do?" Li Yiru spread out his fingers, stained with ink, and said with a wry smile: "There are countless people who regard me as a confidante. No one responded to the distress letter.”

Li Yiru sighed quietly: "People's hearts are so cold."

A wave of despair filled the hearts of the girls, and the anger of death spread in the house. The little maid was at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Suddenly a girl said: "It's a big deal! Rather than being tortured to death, it's better for me to hit a pillar and die. Please be decent!"

As soon as this remark came out, everyone echoed.

The world is difficult, which brothel woman does not suffer?Life is so hard and still trying to live, why not spare your life?How can you be willing to die if you are not in despair?

This is the end of the mountain, there is no way out!

In the desperate atmosphere of begging for death, a lady combing her hair came out and said, "I may have a way to save you ladies."

As soon as this remark came out, it was like a life-saving straw. Everyone hurriedly grabbed it and asked what could be done. Then the lady who combed her hair said: "You can send a letter to Zhao Baiyu, the young governor of the capital, and ask him to redeem us."

The excited expressions of Li Yiru and the others darkened, and they couldn't help questioning, who is Zhao Baiyu?Why redeem them?Shao Yin of the Kyoto Prefecture...official, how many good officials are there in the world?They are all people who fish for fame and reputation and fish for the common people!Taking ten thousand steps back, even if this Zhao Baiyu is really a good person and promised to help, how can he, a low-ranking official, fight against the wealthy Zheng Yuanwai?

The family background is not good, the assets are not good, how can we fight?

Everyone wanted to refute, but seeing that the lady who combed her hair had bet her treasure on Zhao Baiyu, she trusted the Shaoyin of the Kyoto Prefecture quite a bit, and she couldn't bear to let her down because of her good intentions.

Anyway, reality will teach her to be a human being.

Everyone was silent, only the little maid who was inexperienced asked stupidly: "Who is Zhao Baiyu? Why is he willing to redeem himself for us?"

The lady combing her hair held back her excitement and gratitude, and seeing that the girls didn't believe her, she said: "You all know my life experience. I was sold to an old bachelor for a few taels of silver as a child bride at the age of twelve or thirteen. It coincided with my mother's funeral. , I didn’t get married during the filial piety period. When the three-year filial piety period was about to end, I was so arrogant that I didn’t want to marry. The old bachelor wanted to humiliate me. In desperation, I chopped him up and then surrendered. Because I was the one who killed my husband However, according to the law, he should be sentenced to death."

"The case was submitted to the Kyoto Prefecture, and the conclusion of the coffin is that I should not die. The then Kyoto Prefecture judge, Master Zhao, saw the file and dismissed the case. , saying that I am still in the filial piety period, it is not counted as marriage, so it is not counted as murder, but only as wounding. And if there is a surrender, it should be given a lighter sentence."

"But the verdict was rejected by Dali Temple and the original sentence of death was upheld."

"Master Zhao worked tirelessly, ran around, lobbied, handed over papers and invited the prefect of Shangguan Quan to enter the palace to fight for me in front of the Holy One, and finally got a light sentence of amnesty. Since then, I have combed my hair and made a never-married man. People's combing lady."

Not many people know the experience of the woman who combed her hair, but the related cases are spread by word of mouth in the Kyoto Prefecture, and even the most pedantic old masters praise the honesty and kindness of the advisers, and they can be called famous ministers.

At that time, they all thought that the person who threw everything for a poor woman was the governor of Kyoto, but it turned out not to be.

People who plead for orders for the people, who dare to speak up for the people are good officials, and they are the blue sky in the hearts of the common people, let alone admonishing for a weak woman who is alone and helpless, why is it not admirable?

Li Yiru sighed: "If Mr. Zhao comes to our rescue, he will be our reborn parents."

All the girls agreed again and again.

The hair-combing lady pondered for a moment, and asked Li Yiru to write a letter, and hurried to Zhao's mansion at sunset.

***

Zhao Baiyu's dilapidated yard was in the worst corner of Zhao Mansion, near the back door, so he used the back door every time he went out. Of course, another reason was that the front door was usually not opened for him.

Walking back to the mansion as usual this day, I saw a woman wandering at the door from a distance, blocked by the guards, with an anxious face.When she got closer, the woman saw Zhao Baiyu, her face showed joy, and she was about to come, but was stopped by Yanbing.

"who are you?"

The woman hurriedly explained her purpose and sent a letter: "Master Zhao, please save the girls in the flower tea shop. Once they are bought by Yuanwai Zheng, they will surely die."

Zhao Baiyu took the letter, read it and said: "Go back and tell your girl, I will bring the money and arrive as scheduled."

The woman was overjoyed: "Thank you, sir!"

As soon as she left, Yan Bing frowned: "How much does it cost to buy it all? You didn't hear what she said just now that the staff carried two boxes of gold. Where did we get so much money?"

"Why don't you have any money? Dowry, dowry, just get something casually?"

"Ah? How can I use that money?"

"Why not? Saving people is the most important thing." Zhao Baiyu folded his hands in his sleeves and said with a smile: "Besides, I'm not at ease when I get rich suddenly, so I might as well use it to do good deeds."

"Distribute wealth and eliminate disasters, do good deeds and accumulate virtue."

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Bulb: Rui bird like a phoenix.