The Ming Dynasty started with caution

The medicine costs ten copper coins, which is three times cheaper than other medicine shops.

But for Yan Song, it is a lot of money.

He took out a palm-sized blue cloth bag from his waist and poured out twelve Hongzhi Tongbao coins. He was very grateful: "Doctor, please keep it. May I ask why there are so few scholars in the capital?"

"In the library in Liangxiang."

Yan Song was very happy and stood up and bowed to say goodbye.

He went to Beijing with the merchant caravan. He heard from the merchants that there was a library in Liangxiang, which had everything from royal classics to casual books.

It was the library with the largest collection of books in the market.

"There are many wise men with a lot of knowledge who can be consulted. I wonder if there is a place to stay?"

In early April of the seventeenth year of Hongzhi, there were more than four months before the autumn examination.

With only two Hongzhi Tongbao coins left, Yan Song planned to go to the wing room of the pawnshop in Liangxiang and stay there on credit for a month.

Then he would sell calligraphy and earn a monthly salary.

On the busy official road, there was a huge crowd of people. To the west of the official road, a towering building stood in the countryside.

That must be the Liangxiang Library, right?

Yan Song found the lobby of the pawnshop and felt shy: "I want to stay in your store for a month on credit. These two Tongbao coins will be used as a deposit. Can the shopkeeper be flexible?"

The inns and pawnshops in the capital city would provide free accommodation and food to some scholars.

When you pass the imperial examination, you can be associated with the government.

The waiter of the pawnshop knew a famous scholar in the library. Seeing that Yan Song did not look like he could pass the exam, he said: "The store is full. If you are really capable, go to the library to sell poems, and then come to open a room after earning money."

Yan Song did not understand why anyone would buy poems?

After entering the library, he finally understood.

If you want to read books, you must first compete in poetry. Only if you win can you borrow books.

The book is different from the books in the market. It has annotations written by great scholars in the palace, which are updated monthly. With the imperial examination approaching, it can be regarded as a guide for scholars to prepare for the exam.

Scholars from merchant families are even willing to pay five taels of silver for poems.

"I wonder if I can make money?"

Yan Song took out paper and pen from the bamboo basket and spread them out in front of the library like other scholars.

Every year when the imperial examination is held, it is the busiest time for the library. Zhu Houzhao rode a horse from the palace.

I saw a scholar who put a poem on the ground, which was not bad.

"How much silver do you pay for one poem?"

"Four cents of silver." Yan Song gritted his teeth and shamefully quoted a sky-high price.

After deducting the purchase of books and food, there is still some surplus from the silver earned every day.

One cent a day, three taels and six coins a year, which can be taken back home.

Zhu Houzhao thought it was a good deal: "I'll give you two cents of silver, half a poem."

Yan Song was stunned. Is this man a fool? Who should I sell the remaining half poem to? Forget it, half a poem is enough.

…

Li Mansion,

Yan Chengjin came to see Li Qing'e.

Li Dongyang looked fine at first.

But I heard that the fish-shaped jade pendant he gave to Li Qing'e's mother was in this boy's hand, and it felt like someone cut a knife in his heart, and it hurt.

This boy is a little cautious, but his character and knowledge are still acceptable.

"If you change your cautious temperament and ask the Jinyiwei outside the mansion to withdraw, I can consider it."

Li Qing'e stood aside and said it vaguely, but she could understand that her father was talking about marriage and was nervous.

Yan Chengjin thought for a moment.

If you change your steady temperament and withdraw the Jinyiwei's surveillance, you can only ride the same sedan chair every day and live a life no different from other officials. It is extremely dangerous.

Li Dongyang glanced at him and continued coldly: "I want Qing'e to live a normal life like other women."

"I am a normal person."

"You are normal ass!"

"..."Yan Chengjin.

Li Qing'e saw her father getting angry, her face flushed, and she was afraid that the two would have another dispute.

Li Dongyang raised his hand and told her not to speak: "If you don't change, I will never agree. I can also write a letter to your father and tell him."

He Neng looked anxious. If the master was here, he would have agreed on behalf of the young master.

Yan Chengjin looked worried. He didn't expect Li Dongyang to still care so much.

...

Northwest, Yansui.

In the border camp, the beacon scout rode a fast horse and delivered a letter.

In the beginning of spring, the Tatar army appeared in large numbers and found a campfire in the valley far outside the city.

The border army entered a wartime state, and people's hearts were like arrows on a string.

The housekeeper rushed into the tent and couldn't help but say: "Master, the young master sent someone to deliver a letter."

Yan Kesong was wearing black light armor, and his frown gradually relaxed. He opened the letter and took a few glances.

After a moment, he couldn't believe it: "Cheng Jin is a second-rank official, this... this is too fast, isn't it?"

Opening his eyes wide, he read the letter carefully again: The Chief Censor is only one of the nine ministers, far inferior to the six ministries...

The wording is so cautious, it must be my son Cheng Jin.

When the housekeeper heard that the young master was promoted to a second-rank official, he cried bitterly: "Master, when can we return to Beijing?"

"The Tatars and Duoyan jointly sent troops, and the news sent back by the people who walked back from the captives must be true. The memorial sent by this official should have arrived in the capital. Let's see how the court will deal with it."

The people who walked back from the captives are a special group of people in the Ming Dynasty.

They were once the people of the Ming Dynasty, but because the northwest often fought with the Jurchens, the people in the border areas fled to the outside of the Great Wall to avoid the war and lived on the land of the Tatars.

When the war subsided, they walked back from the outside of the Great Wall.

They came and went undecided, so they were called people who walked back.

Both the Ming Dynasty and the Tatars liked to use the Hui people to spy on the other side's military intelligence.

Yan Kesong sighed: "It's okay to be in the border, but Cheng Jin is not married yet."

...

Beijing, Ministry of War.

Qin Hong came back from Fengtian Palace and took off his official hat and put it aside.

The civil servant came in with an urgent report: "Sir, the memorial sent back from Yansui was sent back eight hundred miles away."

Yansui?

Is that the place where Yan Kesong is stationed?

In summer, there is abundant grass, and the Tatars have to graze to fatten the livestock; in winter, the snow covers the ground, making it unsuitable for fighting.

Every spring or autumn, there are frequent wars.

Qin Hong's face was normal and quite calm: "The Ming Dynasty and the Tatars have been fighting for nearly a hundred years. Is there a day without urgent reports?"

He opened the urgent report and saw three lines, and his face suddenly changed.

"Your Majesty and the three ministers are still in Fengtian Palace?"

Without waiting for the civil servant to answer, Qin Hong took up his official hat and put it on his head, strode out of the duty room, and went straight to Fengtian Palace.

When they arrived at the gate of Fengtian Hall, the throne in the hall was empty, so they turned around and walked quickly to Huagai Hall.

"Your Majesty, an urgent memorial from Yansui."

Xiao Jing held Yunzhan and presented it carefully: "It was sent back by Yan Kesong."

Emperor Hongzhi flipped through the memorial and read it for a few times, then closed it: "The news sent back by the people who escaped from the captives should not be false. Dayan Khan actually used his daughter as a hostage to unite with Duoyan. Summon the nine ministers. I also want to attack Tatar!"

Qin Hong's body trembled.

Not long after, Yan Chengjin came to Huagai Hall. Li Dongyang and the other two stood in the front row, followed by the six ministries.

Seeing that His Majesty looked solemn, he wondered what had happened again?

"Now that the Ming Dynasty is strong, I want to send troops to Tatar. What do you think?"

Yan Chengjin was surprised to hear the news.

In the middle of Hongzhi, the Ming Dynasty's national strength declined from prosperity. None of the emperors who took over later could reproduce the prosperity, which led to the decline of the late Ming Dynasty.

Now, the Ming Dynasty has finally developed upwards, and it is not wise to devote energy to war.

The biggest effect of defeating the Tatars is to demonstrate the country's strength, and the grassland territory is not very useful.

"I think it is not possible."

I am entangled in the title of the chapter again. I am really an author who doesn't know how to come up with a chapter title. Please forgive me and vote~~