Do you know: I am the crown prince

Chapter 77: Mrs. Wu's Polo Club
"This year's provincial examination is approaching, and Bianjing is a bit more lively."

Through the curtain of the carriage, Zhao Xing could clearly see the people coming and going on the street. There were many more students dressed as scholars than usual.

The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty were divided into county examinations, provincial examinations, and metropolitan examinations.

The county examination was held within the county, while the provincial examination was held at the prefecture government office.

Jingji Road refers to several states surrounding Bianjing, but the city of Bianjing is not among them.

The capital of the prefecture was in Chenliu, but the provincial examinations in Jingji Road were held in the Gongyuan in Bianjing.

If the sons of officials in the capital took part in the provincial examination, they would also take the examination together with the students from the capital area.

"Your Highness, the imperial examination is an opportunity for a carp to leap over the dragon gate. Although the provincial examination is not as good as the metropolitan examination, only those who pass the provincial examination can qualify for the metropolitan examination. Jingji Road is the most prosperous place in the world with a large population, so naturally there are many students coming to take part in the provincial examination." Liu Sanshi said with a smile.

Zhao Xing nodded and said nothing more.

After a while, the carriage stopped in front of the gate of Kaifeng government office.

As soon as Zhao Xing got off the carriage, Kaifeng prefect Chen Tingwen hurried out after hearing the news.

"Your Highness, I am here to pay my respects to you. I hope you will forgive me for not being able to come and greet you from afar!" Chen Tingwen bowed.

"Don't be so polite, Mr. Chen. I didn't let anyone notify me in advance. What crime have you committed?" Zhao Xing waved his hand.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Chen Tingwen said sideways, "Your Highness, please come in."

"I won't go in. Gan Jia Dalang's sentence has expired. I'm here to pick him up. Isn't it time to release him?" Zhao Xing said.

"I will have someone release him right away." Chen Tingwen quickly called a clerk and gave him a few instructions.

It didn't take long before Gan Dalang was led out.

His clothes were clean and tidy, his face was rosy, and he didn't look like he was in prison at all.

"Your Highness!" Gan Dalang saw Zhao Xing and stepped forward to salute with a happy look on his face.

"I'm here to pick you up, come with me." Zhao Xing said.

"Yes!" Gan Dalang replied.

"Prefect Chen, I'm leaving first," said Zhao Xing.

"Your Highness, I respectfully bid you farewell!" Chen Tingwen bowed.

Zhao Xing took Gan Dalang onto the carriage and left under the escort of the imperial guards.

"How is it? You didn't suffer any hardship in there, did you?" Zhao Xing asked.

"I had meat to eat every day in there and didn't suffer any hardship." Gan Dalang shook his head.

"That was all arranged by His Highness." Liu Sanshi said.

Zhao Xing looked at Liu Sanshi approvingly. It was difficult for him to say these words, so it was naturally most appropriate for Liu Sanshi to say them.

"I thought...thank you, Your Highness...bang!"

Gan Dalang thought that this was arranged by his family, but when he learned that it was arranged by Zhao Xing, he was so moved that he forgot he was in the carriage and stood up to bow and express his gratitude.

Although Zhao Xing's carriage was very spacious, Gan Dalang was estimated to be about 1.9 meters tall. He could not stand straight in the carriage and his head hit the roof directly.

"Be careful, don't damage my carriage." Zhao Xing scolded with a smile.

"Your Highness, please forgive me, I..."

Gan Dalang was at a loss as to what to do and was about to explain, but Zhao Xing waved his hand and said, "Sit down first."

"Yes."

Gan Dalang responded and sat down.

"You went in to work for me, so I certainly can't ignore you. But you were a little too harsh this time. Those families impeached your father. I'm afraid your father will punish you when you go back." Zhao Xing said.

"It's okay. I have thick skin and flesh. It doesn't hurt even if my father hits me." Gan Dalang scratched his head and smiled innocently.

Zhao Xing looked at Gan Dalang, and he knew everything about how Gan Dalang beat people.

Gan Dalang did not rush over to hit the man directly, but instead tried to hit him first, which was a little beyond his expectations.

Zhao Xing even suspected that his reputation as a fool was a deliberate disguise, but now it seemed that it was not the case.

"You are working for me, so I cannot let you go back and be punished. I am going to arrange for you to serve in the Eastern Palace Guards, so that your father will not blame you when he finds out." Zhao Xing said. "Thank you, Your Highness." Gan Dalang thanked him happily after hearing this.

“But after you start working at the Eastern Palace, you are not allowed to beat people randomly like you did in the military camp before,” Zhao Xing warned.

"Your Highness, I didn't hit anyone randomly. I hit them because they said I was a fool." Gan Dalang said somewhat aggrievedly.

"Don't worry, no one in the Eastern Palace's imperial guards will say that to you. If someone says that to you, I will forgive you for hitting someone," said Zhao Xing.

"Okay!" Gan Dalang nodded.

……

Zhao Xing brought Gan Dalang back to the East Palace and handed him over directly to Cao Qin, asking Cao Qin to pass on the message that anyone who dared to say that Gan Dalang was stupid would be kicked out.

Cao Qin received the order and took Gan Dalang away.

According to Zhao Xing's order, Gan Dalang was appointed as a captain, and was given a waist badge. He was then asked to go back first. He would be notified to report when the armor was ready.

There was no other way. Gan Dalang was tall and there was no suitable armor for him in the army, so they had to make one specially for him.

After Gan Dalang received the token, he took the carriage arranged for him by Liu Sanshi and went home happily.

……

The next day, when school was over in the afternoon, Zhao Xing kept Sheng Changbai.

Bring Sheng Changbai to the garden and stroll around in it.

"Zecheng, I heard that your sister's wedding day is coming soon?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Your Highness, my elder sister's wedding date is set for April 8th." Sheng Changbai said.

"Then there's only one month left? Sanshui, write down the date and prepare a gift to send over when the time comes." Zhao Xing said.

"Yes." Sanshui replied.

"Thank you for your grace, Your Highness!" Sheng Changbai bowed.

Although his fifth sister was the future prince's concubine, the prince's concubine was only of the sixth rank and was nothing.

Not to mention that Rulan hasn't entered the palace yet.

But it was different when Zhao Xing sent someone to deliver gifts when his sister got married.

This represents Zhao Xing's importance to the Sheng family.

In this way, after his elder sister married into the Yuan family, the Yuan family would not dare to look down on her.

Zhao Xing waved his hand and said, "By the way, your uncle will definitely come when your sister gets married. When the time comes, you can bring him to the East Palace. I want to meet him."

"Yes!"

Although Sheng Changbai was full of doubts, he didn't dare to ask more questions.

After strolling around for a while, Zhao Xing asked Sheng Changbai to go back.

……

In mid-March, the provincial examination ended, but Zhao Xing did not pay much attention to it.

In the Song Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of people participated in each county examination, and tens of thousands of people also participated in the final metropolitan examination.

In the end, only two or three hundred people were admitted.

There are tens of thousands of people who have passed the provincial examination across the country. What is there to pay attention to?

After the provincial examination, Madam Wu of the Earl of Yongchang invited all the noble ladies in Bian Jing to participate in the polo club.

Every spring and autumn, Madam Wu would hold a polo match and invite noble ladies from Bian Jing to attend the party with their children.

It was considered a famous event in Bianliang, and many officials and their wives were eager to attend.

After all, there were many officials and nobles in Bianliang, and it was impossible to invite everyone.

Every time there was a polo match, Madam Wu would only send invitations to officials of the fifth rank and above and noble families in Bianjing.

Zhao Xing had moved out of the palace and had never left the city. After hearing the news, he wanted to join in the fun.

(End of this chapter)