Joy of Life: I am Li Chengze, and I have mastered the Eight Wonders

Chapter 20 Students from all over the world
"Master! Master!"

The gatekeeper came running over, breathlessly reporting,
"Many officials gathered at the door with gifts. They said they wanted to see the young master and discuss important matters. Moreover, there were small notes hidden under the gifts in their hands!"

Fan Xian and Fan Jian exchanged serious looks. Fan Ruoruo, who was laughing just now, immediately stopped smiling and asked worriedly:
Brother, they clearly know that you and the Second Prince are going to work together to crack down on cheating in the Spring Examination, but they chose to send gifts to our family at this time. Aren’t they deliberately making things difficult for us? "

Fan Jian nodded in agreement with his daughter's opinion:
"There weren't many officials who gave gifts to fill in the list before, and there was nothing unusual compared to the spring examinations in previous years.

But since you came back from the Second Prince, the number of officials who came has increased dramatically. This must have been arranged by someone on purpose..."

Aunt Liu also asked worriedly:

"So what should we do now? Should we welcome them or reject them?"

Fan Xian frowned and thought. Accepting the gift and taking the list at this time would undoubtedly be a slap in the face of His Royal Highness the Second Prince, and also a slap in his own face.

But if he refused the list sent by the officials in Kyoto, he would have to bear the resentment of the officials and might even be retaliated against one day.

"They didn't dare to send the things to Li Chengze's house, so they could only send them to our Fan's house."

Fan Xian decided to take on the complaints from all the civil and military officials in the court for the Second Prince.

He ordered his aunt to close the door and announce to the public that he would not see any guests that day.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Liu immediately stood up, twisted her graceful body and walked out of the inner palace, preparing to close the door and thank the guests.

However, at this moment, she unexpectedly ran into Li Chengze who appeared from nowhere.

"Your Highness? Why are you here?" Aunt Liu asked in surprise.

"The door was not closed, so I came in." Li Chengze explained with a smile.

Aunt Liu suddenly realized what was going on, and hurriedly smiled and welcomed the Second Prince into the house: "Fan Xian, look who's here?"

Li Chengze greeted Fan Xian and Fan Jian and explained the purpose of his visit.

Fan Jian looked at Aunt Liu and said, "Why don't you prepare some fruit for His Highness?"

Li Chengze humbly said, "Prime Minister Fan, there's no need to bother with this. I'll leave right after I finish speaking."

Fan Xian looked at Li Chengze and asked seriously:
"Your Highness, regarding the gifts and lists sent by the court officials, should we accept them or not? If we don't accept them, it might anger everyone."

Li Chengze shook his head: "What we are doing is to eliminate the long-standing malpractices and restore fairness and justice to the Spring Imperial Examination.

This will inevitably affect their interests and undermine the unspoken rules within the officialdom, so it is inevitable that it will arouse public anger.”

Fan Ruoruo frowned worriedly, her little hands hidden under the table, clutching the hem of her skirt tightly.

Seeing the Second Prince so calm, Fan Xian couldn't help but wonder, "Does Your Highness have a strategy to deal with this?"

Li Chengze nodded and looked at Prime Minister Fan: "Presiding over the Spring Examination and striving for fairness for scholars all over the world is what everyone wants.

I have long understood the possible consequences of investigating cheating in the imperial examinations, but even so I will do it without hesitation. "

Inside the Tongfu Inn, a shopkeeper named Tong was busy taking care of the guests, all of whom were poor students who came to Beijing to take the imperial examinations.

On weekdays, these students always keep their heads down and study hard in a depressed mood, but today, they seem like a different person, each of them is full of energy, holding the books of sages in their hands, and reading aloud.

Even at night, the sound of reading can be heard one after another.

Shopkeeper Tong was busy all day and had no time to listen to the rumors outside.

Seeing that these students looked completely different from usual, she couldn't help but be curious. She found a student who was sitting in a corner reading and asked in a thick local accent: "I want to ask, why are you so hardworking?"

Yang Wanli was a little confused when he heard Tong the shopkeeper's accent.

At this time, Shi Chanli came over and explained, "Haven't you heard about what happened today?

Our Second Prince of Qing severely criticized the Minister of Rites who failed in his duty in the Spring Examination Hall, and also spoke up for us poor students, demanding that the Spring Examination be cleared of all charges!"

Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Tong exclaimed "Oh" in sudden enlightenment.

Hou Jichang boasted proudly:
"We are sitting at the same table with His Royal Highness the Second Prince and drinking from the same jar of water!
We were the ones who told His Royal Highness the Second Prince about the inside story of the examination room. This strange experience, when I think back on it, is like a dream!"

Yang Wanli raised his head and complained: "You have boasted about your detailed experience to no less than ten people today. This is not a dream. If it was a dream, you would have forgotten it long ago."

Hou Jichang was speechless. He knew that Yang Wanli had a very sharp tongue and could often leave people speechless.

Shopkeeper Tong sighed enviously:
"It would be great if the scholar was still here. The imperial examination would be fairer this spring, and maybe he could do even better." After saying that, she left in confusion.

Shi Chanli sat down next to Yang Wanli. Seeing this, Hou Jichang also moved closer to Shi Chanli and suggested:
"We have an unusual fate with His Royal Highness the Second Prince. Why don't we go together to find His Royal Highness the Second Prince and renew our relationship?"

Yang Wanli curled his lips: "You call that a continuation of fate?

You want to become someone's disciple, right? You..."

Hou Jichang knew that Yang Wanli and he had different ideas, so he looked at Shi Chanli.

Shi Chanli touched his head and said hesitantly:
"But how can we, a group of commoners from poor families, enter the palace? I'm afraid we can't even get close to the door, let alone find the Second Prince..."

Hou Jichang sighed and thought: If he had not feared being discovered, and had picked up a stone to "kill the king"

After failing, it would be great if he could bravely stand in front of the Second Prince and kneel down. He would definitely kneel down and worship the Second Prince as his master, even if it was just to recognize him as his godfather...

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Hou Jichang's mind:
"Eh? If we can't meet His Royal Highness the Second Prince, then we can always meet Little Master Fan, right?

Since there is such a fate, we must not miss it no matter what.

Whether it's the Second Prince or Fan Xian, they have to recognize a great figure as their master, right?"

When Shi Chanli heard this, he also thought it was a good idea: "It seems that it is not impossible."

He looked at Yang Wanli who was reading beside him, "Brother Yang, what do you think?"

Yang Wanli rejected their idea of ​​going to find the big shot together: "No.

I have never thought of using this unorthodox method to work for a big shot to ensure that I can pass the imperial examination. How is this different from those cheaters whom I despise?"

"Have you forgotten what His Highness said before?

He promised to fight for us fairness!
If we go to see His Highness or Master Xiao Fan with the intention of seeking an injustice, wouldn't that be a disgrace to them?"

Hou Jichang tactfully explained, "We just want to meet Master Xiao Fan. After all, he is the benefactor who saved our lives. There should be no problem in expressing our gratitude, right?"

Shi Chanli grumbled to himself but didn't dare to nod in agreement. He thought: Buddy, don't you know what's going on in your mind?
Yang Wanli said bluntly: "The Spring Examination has not yet begun, and now is the critical moment for us to prepare for the examination.

If we visit them at this time, wouldn't people mistakenly think that we are disciples of Xiao Fan and His Highness, and thus doubt our motives?"

(End of this chapter)