Rebirth: The wedding night, my whole family was exiled, I raised 500,000 soldiers

"When they meet, there will definitely be some action. You keep an eye on Zhou Qiwu. There's a poison expert over there, and only you can deal with him!" Shen Lanxi's voice was filled with suppressed calmness.

Ban Sicao already knew the importance of this matter to Shen Lanxi, so he naturally put all his efforts into it.

"I'll go back now." He glanced at Shen Lanxi's injured hand and put a bottle of medicine before leaving.

Shen Lanxi sat there with a blank look in her eyes all night, until the next day when the sky brightened and a ray of morning light shone on her face. She suddenly felt as if she were in another world.

"Sir, it's time to go to work." Haruyuki whispered outside the door.

Shen Lanxi stood up swiftly, and when she opened the door, she was already full of energy, and no one could tell that she had not slept all night.

In the morning, she went to the Beijing Guard, then to the Ministry of Rites. When she was done with her duties, she went home as planned. In the evening, someone came to the Shen Mansion, and the old lady invited her to dinner.

"Lan Xi, your mother has gone to the palace to plead for Yuan Tang's matter. I owe the Empress a favor. The palace will hold a poetry banquet in a few days. The Empress means that since you are now the chief examiner of the imperial examination, she will let you host this poetry banquet." Old Madam Shen looked at Shen Lan Xi with hope.

If this matter is accomplished, the Shen family will have repaid the favor they owe to the Queen.

Shen Lanxi glanced around and asked, "Where's mother?"

Old Madam Shen said somewhat unnaturally: "Your mother said that the Shen family is in trouble today, so she went to the temple to burn incense and pray for our Shen family."

The old lady was afraid that Shen Lanxi would misunderstand, so she hurriedly explained for Zhou Xinrou: "Your mother has always been kind-hearted."

Shen Lanxi's eyes were dim: "The Yongwen Banquet was promised by my mother to the Queen. If she goes, I will go too!"

Mrs. Shen didn't think it was a big deal and agreed casually, "I'll send someone to inform your mother in a moment."

Shen Lanxi nodded.

The younger generations of the Shen family had accidents one after another, and the younger generations were in a panic. Only a few people came to eat today.

Shen Lanxi chatted with Shen Yuanxu for a few words, and then went back home after dinner.

The next day she went to the palace to meet the emperor.

"Uncle, the Queen cherishes talents and holds a poetry banquet. I really feel ashamed of myself!" Shen Lanxi said with a look of self-blame.

Emperor Renxiao had heard about the Yongwen Banquet from Wang Bao before, and thought it was just a trivial banquet like any other. He did not expect Shen Lanxi to react so strongly.

"Lan Xi, you are already very good, don't underestimate yourself!" Every day, Shen Lan Xi went to the Capital Guard in the morning and the Ministry of Rites in the afternoon. She simply went through the motions. After she arrived, she didn't care about anything else as long as she was there. This attitude made Emperor Renxiao very satisfied.

"Uncle, this is the literary banquet before the imperial examination, it is of great significance~" Shen Lanxi looked very concerned about the country and the people, and was wholeheartedly devoted to the Great Zhou. She was passionate and every word she said was thought-provoking.

"The purpose of holding the imperial examination is to select talented people for our Great Zhou. In the past six or seven years, our Great Zhou has lost countless talented people. Even though Lan Xi is a girl, she knows that the imperial examination is like crossing a single-plank bridge. Only a few people can cross it."

Emperor Renxiao nodded, eager to hear what she would say next.

"I think it's a pity for those who were screened out to return to their hometowns. Why not use this literary banquet to select more talented people for my uncle and our Great Zhou? This is the real meaning of the literary banquet!"

Emperor Renxiao looked at Shen Lanxi thoughtfully, thinking non-stop in his heart.

"Will the Yongwen Banquet be hosted by the Queen?" What if it is the Queen?

"Uncle, the Queen wants me to host it. You know, I'm not good at writing. That's why I came to ask you, uncle, to choose another host for the Yongwen Banquet." Shen Lanxi looked like she couldn't wait to get rid of the job.

Emperor Renxiao had made up his mind.

"You are the chief examiner in the imperial examination, and Old Master Mei is the deputy examiner. At this literary banquet, you will be the deputy examiner, and Old Master Mei will be the chief examiner. How do you think?" Emperor Renxiao was well versed in the art of balance. This time, although it seemed that he was appeasing the court officials, in fact, it was he, the emperor, who benefited.

Shen Lanxi: "Uncle, your arrangement is really great. If those sour Confucian scholars at the poetry banquet embarrass me, give me questions, and make me look bad, I will definitely beat them to death."

Emperor Renxiao looked at Shen Lanxi unhappily, but in the end he just laughed out of anger.

"You, you don't look like a woman anymore."

Shen Lanxi rolled her eyes and said, "I don't want to get married. Who am I pretending to be gentle and well-behaved for?"

Emperor Renxiao's eyes flashed and he smiled without saying anything.

Emperor Renxiao chose a time for the morning court session to tell Mei Nanhua about the banquet and entrusted him with an important task.

"Your Majesty, if such a grand event is held in the palace, I'm afraid it won't be able to accommodate so many people." By then, there will be too many people and too many eyes, and there will definitely be loopholes in security defense.

Emperor Renxiao nodded.

"According to your opinions, where is the best place to hold it?"

Just when everyone was recommending him, Zhou Ruyuan, who had been out of the city for many days, came back.

"Your Majesty, the platform has been completed. I have come back to report!"

Emperor Renxiao thought of King Li's descendants again, and his face became a little gloomy.

The left prime minister Wu Yanzhi saw this and immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I think that high platform is a good place."

Emperor Renxiao's heart moved and he motioned Wu Yanzhi to continue.

"The high platform was originally built for the convenience of common people to watch executions. Why not use it as a venue for the literary banquet? After the literary banquet is over, all the students in the world can watch the executions and set justice straight!"

It's not just a matter of justice, it's simply killing the chicken to scare the monkey.

Let all scholars and students in the world see this: this is the consequence of challenging the imperial authority and committing treason!

This move won the emperor's heart!

"The Prince of Zhennan and General Wei will be jointly responsible for the safety of the venue!" Emperor Renxiao made the final decision, and both the monarch and his subjects were very happy.

Only one person smashed the teacup in the center of the palace.

Wei Dongzhu had just returned to the capital and was about to leave again because of the Yongwen Banquet and the execution of King Li's descendants.

"Lan Xi, I have heard about His Majesty's granting of marriage to Zhou Ruyuan." Wei Dongzhu couldn't suppress the joy on his face.

Shen Lanxi smiled and asked someone to give him the clothes that had been prepared earlier. She also asked Chunxue to go to the kitchen to pack two boxes of cakes.

"I had the clothes made after you left last time. I don't know if they will fit me."

Wei Dongzhu was pleasantly surprised and said first, "It fits. As long as you gave it to me, it fits."

Shen Lanxi joked: "I didn't make it myself, how do you know it will fit?"

Wei Dongzhu was rarely at a loss, and smiled innocently: "If you made it yourself, I would definitely worship it. But if you ordered someone else to make it, I would definitely not cherish other people's craftsmanship."

Shen Lanxi looked at Wei Dongzhu with a smile. The latter straightened his back carefully and lowered his head slightly to let her see more clearly.

"Go ahead. I will go to the platform in advance in two days as a deputy examiner."

Wei Dongzhu's eyes lit up and he blurted out, "I'll wait for you!"

Shen Lanxi watched Wei Dongzhu leave with a smile. This time, Wei Dongzhu looked back several times while walking, and everyone could see that he was reluctant to let her go.