My country, you can pinch it

Yun Zhishen didn't know the meaning of the words "a letter from Shacheng" to Liu Ke, but he clearly felt that the atmosphere in the room was a little strange in an instant following the announcement.

There were only three people in the room, and both Liu Ke and Xiao Tuanzi looked at the door with surprised eyes.

"It's only been three days, Your Highness." Xiaotuanzi reminded.

Liu Ke nodded, and said thoughtfully, "Lingling probably found something wrong with that book." Thinking about it, it's not a Mandarin book, and it has illustrations on it. How can a serious scholar persuade people to read such a thing? It's humiliating.

"Go and get it, Lord, let's see how Ling Ling plans to explain it?" At this point, Liu Ke couldn't help showing a hint of teasing on his face. If it wasn't for the fact that he wasn't around, he would have wanted to see Shang Jinling's embarrassment.

So Xiaotuanzi pushed the door and went out.

Seeing that Liu Ke was spending all his time waiting, Yun Zhishen couldn't help being curious.

Liu Ke realized him, so he cleared his throat and said, "Uncle, why don't you go back and rest first, and I'll clean up the dust for you later and introduce you to officials from Yongliang."

Yun Zhi said with a deep smile, "Okay."

Although Liu Ke was very close to him and never put on the airs of a prince, but there was a difference between monarchs and ministers, Yun Zhishen knew what to ask and what not to ask, and at this moment it was obviously Liu Ke's private matter.

However, he just got up when he saw Xiaotuanzi come in with a strange expression on his face, "Your Highness, this letter is not from the young master, but from the Marquis of Xiling."

Yun Zhishen's footsteps stopped immediately, and he looked intently, and sure enough, the envelope that Xiao Tuanzi erected in front of Liu Ke clearly read: His Royal Highness King Ning, from Xiling Hou Shangwei.

Even if the Marquis of Xiling is late, he is still a general in command of the 20 Northwest Army. It is a taboo to communicate with the prince without the emperor's permission.Since his grandson communicated with King Ning, why didn't he send it in his own name instead of passing through Shang Jinling's hand?

Stamping a private seal is often an important matter.

Thinking of this, Yun Zhishen's expression suddenly became solemn, and he couldn't help but look at Liu Ke, "Your Highness."

But at this moment, Liu Ke looked at the unopened letter, narrowed his eyes slightly, and felt heavy in his heart. The first thought in his mind was that the Marquis of Xiling found out about the matter between him and Shang Jinling, so he came to Xingshi to inquire about the crime. !

However, as soon as this idea came up, he suppressed it, and no matter whether he was in love with Shang Jinling or stopped at courtesy, he didn't act beyond the rules at all, even if he really did, in his capacity, The Marquis of Xiling made a fuss about this matter, and only Shang Jinling was affected.

Who doesn't know what kind of virtue King Ning is, at most he can scold a bastard, it's not painful at all for him, after all, there is a role model before him, even his father can't even think of scolding him for it.But for Shang Jinling, who will take the imperial examination to become an official in the future, it will be a moral stain, and she will be excluded and ridiculed.

Thinking of this, Liu Ke felt relieved. Since he didn't come to inquire about the crime, there was only one thing left.

"Uncle, you stayed in the capital for one more month, do you know when Yang Shenxing will move the Xilinghou Mansion?" He asked casually while tearing open the letter.

Yun Zhi said deeply: "Now the imperial court has just set up the Three Divisions and Regulations Division, and promulgated the Exemption Law. I heard that the Pingshu Law will be introduced soon. Once the cold disaster of the imperial court is over, it will be more serious to make ends meet. The request is to replenish the national treasury as soon as possible, so the decrees in the first half of the year must be about money. However, the military reform will not be cancelled, although the military reform is delayed. The grievances between the Yang family and the Marquis of Xiling, and King Duan's desire for military power are the reasons behind this instigation. Next, the emperor intends to replace the old and decrepit Marquis of Xiling, for the sake of stability, so I think it will be in the second half of the year at the earliest, and early next year at the latest."

And this remark made Liu Ke laugh, "Uncle, you think the same as Ling Ling."

"Oh?" Although Yun Zhishen was surprised, he was no longer surprised, and instead smiled, "It seems that he has already analyzed this matter for His Highness, and he is really clever and transparent."

"Not only." Liu Ke had already read the letter from the Marquis of Xiling, the smile on his face deepened, he proudly handed over the letter, and said with raised eyebrows, "He also found a retreat for the Marquis of Xiling, take a look. "

Having said that, Yun Zhishen became even more curious, "A way out?" He took the letter, read it carefully, and then the whole room fell silent.

And Liu Ke sat back on the chair, picked up the tea on the high table, pretended to be cracked, and drank politely, holding the cup with one hand and pinching the lid with the other, so as to cover up his mouth that was about to burst into laughter, so as not to be too The gaffe made Yun Zhishen feel inexplicable, like a lunatic.

For nothing else, besides putting this letter from Xilinghou into Liu Ke's sect, the most important thing is that he will be able to see Shang Jinling in the near future!

Yuhua Pass, the Xilinghou's Mansion must be in Yongliang City!Even if one city is in the east and the other is in the west, that's only a half-day distance, and it's no different from getting along day and night!

You don't need to mess around with Xiaotuanzi anymore, you don't need to count the days and wait for the letter, you can see you whenever you want!

He raised the teacup and put it on his forehead, thanking God, Amitabha Buddha in his heart, he must be a good person in the future!

Xiao Tuanzi, who was silently squatting behind him, watched this man holding the teacup for a long time. Obviously, he was already on the wild horse. He didn't know where Sa Huan had gone, so he twitched the corners of his mouth and reminded him in a low voice: "Your Highness, the tea needs to be served." Spilled."

Liu Ke took a deep breath and slowly put the teacup on the high table. Seeing Yun Zhishen put down the letter, he cleared his throat and asked nonchalantly, "Uncle, do you think this road is feasible?"

"Is this really what this young man proposed?" Yun Zhishen's eyes revealed surprise.

"nature."

"It's really a hero born out of a boy, no more!" Yun Zhishen finished reading the letter and sighed deeply, "Compared to waiting until the military reform law was promulgated and being forced to let the emperor take over the military power, such a retreat-based occupation Huaguan is indeed the best way out. At such a young age, Shang Jinling can have such a view of the overall situation, which is very human and can be called a genius."

As Liu Ke's most trusted staff member, Yun Zhishen can tell his plan at a glance. It seems that he wants Xilinghou to give up the Shamen Pass, but he is actually ready to go back at any time. It’s already been intended.”

"That's right, I'm just waiting for Lingling to convince the Marquis of Xiling. Now it seems that half of the success has been achieved. The next thing is to give me a memorial to see what he plans to do."

"The emperor has no choice." Yun Zhishen affirmed directly.

Liu Ke said with a faint smile: "That would be the best. Tomorrow I will write back to the Marquis of Xiling to clarify this matter."

Yun Zhishen nodded when he heard this, but he persuaded again: "Your Highness might as well send Shang Jinling a letter to show that you value him. No matter how old such a young man is, he should be treated as a national scholar."

"Go to the letter?"

"Exactly."

Liu Ke couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, "Okay!"

At night, Liu Ke almost couldn't wait to write a reply letter to the Marquis of Xiling to confirm the matter. Looking at the two letters placed side by side, he finally burst out laughing.

"Your Highness, what's the matter with you?" Xiaotuanzi asked almost helplessly.

"Lingling is coming."

"You can't do anything when you're here?"

Liu Ke gave him a strange look, "I didn't want to do anything at first, but I am very satisfied to see him."

Xiaotuanzi "..." I believe you are a ghost.

"Send this letter to the Xilinghou Mansion as quickly as possible, and this memorial to the capital."

Xiaotuanzi took it respectfully: "Yes."

But he didn't leave in a hurry, Liu Ke asked puzzledly: "What else is there?"

"Your Highness, won't you reply to the young master?"

"Return, of course, such a good opportunity, even my uncle asked me to write it, so I valued it, I was stupid to miss it." Although Xilinghou decided to come to Yuhuaguan, but before that, Liu Ke impeached Yuhua The memorial of the gatekeeper had to be in the hands of the emperor first, and after an investigation in the capital, an order would be sent to Shacheng. This round-trip took four months at least, and half a year at most. During this period, Liu Ke still had to rely on letters to live.

Xiaotuanzi said: "That letter..."

"You send those two letters first, of course you have to think about it for Ling Ling's trustee." Liu Ke said naturally.

Xiaotuanzi looked down at a memorial and a letter from a prince in his hand. It was obvious that they were the most important thing in everyone's eyes, and they needed to think twice, but just now Liu Ke didn't even type out the draft, and just finished it in one go. Like a task.

Instead, it was a letter to Shang Jinling. He looked at the wastebasket next to him, and there were already several paper balls.

All right, the Emperor and Marquis of Xiling won't mind.

"By the way, come back."

Xiaotuanzi turned back and looked at him suspiciously.

"Lingling is going to take the imperial examination?"

Xiaotuanzi nodded because he didn't understand, "Yes, the young master has great ambitions."

"I remember that there are many exams in the imperial examination, the simplest one is..."

"The county test, and then the government test." Xiaotuanzi replied.

"Are there these two kinds of exams in that ghost place of Samana?"

"No."

"so……"

Xiaotuanzi's eyes widened immediately, and he said excitedly: "Then the young master won't come from Yongliang?"

Liu Ke immediately patted the table, "That's right."

Xiaotuanzi was startled, then murmured: "It's over, that's over..."

"Ok?"

Xiaotuanzi said worryingly: "You can't help but be courteous again."

Liu Ke: "..." Nonsense, he is very restrained!

"Your Highness, my servant does not ask you to stay away, but can we not get too close? Keep a little distance, just a little." Xiaotuanzi stretched out his thumb and index finger, which were originally stuck together, and opened a small line seam.

Liu Ke looked at him with a dead expression on his face.

Xiaotuanzi remained unafraid, and rarely said seriously: "Uncle Yun is here, let him see that it is definitely not a good thing for you or the young master!"

As soon as these words came out, Liu Ke was stunned. Yun Zhishen fell to this point. Although the emperor coveted the son of the king's parents and the strongman caused it, he would never have any good feelings for Tao Duanxiu, he would only feel disgusted.

If Yun Zhishen knew it, it would be fine if he hated him, because he was afraid of venting his anger on Shang Jinling.

The national scholars expect this is what Yun Zhishen said.

"I know, Tuanzi, what you said is right, I must restrain myself, and I can't really hurt him."

Xiaotuanzi sighed softly: "The young master sent you the storybook and persuaded the Marquis of Xiling to stand by your side. It can be seen that he didn't take this matter to heart. Don't make things difficult for him."

Liu Ke nodded and agreed, "By the way, who is in charge of the imperial examination in Yongliang, let him come and see me."

"Yes, but what is His Highness going to do?" Xiaotuanzi asked doubtfully.

"I've heard of some scholars before, every time they come out, they feel like they're going to die. The dormitory environment for the exam is very bad. I'm very worried about Ling Ling's body!"

Xiaotuanzi: "..." Did you just talk for nothing?

Liu Ke glanced at him, "I know you're thinking again, Uncle Yun asked me to treat Ling Ling as a national scholar, so what's the matter with giving me a little preferential treatment? Besides, he didn't take the exam alone, and I value our scholars in Yongliang. Is it okay to improve the environment of the examination room for them so that they can take the exam comfortably?"

Xiaotuanzi had no way to refute this reason, so he had to say dumbfoundingly: "Okay, Your Highness has the final say, and this slave will go down now."

Liu Ke waved his hand.

The Marquis of Xiling received Liu Ke's reply, looked at the private seal on it, and couldn't help but feel relieved. Now that the agreement was reached, he was waiting for the emperor's imperial edict.

At the moment, Shang Jinling is reading the letter Liu Ke wrote to him after staying up all night. It is still a detailed account of the whole article. Yongliang is a state capital, so it is naturally within the scope of the new policy. Now the immunity law has been in full swing. Preliminary preparations Yes, as far as the current situation is concerned, it is very popular, and Yang Shenxing's strategy is admirable.

In later generations, the system that the ruling class forced the common people to work without pay, such as corvee, has long since disappeared and should have been abolished.

Although the immunity law is still compulsive, it is a big improvement to remove gratuity. No matter who presides over it in the future, this is a policy that should be promoted.

Seeing this, Shang Jinling couldn't help finding a booklet from the box next to the desk. This is what he discussed with Gao Xueli during this period of time, combining the successful cases of later generations and integrating the areas that need to be improved. This time It is aimed at immunity law.

But when he was about to ask Changkong to put the brochure into the envelope, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the last line of Liu Ke's long letter.

"Next month, Yongliang County Examination, can you take part?"

This is probably the most expressive Liu Ke's words in the whole letter.

For some reason, Shang Jinling raised his eyes slightly, and looked at the three thick traces of black ink that had been smeared before this sentence. Liu's repeated hesitation seemed to appear in front of his eyes, writing and erasing, erasing and writing , carefully softening the heart.

Thinking of this, he sighed slightly, found another piece of letter paper, and replied a letter.