The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Cheng Minzheng gave Li Yi a name, Letian.

This name was chosen by Yan Chengjin in the letter.

Li Yi was not yet an adult, so he should not have a name.

But Ming Zhao and Ying Ning both had it, so he didn't care.

"Letian, thank you, my teacher!" Li Yi knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Cheng Minzheng three times and nine times.

Cheng Minzheng nodded, with a smile on his lips: "From today, you will learn the way of the king from your teacher, starting with Confucius.

Take the book, Ming Zhao and Ying Ning, you also open the book."

Li Yi was a few years older than Liang Xiaoyi and the other two, and knew twice as many words.

Outside the wall, several yamen runners from the thief-catching office who were secretly monitoring turned around and disappeared under the tree.

They were the secret envoys sent by Queen Dowager Cisun to protect them.

Gyeongbokgung Palace,

Queen Dowager Cisun sat behind the curtain, and the ministers of the State Council and the six ministries were beside her.

"Your Majesty, the Ming envoy is teaching the prince." Hong Jingzhou, the left general of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, reported.

"Cheng Minzheng is the imperial teacher of the Ming Dynasty. The new king has just ascended the throne. I have to obey him because of the Ming Dynasty court."

Queen Jisun sighed and appeased the dissatisfaction of the ministers, looking quite helpless.

But on the other hand, if the Jincheng prince can learn the way of governing the country from the Ming Dynasty, it is also a good thing.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Han Simen bowed slightly, feeling slightly happy in his heart.

"Your Majesty, there is a Ming Dynasty merchant who opened a salt field in Seoul, specializing in selling refined salt. What is the tax?" Hong Jingzhou of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation asked.

If it were an ordinary peddler, he would definitely be charged according to the Korean tax, but he is a merchant of the Ming Dynasty.

Queen Cishun thought for a moment and said, "The Ming Dynasty despises merchants, so why ask me? Just collect it according to the law."

"No, this man is called Wang Bushui. As far as I know, he is a servant of a powerful official in the Ming Dynasty. This business..."

Han Simen knew Wang Bushui and had paid him wages.

The important thing is that this man is Yan Chengjin's servant.

Although he was secretly in contact with Yan Chengjin, he was still for Korea.

Yiu Shunyuan looked over and said sinisterly, "Lord Han has met a lot of people during his trip to the Ming Dynasty."

The new monarch has just been enthroned, and there are party disputes in the court, which is extremely beneficial for the new monarch to sit firmly on the throne.

Queen Cishun is happy to see this situation.

"Then collect 10%. Salt is a big business, and we can't not collect 10%."

Han Simen nodded. It was quite low to collect only 10% tax rate.

Yiu Shunyuan and others had no objection.

"Your Majesty, please accept the title of the Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty. You are nominally from the same school as the current Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Lord Han, please make another trip to the Ming Dynasty and inform His Majesty of the Ming Dynasty."

"I obey your order!"

Cold sweat broke out on Han Simun's forehead. He didn't know what the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty's attitude was.

However, he was happy to go to the Ming Dynasty again.

If he didn't go again, he would almost forget about Widow Liu...

...

The Autumn Examination lasted for three days.

Song Jing and Xie Pi came out of the examination room, almost exhausted, and their faces were a little haggard.

Xie Pi returned to his house to recuperate for a few days, and Song Jing also returned to Zeng's house.

Yan Chengjin was not in a hurry to ask about the results.

This year's candidates were too difficult. With Kang Hai and Cheng Zitang, many scholars guessed that Xiao Zhu Xiu would win the title of Jieyuan.

Because Xiao Zhu Xiucai competed in poetry in the library, he was too famous.

He guessed the right question again.

Yang Shen did not participate in the imperial examination, otherwise he would be the one who was taken as Jieyuan in Beizhili.

In comparison, Song Jing and Xie Pi were much less well-known.

They stayed in the Liangxiang workshop all day long and rarely went to the library to compete in poetry. Scholars had hardly heard of their names.

Yan Chengjin found that people in the streets and alleys of Liangxiang were talking about it.

"Chief Engineer Song also participated in the provincial examination. I wonder if he will win the title of Jieyuan."

"And Master Xie, Master Xie's handwriting is good and he has deep knowledge. I think one of them must be able to win the title of Jieyuan in Shuntian Prefecture!"

Several engineers in Liangxiang enjoyed this.

Talking about Song Jing and Xie Pi, it was as if they were participating in the imperial examination.

There were still a few days before the Imperial Examination was posted.

After the autumn examination, there were fewer scholars in the library.

...

Forbidden City, the cabinet duty room.

Liu Jian looked at Xie Qian and said happily: "With Xie Pi's talent, he will definitely be on the list this time. Brother Yu Qiao, congratulations!"

"Mr. Liu, you are too kind." Xie Qian did not dare to laugh out loud. He looked at Li Dongyang on the side and deliberately said: "My son is unlearned and unskilled. I dare not boast about this before the list is posted."

Li Dongyang sighed: "Why should Yu Qiao be modest? My son Zhaoxian has gone to sea. I am only worried about his safety now. As for other things, I don't think too much."

"Brother Binzhi, don't worry. Zhaoxian will be fine."

Xie Qian felt that Li Dongyang was really miserable. One died of illness, and now the remaining one went to sea again.

Going to sea and encountering a storm is a sure death.

"I heard that Yan Chengjin is predicting the topic for Song Jing and Xie Pi. I wonder which of them will be among the top three."

If two people are among the top three, this possibility is too small.

Li Dongyang felt that it was good to be on the list.

"Who knows if Yan Chengjin's prediction is correct? We will know only after the results are announced." Xie Qian said.

A few days passed,

At the beginning of the morning, the scholars in the capital got up early and prepared to go to the Imperial College to see the results.

Yan Chengjin ran in the courtyard, and after a while, he bathed and changed his clothes, ready to go to court.

He also wanted to go to the Imperial College to see the results.

I wonder what rank Song Jing and Xie Pi will get.

Oh, and there is Cheng Zitang.

Cheng Minzheng is not here, so it is right to help him.

But the court is not closed today, so we must go to court on time.

"At this time, the Imperial Examination Hall hasn't posted the list yet, right?" Yan Chengjin guessed that the list would be posted after the roll call.

He entered the palace in a sedan chair and waited at the left and right gates to go to court.

"Good morning, Mr. Xie!"

"If my son is on the list, I'll treat you to a drink." Xie Qian said with a smile.

Yan Chengjin saw Li Dongyang standing at the side, looking wilted, standing at the front of the team, not saying a word.

According to the time, the eldest brother-in-law is still drifting on the sea.

It may take another two months to send a message back from Hainan.

The golden bell rang loudly, and all officials entered the Fengtian Hall.

"If I remember correctly, today is the day to announce the list, right?" Emperor Hongzhi asked with a smile.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it should be announced at this time."

Liu Jian's face was full of smiles.

The ministers in the court, some of their disciples participated in the autumn examination, and they were also looking forward to the results.

Yan Chengjin looked at Emperor Hongzhi. The Shuntian Prefecture's provincial examination did not need His Majesty's review, and the list had not been sent.

If Song Jing cannot win the title of Jieyuan in Shuntian Prefecture this time, he still has a chance.

In the imperial examination, there are people who won the title of Jieyuan in the autumn examination but failed in the spring examination.

Everything is possible...

Half an hour later.

"Today's court affairs are over, you should go to court early to see the list."

Emperor Hongzhi was in a very good mood and let the ministers take a half-day break. Everyone smiled, and Xie Qian was the leader, and they all bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Coming out of Fengtian Hall,

Xie Qian and Zeng Jian and others planned to go directly to the Imperial Academy to see the list, and Li Dongyang walked behind with a lack of interest.

Originally, he could also go to see the list, but the next moment he shook his head, thinking of the essay questions that Li Zhaoxian had done, and he also failed the exam.

"Are you going to see the list?" Yan Chengjin asked.

"No one in my family participated in the exam, why go to see the list!"

Li Dongyang had an expression of "this kid is annoying", snorted and walked away.

Yan Chengjin sighed lightly, to see who passed the exam, is it meaningless?

Sitting in a sedan chair, we headed to the Imperial Examination Hall. We could feel the huge crowds of people even through the sedan chair.

"Let's go see who passed the exam, Song Jing or Xie Pi, and by the way, there's also Cheng Zitang. His father is not in the capital, so I should take care of him."

Yan Chengjin's sedan chair stopped in the distance, and he instructed He Neng beside him.

Listening to the sounds around, it seemed that the list had been announced. Some people were crying heartbreakingly, and some were crying with joy.

It was as lively as the temple fair on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month.