The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Beijing,

When the news of Duke Yan's visit to Beijing spread, the scholars were extremely excited and wanted to take advantage of Duke Yan's luck and win the first prize in one fell swoop.

The imperial examination tests the Four Books and Five Classics, which are Confucian classics.

Although the examiner chose the questions from the Four Books and Five Classics, it is not an exaggeration to say that Confucius was the examiner for all the candidates in the world.

The imperial court arranged for Yan Shenggong to stay at the Tenth Prince's Mansion.

But Kong Wenshao went to the library in Liangxiang, where the largest number of scholars in the capital gathered.

"Liangxiang is a county town, and trade is so prosperous. Who is this Yan Chengjin?" Kong Wenshao saw people coming and going in Liangxiang through the car window.

Spring has begun, and merchants traveling from north to south are driving in convoys. The official road can accommodate four carriages parallel to each other, but it seems crowded at the moment.

Ox carts, donkey carts, and horse-drawn carriages each transported goods, and there were countless vendors.

It is clearly a wilderness on the outskirts of the mountains, but the official road is as lively as the streets of the capital, with pedestrians, carriages and horses, as far as the eye can see.

Looking back again, I saw a majestic building standing in the countryside, connecting the sky and the earth.

"Is that the Qingshan Library in Liangxiang? Tell the coachman to hurry up."

Kong Wenshao had to return to the capital to meet an important person before noon.

When they heard that Kong Wenshao was coming, the scholars in Liangxiang were overjoyed. They ran outside the library and were surrounded by people.

Zhu Houzhao was not happy anymore and dared to steal the spotlight from Xiao Zhu Xiucai: "He is?!"

"Your Highness, Mr. Yan is here."

Yan Chengjin was a little surprised. Kong Wenshao came to the capital from Shandong. Did he know that the Metropolitan Procuratorate was investigating his fields?

If you come here specifically to call on scholars to use it, I'm afraid your intentions are not simple.

"I'm afraid it will become more difficult to implement the method of dividing one person into an acre."

The four-wheeled carriage stopped, and a man wearing blue and white Confucian clothes got out of the carriage. He was about the same age as Wang Shouren.

She is handsome and has the elegance of a scholar between her brows, as if she has been studying all year round.

"This year's talent promotion ceremony, Li Gong went to the Confucius Temple to offer sacrifices on behalf of the imperial court. Wen Shao should also come from Shandong to pray for the scholars all over the world. I sincerely hope that you will win three yuan in a row and be named on the gold list!"

After hearing this, the scholar burst into tears and knelt on the ground, deeply moved.

If Yan Chengjin hadn't already won the first place, I'm afraid he would have been moved by Kong Wenshao. Is this a team operation?

There was a lot of wailing and crying around, and some people shed tears. Duke Yan came all the way to Beijing to pray for the candidates, which was unprecedented in a hundred years.

"Everyone has won three prizes in a row. Doesn't the imperial court want to set up a thousand top prizes? It's obviously unheard of. Why did you lie to them?"

Who is speaking so harshly? !

The scholars followed the sound and realized it was the shameless scholar Xiao Zhu.

Zhu Houzhao scratched his neck and opened the ink folding fan. This person is a liar. How could everyone win three yuan in a row?

The scholar was so angry that he wanted to push Zhu Houzhao to the ground and stomp on him severely.

But as a disciple of Confucius, I couldn't be so rude and could only reason with Zhu Houzhao.

"Don't you want to win three yuan in a row?!"

"I don't think so. If you win three yuan, you will be an official. When you are an official, you will have to sit in court. You will have to read the memorial at Mao hour every day. You can only go to work at You hour. It is not as interesting as fighting crickets." Zhu Houzhao said honestly.

The scholar's eyes widened.

It was their dream to become an official and shine at the top of their family, but they were said to be worthless.

Everyone blushed and became furious.

Kong Wenshao sneered and saw that this man was wearing Confucian clothes, how could he be so ignorant of etiquette.

Yan Chengjin whispered to Zhu Houzhao: "Your Highness, I am going back to the capital. Why don't we go back to the capital together?"

If Zhu Houzhao makes a big fuss here, it will definitely be reported to His Majesty. If he does not stop it, Your Majesty and all the officials will blame him for teaching him to conceive the prince.

Yan Chengjin sat on the "simple" sedan chair and gradually left in the eyes of everyone.

Zhu Houzhao had been worshiped by slaves since he was a child. When he saw the scholars kneeling down alone, he felt it was boring and followed Yan Chengjin back to the capital.

Li Mansion,

After getting off duty, when Li Dongyang returned to his house, it was quite lively and the main hall was filled with betrothal gifts.

Mr. Xue was wondering whether to accept it or not. Li Qing'e frowned and held a handkerchief in her jade hand.

"Who sent the betrothal gift?"

"She was sent by Duke Yan Sheng, who wants to marry Qing'e."

Mr. Xue ordered his people to conduct an inventory and found that the rare treasures, silk cloths, and precious calligraphy and paintings were probably worth three hundred thousand taels.

Such a high betrothal gift is simply terrifying.

When she came to the house, the betrothal gift from the Li family was only two thousand taels, but the news spread throughout the country, making others envious.

Li Qing'e looked at Li Dongyang. Her father had always wanted to marry her to a learned man, and Yan Shenggong was such a person.

Li Dongyang had a serious face. At this moment, these pearl calligraphy and paintings are the sacrifices of the people of Shandong.

If his prediction is correct, tomorrow, the Yan Anglican Church will ask His Majesty for a marriage in the court hall.

I want to use my power to protect the Kong family.

"Return all these betrothal gifts, I won't agree."

Xue family secretly felt that it was a pity that Yan Shenggong was a descendant of Confucius and could be said to be the most prominent family in the world.

Taking a closer look at the past dynasties, most of the people married by Duke Yan Sheng were the daughters of important officials in the court. Many women wanted to marry but could not get married.

Apart from the emperor's concubine, the most enviable thing is probably marrying Duke Yansheng.

…

Yanfu,

Yan Chengjin got off the sedan in front of the mansion gate.

Ye Zhun came forward to report: "Master Yan, Duke Yan has just been hired by the Li family. There are countless pearls, and the courtyard is covered with silk and brocade..."

He knew something about Yan Chengjin and Miss Li's family. If it weren't for Mr. Li's permission, they would have got married long ago.

Yan Chengjin fell into deep thought.

According to historical records, Li Dongyang did have a daughter married to Kong Wenshao, whose name is unknown.

The Kong family was protected during the Hongzhi Dynasty, which had a lot to do with Li Dongyang.

Letting Li Dongyang go to Shandong was also to stop this marriage.

After Kong Wenshao entered the capital, he first went to Liangxiang to express his sincere gratitude to the scholars, and then wanted to win over Li Dongyang for his own use. He was still quite capable.

I wonder how he will advise His Majesty in the morning court tomorrow.

Back to the main hall, under the service of Chunxiao, he changed into a white casual dress. After Qianjin brought a copper basin to wash his hands, Yan Chengjin took a sip of wolfberry tea.

The doorman trotted in: "Master, someone outside the door said that he is the Duke of Yansheng and wants to pay a visit to you."

Hmm?

Yan Chengjin put down the teacup and looked out the door.

At this time, in front of the Yan Mansion.

After Kong Wenshao came back from Liangxiang, his followers happened to find out Yan Chengjin's residence.

It was heard that this person was the Chief Censor of the Censorate.

He did not take the Nine Ministers seriously. After all, the title of Duke Yansheng was equivalent to a first-rank civil official in the court.

The Chief Censor was only a second-rank official, and he was still a Nine Minister. Even the six ministers were far inferior.

But it was the Censorate that investigated the Kong Mansion. The person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it.

"The mansion is extremely dilapidated, and there is not even a plaque. Is it really the mansion of the Yan family?"

Kong Wenshao looked at the attendant next to him and couldn't believe it.

In front of the second-rank official's door, there was not even a stone lion, the wall was about to collapse, and the tiles were incomplete. Would such a mansion be inhabited by a second-rank minister of the court?

The attendant shivered: "It is really the mansion of the Yan family, absolutely true, and there are Jinyiwei watching over there."

At this moment, the door of the mansion creaked and opened.