The Ming Dynasty started with caution

With so many places in Xiyong, how will the students be admitted?

Yan Chengjin and Zhu Houzhao decided to go to Liangxiang Library to see the reaction of the scholars.

On the way, they met a scholar who kept cursing, as if he was venting his dissatisfaction with a crooked tree.

The next moment, Zhu Houzhao approached the window of the sedan chair, and his serious expression seemed to have something big happened.

"Lao Gao, that scholar seems to be scolding me."

Yan Chengjin thought for a while, "What's so strange about this?"

Zhu Houzhao blinked his big eyes, Lao Gao, the dog official, really wanted to beat him to death.

Although Yan Chengjin said so, he lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and took a look. A scholar stood at the slope under the tree and cursed, as if the crooked willow tree was Zhu Houzhao.

"Why do you want to insult the current emperor?" Zhu Houzhao was a little unhappy when he reined in his horse and approached.

Adding a national college, but being insulted, I don't accept it!

If you don't tell the reason, he will definitely "his palace" this scholar by himself, and then send him to the Shengong prison to sweep the floor.

The scholar turned around with a guilty conscience.

No one usually comes to this shortcut, but now a double-horse carriage is parked there, and three or four followers follow closely behind, like the children of a wealthy family.

"I...I didn't curse."

"Zhu Houzhao, this dog emperor, doesn't care about the people of the world. He spent hundreds of thousands of gold on Tang and Song envoys, got spices to store in the palace, and indulged in luxury and debauchery. He favored Concubine Liu Shu and ruined the country... ruined the country...dog emperor...dog emperor...dog emperor..."

Zhu Houzhao recited it with a beaming eyebrow.

"...You cursed really well." Yan Chengjin sighed sincerely.

Zhu Houzhao: "..."

Gu Dayong: "..."

The scholar's cheeks were red. If he was reported to the government, he might be beheaded, but when he heard the people in the carriage say that he cursed well, he was relieved immediately.

"Brother...Brother, are you dissatisfied with the current government?"

Yan Chengjin nodded and said, "Well, you cursed well."

When the scholar heard this, his hand movements also stopped, and he bowed.

"I didn't expect that there are people who share the same views as me."

Seeing that the other party was sitting in a carriage with servants, he was a son of a gentry. It was true that the gentry didn't like Zhu Houzhao's constant reforms.

And the other party said that the scolding was good. If it was reported to the government, he would be punished for the same crime.

He didn't have any doubts in his heart.

Zhu Houzhao got off the horse and seemed to understand Yan Chengjin's intention. He wondered: "Zhu Houzhao has no grudges against you, why do you scold Zhu Houzhao?"

"The new emperor set up Xiyong in the western district of the capital. It is flashy and impractical. The number of places for the imperial examination is limited. How can it be possible to recruit all the real talents in the world?

Many scholars cannot pass the imperial examination to become officials, so how can they benefit the people?

Brother, do you think Zhu Houzhao should be scolded?" The scholar asked back.

Zhu Houzhao touched his chin, "But why don't you scold the emperor?"

"After I scold Zhu Houzhao, I will scold Zhu Youtang."

Yan Chengjin: "..."

Zhu Houzhao was immediately happy, and the displeasure in his heart disappeared. It was the first time he met a scholar who was fair and just. He put his arm around the scholar's shoulders and asked, "What's your name?"

"I'm Zhang Cong."

The scholar bowed and looked at Zhu Houzhao, "What's your name, brother?"

Zhu Houzhao patted his shoulder, "My name is Zhu Houzhao."

"... Is your father called Zhu Youtang?" The scholar took a step back.

"Yeah."

Yan Chengjin fell into a state of contemplation. He couldn't tell the words from his accent. I wonder if this Zhang Chong is the Zhang Cong?

Zhu Houzhao wanted to beat up the scholar, but there was no sack around. At Yan Chengjin's signal, the two rode to the Liangxiang government office.

...

Liangxiang courtyard

Yan Chengjin brewed a pot of spring tea Longjing, and drank tea on the stone bench in the courtyard.

Not long after, Ye Zhun brought the scholar's family file. Yan Chengjin took a look and found that he had failed the provincial and academy examinations several times.

"There is indeed a scholar named Zhang Cong who has lived in the wing room of the pawnshop for half a year."

"Lao Gao, why didn't you let me beat him just now?" Zhu Houzhao looked like he was going to ask for punishment.

"Maybe he is a talent."

This dog official, those who scold me are called talents.

Zhu Houzhao snorted lightly, but after thinking about it carefully, he said happily: "Then I will castrate him even more." Such a companion is rare.

"..." Yan Chengjin.

……………

Fengtian Hall.

The retired emperor Hongzhi raised his head slightly and saw the little eunuch walking towards Xiao Jing, "The new emperor and Yan Chengjin left the palace?"

Now, it has become commonplace for the rebellious son to leave the palace.

As long as he was with Yan Chengjin, he didn't worry about any trouble. Yan Chengjin would not dare to condone the new emperor to break the law.

After hearing this, Xiao Jing's face turned pale.

"Just now on the small road in Liangxiang, someone cursed the new emperor... and the emperor."

Click!

The emperor Hongzhi pressed the memorial in his hand heavily on the desk.

Xiao Jing felt a cool breeze blowing, and the clothes on his back were a little sticky.

If he only cursed the new emperor, maybe the emperor would ask a question and it would be over.

This scholar is really tired of living. He dared to curse two generations of emperors.

"I... I will arrest him and put him in jail."

The court certainly had many bad policies, but cursing the emperor like this was equivalent to inciting public opinion, which was no different from the White Lotus Sect.

The emperor Hongzhi sat there motionless, his eyes staring at the white clouds outside the palace.

...

The inn in Liangxiang.

Zhang Cong returned to the Yahang to pack his bags, but found that the house was empty.

Several burly men put a black bag over him and escorted him out.

Yan Chengjin saw Mou Bin and said to Zhu Houzhao, "Why don't the new emperor save him?"

Mou Bin's personal visit to Liangxiang must have been the emperor's intention.

Only Zhu Houzhao dared to stop him.

"Ten thousand taels!" Zhu Houzhao offered a very expensive price.

He had a hunch that this scholar would be in a worse situation if he fell into the hands of Lao Gao, so he was willing to help.

"One hundred thousand."

Zhu Houzhao's eyes widened, and he immediately ran to block Mou Bin's way, "If you want to pass through here, leave a passerby."

Mou Bin's face was stiff, but he did not give Zhu Houzhao face.

...

In a side hall of the Forbidden City.

The retired emperor Hongzhi sat on the imperial desk, holding a book and flipping through it slowly, wasting no time.

The gentlemen stood in the hall, and when they heard that a scholar was insulting two generations of emperors, they didn't bother to report anything.

"Retired emperor, the person is here."

After a while, a scholar staggered into the hall, looked at the surrounding scenery, and saw the middle-aged man in official robes, and knew that this was the palace.

"Student... I have seen the emperor."

The emperor Hongzhi looked up at him, with an expression of humility, and asked kindly: "The world is peaceful, why do you still scold the emperor?"

The scholar's forehead was sweating, and he made a whirring sound. He was obviously very nervous, and even breathing became difficult.

At this time, Zhu Houzhao and Yan Chengjin also walked in quietly and stood aside.

After waiting for a long time, the scholar did not speak.

Xiao Jing looked at the emperor and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, do you want to torture me?"

The scholar shrank and looked up in a daze, "The student spoke rudely, and I have regretted it. Please spare my life, Your Majesty."

The emperor Hongzhi's eyes moved slightly, and he pondered for a moment, "If you can explain the reason, I will spare you, and no one is allowed to beg for mercy."