The British Duke Zhang Lun and the Marquis of Wuding Guo Xun left and went to play the game of changing concubines, and only Xu Pengju, the Duke of Wei, was left in the private room, he drank tea alone and pondered for a while, stood up and pulled the rope bell. Soon, the housekeeper Xu Ping pushed the door and walked in, and said respectfully: "The old slave sees the master." ”

Xu Pengju nodded and asked politely: "Pingbo, has the news of today's Wenhui been released?" ”

The old housekeeper Xu Ping is the "elder of the three dynasties" of the Wei State Mansion, and Xu Pengju's grandfather Xu Li was the housekeeper in the house when he was still alive, so Xu Ping's status in the State Mansion is very high, and even Xu Pengju respects him.

Xu Ping replied: "As soon as the Wenhui ended, the old slave sent a fast horse back to the city, and at this moment, the experience and results of the Wenhui are estimated to have spread in the major teahouses and wine shops, and it will be spread throughout most of the capital tomorrow." ”

Xu Ping is steady and sophisticated, modest and cautious, and never oversteps his identity when he speaks and acts, which is why he has been valued for a long time.

Xu Pengju nodded with satisfaction, and asked again: "Then what is the situation in the gambling house now?" ”

Xu Ping grinned, showing a chrysanthemum-like smile and said: "Before today, Yang Weicong, the son of Huguang, was still the biggest favorite in Huiyuan, and the handicap was as low as ten to five. However, after the news of today's Wenhui spread, the handicap has risen to six out of ten, and it is estimated that Xu Jin's handicap will be lower than Yang Weicong tomorrow and become the biggest favorite. ”

Xu Peng stroked his beard and smiled: "Let the people below add more oil, pull Xu Jin's odds as low as possible, bet as much as you want, and don't refuse to come!" ”

Xu Ping said a little worriedly: "Master, it is not impossible to win Huiyuan with Xu Ziqian's talent, if he really wins Huiyuan by then, even if it is three out of ten, our loss will be great." ”

Xu Pengju said confidently: "Although Pingbo can rest assured, Xu Jin will not be able to become a Huiyuan." ”

The reason why Xu Pengju was so sure that Xu Jin could not win Huiyuan, in addition to the reason he told Zhang Lun and Guo Xun not long ago, also received a reliable news that the emperor was trying to produce the Franc cannon in the Jinling Command Bureau.

Seeing that the Spring Festival is about to begin, the emperor is still stranded in Jinling and does not return, a few days ago, the students and some of the children of the Heavenly Kingdom have already gone to Chengtianmen to protest, and the ministers of the court are also anxious, and the two ministers left behind in the cabinet, Yang Tinghe and Prince Liang, have already made dozens of urges, but the emperor ignored them.

It is said that the blueprint of the Franc cannon was presented to the emperor by Xu Jin through Zhang Zhong's hand, and now the emperor is stranded in Jinling to order craftsmen to make cannons, and the civil officials are afraid that they will be even more angry with Xu Jin.

When Xu Ping heard this, he said, "That old slave will immediately send someone to operate now." ”

"Well, go ahead!" Xu Peng raised his hand and waved his hand.

Xu Ping was just about to turn around and exit, but Xu Peng suddenly said: "Let the early spring and early summer clean up and send someone to Xu Ziqian's residence." ”

Xu Ping couldn't help but be a little confused, since the lord was not optimistic about Xu Jin, why did he give him the early spring and early summer? However, Xu Ping didn't ask very interestingly, although it was rumored that his master was a straw bag, Xu Ping knew that his master was actually a very smart person, and the reason why he did it must have his reasons.

"Okay, the old slave will do it immediately!" Xu Ping agreed and respectfully exited the room, closing the door with his hand.

Xu Pengju drank all the tea in the cup, a faint smile appeared on his face, and said to himself: "Beauty attendant, hehe, I wonder if that kid still has time to prepare for the exam?" ”

Xu Pengju was guarding Jinling that year, but he happened to encounter a mutiny among the soldiers, so he was so frightened that he immediately fled out of the city, and since then he has been nicknamed Xu Caobao. It is true that Xu Pengju is indeed timid and afraid of death, and he has no talent to lead troops into battle, but there is no doubt that he is a very smart guy.

In the eyes of many people, Xu Peng was so keen to hold a cultural meeting after a martial arts, and he did not hesitate to spend a lot of money, just to make a name for himself (idle eggs), but he didn't know that he also opened a lot of gambling houses under his name.

In addition, the participants in the Wenhui are all elites in the court, and the possibility of entering the cabinet in the future is very great, Xu Pengju used the Wenhui to build a good relationship with these future officialdom bigwigs, which is also an investment in contacts, which can be described as killing three birds with one stone.

Of course, there are not no smart people in the DPRK and China who have seen the purpose of Xu Pengju's sparing no effort to hold the meeting, for example, the old fritters in the cabinet know it. However, the holding of the literary meeting was originally a helpful thing for the literati, and Xu Pengju's arbitrage did not adversely affect the imperial court, nor did it harm anyone's interests, so the officialdom and bigwigs adopted a tacit attitude towards this.

Although Xu Pengju was not optimistic that Xu Jin would be able to take the first place in the examination, he still ordered someone to send the twin sisters over, firstly, to influence Xu Jin's preparation for the exam, and secondly, it was also a means of entrapment.

Regardless of whether the rumors of Xu Jin stammering Zhang Zhong are true, it is a fact that the Franco cannon is very popular with the emperor, and I heard that the emperor wanted to summon Xu Jin immediately, but he was stopped by Jiang Bin under the pretext of being blocked. Therefore, Xu Pengju thinks it is worth investing in Xu Jin, maybe Xu Jin may become a celebrity around the emperor in the future?

In addition, Xu Jin is indeed extremely talented, just his performance in the pacification of King Ning's rebellion, Xu Pengju feels that it is worth having a good relationship with him. As for Xu Jin's political ideas, Xu Pengju doesn't care too much, in his opinion, Xu Jin is now just a young scholar full of enthusiasm, and his personal ideas are inevitably idealized, and when he really enters the officialdom, he will see the real situation clearly, and he will naturally change his course.

After all, no one can withstand the counterattack of all the vassal kings and nobles, as well as the powerful people from all over the country, including the Son of Heaven, if he really dares to do this, I am afraid that it will be difficult for the throne to sit firmly.

……

When the carriage drove outside the courtyard of Ming Shifang, it was already close to 6 p.m., and the sky was already a little dark.

"Xu Gongzi, is it here?" Fluttershy feels the carriage stop, and nudges Xu Jin, who is leaning his head against her shoulder, who has slept all the way to her shoulder, to the point that her arm aches a little.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm asleep!" Xu Jin smiled apologetically, lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage first, and then naturally stretched out his hand.

Xiao Yudie hesitated for a moment, but finally thanked him, grabbed Xu Jin's men and got out of the carriage. Xu Jin asked Dabao to reward the driver with money for running errands, and then smiled, "Fluttershy, let's go in!" ”

Xiao Yudie looked at the young man with a calm smile in front of her, and couldn't help but laugh at herself a little, and a little bitter, she was just an old woman who was nearly thirty years old, who would rarely take advantage of herself?

However, in fact, a twenty-seven or eighteen-year-old woman is not old at all in modern times, and it is the golden age of a woman, plus Xiao Yudie's appearance is not bad, her figure is slender and plump, like a ripe peach, if she changes into professional clothes, she will definitely be a hot office stunner.

Of course, Xu Jin really didn't deliberately take advantage of others in the car, Xu didn't do it to this point, but really fell asleep, the night before he participated in the meeting, he was still playing the question sea tactics, and he didn't sleep until very late, and he got up early this morning, so he was very sleepy.

"The master is back......!" When Mei Wan Yue'er saw Xu Jin walking into the courtyard, she was overjoyed at first, but when she saw Xiao Yudie following behind, her apricot-like eyes suddenly widened, and she walked quickly to the house with a pretty face.

Xiao Yudie frowned imperceptibly, this girl ring is too unruly, she dares to make a face to her master, this is terrible in the palace, she will be beaten to death.

Xu Jin smiled a little embarrassedly, "Yue'er, this girl is spoiled, but it makes Fluttershy laugh!" ”

"Madam, the master really brought a woman back!" Yue'er ran into the house and pouted and complained to Xie Xiaowan.

Xie Xiaowan was doing needlework, and was taken aback when she heard this, and said deliciously: "Really? ”

"Everyone has been brought back, see for yourself!" Yue'er is stupid.

At this time, Xu Jin had already led Xiao Yudie into the hall, and Xie Xiaowan hurriedly stood up and called, "Xianggong is back!" ”

"Slave and maid to Madame!" Xiao Yudie bowed to Xie Xiaowan.

Xie Xiaowan flashed sideways slightly, and asked curiously, "Xianggong, who is she?" ”

Looking at Xiao Wan's vigilant jealous appearance, Xu Jin couldn't help but be a little amused, and introduced: "Xiao Wan, this is Miss Xiao Fluttershy, who used to serve Concubine Lou in King Ning's mansion......"

After listening to Xu Jin's introduction, Xie Xiaowan's pretty face couldn't help but feel a little feverish, both grateful and sympathetic, and hurriedly stepped forward to take Xiao Yudie's hand, and said enthusiastically: "It turned out to be Miss Fluttershy, sit down, Yue'er, serve tea to Miss Fluttershy!" ”

"Oh!" The beautiful maid stuck out her tongue in embarrassment, twisted her thin waist and hips and ran to make tea.

After sitting and chatting with each other for a while, Xie Xiaowan personally took Yue'er to prepare a room for Xiao Yudie, and went to the street to buy daily necessities such as quilts. Xie Xiaowan is a kind-hearted girl, and she will naturally not slack off her father-in-law's former life-saving benefactor.

When everything was arranged, everyone was about to go out into the street to see the lanterns after dinner, but there was the sound of horse-drawn carriages outside the courtyard, and then the sound of banging on the door. Dabao ran out and opened the door, and suddenly his eyes widened, and he turned around and ran back into the house, squeezing his eyebrows and reporting: "Master...... Ahem, oh no, there are two more out there! ”

Xu Jin was a little stunned, frowned, and said, "What's the second one!" ”

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a person walk in, it was the manager of the Guogong Mansion who he had seen in the Xiangshan Villa today.

"Hehe, I'm disturbing Gongzi Xu for dinner!" The steward accompanied.

Xu Jin stood up and said curiously, "Why did Xu Guan come here?" ”

"The contemptible people were ordered by the grandfather of the country to send people to Xu Gongzi, in early spring and early summer, and they haven't come in to meet your new master!" The steward turned and beckoned.

As soon as he finished speaking, two pretty girls wearing double buns walked in from outside the house, and said in unison: "Slave and maid to the old lady to say goodbye!" ”

Xu Jin's hand shook, and the chopsticks almost fell to the ground, Ni Mei, which one is Xu Pengju doing?