On 8 March, the results of the examination were released, and about 300 of the more than 3,000 scholars who participated in the examination were admitted. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info In the past few days, the scholars who failed to leave the capital did not leave the capital immediately. There are also many people stranded in Beijing.

The rumors circulating among the landed scholars are like an undercurrent hidden under the surface of the lake, brewing slowly and turbulently. On the surface, there are some clues, but they haven't broken out yet.

On the evening of 16 March, according to the original plan, Jia Huan hosted a banquet at the Zuixian Building for the same year as the Chinese-style Beizhi Subordinate of the Present Branch, with more than 30 people in total, and a number of Chinese-style people who had friendships in the past two days. For example: Fujian Weng Zongdao, Jiangxi Fan Xijue and others.

The second floor of the Drunken Immortal Building was wrapped down by Jia Huan, and dozens of Chinese-style people drank and laughed, and chanted poems. The wine and delicacies are placed on several tables of eight immortals, and in the corner of the second floor, there are eight singers from the teaching department playing music, which is pleasing to the ear.

They are all Chinese-style people in the current department, the new science and technology scholars who are about to be, and the future court officials. Chao for Tian Shelang, twilight to the Tianzi Hall. That's pretty much it. The atmosphere at the wine table was full of excitement and high spirits.

At the table near the railing, a friend of Fan Xijue's looked at the beautiful scenery on the second floor, and said with emotion: "Tsk, it's really a big deal, I heard that Jia Ziyu was born in Rongguo Mansion, and he is really a rich and noble son." ”

Zuixianlou is a high-end restaurant in the capital, they only have more than 50 people, and they chartered the second floor of the entire restaurant, how much silver does this cost?

Fan Xijue was twenty-seven years old at the time, his cheeks were thin, his jaw was protruding, and his mouth was a little pointy, and he said funny: "Brother Yue, good wine, good food, and good place can't satisfy you?" Drink your bar with peace of mind. When I make friends, I look at my temperament, not my background. ”

The scholar who was called Brother Yue smiled and nodded, looked at the young man in the center who was talking and laughing, and let out a long breath of turbidity. Huiyuan, who is less than thirteen years old! This is the era of the former Ming prodigies, and there is no one.

Zuixian Lou is a famous cultural restaurant in the capital. Literati gatherings were frequented here. Jia Huan and others went down to the second floor to talk and laugh, which was inevitably a little eye-catching. But Jinke's Chinese-style people feasted here, and there was no "idle people" whose IQ came offline to find fault, giving Jia Huan the opportunity to pretend to be slapped in the face.

The banquet lasted until ten o'clock in the evening, and the scholars began to say goodbye, and Jia Huan sent them downstairs one by one. It's spring, the stars are bright in the night sky, and the evening breeze is like a drunk.

Jia Huan arched his hand, bid farewell to Weng Zongdao and several other Fujian scholars, and said, "Brothers, the return journey has been smooth. I'll see you again when he tries to do it in the future. ”

Weng Zongdao and the others all said: "Brother Jia stays." ”

Weng Zongdao and Jia Huan were more familiar, one step behind, and persuaded in a gentle tone: "There have been some rumors recently, Brother Jia Xian don't take it to heart." My generation of scholars, the name of the subject, is always riddled with gossip. Those who are clear are self-purifying, and those who are turbid are self-turbid. ”

Jia Huan was a little confused, he didn't know what Weng Zongdao said, he had a banquet and invitations for the past two days, and said vaguely at the moment: "Brother Xie Weng supports." ”

Weng Zongdao smiled, took his leave, and disappeared into the night.

After Jia Huan finished sending it in the same year, he asked the chief to stay with Qian Huai to settle the account, and sent Hu Xiaosi to escort the drunk Luo Junzi to Jiafu Wangyue Residence in a carriage. He and Gongsun Liang walked to Jiafu. Luo Junzi studied on weekdays and participated in less banquets, and the amount of alcohol was not as good as that of them.

On a spring evening, walking on the streets of the capital with friends and watching the lights in the streets and alleys late at night is very leisurely.

Gongsun Liang was still dressed in a white shirt, his face was a little red after drinking, his posture was slender, his demeanor was free and easy, he said a few words of gossip, and said, "Ziyu, I passed by Shangguan Chang this morning." He is very well-informed in the capital. There's news that I thought I should tell you about. ”

Jia Huan was six or seven minutes drunk today, so he laughed, "Senior brother, what news, so cautious?" ”

Gongsun Liang laughed, too, there is no need to be so cautious, and said: "You have won the middle school in this course, some people who have failed the list are very unconvinced, and they are engaged in tandem." Said that you and Sect Master Fang colluded to vent the problem. Some of the words are hard to hear. The temple trial is coming, and you don't want those people to be affected. ”

Jia Huan couldn't help laughing. I understood what Weng Zongdao was talking about. Don't say that those people have dark hearts, they guessed quite accurately. But he didn't have much fear in his heart.

If you really want to talk about engaging in public opinion and spreading rumors, with his level, he really doesn't say who he needs to be afraid of.

The rumor-mongers are interesting. It's nothing to attack him, but what is Mr. Fang's status in Shilin? Wenzong! A few fallen scholars want to ruin his reputation, which is not ordinarily difficult. Moreover, Mr. Fang is also the current secretary of the Ministry of Rites and an official of the imperial court. Is it so easy to slander the court officials of the second grade?

Senior Brother Xie reminded. I know. ”

…

…

The streets and alleys in the capital are a bit complicated and unfamiliar to Wang Ying, a scholar from Zhejiang Province who came to Beijing for the first time.

In the afternoon, walking in the spacious, quiet alley, Wang Ying was a little impatient. If it weren't for the man in front of him who claimed to be the servant of the Zhao family of Marquis of Ruyang laughing all the way, he would have brushed his sleeves away a long time ago.

Located in a small wine shop near the left side of Chongwenmenwai Street in the south of the city, Wang Ying saw the main owner, the Chinese style of the current branch of the people, the north Zhili Wanping Zhao Xingchen, the son of the Marquis of Ruyang. Wang Ying's face stinked, and he arched his hand, "Friend Zhao's sneaky appointment came down, what do you have to say?" ”

Zhao Xingchen was dressed in a sky-blue scholar's robe, wearing a Tang scarf, chubby, holding a jade folding fan, and was drinking tea.

He had just finished meeting another more famous Luodi Shizi Huguang Huanggang Xiao Mengzhen. With a smile on his face, he stretched out his hand and gestured, "Friend Wang, please take a seat." In the next appointment, the king's friend is here, and there are a few confidants to talk about. It's really a last resort, forgive me, forgive me. ”

Wang Ying's face softened slightly, and he sat at the square table, "Friend Zhao can say it directly if he has something to say." I'm listening. ”

Zhao Xingchen knocked the folding fan on his hand and said with a smile: "Okay, I like refreshing people the most." I have definite evidence in my hand, and Jia Huan, the Yuan of the current science association, won the first place after winning the official Wangxi leak question in the sub-examination. Would you like to lead the scholars to the Ministry of Rites to ask for an explanation? ”

While speaking, Zhao Xingchen took out a stack of silver tickets from his sleeve pocket and gently pushed them in front of Wang Ying. Smile and nod your head in encouragement.

Wang Ying glanced at the amount of the silver ticket, and her breathing suddenly became a little short. But he wasn't stupid, he looked at Zhao Xingchen, "Friend Zhao, why are you targeting Jia Huan?" ”

Zhao Xingchen shook the folding fan and smiled incomprehensibly, "There are some things that Brother Wang still doesn't want to know." As a scholar, you should ask for an explanation from the Ministry of Rites, and make a case to the adults, and you don't want the actual results. There is no risk. ”

"Just asking for an explanation?"

"Not bad."

Wang Ying gritted his teeth, arched his hand to Zhao Xingchen, put the three thousand taels of silver tickets into his cuffs, turned around and left the small wine shop.

Looking at Wang Ying's back, the servant of the Marquis of Ruyang Mansion whispered: "Young Master, is this okay?" He's not going to take the money and do nothing, is he? ”

Zhao Xingchen is still a set of things. Otherwise, it won't be mixed to the extent of Chinese-style lifting. Sun smiled and poked the servant's chest with a fan, "Is there such a good thing?" Hehe, you can't just look at people by looking at their faces. ”

Don't look at Wang Ying's black face when he came, but he accepted the money. And Xiao Mengzhen, the fat man in front, smiled kindly, and immediately shrank when he heard that he was going to make trouble.

"Let's go!"

Zhao Xingchen got up and left with the servants. What he should do, he has done, and the rest is not his responsibility.