I go to the ancient imperial examinations

Chapter 234 Jin Family Calculations
Chu Mansion, flower hall in the backyard.

"Madam Wei, please sit down." Madam Chu's face is sickly pale, but the beauty is not skin deep. Even though she is over [-] years old, her gentle charm and good facial features make her look much younger than Madam Wei .

The servant girl brought over the tea, she looked sullen, not like a guest, but more like Jin Baozhen who was looking for faults, surprise flashed quickly in her eyes, but her attitude was so respectful that there was no mistake.

Jin Baozhen looked hostilely at Madam Chu, who was in charge, she was just a sick child, and she was still occupying the position of the magistrate's wife!Mother is right about not taking concubines for the prefect of Chu. Even though these aristocratic daughters have a reputation as virtuous and virtuous outside, they are actually vicious and insidious in their hearts.

Mrs. Wei didn't notice Jin Baozhen's expression, she put on the air of Mrs. Chu and greeted, "Mrs. Chu's complexion is a little pale, we women are like this when we are old, it just so happened that I brought a wild ginseng and a box of donkey-hide gelatin this time. It is the most invigorating."

Here Mrs. Wei's voice fell, and the big maid behind her immediately brought over the brocade box she had brought.

"Let Mrs. Wei spend the money." Mrs. Chu smiled slightly, and Dongmei who was serving behind her stepped forward to take the four-color gift box. Like the little maid who poured tea before, Dongmei's eyes were full of surprise and helplessness.

Generally, guests will bring gifts when they come to visit, whether it is four gifts, six or eight gifts, even if it is a carriage gift, no one will give it directly in front of the owner. According to the rules, the housekeeper or The eldest maid and the nurse in charge presented the gift list.

Mrs. Chu glanced at the gift box in Dongmei's hand from the corner of her eye, and then took a meaningful look at Jin Baozhen, whose chin was raised high, proud and proud. These aunts and nephews were worthy of businessmen, even though Mrs. Wei married Deputy Wei Thousands of households are used to fill in houses, but the people who come and go are all military generals, so the rules are not so strict.

"Looking at such a pretty and lovely young girl, my bracelet is at best the icing on the cake." After a few words of pleasantries, Mrs. Chu praised Jin Baozhen again, and took off a jade bracelet from her slender wrist, "Dongmei , send it to Miss Jin, it is a meeting gift from an elder like me."

"Thank you, Mrs. Chu." With a clear voice of thanks, Jin Baozhen got up and saluted, but she glanced at the imperial concubine bracelet and raised her eyebrows in disdain. The Jin family wanted as many bracelets as this one, and the dignified wife of the magistrate was ashamed to take it out as a gift The meeting ceremony is too poor.

The main hall in the front yard.

The prefect of Chu didn't expect that Deng Zhiwu and Jin's aunt and nephew would meet at the door. The housekeeper had arranged for the female relatives to go to the back house, and Jin Guixuan followed the butler to the front yard. Jin Guixuan, who was resting, came to see him.

But there was some conflict between the two sides at the gate of the Chu Mansion. Although Jin Guixuan didn't yell like Jin Baozhen, the arrogant young man didn't want to be underestimated. behind.

So taking advantage of Jin Baozhen's previous yelling, Jin Guixuan followed Deng Zhiwu to the main hall to meet the prefect of Chu, and deliberately opened his mouth before him, making it clear that he wanted to overwhelm Deng Zhiwu.

Chu Zhifu smiled and said: "My nephew was enlightened at the age of three, and has been studying for ten years. He is indeed a young talent."

"Thanks to the praise from the adults, the seniors are ashamed and dare not take it. This year, they have passed the college examination and achieved fame." Jin Guixuan is only a 13-year-old boy, and he has heard many compliments like this, so it is inevitable that he will feel a little bit elated.

Especially noticing Deng Zhiwu's shocked and admiring appearance, he stood up straight proudly, what qualifications does such a martial artist have to let himself be ranked behind.

Deng Zhiwu, who has never passed eight martial arts exams, heard that Jin Guixuan was studying at the age of three, and he was so impressed!When he was eight years old, it was his father who whipped him with a whip before he reluctantly entered a private school.

Although there was a master in the general's mansion before, Deng Zhiwu either skipped class, or fell asleep on the table. If the master was not giving lectures on it, he would wander below, and hey haha, gesturing with the moves he had just learned.

Chu Zhifu picked up his teacup and took a few sips, and said loudly: "The way of university lies in clear virtue, in closeness to the people, and ends in perfection."

Jin Guixuan knew that it was the prefect of Chu who was testing himself, but he didn't know that when the prefect of Chu met Zhan Feiyu before, he also used the first sentence of the opening chapter of "University" to test her.

"Knowing stop and then having steadiness; being steadfast and then being able to be calm; being still and then being able to be at ease; being at ease and then being able to worry; thinking and then being able to gain." After answering, Jin Guixuan's attitude seemed humble, but the slightly immature eyebrows and eyes were full of arrogance besides arrogance. I'm a little disdainful, the prefect of Chu is also a Jinshi, and it's the end of Jiang's talent that such a problem will come up.

To entertain guests today, Prefect Chu is wearing a white wide-sleeved robe with a clump of green bamboo embroidered on the hem of the robe. He is holding a teacup at this moment, with a leisurely and lazy posture, and he is carrying a real celebrity.

Seemingly unaware of Jin Guixuan's careful thinking, Chu Zhifu continued to ask: "What is the meaning of the word Zhizhi? Kong Shengren Zeng said: If you can't do it, stop it. What does my nephew think of a saint?"

After asking Jin Guixuan in a vicious way, the prefect of Chu drank two sips of tea and felt much happier. Compared with Zhan Feiyu's little Sanyuan, Jin Guixuan's reputation as a scholar must have been piled up with money.

Deng Zhiwu took a sympathetic look at Jin Guixuan, who was thinking hard, and secretly rejoiced that he was a martial arts student, otherwise he would be the poor guy who was tested for learning.

Chu Zhifu put down his teacup, looked at Deng Zhiwu who had escaped, "Nephew Deng Xian."

Shocked by Deng Zhiwu who was named, he blurted out: "I learn martial arts, I don't study!"

Uncle Huang who was standing by was ashamed. No wonder he couldn't pass the martial arts test eight times. Judging by the posture of the second son, he probably needs to take the test a few more times.

Looking at Deng Zhiwu who looked embarrassed but stuck his neck and thought he was right, the prefect of Chu laughed loudly, "Nephew, don't panic, 360 lines, you can be the number one scholar, and you don't have to stick to studying for the imperial examination."

"Your Excellency is right. I feel dizzy when I read a book. The book recognizes me, but I don't recognize the book." Deng Zhiwu nodded sharply in agreement. If it weren't for the prefect Chu's appearance as a scholar, he would have stepped forward to pat the prefect Chu on the shoulder. , this is a confidant!
"There is a specialization in art, just like a carpenter is good at carpentry, but a cook prefers to cook. My nephew is talented in martial arts, and it is reasonable not to be proficient in reading." The prefect of Chu smiled generously, and his eyes showed sincerity praise.

Deng Zhiwu's excited voice was three points louder, "My lord's words have reached my heart. Going to the battlefield depends on skill, and no matter how good a book is, can you rely on it to kill the enemy and retreat?"

Speaking of the excitement, General Deng Zhiwu's chest thumped. He was born to go to the battlefield. If General Deng did not suppress him, Deng Zhiwu would have failed in the martial arts exam. He would have gone directly to the border to join the army. , The real knife and gun go to the battlefield to kill a few more enemies, and the military achievements will come up after a while.

The general is right, if the second son is stupid, he must study even more, otherwise he will be sold and returned to the number of money!The prefect of Chu just said a few words, and the second son is already the appearance of a scholar who died for his confidant.

Uncle Huang decided that when he returned to the capital, even if the second son went to the border with tears and shouts, he would have to let the general hold the second son to continue the martial arts, eight times but not ten times and twenty times, the Holy One does not value civility over military , the imperial examination is tried every three years, but the martial arts is tried once a year.

When Jin Guixuan had figured out how to answer Chu Zhifu's question, he happened to hear Deng Zhiwu's words.

"Lord Chu, the Huai'an Mansion is so big, I don't know if Miss Zhan has left or not, and please help me find Miss Zhan's whereabouts." Just tell me about the 50 taels of silver.

"Second son, being a bodyguard is a shame." Chu Zhifu smiled meaningfully. Zhan Feiyu came to Huai'an Mansion to express condolences to Liu Hefeng, and secondly because of his study tour.

Deng Zhiwu wanted to find Zhan Feiyu, at first he thought he was escorting her study tour.

Facing the smiling eyes of the magistrate of Shangchu, Deng Zhiwu smiled awkwardly. Just now he looked like a confidant who didn't blink when he went up the knife mountain and down the oil pan, but now he hides it.

Deng Zhiwu felt that what he had done was unkind, but it was about 50 taels of silver, so he could only pretend to be stupid and dumbfounded.

"Second Young Master, don't worry, the government will send someone to investigate." The prefect of Chu is not a person who asks the truth, but at this moment he already wonders if Zhan Feiyu really left Huai'an Mansion?Or did she have other purposes in coming to Huai'an Mansion.

It stands to reason that when the younger generation came to visit the mansion, the prefect of Chu should also leave a meal, but the two parties were not the same, and there was a conflict before, so the prefect of Chu took advantage of the situation and asked the housekeeper to send them out.

"Auntie, I just said that Mrs. Chu looked down on us! Our Jin family has never tasted any delicacies from mountains and seas. Could it be that this meal is missing?" Jin Baozhen was angry all morning, and now she was even more angry.

The same is true for Jin Guixuan. His answers to the prefect of Chu's school examination were not satisfactory, and thinking that the prefect of Chu and Deng Zhiwu, a reckless man, had a good chat, this made Jin Guixuan suspect that the prefect of Chu did it on purpose. He didn't want to accept him as a disciple, so he deliberately gave himself Get off your horse.

"Don't worry about Baozhen's affairs, you are not ready yet, you need to plan slowly." Mrs. Wei interrupted Jin Baozhen's complaint, looked at Jin Guixuan and asked, "Xuan'er, what is your attitude about your apprenticeship with the prefect of Chu?"

"Auntie, Chu Shao doesn't answer at all, he probably doesn't want to repay the favor!" Jin Guixuan's immature face was covered with frost, and he felt that he had been greatly underestimated and insulted, and he spoke with anger at the moment, "Lord Chu is right I'm indifferent, but I'm extremely enthusiastic about that reckless man, one nephew at a time, hmph, are you afraid that you won't find a famous teacher if you spend a lot of money from the Jin family?"

"Too much deceit!" Jin Baozhen yelled even more angrily, although she was arrogant and domineering, but when she was about to reach her age, Jin Baozhen also knew the importance of her mother's family to a woman.

It's like my aunt married into the Wei family, but without the money my father sends every year, my aunt probably wouldn't even be able to afford a decent headgear!
Jin Baozhen knew that if she married the prefect of Chu, Jin Guixuan, her younger brother, would be her backer. If he was named on the gold list in the future, even if he was a concubine today, he would be righted in the future!

"Our Jin family hasn't declined yet, they just look down on people!" Mrs. Wei's gorgeous face showed a bit of sternness and anger. The news about the new salt making is just a rumor, and the court hasn't released any concrete details yet. Notice, but the situation of salt merchants is getting more and more difficult.

It is also because of the change in the attitude of the officials and wives who come and go on weekdays, that Madam Wei took the painstaking efforts to bring her nephew and niece to Huai'an Mansion from Zhongzhou Mansion. The eldest brother is right, we must take precautions and plan ahead, but Madam Wei found that The trip didn't go well.

The Liu family has not yet agreed to a ghost marriage, and Xuan'er's apprenticeship has not been settled. As for Baozhen's marriage to the prefect of Chu, she has not even said a word. Mrs. Wei clenched her hands tightly, "We Go visit Mrs. Wu!"

Compared to Mrs. Chu, who was not in the oil and salt, the three members of the Jin family in the carriage felt that Mrs. Wu was more talkative. As long as they gave money, the little girl who offended them in Jin Yuzhai would be thrown into prison.

"By the way, Auntie, I just heard that reckless man say..." Jin Guixuan blamed Deng Zhiwu because of Chu Zhifu's attitude, and even a little bit more anger towards Zhan Feiyu, who made her the person the reckless man was looking for.

"No wonder that barbarian is so annoying, so they are a family! It really is a nest of snakes and rats!" Jin Baozhen raised her brows, remembering that Zhan Feiyu almost cut off her hand with a dagger before, she would be even more angry He didn't hit one place, his face was ferocious and fierce.

"Auntie, didn't the old lady of the Liu family tell us to give that dead girl in prison a good lesson, and then settle the matter of the ghost marriage? Why don't we give Mrs. Wu some more money, hum, that dead girl offended me, then The barbarian offended Xuan'er, and didn't give them some head start, thinking that our Jin family is easy to bully!"

As a daughter of the Jin family, Mrs. Wei is still not short of money even though she has been married for many years, so she agreed as soon as Jin Baozhen asked.

Jin Guixuan also agrees, "Auntie, as the saying goes, if you get involved with the Liu family, if the head of the Liu family is willing to come forward to make peace, my apprenticeship will definitely be successful. Once I succeed in apprenticeship, my sister will marry you." It will be much easier to enter the Chu Mansion."

As for the prefect of Chu being his teacher first, and then his brother-in-law, none of the three members of the Jin family in the carriage felt that there was anything wrong.
Mrs. Wei, who is in the back house, understands this truth better. It is a good idea for Jin Baozhen to marry the prefect of Chu, but it is too difficult to do it!One is the magistrate of Huai'an, who is a foreigner; the other is a little girl who is not as good as Ji, who is a female relative. It is impossible for the two parties to meet, let alone plan anything.

But once Jin Guixuan's apprenticeship is successful, Jin Baozhen, as the elder sister, will be able to enter and leave Chu's house conveniently, and there will be more opportunities at that time. The most important thing is to form a ghost marriage with the Liu family.

……

Zhan Feiyu, who was studying in the cell, didn't know that the three members of the Jin family had decided to punish him severely, but he knew that Deng Zhiwu came to Huai'an Mansion and even secretly searched for him.

"Brother, drink some water." He Nuan poured a glass of water and handed it over. Compared with Zhan Feiyu's refurbished cell, the cell opposite He Sheng's temporary residence was also cleaned, and two quilts were laid with straw In terms of appearance, it was far worse than Zhan Feiyu's cell which was comparable to an inn.

Money can turn ghosts around, not to mention that the prison boss guessed that Zhan Feiyu had a lot of background, so it was just an illusion to be imprisoned, and it was not troublesome for He Sheng to get in and out of the cell.

"Deng Zhiwu is the second son of General Deng." He Sheng handed the cup back to He Nuan, and began to report Deng Zhiwu's situation to Zhan Feiyu, "Deng Zhiwu visited the prefect of Chu this morning, and met with the Jin family at the gate of the Chu residence. There was a conflict."

Zhan Feiyu just wrote an article, and it sounds like a mess of things to do for entertainment, "It's for the 10 taels left by Liu Hefeng."

"I estimated the time. Eight days after the lady's letter was sent out, Deng Zhiwu brought people to Huai'an Mansion. It must have been until the news came." He Sheng didn't know much about the general, but the basic situation was still I know a little bit, General Deng's family is also full of loyalists. If Deng Zhiwu hadn't failed the martial arts exam, he might have gone to the army.

It will take two days to send the letter from Huai'an Mansion to the capital quickly. Gu Xueshi reported back to the Holy Majesty that it would take at least a day or two for the news of the 50 taels to spread. Deng Zhiwu must have rushed day and night to come. so fast.

"The Jin family doesn't know where we live in Huai'an Mansion. Deng Zhiwu couldn't find our whereabouts. It must be the work of the Liu family." Zhan Feiyu smiled with the corners of his mouth curled up. He was able to conceal the news of her arrest and imprisonment. The prefect of Chu didn't notice it, maybe it was done mentally or unintentionally, but the three Jin family aunts and nephews alone still couldn't do it.

He Nuan was clearing the table, and couldn't help but said, "Just for 50 taels of silver, the Liu family is such a calculating lady, aren't they afraid of Xueshi Gu's revenge afterwards?"

The Liu family is an imperial merchant, rich as a country! Although 50 taels of silver is quite a lot, it won't hurt the Liu family, but it is not worthwhile to offend Bachelor Gu for this!
After all, the Liu family's method of borrowing a knife to kill people is not very clever, not to mention Gu Xueshi who is far away in the capital, the prefect of Chu can find it with a search.

Zhan Feiyu recalled Chen Xuezheng's scheme against him in the academy test, which was obviously a bad move, but Chen Xuezheng made it anyway, and the old Patriarch Chen didn't stop him.

And it was the same this time. The Liu family used the three members of the Jin family to imprison themselves. It was also a bad move, but the Liu family did it anyway.

……

Madam Wu looked at the full 2000 taels of silver bills, and her bright eyebrows were full of satisfaction, "Master, you are indeed the salt merchant Jin's family, and it is 2000 taels again."

Wu Tongzhi pinched Mrs. Wu's cheek, sat on the chair and said, "You think the Jin family spends money one after another in order to get revenge on a little girl, just to find a backer."

As a member of the officialdom, Wu Tongzhi would ensure that he would have no worries even if he received the money. He had found out the purpose of the Jin family's visit to Huai'an Mansion, so he could accept the money with peace of mind.

"Don't you just want to take this opportunity to curry favor with you, Master?" Mrs. Wu chuckled, as delicate and charming as a peony flower, "Master really thinks I'm stupid."

"You only know one thing but don't know the other." Master Wu put his arms around Mrs. Wu who was leaning over, thinking that the Jin family would receive a lot of money in the future, his shrewd eyes also showed a smug smile, "If you just want to Apprentice, why did you bring a little girl here, Zhongzhou Mansion is not close to Huai'an, that girl of the Jin family is precious, what is the purpose of all this hard work?"

Mrs. Wu is a woman from the back house, and she is smart in her own right. Tongzhi Wu would tell her about this. After a long pause, she said, "The Jin family still has such ambitions? If you keep it with medicine, you won’t die in a while.”

"One year is not short, ten years is not long, and the Jin family's plans are not small." Wu Tongzhi guessed a little bit about the Jin family's calculations. After leaving the Huai'an Mansion, I must need some help from you, otherwise you will treat the Jin family's money as a flood, and give us a lot of it."

Mrs. Wu sat up straight, contemplating whether she could do it or not, with frowned eyebrows. Although the money was good, some money would bite her hand. The girl of the Jin family was plotting against Mrs. Chu. He and the magistrate's wife have become enemies.

"You take the money first. If the Jin family dares to give it to us, we will accept it. As for the future, if you are not sure, you can ask me." Wu Tongzhi was greedy for money, so he was naturally reluctant to give the money to the door.

As for how to help the Jin family, it will not be up to him to say a word at that time. The Jin family is just a merchant, so how dare they argue with his fellow-knowledge.

"That's okay, I'll make arrangements first, and have someone go to jail to deal with that little girl." Mrs. Wu didn't know Zhan Feiyu's identity, and she didn't have the slightest sympathy at the moment. Who made her unlucky to offend Jin Baozhen, Jin Baozhen The family found such a reasonable and reasonable excuse to send money, Madam Wu must help.

……

The six gangsters who were fighting and making trouble were helplessly sent to the big prison. The prison boss looked at the middle-aged man in front of him and wanted to scold his father, "Brother Ai, if this matter is found out, the prison boss probably has to get out of here." Pi is going to sit in prison."

Putting a little girl in prison for no reason is already out of line, Madam Wu even sent her man in charge of the nanny to send a message to put six ruffians in too.

"Don't worry, the jailer. It's just to scare the little girl. I've confessed everything. Nothing serious will happen." The man has an arrogant attitude, and he doesn't pay attention to a jailer at all. Who told him that his master is Mrs. Tongzhi? .

"This matter is settled, Ma Laotou, your nephew wants to enter the Yamen to become a clerk, isn't it just a matter of Wu Tongzhi's words." The man said again, and threw five taels of silver ingots to Ma Laotou, regardless of him Promise or not, unilaterally decides.

Looking at the man who left, Ma Lao curled his lips angrily, he was just a servant, and he dared to put on airs for him!

But no matter how much he didn't want to see Mrs. Wu, the prisoner immediately entered the cell and told Zhan Feiyu everything, not even hiding the five taels of silver, "Girl, it's a small matter What should I do?"

Zhan Feiyu finished writing the last word, put down his pen, and looked at the head of the prison outside the prison door, "When the time comes, you will also lock Asheng and the others in."

Although there were six local scoundrels, Zhan Feiyu didn't intend to take any risks. Both He Sheng and He Sheng came over, and there were only four of them on his side, absolutely foolproof.

(End of this chapter)