Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 742 This is an attempt to cover up the truth
Li Mansion Courtyard,

Main hall flower hall,

The antique sandalwood round table was filled with delicacies from land and sea, and on the wall hung several valuable landscape paintings. The mountains, rivers, and clouds and mist in the paintings were exactly the artistic conception of the Jiangnan region.

In the incense burner in the hall, agarwood was burning, and the faint fragrance filled the hall.
At this time, Chang Zuo, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, was dressed in plain clothes. Although they were not silk or satin, they were made of the finest brocade from Jiangnan. He wore a pair of Qingyun boots, which further highlighted Chang's elegance.

The words just now obviously left everyone with endless aftertaste, but they were also vaguely confused. The eldest son Li Chaosheng quickly recalled in his mind, could it be that he wanted to unite with Gu Yichen's Ministry of Revenue to suppress the people in the Ministry of Personnel? But how could Gu Yichen, that old fox, be so easy to deal with?

"Brother Chang, do you mean to unite with the Ministry of Revenue to suppress the Ministry of Personnel?"

Everyone looked at Chang Zuo again, only to see that Lord Chang shook his head.
"My Lord, no matter who you seek, you cannot seek any of the northern or southern factions. First of all, His Majesty cannot get through to you."

"Don't keep me in suspense. It's driving me crazy!"

Just when everyone was confused, Master Yang couldn't help but complain, it's already this late, and you still have to beat around the bush like this, really,
"Haha, Senior Brother Yang, don't worry. I'm not trying to keep you in suspense. Our vision cannot be limited to Jiangnan, the capital, and the southern part of Beijing. As long as there is an opportunity, we must take a hand. No matter whether we can get it or not, there will always be benefits in exchange."

Chang Zuo touched his chin, thinking about the feasibility of his idea, so he hesitated and did not speak out.
The eldest son, Li Chaosheng, was sitting in the main seat. He probably understood what Senior Brother Chang meant. He wanted to exchange a son for another. But who should he cooperate with? The civil officials were not an option. There were only nobles. Apart from the four kings and eight dukes, only Luo Yunhou was left. But there were so many people there. He didn't know who Senior Brother had in mind.
"I understand what you mean, brother. Once you make a move, you can't regret it. You can change the pieces, but when it comes to cooperating with others, who is the most suitable?"

"The eldest master is indeed smart. This is what Senior Brother meant. As for who to cooperate with, I think the eldest master has a candidate in mind."

Chang Zuo looked up, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes. Luo Yunhou could be considered a good ally.

"Brother, are you talking about Luo Yunhou?"

Li Chaosheng did not try again and said it directly. Chang Zuo smiled and nodded. The others were a little shocked. How could they join forces with the nobles? It would cause suspicion from the royal family. Wouldn't it be more trouble than gain? Sun Boyan's face changed and he asked;
"Wait a minute, Young Master. Junior Brother Chang, as for cooperating with Marquis Luo Yun, let's not talk about how many officials Marquis Luo Yun has under him and how to cooperate. Even if civil officials and nobles get together, can the court and His Majesty tolerate it?"

As soon as this word comes out,
Master Yang and Master Luan both nodded. Their mentor's teachings were always in their minds, which aroused the suspicion of His Majesty. Before they could make any move, they must have retired and returned home.

This was obviously what Li Chaosheng was worried about. His father had been guarding against Wu Xun all his life, so how could he break the rules? Looking at Senior Brother Chang, he also had some doubts.

"Brother, do you have an explanation?"

Chang Zuo smiled, picked up the chopsticks calmly, and took a bite of Jiangnan perch. Only the Jiangnan perch could be so delicious, just like this year's Enke, which came at the right time.
"My fellow brothers, you only saw the past. Let's not talk about the court affairs. For the imperial examinations, Marquis Luo Yun was always the chief examiner. No matter what the reason was, those who passed the high school in Hanyuan Hall were taught by Marquis Luo Yun. His disciples and children were here. As for suspicion,

Chang Zuo's eyes narrowed and he said in a deep voice;
"If it were anyone else, you would never do this. Only Marquis Luo Yun can give it a try. There are so many vacancies in Jiangnan. Young Master, no matter what, as long as they are Marquis Luo Yun's disciples, they can be arranged to go there. Of course, this is a private cooperation and cannot be brought out in public. If Lord Nan needs it, we can also exchange it. In public, he is Lord Nan, but secretly he is Marquis Luo Yun. This year's special examination is a rare opportunity for you, Young Master."

This statement made everyone suddenly enlightened and speechless for a moment. Luan Gongfu and Sun Boyan looked at each other with shock in their eyes. It was really true that Junior Brother Chang would not take action unless he made one. But once he did, he would definitely make a big splash. They admired him.

"Okay, I'll listen to what Senior Brother Chang says,"

Li Chaosheng suddenly thought of a lot of things. Lord Nan and Marquis Luo Yun were ready-made allies. There was a lot that could be done with just the two of them. Not only in Jiangnan, but also in Jingnan, if the rebellion was quelled, there would be countless vacant official positions. With his father in office, there were too many things that could be exchanged. He was stunned and thought a lot.

suddenly,

Butler Li, who was guarding outside, walked in quietly.
"Master, is there anything to report from the outer hall?"

"Huh? What's the matter?"

Seeing that it was Manager Li who said that, Li Chaosheng knew that it was no small matter, otherwise he would not have rashly come in, so he opened his mouth and asked.

"My Lord, there are three things coming from outside. First, the Imperial Examination Hall and the Palace have both been destroyed. Second, the Jia family members of Ningrong Street are suing their master for being unkind. Lord Xu of Shuntian Prefecture has taken over the case. The last thing is related to Lord Yang, Lord Luan, and Lord Sun."

Butler Li was a little hesitant, not knowing what to say.

"Whatever it is, just tell the truth. We are not outsiders here."

Master Li was shocked. What could possibly involve the three brothers? He asked hurriedly,
"My Lord, an informant reported that at noon, in Hanyuan Hall, Master Yang and the eldest son of the Xue family of Rongguo Mansion were rude and had a fight in the palace. Master Luan and Master Sun also helped them. They were arrested on the spot by Marquis Luo Yun and whipped. In accordance with the Dawu Law, both were banned from taking the imperial examinations for six years and three years respectively. This matter has spread throughout the capital."

"What, this rebellious son!"

As soon as Li Zongguan finished speaking, Master Yang cried out in surprise, staggered, and fell to the ground.
"Brother Yang, hurry up and call the doctor over."

------

The next morning,

The rooster crows, and a new day begins.

Inside the palace,

Still under heavy guard,
In Hanyuan Hall, the sound of bronze gongs rang out.

"All candidates, please take your seats according to the examination numbers in your hands. Do not make any noise. If you are found, you will be immediately kicked out of the examination room. If you have any questions, please raise your hands and wait for the inspector to come over before asking questions and then take your seats."

As Feng Yongwen stood on the high platform and shouted, the candidates who lined up in the back hall entered one by one and took their seats in order, in an orderly manner.

Zhang Jinyu stood on the high platform, watching the many candidates below being arranged in an orderly manner without any trouble, and nodded. It was indeed better to be prepared.

After a while, many candidates entered.
"when"

Then another gong sounded, and Feng Yongwen said loudly;
"Once you are seated, don't even think about cheating. There are inspectors watching you all around. Anyone who wants to go back to sleep and rest needs to raise their hands and hand in their papers before they can go back. You can enjoy the food you brought in the hall. The inspectors will distribute water later. As for those who want to use the restroom, they also need to raise their hands. You are not allowed to leave the enclosure on the west side of the hall, and you are not allowed to make loud noises. Those who violate this rule will be expelled from the examination room."

After saying that, he returned to Zhang Jinyu.

"My Lord, everything is arranged. Shall we start the examination in public?"

The so-called opening and checking of examination questions means that the examination questions prepared in advance are opened in public for checking. After all examiners check that the seals are correct, they are read out in public.

Zhang Jinyu looked at the imperial edict on the high platform. It was the test paper that had been leaked before. Who knows how many people have seen it. How can he be appointed?

In the eyes of the ancients, the four great joys in life are "rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the wedding night, and getting one's name on the list of successful candidates". Among these four joys, "getting one's name on the list of successful candidates" is the most joyful.

Throughout the ages, countless men of letters and poets have been fascinated by the imperial examination, and countless people have sacrificed their lives for it. As long as they can get into high school, they will take risks for it. As the saying goes, "No one cares about you after ten years of hard study, but once you become famous, the whole world will know you." They are harmed by fame and fortune.

"My Lord, my Lord, the auspicious time has come."

Seeing the Marquis standing there in a daze, everyone was confused. Shen Zhongxin, who was behind him, gave a brief reminder, and Zhang Jinyu finally came back to his senses.

"The auspicious time has arrived, let's start the topic."

Seeing so many people looking at this place, Zhang Jinyu was a little nervous. He needed to find an excuse to change the test questions. After thinking about it last night, he decided to follow the clues. He could only make a fuss about the imperial list. Therefore, everything was the same before the test. The imperial list was placed on the altar in front of everyone. Even at night, there were inspectors and soldiers guarding. Now was the key.

Zhang Jinyu walked to the altar without any hurry. He took the imperial edict and put it in front of his eyes for careful inspection. The joints of the imperial edict were sealed with lacquer, but the seal only covered the middle, not all of it. This gave him an excuse. He moved his hand and slightly scratched the opening of the seal. If you didn't look carefully, you wouldn't be able to see it. After doing all this,

Zhang Jinyu frowned, pretending to be puzzled, picked it up, and looked it up and down repeatedly. The officials around him were confused.
"Everyone, this imperial edict is placed here. Has anyone moved it?"

As Zhang Jinyu asked, everyone around was shocked. What did this mean?
"My Lord, no one has moved. This place is guarded by many inspectors and the personal soldiers brought by the Marquis. No one is allowed to get within three feet of the imperial edict. Each shift is six people. If there is anything unusual, we must investigate. My Lord, there is something unusual in the imperial edict."

The most anxious person was Lord Chu Nian. After all, if there was a problem with the test questions here, the Imperial Examination Hall would have to re-issue the test questions, and the existing ones would have to be abolished. Moreover, the officials on duty last night were all arranged by him, and if anything happened, he would not be able to escape the responsibility.

Zhang Jinyu looked at Lord Chu's haggard face and felt sorry for him.

"Well, Master Chu, don't worry. This is a routine inquiry. There are more than six examiners in the hall. There are at least ten people around. This marquis finds something strange. The imperial edict is sealed with lacquer. Logically, it should be completely sealed. Please look, the imperial edict in my hand is only sealed in the middle, not at the ends. Also, there are slight scratches on the seal. You can pass it around and take a look."

Zhang Jinyu handed the imperial edict to Lord Chu Nian. Lord Chu took it carefully with both hands, looking anxious.

The officials around were also talking and making wild guesses.

"No way, Lord Hou, do you mean that someone tampered with the test questions?"

"How is this possible? There are more than just those people in the hall. If anyone moves, someone will definitely notice it."

"Will it be like this when it is delivered?"

"Be careful what you say, be careful what you say."

For a while, there were all kinds of things said.

Yan Cong, who was standing in the crowd, had a thoughtful look in his eyes. Why would Luo Yunhou make such a move at this time? Would there be any other hidden meaning? Lu An, who was beside him, came over and whispered;
"Brother Yan, could it be that the test questions were leaked, just like the cheating case last year, and were discovered by Luo Yunhou?"

"Yes, what a coincidence! Last night, Brother Lu and I also inspected this place. Not only was the security very tight, but there was no one around except the examiners and the guards of the Marquis' Mansion. All the examinees were resting in the back hall, and there were people guarding them."

Qi Liang was also puzzled. Last night, the two of them took turns. When they passed by the main hall, they took a look and then walked away and returned to the side hall to rest. It couldn't have happened at night. Could it be that it happened before? A hint of excitement flashed in his eyes. Brother Yan's chance has come.

Unexpectedly, a word came to my ear.

"Brother Lu, Brother Qi, we must not interfere in this matter. You all know how Marquis Luo Yun does things. He will never do anything he is not sure of. Besides, cheating in the imperial examination will cost you your life."

After saying this, he stopped talking.

The two people beside him were shocked and said true, but they stood there motionless with silent expressions.

However, most of the people in the crowd were censors, and there were also some bold and reckless people who took this opportunity to do what they wanted. I don’t know if they were truly fair in their hearts or just for reputation.

The censor Cao Guangzheng looked at the situation on the stage, wondering if someone had tampered with the imperial edict. He took a few steps forward, came to the stage, and clasped his fists.
"Your humble servant Cao Guangzheng, I pay my respects to all the gentlemen. Now that the auspicious time has arrived, why don't you announce the results and start the exam?"

This inquiry,
This was a groundbreaking news, and everyone's eyes were focused on it. The people on the stage were still checking whether the imperial edict was intact. When they heard the question, they glanced and saw that it was the censor Cao Guangzheng.

Zhang Jinyu's face darkened. It was this guy again. Damn, he's everywhere. But it's good to have such a person. I can use him.
"It's you, Lord Cao. It's not that I won't issue the imperial edict, but when I first received it, I had some questions, so I asked other lords for advice. After all, this is my first time taking the imperial examination, so there are some things that I'd better ask for clarification."

Zhang Jinyu didn't care about her face and said everything. Cao Guangzheng was delighted when he heard it and asked anxiously;

"My Lord, I dare to ask what happened that made you so unsure?"

"It's not that I can't tell you. I don't know whether the seal on the list is fully sealed or half sealed. There are still some traces of the seal, so I can't be sure. I need you to check it carefully again."

Zhang Jinyu did not hide it and said it openly for everyone to hear, including the candidates.

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of many students in the hall changed slightly, with some fear in their eyes. Many of them lowered their heads, not knowing what they were thinking, and some of them stretched their heads to look in as if they were watching the excitement.

Lord Cao, who was in the audience, was also stunned by the Marquis' words. He didn't know whether the imperial edict was sealed completely or partially. After all, he had never been the chief examiner of the special examination before, so how could he know these things?
Zhang Jinyu noticed this dazed look and guessed that this person didn't know either, so he teased him and continued to ask;

"Master Cao, tell me, is the imperial edict half-sealed? If so, let's start the test."

"this,"

Cao Guangzheng didn't dare to answer. It was a matter of cheating in the imperial examination, so how could he talk nonsense? He felt a little regretful and had to bite the bullet and reply;

"My Lord, I am not aware of this matter. As for whether it is a full or partial seal, I have never seen it before, so I don't know."

Tsk, I really didn't know. That's honest.

"Master Cao, since you have doubts, come up and see if there is anything unusual."

"Yes, Lord Marquis!"

With a slight hesitation, Cao Guangzheng took a step and moved up the stairs. He looked over there, but he didn't even dare to reach out his hand, for fear that the imperial edict would be changed if it was moved. Looking left and right, it seemed that no one had moved it. However, the sealing paint seemed to be in a mess. He felt resentful in his heart. If it was completely sealed, how could such a thing happen?

Even the three princes standing at the east end stared with their eyes wide open, looking at everything on the stage in disbelief. The second prince was even more impressed.
"Brother, Luo Yunhou is really amazing. This is his move."

Before he could finish his words, the eldest prince Zhou Ding grabbed his sleeve and glared at him fiercely.
"Say less. It's not right to talk nonsense at this critical moment."

"Yes, brother, this is not urgent."

The second prince grumbled in dissatisfaction and continued to look over.

At this time, several chief examiners, patrol officers, and examiners who were marking the papers all looked at it once, and everyone was unsure. In the past, no one paid attention to these things. The chief examiner would check the imperial edict and read it out directly. Why did something go wrong when it came to Luo Yunhou? As for whether to keep it secret or not, no one dared to take the responsibility.

At this point, Chu Nian was sweating profusely. There was clearly a slight scratch on the seal of the imperial edict, but the seal was not torn or tampered with. It was just that the seal was not completely sealed, leaving two gaps at the top and bottom. Even so, it could not be opened to read the contents. But why was this so? Chu Nian was a little at a loss. After a moment of silence, he looked at Shen Zhongxin beside him and asked;

"Sir Shen, do you have any questions about this imperial edict?"

Shen Zhongxin stood there without saying anything. He did not look carefully at the imperial edict in front of him. He was thinking about Luo Yunhou's intention. Why didn't he check it when he put it up before? Instead, when he needed it today, he pretended to be ignorant. Could it be intentional? That is to say, there is something wrong with the imperial edict and the questions of the imperial examination?
This thought shocked me. Could it be that the test questions were leaked? But how did Luo Yunhou know about it?

"Master Chu, please don't be in a hurry. Let me take a closer look."

(End of this chapter)