Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 794: A Chance Meeting at a Restaurant
As night falls and the moon shines brightly in the sky, its silver light casts a shadow on this solemn and dignified land. In the quaint courtyard, rows of sunshade trees sway in the wind, seemingly whispering.

Nancheng Gongyuan,

The lights are scattered like a galaxy, illuminating the bluestone road. The light and shadows are intertwined, and the scenery changes with every step.

inside the hospital,

The two figures cast long shadows under the moonlight.
Pei Shaoqing swallowed his saliva. Lord Nan actually recruited him. He was at a loss for a moment. Was it true or false? He asked tentatively;

"I am a stupid student. I don't know what you mean, sir?"

"Haha, you call yourself a student, but you still want to ask me, I am still in need of a last disciple, are you willing to become my disciple?"

Nan Zixian saw that Pei Shaoqing was smart and reacted quickly, and he rarely made a joke.

Pei Shaoqing was overjoyed, and without hesitation, he knelt on the ground with a "thump", kowtowed three times and nine times, and shouted directly;

"Thank you, Teacher. I am willing to do so."

These few kowtows were considered to have determined his status. Nan Zixian stood there, accepting them calmly, feeling very pleased. He had not expected that he would have an unexpected surprise when he came to the Imperial Examination Hall to supervise the examination. He could accept a good disciple, and he could start making arrangements for Wuying Palace.

"Stand up. I have accepted you as my master, so I will not let you suffer any injustice. After the Enke, you will go to the cabinet and serve as a cabinet writer to gain some experience."

Nan Zixian said it easily, but Pei Shaoqing, who was listening behind him, widened his eyes. "Cabinet, writing, isn't that the position of the Prime Minister, the eldest son Li Chaosheng? How can this be snatched? He spoke with a guilty conscience.
"Teacher, isn't it too fast? The cabinet writer is the son of the Prime Minister, Li Chaosheng's position. We have taken his position. How can the Li family let it go?"

Pei Shaoqing was still worried that because of the things happening in the court, there might be disputes among the civil servants. Although the teacher was non-partisan, because of this, people who did not form cliques for personal gain gathered around him, so wasn't that also considered a "party"?

"Don't worry about that. If my guess is correct, the Li family will have two cabinet ministers. Hey."

"what!"

Pei Shaoqing cried out in disbelief, and when he saw his voice getting louder, he quickly covered his mouth and looked around. Fortunately, everyone was in the official building marking exam papers and no one was wandering around in the courtyard. However, his heart was filled with shock. With two members of the Li family entering the cabinet, the situation in the court would become a three-way confrontation among the civil servants. How would the officials below cope with the situation?

"What's so surprising? You are also a court official, and you attend court meetings. You should know about the court's movements. The emperor has had this intention for a long time. After all, the Prime Minister is old and can't handle many things. It's reasonable to replace him."

However, if someone from the Li family is replaced, wouldn't that mean there will be two cabinet ministers from the same family? The Li party will definitely be successful in its comeback, and the name of the young cabinet minister will surely spread. Thinking of the fact that that old fox Li Chonghou has so many disciples and old friends, I'm afraid that Lu Wenshan and Gu Yichen will be overwhelmed and have trouble dealing with it for a while.

"This, teacher, everything you said is true, but I still can't believe it. The Li family has been rich for decades, and now they want to enter the cabinet. Isn't it like a big tree attracting wind and inviting fire to burn itself?"

Pei Shaoqing couldn't understand why Prime Minister Li, who had been sick at home and had never been involved in state affairs for more than ten years, went against his usual behavior and wanted to fight for the position when he was still in office. What was the reason?

Nan Zixian smiled, turned around and continued walking along the bluestone path in the courtyard. Pei Shaoqing followed respectfully behind him, only hearing the teacher's explanation;

"Just now you asked about Li Feng being sent to the Shuntian Prefecture government office. If I'm not mistaken, it's because he was involved with the Zhongshan Li family. So there's no way to find out what caused Li Feng's death. Lord Xu should have closed the case hastily, notified the Li family to bring back the body, and then reported it to the Dali Temple and handed over the case file, and the matter would be over."

Pei Shaoqing stopped, puzzled.

"Teacher, why is this so? Wouldn't the Patriarch of the Li family, or even the concubine of the Li family, make a fuss? After all, the eldest son of the concubine died."

"Haha, these are just common things in aristocratic families. Think about it, only those who succeeded in ascending to the throne are still alive. As for those who failed, you have heard about their lives. They are nothing but a pile of dry bones. Oh, forget about this for now, cheer up, and wait for the letter from the palace."

Nan Zixian sighed. This is the sadness of the aristocratic family. Only when alive can one fight for it. When dead, everything is over.
"is teacher."

"Let's go back and see how the examination is going. I thought there would be quite a few outstanding candidates among the more than 4,000 candidates. From my previous observation, most of them were mediocre. I am greatly disappointed."

Although there are many candidates in the Imperial College, unfortunately, there are also many people who are just filling in the numbers. It is really a pity.

"Teacher, don't worry. Everyone has their own aspirations. There will be times when they regret it. Also, I wonder how the candidates in the palace did in the exams?"

"No matter what, it's just one!"

As the conversation between the two became quieter and quieter, the yard fell into silence again!
Many wine shops, restaurants, and stalls in South City did not close at night.

After all, after the Dragon Gate was opened, the curfew was lifted in the capital. I don't know whether they did well in the exam or not, but everyone rushed out in a swarm. Because there were many children from poor families, most of them were just happy to be poor. They found an ordinary wine shop or teahouse and gathered together to drink. After all, they still needed to wait a few days to see the list.

Once you have the result, you can go back home. It's okay if you live nearby, but for those who live far away, you don't know when you can get together again, so it doesn't hurt to indulge yourself once.

In this way, thousands of students gathered in the capital at the same time, and for a time, the capital was bustling with people.

The Youlai Restaurant in the south of the city is now also packed with people.

Qin Ye led his son to the private room on the second floor under the escort of the Marquis's personal guards. Looking at the bustling crowd,

Qin Zhong couldn't help feeling a little annoyed. He didn't know why. He just didn't like crowds.
"Daddy, why is it so noisy tonight, with so many people?"

Since Qin Zhong entered the private school and understood some things, he no longer indulged in fun like before. Now he is well-educated and well-mannered. This is another great joy for Qin Ye after he had a son in his old age.
In the past, I still refused to come here to eat, but except for some old people, all the servants in the mansion returned their indentures and were given silver to be dismissed.

He was aware of his own situation and lived a comfortable and carefree life. He often did not eat at home. When things were busy, he would bring his only son Qin Zhong here to have a drink, listen to the conversations of the common people, and occasionally gain something from it.

"You, don't read those noble books. No matter where you are, if you don't know the common people's fireworks, you can live a good life. Come and sit down."

There is an elegant seat by the window on the second floor, blocked by a screen. This is where Qin Ye often sits. The restaurant owner has also instructed him to keep an eye on this seat and not let others sit there by mistake.

Qin Zhong curled his lips. When his sister was here, he was at home every day. Why is it that he can't do it now that his sister is gone? He looked around.
They sat together in groups of three or four, drinking and eating, and talking about useless things. I think they must have done poorly in the exam.

Qin Ye ignored him, sat down, waved his hand, and a waiter came over, bowing and smiling.

"Master Qin, you are here. What would you like to eat today? Do you want to keep the same meal or try something different?"

The waiter saw Master Qin coming with a young man. He was handsome and dressed in Confucian clothes, which made him look elegant and refined. He was indeed the descendant of a civil official. He must be the Marquis's brother-in-law, so he must not be treated with any respect.

Qin Ye smiled back and stroked his beard. He was familiar with most of the people in the store and was not as reserved as outsiders.
"We should add two more dishes today, one plate of roast lamb and one plate of stew, and the rest should remain the same."

Qin Ye did not ask for much. In the past, three vegetarian dishes, a stewed meat, half a bowl of rice, and a cup of sake were enough. Today, he brought Qin Zhong here, so he added two more dishes.

The waiter was also a man with good eyesight, so he nodded in agreement.
"Master Qin, rest assured. What you requested will be served right away. You are so handsome. It is a great honor for me to come here. So, Master Qin, the farm downstairs has just sent half a deer. It has been stuffing inside since morning. It is almost done now. I will bring you some more to replenish your body."

It's not that I don't want to serve it directly. In the past, when I took too much, Master Qin would refuse. So for Master Qin's face, every time I serve the dishes, I will ask for advice first to see if they suit Master Qin's appetite and whether the meat and vegetable dishes should be adjusted. This shows the store owner's intentions. "Well, I'll serve them all at once as you wish."

Qin Ye was delighted. Who doesn't like to praise his juniors? Seeing the waiter's praise, Qin Ye was happy and agreed.

Just like that, the waiter slowly stepped back and hurried downstairs to serve the dishes.

Qin Zhong picked up the tea that had been prepared on the table and filled a bowl for his father. Then, he poured some for himself. He was very reasonable and tasteful, showing the demeanor of a gentleman.

"Dad, it's really lively here. In a short while, even the seats on the second floor are full."

Qin Zhong seemed to have adapted to the noise here. He looked around curiously. Many people were carrying bags and book baskets. They were obviously scholars. Confucian robes and square scarves were everywhere.

Qin Yu glanced at it briefly, patted his forehead, and forgot about Enke, and explained;
"It's my oversight. Today is the closing day of the Enke exam. After finishing the exam, candidates should come here to have a meal and relax!"

In fact, Qin Ye also knew that after being so tense for these past few days, he just needed to indulge himself tonight and reward himself. He found a few good friends and got together to brag about everything under the sun. He was the same as he was in the past.

While the father and son were talking, the waiter, along with a few helpers, came up with food boxes.

When we got to the table, we opened the food box and took out the prepared dishes and placed them on the table one by one. The aroma filled the air and whetted our appetite.
"Master Qin, the food is ready. If you need anything else, just call me."

"Okay, thank you for troubling Xiaoer."

Qin Ye nodded, picked up the chopsticks, and picked up a piece of venison for Qin Zhong. A trace of guilt flashed across his warm face.
The waiter did not bother us and went downstairs with the people.
coincidentally,

There was a sudden commotion downstairs.
A group of people hurried up the stairs. The people who came were none other than Gao Wen and Xu Changwen. After the two of them finished their exams and left Longmen, they wanted to return to the South City Inn as soon as possible. After all, the houses here were cheaper. If they walked too slowly, there would be no vacant houses.
Coincidentally, the other people I met before also met at the door of the inn, including Zhuang Jinwen, who I had met once when he was taking the Imperial Examination.
When the three of them met at the door of the inn, they were naturally very happy. They asked each other about their purpose. They all wanted to settle down, so they agreed to go into the restaurant and asked for a small courtyard together, which they could be considered as sharing the house. After putting down their luggage, they went to the restaurant in front for a small gathering.

Just sat down,
Zhuang Jinwen was the youngest and knew the rules. He gave up his seat, took the teapot, and poured tea for his two brothers.
"Well, we are all brothers, let's not talk about this. Sit down, waiter, serve a bowl of noodles to each of you first, and a pot of stewed meat, hurry up."

"Okay, objectively, wait a moment."

A long cry in response,
Gao Wen saw that Zhuang Jinwen was still a little uncomfortable, so he reached out and pushed him down to sit down.

"I've already said it, we're brothers, don't be polite. By the way, how did you do in the Imperial College?"

Gao Wen brought up the topic, especially the imperial examination questions. Zhuang Jinwen suddenly looked solemn, picked up the tea bowl and took a gulp.
"I would also like to thank you two brothers for your advice. I once asked you brothers if I should write a policy essay, should I follow the routine or find another way to write it? You two brothers said both, so this time, the eight-part policy essay is actually divided into two pieces. I followed your brothers' advice and wrote these. I don't know how it will turn out in the end?"

Zhuang Jinwen answered with some trepidation. He wanted to keep things stable inside the Great Wall, but he was acting in an unconventional way when dealing with the border. This idea came from his guess when he met Luo Yunhou that time. He wondered whether the comments from the Imperial Examination Hall would suit the examiners' taste.

"Oh, Brother Jinwen actually has the same idea. Very good. If we stick to the old ways, I'm afraid we won't be able to excel in this year's imperial examination. After all, Marquis Luo Yun's memorial to the court was quite radical. If we answer conservatively, we're afraid we'll end up at a low level."

Xu Changwen smiled, smoothed his bangs, picked up the tea bowl, and drank it all.

Xu Changwen's words made Zhuang Jinwen quite confused, and he asked;
"Brother Xu, I am not talented enough, so I have no intention of touching you, Brother Xu?"

"Ah, you are doing all these useless things, brother, I will tell you, that is, Marquis Luo Yun's memorial is a test question, and we need to consider the Marquis's intention. The court's strategy is stable, but the article needs to be excellent to be included in the list. If there is another way, if it is correct, it will be directly ranked first. This is also what Brother Xu guessed."

Although Gao Wen explained it in a careless manner, he was shocked by Brother Xu's explanation when he left the palace. He didn't expect Brother Xu to be so talented. He would definitely be on the top of the list this time.

"This way, we can make up some of the numbers. I don't ask for the top spot, as long as I can pass it, it will be a great joy."

Zhuang Jinwen didn't have any big aspirations, as long as he won, it was a good thing.

"You, you, are just trying to show off your talents. Let me tell you, there will be rewards for those who get first place in the imperial examination this time."

Gao Wen patted Zhuang Jinwen's arm and whispered something mysteriously, which aroused Zhuang Jinwen's curiosity and asked;
"Brother Gao, do you have any comment?"

Seeing Gao Wen start to brag again, Xu Changwen coughed and interjected;
"Look at you, you're talking nonsense again. It's something that hasn't been confirmed yet, but it's right here. If it gets out, it'll cause trouble."

Following Xu Changwen's reminder, Gao Wen immediately stopped talking.

This action made Zhuang Jinwen unable to hold back and begged;
"Brothers, what reward do you have?"

Seeing Brother Zhuang's anxious look, Xu Changwen couldn't hide it any longer.

"It's nothing. When the exam was over, Marquis Luo Yun said that there might be vacancies in the top three of this special exam. The top-ranked candidates will receive other rewards, but I don't know how they will be given."

"What? There is such a good thing. Aren't these things only available to those who have passed the palace examination and become a Jinshi?"

Zhuang Jinwen's face was full of disbelief. In this way, even candidates who were scholars could become officials. However, those who were juren might not even have this position. How was it possible?

"This is just a statement. Whether it exists or not is still up for discussion. Just listen. The food is here. Fill your stomach first."

Xu Changwen shook his head. What the Marquis said had never happened in any dynasty, and he had no idea whether it was true or not. However, he was very hungry and could not bear it any longer. He saw the waiter, who brought the food and invited the two of them to eat together first.

Just these words,
Being heard by Qin Ye and his son who were sitting next to him, Qin Zhong was quite curious and asked in a low voice;

"Dad, what they said is true. Scholars can also be given real positions."

Although Qin Zhong is young, he is not someone who can be fooled. The imperial examination has always been a grand event. If you pass the provincial examination, you will be a scholar. If you pass the metropolitan examination, you will be a juren. Later, you will be a jinshi, and then you can be awarded a real position. Now, the scholars who passed the provincial examination can also be given a real position. I am afraid that there will be trouble again.
Qin Ye was a little skeptical after hearing this. He quickly chewed the stew in his mouth a few times and swallowed it. He picked up the brocade cloth beside the table to wipe the corners of his mouth, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and

"Father has not heard any news about this matter. If it is really what Jin Yu said, then it is almost certain. It seems that the court is anxious."

After all, in Jiangnan, Jin Yu went south and killed many officials. Last year, there was a cheating case in the imperial examination. The shortage of officials has not been solved, and the cabinet has no choice but to find another way. I think this should be the case.
"Father, my son also wants to take the imperial examination, why don't you let him?"

Qin Zhong was also somewhat dissatisfied. He had read the books and written the policy paper, but why was he not allowed to take a look at it? He had to wait a few more years. With his sister's connections, he would definitely pass. Qin Zhong had these thoughts at such a young age, which showed his cowardly nature.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Not to mention that you are still young, even if you are honoring your sister, you have to avoid suspicion. In the officialdom, what matters is face and relationships. Studying is just for the imperial examination, while being an official is about being a human being and nourishing your mind. With your personality, being an official is not necessarily a good thing."

Qin Ye finally spoke out his true feelings. He had seen many shady things in the officialdom, and many diligent officials in Beijing were still wasting their time in various departments. In some cases, it was not because you had talent that someone would promote you, but because of personal connections. The Qin family had a noble woman named Keqing, and even if Qin Zhong was kept at home, he would still be rich and noble for the rest of his life. Why bother getting involved in those muddy waters?
His health was getting worse year by year, and he was the only child he would have in his old age. Once this thought came to him, he could no longer suppress it.

"Okay, let's eat first!"

"Yes, Daddy!"

(End of this chapter)