Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 21

Soni smiled wryly and said: "You don't understand, and you don't understand even if you tell me! Our emperor, although young, has millions of soldiers hidden in his chest!"

Suo'etu said again: "It is clear that Mingzhu caught Chen Tingjing and led to the case in the examination room. Why do people say that I asked it out!"

Sonny smiled wryly again, and said, "Yes, they credited you with the work of clearing up the examination case, and they didn't mean to slander you, so you can hardly argue!"

Suo'etu said: "I don't want to be greedy for this merit. Doesn't this make Prince Zhuang hate me?"

Sony got dressed while talking, and said: "Based on this alone, I have to go to the guard with Aobai to write a letter, so that it will appear that you are not with them!"

Suo'etu understood after hearing this, but felt that his father and son seemed to be led away by the nose, and said angrily: "Ama, we have been tricked!"

Sony laughed and said, "If you are tricked by the emperor, there is nothing you can do. No need to say anything, let's go into the palace."

Suo'etu rode behind Ama's sedan chair, thinking that he always heard outsiders say that Ama was the best at getting along with mud, and that he wouldn't even wipe the shit on the bridge of his nose when it was time to endure.He was really aggrieved, wondering if he should learn from the old man.

The father and son went to the Qianqing Gate to wait for the court, and saw that the princes and ministers were already standing there.Wei Xiangshu also arrived, and Sony went over to greet him.Seeing this, Suo'etu was even more awkward, thinking that Ama was going to visit someone later, and he was still bowing to him, so affectionate.When I looked again, I saw Ama, Aobai and Wei Xiangshu making a bunch of conversations together, just like best friends.

When it was time to go to court, the ministers and workers stood in line, filed in, and entered the gate of Qianqing.The inner prison had already set up the dragon chair for the imperial case, and the servant put the emperor's personal saber on the imperial case.Not long after, the emperor arrived, and the ministers and workers shouted long live in unison.

The emperor said that he had received a lot of notebooks recently, and ordered his ministers and workers to play them one by one.On weekdays, things were done step by step, but today Oboi was the first to go forward and knelt down by himself.The ministers and workers were surprised, and only listened to Aobai's play: "The minister Aobai, together with Sony, participated in Zuodu Yushiwei's four crimes: [-]. Falsely praising Taoism, but actually being a villain; [-]. Calling friends and citing others, The party is the same and the dissidents are attacked; the third is to be honest and self-proclaimed, and secretly accepts bribes; the fourth is to make friends with foreign officials, with ulterior motives. Here is the basis, please read it!"

The officials were shocked, but there was no sound.The eunuch took the paper and presented it to the emperor.The emperor had read the book a long time ago, just glanced at it, and put it on the imperial case.After a long while, someone knelt down and said: "Wei Xiangshu is upright and loyal to the emperor, and he is well-known! Aobai and Suo Suo went deep into Zhou Na, framed a good minister, please learn from the emperor!"

The emperor kept silent, his face gloomy.Soni hesitated for a while, knelt forward, and said: "This time, I, Oboi and Wei Xiangshu were ordered to investigate and deal with the case in the examination room. Wei Xiangshu found the old minister many times, trying to make use of the topic, fabricate charges, and frame Zhongliang. Fortunately, the emperor is wise. , look like a torch, otherwise it will definitely constitute an unjust prison!"

Prince Zhuang went up and knelt down and said: "Wei Xiangshu seems to be kind and mature, but in fact he is full of tricks. This year, there will be eight Chinese scholars in Shanxi, and the scholars all over the world will be filled with righteous indignation! He and Chen Tingjing, a new Jinshi, belong to the same hometown in Shanxi. The two families have been in contact for a long time, but pretend We don't know each other before. He was the president of the examination, and he secretly helped Chen Tingjing everywhere. Chen Tingjing tried to get to know Yuan, and he passed the examination, which was all arranged by Wei Xiangshu!"

The emperor glanced at Prince Zhuang, and said: "In this way, I am a blind man who doesn't know good or bad writing!"

Prince Zhuang didn't know how to answer, Suo Sui hurriedly said: "As the saying goes, there is no first place in literature, and no second place in martial arts. I think that Chen Tingjing is not a reckless person after all, and his writing is good, but whether he can be the first, only Wei Wei Xiang Shu understands it in his heart! After the palace examination, the emperor didn't choose him as the number one scholar, he is really wise!"

The words of Ao Bai and Sony are all articles on the scene, and they have been summed up long ago.Prince Zhuang thought that someone was helping him, and said: "The old minister thinks that Chen Tingjing's reputation should be removed, and he should be investigated strictly! If such scholars are not killed, we will not be able to control the world's scholars!"

The emperor looked at Wei Xiangshu and said, "Wei Xiangshu, what do you have to say?"

Wei Xiangshu knew that this matter was a foregone conclusion, and it was useless to say or not to say it, so he said: "The pure will be clear, and the turbid will be turbid. I have nothing to say! It's just that this year's Shanxi will test eight Chinese students. There is no secret bribery in cheating. It is a crime to punish officials at will, and those scholars must not be wronged!"

The man who encouraged Prince Zhuang to let him go was dumb now.If they have something to say, they dare not say it here, and if they say it, it is obvious that they are not clean.Some ministers felt that this incident was strange, and there must be hidden secrets. The Wei Xiangshu should be handed over to the Jiuqing meeting, and it should not be decided hastily.The emperor said: "I don't think it's necessary. Recently, there is no peace in all directions, and there have been frequent troubles in the court. I am exhausted physically and mentally, and I am extremely troubled. Wei Xiangshu has long thought of Linquan and the countryside, so let him go home go."

When Prince Zhuang heard what the emperor said, he didn't care about losing his dignity, and shouted: "Wei Xiangshu is heinous, we can't let him go easily!"

The emperor pretended not to hear it, and did not reprimand Prince Zhuang, saying: "Wei Xiangshu has served the imperial court for many years, and he is finally diligent, but it is a pity that his integrity cannot be maintained. I think you have served the Qing class for many years, with a little advice and a little merit, and I can't bear to be punished. Rest with your original product, go home!"

Wei Xiangshu knelt down on the ground and said: "The guilty minister thank the emperor for his generosity!"

Prince Zhuang messed around and shouted: "Your Majesty, Wei Xiangshu should be killed! Chen Tingjing and Mingzhu should be killed!"

The emperor couldn't bear it anymore, took the case and scolded: "Bo Guoduo! Even if Wei Xiangshu is guilty, he can't deserve to die! Chen Tingjing is a scholar, what kind of rule has he committed? How dare you do it in front of all the ministers? Tell me? Mingzhu has been with me for many years, serving as an attendant during the day and a guard at night. How come I don’t see that he is guilty of murder? I think you have contributed to the country, and you have tolerated it again and again. Prince, go home and rest!"

A guard had already come over and half helped and half dragged Prince Zhuang out.The ministers all seemed to have a mirror in their hearts, and they had already seen the mystery inside, and no one dared to say a word.

Chen Tingjing heard that Wei Xiangshu was sent home, but he didn't know the details.He is just a new scholar in the Shuchang Hall of the Hanlin Academy, and the major events in the palace can only be heard by rumors.When we talked about it with the old man at home, Weng and his son-in-law could only guess.Chen Tingjing went to visit Wei Xiangshu's mansion, but the concierge said that Master Wei didn't want to see anyone.

This day Chen Tingjing heard that Master Wei was going back to his hometown, so he specially prepared drinks, led Dashun, and waited in the long pavilion outside the city.Finally seeing two carriages approaching, Chen Tingjing stepped forward to have a look, and sure enough it was Wei Xiangshu who led his family back to Shanxi.Chen Tingjing stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying: "Master Wei, Tingjing is here to see you off."

Wei Xiangshu got out of the car, and said: "Ting Jing, I am a criminal minister, and others avoid me, and you come here to see him off. You, it is very commendable to be a man, but you are so confused as an official!"

Chen Tingjing smiled and said: "Wansheng borrowed the words of his predecessors, Mr. Feng, the mountain is high and the water is long. Ting Jing admires you, no matter what others say! A glass of dirty wine, let's talk about it! How about Master Wei stopping for a while?"

Wei Xiangshu told his family to wait in the car, and went to the pavilion with Chen Tingjing.The two clinked their glasses and drank it down.Chen Tingjing asked: "The secrets of the palace are so secret that our generation can't listen to them. Lord Wei, our emperor is a wise lord, how could he listen to slander?"

Wei Xiangshu smiled and said, "It was supposed to be my head!"

Chen Tingjing said in shock: "Ah? Just because you killed Prince Zhuang's son and Li Zhenye? They deserve what they deserve!"

Wei Xiangshu shook his head and said: "You are still in the dark! They also want your head and Mingzhu's! It's like a business, but the price is too high for the prince and the emperor to give a discount! If Only killing you and Mingzhu, Prince Zhuang and the others are still not relieved. It is better to keep you two and use me for surgery. But the emperor does not want to be manipulated by others, so he sent me back to my hometown."

Chen Tingjing said: "I have wronged you so much, Mr. Wei!"

Wei Xiangshu sighed: "Ting Jing, there is nothing to be wronged when you are on duty in front of the emperor. You don't necessarily have merit if you do well, and you don't necessarily have faults if you don't do well, but you must do well. It's hard!"

Chen Tingjing felt half-understood, like a young monk without wisdom who listened to the gatha.Wei Xiangshu saluted Chen Ting with a glass of wine, and said: "There are two things, and I don't want to hide them from you. You were studying in Taiyuan, and you refused to confess your guilt, and you couldn't report to the emperor. I wrote a letter of repentance for you. You have passed the emperor. During the palace examination, the examiners drafted that you are the first name. After the seal is opened, the emperor also has a sense of your number one. I will ask the emperor to move your ranking down." Wei Xiangshu wrote the Dongpo brothers The anecdote told.

It was only then that Chen Tingjing was enlightened and suddenly came to his senses.It turned out that Mr. Wei was not only his benefactor, but also his savior.Last year in Taiyuan, he didn't understand why he was released from the prison in a daze, and only today did he know that it was Lord Wei who secretly accomplished it.Master Wei wrote the repentance document for him, but he was actually risking the crime of deceiving the emperor!He had already heard about the number one scholar. Although he was half-believing, he was not happy thinking about it.It turned out that it was Master Wei who worked so hard for his own good!Chen Tingjing couldn't help but knelt down and bowed to Lord Wei.

Wei Xiangshu hurriedly helped him up, and said: "Ting Jing, this old man just cherishes his talent for the sake of the emperor, so you don't have to take it to heart. According to your talent, you will definitely be a good minister in the future, and you must end up in the officialdom. The world only knows that the ups and downs of eunuchs are unpredictable. , but you are a young man, and you have no limits in your career, you have to take your time! Just remember a word that the old man said." Wei Xiangshu stopped here and looked at Chen Tingjing.

Chen Tingjing hurriedly asked: "Master Wei, please enlighten me!"

Wei Xiangshu slowly spat out a word, "Wait!"

After speaking to the book, Wei patted Chen Tingjing on the shoulder and got into the carriage.Wei Xiangshu was about to leave, when Chen Tingjing turned his head and saw Zhang Qian and several Shanxi newcomers running to the Imperial Academy.Chen Tingjing hurriedly asked Mr. Wei to stop.It turned out that Zhang Qian and the others had also been to Wei's house, and Wei Xiangshu was afraid of hurting the young people, and also afraid of appearing as if he was really like them, so he didn't see them all.Chen Tingjing originally got closer to Zhang Qian, and wanted to invite him to see him off, but then he thought maybe each had their own plans, and he was afraid that it would be bad if he forced himself, so he came alone.

Wei Xiangshu got out of the car again, and saw that the eight newcomers to the Imperial Academy from Shanxi had all arrived, and couldn't help crying.Chen Tingjing asked Dashun to fetch wine from the pavilion, but there were only two wine glasses.Chen Tingjing drank a glass of wine and offered it to Lord Wei, and the eight Hanlin took turns holding the wine jar, respectfully clinked glasses with Lord Wei, and then raised their heads to fill their mouths.

It's early winter, the trees outside the city are bleak, and jackdaws are flying around.Master Wei's carriage drifted away and gradually disappeared, Chen Tingjing and the others returned disappointed.

(End of this chapter)