Aspirations

Chapter 60
Mantuo listened very deeply, sometimes frowning and contemplating, sometimes applauding the table, sometimes with a look of righteous indignation, when Xia Xiang finished speaking, she drew her sword and chopped off a corner of the table: "Xia Langjun, from now on, I would like to Follow you around and protect your integrity. If you break your oath, it's like this table."

Xia Xiang bowed a long bow, and said with a sad face: "Thank you Mrs. Mantuo for her kindness and kindness, but I'm just doing what I can, and dare I bother her to follow? No, absolutely not."

"Do you dislike me for being mediocre or mediocre in martial arts?"

"It's not that I hate the lady, but the lady just slashed the corner of the table with one sword, and the store will definitely ask me to lose money." Xia Xiang squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth as if he had a toothache, "I just think, if the lady is always by my side, every day. Either the table or the chair is broken, but it's a huge expense that I can't afford."

"You..." Mantuo laughed when Xia Xiang gritted his teeth and said, "I'll save your life, but you're still stingy with money, which is more important?"

Xia Xiang gritted his teeth: "It's all tight."

"Forget it, I'll be a good person and do it to the end, follow you around, and don't cost you a penny." Mantuo restrained his smile and took back his sword, "I won't cut anything in the future."

Xia Xiang then smiled happily: "Thank you Mrs. Mantuo. It's just that there is something I don't know, I don't know if the lady can..."

"You want to know why I am willing to follow you, right?" Mantuo guessed what Xia Xiang was thinking, sighed, and his expression showed resentment, "The third prince is my father's enemy, I and I He doesn't share the sky. I just want to kill the three princes with my own strength, it is impossible. You are as scheming as the third princes, and you have many tricks. It is his opponent. I protect you, and I don't want you to be Yanhao. Killing in vain. You will only make the Third Prince feel uncomfortable when you are alive, so I will follow you around, let you live well, and let you use your scholar's scheme to frame the Third Prince and ruin your reputation."

Xia Xiang not only sweated on his head, but also wet his palms and backs. Is Mantuo praising him or hurting him?He smiled embarrassingly: "Thanks Mrs. Mantuo for a high look, but some words are not appropriate to use on the lower body. For example, I am not scheming, but resourceful. I don't want to frame the third prince's reputation and ruin, but to speak out with righteousness. Live up to the grace of the king and the people of Li, set your mind for the world, set your life for the people, continue the sages of the past, and create peace for all generations! My generation of scholars should think and do it like this..."

Mantuo coughed a few times, as if she was choking, she did not interrupt Xia Xiang, and quietly waited for Xia Xiang to finish before blinking: "Your tone is exactly the same as when Daddy was angry, alas. , a scholar is both pedantic and cute, it is obviously a very simple thing, but it has to be said to be noble and great."

"How is it simple?" Xia Xiang was puzzled.

"After talking for a long time, it's actually not about defeating the opponent, taking power, and doing things according to your own ideas?" Higher and stronger. When you fight against the Third Prince, whose strategy is more wise, the method is different, and the result is not the same?"

Xia Xiang laughed dumbly: "There is always a reason for everything in the world. There is justice in heaven and earth, and the people's will in the world. Justice is in the sky, and the people's heart is upright. Only those who are upright can stand in an invincible position."

"Sir is upright and upright." Xiao Wu giggled and interjected, "Sir, with two doors on one shoulder, you can marry two ladies, one Cao Xiaomao, and one room even a little lady, and now there are more Mantuo ladies. , how is it good? Is it possible to marry another room?"

Mantuo was annoyed, his face flushed, and he turned around with a sword, hitting Xiao Wu's shoulder: "If you dare to make a fool of yourself, I will break your dog's legs."

Xiao Wu said, "Oops," and looked down, it turned out to be hit by the scabbard, and then patted his chest: "Scared Xiao Wu, thought he was stabbed to death by Master's sword. Master... No, I'm following. Yes, sir, if Madam Mantu is married to her husband, I should be called Shi Niang. Shi Niang is on top, please accept my disciples."

Mantuo's face was flushed like flowers, both ashamed and annoyed: "If you dare to call me Mistress again, I will not accept you as a disciple."

"What's the name of the teacher if you don't? Do you want to call the teacher?" Xiao Wujie couldn't understand it, and his face was confused, "Master sounds like a man, but the teacher is obviously Mrs. Mantuo. It's better to call the teacher. The teacher doesn't Accept me as a disciple, according to the seniority of Mr. Mantuo, you still have to be called Mrs. Mantuo."

Mantuo stomped his feet angrily: "Xiao Wu!"

Xia Xiang is also very embarrassed. Xiao Wu is good everywhere, but he likes to mess around with mandarin ducks. As long as a little lady gets close to him, he will be regarded as one of his mentors by Xiao Wu, so he can only laugh dryly: "Xiao Wu, no more Nonsense, otherwise, I'll let Shi'er trouble you..."

"Sir don't, don't." Xiao Wu waved his hands again and again, "The little lady is a big trouble, Xiao Wu doesn't want to talk to her."

Mantuo's eyes lit up and grabbed Xiao Wu: "Let's go, follow me to find time."

Shi'er often bickered with Xiao Wu, and every time Xiao Wu lost, over time, Xiao Wu kept his distance from Shi'er.Shi'er bullied him from time to time, Xiao Wu felt a headache for Shi'er.

Xiao Wu stepped back again and again: "Master, don't bully Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu dare not."

"Is it still called Mistress?"

"Stop calling, Xiao Wu is wrong, Shi Niang spares her life."

"..." Mantuo was really speechless.

"Brother Xia, Brother Xia..." Shen Bao's cheering voice sounded outside the door, "The list is released, go and see the list."

Xia Xiang opened the door and welcomed Shen Bao in. Shen Bao nodded at Xiao Wuwei, his eyes fell on Mantuo, and he was stunned: "Why is Mrs. Mantuo in Brother Xia's room?"

"I will come if I want." Mantuo returned to his cold state, holding the sword in both hands, and retreated behind Xia Xiang.

"Xia Langjun, Xia Langjun, go to the list." Shi'er's cheerful voice went from far to near, then the light at the door dimmed and brightened, Shi'er flew in and grabbed Xia Xiang's arm, " Hurry up, the second brother can't wait."

"Okay, look at the list." Although Xia Xiang was slightly nervous and uneasy in his heart, he still wanted to see with his own eyes how much change a black list of his could cause, so he put his hands on his back and avoided Shi'er without a trace, "Mantuo Madam, can you accompany me too?"

Mantuo glanced at Shi'er casually: "Okay."

Shi'er's hostile eyes jumped a few times on Mantuo: "Miss Mantuo was in Xia Langjun's room last night?"

"What's your business?" Mantuo responded with a cold look in Shi'er's eyes, and turned to go out.

"Xiao Wu..." Shi'er was out of breath, and wanted to catch Xiao Wu and ask him to understand, Xiao Wu followed behind Mantuo and jumped out the door.

"Xiao Wu is not here." When Xiao Wuren was outside the house, he lengthened his voice and responded, "Xiao Wu only listens to the teacher's words. What the teacher said is none of your business, and what is your business?"

Shen Bao laughed.

Zhang Hou was waiting at the entrance of the inn, and nodded and smiled at Xia Xiang: "Brother Xia, I passed the jinshi examination three years ago, and I will not be ordered to do so. If you didn't pass the examination, you don't have to be discouraged. Come back three years later, and maybe you can go to high school. The champion. You and I are both champions in high school, so having an inn will make you famous, hehe."

Xia Xiangan walked in the car, facing the rising sun, and smiled lightly: "In three years, I will be the champion, and this year's Jinshi, I don't want to wait another three years to gain a false name. If I serve as an official for three years, how much can I do for the people? One It is an individual's false name, and the first is the matter of the common people, which is more important?"

Zhang Hou laughed: "In the past three years, you have not been an official, but someone else has been an official. Three years later, you won the champion, but you are famous for a hundred generations. Brother Xia, what do you think is more important?"

"Which is more important, what you say doesn't count, I don't count, the people all over the world say it." Xia Xiang felt an inexplicable helplessness and sadness in his heart. Became close friends, and now it seems that the two are drifting apart, not the same way.

Shen Bao walked behind the two of them and heard their conversation clearly. He glanced at Xia Xiang, remembered what Zhang Hou said last night, and shook his head secretly.

It didn't take long to come to the gate of Gongyuan.

I thought that a few people had come early enough, but I didn't want to think that a group of test students had already gathered around the gate of the Gongyuan, and everyone was eagerly waiting, just waiting for the Yellow List to be posted.After ten years of cold windows, why are you not anxious?
Zhang Hou opened and closed the folding fan in his hand, with a relaxed expression determined to win.Shen Bao stood with his hands behind his back, calm and calm.Xia Xiang stood on the right side of Shen Bao with a calm face and a faint smile on his face.

Mantuo and Xiao Wu were separated behind Xia Xiang, Shi'er wanted to come over, but was blocked by Mantuo.

Soon, I saw a person hurried out of the gate of the Gongyuan, holding a yellow poster in his hand, and posted it on the bulletin board of the Gongyuan.It was just dawn at this time, according to the usual practice, it should be released after an hour.

Xia Xiang's eyes moved slightly, and the person who posted the list was Hanlin Bachelor Zhang.In this year's competition, one of the chief examiners, Wen Changju, was a minister of the Ministry of Rites, and three examiners, Gao Hai, Chen Feng, and Zhang Zeshi.Zhang is not subject to the temperance of Wenchang, and can preside over justice.It's just... According to common sense, the person who publishes the list should be a person from the Ministry of Rites and obey the rules, why is it Zhang Zeshi, and why is it so early?
Xia Xiang didn't have time to think about it, everyone rushed forward and surrounded the Huang Bang.Zhang Hou just had a relaxed look on his face, and as soon as the Yellow List came out, he was the first to rush over and actually grabbed ahead of everyone.

After a while, Zhang Hou's incomparably loud voice overwhelmed all the noise and reached Xia Xiang's ears: "Hey, I got hit, haha, hit, hit! It's the right thing to hit, it's weird not to hit. My brother was also selected, ranking dozens of places behind my name, congratulations to Brother Shen. Brother Xia, Brother Xia's name did not see..."

Xia Xiang and Shen Bao also squeezed in. There were not many people at this time, only a few dozen people.Before coming to the Yellow List, Xia Xiang saw the names of Zhang Hou and Shen Bao at a glance, and then saw the names of Teng Zhengyuan and Wu Yongwang, among the densely packed names, and Cai Bei came in third.

Cai Bei was a disciple of Wen Changju.

After reading all the names in one glance and ten lines, his name is not listed, Xia Xiang's heart sank, how could it be?Could it be that his blacklist plan was unsuccessful?No, King Qing and King Jian have both been dispatched, and Cao Yongguo has come forward to persuade Gao Hai, is it still a failure?Or where did something go wrong?

Shen Bao patted Xia Xiang on the shoulder and comforted Xia Xiang: "Brother Xia, your talent is higher than mine. It's not your fault that you didn't pass the exam. It's just that the examiner has no eyes."

In Zhang Hou's joy, there was a hint of disappointment: "With my talent, how can the ranking be outside the [-]th? When the examiner read my article, was it possible that he was drunk? Humph!"

Although the ranking at the time of the announcement was not the final ranking, the final ranking was hand-picked by the emperor after the palace exam.But his ranking was so low, which made him feel dull, fortunately, he ranked before Shen Bao.

Xia Xiang didn't say anything, but there was still a trace of unwillingness in his heart. He believed that with his talent, if not in the top ten, at least in the top twenty.Unexpectedly, he was not on the list, and Wen Changju really ignored justice in order to win his fame.What's even more irritating is that Cai Bei's talent is fortunate to be on the list. It is really shameless to be in the top three.

"Brother Xia, during the palace exam, I tried my best not to, and I want to seek justice for you." When Xia Xiang was indignant, someone behind him tapped him on the shoulder and said indignantly, "I have read your article, It's a downside. It's more than a hundred times stronger than my article, and in my opinion, it's not an exaggeration to be at the top of the list."

Xia Xiang was moved in his heart, and turned around and rushed to the person with a salute: "Thank you, Brother Teng. It's just that Brother Teng doesn't have to take the risk of getting rid of his fame for the matter below, and he can't afford it."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Teng Zhengyuan's eyes widened with resentment in his eyes, "I hate people who are greedy and pervert the law and cheat for personal gain. I only hate that I am a scholar. If I were a military general, I would definitely cut them to pieces. Two parts. The untalented people are in high school, and the talented people fail the list. It is injustice to the scholars in the world, and it is disrespect to the teachings of the sages. I am not for you alone, I am fighting for justice for all scholars in the world. Also, the world is a public, choose the worthy and the able, and keep the faith and cultivate harmony.

Xia Xiang was in awe, and bowed to Teng Zhengyuan once again: "Only with sincerity and sincerity can you cultivate one's own family, govern the country and the world, without prejudice or party, and the king's way is swaying; there is no prejudice and righteousness, and he obeys the king's righteousness. He is ordered to walk, his body is not upright, although he does not obey the order. Brother Teng asks for the order for the world's Kaozi, and is a model for the world's scholars."

"Xia Langjun, Xia Langjun, did you pass the exam?"

Cao Shujun arrived in a hurry, not only he, but also Cao Shuli and Cao Yongguo.The three of them rode in the same carriage, with Cao Shujun leading the charge, while Cao Yongguo and Cao Shuli trailed behind.

Xia Xiang shook his head with a helpless expression: "Sun Shan is everywhere in the list, and Xia Xiang is even outside Sun Shan."

"Famous is Sun Shan?" Cao Shujun squeezed in front of the crowd, and saw that the last place on the list was indeed Sun Shan, "As expected, I didn't pass the exam, I really didn't pass the exam. But it doesn't matter, it's a pity that you didn't pass the exam. I It's also a big loss to make the emblem for even the little lady for free. You and I, brothers and sisters, are suffering from the same disease, and it's a shame."

Xia Xiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and knocked Cao Shujun on the head: "I'm not on the list, and you're still overjoyed, is it really okay?"

"Xia Langjun has really fallen off the list?" Cao Shuli came to Xia Xiang's side with a concerned look on her face, and her eyes stopped a little on Xia Xiang's face, "Victory or defeat, family affairs are unexpected, and it is a man to be ashamed. Jiangdong's children are talented and come back. I don't know. After three years, Xia Langjun will definitely be at the top of the high school rankings."

Cao Yongguo also came to Xia Xiang's side at this time. Xia Xiang hurriedly greeted Cao Yongguo. Cao Yongguo waved his hand and said, "No need to be more polite. Last night, the old man saw Gao Shilang..."

Xia Xiang understood, nodded and said, "Do your best, listen to the destiny, thank you Duke Cao for dealing with him."

"Why, are you discouraged?" Cao Yongguo smiled, "Who posted the list?"

"Chapter is."

"Chen Feng and Chen Shilang are too upright, and Zhang Xueshi is too pedantic, hehe." Cao Yongguo reassured Xia Xiang with a confident smile, "Xia Langjun, from Heibang to King Qing, seeing the king, and then to Gao Servant, three things are intertwined, and there are no flaws in each link, so why is your name still not on the list?"

Xia Xiang was startled, Cao Yongguo's words were not unreasonable, even King Qing and King Jian came forward. After the two appeared in person, if things still didn't turn around, how could they save their faces?What's more, the Ministry of Rites was under the jurisdiction of King Qing.So where is the problem?Suddenly, a flash of light flashed in my mind, thinking of what Cao Yongguo said just now, and suddenly said, "Zhang is making the list without authorization?"

"It's not necessarily that he made the list without authorization, but he is an outsider." After all, Cao Yongguo has been immersed in the officialdom for a long time, but he is still calmer than Xia Xiang. Only after the experience will it become a seasoned way of life, "Since the establishment of the country in Daxia, there have been two changes in the rankings, one is the tenth year of Taizu, and the other is the tenth year of Taizong. There are countless children, and the change of the rankings after the event caused the students to write books one after another, but it was not settled after the event.”

After a slight pause, Cao Yongguo's eyes flashed with joy, and he pointed at the gate of the Gongyuan: "Here comes the high servant."

Ye Shisheng's guards were also arranged on both sides of the gate of the Gongyuan, and there were several guards guarding the list.Gao Hai hurriedly came out of the Gongyuan, his face was gray, and his expression was flustered. He held a yellow list in his hand. He passed between the two columns of forbidden troops and came to the place where the list was posted. He took off the original yellow list and replaced it with the one in his hand. .

"Knowers, there is an error in the transcription of the list of talents just now, and this list shall prevail." Gao Hai only hurriedly explained, looked at Cao Yongguo in the crowd, nodded indiscernibly, and turned away.

(End of this chapter)