Fortunate Young Gentleman

The sudden sound of a tea cup breaking caused the room to become silent instantly, and everyone looked over.

The woman looked at Cui Lang and asked, "Lang'er, what's wrong with you?"

Immediately, a servant ran over and picked up the broken pieces of the teacup on the ground. Cui Lang came to his senses, shook his head and said, "No, it's nothing."

There was no abnormality on his face, but there was already a turmoil in his heart.

The Sushen people, the Sushen people actually united!

In the palace examination, the second question was related to this. Almost all the candidates, including Cui Lang, followed the imperial strategy and analyzed the grassland situation in detail. They believed that the Sushen people were scattered and there was nothing to fear... Only one person had a different opinion than them.

When he saw Tang Ning's policy, he felt relieved. He thought he had no chance of getting into the top two in the imperial examination. But who would have thought that the prediction he made in his policy would come true so quickly!

When the Sushen people are scattered, there is nothing to fear, but once they unite, they will be a great threat to Chu and Chen.

Although he did not enter the top ten in the palace examination, I wonder how His Majesty would feel when he saw the strategies of the top ten in the palace examination?

What kind of foresight is it to be able to predict this matter before the imperial court?

Cui Lang's heart was full of mixed emotions, and he stayed up almost all night.

Also staying awake all night was Emperor Chen.

Sushen Wanyan tribe annexed most of the grassland tribes and gradually rose up. Once they completed their unification, Chu State would definitely be unable to resist it. They had to take a preemptive strike and suppress the rising momentum of Wanyan tribe. In this way, the alliance with Chu State would not be possible. There can be no further delay.

And forming an alliance is not a simple alliance. There are many details that need to be discussed. To what extent the Sushen people should be suppressed, how to ensure the interests of the Chen State, and how to ensure that the Chu State will not take advantage of the situation to rise, all need to be discussed in detail with the ministers.

He was thinking about these things in his mind. It was not until dawn that he remembered that there seemed to be one more thing.

In the imperial study room, Emperor Chen looked at the top ten papers of this imperial examination, and it was dazzling no matter how he looked at them.

But this cannot be blamed on the candidates. The attitude of the government and the public on the grassland issue is surprisingly consistent. If the secret letter had not introduced in detail what is happening on the grassland now, even he would not believe it.

After he browsed through the top ten test papers one by one, he lost any interest and put them aside.

He casually took another copy from the side. Those two copies were specially ordered by him.

There were marks left by eight examiners on the test paper. The copy he held in his hand was marked with eight "X"s. He thought it belonged to Tang Ning, but after looking at the signatures, he realized that it belonged to Xiao Jue. .

Xiao Jue agreed to the alliance between Chen and Chu. The reason was that Chen and Chu had been friendly for generations and had been at peace for a long time. However, the Sushen people were different. They had repeatedly invaded the border and were feuding with Chen and Chu. Sooner or later there would be a big war. Want to fight.

"The article was not well written, but the blood of the Xiao family is still there." Chen Huang praised it and put it aside.

The Xiao family is a family of generals, and the children of the generals follow a different path from ordinary people. In this palace examination, he is the only one who was born in a general. Whether he is impulsive or bloody, the news ahead has been confirmed. His decision This answer sheet should be ranked in front of those ten people.

He picked up the last answer sheet and looked at it.

After just one glance, he stood up from his seat with a stunned expression.

The answer sheet of the leader of the provincial examination was judged to be the lowest by eight examiners at the same time in the palace examination. This was an unusual thing, and it disrupted some of his arrangements. Although it was impossible for the eight examiners to do anything at the same time, he still Want to take a look.

At this glance, I discovered the reason at a glance.

The reason why his answer sheet was judged to be the lowest was because he used examples on the test paper to prove that the Sushen people would be unified sooner or later, and that the Chen State should alliance with the Chu State and take precautions early... This was contrary to the previous opinions of the court. of.

But his prediction was right, and the imperial court was now changing its strategy.

Chen Huang sighed and said: "You really didn't disappoint me, you are such a crow's mouth..."

"Wei Jian, summon eight palace examiners into the palace."

…

Before dawn, the entrance to the Gongyuan of the Capital was full of people.

It is said that the rankings for the palace examination were announced yesterday, and they are just waiting for His Majesty to delineate the number one candidate and rank the top ten. According to the practice of previous years, the imperial court will not let the candidates and the public wait too long, and the next day will be the day when the rankings are announced.

Some of those who came early were palace examination students, and most were ordinary people. The expressions on the latter's faces looked more nervous and anxious than those students.

"Why haven't you posted a list yet?"

"Whether I still have my one hundred taels of silver depends on today."

"God bless, God bless Gu Bai and he will be admitted to the top exam..."

…

Cui Lang, Gu Bai and others gathered together, looking a little dazed. They looked at them and asked, "Have you all heard about it?"

Shen Jian and others looked bitter and said nothing.

Finally, someone couldn't help but ask: "Is it true that the Sushen people have unified and the imperial court is planning to form an alliance with the Chu State?"

Shen Jian thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty urgently summoned several important ministers of the court to enter the palace yesterday, and the discussion lasted until very late. There should be no lies."

"It's true." Cui Lang sighed and said, "I have confirmed it from my uncle. There should be no changes in the alliance between the imperial court and the Chu State."

Cui Lang's stone stirred up a thousand waves, and many students immediately exploded.

"What, if this happens, wouldn't our strategy... be completely wrong?"

"How could such a thing happen?"

"But the examination papers have ended, and the top ten have been selected long ago. If everyone is the same, it will not affect the results!"

"Yes, yes, everyone is the same, what are you afraid of!"

"I will never take another imperial examination just because of this incident..."

After everyone discussed it, their moods calmed down a little. Although what happened on the grassland caught them off guard, fortunately, everyone was in the wrong. The result would be the same as it should be.

Shen Jian shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Some people are different."

Everyone turned their heads, "Who?"

A fast horse galloped in the distance, raising a plume of smoke and causing pedestrians on the road to retreat.

Someone was stunned, and then shouted loudly: "The results of the imperial examination are announced!"

The crowd went from uproar to silence, and then to uproar again.

"Let's make a list! Let's make a list!"

"Why are you here? Come and have a look!"

"Hey, don't be crowded. You don't have any exams. Why are you so anxious?"

"Nonsense, I have all my property in custody, why don't you worry?"

…

Under the gaze of everyone, several knights got off their horses and walked into the tribute courtyard. Not long after, a servant came out, brought a ladder, and posted the red notice on the wall.

There are 212 people in the palace examination. According to the usual practice, a total of five lists are required. On the first list, there are only three people in the first place. On the second list, all the people are in the second place. The rest are on the remaining lists. On the list.

As the lists were posted one by one, the cheers from the crowd were not loud. After all, these were the people who posted the provincial examination lists. Now they were just rearranging the rankings.

When there were only two lists left, everyone's breath was held.

Shen Jian scanned the posted list, shook his head and said, "There is no Brother Tang."

Yesterday's gossip said that Tang Ning, the leader of the provincial examination, was only ranked at the bottom of the top three, but they searched all over the third-top list and couldn't find his name.

Cui Lang looked away from the list and said, "It seems there is no Xiao Jue."

At this time, the penultimate list has been slowly posted.

"The first place in the second class, Gu Bai."

"Second place in the top two, Cui Lang."

"Second place in the top two, Shen Jian."

The three people who had the loudest voices in Beijing earlier accounted for the top three, but no one cheered in the stadium, and some just broke out in an instant uproar.

"None of the three of them made it to the First Division!"

"How can this be!"

"Who are the first and third persons?"

"My money..."

Cui Lang and Shen Jian looked at each other, as if they had thought of something, and looked at the wall of the Gongyuan again.

The officer slowly unfolded the first list.

There were only two names on the first list.

"First place in Class A, Tangning."

"Second place in First Class A, Xiao Jue."

Among the crowd, someone looked sallow and collapsed to the ground.

Someone was trembling all over, with a naked face, looking up to the sky and laughing wildly: "Haha, Tang Ning is the number one pick, I got it, I got it!"