The First Auxiliary Road from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1218 Discussion
"I just heard about this yesterday when I returned to work after vacation." Xue Ziyi went to Sheng Yuan specially before the morning court, and as soon as she opened her mouth, she talked about the debate in the morning court.

"It's said that it was a sudden idea, but from the time of the debate in court to the approval of the cabinet, it would take more than half a day. If it was really a sudden idea within a day, how could they invite Mr. Jingge's disciple from Fuzhou, 2,000 miles outside the capital, in just a few hours?"

"Mr. Jingge?" Sheng Yuan suddenly heard this distant yet familiar name and couldn't help feeling a little dazed.

"What?! Look at your reaction, do you know that old man?!"

"I can't say I know him. He was familiar with my grandfather, and I only met him once when I was a child."

Xue Ziyi nodded and continued to talk about the news he had heard: "The disciple we invited this time is said to be his last disciple."

"The last disciple?" Sheng Yuan suddenly remembered the conversation he had with his grandfather when he was young. He was stunned and then couldn't help laughing.

"What's wrong? Have you even met his closed disciple?" Xue Ziyi felt strange. Could it be that they were destined to meet?
"Didn't I just meet that old gentleman once? In fact, when we met, my grandfather invited him to take me as his disciple."

"Wow! You have Mr. Jingge as your teacher. Your grandfather really loves you!"

"It's true that he loves me, but it's true that grandpa has wild ideas."

"Mr. Jingge actually confiscated it? That's such a pity! Well, it's his loss!" Xue Ziyi's surprise did not last long. Considering Sheng Yuan's usual temperament and the legendary temper of Mr. Jingge, she felt that it was good that they did not become master and disciple.

"It's not necessarily a loss, I can say it's a blessing." Sheng Yuan smiled nonchalantly, joking with himself, "If he really accepted me as his disciple because of our friendship, I'm afraid it won't be long before he can't stand it. Over time, either I will betray him or he will kick me out."

"...It's not as exaggerated as you say!" Xue Ziyi was infected by Sheng Yuan's emotions, and her initially tense mood gradually relaxed.

"It's pretty much the same!" Sheng Yuan smiled and repeated what Mr. Jingge had said.

Then, he said, "I think that given the old gentleman's character of admitting defeat before the battle, he shouldn't let his apprentice travel thousands of miles to Kyoto before the overall situation is settled."

The overall situation that Sheng Yuan was talking about, in the short term, is the enthronement of the crown prince, and in the long term, it is the crown prince's succession to the throne.

However, Xue Ziyi thought she was talking about the selection of the Imperial Female Teacher.

"No matter how patient you are, you can't wait until the emperor chooses a teacher for the princess before coming!"

But after saying this, she seemed to remember what Sheng Yuan had just repeated: "I just didn't expect that Mr. Jingge had retired from the position of deputy assistant so early, and looked down on girls, and would let his own students compete for the position of the Grand Tutor of the Crown Princess."

“I don’t look down on you, but I’m not willing to spend the money.” Sheng Yuan still remembered what the other party said to his grandfather when they met as children, and couldn’t help but sigh.

"It's not rare, isn't it just contempt?" Xue Ziyi snorted, and suddenly remembered that the topic had gone off track, and quickly dragged the conversation back, "Let's not talk about this for now. I'm in a hurry to tell you today because I heard from my friends in the Zhanshi Mansion that the content of this debate was how to teach the crown prince of the country."

At this point, Xue Ziyi lowered her voice and said, "If this news is true, I'm afraid there may be something going on with the Imperial Academy!"

"It seems... the cabinet doesn't want me, a female official from the royal family, to teach the crown prince."

"Could it be him?" Xue Ziyi quietly made the number three.

"Maybe it's him, maybe not just him." Sheng Yuan smiled and held the other person's hand, then took out a small hand warmer and put it over.

……

Xue Ziyi was not attending the morning court on behalf of the Zhanshi Mansion today, so she got off the car when she arrived at the outer city of the imperial palace and rented a sedan chair nearby to go to her workplace.

Sheng Yuan sat in the carriage with his eyes closed and remained silent. After a while, he fell asleep.

It was not until they entered the inner city of the imperial palace and had to walk there that Sheng Yuan woke up when he heard An Yu's gentle call.

"It's so cold!" An Yu rubbed his red ears and sighed while sneezing.

If it wasn't for Xue Ziyi's suspicion, he wouldn't have ridden a horse! At this moment, he felt that his cheeks were not his own. Thinking that he had to walk so far, An Yu was scared from the bottom of his heart: "Sister Yuan, don't be in a hurry to get off the carriage, wait for me to ask Cheng Dong to rent a big sedan chair outside the city gate!"

Sheng Yuan nodded and said yes.

Although she didn't feel cold, she did not reject An Yu's kindness.

It can be said that An Yu's suggestion was correct. The guards who worked part-time as sedan bearers had only taken a few steps when large flakes of snow fluttered down.

"The court hall is still more comfortable!" When An Yu arrived at the court hall used to receive guests, a warm breeze blew in his face. He squinted his eyes comfortably and sighed softly.

"I told you to stay in the mansion before, but you didn't listen. Look at yourself, your face is chapped."

Sheng Yuan didn't expect that An Yu had become less and less resistant to cold since returning to Kyoto.

"I don't usually attend court, but today I can't just sit there and do nothing. I have to help you, right?!"

"Plundering the battlefield? Look, I'm attending the morning court, not galloping on the battlefield."

"Don't they both have to face the swords and knives of the wind and frost? It's just that one is a real sword and a real gun, and the other is a sharp knife and arrows. They are almost the same."

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

An Yu was talking and joking with Sheng Yuan when he heard footsteps outside.

It seems that the officials attending the morning court have appeared.

"Let's go, let's go out too." Sheng Yuan heard the first wave of whip cracking sounds coming from outside, and without waiting for An Yu to react, he grabbed his arm and walked out.

"Wenzhen, here!" An Suiyun's voice seemed to be the positioning coordinates. As soon as he spoke, Sheng Yuan and An Yu quickly locked onto it, and the two of them hurried over.

After the greetings were exchanged, An Suiyun did not mention the letter he had sent yesterday.

An Suiyun stroked his beard and said softly, "I plan to retire."

"!!!"

"!!!"

Sheng Yuan and An Yu were stunned for a moment.

"Minister An, you are so charming and brilliant, it is far from time for you to retire. I am afraid that His Majesty and the Queen will not allow it."

As An Yu spoke, he turned his head and looked at Sheng Yuan.

Sheng Yuan nodded slowly and said, "My Lord, why are you in such a hurry to retreat?"

An Suiyun sighed, and did not answer the question directly. He just muttered to himself: "Retreat from the rapids? That's really insightful!"

A moment later, when the second round of whip sounds as a reminder, the team waiting for the morning court finally slowly moves forward.

"In theory, the tutor of the crown prince should be selected from among the cabinet ministers. This is the old practice of the previous dynasty and is also continued in this dynasty." An Suiyun deliberately walked side by side with Sheng Yuan, reminding him in a very low voice as they walked.

Sheng Yuan also replied in the same voice: "Old rules and new regulations are not set by me, so I have to obey my orders."

“I’m afraid the people around me don’t think so.”

An Suiyun chuckled and patted Sheng Yuan on the shoulder, then suddenly quickened his pace and walked to the front of the team.