Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 125 Farce
At this time, Zhang Luan and Zhang Yanling were waiting for news outside the Ministry of Rites.

I didn't know which gate to go to when I went to the palace, so I might as well wait outside the Ministry of Rites. After people came out, they would be sent to the Ministry of Rites first, where the largest number of family members of the candidates gathered.

"Did you see it clearly? Still didn't see the scholar named Chai? Look carefully!"

Zhang Luan originally thought that he had a powerful backer and that it would be a safe bet for his daughter to be chosen as the Crown Princess.

But since he learned that the daughter of a Shanxi merchant was running for the election, and that she had money and family background, and even Deng Chang'en as a backer, he suddenly became nervous.

I am not the only one who uses connections to choose the Crown Princess. And recently, Li Zisheng seems to be indifferent to the matter of choosing the Crown Prince's concubine. Isn't this just welcoming the new one in and throwing the old one over the wall?

Zhang Yanling held maltose in his mouth and said indifferently, "I walked around twice but didn't see anyone. How about... you ask your elder brother to go look for him?"

At this time, Zhang Heling was sitting on a large stone beside the carriage, staring blankly.

When eating maltose, Zhang Luan gave him less, saying that he was giving in to his younger brother, but he knew that his old father no longer treated him as a treasure.

Now when he heard that he had to work, he immediately looked reluctant: "Second Brother, I don't know that Chai, how can I find him?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Didn't I tell you the style of the carriage and the logo of their family? Get up and walk around. It's easy to catch a cold if you sit there. It's cold today."

"No."

Zhang Heling turned his head to the other side, as if intending to distance himself from the father and son in front of him.

Zhang Luan stroked his chin and said doubtfully, "No, she actively applied for the selection yesterday and said that she had Deng Changen's help... Didn't they say that the girl in his family is also an extremely beautiful embryo? Then there should be no problem in entering the palace selection today... Could it be that the Chai family is not here, or someone else sent the girl into the palace?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and asked, "Dad, is it really important whether their family is among the candidates?"

"What do children know?"

Zhang Luan scolded, "Do you think everything in this world is so fair? Look at these people in front of you. Even if their children are talented and beautiful, and outstanding, it doesn't matter if they hold on, they will eventually be eliminated.

"But it's different if you have connections and background, just like your sister, who has come all the way to where she is now. What I'm most afraid of is that the girl surnamed Chai will also enter the next round of selection. By then... it will be hard to say who is better in the eyes of the prince."

Zhang Yanling was not as panicked as Zhang Luan.

After experiencing such a big scene, this seemingly weak child actually had the highest psychological quality among the people present.

Not to mention that in history my sister was like a lucky idiot, she was chosen, so there is nothing to worry about. Even if she was not chosen, what would it matter?

When he came to this era, he had more than one way to become a maternal relative. Of course, being a maternal relative in the Hongzhi Dynasty was extremely comfortable and it was a rare shortcut. But being hesitant like his old father, knowing that he was dreaming of a great future but wanting to win and afraid of losing, was a bit of self-deception.

The sun was setting further west.

Someone from the Ministry of Rites came out and said to the waiting family members, "The palace has just sent a message that in one stick of incense, the young ladies of each family will leave the palace. Please go to the palace gate to greet them."

"Let's go."

Zhang Luan was waiting eagerly in front of the crowd. Upon hearing this, he hurried back to greet his two sons and the coachman sent by the Shen family.

The crowd rode in a carriage and headed towards the left gate of Chang'an.

Everyone rushed to pick up the carriage, as if they were afraid of losing in the speed competition... and failing to pick up the person in time, which would result in their daughter not being chosen as the Crown Princess.

"Dad, don't worry. It's so bumpy."

Zhang Yanling shouted loudly.

Zhang Heling was also shaken left and right by the jolting of the carriage, and he somersaulted on the armrests, but he had learned his lesson and let his younger brother speak up to protest against such things.

Zhang Luan looked ahead and said loudly, "Everyone is chasing us, how can we not chase them?"

Zhang Heling muttered quietly: "It's not like we're rushing to eat shit."

"What did you say?"

Zhang Luan became furious when he heard this.

At this time, a family of three was sitting in a carriage and on their way, followed by an errand boy, who was the driver sent by Shen Lu.

Zhang Luan also thought about it in his mind. He decided that the carriage would be reserved for his daughter, and it would be crowded enough for a father and his two sons to sit on the carriage, so he drove the driver out and asked him to chase after him.

Zhang Yanling held the carriage tightly and said, "Dad, we are just going to pick someone up now. Whether we can pick them up is another matter... I am small and cannot control my body. If the brakes are applied suddenly, I might fly out. You don't want to send someone off before you, do you?"

Zhang Heling grinned: "Second brother, what do you mean by the old sending off the young? You sound quite nice..."

"It sounds good, can you speak?"

After Zhang Luan finished scolding, he finally remembered the importance of his sons. He couldn't let his two sons get hurt just to pick up his daughter, so he put away the waving whip.

The carriage slowed down immediately. Zhang Yanling breathed a sigh of relief and was also happy for the unlucky horse in front and the groom running behind.

It might be misfortune for the entire group of people, horses and coachman to encounter Zhang Luan, who was extremely mentally abnormal and even a little crazy today.

……

……

Chang'an left gate.

As the palace gate opened, a group of women who were eligible for selection came out one after another.

Zhang Yanling looked at the grand ceremony with a smile on his face, but he was thinking in his heart, being an emperor is so exciting. Even his son's choice of a concubine caused such a big fuss, and he can still have three palaces, six courtyards and seventy-two concubines. It is true that the peak of life is not exaggerated.

As the candidates came out, each family hurried forward to greet them and took their own women to the carriage.

It also means showing off in front of others.

Look how wonderful my daughter is?

How gorgeous is our carriage?

Zhang Luan walked over and searched among the crowd, but he didn't find his daughter. He immediately became nervous and strode forward to ask the official from the Honglu Temple standing in front of the palace gate: "Sir, may I ask, have all the people come out?"

Even if the officials of the Honglu Temple knew the inside story, they would not pay any attention to this unknown person in front of them.

Zhang Luan said quickly, "I am a student of Beiyong Academy, and I know Li Shilang of the Yintai Division."

No one cares about him anymore.

This made Zhang Luan embarrassed. He turned around and saw his two sons following him.

"Didn't I tell you to watch the carriage? Why are you running around?"

Zhang Luan frowned and scolded.

Zhang Heling replied: "Someone has taken over the carriage."

It turned out that the coachman had caught up and was now guarding the carriage.

Zhang Yanling's eyes fell on a person who also came forward to inquire about the news. He looked very familiar. It was none other than Sun You.

"Eh? Isn't this Uncle Sun?"

Zhang Yanling greeted with a smile.

Zhang Luan then noticed that his old friend Sun You was also in the crowd. He must have noticed him a long time ago. He wanted to approach him, but when he saw Sun You yelling, he felt embarrassed to do so.

Seeing that he couldn't escape, Sun You came over and saluted Zhang Luan: "Greetings, Brother Lai Zhan."

Zhang Luan asked, "Brother Sun, are you also sending our niece to participate in the election? Where is she?"

"This...maybe it hasn't come out yet." Sun You said.

As he was talking, a middle-aged man wearing a long robe with a round collar and looking like a tooth ran over and shouted, "Are you asking about the situation of the people who haven't come out yet? That means they have been selected!"

"really?"

A crowd of people, regardless of whether they had picked up their daughters or not, gathered here, probably wanting to hear what gossip this "busybody" had.

But he didn't give the information for free. He looked mysterious and asked people to treat him to a drink and even asked for money directly.

Zhang Luan frowned: "There are all kinds of people in this world! Do you dare to believe what he said? Didn't he release a group of people before? Maybe those who were eliminated were released first, or maybe they will be released and wait until tomorrow to enter the palace for re-selection... Ask your own daughter, isn't it ten times or a hundred times better than listening to his news?"

"Who are you? How dare you ruin my good deeds?"

The man spoke in Beijing dialect and became very angry after hearing what Zhang Luan said. He rolled up his sleeves and was ready to come over for a fight.

"Calm down, calm down..."

Sun You tried to persuade them while waving his hands, and soon several servants from the Sun residence came to help. When the man saw that there were more people on this side, he walked away swearing and went to talk to other people alone.

Sun You asked everyone to leave, and then he bowed to the people around him, and then he said: "There are still some good ones who haven't come out yet, it's probably not a bad thing... Let's wait a little longer."

It was only then that Zhang Luan discovered that there were more than three families who had not come out, so it was obvious that not all of the remaining people entered the so-called "select three" stage. At least there were still rounds to be selected later. Even the candidates who had left the palace early were eliminated or had to go back and wait for news. There was no accurate answer now.

(End of this chapter)