I'm not a fortune teller.

Chapter 62 Can You Change Me Back?

"Is Lord Cui Yan here?"

“Yes, yes!”

The handsome man let go of Zhang Rui and quickly responded, "Your subordinate Cui Yan, I greet you, sir."

"Hmm." The official from the Ministry of Personnel nodded in the courtroom, "He is indeed the handsome man as rumored. Come in."

When Cui Yan heard the word "handsome man", his face was obviously a little unnatural, and then he said to Zhang Rui: "Wait for me"

"Brother Cui, business is more important." Zhang Rui replied with a fake smile, "Junior brother, I am waiting for your good news."

The other party gave a bitter smile upon hearing this: "Don't make fun of me. What good news can I have? Let's talk about it later." He then bowed and walked straight into the hall.

After a while, Zhou Zhijie, who had just entered the inner hall, walked out quickly with a happy look on his face.

Zhang Rui calmed down and went over to greet him: "Looking at Brother Zhou's expression, this should be a good outcome, right?"

"Not bad, not bad!" Zhou Zhijie said modestly but proudly, "It's a transfer, but the place is very good, it's Tianshui County in the jurisdiction of Nanming Prefecture. Do you remember it?"

"What a great place!" Zhang Rui congratulated hurriedly. Of course he had an impression of that place. Jiangnan was a famous land of fish and rice. The hairy crabs produced in Tianshui Lake were world-famous. All the major restaurants in Jiangnan were scrambling to place orders. It was a great place where you could achieve success without doing anything.

"It's a pretty good result." Zhou Zhijie's eyes narrowed into a line with smile.

After all, only a few people can be promoted within three years. This transfer is basically a preparation for the next promotion. I am already lucky enough. Those classmates who used to have better grades than me and didn't look down on me will have to face the spring examination this year. But I will be promoted to prefect in three years at most. Who knows, when I see them again, they may have to call me their superior.

It's refreshing just thinking about it.
"By the way, I just saw Cui Yan." Zhou Zhijie suddenly remembered something and whispered to Zhang Rui.

"Yeah," Zhang Rui nodded, "He came here not long after my senior brother went in."

"That brat," Zhou Zhijie pouted, "he clearly saw me, but he didn't even say hello. He's an official but still so unruly!"

Zhang Rui was stunned. Really? Aren't you very enthusiastic towards me?

"But it should be different for you. After all, you two have a very good relationship and you both come from the same place. Back when you were in Bailu Academy, he almost always stuck to you, making many girls jealous of you. Hahaha." Zhou Zhijie found it quite funny when he recalled what happened back then.

Cui Yan had a stunning appearance back then. Many teachers' daughters were fascinated by him at first sight. Even the prefect's daughter came up to him. It was a lively scene.

As a result, Cui Yan ignored all of them and even directly rejected the proposal of the prefect. He offended many people, but he only listened to Zhang Rui. Many women had to give Zhang Rui a lot of benefits if they wanted to see Cui Yan.

Is there such a thing?
Zhang Rui was a little dazed. Did he really play the role of a fool who received a love letter?
"But I still have to say something, Senior Brother." Zhou Zhijie suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Although he was innocent in that incident, he was disliked by the emperor and was exiled to southern Xinjiang. You'd better stay away to avoid being implicated."

"What happened back then?" Zhang Rui reacted immediately. Yes, this guy looks so skinny, so he must be a good candidate for the third place. The third place case clearly stated that all the candidates would be killed, so why didn't such a handsome man like him get hurt?

Is it because the article is so bad that it doesn't even qualify for first place?
Wait a minute.
Zhang Rui suddenly reacted and looked at the other party: "Brother just said that we came from the same place?"

"Eh? Isn't it?" Zhou Zhijie frowned and said, "Back then, Bailu Academy only accepted two scholars from Lin County, both of whom were recommended by Fenglin Academy, you and Cui Yan."

Zhang Rui: “.”

Fenglin Academy, the academy where he received his education, was the first choice for families with limited financial resources like theirs because it charged the lowest tuition fee in the area and also provided meals. He had been studying there since he was very young. Was Cui Yan also from that academy?

How come I don’t have any impression of it at all?
Did he turn around after he used the pen? But the other person just called him Junior Brother.
Cui Yan Cui Yan, hiss, it seems like I have no impression of it. Wait. Cui. Cui Ergou?
"The Dali Temple is investigating a case. Everyone, please make way!"

Just as Zhang Rui was stunned, there was a commotion outside the Ministry of Personnel, as if some important person had arrived.

"Why is Lord Shaoqing here?"

Upon seeing this, several officials from the Ministry of Personnel hurriedly came out from the inner hall to greet them. When a group of officials heard the words "Shaoqing Lord", they immediately fell silent and turned around to look over.

"It's an important person," Zhou Zhijie said in a low voice behind Zhang Rui, "Lord Shen, the Junior Official of the Dali Temple!"

"Do you know him?" Zhang Rui turned around in surprise.

"I saw him once when I was shopping for an official position in the capital. Later, I also asked around. The youngest person in the imperial court who is at the level of the Nine Ministers is the 27-year-old Junior Minister of the Dali Temple. Wow, this record is the first in our dynasty."

"Really?" Zhang Rui looked over curiously.

He had also heard from Yuchi Hong that the nine ministers in the court were all rotated among the major families, and were secretly selected based on the strength of the children of each family and the results of political games among the families. They belonged to a political class that was completely incompatible with ordinary people.

Those who could serve as Nine Ministers were basically the heads of major families. It was said that many of them had to wait until they were over a hundred years old to be able to get in. To be in at the age of twenty-seven was indeed a miracle.

"Sir Shaoqing!" A man of considerable stature quickly walked out of the inner hall. He looked to be about sixty years old and was wearing a black official uniform with three peacock patches.

"Your Excellency." The other party also returned the greeting.

"Why are you here this time, sir?"

"There has been some progress in the case. I wonder if Cui Yan is here?"

The Minister of Personnel was stunned when he heard this. He was just talking with his colleagues about this surviving candidate for the third place. After the tragedy, the candidates with backgrounds all died miserably, but the one without background lived well. Naturally, this aroused a lot of suspicion. No one knew what Cui Yan went through when he was arrested and taken to the Dali Temple. All they knew was that in the end, no problems were found, and in the end, His Majesty did not decide on the position of the third place, and the case was left unresolved.

However, this extremely handsome man who was the subject of much discussion at that time was exiled to the hot and humid southern border after His Majesty gave a hint to the Ministry of Personnel.

"My Lord, are you looking for me?"

From the inner hall, Cui Yan walked out quickly.

Shen Yuan looked at the other person and nodded slightly: "It's really a good color!"

Cui Yan lowered his head and smiled bitterly, but said nothing.

"I wonder what you want to talk to me about? Just now, the official from the Ministry of Personnel has approved a note for me to stay in Southern Xinjiang. The journey is long, and if there is nothing important, I will leave tomorrow."

"You can't leave for now." Shen Yuan shook his head: "I'm afraid you have to wait until after the Spring Examination."

"This..." Cui Yan frowned, "Sir, the situation in Southern Xinjiang is complicated, and there are also floods this year. I have to go back as soon as possible to take charge of various matters."

"That's why I came to the Ministry of Personnel to discuss this." Shen Yuan looked at the Minister of Personnel and said, "Do you have any suitable candidate to replace Nanjiang? Cui Yan is a key figure in this case. Your Majesty attaches great importance to this case. I'm afraid Cui Yan won't be able to return in the short term."

"This..." The assistant minister lowered his head and thought for a moment before looking back at Cui Yan: "Cui Yan, you go with the Shaoqing first. I'll see if I can make some arrangements for Southern Xinjiang. As for where you will serve in the future, we'll discuss it after this case is over."

"I obey your command." Cui Yan smiled bitterly and responded obediently.

One has never been able to decide one's own destiny. I went to southern Xinjiang because of this case, and now I can't go back to southern Xinjiang because of this case. In short, nothing is up to me.

Thinking of this, he looked at Zhang Rui in the distance with a gloomy look in his eyes.

Zhang Rui's whole body tensed up when he was stared at, and a bad premonition came to his mind.

Is it really what I think? If so, it would be a big problem!

"Thank you for your cooperation, Lord Minister. I will take my leave now."

"Goodbye, Master Shaoqing." The other party bowed with a smile.

Shen Yuan nodded and was about to take Cui Yan away, but suddenly he thought of something and turned back to ask, "I wonder if Lord Zhang Rui is here?"

When Zhou Zhijie heard the name, he turned around and looked at Zhang Rui in surprise.

Zhang Rui was also somewhat stunned. He hesitated for a moment and stood up: "Your humble servant Zhang Rui, I greet you, Lord Shaoqing."

Is this Zhang Rui?

The assistant minister looked at him curiously. He was younger than the genius Lu Yuan of the Lu family. Was he really the one who won Tian Ye?
"Master Zhang has arrived quite early." Shen Yuan also looked at the other party curiously.

"I dare not neglect it." Zhang Rui bowed and smiled.

"I guess you've heard about it." Shen Yuan said without further ado: "His Majesty has ordered you to assist me in handling the case, and your current position is the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple. Now that I'm here, there's no need to bother going to the Ministry of Personnel to report on my work. Time is urgent, why don't you go to the Dali Temple with me now, Mr. Zhang?"

Zhou Zhijie in the distance was completely stunned, looking at Zhang Rui in disbelief. Zhang Rui was just complaining to him about how he was in a bitter and cold place and had only seen his Shangguan a few times.

As a result, he suddenly became a Beijing official! !
This dog!!!

"As you command," Zhang Rui responded with a wry smile.

He knew in advance that he couldn't escape this, but he didn't expect it to come so soon. Wasn't there any foreplay to give him a break?
"Let's go." Shen Yuan turned around and took the lead, while Zhang Rui and Cui Yan followed behind the group of Dali Temple officials.

"Big dog. Zhou Zhijie looked at us with such a fierce look."

Zhang Rui staggered, and the familiar name made him look at the other person in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Cui Yan looked at Zhang Rui puzzledly.

"Ergou?" Zhang Rui asked cautiously.

When he was a child, there were only two children in their village who graduated from school. He was the eldest in the Zhang family, so he was called Big Dog, and he was the second child in the Cui family, so he was called Er Gou.

"What's that look in your eyes?" Cui Yan looked at Zhang Rui with amusement: "Oh, that's right, I've been in Southern Xinjiang for three years and I'm still so good-looking, right?"

Zhang Rui: “.”

Cui Ergou is definitely not what he looks like now. Don't talk about the saying that men change a lot when they grow up. With his wretched frame, he can't be like this even if he is retrained.

"Big dog." Cui Yan looked at the backs of the people in the Dali Temple in front of him, his face full of melancholy: "Can you change me back?"

Zhang Rui: “.”

I knew it
(End of this chapter)