Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 8

Seeing that the test date arrived, the murderer was not caught, and Chen Jing was nowhere to be seen.It's just that more and more people believe that Li Jin was killed by Chen Jing.

On the day of the exam, Suo'etu had to go out early in the morning, and Amasoni stopped him: "Suo'etu, you don't have to work so hard on the investigation of the Kechang case!"

Suo'etu was surprised, and asked: "Ama, why is this? The emperor asked you and Aobai to investigate the case in the examination room, and Mingzhu and I secretly assisted. The emperor is very kind to me, and I dare not do my best." !"

Sonny said angrily: "Confused! The examination case is not so easy to investigate! Once it is found out, many princes and court officials will be involved! The more people involved, the more dangerous we are!"

Suo'etu said: "But the emperor has been angry about this all day long!"

Soni said: "Don't always talk about the emperor, the emperor. The emperor also has to worry about the prince and ministers!"

Suo'etu asked suspiciously, "Ama means that it's best not to find out about this case?"

Sonny nodded Suo'etu's head with his hand, and said: "You, use this to think about things." Then he tapped his belly, "Use this to pretend! Don't explain everything clearly!"

Suo'etu was still confused, but he had no choice but to say, "I got it."

Soni said again: "Your character is too reckless, you only know how to fight and kill! You have to learn from Mingzhu! Ama is old, and our family will rely on you if we want to gain a foothold in the imperial court!"

After hearing Ama's words, Suo'etu hurried to the palace.Today is the first exam, and God knows what urgent errands the emperor will order.When I ran to Qianqing Palace, I heard that the emperor wanted to go out of the palace in micro-clothes and go to the Gongyuan to have a look.Suo'etu, Mingzhu and several other guards all dressed up as civilians and followed the emperor to the Shuntian Mansion Tribute Court.The emperor did not go to the tribute courtyard, but stood there watching from a distance.There are also family members who come to send for the exam, and they all watch from a distance.

The Gongyuan was surrounded by soldiers with swords, full of murderous aura.People lined up with test baskets in their hands, and asked officials to search them one by one.There are pens, ink, paper and inkstones in the test basket, plus a small bag of charcoal.The barrel of the pen must be hollowed out so that there will be no entrapment in the barrel; each piece of charcoal is only allowed to be three inches long, so that people will not cheat.The invigilator who led the body search was Wu Yunpeng, head of the Ministry of Rites.When it was the turn to search someone, the Juren put down the test basket and raised his hands high.The official servant first carefully turned over the test basket, and then touched it from head to toe. He had to take off the shoes to have a look.One of the Juren saw that this was really degrading, so he complained, saying: "We all have to raise our hands, that's called Juren." The Juren burst into laughter.Wu Yunpeng's face darkened immediately, and he shouted: "What are you laughing at! Presumptuous!" Immediately, no one dared to speak, and they all passed by with their hands raised.There was a man who couldn't see this occasion, and just raised his hands, and his pants were wet.When the people saw it, they laughed again.Immediately, two soldiers ran up, raised their whips, and beat the Juren who pissed his pants, cursing: "What crime should be for desecrating the Holy Land!" The Juren was beaten and rolled on the ground, and then dragged away.

Standing in the queue and walking slowly, Zhang Jian accidentally turned his head and saw Chen Jing, he couldn't believe his eyes.It turned out that Chen Jing left a note to Mr. Li early this morning, and bravely ran to the Gongyuan.He thought about it for the past few days, anyway, he was sitting upright, and in front of so many juren and court officials, no one dared to do anything to him in broad daylight.He finally figured it out, he was not afraid of the government arresting him overtly, but he was afraid of the evil people plotting behind his back.After all, Chen Jing was terrified in his heart, he just lowered his head and moved forward slowly, but he didn't see Zhang Qian.

This made Mr. Li very anxious.He heard Da Gui say early in the morning that Chen Juren had disappeared and there was only a note on the table.Mr. Li read the note, and said that the big thing is not good, something will happen to Chen Jing.Yueyuan also got up, crying and asking her father to find a way.How can Mr. Li think of a way?I had to go to Gongyuan to have a look.Yueyuan insisted on following, and the father and daughter arrived outside the tribute courtyard.Looking at the swordsmen and gunmen, Yueyuan was terrified.Mr. Li held Yueyuan's hand tightly and told her not to shout.The emperor was surrounded by Mingzhu and others, and he was also crowded in the crowd. He was very close to Mr. Li, and no one noticed anything unusual.

It was Zhang Qian's turn to search. He put down the test basket and raised his hands high.Wu Yunpeng looked at the roster and read Zhang Qian's name in his mouth. Someone had already taken the test basket and turned it over.Wu Yunpeng looked at the inkstone repeatedly, and Zhang Qian's heart beat like a drum.Finally, he didn't see any flaws, but Zhang Qian's clothes were already drenched with sweat.Wu Yunpeng shouted to go, Zhang Qian hurriedly packed up the test basket and went in.

Finally it was Chen Jing's turn. He put down the test basket and raised his hands.Wu Yunpeng said to himself: "Chen Jing." Hearing his name, Chen Jing was startled and turned his face away on purpose.Wu Yunpeng didn't show any abnormality at all, he just watched coldly as his subordinates turned over the test basket and searched Chen Jing's body.Nothing was found, so Wu Yunpeng said, "Let's go." Chen Jing tried to slow down and walked in calmly.At this time, Wu Yunpeng suddenly came back to his senses, turned around and said, "Chen Jing? Catch him!" Someone immediately ran forward and pushed Chen Jing to the ground.Chen Jing sighed, not afraid in his heart, but it's a pity that this year's scientific examination must have failed.

Chen Jing was about to be taken away when someone stopped him sharply: "Slow down!" It turned out that Mingzhu was running over and refused to let the officials take him away.Wu Yunpeng didn't recognize Mingzhu, but he guessed that this person must have a lot of background.Seeing more than a dozen people flying towards them, and then flashing a path, the emperor walked over with his hands behind his back.

Mingzhu played softly: "Your Majesty, this person is the Shanxi Juren Chen Jing we want to arrest!"

The emperor didn't speak, but just stared at Chen Jing.Chen Jing didn't have time to say anything, but saw Wu Yunpeng knelt down early, kowtowed and said: "I don't know that the emperor is here, I deserve death for my crimes!"

Immediately fell to their knees and shouted long live.Li Zhenye and Wei Xiangshu waited until the eight examiners heard the news, and ran out of the tribute courtyard in a hurry to meet him.

Seeing that everyone was kneeling down, Chen Jing came back to his senses, hurriedly knelt down, and said, "Shanxi student Chen Jing kowtowed to the emperor!"

The emperor still didn't speak, just looked at Chen Jing.Li Zhenye said: "Your Majesty, Chen Jing was involved in a murder case, so he dared to come to take the exam, he is really audacious!"

Chen Jingdao: "Student doesn't have such guts! I dare to take the exam because I am innocent! The student is suddenly in danger of being killed, like falling into a cloud."

Li Zhenye said again: "My Majesty, Chen Jing was one of those who disturbed the government and humiliated Confucius after Qiu Wei in Shanxi last year. Thanks to His Majesty's grace, reading his articles is not bad, and he has not been punished. How can I think?" He didn't want to be grateful, so he intensified his efforts and killed Juren Li Jin as soon as he arrived in the capital!"

Chen Jing argued: "Why should I kill Li Jin? Li Jin's family is poor and cannot afford to live in an inn, and the inn wants to drive him out. I think he is well educated and honest, and even paid him money."

Li Zhenye said: "Your Majesty, Chen Jing's crime is due to the fact that his family has money. Li Jin knew about his attempt to bribe the examiner. Li Jin threatened to report him, and he did it!"

At this time, Wei Xiangshu said: "Your Majesty, Chen Jing is likely to kill people for this matter, and I will also speculate like this. But there is no evidence, so you can't speculate."

Li Zhenye glanced at Wei Xiangshu, and said, "Wei Xiangshu is Chen Jing from Shanxi. What he said was clearly fair, but he was actually protecting it. All the people who lived in the Happy Forest Inn heard that the day Li Jin was killed In the night, he said that he knew who gave the money and who received the money, and that he would go to Shuntian Mansion to file a complaint the next day. It was also in this night that Li Jin was killed and Chen Jing fled. Is this a coincidence?"

Wei Xiangshu did not refute, and followed Li Zhenye's words.When Chen Jing heard that this was Lord Wei Xiangshu, he couldn't help but look up.Wei Xiangshu bowed his head and knelt without looking sideways.

The emperor listened for a long time without saying a word, and then said: "Okay, this is not the hall of the Ministry of Criminal Justice! I hate bribes in the examination room! You scholars, I count on you to become the pillars of the country. Those who want to use bribes in exchange for fame, only Treating the examination hall as a business place, they will be promoted to the officialdom in the future, and they will inevitably plunder, endanger the common people, and bring disaster to the community! Therefore, I have only one way to bribe those who are bribed by the examination hall, kill!"

The emperor turned around and looked down at Chen Jing, and asked, "Aren't you afraid of death?"

Chen Jing lowered his head and said: "If you want to kill in vain, I'm afraid it will be useless!"

Li Zhenye said: "Your Majesty, Chen Jing is really bold! How dare you speak to the Emperor like this!"

When the emperor heard Chen Jing say this, he was also a little angry, with a sullen expression on his face.No one dared to say a word for a while.After a long silence, the emperor suddenly issued an order: "Let Chen Jing go!"

Li Zhenye was stunned, and kept calling the emperor.The emperor ignored it, and only said something to Chen Jing: "I promise you a big competition, let's see how capable you are!"

Chen Jing was overjoyed and kowtowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

The emperor ordered Suo'etu again: "After Chen Jing leaves the palace, he will be temporarily detained in Shuntian Mansion Prison!" Suo'etu responded, feeling pampered, and glanced at Mingzhu with a smug expression on his face.

After Chen Jing thanked him, he stood up, carried the test basket and walked to the Gongyuan.The emperor looked at Chen Jing, and even laughed, and said: "You are really calm! Others will tremble when they see me, even if they are innocent! Well, you all get up." The kneeling officials and Juren also thanked you Get up and stand with a bow.

In the distance, Mr. Li and Yueyuan were already terrified. Seeing that Chen Jing was released again, they didn't know what happened inside.Anyway, I'm fine, so I'm relieved.Who knew that the young man standing beside him just now turned out to be the current emperor.Mr. Li told Yueyuan to go back, but Yueyuan wanted to take a look again, the emperor had to come out from inside.

The emperor entered the tribute courtyard and looked around.Li Zhenye was still not reconciled, and said: "The emperor made a clear decision, I think that Chen Jing..."

The emperor didn't wait for Li Zhenye to finish, he interrupted him and said: "Where in the world is there anyone who is so foolish as to send himself to death? Chen Jingzhen killed someone, and he has long since hid in Java, how dare he come to take the exam? Something is wrong!"

But Li Zhenye said: "It's not uncommon for bad people to take chances and take risks!"

The emperor was very surprised, fixed his eyes on Li Zhenye, and said: "Li Zhenye, you have always been mature and prudent, today is a bit strange!"

Li Zhenye said: "I only think about the selection ceremony!"

The emperor already had doubts in his heart, and asked: "Li Zhenye, you have been locked in the courtyard for many days, how do you know the things outside so clearly?"

Li Zhenye said in panic: "Ju Ren was killed, this is a huge matter, there will always be wind blowing to the Gong Yuan!"

There was anger on the emperor's face, and he said: "The grand ceremony for selecting scholars is a big deal! The tribute courtyard must be in four words: airtight and airtight!"

Only then did Li Zhenye realize that he had talked too much, and hurriedly said: "I have not communicated any news with outsiders!"

The emperor nodded and said: "You only manage the selection ceremony well, and it has nothing to do with you if the sky falls outside!"

After the emperor inspected the tribute courtyard, he drove back to the palace.Li Zhenye and other examiners knelt outside the gate of the tribute courtyard one by one, and waited until the emperor's sedan chair was far away before getting up and going back.

Yujia didn't go far, the emperor suddenly called Mingzhu to come forward, and said: "Mingzhu, you are a delicate person, you don't need to serve the driver recently, and look around, pay attention to any clues! Go now."

Mingzhu received the decree, kowtowed and retreated.He didn't know where to start for a while, and when he turned his head and saw some people still surrounded outside the Gongyuan, he walked towards the crowd.

Seeing the emperor leaving, those who watched the excitement outside the tribute courtyard and those who sent for the exam walked away in twos and threes.Mr. Li led Yueyuan to leave when he suddenly saw a few people who looked very familiar to him.Before the old man came back to his senses, those people exchanged glances and hurried away.Looking at their backs, it happened to be three people.Mr. Li now remembered that they were the ones who chased and killed Chen Jing in the middle of the night.

Mr. Li thought that this place was ominous, and he was about to leave after dragging Yueyuan.He had only walked a few steps, but he heard someone call out to him: "Old Mister." Mr. Li looked up and saw that it was the person who went to his house to see plum blossoms last time.Mr. Li already knew who he was, but he didn't know his last name.

Mr. Li nodded and smiled, pretending to be confused and said: "Someone in your family also got into trouble?"

Mingzhu smiled and said, "No, let's see the excitement. There must be someone from the old man's family inside?"

Mr. Li also said that no one in his family took the exam, so he just watched the excitement, and then he bowed his hands and left.

(End of this chapter)