Our family has been rebelling for generations, and you've become the top scholar in the imperia

Half a month later.

Outside the magnificent city gates of the Great Zhou capital.

"Damn it, young master, beat them up! Look how ugly they've drawn the old man's portrait, and they haven't even put it in the middle. They look down on us! One day, my fifth master's portrait will be displayed here too."

"Shut up!"

Qin Feng glared at Niu Wu, who was filled with righteous indignation behind him.

He pulled the two away from the wanted posters at the government office.

When he came to the capital last time to participate in the imperial examination, he discovered that his family had three members listed on the wanted list of the Jingzhao Prefecture government office at the city gate.

Difficult!

In this situation, it's unlikely that officials below the third rank could even attempt to clear their name.

"Let me tell you two, this is the capital, not a village. Watch your words and actions. If you say anything out of line again, you'll each have to copy the multiplication tables a hundred times."

Upon hearing this...

Niu Wu and his companion immediately showed fear on their faces, as if they were being controlled by the multiplication tables, and quickly covered their mouths.

Everyone in the village is afraid of this.

The young master would make them write their names, memorize multiplication tables, and calculate chicken and rabbit legs whenever they had nothing to do. If they couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't let them eat.

"Let's go. After we enter the city, let's find an inn first. Once the official is released, we'll try to buy a house in the capital."

Qin Feng waved his hand and stepped into the capital.

Tomorrow is the grand court assembly, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will be revealed at the assembly what official position will be assigned to the newly appointed top scholar.

It seems unlikely that he will be accepted into the Hanlin Academy.

Having offended the Nanlin Party, they would never allow him to enter the Hanlin Academy.

In other departments, however, promotions are much slower.

"Qin Zhuangyuan!"

Just then.

A carriage stopped in front of them. The curtain was lifted, and a frail old man stepped out.

At the same time, he gestured for Qin Feng to look inside the carriage.

"minister……"

"Let's find a secluded place. No one will know that the Emperor left the palace today. He wants to see you alone."

After glancing inside, Qin Feng immediately prepared to bow.

It's none other than someone else.

Sitting inside the carriage was none other than the current Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty—Zhou Zhengde.

Qin Feng never expected that the emperor would be sitting in a carriage waiting for him to enter the city.

After a while.

It is located in a secluded restaurant in the city.

"Well done, have a seat!"

Zhou Zhengde glanced at Qin Feng, pointed to the chair opposite him, and gestured for him to sit down.

A few days ago, Ren Qianyuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, returned to the capital in a very miserable state. It is said that he was robbed several times on the way and even his clothes were stripped off.

If it weren't for the servants begging along the way, they probably would have died on the way.

the most important.

Qin Feng did not return to Beijing with the other party.

This shows that he did not join the Nanlin Party.

Once the top scholar enters the Hanlin Academy, he will be assigned to manage a prefecture to accumulate political achievements, and it is almost a certainty that he will join the cabinet later.

Therefore, after learning that Qin Feng had not joined the Nanlin Party, Zhou Zhengde decided to secretly meet with him.

Otherwise... the Nanlin Party will definitely continue to invite him. Zhou Zhengde wants Qin Feng to understand that the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty is standing behind him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Qin Feng gritted his teeth and carefully sat down opposite him.

The Nanlin Party invited him to join, and now the emperor has even personally met with him in secret.

It looks like...

The situation in the Great Zhou was not as good as he had imagined; the court was a very complex place.

Why did you refuse to join the Southern Forest Party?

Once you're seated,

Zhou Zhengde got straight to the point without any preamble, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked.

"I come from a poor family, and my whole family are impoverished. The students of the Nanlin Party are all rich and noble. In addition, I won the top score in the provincial examination, which offended many Nanlin students. I..."

How can you say that outright?

Although there was no cheating in the imperial examinations, they did a lot of things behind the scenes.

Among the students in the Nanlin Party, quite a few were kidnapped by him.

"Um!"

Zhou Zhengde nodded slightly, inwardly satisfied with the answer.

There was no nonsense about loyalty to the emperor and serving the country; on the contrary, he spoke very sincerely.

This shows that Qin Feng was telling the truth.

The Nanlin Party is full of bitterness, and its members are all sons of powerful officials.

This is common knowledge.

"If you don't join the Nanlin Party, what will you do if they target you?"

"Your Majesty, although I am a scholar, my family was poor when I was young, and I had to work in the fields since I was a child... Strictly speaking, I am a rough man."

"Oh?"

Zhou Zhengde was slightly surprised by this answer.

Scholars are eager to constantly flaunt their status and distinguish themselves from ordinary people.

Nowadays, some people actually call themselves "roughnecks," and they're even the top scorers in the national college entrance examination.

Side view.

Niu Wu stood with Liu Tu, rolling his eyes as he stared at the roof beams above, pinching his thigh hard with one hand, afraid he would burst out laughing.

That's quite a boast!

Fortunately, I didn't study with the young master.

Otherwise, they probably would have become just as shameless.

When did the village ever farm?

The money buried inside was all stolen silver.

"So what if he's a boor?"

"If anyone targets me, I fear I will not be able to resist taking action."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Upon hearing this answer, Zhou Zhengde couldn't help but laugh.

Some northern students who had been secretly supported by eunuchs were spineless and, when faced with the targeting of the Nanlin Party, they couldn't even hold on, let alone take the initiative.

"Very well, so you can't help but take action. Qin Feng, I need a knife, a knife that can kill. Would you be willing to become my knife?"

suddenly.

Zhou Zhengde's smile vanished, and he stared intently at Qin Feng, saying each word clearly:

"To become my blade may invite the scorn of the world and the targeting of court officials. They will be ashamed to be associated with you. Think carefully before you answer."

What the hell!

This is to make him do dirty work.

Before deciding to participate in the imperial examination, Qin Feng carefully researched the organizational structure of the Great Zhou Dynasty and several special departments, which he did not understand at the time.

Qin Feng now understood why the Great Zhou Dynasty, despite its powerful national strength, would establish secret service departments like the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. It was because of the intense factional strife.

The Southern Forest Party was the leader of the imperial court, and the emperor could only trust the eunuchs, which is why things turned out this way.

but!

Doing dirty work is great!

With the emperor behind them, clearing the Qin family's name is just around the corner, making things much easier.

"I am willing!"

Qin Feng suppressed his excitement, stood up, and bowed in response.

We need manpower to do dirty work. We can bring people over from Daliu Village, make up fake identities, and we can clean up the names of many people.

Moreover, the entire village has a long history of banditry; they are natural-born raiders, so it's their profession and there's absolutely no difficulty in it.

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"I am not afraid of death!"

Qin Feng patted his chest loudly, making a firm promise.

He knows his own level very well.

In the normal imperial examinations, becoming a student who passed the preliminary examination was the pinnacle; even becoming a scholar who passed the county-level examination didn't offer a chance.

In court, trying to outwit someone is even less of a match.

As the sages have said, "A wise man is slow to speak but quick to act."

Talk less, do more!

Is there something wrong?

No problem!

……

at the same time.

Downstairs from the restaurant.

A young man dressed in a dark blue robe with a jade pendant hanging from his waist rushed into the restaurant with a group of servants carrying sticks.

The young man glanced at the shopkeeper who had come out to obstruct him.

He slapped him across the face.

"On business at the Grand Tutor's residence!"

Done.

He roared fiercely at his many servants:

"Right up there, beat them to death! If anything goes wrong, I'll take the blame!"

"superior!!!"