coobybook Chapter 139 La 8
Chapter 139 La 8
Zhou Shensi: "Working for Gongcao? Are you not going to take the imperial examination?"
Qiaoqiao said embarrassedly: "It's so difficult to pass the imperial examination. You want to find another way. There is a shortage of people everywhere now. If I do well in the Gongcao, maybe they will accept me directly."
Bai Zhi was packing fruits and sealing the jars. In the midst of her busy work, she teased Zhou Shensi, "Look how beautiful our ancestors thought. I have never seen anyone with outstanding talent enter the county government office directly."
Lin Chuqi echoed, "The Master said that there is a high wall between the assistants in Gongcao and the officials, and you can't get over it unless you pass the imperial examination."
Qiaoqiao: "How high?"
Lin Chuqi: "About ten times your height."
Qiaoqiao: “…”
"You are too lazy to study anyway, so it's not a bad thing to gain some experience and gain some enlightenment." Bai Zhi sealed the jar with great effort, stared at it for a long time, and suddenly shouted. The three of them looked at her: "What's wrong?"
Bai Zhi's face was ashen: "I forgot to add the wine primer, so the seal was sealed in vain. Zhou Shensi, it's all your fault, you have to remove the seal for me."
"Ah? What does this have to do with me?"
"If you hadn't interrupted me, I wouldn't have forgotten to add the wine."
"..." Zhou Shensi resigned himself to his fate by baring his arms and rolling up his sleeves, "Okay, you're my boss after all."
It was a dirty job to peel off the wet mud seal. Zhou Shensi worked on it for a while, and her hands were covered with mud. She lowered her eyebrows and said, "So why do you do it yourself every year? Why not just go to Old Wu's house and buy two jars?"
"What do you think life is all about? Isn't it all about these troubles? Everything is troublesome, and the more troublesome it is, the more valuable it is." Bai Zhi commanded without question, "After removing the mud, I added wine and then sealed it."
Zhou Shensi: "..."
If I had known, I would have come back a few days later to ask for the red envelope.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, all the tribute scholars in Qing County received official letters of appointment and prepared to go to the ends of the earth to take up their posts after the new year.
It is said to be the end of the world, but it is only the end of the world in the thirteen states. This three-year examination is not connected with other states, and the people selected by themselves can only be used by themselves. But it is harmless, being an official anywhere is not being an official, and being close to home is better, and the tribute scholars are very satisfied.
Bai Zhi was one of those who was very satisfied - the official letter was not released until Laba Festival, which showed that Chu Yunchuan was doing things step by step and was not rushing.
In fact, King Jing Qiansui did not deliberately fail to hurry up. Ever since Bai Zhi returned to Qing County, he had been absent-minded and had to slow down everything to avoid mistakes. After sending the official letter this time, King Jing Qiansui finally used up all his strength, wrapped himself tightly in a fur cloak, and lay on a recliner in the yard looking at the sky.
Lying on a recliner in the middle of winter is not basking in the sun, but blowing in the cold wind. The servants were afraid that King Jing would get frozen, but they didn't dare to persuade him, so they could only move their master out.
When Fang Zhiheng hurried to the King Jing's courtyard, he saw Chu Yunchuan's ears were red from the cold wind. Chu Yunchuan seemed unconscious, with his eyes blank and dazed. Fang Zhiheng quickly stuffed his hand warmer into Chu Yunchuan's arms and said, "Your Highness, please go back to your room."
"I'm basking in the sun." Chu Yunchuan pushed the hand warmer back. "I have inner strength to protect me, so I don't feel cold. Look how bright the sun is today. It's rare to see such good weather since the beginning of winter."
There was a century-old tree in the courtyard that could be hugged by three people. After winter, all the leaves fell off, leaving only bare branches that looked like dead grass sticking out in the air. Chu Yunchuan was lying under the tree, and the sunlight was leaking through the dead branches.
"How can you not be cold, Your Highness?" Fang Zhiheng subconsciously put his hand to the tip of Chu Yunchuan's ear, "Your ears are frozen red... eh?"
The tips of my ears weren't just cold; they were actually warm.
What's going on here?
Chu Yunchuan shyly avoided Fang Zhiheng's puzzled look and said, "Don't worry, it's not cold."
Fang Zhiheng sighed, he knew that Chu Yunchuan was missing Bai Zhi.
When rebuilding the Thirteen States, Chu Yunchuan would occasionally move a lounge chair to the yard to bask in the sun. According to him, Bai Zhi used to love basking in the sun.
"Your Highness, otherwise... you should go back now. There is nothing else to do."
"Sixteen more days."
The days that came out of his mouth were obviously counting every day.
"This is the deadline set by Miss Bai because she is afraid that you will be too busy. Now there is nothing to do. In my opinion, it is okay to go back early. I think Miss Bai will not blame Your Highness."
Chu Yunchuan's expression relaxed a little, but after a while he closed his eyes and shook his head: "Since we have made an appointment, we should abide by it. Otherwise, wouldn't I be a person who doesn't keep his word in her eyes?"
"Well... In that case, I'll sit with you for a while."
"Alright."
Fang Zhiheng was a civil servant, he had no inner strength and was not cold resistant, he could only hug the hand warmer tightly and curl himself up like an old hen. He sat for a while before realizing that although the branches were blown wildly by the cold wind, it was not cold under the tree. They were in the leeward side and could only hear the sound of the wind hitting the tree trunk on the other side.
Really picked a good place.
"Your Highness," Fang Zhiheng started chatting, "Let's take a look at the answers of the candidates this time. There is only one person who is qualified to succeed King Jing. Why did Your Highness send this person to a remote place instead of keeping him in the provincial capital for a detailed investigation?"
“This is a dangerous hurdle.”
"how do I say this?"
"You and I still don't know what the barbarian is plotting. If we place him next to the people on the Cinnabar list, it will be like inserting a needle into the sea."
"But... Your Highness, what if this person fails to be the pin that stabilizes the sea, and instead causes the sea to overturn?"
"That's why it's called a dangerous pass. If you can pass it, you will become King Jing. If you can't pass it, you will be a small official."
"Your Highness, are you going to bet on this one person?"
"It is better to have nothing than to have someone with nothing. If there is really no other candidate, it is fine to ask Fu Yao to be King Jing."
"...Your Highness, if that's the case, why didn't you ask Fu Yao to take over from the beginning?"
Chu Yunchuan said simply and clearly: "He doesn't want to."
Fang Zhiheng's eyes widened: "He doesn't want to?"
"I asked him earlier, and he said that after he had done his big thing, he planned to work in my place for the rest of his life and earn a salary to support his brothers and sisters. He didn't care about the title of prince. Later, his younger sister heard him and kept clamoring to be a prince. He had no choice but to be pushed by me. He promised me that if I couldn't find a candidate, I would go to him."
"…Your Highness, is this too casual?"
"Fu Yao's kindness and righteousness are obvious to all of us. He is willing to travel thousands of miles to help me just to clear my father's bad name. However, he has a gentle temperament, and I am afraid that he will find it difficult to resist the cunning of the officialdom."
"In my opinion, this tribute scholar is more suitable." Fang Zhiheng held the hand warmer and saluted Chu Yunchuan, "Your Highness, don't worry, no matter who succeeds, I will be loyal to you as your right-hand man."