Chapter 329 The Temple Examination

“Weird?”

Xu Qi’an pulled out a chair and sat down, ordering Su Su to pour himself some water.

I am not yet your concubine, so I make people ……… Yankee Ghost Su Su glared at him, obediently pouring water to go, after all, now talking about the tragic case of her family extinction.

She had to rely on this man to help her, otherwise she and her master Li Miaozhen alone would not be able to find out even after ten years of investigation.

When Xu Qi’an took a sip of tea, Li Miaozhen said:

“Su Su’s father’s name was Su Hang, a jinshi in the 29th year of Zhende, and in the 14th year of Yuanjing, for some unknown reason, he was relegated back to Jiangzhou as governor, and he was beheaded the following year, on the charge of accepting bribes and corruption.”

Xu Qi’an rubbed his teacup and asked, “What’s the problem?”

“There is,” Li Miaozhen looked sideways at Su Su, “She doesn’t remember having been in the capital. Su Su’s soul is intact, when my master found her, she had absorbed the Yin Qi of the mass grave to cultivate, and had achieved a small success, so as long as she didn’t leave the mass grave, she would be able to keep surviving for a long time.

“A resentful soul of such cultivation will not miss memories unless they were erased before she was born.”

Susu said, “Maybe, maybe I really haven’t been to the capital.”

Xu Qi’an shook his head, “But whenever one enters the capital as an official, their family members have to move to the capital. I’m more inclined to the idea that Su Su’s memories were faulty when she was alive, well, it’s kind of interesting.”

The two men and a ghost were silent for a moment, Xu Qi An said, ”Since he is a Beijing official, the Ministry of Officials will have his information …….. The Ministry of Appointments is the territory of Chief Minister Wang, and he and Wei Yuan are political enemies, so without sufficient reason, I have no right to access the Ministry of Appointments’ case files.

“So don’t be in a hurry, you guys, wait for your chance.”

Li Miaozhen and Su Su nodded.

Xu Qi’an sipped the warm tea and said, “What is your brother’s name? How old was he when there was an accident in the Su family back then?”

Su Su tilted his head, thinking, “Called Su Chengzhi, the year the family had a change of heart, he was about eleven or twelve years old.”

That now the age of about thirty-two years old, this brother-in-law can not find ah, is like a needle in a haystack …….. If only Dafeng had a well-developed public security system …….. Xu Qi An hinted:

“I’ll try to find it for you, but you shouldn’t get your hopes up too much.”

Su Su “hmmm”, knowing that the search for relatives is too difficult, did not force.

After this matter was resolved, Xu Qi’an mentioned the second matter, looked at Li Miaozhen, and said, “When do you plan to start the Heavenly Man Struggle?”

Li Miaozhen didn’t hesitate, “First, place a letter of war, then make an appointment, within seven days.”

Xu Qi’an slowly nodded his head and spoke his thoughts bluntly, “Before the end of the Celestials’ Contest, it would be best if you don’t leave the capital. No matter what kind of letters you receive or who you come into contact with, don’t leave.”

Li Miaozhen raised her eyebrows, “Are you saying that someone will turn against me?”

“It’s the obvious thing to do.” Xu Qi’an sighed, “If you had an accident in the capital, the Taoist head of the Heavenly Sect would take it in stride? I’m afraid that a first-ranked land deity of the Dao Sect is no worse than a Supervisor Zheng.”

Su Su straightened her paper breasts and looked haughty, “Knowing that our Dao Head is a First Grade, how else would anyone dare to be unfavorable to the master?”

Xu Qi An felt sorry for the female ghost s intelligence, ”Your father is at least a scholar, but you have not inherited your father s intelligence ……… at all It is precisely because Miao Zhen is the holy daughter of the Heavenly Sect that she invites people to miss her.

“His Majesty’s indulgence in monasticism, in order to maintain the stability of power, has contributed to the present situation of multi-party warfare in the imperial court. In response to this, there have long been people who are dissatisfied. The heaven and man struggle is a good opportunity for them to capitalize on ……….

“In addition, this matter is known to all, Jianghu people flocked to the capital, which must be mixed with spies from other countries. These people can’t wait for Li Miaozhen to die in the capital.”

Suu came to a realization.

“You are the fourth rank of the Dao Sect, idle people are no match for you, and foreign experts above the fourth rank are delusional if they want to come into the capital to kill you. And the experts in the court are even more unlikely to strike in the capital unless they hold a death wish.”

“Thanks for the reminder, I understand.” Li Miaozhen said, “I will arrange for ghosts to be on guard near the Xu Mansion, and if any suspicious characters approach, I will immediately make a signal. When the time comes, I will strike early or leave the Xu Mansion without spilling over to your family. Although this is not very likely.”

Then, she couldn’t help but taunt, “Damn Emperor Yuan Jing.”

Hey hey you be careful what you say ah, this kind of talk online is good ……… Xu Qi’an smiled and nodded, got up, and said, “Then, I, an orange outsider, will not disturb the beautiful dreams of the two girls.”

In front of Li Miaozhen and Su Su’s slightly bewildered gazes, they left the room.

…………

On March 27, it is advisable to open the light, cut clothes, travel, and get married.

Today is the day of the Temple Examination, exactly one month from the end of the Congress Examination.

Auntie was up in the hazy light of day, wearing a long, well embroidered dress, her hair slightly disheveled and held behind her head by a single gold hairpin.

Her pretty eyes were a little dull, and she looked like she hadn’t slept, with puffy bags under her eyes.

While arranging for the cook to make breakfast for Erlang, Auntie brought her personal maid, Green E, and knocked on the door of Erlang’s room.

Wearing a light-white robe and carrying a purple jade from Ziyang Jushi around his waist, Xu Xinxin came to open the door for his mother in high spirits.

“Erlang got up so early?” The aunt said, yawning:

“Mother has asked the kitchen to make breakfast, Erlang do you want to sleep for another quarter of an hour, mother will come and call you.”

“No need.”

Xu Erlang is at least a Confucian scholar of the eighth rank, his energy is far superior to that of an ordinary person, and he relieved his mother, “Mother don’t worry, the temple examination is a ranking examination, and with the status of I will be Yuan, it won’t be too low.”

Reassured at once, the aunt led Green E out of the room, and as she crossed the threshold, she suddenly screamed.

Xu Erlang was shocked and ran out of the room to check on the situation, and saw that in the courtyard, there was a white woman with a red umbrella standing quietly.

It was not long after the third watch, and the sky was not yet bright, and the woman was holding a scarlet umbrella, wearing white clothes, and was full of strangeness.

“Mrs. Hsu.”

Su Su smiled sweetly and saluted.

The aunt was relieved, thinking, “What is she doing out at this hour if she’s not sleeping in her room? She almost thought she had met a ghost.

Xu Erlang stared at Su Su for a moment, didn’t move to withdraw his gaze, and said to his aunt, “Mother, go back to your room and rest.”

Sending his aunt away, Erlang Xu looked at Su Su in the courtyard and said, “Does my elder brother know your identity?”

He can tell that I am Phantom? Worthy of being a scholar of the Cloud Deer Academy ……… Su Su s smile was shallow, outlining two pear eddies, and delicately said:

“I know, he said he would remake my flesh for me and then be his concubine for three years.”

…….. This is really something that big brother would do, the flower girl of the Education Department can’t satisfy his taste anymore? He’s even got ghosts on his mind.

Xu New Year’s jaw dropped, half speechless.

Knowing that today is the Imperial Examination, just after the third night, Xu Mansion lit candles, Li Miaozhen heard about this matter, also came out to join in the fun. The people have had breakfast, send Xu New Year out of the house.

“Erlang, today is not only the palace examination that concerns your future, but also an opportunity for you to prove your innocence and completely clear your name, so be sure to do well in the examination.” Xu Pingzhi, wearing his armor and holding his helmet, exhorted in a serious tone.

Xu New Year nodded as he walked outside, “I know, father don’t worry, I ………”

The second half of the sentence suddenly stuck in his throat, he looked stiffly at the opposite side of the street, where two “old acquaintances” stood, a tall and sturdy monk, wearing a white washed natty clothes.

One was a green-shirted swordsman, hanging down a strand of white frontal hair, not too old, but giving the impression of having been through the ages.

It’s those two again, again!

Xu New Year was growling inside.

“That is a friend of big brother ………,” Xu Qi An patted his shoulder, soothing the anger inside the little old brother.

In the past, there was no contact with number four, so he let Xu Xinan take the blame for him and do the cover-up. Now that Xu Qi’an’s identity was gradually solidifying, Chu Yuanjian gradually accepted the persona of No. 3’s cousin.

Once the inherent concept was formed, Chu Scholar would not deliberately try to push it, and would not have doubts such as “No. 3 has an odd personality”. People are always more likely to trust their friends and familiar people for this reason.

Hengyuan and Chu Yuanjian smiled and nodded in greeting before their gazes spiraled down to Li Miaozhen.

This Heavenly Sect Holy Maiden had a fair and clean melon face, plain, with eyes like black pearls, clear and bright. The peaks of her eyebrows were sharp, emphasizing the seemingly stern aura she had.

Instead of being the Holy Daughter of the Heavenly Sect, she is more like a female general who has been in the battlefield for a long time ……… Yes, she joined the army in Yunzhou for up to one year …….. Monk Hengyuan folded his hands and smiled at Li Miaozhen.

The breath is introverted, not leaking the slightest, and it is impossible to see through the cultivation ……… However, since she came to the capital, it means that she has already stepped into the fourth product Hey, after the battle with Zhang Kaitai back then, and after the tragic defeat, I have not fought with the fourth product for many years.

Chu Yuanzhan wore a smile on his face, and his pupils quietly burned with fighting spirit.

The bald head is number six, and the one carrying the sword is number four, well, number four is really as number one said, walking not the orthodox human sect path …….. Li Miaozhen nodded her head as a greeting.

As for number five, Lina, she was still huffing and puffing in her room, just like her apprentice, Xu Lingyin.

“Ta-da-da-da ……..”

The three men of the Xu family steered their horses away, Li Miaozhen eyed their backs, and Heng Yuan’s voice came from her ears, “Amitabha Buddha, I hope that number three will be able to get to high school number one.”

Chu Yuanjian snorted, “It would be good to get a second place, he is after all a student of Yunlu Academy. However, number three has a big secret on him.”

Hengyuan was surprised, “Secret?”

Chu Yuanzhen smiled and nodded his head as he said in an inscrutable manner, ”If my expectations are correct, the vision of the Cloud Deer Academy’s Sub-Sacred Hall’s clear qi rushing into the sky has something to do with number three.

“Of course, these are my guesses, nothing to go on, believe it or not.”

Hengyuan came to a realization.

Li Miaozhen’s face suddenly turned odd, number four and number six didn’t know that Xu Qi’an was number three, they had always thought that Xu New Year was the third.

In the future, if they know the truth, and they recall today’s words, will they be as ashamed as I am, so ashamed that they can’t wait to beat Xu Qi’an up. And yet, they had to hide it for him.

Because that way, everyone can pretend nothing happened.

At the thought, she glanced at Four and Six in pity.

………….

The darkness was thickest before dawn, and four hundred tributes gathered outside the Noon Gate, waiting for the Imperial Examination.

Surrounding them were two lines of forbidden soldiers holding torches, statuesque and motionless.

The civil and military officials gathered, scrutinizing the tributes taking the temple examination from afar, exchanging a few words from time to time. Only the officials of the Ministry of Rites labored to maintain order at the scene.

Third verification of identity and headcount.

Noon Gate has a total of five doorways, three main door, two side door. Usually in the court, civil and military officials are from the side to enter, only the emperor and the empress can go to the front door.

Of course, the first prize winner, top scorer and scout can also enjoy the honor of walking through the front door once.

Xu Xinxin, who was a Huiyuan, stood at the head of the tributes, his head held high and his face expressionless. The posture was as if everyone here was trash.

However, the readers still ate it up, especially when a talented Huiyuan put up this kind of stance, even the officials from afar gave a sigh of approval in their hearts:

This son is extraordinary.

Drums sounded, three passes were completed, civil and military officials took the lead in entering the Noon Gate, followed by tributes in the Ministry of Rites under the leadership of the officials also through the Noon Gate, across the Golden Water Bridge, stopping in the square outside the Golden Palace.

Xu New Year squinted, looking into the distance of the Golden Palace, can only see the civil and military officials on the Danhaji, the Golden Palace of the play right, no chance to see.

After a long time, the civil and military officials retired from the court, and the next is the temple examination.

Even Xu New Year couldn’t help but get nervous at this point.

“Gollum …….”

In the gonzo, there was the sound of swallowing.

In such a tense atmosphere, the crowd suddenly heard noisy voices from behind them, chiding and cursing.

Unable to resist looking back, through the doorway of the Noon Gate, he vaguely saw a white-robed warlock, blocking the way of the civil and military officials.

The white coat turned his back to the crowd, oblivious to the heckling around him.

Xu New Year, the eighth rank of Confucianism, even vaguely heard the sound of heckling.

“Yang Qianfeng, do you want to rebel? Get out of the way quickly.”

“Yang Qianyi what do you want to do, this is the Noon Gate, today is the Imperial Examination, do you want to cause trouble.”

In the midst of the angry curses, a low sigh came, and the white clothes slowly said, “Ercao body and name are all gone, not abolishing the river for ten thousand years! Bah ……..”

There was a moment of silence, and the next moment, the civil and military officials exploded, clamoring like a boil, and the scene was chaotic.

“Hair, what happened?” A goner said blankly.

“This, isn’t this the silver gong Xu Qi’an’s poem mocking the eunuchs, and that, that white coat seems to be someone from the Si Tian Supervisor?”

“He’s gone ………”

More than four hundred tributes, it was no longer difficult to maintain silence, exchanging words and constantly looking back toward the noon gate.

“Silence!” The official from the Ministry of Rites rebuked loudly, saying, “There’s nothing for you to do, just take the exam at ease, and anyone who talks to each other again will be expelled from the noon gate and go home to wait for another three years.”

The tributes immediately dared not speak at all.

The princes who had just dispersed returned, or their faces were gloomy, or they were agitated, or they were filled with righteous indignation, and they entered the Golden Palace. Then inside came the sound of quarrels.

A quarter of an hour later, the princes came out of the Golden Hall and did not return.

Yang Qianyi …….. This name is so familiar, it seems that I have heard it somewhere ……… Xu Erlang muttered in his heart.

“Capital City Yunlu Academy Chinese Tribute Scholar, Xu New Year.”

At this time, the voice of the Ministry of Rites officials interrupted Xu New Year’s thoughts, he looked back, received the sealed examination papers from the hands of the Honglu Temple sequence of officials, and entered the Golden Palace with his head held high.

…………..

The temple examination only test questions, only one day, the sunset to hand in the paper.

Xu New Year stepped into the afterglow of the setting sun and left the palace, and at the entrance to the imperial city, he saw his elder brother high on horseback, holding the reins of another horse in his hand, waiting with a smile.

“I spoke with Second Uncle, and I’ll be the one to pick you up.” Xu Qi’an asked, “How did the exam go?”

“Not bad!”

Xu New Year faintly said, “If I were a scholar of the State Scholarship Academy, the first grade would be very stable.”

……… You can not pretend! Xu Qi’an nodded with satisfaction, “Not bad, so that it is worthy of big brother’s prestigious name, and in the future, onlookers will not say that you are a tiger brother and dog brother.”

Xu New Year sighed, “Although big brother is famous, he is not a scholar after all, if the Xu House wants to stand firm in the capital and be respected, it still needs to have a scholar with a degree in the imperial examinations.”

Xu Qi’an let out a “hmmm”, “Erlang work hard, I just got out of Princess Lin’an’s residence.”

“……..” Xu Xinxin arched his hand.

He lost and still can’t pretend to be a big brother.

Xu Qi’an threw the reins of his horse to Erlang Xu and said, “Erlang, you’ve come out of the path of the imperial examinations, tonight, big brother is treating you to a celebration at the Church and Workshop Department.”

“Mother and sister-in-law there ……..” Xu New Year frowned.

“I said to my aunt, today’s night patrol. And you well, the end of the palace exams, with fellow students to wine and wine is not a very normal thing?” Xu Qi An said.

“Big brother has a point.” Xu New Year laughed.