Chapter 1033

"Senior brother! Senior brother! You took first place! You took first place!"

The chubby Ouyang Fa nimbly jumped into the room from the doorway, then saw Fan Chunren and Feng Ji drinking tea in the study, and immediately added, "The two brothers are also on the list; brother Dangshi is second, and brother Yaofu is third. Congratulations, congratulations!"

"I knew Young Master would definitely pass the jinshi examination and become an official." Little Dongliang didn't compete with Ouyang Fa to report the good news; he leaned against the door two steps behind, grinning foolishly.

Sheng Changbai didn't speak, but his speed was no slower; he was already picking up a brush at the desk to write.

Seeing Fan Chunren stretch his neck to look over, he smiled and said: "I want to write a letter home to tell Father and Eldest Sister that brother-in-law took first place in the metropolitan examination, so they can rest easy."

"Oh, right, right, right, I also want to write to my father; he will definitely be happy." Ouyang Fa nodded repeatedly and also crowded over.

Watching the two boys' restless behavior, everyone shook their heads. Fan Chunren bowed to Wang Yan and Feng Ji: "Ziyan, Dangshi, congratulations."

"Congratulations to you too." Feng Ji smiled quite happily, "Ziyan is truly amazing. He is still a few months away from turning nineteen and has already passed the jinshi examination. I fear he is the youngest jinshi in our dynasty. If he is named Xingpu Zhuangyuan by the Emperor in the palace examination, it will be even more unmatched."

"Walking a long path is the right principle." Wang Yan smiled, "Dongliang, go tell the kitchen to prepare; we shall eat and drink. With the stone in our hearts finally dropped, we must celebrate."

"Yes, Young Master." Little Dongliang responded and turned to run off.

Wang Yan also went to the table to start writing letters. He also had to write to Sheng Hong, Sheng Hualan, and Ouyang Xiu, and also tell Wang Fuli at home, as well as some scholars in Yangzhou city, to show everyone's closeness.

Yangzhou was his base, and it had to be maintained well in every aspect. Before, he relied on his talent, but now he was officially an official, and with backing, he had a great influence on the local ecology of Yangzhou; his opinions would be consulted.

Of course, the letters were simple, just reporting the good news and sending greetings, and mentioning that he would set the wedding date upon returning home, and asking everyone to come and support him. It was mostly about leaving people a piece of calligraphy. After all, after so long, the literati and dignitaries in Liao, Western Xia, Dali, and other places who knew Wang Yan had good calligraphy also knew how expensive his work was, and many even offered high prices to buy it. It was just that there was a price but no market; no one was selling.

Unlike the letters to these local representatives, the letter to the Sheng family said much more. To Sheng Hong, he said to look after the wedding arrangements and that they would marry after the palace examination. To Hualan, it was all shameless talk, and they chatted quite well.

As for Ouyang Xiu's side, he mentioned the exam results, then said a bunch of grateful words, and didn't forget to mention the teacher's teachings.

Seeing Wang Yan writing furiously, Fan Chunren and Feng Ji also recovered from their joy, took paper and brush, and found a place to start writing letters home. All of them wrote several letters at once, their pens moving like dragons and snakes, revealing their happy moods.

They weren't as steady as they appeared; their little hearts had long been pounding.

The palace examination determined the final ranking and the subsequent assignments. Having passed the metropolitan examination, they were already jinshi; the moment the list was posted, they had already become officials.

They had all practiced calligraphy and studied the classics since childhood. Regardless of what official post they would hold, this was proof of their years of study finally bearing fruit.

Just as everyone was huddled in the study writing letters, the steward walked in: "Son-in-law, several families have sent invitations for you to attend a banquet tonight. There are..."

"Tell them I have to prepare for the palace examination and have no time." Wang Yan said without raising his head.

"But they are..."

Sheng Changbai said: "Uncle Liu, go pass on the message; brother-in-law has his own decision."

Seeing that Wang Yan was about to look up, the steward didn't waste any more words, bowed quickly, and turned to leave.

Having spent a long time together, the steward actually understood Wang Yan's style, so he usually knew better than to waste words. He did as he was told. It was just that this time, those who sent invitations were all from wealthy and prominent families, which was why he had added a word. But clearly, he was worrying too much; Wang Yan didn't care about any prominent families.

Feng Ji said: "Brother Ziyan, those who invited us this time must be prominent figures in the capital. Are you really not going to attend the banquet?"

"Naturally not. They just want to marry into my family, and perhaps plot to get the fragrance formulas and manufacturing methods of my fragrance shop, and pretend to be helpful, wanting me to sacrifice myself in return. It's meaningless and truly boring. Right, Changbai?"

"Right, right, right, brother-in-law's words make the most sense." Sheng Changbai nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

He was sent by his own father with the mission to watch over Wang Yan. At this point, nothing could go wrong.

Wang Yan smiled and turned to say: "Brothers Dangshi and Yaofu, your turn is coming soon, I expect they will come immediately."

"Better to wait until after the palace examination." Feng Ji said with a smile.

He didn't have any aversion to this; after all, he didn't have Ouyang Xiu as a teacher like Wang Yan, pulling in a huge network of connections. His wife had died of illness years ago, and he was currently single. If he could get another wife who could also be a help, of course, there was nothing wrong with that.

Fan Chunren didn't speak, because he was already married, just without children yet...

Ouyang Fa smiled and winked at Changbai: "Now you Sheng family have made a fortune; my senior brother has a limitless future."

"I think you little brat have itchy skin and need a lesson. It is my father-in-law who has the magnanimity not to hold a grudge against my recklessness in blocking Hualan on the street, and even more so, he was willing to marry his eldest daughter to me when I was still penniless."

"Senior brother is right, Uncle Sheng has magnanimity and vision, unlike ordinary people who fawn over the rich and trample the poor; he is truly a good man." Ouyang Fa nodded obediently.

"Write your letter." Wang Yan nodded with satisfaction.

Ouyang Fa curled his lips and continued writing his letter home...

Just as Wang Yan expected, not long after the steward left, he returned, saying that someone had sent invitations for Fan Chunren and Feng Ji to attend a banquet that night. Both declined with the excuse of preparing for the palace examination.

The reason why wealthy families remain prosperous is their comprehensive control. Officials protect each other, officials and merchants collude, and they win over talented individuals like Wang Yan and Feng Ji, who come from humble backgrounds, constantly strengthening their community of interests.

They were all jinshi, all officials; Sheng Hong worked for ten years before becoming a judge. If someone helped operate, even if they weren't Xingpu Zhuangyuan or Tanhua, and even if their starting point wasn't as high as Sheng Hong's, they could jump-start their promotion in four, five, or six years, surpassing Sheng Hong's position as a judge. More importantly, it took less time, leaving plenty of time for subsequent development, which was precious political life.

When choosing suitable people for promotion, a difference of three or four years—almost the term of one position—was truly a chasm.

Of course, age was just one relatively important factor, not discussing other work experience, achievements, background, etc.

It was precisely because of such control that many families remained wealthy for a long time. Unless they were suppressed by other powerful figures or suffered a drastic change in the social environment and were killed by peasants, they could almost always pass it on for some years...

Relatively speaking, the Song Dynasty was actually quite decent. Because literature and education flourished, the cost of reading had decreased a lot, which to a certain extent opened up channels for the upper class. Even if there weren't many true peasant children, there was always a chance to turn things around. After all, even if one just became a registrar, one had already crossed classes.

Of course, in general, dynasties in ancient times shouldn't laugh at each other; they were all the same...

Facing the invitations flying in like snowflakes, the three of Wang Yan all refused, only going to old Bao's house to eat a meal and listen to his instructions. Then they went through the palace examination procedures at the Ministry of Rites and rested at home preparing for the exam.

For Wang Yan, this was the time to show a steady side; one should be high-profile when necessary and low-profile when necessary. After all, he had already shown off enough.

There were at least 20,000 scholars in the capital and those who came to take the exam. He had lectured to at least 5,000 of them, another 5,000 had met him, and the remaining 10,000 knew his name well. And the "Wang Yan Says" he wrote and published himself sold over 13,000 copies at that Sanwei Bookstore. The remaining pirated books were countless. In short, those who should have read it had read it, and it had already begun to spread to other regions.

Not to mention the Fanlou incident that day, let alone the masterpieces he had spread over the past half year, plus his world-class calligraphy fame, and passing the state and provincial examinations in succession, he was already the leader of this generation of scholars.

Now that he was confirmed to be an official, he had to be steady, so that people could be at ease. Let people understand that he was not a hot-blooded youth with a twisted brain, but a talented person of his generation with wisdom.

Of course, he wasn't really staying indoors; he occasionally went out to eat at small restaurants in Bianjing, because there really was delicious food...

Coincidentally, on this day, he was at a restaurant that made excellent roast chicken, with Sheng Changbai, Ouyang Fa, and little Dongliang. As the four of them were each holding a chicken and gnawing on it around the table, an old man with graying hair, white beard, and a somewhat wealthy appearance, though not hard to see he was physically strong, walked to their table with his hands behind his back.

"Ahem~"

The old guy coughed.

Looking at the three half-grown boys who looked over with dissatisfaction, the old guy smiled, just looking at Wang Yan.

Wang Yan shook his head and didn't ask the three children to move; he took his chicken and sat at another table separated by a distance.

This restaurant wasn't low-end, and he came in the morning, which was a time when scholars weren't out on the streets. As for other wealthy families, if they wanted to eat something, they would have servants buy it, so dignitaries were rarely seen at this time.

This old guy was dressed luxuriously and had a graceful demeanor; one could tell at a glance he had a background, so he gave him some face. Mixing in ancient times, one shouldn't provoke old men with backgrounds; this was basic knowledge.

"Old sir, please sit."

Seeing the old guy sit down, Wang Yan asked politely with an oily mouth, "I don't know what business the old sir has with Wang Yan?"

"Do you have such a big face that you'd make me come looking for you?" The old guy sat firmly, snorted, and said, "I just wanted to eat chicken today and happened to meet you here."

"May I ask the old sir's honorable name?"

"I am Zhao Yunrang."

Wang Yan raised his eyebrows, looking suddenly enlightened, and stood up to salute in apparent panic: "So it is the Prince of Runan in person. The student was rude and lost his manners; I hope the Prince will not blame me. Waiter, bring two more chickens and a pot of wine."

Zhao Yunrang was the father of the next emperor, Yingzong Zhao Shu. He was enfeoffed as the Prince of Runan, appointed as Chancellor, and judged the Great Ancestral Temple, belonging to the elders of the royal family. When Zhao Shu was young, he was adopted by Renzong, and later, when he had a son, he sent Zhao Shu back, but the name remained unchanged. Later, Renzong's own son died, and Zhao Shu's importance was reflected once again.

So Zhao Yunrang's status was somewhat different; he didn't have much power, but in the capital, except for Renzong and a few ministers, no one could do anything to him. Fortunately, the old guy was quite honest, just spending money, sleeping with his concubines, and having sons, without causing trouble. Perhaps he was also angry at Renzong...

"Sit down."

Wang Yan bowed, not standing on ceremony, broke off a chicken leg, took a bite, and asked curiously: "Does the Prince seem to have some opinions about the student? But the student thinks back on everything since coming to the capital and has never had any interaction with the Prince, so I don't know where I offended the Prince?"

The old guy snorted again: "You made me spend 100,000 guan; you tell me where you offended me?"

Wang Yan looked suddenly enlightened again: "I never thought Fanlou belonged to the Prince. The student must thank the Prince for his fulfillment. First, for fulfilling my name as the number one calligrapher of the age, and second, for fulfilling the children of the orphanage, giving them a place to live, food to eat, and an education. The Prince is truly righteous. To show my sincerity, after the palace examination, the student will write a poem to thank the Prince. The student has some talent, and I will definitely make the Prince's name spread through the ages."

"How bold, mocking me?"

"How would the student dare? The Prince is truly righteous. The Prince should know that Bao Zheng, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, is close to my teacher. Bao Gong has seen the orphanage matter and explained it all to the student. If it weren't for the Prince, if 5,000 guan out of 100,000 reached those children, it would be considered that the relevant personnel had a conscience."

Wang Yan wasn't lying. Although it wasn't suitable to start construction in winter, the children in the orphanage all wore thick clothes. Of course, they couldn't eat their fill, but they weren't hungry, and there were teachers teaching boys and girls, and men and women teaching the children crafts, such as carpentry, arithmetic, embroidery, etc., all of which were practical skills.

He hadn't cared about who the boss behind Fanlou was before, but now seeing Zhao Yunrang, he felt it was reasonable. No one dared to touch this old guy's money; it was good enough that he didn't rob others.

"Enough, stop flattering me. I thought you were a solid one, but I didn't expect you to be so oily."

"The student took over the family business before I was fourteen, with no one to rely on. If I weren't oily, I fear I would have died long ago."

Zhao Yunrang nodded seriously: "You can accomplish great things."

"I accept the Prince's auspicious words."

Suddenly, the old guy leaned in closer: "You know I have spies around me, right? Aren't you afraid of ruining your future?"

"The student is not yet an official, and even if I were, I would only be a small official. The matter of the succession has nothing to do with the student. Moreover, the current Emperor is broad-minded, and the student has some small fame; the Emperor would certainly not bother to make things difficult for the student."

At this time, the waiter came to serve wine and meat, and Zhao Yunrang, like Wang Yan, held the whole chicken and took a bite: "You are one who knows how to eat. You could even find this place; many people in the capital don't know where this is."

"I suppose the capital is too big, and people move in an orderly fashion, so it's hard to know this place. As long as you ask around, you can always find it. This place was told to me by scholars in the capital."

Wang Yan thought for a moment and said, "Speaking of eating, the student figured out stir-frying at home last year, along with some seasonings, and the taste is three parts better than Fanlou. The Prince can send a cook to the Sheng residence where I live to learn the methods. Later, Fanlou can raise its prices, and the Prince can invest more money to care for the children in the orphanage."

"I have long heard of your fragrance shop. I knew of it before it opened in the capital. It costs hundreds or thousands of guan at every turn, and noble ladies flock to it. I suppose you've made a lot of money; why don't you distribute your wealth, but instead want me to spend money?"

"The student's money has its uses."

Looking at the smiling Wang Yan, Zhao Yunrang really wanted to tear this brat's stinking mouth. What kind of fart talk was that? His money had no use?

"Aren't you afraid I'll find trouble for you?"

"The Prince is not a petty person. Besides, the money wasn't spent by the student, nor was it spent on the student, so how could the Prince blame me?" Wang Yan shook his head with a smile and raised his glass, "The student toasts the Prince; you do what you say, you are righteous and generous, which is truly admirable."

Zhao Yunrang knew Wang Yan was flattering him, but he quite liked it. And it had to be said, his money really had no use; it was nothing more than his family being extravagant, so it was really better to spend it on those children and buy a good reputation. Of course, if he were asked to eat chaff and vegetables himself, he certainly wouldn't do it; he had to eat meat.

After a few exchanges, understanding that Zhao Yunrang really had nothing going on, Wang Yan started chatting with the old guy about all sorts of things.

They talked about literature, discussed military affairs, and talked about running a business. Wang Yan spoke with restraint, but it also let Zhao Yunrang see his level.

What he talked about most with Zhao Yunrang was encouraging the old guy to do more good deeds, and he also talked about the relationship between industry, trade, and the country. Summarized, it was some theory of production relations and productive forces. The purpose was to let people with money, time, and power invest in research and bring some different changes to the Great Song.

After all, this old guy could still live for many years, and if a large amount of money was thrown in, something could always be thrown out. If Wang Yan could stir up his interest in exploring the world, that would be even better. After all, going to sea was necessary, and sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc., were all things he needed to get. Without these crops, the people couldn't live well.

As for whether Zhao Yunrang's meeting was real or fake, whether he was using this to see what kind of level Wang Mouren had, to pick a team for Zhao Shu, or perhaps he was just interested and simply wanted to see him—Wang Yan didn't care about any of this.

Just as he said, the matter of the crown prince was not something he should get involved in; it really had nothing to do with him. Even if he entered the central government one day, as long as it didn't delay his reforms, it didn't matter who was emperor. He was confident in this; after all, his skills as Wang the Great Bluffer were very strong...