Chapter 560: A Random Match of Mandarin Ducks

Marquis's Mansion, Jia Cong's courtyard.

Jia Cong returned to the study, and Jiang Liu's words were still circling in his mind.

When he first saw the contents of the blue booklet, the officials listed in it were almost the most elite batch of people in the Shenjing officialdom.

Moreover, the experience of these people was very detailed, which could not be described by ordinary people in the market. This information was very likely from the official documents of the government office.

This blue booklet is now widely spread, and even people like Prince Beijing who have nothing to do with the spring exam know the existence of the blue booklet, and even read the contents inside...

Jia Cong thought of that Wang Shien, who happened to be a Physician of the Ministry of Personnel's Case Department, who was just a person who could contact the official's experience documents.

This person was suddenly arrested by the Tui Shi Yuan. Could it be related to this blue booklet?

Jia Cong was fluctuating in his thoughts, sitting there in a daze, when he suddenly felt a sweet fragrance attacking his side, and soft hair brushed across his cheeks, which was a bit itchy.

Turning his head, he almost bumped into Zhen Ying Lian, and saw Zhen Ying Lian open a pair of watery bright eyes, looking at him.

She said, "Young Master, what's wrong with you? You've been in the study for almost half a cup of tea, sitting there in a daze, not moving."

Jia Cong smiled, "Has it been so long? Why don't I feel it?"

Zhen Ying Lian nodded very seriously and said, "Yes, it's rare to see you in such a daze."

Jia Cong got up and went to the bookshelf to find the blue booklet he had stuffed on the bookshelf a few days ago, but he didn't find it all at once.

He asked, "Zhen Ying Lian, the blue booklet I put here a few days ago, why is it missing now?"

Zhen Ying Lian also walked to the bookshelf, squatted down, and pulled out the blue booklet from a pile of idle books on the bottom shelf of the bookshelf.

She said, "I tidied up the bookshelf yesterday. This book doesn't look like it's for studying. I saw that Young Master put it down casually, so I put it in this pile of idle books."

"Young Master, is this book important?"

Jia Cong smiled, "Originally I thought it didn't matter, but now it seems it's really important."

He took the blue booklet and spread it out on the desk to read carefully. Zhen Ying Lian was curious in her heart and leaned to his side to look carefully.

At this time, light footsteps sounded outside the corridor, the skirt flickered at the study entrance, and Daiyu entered with a smile, followed by Hearing Zi Juan, holding a small Xiangfei bamboo box in her hand.

Daiyu saw Jia Cong and Zhen Ying Lian sitting close together, their heads almost bumping together, and they were looking at a book on the table.

Daiyu couldn't help but smile and said, "Yo, I came at an inconvenient time. You two are so diligent. Zhen Ying Lian, you are also so hardworking. Could it be that you also want to learn from Third Brother and win the laurel in the Toad Palace?"

Zhen Ying Lian's pretty face turned slightly red when she heard this, which was very shy and cute, and said, "Miss Lin is teasing people again. I'm just a little maid who manages the study, and I don't have that ability."

Jia Cong smiled, "Sister, why do you have time to come over today?"

Daiyu smiled charmingly, "Third Brother is so diligent. I came to give Third Brother a book today, learning from Huang Shigong giving a book under the bridge."

Jia Cong was confused when he heard this and smiled, "What kind of riddle are you playing again, sister?"

Daiyu smiled, "I just received a letter from my father today, and a package he sent."

"My father said in the letter that since he was diagnosed by Doctor Zhang last October and got the pills prepared by Doctor Zhang, Third Brother sent them by fast horse thousands of miles away."

"Now he is taking the pills according to the law to regulate his body, and he is much more comfortable than before. He also said that this is all thanks to Third Brother's recommendation."

"Father also asked about Third Brother's spring exam. He organized and copied his own insights and notes from the imperial exam back then, as well as the eight-legged essays he wrote."

"This time it was sent to Shenjing with the letter, hoping to be helpful to Third Brother's spring exam."

"It's just that Father said in the letter that the salt administration in the two Huai regions is very complicated, and he has been busy with official business and has no time to organize it. Now it is less than a month before the spring exam, so it is a bit late to send it now."

Daiyu took the wooden box of Xiangfei bamboo from Hearing Zi Juan's hand and took out the thick thread-bound copied notes from it.

Jia Cong reached out with both hands to take it, his face quite solemn. A senior in the imperial exam giving notes on his studies is an extremely solemn matter for a scholar.

Jia Cong happily flipped through the two copied volumes and said, "Master Liu is a contemporary literary master. His teachings are high-level, opening the chapter and clarifying the meaning, digging into the vision, and accumulating and sending out, which is naturally a first-class technique."

"And my uncle is a true pride of the imperial exam, a talent of the first rank. His notes and essays will be more appropriate and precise for the practical reference of the spring exam."

"Receiving this thick gift before the exam, if I can benefit from it and win the top spot, then I owe my uncle a great favor, and I don't know how to repay it."

Daiyu smiled, "If Third Brother wins the top spot, it will be easy to repay the favor. Just don't bully me in the future, and let me have all the good food and fun first, and that will be enough."

Jia Cong smiled, "This is very easy. Even if I can't win the top spot, I will let you have all the good things first, and I won't let you suffer any loss."

Daiyu smiled, exceptionally pretty and moving, and said, "I have remembered these words of Third Brother. If you go back on your word in the future, I won't agree."

Zhen Ying Lian was a bit confused on the side. She occasionally heard the idle talk of the nannies in the courtyard. Men bullying women is definitely not a good thing, and it will be a big mess.

When did the Young Master ever bully Miss Lin? I never knew...

Daiyu chatted with Jia Cong for a few words and then got up to leave, saying, "Father also asked Zhao Yiniang Chen to prepare a gift to honor the old lady."

"I will go to Rongqing Hall to send the gift now, and I will talk to Third Brother when I come back."

Jia Cong sent Daiyu out, returned to the room to carefully read the notes given by Lin Ruhai, and put the blue booklet aside, no longer paying attention to it.

No matter what mystery is behind this blue booklet, it is impossible to penetrate it for a while, and it seems to have nothing to do with him for the time being. He just needs to focus on his studies and ponder before the exam.

Shenjing, Tui Shi Yuan government office, official office of the courtyard affairs.

Zhou Junxing was walking back and forth anxiously. A few days ago, a blue booklet appeared on the market and spread wildly among the candidates for the exam.

Many candidates, according to the index of the blue booklet, went to the mansions of officials waiting for the spring exam one after another to submit name cards, make friends, and move around, setting off a strange trend before the spring exam.

Zhou Junxing smelled a dangerous breath from it, so he planned to investigate the source of the blue booklet, intending to find out the officials in the court involved in it.

The current Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao restarted the Tui Shi Yuan to clear up official corruption and malpractice, just to use it to deter officials.

Zhou Junxing, as the head of the Tui Shi Yuan, the Emperor's eagle dog, is feared by the officials in the court and is destined to be a lonely official.

Any opportunity to stabilize his official position and solidify his official career, he cannot let go easily.

The blue booklet is closely related to the spring exam in the 15th year of Emperor Jia Zhao, and the booklet involves more than 100 court officials.

For the head of the Tui Shi Yuan, it is like a jackal smelling prey full of blood, how can it be easily let go.

He gave a strict order to Zheng Yingquan, the main official of the Tui Shi Yuan, requiring him to find the source of the blue booklet within seven days.

Zheng Yingquan did not live up to his expectations. According to his hints, he cleared up the officials in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue who could contact official document files and retired in recent years.

Finally, he found Wang Shien, a Physician of the Ministry of Personnel's Case Department who retired three years ago, who had close dealings with a newly opened bookstore in the east of the city recently.

And after the Tui Shi Yuan checked in the market and the black market, the blue booklet circulating among the candidates was very likely from this newly opened bookstore.

But this bookstore had just entered the sight of the Tui Shi Yuan, and it was found that it had closed its business a few days ago.

Zhou Junxing had to urgently send arrest officers, led by Zheng Yingquan, to the west of the city to arrest Wang Shien.

Now he is anxiously waiting for Zheng Yingquan's report. As long as he can hold Wang Shien, an old retired official, he cannot withstand the torture of the Tui Shi Yuan.

Zhou Junxing believes that he can get everything he wants to know from Wang Shien's mouth.

The detailed official experience on the blue booklet must be from the documents in the Ministry of Revenue or the Ministry of Personnel. Zhou Junxing's keen sense of smell made him certain that the officials involved in this matter were not just Wang Shien alone.

When footsteps sounded outside the official office, Zhou Junxing's spirit was slightly lifted. Before long, he saw Zheng Yingquan walk into the official office.

However, as soon as Zhou Junxing saw Zheng Yingquan's somewhat frustrated face, his heart sank.

Zheng Yingquan had followed Zhou Junxing for many years, and they were very familiar with each other. As soon as Zhou Junxing saw the other party's face, he knew that today's matter was not going well.

Zheng Yingquan said, "The subordinate took the arrest officers and rushed to Wang Shien's residence in the north of the city. He and his old wife had left Shenjing to return to their hometown three days ago, leaving only a few old servants who looked after the house."

"I asked Wang Shien's neighbors, and they didn't notice when Wang Shien left home. Those old servants who looked after the house have been locked in the Tui Shi Yuan prison."

"They confessed on the way that Wang Shien left home in the early morning three days ago with his old wife and fine goods. When the city gate opened at dawn, he left Shenjing. His actions were strange, so the neighbors didn't notice."

"I have sent people to search his residence and brought back his relevant letters and documents, but so far I haven't found anything suspicious."

Zhou Junxing's face was cold, "That bookstore suspected of printing the blue booklet also closed its doors and stopped business a few days ago, and the shopkeeper and the guys are all missing."

"Wang Shien also left the city at about the same time. Could this still be a coincidence? Wang Shien prepared his luggage and left in advance. The time he had this plan must be even earlier."

"Perhaps we were preparing to clear up this matter seven days ago, and Wang Shien had already thought of a way out."

"It can be seen that he knows that leaking official documents and compiling the blue booklet may cause dangerous consequences, so he thought of retreating to avoid disaster."

Zheng Yingquan's expression was suspicious, "Master, Wang Shien is a proper imperial exam graduate, a fifth-rank official in Shenjing who retired, and now he has returned to retire. His later years are noble."

"Why did he do such a risky thing, forcing himself to run to the wilderness in his old age? It's a bit strange in terms of reason."

Zhou Junxing said coldly, "This matter is mostly him being bewitched by others, or being threatened by others."

Zhou Junxing said coldly, "This matter is mostly because he was incited by others or coerced into doing it."

"Therefore, there must be someone behind him, and that person is the real culprit!"

Although Zheng Yingquan was in a gloomy secret office like the Tui Shi Yuan, he was also a ten-year cold window, a proper imperial exam graduate, and there was still some clarity in his heart.

He said, "Master, according to Wang Shien's move of fleeing upon hearing the wind, this blue booklet is mostly harboring evil intentions, and this matter involves the spring exam's grand ceremony."

"In my humble opinion, why don't you report this matter to the court, coordinate with the two government offices of Shenjing Zhen'an and Qinian, and search the blue booklet circulating in the market. Reprimand and stop the candidates' behavior of visiting according to the booklet, so as to return the clear and bright atmosphere of the spring exam."

Zhou Junxing frowned slightly when he heard this, and it could be seen that Zheng Yingquan's proposition did not fit his heart.

The tone was condensed, "Yingquan's words are wrong. Before the spring exam, candidates for the exam discussing the chief examiner and subordinate officials of the imperial exam is just human nature, and it is not an overstepping act."

"Even if the blue booklet lists the experience of many officials, it is not something that cannot be seen."

"If the Tui Shi Yuan takes the lead in searching the books and imprisoning the candidates' words and deeds, it will fall into the mouths of those civil officials, and they will definitely impeach the Tui Shi Yuan for catching the wind and catching the shadow, disturbing the spring exam's grand ceremony."

"You should know clearly in your heart that those civil officials in the court have never had a good impression of our Tui Shi Yuan. Why do you have to do this thankless thing?"

Zheng Yingquan felt a bit disappointed when he heard Zhou Junxing's words, but he had to admit that what his superior said was not unreasonable.

The reputation of the Tui Shi Yuan in the eyes of civil officials had long been stinking...

Zhou Junxing continued, "Moreover, the blue booklet has been widely spread among the candidates. There are many hand-copied things in private, so it is impossible to ban them cleanly. There is no need to do this useless work."

He looked at the disappointment on his subordinate's face, and he could guess his thoughts.

He said coldly, "Yingquan, the reason why the Emperor restarted the Tui Shi Yuan is to supervise and deter officials. You and I entered the Tui Shi Yuan, destined to confront the officials."

"Yingquan, don't forget, this is our foundation!"

"If the officials in the court are all law-abiding, clean and flawless, what is the use of the Tui Shi Yuan! Now someone has come up with this blue booklet, which has already helped us set up the stage. We just watch from the sidelines and wait for the good show to start. Why not do it?"

"I want to see clearly, who will go on stage to sing, and when the play is three points into the play and the gongs and drums are booming, someone will always show their feet, and that will be the time for the Tui Shi Yuan to show its skills!"

"I want to see clearly who will come on stage to perform. Once the play is a third of the way through and the gongs and drums are in full swing, someone will always show their true colors. That will be the time for the Court of Judicial Review to show its skills!"

This superior of his was not a proper imperial exam graduate. He was a small official in a state government, and he was promoted by imperial favor to a fourth-rank high official. He walked a strange path.

His actions were always walking on the edge of a knife, raising fire in the wind, seeking victory in danger, and his mind was inevitably too gloomy.

He was deliberately letting the blue booklet matter ferment, waiting for right and wrong or even disaster, so that the Tui Shi Yuan could take advantage of the situation to override the officials, weave charges, and build merit...

Zhou Junxing asked again, "Have you found out where Wang Shien is from and what children and relatives he has?"

Zhou Junxing asked again, "Have you found out where Wang Shien is from and what children or relatives he has?"

"Master, Wang Shien has major suspicions, but there is no solid evidence. Because he is a retired official, even if he suddenly leaves Shenjing, it is not a crime."

"Since the Master wants to cover up this matter, if you issue an order to arrest, as long as there is a legal problem."

Zhou Junxing heard the Jinling Shipping Department, and his eyebrows jumped, "This matter cannot be handled openly for the time being. You send capable people to secretly explore Huzhou and Jinling to see if Wang Shien is hiding in these two places."

"Everything else cannot be acted rashly. In the market, just arrange manpower to monitor the movements, and just watch the changes!"

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

After Wang Xifeng took a nap at noon, she went to Rongqing Hall to walk around and was chatting with Jia Mu.

Daiyu brought the gifts sent by her father from Yangzhou and came to Rongqing Hall to send gifts to Jia Mu.

These gifts were handled by Zhao Yiniang Chen of the Lin family: top-quality Su embroidery silk, bird's nest glue from Nanyue, strange stone table screens from Zhexia, and many dried specialties from the two Huai regions.

Although the things were not very precious, the gift was sent thousands of miles away, and the heart was sincere, so Jia Mu was very happy to receive it.

Thinking that her daughter had passed away for many years, and her son-in-law still treated her with great respect, Jia Mu was still very satisfied, and she had a bit more inexplicable confidence in the future.

Daiyu was chatting with Jia Mu and Feng Jie, when suddenly the door curtain of Rongqing Hall was lifted, and it was Lady Wang who entered with a smile.

She saw that among the girls in the family, only Daiyu was present, and she was slightly stunned, seeming a bit surprised.

Lady Wang came to Rongqing Hall today to talk to Jia Mu, and it was related to Daiyu.

Since Baochai and Jia Cong had a romantic affair, she had died of the idea of the gold and jade marriage in the past.

For the sake of her Baoyu's decency and an extra reliance for the second branch in the future, her thoughts turned to Daiyu, who had been quite annoying and estranged in the past but had a very prominent family background.

It's just that Jia Zheng said that the salt administration in the two Huai regions was tight recently, and Lin Ruhai was busy with official business, so he must have no intention of discussing the marriage of his children, and it needed to be postponed.

Lady Wang thought that Baoyu's reputation was not good now, and his lifelong events should not be delayed, so as not to cause more trouble.

She thought of taking advantage of this gap to talk to Jia Mu, put out the wind here now, and please the old lady, so that this matter would have more success.

It's just that she didn't expect that Daiyu was also in Rongqing Hall, and the words in her heart were not convenient to say.

Lady Wang saw many exquisite objects in the hall and asked before she knew that these were gifts sent by Uncle Lin to Jia Mu.

She was somewhat surprised in her heart. Now that it is not a year or a festival, Uncle Lin still sent gifts to the old lady from Yangzhou thousands of miles away. His etiquette to his mother-in-law can be considered very thorough.

Lady Wang said a few words to Jia Mu casually, saying that Uncle Lin was in a high position, but he was very respectful to the old lady, which was truly rare.

Jia Mu was naturally full of smiles when she heard these flattering words, and she became more and more satisfied in her heart.

Seeing such a scene, Lady Wang became more and more certain in her heart. The old master said that Lin Ruhai was a first-rank graduate, so would he look down on Baoyu who had not yet entered school?

But looking at it now, Uncle Lin was so respectful to the old lady, so the old lady's words must be listened to, and she had another layer of certainty about that matter in her heart.

It's just that Lady Wang didn't know the inside story. The reason why Lin Ruhai sent this pile of gifts to Jia Mu when it was not a year or a festival was for another reason.

Because it was the time for Jia Cong to take the spring exam, Lin Ruhai had met with Jia Cong several times, and he loved his extraordinary talent, and he got Jia Cong to find medicine for him, so he valued this nephew very much.

Plus he knew a little about his daughter's mind...

Therefore, he sent the notes on the imperial exam to Jia Cong on the eve of the spring exam.

Lin Ruhai had been an official for half his life and was full of knowledge, so he was naturally a very clear and bright person.

He knew that he sent gifts to Jia Cong from thousands of miles away, which would be too eye-catching in the eyes of the Jia family, and it was not in line with ordinary etiquette.

His daughter was still young and had not reached the age of fifteen, and Jia Cong was in a period of mourning, so it was difficult to mention major events now. If he caused gossip for his daughter early, she would lose her decency in the Jia family in the future.

Therefore, he sent gifts to Jia Mu by the way. With the vanity of honoring the elders as a facade, giving books to Jia Cong from thousands of miles away was naturally no longer eye-catching and deliberate, but just a matter of helping the younger generation.

The twists and turns of the Tan Hua Lang's casual actions, Lady Wang's knowledge, how could she see through it? She just started to have wishful thinking.

Even she looked at Daiyu from time to time, and felt that this little girl's appearance and character could be considered first-class...

Since Lady Wang entered Rongqing Hall, Daiyu felt that her second aunt was a bit strange today, and her eyes were always looking at her.

Daiyu was a person with bright eyes and a clear heart, and her thoughts were delicate and intelligent. She had entered the Jia Fu since she was a child, and she was careful in every step and paid attention to everything.

This second aunt of hers had never shown her face on weekdays, but Daiyu could clearly perceive that her second aunt didn't like her. Since Baojie entered the Jia Fu, this feeling seemed to become clearer...

Daiyu's mother passed away early. Because she was young, Jia Min didn't mention the past of the Jia Fu to her daughter...

Therefore, Daiyu didn't know where the root of this dislike came from.

Now seeing Lady Wang's unusual gaze, Daiyu felt a lot of discomfort in her heart, and even felt a little bit of hair-raising.

Daiyu just sat for a while, and under Lady Wang's strange gaze from time to time, she felt like sitting on pins and needles.

She got up with a smile and said, "Old Lady, Baojie hasn't come to the East Mansion to walk around recently, and I haven't seen her for a long time. I just want to find her to talk."

"I won't disturb you, Second Aunt, and Feng Jie from talking. I will come to pay respects tomorrow."

Jia Mu smiled, "It's good for the sisters to walk around more. What's the fun in always accompanying the old lady? Just go."

After Daiyu left, Lady Wang accompanied Jia Mu to talk about many family matters. Even though Wang Xifeng was present, she didn't avoid it in her heart, feeling that the conversation was getting warm, so she turned the topic.

She said, "Old Lady, Baoyu has reached the age of fifteen this year. These days, I and the old master have discussed it, thinking that we should arrange a proper marriage for Baoyu, so as to collect his heart."

That day, Jia Cong and Baochai made romantic movements in the rain, and only Lady Wang and the maid Caiyun saw it.

Lady Wang was entrusted by her sister, so she naturally couldn't leak this matter. Jia Zheng scolded Caiyun out of his protection for Jia Cong, and Caiyun naturally didn't dare to say a word.

Therefore, other people in the Jia Fu knew nothing about this reason until now.

When Jia Mu heard Lady Wang say this, she thought the second daughter-in-law wanted to say something about the gold and jade marriage again, and was fiddling with her niece, and she felt a bit disgusted.

Even Wang Xifeng felt that her aunt wanted to bring up old things again. Why didn't she know the old lady's mind until now, and why did she find this discomfort again? Jia Mu said, "I said before that Baoyu's body is weak, so it's not suitable to set a marriage early. It's better to raise it for a few years before discussing it. I have seen many things, and listening to me is not wrong."

Lady Wang smiled, "Old Lady's words are reasonable. I don't mean that Baoyu will get married this year. It's better to wait until he is older.

Just now, Lin girl sent gifts to the old lady, and she is still so filial and sensible. She is also someone I watched grow up, and she is a very good one, but she is still young and has not reached the age of fifteen."

"She and Baoyu are the same, and they should be raised for a few years..."

Although Lady Wang's words were a bit obscure, Jia Mu and Wang Xifeng were such characters, so how could they not hear the meaning in them.

Both of them were stunned, and they looked at each other involuntarily, but in the other's eyes, they saw similar confusion.

Although some things in the mansion had never been broken, some things could be easily seen through by little girls like Daiyu.

Jia Mu and Wang Xifeng, such characters, how could they not see that Lady Wang didn't like Daiyu...

This was also the reason why Jia Mu had never broken this matter, even though she liked the union of Daiyu and Baoyu. After all, Lady Wang was Baoyu's biological mother.

Now they were both surprised, feeling that Lady Wang might have been hit by a guest, and actually said such words for the first time... (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 561 =====

Now, both of them were surprised in their hearts, feeling that Lady Wang might have been possessed by a spirit, to have unexpectedly said such things... (End of chapter)