Chapter 572

Rongguo Prefecture, Baoyu Courtyard.

Lady Wang instructed Baoyu on a lot of idle talk and was about to get up and leave when she smelled the strange smell in the room.

She said, "Xi Ren, the smell of medicine in the room is a bit thick. Let the little maid open the window to ventilate daily, so as not to make Baoyu sick."

Baoyu heard this and his face turned red. He kicked a pot of Du Ruo beside the desk under the desk with his foot. The flower pot had been poured with too much medicinal soup by him, and the soil was soaked black.

Lady Wang walked to the door and suddenly remembered something, asking, "I have been here for a long time, and I have seen other maids, why is it that only She Yue is missing?"

Xi Ren was also stunned when she heard this. She didn't pay attention to this matter at all. Baoyu on the side had a panicked look in his eyes, saying, "I just had something for She Yue to do, and she will be back in a while."

Xi Ren heard Baoyu's words and was a bit suspicious in her heart. Baoyu usually ordered maids in the courtyard and rarely asked maids to go out to do things.

Even if he ordered maids to run errands out of the courtyard, it was mostly third-class rough maids who did it. There was no reason to ask a big maid like She Yue to run errands?

Lady Wang thought of Xiao Hong in Baoyu's room before, who was a person with schemes and often went out for a stroll for no reason, and ended up getting involved with that person in the East Prefecture.

Because this Xiao Hong was not at peace, she drove her out, but that boy in the East Prefecture actually promoted her and forced her to be the managing maid of the Rongxi Hall, making Lady Wang lose all her face.

This matter left a shadow in Lady Wang's heart, making her have not small doubts about the group of maids around Baoyu, and she was somewhat like a bird startled by the bow.

Lady Wang saw Baoyu's words were a bit empty and frowned. She knew that her son always indulged the maids and often covered for them, so she didn't break it for a while.

She said, "Xi Ren, you have to watch the people in the courtyard well. Don't cause any trouble daily. Now the mansion is not like before, lest people leave handles, and it won't look good on me and the Old Master!"

Xi Ren hurriedly responded, and Lady Wang asked Baoyu to stay in the room to rest, and took Xi Ren out of the room.

When the two walked to the entrance of the courtyard, Lady Wang's tone was a bit cautious, asking, "During this time, has Baoyu been stable in the room, and are there any other things?"

Xi Ren heard this and her heart jumped slightly, saying, "There is nothing else, it's just that the Bao Er Ye misses Lin Girl's illness and asked me to go out to inquire a few times.

However, recently Lin Girl has been recuperating in the East Prefecture and hasn't come to the West Prefecture to walk around much."

Lady Wang heard this and her face was indignant, saying, "The Lin family thinks they have read a few more books and have some fame, so they say such words about wanting literature and martial arts, thus slighting my Baoyu.

Baoyu is also a solid-hearted person, and now he still misses that girl, which is truly unnecessary. In the future, if Baoyu asks you to inquire again, just deal with it, and don't let him get involved again."

Xi Ren heard this and her heart relaxed slightly. She mentioned this topic in front of Lady Wang, nothing more than wanting to get such words, but it's a pity that the Mistress doesn't mention Miss Bao anymore...

She said, "Mistress, please rest assured, I will handle it according to the Mistress's meaning. Bao Er Ye is a person who values love and righteousness, and now he is young, so he will be like this.

In a year or two, as long as he gets married, his heart will be stable, and he won't have these distracting thoughts anymore."

Lady Wang nodded and smiled, "You have insight, and these words are also reasonable. According to Baoyu's status, he should be matched with a noble and official lady.

But the Old Master's words are not unreasonable. Finding a woman who knows rituals and is proper for Baoyu, and living a stable life, is the long-term plan.

Besides, the Jia family is a Duke's family. For a family like ours to discuss marriage, the high or low status of the family is not a big deal.

Unlike those small families, they always want to seek marriage with high-door noble women, so as to raise their own family status..."

Xi Ren seemed to automatically filter out Lady Wang's boasting, but the words "not sticking to the high or low status of the family" and "knowing rituals and being proper" were also very much to her heart.

……

Rongguo Prefecture, Rongxi Hall.

She Yue quickly entered the main gate of Rongxi Hall and saw two rough maids in the courtyard, holding brooms and sprinkling and sweeping the courtyard. The doors, windows, and railings in all parts of the courtyard were clean and bright, very refreshing and open.

The places against the walls around the courtyard were all planted with green bamboo, and the rest of the flower beds and rockeries were planted with many flowers and trees such as Ficus pumila, Wisteria, Du Ruo, and Wind Lotus.

She Yue saw that these green plants had been carefully pruned and grew lush and green in the mid-spring season, and everything she saw was green, which was pleasing to the eye.

She saw Xiao Hong sitting on the veranda at the door of the main room, dressed cleanly and neatly, with a white face and a lively expression. A black hair bun was inserted with a jade-inlaid silver hairpin, and she was embroidering a silk handkerchief.

She Yue laughed, "You are truly carefree now, hiding in this courtyard, not knowing the sun and moon outside, is it that you have almost forgotten that I exist."

Xiao Hong looked up and saw She Yue, laughing, "Sister She Yue, why are you free to stroll here today?"

She Yue laughed, "I got the Bao Er Ye's instruction today and went out to handle things for him. I passed by and came to see you."

Xiao Hong curiously asked, "There are so many little maids in the Bao Er Ye's room, why did he ask the sister to run errands when going out?"

She Yue said, "What else could it be? The Bao Er Ye has been ill in the room these days and wants to inquire about Lin Girl's illness and whether she has come to the West Prefecture to walk around recently.

The Bao Er Ye doesn't dare to be too public about this matter. He probably thinks the little maids are not reliable, so he asked me to go out to inquire.

You also know the current situation. I don't often come to you to walk around on weekdays. Today, I got the convenience of going out, so I came to see if you are at ease or not.

Moreover, I think you are now the Cong Sanye's maid and often enter and leave the East Prefecture, so you must know about Lin Girl's matter.

If I go to others to inquire, it will be noisy and there will be no benefit. It is better to come here and ask you two sentences, which is quiet and convenient."

Xiao Hong laughed, "I just went to the East Prefecture to send fruit to the Cong Sanye this morning, and on the way back, I went to see Lin Girl. Her face and spirit are extremely good. Sister is a smart person, so she must know the reason."

She Yue smiled and said, "Isn't this clear enough? Lin Girl is such a transparent person. Recuperating is just an excuse. I guessed it long ago.

The things in the Rongqing Hall cannot be hidden from people. It must be that the Mistress and the Old Lady are discussing marriage for the Bao Er Ye and her, and Lin Girl got the news, so she caused such a pile of things."

Xiao Hong laughed, "Since the sister is a clear person, she knows that Lin Girl is a woman full of economic talent and has been influenced by her father, Lin Old Master, since she was a child.

The Bao Er Ye has a loose and wealthy temperament, and he and Lin Girl are not the same kind of people. How can these two people get together?

A person like Lin Girl should always be matched with a young and successful person who is outstanding in literature and martial arts. Don't you say this is the reason?"

She Yue saw Xiao Hong saying this, and there seemed to be a spirit in her eyes, and there was a faint pride.

She suddenly moved in her heart, thinking of that young master in the East Prefecture, who had been very good to the sisters in the mansion since he was a child, and Lin Girl was still living in the East Prefecture, so she blurted out, "You wouldn't be talking about the Cong Sanye!"

Xiao Hong laughed, "I didn't say anything. It was the sister who said it. Actually, some things don't need to be thought about carefully, but it's fine. If you think about it carefully, it's different.

Others didn't mention this topic, so we naturally didn't say it. Sister is a smart person. Baoyu still misses this matter, but it will end up in vain in the end.

Sister served him once, and always hopes he has a good one. Always spinning around on this, and then making a mess like last time, it will only make him lose his decency in vain. Why bother?"

She Yue smiled and said, "Xiao Hong's words are very right. I will tell the Bao Er Ye simply when I go back. I think after a long time, he will fade away..."

……

She Yue looked around the courtyard and laughed, "You are truly a diligent and capable person, handling this Rongxi Hall so thoroughly inside and out.

The Cong Sanye chose you as a maid, and he really found the right person. I heard that the Cong Sanye usually reads in the East Prefecture and rarely comes to Rongxi Hall to stay. You live here alone, which is quite refreshing."

Xiao Hong's pretty face collapsed and said, "What you said is light. The Cong Sanye doesn't come to stay. No matter how well I handle this place, who can I show it to? I, this maid, am almost becoming a display."

She Yue teased, "Are you wishing that the Cong Sanye would come every day to see your capable and neat appearance, so that you feel at ease and comfortable in your heart?"

Xiao Hong laughed shamelessly, "That's what I think. The Cong Sanye is good-looking. I feel at ease and beautiful when I see him."

She Yue twisted Xiao Hong's face and scolded with a smile, "You are truly amazing now, saying such shameless words."

The courtyard was filled with the sound of their clear and light laughter...

She Yue usually didn't have anything to say to Bi Hen and Qiu Wen in Baoyu's courtyard. Xi Ren sometimes came to say some heart-to-heart words.

But none of them were as congenial and interesting as talking to Xiao Hong. She chatted for a while and then left Rongxi Hall.

……

She hadn't walked out of the hall for long and was on her way to Baoyu's courtyard when she didn't notice the shadow moving at the corner ahead.

It wasn't until She Yue walked past that the shadow came out, and it was Xi Ren. When Lady Wang came over, she asked about She Yue unintentionally. Baoyu's expression was a bit panicked when he replied. Xi Ren served Baoyu closely daily and naturally saw Baoyu's strangeness.

She also got Lady Wang's instruction to watch the people around Baoyu daily and not cause any trouble.

After Lady Wang left, Xi Ren had some doubts in her heart. It was not easy to ask Baoyu, so she went out for a stroll by herself, wanting to see what was going on.

Unexpectedly, she happened to see She Yue coming out of Rongxi Hall. Xi Ren knew that She Yue was on good terms with Xiao Hong before.

It's just that She Yue is also a meticulous person. Doesn't she know that the Mistress hates Xiao Hong the most now? She still goes to Rongxi Hall to walk around, and she is not afraid of committing taboos...

……

Rongguo Prefecture, Baoyu Courtyard.

She Yue returned to the courtyard, took the vermilion shell-inlaid tray, and went to Baoyu's room to take the empty medicinal bowl.

Baoyu saw She Yue return with a happy face and asked, "Sister, you didn't go out for long and came back. Could it be that you have already inquired about Lin Meimei's matter?"

She Yue laughed, "It was a coincidence. I didn't go out for long when I met Xiao Hong. Although she is serving in Rongxi Hall, she is also the Cong Sanye's maid now and knows the East Prefecture's affairs best.

I have already asked for the Bao Er Ye. Lin Girl's illness is not a big deal. She is still recuperating in the East Prefecture and hasn't come to the West Prefecture to walk around.

The Cong Sanye and the Second Young Lady will take good care of Lin Girl in the East Prefecture, and there are Third Young Lady and Miss Shi accompanying her. With so many people watching, the Bao Er Ye doesn't need to worry at all."

Baoyu heard this and was a bit disappointed, muttering, "Lin Meimei has been recuperating for so many days, and she is still not better. Xiao Hong said it's not a big deal, so these words are not true..."

He also heard that so many people were accompanying Lin Meimei, why couldn't he? She Yue saw Baoyu muttering to himself, no matter how she looked at it, he was obsessed, and felt some sigh in her heart.

She wanted to persuade him a few words, but she was also worried that if she said too much, like Xi Ren that day, this master would go crazy, and she would have no way to clean it up.

Thinking of this, the words that reached her mouth were swallowed back...

……

Rongguo Prefecture, Jia Cong Courtyard.

Jia Cong had just finished bathing and washing, and he was refreshed. He took out the topics he had written in the past two days and organized and pondered them.

Qing Wen had already placed a plate of green-skinned oranges on the desk. Wu Er said that Xiao Hong had just sent them in the morning.

Ying Lian peeled the fruit skin on the side, tidied up the orange segments, and placed them neatly on a small plate. Jia Cong took one and tasted it. It was sweet with a faint sourness, which was indeed very refreshing.

He casually pulled out the blue-covered booklet from a pile of books on the desk and thoughtfully flipped through the names of the officials on it.

According to the regulations of the spring examination that Liu Jingan had explained, in the past few days before the spring examination, the imperial court would announce the chief examiner and related subordinate officials of the spring examination.

Since the day before yesterday, Jia Cong had instructed Jiang Liu to go to the entrance of the examination hall every day to see if there was any announcement from the imperial court.

He speculated in his heart that according to the list of officials in this blue booklet, the spring examination officials announced by the imperial court would likely overlap with some of the names in the booklet.

In the past few days, he asked Jiang Liu to go to the entrance of the examination hall to inquire about the news. Jiang Liu also said that in the restaurants and tiles, as long as there were scholars drinking together, the topic would not leave the discussion of the spring examination topics.

It is said that many of the topics circulating among the scholars came from the hands of the officials listed in the blue booklet.

Jia Cong had heard many rumors about the spring examination topics while studying at the Qingshan Academy and listening to Liu Jingan's lectures over the years. This was not a new thing.

But this year's spring examination had an extra blue booklet, which was like setting up a target in the invisible, giving many things a reference...

Jia Cong often thought about this matter deeply and always felt that there were hidden doubts, but everything was groundless speculation, and he couldn't grasp a single piece of real evidence...

Perhaps most scholars didn't realize whether these confusing doubts also hid unpredictable risks; they just regarded this blue booklet as a special anecdote of this year's spring examination.

……

Divine Capital, East City, Hancheng Street, Lin Zhaorong's villa.

The rice paper on the desk in the study was pressed by several paperweights, and the ink was dripping with words. Lin Zhaohe was writing furiously on the side.

He was transcribing the topics brought by Wu Liang at the spring banquet at the Chunhua Building that day.

Although he didn't transcribe a copy that day, he was a person with flourishing talent who won the Hangzhou Prefecture Jieyuan. He had been immersed in the classics for many years. Although he didn't have a photographic memory, his memory was very good.

In the past two days, while reviewing the classics, he often thought of the blue booklet circulating in the city and Wu Liang's topics, and strange emotions always surged in his heart.

This day, he was also inspired, carefully recalled the situation two days ago, and wrote them down one by one. Although they could not be exactly the same word for word.

However, the meaning of each topic was written down without any difference.

Several topics that were broad and profound, or arrogant and novel, were written down almost word for word because they left a deep impression.

At this moment, he was writing one of the topics: "It is heard that the study of kingly affairs has not changed from the Three Emperors and Five Emperors to the present day. However, ancient and modern times have different times, emperors have different governance, and the world has ups and downs. Each is based on its own time, and there is no fixed theory..."

……

Da Zhou Palace, Qianyang Palace.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was browsing a memorial with a gray-white cover. This was a secret memorial just reported by the Zhongche Office.

It recorded that before the spring examination this year, the scholars who came to the capital to take the examination were delighted to speculate on the spring examination officials, and collected them into a booklet, which was circulating everywhere.

Scholars from all over the country were keen to visit officials and celebrities, and all kinds of strange spring examination topics were circulating in the city.

The end of the secret memorial also secretly recorded that the Tui Shi Yuan had secretly investigated this matter, but there was no result in the end...

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao said, "Zhou Junxing also noticed this matter, but he never mentioned it to me when he entered the palace recently?"

Guo Lin, who was standing before the imperial desk, replied, "People from the Zhongche Office heard the wind and once pursued the origin of this matter. The Tui Shi Yuan did use manpower to investigate this matter.

They also searched a bookstore that printed books, intending to arrest a retired official outside the city, but they gained nothing.

As far as I can see, although Zhou Yuan Shi noticed this matter, he didn't find real evidence. The spring examination is a major ceremony for talent, concerning scholars from all over the world and the wind of the scholar forest.

Zhou Yuan Shi didn't have real evidence in his hands, so he had concerns in his heart and didn't dare to speak recklessly before the Emperor, lest the matter be too big and lead to criticism from court officials."

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao smiled but didn't smile, saying, "Zhou Junxing also cares about reputation and criticism now, which is strange.

Although in previous spring examinations, scholars speculating on examiners and transcribing topics were common states.

The matter at hand has not yet shown any signs, but the spring examination is a major event for the court to select talent, so it cannot be prevented.

Let the Shenjing file of the Zhongche Office collect relevant supporting evidence and pay attention to the words and deeds of the scholars, in preparation for future needs!"

Guo Lin hurriedly replied, "The file head of the Shenjing file is currently sitting in the Jiaofang Division. I will arrange to handle this matter immediately."

He also said, "Reporting to the Emperor, Yuan Jing secretly reported to me that someone asked Xia Shouzhong of the Palace Internal Affairs Office to recommend several palace maids to be included in the screening list, and has been clearing the way in various places in the palace recently.

Yesterday, Xia Shouzhong invited Yuan Jing to a banquet, intending to ask Yuan Jing to assist, and sent five hundred taels of silver, which was rejected by Yuan Jing."

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao sneered coldly, "The three-year screening matter, this kind of ghosts and monsters matter, has never been rare.

I know it very clearly in my heart. It's just that these things didn't make a big noise and involved many nobles and high officials. I didn't want to pursue it too much and left some face inside and out."

Guo Lin paused his tone and said, "It's just that among the three women recommended by Xia Shouzhong this time, one is Jia Yuanchun, the female historian of the Fengzao Palace."

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao didn't care about this matter at first. He had been on the throne for many years and had long been accustomed to the darkness of the harem. If the water is too clear, there will be no fish, and it was not necessary to make a big move. He just watched coldly.

But when he heard the name Jia Yuanchun, Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's expression was slightly stunned, and then a trace of sharp light appeared in his eyes... (End of chapter)