Chapter 656: Imperial Street Can Boast of Officials

Great Zhou Palace, Fengzao Palace, Female Historian's Office.

The sun rose, the early summer was hot, and the plane trees in the courtyard cast large patches of mottled shade.

Yuanchun was a little restless, walking back and forth in the shade under the tree.

She wore a black gauze Di crown, a red silk cross-collar robe, a powder-white single-color chest wrap inside, and a plain pleated palace skirt on her lower body. She was tall, graceful, noble, elegant, and beautiful.

Her eyes often looked over the undulating daughter wall eaves toward the east of Fengzao Palace, which was the direction of the Huangji Hall.

Yuanchun lived deep in the palace, and the news was somewhat blocked. Although she knew that the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony was held in the Huangji Hall today, she didn't know that the Ministry of Rites had posted the Palace Examination list on the east wall early this morning, and she didn't know what rank Jia Cong was on the list.

Early in the morning, the news that Jia Cong had achieved the Huiyuan in the Metropolitan Examination had spread throughout the harem. When Yuanchun heard the news, she was overjoyed.

According to her speculation, Jia Cong could achieve the Huiyuan, perhaps he could enter the first rank, or perhaps in the top of the second rank. The situation of the Spring Examination list has always been complicated. Without posting the list, it is difficult to have a conclusion.

Yuanchun has been in the palace for many years, and naturally knows the regulations of the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony in the palace. Jia Cong, as a Jinshi of this year, must enter the palace to offer etiquette.

Early this morning, she relied on the connections she had accumulated in the palace for many years to let her trusted maid Baoqin go out to inquire about the news.

It's just that the drums and music in the direction of the Huangji Hall lasted for half an hour, and until the sound converged, Baoqin didn't come back to report the news, and Yuanchun felt somewhat anxious.

Just when she was feeling restless, the courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open. Baoqin's pretty face was flushed, panting, as if she had run back.

Seeing Yuanchun, she shouted with a full face of smiles: "Young Lady, I have inquired about the news. It is truly a great joy. In the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony of the Huangji Hall, Cong Sanye was named the Bangyan of the first rank, which is extremely glorious."

"I found the acquaintance entrusted by the Young Lady, took me through two palace bans, and was far away from the Huangji Hall, and I heard the Chuanlu official call Cong Sanye's name several times."

"Every time he called, the drums and music would ring like a mountain, not to mention how glorious and decent it was."

Yuanchun was overjoyed when she heard this and smiled: "The Jia family's ancestral shade is still there, and it has produced such a phoenix chick as Cong Di. He is too outstanding. Achieving the Huiyuan and being named the Bangyan is an honor that scholars can hardly ask for in several lifetimes."

Baoqin smiled and said: "Young Lady, this is not the most proud thing. I heard the Chuanlu official call the names, and waited for news there. But all the palace people who entered and exited the Huangji Hall, I asked them all."

"Finally, I inquired that Cong Sanye was not only named the Bangyan, but also granted the Grade 5 Hanlin Shijiang Xueshi by the Emperor."

When Yuanchun heard this good news, she was also stunned, her pretty face flushed with excitement, and she asked: "Is what you said true? I know the rules of the palace. Zhuangyuan usually only grants the Grade 6B Hanlin Xiuzhuan. Can Cong Di be directly granted the Hanlin Xueshi?"

Baoqin smiled and said: "I know this is Cong Sanye's big event, so I dare not be sloppy, so I waited for a long time near there. I asked three eunuchs and palace maids who entered and exited the Huangji Hall, and they all said the same thing."

"Young Lady, this is the imperial decree granted by the Emperor. Who dares to speak nonsense? It is absolutely not wrong."

When Yuanchun heard this good news, she seemed to be absent-minded, her face full of excitement and longing, and she walked back and forth under the tree.

She muttered in her mouth: "Baoqin, this is a great thing. Our Jia family not only produced a Bangyan Jinshi but also a Hanlin Xueshi. A military merit family producing a Hanlin Xueshi is unheard of. It is a great joy, the ancestors are showing spirits..."

Baoqin saw that her young lady was overjoyed and even spoke incoherently, and smiled: "Young Lady, Cong Sanye's glorious things are more than these."

Yuanchun smiled: "You girl, you speak panting, why do you say it in sections? Hurry up, what other good things does Cong Di have."

Baoqin smiled and said: "The Emperor also issued a decree to grant the three first-rank Jinshi to ride imperial horses and boast of officials on the imperial street, and three hundred Jinshi will accompany them."

Yuanchun smiled: "Boasting of officials on the imperial street, I remember it was sung in the opera when I was at home. Now Cong Di also has this honor. It's a pity that I don't have the blessing to see it."

Baoqin heard that Yuanchun had deep regrets in her words, and felt a little low and sad in her heart, saying: "Yes, Cong Sanye's glory, we can't see it, it's a pity."

She looked at the courtyard gate carefully and whispered: "Young Lady, we have been in this place where we can't see people for almost ten years. Doesn't the Young Lady also want to go out? When can we go home?"

Yuanchun smiled slightly, reached out and stroked the hair on Baoqin's temples, and said: "Soon, the new manager eunuch of the Inner Palace Supervision came to Fengzao Palace to handle affairs and mentioned this matter."

"The palace has always been released every ten years. As long as there are no changes such as red and white double events or population flow gaps, we will definitely be home for the New Year next year."

Baoqin was overjoyed when she heard this and said: "That's good, we can spend the New Year at home next year. It's just that Cong Sanye's rare event of boasting of officials on the imperial street, just this once, is really unseen."

Yuanchun smiled: "Cong Di is capable. It is said that there will be a few more glorious things than this in the future, which is really hard to say. You will always see this kind of rarity..."

Great Zhou Palace, Chengtian Gate.

But scholars who can achieve the Provincial Graduate Wu in the township examination have entered the scholar-official class. Even if they were penniless before, through land investment and other channels, they will more or less accumulate some family foundation.

Therefore, many Jinshi entered the palace to participate in the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony, and they all brought family servants and carriages, all waiting outside the Chengtian Gate, waiting for the master to leave the palace to pick them up.

Chengtian Gate is the gateway to the imperial city, and the surrounding area is heavily guarded. These carriages, horses, and servants gathered and waited, and they didn't dare to make noise or walk around at will, at most they were chatting.

Among the waiting crowd, one team of carriages and horses was quite different from other families.

The carriage used two top-grade horses, and the driver was a neat and tall teenager with delicate features and a calm expression, looking quite capable.

The carriage was also followed by three neatly dressed family servants, whose behavior was different from ordinary people. At a glance, it was the posture of a noble family going out.

The surrounding carriages and horses subconsciously kept a distance from this team of carriages and horses. If the noble figures were safe, it would be fine. If they were arrogant and domineering, if they provoked them, they would bring disaster, so naturally they had to stay far away.

At this time, Jiang Liu was sitting on the carriage shaft, waiting for Jia Cong to leave the palace with peace of mind.

Jia Cong went out today and brought Jiang Liu to drive the carriage. This is also his daily habit. He doesn't like to echo before and after, feeling it is too cumbersome.

It's just that Yingchun felt that today was different from the past. Her brother entered the palace to participate in the grand ceremony. Even if he didn't talk about the lineup, he always had to bring more people to serve and take care of him, so she asked the steward to arrange a capable steward to follow, and also brought two flexible little servants to follow.

Jia Cong had entered the palace for more than an hour. Jiang Liu and others were waiting for a bit sleepy. Suddenly, they saw several fast horses of the Forbidden Army rushing out of the Chengtian Gate, heading in different directions.

After that, five or six palace eunuchs came out, and a team of Forbidden Army also ran out of the city gate, clearing the crowded and parked carriages and horses, and the scene was somewhat chaotic for a while.

An eunuch said loudly: "The Emperor has a decree to grant the first-rank Jinshi to boast of officials on the imperial street, and three hundred Jinshi will accompany them to share the glory. Outside the Chengtian Gate, all idlers must avoid!"

Jiang Liu felt refreshed when he heard this, and hurriedly stepped forward to ask the eunuch who conveyed the message about the detailed route of boasting of officials on the imperial street.

The eunuch heard that it was the subordinate of Count Lord Weiyuan, not only did not see strange, but smiled very politely: "It turns out to be the attendant of Count Lord Weiyuan. Your Count was very glorious in the Huangji Hall today."

"The Zhuangyuan of this year only granted the Grade 6B Hanlin Xiuzhuan, but your Count was granted the Grade 5 Hanlin Shijiang Xueshi, a heaven-sent honor."

"Tell this little brother, this trip to boast of officials on the imperial street, from the Chengtian Gate, past the Examination Hall, to the Xiande Gate, and finally return to the Ministry of Rites. Tomorrow morning, the Ministry of Rites will hold a banquet."

"You can drive the carriage to wait near the Southern Courtyard of the Ministry of Rites, and you will be able to pick up your Count."

Jiang Liu saw that the eunuch's attitude was polite and what he said was very detailed, so he hurriedly thanked him.

Although he didn't understand what kind of official position the Hanlin Shijiang Xueshi was, he knew that scholars entering the Hanlin Academy was a heaven-sent honor, and he was naturally very happy in his heart.

While driving the carriage to wait at the Ministry of Rites, he repeated the words just now to the accompanying steward, asking him to return to the mansion to report the good news immediately.

With the fast horses of the Forbidden Army in the palace conveying the decree to the city, the news about the first-rank Jinshi boasting of officials on the imperial street spread quickly through the streets and alleys of the Love Shenjing.

The Zhen'an Prefecture and the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division urgently deployed personnel, sent a large number of yamen runners and soldiers, and maintained the order of the streets where the Jinshi passed.

The new Zhen'an Prefecture Yin Liu Binfang even led the three classes of yamen runners of the prefecture to go to the street to preside over the dredging of the streets and appease the people, which was quite hands-on.

The heavy carriages and horses on the streets along the way, the mobile vendors, and anything that hindered the smooth flow of the street were all cleared at the fastest speed.

Even the rogue ruffians wandering the streets were driven away by Liu Binfang leading the yamen runners.

You know, the first-rank Jinshi boasting of officials on the imperial street is an imperial decree, not to mention that there are three hundred Jinshi of this year accompanying, which is truly a matter of great importance.

It is not just the three first-rank Jinshi, but also the three hundred Jinshi of this year accompanying them, and most of them will stay in the capital as officials.

If these scholars who are in high spirits see places where civil administration is not peaceful through the streets, and thus trigger rumors and cause right and wrong.

The new Zhen'an Prefecture Yin Liu Binfang, whose official position has not been hot yet, is afraid that he will have to move, so he has to take it seriously and go to the street to handle affairs himself.

Moreover, the Bangyan Jia Cong is one of the protagonists of this boasting of officials on the imperial street. Five years ago, in the Rong Mansion witchcraft case, Liu Binfang, who was then a subordinate of the Zhen'an Prefecture, had already dealt with Jia Cong.

He knew very well what kind of person Jia Cong was. The former Zhen'an Prefecture Yin Zhang Shouan fell into his hands. Liu Binfang remembered this clearly...

Qingyu Fang, Xia Mansion.

Xia girl was strolling alone in the back garden, her expression difficult to hide her fatigue, looking somewhat lonely.

Although she was extremely resistant to Baoyu in her heart, she finally agreed to the engagement between the Xia and Jia families for various reasons. The disgust, fear, and fatigue in her heart were indescribable.

She was like a drowning person waiting to die, trying her best to find a chance to breathe, like a trapped person in a cage, longing to see the only light outside.

The more under such heavy pressure, the more the young Count in the East Prefecture of the Jia family, who was unparalleled in beauty and noble, became the only comfort in her heart.

It is like poisonous wine that can quench thirst. Even if drinking it into the abdomen will cause intestinal perforation, the pleasure of numbing the nerves before death makes people intoxicated and unwilling to give up...

In the past two days, Xia girl tried not to think about the engagement with Baoyu, and turned all her thoughts to Jia Cong, letting herself escape the suffocating despair.

A few days ago, she gave Baochan a bag of silver and asked her to inquire about the news of Jia Cong making the list. Yesterday, she learned that the Ministry of Rites would post the list today.

This morning, she asked Baochan to arrange for people to inquire about the news, and also asked Baochan to wait in the outer courtyard, and report back as soon as there was news, but a long time passed and there was no movement.

!

Just when she was strolling in the back garden, somewhat bored, she heard a sudden noise outside the wall, noisy and noisy, a sound of driving and shouting.

Xia girl heard the commotion outside the wall and felt somewhat irritable. She called a maid in the inner courtyard and asked her to go to the outer courtyard to inquire about what happened.

The maid just hurried out, and Xia girl saw Baochan coming in a hurry, her expression somewhat strange.

Seeing Xia girl, she said: "Young Lady, the person I asked to inquire about the news came back to report, saying that the Ministry of Rites posted the list today, and Jia Cong ranked as the Bangyan Jinshi."

When Xia girl heard this, she smiled, and the original boredom and pain in her heart seemed to be swept away.

A pretty face smiled like a flower, which was very eye-catching and moving, and smiled: "He is really capable, taking the lead in everything. Even if he hits the Jinshi, he must be in the first rank. He is truly a rare person in the world."

Suddenly Xia girl thought of something and asked: "Bangyan is the second place, how can anyone be more powerful than him, actually grabbing his Zhuangyuan!"

Baochan felt a burst of disgust and awkwardness when she heard this, and secretly complained in her heart, the Young Lady is really crazy. Is it possible that Jia Cong must be the first in the world, and others cannot win him?

But she only dared to think about this in her heart, but didn't dare to say it, otherwise the Young Lady would definitely slap her.

Ever since the Young Lady finally gave in and agreed to the engagement with Baoyu, her temper became more and more strange and irritable, making Baochan tremble every day and be careful.

Sometimes she even thought that if the Young Lady was like her, having tasted Baoyu's benefits, maybe she wouldn't be like this...

Xia girl saw Baochan not daring to reply, and snorted: "Cong Ge'er is the top Huiyuan, and it is heaven-sent that he should be the Zhuangyuan. How could he become a Bangyan? It must be that those chief examiners are all blind!"

"Didn't it cause a cheating case in the imperial examination a few days ago? It must be that the damn Zhuangyuan cheated in the Palace Examination and grabbed Cong Ge'er's Zhuangyuan. It's really shameless!"

Baochan didn't know a few big characters, but she still knew some importance. Seeing that her young lady was talking nonsense as soon as she mentioned Jia Cong.

She couldn't help but complain in her heart again, the young lady's crazy words, fortunately it was at home, otherwise scolding the Zhuangyuan, it is said that she would have to eat a lawsuit...

Xia girl asked again: "Why is it so noisy outside the wall? Is something wrong?"

Baochan had just returned from the outer courtyard, so she knew the reason, and said: "I heard from the gatekeeper in the outer courtyard that the Emperor in the palace issued an imperial decree, asking the first-rank Jinshi to ride a horse to boast of officials on the street, called something boasting of officials on the imperial street."

"The outside of the wall is Hanzheng Street, and the first-rank Jinshi riding a horse to boast of officials on the street happens to pass by here."

Xia girl's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she said happily: "Cong Ge'er is the first-rank Bangyan, and he must also ride a horse to boast of officials on the street. It is truly a glorious and decent thing..."

"Baochan, you send someone to the female guest teahouse at the entrance of Hanzheng Street, book a best-positioned street-facing room on the second floor, and prepare the carriage. I want to go out."

Baochan hesitated and said: "Young Lady, the Lady is not at home today. It is not very good for you to go out alone. If the Lady comes back, she will talk about it."

Xia girl thought that her mother was not at home, but was busy preparing her dowry, so that she could be decent in the future and marry that sissy thing.

She thought of these eyes and turned red, and said fiercely: "So what? I just want to go out. If mother comes back, let her nag."

Baochan advised again: "Young Lady, the news has spread now. These street-facing rooms are estimated to be very tight, and many people must want to book them to watch the fun..."

Xia girl said angrily: "Do I lack silver? If they spend ten taels, I will spend one hundred taels. Is it possible that I can't book a room!"

She pulled out a gold hairpin inlaid with East Pearls from her bun and said: "This hairpin was bought for three hundred taels. It can book any room in the Love Shenjing."

"If you can't handle things, you don't have to eat tonight, and kneel on the stone steps until dawn!"

Baochan saw Xia girl suddenly go crazy, couldn't help but shiver, and hurriedly said: "Young Lady, don't be angry, I will definitely call someone to book a street-facing room, and let the Young Lady be satisfied, okay."

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Here early in the morning, after Jia Cong entered the palace, the East and West Prefectures were busy inside and out, and the atmosphere was full of joy.

Because Jia Cong achieved the Jinshi status, the guests who came to the West Prefecture to pay homage were mostly old relatives and in-laws of the Jia family.

As the Chen hour was about to end, Jia Zheng took Lady Wang and Baoyu to the West Prefecture to help Jia Mu receive the old relatives and guests when Jia Cong was not there.

Although Lady Wang didn't want to see Jia Cong proud, there was no other way. Moreover, coming to the West Prefecture to help receive guests was her master's meaning. The husband is the wife's guide, and she had no reason not to come.

Besides, she was also willing to walk around the West Prefecture more, so as to show her face in front of the old relatives of the family.

Otherwise, others would think that the second branch moved out of the Rongguo Mansion and had no connection with the Jia family's main line, and really felt that the second branch became a side branch, which would be shameful.

As for Baoyu, he was different from Lady Wang. Although he usually liked to be in the West Prefecture and liked to be close to the sisters in the family.

But these few days were the joy of Jia Cong's success in the examinations. He was absolutely unwilling to touch this kind of corrupt thing that made Baoyu disgusted, otherwise, wouldn't he be tarnished in vain.

But Baoyu boasted of his feelings as pure and white, his ambition was not vulgar, and his actions were independent.

As long as his father Jia Zheng snorted at him, Baoyu immediately revealed his original shape and became a cowardly soft egg. It has always been like this...

Therefore, he followed along today as usual. Even if he was unwilling in his heart, he finally followed with his eyebrows down and eyes low.

As soon as Baoyu approached the Rongqing Hall, he saw the door curtain at the entrance of the hall lifted, and two graceful and moving women were coming out of the Rongqing Hall.

His eyes couldn't help but light up. These two women were fifteen or sixteen years old, with slender and graceful figures, and unparalleled beauty, all of which were top-notch figures.

Baoyu recognized one of them, who was Wuer, whom he had been thinking about. The other woman's behavior was like an orchid, her temperament was dusty, and she was even more outstanding than Wuer.

This person rarely came to the West Prefecture, and Baoyu didn't see her often, but he recognized at a glance that it was Jia Cong's eldest maid, Hearing Zhi Shao.

He had heard the story of Hearing Zhi Shao once becoming a monk, and privately thought that it was somewhat consistent with his interest in Buddhism and Zen...

It was just that this Miss Zhi Shao, with her orchid-like heart and lily-like quality, lived deep within the Eastern Prefecture and never liked to move about; although Jia Baoyu had long admired her, he had never had the opportunity to get close and speak with her, which he deeply regretted.

Seeing her again now, he suddenly felt a sense of sadness for spring and autumn, praising Hearing Zhi Shao's beauty and moving, and no one among the maids around him could compare to her.

Seeing that she and Wuer were both holding exquisite decorative boxes, their pretty faces were flushed, and their expressions were shy, looking moving, but also somewhat strange.

He was originally full of unwillingness to come to the West Prefecture, but he met two outstanding girls, and the original unwillingness and unhappiness were swept away.

In his heart, he blamed himself again. If he had known this, he should have come earlier, so that he could meet and talk in the Rongqing Hall...

At this moment, his gaze seemed to be stuck, and he kept following Hearing Zhi Shao and Wuer away.

Until Jia Zheng snorted in front, Baoyu followed.

Just walking to the door of the Rongqing Hall, he really couldn't help but be curious, deliberately slowing down his pace, waiting for Jia Zheng and Lady Wang to enter the hall.

He hurriedly asked Sister Sister Hupo, who lifted the door curtain: "Sister Sister Hupo sister, why did Hearing Zhi Shao and Wuer, the two sisters from the East Prefecture, come to the Rongqing Hall early in the morning? Is there anything important?" (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 657 =====