On February 29, the first year of Jingtai, the lobbies of the guild halls in various parts of the capital were already filled with scholars waiting for the distribution of the apricot list.

As long as you can get the title of tribute, it means you will participate in the next palace examination with the title of tribute.

The palace examination does not involve despair elimination, which means that as long as you are on the apricot list, the worst result will be a three-level Jinshi, and you will completely complete the class identity leap from the people to the officials.

Compared with other scholars who were looking forward to the future career development, He Wendao and several familiar students discussed how Chen Yichen would solve the food shortage in the northern part of the Ming Dynasty after the examination was completely over.

Now that spring plowing has arrived, many farmers who have eaten grain to survive the famine have no way to continue farming. They can only borrow various loans and mortgage their property, land and even their children to officials, gentry and landlords, for the last struggle.

But the problem is that even if autumn can achieve a once-in-a-century harvest, the profits of the loan will be a bottomless pit that cannot be paid off.

From the moment they made their title, they fell into the trap of officials, gentry, landlords, and from then on they became slaves and servants!

Coincidentally, like-minded people may have a natural attraction. He Wendao's pleading for the people in the Shuntian Gongyuan Square attracted a group of scholars who were caring about their family, country and the world, including talented people such as Peng Shi and Yue Zheng.

"Brother He, in recent days, the grain market in the capital released news that Mr. Chen used the power of the Duke Cheng's Mansion to release grain at a fair price. However, from the results, it did not change the overall situation of soaring grain prices. Even the released grain was purchased at high prices."

Peng Shi looked worried at this moment. He was the oldest among several people and was now in his thirties.

Mr. Chen obviously underestimated the strength of the capital to control the grain price camp. It was undoubtedly a drop in the ocean to rely on the surplus grain of Duke Cheng’s Mansion. The grain could not reach the hands of ordinary people at all, so it was purchased at a high price, without causing any turmoil in the market at all.

If this continues, I am afraid that with the ability of Mr. Chen, he will be helpless.

"Brother He, why don't you come to visit Mr. Chen and find out what the current grain price is?"

Yue Zheng, who was sitting on the other side, also urged He Wendao in a hurry. According to Chen Yichen's ability to turn the tide in the past, he should not only use such simple means to suppress grain prices, something must have been wrong.

"During the examination, I cannot visit Mr. Chen privately, otherwise it will damage his reputation if it is reported."

He Wendao shook his head and refused, even though he was also extremely anxious, and wanted to give Chen Yichen advice.

But if you come to the door at this time, you will be caught and talk. If you are still among the top in the apricot list, it will become an indecisive "stain". He Wendao believes that he is open and honest, but Mr. Chen will be the chief official in the court and must not be involved in him.

"I'm not thinking carefully, and I really can't visit Mr. Chen at this moment."

Yue Zheng also realized that it was inappropriate to visit him, so he quickly apologized.

"Brother Yue, I know that you are eager to serve the country and the people in your heart, but Mr. Chen has saved all the people from the fire and water many times. I believe he can find a way to deal with it!"

He Wendao had a blind trust in Chen Yichen at this time. Or if even Chen Yichen could not solve the food crisis in this world, then no one could hold on to the danger and help him, and it would be useless to be anxious.

Just as several people were discussing, the street of the guild hall was already crowded with people. The ranking of the report of the good news was quickly spread to the position of the Five Classics.

"Good news for the examination, congratulations to Yue Zheng, the eldest son of Qiang County, Shuntian Prefecture, for his fifth place in the imperial examination in high school, and the saint above the Golden Palace!"

Peng Shi sat at the side door and heard the reporter say Yue Zheng's name in his mouth. He thought he had heard it wrong and asked in certain uncertainty: "Did you just called out Brother Yue's name? He seems to be the leader of the Five Classics in High School."

"I'm hit?"

Yue Zheng looked confused at this moment. He focused all on the price of grain in the capital, and realized at all that he had become the leader of the Five Classics.

However, the reporter soon came to He Wendao's table under the guidance of the scholars in the association and sang Yue Zheng's hometown and name again. This time it was equivalent to confirmation!

In an instant, there were congratulations in the guild hall. You should know that as long as you perform normally in the palace examination, at least a guaranteed ranking of the second-class team means a bright future. At this time, you can't come and get close to you, so when will you wait?

But what everyone in the guild did not expect was that the noise had not yet fallen, and another reporter outside sang: "Good news for the examination, congratulations to He Wendao, the master of Xiushui County, Jiaxing Prefecture, for the fourth place in the imperial examination in high school, the saint in the Golden Palace!"

Two Five Classics Masters appeared at the table, which made the scholars in the hall feel an uproar. Although talented people are attracted to each other, the probability is too exaggerated. Only five of them won the championship in three thousand students, but two appeared at this table?

But what is really unbelievable is still behind. A shout came from outside the house again: "Good news for the examination, congratulations to Peng Shi, the master of Anfu County, Luling Prefecture, for his first place in the imperial examination in high school, and the saint in the Golden Palace!"

Huiyuan is at this table too?

Compared with the noise between them, the hall was silent at this moment, and the attendants looked at each other in front of each other.

If you remember correctly, these three people seem to have learned from "shen learning". Could it be that the future direction of the imperial examination will change to a pragmatic style and advocate practicality?

Many times, for feudal dynasties, the direction of the imperial examination will determine the direction of the scholarly atmosphere. When flamboyant words occupy the mainstream of admission, then the literati will speak loudly and emptyly!

When Tommoto becomes the mainstream of admission, naturally, scholars will be more down-to-earth and pay attention to the people's livelihood.

This is why, Chen Yichen risked being accused of impeachment and favoritism, and resolutely admitted three people from the Five Classics. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I believe that when the next session comes three years later, those who talk about the truth and those who talk about the truth will no longer occupy the mainstream of the imperial examination!

The Beijing Association announced the results, and Chen Yichen was following the examination process, holding the deputy list of the apricot list into the palace and handing it over to the Ministry of Rites for sealing it.

On the carriage to the Forbidden City, Chen Yichen was not the only one sitting. Zhao Hongjie was also in the carriage at the moment, reporting on the changes in the situation in the capital after the release of food in the past few days.

"To the north, the 30,000 shi of rice and grain sold by the Duke of Chengguo's mansion was sold out within two days. Except for a small number of them, most of them were bought by Han Xing, a slave of Huichang Bo, and others, gathered a group of gangsters to buy them."

"Do you want the Jinyiwei to take action and arrest them all for rectification?"

Listening to Zhao Hongjie's suggestion, Chen Yichen replied calmly: "This little thing is to let Jinyiwei take action. Wouldn't it be a joke if it is spread? Since Hui Chang's favorite to buy rice and grain, I'll let him buy enough."

"From now on sale, the price is one cheaper than the market price. I want to see how much capital they have to purchase these three million stones of rice grains!"

"If they are not satisfied, there will be nearly two million stones of grain stored in the capital warehouse and Tongzhou warehouse. I can sell it together!"

After a year of tax revenue in the Ming Dynasty, it only costs more than 20 million stones. Chen Yichen now controls five million stones. According to the current price of grain in the north that exceeds two taels and one stone, Huichang Bo wants to take out tens of millions of taels of silver to go all out.

Chen Yichen can be said without exaggeration that not only Huichang Bo couldn't take it out, even the Ming Dynasty treasury did not have ten million taels of silver at this moment, unless the royal treasury was emptied out.

The three million stones of rice and grain transported by Xu Fengyuan from the south alone is actually enough to resolve the food crisis in the north. The reason why Chen Yichen used the name of Duke Cheng's Mansion to sell it on a small scale was to attract Hui Changbo and others to take the bait and make them think they could eat it all.

The rice and grain bought from three cents were sold to Huichangbo and others, and the transportation cost was 600% profitable. When they couldn't afford it, the price of grain in the capital plummeted. This time, Chen Yichen not only wanted to save the grain shortage, but also had to harvest a wave of "black heart wealth".

After all, Wang Ji, the Jingyuan Bo, led the Southern Expedition Army to suppress the rebellion of Luchuan, needed huge military expenditures to start, so he thought Huichang Bo and others "donated" to the country.

Of course, it is in the name of Chen Yichen!

"Five million stones are enough to keep Huichang Bo dead."

Zhao Hongjie instantly understood Chen Yichen's methods, and a cunning smile appeared on his face.

This is called the one-force reduction of ten times. Everyone knows that the root cause of the problem of the capital's grain price cannot be solved is the shortage of food, but no one would have thought that Chen Yichen could raise five million stones of rice in just a short time. It was shocking to be exposed in the future!

From the moment Xu Fengyuan transported rice and grain from the south to Dagu Haifangkou, there was no suspense in the victory or defeat of the grain battle in the capital. It was nothing more than waiting for the other party to take the bait. Chen Yichen's current focus was not on this. He began to plan what would happen when the Nanzheng Army was transferred.

"Hongjie, do you know Han Liangan, the commander of the Jingwei Guard?"

"I'm not very familiar with it, why did you suddenly ask about this?"

Zhao Hongjie was a little confused. The commander of the Beijing Guard had nothing to do with Chen Yichen, and it had nothing to do with the price of grain in the capital mentioned earlier. What big thing is Chen Yichen planning?

"In order to prevent changes in the palace, people in this position must be controlled."

Chen Yichen had a faint premonition in his heart that when Wang Ji, the No. 1 Jingyuan, led the Southern Expedition Army to leave the capital, it means that the current balance of power in the capital will be broken. Or, Emperor Jingtai Zhu Qiyu took action in advance and gave the emperor's brother Zhu Qizhen a decent death.

Or the Ming Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen would have committed suicide and rebel to the death.

To put it bluntly, whoever survives to the end will be the winner, unlike the powerful ministers who usurped the throne, must consider the law and the people's hearts. To ensure that Emperor Jingtai Zhu Qiyu will not reappear in the end of the Nangong Incident in history, the prerequisite must be to control the soldiers and horses of the Forbidden City.

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The Imperial City defenders are collectively called the Shangzhi Guard's personal army, with a total of seventeen soldiers and horses. However, with the evolution over the years, many soldiers of the Guard's personal army have become symbolic decorations and are divided into two main parts.

Inside the Forbidden City, the Four Tengxiang Guards controlled by Guo Jing, the Imperial Horse Supervisor, are the main force of the Emperor's personal army, occupying a large number of people. Outside the Imperial City are other personal guards controlled by the commander of the Beijing Guard, except for the Jinyiwei. There are various vacancy quotas and slacks, which are basically patrolling and pretending to be on weekdays.

Guo Jing is an iron-clad Ming Yingzong sect. After all, only Zhu Qizhen will accept his dark history with a "broad mind". This means that if there is a real change in the palace in the future, the four guards of Tengxiang will definitely not be loyal to Emperor Jingtai Zhu Qiyu. Then the only troops that can be urgently confronted are the peripheral personal troops controlled by the commander of the Beijing Guard.

No matter how serious the vacancies are, at least there is still a scale of ten thousand people. As long as the emperor can stabilize it for a while, the emperor's personal army cannot be completely controlled by a eunuch.

"Will you really get to this point in the north?"

Zhao Hongjie looked a little confused. The Supreme Emperor had completed the process of three refusals and three resignations. When the throne of heaven was set, the success rate of the uprising and restoration was not high. Why do you need to do such a thing that can be defeated by the death.

"The heart of being on guard against others is necessary."

Now history has completely changed. To be honest, Chen Yichen doesn’t know if Zhu Qizhen will reach the point of revival.

But many things are not afraid of ten thousand, but they are afraid of something. If there is any accident in Emperor Jingtai Zhu Qiyu, it is really called the destiny of the number of days. Chen Yichen will never be able to go against the will of heaven and change his fate again.

"I'm not familiar with Han Liang'an, but I know someone will definitely get in touch with you."

"who?"

"The eldest son Zhu Yi."

"How do you say this?"

Chen Yichen asked back, he really didn't know that Zhu Yi had this relationship.

"Han Liang'an was a subordinate of Duke Cheng Guo before being promoted to commander of the Beijing Guard, and also guarded the border with his eldest son Zhu Yi. The two had a close relationship."

"Now the grandfather no longer cares about the government affairs. If the eldest son Zhu Yi is willing to come forward, the effect will be much better than if you rashly submit a letter to him. It is likely that he will be loyal to the current emperor."

"I see."

Chen Yichen nodded, and he suddenly thought of something from Zhao Hongjie's recommendation.

Didn’t Zhu Yi think about re-election and carry the plaque of Duke Cheng’s Mansion?

The battle between the two emperors is a political crisis, and it is also an opportunity for "ambitious people". If you want to break the inherent prejudice of Emperor Jingtai Zhu Qiyu against the old honors, there is nothing better than taking the team to be loyal to you.

Now Chen Yichen gradually understood why heroes prefer troubled times. In a sense, if there was no change in Tumu Fort, Chen Yichen would probably not have been so quickly if he wanted to control the military power and enter the cabinet to serve as a minister.

The changes in the palace may be the next springboard.

The carriage quickly drove to the palace gate. Zhao Hongjie got out of the car first, looked around and left alone. Although the past of the two classmates in Yingtian Mansion could not be hidden from the deep digging of those who were interested, he had to pretend to avoid suspicion in some matters in the officialdom.
Chapter completed!