After the two of them entered the study, Cao Xinggong looked around and walked behind the desk and sat down. He stared at his nephew standing opposite and asked, "How about it? Is this study okay for studying?"
Xu Fei chuckled, "Such a spacious and elegant study, it can't be said in a good way. Uncle, I really didn't expect that you have bought such a big mansion. In this capital where land is so expensive, there is no equivalent."
I'm afraid I can't even think about my financial resources. I heard from my servants that you not only have this big house, but also have many properties. Uncle, it seems that your business has been very big in recent years. Why have I never heard from my family?
Have you ever mentioned it?”
Cao Xinggong shook his head slightly, "What you see with your eyes and hear with your ears may not be true. Some things may appear to be mine, but in fact they may not be mine. They are just in my name and run by me on my behalf. Some things may be mine.
It's hard to explain things clearly, and it's hard to tell them too clearly, so there's no need to tell your family."
Xu Fei hehe, "Uncle is joking. Since it is in your name, it is naturally yours. How could it not be yours? Who can take it away by force?"
Cao Xinggong smiled faintly, "You will understand it when you can understand it in the future. Okay, let's not talk about this now, let's talk about your business." Then he reached into his sleeve, took out a folded piece of paper, and handed it to
Give it to him. "Put this thing away, remember it after reading it, and burn it after you remember it."
What does it mean to be so cautious? Xu Fei was puzzled. He opened the note and looked at it, and found a few lines written on it, "The national scholar has received the grace of the Holy Spirit, and he is destined to inherit his destiny, or he is trying to strengthen himself..." After muttering a few words,
, and then looked closely at the other questions, and found that they were questions on policy theory, classics, history, poetry and poetry. There were questions but no text. I couldn't help but raise my head and asked: "Uncle, this is like a question from our usual exams. Can you tell me what to do with this?"
Cao Xinggong said lightly, "It's not the usual test questions, but the questions for your exam this time!"
He said it easily, but Xu Fei felt as if he was struck by thunder. He was startled and said blankly: "Uncle, don't be joking. There is still a month left before the exam, and it's not time for the questions yet.
Why did you give the test questions first? This is really a big joke."
Cao Xinggong said calmly: "I'm not kidding, and I didn't set the exam questions. Xu Fei, you are going to be an official. Remember, those who have the ability to influence the selection of examiners can decide what the future exam questions will be.
"
The reason is not difficult to understand. Xu Fei was surprised and said: "Then...how did you get it?"
Obviously I still don't believe it. This leak of exam questions is a huge event.
Cao Xinggong sighed: "I just said, what you hear and see may not be mine, and the people who really own these things happen to be the ones who can influence the selection of examiners. Do you know why I was very late last night?
Are you coming back? I knelt outside his study for half an hour before begging for this piece of paper for you, do you understand?"
Xu Fei's nose felt sore and he was a little moved, but he was still surprised and confused, "Who is uncle talking about?"
Cao Xinggong: "This is not what you should ask. Our family has never produced serious scholars. I can't believe it when you wrote a letter from home saying that you were admitted to the Juren Examination. Since you have reached this stage, uncle, I
So I risked my life and asked others to give you a chance. Your two cousins are useless, and the Cao family may need you to support them in the future. I hope you will not forget what your uncle did today.
A lot of hard work.”
Xu Fei said emotionally: "Don't worry, uncle. Since I know the test questions in advance, and I have a few months of preparation time, I will definitely try my best to come back top."
These words almost choked Cao Xinggong to death. He stared and stood up. He was very anxious on the spot. "What nonsense are you talking about? What you said outside just now was for outsiders to listen to. Did you take it seriously? In order to know that you would try
What are the chances? In order to see if I can help you, I will pretend that your answers to the provincial examination papers have not been judged by anyone? It is just about a middle-to-lower standard. It is not an exaggeration to say that you are trying your luck.
If you hadn't gained the reputation of being a "Hengqiu Xufei" this time, and had the high-ranking officials in the border areas endorsing you, I wouldn't have dared to ask anyone for help, and they might not have agreed. With your level, you could come back with the first place in the exam.
, are you all still alive? How many people will you pay attention to if you get the top spot in the exam? Not to mention whether your acquaintances in your hometown will become suspicious. Have you ever thought about the palace exam? His Majesty will temporarily give you questions on the spot.
You can know the test questions in advance in the general examination, but can His Majesty reveal the test questions to you in advance in the palace examination? Who do you think you are? You will be ranked first in the general examination, but it is bullshit in the imperial examination. Do you think everyone in the world is a fool? You know how to try?
If you take the first place in the exam, the heads of your family and mine together won’t be enough to kill you.”
Xu Fei was awakened by a thunderclap and realized that he had been overly excited. He was scolded in a cold sweat and blushed at his stupid words.
Cao Xinggong saw that his nephew was embarrassed, so he changed his tone and whispered softly: "I don't want to be ranked high, I just want to be a Jinshi, so that people won't doubt you, and at most you will be considered lucky. As long as you can
As long as you can stay in the capital for someone who is a Jinshi, your uncle and I are also in the capital. The rest depends on manpower. Whether you rank high in the exam will not determine your future achievements and future. Do you understand?"
Xu Fei immediately raised his hands and said, "I understand, my nephew will remember it."
Cao Xinggong pointed to the paper in his hand, "Put this thing away. Don't wave it around in your hands, for fear that others won't see it. Write it down and destroy it immediately."
"Yes." Xu Fei was a little confused. He reached out and opened a book on the desk, stuffed it into the album, and stuffed the book into the bottom of the pile of books on the desk.
Cao Xinggong looked at it and shook his head, but he didn't criticize anything too harshly, "Okay, I have important guests to meet at noon, so I won't be too verbose. I will hold a banquet for you in the evening." After that, he left.
"Uncle, I'll see you off." Xu Fei hurriedly followed. He still wanted to see his uncle for something, but he was scolded by his uncle and didn't know whether he should speak or not.
After the two of them left the study, a slight sound came from behind a half-screen, half-bookcase standing cabinet behind the desk.
The noise was caused by the insect. He was squatting behind him with a basin of water in front of him. He put a rag in his hand into the water and made a slight sound.
He didn't want to eavesdrop on the conversation between the uncle and nephew. He was just mopping the floor silently in the back and wanted to make the place where the young master studied a little cleaner. Who would have thought that he accidentally overheard such a shocking conversation?
He didn't dare to move even if he wanted to avoid it. He was so frightened that he didn't even dare to breathe.
He is not stupid and knows that he heard something he shouldn't have heard.
While the two of them were out, he also wanted to take the opportunity to leave quickly, and quickly came out from behind the cabinet.
However, before he reached the door, he saw the scene in the courtyard through a half-open window, and found that Xu Fei and his uncle were talking face to face in the courtyard again.
He was so frightened that he hid behind the window again, wanting to wait for the two of them to leave so that he could leave immediately.
However, after waiting for a while, they didn't see any intention of leaving, and they vaguely heard the word "Ashi Heng".
Mr. Shi Heng? Chong'er was stunned for a moment. He didn't know whether he heard it wrong or what he thought of. He looked back at the bookcase. He stared at it for a while and then lowered his head. After repeating this, he bit his lip and seemed to have made up his mind.
, after taking a peek at the movement outside, he quickly left from the window, arrived at the desk, moved a pile of books with trembling hands, picked up the bottom one, flipped through it, and found the one that Cao Xinggong gave to Xu Fei.
Paper.
When he was hiding behind the cabinet, he saw where Xu Fei hid his things from the gaps in the bookshelf.
Opening the paper, I read the content on it and found that there were not many words. I listened attentively to the movement outside. I hurriedly took the pen from the pen holder, quickly dipped it in the remaining ink in the inkstone, and took a stack of white paper from the table.
I took out a piece of paper, quickly put pen to paper, and started copying the so-called exam questions.
It didn't take long for all the test questions to be copied out quickly.
The copied copy was quickly hidden in his arms, the pages of the original one were folded back, and then a new pile of books was moved back to cover the original one.
After doing this, he was sweating on his forehead, and then he went back to wait behind the window...
Xu Fei and his uncle were talking about nothing else. They were talking about four thousand taels of silver and wanted to borrow four thousand taels from his uncle.
It's okay if I don't say this. When I said it, Cao Xinggong expressed doubts. You were closely guarded all the way and there was no chance to spend money. How could you make such a big expense? It's not that he didn't want to give his nephew the money and even did the exam questions.
After everything has been done, I don't care about the money, but I want to find out what's going on.
When pressed by his uncle, Xu Fei had no choice but to confess honestly. He told the story of cheating on charades, ending up falling into the demon world in the ancient tomb wasteland, escaping, and finally arriving in the capital. He roughly told the whole process.
Cao Xinggong did not expect that his nephew would have such a bizarre experience. After listening to the story, he pondered: "So, did that Ash Heng really save your life?"
Xu Fei: "You can say that, that's why I want to give him this money."
Cao Xinggong was silent for a while and said: "Don't give him the money yet. Let him wait for a while and see what the situation is. I know the matter. You should prepare well for the exam."
Xu Fei suddenly became a little anxious, "Uncle, that guy will do anything for money. He has my handle, so I'd better give it to him to avoid causing trouble."
Cao Xinggong said with his hands behind his back: "Don't be anxious, don't be afraid. Just because he will do anything for money, he can't give it easily. What if he is a greedy person? Giving money should be done in a normal way, and spending money should be done peacefully.
The one who wants to eliminate disasters, not the one who causes trouble. If he is an easy talker, just because he saved my nephew’s life, the money will naturally be given to him. If he is ignorant, then there is no need to give it, and it will naturally be another person.
This is a way to end it. Okay, I know the matter, and I will naturally handle it for you."
Xu Fei probably understood what he meant and nodded slightly.
"Relax and prepare well for the exam." Cao Xinggong patted his shoulder, turned around and strode away.
Xu Fei hummed, followed again, and personally escorted his uncle to the gate.
Zhong'er, who was hiding in the study, finally got his chance. As soon as the two of them left the hospital, he immediately got out of the study and quickly walked to the small wing on the side of the courtyard. He opened the door lightly and quickly entered his room.
I closed the door softly and hid behind the door. I was so scared that I broke out in a cold sweat. My heart was beating wildly and my hands were shaking all the time.
He himself didn't understand why he would do such a thing.