"Hua Lian begs the young master to take the slave family in! The slave family can do any kind of work, all they want is to have a place to settle down. A girl from the slave family can't live even if she has money! I'm afraid she will be killed before she even leaves the capital.
After being plundered, there will be no happy ending in the end. I beg you, Master, to stay in the slave family!"
Hua Lian knelt down and begged, holding a handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Her weak shoulders were shaking, and her silent crying made her look really pitiful.
Gu Chengyu sighed, what Hua Lian said was true. Women in this world have a hard life, and Hua Lian is alone, and it is even more difficult for her to survive.
At the beginning of spring, she did not leave the main room, but was in Gu Chengyu's bedroom, listening to the goings on in the study. When she heard Hua Lian's request to stay, she paused in her hands while folding her clothes. This Hua Lian was not stupid, she just wanted to cheat.
Are you having sex with the young master?
Gu Chengyu had no good solution at the moment, "Get up quickly, otherwise you will stay in the house temporarily. If you want to leave someday, just let me know."
Gu Chengyu was also thinking that Hua Lian was already fourteen this year, and in at least two years he would have to talk to her husband's family. Next time he would ask around people to see if there was a suitable candidate, and maybe he could introduce her to Hua Lian.
A good marriage can be regarded as her good fortune. Anyway, there is only one more person to eat in the house.
Hua Lian, you are absolutely overjoyed to see Gu Chengyu really marry her. But living with her status is not embarrassing, but it is a bit awkward for her to live there.
"The slave family should be a maid for the young master! The slave family sees that there is no one around the young master who can take care of the young master's daily life."
As soon as these words came out, Li Chun in the room was not happy. If she stayed as a maid, who would she be? She planned to go out and argue, but Gu Chengyu also replied.
"No need, I already have Li Chun and Ming Mo by my side. I have enough people to serve. You can stay here in peace!"
Hua Lian wanted to say more, but found that Gu Chengyu had already picked up the book and took a sip of tea. Knowing that she didn't want to say any more, Hua Lian had to stand up and leave.
"I would like to thank you, Master, please pay attention to your rest." Hua Lian did not stay any longer. The days are long and she can always impress Master Gu. She does not believe that his heart is iron-clad.
Li Chun in the back room breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, but she also had a headache thinking about having to face Hua Lian in the future. Did she want to be the master to respect her?
"Sir! You have seen the list this time. Is there anything wrong with it?" A man in a grape purple trousers glanced at the old man sitting above him and asked anxiously.
"Tong Shidu, you see, the first-place candidate is named Gu Chengyu. I heard a while ago that he has bad moral character. He went to the capital to visit brothels and competed with the people for the girls in the brothels. It is really insulting to such a candidate.
If you are chosen as the first one, it will also disgrace the integrity of the court in the future!"
This person is wearing a crow-green robe with a sapphire crown and a sapphire crown on his head. His eyelids are droopy, but his eyes are still sharp. Judging from his age, he should be around fifty, but he is still energetic. At this moment, he is stroking a goatee, with a smile on his face.
Disdainfully authentic.
Who is this person other than Chief Assistant Xia Qing?
Tong Zhouyi, a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, was one of the officials who graded the examination papers. The list he handed to Xia Qing was a list of newly drawn up examination rankings.
"This?" Tong Shidu knew what Xia Qing meant, but this was the first place. The emperor had already seen the previous list. Wouldn't it be inappropriate to remove the first place as well? This is too blatant.
A little more.
Besides, the emperor may not agree with the list they drafted.
"Your Majesty has been ill recently and doesn't have much energy to deal with these small things. Just name out the candidates with bad moral character one by one and show them to the Emperor." Xia Qing doesn't think this is a big deal, as long as it's not excessive.
, the emperor will also turn a blind eye.
He also read this list, and he didn't cross out a few people. Moreover, the people who were crossed out were all students from poor families. There was nothing he could do about those candidates even if they knew the truth.
Tong Shidu was shocked. This was a major event in the Xiaoguan imperial examination. How could it become a trivial matter when it came to the mouth of the chief minister? He was a little worried about changing the list. The emperor was in a bad mood recently. If
What should we do if we take out our anger on him?
Then he felt helpless. Since he had surrendered to Xia Shoufu, he couldn't escape from this matter. Xia Shoufu was used to hiding behind and controlling the officials in the court, and he had his own punishments for those who were disobedient.
.
"Sir, Gu Chengyu is number one and he is already conspicuous. If he is pulled down and the emperor blames him, the lower officials cannot afford it!"
Tong Shidu had a bitter look on his face. This was really embarrassing for him. He was an official from the fifth rank. Gu Chengyu was not without foundation. Although his teacher had left the court, his influence was not without.
Once Liang Zhirui turns to those officials for Gu Chengyu's affairs, will those who have received his favor ignore him? What's more, Gu Chengyu also has three senior brothers, all serving in the court, and their official positions are not low, so it is difficult to offend!
Tong Shidu thought for a while, he couldn't handle this alone!
"Tong Shidu, you have to think clearly. You have been in the Hanlin Academy for many years. Do you know why you are still in the fifth rank today?"
Seeing that Tong Zhouyi was so frightened, Xia Qing felt a little disdainful. This Tong Zhouyi was really timid. Although he had taken refuge with him, he had not done anything for him after so long. Now he was going to test Tong Zhouyi.
, to see if he sincerely surrenders, or if he just wants to rely on his influence in the court to get by.
His name, Xia Qing, is not so easy to borrow. If Tong Zhouyi can't do this, then what is the use of this person?
Of course Tong Zhouyi knew the reason, wasn't it because there was no one in the court? That's why he wanted to seek refuge with Xia Qing, so that he could move his butt that had not moved for many years! He thought so in his heart, but on the surface he wanted to satisfy Xia Qing's pride.
, showing one's own stupidity.
"Please help me clarify my doubts!" Tong Zhouyi stood up and bowed his head to the bottom, as if he was humbly asking for advice.
When Xia Qing saw Tong Zhouyi's pretense, he didn't expose him and was very satisfied with Tong Zhouyi's attitude.
"That's because you always want to be wise and protect yourself! Tong Shidu, sometimes opportunities and dangers coexist, you have to seize the opportunity! Before, you may have thought that no one in the court appreciated you, but now you are under my command.
, of course I have to think about you. If you want to be my right-hand man, you have to let me see your sincerity."
Tong Zhouyi knew that Xia Qing wanted to see his determination to surrender through this matter. Since he couldn't avoid it, of course he had to find some benefits for himself.
"Sir, it's not impossible to do this. But, as you know, I am still a fifth-rank official. Even if I want to serve you in the court, I am unable to do so!"