After breakfast the next day, Yan Shaoqing's mother Cao sent someone to invite Zeng Yu to go to Mudanyuan where she lives for some discussion. Zeng Yu knew that Yan Shaoqing advised him not to go to Beijing to become an official, and he reported that his mother Cao had to ask clearly.

Zeng Yu followed the two maids sent by Cao and came to Mudan Garden outside. Yan Shaoqing first greeted him and said, "Mr. Zeng, my mother just wanted to ask about that."

Zeng Yu nodded and said, "We should explain it to Lingtang clearly."

Mrs. Cao was already waiting for Zeng Yu in the second gate hall, talking to Zeng Yu through the curtain. First, I thank Zeng Yu for his careful teaching to Shaoqing over the days. Shaoqing's knowledge has improved significantly...

After saying a polite word, he turned to the topic. Cao asked: "I heard that Mr. Zeng advised Shaoqing not to go to Beijing to attack the post of Zhongshu Sheren. I wonder what Mr. Zeng was thinking about?" The Ming Dynasty officials paid attention to qualifications. One day as soon as possible, the accumulation of qualifications would be more. Although the Zhongshu Sheren was a seventh-rank official, he worked in the cabinet. Shaoqing's grandfather was still the chief minister of the cabinet. It was reasonable to support him. If he took office again in two years, he would lose two years of qualifications. Shaoqing's grandfather was over 80 years old. How could he know if he could continue to be the chief minister of the cabinet in two years?

Zeng Yu knew all the thoughts of Cao and said, "Young Master Shaoqing's mourning for his grandmother, Mrs. Ouyang, has not yet expired, so it may not be appropriate to go to Beijing this year."

Cao said: "The mourning period will be over by the end of this year. Wouldn't it be a good idea to join the cabinet next year?"

Zeng Yu didn't want to say some things too clearly, but he had to explain in the face of Cao's questions and said, "Mrs. I don't know anything. Even though Mr. Yan was outside, he was impeached by the censors because he had not yet fully mourned him. So even Sheng advised Mr. Shaoqing not to enter the capital for the time being."

Influenced by Yan Shifan's arrogant and arrogant behavior, Cao did not take the impeachment of the censor seriously and said: "The great official returned to Beijing last year because Shaoqing's grandfather was old. The emperor allowed my great official to return to Beijing to fulfill his filial piety."

Zeng Yu said: "But the censors will make a big fuss about this filial piety, and the capital will be uneasy. The lady can write a letter to ask Mr. Yan and Mr. Yan if they want Mr. Shaoqing to come to Beijing this year?" He also said: "Wansheng and Mr. Shaoqing are the same brothers as Mr. Shaoqing. How can they not want Mr. Shaoqing to become an official as soon as possible and be promoted as soon as possible? It is just that the current situation is quite complicated. Mr. Shaoqing may cause trouble when he enters Beijing at this time, so Mr. Shaoqing thinks that it is better to wait and see."

Yan Shaoqing, who was standing beside him, said: "Mother, Mr. Zeng is sincere and I really consider my future. My child has promised Mr. Zeng not to go to Beijing for the time being."

However, Cao was anxious to return to Beijing to reunite with her great official Yan Shifan. She could not fall behind Yan Shaoting's mother, Liu. Before the Qingming Festival, the high official sent a letter to say that Xu Jie, the second assistant of the cabinet, intended to be betroth his granddaughter to their Yan family. She didn't know whether it was betrothed to Shaoqing or Shaoting, so Cao was anxious. If Shaoqing could marry Xu Jie's granddaughter as his wife, and if there was such a powerful Qi clan as the Songjiang Xu family, Shaoqing would not always be suppressed by Yan Shaoting. As a mother, she could also be proud. She felt that Zeng Yu was quite planning and taught Shaoqing very carefully, so she put this thought to Zeng Yu without any concealment.

Zeng Yu shook his head secretly and thought to himself: "Xu Jie is very traitorous, and his cunning is rare. Last year, he failed to discuss marriage with Yingzi. This year, he wanted to marry his granddaughter to Yan Song's grandson. Xu Jie was so flattering that he was deliberately numbing Yan Song. Yan Shifan, isn't Yan's mastermind Xu Jie?" asked: "Has Mr. Yan's letter to summon Mr. Shaoqing to the capital?"

Cao said: "That's not the case, after all, I'm still filial."

Zeng Yu said: "That's it. Even if Mr. Shaoqing wants to enter Beijing, he must first consult the opinions of Master Yan and Minister Yan. Isn't it bad to enter Beijing rashly when he is angry?"

Cao nodded and said, "Mr. Zeng said, then according to what Mr. Zeng said, let Shaoqing write a letter to Beijing first and ask when it is suitable to enter Beijing. Is that good?" I thought to myself that the high-ranking official must have hoped that Shaoqing would come to Beijing early to take office.

Zeng Yu said, "This is the best." He said a few words and then he quit.

Yan Shaoqing followed Zeng Yu and walked silently for a while. Seeing that there were no one else on the left, he spoke out: "Mr. Zeng thinks that I, the Yan family, will suffer misfortune, right?"

Zeng Yu didn't want the young man to be worried early, and comforted him: "Young Master Shaoqing is so serious. I just said that the political struggle in the court is thorny, and I don't want you to step into it early. You should write a letter to seek the opinions of Lord Lingzun first, and don't act rashly."

Yan Shaoqing nodded and said, "Mr. Zeng, I promise you that I will be clean and clean as an official in the future."

It is rare to hear such words. Perhaps many people who are about to enter the official career have the original intentions, but the officialdom is a big dye vat. As the white-robed guest said, it has been said that it has been stenched for a long time. However, Yan Shaoqing is afraid that there will be no such opportunity. Although Yan Shifan is arrogant, he is now facing the impeachment of the censors of the Six Censors, and he is afraid that he will not let his son enter the capital at this time.

...

The day before the Zhongyuan Festival in July, Cao took Yan Shaoqing back to Youzhuju in the city. The heat had disappeared and there was no need to stay in the deserted Xianghu Manor. Zeng Yu naturally returned to the city together. The candidate for the president of the Jiangxi Road Provincial Examination in the current department has been revealed. It was Tao Dalin, the second-tier Zhejiang native of Bingchen Department, five years ago.

Zeng Yu was not very shocked by the well-informed knowledge of the White-Board Guest, nor was he worried. Tao Dalin should take Tao Dalin. The provincial examination papers must be sealed and copied. It is not so easy for the president to abuse the law, and the White-Board Guest party should not have been so tiny that he would come to punish him.

After mid-July, Zeng Yu went to the "Chunfeng Building" next to the playground in Donghubei and asked. The shopkeeper said that eight rooms should be able to be freed on the 20th. Zeng Yu wanted to move in early. Yan Shaoqing tried his best to keep him and said that it would not be too late to move out when Mr. Zeng's friends arrived in Nanchang.

Starting from July 18, Zeng Yu hired a porter at Laozhou Wharf. Whenever there was a boat from Guangxin Mansion, the porter would come forward to ask if there were any Guardians Wu and Zheng in Shangrao City who came to take the exam. If they received Wu Chunze and Zheng Shi and his party, the porter would run to Gaosheng Lane to report to Zeng Yu-

Zeng Yu and the shopkeeper of Chunfenglou Inn promised to start checking in on the 20th. By the 20th, eight rooms were vacant. However, before Wu Chunze and the others arrived, Zeng Yu went to Chunfenglou Inn again and paid an additional silver deposit. The room money was still calculated from the 20th. I expected that Wu Chunze and the others would arrive in two days.

On the afternoon of July 22, the porter at Laozhou Wharf came and reported to Zeng Yu that Wu Xiucai and the others from Guangxin Mansion had arrived. Zeng Yu was very happy and rewarded the porter with 80 cents. He asked the porter to go back to the wharf and ask Wu Xiucai and the others to wait. He then arrived.

Yan Shaoqing was very reluctant to leave when he heard Zeng Yu say he wanted to move out. He discussed with his mother Cao and gave him fifty taels of silver. Zeng Yu said in surprise: "How can you accept such a generous gift?" He insisted on accepting it.

Yan Shaoqing said: "This is the student's apprenticeship gift. Mr. Zeng must accept it. Shaoqing is lucky to meet a wise teacher like Mr. Zeng. If the teacher does not accept this gift, the student will not let the teacher go out."

Zeng Yu shook his head and smiled, and Yan Shaoqing also laughed.

Zeng Yu said: "Then I will accept it. You and I will be teachers and students for a year and will be friends for life."

Sixi had already packed her luggage and was waiting by the back door with a horse and a donkey. The men and two Yan Mansion servants stood outside the door and talked under the shade of a sycamore tree. After a while, Yan Shaoqing sent Zeng Yu out, but saw the men crossing their hands and saying, "Grand Prince, this Tang Jiansheng has been here several times, just to see the men, the elder son--"

The middle-aged scholar stepped forward, smiling and was about to show his respect to Yan Shaoqing. Yan Shaoqing said annoyedly: "I'll see you, let this person leave quickly. Didn't you see me sending Mr. Zeng?" Under Zeng Yu's guidance, Yan Shaoqing usually did not see these people.

Zeng Yu took the reins from Sixi and said, "Young Master Shaoqing doesn't need to send them away. I'm in a hurry to pick up my friends. I will come over to see you when I have time. Don't waste your daily homework."

Yan Shaoqing said respectfully: "Yes."

Zeng Yu stepped on the horse, raised his hand and said "Goodbye", and rode his horse. Si Xi also quickly turned over and rode the donkey Heibao, and followed the young master "Dede" out of Gaosheng Lane.

The master and servant rushed to Laozhou Wharf. Zheng Shi and Wu Chunze and a group of students had already got off the boat and were drinking tea at a tea pavilion near the wharf. When Zeng Yu arrived, they were naturally overjoyed and greeted each other.

This time, with Wu Chunze and Zheng Shi, four students from Shangrao and two students from Guixi, came to the provincial capital for the test. They were both Zeng Yu's old acquaintances. While greeting each other, Zeng Yu suddenly saw a young man dressed in a businessman smiling at him and couldn't help but say in surprise: "Isn't this Mr. Yuan!"

The young businessman was Yuan Sanli, the son of Yuan Zhong. When Zeng Yu recognized him, he quickly stepped forward to greet him.

Wu Chunze said: "Official Yuan came to the provincial capital to sell cloth. He was on the same road as us. The money he hired for the ship was paid by Yuan, which disturbed a lot of troubles along the way."

Yuan Sanli hurriedly said, "It is the honor of villains to be able to ship with you guys. If you have your husbands in charge, there are no Jiang Pishuiba and unscrupulous soap li to harass you along the way. It is considered that villains have made a profit."

Everyone laughed.

Zeng Yudao: "I have expected the guest room. If you are lying on the bed, you can see the tribute courtyard on the other side of the lake. Let's go now."

Yuan Sanli bowed and said, "Mr. Zeng, my husband, please say goodbye first. There is my shop in the city. I will visit you later." After asking Zeng Yu was living in Chunfenglou Inn near the North Playground, he said goodbye.

Sixi went to hire a big cart and loaded everyone's luggage. Zeng Yu shouted: "It's about seven or eight miles to Chunfenglou Inn. Are you walking or taking a sedan chair?"

All the students said that they were walking and took this opportunity to get familiar with the path of Nanchang City and to see the customs and customs along the way. So a group of more than twenty people headed to Guangrunmen.

When it was approaching Guangrunmen, Wu Chunze asked Zeng Yu how many rooms he had booked. When he wrote a letter, he only asked Zeng Yu to book six rooms, but now there are nine students, including Zeng Yu, and each of them has one or two servants. Six rooms must not be able to live in.

Zeng Yudao: "I booked eight rooms, each with two beds. If I don't have enough room, the inn should be empty."

In the three-year provincial examination, thousands of candidates gathered around, and their servants and entourages were no less than 10,000. The merchants in Nanchang were cheering up to make a fortune. The business of the restaurant and brothel was particularly prosperous, and even the hawking of street vendors was extremely exciting.

Zeng Yu and his nine students had only two of them participated in the provincial examination before. The others were the first ones, of course, they were particularly fresh and interesting. They watched and lingered, and were all excited. They only came to Chunfenglou Inn at the northwest end of Donghu at dusk. Unexpectedly, they poured a basin of cold water on their heads: the shopkeeper said there was no room available and they wanted to return the deposit of two taels of silver to Zeng Yu.

Wu Chunze and other scholars were also confused for a moment. They didn't know how Zeng Yu negotiated with this inn, but why did they regret it when things came to an end, so they all looked at Zeng Yu.

Zeng Yu looked calm and asked Sixi to find the book contract and said to the shopkeeper: "I signed a contract with you half a month ago. I paid an additional deposit of one or two silver taels the day before yesterday. The room money started to be calculated from 20 days. What is the point I lost to you? Today, my friends have all arrived, but you said there is no room available. It seems that you are going to find a place to make sense."

Zheng Shi and Wu Chunze all heard Zeng Yu say it clearly and had a contract in hand, so they all burst into indignation and shouted loudly. The young and strong servant shook his arms and looked at him, and acted to beat the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper was of course afraid to see such an angry group of scholars, and bowed repeatedly, "Dear Masters, please listen to the explanation of the little old man. It was not that the little old man breached the contract and gave the room to others for honesty. It was really that the group of customers was even bigger. I won't say that there were several scholars. One of them was the master of the magistrate. He was about to enter the Beijing Quan to choose a county magistrate. Yesterday, he saw that there were available rooms, so he forced to move in. How could the little old man afford to offend him?" He whispered again: "The little old man has a brother-in-law who also opened a store here. The little old man can take several of his husbands there, not far, not far--"

Wu Chunze, Zheng Shi and others were so angry that they could be so domineering by just holding the prison. They didn't take them seriously, and they were so outrageous. They were clamoring to ask the prison to come out to make a decision.

In a while, a few young men in bright clothes walked out of the inn. One of them had a tall and thin body and said with a bad voice: "Who is here to disturb my brothers' literary thoughts, what should I be guilty of!"

Zeng Yu saw this person, he looked familiar. Didn’t he meet Luo Shangxiang, the evil young man who wanted to buy four paintings for four cents in Linchuan last year? Did this guy seize the guest room? This is really a narrow road for enemies!

Zeng Yu took a few steps and shouted: "Young Master Luo, are you okay?"

Luo Shangxiang was surprised to see that some of the scholars with accents in Guangxin Mansion recognized him. After seeing Zeng Yu's appearance clearly, his expression changed from surprise to astonishment and then angry. He blushed and shouted: "It's him!" He was about to roar to the sky and sang a sentence, "If there is a way in heaven, you don't go, and if there is no way in hell, you will come in."

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Chapter completed!