mtl008 Chapter 120 Since I'm too ashamed to face anyone anyway, I might as well go see a ghost.
Chapter 120 Since I'm too ashamed to face anyone anyway, I might as well go see a ghost.
Gold and silver treasures are normal, but this calligraphy...
After recalling Lin Shiming's various quirky antics, Emperor Longyun suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Explain clearly, what word?"
Lin Shiming, who was full of mischief, smiled brightly, "No rush, I'll send it to Father Emperor after I've polished it when I get back!"
"...I am very busy."
"Your Majesty, I seem to have failed to pay my respects today..."
"Shut up!" Emperor Longyun was threatened and could only swallow his anger and back down. "I'll write it for you when I have time!"
"Thank you, Father!"
Lin Shiming, feeling smug, comfortably lay back on Lu Yuxi's lap, enjoying the Crown Prince's just-right massage and caresses.
*
Half an hour later, Lin Shiming, who had fallen asleep with Lu Yuxi snoring comfortably on his head, woke up to Li An's voice.
"...Several students have already tidied their appearance and been taught some etiquette; they are waiting outside the hall."
"Hmm." Emperor Longyun nodded, glancing at Lin Shiming, who had just woken up and was still sleepy, on the couch next to him. "Call them in one by one in a quarter of an hour."
"The slave obeys."
Li An left.
Emperor Longyun put down the memorial he had just approved and looked at Lin Shiming and Lu Yuxi.
"Your Highness, why don't you take your Crown Princess to wash up and wake her up? Don't embarrass me by looking listless later."
After saying that, he didn't even wait for Lin Shiming to get up and refute him before getting up and going into the inner room to change his clothes.
Lin Shiming, left with nowhere to vent his anger, stood there dumbfounded.
Lu Yuxi touched Lin Shiming's face, which was stained with sleep marks, and smiled warmly, "Alright, let's go wash up first."
"Then I've suffered this loss for nothing!"
"Don't eat for nothing. When you go to Father's private treasury tonight to pick out things, just pick out a couple more items."
That makes sense! What does face matter when money is involved?
Lin Shiming was successfully persuaded by money, and he jumped off the bed in one swift motion, appearing as if he had not been injured or in pain at all.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" He eagerly pulled Lu Yuxi towards the side room. "We can talk about the treasure later tonight. Let's wash up first. This is the first time I've ever named a top scholar in the imperial examination!"
How prestigious would that be!
Lu Yuxi chuckled and let Lin Shiming pull her forward.
*
According to the default convention, the first person called in by the emperor during the preliminary examination is usually the one most favored by the emperor, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he is most likely to be the top scholar of the year.
So when Yu Xinghan was the first to be called in by Li An, the other nine people couldn't help but cast envious glances at him.
Yu Xinghan struggled to suppress his excitement and followed Li An to Emperor Longyun.
"Student Yu Xinghan greets Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, and Your Highness the Crown Princess."
"Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Yu Xinghan slowly stood up, lowering his head and not daring to look directly at the emperor's face.
Lin Shiming, standing nearby, curiously sized up the prospective top scholar.
Yu Xinghan has a decent appearance and a dignified demeanor, and looks to be around thirty or forty years old.
His clothes, though not particularly luxurious, were not made of fabric that ordinary people could afford. His skin, while not exceptionally good, was fair and clean, perfectly matching Lin Shiming's impression of a "pale-faced scholar."
This is also reasonable.
In ancient times, how many peasant children could afford to study and pass the imperial examinations to become Jinshi?
It's important to know that in ancient times, books were expensive, writing materials were expensive, and good teachers were even harder to find. Poor families simply couldn't afford to support a child's arduous studies for over a decade from a young age.
The saying "It's hard for a poor family to produce a successful one" doesn't refer to the impoverished families that modern people imagine. They were simply families that had declined compared to aristocratic families, but compared to ordinary people, they were still considerable landowners.
"I have read your article. It is substantial, insightful, and written in a flowing style. Even the bonus question was calculated very comprehensively and accurately."
Emperor Longyun's voice was gentle, "In this first question, you mentioned 'freedom of rules' but didn't elaborate. Now is the perfect time for you to explain what this means."
"I will obey your command." Yu Xinghan nodded slightly. "This sentence was brought up by me at the end of the article, and it is only a supplement to the original meaning of the article. I believe that people should follow their hearts, obey the principles of life, and exercise freedom. However, freedom also has its limits. It cannot overstep the principles of heaven and earth, nor can it affect the country or others."
"This freedom should be freedom within the framework of rules."
Lin Shiming nodded in agreement. This man's views and ideas were still somewhat immature, but they already showed some resemblance to the Marxist concept of a "kingdom of freedom," and he had a good sense of rules.
They can be taken to the Ministry of Justice.
"Not bad." Emperor Longyun nodded in satisfaction. "Let's leave the article here for now. I have one more question."
Yu Xinghan bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, please ask."
"You say that freedom also needs rules. Just this morning at court, someone bluntly stated that ancestral rules are the foundation of the nation and should not be easily changed. Tell me, can these rules be changed, and how should they be judged and modified?"
…
Fifteen minutes later, Yu Xinghan slowly withdrew under the dignified but not undisguisedly satisfied gaze of Emperor Longyun.
"how?"
Lu Yuxi nodded. "Indeed, it's excellent and worthy of being the best."
“That’s good!” Lin Shiming leaned closer. “This person is suitable for the Ministry of Justice. Father, why don’t you give him to me?”
Emperor Longyun rolled his eyes at him, but didn't answer. He simply raised his hand and told Li An to call the next person.
Lin Shiming pouted in dissatisfaction, snorted, and went back to his couch.
*
Ten people is neither a lot nor a little.
When it was finally Lou Yunsu's turn, the last person to arrive, it was already noon.
After standing there for nearly an hour, Lou Yunsu's legs were stiff as he walked in, and he walked slowly, looking like a zombie.
That wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that his stiff legs caused him to trip over his own feet when he entered the study, resulting in him falling flat on his face to the ground.
"Ah~"
Seeing this, Lin Shiming was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, bending over backward. However, this gloating young general soon suffered a tragic end under Lu Yuxi's worried and shocked gaze. He crashed into the frame behind him with a thud, which also aggravated his injuries, causing him to wince in pain.
Li An shuddered at the sight and wisely retreated to the outer room.
Having witnessed two farces in a short period, Emperor Longyun laughed even harder.
"Shi Ming!"
Lu Yuxi rushed over to help him, but the proud General Lin firmly pushed her away, saying, "I'm fine, I just suddenly thought of something that made me unhappy."
“Don’t…”
"Shut up!" Lin Shiming, who cared a lot about his image, bared his teeth fiercely at Lu Yuxi. "I'm... fine!"
Lu Yuxi sighed helplessly and pinched Lin Shiming's cheek. "...Okay."
The little incident here has come to an end for now. Lou Yunsu is still lying on the ground at the door, looking both desperate and peaceful, as if he were dead.
Having recovered from the pain, Lin Shiming finally had the energy to cause trouble again. He walked over to Lou Yunsu with interest and gently kicked the man who was still lying on the ground pretending to be dead.
"Hey! If you really die, I'll have someone carry you to a mass grave."
Lou Yunsu's calm and composed voice came in a muffled tone, "Very well. Thank you for your trouble."
Just carry him out of here. Disrespecting the Emperor is a serious crime! Since I'm too ashamed to face anyone anyway, I might as well go to the underworld.
It's a bit of a pity that he didn't get to see his wooden cousin being abandoned by his princess cousin-in-law before he died; that's a regret.
I hope Xiao Feng can have some brotherly love, and that when he is divorced in the future, he will consciously go to the mass grave to offer incense to me, so that I can see the face of his abandoned husband and fulfill my last wish.