"You should take care of yourself." Xiao Chen said with a smile, "The emperor has imprisoned you for so long, and he has exempted you from prison terms. He will not be sent to the army or exiled. Maybe he will be able to pardon you before or after the year or two."
"Haha, I don't want to think about this anymore. Your Majesty's willingness to let me stay here for the rest of my life is a great blessing. How can I dare to hope for anything else?" Lin Dongyang said, "I think it's time for you to leave, here. It is not good to delay for too long. You are not afraid of anything, but I am still afraid. You must not let anything happen, otherwise what will happen to my son?"
Xiao Chen came out and asked Lin Qi to go in and say goodbye to his father. Several royal guards surrounded him, asking for rewards.
The usual rewards don’t count, but now it’s the Chinese New Year, and we have errands to do, so we can’t pay your Marquis a New Year greeting, and it’s not our turn.
So I wish you a good year first. You will be able to get all the annual rewards... You guys will also have a good year.
After a while, Lin Qi came out dejectedly. It seemed that he had been scolded again just now. The attitude of the Jinyi guards towards him has also changed greatly. They were polite before, but it was all in vain. This time he came with great enthusiasm, and he called Mr. Lin extremely affectionate.
Everyone knows that he went to Langya and made a lot of achievements. I heard that he even went to Baisha City alone to persuade Duan Fengnian to surrender... Tsk, tsk, tsk, you are so brave at such a young age!
After leaving the imperial prison, Lin Qi was still sulking and silent.
"What's wrong with you kid?" Xiao Chen had to take the initiative to talk to him, "Master Dongyang scolded you a few times and you're still angry?"
"I'm not angry with my father, I'm angry with you!" Lin Qi said loudly, "You were the one who told my father that I had to take the exam, right?"
"Isn't this for your own good?" Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"I didn't do anything wrong. Why did you drive me away?" Lin Qi's face turned red.
"Who said I would drive you away?" Xiao Chen said.
"I have already agreed with Xiao Ye and the others that we will go to Yanyun after the New Year! Now that you insist on letting me take part in the examination, isn't it clear that you don't want me to go? What's the difference between driving me away?" Lin Qi said.
"If you say that, I really have to drive you away." Xiao Chen said, "After the New Year, you will be able to take the exam for a month. You pack up and go home to study for me. Sharpen your skills before the battle. It's not fun but it's always better than Don’t be strong.”
"But there are still a lot of things to do." Lin Qi is now Xiao Chen's housekeeper. As soon as he comes back, Xiao Yu immediately lets himself go and doesn't care about anything, leaving all the matters to Lin Qi.
"It's not important that you can try anything!" Xiao Chen said, "Of course I will say hello to them later, but you still need to be strong. If you are mud, no one can help you up the wall! Don't lose your reputation in the end. Embarrass Master Dongyang and me!"
"I don't need anyone to take care of me. I can pass the exam on my own!" Lin Qi said, "If I fail the exam, there must be fraud!"
"Oh, why are you bragging on me?" Xiao Chen said, "Are you going to control your anger with me?"
"I'm not blowing off steam, nor trying to control your anger. That's how it is." Lin Qi said, "When I was seven years old, I was familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics. When I was ten years old, I became a scholar. In fact, when I was thirteen, I In the provincial examination, my father marked out my paper, so I was not selected, and it was two years later that I was selected because he was not the one who took the examination."
"Is there such a thing?" Xiao Chen was surprised, "Why didn't Lord Dongyang mention it to me?"
"He never mentioned it to anyone, and he didn't want me to be known as a child prodigy. He was afraid that I might not be better when I was young," Lin Qi said.
"Lin Qi, you either don't take the exam. If you want to take the exam, you have to take it. No matter you are a Jinshi or a fellow Jinshi, you always have to have a background, otherwise you will fail Master Dongyang and me for all their hard work for you. !" Xiao Chen said, "Of course it would be better if I didn't mention this matter to Liu Qiheng, Jiang Tiansheng and the others, but how sure are you?"
"Ninety percent," Lin Qi said, "and another 10% are natural and man-made disasters, accidental disasters."
"Okay, I believe you." Xiao Chen said, "Since you said this, you must do it. If you don't do it, our friendship will be severed from now on. What I hate most is talking nonsense. People who lied to me.”
"Then what if I get the top spot in the exam?" Lin Qi asked, "Can I stop being an official in Dazhou and go to Yanyun with you?"
"Oh, you said you were fat and you got asthma!" Xiao Chen said angrily, "Let's wait until you pass the exam. If you don't pass the exam, let alone go to Yanyun, you won't be allowed to enter my house!"
I'm really a little angry. It's okay for young people to be arrogant, but this kid is too crazy!
He is simply more arrogant than me. If I take the exam in person... I'm afraid I won't pass.
Lin Qi was not only sure of passing the exam, but he also didn’t have to study and review. He knew everything by heart, so what else could he read?
It’s nothing more than the fourth and fifth secretaries’ questions, and there’s nothing left to do...
As for policy discussions, Brother Xiao, I bet you that the topic must be related to Langya County! If it is not a strategy to stabilize the local area, it is a strategy to pacify the border and defend the country.
Xiao Chen rolled his eyes when he heard this, "What the hell are you going to become a Jingang?"
Originally, Li Wanjiang promised Xiao Chen to have a good rest at home for three days, but he only rested for one day. He was recruited into the palace early the next morning. Xiao Chen knew that Li Wanjiang had received the news of the English's request for peace. , one day slower than the news from Dugulou, but still pretty fast.
As he expected, Li Wanjiang summoned the ministers to discuss this matter.
Although Li Wanyun and Dugulou had worked hard in vain, but since the British took the initiative to surrender and sued for peace, and their attitude of being cowardly and respectful was still very low, it was still a good thing.
Now that they have proposed a strike, Li Wanjiang will naturally not send the navy to fight them. However, how to determine the nature of this unwarranted battle needs to be discussed.
Now Li Wanyun has gone back with the last envoy Pitel, so when I see him, should I accept their apology and agree to their peace request, or force them to hand over a letter of surrender?
In addition, no matter how many gold and silver treasures they bring, they must have a name. Is it a tribute, a compensation, or a simple gift?
Everyone was talking about everything, but Xiao Chen remained silent, thinking to himself, what is there to discuss? You, Li Wanjiang, definitely don’t intend to hit anyone, so isn’t there just peace talk?
Although that Pitre was very rude when he came last time, you, the Emperor, have so many people that it doesn't matter if you tolerate the ignorance of his small foreign country.
Besides, we didn't suffer any loss, and they didn't take advantage. Didn't they bring gifts?
The explanation is sincere.
It doesn't matter if the Yanyun Navy is dispatched in large numbers. It can be regarded as a training exercise. In addition, it can be regarded as showing our strength to the British people. It also has a deterrent effect to some extent, and it is not completely in vain.
So when Pitel comes, just give him a few words of reprimand in person, and don't insist on asking for a surrender letter from them, or asking them to pay tribute, which is useless.
Didn't Japan also pay tribute to the Zhou Dynasty at that time, but it shouldn't hit you in the same way?
