Zhang Yue was really shocked when he saw Yu Zhannan, who had laughed and talked with him yesterday and drank tea together, died in front of him.
Two men on the field beat Yu Zhannan to death, but they acted as if nothing happened. One of them even kicked the other man's body to see if he was dead.
"Don't do this." Zhang Yue said angrily in shock.
Lu Xiaqing, who was sitting at the top, said: "Let's carry it down first. I will explain this matter to the magistrate."
Seeing Lu Xiaqing like this, Zhang Yue was really horrified. He thought of the time when he met the water thieves by the Huai River. That was the first time he saw a murderer.
Now that Yu Zhannan died in front of him, Zhang Yue could not bear it to the extreme, but Lu Xiaqing was so calm. It seems that he has long been accustomed to dealing with such things.
After the others retreated, Zhang Yue said angrily to Lu Xiaqing: "Just expel him, why kill him?"
Lu Xiaqing said: "Dr. Zhang, if there is a disaster, it must be nipped in the bud. I am also thinking about your future and my life."
Lu Xiaqing had one selfish intention that she didn't tell Zhang Yue. It would be a great harm to leave someone who is resentful towards you and knows the root cause.
Zhang Yue understood Lu Xiaqing's motives, but he couldn't accept killing as a way to deal with things. He still couldn't understand that in order to protect his own interests, he could do whatever it took.
Zhang Yue did not want to quarrel with Lu Xiaqing, and even fell out. The two of them were still on the same boat, and Ouyang Xiu was pointing at them to repair the book.
Zhang Yue said: "I understand. The matter has come to an end. It's useless to talk more. Let's take good care of Brother Yu's family and the younger ones!"
Lu Xiaqing said: "Okay."
After returning to the Yamen, Su Xun and Yao Pi were still revising their books. Zhang Yue said nothing. A man couldn't help but asked: "Why hasn't Brother Yu come yet?"
Zhang Yue raised his head and took a look and said, "Brother Yu is not coming."
Su Xun, Yao Pi and others didn't know why.
At lunch time, it was reported that Yu Zhannan was beaten to death for stealing. Su Xun and Yao Pi were both horrified.
When the official left that day, Lu Xiaqing said to Zhang Yue: "Let's go to a bar!"
Zhang Yue's mood was agitated one day and he couldn't calm down. When he saw Lu Xiaqing's invitation, he said, "Okay."
The two of them changed out of their official uniforms and went out in civilian clothes, with their respective entourages following far behind.
In an alley next to Taichang Temple, the two of them stopped in front of a door hung with a red gardenia lantern. Zhang Yue saw him and said hurriedly: "Scholar Lu, it's not convenient for us to come to this place."
Lu Xiaqing said: "I feel guilty after hearing this. I didn't believe it before. It seems that there are two or three parts of this rumor that are true."
Zhang Yue simply admitted: "I'm afraid it's hard to tell."
While they were talking, the door opened and a servant poked his head out. When he saw it was Lu Xiaqing, he quickly said: "Please come inside."
Lu Xiaqing said: "Don't worry, just have some wine."
After the two of them entered, they were greeted by a pretty middle-aged lady wearing colorful clothes.
Lu Xiaqing ordered: "Dong Niang, sift two pots of wine and make some dishes to go with the wine."
The woman named Dong Niang bowed and agreed.
"Please save me."
Lu Xiaqing and Zhang Yue entered the room and sat down. Soon the woman brought two pots of hot wine. In the distance, they saw an old couple busy with wine and food.
Lu Xiaqing poured a glass of wine for Zhang Yue and said, "These are Dong Niang's parents, and the gatekeeper is his husband."
Zhang Yue was stunned and said: "There are other things like this."
Lu Xiaqing said: "Many prostitutes in Bianjing are like this, and the young ones are not ashamed of it. If I hadn't come to take care of their business these years, their whole family would have suffered from the northwest wind."
Lu Xiaqing sighed when he heard this. At this time, a child brought food in. Lu Xiaqing smiled and immediately stuffed some copper coins into his hand and said, "Go buy some food."
The child was overjoyed when he heard this and went out to talk to Dong Niang. Dong Niang went inside and took the child to thank Lu Xiaqing.
Lu Xiaqing took a bite of the dish and nodded: "Try it out!"
Zhang Yue found the vegetables very delicious when he ate them. Lu Xiaqing suddenly said, "Does Duzhi know my cousin Huiqing?"
Zhang Yue asked in surprise: "Brother Jifu is your cousin?"
Lu Xiaqing nodded. Only then did Zhang Yue understand that Lu Huiqing's Lu family could be described as a noble family. A total of eight of his ten brothers were awarded Jinshi. As for Lu Xiaqing and Lu Huiqing, their relationship is just like that between themselves and Zhang Kai, they are cousins.
"Ji Fu mentioned you to me many times and praised your writing skills." Lu Xiaqing said with a smile.
Zhang Yue said: "Ashamed."
Lu Xiaqing turned around and said: "Brother Yu and Jifu are also familiar with each other. Brother Yu is good at writing. He has failed in the imperial examinations many times. He is indeed very knowledgeable and knowledgeable, so he feels that his talents are not recognized and he cannot succeed."
"One time a villager recommended him to me. I talked with him and found out that he was indeed talented, so I became his assistant and led him to study the Tang Dynasty. He was busy outside and worked a lot, and now he is studying Taipei. It is often because of the imperial ceremony. I have suggested to Mr. Ou that if he can be used for this revision of the book, he will be rewarded for his contribution. I sincerely request that he submit it to the imperial court and get an official and a half-job."
Zhang Yue understood the regret in Lu Xiaqing's words. He was a Jinshi, so he couldn't help but feel that Yu Zhannan, who was not a Jinshi, was a little out of place. But how many people can be born as Jinshi, and how many scholars are talented, but they suffer from failing to pass the Jinshi exam and finally disappear from the public.
They are more eager to get ahead than the Jinshi, and hope that one day they will be supported by noble people and rise to the top.
Yu Zhannan thought he had encountered such an opportunity, but in the end he was killed by his own Bole.
After listening to Lu Xiaqing's words, Zhang Yue said: "I understand what Dr. Lu said. I don't blame anyone for Brother Yu's death. It's because he was the one who made trouble. He is not suitable for the path of becoming an official."
Lu Xiaqing understood Zhang Yue's meaning and nodded. He is the official who establishes etiquette.”
"If I break up with you and me in private, I won't die. But if this word spreads to many people's ears, once it spreads to the capital, we will be in great trouble. If I tolerate this matter, I will be in trouble. "
Zhang Yue glanced at Lu Xiaqing. Although he did not agree with killing the other party, he still deeply believed that Yu Zhannan was not suitable to be an official.
Through the imperial examination, the lazy, uneducated, and mediocre IQs are first screened out, and the rest are elites. This official selection system is an improvement over the original Yin officials and the nine-rank Zhongzheng.
But what about those who pass the imperial examination and whether they are qualified to serve as officials?
For many people, it is definitely unqualified. For example, Yu Zhannan said the wrong thing in the wrong place. If he had been a Jinshi, he would have saved his life, but he was not.
If a person with insufficient abilities is allowed to become an official, it will not help him but harm him. Like the senior officials in Bianjing, they only trained one or two sons to pursue official careers or did not allow them to become officials.
It's fine to be a dull official, but what I'm afraid of is harming the whole clan.
Most officials with the same Jinshi background spend their entire lives in rotation in low-level positions.
In addition to the limitation of seniority, most of them are those who talk about trouble, are on the wrong team, are confused in their work, and are careless in their official duties...
Only those who are suitable for official positions can be promoted.
When Zhang Yue saw Yu Zhannan today, he couldn't help but reflect on whether he was suitable to be an official and to embark on this path? Lu Xiaqing actually taught herself a good lesson.
Zhang Yue took his leave after eating a few bowls of wine, while Lu Xiaqing stayed overnight at a prostitute's house.
On the day Li Jian was on duty, Lu Xiaqing reported that he had accidentally killed a corrupt man by lynching.
After hearing this, Li Jian didn't care too much, and fined Lu Xiaqing half a year's worth of pen-polishing silver, and gave the public food money to Yu Zhannan's family, while he wrote a letter to Kaifeng Mansion to explain.
No one would argue with the magistrate of Taichang Liyuan over a commoner. After Lu Xiaqing and Zhang Yue paid to settle Yu Zhannan's primary school, the matter was revealed.
Zhang Yue felt uneasy, and from now on he would send money to Yu Zhannan's family during every new year and festival to alleviate the guilt in his heart.
After that, he compiled the Taichang Yin Ge Li.
Han Qi and Ouyang Xiu repeatedly asked the Liyuan about the progress of book revision.
Because of the shortage of manpower, Zhang Yue and Lu Xiaqing asked Han Qi to transfer more literate people from the palace to help in the ceremony. Han Qi agreed. At this time, Lu Huiqing was serving as the collation of Jixian Academy. Lu Xiaqing used this reason to transfer Lu Huiqing to the Liyuan.
When Zhang Yue heard that Lu Huiqing had come to the Liyuan, he also lamented the meaning of God's will in the dark.
Ouyang Xiu asked Lu Xiaqing to major in Taichang Yinge Li, and during the Xining period, Wang Anshi asked Lu Huiqing to edit the "New Meanings of the Three Classics".
The two brothers of the Lu family can really build a connection between the past and the future.
But it must be admitted that Lu Xiaqing and Lu Huiqing are both knowledgeable people.
The two brothers are not only outstanding in knowledge, but also very sharp and capable. They are well versed in accidents and can adapt to situations when encountering difficulties.
Zhang Yue, Lu Xiaqing, and Lu Huiqing were two people who studied books, and they learned a lot from them about how to deal with officials and affairs.
Of course, Lu Huiqing's visit to the Liyuan to study books was not entirely beneficial and not harmful.
Su Xun was very disliked by Lu Huiqing, perhaps because Wang Anshi admired Wang Anshi very much. Anyway, Su Xun just disliked Lu Huiqing, and privately told Zhang Yue more than once that Lu Jifu was really a villain!
Of course Zhang Yue understands Su Xun's desire to protect his son, and he has secretly included in his list all those who are not good for his son.
Historically, the relationship between Er Su and Lu Huiqing was indeed not very good, but now that they have not broken up, it would not be good to be disliked by Lao Quan.
Every time Lu Huiqing came to the ceremonial court, Su Xun would not speak to Lu Huiqing, and would not even say a word as long as he was present. Lu Huiqing put down her body several times and took the initiative to talk to Su Xun, hoping to ease the relationship between the two.
But they all replied lightly to Su Xun and refused to say another word.
Lu Huiqing came to the ceremony hall for half a month, but she seemed to find it boring, so she took the initiative to quit her job.
After Lu Xiaqing found out, he didn't say anything. After all, the person he relied on most for compiling the ritual books was Su Xun, so he still treated him warmly, but continued to want people from Chongwen Academy.
Although Chongwen Academy sent some people one after another, they were far behind compared to Lu Huiqing.
Not only Zhang Yue, but also the people who wrote books in Liyuan Su Xun admired Lu Huiqing's ability very much.
It's now May, and Taichang's compilation progress is still slow due to Ge Li. Seeing that the official family still has no intention of establishing a prince, Ouyang Xiu can't wait and asks Zhang Yue and Lu Xiaqing to edit twenty volumes first. Don’t ask beforehand.
First, fix the matter of establishing the crown prince, and prepare to submit it to the official family first.
