Entering March, Guan's condition seems to have almost recovered.
The officials are somewhat used to it.
During the reign of Zhihe, when the official fell ill, the ministers were left without a master. Wang Su, the prefect of Kaifeng, even went to the palace to report the imperial army's intention to stage a coup.
After that, officials fell ill several times, and the ministers were all prepared, and nothing happened inside or outside the palace. This time the official family fell ill. Because of the establishment of the prince, and with such a strong prime minister as Han Qi, the civil and military officials were not as helpless as before.
The official finally recovered and presided over Jiayou's eight-year imperial examination, hand-picking Xu Wei as the first person to be a Jinshi.
After the roll call, Han Qi led all the ministers to the east gate to express their congratulations on the official's recovery.
Everything seems to be back to normal.
General Xu came to ask Zhang Yue for advice on the period gathering. Zhang Yue understood the difficulties faced by Xu General, a poor family scholar, and immediately lent him 500 guans to prepare well. He also introduced Fan Zuyu and Shen Kuo, who were also ranked No. 1, to General Xu. , let the two of them go to the gathering place to help General Xu.
Fan Zuyu was a Jinshi Jia Ke and had no problem getting into the Qiji Institute. However, Shen Kuo was a little worse. He was ranked fifth and was the 'Xiang Jia', but with this ranking, he generally could not get into the Qiji Institute. What's more, Shen Kuo is quite dull and talkative.
But Shen Yu was Zhang Yue's examiner. He went out to Hangzhou and wrote to Zhang Yue asking him to take care of his "uncle" Shen Kuo. Therefore, after Shen Kuo passed the exam, Zhang Yue made arrangements for him.
But he said that Shen Dun had great achievements in governing Hangzhou, suppressing powerful people and winning the hearts of scholars. Shen Tuo often wrote to Zhang Yue, and the letters were always forgotten. At the end of the letters, he always asked about Huang Lu's condition.
Zhang Yue was a little confused, what did Shen Yu mean? But Zhang Yue still told Shen Tao in the letter that Huang Lu had set off from his hometown in Fujian to return to Bianjing.
In addition to General Xu, Fan Zuyu, Shen Kuo, and Jiayou who were Jinshi for eight years also expanded Zhang Yue's network of contacts. General Xu also invited Chen Xuan, the second Jinshi scholar, to visit Zhang Mansion. Chen Xuan was from Jianyang and was also a fellow Zhang Yue.
Chen Xuan also had some kindness. After the roll call for Jinshi, he would be given clothes. Chen Xuan's green robe didn't fit him, so the official personally untied him and gave him a yellow robe. When Chen Xuan talked about this in front of Zhang Yue, he was filled with gratitude.
There is another person named Lu Tao. This Lu Tao is not the other Lu Tao. He is the son of Lu Xiaqing's elder brother Lu Qiaoqing, and he and Lu Huiqing are also cousins. After Lu Tao passed the exam, he was taken to Zhang Mansion by Lu Xiaqing and Lu Huiqing to recognize him.
And Guan Jinghui, Zeng Gong's brother-in-law...and so on.
However, it is still Cai Jing who receives the most praise from everyone in the Zhang family. Cai Jing didn't bring any generous gifts. Later, he mostly came to the house empty-handed to get some food. But Cai Jingsheng speaks nicely and can help you with any small matter, or if you have any difficult issues to discuss with him, he can give you an appropriate plan.
By the way, Cai Jing's younger brother Cai Bian is now worshiping Wang Anshi.
On March 29, Zhang Yue went to the Sutra Banquet Hall as usual.
The official's condition has improved these days, and when walking, when the officials entered the imperial city, they were not as solemn as they were in the previous days.
It was Zhang Yue's turn to stay in the secret pavilion today.
Whenever the Secret Pavilion was on duty, Zhang Yue would always bring a lot of food and drink with the old officials at night.
This day was no exception. The two of them were wearing thick cloaks and sitting across from each other around the stove. The small stove on the side was warming wine and the goose meat was stewed in the big pot.
Zhang Yue and the old officials played chess with their horses and horses. Zhang Yue was playing chess when he suddenly saw an old official stop playing chess and walk out of the house.
Zhang Yue said: "We haven't decided the winner yet!"
The old official pointed to the horizon and said, "Master Zhuangyuan, look at the horizon!"
Zhang Yue walked out of the house and followed the old official's gaze, but saw nothing. The old official said: "Just now a big star fell!"
Zhang Yue said: "I didn't see it."
The old official said: "Does the number one scholar trust the relationship between heaven and man?"
Zhang Yue said: "This is unknown."
Although it was March, the spring cold in Bianjing was still not gone. Zhang Yue felt a little cold, but he heard footsteps coming from outside the door.
Then there was a knock on the door. The old official immediately put out the fire and hurried to open the door. Zhang Yue was a few steps behind.
The old official asked outside the door: "What's the matter?"
"My dear bachelor, come to the palace quickly to see me!"
Zhang Yue heard that the other party's voice was urgent, even a bit crying. Immediately the old official opened the door, and several lights shone towards the door of Chongwen Hall.
"Bachelor, quickly follow me to the palace to see you!" a young man from Huangmen urged.
Zhang Yue hesitated for a moment, then asked immediately: "Is the Academy ready to be declared?"
Xiao Huangmen said anxiously: "I've already gone to invite you. I'll invite you here, Bachelor Zhang."
Zhang Yue saw that the other party's expression did not seem to be hypocritical. He had been bitten by a snake once and was afraid of well ropes for ten years. At this moment, he could only nod his head and said: "That's fine, just lead the way."
Several young men walked in the forbidden palace late at night with lamps on their hands. Zhang Yue had never been summoned once by an official since he had been a servant. Of course, it was because the officials were old and lacked energy. They had to replace the ministers who had served in the past. They were often called to the palace at night to discuss military and state affairs.
But this sudden summons made Zhang Yue feel uneasy in his heart.
There was no moon in the sky that night, and the sky and earth were dark.
All that can be seen is the burning fire on the palace wall, and the deep palace palace that looks like a giant beast dormant in the dark. The vermilion palace doors are like the bloody mouth of the giant beast, swallowing up the people who pass by. .
The courtyard was trembling in the wind at night. Zhang Yue walked through several palace gates in an uneasy mood, passed the Chui Gong Palace Gate, then passed through the Chui Gong Palace through the small door and went straight to Funing Palace. Zhang Yue gradually became more and more nervous as he walked this road. I felt relieved, and when I arrived at the Funing Palace, I heard faint sounds of crying coming from the palace, and many palace ladies and eunuchs were busy going in and out of the palace.
When Zhang Yue arrived in front of the palace, he saw the sound of footsteps coming from the palace gate on the east side.
Several small yellow gatekeepers at the palace gate held lanterns and led an official in purple robes to arrive. Hanlin bachelors can "borrow purple", which is a special grace.
Zhang Yue bowed his head when he saw this Hanlin bachelor from a distance. When he came out of the darkness into the early light, he saw clearly that it was Feng Jing and Feng Sanyuan. Feng Jing is another myth in the imperial examination. He is also the son-in-law of Fu Bi, and he has some problems with the current prime minister Han Qi.
When Fu Bi was the prime minister, Feng Jing was the prefect of Jiangning. After Fu Bi and Ding You, Feng Jing was transferred back to the capital as a Hanlin scholar and refused to go to see Han Qi. Han Qi asked Fu Bi, does your son-in-law have any objections to me?
"I've seen Feng Neizhi!"
Feng Jing glanced at Zhang Yue solemnly and said, "Is this Bachelor Zhang serving Zhi?"
Feng Jing sounded slightly disappointed.
At this time, everyone knew that Ren Shouzhong came out of the palace and said: "Two bachelors, please enter the palace quickly when you arrive. The queen is waiting for you."
"Queen? Didn't your Majesty summon you?" Feng Jing asked.
Ren Shouzhong said anxiously: "Two bachelors, don't delay any more. Officials, he...he..."
Zhang Yue and Feng Jing speeded up their steps after hearing this and climbed the steps into the palace.
There was a pungent smell of burning moxa in the hall. An eunuch brought a medicinal soup and said to the medical officer Shan Xiang: "The Ge Tang is ready."
Shan Xiang took a spoon and took a sip, and then said to the eunuch: "Hurry and serve the officials."
The eunuch asked hurriedly: "Where is the test medicine?"
"When you are in an emergency, what kind of test medicine should you use? Give it to the officials as soon as possible." Shan Xiang said urgently.
Another eunuch said: "Doctor Shan, this is the rule."
Shan Xiang said anxiously: "I want to see the queen to confess!"
At this time, the curtain in the inner room was lifted, and a woman in her forties wearing yellow clothes came out.
Feng Jing and Zhang Yue immediately lowered their eyes, not daring to look directly at them.
Fang Yan said: "Now that the matter is urgent, everything must be done according to the authority. Medical Officer Shan, I will entrust everything to you."
Shan Xiang said: "Don't worry, Madam, I will do my best."
Shan Xiang walked behind the curtain carrying the medicinal soup, and saw another medical officer, Sun Zhao, administering acupuncture to the official lying on the imperial collapse.
Zhang Yue glanced at it and immediately looked away, continuing to stare at the green bricks on the ground. Ren Shouzhong said at the side: "My Lady, you have been invited by the two bachelors who will serve you today."
Queen Cao said: "Are they Feng Qing and Zhang Qing?"
Feng Jing and Zhang Yue stepped forward and said, "I'm here."
Empress Cao said: "The official was fine last night, but suddenly he felt uncomfortable in his heart at night, and asked the servant for medicine. After the servant informed me, I was already a step too late. The official could not say a word now. Is it wrong for the medical officers to administer acupuncture and boil medicine without knowing it?"
"The official family has had problems in the past, but it has never been like this. I am now in chaos and have no idea. Under this situation, please ask two bachelors to give me an idea."
Queen Cao seemed to be a little nervous.
Feng Jing said: "My Lady, if the official is still conscious, please speak up."
Empress Cao said: "Xueshi Feng is very thoughtful, but now the officials are probably... speechless."
Feng Jing said: "The only thing we can do now is to open the palace gate at night and quickly summon the princes of the two houses to enter the palace!"
Queen Cao said: "Erecting a palace gate? Will it cause too much alarm?"
Feng Jing said: "In times of urgency, this is the only way. If something unexpected happens to Your Majesty, there will be chaos inside and outside the capital. Only a few princes can stabilize the country at this moment. Please make a decision quickly." ."
Empress Cao was silent for a while and then asked: "What does Bachelor Zhang have to say?"
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty is worried that the opening of the palace gate at night will cause panic at home and abroad, and the officials and people will be at a loss, which will give Xiaoxiao a chance to cause chaos. I also thought it was not appropriate to make a big fuss, so I summoned the two ministers with a secret edict to let them It is best to enter the palace at dawn."
After hearing this, Empress Cao said: "What Zhang Qing said is absolutely true."
After hearing what Zhang Yue said, Empress Cao nodded slightly, then looked at Feng Jing with some thoughts: "It is better not to open the palace gate for the time being as Bachelor Zhang said."
At this time, the eunuch came and said hurriedly: "Mother, the official... he is not good anymore."
Zhang Yue, Feng Jing, and Empress Cao were all shocked.
Empress Cao said to Zhang Yue and Feng Jing: "The two Qings are coming with me!"
"yes."
Empress Cao strode forward in a hurry, the maids opened the curtain, and Zhang Yue and Feng Jing followed them inside.
Zhang Yue saw that the faces of the officials on Yuta were as white as paper and their breath was weak. As for Sun Zhao, Shan Xiang and the two officials were even paler than the officials.
Empress Cao threw herself beside the imperial palace and said, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
The official opened his eyes slightly, pointed at his heart, and then stretched out his hand to caress the back of Queen Cao's hand.
Queen Cao couldn't hold back any longer and cried so hard that she almost couldn't help but cry. Ren Shouzhong and other chamberlains also wiped away tears. Zhang Yue said in his heart that the official family and Empress Cao were not on good terms, but in the final analysis they had been a couple for half their lives.
At this moment, Feng Jing hurriedly said beside Empress Cao: "Your Majesty, this is not the time to cry, please give me some words from the officials!"
