Sima Wan was full of thanks, but he choked back with a 20% discount.
At this time, Niu Diao muttered: "Even if he is a close friend, he can't get a 20% discount. At most, it's a 82% discount."
Li Shui shook his head and said firmly: "He is different from others. He is a best friend among close friends."
When Sima Wan heard this, his heart became excited again.
He took out a piece of jewelry to pay the bill, and then happily entered the Shangjun Courtyard.
Now that Li Shui was busy with his affairs, he didn't have much time to entertain Sima Wan, so he just took him around for a while.
Even so, when Sima Wan came out of Shang Jun's Courtyard, he felt that his life would never be the same again.
The gatekeeper Niu Cal suddenly stopped Sima Wan and said with a smile: "My lord, please stay."
Sima Wan was stunned for a moment and asked cautiously: "What? Do I have to pay when I go out?"
Niu Du laughed loudly: "How can you? The banished immortal regards money as dung. That is an extraordinary master. How can he talk about money?"
As the calf spoke, he took out a small box. When the box was opened, there was a shiny bronze plate with two lines of words cast on it. One line reads: Shangjun Courtyard. Another line reads: Best Friend.
Niu Dao said with a smile: "Any close friend of the banished immortal can receive such a bronze medal. Of course, if you don't like it, you can refuse it."
Sima Wan asked: "Do you need money for this bronze medal?"
Niu Calf said: "No money, it's completely free."
Sima Wan breathed a sigh of relief, happily took the bronze medal and hung it around his neck.
The bronze medal glowed golden in the sun, a bit like a gold medal.
In the past, Sima Wan walked on the street with his hands and feet tied up, looking cautious. And he was wearing a bronze medal today, and his waist was straightened, consciously or unconsciously.
…………
Outside Xianyang City, in the western suburbs. Thousands of people are quickly building a high platform.
The high platform is made of loess and paved with flat stones. Then lay the satin on it.
The entire high platform is extremely gorgeous. After all, after night falls, His Majesty will come here to offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for blessings.
The altar was quickly completed in just one day. And such a large battle also invisibly conveyed the news that a lunar eclipse was about to occur.
Just as the courtiers feared, if there is no lunar eclipse, the emperor who appears on the altar tonight will definitely lose his face.
However, the matter has come to this, and we can only continue step by step.
Ying Zheng put on the imperial robes in the palace, then led the princes out of the palace and went straight to the altar.
Along the way, Qin soldiers held long swords and guarded the four sides, and everyone was waiting for them, so they all avoided them. It was simply extremely majestic and domineering.
Xiang Chao hid behind the door of his house and peeked out secretly. Then he said to his confidants behind him with a look of emotion: "My Yu'er can take your place."
The confidant was already used to this kind of thing and nodded against his will.
When the emperor reached the altar, the civil and military officials were already waiting there.
There were many people around the altar, but no one dared to make any noise, so it was completely silent.
Although no one spoke, the courtiers were all looking at each other and exchanging opinions with their eyes.
Chunyu Yue Wang Wan and others were very worried. Because sacrifices are made in a hurry, mistakes can easily occur. What is even more disturbing is that if there is no lunar eclipse tonight, His Majesty will not only lose his majesty, but also arouse speculation among the people. If it is taken advantage of by someone with intentions, I'm afraid it will be a big trouble.
The other courtiers were holding back their thoughts to watch Li Shui and Sima Wan make a fool of themselves. In their opinion, the likelihood of a lunar eclipse tonight is slim. Even if there really was a vision from the sky, it would have been impossible for Sima Wan to predict it with such certainty and to the precise date.
They have already thought that as long as there is no lunar eclipse tonight, they will immediately accuse Sima Wan of deceiving the public, and Li Shui's remarks will also become ridiculous nonsense. This will undermine Li Shui's status in His Majesty's mind.
When Li Shui falls, everyone can be reused again. Everything in Xianyang City can be completely restored to its original appearance.
Whenever these courtiers thought of the days before Li Shui came, they couldn't help but burst into tears of excitement.
Of course, after driving away Li Shui, his papermaking skills, iron pots, fairy wine, and other magical things can be kept...
Apart from these two groups of people, the only ones left are the dignitaries who once sent their children to study in Shangjun Courtyard.
These people stood there, looking at their eyes, nose, mouth, and mind. They looked calm on the surface, but in fact they were very nervous and praying hard. Praying that the lunar eclipse must happen, otherwise, the future of my children will be completely ruined.
…………
The red sun turned to the west, and Ying Zheng climbed to the top of the altar in the glow. All the young masters followed behind Ying Zheng.
Hu Hai glanced at Fu Yao quietly, with a proud smile on his face.
In Hu Hai's view, Huaiguzi's master and apprentice were used to being arrogant and domineering and talking nonsense. This time I couldn't help but play a big game, and it was very likely that I would kill myself.
They have done their own evil and their good days are about to come.
The more Hu Hai thought about it, the more beautiful it became, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Seeing his cunning smile, Fu Yao couldn't help but frown. Hu Hai quickly lowered his head and stopped looking at Fu Yao.
Hu Hai felt a little depressed: How does this guy look? She is obviously one year younger than me, but why is she a head taller than me? Could it be that the food of the banished immortal can make the body strong?
Hu Hai and Li Shui were at odds with each other, so they refused to eat the food developed by Li Shui. Now...he was a little shaken and thought he could give it a try.
…………
Ying Zheng was already standing at the top of the altar. Looking to the west, the sun has disappeared, leaving only a hint of red.
The red color also gradually dissipated, and the whole world became dark. Not long after, there was a full moon hanging in the sky.
Ying Zheng looked at the full moon and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: The moonlight tonight is really beautiful, but it's a pity that I don't have the heart to appreciate it.
There is no curfew in Xianyang City tonight, and even the city gates are open.
Countless people came out of their homes and came to the altar. Qin soldiers blocked them and they could not get close, but this did not prevent them from standing far away and trying to see the emperor's appearance.
In fact, they stood too far away, and the light here was dark, so they tried their best, but in fact they only saw a silhouette.
However, the human figure alone was enough to satisfy the people. They have even thought about telling others about it in a more embellished way when they go back.
When bragging, naturally you can't say that you only saw a figure. I must say that I saw his face. Not only that, but I also had the honor to salute His Majesty, and His Majesty also said "no courtesy"...
Many people were immersed in their imaginations and even forgot what they were doing tonight.
Two hours later, Ying Zheng was already a little impatient with waiting. He called Sima Wan up and asked, "When will the lunar eclipse happen?"
Sima Wan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said fearfully: "Your Majesty, I... I have little knowledge. At present, I can only estimate it to a certain day, but not to a certain hour."
Ying Zheng was a little unhappy, but after thinking about it, it was not easy to predict to a certain day. So he nodded: "That's all, I understand."
Sima Wan carefully returned to the team.
At this time, not only Ying Zheng was impatient with waiting. Even the civil and military officials and the people coming out of Xianyang City were a little impatient.
Some children were so bored that they kept pulling adults' fingers to go home.
Some people can't resist their children and can only go back with a look of regret.
Ying Zheng paced back and forth restlessly, and whispers began to appear in the ranks of the ministers.
Someone glanced at Sima Wan, smiled slightly, and said, "Brother Sima, where is the lunar eclipse you mentioned?"
Sima Wan patiently explained: "Don't be anxious, there will definitely be one tonight."
The man chuckled: "As we all know, a lunar eclipse is when the Tengu swallows the moon. How did Sima Wan know when the Tengu swallowed the moon? Could it be that he understands animal language?"
Many people laughed softly.
Sima Wan said nothing. In the past, he always had to argue when encountering this kind of topic. But today, he wasn't interested at all. I just sneered in my heart: A lunar eclipse is a tengu eating the moon? Bah, what a bunch of uneducated fools. I, Sima Wan, am the one who holds the truth of this world.
At first, Sima Wan was very confident, but as time went by, it was almost dawn. Sima Wan's heart also became anxious.
There were some shady courtiers who reached under their necks and gently slid their hands towards Sima Wan twice.
Sima Wan's legs were a little weak.
Li Shui came over, patted Sima Wan on the shoulder, and whispered: "Don't be afraid, you and I are in the same boat. Your calculation is based on my theory. If you are guilty, we are both guilty."
Sima Wan immediately felt more at ease.
Of course, if he hadn't seen the golden death-free medal in Li Shui's neck, he might have been more at ease.
Seeing that the sky was about to break, Ji Ming walked up to Ying Zheng with gloating, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, the lunar eclipse will probably not happen. Please go back to the palace."
Just as Ying Zheng was about to speak, many people suddenly exclaimed.
Everyone looked up and found that the full moon was suddenly missing a piece, as if it had been bitten by someone.
Many courtiers couldn't help but exclaimed: "The lunar eclipse is really a lunar eclipse."
Ji Ming looked pale and quietly held the fortune stone in his arms, thinking: What's going on? How is this going? Am I so unlucky? Which side will you lose? I just said that the lunar eclipse will not happen, so the moon is missing a piece?
When Ying Zheng saw the lunar eclipse, his first reaction was to look at Sima Wan and Li Shui in the team and nodded approvingly at them.
Afterwards, Ying Zheng began to worship heaven respectfully. Pray to heaven to eliminate disasters.
The people in the distance have already started beating gongs and drums. They worked hard to make noise, hoping to scare away the tengu and spit out the moon again.
The full moon became less and less, and finally turned into a crescent moon, and then disappeared completely.
The common people did not dare to neglect and struck harder. Sure enough, after a few seconds, an edge of the moon appeared. This edge grew larger and larger, and finally returned to the entire moon.
The common people wept with joy and congratulated each other with tears in their eyes: "Finally, the Tengu was scared away..."
When the lunar eclipse is over, Ying Zheng's ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven is also over.
However, he did not return to the palace immediately. Instead, he looked at Li Shui and Sima Wan and said, "You two have made great contributions. You have made great contributions. I will give you many rewards at the meeting tomorrow."
Li Shui and Sima Wan thanked him happily.
Ying Zheng looked at Zhou Qingchen and other question makers again, and said calmly: "The answers to the common sense questions should be corrected. Taishi Ling successfully guessed the lunar eclipse according to the round earth theory and heliocentric theory. The shape of the human world, It’s irrefutable.”
Zhou Qingchen bowed and said, "Yes."
Chun Yuyue suddenly stood up and said in a daze: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty means to return these forty points to the candidates who answered correctly?"
Ying Zheng said calmly: "Of course. As for those who answered incorrectly, their forty points will be erased."
Chunyu Yue said eagerly: "You must not do it, Your Majesty. This is not fair. Since ancient times, what scholars have learned is that the sky is round and the earth is round. Who knows that the correct answer is that the hún yuán in the world is like a ball?"
"The candidates gave wrong answers not because they were stupid or stupid, but because the ancient sages and sages misled them with their words."
Ying Zheng pondered for a while and said calmly: "Dr. Chunyu, what you said makes sense. That's all, these forty points don't count anymore. Let's reset the ranking."
Chunyu Yue thanked him with excitement.
At this time, Ying Zheng looked at Li Shui again and said, "Have you heard what Chunyu Yue said? I now order you and your Shangjun Courtyard to compile a set of books within a month. From now on. , the content of the imperial examination comes from this book. In this way, it is fair."
Li Shui was stunned for a moment after hearing this: Isn't this a textbook for future generations? Qin Shihuang was quite capable and very innovative.
Naturally, Li Shui did not refuse Ying Zheng's request. He understands very well the benefits of having a set of textbooks.
If you want to maintain a unified situation, force alone is not enough, you still have to rely on people's hearts. Textbooks are the easiest thing to gather people's hearts.
Li Shui was sure that if there were textbooks to guide him. In less than twenty years, all the princes in the world will stand side by side and each will be its own ruler. Even an ignorant Qian Shou would think this person is crazy.
Li Shui is thinking about what content should appear in the textbook.
Ying Zheng looked at the civil servants and generals around the altar and said loudly: "I am granting amnesty to the world today. Those who have committed the most heinous crimes are allowed to return home. If after returning home, these people dare to do evil, they will be punished for both crimes and dealt with severely. .”
The courtiers nodded. Some praised Ying Zheng for his kindness, while others praised Ying Zheng for his wisdom.
However, Ying Zheng had a clear mind. He looked at Li Shui and said, "Is there anything you want to add?"
Correct
