Hua Yitang is a little abnormal.
I went out for a banquet every day a while ago, but suddenly starting from yesterday, I postponed all the banquets and stayed at home. I said I would study hard behind closed doors and concentrate on preparing for the exam two days later.
Lin Sui'an said: I believed his evil deeds!
Before dawn in the morning, he read poems loudly outside the "Biyan" garden where Lin Sui'an lived, "The long light clouds are full of love, the battle of Xuanyi is waiting to be considered." He repeated these two sentences over and over again, which made Lin Sui'an noisy. An Naoguaren was buzzing, and if it wasn't for the sake of him supplying Qian Jing with a drink, he would have hung him up by his neck collar on a bamboo pole to dry in the sun.
During breakfast, he had to sit directly opposite Lin Sui'an. He was dressed in pale clothes, which made his face look pale. The food was not good, and the soup was not good. He put his fan against his forehead and waved it. With a melancholy and lonely look, he continued to recite poems, "In my dream, lotus blossoms bloomed in Guanshan Mountain, but when I woke up, my sleeves were empty." Lin Sui'an lost his temper because of the fuss. He asked what kind of monster this guy was trying to be. It was okay not to ask, but it became more lively when he asked. The dandy's eyes turned red and he looked at her aggrievedly, as if she was some heinous bad person. Others The way people looked at Lin Sui'an was wrong.
After breakfast, it was Jin Ruo's training time. Lin Sui'an knew that her current kung fu mainly relied on the strong strength and reaction ability of this body. Jin Ruo's reaction ability was good, but what she lacked was strength. Therefore, the designed The first stage of the course is devil strength training, the form and content are relatively boring. Jin Ruo complained endlessly and almost cried several times.
Hua Yitang didn't know whether he wanted to see Jin Ruo's joke or had some other intentions. He set up a tea table, cushions and a few volumes of books on the side, while Eta waited on him the whole time to make tea, which was bitter and astringent. Amid the smell of tea, Hua Yitang's voice while reading was also bitter, "Who would exchange the world for gold, in exchange for a hero's sincerity?", coupled with a sad sigh, it heightened the desolate atmosphere. Jin Ruo wanted to cry even more.
Don't even think about peace and quiet during lunch and dinner. The poem accompanying lunch is "Looking at the sky at Mount Dai from a distance, my heart is so tender", and dinner becomes "whispering in a whisper, wet clothes and tears", it's so easy to get through it. It was time to go to bed at night, and this guy was standing in the bamboo forest again, with a lonely silhouette, raising his head and singing an ode, "After I recited your poem, I looked at my temples, and I felt half of my hair was covered with frost, so sad -"
Lin Sui'an couldn't bear it any longer, so he stood up from the table and rushed out of the door, "Tomorrow is the day-to-day examination. I have to go to Gongyuan early in the morning. If you don't go to bed early to recharge your batteries, what are you doing here?"
Hua Yitang turned around and looked over, his eyes bright and soft, "You also said that tomorrow is the day's exam, you...don't you have nothing to say to me?"
Lin Sui'an: "..."
Good guy, I've been having a lot of emotional turmoil all day long, just because I was nervous before the exam and wanted a few words of encouragement - as expected, I'm a kid in the first grade.
Lin Sui'an patted Hua Yitang on the shoulder and said seriously, "Don't be nervous, just perform normally."
Hua Yitang blinked his big eyes, "Yeah."
Lin Sui'an patted her again and said, "Relax, if you fail this test, it is not difficult to donate an official position with your Hua family's abilities."
Hua Yitang lowered her eyelashes, "Oh..."
When Lin Sui'an saw his depressed expression, he wondered if her words had hurt his self-confidence. He quickly added, "Hua Yitang, I believe you!"
Hua Yitang suddenly raised his eyes, his pupils shining brightly, full of expectation.
Do you want her to say a few more words? Could it be that he wanted her to recite a message on the spot to send the army off to war? This is too difficult for her, Lin Sui'an thought, she is not really an ancient person, so she really can't do it!
After holding it in for a long time, Lin Sui'an could only say two words with a belly full of ink, "Come on!"
Hua Yitang sighed quietly, rubbing the sachet ball at his waist with his index finger and thumb. The surface of the sachet ball was rubbed until it was shiny, and the aroma of fruit wood became more meaningful.
"I heard that every year, some people can't stand the pressure and commit suicide in Gongyuan."
Lin Sui'an's head jumped. This is not good. This guy's Conan physique is too evil. Why don't you go to take an exam and encounter a murder case?
"You are a candidate for the exam. Even if a case does happen, you don't need to take action. You must not be distracted and just concentrate on taking the exam and answering the questions."
Hua Yitang blinked, cleared his throat uncomfortably, and said, "What Hua means is that I have been timid since I was a child. I will stay in Gongyuan all day and night starting tomorrow. I am... a little scared..."
Lin Sui'an sighed: "You didn't tell me earlier. I heard that the peach wood peace amulet from Daodefang Qixing Taoist Temple is very effective, but it's too late to ask for it now."
Hua Yitang's eyes lit up, "Why bother seeking the far away from the near? Here and now, there is something more useful to ward off evil spirits than the talisman." As he said this, his eyes were aimed at Qian Jing on Lin Sui'an's waist.
Lin Sui'an was shocked: "Can I still bring a knife to the scientific examination?"
"Ahem!" Hua Yitang said, "Hua said that you can use Qianjing to carve a small thing and give it to me."
Lin Sui'an scratched his forehead, feeling really worried. How could she do such a delicate job, but looking at Hua Yitang's eager little eyes, she really couldn't bear to refuse. After thinking about it, she took out the sword from its sheath and swung it casually. The bamboo forest swayed and the dead leaves fell one after another. Lin Sui'an put away the knife, opened his palm, and a piece of bamboo fell from the air into his palm. It was two inches long and two fingers thick. Its emerald green surface was stained with night dew and sparkled under the moonlight. It could be held with just one hand. live.
"Let's make do with this first." Lin Sui'an said.
After finishing speaking, Hua Yitang remained silent for a while.
Lin Sui'an was a little embarrassed. This gift was indeed too rough. No wonder the pampered dude looked down on it and was about to take it back. Suddenly, Hua Yitang reached out and held her wrist. His fingers were very hard and trembling. Slowly he pulled Lin Sui'an's hand towards him, his strength became lighter and lighter, he let go of his wrist, took away the broken bamboo, and held it tightly in his hand.
He smiled and said, "This is a very good thing. I will accept it."
For some reason, Lin Sui'an's heart jumped when he saw that smile.
The next day, Danri.
At the beginning of the year, when the people of Dongdu welcomed the New Year, the imperial examination officially began.
Just after Yin Zheng passed, everyone got up early, ate breakfast in a hurry, and collectively sent flowers and flowers to Gongyuan. The Gongyuan is located within the imperial city. The "South Courtyard of the Ministry of Rites" on the south side of the yamen of the Ministry of Rites of Shangshu Province is directly under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites. Across the street is the Selected Courtyard of the Ministry of Personnel. Fifteen days later, the golden list of Jinshi will be posted on the east wall of the south courtyard. At that time, one list will lead to heaven, and one list will lead to hell. It will be a different scene.
At the third quarter of Yin Zheng, we drove to the imperial city. The morning drums at Yingtian Gate were not yet finished. Vehicles filled the street in front of Yongfu Gate, horses were beating, and the lights were scattered. Starting from Xuanren Gate, those who participated in the examination could only walk there alone. , the entourage stopped outside the door. The examination lasts for one day and one night. Regardless of whether you have finished answering the questions or not, you must leave the Gongyuan at 10:00 tomorrow. Because the examination time is too long, each candidate needs to bring some daily necessities in case of emergencies.
Mu Xia prepared a mahogany book basket for Hua Yitang. The shape is very similar to the usual food box, but it is longer and wider. It has four layers of shelves and two layers of small drawers, which contain candles, charcoal, fur kneepads, A hand warmer, a small shawl, a porcelain bowl, a silver bowl, two pairs of silver chopsticks, a tea cup, ground tea powder (Ita grinds it herself, no strange ingredients are added), a silver kettle, and three plates of snacks ( They are all steamed mutton cakes that Hua Yitang likes to eat). Desserts are only used to satisfy hunger. Three meals are provided in the Gongyuan. According to Ling Zhiyan, the food is pretty good and fullness is not a problem.
Fang Ke took out two white porcelain bottles and stuffed them into the book. Hua Yitang looked at him in shock. Fang Ke said expressionlessly, "One bottle is a pill to treat colds, and the other is a pill to wake up."
Hua Yitang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Brother Fang."
He did not bring a sachet or a fan today. According to the regulations of the Gongyuan, candidates taking the exam cannot bring any paper supplies with them, and their clothes must be as simple as possible. This is what Lin Sui'an has worn since he met Hua Yitang. The most modest one, wearing an off-white cotton robe and black cotton boots, which are warm and practical. The only accessory is a piece of emerald green bamboo tube hanging around the waist. The surface is shiny, as if it has been specially treated.
Everyone was a little curious when they saw what was on his waist. Hua Yitang didn't shy away from it. He turned around in a circle so that everyone could see it more clearly and said in a hushed voice, "Lin Sui'an specially made it with Qianjing. To ward off evil! Looks good!"
Etta: "Pigman craftsmanship, good!"
Jin Ruo: "Can this crap ward off evil spirits?"
Mu Xia: "...unique."
Fang Ke: "So ugly."
Lin Sui'an raised his head and said, "Hurry in!"
Hua Yitang smiled, saluted everyone, carried the book basket, and swaggered towards Yongfu Gate. Among all the moves, he took the step of not recognizing his relatives.
The Jinwu Guards in golden armor were checking in front of the door one by one. Probably because the identity of the examinees was unusual. The Jinwu Guards sounded quite kind. They were divided into six teams, three in groups, and one person checked the identity of the examinees. One person will check the book basket, and another person will search the whole body of the child. Only after verification is correct can the person be released.
Everyone watched Hua Yitang pass the inspection checkpoint, breathed a sigh of relief, and walked back along the flow of people. Unexpectedly, they saw Ling Zhiyan beside the carriage.
Ling Zhiyan, dressed in official uniform, paced back and forth in front of the carriage, as if she had been waiting for a long time. When she saw everyone coming back, she breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Is Shiro going in?"
Lin Sui'an nodded: "Why don't Ling Sizhi go to the front to see him off?"
"I'm wearing official uniform, so it's inconvenient." Ling Zhiyan smiled, "And today, I'm here to find Mrs. Lin and Dr. Fang."
Fang Ke's eyes lit up: "Someone died again? How many died? Do you want to do an autopsy?"
"No, no!" Ling Zhiyan waved her hands in confusion, "Today is a day, and if there is another murder, it would be unlucky. Zhang Shaoqing specially arranged a divorce exam for Dr. Fang. If Dr. Fang passes smoothly, he can become a The official work certified by Dali Temple will not be questioned by anyone in the future for post-mortem examination."
Lin Sui'an was overjoyed and thought that this was a back door opened by Dali Temple. If Dr. Fang passed the exam, he would be a formal official with a certificate and the autopsy pattern issued would have legal effect.
"Test?" Fang Ke glanced at Ling Zhiyan, "How to take the test?"
Ling Zhiyan: "Four senior men from Dali Temple will serve as the examiners. It will be divided into four categories: corpse theory test, injury theory test, poison theory test, and actual autopsy test."
"Is there an autopsy?"
"Ahem, yes."
Fang Ke nodded, climbed onto the carriage, and came down carrying his big wooden box, "Let's go."
This time, not only Ling Zhiyan but also Lin Sui'an was dumbfounded.
"In addition, Ling has important matters to discuss with Madam Lin. If Madam Lin is not busy, how about going to Dali Temple with Brother Fang?" Ling Zhiyan asked.
Lin Sui'an thought it was good. Hua Yitang went to take the exam. She had nothing to do, so she happily agreed.
A quarter of an hour's walk from Yongfu Gate to the north around the outer wall of the Imperial City leads directly to Xuanren Gate of Dali Temple. Lin Sui'an had been here several times and was already familiar with the roads. The gatekeeper even greeted her warmly.
Fang Ke's examination was held in the side hall, and there were government officials to guide the way as he entered. Ling Zhiyan took Lin Sui'an in the opposite direction, introducing them all the way. These were the main hall, first hall, third hall, flower hall, official room, and the main hall of Dali Temple. Document Hall, Dali Temple Prison - First Hall, Third Hall, Flower Hall, Official Room, Document Hall - Third Hall, Flower Hall, Document Hall -
When they went around for the third time, Lin Sui'an couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Ling Sizhi, if you have something to say, say it directly. There is no need to go around in circles."
Ling Zhiyan touched her nose and invited Lin Sui'an into the flower hall. The tea had been boiled a long time ago. It was steaming and scooped into the teacup. There was a layer of Sichuan peppercorns floating on the surface. Lin Sui'an picked it up and smelled it. It tasted hot. Quite exciting.
"Actually, when Ling went to Yangdu last time, he just wanted to ask Mrs. Lin if she would be willing to work in my Dali Temple."
Oooh! Lin Sui'an suddenly became energetic.
Handsome guy Ling is asking her to change jobs and go to Dali Temple. In modern times, this is equivalent to the highest legal offer!
Although I was extremely excited inside, I still had to pretend on the outside.
Lin Sui'an dipped his lips in tea and put down the tea cup, "Does Si Ling really mean what he said?"
Ling Zhi said with a serious face, "Mrs. Lin is thoughtful, superb in martial arts, upright, and has a warm heart. She is really a genius in investigating crimes. The post of chief patrol officer in Dali Temple has been vacant for a long time. Ling wanted to recommend Mrs. Lin to this position. I don't know that Mrs. Lin how about?"
Head arrest is probably an unstaffed employment position.
Lin Sui'an thought for a while, "How about the salary?"
Ling Zhiyan seemed to be choked suddenly, and after a while she said, "It's the same amount per month." Seeing Lin Sui'an's face collapsed, she quickly added, "Food and lodging are included."
Lin Sui'an scratched his forehead and said, "Ling Sizhi, it's not that I dislike the poor and love the rich. You also know Lin's situation. Not to mention that the commission given to me by the Hua family is as high as two thousand gold a month. Let's talk about the maintenance cost of this thousand net. , this salary is far from enough."
Ling Zhiyan rubbed her nose again, and Lin Sui'an felt that the bridge of his nose was almost broken by him, "Ling and Zhang Shaoqing have discussed this matter. It is not difficult. As long as Mrs. Lin agrees, Qianjing will need all the Bi in the future. Dali Temple can find a way to report it to the public accounts. As for salary, among officials at the same level, Dali Temple has already given me the highest salary."
"Please forgive Lin for being presumptuous. May I ask how much Ling Sizhi's monthly salary is?"
"...forty thousand yuan a year."
In other words, the monthly salary of Dali Temple Si Zhi is only a little more than three guan.
Lin Sui'an rubbed the edge of the tea cup with his fingers, feeling a little unsure.
The position is a good one, but the money is too little.
Ling Zhiyan: "It is true that the salary is far lower than that of the Hua family, but working in Dali Temple is more stable. If you perform meritorious service, you can be promoted. The former Dali Temple patrol chief was promoted to Jinwu Guard to join the army because of his outstanding achievements. His official career is bright. .”
Unexpectedly, Ling Da, a handsome guy who looks dull, is quite good at drawing pancakes.
Lin Sui'an picked up the tea cup and took a sip. The spicy tea in her mouth made her tongue shrink, "This matter is related to Lin's future. Please allow me to think about it for a few days."
Ling Zhiyan nodded repeatedly, "That's how it should be."
Fang Ke's exam went faster than expected. In less than an hour, an official came to report that all the exam items were completed. When Fang Ke came to find Lin Sui'an, his face was impatient and he glared at Ling Zhiyan.
Ling Zhiyan was a little puzzled. She glanced at the government official next to her. The official's face was all green, and she whispered, "The body that was dissected was that of an old beggar on the roadside. When it was found, it had been rotting for many days."
Ling Zhiyan: "Then what?"
"Then - all four of them vomited."
"..."
"I'm bored. Let's go home." Fang Ke carried the big wooden box and walked out angrily.
Lin Sui'an said goodbye to Ling Zhiyan and caught up with Fang Ke. When he saw that Fang Ke's nose was not a nose and his eyes were not eyes, he was obviously very angry.
"Dr. Fang, did you encounter any injustice?"
"As expected, all the beggars in Dali Temple are freeloaders. That beggar obviously died of starvation. It must be said that he died of old age."
"Perhaps it's because today is the New Year, so it's more auspicious to say that you'll die at the end of your life?"
"You're dead, luck is useless. There's also that Shaoqing who stopped me on the way and said that if I passed the exam, he wanted to invite me to work as a widower in Dali Temple."
"..."
"This place in Dali Temple is too narrow-minded."
"..."
"It's not kind to poach someone while Hua Yitang is away."
"..."
Lin Sui'an turned his head silently and looked at a wintersweet tree at the base of the wall of Dali Temple. The flowers had just been harvested, and the flower branches stuck out of the wall a little, trembling and swaying in the cold wind.
Lin Sui'an felt his nose itched and sneezed. :,,
