As usual, Chang Feng walked across the Jinshui Bridge and came to the square in front of Fengtian Gate to make morning pilgrimage.
Unexpectedly, at the beginning of the morning court, Xiao Jing read out an edict closely related to Chang Feng on behalf of Emperor Hongzhi at the top of his lungs.
"Important. From now on, the South and North Town Fu Divisions will be under the exclusive control of the commander. The left and right parties know that they are not allowed to interfere in the specific affairs of the Town Fu Division. I appreciate this."
After the edict was announced, Chang Feng's heart thumped: Doesn't this mean that I have been ignored?
He couldn't help but think of the birthday gifts piled up in the hall.
Chang Feng knew full well that Emperor Hongzhi had a grudge in his heart because of his excessive power in recent years.
Chang Feng understood Emperor Hongzhi very well. The emperor always has to strike a balance. The Imperial Art has always been like this.
After going to court, Chang Feng returned to Jinyiwei.
The commander Mou Bin gathered more than a hundred households in the guard and conveyed Emperor Hongzhi's will.
Qian Ning, Shi Wenyi, Fatty Xu and others were all stunned after hearing the decree.
The calculations in everyone's minds were rattling.
Fatty Xu thought to himself: Your Majesty is too unreasonable. Those who are employed are facing forward, those who are not being used are facing backward.
Qian Ning thought to himself: It seems that Mr. Chang is losing ground. It doesn't matter, my godfather is still the governor of the East Factory. Even if Mr. Chang fails, I will still have a backer.
Shi Wenyi thought to himself: Mr. Chang has lost his power, and I will have to get closer to him in the future. I don't want him to think I'm snobbish. Although Shi Wenyi doesn't have much ability, he is a person who knows how to repay kindness.
Shi Wenyi is very generous. Ten years ago, he failed to control his own affairs and killed the female relatives of the prison officials. Chang Feng helped him escape his guilt, and he would remember this kindness for the rest of his life.
Mou Bin explained to all the brothers: "Everyone, it's not that I, Mou Bin, am greedy for power. It's really hard to go against the will of God."
"From now on, all matters of the Southern and Northern Departments must be reported directly to me."
When saying this, Mou Bin looked at Chang Feng with apologetic eyes.
Chang Feng immediately expressed his position: "Commander Mou is the boss of our Jinyiwei. From now on, brothers must obey all his orders."
Chang Feng expressed his stance, and Qian Ning, Shi Wenyi, Fatty Xu and others all agreed.
After the discussion was over, everyone returned to their rooms.
Sun Guishou found Chang Feng.
Chang Feng quickly helped Sun Guishou to the chair: "Old senior, please sit down quickly, I will make tea for you."
Sun Guishou had a violent cough and drank half a bowl of tea before he could suppress it.
Sun Guishou advised Chang Feng: "Master Chang, don't be disappointed. The emperor did this not because he is dissatisfied with you."
"On the contrary, he is too satisfied with you and regards you as someone who cannot be abandoned. This is why he reduces your power."
"The powerful and powerful leaders of the Jinyi Guards in the past dynasties, such as Mao Xiang, Jiang Yu, Ma Shun and others, all did not end well."
"You need to know that power is the most poisonous poison in the world."
Chang Feng sighed: "The old man is indeed a man who has experienced the world for a long time. I think so too. Don't worry, I can think openly."
Sun Guishou said: "Well, Mr. Chang is a smart man. Not to be happy with things and not to be sad with oneself is the way for a smart person to live in the world."
On weekdays, Changfeng's housekeepers come and go, all of them coming to report various affairs in the guard.
Today, Changfeng’s room on duty was empty.
Changfeng is at ease. He spent a day reading in the check-in room in preparation for next spring.
In the evening, he rode back home from his errands.
Father-in-law Liu Bingyi stood in the front yard, playing with his grandson Chang Ponu.
Chang Feng smiled and said: "Old Taishan is here? I'll ask the kitchen to cook more good dishes. Let's have a few drinks tonight."
Liu Bingyi sat on the recliner: "Xianxiang, I have something to tell you. I'm taking a few years' leave and not going to Nanjing to take up my post. It's really shameful for others to see."
"Tomorrow I will deliver a memorial to the emperor."
Chang Feng was a little strange. I have the impression that my father-in-law is a fan of officials. How can he be so open-minded now?
After all, the Minister of Rites in Nanjing is one of the thirty-six ministers in the imperial court, so why should he just resign with just a pretext?
Liu Bingyi saw Chang Feng's confusion: "Well, as I get older, I have looked away from many things. It is not a bad thing to resign from office and stay away from the disputes in the court."
Chang Feng suggested: "Old Taishan, if you resign from office, you might as well move into my house. You gave me this house. From now on, our family will be lively and harmonious."
Liu Bingyi smiled and said: "Okay. People like to have fun when they get older."
Ten years ago, Chang Feng hated Liu Bingyi so much that he broke his engagement.
Liu Bingyi also hated Chang Feng so much that he hated Chang Feng for causing his daughter to swear not to marry the officials' children he arranged.
In the blink of an eye, the hatred of those years has long since disappeared. Instead, there is an inseparable family relationship.
At this moment, Xiao Jing led several imperial chefs into the Chang Mansion.
Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Chang Feng, the emperor really values you! No, the imperial dining room has just recruited a few cooks who can cook Suzhou and Hangzhou cuisine."
"The emperor asked them to come to your house and treat you to a meal of authentic Suzhou and Hangzhou cuisine."
Emperor Hongzhi was hinting to Chang Feng: Although I have reduced your power today, I still regard you as a confidant and favorite.
Chang Feng naturally knew what Emperor Hongzhi wanted. He said: "The emperor's kindness is hard to repay in my lifetime."
Morning next day.
Liu Bingyi handed in the petition documents. He has been an official for decades, but actually has no political achievements and is considered a mediocre person.
Emperor Hongzhi appointed him as the Minister of the Ministry of Rites in Nanjing, and he retired with the title of Minister. After becoming an official, he retains his salary as a minister.
Liu Bingyi knew in his heart that the emperor gave his son-in-law an unusual favor just for the sake of his face.
Giving him a cook and treating Liu Bingyi favorably were all sweet dates given to Chang Feng by Emperor Hongzhi. How can you not give someone a sweet date if you slap them in the face?
In the next six months, Chang Feng became an idle official in Jinyiwei.
During the prosperous period of Hongzhi, there were wise ministers in power in the cabinet, and two of the three great officials in charge of rituals and supervision were both wise officials. There are few major cases that require Chang Feng to handle personally.
He enjoys being at ease. Every day I would discuss craftsmanship with Huang Yuan and Zhang Cai. Or study flowers, birds, fish and insects with my father-in-law.
Occasionally, Fatty Xu was forced to go to Yihong Mansion to study the body structure of Datong's mother-in-law.
Mou Bin is in charge of all affairs in Wei Linan and Beizhen Fusi. He doesn't care about anything.
Since the emperor thought I had too much power before. I might as well be the second shopkeeper.
The comfortable days are passing day by day.
In the spring of the ninth year of Hongzhi, outside the gate of Gongyuan.
Those who know how to try will ring the gong. Chang Feng, his brother-in-law-to-be Huang Yuan, and his friend Wang Shouren walked out of the Gongyuan gate.
Chang Feng stretched his waist and said, "I'm done with the exam. I don't know how many laps I'm missing this time."
The chief examiner of the current examination is Mr. Xie Qian Xie, a big liar.
The two uncles Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling drank too much last month and promised that if Xie Qian did not win the title of their eldest brother, Chang, they would smash Xie Qian's head.
To put this matter into perspective, it was a relative's interference in the national talent promotion ceremony.
Chang Feng used his own connections to suppress the matter and prevent public opinion in the capital from fermenting.
Wang Shouren was full of confidence: "I am determined to be on the apricot list this time."
Now Wang Shouren's father, Wang Hua, serves as the daily lecturer of Emperor Hongzhi. He is the emperor's master of the Eight Classics.
Chang Feng smiled and said: "Then I will wait for your Bagong wedding banquet. Your father was the number one scholar in the 17th year of Chenghua. If you can be the number one scholar in the ninth year of Hongzhi. It will be a good story of 'father and son'." .”
Chang Feng returned home. The house was bustling with activity.
The two brothers of the Zhang family and a group of idle nobles were fighting cocks with Liu Bingyi in the backyard of the Chang Mansion.
Chang Tian likes cockfighting the most. Not caring about the princess's etiquette, she shouted: "Bite it, bite it" with a group of gentlemen, watching two fighting cocks pecking each other.
Chang Feng came over and asked, "Have you made your bet?"
Zhang Yanling said: "It's just the beginning. It's no different. We can still play. Are you going to play my 'Qinglong-biting General' or Old Man Liu's 'Red-crowned Governor'?"
Chang Feng said casually: "I naturally hope that Lao Taishan will win. I will give you fifty taels to the Red Crown Governor."
After a cup of tea, the "red-crowned governor" was defeated and was pecked with chicken feathers all over the floor.
Chang Tian said angrily: "What a waste! One hundred taels are gone, and that was my dowry money!"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Sister, I can give you any money. I can't give you only money for betting. There are no fathers and sons in casinos, let alone brothers and sisters?"
The idle nobles fought for a long time, and then dispersed in the evening.
Zhang Heling asked Chang Feng: "Brother Chang, have you finished the exam? How did you do? If you can't get into the apricot list, I will kill Xie Qian's dog head."
Chang Feng said quickly: "Don't talk nonsense, okay? Last time you said that in front of so many officials and nobles. The prosecutor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate almost impeached you."
Zhang Heling said with a smile: "If there are too many lice, don't be afraid of them. There are still very few people who have impeached me over the years."
Chang Feng was troubled by the mudslides in the world of these two relatives. They pinched their ears every day and told them to abide by the law and be careful in their words and deeds. They turned a deaf ear every time.
Soon, we will try to release the list.
Chang Feng came back early in the morning, immediately changed into casual clothes, gathered with Huang Yuan and Wang Shouren, and went to the gate of Gongyuan to look at the apricot list.
After the tedious ceremony of the Ministry of Etiquette, the red cloth of the apricot list was unveiled.
In this examination, a total of 300 tributes were selected.
Chang Feng starts from the bottom of the list. When he saw more than 250 people, he shouted excitedly: "Huang Yuan, you've won!"
Huang Yuan was overjoyed: "I won, I won! The eleven years of Han Chuang were not in vain!"
Huang Yuanshi was only seventeen years old. He started his education at the age of six and has been studying for eleven years.
It is definitely a great thing for a seventeen-year-old young man to be named in the apricot list for the first time.
Chang Feng and Wang Shouren looked from the bottom of the list to the top, and then from the top to the bottom. After reading it twice, their names were not there.
Chang Feng sighed: "Oh, I still have little talent and little knowledge."
Twenty-five-year-old Wang Shouren did not look disappointed at all.
He smiled and said: "Three years ago, when I failed to pass the exam, I composed a poem for the number one scholar. I recited it at the Qionglin Banquet when I was preparing to be the number one scholar in my undergraduate program."
"It seems that my No. 1 scholar's poem will be kept at the bottom of the box for another three years."
March 15th of the ninth year of Hongzhi. Three hundred tributes gathered outside Fengtian Gate before dawn to take part in the palace examination.
Chang Feng came specifically to give Huang Yuan the exam.
At dawn, the tributes lined up, passed the Jinshui Bridge, passed Fengtian Gate, and entered the main hall of Qianqing Palace.
After the roll call, passing of papers, praises, salutes and other etiquette, the palace examination officially started.
The general examination takes three consecutive examinations over nine days. This is not the case with the palace examination, which is only one test per day.
What is tested is not the meaning of the scriptures, but the policy theory. The questions are two to three hundred words, and the answers are one thousand words.
At dusk, candidates hand in their papers.
The palace examination is usually marked that night. List the rankings the next day. The gold list will be released on the third day.
When marking the papers, the eight examiners marked circles, triangles, slashes, vertical bars, and crosses in the examination papers, a total of five kinds of marks.
The circle is the number five, the triangle is the number four, the slash is the number three, the vertical bar is the number two, and the cross is the number no.
The examiner ranks the candidates based on the number of "numbers". Then it was handed over to Emperor Zhu Pi for approval.
Noon the next day.
Emperor Hongzhi checked the list of gold medals reported by Xie Qian in the Qianqing Palace.
The eight examiners knelt before His Highness.
Emperor Hongzhi lowered his voice and asked Qian Neng, who was standing next to him: "What is the name of the young man who is engaged to Princess Wanping?"
Qian Neng replied: "Huang Yuan."
Emperor Hongzhi took a look and found that Huang Yuan was ranked 159th among the top three. This is not a high ranking, and the official taboo is "given the same background as a Jinshi".
After all, he is his adopted brother-in-law. Emperor Hongzhi was famous for his kindness to his relatives.
So with a stroke of his pen, he moved Huang Yuan to the 95th place in the second class.
Entering the second class is "conferring a Jinshi background" and a better reputation.
After Huang Yuan and Chang Tian got married, they became guests of honor in the clan mansion and could not hold any actual positions. Emperor Hongzhi's change of rank will not affect his investiture.
On the third day, the gold list was released.
A group of tributes arrived outside Fengtian Gate early.
Not just any cat or dog can come outside Fengtian Gate. Chang Feng had an official position, so he was able to accompany Huang Yuan to see the gold list.
After another tedious ceremony, the gold list was finally unveiled.
Chang Feng and Huang Yuan concentrated on searching among a bunch of names.
There will be no layoffs in the palace examination. The two of them were much calmer than when they were watching Xing Bang.
Finally, Chang Feng found Huang Yuan's name in the second class: "The ninth and fifth class of the second class. Hey, he was born as a Jinshi! How wonderful!"
"After Chuanlu and Qionglin's banquet, you can prepare for the wedding, my brother-in-law!"
Chang Feng is "catching a son-in-law under the ranking".
Huang Yuan was delighted: "I'm actually ranked in the second place! I thought I could defeat the top three!"
How did he know that he was able to enter the second class simply because of Chang Tian's influence.
Huang Yuan won the Jinshi. Chang Feng was more excited than him. He put his arm around Huang Yuan's shoulders and said, "Tangtang is getting married to the new Jinshi. I have to visit my father's grave and tell him the good news."
After the release of the results, the Ministry of Rites began to conduct the passing ceremony, and the emperor summoned the new scholars.
Chang Feng watched Huang Yuan enter Fengtian Gate.
He returned home contentedly. As soon as he got home, he shouted: "Tangtang, pack up and go visit our father's grave."
Chang Tian asked: "Ah? How many is Huang Yuan's name?"
Chang Feng held out two fingers: "Erjia 95, born in Jinshi. You have got a good husband!"
Liu Xiaoyan said happily: "Oh. Jiumei and I have to help Tangtang prepare wedding items."
Chang Feng said: "Don't worry about money. Everything should be the most expensive and the best!"
Liu Xiaoyan said: "It's time to prepare the wedding invitations."
Chang Feng quickly reminded her: "Only the idle nobles in the capital, the nobles in royal robes, and the palace people with good connections are invited. No foreign ministers are invited."
Liu Xiaoyan was a little surprised: "Ah? Not inviting foreign ministers?"
Chang Feng lowered his voice: "The emperor has been very taboo over the past six months that I have close contact with foreign ministers. Unless the emperor orders foreign ministers to attend Tangtang's wedding, we should not invite them."
Chang Feng has become very cautious since he was deprived of power by Emperor Hongzhi half a year ago.
Chang Tian has found a good son-in-law and will get married soon.
Chang Feng finally fulfilled his dream of life ten years ago: to marry his sister to a good family.
For the wedding, Chang Feng wanted to keep it low-key.
Emperor Hongzhi and Empress Zhang did not allow him to keep a low profile. After all, Chang Tian is the favorite of the capital.
Emperor Hongzhi ordered the Ministry of Etiquette to be responsible for the wedding of Princess Wanping. And he took out three thousand taels of silver from the internal transportation warehouse to handle this matter.
Emperor Hongzhi also decreed that he and Empress Zhang would come to congratulate her in person on the wedding day.
(End of chapter)
