After the two of them entered the study, Cao Xinggong looked around, walked behind the desk and sat down. He stared at his nephew standing opposite and asked, "How about it? Is this study okay for studying?"
Xu Fei chuckled, "Such a spacious and elegant study cannot be justified at all. Uncle, I really didn't expect that you have bought such a big mansion. In this capital where land is so expensive, there is no equivalent." I'm afraid I can't even think about my financial resources. I heard from my servants that you not only have this big house, but also have many properties. Uncle, it seems that your business has been very big in recent years. Why have I never heard from my family? Have you mentioned it?"
Cao Xinggong shook his head slightly, "What you see with your eyes and hear with your ears may not be true. Some things may appear to be mine, but in fact they may not be mine. They are just in my name and run by me on my behalf. Some things It’s hard to explain things clearly, and it’s hard to tell them too clearly, so there’s no need to tell your family.”
Xu Fei hehe, "Uncle is joking. Since it is in your name, it is naturally yours. How could it not be yours? Who can take it away by force?"
Cao Xinggong smiled faintly and said, "You will understand it when you can understand it in the future. Okay, let's not talk about this now. Let's talk about your business." Then he reached into his sleeve, took out a folded note and handed it to give him. "Put this thing away, remember it after reading it, and burn it after you remember it."
What does it mean to be so cautious? Xu Fei was puzzled. He unfolded the note and looked at it, and found a few lines written on it, "The national scholar is blessed by the divine grace, is destined to be destined, or is trying to strengthen himself..." After muttering a few words, he looked at the other words carefully. I found that it was an opening question on policy theory, classics and history, and poetry and poetry. There were questions but no text. I couldn't help but raise my head and asked: "Uncle, these are like questions from our usual exams. Can you tell me what to do with this?"
Cao Xinggong said calmly, "It's not the usual test questions, but the test questions you will take this time!"
He said it easily, but Xu Fei felt as if he was struck by thunder. He was startled and said blankly: "Uncle, don't be joking. There is still a month left before the exam, and the questions haven't come yet. Why did you decide the test questions first? This is really a big joke."
Cao Xinggong said calmly: "I'm not kidding, and I didn't set the exam questions. Xu Fei, you are going to be an official. Remember, those who have the ability to influence the selection of examiners can decide what the future exam questions will be." "
The reason is not difficult to understand. Xu Fei said in surprise: "Then...how did you get it?"
Obviously, he still doesn't believe it. This leak of exam questions is a shocking event.
Cao Xinggong sighed: "I just said, what you hear and see may not be mine, and the people who really own these things happen to be the ones who can influence the selection of examiners. Do you know why I was very late last night? Are you coming back? I knelt outside his study for half an hour before begging for this piece of paper for you, do you understand?"
Xu Fei's nose felt sore and he was a little moved, but he was still surprised and confused, "Who is uncle talking about?"
Cao Xinggong: "This is not what you should ask. Our family has never produced serious scholars. I can't believe it when you wrote a letter from home saying that you were admitted to the Juren Examination. Since you have reached this point, uncle, I So I risked my life and asked others to give you a chance. Your two cousins are useless, and the Cao family may need you to support them in the future. I hope you will not forget what your uncle did today. A lot of hard work.”
Xu Fei said emotionally: "Uncle, don't worry, since I know the test questions in advance, and I have a few months of preparation time, I will definitely try my best to come back top."
These words almost choked Cao Xinggong to death. He stared and stood up. He was very anxious on the spot. "What are you talking about? What you just said outside was for outsiders to listen to. Do you still take it seriously? In order to know that you will try What are the chances? In order to see if I can help you, I pretended that your answers to the provincial examination paper were not judged by anyone? It was just about a middle-to-lower standard. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was a matter of luck.
If you hadn't gained the reputation of being a "Hengqiu Xufei" this time, and had the high officials of the feudal territory endorsing you, I wouldn't have dared to ask for help, and they might not have agreed. At your level, if you come back top of the exam, will everyone still be alive? If you get the top spot in the exam, how many people will pay attention to you? Not to mention whether your acquaintances in your hometown will become suspicious. Have you ever thought about the palace exam? That's a question His Majesty gave you on the spot.
Can you know the test questions in advance for the general examination, and can His Majesty reveal the test questions to you in advance for the imperial examination? who do you think You Are? The first place in the meeting test, but the palace test is bullshit. Do you think everyone in the world is a fool? If you were to get the top spot in the exam, the heads of your family and mine together wouldn't be enough to kill you. "
Xu Fei was awakened by a thunderbolt, and found that he had just been overly excited, was scolded in a cold sweat, and was blushing at his stupid words.
Cao Xinggong saw that his nephew was embarrassed, so he changed his tone and whispered softly: "I don't want to be ranked high, I just want to be a Jinshi. In this way, people will not doubt you, and at most they will think you are lucky. As long as you can As long as you can stay in the capital for someone who is a Jinshi, your uncle and I are also in the capital. The rest depends on manpower. Whether you rank high in the exam will not determine your future achievements and future. Do you understand?"
Xu Fei immediately cupped his hands and said, "I understand, my nephew will remember it."
Cao Xinggong pointed to the paper in his hand, "Put this thing away. Don't wave it around in your hands. Are you afraid that others won't see it? Write it down and destroy it immediately."
"Yes." Xu Fei was a little flustered. He reached out and opened a book on the desk, stuffed it into the pages, and stuffed the book into the bottom of the pile of books on the desk.
Cao Xinggong looked at it and shook his head, but he didn't criticize anything too much, "Okay, I have important guests to meet at noon, so I won't be too verbose. I will hold a banquet for you in the evening." After that, he left.
"Uncle, I'll see you off." Xu Fei hurriedly followed. He still had something to do with his uncle, but he was scolded by his uncle and didn't know whether he should speak or not.
After the two of them left the study, a slight sound came from behind a half-screen, half-bookcase standing cabinet behind the desk.
It was the noise caused by the insect. He was squatting behind him with a basin of water in front of him. He put a rag in his hand into the water and made a slight sound.
He didn't want to eavesdrop on the conversation between the uncle and nephew. He was just mopping the floor silently in the back, trying to make the place where the young master studied a little cleaner. Who would have thought that he accidentally overheard such a shocking conversation, and what happened? Even if he wanted to avoid it, he didn't dare to move. It was so frightening that he didn't even dare to breathe.
He wasn't stupid, he knew he heard things he shouldn't have heard.
While the two of them were out, he also wanted to take the opportunity to leave quickly, and quickly came out from behind the cabinet.
However, before he reached the door, he saw the scene in the courtyard through a half-open window, and found that Xu Fei and his uncle were talking face to face in the courtyard again.
He was so frightened that he hid behind the window again, wanting to wait for the two of them to leave so that he could leave immediately.
However, after waiting for a long time, they didn't see any intention of leaving, and they vaguely heard the word 'Ashi Heng'.
Mr. Shiheng? Chong'er was stunned for a moment. He didn't know if he heard it wrong or what he thought of. He looked back at the bookcase. He stared at it for a while and then lowered his head. After repeating this, he bit his lip and seemed to have made up his mind and took a peek. After taking a look at the movement outside, he quickly left the window and arrived at the desk. He moved a pile of books with trembling hands, picked up the bottom one, and after flipping through it, he found the piece of paper that Cao Xinggong gave to Xu Fei.
When he was hiding behind the cabinet, he saw where Xu Fei hid his things from the gaps in the bookshelf.
Opening the paper, I read the content on it and found that there were not many words. I listened carefully to what was going on outside. I hurriedly took the pen from the pen holder, quickly dipped it in the remaining ink in the inkstone, and took a stack of white paper from the table. I took out a piece of paper, quickly put pen to paper, and started copying the so-called exam questions.
It didn't take long for all the test questions to be copied in a hurry.
The copied copy was quickly hidden in his arms, the pages of the original one were folded back, and then a new stack of books was moved back to cover the original one.
After doing this, he was sweating on his forehead, and then he went back to wait behind the window...
Xu Fei and his uncle were talking about nothing else. They were talking about the four thousand taels of silver and wanted to borrow four thousand taels from his uncle.
It's okay if I don't mention this. When I mention it, Cao Xinggong expresses doubts. You have been closely guarded along the way and have no chance to spend money. How could you spend such a large amount of money? It wasn't that he didn't want to give his nephew the money. He had even done the work on the exam questions. He didn't care about the money, but he wanted to find out what was going on.
When pressed by his uncle, Xu Fei had no choice but to confess honestly. He told about the cheating on crossword puzzles, the whole process until he fell into the demon world in the ancient tomb wasteland, then escaped, and finally arrived in the capital.
Cao Xinggong didn't expect that his nephew would have such a bizarre experience. After listening to the story, he pondered: "So, did that Ashheng really save your life?"
Xu Fei: "You can say that, that's why I want to give him this money."
Cao Xinggong was silent for a while and said: "Don't give him the money yet, let him wait for a while and see what the situation is. I know the matter. You should prepare well for the exam."
Xu Fei suddenly became a little anxious, "Uncle, that guy will do anything for money. He has my handle, so I'd better give it to him to avoid causing trouble."
Cao Xinggong put his hands behind his back and said, "Don't be anxious, and don't be afraid. Just because he will do anything for money, he can't give it easily. What if he is a greedy person? Giving money must be done in a peaceful way, and spending money is a matter of course." Those who want to eliminate disasters, not those who cause trouble. If he is an easy talker, just because he saved my nephew's life, the money will naturally be given to him. If he is ignorant, then there is no need to give it, and it will naturally be another person. This is a way to end it. Okay, I know the matter, and I will naturally handle it for you."
Xu Fei probably understood what he meant and nodded slightly.
"Relax and prepare well for the exam." Cao Xinggong patted his shoulder, turned around and strode away.
Xu Fei hummed, followed again, and personally escorted his uncle to the gate.
Zhong'er, who was hiding in the study, finally got his chance. As soon as the two of them left the hospital, he immediately got out of the study and quickly walked to the small wing on the side of the courtyard. He opened the door lightly and quickly entered his room. I closed the door softly and hid behind the door, literally breaking into a cold sweat. My heart was beating wildly and my hands were shaking.
He himself didn't understand why he would do such a thing.
