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Xia Fengxiang had a blank expression on his face, and his eyes were calm. "I am just discussing this with the Grand Tutor. There is no need to say whether it is a crime or not. However, since the Grand Tutor does not say anything, I will take it as your agreement. Is that okay?"
When Xia Fengxiang finished speaking this time, Yan Yunxiao, who had been standing next to the dragon throne, looked at the Grand Tutor.
The Grand Tutor was shocked and bowed: "Your Majesty is the King of Great Xia, and I am your subject. Your Majesty's words are all imperial decrees. Why would you discuss this with me? Your Majesty is embarrassing me."
Xia Fengxiang smiled and said, "Then when you go back, discuss this with your son Yang Guofu. Just tell him that I discussed this with him and ask him if he will still be involved in the imperial examination this year?"
At this point, Xia Fengxiang stood up and walked to the old tutor, looking down at the old man who was bowing. "In the past, I accepted some gifts, it was nothing, after all, it was greed. Father can tolerate Yang Guofu's fault, and I can tolerate it too, as long as I can get things done. But this year he returned all the gifts he received, which is good, but why did he think of deliberately arranging people? With this arrangement, with your prestige, those who examine the exams will look at those people's papers more favorably, and look down on others."
"Even like before, the papers of those from poor families were thrown away without even looking at them. Tell me, is this any different from taking money?"
Upon hearing this, the Grand Tutor lowered his head and said nothing, but one could see that the old Grand Tutor's body was stiff and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead for unknown reasons.
In the past three years, Yang Shanchang had never faced Xia Fengxiang like this.
But this time
This time, I felt Xia Fengxiang standing next to me, and I had a sense of déjà vu.
Before
The former emperor also liked to wear a black robe with a golden dragon on it. Sometimes when he was extremely angry and wanted to kill someone, he would speak to people in such a nonchalant manner.
The same.
Yang Shanchang once saw that this was how the former emperor killed the powerful ministers at that time.
The Grand Tutor bowed and said, "I have failed to educate my son properly! Your Majesty, please dismiss Yang Guofu from his post."
Upon hearing this, Xia Fengxiang smiled and looked at Xun Kuang.
Xun Kuang was already scared to death. How could a small official like him experience such a scene? ?
Especially Yan Yunxiao’s hand was touching the hilt of the knife!
Chapter 148 [A Domineering Talent Falls in Love with a Shy Empress]
What frightened Xun Kuang most was why His Majesty was still looking at him.
I didn't participate in anything. Although I was appointed to examine the questions and papers in the Enke exam, I was just a follower of the chief priest.
I didn't do anything, and I didn't get involved with the Minister of Works Yang Guofu.
wait
The teacher got me into trouble outside again and asked me to take the blame?!
Xun Kuang was in a state of anxiety and did not dare to look at the emperor again. He lowered his head and begged the saints, hoping that his teacher would not be in trouble again.
Xia Fengxiang looked at Xun Kuang and wanted to laugh. He ignored the tutor and said to Xun Kuang, "Xun Siye."
Xun Kuang immediately saluted tremblingly.
Xia Fengxiang said: "You should also know the people Yang Guofu greeted, whether they have real talents or not."
Xun Kuang was stunned for a moment, and immediately said something that would not offend people on both sides: "Your Majesty, I think that since Ouyang Wenhua, Yu Yang and others can successfully go to Beijing to participate in the imperial examination, they are talented. Moreover, I have talked with Yu Yang for a few words and he has some talent. If they answer the questions seriously in the imperial examination, considering that Your Majesty is so gracious this year and thinking of the Queen, they should be able to pass the exam because of the grace. I think Lord Xiao Yang should think that these people are so talented that it would be a pity if they failed, so he specially greeted them. After all, he did not accept any money or property."
What Xun Kuang said was not entirely perfect, but it did not offend either side.
But everyone present could hear the hidden meaning in Xun Kuang's words.
He praised Yu Yang and the others, saying they were talented, but he also emphasized that it was because of His Majesty Long Enhao's grace that these people were able to pass the exam. Doesn't that mean that if he hadn't shown grace, these people would be in danger?
But now it is said that Yang Guofu felt it was a pity for these people so he did find someone to arrange for them to not fail the exam. Doesn't this prove that what His Majesty said was right and Yang Guofu did so?
But he also pleaded on Yang Guofu's behalf, saying that he did not take any money, he just said hello.
After saying that, Xun Kuang sighed and then said, "Your Majesty, I think it is because the imperial examination is approaching, and the students' spirit and state of mind are inevitably affected. Decades of hard study, just for the imperial examination, will inevitably make the students think about taking a wrong turn. It is the fault of the teachers like me if the students make mistakes. I will enlighten Yu Yang, Ouyang Wenhua and others when I go back. Therefore, I think it is my fault that the students have gone astray. Please blame your majesty."
At the end of his speech, he bowed deeply to Xia Fengxiang.
Don't offend either side, and take the blame on yourself if there is any mistake.
But whether you are really wrong or not, everyone can see it clearly.
But does it matter whether it is right or wrong? What is important is to ease the atmosphere in the court and to consider His Majesty.
Su Wenqing curled his lips, smiled and shook his head. What a scholar who mingled in the red-light district, he had a perfect grasp of the ways of the world.
Su Zimu smiled, but also sighed. No wonder his younger brother had always been played around by Xun Kuang.
Li Jiulang didn't say anything and just stood there quietly, as if everything had nothing to do with him.
The Taifu still bowed his head, but he knew that he would beat that rebellious son to death when he got home!
Xia Fengxiang looked at Xun Kuang and raised the corner of his mouth, then looked at the Grand Tutor and said, "Grand Tutor, please stand up. It's not good for your waist to be hunched over like this when you are old."
The Grand Tutor did not move: "Unless Your Majesty convicts me, I dare not stand up."
Xia Fengxiang smiled, "Xun Kuang said it was his own fault, so it has nothing to do with you. However, if a child is not well-educated, it is the fault of the father; if a child is not strict, it is the laziness of the teacher. Xun Kuang and other teachers in the Imperial College have taught students such as Yu Yang and Ouyang Wenhua to the qualifications to participate in the imperial examination. They are not lazy. Yang Guofu's behavior is also your fault. Let's put it this way. I heard that the sales of the Imperial College journals have not been very good recently. Several schools that Mu Xu is going to build are about to start construction, but the wages have not been raised. You have to collect money everywhere. Your family has been on a lot of salt tax ships in the past. Take out some money to pay the money for those schools, and then pay the money to Yan Shu, Wei Zijian, right?"
Having said that, Xia Fengxiang looked at Xun Kuang.
Xun Kuang bowed immediately and said, "Yes."
Xia Fengxiang continued, "I have seen those people. They are from poor families. Every day, they either work in journals for wages or copy books in the Imperial College for money. You use some money to build those schools, and let Yan Jingqing use some money to give to poor students like Yan Shu."
Xun Kuang looked at Xia Fengxiang and felt a little ecstatic, because since His Majesty had said it, how could the Grand Tutor not do as he was told?
Finally, my teacher doesn’t have to worry anymore!
Finally, I don't have to think about cutting my salary anymore.
The Grand Tutor bowed deeply and said, "I will personally deliver the money to the Master of the Imperial Sacrifice when I return."
Xia Fengxiang said nothing, but returned to the dragon chair and said, "The imperial examination is the foundation of the country, and there must not be any mistakes. This year, I will grant amnesty, and I hope that you will work together to prevent the students from being tainted by dirty things while studying hard."
Everyone in the hall bowed and said, "We, the ministers, will not let down your grace."
Xia Fengxiang said, "Xun Kuang should go back with the Grand Tutor, and we should get it done tonight, so that the Master Jijiu won't get anxious. Su Zimu should also go with him, and by the way, he should confirm with the Master Jijiu about the imperial examination in three days."
Taifu, Su Zimu, and Xun Kuang all bowed and left.
The only officials left in the palace were Su Wenqing, Li Jiulang, and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Zhang Gu.
Xia Fengxiang leaned against the chair, his elbows resting on the armrests of the dragon chair, his hands clenched into half fists to support his face: "Zhang Gu."
Zhang Gu is of similar age to Li Jiulang, and can be considered as Li Jiulang's classmate.
But unlike Li Jiulang, Zhang Gu has always been a follower of the late emperor. After the late emperor passed away, he became loyal to Xia Fengxiang.
At that moment, the short minister stepped forward and bowed.
Xia Fengxiang said, "Regarding the salt tax, you will receive the money from Zhao Yulang in person. If I am right, the Grand Tutor should hand it over in full. However, Yang Guofu, Yan Jingqing, and Zhao Yulang are reluctant to part with such a large sum of money, so keep an eye on them. And according to Yan Jingqing's habit, he will probably make a fuss about building a dam in the south to get money. Give him whatever he wants, just write it down."
Zhang Gu bowed and said, "I obey your command."
Xia Fengxiang looked at Li Jiulang and smiled, "Xingyue's appointment edict will be delivered to the mansion in a few days, so she doesn't need to be too bound by those etiquettes. After Chongyang Festival, although Su Changan is not the queen yet, I will hand over the harem to him. When Xingyue officially takes office, her sister Changan will be in charge of the harem. Su Changan herself doesn't follow those etiquettes, so she doesn't need to care about them."
Li Jiulang was ashamed, thinking that the emperor must have known that his daughter had gone to the Honglu Temple to learn the rules of being an official and that this was an embarrassing thing.
Especially this 'Sister Chang'an', he could tell that His Majesty was deliberately saying it with some jealousy, so he smiled awkwardly: "I thank Your Majesty on behalf of my daughter, but since I have entered the palace as an official, I still have to learn what I should learn. And the Queen does not need to follow the rules because she is already admirable, and she is always polite to others even when she is rude. She is a role model for us to learn from."
Finished
Li Jiulang raised his eyes and looked at Xia Fengxiang: "Your Majesty, I think we still need to do business with Japan. I can go to the Japanese envoy who stayed in Luo'an City tonight. Just spend some money to bribe him."
Xia Fengxiang smiled and said, "Okay."
Li Jiulang bowed, with a grand plan already unfolding in his mind.
Su Wenqing stood up at this time: "Your Majesty, Su Zifeng told me today that the Taichang Temple has already arranged everything. The Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Circular Mound Literary Forum will hold a sacrifice ceremony for the Great Xia Wenyun."
Xia Fengxiang changed his sitting position and looked outside the hall.
Father, Mother, I'm sorry, I still have to kill her.
For the person my daughter likes.
……
The moonlight shines through the curtains and the wind blows into the bamboo.
Su Changan sneezed and looked at the moon in the sky.
Xiangluo beside her saw Su Changan like this and said with a smile: "Miss, His Majesty has sent someone to say that he will not come. If you are sleepy, you should go to bed early."
Su Changan looked at Xiangluo, thought for a moment and asked, "Luo'er, you said that when Shang Gong Sun came just now, she told me that once the Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Rites have finalized the wedding process, I will be required to participate in revising it. Is it because His Majesty thinks I am too idle, so he wants to find something for me to do?"
Xiangluo quickly shook her head: "Miss, you are talking nonsense again. How can you ask me such a thing? Xiangluo dare not say it."
Su Changan frowned and asked, "Then are you three tired from going to the Honglu Temple to learn etiquette these days?"
Xiangluo nodded: "It is a bit tiring, but it is not bad, because they know that we are the young lady's maids, so they are very polite to us. It is not like before when we had to study and if we did not do well, we would be beaten with a whip."
After that, Xiangluo asked doubtfully, "Miss, are you worried about learning etiquette?"
Su Changan shook his head: "That's not the case."
Xiangluo looked at Su Changan in confusion.
Su Changan sighed: "I was wondering if His Majesty was angry with me, so he suddenly asked the Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Rites to discuss the wedding with me."
Xiangluo was surprised and hesitated to speak. After thinking for a while, she mustered up her courage and said, "How could your Majesty give birth? The young lady and your Majesty are so affectionate. Every time we see it, we feel strange, but we are also happy from the bottom of our hearts."
Su Changan shook his head: "It has nothing to do with this matter. I think she is angry with me. After all, I didn't take the initiative to kiss her today. Our Majesty is narrow-minded. I hugged her less and kissed her less. It's all recorded in the little notebook."
Xiangluo blushed and lowered her head, not daring to speak, even though she was used to her young lady always talking nonsense like this.
But even if I hear it too much, I still blush.
And when it came to His Majesty, she didn't even dare to interrupt.
Su Changan looked at Xiangluo's blushing face and smiled before saying, "Luo'er, do you want to read other storybooks?"
Xiangluo was stunned for a moment, then asked, "What kind of storybook is that? If it's the kind that makes people cry, then Miss, please don't show it to me."
Su Changan shook his head: "Not this time. I don't think I'll smile foolishly this time. Just like when you guys smiled when you saw me and His Majesty together."
Xiangluo was curious.
Su Changan picked up the pen and wrote on the paper [A domineering talent falls in love with the shy empress].