Sign in: The female supporting character in the book disrupted the heroine's glory

Chapter 272: Imperial Study in the Capital

"But don't draw it next time." The second prince's words shocked everyone present.

So direct? These two didn't even give him face.

The Fourth Prince laughed and shook his head again, "Of course it is not as good as my brother's. After all, even my father praised my brother's painting.

The Jiujiu Xiaohan painting hung every winter is from my brother’s. It is even said that if my brother were not in the royal family, he would be a world-famous master of painting.”

There is really something hidden in every word, a needle hidden in every cotton ball. But the Fourth Prince looks innocent on the outside, making people feel that what he said is not malicious.

The second prince's face changed slightly. He really hated people using his background to make trouble. Although he also knew that this would become his weakness, he just couldn't let it go.

After observing for a while, Jiang Youzhen felt that the Second Prince was more of a practical person, while the Fourth Prince was good at speaking but slightly worse at being practical.

How could it be said that Tong Huaian was completely devoted to this man? Judging from his performance just now, the Fourth Prince was broad-minded but not too soft, and he had the right sense of proportion.

On the other hand, the second prince has a very gloomy temper. He is always sharp-tongued and never gives in. Although he is very calm, his tone is sometimes too sarcastic and harsh, which inevitably makes people dislike him.

In the original book, the second prince has a moody personality and likes to speak in a sarcastic way. The main character is free to do whatever he wants and speak freely, so it's no wonder that the emperor didn't like him before.

"I didn't notice that Fourth Brother had a guest." The Second Prince then turned his gaze to Jiang Youzhen. He glanced at Tong Huaian with an inexplicably dark look in his eyes.

You said you just saw it, you must be kidding! You just know how to pretend, Jiang Youzhen thought to himself.

"Is this Jiang Youzhen, the first place winner of the Wenxian County Examination in Tongzhou Prefecture?"

You really pretended not to know me! But everyone present knew that you knew me.

"Reporting to Your Highness, it is me."

"I have also read your essay for the county exam. It is well done. However, there are a few points that I am confused about. Please help me solve them."

"Your Highness, just ask me. I will tell you everything I know."

Capital

A loud thunderclap sounded, startling the emperor who was reviewing memorials in the house.

He put down his red brush and looked out the window. After a while, the sound of rain hitting banana leaves could be heard outside.

"Is the emperor frightened? It's the spring thunder. The first thunder of the year, spring rain is as precious as oil, which means this year will be a bumper year."

The sky was getting dark. Steward Zhou, who had just come in to light the lamp, saw the emperor staring out the window in a daze and said hurriedly.

"Yes! I hope this year will be a good harvest year, the people will have enough food and clothing, and the imperial court will have full grain warehouses."

The silver hair on the emperor's temples was faintly visible in the candlelight. Seeing this, Chief Steward Zhou sighed slightly. When the previous emperor came to power, the court had been at war for years, the treasury was empty, and the court had to rest and recuperate. After more than 50 years, it is only now getting better.

"Your Majesty, Left Vice-Chief Censor Zhou Shijie requests an audience!"

The emperor frowned and said, "Just say I'm tired and let him go back!"

"Yes!"

"Humph, every day you keep asking questions about this little piece of land, whether it's someone taking a concubine today or someone having a lavish birthday party tomorrow.

These people have nothing to do all day long, but they just pick out some trivial matters in the aristocratic families and make a big fuss about them. "

The emperor put down the red brush in his hand, picked up the tea bowl and took a big gulp.

Chief Steward Zhou shrank his neck. Today, the emperor was furious about the canal transport case. However, no one in the Inspectorate dared to take charge of the matter. Instead, they kept complaining about these trivial matters all day long. No wonder the emperor was so disappointed with these people.

"Nowadays, there is no one in the government or the public who dares to speak the truth. They are either gourds with their mouths sawed off, or they just follow the crowd, seek profit and avoid harm, and curry favor with the powerful. The talents selected through the imperial examinations in recent years are all children of aristocratic families. They are all very arrogant, but they have not made any achievements at all."

The emperor rubbed his eyebrows, feeling as if his heart was blocked.

"Your Majesty, calm down! I dare to say something for those ministers. Apart from the salt transport, the phenomenon of collecting more taxes from the grain transport has a long history. The grain transport relationship is complicated, and there are countless people who never return. It's a matter of life and death!"

Chief Steward Zhou sighed, but just as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

"Your Majesty, please spare me! I am sorry for what I said. I just saw that you were in deep sorrow and was afraid that your body would not be able to bear it. I was really worried!"

Chief Eunuch Su prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed three times. Seeing him trembling like a sieve, the emperor could not help but feel soft-hearted.

After all, I have served him for more than 20 years, so my feelings for him are different from those for others.

"Get up! I'll forgive you this time. Actually, what you said is not wrong, but if we leave this abscess alone, it will only spread further. It will be too late to deal with it then."

Chief Steward Zhou wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking extremely terrified.

"Why are you so flustered? I worry about all the big and small things in the court every day. Sometimes I can't help but be blinded by one thing. Today I forgive you and you can speak freely. Maybe you have another unique insight that will enlighten me."

"This?" Chief Steward Zhou was flattered. Of course he was favored, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sit in this position. But this was the first time he had received such a favor from the emperor.

"Nothing, just tell me!"

"Your Majesty! I am illiterate and a rough man, and I don't understand the affairs of the court. But I remember that when I was a child, there was a landlord in my village. The landlord had few children, so he took in several concubines.

But those concubines were restless, sometimes they relied on the landlord's favor and even surpassed the main wife. The main wife was also smart, and she knew that she could not regain the master's favor after a long time. So she took the initiative to marry a concubine who was younger, more beautiful, from a poor family, and had brothers and sisters for the master. "

"Oh? What's the purpose?" In fact, the emperor had already guessed the reason, but he still asked with interest.

"The lady said that noble concubines are no different from lowly ones and cannot be suppressed at will. Their status is higher than those purchased concubines, but they are not higher than hers. From now on, the lady will not have to deal with those concubines herself."

The emperor was very interested. "Then isn't she afraid that the concubine will win the master's favor and climb over her head?"

"Of course I am afraid, but the concubine's family depends on the landlord's family for their livelihood. The lady cut off their offspring, but sent my nephew to be raised by me.

Even if the concubine is more rampant, she can't get past the wife who already has two children. Moreover, she has a weak spot, so she can't get out of the palm of Tathagata's hand."

"Madam, you have a good idea!" The emperor nodded, and suddenly an idea came to his mind.

"It's hard for a poor family to produce a noble son! Now the court is controlled by those aristocratic families. How many poor scholars have been cut off from their careers? If they don't submit, they will be expelled. If this continues, the court will be in danger!"

This is a problem left over from the previous emperor's time. When it came to rewarding people based on merit, the previous emperor gave them too much, which has resulted in him being restricted in many ways now.

The emperor suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the imperial study. His calm face hid an excited heart.

"Go and convey my oral order. Ask the Imperial Academy's Grand Secretary Zheng Yun to copy the top ten essays from last year to this year. I want to read them myself."