Without money, what is the point of being a traitor?

Chapter 606: Uneasy
Relying on the firsthand intelligence he had obtained, Zhu Houzhao decisively ordered the agents of the Eastern Depot to intervene and fuel the flames.

Therefore, after Zhu Houzhao took over and continued to play the game, he naturally became the "open" mastermind behind the scenes.

As long as Pei Yuan himself doesn't expose himself, and when suspicion of the mastermind clearly points to Zhu Houzhao, who would notice the discrepancy in timing?

Now is the time for Zhu Houzhao, this secondhand coin, to take over the burden and then take over the pot.

Pei Yuan looked at Tang Gao and said leisurely, "Chu Jie, the captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, can't be the first-ranked officer."

Pei Yuan then looked at Huang Chu, "I'll make you B."

Finally, looking at Cai Ang, he asked, "So you're class C?"

Pei Yuan's words were so blunt that the three of them were speechless for a moment.

Whether or not Yang Tinghe could select the three men was indeed Pei Qianhu's doing, but the final decision on the palace examination rankings rested with the current emperor!
Tang Gao and the others found it hard to accept at first.

So all things considered, our leader is indeed a good leader.

Not only did they try every means to get themselves into Yang Tinghe's favor, but they were also afraid that the rumors would have an impact on them, so they went to the emperor to explain the matter.

But I never expected this!

Zhu Houzhao was utterly inhuman; knowing full well about these disputes, he still ranked them according to the characters on the blue slips.

The three of them suddenly realized why the wax seal on the blue token they saw last time seemed to be damaged.

Someone must have come to check it out secretly.

They had previously thought that it was because the package had not been stored properly that it was like that.

I've figured it out. I've figured everything out.

Tang Gao, who always liked to get to the bottom of things, suddenly understood, and his heart was filled with guilt towards Commander Pei.

Such a sincere and kind commander, such a caring and considerate elder brother—how could I have doubted him with such a petty mind before?

Simply not human!

Without saying a word, Tang Gao knelt down with a thud. He wanted to speak, but the grievances he had been holding back all day made him burst into tears.

Pei Yuan knew about Tang Gao's past and the hardships Tang Gao had endured for so many years in pursuit of this fame and fortune.

They also understood the indomitable spirit and resentment expressed in the phrase, "What can be done about fate like Tang Gao's?"

Now that his dream has come true and he has won the championship, he has fallen from grace overnight. He went from being the darling of the entire Ming Dynasty to a disgraced villain who is despised by everyone.

The numerous ups and downs he experienced in a short period of time finally broke him, as he had always believed that he could change his fate through hard work.

What changed his fate was Yang Tinghe's slight willfulness, Zhu Houzhao's accidental evil, and Pei Qianhu's momentary favor.

Tang Gao was in turmoil, his mind filled with chaos.

Seeing Tang Gao's intense efforts, Huang Chu and Cai Ang quickly bowed down to express their respect and admiration.

Seeing this, Pei Yuan was also moved and said emotionally, "There's no need for that. I helped you back then simply because I valued your talent."

"From beginning to end, has this commander had any designs on you?"

"I'm not afraid to tell you. There are indeed some of my people in your class. They are those Shandong scholars who have eaten with you."

"I have my own people and don't want anything from you. I just feel sorry for you because you are talented but not appreciated. I will be satisfied if you can serve the Ming Dynasty well."

The three of them were even more moved as they listened to Pei Yuan's words.

Because these are all facts.

From the moment Pei Yuan met the three of them, he has been making continuous sacrifices.

First, he did everything he could to help the three of them get to the capital. Then, he helped them find a temple to stay in the capital. Before the imperial examination, he also gave them pre-examination lessons and helped them analyze the questions and the Grand Secretary's inclinations.

To prevent his reputation as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard from implicating the three of them, he even proactively reported to His Majesty in advance. Although the matter did not end well, everyone could see his sincerity.

Moreover, they had all seen Pei Qianhu's painting, as well as the twelve people in the painting, and Huo Tao and Tian Fu, two highly talented scholars.

Despite having his own team, Commander Pei still insisted in front of everyone that the three of them were the best.

Thinking of the warmth, encouragement, and unwavering confidence that Commander Pei gave me, sob sob...

Pei Yuan helped the sobbing Tang Gao to his feet, then sighed to him, "I, the commander, will not hide it from you anymore. Do you know why His Majesty would use your disgrace to set this up?"

This drew even the attention of Tang Gao, who was wiping away tears.

Pei Yuan said, "That's because His Majesty wants to demolish Mingyufang and Jiqingfang to expand the Yongshou Earl's Mansion, and also build a large number of adopted sons' mansions and imperial shops nearby."

"However, this matter was opposed by both the government and the public."

"It just so happened that the special imperial examination was held at this time, and a large number of scholars gathered in the capital. Those scholars who failed the exam turned their disappointment and resentment into criticism of His Majesty and the court."

"His Majesty was in the wrong to demolish Mingyu Ward and Jiqing Ward. Those unsuccessful candidates had both a sense of righteousness and the support of the officials and nobles in those two wards, which greatly troubled His Majesty."

"so……"

Pei Yuan paused for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty needs something to attract the attention of those candidates and reduce public resistance so that the demolition of Jiqingfang and Mingyufang can be completed smoothly."

The three of them remained silent after listening.

Pei Yuan added, "As soon as what happened this morning, I had Commander Yun investigate."

Pei Yuan said to Tang Gao, "The people who pulled you off your horse were from the Northern Garrison Command, and the people who led the disturbance and submitted the joint petition were agents from the Eastern Depot."

Tang Gao's cheeks twitched, but he didn't speak.

Pei Yuan patted them on the shoulder again, "Alright, get up and eat."

After the three of them sat down again, Pei Yuan introduced the main characters of the day, "This time, it's because Xin Jian will be being transferred to another post in a few days, so let's all get together."

Chen Xinjian laughed heartily and greeted the three of them.

The three forced smiles and congratulated Chen Xinjian.

The three top-ranked individuals, who should be celebrating today, are now unsure whether to be happy or worried.

After the meal, Pei Yuan said to Chen Xinjian, "Consider this a farewell dinner for you. You can leave the capital anytime you want, just take plenty of people and plenty of money with you."

"When passing through Linqing, let the Xuzhou Left Guard show their respect."

“Let’s also take advantage of Cheng Leixiang. He’s on such good terms with your brother, let him give you a position as a dutiful centurion.”

Chen Xinjian smiled, also feeling a little reluctant.

Pei Yuan then said to Tang Gao and the others, "I'm afraid we can't stay at Longhua Temple anymore. The three of you should follow Yun Buxian and find a temporary place to stay. Then, write a self-defense statement and submit it overnight."

"Let's first see what attitude Yang Tinghe and His Majesty have, and then I, the commander, will plan for your future."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything." The three left, expressing their gratitude profusely.

Since it was a farewell to Chen Xinjian, Pei Yuan drank a few more cups of wine. After leaving, he was too lazy to pay attention to other matters and leisurely returned to Zhihua Temple on his own.

Upon arriving at Zhihua Temple, the gatekeeper reported, "Chief, those candidates have arrived again."

Pei Yuan said "Oh," and in a good mood corrected him, saying, "From now on, you will be a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination)."

Pei Yuangang had just entered the backyard, and before he even entered the Buddhist hall where he usually received visitors, he was spotted by Xu Qing, who was looking out from the doorway.

Xu Qing jumped out of the Buddhist hall with a smile, "Commander, are you worried about people gossiping about us coming here now?"

Pei Yuan laughed heartily.

Others also poured out of the Buddhist hall, greeting Pei Yuan one after another.

Pei Yuan looked at the scholars he had gathered with satisfaction and deliberately asked, "There's quite a stir in the city right now, and you all have some nerve."

Xu Qing chuckled and said, "Everyone's concerned about Tang Gao and the others right now, who cares about us?"

Pei Yuan glanced around and saw that almost everyone had arrived.

Tian Fu stepped forward and asked, "Has the commander gone to see Tang Gao and the others?"

Pei Yuan hummed in agreement, "And see Chen Xinjian off while you're at it."

It's best to just mention Tang Gao and the other two briefly; it's not appropriate to discuss it in detail.

After all, those three really did become top-tier players, but our own people didn't get that opportunity.

Besides, there's Huo Tao, who's ranked first in the second division.

Pei Yuan's gaze found Huo Tao, and he asked him directly, "You missed out on the top ten this time, are you a little disappointed?"

Huo Tao did indeed feel somewhat resentful.

After all, he got fourth place, just a hair's breadth away from first place.

Although he was ranked right next to the third-ranked Tan Hua, Tan Hua was a "Jinshi Jidi" (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), while Tan Hua was a "Jinshi Chushen" (a person who passed the highest imperial examinations).

The plaques on the ancestral halls will all be different in the future.

But since things had come to this point, Huo Tao could only say sensibly, "The commander must have considered it."

Pei Yuan said, “You really don’t need to feel sorry. I’ve already inquired about it. Your article was also presented to the Emperor by Yang Tinghe. However, His Majesty wanted to throw people out to attract attention, so he deliberately chose Tang Gao and the other two, who had already caused a great stir before the exam.”

Everyone was somewhat surprised and asked, "Chief, what does this mean?"

At this point, Pei Yuan naturally had to make some sacrifices for Zhao Zi.

So he continued, “The Emperor plans to demolish Mingyu Archway and Jiqing Archway, which has drawn much opposition from both the court and the public. Especially with this special imperial examination, there are many candidates in the capital, and those who failed have been taking the opportunity to cause trouble.”

"His Majesty, concerned about the uproar, decided to raise a topic to attract the attention of those who failed the exam. That's why he deliberately chose Tang Gao, Huang Chu, and Cai Ang to take the blame."

"These three are now universally condemned and enemies of the world, so their lives are not going to be easy. It's hard to say what will happen in the future."

Pei Yuan said to Huo Tao, "You're lucky. I heard from Mao Ji that Yang Tinghe selected a lot of papers this time. Since you were the top student in the second class, you must have been selected by him."

Huo Tao thought about the current situation of Tang Gao and the other two, and suddenly felt that being first in the second class wasn't so bad.

Although these three individuals may receive some compensation from their superiors, this compensation will not be endless.

Compared to this advantage, losing the support of all his classmates and being resented by thousands of other candidates seems to be the most fatal flaw.

Without a fellow Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) who helps each other out in the same year, one is just a Juren (successful candidate in the provincial imperial examination) plus.

After Pei Yuan finished speaking about Huo Tao, he asked Tian Fu, "What place did you get this time?"

Tian Fu calmly said, "I have failed to live up to the teachings of the commander, and only achieved first place in the top three."

"Tsk." Pei Yuan said with some regret.

According to the original history, he ranked tenth in the second class of land tax, which was a very good position. Later, he was successfully selected as a junior official.

Although Tian Fu was unable to stay in the Hanlin Academy, he entered the Sixth Department, which had a bright future.

When Tian Fu served as a censor in the Six Ministries, he relentlessly attacked Liang Chu, the second-in-command of the cabinet.

He fearlessly uttered the statement, "If there is no wealth, the nation's taxes can be reduced by half."

Pei Yuan then inquired about the rankings of the other people.

Then he discovered that the ranking of this imperial examination seemed to be somewhat arbitrary.

Bai Jun, who is usually quick-witted, got third place in the top three. Xie Bin, who is usually simple-minded, actually got ninth place in the top two.

The other results were also inconsistent.

Liang Yong ranked 37th in the second class; Tao Jun ranked 62nd in the second class; Xu Qing ranked 15th in the second class; Che Rong ranked 5th in the third class; He Han ranked 22nd in the third class; Yao Qian ranked 71st in the second class; Zhang Fan ranked 17th in the third class; Fang Jun ranked 56th in the third class; Shi Kai ranked 75th in the second class; and Zhuang Yu ranked 9th in the third class.

Pei Yuan didn't have high expectations for these guys' performance.

after all……

In the future, won't their meteoric rise to success still depend on me?!

Pei Yuan said, "Don't relax yet, there's still the selection of probationary officials. The selection of probationary officials mainly looks at literary talent. As long as you can be selected as a probationary official, even if you can't stay in the Hanlin Academy, you can still develop in the Six Ministries and Thirteen Circuits, and your future can be described as limitless."

Then, with a wave of his hand, he said, "You have a banquet for the emperor tomorrow. To prevent you from behaving improperly in front of the emperor, don't drink tonight. Let's drink now."

With everyone's future secured, it was a time of joy.

Upon hearing Pei Yuan's words, everyone responded enthusiastically.

Pei Yuan had drunk quite a bit when he saw Chen Xinjian off, and after dealing with everyone for a bit, he was completely drunk.

With Enke successfully achieving his goal this time, Pei Yuan was finally able to put an end to a matter on his mind.

These twelve Shandong Jinshi, along with Huo Tao and Tian Fu, plus Tang Gao, Huang Chu, and Cai Ang, made up Pei Yuan's "Seventeen Sons of Renshen".

Although these guys are new to officialdom and are just junior officials, they are completely different from the eunuchs, meritorious officials and military officers who can make decisions for the emperor. They are all sent up through legitimate channels and with a clean reputation.

Along their journey, they have mentors, classmates, fellow townsmen, and in the future, a large number of disciples will emerge from them.

Those who succeeded enough to remain in the Hanlin Academy had the opportunity to preside over the provincial examinations in Yingtian and Shuntian prefectures. Even those who were merely successful and were appointed as county magistrates could serve as chief examiners for the county-level examinations in the children's examinations.

They don't even need to whitewash themselves, because they are naturally innocent.

In just a few years, they will be able to loudly debate national decisions in the imperial court, instead of being like Pei Yuan, who can only slink away in Zhihua Temple and gradually erode his will in all directions.

Now that Pei Yuan has perfectly reaped the rewards of this imperial examination, it's time to utilize the remaining value of the green examination papers to prepare for next year's autumn examination and the year after's spring examination.

(End of this chapter)