On the ninth day of February, the Enke examination of the first year of Hongxi officially began. Brothers Yang Chengzu and Yang Chengzong participated together. The results of the examination were soon announced. Yang Chengzong lived up to expectations and entered the palace examination with the first place in the examination.

What Yang Chengzong didn't know was that not only the Yang family and other major families related to or related to the Yang family were paying attention to this meeting, but even the Qianqing Palace in Da Nei sent Yu Yuzi to inquire about the news. He learned that Yang Chengzong topped the list. Afterwards, the little emperor was very happy and said: "I really did not misjudge the person!"

Although he admired Chengzong very much, he never mentioned him to anyone, so he had no intention of helping him cheat. Yang Chengzong was able to get the first place in the examination all because of his own ability.

A few days later, the imperial examination was held in Baohe Hall. Ye Minzhao attached great importance to the first talent promotion ceremony after becoming emperor. He personally discussed with several learned scholars and decided on a topic. After all the candidates' papers were handed in, Several teachers who graded the papers released the first-place test papers.

Ye Minzhao opened the confused name, and it turned out to be Yang Chengzong. He was slightly moved in his heart, but instead of naming Yang Chengzong as the top pick according to the marking teachers' ideas, he named him as the third best overall pick. Even though he was third overall, he was still the top pick. Ranked first.

Yu Zi followed Ye Minzhao throughout the whole process. He knew that he admired Yang Chengzong very much, but he never expected that the little emperor did not help him in the end, but instead gave the number one scholar he should have got to someone else. Yu Zi was very confused. " emperor……"

Ye Minzhao slowly closed the paper in front of him. He was in a very happy mood today. He had nothing to hide from the eunuch who had grown up with him, and said with a smile: "I will make great use of Yang Chengzong! "

"But why don't you call him the number one scholar?" Yu Zi really couldn't understand.

"Yang Chengzong has been doing well at a young age, but I was afraid that he would be arrogant, get carried away and forget his true nature, so I deliberately suppressed him and demoted his number one scholar to the third overall, in order to temper his temperament. I It took a lot of hard work for him! I hope he won’t disappoint me!”

Yuzi heard this inexplicably. The emperor wiped out the number one scholar that he was supposed to get, and also said that he had worked hard on him? Yuzi felt that his thinking really couldn't keep up with his!

Because Yang Chengzong was ranked in the first class, he could directly become a Shujishi and enter the Hanlin Academy without taking any exams. There is a folk proverb: "If you are not a Jinshi, you will not enter the Hanlin, and if you are not a Hanlin, you will not enter the cabinet." Shujishi are also called Chujishi. Xiang Xiang, after studying knowledge and policy in the Hanlin Academy for several years, people usually rise to official positions as fast as a rocket.

Therefore, although the Hanlin Academy has a small and humble position, it is actually extremely noble!

This time Yang Chengzu also passed the Jinshi examination, ranking 18th in the second class, and later also passed the Shujishi examination. The Yang family has two Jinshi in one discipline, and it is a good story in the capital. The two brothers were involved in the examination fraud case last time. The matter had long been completely forgotten.

After the ranking of Jinshi was announced on the list, although Yang Chengzong did not win the first prize in the exam, he was satisfied with the third place. Of course, he did not know that his ranking was due to the secret manipulation of the little emperor Ye Minyu. Three days later, Ye Minzhao In the Wenhua Hall of the Forbidden City, there was a banquet for a group of new scholars, also known as the "Qionglin Banquet!"

On the second day of the banquet, Yang Chengzong was summoned to Qianqing Palace by the young emperor. What was strange to Chengzong was that the emperor didn't ask him about his poems, songs, romance, flowers, snow and moon, but only asked about military strategies, military strategies, marching formations and so on. The little emperor kept coming back from time to time. Yang Chengzong was announced to the palace, and soon everyone in the court knew that Xinke Tanhua was deeply loved by the emperor.

Then what shocked everyone was that after completing the Shujishi exam, Chengzong was supposed to enter the Hanlin Academy as usual and become a seventh-grade editor. However, with a stroke of his pen, Ye Minzhao sent him to Hubei. He became a "supervisor of the Hunan-Hubei Army and the Mafu Staff Military Staff", and he was actually allowed to join the army!

At that time, the status of civilian officials was generally higher than that of military generals. Military generals of the same level were required to salute when meeting civilian officials. The saying that military achievements in a hundred battles are not as good as a beautiful article shows that the emphasis on civil servants and military officials was deeply rooted.

After Ye Yichen learned about this from Yulan, he was quite surprised. It wasn't that he was dismissive of his brother-in-law, it was just that he was too busy during this period. The New Year was not over yet, Emperor Xiaowu of the Shu Han Dynasty Liu Zhang Using the heavy snow as a cover, they quietly led their troops into Hubei. With lightning speed, they quickly captured Xianning, Huangshi, Ezhou and other places, cleared out the peripheral cities of Xiangyang, and formed a strategic siege of Xiangyang.

Wang Xingyi and Liu Zhang fought several battles. Liu Zhang was very steady in using troops and was famous for being able to fight tough battles. Although Wang Xingyi was not mediocre and had very rich war experience, after all, compared to his talent, he was still far behind Liu Zhang. Many. Therefore, almost all the battles were fought in the north. The morale of the army was low and the situation was very unfavorable.

Wang Xingyi sent an urgent memorial to Ye Yichen every day asking for help. Ye Yichen also focused all his energy on the war ahead. He held meetings with officials from the Ministry of War and the Fifth Army Governor's Office until late at night for several days, and everyone's judgment was unanimous. , Liu Zhang gathered all the forces of Shu Han to seek a decisive battle with Chu.

That night, Ye Yichen returned to the main room and saw a lamp like a bean. It was already past midnight, and Yulan was still waiting for him to come back. A slight feeling of guilt arose in his heart. He held Yulan's hand and sat down. After going back to bed, he pondered for a long time before he said with difficulty: "Lan'er, I may be leaving for Hubei soon! Liu Zhang is very sophisticated in his military use, and a battle ahead is imminent. I have to go to the battle in person to command in order to feel at ease." …”

Yu Lan knew that this day would come sooner or later, but she didn't expect it to come so quickly. She was stunned for a long time before she found her voice: "Have you decided yet?"

Ye Yichen nodded: "Tomorrow I will arrange the affairs between the DPRK and China, and we will set off in five days at the latest!"

Yulan felt as if there was a huge boulder pressing on her chest, so heavy that she couldn't breathe. Somehow, her eyes turned red: "I won't stop you... I'm blind, I just ask you to take care of yourself." My body can come back to me and my child safely!"

Ye Yichen held her tightly in his arms: "Don't worry, I will take good care of myself!"

Five days later, Ye Yichen entrusted all major affairs in the court to the cabinet ministers, leaving Ye Fengqi to look after the stalls at home and personally led 50,000 Beijing troops to aid Hubei.

In the past half year, Ye Yichen replaced two bachelors in the cabinet and installed his own people. Now, except for Mr. Ding Ge, the cabinet is either his own people or Shen Shoufu, who maintains a neutral attitude between the young emperor and the regent. of people. So basically, the cabinet is also under his control.

Ye Minzhao personally held a grand ceremony to send off Ye Yichen's army, and Yulan also shed tears to bid farewell to the prince.

Cining Palace.

The Queen Mother, the Young Emperor and Chen Jia were all present. There was no one in the huge palace, all three of them looked solemn, and the atmosphere seemed very depressing.

In the silence, the little emperor suddenly said: "Where has the regent gone?"

"Return to the Emperor!" Chen Jia replied respectfully: "As soon as the Prince Regent arrived in Tongzhou, he abandoned the large army and took only a few hundred personal guards with him. The route the Prince took was top secret.

Apart from his personal captain, I am afraid no one in the world can know."

"Really?" Ye Minzhao glanced at Chen Jia with a smile but not a smile: "I asked you to plant nails among the regent's personal guards. Haven't you done it after so long?"

Chen Jia's face remained unchanged and he said: "Although the process was very difficult, fortunately, I did not disgrace my destiny!"

Ye Minzhao's face suddenly flushed. He slapped the armrest of the throne hard and stood up quickly: "Okay! Today is what I have been waiting for!" He walked quickly to Chen Jia and spoke urgently.

and fast

: "Go quickly and make arrangements... aren't there spies arranged by the Shu Han in Beijing? Go and pass Ye Yichen's location to Liu Zhang. I think Liu Zhang will not want to see Ye Yichen arrive safely in Xiangyang!"

"Yes! I will make arrangements now!"

"Wait a minute!" Ye Minzhao was very excited when he spoke just now. The Queen Mother had not disturbed him, so she finally interrupted: "Your Majesty, please think clearly! Although Ye Yichen is authoritarian and domineering, his military command ability is unrivaled in the world.

Wushuang, if he really dies, who will help you resist the Shu Han, and who will help you eliminate Ye Minyu?"

"Queen Mother!" Ye Minzhao suddenly turned around and said with red eyes: "We have suffered so much loss and humiliation at his hands, how come you still speak for this traitor now! It's been ten years at night

To unify the world, I will completely eliminate this traitor! I can't bear it anymore! I can't tolerate it even an hour and a quarter of a day!"

The Queen Mother said calmly: "The Ai family does not want to stop you. But to remind you that now you are the emperor of this huge empire. The Ai family hopes that no matter what decision you make, you can calmly judge and analyze the situation.

It’s not out of temporary whim! You want to become a generation of holy masters that surpasses Taizu and Taizong. This is the most fundamental thing!”

Ye Minzhao's whole body was shaken. He slowly calmed down, but still said firmly: "My son has figured it out. He will never regret it in the future!"

Ten days later, before the city gates of Beijing were closed, a war horse flew into the Xizhi Gate. On the horse was a knight dressed in black. The knight had exhausted the two horses along the way and ran for two days without stopping.

For two days and two nights, the bumps along the way had left a bloody mess between his legs.

An hour later, at the residence of King Qin Ye Fengqi, Prince Qin took the secret report handed over by the man in black. He only glanced at it. The always elegant and elegant prince seemed to have been struck by lightning. He was so shocked that he could not hold the secret report in his hand.

letter.

"How is this possible..."

That night, Yu Lan had not slept well. She had been having nightmares. In the middle of the night, she was suddenly woken up by her maid: "Princess, Manager Ma is here and waiting in the front hall. He said there are urgent matters."

Report to you!"

Yulan suddenly woke up. Ma Fu always knew the rules and would never enter the inner courtyard. If he came to visit at this time, something big must have happened. Yulan immediately thought of the prince first, and felt very excited.

A bad premonition enveloped her.

She quickly told the girl next to her: "Hurry and help me put on my clothes!"

She hurriedly put on her clothes and took her maid in to the main hall. She saw Ma Fu, Cheng Ying, and Han Guang both there. Cheng Ying and Han Guang were supposed to go to the front line with Ye Yichen, but Ye Yichen was worried about Yulan and the two.

As a child, he left his personal servant at Yulan's disposal.

Yulan saw that all three of them were pale, and Chengying and Hanguang had tears in their eyes. She felt that her feet were weak and she couldn't stand. It took her a long time to find her voice: "Manager Ma, come and call me in the middle of the night.

Get up, what happened?"

Ma Fu swallowed his saliva, his face was filled with despair. Yulan had never seen him like this before. In his impression, Ma Fu was always confident.

"Princess, don't worry, it's... it's bad news!"

"Did something happen to the prince? You should tell me quickly!"

"When the ship the prince was on was crossing the river in Shuhan territory, it was discovered somehow. Liu Zhang deployed heavy artillery on both sides of the Yangtze River. The ship the prince was on was sunk by the heavy artillery. Now we don't know whether the prince is alive or dead! But don't worry.

, Prince Qin has already taken people out to the scene of the incident overnight to investigate. Prince Qin and his old man will definitely turn the danger into good luck!"

Yu Lan felt her head was buzzing. She understood every word Ma Fu said, but when combined into one sentence, she didn't want to understand what it meant. Tears flowed down unknowingly.

But she had no idea. Words like "The ship has sunk!" and "Life or death are unknown!" were just swirling in her mind.

One second is the difference between heaven and hell!

She murmured: "You promised me that you would come back to see me and my children well! You promised me!" Only then did she feel the sharp pain in her heart, like a thousand or ten thousand steel needles.

It was like a stab in the heart, the pain was so painful that she could hardly breathe.
Chapter completed!