Outside Zhengyang Gate, the students were unusually quiet at this moment.
Everyone looked excitedly at the emperor, listening to him talk about the upcoming special imperial examination.
The regular palace exam was held once every three years, but with this special examination, it meant that these scholars had another chance to win the title of Jinshi!
"I am holding this special examination because the court needs talented individuals," Emperor Xiao Yunzhou said. "I am clearing away the filth, waiting for virtuous officials!"
Zheng Qiru lowered his head and clenched his fists.
He had already made up his mind. If the emperor disliked his appearance and did not select him in the palace exam, he would become a teacher.
Teaching some children from poor families to read, allowing them to become the good officials that he, Zheng Qiru, wanted to be but could not.
"Old Zheng! Why aren't you listening to me?"
"Quick, the emperor seems to be nodding at you again."
"???"
Zheng Qiru looked helplessly at his companions.
Wasn't one deception enough for them?
Zheng Qiru looked displeased at his companions. "Don't make up stories about the emperor—"
He did not dare to have any expectations.
Because the more expectations he had, the more disappointed he would be.
The birthmark on his face made even his own mother unwilling to look at him for long, and the neighbors avoided him on the streets.
Who was the emperor?
Would he look at this ugly freak with different eyes?
Dressed in patched old clothes, slightly thin, a bit short, and with a prominent flaw on his face.
"Hey, why don't you take a look in front of you!" Zheng Qiru's friend was about to jump up and pinched him hard.
Only then did Zheng Qiru reluctantly turn his head in pain.
As soon as he turned, he froze.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was holding his daughter, high up, truly—smiling at him!
His eyes were gentle!
"Go back and study hard."
"I'll be waiting for your names on the gold list."
The emperor spoke to the students, but his smiling eyes seemed to pass through everyone and land on him!
In the emperor's eyes, there was no disdain, no disgust, no dislike...
Only anticipation!
Zheng Qiru opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
His chest seemed to be engulfed by a gushing heat!
【Ding, an exceptionally intelligent talent, loyalty to Jing Country has risen to outstanding.】
Xiao Chuchu heard the system's prompt and smiled brightly.
"Farewell, Your Majesty!"
"We students will serve wholeheartedly!"
"We are willing to serve the court, and we will return to study hard today!"
The students also woke up from their dreamlike state.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou nodded in satisfaction, remembered the faces of the students his daughter liked, and returned to the palace.
Until his sedan chair left, the students remained kneeling on the ground.
Many of them even had tears in their eyes.
"We misunderstood the emperor today, blindly causing trouble, but the emperor did not blame us."
"I just saw Minister Jiang's nonsensical article and thought that we, the few students leading the trouble, would be arrested by the guards."
"Ah, the emperor truly loves talent and is generous!"
Xiao Yunzhou listened happily to the students' praises, then immediately announced in the palace, dismissed the last ten officials in today's assessment.
He then promoted ten officials with good assessments.
After finishing the matter, Xiao Yunzhou casually flipped through a stack of documents and then glanced at Liu Family's patriarch and Chancellor Fu Cha.
"Liu Wenchang, you and Chancellor Fu Cha will oversee this special examination."
Xiao Yunzhou spoke with emotion, looking at the officials.
"Liu Wenchang, you have only been in the Ministry of Personnel for less than five days, yet you are already familiar with the regulations. If all of you are as dedicated to your duties as he is, I wouldn't have to spend time inspecting you all."
The officials fell silent.
The head of the Liu Family blushed a bit, "Oh, stop it."
After the Emperor's question about 'How should Pan Zhishui be handled' was answered by his granddaughter, he realized that the Emperor liked officials who were diligent in their positions.
Xiao Yunzhou was a practical Emperor!
He enjoyed cultivating himself, so he didn't have time to chat with the officials, he was straightforward, hoping that all officials could do their duties well.
Therefore, the head of the Liu Family had been studying the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel diligently at home these days.
Unexpectedly, after staying up for four nights and memorizing everything, he passed the test and was praised by the Emperor!
[Ah, my grandfather is the second highest official in the Ministry of Personnel.]
[Grandfather has only been transferred for less than four days, look at those dark circles under his eyes, he's really studying hard.]
Xiao Chuchu couldn't help but look over sympathetically at her grandfather who was still working hard at his age, she really admired him.
[Whatever position my grandfather is transferred to, he will do his best to fulfill his duties.]
[Is it to not disappoint the Emperor? If all officials were so diligent, our Jing Country would be saved.]
Xiao Yunzhou was moved by this.
"Dismissed, everyone."
Turning around, he quietly instructed Wei Zheng to reward the old Liu Family and Concubine Liu with a lunch together, a family reunion.
"Your Majesty, you forgot, Concubine Liu left the palace early this morning to make winter clothes." Wei Zheng smiled.
The Emperor was taken aback.
"Yesterday, Concubine Liu made five hundred winter clothes and sent them to the refugees. Today, without stopping, she has started making the second batch." Wei Zheng promptly reported Concubine Liu's progress to Xiao Yunzhou.
Xiao Yunzhou was even more touched.
The whole Liu Family is diligent!
"Then allow Concubine Liu to stay at home for a night. Today, the old Liu can rest, allowing them to reunite as a family."
Xiao Yunzhou was especially gracious.
[Ah, I want to go too!]
Xiao Chuchu pouted for a moment.
Xiao Yunzhou couldn't help but smile, gently tapping the nose of his precious little princess.
"Wei Zheng, prepare a cloth robe. After reviewing this morning's memorials, I will go in disguise for a half day of private inspection."
Xiao Yunzhou smiled.
While the officials rested, he still had work to do.
But today, he could give himself a little break.
"Well, don't tell the Liu Family yet, I want to surprise them."
Wei Zheng was shocked.
The Emperor was going to stay at the Liu Family's house!?
Heavens above!
The Liu Family truly had the Emperor's favor!
*
At the Zhengyang Gate, Liu Lao received the imperial decree to assist in the Enke examination and prepared to leave the palace.
Other officials accompanied him, and many people on the road wanted to chat with him.
"Brother Wenchang, how about a drink?"
"Since there is still half a day of rest, why not go listen to music?"
Hong Xing from the Censorate, part of Chancellor Fu Cha and the Empress's faction, watched as Liu Lao was surrounded by people, with a smile that was not quite a smile.
The reason the Emperor valued the Liu Family was largely due to their clean background, free from forming cliques and private interests.
If Liu Wenchang gets close to other officials, what's the difference between him and the Fu Cha Family, the Tong Family, and the Queen's faction?
Chancellor Fu Cha was happy to watch the excitement.
Hong Xing was even more eager, with a glint in his eyes, ready to compete with Liu Wenchang!
Just about to preside over the imperial examinations and appoint scholars, he actually went out for drinks with the officials!?
This was shamelessly networking!
But they were hoping for Liu to make a mistake, only to hear him politely refuse.
"Sorry, I have to go home. My wife has been busy making winter clothes, and I need to hurry back to cook."
"???"
The group of ministers were all stunned.
What?
Does Liu, a fourth-rank official who also holds a third-rank position in the court, cook for the Liu family?
Liu politely declined all the way, climbed onto the old horse-drawn carriage he rented at the door, and slowly trotted home.
"Next time we have a break, I'll cook for you all."
The ministers were shocked.
On the roadside outside Zhengyang Gate, another person was also staring blankly.
It was none other than Zheng Qiru, a student with flawed looks and low self-esteem.
It turns out, the Emperor really appoints based on talent!
No questions about background, looks, or... whether he's henpecked?
"Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!"
Zheng Qiru was excited.
[Beep, an extraordinarily talented and loyal individual, your loyalty to the Emperor has reached "dedication to the bone."]
"???"
Xiao Chuchu, who was being carried into the small courtyard of the Liu family by the Emperor, looked bewildered.
Even more bewildered was Emperor Xiao Yunzhou.
He looked at the narrow courtyard of the Liu family, where Liu Lao Ye was stirring a big pot of food, smiling and serving his wife and daughters, while reciting the Ministry of Personnel regulations, leaving him speechless.
The Emperor didn't know which one to be more shocked by.
A gentleman stays out of the kitchen.
Since ancient times, women have been expected to serve their husbands.
How come it's the opposite in the Liu family?
[Oh, no wonder I've noticed my maternal family's intelligence has been increasing lately!]
[Also, my maternal uncle, my great uncle, also have an intelligence of 87!?]
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou stared, then quickly saw Liu Lao Ye's elder brother, holding dough in his hands, coming out to greet him.
How come everyone in this family... is doing things like men?
The Emperor was stunned.
Xiao Chuchu, on the other hand, sighed in her heart, [I told you, being hands-on can stimulate brain development~]
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou stared.
Case solved, case solved!
Not only did he sleep less as a child, but even his clothes were put on by eunuchs!
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou realized.
He was instantly filled with remorse.
His IQ didn't reach ninety because of a reason!
"Well, Concubine Liu, well, you sit still, I'll pour the tea myself."
"???"
"Dare you, Wei Zheng, put the chair back, can't I... use my own hands?"
"???"
There was silence in the Liu family's courtyard.
