There are nine Cui clan members in Qinghe, a number that makes Cui Gong very satisfied.
Although the limelight was taken away by the two Nangong family members, Cui Gong felt that this was very good, as it would prevent the Cui family from being too conspicuous.
On the same day, after the results of the palace examination were released, Cui Gong said to Xie Yuan: "Thank you for keeping me here for many days, I am going back."
Xie Yuan smiled and said, "Mr. Cui might as well stay here for a few more days."
Mr. Cui shook his head, "I also want to stay longer, but if I don't go back, the fourth son and the fourth daughter-in-law will become even more shameless, thinking that no one will care about them."
Xie Yuanxiao also heard that Cui Yuanbin and Liu Yuying seemed to be away from home all day long, and even chartered a boat outside the city to spend the night. This couple was really famous. It's hard for their son Cui Yanjin, who is very busy every day, with his feet never touching the ground. He is a small and motivated person who makes people doubt that he is not their biological child.
He smiled and nodded, "Sure, in that case, I won't keep Mr. Cui."
When Mr. Cui returned home, Cui Mansion immediately became lively and held a banquet to congratulate the children of the family who were on the list.
Cui Xingyu and Cui Xing also felt ashamed and said to Cui Gong: "Grandpa, we were not as good as Nangong Che and failed to win the championship, which disappointed grandpa."
"Oh, I'm not disappointed, I'm not disappointed." Cui Gongle said calmly, "I personally read Nangong Che's paper, and then showed it to Mr. . Sure enough, he performed better in the palace examination. He won the first place and his skills were superior. You did not lose unjustly. It is good to be able to hold on to second and third place."
The two of them breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that their grandfather did not blame them.
Cui Gongxiao asked: "I heard that during the palace examination, the princess and her husband personally polished Nangong Che's ink?"
Cui Xingyu and Cui Xing also looked at each other and nodded in unison, "We also heard about it. At that time, we were focused on answering the questions and were not distracted. We didn't see it with our own eyes."
It is a palace examination after all.
A young man named Cui Xingzhe said: "Uncle, I saw it. It's true. After the concubine went to see everyone in the palace examination, she went to Nangong Che and stopped to watch him answer the questions. After a while, Nangong Che's ink was gone, and he was about to polish it himself, but he saw that the concubine had already rolled up her sleeves and helped him polish it with her own hands. Nangong Che was shocked at that time, and I was also shocked."
Cui Gong laughed and scolded, "Oh? Did you see it with your own eyes? No wonder you lost two of the imperial examinations and almost fell out of the top two. If you don't answer the questions well, what will you do?"
Cui Xingzhe scratched his head, "I wanted to grind the ink with my own hands at that time, so I glanced at it and almost knocked over the ink."
"My dearest daughter, I cherish my talents and love my talents. With such a prince, who will be the wise master of Southern Chu in the future, you will all work hard in the future. Getting into the scientific examination is just the first step in your life. The days ahead will be long, so don't go astray. With the Queen in power, there will be countless opportunities for you to display your ambitions in Nanchu in the future, and the prospects are promising." Cui Gong stroked his beard and said: "How far you can go in the future depends on you."
Cui Yanjin happened to come in. When he heard these words, he immediately said loudly: "Uncle, how far our Cui family can go in the future depends on whether my cousin is favored or not, and whether his position is stable or not."
Cui Gong laughed angrily and scolded, "You bastard, where did you come from such a speech?" Cui Yanjin immediately said: "Without my cousin, none of us would have come to Nanchu. His position is stable enough, and all of us are talented. There is a chance to show off. If his position is not stable, no matter how talented we are, we have to keep a low profile, right? Just like the prince of Daliang, the queen is not favored. , haven’t you been keeping a low profile for many years?”
Mr. Cui was speechless for a moment, "It can't be compared like this."
He said: "Your Majesty, Daliang, is not as broad-minded as the current concubine. This is one of the reasons. Your cousin Zhou Gu's position will not be unstable. Do you know under what circumstances the concubine chose him?"
Cui Yanjin tilted his head. He really didn't know much. What he knew most was the things he learned after coming to Nanchu and contacting his cousins.
Mr. Cui waved to him, "Come here."
Cui Yanjin walked up to Cui Gong.
Cui Gong touched his head, "Don't just look at things on the surface. You only know that the princess came to the door of the Duke Protector's Mansion and broke off your cousin's marriage. But you don't know that after the princess broke off the engagement, she chose the night. The second son of the prime minister’s house later broke off his engagement for your cousin.”
"I know this." Cui Yanjin said, "My cousin is too stubborn, but my cousin can't resist him."
Cui Gong suddenly laughed, "This is the appearance, not the inside. In terms of the inside, the queen loves your cousin, and for him, she can give up the throne of Nanchu. Giving up the Second Young Master Ye is equivalent to giving up the power of the Ye Prime Minister's Mansion. With the support of a hundred thousand soldiers and horses, such a thing, in her situation at that time, was tantamount to losing her biggest arm and ladder. If the second young master Ye had not changed his original intention and still supported the princess, then the relationship with the Nangong family I'm afraid I won't be able to win the battle with King Liu'an and Yuan Zhao, the crown prince of the Wei Dynasty. I can give up the throne for your cousin, what else do you think can shake his position?"
Cui Yanjin scratched his head, "Uncle, what do you want to say?"
"I want to say, go and apologize to your cousin some other time, don't always deliberately anger him." Cui Gongdao: "I made up my mind to send Xingzhi and you to come to Nanchu with people, and it was also because of the princess. I have a deep affection for your cousin. This reason is enough for me to bet on the future with the Cui family. You are right, betting on your cousin is one of the reasons, but the other is that your cousin will not lose to anyone. , not even Second Young Master Ye, or everyone, no one is more worthy of the princess than him."
Cui Yanjin whispered: "What? You are just looking after your cousin. He is so proud of his favor. He didn't go to the palace examination today, but when he heard that his cousin was helping Nangong Che, he went. Also, he bullied me. .”
Mr. Cui laughed angrily, "That's because the king sent someone to call him."
Cui Gong nodded his forehead, "You have such a little brain, don't you think that if your cousin really wanted to deal with you, he would have dealt with you long ago? Why are you doing so well so far? Isn't it because you arrived on the battlefield in time? Saved the princess? Your cousin remembers your kindness in his heart, otherwise he would have offended you so much. If you lecture him with this mouthful, you would have been kicked out of Nanchu long ago. "
Cui Yanjin was unconvinced, "It's because he's not good."
"You're not very good either." Cui Gong said amusedly, "Okay, I won't talk about you anymore. When you offend him again and are transferred to the Ministry of Household Affairs, and you suffer, you will know that he is serious about you. .”
Cui Yanjin blinked and blinked. After a moment, he turned around and ran away, "I will go to my cousin to apologize."
He left as soon as he said so, but he was very smart. He first went to his father's private treasury and chose several gifts. Then he ran to his mother's treasury and took the gift he was given away on his cousin-in-law's birthday gift. sword, and then quickly entered the palace. (End of chapter)