Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1157

The snow was still falling, and there were few pedestrians on the streets of the capital. The walls of the imperial palace in the distance looked particularly majestic against the backdrop of the white snow. Shen Yan clenched the old cloth bag in his arms, and the half-secret letter inside seemed to have warmth. He knew that from the moment he set foot on the land of the capital, he had been involved in the vortex of this power struggle and could never turn back. Chapter 2 The Imperial Examination Turmoil In the thirteenth year of Tianqi, on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the day of the first imperial examination. Outside the Imperial Examination Hall in the capital, it was crowded with candidates who came to take the exam. Most of them were scholars wearing long blue cloth gowns, and there were also a few candidates from other places like Shen Yan who looked a little dusty. Shen Yan came early, wearing a newly made blue cotton gown, holding a pen, ink, paper and inkstone in his arms, standing in the crowd, looking particularly low-key. He did not look for Ye Jinghong, nor did he contact the so-called "distant uncle" - he had already checked and found that the uncle had died ten years ago. The so-called "surrender to the uncle" was just an excuse he used to deceive others. He had been studying in the inn these days, occasionally venturing out to gather information. He knew this imperial examination would be no easy task—Wei Song and the Marquis of Zhenbei were secretly mobilizing forces to win over the talented candidates and bolster their respective factions. "Ding!" the bell of the Imperial Examination Hall rang, and the examinees filed in according to their order. Shen Yan followed the crowd into the hall, passing through several gates and arriving at his designated examination room. The room was small, with only a table and a chair, on which lay the examination paper. After sitting down, Shen Yan took a deep breath to calm himself. The question for this preliminary exam was "On the Way of Governing a Country." It seemed simple, but it held a profound meaning. If he wrote too radically, he would offend the conservatives led by Wei Song; if he wrote too conservatively, he would be considered incompetent by the Marquis of Zhenbei's faction. After a moment's deliberation, Shen Yan decided to focus on "people's livelihood"—the foundation of state governance lies in people's livelihood. Whether conservative or innovative, it ultimately comes down to ensuring the people live and work in peace and contentment. This way, he would not offend either faction while showcasing his talent. He picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and began to write furiously. The words he wrote were fluent and natural, with both analysis of current people's livelihood issues and suggestions for future governance. There was a maturity beyond his age between the lines. He was so absorbed in writing that he completely forgot about time. It was not until the invigilator reminded him that "there is still half an hour to hand in the paper" that he stopped writing, checked it carefully, and handed in the paper after confirming that there were no problems. It was already dark when he walked out of the Imperial Examination Hall. Shen Yan stretched and was about to go back to the inn when he suddenly heard someone calling his name: "Master Shen!" He turned around and saw Ye Jinghong standing not far away, followed by two followers. Ye Jinghong came over with a smile: "How did you do in the exam, Mr. Shen? I see you look very confident, so you must have done well." Shen Yan smiled: "Not bad, I just tried my best. I wonder how did you do, Mr. Ye?" "As for me," Ye Jinghong waved his hand, "it's just so-so, just doing well on the exam. By the way, my father is having a banquet at home tonight and would like to invite Mr. Shen to come over. I wonder if you are free?" Shen Yan was stunned. The Minister of Personnel Ye Mingyuan wanted to see him? This was a good opportunity to get close to the center of power, but it also meant that he would be officially involved in the factional struggle. He hesitated for a moment, but still nodded: "Since Lord Ye has invited me, how dare I refuse? But I have nothing, and it would be inappropriate to go empty-handed." "Mr. Shen is polite," Ye Jinghong said with a smile, "My father just wants to chat with you and see your talent. There's no need to be so reserved." The two got on the carriage together and drove towards the Minister of Personnel's residence. The carriage was spacious, covered with thick brocade cushions, and the fire was burning warmly. Ye Jinghong handed Shen Yan a cup of hot tea: "Mr. Shen, I know you came to the capital this time not just for the imperial examination." Shen Yan paused with his hand holding the teacup, looked up at Ye Jinghong: "Why do you say that, Mr. Ye?" Ye Jinghong smiled, with a deep look in his eyes: "Ten years ago, Lord Shen Jingzhi's entire family was executed, and only one son was rescued and lived in seclusion in Jiangnan. Mr. Shen has the same surname as Lord Shen Jingzhi, and he happened to come from Jiangnan. He must be Lord Shen Jingzhi's son, right?" Shen Yan's heart sank. His identity was actually known to Ye Jinghong! He clenched his teacup and eyed Ye Jinghong warily. "Young Master Ye, since you know my identity, why are you still helping me?" "Because my father was a good friend of Lord Shen Jingzhi," Ye Jinghong's tone grew serious. "My father has always been suspicious of Lord Shen's unjust case, but Wei Song's influence was so great that he didn't dare act rashly. Now that you've arrived, perhaps this is your chance to clear Lord Shen's name." Shen Yan was stunned. He hadn't expected Ye Mingyuan to be a friend of his father's. He looked at Ye Jinghong, his eyes less wary. "Young Master Ye, are you telling the truth?" "Of course it's true," Ye Jinghong nodded. "My father asked me to invite you over to discuss what happened and see if we can find any clues." He pondered for a moment, then said, "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Ye, but I, Shen, cannot accept any reward without merit, so I dare not bother you." Ye Jinghong smiled, unforced. "If that's the case, then I won't force it. But if you need anything, Young Master Shen, please feel free to come see me. Here's my visiting card." "He took out a gold-stamped visiting card from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Yan. Shen Yan took the visiting card and bowed to express his gratitude. Ye Jinghong chatted for a few more words, then stood up to say goodbye. Looking at Ye Jinghong's departing back, Shen Yan began to wonder in his heart - is this Mr. Ye an enemy or a friend? He had just arrived in the capital and had met such a person. It seemed that the road ahead would be more difficult than he had imagined. After eating the noodles, Shen Yan paid the bill and walked out of the inn. Shen Yan's heart moved. Ye Jinghong was the son of the Minister of Personnel. If he could use his power, his path to the imperial examination would be much smoother. But he also understood that there is no free lunch in the world, and Ye Jinghong's help to him must be conditional. The strange omen of Qingshi Town The vast mountains stretch for thousands of miles, like a giant dragon that has been sleeping for ten thousand years, lying across the heart of the Canglan Continent. The peaks on the dragon's back pierce the clouds and are often shrouded in thick clouds and mist. Strange streams of light flash from time to time in the clouds and mist, like the light reflected by the dragon's scales. At the foot of the mountain, patches of "welcoming pines" have strange shapes, with trunks twisted like claws and pine needles glowing with a faint green. It is said that these pine trees have been growing here for thousands of years, absorbing the spiritual energy of the mountain, and ordinary wild animals dare not approach. The depths of the mountains are even more mysterious. The old people often say that ancient mythical beasts live there - when the blue phoenix flies across the sky, its wings will sprinkle spiritual dew that heals all things; the black tortoise lurks at the bottom of the deep pool, and ancient runes that can predict good and bad luck are engraved on its shell. There are also countless natural treasures hidden in it: the thousand-year-old ginseng will turn into a child and run in the woods, and the ninth-grade Ganoderma lucidum grows on cliffs.