"Thank you, the eldest son, for telling you."

Chen Yichen bowed and thanked him. It was a blessing or a disaster, but it was a disaster. As long as he stayed in the Duke Cheng's mansion for one day, he would still have to face the Lin family and his son.

"It's late at night, so I won't bother you anymore. You can prepare for the exam with peace of mind."

All that should be said has been said, and Zhu Yi could clearly sense that Chen Yichen still had a deep gap with him, his de facto brother, and the two of them couldn't talk to each other.

Zhu Yi thought that according to Chen Yichen's personality, he would only raise his hand to see the guests, but he didn't expect that the other party said, "Young Master, do you think there will inevitably be a conflict between Zhu Ji and his son?"

Chen Yichen's words are a kind of temptation and also a kind of answering doubts.

The test is that those who have watched some palace dramas in later generations can understand that this kind of person who comes to the door for no reason will remind you that people will cause trouble, and most of them have ulterior motives.

It is even possible that the person who informs you hopes that you will have a dispute with the person who is in trouble, and thus form a situation where two tigers will be in trouble, and he will eventually benefit the fisherman.

The answer lies in the cause of death of Zhu Yi's biological mother, Wang. At present, only she, her mother, Shen, and Lin herself know it.

However, it is difficult to preserve any permanent secrets in the high-gate mansion. Chen Yichen didn't know much about whether Zhu Yi knew something, so he wanted to inquire about it.

"Yes, because you are now valued by your father."

Through this period of contact, Zhu Yi also had a deep understanding of Chen Yichen's intelligence.

So the other party had already said it clearly, and he didn't need to hide anything anymore, so he could just explain the reason.

"Even if I have entered the genealogy, I have no essential conflict of interest with Zhu Ji."

"On the contrary, you and Zhu Ji are both legitimate sons now. In theory, the conflict of interests is much greater than mine."

Listening to Chen Yichen's explicit words, Zhu Yi showed a deep smile on his face.

"Yichen, I didn't expect that you have lived outside the mansion since childhood, but you are so clear about open and secret struggles within the high walls."

"You are right, but you have forgotten one thing, that is, the second brother can become a legitimate son, who can guarantee that you won't know how to do it in the future?"

After saying this, Zhu Yi turned around and left the North Courtyard of the West Chamber, leaving Chen Yichen standing there.

Seeing Zhu Yi's figure moving away, A Niu came over at this time and asked Chen Yichen with a confused face, "Brother Chen, what are you talking about with this eldest son? Why don't you understand a word?"

Chen Yichen's face was a little serious at this moment. A Niu didn't understand, but he understood it.

No one knows better than Chen Yichen how Zhu Ji's mother Lin became the Duke's wife.

In ancient times, when concubines became second wife, two necessary conditions must be met, that is, the wife’s position is vacant and has a son, so that the mother can be noble by her son.

If you want your mother Shen to take office, put aside the factors of Cheng Guogong himself, and you only meet the principle of "mother is noble by her son", that is, you have received the attention of Zhu Yong.

But another vacancy in the position of a wife is even more important. Otherwise, no matter how much you favored your concubine and killed your wife in ancient times, you would never be able to support your concubine to the position.

How to make the wife vacant? Lin has already performed it once again. Could Zhu Yi’s meaning be performed again?

If that's the case, it means that Zhu Yi already knew that something was wrong behind the death of his biological mother back then, and even learned that it was related to the Lin family.

Chen Yichen had contacted the second generation of the Xunqin children and officials who were in contact with before were mostly low-level and had no hope of inheriting the title in the family, so he became more of the playboys who only knew how to eat, drink and have fun.

Now when you see Zhu Yi, the authentic eldest son who receives elite education and trains him according to the successor, you can clearly feel the gap between the two.

It’s not simple, not simple, not simple, not easy.

If I hadn't always been wary of the people in Duke Cheng's mansion, I would have thought I had met a good brother who was very caring.

I really have to thank Zhu Yong for this. If it weren't for his words and deeds, how could Chen Yichen understand how cheap family affection is for Duke Hou Xunqi?

"Brother Chen, what's wrong with you?"

A Niu looked at Chen Yichen standing there for a long time without replying, and looked thoughtful, and couldn't help asking again.

"It's okay, go back to the house."

Chen Yichen recovered and did not say anything to A Niu in detail, but turned around and returned to the study.

The current information can only tell that Zhu Yi is not a simple person, and is showing kindness to him, revealing his intention to join forces.

But whether Zhu Yi really knows the reason for the death of his biological mother Wang is still doubtful.

Maybe Zhu Yi felt the threat brought by the ambitions of Lin and Zhu Ji, so he would win over him to reach a balance of strength in the public administration and warn the other party.

It is even possible that Zhu Yi was cruel and used his wife and son as conditions and bait, and tempted himself to use his gun to help him get rid of Lin.

After all, the successful case of Lin's family is right in front of us. Under normal circumstances, for a maid like Chen Yichen, who cannot even get a genealogy, the temptation of the identity of a legitimate son is too great, and it is difficult not to be moved.

Or maybe he was valued by Zhu Yong, Duke Cheng, and Zhu Yi was simply envious and jealous, so he provoked an internal fight with Zhu Ji.

You should know that the news of Zhu Ji's disagreement with him is not a secret in Yingtian Mansion. Both sides have fought against each other several times on the streets, and they can be used.

It can only be said that there are too many possibilities, and Chen Yichen could not be sure what Zhu Yi was thinking for a moment. The reason why he fell into deep thought just now was that he wanted to incorporate Zhu Yi's thinking logic into his heart, and thus infer the other party's ultimate goal.

Unfortunately, Chen Yichen still knows too little about his elder brother in his bloodline.

...

Three days passed quickly. Just when Shen Yichen went to Shuntian Gongyuan to prepare for the second national examination, Zhu Yi had already left the Duke Chengguo Mansion and followed Jingyuan Bo Wang Ji to Shaanxi for the border patrol.

And after the conversation that night, Zhu Yi never looked for Chen Yichen again. The two had a tacit understanding, just to see who would eventually be moved by the interests or continue to increase their investment.

The second national examination was held on August 12th, and the process was the same as the first one, but there were some changes in the content of the examination.

The second test was no longer the Four Books and Five Classics, and even the poems and essays, but the "Aboutique". In addition, the five "judgment" items, as well as the edicts, edicts, tables, and internal medicine to answer, which is equivalent to only taking three questions.

The purpose of this exam is not just about the candidate's knowledge, but also tests whether the candidate has the basic conditions for becoming an official.

Otherwise, a nerd who studies hard and does not have any on-site administrative skills, it will be a disaster for him to become an official at that time.

After the second exam, the third game on August 15th was immediately followed.

This provincial examination mainly tests five aspects of classics, history, and current affairs. To understand it simply, it depends on whether the candidates have the ability to stabilize the country and what the overall situation is.

This is why there will be policy discussions in the last palace examination in the imperial examination. Because the step you can get to the palace examination means that you have approached the center of power and will be in charge of the whole world in the future.

Without enough vision and overall view, you are not worthy of controlling such great power.

However, in the provincial examination, the second and third sessions have basically become a form. As long as you do not violate the taboos in your article, even if you almost write them, it doesn’t matter.

Even in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the trend of paying the first session became more and more serious. As long as the "Four Books" charity test papers written in the first session were won, even the examiners no longer carefully reviewed the other sessions.

There are records in the history of the Ming Dynasty that some candidates wrote very well in the first exam paper, while the other exam papers were simple and poor. Some were even more outrageous. Even the most basic allusions, formats and tones, were too lazy to write Chinese style.

Of course, Chen Yichen would not do this. After all, his goal is not just to win the championship, but to win the top spot.

Otherwise, what is the meaning of coming to the capital and bowing to Duke Cheng and getting to know the examiner well? It would be better to take the provincial examination in Yingtianfu.

For Jie Yuan, there is no academic shortcomings.

The exam was completed on August 15th, and Chen Yichen walked out of the examination room and felt relaxed. At this moment, the scorching sun was shining, and the people couldn't open their eyes.

I have to say that Chen Yichen's test luck is a bit good. He did not encounter any storm during the three-day exam. It was the strong and warm sun in summer. Except for the hot noon, everything else can be accepted.

Chen Yichen handed the papers out early in the first session of the provincial examination, and gave the papers in advance. In the third session, the policy discussion was not very important and there were fewer questions, so he handed the papers even faster.

Just when Shen Yichen was about to find a restaurant, eat and drink before returning to the Duke's Mansion, a servant from the Duke's Mansion hurried over from a distance.

"Young Master Chen, you have an order. Let us pick you up to your house for dinner."

Pick me back for dinner?

When Chen Yichen heard this, he felt a little funny. When will Duke Cheng Guo still have the intention to celebrate the end of his provincial examination?

Even if you want to have a meal, it is still a celebration banquet that will be released, right?

"You go back and tell your grandfather that I've eaten outside."

Chen Yichen did not plan to go back to the Duke's Mansion to have dinner with Duke Cheng. He and Zhu Yong had nothing to say. He probably was so embarrassed at the same table, so he might as well eat outside.

"Young Master Chen, this is a special order from the Master. I hope you don't make things difficult for the younger ones."

A look of praying appeared on the servant's face. It was obvious that if Chen Yichen did not go back with him, the consequences would be very serious.

"Why does the Duke have to ask me to go back?"

Chen Yichen felt a little confused. With the character of Cheng Guogong, he would not care about trivial matters like having a meal.

"Young Master Chen, have you forgotten today's season?"

season?

After the servant’s reminder, Chen Yichen remembered that today is the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival.

However, Zhu Yong, Duke Cheng, wanted to have a reunion dinner with him so much, and he still felt a little unbelievable.

"Okay, I'll go back with you."

Chen Yichen didn't want to make things difficult for the servants, and it was a holiday at least, so Zhu Yong had to give him this face. So he got on the carriage under the guidance of his servant and returned to the Duke Cheng's mansion.

At this moment, the lobby of the Duke Mansion was extremely lively, with the table full of delicious food and delicacies mixed with laughter and joy from time to time.

Chen Yichen walked to the lobby door. In addition to seeing Zhu Yong, Duke Cheng on the master's seat, he also saw an old face beside him, that is "second brother" Zhu Ji.
Chapter completed!