My father Zhu Gaoxu

Chapter 375 The News Comes Out
In the blink of an eye, more than a month has passed, and it is almost time to release the rankings.

But as the day approached, Zhao Zhi became more and more anxious. Although he said it was free and easy, he found a friend to be his assistant after failing the exam the last time.

But as a scholar, he has regarded the imperial examination as the only right way for decades, and now he is asked to give up the imperial examination and serve as a subordinate to a former friend. How can he be reconciled?
"Brother Zhao!"

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Hu Hong's knock on the door suddenly came from outside.

Zhao Zhi hurriedly stood up and opened the door, only to see the other party standing outside the door with a happy face.

"Brother Hu, why are you so happy? Could it be that you knew in advance that you were on the apricot list?"

Seeing Hu Hong's happy appearance, Zhao Zhi couldn't help asking curiously.

"How could it be possible to know, except for the moment when the list is released, I am afraid that only His Majesty the Emperor can know the names on the list in advance."

Hu Hong laughed, and then continued with a very mysterious expression.

"But although I don't know the names on the list, I found out about another thing. This thing is by no means worse than the content on the list!"

"Is it so exaggerated? What can be more important than the list released this time?"

Zhao Zhi asked suspiciously.

"It's such an exaggeration, you don't know, I just heard that the King of Han has conquered a large territory in Tianzhu..."

Hu Hong explained in detail what he had found out. In fact, it was Zhu Zhanhe who deliberately released it. The imperial court wanted to recruit those who failed the ranking to serve as officials under Zhu Gaoxu.

Zhao Zhi was a little skeptical at first, but the more he listened, the more shocked he became. Although he was not an official in Ming Dynasty, the King of Han was His Majesty's son. He established a state overseas, so it was also a feudal state of Ming Dynasty, which was equivalent to the previous vassal states.

Therefore, being an official under the King of Han is strictly the same as being an official in Ming Dynasty. The only difference is that the King of Han travels too far. It takes more than half a year to go to Tianzhu overseas, and it takes a lot of risk. .

"Brother Zhao, for us candidates, even if we fail this time, we can still choose to go to Hanwang's place, and we are candidates, so we will be directly awarded official positions. Do you think this is a great thing?"

Finally, Hu Hong excitedly asked Zhao Zhi again.

"This……"

Zhao Zhi calmed down at this moment, and after thinking for a while, he asked Hu Hong, "Brother Hu, seeing you are so happy, do you really plan to go to the King of Han?"

"To tell you the truth, Brother Zhao, I did so badly in the exam this time, so I don't think there will be any chance. I originally planned to go back to my hometown to teach, but since I have such a good opportunity, of course I want to give it a try!"

Brother Hu spoke very seriously.

After studying hard for decades in the cold window, Hu Hong was unwilling to go back to his hometown to teach, let alone live a mediocre life, so when he heard the news that Zhu Gaoxu was going to recruit officials, he was immediately tempted.

"But Tianzhu is so far away, at our age, I'm afraid we will never come back after this trip."

Zhao Zhi still hesitated.

"If I don't come back, I won't come back. The people over there have long regarded me as a laughing stock. Even when I went to Beijing to rush for the exam, many people were waiting to see my jokes. Instead of going back in such a disheartened manner, why don't you come back?" It’s better to take the risk and go far away to other villages, maybe you can still get a birth!”

Hu Hong is obviously more open-minded than Zhao Zhi, and he has no idea of ​​returning to his roots.

"But this..."

Zhao Zhi frowned, he also thought of the situation in his hometown.

In fact, his situation is not much stronger than that of Hu Hong, because he has long been a laughing stock among scholars in his hometown, especially his wife's natal family, which was originally a big family in the local area. Married to him, but after so many years, he is still just an old Juren. For this reason, his wife was not welcomed by her natal family and suffered a lot of grievances.

"Brother Zhao, why are you still hesitating? Have you forgotten the disappointed eyes our family members looked at us and the mocking eyes of others every time we failed the exam? Do you want to do it again?"

Seeing Zhao Zhi's hesitation, Hu Hong immediately persuaded him again.

In fact, Hu Hong is also a little guilty. After all, he is going to an overseas place like Tianzhu, so he also wants to take his friends to go with him, so that at least he can have confidence in his heart and take care of each other at the same time.

Hearing what Hu Hong said, Zhao Zhi finally gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, if we fail the exam again this time, then let's go to Hanwang to try it out, but is your news reliable?"

At the end of Zhao Zhi's speech, he showed a suspicious expression again.

"It must be reliable. I have a fellow. His cousin is in charge of the official department. He heard the news from his cousin, and now the news has spread, and many people outside are discussing it, including you. The gate is not out, so I don’t know the news outside.”

Hu Hong patted his chest and assured that the news from the Ministry of Officials is absolutely impossible to be false.

"It was only after I came to the capital that I heard that the king of Han went overseas, and now he is establishing a state overseas again. What's going on? Brother Hu, do you know the details?"

Zhao Zhi asked curiously again.

Zhao Zhi is from Shaanxi. Zhu Gaoxu hadn’t moved his capital when he went overseas, so his news didn’t spread to the north. Zhao Zhi also heard about Zhu Gaoxu’s overseas trip when he went to Beijing for the exam. It was just a strange story at the time. , the details of which are not clear.

"Hey, brother Zhao, you really asked the right person. I know this matter very well. At the beginning, the King of Han and the crown prince fought for the throne, which resulted in constant disputes in the court. Later, for some unknown reason, the King of Han suddenly decided to go overseas. So His Majesty gave him tens of thousands of horses, and asked Zheng He, the inner court eunuch who was sailing to the West, to assist him..."

Hu Hong is a well-informed person, and he explained in detail what he found out. Of course, he certainly doesn't know some confidential things, but he explained it very clearly on the whole.

"Now the King of Han has conquered a large area of ​​territory in Tianzhu, and there is an extreme shortage of officials under him, so he sent people back to Daming to recruit. This opportunity is once in a lifetime. If the King of Han recruits a full manpower, I'm afraid it will be too late for us to go."

Finally, Hu Hong said again.

"Now that the news has spread, what is the reaction of other people outside, and how many people want to go?"

Zhao Zhi asked curiously again.

"I'm not sure about this, but there are quite a few people like us. You and I are both so tempted, and others are not stupid. There must be many people who want to seize this opportunity!"

Hu Hong shook his head first, and then expressed his judgment.

There are not a few people like them who have been repeatedly defeated in the imperial examinations for many years, and some of them are even discouraged and simply don't come to participate in the examination. Therefore, if this news spreads, many people will definitely be tempted.

(End of this chapter)