Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Yu Zhengqing felt amused as he watched Shen Zheng approaching him with a sly look on his face.

Sure enough, no matter how unworldly a person is, her essence is still "gossip."

Yu Zhengqing also learned the word gossip from Shen Zheng. During his time in Tongan County, he heard many adjectives from Shen Zheng that he had never heard before.

It sounds strange at first, but it tastes very good after careful tasting.

"Do you really want to know?" Yu Zhengqing asked with a raised eyebrow.

Shen Zheng wisely poured Yu Zhengqing a cup of tea and said flatteringly, "Sir, from what you said before, Lord Luo should be like you, an official from Shangjing. I know in my heart that no matter how much I am reluctant to leave Tongan County, I will definitely return to Shangjing in the future, not to mention..."

When Yu Zhengqing saw her eyes roll, he knew that she had evil intentions again.

Shen Zheng said, "You and Lord Luo are at odds, so I will definitely stand on your side. Knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in every battle. I understand the grudge between you two, so I can help you better in the future."

In fact, she is just a gossiper. If she doesn't find out the love and hate between the two... uh, the grudges and grievances, she will be uneasy, worried and unable to sleep at night.

"Hmph." Yu Zhengqing tapped the teacup with his knuckles. "If we really want to talk about grudges, in fact, I had no grudges with him at the beginning. He didn't even know who I was."

He added: "When his reputation in the capital was almost ruined, he realized that it was me who did it."

"Ah——" Shen Zheng frowned slightly, looking puzzled.

Why did she feel that the script in Yu Zhengqing's hand was very similar to... "The Evil Young Master of Beijing: Watch How I Tease the Poor Students".

Shen Zheng showed disgust.

"What are you thinking about?" Yu Zhengqing knew that she was not holding back her fart, so he quickly interrupted her wild thoughts.

He looked in the direction where Luo Zhijing had left, reminiscing, and murmured, "It's been so long, some of the details... I don't remember them very clearly."

Just as Shen Zheng was about to ask more, Yu Zhengqing continued, "I was just in my early twenties that year. With my family background, I could become an official in the imperial court without taking the imperial examination. My future was bright and I was full of energy and ambition."

Shen Zheng nodded, "With a silver spoon in your mouth, you win at the starting line."

Yu Zhengqing's face froze. He inexplicably heard a hint of sarcasm and looked at her: "You don't have to respond at this time. Just listen."

"Oh." Shen Zheng felt that she had said nothing wrong, but she still answered honestly.

Yu Zhengqing stopped looking at her and continued, "In the year when Luo Zhijing came to Beijing to take the imperial examination, I met a good friend who also came to take the imperial examination."

He smiled as he said this, lost in memories, "How should I describe that person? He's like you, no, a little less flattering than you, um...but a little more tactful than Yin Wencai."

Shen Zheng pursed her lips and thought to herself, she was not bragging, anyone who could receive such an evaluation from Yu Zhengqing must be extraordinary.

If nothing went wrong, he would have become an official in the court and a pillar of the country.

I'm afraid...

Sure enough, the next moment Yu Zhengqing said: "It's a pity that he didn't perform well that year due to illness and didn't make it into the top three. But with his knowledge, there is no problem for him to make it into the top twelfth."

Shen Zheng was stunned. "Twelve Classes" was not the official name of the Great Zhou. Most people knew the top three: the top scholar, the third place, and the second place.

But the name "Twelve Jia" also has a private reason. At the beginning, several major departments in the court named important people and selected them from the Jinshi who performed outstandingly in a certain subject in the imperial examination.

In plain words, it means that everyone has their own specialties. Whether it comes to imperial edicts, memorials, poems or essays, there are always students who are better at a single subject.

Moreover, each department has different demands for talents. For example, the Ministry of Revenue will focus on Jinshi with quick brains and good math skills, while the Ministry of Rites needs Jinshi with good literary talent and broad knowledge.

Over time, after the golden list, there came into being an unwritten list of "Twelve Tops".

Of course, there is no need to be discouraged if you cannot make it into the top twelfth class - this is the rhetoric used by the old-timers in various departments to comfort the new scholars.

How can I not be discouraged? If you have connections and good luck, like Shen Zheng, you can be sent out for a few years, and if you make a name for yourself, everyone will be happy and you can return home in glory. But if you can't do it... Haha.

What about the unlucky Jinshi? They have to wait in line to be a chief magistrate.

The imperial court was also very cruel. The fact that Shen Zheng could come to the remote and poor Tongan County to serve as a county magistrate was also because the Ministry of Personnel succumbed to the majesty of the emperor.

But Yu Zhengqing just said that his friend was "a pity", and what he meant was...

"But he hasn't even made it into the twelfth level." Yu Zhengqing said it lightly, but after Shen Zheng heard it, her heart inexplicably tightened.

It must be related to Luo Zhijing.

"But Luo Zhijing killed him?" Shen Zheng asked, calling him by his name.

Yu Zhengqing nodded, then shook his head, "Luo Zhijing indirectly harmed him, but Luo Zhijing himself didn't know it at the time."

Seeing that Yu Zhengqing had finished his tea, Shen Zheng quickly refilled it for him. Yu Zhengqing took a sip of tea and said, "His father-in-law, whom I just mentioned, was the Minister of Rites at that time."

Having said that, Shen Zheng understood everything.

The announcement of the winning lists of the imperial examinations and palace examinations were all presided over by the Ministry of Rites. Everyone knows the Minister of Rites, but the Vice-Minister of Rites is also a popular position - the top twelve, not the top three.

And that man was the Minister of Rites twenty years ago. What can he do now?

Shen Zheng's thoughts were written on her face. Yu Zhengqing said, "He is still a minister in the Ministry of Works. He is suppressed by the old man in the Ministry of Works and cannot raise his head. But he is better than Luo Zhijing."

But there was no promotion in twenty years and a new difficult boss appeared. There must be something fishy going on.

"So..." Shen Zheng frowned, "Each of the twelve Jinshi candidates has his own merits, and each has his own place, so your friend..."

"Yes." Yu Zhengqing answered directly: "He was replaced by Luo Zhijing, because Luo Zhijing is the son-in-law of the Minister, and he is just a commoner."

Shen Zheng had a complicated expression when she heard this, and she always felt that something was not quite right.

Shen Zheng's thoughts drifted away, but were gently brought back by a breeze.

She knew what was wrong.

Yu Zhengqing also said just now that Luo Zhijing relied on his father-in-law to be in the officialdom, which means that his family has no power or influence. Then why would his father-in-law take the risk of replacing him?

When a rich family marries their daughter off, they marry her off to someone of equal status. So what reason did he have to marry his daughter to a poor scholar?

She asked, "Why is his father-in-law like this? This is very strange. His daughter secretly likes Luo Zhijing, and he loves his daughter so much that he can't change her mind. Or... is he gambling with her marriage?"

"Because he has many daughters." Yu Zhengqing said, "They are just concubines. They can have as many as they want. Which wealthy family would be interested in them? It's better to be more discerning and sow more seeds. Who knows, you may be able to tie up a few useful dogs, which will be more beneficial to you in the future."

Shen Zheng felt unbearable pain in her heart when she heard this.