Starting from a thatched cottage, the farmer embarked on the road to wealth through imperial examina

Liang Jingcheng and Mr. Cai were the only two people who knew that Ye Changyan was actually the major shareholder of Yunfeng Building. When they saw Ye Changyan discussing business with Xiao Jingxing, they almost got hurt.

Old Cai felt that his last disciple was quite smart. He displayed the watermelons on the farm in front of the dignitaries in Shengjing through the Dragon Boat Festival competition, and then sold most of the watermelons to Yunfeng Tower, boosting its business. Liang Jingcheng and Old Cai also made money. It was really a clever arrangement.

On the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, the emperor had dinner with the empress, but did not stay in the empress's bedroom to rest as requested by the empress. Instead, he returned to the Qinzheng Hall to review the memorials that he had not yet finished reading.

Zuo Wenxing, the chief eunuch of the Qinzheng Hall beside the emperor, brought a plate of sliced watermelon, placed it next to the emperor's desk, and spoke to the emperor with lowered head.

"Your Majesty, you have been reading the memorial for a long time. Take a rest first and try this watermelon."

The emperor looked up at Zuo Wenxing, who looked very submissive, put down the memorial in his hand, and reached out to pick up a piece of watermelon.

"Well, that's right. I like this kind of crispy and sweet watermelon. It's rare for Shengjing to eat watermelon around the Dragon Boat Festival. This little disciple Cai Qing can really come up with something."

The emperor praised it and quickly finished one piece, then picked up another piece and ate it while talking.

"Go and have someone pick one for the Queen Mother. Watermelons are cold. Tell the people around the Queen Mother not to eat too much at one time."

Zuo Wenxing heard the emperor's instructions and was about to leave the Qinzheng Hall when he heard the emperor speak again.

"Go and ask Qiu Bao to come and see me."

"promise!"

Zuo Wenxing left the Qinzheng Hall. The emperor ate two more pieces of watermelon before continuing to pick up the memorial he had just submitted.

Soon, Qiu Bao, the deputy commander of the Hundred Cavalry Division, knelt in the Qinzheng Hall.

"Get up and talk."

The emperor asked Qiu Bao to stand up, but his eyes were fixed on the memorial, and then he began to ask.

"Have you completed the bet I asked you to place?"

"Reporting to His Majesty, according to His Majesty's orders, all 20,000 taels have been pledged to the Imperial College Tiangang Team."

"What are the latest odds?"

The emperor shifted his gaze from the memorial and looked at Qiu Bao.

"Reporting to your Majesty, after the people I arranged to place bets, the bookmaker quickly adjusted the odds of the Imperial College Tiangang team. Then another group of people placed bets on the Imperial College Tiangang team. This evening, the odds of the Imperial College Tiangang team have been reduced to less than 3 to 1. The odds of other teams have also changed, but the overall changes are not as big as the Imperial College Tiangang team."

"Okay! Do you have all the evidence that the bookmaker bribed the players?"

There was a flash of sinisterness in the emperor's eyes.

"Your Majesty, the evidence and witnesses are under our surveillance."

"Okay! These are all the little tricks they used to do. I turned a blind eye to them in the past, but this time they have stretched their claws to the Imperial College. The Imperial College is the ancestral place of the world's literary world and a place to cultivate talents for the world. They dare to get involved. Don't blame me for hitting them with a club!"

The emperor grinned with the left corner of his mouth, and the smile he revealed looked a little evil.

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather was sunny and windy, and the royal horse farm in the eastern suburbs of Shengjing was flying flags and streamers.

The people of Shengjing City received the news early. Many of them waited at the city gate before dawn. As soon as the city gate opened, they headed straight towards the East Suburb Horse Farm.

The dignitaries of Shengjing City also boarded their carriages early that day and headed towards the Royal Horse Farm in the eastern suburbs.

There were soldiers guarding along the way outside the city gate. Although there were crowds of people, everything was in order. The runners of the East City Bingmasi were no stranger to such scenes.

As soon as the morning hour arrived, the racecourse was already surrounded by people who had come to watch, and some lower-ranking officials and their families had already taken their seats in the stands.

As time went by, the fences surrounding the horse farm were already packed with people who came to watch.

The ranks of the officials who went up to the stands were getting higher and higher. At noon, the officials who called out the names of the guests had already reached the level of high-ranking officials and nobles.

"Mr. Yongxing and his family came to watch the game!"

……

"General Xiao and his son are here to watch the game!"

"Marquis Zhongyi and his family are here to watch the game!"

……

"Marquis Dingyuan and his family came to watch the game!"

……

"Duke Liang and his family came to watch the game!"

"Duke Chu and his family are here to watch the game!"

"Duke Yan and his family are here to watch the game!"

……

The students of the Imperial College were standing on the horse field, preparing for the archery competition that was about to begin. They heard the official calling out the names of the dukes, and everyone's faces were filled with excitement.

It seems that the standard of today's event is really unexpected! If you can win the first prize in an occasion like today, it will be a great opportunity to become famous. Everyone is eager to get good results in the competition later.

"I saw our future fourth sister-in-law followed Duke Yan up to the stands. I don't know who arranged the seats, but the teacher and several senior brothers and their families just happened to sit next to Duke Yan's family."

Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng were doing warm-up exercises at the racecourse. When they looked up, they saw Wang Xinkuan and Tong Luyao flirting with each other.

"Jingcheng, look, is Fourth Senior Brother flirting with Miss Tong?"

The two of them looked at each other from a distance and burst into laughter.

Fan Tao, who was standing by, heard Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng laughing, and spoke in a low voice.

"Didn't you hear the roll call of so many dukes, marquises and earls? In such an occasion, you are still smiling and playing, aren't you afraid that the academician will see you and grab your pigtails?"

Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng both put their fingers to their mouths and made a gesture to keep quiet.

"Master Xuezheng is in the stands, busy receiving the nobles who came to watch the game. How can he have the time to care about us?"

Ao Chong'an was seen muttering towards the stands, and indeed, Master Xuezheng was busy receiving the distinguished guests there.

"What level do you think the highest level of people who came to watch the game today would be?"

Hearing that the official who was calling out the names had already called out the Duke, Ao Chong'an asked several people with some interest.

"I think the royal family may send a representative to attend the ceremony to show their great favor."

"I also think that since so many nobles are here, the royal family will most likely send representatives to watch the game."

When Lu Xiaotong heard Fan Tao's opinion, he also expressed his agreement. Before Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng could express their opinions, he heard the official who was calling out the names of the candidates singing loudly.

"His Royal Highness the Second Prince and his wife are here to watch the game!"

Sure enough, the royal family members also showed up. It seemed that the scale of this event was suddenly raised to an unprecedented new height.

All the officials and nobles present at the scene bowed to the Second Prince and his wife. After they took their seats, Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng discovered that many seats were empty where the Second Prince was sitting.