Chapter 99
The next day, the Ministry of Personnel issued a list of candidates who passed the examination. Gu Yan Zhou and Xie Chen were on the list.
Gu Yan Zhou, the top thesis author, would be serving as Hanlin Reader-in-waiting.
In previous years, when the top thesis author entered the Hanlin Academy, they were usually appointed as Hanlin Senior Historiography Compiler. This was an official position of sixth rank. While Hanlin Reader-in-waiting was of fifth rank. It was a promotion of one level.
Moreover, the Hanlin Academy of the Xia Dynasty was a very important department. Almost all the cabinet officials came from here and entered here. It could be said that the future was boundless.
Xie Chen, he was a Jinshi and was appointed as the recorder of the Jingzhao Manor. This was an official position of eighth rank. His official position wasn't high. Still, Jingzhao Manor was an excellent place. It was in charge of various affairs inside and outside the capital. It was probably similar to the modern city officials and had real power.
Most of the other candidates who passed the examination were appointed to fairly good official positions. It could be seen that the previous rumor wasn't groundless. The emperor wanted to make an exception and appoint the candidates who passed the examination this time.
In front of the two people's front door was much visited for a while.
Later, Xie Chen found Gu Yan Zhou. The examinations at this time weren't like later ones, where they only examined stereotyped essays, but also examined policy theory, etc. The two of them were the best among them. Of course, they had an understanding of the situation in the imperial court.
They knew why the emperor made an exception to appoint the candidates who passed the exam. Currently the imperial Crown prince Party and Sixth Prince party each account for half of the country. The fighting between the faction was fierce. Sometimes the emperor wanted to do something and there would be a situation where the tail was too big to get rid of it.
Appointing these candidates with no family background may alleviate this situation.
Could it really?
These days, people from the Crown Prince Party and Sixth Prince Party have shifted the focus of their battles to these candidates- through wooing, buying them, and whatever method that could be mentioned.
Now these people seem to be disciples of the emperor, but it wasn’t guaranteed that they won’t secretly join the Crown Prince or Sixth Prince.
The emperor’s making an exception to appoint them might be shooting himself in the foot.
Could there really be no loyal people who were dedicated to the emperor?
There was, but it was too difficult. As an official in the court, it was inevitable to deal with superiors, subordinates, and colleagues. If the people in their department were all part of the crown prince party and they were the sole one loyal to the emperor, it may not take long before they would be pushed out.
And the emperor, it was impossible to abolish the entire department for that person alone.
The power of the Crown Prince and Sixth Prince was intertwined. It was extremely difficult to stand in the middle. For these candidates, choosing a faction to join was the best choice. Xie Chen believed that most candidates would do this.
Then the question arose, which faction to choose? If he chose the right one, he would rise to the top of the sky too; if he chose the wrong one, he would face clan extermination in the future.
These days, there were many people seeking Xie Chen and Gu Yan Zhou out. Xie Chen wanted to ask Gu Yan Zhou what he thinks.
"The faction fight has been a problem for a long time. If things go on like this..." Gu Yan Zhou frowned, he didn't want to join any force. He wanted to serve the court and do things for the people.
"But this problem isn't something you and I could solve. The court and the emperor were clear about it in their hearts. So how to solve it?" Xie Chen said.
"We should use thunderous means to settle everything." Gu Yan Zhou stated.
Xie Chen looked at Gu Yan Zhou in surprise. He didn't expect him to say such things when he normally appeared as a sunny guy. The method of thunder was to flow blood into rivers. Could the emperor make that determination? This would be recorded in the history books and leave infamy.
What's more, even if he decides to do that, could it be done? If it couldn't be done, there would be chaos enthronement in the court. Currently, there were Xirong and Beidi eyeing them like tigers outside. If there was another civil strife inside, maybe the mountains and rivers would be broken, the country would be destroyed, and the family would perish.
The emperor shouldn't have favored Noble Concubine Wu in the early days and allowed the Sixth Prince to grow up.
It was too late to say these things now.
It was estimated that the emperor regrets it now. It was difficult to get off the tiger, once on.
Of course, the emperor had another choice. It was relatively simple, and that was to favor one side and get rid of the other side. It was that after the other side's power was eliminated, the remaining power would grow bigger. At that time, the emperor may not be able to rest easy
This was the reason why this matter had not been resolved for so many years.
"What do you think?" Gu Yan Zhou asked Xie Chen.
Coincidentally, Xie Chen thought the same as him. But this road was the most difficult. But if it works out, it would definitely change the world and be the resurgence of the nation.
It was the two of them. One, they had no background. Second, they had no connections. How could they accomplish this?
At this time, Xie Chen got up and went to the door of the room to check out. There was no one outside. He closed the door, checked the windows and other places, and then returned to the table. He whispered to Gu Yan Zhou, "I want to discuss an idea with you."
"What?" Gu Yan Zhou asked.
Xie Chen didn't speak, but dipped his index finger in the tea and quickly wrote two words on the table. Straight after, he wiped it off with his hand, lest that a third person know.
Gu Yan Zhou looked at him in surprise.
"Those who do big things can't care about small things." Cruelty flashed in Xie Chen's eyes before quickly disappearing. He didn't want to be passive defensive anymore. That would only make him suffer and regret. When needed to cut off, it got to be cut off.
June 2 was appropriate to open for business.
On this day, firecrackers were set off and the lion dance team was hired. There was a lot of noise. Jiang Yun Zhu went up and tore off the red silk on the plaque. Private restaurant Shiguang officially opened.
Shiguang. At first glance, it was a bit strange. In fact, it was a homonym for ‘food light’. Jiang Yun Zhu hoped that everyone would like the dishes she cooks and could eat them clean every time.
Moreover, there was another meaning. This restaurant seemed to have traveled through time, allowing everyone to meet the delicacies of various eras that have disappeared and have not yet appeared.
At the same time, it was talking about Jiang Yun Zhu herself.
Of course, she didn't tell everyone about the last two meanings.
The name of the private restaurant was already very strange. So the addition of the word Shiguang didn’t stick out to everyone.
It was just, why didn't any customers come to the door?
Xue Jing looked around.
Just now there were firecrackers and lion dances here and a few people on the street watching the excitement. But when they saw that the restaurant had a strange name and the storefront didn't look like a restaurant, no one came in.
"Boss, this..." Xue Jing became anxious. Could it be that the huge capital city wasn't even as good as Wuling County? When they opened in Wuling County, the customers came like clouds.
In Wuling County, when Qishanju was opened, Gu Yan Zhou had brought his friends and Escort Head Li brought his bodyguards to give support. Moreover, the customers of Qishanju were students from the academy on the opposite street. Just a stir and people were attracted. Naturally, there would be customers.
But it was different here. This street wasn't a street at all. Their restaurant was at the end of the street. It was pretty good that these few people would watch the excitement.
As for the people Jiang Yun Zhu knew, Gu Yan Zhou and Xie Chen came, but they didn't have any friends in the capital. What’s more, they were officials. Some matters were easy to get messy. That’s why they didn't invite anyone to come.
And Shen Feng Ming and Yang Sheng, Jiang Yun Zhu didn't dare to let them invite.
The rest, she didn't know anyone else. That's why it was so deserted.
"Miss Jiang, how about I recommend here to others for you." Gu Yan Zhou said. He didn't expect that today would be like this. He regretted it. He should have invited some people over.
"No need. In fact, I expect it would be like this." Jiang Yun Zhu wasn't anxious. The customers of her restaurant were wealthy businessmen and tycoons. Those people don't often walk on the street. How could they possibly attract them by relying on firecrackers and lion dances?
"Really don't need?" Xie Chen asked.
"Really." Jiang Yun Zhu had prepared long ago. She entered the store, took some invitations, and handed a piece of paper to Jin Jiao Yue. "Please send these invitations to those people's homes according to the list on the paper. Must clarify that in the future, no matter who comes to the door with this invitation card, our restaurant will clear the couch to welcome."
After so many days of getting along, Jiang Yun Zhu had roughly figured out the personalities of Jin Jiao Yue and the other six. She was the most suitable for this matter.
Jin Jiao Yue took those invitations and saw that these invitations were very beautifully made with the gold-plated skin carved out to look like a lotus flower. Opening it, there was a short invitation written inside, the name of the restaurant below it, and some menus were attached.
With one glance, she was attracted by the menu.
"Fish wrapped in mutton, Mrs. Song's Fish Soup, Boiled Ginkgo, Taibai Duck, Chicken in Clear Soup, Luoyang Yancai..." Some of these dishes she knew. Some she didn't. The ones she knew had great reputations. Some were even lost-recipe. This, could Jiang Yun Zhu make it?
She had always been calm. Whatever on her mind never showed on her face. The snmile remained on her face.
After weighing it for a moment, she felt that it was possible. Jiang Yun Zhu didn't seem to be the kind of person who played tricks.
Then, it was interesting...
She continued to read the invitation, but found that the invitee's name wasn't written on the invitation.
Think again of what Jiang Yun Zhu said now, "In the future, no matter who comes to the door with this invitation card, our restaurant will clear the couch to welcome." She seemed to have discovered something interesting.
When this invitation was sent out, most people would definitely not take it seriously.
But what if this restaurant catches fire one day? She remembered that Jiang Yun Zhu said that this private restaurant only accepts a fixed number of people every day. Then what about those who couldn't get in?
At that time, they would search for this invitation all over the world.
Jin Jiao Yue found it interesting after thinking about it and immediately directed to Jiang Yun Zhu, "Don't worry, Boss, I would definitely handle it well."
There was always a smile on her face. Right now, that smile seemed to be more charming.
Jiang Yun Zhu nodded. Private restaurants don't need to be publicized. They mainly rely on word of mouth. With these invitations sent out, it was casting the net widely. There would definitely be one or two fish caught. When those one or two fish, no, they were customers. When they come and taste the dishes she cooks, the reputation will slowly spread. She wasn’t worried about having no customers.
So, no rush!
Jiang Yun Zhu asked Wu Yu to clean up the store entrance before turning around and entering the store by herself. She had a lot of work to do.
"Give me an invite." Shen Feng Ming and Yang Sheng came today. When Yang Sheng saw Jiang Yun Zhu's invitation, he immediately had an idea. He was worrying about how to introduce his old Mother to come to this store for a meal. Now it’ll be fine.
In the evening, when Yang Sheng came home, he handed the invite to Madam Yang, "Mother, didn't you say it every day that there’s no flavor in your mouth? There's a new restaurant here. Why don't you go and try it?"
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