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  Now that the major event has been settled, the topic turned to the small matter at hand, which is how to respond to Zhao Ting's party using the abolition of the ten-cash system to expand its attack and further weaken Cai Jing's party in the court.

  Cai Jing was also well-prepared for this and told the previous night's discussion with Wen Rengan, suggesting that Cai Jing select people to rush to memorialize first, which naturally gained great praise. Originally, as Cai Jing was skilled in officialdom, he had many such tricks up his sleeve, but as a top figure among the scholar-official class, he would never send someone like Gao Lian to spread rumors on the streets, nor would he be like Gao Lian who, after reading about martial arts, immediately became fixated on the Ming Cult disciples heading to the capital. That's why only today did he receive news of Zhao Dang's contact with these Ming Cult disciples and had no time to devise a plan.

  At this moment, Cai Jing's face lit up with a smile as if it were about to bloom, and he said straightforwardly, "Xie Qi is indeed a wonderful talent." Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "Does Xie Qi have any other skills?"

  Gao Kao thought of Xiahou Yuan, the famous general of the Three Kingdoms who died in battle at Dingjun Mountain, and felt a bit down. He then remembered that he didn't have a courtesy name yet. According to his predecessor's memory, he should be turning 20 by the end of the year, and next spring he would be old enough to receive a cap and become an adult. However, he vaguely recalled that only scholars were given courtesy names.

  At this moment, Cai Jing asked, and he climbed up the pole: "I didn't study hard in my early years, I really owe it to you, so although I can wear a crown next year, I still don't have any learned scholars giving me a word."

  Cai Jing smiled and said, "The sage says that there is no distinction in teaching. I think Xie Qian is intelligent and surpasses others. As long as he devotes himself to studying classics and history for a few years, he will surely pass the imperial examination with high honors. Why should he belittle himself?"

  With a sudden movement, he knew that Cai Jing was in a good mood at this time. Why not take the opportunity to ask for more: "I have been fortunate enough to receive your love and favor, today I dare to ask you to bestow upon me the character 'Guān', I hope you will show me mercy!" As he spoke, he turned over and bowed.

  Cai Jing originally had this intention, so he smiled and accepted the bow, nodding his head: "If that's what you say, then I also can't delay treating my worthy friend poorly. How about using the two characters 'Miao Chang'?"

  Gao Taiping bowed and thanked: "Thank you for the gift of words!" These two wonderful characters were not randomly chosen, the first character "wonderful" is the beginning of the word "gift", while the second character "long" is Cai Jing's own name, it's as if he has openly taken himself as a partner, how can he not be surprised and delighted?

  But thank you, Gao Qiang still didn't get up: "I'm afraid that I have no talent in my chest, and three years later, when the big comparison comes, I will lose the name of Master Yan. What's good about this?" As he spoke, he put on a worried look again, and his ability to change his face had also made some progress.

  Cai Jing couldn't help but laugh and said, "Worthy contract, why must you be so anxious? Since you've already reached the age of weakness, your respected father is a commander-in-chief, according to the law, he can protect and promote you as an official. If you flatter the emperor well, it won't be difficult to grant you a real position. Moreover, three years later, if I'm in power, even if you ask for a higher degree or a promotion, it might not be possible, but getting a minor third-class degree is just a matter of turning one's hand."

  In just a few words, the deal was struck. Gao Qiang first thanked Enxiang for his promotion and care, then stood aside and chatted with Cai Jing for a while. Seeing that all the formalities had been completed, Cai Jing called in Cai Zhuan to take Gao Qiang to the rear mansion to attend to today's main business - to have Cai Jing's wife deeply thank him for his help in bringing back some boxes and luggage from the Daming Mansion.

  It's said to be a deep thank you, but in fact, where can this man go in the inner house? He just stood at the door of the inner house for a while, and a small servant girl came back and forth to deliver messages, saying some irrelevant words, and then sent out several return gifts. Others are fine, among which a pearl flower is extremely valuable, and a refined jade flute is also a treasure, just right to bring back to Xiaohuan and Shishi.

  He thanked the old lady with one face, while secretly being shocked in his heart. It seemed that Cai Jing attached great importance to himself. Whatever favored person was in the inner house, he had already investigated everything clearly. Did this old treacherous minister also have a special agent organization? Thinking again, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. After going to the mansion of the famous general for nearly a month, there were channels for news to spread among the officials in the capital. How difficult was it to investigate several favored concubines in the inner house? Even in the heavily guarded imperial palace, weren't all sorts of small rumors flying everywhere? Overthinking, overthinking...

  On this side, Cai Jing was alone in the study, but suddenly heard footsteps behind the screen, and two people came out. One was a scholar of about 40 years old, who looked similar to Cai Jing, and was actually the current Hanlin Academy Scholar, Cai Jing's eldest son Cai You; The other was a young girl, wearing a light purple gauze dress, with a flowing silk ribbon around her waist, moving elegantly, with a flawless oval face, and two bright eyes shining like autumn water. She came to Cai Jing and curtsied: "Grandfather is above, granddaughter Ying'er pays respects." It was actually Cai You's only beloved daughter, Cai Ying.

  Cai Jing was most fond of this granddaughter and hastily called out to her, laughing: "Ying'er, you've seen this High Commissioner now; do you still like him?"

  Cai Yun's voice was soft and gentle, her expression calm as water: "Yun'er will follow grandfather's decision, everything will be done without objection."

  Cai Jing heard this and was smiling to himself, but he caught a glimpse of Cai You's face beside him with an uneasy expression, and couldn't help but let out a cold snort: "You, do you have some dissenting opinion, why not speak clearly?"

  Cai You saw his old father move and hastily said: "Father's wise judgment, the child thinks that this high-ranking name is a wolf in sheep's clothing, with unscrupulous behavior and no literary talent, which one can match Yu'er? I hope Father will show me." Cai Yu heard these words and her expression also changed slightly, but she didn't say a word, waiting for Cai Jing to speak.

  Cai Jing's gaze swept across his son and granddaughter, shaking his head slightly. He let out a sigh and said: "Yu'er, it's been in vain that you've followed me all these years. Compared to Shi Jie, your ability to judge people is still lacking. Back then, after Shi Jie had a heart-to-heart talk with Gao Qiang at the mansion of the Prince of Da Ming, he wrote me a letter with four words: 'Not learned but skilled'. Today, after talking to him in detail, I truly believe those four words are apt. Although this young man didn't attend school or study classics, his quick wit and adaptability are rare in this world. His conversation exudes an air of cleverness. Look at how he used a game of Go to understand the way of money, enough to make all the famous ministers and scholars of past dynasties who knew about finance blush with shame. How can we look down on him?"

  Cai Yun nodded slightly, biting her lip and not speaking. Cai You, however, was still dissatisfied and didn't know whether it was because his father's approval of his sister's husband had touched a nerve or something else, and continued to argue: "Even if this son has some minor abilities, he is still not worthy of being on the same stage as us. Father only needs to entice him with benefits for now, and when the time comes, we can just ignore him. Why must we use Yun's lifelong happiness as a bargaining chip? Is it because father's position would be unstable without that ball-kicking clown?"

  These words were somewhat disrespectful, Cai Jing's face sank, and he grunted, Cai You also knew that he had misspoken, hanging his head to the side, not daring to speak again, but still with a hint of resentment in his expression.

  Cai Jing saw that his son was obstinate and couldn't be persuaded, so he could only sigh and say: "As a father, I had hoped you would come to your senses on your own. But now it seems you're still being stubborn. On the day the previous emperor passed away, the Empress Dowager and the various chancellors discussed who should succeed to the throne. Your second uncle, who was in charge of the Secretariat at the time, was also present. At that time, Zhang Dun said, 'The Prince of Yan is frivolous and cannot be entrusted with ruling the empire.' But he was rebuffed by Zeng Bu, who claimed to have grasped the Empress Dowager's sacred intentions. Now that our current emperor has ascended to the throne, everything he has done has borne out Zhang Dun's words. Just look at how he promoted that sycophant Gao Fang to the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard - it's clear what kind of person he is."

  He stood up, walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, and said: "This time I'm resigning, your father has been thinking for a long time, and I'm afraid that in the future, the court's political situation will be turbulent and unavoidable. People like Gao Jie and his son, who are favored by the current emperor, are actually the most incompetent ministers. Unfortunately, people like them don't go through the imperial examination system, they can't become high-ranking officials on their own, so naturally they need allies like your father to rely on each other."

  Cai Yi suddenly realized and exclaimed: "Father had actually made up his mind to form an alliance with Gao Jue?"

  Cai Jing smiled slightly: "This is natural, otherwise, on that day, Gao Kui sent someone to come and make friends with his father in the middle of the night. How could his father have immediately ordered Shao Yun to go and propose? It was only when Shao Yun returned and said that Gao Kui's son had such insight that he was surprised. When he received Shi Jie's letter from Hebei, his father made up his mind about this marriage alliance. Today, listening to his father's conversation with Gao Kui, can you still regard him as a spoiled young master?"

  Cai You still didn't give up, and said in a low voice: "Father's alliance with Gao Yun is indeed lofty, but this little Gao was just toyed with by Father between the palms of his hands, forced to agree to personally take action for Father's sake. What ability does he have? I'm afraid all those words were just suggestions from the officials in the mansion!"

  Cai Jing couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "A child cannot be taught," yet he still had to teach him. So, with patience, he said: "You'er, do you think this young man was forced to speak out in order to help his father? Think carefully, if he didn't take the initiative to speak up, what benefits would he gain when his father is restored to power in the future? Gao Huan is already at the pinnacle of military power, with no further promotions possible. The future benefits will all go to this young man, and yet he's someone who can't enter officialdom through the imperial examination system. Wouldn't it be difficult for him to spend his whole life hiding under his father's shadow? If I were to be restored to power this time because of his words, think about how much benefit this child would gain?"

  Cai You pondered carefully and couldn't help but sweat: "Could it be that this young man had long since planned to use the opportunity of helping his father regain power to advance his own career?"

  Cai Jing nodded heavily, walked to the window and gazed at the weeping willows by the pool, smiling slightly: "Look at that young man, his conversation with me is like a well-matched chess game, every move perfectly calculated. It brings joy to my heart. The waves of the Yangtze River push forward one after another, and it has come to this! In my lifetime, I have only seen a few officials from the previous dynasty who had such achievements in their youth. Today, among all these people, there is not a single one who can be compared with him. Zhao Ting's son only knows how to study, he's just a bookworm. Such a talented young man, how can I let him roam free outside of my control?"

  He suddenly turned his head and said to his favorite granddaughter in a low voice: "Ying'er, are you satisfied with this marriage that Grandfather has arranged for you?"

  Cai Yun had been keeping her head down all along, and only now did she raise it, with a spark of starlight flashing in her eyes, as if her whole body was about to emit light: "Yun'er obediently follows grandfather's orders, and will definitely lock this Gao Lang firmly under the control of Grandfather and Father!"

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