A fat scholar was pushed out in a panic, and someone who knew him shouted: "Here he comes, he is the third Hu Ping, from Qinghe, Hebei Province. According to what he usually bragged to us while drinking, he has been poor since he was a child. Mr. Cui of Qinghe borrowed him to study, and this time he submitted the papers because Mr. Cui of Qinghe took a fancy to his loyalty and thought he could be cultivated."
"That's right, this guy relies on the Cui family of Qinghe to show off to us. We want him to help recommend submissions, but he is afraid that we will steal his limelight and squander us everywhere."
"That's right, what about his literary talent? Damn! Let alone third place, he is not even at the bottom of the list. I am the first to refuse to accept it. He was selected because he could lick the Cui family of Qinghe. Saint, if If you don’t believe it, you can give me a test on the spot.”
Everyone who knew the fat examinee Hu Ping came out to criticize him. It was obvious that this person was not very popular.
Qinghe Cui's face is dark, and he has scolded this loser hundreds of times in his heart. We value your ability and loyalty, but we didn't expect you to be such a loser. You haven't even become an official yet, and your tail is already in the sky.
Hu Ping hurriedly defended: "You, how could you do this? I kindly tell you some secrets, but you are lucky, you are not lucky, no one wants to submit the paper, but you are jealous of me?"
Li Er listened quietly, feeling increasingly angry in his heart.
"Who is responsible for reviewing the examination papers for this scientific examination? Who marked the third-place examination paper?"
An official from the Ministry of Rites stood up and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, it was Wei Chen who was responsible for grading the papers. There is nothing wrong with the third candidate's answer to the paper. It is indeed excellent."
The candidates were dissatisfied, "Shouldn't it be up to you behind closed doors to decide whether it's good or not? Why don't you make the test papers of this exam public and let everyone comment on who's good and who's bad!"
Hearing this protest, the examiner who was reviewing the examination papers from the Ministry of Rites scolded: "Shut up! There are rules for grading the examination papers and selecting the best in the imperial examinations. You can't feel resentful and question our injustice just because you failed. Since ancient times, there has been no first place in literature or martial arts." Second, when the test papers are released and everyone says theirs is the best, isn’t that going to cause chaos?”
"You're talking nonsense. We can naturally recognize who is good and who is bad. When the champion's poems are published on the list, who of you dares to say that they are not good? Who is dissatisfied?" There was one candidate who was eloquent and was very upset.
"There is no false scholar under the famous name. The champion is indeed amazing and talented, but even if he enters the imperial examination examination room, he must still follow the rules of imperial examination selection."
"Bah! What's the rule? Isn't it just that if it's useful to you, you'll be admitted, and those of us who didn't submit will lose out?"
Soon there was an exchange of insults.
The official of the Ministry of Etiquette shouted: "You are so shameless! Ask yourselves, are you really questioning the unfairness of the imperial examination? You are clearly jealous of others being listed. You are not complaining about the unfairness of the examination, you are biting, why were you rejected? You are not the one selected? You are so selfish and have the nerve to question the imperial examination?"
"Gold shines everywhere. I admit that submitting papers has always happened, but which of the people on the list is not a talented person with outstanding literary talent? Before taking the imperial examination, he submitted his own poems to the famous people of the dynasty in the hope of being appreciated. This is This kind of thing does not violate the laws of the Tang Dynasty."
"Your Majesty clearly knows that Wei Chen often received poems and essays from people earlier. They were just letters sent by scholars to show off their talents for review. That's what they said. Submit the papers. But submitting the papers is not bribery. I have never accepted any money, nor have I shown any favoritism in reviewing the examination papers. Your Majesty, please be careful!"
Li Er cursed secretly in his heart, yes, you did not accept any money, because you are not short of money at all. What you received was the certificate of investment from these people and their loyalty.
After pondering for a moment, Li Er said: "What Aiqing said is reasonable. However, if only a few exams question it, it may be because of personal arrogance. But so many candidates have questioned it. It cannot be said that those who came to make trouble today are just drunkards. A talentless person, right?"
As he spoke, he turned to look at the many candidates, "Since you dare to confidently question the unfairness of the scientific examination, who dares to stand up and say that the test papers you answer will definitely surpass those on the list?"
Li Er didn't mention the person who submitted the paper, because the person who just said it was right. It was hateful to submit the paper, but it was not illegal.
But as long as it can be proven that the articles written by those who failed to be successful are better than those who were successful, it can prove that the imperial examination marking is unreasonable.
"Sage, Cao Min dares to give it a try. Maybe Cao Min's answer is not as good as the one at the top of the list, but it will definitely not be worse than the third place. If Cao Min doesn't compare with others, just compare with Hu Ping!"
"That's right, Brother Yuanxiao's poems are usually better than Hu Ping's. We can all prove it."
Li Er nodded, "Come here, go get these two people's test papers and review them in public."
Fang Xuanling understood clearly that this was an attempt to overturn the imperial examination, so he fanned the flames and shouted: "Is there anyone else who doubts it? Everyone who is confident that they can be on the list will stand up, take out the test papers, and show them in front of the saints." Through face-to-face evaluation with hundreds of officials, you can immediately tell which one is better and which one is worse!"
ah? Does this mean that the test papers can be reviewed?
"My, my..."
In an instant, the entire scene was in chaos. Everyone stood up with a glimmer of hope and asked to review the test paper again. What if they were selected?
Someone from the Ministry of Etiquette shouted: "Fang Xiang, this is not possible. There are thousands of candidates on site. If we have to check them all again, we will be busy for three days and three nights."
Fang Xuanling waved her hand to calm everyone down, "Let's take out the test paper of the last one on the list, and use this as a boundary. Candidates please make your own judgment. Those who think it is worse than the last one can review the test paper. Those who feel it is not as good as the last one can review the test paper. Don’t waste everyone’s time. Personal matters are small, but national affairs are big!”
The deputy director of the Ministry of Etiquette Kao said loudly: "If anyone is found to be cheating and deliberately wasting everyone's time, he will be cleared and his qualifications for the next year will be cancelled."
This is clearly a threat, meaning there is no need to overestimate one's ability to review.
But can this scare everyone? With your kind of unfairness, let alone not taking the exam next year, even if you ask me to take the exam for three or five years in a row, I still fail. Is that any different from you banning me from taking the exam for five years?
Seeing the deputy examiner of the Ministry of Rites speaking, Liu Jinyuan, a scholar with an unjust case on his back, stood up and said, "Sage, please make a decision for the common people! It was him, the deputy examiner, who deliberately threw the test papers of the common people into the inkstone during the imperial examination. He then kicked Cao Min out of the examination room for the crime of slander and sentenced Cao Min to not take the exam for three years."
The deputy examiner surnamed Cui said sternly: "You are the one who deliberately smeared the test paper, despised the imperial examination, and failed the saint and emperor. Now you are crying out for injustice?"
"Oh? What's going on?" Li Er interrupted the quarrel between the two, "Examinee Liu Jinyuan, do you have any evidence for what you said?"
Liu Jinyuan lowered his head in frustration, "Sage, the ordinary people can't prove themselves. The examination papers were torn up by him on the spot. The two officials accompanying him who saw everything were also killed and silenced. The ordinary people have already sued Chang'an. The county is still investigating. There is no evidence for the time being..."
"Wait a minute, I can testify!" Examiner Kong Yingda stood up.
