The sun has been shining for several days in a row in the past few days. The snow on the tops of the mountains around Pucheng has melted, and the city has gradually begun to look like spring.
Winter in the South is like this. The coldest days are over and the days are getting warmer.
Hu Xue from the county school was pacing back and forth in the studio.
The post house in Pucheng is very lively today. More than 500 soldiers and horses under Cai Xiang and their entourage, who were transferred to Fujian Road, are staying here.
As usual, the county magistrate, Lord Bo, and county captain were going to see him and hold a banquet for him. Even Assistant Professor Sun was on the list to receive him. As for Hu Xue Zhengze, he was not qualified, so he had to stay in the studio.
After a while, footsteps were heard outside. Hu Xuezheng went to the window to take a look, opened the door with joy and said, "Assistant Professor Sun finally expected you to come."
"Ha!" Assistant Professor Sun laughed loudly, and then said, "How does Xuezheng know that I will definitely come?"
Hu Xuezheng cursed in his heart, without instructions, how could you have come here without being accompanied by a transport envoy.
Hu Xuezheng smiled and said: "Now that the results are about to be released, how can I feel at ease without a word from the envoy?"
Assistant Professor Sun said: "School matters in prefectures and counties are only handled by the prefectures and counties for promotion. The most the envoys can do is make one or two remarks!"
Hu Xuezheng cursed again in his heart, "I just want you to say these two words."
"Then I don't know how the envoy should check?"
Assistant Professor Sun said: "Tonight, the county came to greet the emperor. I stood aside and said nothing. Even when the emperor asked about the school, I came forward to answer a few words."
"When sending envoys to schools, they only said: Yuan Tao Sheng Shi, Shao Zhi Xiang Xing, Xiang Xue matters, Xiang people nurture them, and schools teach them. The schools in our prefectures and counties must not only nourish scholars for the imperial court, but also serve the imperial court. To teach talents and select talented people, in addition to their talents and learning, they should also serve as assistants to monitor their righteous deeds. However, the envoys are very close, so I am afraid they will not receive you as academic officers."
Hu Xuezheng felt a little regretful when he heard this, but still said: "The Cao envoy is really pragmatic and values talents."
"However, He Lu Shen Lu Shi Gong Jun of this state forwarded to me the new imperial edict issued on December 5 this year, which is related to the autumn examination next year and the spring examination next year. You read it."
Hu Xuezheng immediately read: "From now on, Jinshi and all subjects have solved half of the old amount. Jinshi has added three policies for the examination, and each subject has added ten principles for the examination. There is also a Ming Jing subject, and its examination method "Anyone who understands the Two Classics, Three Classics, or Five Classics will be qualified if he understands the eight and six classics, and also asks about the ten articles of the Analects of Confucius and the Classic of Xiao, and the three articles of strategy, divided into eight fields, and his family background is a Jinshi, etc."
When Hu Xuezheng read this, he couldn't help but said: "The rumors in the temple are true. The imperial court has set up a Ming Jing Ke."
Assistant Professor Sun said: "To be precise, Ming Jing Ke is the original subjects, but today's subjects focus on great righteousness."
Hu Xuezhengdao: "In this way, the purpose of the imperial court in establishing the Ming Jing Ke was to shift the original subjects from exegesis to chapters and sentences. In order to block the public opinion, the Ming Jing Ke, which focused on exegesis, was restored."
Assistant Professor Sun and Hu Xuezheng were talking about a major event that concerned Zhang Yue, Guo Lin and many other candidates in various subjects.
The various subjects in the Song Dynasty, like the Ming Jing subjects in the Tang Dynasty, all tested the meaning of the classics, which was a matter of rote memorization. To put it bluntly, it was just exegesis without chapter sentences.
But now the imperial court has newly established the Ming Jing Ke, and the content of the examination is the same as that of the Ming Jing Ke in the Tang Dynasty.
However, the content of Zhuke has officially been added with ten great principles. This great meaning is biased towards the content of chapters and sentences. Song Renzong wrote in the edict that what Ming Jing did had already been effective in previous lives. For this reason, it is more widely used than sought.
Assistant Professor Sun and Hu Xuezheng looked at each other, wondering whether the news was good or bad.
The imperial court added Ming Jing subjects, no matter how many people there were, it was equivalent to providing an outlet for students who originally studied various subjects.
The imperial court also changed the examination methods of various subjects, which added a lot of difficulty to the students of the original subjects.
Hu Xuezheng said: "Ask Assistant Sun, what should I do?"
Assistant Professor Sun said: "In this public examination, you can consider the questions of Dayi as appropriate to determine the level."
"As soon as this edict comes out, the Imperial College will inevitably re-establish the Ming Jing Ke. Although most of today's imperial students are admitted based on their connections, if others eat meat, they will eventually give some soup to the Hanjun in our prefecture and county. This is also what the imperial emissary meant. ."
"I plan to send two more Ming Jing students from the state to the Imperial College to take the exam in the name of the newly established Ming Jing Ke."
Hu Xuezheng frowned and said, "Will the Imperial College agree?"
Assistant Professor Sun said with a smile: "Don't forget, the court has heard that Cao Caoshi will join the court as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy. Will the Imperial College not give some dignity to military states such as Fujian Road?"
Hu Xuezheng nodded: "Then this public examination..."
"You report Zhuo Yi, and the rest will be decided by Li Xuezheng."
In the days leading up to the release of the public examination results, Zhang Yue has been studying at the county school, studying and practicing calligraphy every day, and sometimes helping out at his family's restaurant.
The business of Zhangji Food Shop has been very good recently. Even if there is no income from drinks, and it is the cold winter, many people come to the food shop to eat.
As for the 200 yuan that Zhang Yue borrowed from Peng Jingyi, he has already paid it back.
Everything went well, just waiting for the release of the results. Zhang Yue had heard before that Cai Xiang, the Fujian Road transfer envoy, was coming, and Xuezheng was stuck at the time when the results were released. Is there any connection between them?
At this time, it was difficult for Zhang Yue to go to see Hu Xuezheng, but the news kept coming.
For example, this time the imperial court issued an edict, and in addition to other subjects, another Ming Jing Department was established.
From this time on, the provincial exams and the ten major exams will be added to the exams. The Ming Jing Ke is the original subjects.
Therefore, when recommending students to the Imperial Academy, Zhou Xue considers those who have outstanding chapters and sentences as well as outstanding exegesis.
A dozen Yue Zhai students were discussing the matter in the Zhaishe.
Hearing this, Guo Lin was worried and said: "My righteousness has never been good. In recent years, I have spent most of my time on the meaning of scriptures. As for the study of chapters and sentences, I have no other way to learn from them. How about you, junior brother?"
Zhang Yue said: "In this public examination, no matter how tight it is, I will write down all ten righteousnesses for each test, but there are not a few people in the county school who have no righteousness."
The reason is very simple. In the past, righteousness was similar to raising questions.
Your score for mastering the Ten Ways of Tie Jing and the Ten Ways of Great Meanings will be the same. It only takes two or three words to write one Tie Jing, but it will take hundreds of words to write one Tie Jing. After the failure of Fan Zhongyan's reform, justice was once ignored, but now it is picked up. No wonder no one pays attention to it.
Seeing Guo Lin's behavior, Zhang Yue comforted him and said: "After the imperial court established the Ming Jing Ke, there is another Ming Jing for me and other Jing students, and the benefits are not small."
The other scholars who were sleeping with him also laughed and said: "Yes, Guo Lin, you also get the best in the county school on weekdays. This time you are one of the more than thirty people who took the Five Classics exam. If you get the first place in the exam, you can also Pushed to state.”
"According to the past practice of the county school, the three years of fasting can also be exempted."
It is the custom of the county school that those who excel in the public examination will be exempted from fasting for a year.
The second level is that after being recommended to the state, you can be exempted from fasting for three years.
In the first class, those who are deemed qualified by the state can be recommended to the Imperial College for examination. Regardless of whether it is the Imperial College in Nanjing or Bianjing, they can be given a travel fee and settling-in allowance.
But as long as you report to the state, you will be exempted from paying for three years of fasting, regardless of whether you can enter the Imperial College.
Guo Lin shook his head and said: "In the past, I was ranked between fifth and tenth in the county school's private examinations. How can I be recommended to the state now?"
Zhang Yuedu: "Senior brother, in the past, you were ranked between fifth and tenth because you didn't do well in answering the questions about Dayi. Now that the Ming Jing subject has been set up and you don't take the exam in Dayi, don't you have a chance?"
Guo Lin smiled bitterly and said, "I hope so!"
Another person said: "The situation of the county school is also strange. Why has it been so slow to release the results? In the past, the public examinations were released three to five days later."
Several people were chatting when they saw the chief of the village striding over and said: "Sanlang, brother Guo, Xuezheng asked me to tell you that we will go to see him together tomorrow."
Zhang Yue and Guo Lin both asked, "What's the matter?"
The chief smiled and said, "Of course it's a good thing. Your papers have been taken away by Assistant Professor Sun of the State School. The teacher asked you to go back and write three policy papers, then tidy them up, and then go to the State School after the new year."
Guo Lin's lips trembled and he said, "Could it be that I was recommended to the state by the county school?"
The director smiled and said, "Isn't that right? One of you is recommended to the Prefecture School by Xuezheng for your various subjects and the other for Ming Jing. If Li Xuezheng of the Prefecture School agrees with you in person, you can be recommended to the Imperial College for examination."
"Xue Zheng replied, Sanlang is well-deserved this time, but Brother Guo, although you didn't answer the righteousness well, you answered the righteousness very well. Brother Guo is really very lucky. Who told the court to set up a plan at this time? I got Ming Jing Ke and you missed all this. If Li Xuezheng takes it, he wants to treat me to a nice drink!"
"Thank you, Chief Guo." Hearing this, Guo Lin held his head in his hands and shed tears.
Everyone either patted him on the back or put their arms around his shoulders to congratulate him.
This scene made everyone around Zhang Yue feel a little disgusted. I am the number one! Why doesn't anyone come to congratulate me?
At this moment, Guo Lin had gone from crying silently to crying loudly.
Zhang Yue vaguely heard him say.
"Sanniang..."
Zhang Yue felt pity in his heart after hearing this. Forget it, he doesn't care about taking the spotlight or taking over the host.
At least now everyone is free of money for three years of fasting.
A few people were talking in the studio when they heard someone outside say: "The list is released, the list is released! Let's go to the Master's Hall to see the list!"
"Go and look at the list!"
All the students left the studio in a swarm and rushed to the Master's Hall.
Suddenly, only Zhang Yue, Guo Lin, and the chief of the restaurant were left empty.
The chief smiled and said, "Brothers, you guys, let's talk first. I'll take the first step."
After the chief left, Zhang Yue looked at Guo Lin and said, "It's really boring. I always looked at the rankings before, but what kind of rankings is this now?"
Guo Lin stood up and said, "No, junior brother, let's go take a look."
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Why? Senior brother, do you want to show off in front of others?"
Guo Lin shook his head and said: "No, no, I still don't believe this is true. I have to look at the list and really see my name. Otherwise, I will not be able to sleep tonight. I'm afraid it will It’s a dream, and when you wake up from the dream, everything is gone.”
Zhang Yue nodded and said: "That's fine, senior brother, let's go see the list!"
The two walked out of the studio side by side. Guo Lin whispered: "Sanlang, fortunately you didn't listen to my righteousness and didn't write it before, otherwise..."
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Senior brother, I'm going to look at the rankings first to see who has the fastest feet."
In the past, when the two of them went to the Zhang family to learn how to copy books, they trudged in the mountains. Zhang Yue often used this method to compete with Guo Lin. At that time, Zhang Yue always cheated and wanted to get a few steps ahead.
But now Zhang Yue... is still running ahead like this.
Guo Lin watched Zhang Yue flying down the mountain and felt that this familiar scene was coming back, so he also strode over and shouted: "Junior brother, wait for me!"
The two running teenagers joined the crowd of people who were going to see the rankings, and headed towards the Master Hall together.
