In the Song Dynasty, the examination was conducted by local military prefectures, while the provincial examination was conducted by Shangshu Sheng.
What about the imperial examination? Since the emperor is presiding over the examination in the name of the emperor, the emperor has many things to deal with every day and cannot be responsible for everything in the imperial examination. Therefore, which yamen should be responsible?
There was no palace examination in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, but after the Song Dynasty established the palace examination, it faced such a problem.
In the Song Dynasty, there were two institutions serving the emperor: the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Among them, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was closer to the emperor and was also called the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Imperial Medicine Institute is affiliated to the Nei Province, and its position as Imperial Medicine is the closest to the emperor because it has served the emperor's medicine for a long time.
At the beginning of Song Renzong's accession to the throne, the Imperial Medicine Academy was only responsible for dispensing medicine.
But after that, Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty continued to reuse the Imperial Pharmacy Institute. The Imperial Pharmacy Institute was no longer just boiling medicines for the emperor. By the time of Jingyou, it had been divided into raw and cooked medicine cases, miscellaneous affairs cases, and opening and closing cases.
Among them, the miscellaneous affairs are responsible for the selection of candidates for the palace examination, the suburban sacrificial ceremony, the preparation of banquets, the production and supply of imperial uniforms, etc.
When taking the interpretation test and the provincial test, candidates bring their own test paper, which is bound by the bookstore and stamped by the department.
Then when it comes to the palace examination, these people are all the so-called emperor's disciples. Facing his own students, how can the emperor be so picky with the candidates? Naturally, I gave the money for the examination paper generously.
So the Royal Pharmacy School took charge of binding the examination papers smoothly.
In addition, there is a rule in the provincial examination. If you encounter a question that you cannot understand and do not know its source, you can ask the examiner for help.
In the palace examination, candidates cannot go to the emperor for advice.
Therefore, starting from the first year of Jingyou's reign, Zhao Zhen asked the Imperial Medicine Academy to take charge of this matter.
All the examination papers for the imperial examinations were printed with engravings, and the emperor would inform the eunuch of the Imperial Medicine Academy about the examination questions and their sources in advance, and ask him to print them on the examination papers.
The emperor believed that the ministers of the Royal Medicine Academy were his own, unlike ministers who colluded with scholars, and would never leak examination questions to candidates in advance.
At the same time, the Imperial Medicine Academy is also responsible for supervising the examiners, which is equivalent to taking responsibility for everything for the emperor, and no one dares to supervise. Of course, it is also because they do not give up in the palace examination, and candidates generally do not take risks because of this.
However, Wang Kui, accompanied by a businessman, was whispering to an internal minister of the Royal Medicine Academy. Wang Kui learned that the three examination questions asked by the emperor were "The King's Comprehension of Heaven, Earth and Humanity" and "Heaven's Virtue Qingming Poems". As for the other question, the other party did not say it directly, so he made another request to Wang Kui.
Wang Kui felt that the other party's price was too high, so he did not agree. But even though he was taking the two questions, Wang Kui had already made up his mind. Now that he could only take the imperial examination for a few days, he thought carefully, and he would be able to get the top prize at his fingertips.
February 26th, the day before the imperial examination.
Zhang Yue Huang Lu went to the bookstore to get a number. On the day of the palace examination, he had to show his number to enter the hall. The fee was not more than two hundred dollars.
However, Zhang Yue lamented that since he entered Taixue, he has contributed to the bookstore three or five times. Not only studying, the imperial examination is also a costly matter, so he can overcome all the barriers. There are really not many people here who have no money at home.
The people at the bookstore hinted that if Zhang Yue gave him some more money, he could get his exam spot the next day. What's the point of getting a seat in the exam? Of course, it's easier to cheat with your neighbor or even hire a gunman.
Even when it comes to the palace examination, cheating is still inevitable.
Zhang Yue lamented that our system in the Song Dynasty was really easy to exploit. However, Zhang Yue simply asked about the price and shook his head. It was too expensive. But having said that, as the second best person in the provincial examination, who should I copy when I get to the examination room?
I'm afraid the only way is to sit next to Jiang Yan.
After paying the money, Zhang Yue walked out of the bookstore. The shopkeepers all sent him out, constantly saying auspicious words.
The other scholars were puzzled when they saw him. When they asked about it, they were relieved when they learned that it was Zhang Yue who was second in the provincial examination. Many people came forward to make acquaintance with him.
There were many scholars coming to the bookstore to ask for a number that day. The bookstore where Zhang Yue asked for a number was right next to Nanxunmen Street, the main road into Bianjing.
After Zhang Yue and Huang Lu said goodbye to the scholars, they saw that the street was very prosperous.
When today was in the year of Jingyou, after the market system was abolished, people could open shops on the streets at will. The prosperity of Bianjing's market suddenly exploded like a blowout, appearing in front of everyone who came to Bianjing.
The walls of the houses were torn down and replaced by shops.
However, I saw pavilions and pavilions built on Nanxunmen Street, and willows and apricots were planted along the banks of two rows of water diversion canals. Under a big willow tree, there were three or five sunshade umbrellas, and tea sellers were carrying burdens or sitting on square tables with people in the market. Tea fighting and selling tea, this scene attracts people who are new to Bianjing to linger in front of the vendors. This is a first-class smoke-filled scene.
In addition to the market, there are also many mansions of wealthy officials on both sides of Nanxun Gate.
And many of these high-ranking officials' residences have watchtowers. Officials and officials did not allow their women to lean on the door to look at the street, thinking it was a first-class debauchery, so they built a building specifically for women who lived in boudoir and could not go out to go out and climb a building to overlook the street view.
During the Tang Dynasty, the dignitaries built the street towers that were rich and luxurious. When an upright imperial censor came to power, the dignitaries covered up the street towers when they heard the news.
As for the market stories of the Tang and Song dynasties, countless encounters between men and women take place in street buildings.
On this day, the bookstore hall was open for registration. Women from wealthy families on the left and right sides of Nanxun Gate came to the street viewing tower to watch the streets. Some women who were more reserved lowered the curtains to look at the street, or lowered the curtains to peek behind the curtains. Some women also raised the curtains and looked around, pointing at the scholars and chatting and laughing.
As a group of scholars passed by the street, it was unclear whether their hearts were filled with excitement.
Zhang Yue and Huang Xinghao walked and chatted on the street without looking around.
As they were walking, they heard a conversation and laughter upstairs in the street, and saw an embroidered handkerchief falling lightly from upstairs and landing in front of the two of them.
Zhang Yue Huang Lu raised his head and saw a woman on the street in front of him. She covered her face with a fan and couldn't hide her smile.
Zhang Yue knew that if he wanted to pick up the embroidered padeng mansion and return it, he might be able to make a good marriage.
However, Zhang Yue only bowed to the woman upstairs and left. Occasionally, I heard a remark that the tall man was so elegant and handsome, but it was a pity that he didn't have the chance.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but look back, but saw a woman looking at him upstairs. Seeing him looking back, she smiled and turned away.
Zhang Yue smiled sheepishly. At this moment, he felt light on his feet. The world of mortals was so vivid and beautiful, especially before the palace examination tomorrow.
At this moment, he seemed to be waiting for the dice to be opened. Although he had not yet opened the lid, the size of the dice inside had already been determined to some extent. Although Zhang Yue knew that there would be a good outcome, he was still waiting for the final reveal of how big it would be.
As for the embroidered handkerchief floating in front of me, it is an embellishment of this experience and will be forever engraved in my memory.
After returning to the house, Butler Wu served tea soup to the two of them.
After Zhang Yue had tea, he went to his study and wrote a poem and policy without hesitation. Then I held the bow and drew it dozens of times in the yard. After working up a sweat, I took a bath.
After bathing and chatting with Butler Wu and the others for a while, everything was as calm as usual. Keep a calm mind and don't affect your emotions. At the same time, you must put some pressure on yourself appropriately. This is the state of preparation before Zhang Yue's palace exam.
For more than twenty days, Zhang Yue lived like this, like a soldier sharpening the edge of the sword in his hand before going out for battle.
Finally, Zhang Yue and Huang Lu had a light and delicious dinner.
After eating, he went back to his room. Zhang Yue checked the items for the exam the next day and then went to bed, because he had to get up early after the third watch the next day.
February 27th.
Huang Lu got up early and woke up Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue saw that Huang Lu looked bad and had phlegm in his throat.
Zhang Yue thought to himself, Huang Lu wouldn't know what went wrong during the imperial examination.
"Anzhong, how did you sleep last night?"
Huang Lu nodded and said, "My nose is a little stuffy."
Zhang Yue immediately said: "Steward Wu, Steward Wu."
Butler Wu came in immediately. He knew that Zhang Yue and Huang Lu had to go to the examination room early in the morning, so they stayed busy all night long.
Butler Wu said: "Mr. Lang, are you asking about the food carriage?"
Zhang Yue said: "No, if you have any medicine to remove wind evil, make a bowl of it immediately."
Huang Lu waved his hand and said, "It's okay. I'm afraid that I'll fall asleep after taking the medicine, so I'd better just eat some hot soup and hot food. I don't think it'll be a big deal."
Seeing this, Zhang Yue said, "That's alright. Butler Wu will prepare some medicine for Anzhong to take with him, and some hot soup and food."
Zhang Yue always had a good appetite and ate a lot before the provincial and palace examinations, but Huang Lu only ate a little.
Zhang Yue said: "The imperial examination takes a whole day. Eat as much as you can, otherwise your writing will tremble."
Huang Lu nodded and reluctantly ate some more.
Zhang Yue put some more food on his body and said to Huang Lu, "Eat while walking."
The carriage was arranged by the Wu family, and Tang Jiu accompanied the two of them in the carriage.
After Zhang Yue boarded the carriage, Butler Wu and other servants chased him to the carriage and shouted auspicious words loudly. Zhang Yue smiled after hearing this and lowered the curtain, and then the carriage drove the two of them away at high speed.
Before the fourth watch, the carriage drove straight from Nanxunmen Street to the Imperial City. The sky and streets were pitch black all the way. After entering the inner city, it turned a corner and finally arrived in front of Donghua Gate.
Zhang Yue and Huang Lu got off the carriage one after another.
But I saw several fires burning at the city gate, the imperial guards at the foot of the imperial city standing outside the imperial city, and a waning moon still hanging above the city. There is a set time for the opening of the imperial city, and now the princes who are coming one after another have arrived here one after another and are waiting outside the city gate.
Zhang Yue took out some food from his pocket and shared some with Huang Lu.
Overhearing two scholars chatting, one said: "Did you know that Brother Jiang Sheng died of illness a few days ago?"
"Ah? Why is this happening? Brother Jiang Sheng has always cherished his body, hasn't he? Why did this happen before the imperial examination? Why are you so unhappy?"
The other party replied: "After passing the provincial examination, Jiang Sheng was naturally happy, but he was not a playful person. He lived in a hotel and didn't go anywhere. Unexpectedly, brother Jiang Sheng suddenly fell ill overnight for no apparent reason. I was in a foreign country and didn't know how to ask a famous doctor to treat me. As a result, I was ill for two days and then died. Now I have to recruit a person who was previously ranked low."
Another person sighed: "One more thing, this sick person also has a bad life, and it is also a good life to replace this person."
After Zhang Yue heard this, he immediately felt that it was really a trick of fate.
With the imperial examination coming soon, Zhang Yue couldn't help but pace around to calm down, but he saw that the scholars on his left and right were relaxed and optimistic, which was different from his nervous look.
Zhang Yue thought for a while and understood why. The most cruel provincial examination had already passed. They were only here to determine the final ranking. Jinshi was already within easy reach for them.
But I am different. I am here for this palace examination, and without him, I am competing for the top spot.
