The provincial examination in the second year of Zhiping.
The Quanzhi Gongju of this subject was Feng Jing, a Hanlin scholar, and Fan Zhen, a Hanlin scholar with the same knowledge of Gongju, and Shao Bi.
This subject does not have a palace examination because the official family is still mourning. The provincial examination is the final result, so the examination method is slightly different from the past.
One session of the provincial examination is divided into two sessions, with poetry as the first session and policy discussion as the second session.
Poetry determines whether one will stay or leave, and policies determine what goes down.
That is to say, he did not give up when taking the policy theory examination. This move caused a wave of waves among the candidates.
The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty were constantly changing. From Fan Zhongyan's proposal of imperial examination reform to Ouyang Xiu's emphasis on ancient prose, the proportion of policy theory has been increasing, while the proportion of poems and poems has declined.
By the time Zhang Yue and General Xu came to Nake, the status of policy theory had been elevated to a certain level. It seems that Zhang Yue's poems and poems in the provincial examination were mediocre, but ten or twenty years ago, there was no way he would have been able to get a good rank.
But in the second year of Zhiping, when Feng Jing took the exam, the status of poetry and Fu was once again elevated. Feng Jing is Fu Bi's son-in-law, and everyone speculates that Fu Bi may have wanted to do this.
Although Fu Bi supported the reform in politics, he tended to be cautious and conservative during the reform. Nowadays, there are indeed many voices in the court proposing to emphasize poetry and prose and abolish ancient prose. Especially officials such as Sima Guang believe that the status of poetry and prose should be restored. So maybe he had this intention.
Therefore, with the support of this group of officials, the imperial examination reform that persisted for decades has gone back.
After Zhang Yue heard about this, many officials who opposed the restoration of the status of poetry and Fu came to him. However, Zhang Yue was speechless. Reform and reform were not smooth sailing, and the route was full of twists and turns.
It’s also good to go back and let everyone compare again. Moreover, he is not suitable to speak out now. Instead of Sima Guang actively giving opinions to the court, he is now more willing to do some practical things.
Therefore, the provincial examination of this subject in the second year of Zhiping was conducted in a way that emphasized poetry and poetry.
As for Zhang, Zhangqiu and Zhangkai took the exam at the same time. In addition to the two of them, there are seven or eight children of the Zhang family who went to this department.
Since Zhang Dexiang died of illness, five or six of Zhang's descendants are still serving as officials in the court, including Zhang Yue, Taichang Cheng, Zhang Heng, the magistrate of Ruzhou, and Zhang Dun, the Jiedushi official of the Xiongwu Army.
Although there are no high-ranking officials and they are not as good as the first-class powerful family like Erhan and Yilu, in terms of family power, they can be called a second-class powerful family.
The two or three people who took the exam this time, including Zhang Kai, were all from Yinguan, so they were arranged to take the exam elsewhere.
As for Zhangqiu and others, they took the examination in Gongyuan along with most others.
When the day came for the announcement of the results, everyone in the Zhang family was eagerly anticipating it. Zhang Shi and his wife were anxiously walking around in front of the door.
Zhang Yue sat and comforted them both.
"The good news is coming."
Someone said something, and everyone went out at the same time.
"Congratulations to Mr. Zhang for graduating from high school."
Zhang Shiyu cried with joy, Zhang Qiu was hit again.
Facing the guests who came to congratulate him, Zhang Shi said: "The imperial examination is really difficult. Our family, Axi, just has some luck. We went to the examination room twice and came back empty-handed. We passed the examination twice and got twice. See what can be done about this."
"I heard that this time there is a heavy emphasis on poetry and poetry, which makes the candidates who are good at policy analysis helpless. Axi can still pass. I really don't know what to say. Thanks to the teacher's good teaching, our Axi is just obedient."
Zhang Shi enjoyed Versailles in front of the congratulatory guests, but no one thought he was showing off.
Having said that, if you show off your money or power, you will be criticized. But if you show off your descendants and family names, others will not criticize you, but will praise you.
Nowadays, the guests who come to congratulate him all give thumbs up and praise him. It is really remarkable that Zhang's literary works in Pucheng have been passed down to generations, and that he has produced numerous scholars.
Zhang Yue smiled and entered the room, only to see Zhang Qiu sitting in the study and reading.
There is also a strategy discussion to determine the final ranking, and there will be no celebration until the exam is over. Think about it, Zhang Yue was like this before his own palace exam.
Zhang Yue walked into the study, but when he saw Zhang Qiu, he immediately stood up and saluted: "Third uncle."
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "Why don't you go outside and take a look, so that your parents' faces will shine."
Zhang Qiu smiled sheepishly and said, "I haven't taken the policy test yet, but policy theory is my specialty. In the second game, I will definitely get a provincial yuan, which is the top prize, so that my parents will look good."
Zhang Yue laughed and said: "If you are ambitious, this is a good man from our Zhang family."
Zhang Yue patted Zhang Qiu's shoulder and said, "Axi, Third Uncle is really happy for you."
Zhang Yue said a little excitedly.
Zhang Qiu touched his head in embarrassment, and then said: "Third Uncle, it's a pity that this subject is in Liangyinbang, there is no Imperial Street School, and there is no Enrong Banquet, so it is not as glorious as when you won the first prize, Third Uncle."
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "Everything about the scenery is for others to see. What matters is that you are happy and your parents are happy."
Zhang Qiu nodded and said: "Third uncle is right. I have been immersed in studying these years. I want to honor my parents and third uncle and aunt you after I become an official."
Zhang Yue laughed and said: "What matters whether you are filial or not? What matters is you. What do you want to think about? How can an official have no ambition?"
Zhang Qiu shook his head and said: "I don't have any ambitions at the moment. I just want to be happy with my parents, my third uncle and my third aunt. I will have no regrets in this life."
"What nonsense are you talking about? I won't say anything if you don't see the guests. After the guests have left, I can have a few words with your parents."
Zhangqiu said: "Yes."
On the second day, Zhang Yue went home from the Yamen. Tang Jiudao had a visitor.
When Zhang Yue saw it, it turned out to be Zhang Yu. Zhang Fang and other uncles from the Zhang family also arrived.
Zhang Yue heard that Zhang Kai was also on the list.
So are they here to congratulate each other?
Zhang Yue suddenly thought of something, this is it, they must have come here to talk about it.
Zhang Yue walked to the side of the hall and saw Zhang Yu. Zhang Fang was talking to Zhang Shi, while Zhang Qiu was sitting aside uneasily.
Zhang Fang said: "I also know that this is hard to say, but I still have to say that brothers should not be promoted together. This is the imperial edict given by Emperor Zhenzong to our Zhang family. Therefore, when Brother Heng and Brother Dun were both Jinshi, Heng My brother was the top scholar, so my brother Dun gave up on the Jinshi. The next year he took the exam again and got the fifth place."
"Now that Quanzi and Axi are both equal, if our Zhang family produces two more Jinshis, wouldn't this violate Emperor Zhenzong's imperial edict? Our official family has always disliked powerful clans. It is easy for our Zhang family to have what it is today. How can your status fall short at this moment?"
But when he saw Zhang Shi, he looked embarrassed. Several other Zhang parents and elders on the side also echoed.
Zhang Yu spoke up: "This time Brother Chu won the first place in the other examinations, which is also the first place in the provincial examination. Speaking of which, Axi's first place does not seem to have as many names as Brother Chu."
After saying this, Zhang Yuyi said to Zhang Qiu in a coquettish manner: "Axi, you are only sixteen years old during the Chinese New Year this year. It is too early. It doesn't matter if you are a Jinshi two years later."
Zhang Yue was furious when he heard this and walked in directly.
At this time, Zhang Yu and Zhang Fang wanted to continue talking to Zhang Shi, but they stopped talking when they saw Zhang Yue walking in.
Zhang Shi saw Zhang Yue arriving and immediately said: "Third brother, just now they..."
Zhang Yue said: "No need to say more, I heard everything just now. The uncles are polite."
After the ceremony, Zhang Yue sat down, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea. Then he slapped the table and angrily yelled at the servant beside him: "What's going on? Why is the tea cold? How can you serve cold tea to guests?"
The servant on the side was scolded by Zhang Yue inexplicably. The tea was obviously still hot, so why did it become cold? So he had to lower his head, hold the tea and leave.
Zhang Yu and Zhang Fang didn't dare to speak when they met Zhang Yue. In front of Zhang Yue, they didn't dare to be as aggressive as Zhang Shishi, not to mention that they were threatened again.
Zhang Yu had seen how powerful Zhang Yue was. Before he became an official, he was already untouchable and he never took his uncle seriously.
Now he is a high-ranking official, holding real power. I heard that he even attacked the official family a few days ago. Not only is he fine, but he has also gained a reputation as Wei Zheng.
Seeing Zhang Yue getting angry now, Zhang Yu and Zhang Fang looked at each other, and the other uncles from the Zhang family who came to help didn't even dare to say a word.
Zhang Yu said: "Since Brother Yue has just heard everything, I won't say anything else. Other wealthy officials and families have so many children but none of them are successful. Even if you think about it for several generations, they won't be able to produce a single Jinshi. But our Zhang family was consecutively ranked first in the imperial examination, and we won two or three Jinshi in one subject several times."
"It is said that this family is lucky, but it is a pity that our Zhang family has been the emperor's lone ministers since the Duke of Xi. Since we are lone ministers, we do not want to join the list with our children to avoid being accused. What will the official family think of this in the future? Our Zhang family, not to mention Brother Yue, Brother Dun, and Brother Heng, all of you are officials in the court, and your future career will also be affected."
Zhang Fang thought to himself that Zhang Yue was now the backbone of the Zhang family in the imperial court. If he insisted on fighting for this imperial examination spot for his son, then offending him would make it difficult for his son to have a good career in the future.
Zhang Fang said: "Brother Yue, although you are the junior of the two of us, your knowledge is far beyond that of our two uncles. Which one do you think Quanzi or Axi should choose?"
After Zhang Fang finished speaking, Zhang Yue glanced at Zhang Qiu, but saw that he was very aggrieved at the moment.
He gave up the last subject because he was too young, and now that he is sixteen years old, could he give up the name of the subject because his brothers of the same race were selected at the same time?
Twice in a row?
Zhang Yue said: "Brothers are not allowed to be promoted at the same time. It is a matter of the Zhenzong Dynasty. This has been done by Lao Huangli for a long time. Why do we always stick to the rules? It seems that one of the four brothers in Zeng Zigu's family is a Jinshi. Do you think anyone in the world has ever gossiped?"
Zhang Yu asked: "Brother Yue, do you mean that we should work together as brothers?"
Zhang Yue said: "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Let Brother Chu and Axi take the next exam."
Zhang Yu heard this and said anxiously: "This is not feasible. You have to think about your and Brother Dun's career, and also for the safety of our Zhang family. In the past, powerful families were purged by the court because they were too powerful and broke the rules. This thing has happened frequently throughout the ages!"
Several Zhang family uncles also nodded.
Zhang Yue said: "Brother Dun gave up his academic title, which does not mean that my family's Axi will give up his academic title today. I heard that a powerful family should do good deeds, accumulate virtue, and be loyal and filial, but I have never heard that children should give up their academic titles. It’s in line with the emperor’s wishes. I’m not just saying this because Axi is my nephew. I also love and protect my hostage.”
"I don't agree with this matter. Let's leave it to my uncles!"
Zhang Yu was speechless when he heard this. In the past, he could force Zhang Shi and Zhang Yue's family, but now he can't.
Zhang Fang also looked worried.
However, seeing that Zhang Yue was dead set on his words, they had no choice but to do anything.
