Above the Golden Palace.
The examiner, Sima Guangjin, presented the top ten papers to the officials for browsing.
The officials did not open it in court, but went to see Empress Dowager Cao and Empress Dowager Gao.
Empress Dowager Cao is now the Empress Dowager. During the Pu discussion, Empress Dowager Cao was forced by Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu and others. Especially like taking advantage of Queen Mother Cao's drunken state to coax her into signing a document acknowledging King Pu as the emperor.
Empress Dowager Cao and Empress Dowager Gao also once fought for power in the harem.
However, after the death of the late emperor, Empress Dowager Cao and Empress Dowager Gao had reconciled. The two had a mother-daughter love. They had previously fought for power in the harem because of Zhao Shu, but now everything has disappeared.
There is no need for the officials to say much to Empress Dowager Gao. After all, they are mother and son, and they are also very filial to Empress Dowager Cao.
When Guan Jia was still a prince, Han Wei kept persuading him that Guan Jia had lost the favor of the Queen Mother, and now it was up to you, the king, to make up for it. Otherwise, you, father and son, will suffer the consequences.
When Zhao Xu ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Cao expressed her support. This is why the officials followed Han Wei's advice after he ascended the throne.
After the official ascended the throne, he followed Wu Kui's suggestion and admitted the mistake of Pu Yi.
Now I heard that Sima Guang, the chief examiner, had sent the papers and lists of the top ten in the imperial examination. The officials did not say anything and showed them to the two empress dowagers.
Empress Dowager Cao asked: "This list has been drawn up and has just been sent?"
The eunuch on the side said yes.
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Cao frowned and said to the officials: "When Emperor Renzong was there, he would first submit the papers to the emperor and then draw up the list. How can Sima Guang make his own decisions?"
The official said: "Although the list has been prepared, it has not been announced yet."
Empress Dowager Cao glanced at the official and said: "Your Majesty, if you think this is okay, then I have nothing to say. Sima Guang is loyal and famous. If it were anyone else, I would definitely reprimand him."
The official sat down with his head lowered and said yes.
Empress Dowager Cao said: "The officials are too kind-hearted. I think state affairs still need the assistance of a mature and steady minister."
The official said: "Just as I was about to inform the Empress Dowager, my grandson summoned Duke Zheng back to the court."
Queen Mother Cao was very satisfied when she heard this.
Fu Bi resolutely followed Empress Dowager Cao during the Pu discussion, but was squeezed out of the court by Han Qi and Ouyang Xiu. Now that the official has ascended the throne, he listened to Han Wei's suggestion and summoned Fu Bi back to the court.
Fu Bi was very kind to Han Wei, so Han Wei was not close to his brother Han Jiang and Han Qi. Instead, he always stayed close to Fu Bi.
The officials themselves also had high hopes for veterans of the Three Dynasties like Fu Bi.
In any case, the officials have denied Pu's proposal, and Han Qi and Ouyang Xiu are not far away from the curtain call on the political stage.
Taking advantage of Empress Dowager Cao's good mood, the official said: "Empress Dowager, Zhongshu's interrogation of Ouyang Xiu has come to an end. Jiang Zhiqi's report was obtained by Peng Siyong. Peng Siyong said that what he heard was based on hearsay. Because I am old and deaf, I can't remember who said it for a while. However, the imperial court allowed the censor to hear what he said. If he offends Peng Siyong, no one in the censor will dare to speak out in the future."
"Later, some officials said that it was Xue Liangru, the younger brother of Ouyang Xiu's wife. He was impeached for being promoted to an official position and asked Ouyang Xiu for help. However, Ouyang Xiu refused to rescue him and was eventually dismissed from office. Therefore, Xue Liangru told Jixian School Manager Liu Jin about this with a grudge. , Liu Jin was also an enemy of Ouyang Xiu, so he told Peng Siyong, and Peng Siyong gave orders to impeach Jiang Zhiqi."
Empress Dowager Cao heard this and said, "Ouyang Xiu has many enemies."
The official said: "Emperor Renzong always spoke out loud to Ouyang Xiu, but how many of the courtiers were like Ouyang Xiu? From the perspective of my grandson, Ouyang Xiu's crime was Pu Yi. How did he deal with it in the end? I would like to ask the Empress Dowager to tell me. ."
Empress Dowager Cao smiled slightly and said, "I never ask about the affairs of the foreign dynasty."
The official said: "My grandson heard that Ouyang Xiu's father was an official and would always try not to kill anyone, so he lit candles until dawn and felt sad that officials all over the world killed others indiscriminately."
The official told the Empress Dowager Cao what Zhang Yue said, and the Empress Dowager Cao couldn't help but said with emotion: "A family that has accumulated good deeds must have Yu Qing. Only with such an upright father can he raise an upright son."
"It's really hard for a ruler to get away with this rumor. It's not a merciful person. Officials should give him a lighter sentence."
The official family was overjoyed and thanked him.
Queen Mother Gao on the side saw that her son had only been on the throne for more than a month, but he had actually made a lot of progress. He summoned Fu Bi back to court in exchange for Empress Dowager Cao's tolerance for Ouyang Xiu.
At that moment, the top ten papers were presented, but Empress Dowager Cao did not have so much energy to read the papers. She only looked at the first person.
After reading it, Empress Dowager Cao couldn't help but praise: "This person's article is really good! Even a woman like me who is proficient in writing can't help but admire it."
The official laughed and said: "If the Empress Dowager is proficient in writing, then there will be no one in the world who understands writing."
Empress Dowager Cao asked: "Yes, who is the number one Ura Cheng Akira?"
When the official heard this, his thoughts moved and he took the paper from Empress Dowager Cao.
…
Firecrackers blasted in the alleys!
A child from a family outside the Zhang family got a Jinshi, and there was an endless stream of people who came to tell the good news.
The neighbors on the side looked at this scene with envy.
It is such an honor to be able to produce a Jinshi. His family will be able to shine through this, and even his neighbors will be able to benefit from it.
But seeing the father of the new Jinshi standing in front of the door to greet the people who came to congratulate him, with his face glowing red, it really made Zhang Shiyu feel envious but not happy.
Zhang Shi has always been familiar with this neighbor, but today he was in a bad mood. Wu Yan went up to congratulate him and returned to the house behind closed doors early.
He said to Mrs. Yu, "Why is there no news about this child?"
Yu said: "Why are you so anxious? If there is any news, I will report it to you. Didn't my uncle say that he has sent someone to look at the list?"
Zhang Shi nodded and said: "Although I haven't returned from the ranking list, if I really won the Jinshi, the person who announced the good news should have arrived long ago."
Yu said: "Why are you so anxious? I haven't heard them say that our Xi'er's article can be a top scorer. Even the third uncle has spoken like this, why are you still uneasy?"
Zhang Shi said: "That's what I say, but this kid Xi'er is too uncertain. He gave up his academic reputation after being spoken to a few words. Besides, there is no certainty about the examination room. I think this subject is 80% unreliable. ”
After hearing this, Mr. Yu slapped the table and scolded: "Okay, when my second uncle and my third uncle were selected as Jinshi, others were worried that the news might be wrong, so you kept saying that it couldn't be wrong."
"Why do you say you can't win when it comes to your own son, so you expect Xi'er to fail? Let me tell you, if Xi'er fails to win this time, I will be with you."
Zhang Shi was scolded by Yu and said nothing.
At this time, the person who read the list came back and reported to Zhang Shi: "Master Qi, there is no husband's name on this list."
When Yu heard this, he immediately said anxiously: "What's going on? Have you seen it clearly?"
"I read it three times, and there is indeed no husband's name, but..."
"Just what?" Yu asked anxiously.
"The person who won the provincial title this time is a man named Zhang Zhi, who is also from Pucheng. I don't know if he has anything to do with Lang Jun."
Yu said angrily: "So what if we are related? Our Pucheng Zhang family's descendants are not tens of thousands, but thousands. At most, they are only written on a genealogy with our family. It is not that our family Xi'er won the provincial yuan ."
Zhang Shi scolded: "Okay, okay, stop talking. Let's go check out the list and see if you see our stream?"
The other party said: "Reporting to the eldest master, I did not see Lang Jun."
Yu said anxiously: "Then what should we do? Xi'er has always said that he was going to pass this subject and came back home in glory, but today he failed. What if he was angry... and something happened to him?" "
Zhang Shi scolded: "What are you talking about? Just now you complained to me that Xi'er has never been able to win, and now you are saying depressing words."
Yu said with a confused look: "No, I want to go to the list to find Xi'er."
Zhang Shi said: "Don't go! We have to ask Third Brother to look for Xi'er. Otherwise, there are so many people in Bianjing City, where are you going to find her? What's the difference between looking for a needle in a haystack."
"Then I'll go find my third uncle now!"
Zhang Shila returned to Yu's family and said, "How can you find Third Brother when he goes to court like this? You have to wait for him to come back."
When Mrs. Yu heard this, she cried and said, "How can I wait for him to come back? As a mother, I can't wait even for a moment."
"You have to wait if you can't wait!" Zhang Shi stamped his feet and sat on the chair holding his head.
When the family was at their wits' end, they heard the roar of gongs and drums and the blast of firecrackers outside. The excitement was like hot oil being poured into a pot and it suddenly started to boil.
"Shengyuan is here!"
"Shengyuan is here!"
Along with the shouts, drums played outside the door.
Zhang Shi Yu was in no mood and left the door closed.
Just then, the sound of drums and music seemed to stop suddenly outside the door.
I heard someone outside the door say loudly: "My child is unfilial, please bow to your parents!"
Zhang Shi and Yu were not in the mood at all, so they sat together, but after hearing the sound, Yu suddenly said: "Guanren, do you think this sound is the sound of our stream?"
Zhang Shiyi heard: "Maybe you heard it wrong, I miss you too much."
At this time, another voice outside the door said: "The child is unfilial, so he bows to his parents."
At this time, Zhang Shi and Yu Shi looked at each other and said in unison: "Open the door quickly!"
The couple ran towards the door together. Yu almost fell down and was being helped up by Zhang Shi.
When the door of the house opened, I saw a man in a brocade robe kneeling on the stone steps in front of the house. His face was extremely handsome, but his forehead was black and blue. He was kowtowing outside the door just now. to.
When Zhang Shi and Yu Shi saw each other, they all screamed, hugged each other, and the whole family knelt on the ground and cried in each other's arms!
Seeing this scene, countless neighbors and congratulators were moved to tears.
The high school minister returns to repay his parents and fulfill his filial piety to his family. This is what all the people like to hear and see.
"My child, do you know how long my mother has been waiting for you? Why did she come back just now?" Mrs. Yu couldn't get enough of her son's head while she was holding it.
The other person said: "No, I am a Jinshi in high school. This kid really has no face to see his parents."
Zhang Shi said with tears: "It's good to come back. As long as you win a Jinshi, why did you come back with a provincial Yuan?"
"With your second uncle and third uncle in front, and now with you, our Zhang family is really going to be great!"
After Zhang Shi said this, he could no longer suppress his emotions.
