Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng knew that although the imperial edict had not yet been issued, it was already known to everyone in the court.
Knowing how to make imperial edicts at the age of twenty-six, he is as good as Su Yijian, which is a good story.
Although it was said that the Zhizhi imperial edict was certain, there was still some debate over the exemption from the bachelor's degree examination.
The officials intended to remove Zhang Yue, but Zhang Heng knew how to prepare for the bachelor's degree examination, but Sima Guang and Fan Zhen insisted that they could not be exempted.
Sima Guang said: "Zhang Yue has never served as a local official, and Zhang Heng has never studied daily life notes. Now if he orders a imperial edict without trying, people will definitely be dissatisfied, and it is not the intention of cultivating and employing people."
The officials listened to Sima Guang's words and immediately approved his performance.
In the past, the imperial edicts were made without going through the Bachelor's College examination, but Chen Yaozuo, Yang Yi, and Ouyang Xiu were appointed.
These three people were all talented at the time and were the best of their generation. Therefore, based on their talents, they were qualified to be exempted from the examination, which was regarded as a first-class honor by officials.
Zhang Yue knew that the official family was deliberately cultivating himself and favoring him. Dayou Zhangyue is my man, why can't he be equal to Ouyang Xiu and Yang Yi? Zhang Yue also understood that Sima Guang was not stuck on himself, but that was the rule.
The imperial court knew that there were only fifty officials who made the imperial edict, so how could it be granted lightly? Therefore, it must be carefully discussed by the officials and governors, and finally evaluated again and again.
Zhang Yue still experienced many twists and turns in making the imperial examination, but every time he passed the test, it was also a test for himself.
On this day, Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng went to the Bachelor's College to take exams.
The weather was fine that day, and Bianjing City was as prosperous and busy as ever.
When Zhang Yue rode to the palace, he remembered that he had been released and went to the Academy to try for a position. From then on, his official career was at a rapid pace.
It was almost eight years ago when I was eighteen years old.
Zhang Yue went to get the order and then walked to the Bachelor's Academy, and then met Zhang Heng in the courtyard. But Zhang Heng was seen holding his hands behind his back, his whole body bathed in the morning light.
"Why don't you go in?"
Zhang Heng turned around to see Zhang Yue and said with a smile: "I think of many things in the past. Do you still remember the days at Nanfeng Temple in Pucheng?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "I don't really remember."
Zhang Heng said: "I know everything clearly, not just mine. I remember that you were not qualified to listen to lectures at that time, but you were the most diligent every time. Because you are not a formal disciple, you always wait until others have finished asking questions before asking Mr. Asking questions. The clothes he wears are also the simplest, but every time he goes in and out, his shoes are neatly arranged, far away in a corner, not juxtaposed with us. Every time I see those dazzling old shoes, I know they are you. "
Zhang Yue smiled after hearing this. He didn't expect that he would attract so much attention at that time.
Now that he thought about it, he just smiled and said, "Really? I don't care what others think of me. I just remember that my knowledge is too shallow and I have to study day and night."
Zhang Heng said with emotion: "Yes, now that I think about it, this is also your strength. You are among a group of classmates in rich and beautiful clothes, but you don't have any narrow-mindedness. You just wish you could not exhaust your knowledge."
Zhang Yue said: "Zhaizhang, you are overly complimentary. I didn't think that much at the time."
Zhang Heng patted Zhang Yue on the shoulder and said, "Yes, you are not lucky to have what you have today."
Zhang Yue shook his head and said: "Chief, what you said is wrong. There are people who are smarter than me, and there are people who work harder than me. Why am I not lucky to be here today?"
"I don't believe that any big task given by heaven will strain one's muscles and bones, but once it comes, he will be content with it. If possible, I would prefer to study in a place with fine clothes and fine food. It was just that I had no choice but to do it at the time. Therefore, I will not move myself and say The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold. Bitter cold is bitter cold. Without bitter cold, plum blossoms will also have their own fragrance."
Zhang Heng said: "This is refreshing."
Zhang Yue said: "Yes, this is also true for me now when I am reforming Imperial College. I have a great ambition so that students all over the world can afford to study and no longer suffer the same hardships I did. Instead of using what I did back then as encouragement. They encourage them to persevere. It is wrong for an official to say such things."
"well said!"
While he was talking, he saw the courtyard door open, and Sima Guang and Fan Zhen walked out.
Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng both saluted the two of them quickly.
Fan Zhendao: "I remember that I was writing a reply to Emperor Renzong when I was young. I was addicted to learning when I was young. My family was poor and I couldn't read the books, so I always borrowed them from the home where the books were collected..."
"This article was so heartfelt when I read it that both Bachelor Sima and I were moved by it. We didn't know which scholar had done it. It was only later that we became enlightened when we got the first prize in Duzhi. Now that we hear Duzhi's words, we know that we have lived up to our expectations. The ambition I made back then.”
Sima Guang nodded slightly and said, "Yes."
Zhang Yue said: "I am ashamed of myself for talking nonsense in front of these two bachelors."
Sima Guang said: "For those who work in foreign affairs, they will serve as ministers and write imperial edicts. In order to judge their talents, they will join our generation sooner or later. However, we must be cautious in selecting talents, so we have to test for the bachelor's academy."
"I didn't take it seriously when Mr. Ouyang was ordered to die without trying. It is easy for people to lose respect if he is ordered to die without trying. I don't know how hard it is to get this thing. I have always thought that the examination is the fairest thing in the world. I would rather try to flatter you than to flatter you. It’s hard work, and exams are the easiest thing to do.”
"The reason why I insist on letting you try the Bachelor's College is to hone yourself. Studying is to cultivate more talents, but cultivating more talents is to hone yourself. Only in this way can you select truly outstanding people."
Zhang Yue said: "If jade is not polished, it cannot be used. I understand."
Sima Guang said: "As long as you understand it, Duke Fan and I have high hopes for you."
After saying that, the two of them opened the door, and Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng entered.
The two of them each took a seat, and then several eunuchs stood outside the door, and the door was closed again.
Sima Guang and Fan Zhen solemnly handed over the drafted topics to Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng.
Zhang Yue read it just as a policy statement, and there was nothing particularly difficult about it.
Zhang Yue picked up his pen to write. It is said that from studying to becoming an official, he has experienced countless exams, but now this Zhizhigao is his last exam.
Zhang Yue had not formulated such a large-scale policy for a long time, so he wrote slowly and seriously.
I don’t know why, but halfway through writing, I kept thinking about the hardships of taking exams when I was studying in the past. This made Zhang Yue distracted many times during exams, and he suddenly stopped writing, but finally concentrated on writing again.
In the end, it took about an hour for Zhang Yue to finish writing the paper. Zhang Heng, who was standing aside, had already finished writing and was looking at him with a smile.
This exam was difficult for Zhang Yue, but he felt reluctant to give up in his heart.
For a top performer in the exam, Zhang Yue had mixed feelings. His success was all due to this piece of paper.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue took a deep breath and handed the article to Sima Guang and Fan Zhen.
Sima Guang earnestly warned Zhang Yue: "After all, articles are the spine and bones of scholars. When articles stand, people stand, and when people stand, articles stand. Don't forget it!"
Zhang Yue bowed solemnly to Sima Guang and said, "Your Majesty, please remember."
Finally, Sima Guang and Fan Zhen smiled, and Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng also laughed.
After the examiner and candidates bowed to each other again, Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng left the bachelor's college.
Sima Guang watched Zhang Yue leave the academy and said, "Mr. Fan, there are talents in this generation, so why should we worry too much? Just let it go as soon as possible!"
"Rebirth of the Great Era of Fighting Waves"