In the late spring of the 16th year of Yong'an, the city of Chang'an was green, dark and red. From this time until after the roll call for the imperial examination, a stream of people rushed to the Gongyuan, and the earth-moving strings and songs were all played and sung. Clear stream.
Just after dawn, the long street in front of the Gongyuan was crowded with people. Some were so anxious that they strode in front of the gate of the Gongyuan, holding on to the fence with both hands, stretching their necks, and looking straight in;
Some are reserved and steady, their clothes are neat and tidy, without even a pleat, and they are walking slowly and slowly, but the hands behind their backs are intertwined and clenched tightly;
Some of them were in small groups, holding hands and chatting loudly to cover up the mixed feelings of anxiety and nervousness in their hearts.
No matter whether these scholars were wearing brocade clothes or embroidered coats, or they were wearing quail clothes with hundreds of knots, they all rushed to the gate of Gongyuan in unison.
Today is the day when the results of the provincial examination are released. Since the saint ascended the throne, he has followed the old practice of taking the provincial examination once every three years. In the past sixteen years, this year happens to be the sixth provincial examination, and the results will be released before the end of time.
The people on the list are Gongshi, and they are qualified to participate in the palace examination within a few days.
Those who fail can only wait three years before trying their best again.
When the late emperor was on the throne, he participated in the palace examination. The title of Jinshi was not something that the tribute scholars had in their pockets. The palace examination officials asked the tribute scholars and found that only 40 to 50 percent of the candidates were candidates for Jinshi. The reasons for the failure of those who were deposed were varied.
Over time, whether you can be selected in the palace examination has become a metaphysics. It has something to do with the height and appearance of the tributes, family background, conversation and manners, calligraphy and handwriting, and even wealth, but it has little to do with knowledge.
A lucky scholar may be attracted by his appearance, or his writing skills, or there may be someone in the court. In short, he can be promoted to Jinshi and be awarded an official in one palace examination.
The unlucky scholar seemed to have entered a dead end. His high ambitions were worn down by repeated defeats and repeated defeats in the imperial examination. Finally, he turned around and defected angrily to the Jing Dynasty at that time. Nan Ming fought against each other.
After all, all roads lead to official career, and this court is not the only one with official positions. There is no court where you can't find a job as an official.
Ever since, the talents that Jingchao had worked so hard to cultivate finally became a knife and a pen used by Nanming to attack Jingchao.
It's almost as innocuous as it is insulting.
The late emperor patted the desk several times and smashed the paperweight several times. Finally, after learning from the painful experience, he personally presided over the palace examination and decreed that the palace examination would no longer eliminate tributes. All those who participated in the palace examination, regardless of whether they were poor, rich, beautiful or ugly, would be selected as Jinshi confer officials.
Of course, the emperor's ministers still have to look at their faces. Otherwise, the saint would look at an ugly and angry face all day long and be so disgusting that he could not even eat. How could he be in the mood to deal with important affairs in the court?
As a result, the number of Jinshis that year grew unprecedentedly. More than 500 tribute scholars who passed the provincial examination were all admitted as Jinshis. Although more than 300 were fellow Jinshis and only 200 were real Jinshis, it was still a huge It inspired the scholars to study and make progress.
There was once a craze for reading and scientific examinations in the north and south of the Yangtze River. Anyone who showed signs of being able to read would have to support the whole family with the hope that one person would be promoted and the whole family would become rich.
So far, the palace examination only ranks according to the situation of calling, and no longer eliminates the tributes. It has become a custom-made one. However, the ranking of the tributes has an extremely important impact on the future appointment and promotion. If you lose etiquette in front of the palace and your official career will be hopeless, it is Something that every scholar doesn't want to see.
Since the palace examination no longer eliminates tributes, the provincial examination has become a single-plank bridge with thousands of troops crossing. Every time the results of the provincial examination are released, some people cry with joy and some go crazy on the spot.
At this time, the sun was getting higher, but the hour was still early. The iron fence of the gate of Gongyuan was tightly closed, blocking the figures of countless eagerly awaiting scholars, as well as many gentry and merchants who were preparing to capture their son-in-law.
The sound of gongs could be heard from time to time in the Mingyuan Building. The sound of these gongs meant that the selected yellow lists had already been stamped and were only ready for posting by the examiner for final proofreading.
An iron fence blocked the bustling, chaotic crowd of people waiting to see the list, and also blocked the imperial guards with sullen expressions and swords in their hands.
There was silence in the Mingyuan Building. The printed yellow list had already been placed on the upper desk, but Jiang Shen and the others stood anxiously, with no intention of publishing the list.
Meng Sui stood with his arms folded, looking coldly at the group of ants on the hot pot, pursed his lips, and said calmly: "Master Ge, the time is coming, if we don't publish the list, I'm afraid that the imperial army outside will be unable to suppress it, causing There will be a mutiny, but there will be big trouble."
This sentence made Jiang Shen's face change drastically. He remembered that during the late emperor's reign, the sound of the drum shattered the futures of so many people.
He said hurriedly: "Yes, yes, where is Mr. Han? Why hasn't Mr. Han come yet?"
Meng Suigai raised his eyelids and said respectfully: "The Chief Minister has other errands. I'm afraid he won't be able to get there in a while. There are forbidden troops guarding the outside. There won't be any trouble. Mr. Ge Lao, we can't wait any longer. Yes, if you delay the time to publish the list, something big will happen."
Jiang Shen made up his mind and ordered Wang Jingzong and Ruan Pingan to get the yellow list.
Unexpectedly, Mu Rongxun rushed to the desk, stopped the two of them, and said anxiously: "Master Pavilion, please wait a little longer. The envoy of the Internal Security Department is not here. If something goes wrong, the saint will hold him accountable. None of us are immune."
Jiang Shen was stunned for a moment, his eyes suddenly turned cold, and he stared deeply at Mu Rongxuan: "Sanlin, what do you mean, what could go wrong?"
Mu Rongxun hesitated for a moment, then suddenly his mind moved: "Sir, a lot of strange things happened in this provincial examination, and people died, but they have not yet been found out. I am afraid that there may be fraud when the list is published at this time." Disgusted."
"You are talking nonsense!" With a snap, Jiang Shen slapped the desk hard and laughed angrily: "Sanlin, you and I jointly reviewed this yellow list and submitted it to the sage for his seal. The fraud you mentioned is Who does the suspicion refer to? Does it refer to me?" He looked solemn, his tone was cold and stern, and he pressed forward step by step: "Does it refer to Wen Ran? Baowen? Or, the saint!!"
His words became more and more deafening, so frightened that Wang Jingzong and Ruan Pingan suddenly fell to their knees and begged in unison: "Master Ge, be careful what you say, be careful what you say."
Mu Rongxun was also willing to take the risk. He had been planning for so long, how could he be willing to fall short? If he really allowed the yellow list to be posted, he would not be able to survive immediately!
His eyes widened, his head was covered with sweat, his cheeks turned blue, and he said with a sharp expression: "My lord, I didn't say that. I am doing it for the sake of the imperial court and for the sake of the world's scholars! If you choose, don't you?" If the person who should be selected is selected, it will chill the hearts of scholars all over the world!"
"Okay, okay, okay!" Jiang Shen picked up the yellow list, pointed to the names on it that related to the future and destiny of all the scholars, and said with a serious smile: "Okay, then tell me, tell me carefully, where is it here? A scholar should not be on the list!"
Mu Rongzhen choked for a moment. What should he say? He couldn't say that he shouldn't choose northern scholars, but only southern scholars!
"Master Mu means that only the southern scholars should be chosen, not the northern ones." Meng Suige leaned against the door, watched the play in silence for a long time, looked at the time, and spoke calmly.
Mu Rongxuan was startled when he heard what was on his mind and stared at Meng Suigai as if he had seen a ghost.
Ruan Pingan and Wang Jingzong also got up from the ground and looked at Mu Rongxuan.
Jiang Shen suddenly realized it. He stared at Mu Rongxun with a gloomy look, beat his chest and felt heartbroken: "Sanlin, Sanlin, you, you, you have disappointed me so much!"
Mu Rongzhen originally wanted to struggle again, but seeing that the situation was over and the Yellow List was unchangeable, his plan this time was completely in vain. If he could keep the matter in Gongyuan, he could save his own life. Official career can be regarded as a blessing among misfortunes.
He immediately changed his strategy, fell to his knees with a bang, hugged Jiang Shen's legs, and cried loudly: "My mentor, my mentor, all these officials are thinking about the southern scholars. My mentor was also from Jiangnan, and he knows that the southern scholars How hard it is to live in the cold window for ten years. To be fair, all of them are very talented, and their talents are far superior to those of the northern scholars. The provincial examination selects tribute scholars based on the number of northern and southern scholars, which is originally a great deal for the southern scholars. It’s unfair!”
He cried blood every word, and the people he spoke couldn't bear it.
But who is Jiang Shen? He is an old fox who has been immersed in officialdom for a long time. The moment Meng Suigai clicked on that sentence, he understood what Mu Rongxun was doing and thinking.
Mu Rongxun was not complaining about the Southern scholars, but was paving the way for him to join the cabinet in the future and train disciples and confidants to build momentum.
If his plan succeeds and a yellow list filled with the names of southern scholars is posted, there will only be two outcomes.
Either the northern scholars tolerated this matter, and this provincial examination became his merit as a gentry. He retired as an official and recommended Mu Rongxun to the cabinet. These southern scholars who were successful in the examination naturally became Mu Rongxun's disciples. , it is unknown how many of them had connections with him before the provincial examination.
Either the northern scholars were dissatisfied with this matter and went to protest their grievances. This provincial examination became a stain on his Jiang gentry. The saint was furious and would definitely dismiss him from office and hold him accountable. Mu Rongxun followed the trend and proposed A provincial examination will be held again to select northern scholars. In this way, these northern scholars will definitely be grateful to Mu Rongxun and obey his orders.
The more Jiang Shen thought about it, the more frightened he felt, and the look he looked at Mu Rongxun became colder and more ruthless, but he did not show it. The most important thing now was not to take care of Mu Rongxun, but to post the yellow list in order to appease him. The restless hearts of the scholars outside.
He pursed his lips and did not continue to pursue Mu Rongxun. He calmly ordered Wang Jingzong and Ruan Ping'an: "Wen Ran, Baowen, you two go out and post the yellow list."
Wang Jingzong and Ruan Pingan experienced such a huge change, but they calmed down.
Having seen a lot of ghosts, it is not surprising that Mu Rongxun is like this.
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