In fact, the imperial examination system of the Tang Dynasty was not taken seriously.
This can be seen from the fact that only this year the official arrangements for the Minister of Rites to arrange the imperial examinations were made.
In the past, those in charge of the imperial examination were just ordinary Yuanwailang.
The Yuanwailang is only of the sixth rank, while the Minister of Rites is the fourth rank, which directly reflects the degree of importance.
As for the coming of Prince Li Yunze this time, it was purely his personal actions and had nothing to do with the court's attention.
The imperial examination subjects in the Tang Dynasty usually consisted of six subjects, among which the scholar subject was abandoned after Emperor Gaozong because it was too difficult.
Because there are very few people who can pass the exam, and there are not even a few people who sign up for this subject, there is naturally no need to keep them.
Among the remaining five subjects, Jinshi and Mingjing are the most important, and the most candidates take the exams for these two subjects.
In the early Tang Dynasty, Ming Jing Ke was higher than Jin Shi Ke, but after the middle Tang Dynasty, Jin Shi Ke started to have a higher status than Ming Jing Ke.
People respected Jinshi more and more, so much so that Jinshi has since become synonymous with the imperial examination.
Compared with the previous recommendation system and even the nine-grade Zhongzheng system, the imperial examination was undoubtedly a ground-breaking good thing, giving ordinary people a small but real way to rise.
But after so many years, especially after Li Sanlang recognized money but not people, it has become extremely rotten.
The imperial examination gradually evolved into a means for aristocratic families to maintain their own status. They used various means to obtain quotas, which greatly reduced the ability and quality of those who succeeded in the examination. However, many truly knowledgeable people, celebrities, and scholars suffered from exclusion. .
Among them, there are those who are proud of themselves, such as "In the past, there was nothing to praise for being sordid, but now there is no limit to the dissolute thoughts." The spring breeze is so proud that the horse's hooves are so fast that I can see all the flowers in Chang'an in one day. 'The flower-viewing prodigal son in the suburbs of Meng.
There is also a saying: "When autumn comes on September 8th, I will kill all the flowers after they bloom." The incense formation soaring to the sky penetrates Chang'an, and the whole city is covered with golden armor. 'Huang Chao, the wealthy gravedigger.
Meng Jiao's "After Passing the Imperial Examination" and Huang Chao's "Ode to Chrysanthemums after Not Passing the Examination" are the most realistic portrayals of the imperial examinations in the Tang Dynasty.
Just like this, Li Yunze was sent many copies of business papers.
Juzi handed over the scroll of poetry and prose he usually wrote to the official office of Shangshu Province, that is, the Ministry of Rites, so it was called Nasheng Juan, also known as "Gong Juan".
The poems and essays that Juzi privately submitted to some dignitaries were called "Xingjuan".
This is a way to increase your visibility and therefore your chances of being selected.
After all, the examiner knows your name and will be more impressed after seeing your masterpiece.
Because the person who finally chose who was admitted this time was Li Yunze, so these papers were delivered to him.
Li Yunze flipped through the pages, but found none of the works by Du Fu, Gao Shi, Wang Zhihuan and others that he had previously valued.
"These are all done by some outstanding talents who participated in this imperial examination." The examiner in charge of this imperial examination, the Minister of Rites, recommended Li Yunze with a smile, "They are all rare talents."
It should be said that those who can participate in the imperial examination are basically talents.
The only difference is that the ones sent to Li Yunze and recommended by the Minister of Rites are basically the children of noble and noble families.
After all, studying is an extremely expensive thing, and an ordinary family cannot support a scholar even if it goes bankrupt.
Only aristocratic families and noble families have this strength and naturally have more talents.
The so-called public recommendation is to recommend to the examiner through connections, which is a disguised form of advance appointment.
Although the Minister of Rites was the examiner this time, unfortunately there was a prince watching from the side, so the matter could only be transferred to him.
The so-called operations of later generations have actually been understood by the ancestors long ago, and they are all leftover from the ancestors' tricks.
Li Yunze sighed softly and put the scroll in his hand aside.
He looked at the old man in front of him and asked, "Young Master Boguigeng?"
The Minister of Rites was stunned for a moment, and then responded with a smile, "Your Majesty, I am fifty-five years old this year."
Li Yunze nodded meaningfully and said, "Young Uncle Zong is really old and strong."
This sentence is not only talking about his age, but also that he can still have a son at such an age.
He even asked Li Sanlang to name his son.
The words here have already explained the problem very well. Li Yunze, the Minister of Rites, knows the minister in front of him very well, and he must be a figure whose name is recorded in history books.
That's right, this Minister of Rites is the famous He Zhizhang!
It was He Zhizhang who wrote "Returning Hometown".
"When the young man left home and his boss came back, his local pronunciation remained unchanged and his hair on his temples faded." Children who don't recognize each other laugh and ask where the guest is from. '
Needless to say, this is also a poem that must be memorized when I was in school.
Fortunately, when Li Yunze was in school, he never failed in Tang poetry. After all, he had few words and was easy to memorize.
It's a pity that when it came to "chichi, chichi, chirp", I was dumbfounded. It's really terrible to have hundreds of words at every turn.
Of course, compared to the works of the famous poet He Zhizhang, he is more famous for being Li Bai's friend.
The famous "Song of the Eight Immortals in Drinking" is "Li Bai's 100 Poems on Drinking Wine." When he went to sleep in a restaurant in Chang'an City, the emperor couldn't get on the boat, so he claimed that he was an immortal in wine. There is a poem by He Zhizhang in it: "Zhizhang rides a horse like a boat, and falls into a well and sleeps under the water." '
By the way, "Song of the Eight Immortals in Drinking" was written by Du Fu, not Li Bai.
He Zhizhang didn't know what Li Yunze meant, so he could only laugh.
In fact, he really didn't want to come.
It's a pity that the famous dispute between two people and Li Li broke out a few months ago. This is an important event that has entered the history books.
In the previous examination for civil servants, Li Ang was inconsistent in appearance and appearance. On the surface, he said that he would not accept requests, and whoever asked for favors would fail.
The imperial examination wailang was specifically responsible for the duties of the imperial examination.
Li Ang's words were beautiful, but unfortunately, Li Quan exposed his true colors.
"At the beginning, Ang Qiangfu, if not asked, and if there is a request, everyone will obey first."
To put it bluntly, although Li Ang said he would not allow requests, he would obey them as long as they were asked. This is a typical example of duplicity and duplicity.
After this matter became a big deal, Li Sanlang moved the matter of presiding over the imperial examination to the name of the Ministry of Rites, and appointed Yuan Wailang of the Ministry of Rites to be responsible for this matter.
Historically speaking, from the beginning of He Zhizhang to the last imperial examination in the late Qing Dynasty, the real examiner has always been Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Rites.
Of course, He Zhizhang naturally doesn't know that he has set a historical precedent.
He just feels so bored now.
Originally, I came to preside over the imperial examination for a good job, so being able to get the request would naturally be a good income.
It's a pity that King Shou made a mistake and came here to preside over the imperial examination.
Now, the final decision-making power fell into the hands of King Shou, and he, the examiner, was really just the examiner.
"This king already knows about this."
Li Yunze didn't have a good impression of He Zhizhang. He was still attached to his official position and refused to leave even though he was old. He was also talkative but not pragmatic, so naturally he didn't like him very much.
He reached out and put the papers aside, "Just keep these things."
"Stay all of them?!"
Now it was He Zhizhang's turn to be dumbfounded: "Your Majesty, there are dozens of copies here."
In the imperial examination in the Tang Dynasty, there were usually only three or five people, but more than ten people could not survive.
Li Yunze actually left all the papers here, this and this... He Zhizhang didn't know what to say for a moment.
He really wanted to remind Li Yunze, 'Don't be too greedy, Your Majesty. Although you are given gifts for every request, be careful of choking if you accept so many gifts at once! '
Li Yunze didn't know what he was thinking, and he didn't want to know.
He picked up the tea bowl on the side and said, "I understand that Young Master Zong is in charge of the imperial examination."
He Zhizhang had no choice but to stand up and say goodbye.
When he came here, he was doing free work for the imperial court, but he would not get any benefits just by working.
Really helpless.
"So what if there are dozens of copies? How can we call the imperial examination if we don't select hundreds of people during the imperial examination?" Li Yunze put down his tea bowl and smiled, "You have never seen a real official examination. Those are all in units of tens of thousands." .”
The Tang Dynasty had very strict control over official official positions. There were now almost 50 million people, but there were only less than 20,000 official official positions, which was about one to three thousand, which meant that three thousand people supported one person.
This is mainly because productivity is not high and too much is unaffordable.
It is precisely because of this that there are not many people who take the imperial examination and serve as officials.
But Li Yunze has decided to hire more people this time, because after he takes office, he will have to get rid of too many people who have spent money to become officials, and he needs to train successors in advance.
When the formal imperial examination was conducted, it was far from as rigorous as imagined.
There was no careful inspection of the valley, no lake name test, and no sergeants constantly patrolling back and forth.
The examination room here is like a self-study classroom in later generations. Not only are there all kinds of cheating methods, but there are even people who come to take the exam for you.
The test taker was very good. One person provided answers to several candidates.
The popularity of taking exams on behalf of others is called 'saving many people'.
Li Bai, who went to watch on Li Yunze's order, came back angrily and complained about the unfairness of the examination room, "What's the point of this kind of imperial examination!"
"Too white."
Li Yunze, who was not angry about this, smiled and motioned to Li Bai, "Sit down and talk first."
When Li Bai sat down angrily, Li Yunze asked slowly, "Taibai also thinks that such an imperial examination is meaningless?"
"It's natural."
Li Bai, who blushed, immediately said, "Zimei and the others have studied hard for many years and are knowledgeable people, but they have to compete with those who cheat. How unfair!"
"Then what does Taibai think this king should do?"
"Of course we will drive out all those who cheated and took the exam for themselves!"
"Okay." Li Yunze nodded, "If this king does this, maybe this imperial examination will be much cleaner, but what about next time?"
"Next time?" Li Bai was stunned.
"If I do this, there won't be a next time." Li Yunze said slowly, "There are so many people who point to the imperial examination to become an official and to make a fortune in the imperial examination. They will regard me as a thorn in their side, and they will never let it happen." I will have another chance to supervise the scientific examination. Wait until
If you take the imperial examination again in the future, it will still be the same as now. "
"Taibai, tell me, how can we completely prevent this?"
This really touched upon Li Bai's knowledge blind spot. He thought hard for a long time, but he could never find a complete solution.
In desperation, he could only hand over to Li Yunze and "Dare you ask your Majesty for advice."
"There's only one way."
Li Yunze's smile gradually turned... gradually colder. "Only if I, the king, ascend to the throne and eradicate all these ungrateful people! Give the world a bright future!"
