The outer court has a vertical arch hall.
The number of officials present today is not much less than that of the Imperial Court. All officials in Lin'an, regardless of rank, as long as they are qualified to sneak into the palace, are basically here. Even a group of idle nobles who rarely show up on weekdays are here. Qi appeared.
In the past two days, candidates were selected for the four groups under the age of thirteen. Today is the final selection for the fourteen to sixteen-year-old group.
Most people believe that the four most promising people are all in this group. To a certain extent, whoever wins will probably be confirmed as the prince.
As for King Zhong himself, he was a prince, but the trigger for this incident was the officials' doubts about him, so it was equivalent to a battle to defend his title.
The main hall is arranged like an examination room. Because the official throne is in the north, the examiner's seat and the candidate's seat are opposite to each other from east to west.
The examiner on the east side is naturally Uncle Xie Fang, and on his left are Dong Huai and Cheng Yuanfeng as deputy examiners. In addition, Ma Guangzu, Yang Dong, and Ye Mengding are the examiners, and Wu Yan, Ding Daquan, and Hong Tianxi are the invigilators.
Opposite them, there was a row of five tables, with four young men standing behind them. Their expressions could not hide their nervousness and excitement. After all, not many men could refuse the temptation of the throne.
Zhao Mengqi, fourteen years old, is slightly chubby and looks a bit inconspicuous. He is easily ignored in people's field of vision. He is also considered the least promising.
Zhao Mengxi is fourteen years old. She is much taller than her peers with a tall and straight figure. She has a handsome appearance and lively eyes, but there is a hint of weariness between her eyebrows.
Zhao Heyun, sixteen years old, is a handsome young man with sharp eyes, modest and polite manners, but he feels a bit frivolous.
Zhao Mengguan, uh, Wei Guansun, through Concubine Yan Guifei's hard blowing on the pillow, got the nod from Zhao Guan's family, adopted him to a clan at a miraculous speed, successfully changed his surname to Zhao, and even reached the semi-finals...
Today, he is dressed in a royal blue suit and a Dongpo scarf. He is polite and steady, and can show a suitable smile to anyone.
As for the loyal king Zhao Mengqi, he arrived late at the last moment, with a relaxed gait, as if strolling in the courtyard, wearing a crane cloak and fur, with a wooden hairpin randomly inserted into his bun.
This look is like a wandering cloud and a wild crane, floating out of the dust.
But, for today’s occasion, are you serious about dressing up like this?
The crane cloak is also called the 'Taoist Immortal Clothes', which is similar to a cloak, but has wide sleeves and a belt that is usually not used and is worn open.
Wearing it on the body of a person with temperament will make him look like a fairy, free and easy.
However, Zhao Mengqi was thin and thin, not tall enough. Although the crane cloak fit him well, it didn't hold up well when worn on him, and it looked a bit weird no matter how he looked at it.
What's more, competing for a reserve position is the most utilitarian thing. If you look like you're aloof from the mortal world, are you here to compete or not?
When Zhao Guanjia saw Zhao Mengqi like this, he couldn't help but put his hand on his forehead.
"Official, are you having a headache?" Dong Songchen looked concerned.
Zhao Guanjia was speechless and waved his hand.
Among the officials, some were stunned, some were surprised, some were disdainful, and some were snickering...
Facing all kinds of looks, Zhao Mengqi seemed unaware, and Shi Shiran walked towards the remaining empty table.
When passing 'Zhao Mengguan', he stopped deliberately and said, "Cousin Wei, no, I forgot you changed your surname. Well, cousin Wei Zhao, can you please not come?"
The corner of Zhao Mengguan's mouth twitched. He thought that he must not lose his composure at this time, so he could only try to appear tolerant. His voice trembled slightly and he said, "Thank you, the loyal king, for remembering me. Everything is fine with me."
Zhao Mengqi's move gave all officials another big surprise. Some people thought of the original identity of 'Zhao Mengguan' and the grudge between the cousins in Prince Rong's Mansion. They had all kinds of thoughts at the same time.
At the examiner's table, Ye Mengding frowned slightly. Because he was also an adoptee with a foreign surname, he felt a little unhappy when Zhao Mengqi made fun of him.
Yang Dong noticed it and tried to persuade him softly, "Don't be upset, Your Highness did not mean it."
"I know." Ye Mengding nodded slightly, "I'm just not used to it. I heard that His Highness has changed a lot before, but when I saw it, it was still beyond expectations."
Yang Dong felt more relieved, "The changes are a bit big, but they are always a good thing. We still need your and my careful guidance to deal with the shortcomings of human behavior."
"That's what Yuanji said, but I hope His Highness can pass this test smoothly." Ye Mengding took a deep breath and prepared to support the students later.
Zhao Mengqi walked behind a few cases and stood still like the other four.
After Dong Songchen, who was next to the throne, got ready, he rang the copper bell and said, "From now on, without the official's permission, the ministers who are watching are not allowed to speak or interfere with the selection. Otherwise, they will be expelled from the palace. The five clan disciples invite Take your seats and the trial selection begins!”
The hall became even quieter, and the five candidates were sitting behind the desk, which was empty.
Uncle Xie Fang spoke loudly, "The king is appointed by heaven, and the prince is also the king. If he is chosen by his ministers, it will be overstepped. History is a lesson. Whenever a minister establishes a king, it is the beginning of troubled times and a sign of the destruction of the country. , I, the ministers of the Song Dynasty, will never do such a retrograde act. Today we are gathered here not to choose, but to try."
The meaning of this passage is that we know that the following selection is wrong and we are firmly opposed to it, but today we are not selecting, but testing!
"What is a test? To be a wise king, you should have four essentials: understanding, tolerance, benevolence, and self-denial. Today's topic is a test, in order to fully demonstrate the character, knowledge, cultivation, and wisdom of the five clan members. Ultimately, it will be up to me. Emperor’s Holy Judgment.”
The implication is that it is a mule or a horse that comes out for a stroll.
We just strip the candidates clean and let them show themselves without any concealment. Everyone can clearly see their strengths and weaknesses, so that they can see whether they are suitable to be emperor. Finally, we also emphasize that it is not up to us to choose people. In the end, it is the officials who make the decision.
Of course, after the test is completed, the ministers will know which one is suitable and which one is not. If the official makes a wrong choice, the ministers have the obligation to advise the official to return to the right path.
You see, this is a civil servant who not only wants to do things, but also speaks beautifully.
Zhao Mengqi, who was sitting there with a serious face, thought about what Prime Minister Xie said and exclaimed in his heart: "I learned it!"
After Xie Fangshu finished speaking, he bowed to Zhao Guan's family and then sat back down.
Next, Ma Guangzu spoke on behalf of the test officer, "No one can judge who is suitable to be a king. Today's test questions simply start from the way of a gentleman. The six skills of a gentleman are divided into questions. After the candidates answer the questions, they are ranked from third grade to above. The ministers will gather to vote and determine the rankings according to the number of votes. Finally, after all six arts are completed, the rankings will be added up, and the one with the smallest number will be the winner."
He said it simply. Although the method has flaws, it is still effective. In fact, the four groups have successfully implemented it before, but the testing method is different, and the ranking method is still the same.
Although it is only a third-level vote, it is a registered vote. Under the public attention and the attention of the emperor, even if there is partiality, it cannot go too far. In addition, the total number of voters is more than 60, and under the influence of each other, they can get a certain amount of votes. degree of fairness.
Moreover, the support of ministers is also a condition that the prince needs to meet.
