Xu Jing is in a separate courtyard in the capital.
Xu Jing came back from outside in a hurry that day and went to the inner house to see Tang Yin who was reviewing his homework.
"Bohu, don't rush to prepare for the exam. Let me show you something good. I got the exam questions for this session from outside..."
Xu Jing was very excited.
He took out a paper envelope from his pocket, and then took out two pages of paper with words densely written on them.
Tang Yin put down his pen and frowned: "The examiner hasn't been decided yet, where are the questions?"
Xu Jingdao: "You don't know this, do you? I got this test question through some channels. After you read the question, you will know that it is not a forgery."
With that said, Xu Jing presented the topic to Tang Yin.
The more Tang Yin looked, the more he frowned.
"How?" Xu Jing laughed.
Tang Yin said with a worried look on his face: "But from the intention of setting the questions, as well as the rigor of the questions, especially the questions on economics, history and current affairs... it shows its standard."
Tang Yin knows the goods.
If the questions are well chosen, it is obvious that they are not questions asked by random people on the street. Perhaps the questions of the Four Books and Five Classics are all from the original texts. There is nothing much to say, but they also have an intention. The policy questions best reflect the level of the questioner. .
"Bohu, don't talk about anything else first. Look at this question. I've read it carefully, but I can't understand it. Do you know what it means?"
As he said this, Xu Jing pointed to a question about economics and history in one of the policy questions and asked.
Tang Yin looked over and frowned: "Isn't this very clear?"
Xu Jingdao: "It's the last sentence, 'Some people who are engaged in "Primary School" and "Great University" and privately admire Zhu Zi may be suspected of being old. Who is this?"
Among the four sons' achievement examination questions, the knowledge of the last son was also a part of the 12th year of Hongzhi's examination that made Tang Yin hate him for life.
After reading it, Tang Yin shook his head: "I don't know."
"You don't even know? It seems... the person who asked the question is not simple." Xu Jing admired.
It seemed that he was very proud that he got such a test question.
Tang Yin asked eagerly: "Where did it come from?"
Xu Jing said with a smile: "Do you believe it is said to be from Hanlin Bachelor Cheng? Some people are saying this. Very few people have seen this question. Do you think everyone can get the question? It seems that this time we will try to be sure. ”
Tang Yin furrowed his brows and said: "Now we are still not sure who is taking the exam, but such exam questions have leaked out. How can the court not investigate? How can such questions not be leaked again? I don't think you should be too happy too early, I'm afraid it's... Someone deliberately deceived, but they just used the name of Bachelor Cheng!"
"Let's wait and see. Bohu, didn't you lose to Zhang Bingkuan in the Jiangnan Provincial Examination? This is the best opportunity. Here is the question. You can take it back and study it. If you study it well, you will be the first in Chunwei High School next year. Down!"
…
…
This exam question is only circulated within a small circle.
But the matter was not hidden from the Yushi Yanguan. When the scientific Yanguan discovered that there were rumors circulating among the people, he did not take it seriously at first.
It is also common to write questions before the examination, but soon someone discovered that this so-called "question" was very neat, almost to the point of being unbelievable. Then the military department gave it to Zhang Chao during the incident, and took it. Let's discuss it in the court.
Zhu Youtang heard that there were leaked questions in the exam among the people and thought it was ridiculous.
I haven't even decided who the examiner will be, nor who will give the questions. Now what does the examiner say about the question after hearing about it? Have you been kicked in the head by a donkey?
Zhang Chaoyong argued vigorously in the court: "This title, the neatness and perfection of the title, obviously came from the Hanlin Academy. There are also rumors that this title was originally written by Cheng Minzheng, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, and was specially addressed to some people who had privately written it. Those who have paid homage to him will use this as a reference for the examination in the coming year. Your Majesty, please inquire in court!"
Cheng Minzheng on the side was also confused.
When have I ever leaked my questions to others? Can our nonsense be any more outrageous?
Cheng Minzheng came out and said: "Your Majesty, this is nonsense, please look into it carefully!"
It was a great dynasty, and people in the Fengtian Palace were talking a lot. Things that originally sounded ridiculous seemed to stir up waves among the civil servants. Many people actually felt that this suspicion was "reasonable and well-founded."
Zhu Youtang looked at the three cabinet members and asked, "What do you think, cabinet ministers?"
At this time, Zhu Youtang's purpose is actually to let the three cabinet members come out to set the tone and stop spreading such rumors. Not to mention that I have not appointed Cheng Minzheng as the examiner. Even if I have, can you find out the clues about this kind of thing?
Besides, it's obvious that there are two people to take charge of the examination. I had mentioned before that I would choose one from the cabinet to take charge of the examination.
Did Cheng Minzheng take the exam on whatever he said he would take the exam?
But it was Li Dongyang who was secretly surprised when he heard about the questions of this examination, because to a large extent... Historically, he was also the examiner in the examination in the twelfth year of Hongzhi, which means that some of these questions were written by him.
What books he has been reading recently and what he has gained insights into will be reflected in the questions on next year's exam.
It happened that some questions were like roundworms in his stomach, and he could hit them accurately. This made Li Dongyang start to wonder...if someone in his family leaked the books he usually read, and even the Four Books and Five Classics he read. The number of pages and where it paused were also leaked...
Otherwise, how could it be possible to grasp the focus in his heart so accurately?
But Li Dongyang was also confused.
The problem is, His Majesty has not asked me to be the examiner. Although among the three cabinet members, I have the highest voice for being the examiner, and I guess the other two will not compete with me.
But how did the person who asked the question gain insight into my inner thoughts?
horrible!
With so many questions, it was impossible for Li Dongyang to just sit back and watch this matter.
He spoke on behalf of the cabinet and said: "Your Majesty, the examination is the foundation for selecting officials in the Ming Dynasty. We should put an end to the rumors among the people to set the record straight."
Zhu Youtang couldn't help but smile bitterly.
You, Li Dongyang, actually think that you, Li Dongyang, should investigate such a ridiculous thing, and you want to set the record straight?
He couldn't help but take a look at Cheng Minzheng, couldn't help but think of Zhang Zhou's words before, and sighed inwardly.
It seems that Bingkuan is right. No one should choose Cheng Minzheng as the examiner this time, because his background and experience, as well as his faction in the Hanlin Academy, will be very detrimental to him. The examiner has not been decided yet. Some people started to say that he was leaking information, and even the cabinet thought that he should be investigated...
Xu Qiong, the Minister of Rites, seemed to have different opinions on this. He came out and said: "The theory in the title is just groundless rumors. The examiner has not yet been determined. Why are there such rumors? If the imperial court needs to conduct a thorough investigation because of some rumors, then Where is the majesty of the imperial court?"
Xu Qiong came out to tell the truth.
But because Xu Qiong is an in-law of Queen Zhang, Queen Zhang's half-sister, but Xu Qiong's concubine, and when Queen Zhang was elected as the crown prince, Xu Qiong was working behind the scenes.
This also made Xu Qiong, in the eyes of orthodox civil servants, a person who rose to power through connections. In addition, when Xu Qiong replaced Ni Yue as the Minister of Rites, the emperor deliberately sent Ni Yue, who had a high reputation, to Nanjing as the Minister. Xu Qiongteng's position made him a public enemy-like figure among ordinary scholars.
If he comes out to speak to Cheng Minzheng, he will naturally be thought to be colluding and trying to cover up.
Zhang Chaoyong said: "Xu Butang, if there is no such thing, why should you be afraid of investigation? Just send someone to look through the books that Bachelor Cheng usually reads, as well as the calligraphy treasures in his home. Isn't everything clear?"
Cheng Minzheng was so angry that he almost jumped on the spot and asked: "Just because the people say that this is a topic written by me, you have to go to my house to check, but tomorrow someone will say that this is a topic written by someone else, and you will go to other people's homes to search." ? Is there any royal law for this?"
What Cheng Minzheng was angry about was not that people framed him for leaking the news.
It's because this matter is completely false.
I never thought about being the examiner. Even if it were me, I wouldn't be able to write out the questions in advance. How dare I not be afraid of death, that I would actually write the questions and let others know?
Such a clumsy frame-up method can be ignored by the people in the market. You are all the pillars of the Ming Dynasty, but you actually believe this kind of nonsense, and even brought it to the most sacred court of the Ming Dynasty to say that you are still such a bully. ?
"Mr. Liu Ge, what do you think?"
Zhu Youtang could only look at Liu Jian as if asking for help.
He hoped that Liu Jian would come out and say something fair and completely dispel the idea of others investigating Cheng Minzheng.
The emperor didn't want to be led by this group of civil servants, but the problem was... now it seemed that the civil servants wanted to put Cheng Minzheng to death.
Liu Jiandao: "Your Majesty, I have no objections."
Liu Jian didn't say he agreed or disagreed. He meant that he could investigate or not.
He is even inclined to check.
Since there is no such thing, why check? Let people go to your house to see if it is really the book you usually read and if it is the title you wrote. Isn’t that the end of it?
Zhu Youtang also felt angry when he heard this.
He said: "Dongchang!"
"Here." Xiao Jing looked embarrassed.
Others can't see the emperor's anger. How can they, who accompany the emperor every day, not see it?
Zhu Youtang said with a straight face: "Send someone to look at Xueshi Cheng's house and the place where he is on duty in the public house. After checking, we will report back."
"yes!"
It is tantamount to say that the emperor, under pressure from civil servants, listened to such nonsense and actually went to verify it.
…
…
Cheng Minzheng was kept in the palace and was not allowed to leave the palace. He had to wait at the Meridian Gate first.
Dongchang will send people to Cheng Mansion and Hanlin Academy non-stop.
Zhu Youtang returned to Qianqing Palace with a gloomy look on his face. When he sat down, he threw the memorials in front of him to the ground!
"Your Majesty, calm down." Dai Yi persuaded him as he went to pick up the memorial.
Zhu Youtang said angrily: "Bingkuan is not wrong at all. Cheng Keqin is just because he is close to the scholars, so he will be suspected of having an issue. I really shouldn't have done it in front of others." Let him be the chief examiner of this examination!"
At this time, Zhu Youtang felt a little regretful.
He usually did not hide his appreciation for Cheng Minzheng. This was what he felt was hurting Cheng Minzheng.
The more the emperor admires a person, the easier it is to kill him.
Cheng Minzheng was the lecturer in the East Palace when he was the prince, and he was also his mentor. It was recognized that Cheng Minzheng was the most knowledgeable in the Hanlin Academy, and Li Dongyang was the most elegant in writing.
Cheng Minzheng, who has such a high level of knowledge, is often favored by me in terms of imperial edicts. If I want to support my mentor, do I have to seek permission from others?
(End of chapter)
