Meeting at Fengtian Palace.
This day was the last court meeting before the year, and several things were decided in court, all of which were related to arrangements for the coming year.
First of all, at the beginning of the year, sacrifices were held in various imperial mausoleums. The emperor could not go, and the nobles sent to perform the sacrifices on his behalf.
Then there was the great sacrifice at the beginning of the year. The emperor would still go there in person. At the same time, he explained that after the great ceremony was celebrated and a banquet was given, the ministers of civil and military affairs should fast for three days, that is, they should not touch wine or meat, and they should also abstain from household items.
He also talked about the ten days of rest during the Lantern Festival next year.
"Records of Xiaozong" records: "At the end of the first lunar month, the great sacrifice to heaven and earth was completed in the southern suburbs. He returned to the palace to pay a visit to the empress dowager and the empress dowager. After completing the ceremony, he left the imperial Fengtian palace and the civil and military ministers celebrated the ceremony. On the Yuan Festival, the civil and military ministers were given the gift. Ten days off…”
Since the next year will be a holiday in addition to offering sacrifices, some things will be decided before the New Year.
In addition to necessary matters, the emperor suddenly and uncharacteristically decided to hold an examination with two examiners in February of the following year.
Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng are exactly the same as history.
The meeting is over.
Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng were sent to the Qianqing Palace to discuss the details of the next year's examination, while the remaining ministers left the palace respectively.
"Why did Your Majesty decide the examiner for the Ceremony Examination so early this year? Normally, you have to wait until the end of January or early February to decide. Is this time related to the rumors about the previous exam?"
Xu Qiong, the Minister of Rites, went to ask Liu Jian after leaving Fengtian Hall.
Liu Jian remained silent.
Xie Qian smiled and said: "Your Majesty may have other deep intentions. Why should I think about it if I don't understand? It's different who is the chief examiner?"
Xu Qiong glared at Xie Qian.
The scene was somewhat awkward, but Tu Yan came over and pulled Xu Qiong aside, as if he had something to talk about.
…
…
In the Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Youtang was giving instructions to Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng. Among the eunuchs and eunuchs who were in charge of rituals, only Xiao Jing and Wei Bin were there.
After talking about the necessary etiquette for the examination, Zhu Youtang also reminded him: "...both of you are highly respected among the scholars. You usually meet a lot of scholars. Since you are the main examiner to select the world's scholars, then you Don’t have any more personal relations with scholars.”
"yes."
Li Dongyang accepted the order on behalf of the two.
It is said that Cheng Minzheng likes to make friends with young scholars. In fact, Li Dongyang is not inferior to Cheng Minzheng in this regard.
Just because Li Dongyang is a pavilion elder and comes from an orthodox civil servant background, it is a high honor for others to ask to see Li Dongyang... unlike Cheng Minzheng, who can be seen by anyone...
Cheng Minzheng's threshold is too low.
So much so that later, when the vendetta case came up, others would attack Cheng Minzheng, but not Li Dongyang, and even asked Li Dongyang to investigate the case, which shows that Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng received different treatment in the court.
Then the emperor asked Wei Bin to send Li Dongyang out of Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Youtang seemed to have something else to say to Cheng Minzheng alone, leaving only Xiao Jing to listen.
"Scholar Cheng, you have been back to the court for nearly a year. You have done well in everything. I will reward you as appropriate. Don't take the things you mentioned earlier seriously." Zhu Youtang first consoled you.
Cheng Minzheng felt aggrieved.
This kind of thing may become a shadow in his heart for the rest of his life.
But it also made him realize that he didn't seem to be very popular with the courtiers. Maybe he should really resign after serving his term, and it would be best not to come back.
"I accept your orders." Cheng Minzheng still had to pretend to be taught.
Zhu Youtang asked again: "I asked you to cooperate with the Imperial College in selecting several supervisors. How is the progress?"
Cheng Minzheng said: "The final list has been made. There are more than fifty people. The articles and insights are good."
"Well, the best ones will be selected and appointed to the post of academic and official in the Imperial College, ready for deployment." Zhu Youtang said.
Cheng Minzheng was startled.
It took a long time to select, but in the end it was just a matter of selecting a few people and assigning them to a scholar? Then why go to all this trouble? Are some of them already at the "xuezheng" level?
Zhu Youtang asked again: "Is Zhang Bingkuan, whom I told you before, on the candidate list?"
"Yes." Cheng Minzheng said. Fortunately, I paid attention, otherwise I wouldn't be able to answer the call in front of me.
Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "Very good, then let him be the leader in this selection."
Cheng Minzheng took a breath.
He thought he heard wrongly. The emperor actually said that Zhang Zhou should be the leader of the selection. That meant...
Give and take privately? !
Zhu Youtang sighed: "You should also know, Bachelor Cheng. In the past period, he has done a lot for the court. I just want to leave a way for him outside the examination. If he can't do it this time, Listed on the list, we will select him to enter the court in this way. I don’t want to delay any more and let him take the exam again next time.”
"Your Majesty, is this... inappropriate?" Cheng Minzheng wanted to remind the emperor.
We ministers can understand that you favor Zhang Zhou so much, but it is a bit excessive for you to break the rules and even set up a separate entrance for him to enter the court.
Zhu Youtang said: "I can't help it. I'll let Xiao Jing tell you the specifics. You can't talk about this to outsiders, not even when the prince of the country is offering wine! How to do it is up to you!"
Cheng Minzheng felt very uncomfortable.
A previous question almost tormented me to the point of burning out from within. I had just calmed down a bit in the past two days, but the emperor taught me to cheat and select Zhang Zhou?
…
…
Cheng Minzheng did not dare to ask any more questions and could only follow Xiao Jing outside the palace.
Xiao Jing said with a smile on the road: "Scholar Cheng, do you understand what His Majesty said?"
"Yes." Cheng Minzhengxin said, what else can't be understood? The king and his ministers cheated together.
A seemingly fair and just selection actually opened a backdoor for Zhang Zhou. In the end, regardless of his performance, Zhang Zhou was given the first place and paved the way for Zhang Zhou.
Cheng Minzheng said with a frustrated look: "Now that the examination has not started, Your Majesty has made such an arrangement. Isn't it too impatient?"
Xiao Jing smiled and said: "If we wait to make arrangements after the conference, it will seem too deliberate, and there will be more opposition from the DPRK."
"Yes." Cheng Minzheng nodded and asked, "Then if he is really elected, he will fail the test later and he will still be elected. What kind of official position will be given to him?"
Xiao Jing glanced at Cheng Minzheng with a meaningful look.
It seems to be saying, is this what you should ask?
"Scholar Cheng, there are some things that I shouldn't tell you, but since His Majesty told you frankly that this happened, then our family will not hide it. Your Majesty's intention is that if Zhang Gongsheng really does not win the Jinshi, then he will Select people and enter the Hanlin Academy for review."
"What?"
Cheng Minzheng's jaw almost dropped in shock.
Xiao Jing said: "No need to be surprised, Bachelor Cheng."
Cheng Minzheng argued: "Even if you are a Jinshi, not a Dingjia scholar, the Shujishi who are selected to enter the imperial court will have to pass the examination for three years before they can be released for review and stay in the imperial academy. How can this be done with just one move? Doing this... the courtiers Colleagues will not comply.”
Cheng Minzheng felt that the emperor was messing around.
Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Since you asked, I might as well tell you something more. His Majesty does not plan to select a concubine after this palace examination. As for Zhang Gongsheng's admission, it is because of his meritorious service. You should also know that the previous epidemic in the capital, the little princess's acne, the Qingning Palace disaster, and the earthquake in Xinye were all detected by him. He was very effective in teaching the prince in the East Palace. He only gave it to the Imperial Academy for review. I’ve treated him badly!”
"Eunuch Xiao, even if he is really talented in this area, wouldn't it be good to let him go to Qin Tian Prison?"
Cheng Minzheng was also anxious. There was obviously a way to enter the court without going through the imperial examination, so why did he have to break the rules to let Zhang Zhou enter the Hanlin Academy?
This is dragging me down.
I chose someone to pay tribute, but it turned out that the emperor was planning to put the person into the Hanlin Academy to be inspected by the Imperial Academy, which every Jinshi dreamed of. Didn't I become an accomplice?
Those ministers originally had objections to me. If others knew that I was involved, it would be easy for me to be skinned and cramped.
Xiao Jing shook his head and said seriously: "No, Your Majesty feels that even giving Mr. Zhang a supervisor in the Qintian Prison would be an insult to him. Besides, Mr. Zhang also explained that he is not good at measuring the celestial phases and other things. This job It should be left to people who are good at it!”
"ah?!"
Cheng Minzheng was completely speechless.
From the moment Xiao Jing changed his name to Zhang Zhou as "Mr. Zhang", he understood how favored Zhang Zhou was now.
The boss of Dongchang wanted to be polite to Zhang Zhou, so what qualifications did Cheng Minzheng have to object?
It's just that he couldn't understand. If Zhang Zhou didn't know how to calculate the celestial phase, how could he accurately tell about things like the Qingning palace disaster, epidemics, and earthquakes?
Could it be that this kid didn't want to go to Qin Tian Prison and said that on purpose?
"Bachelor Cheng, you seem to have a lot of opinions. Have you forgotten what books you have read before?" Xiao Jing felt unhappy when he saw Cheng Minzheng talking so much nonsense.
I've arranged work for you, so it's better for you. Who gave you the courage to question this and dissatisfaction with that?
When Cheng Minzheng heard this, his brain was buzzing.
Xiao Jing did not hide it, and said in a cold tone: "Previously, His Majesty asked Dongchang to check your residence and the Hanlin Academy. I saw a lot of books in your study, some of which you are reading. As for which ones ...Do you want our family to remind you one by one?"
"No...it's not necessary."
Cheng Minzheng was very frightened.
In the previous so-called "Ven" case, Li Dongyang felt that his inner thoughts were being spied on. How could he, Cheng Minzheng, not have this perception?
It was only after Dongchang completed the investigation that he was "innocent" that the matter did not develop further.
Just like the test question "Four Sons Achievements", Cheng Minzheng thought about it afterwards. Isn't this the test question he is proud of and wants to use in a future main examination?
Xiao Jing said: "Scholar Cheng, someone asked our family to tell you that some disciples and servants in your house are not very behaved and like to accept bribes so that those students can visit you. If you can't even manage your house well, , how can you achieve anything in the court?"
Cheng Minzheng almost asked, who said this?
But he held back.
He thought about it and found that he seemed to have seen a lot of scholars recently, and the rules seemed to be very loose. He could hand out greetings by himself. This might be because he, as a master, likes to make friends with young people.
"Take care of yourself, Bachelor Cheng." Xiao Jing said, "Our family doesn't want to cause trouble, but the errand entrusted by His Majesty has to be completed. Don't worry, even if the matter of selecting the eunuchs of the Imperial College is decided, report the results, this memorial He will also be admitted without success. Only after next spring, when it is confirmed that Mr. Zhang has failed, His Majesty will use this result to select him. The result has nothing to do with you, Bachelor Cheng."
Cheng Minzheng quickly cupped his hands and said, "Please worry about it, Mr. Xiao."
"Easy to say, easy to say."
Xiao Jing then put on his usual friendly and amiable smile, as if there had never been any misunderstanding or displeasure before.
(End of chapter)
