In the Zhongji Hall, the five assistant ministers of the cabinet, Jiu Qing and other ministers all had a palace test paper and were looking at it carefully. Many people frowned slightly as they looked at it.
Emperor Wanli Zhu Yijun had a serious look on his face, looked around at the ministers around him, and suddenly asked: "What do you think of my policy question today?"
Zhu Yijun's question was less immature than that of a young emperor and more concerned about the country and the people. It made it difficult for all the ministers present to speak.
At this moment, the first assistant had no choice but to speak first. Guo Pu put down the policy question paper, pondered for a while, and said: "Your Majesty, today's policy question is carefully considered and has simple sentiments. It is indeed a good question. It's just that the question is about It doesn't refer to one thing, but the plan is broad and general. I am worried that the Chinese-style Jinshi have no experience in governance, and their answers may be just a formality..."
Zhu Yijun's expression remained unchanged, he nodded slightly, and then asked Zhang Siwei: "What do you think Ci Kui?"
Zhang Siwei's answer was much more concise than Guo Pu's. He saluted the emperor and said calmly: "This is the prime minister's question."
Of course, the Ming Dynasty no longer had a prime minister, but everyone had long been accustomed to using the term prime minister to refer to cabinet ministers, including the emperors themselves, who often expressed it in this way, so it was not a violation of the ban.
However, Zhang Siwei's answer is indeed straightforward enough. What he means is: this question is not a test for a new scholar, but a test for the prime minister. All the officials in the court also nodded in approval - in fact, what Guo Pu just said also meant the same thing, but Guo Pu said it in a much more subtle way.
However, Zhu Yijun just smiled and said: "The General Examination and the Palace Examination are the great ceremonies of the country. The people selected are all pillars of the country. I think there will be prime ministers and assistants coming out of them in the future. I will try them now. I think it is very good."
Ordinary people may not be able to understand the meaning of the emperor's words, but Guo Pu and others were moved in their hearts, "Someday there will also be a prime minister coming out of it"? It should be noted that there are many cases where there is not even a prime minister or assistant in a department. Why is the emperor so sure? Could it be that he has determined that among the undergraduates... Zaifu will be the one?
Guo Pu bowed and said: "Your Majesty's love for talents is well known and shared by all the ministers. Now that the auspicious time is approaching, I would like to invite the emperor to receive the Chinese Jinshi and announce the imperial examination."
Before the emperor led the senior officials to the scene, the candidates had already taken the time to line up in front of the palace gate. Under the leadership of the conductor, they filed towards the Zhongji Hall. After entering the door, everyone can actually receive a box of palace cakes and a bottle of fruit pulp made in the imperial kitchen. Many people were overjoyed. Jinshi's treatment was good. They had just passed the exam and their rankings hadn't even been decided yet. They were already receiving free meals and drinks.
The candidates followed the officials of the Ministry of Etiquette excitedly and walked through the screen wall to the square. The court rooms on both sides of the square made the road to Zhongji Hall look very long. After passing through two more palace gates, I suddenly saw a very open platform, with white marble fences, carved dragons and painted buildings, and neat rows of tables and chairs, which set off the majestic Zhongji Hall high up at the end. Incomparable.
Feeling the majesty and solemnity of the palace for the first time, the students all felt a sincere sense of awe. In the eyes of the world, Zhongji Hall is undoubtedly a symbol of imperial power. Otherwise, why are the chief ministers and assistants called "Grand Scholar of Zhongji Hall"?
The officials who had come in earlier had already lined up on both sides of the red carpet on the platform. Under the guidance of officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Gongsheng students also stood on the left and right behind the officials. Gao Jingshi was Huiyuan, the so-called "face saint of the foreman of Jinluan Hall", so he stood first among the tributes.
When everyone stood still, the music began to play loudly on the platform, accompanied by yellow bells, flutes, Xiao Sheng, reed flutes, and chime bells and bronze chimes.
In the sound of this music, the figure of the Wanli Emperor Zhu Yijun, the leader of the trillions of people in the thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, finally appeared in front of the Zhongji Palace.
The young emperor is wearing ordinary clothes today, with a black gauze folded-up scarf on his head, a bright yellow robe with a plate collar and narrow sleeves, with gold and woven dragons embroidered on the chest, back and shoulders, and a jade belt around his waist, which makes him look elegant and noble. [This costume was customized in the third year of Yongle. ]
"I bow to my emperor, long live long live, long live long live..." The voice of the mountains shouting long live is always so shocking, especially for Zhu Yijun, the Wanli Emperor who has not yet officially taken charge, it is a different feeling.
However, Zhu Yijun did not intend to speak in person - he had just passed the period of voice change, and he would feel uncomfortable speaking too loudly. Moreover, he himself felt that his voice was not the "Hong Zhong Da Lu" type and lacked some majesty, so he simply didn't He spoke in person and just let the officials of the Ministry of Rites proclaim the imperial edict on his behalf. By the way, the eunuch will not be allowed to announce the decree today.
Although the emperor was not willing to let all the new scholars have to listen to Lunyin, many of the Gongsheng students who saw Tianyan and listened to the holy teachings for the first time were so excited that their faces were filled with tears, although they did not scream out loud. But several of them fainted.
Seeing this scene, Zhu Yijun couldn't help but feel slightly proud, and his posture standing in front of the hall became more upright. But Gao Pragmatic knew that the Gongsheng students were not necessarily so excited that they fainted because of seeing the emperor, but more likely they were remembering and paying homage to their long, difficult and unbearable career as a scholar.
However, he didn't have any special feelings. After all, the exam went smoothly all the way, and he didn't experience so much pain, nor did he have to worry about so many disappointments. He even had the leisure to glance at Zhu Yijun secretly, and said to himself: "If you let me These guys behind you know that you were wearing eunuch clothes and playing leaf cards with me not long ago. I wonder if their jaws will drop?"
In the midst of random thoughts, the imperial edict was finally read out. With a serious look on his face, Zhu Yijun picked up the knife and unsealed the test questions on Huang's case, and then awarded them to his chief assistant Guo Pu.
Old Guo Ge held the test questions and said loudly: "The Gengchen Palace Examination in the eighth year of Wanli is about to begin!" Then he handed it to Pan Sheng, the Minister of Rites.
Next, a group of officials who had been called to support the scene began to leave, but senior officials such as the Fifth Auxiliary Minister of the Cabinet, the Officials of the Sixth Department, and the Zuodu Yushi of the Metropolitan Procuratorate still led a group of record readers and supervisory officers to hold the line.
However, the Gongshi didn't have time to pay attention to them now. When the test papers were distributed, they hurriedly opened them one by one to read. Unexpectedly, this question was extremely long. It was better to say it was a question than an article.
At this time, the loud and thick voice of Chief Assistant Guo Pu also happened to come: "This question was written by the Holy One himself. The Cabinet and the Ministry of Rites are not easy to write every word. You need to understand it carefully and answer it seriously."
Everyone realized that this topic was completely inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they couldn't help but swallow and read it carefully.
This topic is indeed very long: "I heard that governance is based on Tao, and Tao is based on virtue. Those who discuss governance in ancient and modern times must compromise with Confucius. Confucius told Lord Lu that government should be based on the Nine Classics, and it should be based on the three virtues.
Sima Guang, a minister of the Song Dynasty, said that there are three great virtues in a ruler: benevolence, Ming and Wu. Is it compatible with Confucius? He has been involved in three dynasties, and he has devoted himself to his words for three times. He calls himself the most refined and important person!
However, when I look at ancient records, they are very different! It is said that his benevolence is like that of heaven, his wisdom is like that of gods, he is said to understand things clearly and observe ethics, and to act by benevolence and righteousness. It is said that his kindness is amiable and his words are trustworthy, but they are not as good as martial arts. Shang alone has the title of bravery and bravery given by God, how can it be that the queen begins to practice martial arts?
The masters of great strategy and long foundation in modern times may be kind and loving, know people well and be good at their duties, or they may be clear about Ming and Ming dynasties, bold and decisive, or their deeds may be better than those of Tang Dynasty and Wu Dynasty, and their governance may be prosperous, or they may be benevolent, filial and friendly, smart and open-minded, then they are beautiful! The three virtues are not pure, but they are still enough to create a great state of affairs. Why?
Those who keep the customs are seemingly and yet not like this. Or it can be called Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty or Renzong of the Song Dynasty in terms of benevolence, Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty or Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty in terms of Ming Dynasty, or Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty or Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty in terms of martial arts. Why is it that it has a unique virtue and brings glory to the clan?
What he calls the combination of the three means that if the first one is in decline, the second one will be in danger. Shouldn't it be blamed for being too prepared?
There are also those who neglect the six precepts, saying that the precepts are too careful and the precepts are not broken. Chen Jiu is said to be dazzling, clever, and powerful. Those who mentioned the above six things said that they do not like military punishment and do not need to count wisely. Regarding the three virtues, are they worthy of fruition?
It has been more than eight years since I have been riding on the throne to conquer the world. I am alert to the rising of the morning and will always cherish the truth. However, when discipline is enforced, officials enjoy playing, fields are cultivated while people are trapped in poverty, schools are strict while scholars thrive on thieves, frontiers are quiet while soldiers thrive, supervision is strict but theft thrives, where is the blame? Is it possible that my benevolence has not yet been fulfilled, and that I have failed to do my best at times, and that I have failed to do so when the opportunity arises? If you hold the world within three feet, it will be harmful to benevolence. However, if you are dedicated to virtue and have a suspended sentence, you may not be benevolent and become just appeasement. All those who accept filth and hide diseases will harm the Ming Dynasty. However, if they specialize in treachery and subjugation, they may not be Ming Ming and be hurt by boredom. All lenient and gentle people will be harmed by force because of letting them go. However, if you specialize in using force to control love, you may suffer from violence without force.
This is the way to use imperial edicts to recruit many scholars and extend them to the court in detail. Can all students be enlightened without thinking too hard? It is for me to explain Dian Mo's purpose, to promote the emperor's constitution, and to review the affairs of the world. I would like to hear this from my family and will take a look at it and adopt it! "
