Prime Minister Wang Zhongce took the 4333 imperial examination list and handed it to Su He for viewing.
"Your Majesty, according to the subjects chosen by the candidates, the candidates did not make a choice, and the subject with the highest score was admitted to the list. This year, a total of 300 Jinshi were admitted, including 180 Jinshi subjects, 55 law subjects, and engineering subjects. Forty-seven people, eighteen in mathematics." Su He frowned and said:
"There are too few students in mathematics and engineering. In the future, engineering education must be strengthened. With the process of industrialization, the country needs many technical officials. There is still a lack of enough students. In this imperial examination, traditional scholars account for 70%. We cannot let this happen. If people from engineering majors fill up the numbers, they can only reduce the number of Jinshi from engineering majors." The most important point of the imperial examination is fairness.
Even if fewer people are admitted to Jinshi, we cannot allow some people with low level to obtain Jinshi status. Wang Zhongce watched Su He look through the seals of these Jinshi scholars.
He continued:
"Your Majesty, according to the Jinshi admission regulations we have set, Gansu and Yunnan provinces have the lowest teaching level, and only one guaranteed Jinshi will be admitted. Among them, the Jinshi in Gansu is ranked outside the top 100 in engineering. According to the results, there are five More than ten people had better grades than him, relying entirely on guaranteed admissions. The province with the best performance was Hanzhong County, where the quota of Jinshi reached the cap of 20 people. The southeastern region performed poorly, with four regions: Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and Songjiang County. . They are the original traditional southeastern region, occupying most of the places in the Ming Dynasty South Ranking. Now these four regions combined, there are only thirty-five Jinshi." Su He put down the test paper in his hand and said with a smile:
"Wang Aiqing, don't underestimate the southeast region. The prosperity there is more than just talk. Now our scientific examinations are not about Confucianism. The scholars in the southeast cannot adapt to it for a while. In a few years, they will catch up. Come up. I read a few test papers, and basically no problems were found in the judgment papers. The Ministry of Rites announced the list based on this ranking." In the Dahua Dynasty, there was no imperial examination process, and the imperial examination determined the number one scholar based on results.
After Song Kangnian, the Minister of Rites, received the order. The Ministry of Rites checked the imperial examination list again, and after finding that there were no problems, officially announced the list of Jinshi.
To prevent large numbers of test strips from gathering in the park. The list of Jinshi was also handed over to Yanhuang Daily, which announced the news to the public through Yanhuang Daily.
Fang Yizhi and Chen Zhenhui were drinking in a restaurant. Fang Yizhi smiled and said:
"Brother Mao has just got married, so let's not disturb Brother Mao's good things. Brother Chen, I hope that both of us can win the ranking." Chen Zhenhui was not very interested and said:
"I feel like I didn't answer very well. There were at least ten questions that I failed to answer. I really failed the imperial examination this time. I will wait in the capital for a year. If I fail to pass the examination next year, I will take the exam and become a civil servant. A junior official can only place his hopes on the younger generation." The waiter in the restaurant shouted excitedly:
"Dear guests of the Zhuangyuan Building, the Gongyuan has released the results." Many scholars in the restaurant heard the news.
They didn't wait for the waiter to finish speaking, and immediately ran out of the building quickly. It's not far from Gongyuan, just across a street is Gongyuan.
When Fang Yizhi and Chen Zhenhui heard the news, they also ran out of the restaurant with the crowd. When we arrived at Gongyuan, the place was already surrounded by water.
There was a newspaper vendor shouting from the side:
"The Yanhuang Daily contains the latest issue of the top candidates and the analysis of the imperial examination questions." Many candidates bought a copy of the Yanhuang Daily.
Chen Zhenhui grabbed a copy of Yanhuang Daily and said with a somewhat tangled tone:
"If we had known that there was information about the winners in the newspaper, we wouldn't have had to come to Gongyuan to see the list in a hurry." After he finished speaking, he immediately opened the newspaper and checked the winners.
The top pick is Li Tiankui from Hanzhong, the second place is Zhang Zhiji from Guangdong, and the third overall pick is Wang Muyu from Sichuan. When Chen Zhenhui saw this, he found that none of the top three were Southeast scholars.
When seeing the fourth place, Chen Zhenhui said in surprise:
"Brother Fang, you are fourth, you are on the list." When Fang Yizhi heard Chen Zhenhui's call, he immediately took the newspaper and looked at his name carefully.
Fourth place in the imperial examination, Fang Yizhi, native of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, with the last four digits of the examination number 8565. In this imperial examination, each candidate was issued a token with a nine-digit examination number on it.
Even people with the same name and place of origin can be distinguished by their test numbers, so there will be no mistaking the wrong person.
Fang Yizhi looked happy when he saw that he was a Jinshi in high school. Now that he has passed the Jinshi examination, he can become an official as long as he passes the selection of the Imperial College.
Their Fang family will not decline and continue to maintain their scholarly family status. Chen Zhenhui said enviously:
"Brother Fang, you are so prosperous this time that you actually got fourth place in the exam." Fang Yizhi waved his hand and said:
"Brother Chen, don't say that. If others can remember the top three, fourth place and last place, what's the difference? I just hate that I am not strong enough and failed to get the top three." When Chen Zhenhui heard Fang Yizhi say this, he Think about it.
In the past, I really only paid attention to the top three. The fourth to the last place was just an ordinary Jinshi.
Chen Zhenhui frowned and said:
"The newspaper said that the Jinshi Department will only admit 180 Jinshi this year. This is the case of adding Enke. I have already seen 150, but my name is not yet there. It seems that there is no hope for me to take the exam this year. I will go to Jinshi. I will also trouble Brother Mao and ask him to help find a job in the capital. I am not planning to go back to Nanjing. Returning to Nanjing. I will feel very uncomfortable when I see the dilapidated Chen family. I will feel even more uncomfortable when others ridicule me." Chen Zhenhui Chatting endlessly, talking about his future preparations.
Whether he can pass the Jinshi examination will affect his life. The Chen family is a wealthy gentry family in the south of the Yangtze River and owns a lot of land.
It will definitely be targeted by the new dynasty. If the city of Nanjing is destroyed, the family will never choose to resist. But the family's wealth was wiped out overnight, and many people in the family hated the new dynasty.
He came to the new dynasty to take the imperial examination, but failed and returned to the family in disgrace. Chen Zhenhui can even imagine what kind of treatment she will encounter when she returns to her family in the future.
"In the Jinshi Division, the 180th place is Chen Zhenhui." Chen Zhenhui was so excited that she read the result out loud.
"I won the election, I won the election, I won the election." Chen Zhenhui held the newspaper tightly in her left hand, pulled it with her right hand, and threw his hat into the air.
With his hair disheveled, he stood in front of the Gongyuan, shouting crazily. Fang Yizhi saw Brother Chen acting wildly, but he did not stop him.
Brother Chen had just suppressed it for too long, and when he suddenly heard the good news, he couldn't control it for a moment. Every year, there are people who take the imperial examination and go crazy with joy after seeing that they have passed the exam.
Fang Yizhi waited for a while and saw that Chen Zhenhui's voice was a little hoarse and her eyes gradually returned to clarity. Only then did he step forward and hold Chen Zhenhui's hand.
"Brother Chen, both of us are Jinshi in high school." When Chen Zhenhui heard Fang Yizhi's voice, he completely returned to normal.
"Let's go take a look at the gold medal list in front of Gongyuan. I can't believe my title on the gold list." Chen Zhenhui was a little panicked. He was afraid that Yanhuang Daily had written the wrong ranking.
The Gongyuan list contains the rankings of all candidates. He is the last one. As long as he is ranked by one wrong place, he will miss the opportunity to become a Jinshi.
Yanhuang Daily reported on the quota of Jinshi. There are many scholars who are unwilling to give up, or people who feel the same as Chen Zhenhui.
They kept walking towards the big list in front of Gongyuan. Near the Gongyuan, there were soldiers from the White Tiger Guard and patrols from the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen to maintain order.
A strong wind blew, and Chen Zhenhui wrapped herself tightly in her cotton-padded jacket. He and Fang Yizhi had already reached the Gongyuan Grand List.
On the left is a golden list, which lists the Jinshi who were on the list. On the right side, in ordinary black characters on a red background, it says "Failed Scholars".
Chen Zhenhui saw her name in gold and red in the Jinshi Department, the last one on the gold list. Only then did he relax completely. He had already become a high school scholar, and his identity would be completely different from now on.
"Someone cheated in the imperial examination this time. Before I go to the palace with me, please ask His Majesty the Emperor to uphold justice." Chen Zhenhui heard a thin voice, and he immediately looked in the direction of the sound.
He knew this person, Zhao Fangquan, a scholar from Zhejiang, who was ranked just behind him. There was only one point difference between this man and him, so he unfortunately failed to make the list.
When Zhao Fangquan saw no one responded, he roared heartbreakingly:
"Look at the names on the gold medal list. There are actually thirteen women in the Jinshi department. When will women also be able to take the Jinshi exam? When women become officials, where will the famous education be placed?" Chen Zhenhui shook her head with a smile and said :
"This man is just a clown, and no one responds to him. The imperial examinations of the new dynasty are already relatively fair. What's more, the attitude of the new dynasty is tougher." Chen Zhenhui looked at the White Tiger Guards soldiers He Shun who stood upright near the Gongyuan. Patrol in Tianfu.
These people were holding rifles, but they really dared to shoot. After the scientific examination, the Yanhuang Daily published several articles in succession introducing the fate of the candidates who had caused trouble in previous years.
His Majesty the Emperor is not afraid of the threat of these failed scholars at all. Chen Zhenhui saw Zhao Fangquan encouraging a few words, but no one wanted to follow him to cause trouble.
Zhao Fangquan was quickly arrested by the patrolmen who dared to come. Chen Zhenhui said excitedly:
"Brother Fang, let's go back to the restaurant to celebrate. Now the imperial court is in a state of ruin. I hope we can fill a good vacancy." The scholars outside the gate of Gongyuan quickly dispersed, and those who passed the exam were ecstatic.
Unmarried Jinshi were also targeted by wealthy businessmen and minor nobles in the capital. The scholars who did not pass the exam are preparing to compete again in the second year. Most of them are used to failing.
Chen Zhenhui and Fang Yizhi were preparing to rush to the Zhuangyuan Building. They were chased by a government official.
"Two Jinshi, the examiner this time, Mr. Wang Zhongce, is hosting a banquet for the Jinshi who have been successful in Degui Tower." After the Yamen informed the news, he rode away on horseback.
When Fang Yizhi heard the news, he urged Chen Zhenhui:
"Brother Chen, please go back to the inn and change your clothes quickly. You can't go to meet Mr. Wang like this and leave a bad impression on Mr. Wang." Fang Yizhi and Chen Zhenhui quickly returned to the restaurant and changed into new clothes.
They took a carriage and came to the Degui Tower headquarters in the capital. They arrived at this seven-story restaurant.
I saw many luxurious carriages parked in the parking space near the restaurant. Scholars wearing scholar uniforms arrived one after another at Degui Tower.
As soon as they entered Degui Building, they were greeted by someone.
"Two Jinshi, please show your tokens to verify your identities." They always carry the tokens with them.
The token is also very important in the Imperial College. The mission of this token will not end until you graduate from the Imperial College and are officially assigned a position.
Chen Zhenhui and Fang Yizhi showed their tokens, and they followed the waiter to the hall on the top floor of Degui Building.
Fang Yizhi saw that more than 200 Jinshi had come here. They immediately communicated with these Jinshi.
They are both of the same age, so they will have a certain connection in the officialdom from now on, and their relationship will be closer than that of strangers.
Soon all the Jinshi came to Degui Tower, and no one was absent. The Jinshi quickly formed small circles based on their region and relationship.
At dusk, Deguilou began to serve food. The dish they serve is a new way of eating called hot pot.
In the cold winter, hot pot is a more suitable dish. An official recently informed them that they should have a full meal first, and Mr. Wang will arrive soon.
These newly promoted Jinshi were still very reserved at first and did not dare to eat with their kuaizi. Gradually some people couldn't help it anymore, their stomachs growled, and they started to eat.
Prime Minister Wang Zhongce, Minister of Rites Song Kangnian, and the Imperial Academy offered wine to Jiang Fangding. They observed the performance of these Jinshi in the cubicle.
From now on, they have entered the court's sight. Wang Zhongce said:
"Those Xuanwu Guards must be observing in secret. I hope these people don't do anything outrageous, otherwise they will spend ten years studying hard in vain." The three of them waited until the Jinshi finished eating and had already placed desserts after the meal.
Wang Zhongce took the lead, and the three of them walked into the hall. When the scholars saw these three officials coming in, they immediately stood up to pay their respects.
Chen Zhenhui and Fang Yizhi looked at each other and saw the three officials walking in. They felt that things had exceeded expectations.
They thought that the examiner Wang Zhongce invited them. This is the same relationship between teacher and student as in the Ming Dynasty.
These people will belong to Wang Zhongce's family from now on. Now Song Kangnian, the Minister of Rites, and Jiang Fangding, the Imperial Academy's wine minister, also came to the scene.
That's not what they think. Many scholars do not know which faction Jiang Fangding belongs to.
But Song Kangnian, Minister of Rites, and Prime Minister Wang Zhongce were by no means the same faction. From the Yanhuang Daily report and Song Kangnian's performance after becoming the Minister of Rites, we can see that the two have different philosophies.
After Song Kangnian came to power, Wang Zhongce's mental studies, which were closely related to scientific research, gradually declined. It can also be seen from this detail that the two are not allies.
After Wang Zhongce saw these scholars saluting, he smiled and said:
"You are all the pillars of the country. You are about to enter the Imperial College to study and become officials in management. There are some things we have to teach you in advance. I invite Mr. Song from the Ministry of Rites and Mr. Jiang from the Imperial College to tell you what to do and how to allocate official positions when entering the Imperial College. Related issues." Wang Zhongce, Song Kangnian, and Jiang Fangding told these Jinshi scholars about the problems they would encounter when studying in the Imperial College and being assigned official positions.
The main purpose is to warn these Jinshi, who have become quasi-officials, enjoy the power brought by officials, and at the same time bear the obligations of officials.
At the same time, these Jinshi are also encouraged to study hard and become the pillars of the country. At the end of the banquet, every scholar had gained a lot. They were very happy and were waiting for the start of the Imperial Academy.
In the capital, the scientific examination has just ended. Some people are happy and some are disappointed. Among the senior officials of the Dahua Dynasty, the arrival of Feng Sanqiu, the governor of the East China Sea Fleet, in Beijing also caused an uproar.
