The first game on the ninth day of February, the second game on the twelfth lunar month, and the third game on the 15th day of the lunar month.
The reason why the imperial examination is difficult is not, as many people think, because there are too many rules and regulations, and you have to stand out under the shackles of stereotypes.
The test content and required abilities are not low.
In the first session, there are three passages from the four texts: "The Analects", "The Doctrine of the Mean" or "The Great Learning" and "Mencius", one poem in five characters and eight rhymes, and four passages on the meaning of the classics.
In the second scene, there is another question about the classics and its meaning, and there are also edicts, judgments, expressions, and imperial edicts. This is already the category of "official document" writing.
The third session consisted of five current affairs policy questions.
Usually, the first game is the most important.
But now, candidates and examiners know that in this round of the general examination, the five current affairs questions in the third round may be more important.
Now the candidates are still answering questions in the cubicle of Gongyuan, and everyone in Gongyuan is looking at Yang Shen.
Under the system of the Ming Dynasty, there were two examiners, commonly known as presidents. This word has been around for a long time.
But in previous years, the identity of the examiner was usually a bachelor's degree. A person of Yang Shen's grade can at most serve as a fellow examiner.
Nowadays, Yang Shen only serves as the examiner with the official position of Right Minister of Household Affairs, and he is the only examiner.
In addition, there are fifteen other classmates taking the exam.
"Your Majesty trusts you so much, so be careful. There is only one person in charge of the examination, and if something goes wrong, I cannot escape the blame." Yang Shen divided the printed papers, "From the moment the first exam is over today and the answer sheets are collected, I'd like to trouble you all to read the papers one by one. The scores for each question will be filled in on this scoring page, and you also need to sign your names."
There will be no more discussions. When marking papers, you will be in a small room with the examiner, and you will become a ruthless grading machine.
As for Yang Shen, the examiner, there was no decentralization of power. He only supervised the examination and marking matters.
After all the scores of the fifteen classmates are collected, the next step is to calculate the average score and rank.
After this change, the examiners of the general examination are no longer so popular: one person cannot decide anything, on the contrary, he has to spend a lot of effort.
In the past, if someone judged an answer sheet as inferior, others would generally not bother to look at it further. They are all old-fashioned, and very few are serious. But now the rules are set, everyone and every answer sheet must be read and graded.
Thousands of test papers...
Yang Shen continued to explain the details. For example, after anonymity, the copied answer sheets now have serial numbers on them, which are the new numbers. When scoring, everyone must first copy the candidate's number on the printed form, then give the score under each question, and finally collect it for unified summary.
Before the candidates saw the string of numbers, the marking officers, who were now Jinshi, felt dizzy.
"With your talents, you can easily use ten numbers, right?" Yang Shen pointed to another room, "The young gentlemen in the inner study hall have to do all the exams and the grading of all the examiners. Accounting."
"...Don't worry, CEO, nothing will go wrong."
Yang Shen saluted: "Please, I'll go inspect the examination room again."
After he went out, one of the examiners who had known Yang Shen before could only pick up a brush and practice Arabic numerals, muttering: "President Yang is completely different after his trip to Guangdong. "
The person who answered the call was also a senior Hanlin bachelor: "There is only one examiner, and the burden is all on his shoulders. It is easy for things to go wrong in the general examination. The newly appointed Nanhai County Duke, the prince's guest... If the examination is changed this year, there will always be something wrong. Those who fail will not be angry if they fail. If there is criticism, there is no guarantee that no one will make a fuss about it. Don't forget, candidates can also go to the Ministry of Rites and ask for a volume to know which question was given to them by you or me. How many points was it rated?"
After saying this, everyone else looked embarrassed.
Something that offends people!
Among the fellow examiners, there was also Fei Maozhong, who had been transferred back to Beijing and served as a doctor in the Ministry of Personnel.
Now listening to the discussions of his colleagues, he thought about his uncle's words: The emperor only used this method, and many of the signs of the emperor and the township party were suppressed. Examiners are tired, and they can't be counted as helping anyone. In the future, the main examiner and the co-examiner will all be replaced by low-quality officials, and they will go through a selection process.
When it came to the palace examination, the emperor naturally took the lead.
Fei Maozhong agreed: thinking about the "dark" grading life in the next half month, he really had a headache.
…
On February 15th, when the joint examination was continuing, another issue of "Ming Pao" was published.
The headline on the front page of this issue is striking: "Seven Essentials of Farming and Four Methods of Retting and Fertilizing: Putting the emphasis on agriculture into practice."
The "accompanying reporter" Zhao Tingsong vividly recorded the emperor's personal attention to farmers' farming experience and retting experience as the emperor, and condescending to summon old farmers and manure dealers to understand the situation.
Then, there are professional suggestions from the Agricultural College of Huangming University, veteran farmers and fertilizer experts. At the same time, it ends with the note that tens of thousands of copies of this manuscript will be printed and distributed to all counties. I wish that this year we will vigorously promote the popularization and promotion of iron farm tools among farmers. After these valuable experiences, Jiajing will usher in a good harvest in the next five years.
The candidates who have already entered the examination room to start the third test on Current Affairs have not had time to read this article. Otherwise, seeing that the emperor cares about practical matters to such an extent, many candidates who only know how to study hard and do not understand practical matters will be afraid. My legs will tremble.
But more people paid attention to the news on the second page: the joint announcement from the Military Affairs Conference, the Five Governments, and the Ministry of War, and the promulgation of the new "Martial Arts Law."
Martial arts has been around for a long time. Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, martial arts has never withdrawn from the stage of history. In the Tang Dynasty, the martial arts exams focused more on "martial arts", while in the Song Dynasty, the martial arts exams had an extra level of "Cheng Wen".
The military examinations in the Ming Dynasty were not finalized until Tianshun eight years after the Tumubao Incident. In the beginning, the exams were not scheduled at regular intervals and were often suspended. After seven years of Hongzhi, the exam was decided every six years. In the seventeenth year of Hongzhi's reign, the exam was changed to once every three years.
In the Ming Dynasty, there was also a general examination for the martial arts examination, and the time was set in the month after the general examination for the civil examination. However, there is no palace examination for martial arts examinations in the Ming Dynasty.
The highest monthly salary for "Wu Jinshi" was only three shi of grain, which was far less than the treatment of Wen Jinshi. In the seventeenth year of Hongzhi's reign, only thirty-five people were admitted. During the Zhengde period, there were more, fifty or sixty people at a time. However, the exam focuses more on strategy than on martial arts, so the probability of a martial artist becoming a true general is very low.
Now, the civil examination examinations are still going on, and the news about the martial arts examination has been announced.
The first is that the Military Affairs Council and the Five Governments have come to the forefront in the military examinations, and it is no longer just the Ministry of War that presides over the military examinations.
Secondly, this year’s martial arts examination will be postponed to September, and each province will also hold the martial arts provincial examination from March to May to select another group of martial arts candidates.
The postponement of time and the opening of Enke are one aspect, but the most important aspect is another big news: the martial arts examination will be held.
There was finally a palace examination for martial arts, and the treatment of Wu Zhuangyuan and Wu Jinshi was greatly improved.
The first is the examination method: the martial arts examination emphasizes martial arts over literature and strategy, and further studies at the military academy. From now on, it will be established that the general examination will be held in September every three years and the palace examination will be held in October.
The second is the appointment: as a general in the Beijing Camp, he studied and trained at the Military Academy of Huangming University for three years, and then he could be awarded a rank ranging from the fifth rank, Qianhu, to the fourth rank, commander.
Finally, there is the treatment: not to mention the increase in salary, the banquet given by the Ministry of War in the past has been changed to the banquet given by the emperor in Wuying Hall.
In response to the major issues given by the emperor at the military affairs conference, the first answer sheet handed over was to reserve generals.
But more informed people also understand that this measure is also intended to deal with the hidden dangers of local health center restructuring.
In the Hall of Wuying, Gu Shilong was imparting his experience: "Everyone knows what the situation is like at the local guards. The first priority of this year's move is to supervise the guards of each capital by the five prefectures and divide the generals. The military examination will be used as the criterion to pave the way for restructuring. "
With this new rule, soldiers from ordinary military households are welcome. If you only focus on martial arts, your chances of getting ahead will naturally increase.
However, the follow-up to this new rule has not been announced yet and is only known as a secret at military affairs meetings.
That is: the middle and upper-level officers of each army must at least have the status of military commanders in the future. If a hereditary military general does not have the status of a military commander, his official position will be reduced to a hereditary rank.
I'm afraid most of those who were born as middle-level officers would not be happy with this new rule. If you want to change the local garrison to recruit soldiers, it will touch their interests. In the future, official positions will be hereditary and linked to military qualifications. This will force them to live up to their reputation, but how many of them can truly live up to their reputation?
In addition, what about the honorable ministers who now occupy a large number of senior officer positions in the general system?
Yang Yiqing spoke: "In the past few years in Bianzhen, I have seen it more and more clearly. Regardless of His Majesty's ambition to conquer the South Seas, in ten or twenty years, the Northern captives will definitely invade the south on a large scale. Now in Bianzhen There are too many generals to use, not to mention the local generals. Now that the minister of state has been established, civil affairs are no longer a big problem. In the next three years, military affairs are more important! There are now eighteen enterprises, and after the ministers have been honored, they can be used for military affairs and business. Duke Jingguo, Cui Zuojun, and Uncle Xiangcheng, in this matter, I still need to set an example for you!"
"...as it should be."
Yang Yiqing saluted in the direction of the Cultivation Heart Hall in the northeast: "Your Majesty's decree has granted you grace. The whole country's military generals of fifth rank and above will hold a competition in June! Each province will report the winners, and the top three will be granted county titles, and the rest will be granted township titles. You will not take the same examination as other martial arts students. Next year, the Jingguo Military Strategy Course will be opened, and the candidate will be awarded the title of uncle! Under such grace, if there are still people who do not know how to make progress and stubbornly resist the new system, then we will do it!"
This was not published in the news, but only for the ministers and generals in office.
But the news about the Jingguo military strategy department and the Dingguoan civil system department will be announced after Wen Zhuangyuan is also selected.
The exam is different from the ordinary exam and is more difficult. Jinshi depreciated, but this irregular system of subjects will reappear.
But this time, at least two earls and a group of county and township lords were thrown out, and the future career path was also very clear. After the officials and gentry, it was the turn of the warriors to think about their official positions and their descendants, and the world It is also time to reconsider the importance of using force to advance.
First buy a group of people with kindness, and then use new rules to require the following generals and honorable ministers to have skills from generation to generation.
Zhang Jing, who was able to attend the military affairs meeting as a member of the newly appointed military department, looked at them solemnly: One day we will see each other again! Under the pressure of being hereditary, what will happen if there is another rebellion in the guards or even the ministers?
…
"Don't even think about it! That's the title of king! The title of king!"
After the military affairs meeting, the ministers of the five mansions discussed how to control the overall situation.
Li Quanli's eyes were frighteningly bright. His title was only uncle, but after all, he led a mansion and controlled the Shenji Camp.
"General Staff Yang is absolutely right!" He said plausibly, "This rule does not apply to hereditary ministers! If the family of honorary ministers does not want to join the army, they can work loyally in eighteen companies. If they want to join the army, they must not be skilled in martial arts and have no knowledge of military strategy. , how to serve the masses? How to make meritorious deeds? Nowadays, the governors of the five prefectures and the honorable ministers who attend military affairs have almost all the elite soldiers in the world. If anyone has second thoughts, have you forgotten that His Majesty once intended to suppress Dai Lian? In my opinion, how to stabilize The current situation in the world is also a test for us by Your Majesty!"
Among his own people, Li Quanli finally made the temptation to "become king" known to his mouth.
The cakes given to the middle and lower-level military generals are earls, county lords, and rural lords. The cake given to these honorable ministers who are most loyal to the emperor and still have military merit is Wangjue!
For this cake, people like Li Quanli need elite soldiers who are good at recruiting and fighting.
For this reason, the local health center was so rotten that it was difficult to use it. It's not in their interest.
Cui Yuan looked at them: "While discussing this matter, Wang Bo'an of the Ministry of War had no objections, but other advisers had concerns! The strategy of military weightlifting is to try to understand culture and etiquette. Although your Majesty has opened the Dingguoan Civil Affairs Department, but everyone will know that His Majesty is going to focus on military affairs! When the news is announced, the world will be worried about how many military generals will support themselves in the future!"
"So what? There is already a prime minister among the civil servants!" Li Quanli, who has been enjoying the dividends of the new emperor since Admiral Cao Jiang took up his position in the "suppression of bandits", said loudly, "The military affairs meeting also has civil servants who value prestige as the general staff! The military affairs meeting In charge of military orders, the Five Governments are in charge of troops, and the Ministry of War is in charge of food and pay. Who can support the troops and respect themselves?"
Cui Yuan shook his head: "I just want to say that you all have to be careful this time about how to set an example as an honorary minister. You can't only focus on future military achievements, but also on the danger of being eliminated! If there is another chaos in this restructuring, civil servants will not Agree! Mr. Fei still has the weight of the new law on his shoulders."
"Let's start with this year's competition! Your Majesty has shown his heroic spirit. If your ministers do not ask for change, they will teach their descendants how to do business and govern with peace of mind. Don't reach out to the military!"
What lies before the eyes of the military ministers of the five prefectures is the temptation of having tens of thousands of elite soldiers in each prefecture's hands after recruiting troops.
These are the greatest foundation for their future military successes in the north and south as Yang Yiqing said.
Li Quanli didn't expect to be crowned a king, but after making great achievements, he could change from an earl to a marquis or even a duke. That was the future that lay before him.
Even Ji Weimin, a guerrilla general under his Shenji Battalion, was made an earl for his role in suppressing the rebellion in Huguang. Now he has the same title as him.
Among the five governors, Li Quanli had the lowest title.
Who stands in his way?
While the capital was buzzing about the news about the martial arts examination and the palace examination, the examination for the Ministry of Rites was finally completed on February 17th.
After leaving the examination room, candidates will have to wait for ten days.
Before the results were released, day and night were spent worrying about gains and losses.
In the Gongyuan, the fifteenth grade students have been suffering from the huge workload of grading for six days. Now, each group of 100 test papers, together with the scoring form for this group, are sent to each person's room, and they are taken out after they complete the scoring. The test paper and the new form are sent to the next person, and the scored form is sent to the hall where the unified group is located.
There, the crackling sound of the abacus beads never stopped.
First adding, then dividing, Yang Shen kept staring here, his eyes already bloodshot.
Ten days later, it will be determined who will be a tribute and who will be on the deputy list. Each candidate will probably go to the Ministry of Etiquette to obtain the final score report and copy it. There are many things to do.
And Gong Yongqing finally met Lin Xiyuan - after the joint examination was finally completed.
"Why does Maozhen want to avoid suspicion like this?"
Lin Xiyuan took off his hat: "Don't you see, how much hair I have lost!"
The new issue of "Ming Pao" is full of information. This is indeed a good reason.
But apart from being busy, Lin Xiyuan is also avoiding suspicion. Even though the examination system has been changed, it doesn't make much sense for him to avoid it.
After being amused, he asked: "With your talents in Mingzhi and Taoism, why worry? You will definitely be among the top 500 in Jinke!"
Gong Yongqing sighed: "Then who can say for sure. Besides, although the syllabus of the general examination has not been changed, there was no previous information on how the palace examination will be conducted."
As he said that, he looked at Lin Xiyuan expectantly.
The implication is that he is already studying for the palace examination.
No wonder Gong Yongqing is confident. Historically, he was the number one scholar in this subject.
But what a coincidence, now the emperor has changed, and the times have also changed.
Lin Xiyuan said seriously: "I have taken up the post of Mingbao Bank, and I have nothing to do with anything else. I invite you to come over today, just to seek good luck for you, and to talk about my opinions on your future career. Are you here? First armor is really not important."
Gong Yongqing was not disappointed, but said seriously: "Thank you Maozhen for your advice, Yongqing is attentive!"
This situation in Lin Xiyuan's family is not uncommon.
Now that the general examination is over, the candidates who took the exam have all received invitations from many people - the sensitive period has passed, and the next step is to wait for the results to be released.
Zhang Zilin, who Tang Shunzhi said "how could he appreciate me so much", invited him to his mansion. When Tang Shunzhi came to the flower hall, he saw two other important ministers.
"The students met with General Staff Yang and Wang Sima."
Yang Yiqing and Wang Shouren looked at Tang Shunzhi together, and Zhang Zilin pointed at him: "This boy is quite extraordinary and has a wide range of interests. He can be cultivated in learning, economics, practice, martial arts, and arithmetic."
"...Zhang Guowong was so ridiculous that the students were frightened."
Yang Yiqing's eyes flashed: "I'll give you a test first."
Tang Shunzhi didn't know what the purpose of these three people coming to see him was, but there was a huge difference in status, so he could only "continue taking the exam" obediently.
As a well-known person among the supervisors with "wide interests" and "love to learn miscellaneous things", Tang Shunzhi showed amazing intelligence and talent - he learned all kinds of things very quickly.
Even in terms of martial arts, he had already competed with Zhang Zilin's guardian.
Yang Yiqing was a little confused: "When you studied at the Imperial Academy, from whom did you learn martial arts?"
"...The students got to know a man from the Military Academy of Huangming University named Lu Bing. Introduced by him, he became a disciple of Yang Song, a member of the Martial Arts Academy, and practiced marksmanship..."
"Lu Bing?" Yang Yiqing lost his voice, and then looked at Zhang Zilin with a complicated expression.
Tang Shunzhi's heart moved. Although he didn't look at them, he understood something in his heart: General Staff Yang knew about Lu Bing? Isn't that guy simple?
At this time, Zhang Zilin looked at Yang Yiqing and released some information: Do you understand? There is no mistake in cultivating this boy. Without His Majesty's permission, would Lu Song casually ask Lu Bing to introduce some martial arts master to him? When this guy was in the Imperial College, the emperor looked at this guy differently because of my article. It wasn't because I praised him.
Just like that Quanzhou Yu Dayou, Jian has some names in the emperor's heart, and I don't even know why!
After a period of silence, Wang Shouren spoke: "Ying De, with your talent, would you like to spend more of these days at my house to study together and prepare carefully for the next year's exam?"
Tang Shunzhi was shocked.
Without saying it, he already knew what it would be.
The exams have been completed this year, what else is there to take?
Ming Dynasty will open a manufacturing department!
Although he didn't understand why these three important ministers looked at him differently, and Tang Shunzhi was not someone who wanted others to support him, the system was exactly the stage where he felt he could best prove himself!
In the Song Dynasty, he was as strong as Su Dongpo, and his subjects were only ranked third.
It’s easy to get the top prize, but it’s hard to get the first prize!
“…students can only ask for it.”
Tang Shunzhi was grateful that they did not want to "operate" something specifically for the palace examination and deliberately promoted him - Tang Shunzhi did not need it.
But now, he still asked: "Since President Yang and Wang Sima are willing to teach students, should students study more economics and martial arts next?"
Yang Yiqing's eyes became more appreciative: "Have you read the new issue of Ming Pao?"
Tang Shunzhi nodded, and then looked a little weird: "Do you want me to snatch the martial arts Jinshi? In this case, I have to go to the martial arts examination provincial examination Enke..."
"No need." Yang Yiqing shook his head, "Now that you understand it in your heart, just prepare for the next year. If you don't think it's not beautiful, we can rest assured."
"...The student just has a wide range of interests, and he really has never thought about using force to make achievements."
The communication between smart people is so efficient. Tang Shunzhi already understood that the reason why these three people met with him was so that the civil servants as a group could continue to control the military generals when the emperor had shown his intention to attach great importance to military affairs in the future. Reins man.
Such a person must have sufficient strength and prestige in military affairs.
Yang Yiqing, Wang Shouren...these older generation of "Confucian generals" will eventually grow old. Among the next generation, will the position of General Military Staff gradually be held only by military generals?
Zhang Zilin warned him solemnly: "Today we will relieve your worries without avoiding suspicion, so we invite you to come. Ying De, the future will be turbulent, and achievements in the world can be found everywhere. Your Majesty has great talents and strategies, and you should think carefully about Ying Ning Gong as the general staff. The important thing is that Duke Yu Zhongwu entered the Ancestral Temple because of His Majesty’s initiative.”
Tang Shunzhi received a great new information. It turned out that Yu Qian's right to enjoy the Ancestral Temple was originally the emperor's own intention, not Yan Song's credit.
Being familiar with history, he naturally understood why all dynasties used culture to control military force. While His Majesty has the ambition to open up new territories, he also needs to worry about the military commanders becoming bigger in the process. Now that there is a prime minister among the civil servants, we cannot passively wait for the emperor to use military power to restrain the civil servants too much.
All parties need someone to mediate. This person should preferably be a civil servant, but he can convince the military generals and speak for them. At the same time, he perfectly fulfills the mission of helping the civil servants to restrain the military generals, and also helping the emperor restrain the prime minister who may be powerful in the future.
Tang Shunzhi didn't understand: Why him?
Nowadays, there is no one in the court who they recognize more.
"...If students are bold, they may not be able to take on big responsibilities."
After listening to Tang Shunzhi's words, Zhang Zilin just smiled meaningfully: "Ying De, there is no need to belittle yourself. Did you know that Your Majesty will call your name today and let the Ministry of Rites read your answer sheet first and submit it to the palace as soon as possible? At that time, Wu Ce was discussing the suppression of the Huguang rebellion. , His Majesty wants to see your opinion."
"...Students...are really scared." Tang Shunzhi, who was still "new", was a little frightened.
He understood the meaning, because he was the person the emperor paid attention to, so he had met the conditions for being appreciated and trusted by the emperor, and could become a strong candidate for this person in the future.
But he felt that he was not worthy yet. After all, he was so young and had no achievements.
Wang Shouren also sighed: "Although I shouldn't say this...but the people your Majesty looks up to are indeed extraordinary. Ying De, think about Zhang Dutai and Yan Dutai."
Zhang Fujing and Yan Song soared into the sky as soon as they met the new king, and then showed their extraordinary talents.
Tang Shunzhi was stunned for a moment: Am I so awesome?
(End of chapter)
