My name is Zhao Yu, I am nineteen this year, and I was born in the Zhao family in the south.
There are many aristocratic families named Zhao, but there is only one Zhao family in Nandi, and only our Zhao family is qualified to be called the Zhao family in Nandi.
My cousin's name is Zhao Tai, a Heavenly Official in the Ministry of Personnel, and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel in the current dynasty.
It took four days by boat, sixteen days by carriage, and twenty days to arrive in Beijing to take the exam. I, Zhao Yu, will surely be among the best and live up to the reputation of my Zhao family!
It is said that the capital is prosperous, but I think it is ordinary. It is slightly less prosperous than the big cities in the south, but there are just a few more people.
The best inn in the capital is called Ke Yun Ju, and I live in Room A. Looking at myself in the bronze mirror, I feel very satisfied.
I have a handsome face and resolute features. I am a core member of the Zhao family, and my cousin holds an important position in the capital. I can make a name for myself in the scientific examinations in the capital.
I heard that Uncle Huitang will be promoted to prime minister. By then, my Zhao family will be extremely powerful.
I have already chosen the house. Although my cousin is close to me, once I become an official, I cannot live in the minister's house or the prime minister's house to avoid suspicion, so I want to live in Jingrongfang in Nanshi.
When I first arrived in Beijing, I visited my cousin, but he didn’t know what the scientific examination questions were. I was a little disappointed. I didn’t know whether my cousin really didn’t know or didn’t want to tell me. But I guess he really didn’t know. After all, He is my cousin Zhao Yu. He has looked at me since he was a child... and glanced at me once or twice. This relationship is so close.
However, fellow countryman Yu Liang came to see me five days ago and gave me test questions. The questions were bought at a high price from a head of the Ministry of Etiquette named Lu Zhuihai, and he paid a high price.
What can be done with money is not a big deal. I laugh at the so-called high price.
But I heard that the chief executive, Lu Zhuihai, sold a lot of questions and made a lot of money. These officials in Beijing, hehe, even risked their official positions for money. It's ridiculous, ridiculous.
The questions are real, and they are all included in oral examinations, sutras, ink essays, policy questions, and essays.
Why do I say this question is true? Because many candidates have bought it through other Beijing and Central officials, and the content is similar. This is an open secret that all of us candidates know.
It was thought that the system would be restructured after the new king ascended the throne. It turned out to be the same as the previous dynasty. Since many candidates knew the questions, it depends on the foundation. And I, Zhao Yu, Zhao Yu of the Zhao family, have a strong background, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites determined It will give my uncle some face, and maybe I will come out on top in the general examination. When it comes to the palace examination, if I can make the new king favor me, my future will be limitless, and it will not be an illusion to catch up with my uncle.
But if my uncle becomes the Prime Minister, and I want to catch up with him, don't I have to be... No, I, Zhao Yu, am a person who is happy and knows my fate. It will be good if I become the Prime Minister in the future. Dad said, don't be greedy in life.
The time was coming, I closed my eyes and recalled the content of the exam questions.
Time passed by, and just when I was eager to take the scientific examination immediately, the sound of gongs and drums came from outside.
Vaguely, I heard words such as moving and gathering in the west of the city.
Not knowing why, I opened the window.
I saw more soldiers riding on horses in the capital, followed by people beating gongs and drums.
Candidates for the scientific examination should go to the west of the city with their examination names and book records before Youshi. The Imperial College was appointed as the eunuch, and all candidates went to the west of the city.
I was very confused. I should have gone to the examination building in the west of the city. Why was it an hour early? Also, why did the Imperial College have to be feudal? Aren’t the candidates from the six roads in the north and the west going to the examination building in the west of the city? The examination building in the west of the city should have been It's not that big, right?
The whole capital seemed to be beating gongs and drums, and many unarmed guards came to the streets, shouting and beating gongs.
Although I didn’t know why I had to go early, I had to pick up the book basket and hurried down, and I could only go with the flow.
More and more candidates came out and asked questions one after another. They were confused and I was the same, but no one answered or explained. The soldiers and guards just beat gongs and drums and shouted.
Another Jingwei guard ran out and formed a human wall that extended all the way to the west side. Apparently, it should have reached the Kaoshe in the west of the city.
Today, scholars are still treated favorably, knowing that the soldiers can stop the people.
Yes, they should be blocking it. Those people, even the people in the capital, are all illiterate and unruly people. Who knows if they will suddenly come out to collide with him.
More and more candidates gathered, and candidates from all directions formed a long queue, heading towards the west of the city.
I tried to look for familiar faces in the crowd, but there were too many people. I heard that this year there were more than 1,400 candidates coming from all walks of life. It was a mess.
I don't like messy scholars. They should be like me. They don't change their expressions when Mount Tai collapses in front of their eyes. I was like this in the past, I am like this today, and I will still be like this in the future as an official.
Those messy guys are very annoying and bring shame to scholars. They are not worthy of being officials. They are just studying because their families are better off. Hum.
As we walked with our heads down, the noisy voices became smaller and smaller.
I suddenly noticed that at some point, people wearing dark red robes appeared on both sides of the road. These people, each with a vicious look and evil intentions, actually carried two knives, one long and one short.
I have never seen such costumes before. They are not military soldiers, not Jingwei, or Zhechong Mansion troops. The look in their eyes is so scary.
I finally understood why no one was making any noise, because three candidates were caught tightly in the prison car.
I opened my mouth wide. These candidates just yelled why they wanted to go to the west of the city, questioned a few times, and cursed a few times. They were caught in a prison car, and... what, they had their test names and books torn up in public. record!
This...my mind went blank. Who are these people? They deprived candidates of their qualifications for the imperial examination just because they were scolded a few times?
I was angry from the bottom of my heart. Those people were scholars, and they were the sons of aristocratic families. Where did these Qiu Ba get the courage? There is no law left under the emperor’s feet. They were scholars, scholars like me!
But no matter how angry I am, I dare not stand up for them. My father has taught me since I was a child that the Zhao family's family motto is to be cautious and don't push forward.
I couldn't force myself to stand out, and I didn't want to force myself to stand out. Faintly, I heard the word Yi Dao.
Yi Dao, Yi Dao... Is it Yi Dao Guard, Yi Dao Camp? !
My heart skipped a beat, it turned out that these people were the troops of the Yidao Camp, the Emperor's own troops!
At this moment, I didn't dare to look at the Yidao Camp troops riding on their tall horses.
It has been more than a month since I came to the capital, and I know what kind of ghosts they are. The emperor's own army is domineering and ruthless.
Rumor has it that the young man who commanded the Yi Dao Guard was named Han. He was not much older than me, but he was a first-rate celebrity in the eyes of the emperor. There were countless important ministers in the court who fell in his hands, including the chief minister, the lieutenant, the minister, and the right minister. Even Zaifu was kicked out of Beijing.
I had a bad premonition in my heart. Why did Yidaowei interfere in the imperial examination? Is there no one in the Ministry of Rites to control him if he is so domineering?
There were many candidates who were as confused and angry as me, no, almost all of them, but no one dared to make loud noises or question anymore. We saw the officials from the Ministry of Rites, and those officials from the Ministry of Rites seemed to be more honest than us candidates.
The Yidao Guards are so overbearing that even the Ministry of Rites dare not take care of them?
Unknowingly, I came to the west of the city, but we were not taken to the test house, but continued walking towards the city gate.
Do you want to leave the city?
Why did I have to leave the city? I was panicked. Like other candidates, everything that happened before us made us puzzled, confused and panicked.
A large number of Jingwei sergeants stood on both sides, extending outside the city, and someone finally shouted.
I feel like I've been struck by lightning.
The location of the scientific examination was changed to Four Seasons Villa, and all candidates went there on foot. Those who fell behind would be disqualified from the examination.
The candidates couldn't bear it anymore and started to curse.
The sergeants of the Yidao Guard suddenly drew out their long swords. We were frightened, and I was also frightened. I felt that they could really kill people!
A young man wearing Confucian robes appeared, smiling, and I looked at the face that I will never forget in my life.
Behind him, there were many people, many with higher official positions than him. The young man had a look of contempt on his face.
He said that if you become an official in the imperial examination, you will inevitably run around for the people and the country in the future. If you can't even cover this distance, how can you have the dignity of being an official? Get out of the way as soon as possible if your body is suffering from secondary diseases. The more people get out of here, the better the remaining people will be at the top of the scientific examination.
My heart skipped a beat.
Yes, it is a long way to the legendary Four Seasons Villa. Although there are carriages with dry food and water nearby, there will definitely be many noble family members who will fall behind and lose their qualifications. The more people who lose their qualifications, the more people will compete with me. The less stool.
I gritted my teeth, stopped cursing, and walked faster and faster!
As soon as I left the city gate, there was another burst of wailing. I couldn't help but turn around and wanted to laugh out loud.
Twelve more people were caught in the prison car. Ha, I have twelve less competitors. It's great. It's best if no one leaves. Only I, Zhao Yu, can go to the villa to take the scientific examination.
It's a pity that other candidates had the same idea as me and left faster than me. I'm so angry.
