When everyone arrived at Ouyang's Mansion, Ouyang Xiu returned to the Mansion with the help of his servants, and everyone was led by servants to see Ouyang Xiu in the main hall.
After seeing the ceremony, everyone sat down in the hall. Zeng Gong said: "I came here today mainly to thank the teacher for his careful teaching, so that we can achieve success in our studies and be named on the gold list."
After hearing this, Ouyang Xiu smiled and said: "You were able to get Jinshi mainly due to your own efforts. I just gave you a little guidance. But today I still want to tell you a few words. You have been named on the gold list and you are going to enter the imperial court. , I hope you can always uphold your loyalty, serve the court and the people with sincerity, and benefit the whole country."
After hearing this, Li Hao and others stood up to listen to the teachings and said, "We will never forget today's teachings." Then at Ouyang Xiu's signal, everyone sat down again.
After that, Ouyang Xiu continued to warn and waited for a long time. Li Haocai looked for an opportunity and asked: "Uncle, I still don't understand the matter of my winning the lottery today. I would like to ask my uncle whether it was my uncle who recommended me to my nephew, so that the official appointed me."
As soon as these words came out, the Zeng brothers all looked at Ouyang Xiu, and they all wanted to know the reason for this.
Ouyang Xiu looked at it and replied: "Then you are thinking too well. If I had this ability, I would definitely recommend Zigu instead of you. Zigu has a calm and resolute personality, and he should be able to act independently. And you are still young. You are young, but you are not ready for great use without a few years of hard work, so what do I recommend you do?"
After hearing this, Li Hao pretended to be filled with pain and said: "What my uncle said made me sad, but if it wasn't my uncle, what would be the reason?"
"I didn't do this, but do I know why?" Ouyang Xiu said while selling the lawsuit.
After hearing this, Li Hao hurriedly said: "Please tell me, uncle, otherwise my nephew will feel uneasy."
After hearing this, Ouyang Xiu replied: "Xiangong Han should have said this to you. As for what he said, I'm not sure. Originally, Xianggong Han had never greeted me. I only found out later. Otherwise, At that time, I would have advised Mr. Han not to do this. In addition, you still remember that I said that the officials really liked the word "Shui Tiao Ge Tou" you originally wrote, and even the officials knew about the poems you wrote later, so I clicked on it this time. Maybe there is a reason why you are the third most popular person."
"Let's not talk about the latter reason for now, but I have never met Mr. Han, so why would he speak for me?" Li Hao thought for a while and asked.
Ouyang Xiu said: "Then you have to thank your teacher. When you participated in the Qingli New Deal in person, your teacher and Mr. Han were on good terms with each other. That's why I helped you this time. Of course, it's because you are talented and learned, and your ranking is Not low, otherwise Mr. Han wouldn’t go out of his way to speak for you.”
After hearing this, Li Hao nodded and said: "I have never heard the teacher mention this matter. Before I came to Bianjing, the teacher only asked me to come to your house to visit. So, do you think I should go to the house of Grand Prime Minister Han? , come to thank you."
Ouyang Xiu said: "That's not necessary. Since I haven't told you, I naturally don't intend to let you know. You don't need to go now, just keep it in mind."
After this incident, Li Hao asked about the appointment of officials by the Ministry of Rites again, and asked: "How long will it take for the appointment of officials in this palace examination? If it takes a long time, I plan to go back to Yangzhou to give the teacher To announce the good news and arrange a thank-you banquet."
After hearing this, Ouyang Xiu said: "According to convention, it takes about two months for a new Jinshi to be awarded an official position, and then the official position can be given to the official. Of course, the specific time is not certain. If you are assigned to an official position in Beijing, then The office hours are usually earlier in the morning. If you go out, the time will be longer. And this period of time is also a free time given by the court to new Jinshi, so that some Jinshi who are far away can go back to their hometowns to show off."
After hearing this, Li Hao asked again: "Then I wonder what arrangements my brothers and I will probably make."
After hearing this, Ouyang Xiu said carefully: "According to past practice, all of you except you will be sent out to serve in various places."
After hearing this, Li Hao said curiously: "I will stay in Bianjing and serve because I am the third most talented person."
"That's not true. It is common for the number one and number two candidates to be promoted to official positions. How can the top pick be an exception?" Ouyang Xiu replied.
Li Hao then asked again: "Could it be that someone in the court was helping, be it my uncle or Mr. Han?"
"No, it's mainly because of your age. You have just been fifteen and put you in charge of prefectures and counties. Who can rest assured? The officials will naturally consider it, and they will definitely put you in Beijing first. It’s a not-so-important official position. So you’d better not leave Beijing during this period. Once the vacancies are arranged by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, you will join the job. It’s hard to be a Beijing official. Don’t miss the arrangement. I’ll be waiting when the time comes. That's troublesome." Ouyang Xiu said.
After hearing this, Li Hao was a little disappointed and said: "That's it. Originally, I wanted to go back to Yangzhou to meet Master Qin, but I can't go on now."
After hearing this, Ouyang Xiu admonished: "Brother Qin has experienced ups and downs in the officialdom. You can naturally understand this kind of thing. You don't have to worry about anything. I will also write a letter and give it to Brother Qin to explain the reason."
After hearing this, Li Hao replied: "Okay, that's all."
After Li Hao finished speaking, Zeng Gong said: "Now that we have time, after the Qionglin Banquet, we will go back to our hometown to congratulate our mother in person, and then make sacrifices to our ancestors."
After hearing this, Li Hao said: "If you don't return to your hometown, you will be like walking in brocade at night. Now that the four senior brothers are in high school in the same year, they have to go back and see how they can shine on their lintel."
After hearing this, the Zeng brothers couldn't help but laugh together, and then Li Hao and Ouyang Xiu also laughed as they looked at it.
Then several people chatted in the hall, and finally Ouyang Xiu stayed for dinner before returning home.
On March 20th, everyone went to Qionglin Garden in the west of Bianjing City to attend the Qionglin Banquet. When Li Hao and the Zeng brothers arrived, the Yiluan guards in the palace were already well-arranged. Seeing everyone arriving, after checking their identities, they separated out and led everyone to the banquet venue.
After actually entering Qionglin Garden, Li Hao discovered the grandeur and magnificence of Qionglin Garden as a royal garden. The entire garden is made of stacked rocks and mountains, and its exquisite layout is unparalleled in the world. It is still dominated by these strange stones. The strange stones are exquisite and colorful, either planted in the atrium of flowers and plants, or standing in the blue water of the spring pool. The water and rocks contrast with each other. The flowers and trees are arranged in a well-proportioned manner. Its architectural style is surprising. , pavilions, corridors and sills, twisting and turning, are on the contrary rigid, and the pavilions and pavilions are in harmony. Every step of the way, the scenery is hidden in the scenery, which often makes people feel suddenly enlightened.
Li Hao watched in surprise all the way. After walking for a while, everyone was taken to the banquet venue. The venue was located in the square outside Zhongyuan Hall. At this time, many people could be seen coming.
When Li Hao and the others entered the venue, everyone looked up and saw Li Hao and Zeng Gong. Many people stood up to greet them, and everyone began to greet each other again.
After the people of Yiluan Guard brought the people there, they saluted and left to go back to the courtyard gate. When everyone saw this, they also returned the salute and agreed. After Yi Luan Wei left, everyone sat down again. This time, there was no special arrangement of seats, so Li Hao and the Zeng brothers found an empty seat connected in the middle and sat down.
After a while, the new scholars arrived one after another, and then each found a place to do his job. Among them, when Zhang Heng and Dou Bian came, they were so popular that most of the people present stood up to greet them. It was so lively to see.
After that, everyone sat down and chatted with each other, so that the whole garden was filled with loud chatter and laughter, and there was no trace of sadness. However, this is also the reason. On today's occasion, there will be official family members coming later, and these people will not mess around on this occasion.
After all the Jinshis have arrived, all the examiners from the joint examination and the palace examination will come on stage to accompany today's Qionglin Banquet. This is also the honor of today's new Jinshi. When they become officials in the future, there is no telling how many people will want it. I have been dawdling under these examiners.
After everyone was seated, Zhao Zhen came and sat down in the Zhongyuan Hall. As usual, he wrote a poem for this Qionglin Banquet and gave it to all the Jinshi present. Then all Jinshi were "given a book", which were some Confucian classics, to warn these new Jinshi to always remember the Confucian way of self-cultivation and governance. When it was Li Hao's turn, he gave the roll of Zhongyong. After everyone collected it, the Jinshi wanted to thank the emperor for the reward.
When the process was over, the emperor waved his hand and saw all the chamberlains walking into the banquet hall holding hairpins and giving each Jinshi a flower, which means wearing a flower on their head. It is a kind of honor and honor. The symbol of joy and etiquette, when all the new scholars were brought in, the whole scene of more than 300 men wearing flowers on their heads looked really spectacular.
Then after the flowers were brought, it was the last step. The ministers present and the new scholars collectively expressed their gratitude to the emperor. The number one scholar, the second best scholar, and the third flower each wrote a poem as a "thank you gift". Of course, the purpose of the poem was to praise his virtues. . At this point, the entire banquet process has come to an end, and the emperor will leave, allowing the courtiers and new scholars to gather here.
