The first place in the second place is Sun Xu, Tanhua Fengxi, the second place in Lun Wenxu, and the top scorer Chen Xi.

This sorting order has been scheduled after Feng Xi announced it as Tanhua, but most of the examiners of the examination papers in the palace are still unknown. Li Dongyang wanted to say something to Emperor Hongzhi, but at this time Zhu Youzhang's attention was all on the opening seal of the second and first-class papers, and he didn't pay attention to others at all.

Liu Jian winked at Li Dongyang and shook his head slightly, meaning that he would not let Li Dongyang come forward and get into trouble.

"The second best, Nanhai County Lun Wenxu..."

With the announcement of the second place name, there is no suspense about the last top scorer. The number one scorer that Zhu Youzhang admires very much turned out to be written by Chen Xi, a thirteen-year-old scholar in Ninghua County, Fujian.

If Chen Xi is an ordinary candidate, then the examiner of the examination papers in the halls would not have much opinion. But the key is that Chen Xi is only thirteen years old and was slandered for getting the Huiyuan in the Ministry of Rites for getting the Huiyuan exam. The sales case is still under trial. At this time, Chen Xi is designated as the top scholar, which will inevitably cause an uproar.

"Zhuangsheng, Chenxi, Ninghua County..."

Although there is no suspense, the house official still revealed the final suspense.

Logically speaking, the review work of the palace examination has officially ended here. However, at present, some of the palace examination reviewers think that such a sort is extremely inappropriate, especially before the palace examination, the head of the three courts who tried their best to pull Chen Xi from the position of the Imperial Examination to calm the scholar's anger. Among them, Bai Ang's attitude is the most resolute.

Bai Ang came out and reported: "Your Majesty, Chen Xi, a son of Ninghua County, was young and incompetent. He was criticized by scholars. If he was promoted to the top scorer this time, he would not be able to lead the new Jinshi's academic style, and he might be imitated by his subjects. Taking the child prodigy as a model, it would be of no use for education. This person can be renounced as an edict."

Bai Ang was already polite to say this. In his original view, Chen Xi won Huiyuan at a young age. No one believed that he was not involved in the case of "Shitu", but after he had seen the sophisticated and steady pen of the Chenxi Palace Examination, he knew that even the emperor would make a joke about "Shitu". At present, he just wanted the emperor to give Chen Xi a name.

Judging from the current situation, it is considered good that Chen Xizhe was the second place, and Lun Wenxiu's talent, character and prestige are definitely the best candidate for the top scorer.

After the palace examination paper was opened and the title was discussed, the book was not in line with the rules. The emperor had already set the title of the top scholar based on his talent and knowledge, and later changed his mind. If people know it, it would not disappoint the scholars in the world?

But this kind of unspoken rule has been found throughout the dynasties, and the emperor does have the power to regulate the education of the people.

Just like the palace examination question "Governance of Rites and Music", getting a thirteen-year-old top scholar will make local examiners and the people think that the emperor likes to promote young people. In the next few years, various "child prodigy" will probably appear in the imperial examinations at all levels. This is a scene that the emperor does not want to see in governing the country.

Zhu Youzhang was silent when he heard Bai Ang's advice. As an emperor, what he had to consider was far more comprehensive than that of ordinary ministers. Now he only had a single word for the ranking of Shenxi, but this violated the principle of fairness and justice after all. As an emperor, the ministers could not feel that he was biased.

Zhu Youzhang is a monarch who humbly accepts advice. At this time, he is more willing to adopt the minister's opinions. In fact, he is just a missed ball and handed over the matter to the minister for discussion. In this way, even if it is unfair in the end, he can feel at ease. This is the result of discussion among the ministers. I just chose to adopt it.

"What do you think?" Asking the ministers' opinions was almost Zhu Youting's habit. The examiners present at the halls had long been accustomed to them.

Should we vote again if we reduce or not?

Zhu Youzhang first looked at the three cabinet ministers. None of the three made any statement. At this time, not expressing their statement was actually regarded as the decision of the emperor. Zhu Youzhang then looked at the three Hanlin bachelors.

It is probably similar to the situation when appointing a reviewer before the palace examination. The Hanlin first needs to protect the interests of the students, and the unhealthy trends of the court cannot affect the selection of scholars. It cannot be said that the candidates are demoted at a young age, and there has been no such rules since ancient times.

"Your Majesty." Wang Yang stood up and spoke for Chen Xi. "I think that Chen Xi, the son of Ninghua County, can pass the provincial examination in Fujian and pass the Ministry of Rites' Union Examination for two consecutive times. He must have extraordinary ability and can be the pillar of the court in the future. If he is demoted and used as an imperial edict, he may not be convinced."

After Wang Yang finished speaking, Li Jie and Jiao Fang both nodded. On this issue, the three Hanlin bachelors can be said to be advancing and retreating together.

And on the other side, the heads of the Three Laws were also in the same mood. Wang Shi, the minister of Dali Temple, came out and said, "If you use the name and edict, don't you be the pillar of the court? This person is just a young man. Even if he clicks a single armor, he will still have to wait for several years before he can entrust the important tasks. It is better to leave the opportunity to those who can be used by the court."

Even the three Hanlin bachelors are not easy to refute Wang Shi's words.

Chen Xi is too young to be a local official for a while, and at most he has reserved talents for the future. It doesn’t matter whether he wins the top scorer or not. Even if he is the second place, he can be regarded as the emperor’s kindness**.

Zhu Youzhang thought carefully about Wang Shi's words and nodded, "Then it will be reduced to the list..."

This was said plainly, with a little doubt, but before Emperor Hongzhi finished speaking, someone came out with a tablet next to him and said, "Your Majesty, I think this is inappropriate."

"oh?"

Zhu Youting looked up at Ma Wensheng who was walking out and asked, "What do Ma Qing's family think?"

Ma Wensheng was the Minister of War among the seven ministers. Logically speaking, his status should be under Tu Fei, the Minister of Personnel. However, because he made contributions to pacifying the northwest and was also a veteran of the four dynasties, he had a very high voice in the court. Ma Wensheng said: "One person's use will not affect the education of the scholars and the people. A drop of ink can make the clear pond dirty. Please think twice."

Ma Wensheng did not express his views directly, but instead explained the disadvantages of doing so in a tactful way.

If you quietly surrender the person before opening the fence, and no one knows it, it would be fine. Now you actually rejected the previous decision in front of the court officials and said so concisely, you can feel at ease. What does the scholar think?

The outsider may be dissatisfied with Chen Xi, believing that he did not have the ability to win the top scorer at a young age, but under the principle of not being in the right way to the people, the appointed top scorer was reduced to the second place. This made the scholar feel that the imperial examination was like a child's play, and even the emperor could change his orders every day, so how could he still have the heart to learn?

At this time, Zhu Youzhang was a little reluctant to come to Taiwan. If he felt that Chen Xi was the best No. 1 pick in his heart, he would not ask the opinions of the ministers present. But now that he has asked, Ma Wensheng's words are actually choking him, making it difficult for him to make a decision casually.

At this time, a person with a strong voice needs to come out to support him, and with the status and reputation of the Seven Ministers, it can no longer play such a decisive role. Only three cabinet ministers can come out to say this, among which the words of the Chief Supervisor Liu Jian are the most effective.

Liu Jian was all the elders of the three dynasties, and it was almost instinct to observe the words and expressions. At this time, he walked out and saluted and said, "Your Majesty, the old minister thinks that since the emperor has decided that Chen Xi, the son of Ninghua County, should follow the rules, the emperor's grace will be revealed."

Zhu Youzing glanced at Liu Jian, nodded and said, "Since that's the case, let's settle things like this. The Ministry of Rites drafted an imperial edict and will be passed on the list tomorrow at the Wu Dynasty..."

There were basically no morning courts in the Ming Dynasty, and most of them were Wu Dynasty. This shows that not only the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were lazy, but even the ministers were lazy, and they were rich in nightlife and did not get up easily in the morning. Not like the Qing Dynasty, they had to enter the palace before dawn early in the morning. The emperor was mean, and even the ministers were affected.

After this discussion, the ranking was finally settled. After the ministers bowed, they said their leave. From the start of the palace examination to the end of the ranking of the papers, the reviewers were a little worried in the three days before and after, especially the ranking of the third day. It was the simplest of all the processes, but they caused so many twists and turns.

Bai Ang and Ma Wensheng, who came out of Huagai Hall, were just arguing in the court whether to retain the top scholar in Chenxi, were already smiling and talking about some private matters that had nothing to do with the court.

Zhou Jing quickly stepped forward, occasionally chanting, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

Being a court official is basically enlightened. No matter how red-faced you fight in the court, you will gossip about family matters or romantic things after you come out. You will not turn against each other because of different opinions. The court is actually a stage. When you are on it, you must play your respective roles well. In private, everyone is still friends.

Just imagine, Bai Ang, who is so arrogant as the Minister of Justice, is he going to be scheming with a new Jinshi?

Regardless of whether Chen Xi has won the top scorer, it is difficult to climb to the top scorer of the Minister of Justice, and it is not as good as climbing to the sky, not to mention that Bai Ang is about to retire. He just wants to stick to the last post and make the emperor feel that he is a responsible courtier.

As soon as the ministers left the Huagai Hall, they saw an official from the Zhanshi Mansion hurried to the East Palace. When they saw three cabinet ministers and six ministers coming out together, the official hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.

Although this official was only a fifth-rank official, even Liu Jian and Li Dongyang returned the gift. The Zhan Shifu was responsible for the daily teaching of the prince. In addition, this person was once a daily lecturer for Emperor Hongzhi and was born in the Hanlin Academy. It is possible to enter the cabinet by chance. Furthermore, this person was the top scholar in the 17th year of Chenghua, named Wang Hua.

Wang Hua is not famous in history, but his son Wang Shouren wrote a brilliant mark in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

"Isn't this Dehui?"

Last year, the prince went to the cabinet to study, and Emperor Hongzhi gave Li Dongyang the youngest guarantee of Prince Li Dongyang, the title of Minister of Rites and the Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion to teach the prince. Before that, Li Dongyang had a good relationship with Wang Hua, and stopped and asked with a smile, "Do you want to go to the East Palace to preach to the prince?"

Wang Hua was holding the Book of Songs in his hand. He nodded quickly when he heard Li Dongyang's question, and then asked curiously: "Young Bao Bao just finished seeing the priest's carriage from Huagai Palace?"

Xie Qian had a good relationship with Wang Hua. He was admitted to Wang Hua at the time, but now he had something to do, so he just smiled and nodded to Wang Hua and passed by. The other ministers basically just greeted him and walked away quickly. Only Li Dongyang sighed with some regrets and said, "The son is ranked seventh in the second place."

When Wang Hua heard this, there was no disappointment on his face, but he was very happy and quickly saluted: "This is a blessing for the child! When will Shaobao have time to go to my house? Let the child thank Shaobao in person..."

Wang Hua has long known Li Dongyang's appreciation for Wang Shouren. In addition, Li Dongyang is the chief examiner of this examination, so his son will respectfully call Li Dongyang a mentor in the future. It will be of great help to his son's future career.

Wang Hua has been in the officialdom for many years. Although he was the top scholar, he has no support, but now he is just the Youyude of the Youchunfang of the Zhanshi Mansion. He teaches the prince's knowledge on weekdays or presides over the Shuntian Mansion's provincial examinations. His future is unpredictable, but if his son can be guided by Li Dongyang, his career will definitely be bright.

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ps: The fourth update!

Thank you for your kindness. Today, the monthly tickets and rewards broke the record... If it weren't for the lack of health, the emperor really wanted to burst out every day, thank you everyone!
Chapter completed!