Chapter 213 It’s time to spell “Dad”

Author: Silent

Chapter 213 It’s time to spell “Dad”

By the afternoon, it was still raining sporadically.

In the cabinet duty room, Liu Jian stood at the window and looked at the quagmire, water stains, and hurried figures outside, with a melancholy look on his face.

Li Dongyang took something and asked for instructions: "The list of examiners for the Imperial Examination has been drawn up and will be submitted to His Majesty in the next two days for His Majesty's approval."

March 12th, there are only three days left before the imperial examination.

Liu Jiandao: "There are too many things happening this spring, so we must be cautious when marking the imperial exams."

Before he could say anything more, he saw a group of people coming with umbrellas from a distance. From the window, he could see the figure of Dai Yi, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony.

When Xie Qian heard the sound of Jin Yiwei's boots hitting the ground outside, he couldn't help but go to the window. When he saw this scene, he couldn't help but sigh: "In the past, when I saw this Duke Yin, I had high expectations. Why do I always feel like nothing good is going to happen when I see him now?"

Li Dongyang said: "It's different from before."

What exactly is the difference? He didn't make it clear.

But how could Liu Jian and Xie Qian not understand?

The so-called difference is actually that in the past, the emperor could only rely on the cabinet and civil servants for anything, but now the emperor relies more on Zhang Zhou.

In the past, Dai Yi and other people from the Supervisor of Ceremonies mostly came to ask for advice, but now they come more often to inform them and ask them to cooperate.

…

…

"Three cabinet elders." Dai Yi entered the cabinet room to check in, and respectfully saluted and greeted the three cabinet members.

The politeness was very polite, but neither Liu Jian nor the other three felt honored.

"This is the list of officials who will read the examination papers drafted by His Majesty. If there are no problems, this will prevail. This year's examination questions should have been proposed by the cabinet, but Your Majesty is also prepared to come up with the questions himself."

Dai Yi came to inform about preparations for the imperial examination.

The questions for the Imperial Examination were originally supposed to be drafted by the cabinet or the Minister of Rites. There were several questions for the emperor to choose from, and the emperor chose one question to examine.

No need this time, the emperor himself came up with the questions.

The imperial examiner should have been invited by the cabinet, but this time there was no need. The emperor drew up a list himself.

It's not bad. After all, most of the elders and ministers are going to be the examiners of this palace. It's just a matter of details, such as who to choose for the Hanlin Academy, who to choose from the five temples and nine ministers, etc. This is decided by the emperor.

Come and decide.

"Um."

Liu Jian nodded.

Originally, in order to reduce the pressure on the emperor, the cabinet drafted the questions and the list of readers for the emperor. Now that the emperor wants to come in person, the cabinet has no right to object.

Dai Yi smiled and said: "Your Majesty also has instructions, saying that the selection of officials for this palace examination is a heavy responsibility. There were rumors about vendettas and other issues in the past, so it is possible that the shuji scholars who entered the palace will not be selected. Please also ask the three elders not to do so.

The candidates for this imperial examination are set up to be picky."

"What do you mean, Eunuch Dai?" Xie Qian asked with a smile.

Dai Yi smiled and did not answer, meaning that you understand.

Xie Qian naturally understood that this was probably about Zhang Zhou.

Zhang Zhou was Hui Yuan in the imperial examination, and he probably performed exceptionally well in the palace examination. The palace examination did not seal the papers. If the cabinet wanted to suppress Zhang Zhou, it would not be wrong to look at Zhang Zhou's calligraphy to see his handwriting.

Li Dongyang expressed his position: "The palace examination is of great importance, and the cabinet and the palace examination examiners will not show favoritism."

"How can there be any favoritism? I just want to say that you shouldn't be too picky about some people, especially those who can do exams. The elders have said everything they need to say, and our family should go back.

"

…

…

Dai Yi was about to leave. Liu Jian, as the first assistant, personally escorted him out and asked him, "Eunuch Dai, I dare to ask, what is the significance of praying for rain today?"

Dai Yi smiled and shook his head, meaning I know, but I can't say.

From Dai Yi's simple reaction, Liu Jian knew that many things should not be asked, but in fact, there should be answers even without asking.

After Liu Jian sent Dai Yi and his party away, and returned to the check-in room, Xie Qian seemed to want to confirm the result, so he came over and asked, "How?"

Liu Jiandao: "I'm afraid we are inseparable."

He didn't say what it was about, but everyone knew that it was related to Zhang Zhou's role in praying for rain today.

Even Li Dongyang frowned and sighed softly.

"I can't stop him." Xie Qian said with emotion, "He understands the will of heaven and knows the ghosts and gods below. He is very knowledgeable and can understand people's hearts... But I don't know if this virtue is worthy of his ability."

It goes without saying in terms of ability, but what civil servants care about is the person's character.

This is superficial rhetoric.

The private rhetoric should be about whether he is sensible, willing to integrate into our civil servants, and be a courtier who abides by the rules... This kind of rules is only limited to certain aspects, and it does not make him rigid.

If he cannot integrate into us, then we can only conclude that he has "no moral character". Anyway, the discretion of a scholar lies with us.

If you don't join, will you be blamed?

…

…

Ningyuan.

After traveling day and night, Zhu Feng and others finally arrived on March 14th.

The first thing they did when they entered the city was not to rest, but to quickly summon the city's defense officials to arrange Zhang Zhou's arrangements for the defense around Ningyuan.

The patrol commander Qian Ying and the Liaodong garrison eunuch Ren Liang learned the news a few days in advance and rushed to Ningyuan. They didn't even know why the emperor suddenly sent a young and energetic Anbianbo here.

"...Everyone, I hope you will not leak the contents of today's meeting."

Zhu Feng first vaccinated everyone present.

Ren Liang looked at the eunuch Zhang Yong and Pingjiang Bo Chen Rui beside him.

He also didn't understand why Chen Rui and Zhang Yongzai, who had just helped Wang Yue achieve a great victory in Pianguan today, asked the unknown Zhu Feng to come out to preside over the pre-military meeting.

"Hurry up and go to bed after talking!" Someone urged impatiently, it was Jianchang Bo Zhang Yanling.

Wang Qiong, a civil official representative, a doctor in the Ministry of Household Affairs and a grain supervisor, asked: "Why has Zhang Zhongcheng, who is in charge of military affairs in Liaodong, not arrived?"

This is asking why Zhang Yu didn't come.

As the highest-ranking civil servant on the scene, Wang Qiong felt that this war should be strategically planned by civil servants, rather than completed by Wu Xun and the guarding eunuchs themselves.

Ren Liangdao: "Zhang Zhongcheng is busy with military affairs and can't come here. If you have something to say, please tell me immediately. We also have other things to do at home."

As the eunuch guarding Liaodong, Ren Liang had a strong background in the court. In the three-acre land of Liaodong, he felt that it was his own territory. He still looked down upon Wang Qiong, a household doctor.

Zhu Feng was obviously a little unable to control the situation. He said: "Your Majesty asked me to lead troops to set up an ambush to stop the coming Hulu."

"Haha." Ren Liang laughed.

When he smiled, everyone in the Liaodong system laughed with him.

Ren Liang smiled and said: "Uncle Anbian, are you kidding? We just came to Ningyuan to set up defenses. The terrain here is long and narrow. Even if the barbarians come to kill us, we can't set up an ambush. Besides, the barbarians are just here to plunder."

Once there is any disturbance, we only need to evacuate the troops to the earth city, wait for the barbarians to retreat, and then resettle them back."

Wang Qiong said: "Now that spring sowing has just ended, wouldn't it mean that Di Yi's horse hoofs would trample the seedlings in the field?"

"Wang Langzhong, look at what you said, whether it's Liaodong or northwest, the situation is like this. As long as the barbarians don't rob people and animals, what's the loss of a few young crops? It's a big deal to replant them!"

Ren Liang's strength made Zhu Feng a little unable to resist.

Zhang Yong walked over and stood next to Ren Liang. Ren Liang was a little confused, then Zhang Yong took out a letter and handed it to him in front of everyone.

Ren Liang wanted to open it, but found that everyone was looking at him. He only took a glance at it, and when he saw that it was Wei Bin's letter to him, he quickly put away his arrogance and put the letter in his arms.

Zhu Feng said: "I am here to carry out the edict."

"The edict is great, and the holy will comes first." Ren Liang changed his previous attitude and said, "Uncle Anbian, you have the final say. You have the final say on how to set up an ambush!"

Zhu Feng took out a sketch of the terrain around Ningyuan, which was given to him by Zhang Zhou. It described in detail the number of troops that should be garrisoned at each place, and how to gradually push the troops of Duoyan Sanwei into a dead end.

"...here, arrange manpower here..."

The more Zhu Feng said, the more beads of sweat became on his head.

Some experienced generals snickered when they saw this scene.

Why is Uncle Anbian, just a young boy, still serving as the chief patrol officer of the town?

Qian Ying listened to Zhu Feng's words for a long time and couldn't help but ask: "May I ask, who arranged this?"

As the commander of the capital, Qian Ying should be the commander-in-chief in the event of a war. But now he is not even the deputy commander-in-chief, and he is acting as a general to help Zhu Feng, Chen Rui and Zhang Yanling. How can he be willing to do so?
To be continued...