The Tang Dynasty was so big, especially after the emperor destroyed the Northern Liao Dynasty and conquered the Southern Zhou Dynasty, its territory and population made it difficult for well-educated people to criticize the emperor for his martial arts.
Having a large territory and having too many people is not a bad thing, but for a group, it is a big trouble.
At the beginning of every year, the imperial examinations are fine in places close to Chang'an, but candidates far away have to suffer a lot. In order to catch up with the start of the examination, they must start their journey in advance.
Needless to say, it was a hard journey. After arriving in Chang'an, they had to wait...
If you wait for a long time, most candidates can use it as a vacation if their families have money, but a very small number of ordinary people are short of money.
It was not easy to live in Chang'an, so those candidates relied on the meals provided by the court and were reluctant to spend a penny. This phenomenon was reported by the censors, and the emperor immediately decided to pay each candidate fifty cents.
Some people ask, most of those candidates are not short of money, why not just give it to those poor candidates?
The emperor said: The imperial examination is to seek talents for the country. Before the results are released, everyone will be treated equally in my eyes.
Fifty dollars is only enough for those noble children to have a meal, not even enough.
But for those poor candidates, it can make them feel a sense of warmth in this uncertain early spring season.
Moreover, because everyone had the fifty dollars, no one looked at them strangely.
A thoughtful person saw the emperor's intention... The emperor was not that selfless. According to his temperament, those noble people's children didn't even have a hair, let alone asking for money. Just for the self-esteem of those poor candidates, he waved his hand, and everyone
have.
This point was vaguely revealed from a subsequent contest between Cao Ying, the Minister of Household Affairs, and the emperor.
The emperor planned to repair the palace, but Cao Ying said it would cost a lot of money. The emperor said that it was a place for political discussions, and it was not just for me to enjoy. If it rains, you will also get wet. Cao Ying said, Your Majesty, you are not short of money!
But the emperor said that the landlords had no food left.
The outside world was puzzled, and later someone from the Ministry of Revenue revealed that the money given to the candidates was the emperor's private money.
"Your Majesty is so kind." When the news spread, those candidates couldn't help but burst into tears.
What was going on in the Imperial College was the swearing-in meeting before the imperial examination. On the stage, Ning Yayun was cheering for the candidates who were about to take the imperial examination.
"...To test the momentum of our Imperial Academy, we must overpower those people!"
After Xuanxue took charge of the Imperial College again, he recruited new students. Most of them were civilians, which puzzled the outside world.
The people Ning Yayun mentioned were the nobles' children.
Maxi saw the young man named Yang Qi, hanging among the professors.
After the swearing-in ceremony, new clothes were distributed immediately. According to Ning Yayun's requirements, they must be neat and uniform.
When the candidates wearing uniform clothes lined up, the momentum was amazing.
"It's like an army!" An Ziyu had a headache, "Master, do you want to lead them to fight for His Majesty?"
Ning Yayun naturally had no such interest, but the emperor had some ideas.
"What if the Imperial College was turned into a martial arts school?"
The prince who came back to report the situation of today's meeting shook his head, "Aye, then the Imperial College will not be able to deal with itself."
"Too!"
If this is the case, the Imperial College will be lost to the public, and the metaphysics community will probably be overwhelmed by bullets.
How can a general come from a certain sect?
"The exam will be held tomorrow." The emperor stood on the steps and imagined that there were so many new scholars standing below, but he did not feel the emotion of waiting for the world's best to join our ranks.
"Talents will be like straw, densely packed in the future..." The emperor looked forward to it.
Qin Ze smiled and said: "Your Majesty, there are people outside who are betting on passing the imperial examination this year. They say that those people... can get at least 70%."
"What are the odds!" the emperor asked.
"It seems like... seven to one."
"A Liang."
"Why!"
"I'm telling you, grandma, I've got all my private money."
"Aye, what are you..."
"As a father, you need to stud!"
…
On the second day, Maxi got up early.
"Get up and wash up quickly."
The professors' shouts came from outside.
Get up, line up to wash up, and then have breakfast.
Everyone has eggs for breakfast, and even fish. The staple food is pancakes.
No mutton.
"You don't have to eat too much. If you eat too much and you feel dizzy, how can you still take the exam?" A professor said, "The exam room will give you food."
Maxi was 70% full, so he suppressed his appetite and quickly put away the bowl.
Then it was time to sit quietly.
A quarter of an hour later, Ning Yayun arrived.
"Let's go!"
Today, Ning Yayun personally leads the team, which is a big deal
Everyone left the Imperial Academy and went straight to the examination room.
The examination room is in the palace.
Before arriving at the Imperial City, many candidates had already arrived.
"Don't run around!" The professors asked the candidates to move around freely, but not out of sight.
"Ma Xi!"
As soon as Maxi came out, he met two acquaintances.
"Zhang Xin, Xie Cheng, you two also participated in this subject?" Maxi did not expect to meet two acquaintances here.
The two families were both wealthy and powerful in Xianyang. They were quite friendly with each other in the early days and often traveled together.
Zhang Xin said with a smile: "I remember that your studies are still not good enough. It would be interesting to study hard at home, but you went to the Imperial College. This subject..."
What he didn't say, Xie Cheng said, "The Imperial College relied on the relationship with His Majesty to get to the position, but now the students of the Imperial College can't just come out and become officials. Why are you bothering?"
This is an insinuation that Ma Xi is incompetent and wanted to rely on the Imperial College to get an official position, but the Imperial College's preferential treatment was gone, so his efforts were in vain.
The relationship between the three people used to be good, but when the emperor suppressed Guanzhong, Ma chose to side with the emperor and was regarded as a traitor. Therefore, his former friends also became enemies.
Seeing that the two of them had a bad attitude, Ma Xi said calmly: "We still don't know who will win."
"hehe!"
Xie Cheng chuckled and said sarcastically: "I'll wait for you on my official career. I hope you won't be too slow."
Maxi said coldly: "Easy to say!"
The words did not add up, and the three of them separated.
"Hey! Who is that?"
Someone said in surprise.
The sound of footsteps came, and it sounded very orderly.
Ma Xi turned around and saw hundreds of candidates walking in neat lines.
Wearing green shirts, with tall and straight postures and sharp eyes, they are reminiscent of the army.
But there are many differences in temperament between them and warriors, which cannot be explained clearly.
"Which candidate is this?" Ma Xi wondered.
"From Northern Xinjiang!" The professor's voice came from behind.
"From Northern Xinjiang?"
On the top of the imperial city, the emperor glanced down.
"That's my tiger! Wen's!"
…
The Yang family has also been referred to by many people this year, not only the children of the Yang family, but also the children of the family who are attached to the Yang family.
Yang Xinxiang did not show up and ordered the steward to pass the message.
"In extraordinary times, the Yang family needs talents!"
The words were cryptic, but everyone knew the meaning.
The Yang family is dormant, and the hope of rising again is pinned on them.
When there are more and more people from the Yang family in the officialdom, more people will listen to Yang's voice.
"Please rest assured, Mr. Lang!" the gentleman leading the team said confidently: "In this subject, the Yang family's children will surely become a blockbuster!"
In the study, Yang Xinxiang, who received the reply, said calmly: "The emperor does not know that the survival of a family does not depend on land and population, but on power! When countless officials stand on the side of the Yang family, any emperor is just a joke!"
…
Zhou family.
"Take the exam well!"
Zhou Qin personally saw off the Zhou candidates.
Watching the candidates set off, he said to Zhou Zun: "The population is gone, the fields are gone, but we still have talents. It only takes more than ten years for the Zhou family to rise again."
The emperor's attitude towards his relatives was somewhat ambiguous, and he was not afraid of them, but he was unremarkable in terms of his father-in-law's arrangements.
As the Queen's natal family, every move of the Zhou family will be magnified by the outside world, so after discussion, Zhou Qin and his son chose to keep a low profile.
The imperial examination was the channel through which they relied to turn over.
…
More than three thousand candidates gathered in front of the Imperial City.
"The time is up, open the door!"
The gate to the imperial city opened, and someone came out to guide the candidates in.
Ma Hongzhong arrived in Chang'an quietly yesterday without letting his son know.
He was eating biscuits in the cold wind, watching the candidates entering the imperial city, and tremblingly said, "Don't be anxious, Sir! It's okay if you fail the exam. Aye will earn you a fortune, which is enough for you to enjoy endlessly."
Shang Yue was also having breakfast, and said to his son with a smile: "I set a trap for Lao Ma. After I get the half share of the stock, I have to make an apology to him."
…
The examination room is divided into several places. In the largest square, there are densely packed eucalyptus tables.
Candidates are in their seats.
The emperor appeared.
"I have met His Majesty!" the candidates saluted.
The emperor smiled and said: "The weather is good today."
The examiner looked up... Damn it, the sun is hiding in the dark clouds at the moment, how can the weather be good?
"The exam begins..."
This year, the emperor used internal servants to distribute the test papers, thus avoiding the various drawbacks of outsiders getting involved.
This was another groundbreaking initiative, which greatly annoyed the Taoist gentlemen.
Test papers were handed out along the way.
"ah!"
"How could this happen?"
Someone in front exclaimed.
"Quiet!" shouted the inspector, "if you make any noise again, you will be punished as cheating and expelled from the examination room!"
But even so, there were still various noises in the square.
Maxi was very curious. When the test paper was handed to him, he took a look.
Stunned!
Dumbfounded!
Then, ecstasy!
Most of the content in the test paper was not the poems and songs that were the most popular in previous years, but... the teaching materials of the Imperial College professors.
Those textbooks were said to have been written by the emperor himself, and the various knowledge contained in them astonished Maxi.
But that’s not what the imperial examination tests!
Many people didn't understand it, but they still followed it.
Seeing the test paper at this moment, Ma Xi knew one thing.
The emperor took action.
If the original power structure of the Tang Dynasty was a table filled with a group of forces called 'emperors and generals', 'noble families', 'rich families'... then, at this moment, the emperor grasped it with both hands.
Eucalyptus, lift it hard...
How many eucalyptus!
Overturned!
Ma Xi raised his head.
He saw those classmates exchanging glances with all kinds of joy.
He saw those candidates from northern Xinjiang looking at the emperor on the steps, their eyes were so fervent that it was outrageous... If they were asked to go through fire and water for the emperor at this moment, Maxi believed that they would not hesitate.
I!
Will go too!
Maxi nodded vigorously.
The emperor stood on the steps.
said:
"The other leg of the powerful family was broken by me!"