Chapter 91 The Eighteen Top Chairs in the Royal Study
Chapter 91 The Eighteen Top Chairs in the Imperial Study Room
On May 21st, Chuanlu Hall.
In front of the Fengtian Hall, all the civil and military officials stood ready, and the new scholars waiting outside the Chengtian Gate entered the Forbidden City again with excitement.
At this moment, they don't know their ranking.
The twenty-seven days of mourning for the emperor have passed, and the rituals and music can be arranged and performed.
After five bows and three kowtows, the official of Honglu Temple in Fengtian Hall began to read out the imperial edict.
Then comes the roll call that everyone loves to hear, starting with the number one winner.
"First in Class A, Jiangxi Qianshan Fei Maozhong!"
"First in Class A, Jiangxi Qianshan Fei Maozhong!"
"First in Class A, Jiangxi Qianshan Fei Maozhong!"
From inside the temple to outside the temple, Honglu Temple officials relayed the results one after another to the outside of the temple, directly to the ears of the new scholars next to Danqi.
Fei Maozhong was not surprised when he heard his name, but his eyes were full of shock, anxiety and even fear.
Why him? With his answer sheet, how can he be the number one scholar? How many people will comment carefully on the number one answer sheet?
Fei Maozhong knew that his answer this time was definitely unworthy, and there was only one reason: because Fei Hong wanted to return to the court.
Before he even entered the capital, he was about to be accused: How could his nephew He De become the number one scholar? Was it the emperor who appointed him deliberately, or was it that the cabinet ministers gave Fei Hong small shoes? What was the intention behind it?
Unable to tolerate Fei Maozhong's daze, officials from Honglu Temple came and said with a smile: "Master Zhuangyuan, please come into the temple to pay your respects and express your gratitude."
Fei Mao felt uneasy and did not dare to take a good look at the emperor's appearance.
Zhu Houcong smiled: It doesn't matter, I will take action.
In Zhu Houcong's eyes, there is not much difference between the number one scholar and the top three scholars, the same as the Jinshi or even the Juren.
Knocking on the door is just the first step.
"First and second place, Guangdong Xiangshan Huang Zuo!"
"First and second place, Guangdong Xiangshan Huang Zuo!"
"First and second place, Guangdong Xiangshan Huang Zuo!"
When the voice came out, Huang Zuo's eyes nearly popped out.
How can it be?
He also felt that he was unworthy. Could it be that Liang Chu was supporting him? Didn't His Majesty think that he was a careless person?
He, who had been very depressed two days ago, suddenly became very excited. When he entered the palace to pay homage, he remembered the bumpy journey and his eyes became moist.
"Are you Huang Zuo?"
It was very surprising that the emperor actually asked such a question.
"...I am so grateful. I would like to thank you for allowing me to take the exam. I...will be diligent and careful in my work."
He is not worried about his talent being criticized. After all, he once had the possibility of winning three yuan in a row.
He just doesn't have much confidence in his own destiny.
Has it been transferred now?
"It's about being careful."
Huang Zuo was extremely ashamed when he heard the emperor's smiling words.
The name of carelessness is indeed in the emperor's mind.
Beside the Danqi outside the hall, the remaining new scholars all looked forward eagerly.
There is only one Tanhualang left in Sandingjia.
After that, only the top names of the top two and top three people will be read out, while the rest of the people will only have the word "etc." after that name.
"Third in the first place, Zhang Cong from Yongjia, Zhejiang!"
"Third in the first place, Zhang Cong from Yongjia, Zhejiang!"
"Third in the first place, Zhang Cong from Yongjia, Zhejiang!"
Zhang Cong clenched his fist hard, feeling helpless.
First and third!
He comes from an ordinary good family, not a noble family, and his family is not wealthy.
Among the same subjects, unlike Fei Maozhong, he had an uncle who had been a cabinet minister, and unlike Huang Zuo, he had a fellow countryman who had been a chief minister and was still in the cabinet.
Who recognized his talent and allowed him to join the Three Tripods?
Zhang Cong didn't know, but he knew that the three tripod armors had to pass the emperor's test.
After arriving in front of the emperor and bowing down, the forty-seven-year-old Zhang Cong touched his forehead to the ground and said: "Your Majesty has appointed me to the first and third place, and I dare to ask for a favor."
He wanted to be bold, even if he was being watched by countless people.
If Your Majesty really intends to reform, you should appreciate your courage and courage, right?
Zhu Houcong laughed: "Oh? What kind of grace?"
"Since he is a disciple of the Emperor, I ask Your Majesty to give him another name to avoid the taboo of the Emperor's name."
When he said this, Wang Qiong smiled and said: "This taboo should be avoided. I am willing to ask for it."
Zhang Cong understood that it was Wang Qiong who entered the first-class volume.
But Wang Qiong, who has been criticized so much, can actually snatch a spot in the Triple D from Yang Tinghe?
Then the emperor has changed the order!
While Zhang Cong was thinking about it, Zhu Houcong nodded, as if without thinking: "Your strategy will make all the readers feel convinced and respectful. In this case... the pen and ink will serve you!"
Zhang Cong raised his head expectantly and saw the young emperor who was waving his hair with his head down.
The heroic spirit between the brows, the calm demeanor, and the reserved eyes all fell into his eyes.
At the age of forty-seven, he was neither unruly nor timid anymore, so he dared to raise his head and take a good look at the emperor.
"Zhang Fujing, courtesy name Maogong, what do you think?" Zhu Houcong raised his head and looked at him with a smile.
"Your Majesty, Zhang Fujing, thank you for your name and title!" Zhang Cong kowtowed his thanks to His Majesty with excitement.
Fu means to be convinced; Jing means to be cautious. Mao means talent and virtue; Gong means to be respectful.
Not only did he get a new name, he was also given a character.
Looking at the four big characters in the imperial book, Tan Hwa Lang was even more popular than the top pick and the second pick.
But who would dare to ask the emperor to name him on this occasion if he is also called cong?
Liang Chu once again looked at the indifferent and indifferent Yang Tinghe, and then at the emperor who smiled gently.
What a happy day, why do you always think there will be a new storm?
Tomorrow the Ministry of Rites will give you a banquet, the day after tomorrow you will go to the palace to express gratitude and receive court robes and crowns, and the day after tomorrow you will visit the Confucius Temple to inscribe your name and erect a monument. The days of success and fame for the new scholars have begun.
But courtiers with clear minds all know that they are just newcomers who have just walked around the stage to warm up and are about to retreat to the outermost periphery.
His Majesty also asked all the counselors in Beijing about his plans.
I'm afraid this is a palace examination with a risk of being deposed!
Can Fei Hong, who is "going to Beijing to take the exam", "become the number one scholar" like his nephew?
It’s been a month since he ascended the throne.
There was a noise in silence outside Qianqing Palace: no one dared to make a loud noise during the work of rebuilding the Nijing Gate, but it was still a construction site after all.
No one needs to be urged, everyone just wants to finish the work quickly. Working under the emperor's nose is too stressful.
Isn’t there a saying? Accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger; they are building a nest for the tiger.
After the sutra feast on the 22nd, Zhu Houcong returned here, followed by Huang Jin, Yan Song, and Liu Long.
The busy people beside the Rijing Gate suddenly stopped and all knelt down on the spot.
"Go to the Zhongyuan Hall." Zhu Houcong glanced over there, "It's hot, prepare more water for them."
"My slave takes the order." Gao Zhong, who was supervising here, responded in a low voice, and then looked at Huang Jin's back with envy.
"Your Majesty is kind and loving to the people." Yan Song flattered him with a smile, and the group went directly to the square palace between Qianqing Palace and Kunning Palace.
It will be known as the Jiaotai Hall in the future and is now also called the Zhongyuan Hall. It was originally the place where the queen received her foreign wives on certain ceremonial occasions. It also has another function: to store the emperor's seals.
There is no current queen in the palace, and the Yangxin Hall has not yet been renovated. Zhu Houcong temporarily used this place as a study.
Because the east and west warming pavilions in Qianqing Palace are not big enough.
Yan Song and Liu Long were the first foreign ministers to know about the furnishings here.
In the main hall, a large map of the Ming Dynasty was hung.
In front of the imperial desk in front of the throne, there are three chairs in a circle, totaling eighteen, and there is a small desk in front of each.
Except for the row at the door, there are bookshelves behind the other two rows of chairs, which are already filled with many volumes.
Since the passing ceremony yesterday, all candidates' strategies have been sent here.
Zhu Houcong still looked at everyone.
Yan Song and Liu Long no longer needed to give orders today. They found a chair on each side of the imperial court and sat on it to continue helping the emperor refine the arguments and arguments in the examination paper.
To put it simply: cut out the nonsense and extract the key points.
How can this be a daily lecture?
Ever since they were able to work here on the eighth day of May, they have been doing secretarial work.
Unless the emperor had questions, the questions he asked were usually about specific matters.
Yan Song would not righteously advise the emperor to study the Four Books and Five Classics, read and lecture on history, and Liu Long was even more prepared to make no mistakes and not stand out.
But there is one thing that Yan Song doesn't understand: there are eighteen chairs here, what's the point?
Thinking of the Imperial Study Room of the Yangxin Hall that is being renovated... Couldn't this place be the Imperial Study Room now?
He didn't dare to ask more questions, but he knew that the emperor would never put eighteen chairs here just for the sake of the Japanese lecture!