After sending Fan Guang away, Yu Qian returned to the study again and stood opposite Yu Shiyue. Under the flickering candlelight, both of them couldn't help but sigh.
Looking up at Yu Qian, Yu Shiyue asked.
"Tingyi, why didn't you explain the matter clearly to Governor Fan just now?"
In fact, Fan Guang was only half right just now.
Yu Qian is indeed worried that the tribute paid by Oala this time will affect the imperial government's policy of reorganizing military camps. However, this influence may not come from the border, but more importantly, from the court!
Hearing this, Yu Qian shook his head gently and said.
"Dudu Fan is right. He is a distinguished military commander and serves in the capital camp. As long as the border is safe, then the rest of the matter is out of his hands."
"This time when Wala pays tribute, no matter what their intentions are, someone in the court will definitely use them to prevent the reorganization of the military camp."
Yu Shiyue looked stern, frowned, and asked.
"Are you saying that someone will collude with the Wala Mission and take advantage of the situation on the border to force the imperial court? Or are they behind the many provocations on the border today?"
Yu Qian pondered for a moment, slowly shook his head and said.
"It's hard to say. At least so far, there has been no relevant news from the army. I have also asked Your Majesty privately. The Jin Yiwei manpower deployed at the border has not noticed any relevant signs. Therefore, after the border provocation,
It should not be possible for someone to be a foreigner."
"However, there are many people in the capital who don't want to see the imperial court reorganize the military garrison. This is a sure thing. These people, seeing the tribute envoy from Ou La coming at this moment, I'm afraid they won't be able to calm down."
After hearing this, Yu Shiyue also sneered and said.
"These people are filling their own pockets and fattening their brains. They have no regard for the situation of the border troops and the stability of the border. Now that the court wants to take action, they dare to block it. They are really the worms of the country!"
Compared to his old friend's anger, Yu Qian's face was calm and he spoke.
"This is why I invited Governor Fan here again today. You and I can handle the conspiracy and struggle in the court, but we must not lose anything at the border. If these people are secretly plotting to prevent the reorganization of the military camp, there is no other way they can go.
Just two."
"Either it intensifies border provocations, or it becomes passive resistance. The only thing I worry about is that the former comes true and destabilizes the country."
"However, since Governor Fan and Marquis Yang have already made their judgments about the current situation in the grassland, they do not dare to raise troops easily. Then, the rest depends on the tactics of the Ministry of War."
Yu Qian said these words in a calm tone, but the more so, the more Yu Shiyue, who knew Yu Qian, could feel the turmoil hidden under this calmness.
However, what he knew better was that Yu Qian's mental strength could not be shaken by ordinary people. While a trace of worry flashed in his heart, he pondered for a moment and asked.
"In that case, Tingyi, when do you think these people will take action?"
During this period, although the imperial court was calm, the Ministry of War was not idle either. Although it seemed that there were no big moves, Yu Qian and Chen Yi from the Metropolitan Procuratorate had basically finalized the list of censors who would go on patrol.
.
It won't be long before the process of clearing land and land will be officially launched. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that clearing land is the first and most critical step in the entire process of organizing military settlements.
As long as this step can be completed smoothly, the rest will be much simpler.
Therefore, if these people want to prevent the reorganization of military settlements, they will inevitably take action during the process of clearing the land.
Yu Qian's eyes narrowed, and he looked through the open window lattice. He didn't know where he was looking, and he spoke softly.
"March, spring hunting!"
…………
February has arrived in the blink of an eye, and the capital has become very lively. Although there are still many important events in the imperial court, at this moment in February, there is no doubt that there is only one most important thing, and that is the talent of the imperial court.
Dadian, Chunwei Scientific Examination.
Zhu Qiyu was sitting in the Fengtian Hall, with a group of civil and military ministers below. Facing the rising sun, under the guidance of the etiquette officer, a group of candidates for the new imperial examination entered the hall and bowed respectfully.
"Long live my emperor! Long live! Long live!"
After a month of planning, this spring festival has finally come to an end.
Palace exam!
After freeing themselves from the ceremony, under the guidance of the etiquette officer, each person stood in front of the table set up in front of the hall, with pen, ink, paper and inkstones already prepared.
Immediately, an eunuch came forward, unfolded the imperial edict on a jade scroll and yellow silk, and read it loudly.
"The Emperor is entrusted with the destiny of heaven, and he says: I am the only one who has ruled the world since ancient times. There are three important things: Tao, virtue, and merit. However, there is no Tao like Fu Xi, Shen Nong, and Huang Di. There is no virtue like Yao and Shun. There is no merit like Yu Tang. Civil and military saints.
, it cannot be easy to admire him for all eternity."
"I want to study the subtleties of his mind, how to promote governance, and educate the world. Although it is not beyond cultivation, tribute, schools, rituals and music, conquests, and punishment, I want to participate in its production.
, Tongfu has nothing to judge from the past, how can he be accurate in the present?"
"I have inherited the great position of my ancestors and have been thinking about it day and night. I can only rely on the moral merits of the ancient saints. If I have one of these moral merits, I can be called a saint. However, Fuxi, Shennong, Huangdi were called emperors, Yao and Shun were called emperors, and Yu
Tang Wenwu said that he was a king. Is the reason why his title is different due to his moral merit? Is it because of the ups and downs of suppression and upbringing? The reason why a saint is a saint is one and the same. Why does the emperor descend and become emperor? The emperor descends and becomes king.
Huh?"
"Master Zi learned what he learned from his teacher and gained it for himself. It is appropriate for him to know everything about it. He is the one who said it. Since he has inherited the position, he has come here and his equipment has been presented. I will see it personally. I admire it!"
Different from what ordinary people expected, the strategy for the imperial examination was not a simple sentence, but a whole question. The content was no longer the Four Books and Five Classics, but was selected by the emperor. Under normal circumstances, it would involve national affairs.
Major events, or the way of governing the country.
The question of this palace examination obviously belongs to the latter. To sum up such a long paragraph, it is actually very simple. It is the usefulness of Tao, virtue and merit in governing a country. Or to put it more straightforwardly, in today's world, governing a country
What principles should be followed to create a prosperous situation?
It should be said that this topic is very grand, and even among the Gong Gongs present, no one dares to say that they can give a specific answer.
However, although it is grand, it is actually not very difficult. Compared with those questions that examine the handling of government affairs, this kind of large and vague question is actually easier to write.
After all, these scholars read the Four Books and Five Classics, and what they are best at is "speaking on behalf of the saints".
Therefore, after the question was announced, each of the scholars present received a copy of the question, but they could not begin to answer the question. Instead, they had to kneel down to thank them first.
Afterwards, the emperor drove out of the palace, and the civil and military officials also left. When only the deacons and scholars were left in the entire palace, they could sit down and start answering questions.
The process of the palace examination is very boring and very long. It lasts from early morning to dusk. There will be a short rest period in the middle. Guanglu Temple will serve wine and food. However, during the whole process, you are not allowed to say a word, otherwise you will be expelled directly.
Fengtian Hall.
Therefore, this entire day, it was basically quiet in Fengtian Hall.
However, what was different from the quiet atmosphere in the hall was that the elders were already talking among themselves before they left Fengtian Hall and returned to the Yamen.
The emperor's question was ordinary to the scholars, but to the elders in the court, it was something worthy of careful consideration.
"Scholar Xiao, stay."
As soon as he left the palace gate, there was a sound from behind. Xiao Fan turned around and saw that the person who stopped him was none other than Jiang Yuan, the cabinet scholar.
Logically speaking, the examiner of the palace examination is the emperor, so all examination papers should be reviewed by the emperor himself.
However, at each examination, the number of scholars who entered the palace examination ranged from nearly a hundred to two to three hundred. The emperor did not have the time to look at them one by one.
Therefore, there was a palace examination examiner, who was called a examiner, but in reality he just read examination papers.
Moreover, there is only one day for grading the papers in the palace examination. Today, the palace examination is over and the papers will be marked after they are sealed. Within two days, the examiner will select about ten papers and submit them to the emperor for review one by one by the emperor.
, and finally determine the top three in the palace examination.
Therefore, the workload is still very large, and there are not many examiners for the Imperial Examination, there are ten of them.
Among them, three are in the cabinet. Except for Wang Ao, the first assistant, and Yu Shiyue, the second assistant, the others are record readers. The remaining seven people, each of the six ministries have a minister, plus the chief academician of the Hanlin Academy.
Xiao Tan, co-composed.
Although the ten examiners are nominally in no particular order, in fact, in all previous examinations, everyone has agreed that Hanlin Bachelor is the chief examiner.
After all, after the first three people are selected, they will eventually enter the Hanlin Academy. It is considered that the Hanlin bachelor is choosing his disciples.
If you are really dissatisfied with a few Hanlin bachelors, you will be looking for trouble if you enter the Hanlin Academy.
Xiao Tan has always had a good temper. What's more, this time he has to share the class with Jiang Yuan and others to review the papers, so his attitude is naturally very good. He turned around and said with a smile.
"Mr. Jiang Ge, what's the matter?"
Jiang Yuan cupped his hands and said.
"Scholar Xiao, although it is still early, there are a large number of scholars in this palace examination. I am afraid that we will need to work overtime. However, after all, it is a national talent promotion ceremony, so we must be cautious."
"The question your Majesty asked has a grand content and seems simple, but it is not easy to say something meaningful. I'm afraid we will have to discuss a regulation on how to grade the exam."
"Jiang and Mr. Zhang Ge and Mr. Zhu Ge discussed it. If Academician Xiao has nothing to do, why not have lunch in the cabinet and invite a few others to discuss it together?"
Xiao Ban had this plan in his mind, but before he had time to say it, when Jiang Yuan mentioned it, he didn't hesitate much, nodded and agreed.
…………
Two days later, at the Wenhua Hall.
Zhu Qiyu is high on the throne, and below him is Xiao Tan, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.
"Your Majesty, the examination papers have been completed. Your Majesty, please name the top three."
At this moment, what Zhu Qiyu has in front of him is the test paper that has been selected and unanimously considered by all the marking officers to be the best. What Zhu Qiyu has to do is to select the top three among them and award them with the rank of Jinshi.
He reached out and looked through it, and the one placed at the top was a scholar named Cheng Zong. Seeing this situation, Zhu Qiyu couldn't help but frown, and his eyes fell on Xiao Hao below.
You should know that, although theoretically speaking, the ten papers for the palace examination are not ranked in order, and the specific ranking is determined by the emperor, but the default is generally that the three papers placed at the top are the top three in the eyes of the marking officer.
Three.
In other words, Cheng Zong's paper was the one that won the most favor from Xiao Fan, the examination paper reader of the palace.
Of course, saying this is actually not accurate enough.
In fact, when it comes to the palace examination, the talents, learning and writing skills of many scholars are almost the same. It is impossible to really say how rare it is to discuss policy. After all, they are all scholars who devote themselves to studying. They have much to do with the practice of national policy.
It's empty talk. Therefore, the real competition in the imperial examination is no longer about talent and learning, but about human nature and sophistication.
In fact, after the examination, these candidates who had only half-footed their way into the official career were already considered to have entered the officialdom.
In the officialdom, the most inescapable thing is connections. Those who know a little about people, after the joint examination, have already begun to show their talents to the palace examination examiners whom they think are possible.
There are ten examiners in total for the Imperial Examination, and they are not ranked in order, but there is no doubt that Xiao Tan, as a Hanlin scholar, has the most say among them.
So in fact, the so-called most popular with the marking officer actually means being the most favored by the marking officer and wanting to be accepted as a disciple.
This was a common unspoken rule in the palace examination, and Zhu Qiyu didn't care about it, but he had to say that Xiao Tan's vision was really not that good.
If it were anyone else, that would be fine. Cheng Zong, let alone the top pick, even if he reached the top three, Zhu Qiyu felt it was not enough!
Many things have changed in his past life, but during this palace examination, Zhu Qiyu still saw many familiar faces.
One of them is Cheng Zong.
It should be said that in his previous life, Cheng Zong's scientific examination results were not outstanding. He didn't even make it to the second level, and only got 31st place in the third level.
The reason why Zhu Qiyu was deeply impressed by this man was that he was a famous traitor in the Chenghua Dynasty and had neither ability nor moral character.
The imperial court sent him to inspect Yunnan and appease the chieftains. However, not only was he unable to mediate the conflicts, he instead relied on his power to dominate. While squeezing the local chieftains, he curried favor with the DPRK ministers in an attempt to advance, which almost led to another rebellion in the western Yunnan frontier.
.
How can such a person enter the official career?
Looking at Xiao Yu with dissatisfaction, Zhu Qiyu did not reprimand him for no reason, but opened Cheng Zong's paper first.
In the final analysis, only he knows these reasons, and only he knows Cheng Zong's character. It is really too much to use this to criticize Xiao Hao.
However, after reading the whole article, Zhu Qiyu's brows couldn't help but frown more and more tightly.
After a while, he put down the paper, thought for a moment, picked up the ink pen and wrote a few words on it, and handed it to the waiter beside him.
Cheng Jing was serving at the side today. When he saw the test paper that the emperor had reviewed, he couldn't help but be shocked, because the emperor only wrote two sentences on the test paper.
"It's nonsense and should be dismissed!"
Eight simple words mean that Cheng Zong, who was originally a candidate to become the number one scholar, has turned into a failed candidate who has wasted all his efforts...