In the Song Dynasty, the examination was conducted by the local military prefecture, while the provincial examination was conducted by the Shangshu Province.
So what about the palace examination? Since the examination is conducted in the name of the emperor, but the emperor has many things to deal with every day and cannot be responsible for everything in the palace examination, so which yamen is responsible?
There was no palace examination in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, but after the Song Dynasty established the palace examination, it faced such a problem.
In the Song Dynasty, there were two institutions that served the emperor: the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Among them, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was closer to the emperor and was also called the Ministry of Internal Medicine. The Imperial Medicine Academy was affiliated to the Ministry of Medicine, and its position as Imperial Medicine was due to its long-term service to the emperor's medicine.
, so he is closest to the emperor.
At the beginning of Song Renzong's accession to the throne, the Imperial Medicine Academy was only responsible for dispensing medicine.
But after that, Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty continued to reuse the Imperial Pharmacy Institute. The Imperial Pharmacy Institute was no longer just boiling medicines for the emperor. By the time of Jingyou, it had been divided into raw and cooked medicine cases, miscellaneous affairs cases, and opening and closing cases.
Among them, the miscellaneous affairs are responsible for the selection of candidates for the palace examination, the suburban sacrificial ceremony, the preparation of banquets, the production and supply of imperial uniforms, etc.
When taking the interpretation test and the provincial test, candidates bring their own test papers, which are bound by the bookstore and stamped by the official.
Then when it comes to the palace examination, these people are all the so-called disciples of the emperor. How can the emperor be so picky with the candidates when facing his own students? Naturally, I generously gave him the money for the examination paper.
So the Royal Pharmacy Institute took charge of binding the examination papers smoothly.
In addition, there is a rule in the provincial examination. If you encounter a test question that you cannot understand and do not know its source, you can ask the examiner for help.
In the palace examination, candidates cannot go to the emperor for advice.
Therefore, starting from the first year of Jingyou's reign, Zhao Zhen asked the Imperial Medicine Academy to take charge of this matter.
All the examination papers for the imperial examinations were printed on engravings, and the emperor would inform the eunuch of the Imperial Medicine Academy about the examination questions and their sources in advance, so that he could print them on the examination papers.
The emperor believed that the ministers of the Imperial Medicine Academy were his own, unlike ministers who colluded with scholars, and would never leak examination questions to candidates in advance.
At the same time, the Royal Medicine Academy is also responsible for supervising the examiners, which means that it is responsible for everything for the emperor, and no one dares to supervise it. Of course, this is also because they do not give up in the imperial examination, and candidates generally do not take risks because of this.
However, Wang Kui was accompanied by a businessman and was whispering to an internal minister of the Royal Medicine Academy. Wang Kui learned that the three examination questions asked by the emperor were "The King's Comprehension of Heaven, Earth and Man" and "The Poetry of Heaven's Virtue and Qingming". As for there was another discussion
, the other party did not say it directly, but made another request to Wang Kui.
Wang Kui felt that the other party's asking price was too high, so he did not agree. But even though he was accepting the two questions, Wang Kui had already made up his mind. Now that the imperial examination would only last a few days, he thought carefully, and he would definitely be able to get the top prize at his fingertips.
February 26th, the day before the imperial examination.
Zhang Yue Huang Lu went to the bookstore to get a number. On the day of the palace examination, he had to show his number to enter the hall. The fee was not more than two hundred dollars.
However, Zhang Yue lamented that since he entered Taixue, he has contributed to the bookstore three or five times. Not only studying, but also the imperial examination is also a costly matter, so he can pass through all the barriers.
There are really not many people here who have no money at home.
The people at the bookstore hinted that if Zhang Yue gave him some more money, he could get a seat for the exam the next day. Of course, getting a seat for the exam would make it easier for him to cheat with his neighbors, or even hire a gunman.
Even when it comes to the palace examination, cheating is still inevitable.
Zhang Yue lamented that our system in the Song Dynasty was really easy to exploit. However, Zhang Yue simply asked about the price and shook his head. It was too expensive. But having said that, as the second place in the provincial examination, who should I copy when I got to the examination room? ?
I'm afraid the only way is to sit next to Jiang Yan.
After paying the money, Zhang Yuehuang Lu walked out of the bookstore, and the bookstore clerk sent him out, constantly saying auspicious words.
The other scholars were puzzled when they saw him. When they asked, they learned that it was Zhang Yue who was second in the provincial examination. They were all relieved, and many people came forward to make acquaintance with him.
There were many scholars coming to the bookstore to ask for a number that day. The bookstore where Zhang Yue asked for a number was right next to Nanxunmen Street, the main road into Bianjing.
After Zhang Yue and Huang Lu said goodbye to the scholars, they saw that the street was very prosperous.
When today was in the year of Jingyou, after the market system was abolished, people could open shops on the streets at will, and the prosperity of Bianjing's market suddenly exploded like a blowout, appearing in front of everyone who came to Bianjing.
The walls of the houses were torn down and replaced by shops.
However, there are pavilions and pavilions built on Nanxunmen Street, and willows and apricots are planted along the banks of two rows of aqueducts. Under a big willow tree, there are three or five sunshade umbrellas, and tea sellers are carrying burdens or sitting on square tables with people in the market. Tea fighting and selling tea, this scene attracts people who are new to Bianjing to linger in front of the vendors. This is a first-class smoke-filled scene.
In addition to the market, there are also many mansions of wealthy officials on both sides of Nanxun Gate.
Many of these high-ranking official residences have built watchtowers. Officials do not allow their women to lean on their doors to watch the streets. They think this is a first-class debauchery, so they build watchtowers specifically for women who live in boudoir and are inconvenient to go out. Climbing the stairs in Fuzhong overlooks the street view.
During the Tang Dynasty, the dignitaries built the street towers that were rich and luxurious. When an upright imperial censor came to power, the dignitaries covered up the street towers when they heard the news.
As for the market stories of the Tang and Song dynasties, countless encounters between men and women take place in street buildings.
On this day when the bookstore hall was open for registration, women from wealthy families on the left and right sides of Nanxunmen came up to the street-viewing tower to look at the street. The more reserved women put down the street-viewing curtains, or lowered the curtains to peek behind them, or There were also women who raised the curtains and looked around, pointing at the scholars and talking and laughing.
As a group of scholars passed by the street, it was unclear whether their hearts were filled with excitement.
Zhang Yue and Huang Xinghao walked and chatted on the street without looking around.
As they were walking, they heard a conversation and laughter upstairs in the street, and saw an embroidered handkerchief falling lightly from upstairs and landing in front of the two of them.
Zhang Yue raised his head and saw a woman on the street in front of him. She covered her face with a fan and couldn't hide her smile.
Zhang Yue knew that if he wanted to, he could pick up the embroidery and return it to Padeng Mansion, and maybe a marriage would come true.
However, Zhang Yue just bowed to the woman upstairs and left. Occasionally, he heard a sentence in his ears that the tall man was so elegant and handsome, but it was a pity that he didn't have the chance.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but look back, but saw a woman looking at him upstairs. Seeing him looking back, she smiled and turned away.
Zhang Yue smiled sheepishly. At this moment, he felt that his steps were light and the world of mortals was so vivid and beautiful, especially before the palace examination tomorrow.
At this moment, he seemed to be waiting for the dice to be opened. Although he had not yet opened the lid, the size of the dice had been determined. Although Zhang Yue knew that there would be a good result, he was still waiting for the final result as to how big it would be.
The reveal scene.
As for the embroidered handkerchief floating in front of me, it is an embellishment of this experience and will be forever engraved in my memory.
After returning to the house, Butler Wu served tea soup to the two of them.
After Zhang Yue had tea, he went to his study and wrote a poem and a policy without hesitation. Then he stretched the bow dozens of times in the yard, sweated a lot from the exercise, and took a bath.
I took a shower and chatted with Butler Wu and the others for a while. Everything was as calm as usual. Keep your mind calm and don't affect your emotions. At the same time, you must put some pressure on yourself appropriately. This is the state of preparation before Zhang Yue's palace exam.
For more than twenty days, Zhang Yue lived like this, like a soldier sharpening the edge of the sword in his hand before going out for battle.
Finally, Zhang Yue and Huang Lu had a light and delicious dinner.
After eating, he went back to his room. Zhang Yue checked his belongings for the exam the next day and then went to bed, because he had to get up early in the morning after the third watch the next day.
February 27th.
Huang Lu got up early and woke up Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue saw that Huang Lu looked poor and had a phlegm sound in his throat.
Zhang Yue thought to himself, Huang Lu wouldn't know what went wrong during the imperial examination.
"Anzhong, how did you sleep last night?"
Huang Lu nodded and said, "My nose is a little stuffy."
Butler Wu came in immediately. He knew that Zhang Yue and Huang Lu had to go to the examination room early in the morning, so they stayed busy all night long.
Butler Wu said: "Mr. Lang, are you asking about the food carriage?"
Zhang Yue said: "No, if there is any medicine to remove wind evil, make a bowl of it right away."
Huang Lu waved his hand and said, "It's okay. I'm afraid that I'll fall asleep after taking the medicine, so I'd better just eat some hot soup and hot food. I don't think it'll be a big deal."
Zhang Yue saw this and said, "That's alright. Butler Wu will prepare some medicine for Anzhong to take with him, and some hot soup and food."
Zhang Yue always had a good appetite and ate a lot before the provincial and palace examinations, but Huang Lu only ate a little.
Zhang Yue said: "The imperial examination takes a whole day. Eat as much as you can, otherwise your writing will tremble."
Huang Lu nodded and reluctantly ate some more.
Zhang Yue took some more food, put it on his body and said to Huang Lu, "Eat while walking."
The carriage was arranged by the Wu family, and Tang Jiu accompanied the two of them in the carriage.
After Zhang Yue boarded the carriage, Butler Wu and other servants chased him to the carriage and loudly said auspicious words. Zhang Yue smiled and lowered the curtain, and then the carriage drove the two of them away at a high speed.
Before the fourth watch, the carriage drove straight from Nanxunmen Street to the Imperial City. The sky and the streets were pitch black all the way. After entering the inner city, they turned a corner and finally arrived in front of Donghua Gate.
Zhang Yue and Huang Lu got off the carriage one after another.
However, I saw that the city gate was lit with several fires, the imperial guards at the foot of the imperial city were standing guard outside the imperial city, and a waning moon was still hanging on the top of the city. There is a set time for the opening of the imperial city, and now the princes are coming one after another.
They arrived here one after another and waited outside the city gate.
Zhang Yue took out some food from his pocket and shared some with Huang Lu.
Overhearing two scholars chatting, one said: "Did you know that Brother Jiang Sheng died of illness a few days ago?"
"Ah? Why is this happening? Brother Jiang Sheng has always cherished his body, hasn't he? Why did this happen before the imperial examination? Why are you so unlucky?"
The other party replied: "After passing the provincial examination, Jiang Sheng was naturally happy, but he was not a playful person. He lived in a hotel and did not go anywhere. Unexpectedly, one night, Jiang Sheng's brother suddenly fell ill for some unknown reason.
I was in a foreign country, and I didn't know how to ask a famous doctor to treat me. As a result, I was ill for two days and then died. Now I have to recruit a person who was previously ranked low."
Another person sighed: "One more thing, this sick person also has a bad life, and it is also a good life to replace this person."
After Zhang Yue heard this, he immediately felt that it was really a trick of fate.
The imperial examination was coming soon, Zhang Yue couldn't help but pace around to calm down, but he saw that the scholars on his left and right were relaxed and optimistic, which was different from his nervous look.
Zhang Yue thought for a moment and understood why. The most cruel provincial examination had already been passed. They were only here to determine the final ranking. Jinshi was already within easy reach for them.
But I am different. I am here for this palace examination, and without any other reason, I am competing for the top prize.