When the outside world is noisy, a house near Fusi in Beizhen seems very quiet, where a group of brocade guards are guarded at the front and back doors.

The lights in the main hall are bright, and a group of officials are sitting here, and sitting in the hall is Lin Haoran, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, who is wearing a three-grade official uniform.

In the eighteenth year of Hongwu, there were two examiners and eight examiners.

Lin Haoran and the other examiners were invited to this house, which can be regarded as house arrest here, to make final preparations for the next examination.

The eight same examiners sat on both sides according to the order of their seats, including two officials from the Hanlin Academy, three officials from the Science and Technology Department, and three officials from the Sixth Ministry, but only one deputy examiner was missing.

As is the case, there will always be all sorts of things that are not planned. It is said that all the inner curtain officials will be invited here together when they go down, but I don't know what's going on, Jinyiwei can't invite the deputy examiner.

By this time, they had still not had dinner, and someone's stomach was already rumbling. It's just that no one dared to make a noise, and it seemed that he was sitting here honestly drinking tea, quietly waiting for the deputy examiner who had not yet arrived, and at the same time carefully observing Lin Haoran's face.

Lin Haoran saw the reactions of the eight fellow examiners, but he turned a blind eye to them, and still sat here pretending to be here, like a Mount Tai standing here.

It's not that he respects the late deputy examiner over there, but that he wants these people to understand the dignity and orderliness through this action, even if they are hungry, they also know the rules.

Two fellow examiners couldn't help but make a report to Lin Haoran, so they hurriedly went to the thatched house, and then obediently returned here to continue waiting.

"President!" Finally, someone couldn't help but make a sound.

All the officials turned their heads happily to look over, but they saw that it was Sun Long, the head of the household department.

Lin Haoran looked up at the past expressionlessly, and asked in a deep voice, "What's the matter?" ”

Chen Long met Lin Haoran's fierce gaze, but he couldn't help but swallow and spit secretly, and said incoherently: "Otherwise, we ...... We...... It's okay! ”

The officials knew what he was actually trying to say, and they couldn't help but sigh in disappointment.

Lin Haoran took a sip of tea, but suddenly said: "Let's wait for another stick of incense, if the vice president is not there, then let's have dinner together!" ”

He knew that these usually pampered officials had reached their limit, and they were afraid that they had already had dinner. Many things are too much, and now that the effect of getting off the horse has been achieved, then naturally there is no need to be hungry all the time.

"Yes!"

When the examiners heard this, their eyes immediately lit up, and they answered in unison. They felt that this high-ranking Zuo waiter of the Ministry of Rites actually had some human feelings, and a good feeling surged in their hearts.

After serving as the same examiner of the general examination last term, Zhang Siwei became the same examiner of the general examination again this year, and has been sitting here silently observing everything that is happening.

He found that it was not a fluke that this junior was able to occupy the position of the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, but that this person was indeed very methodical, and he knew how to be measured.

After a while, there was finally movement at the door. First, two brocade-clothed guards pushed the door open, and then an official wearing a robe with facial features walked in, and the deputy chief examiner finally arrived.

"Let's greet the VP together, and then have dinner together!"

Lin Haoran didn't plan to put up a shelf and said to the examiners present.

Zhang Siwei and others naturally agreed, especially some officials who had already been thinking about dinner, and they had already resented the belated deputy examiner of the examination.

"Elder Yuan Ge, please forgive me, the next official is too late this time!"

It was Hu Zhengmeng, a bachelor of Hanlin who came in from the outside, and in the face of Lin Haoran and other officials who took the initiative to meet him, he took the initiative to accuse Lin Haoran.

According to the fine tradition, the deputy examiner of the examination is usually selected from the Hallym Academy, but Hu Zhengmeng, a bachelor's student, is appointed as the chief examiner.

Hu Zhengmeng is a native of Yuyao, Zhejiang, and the 26th year of Jiajing's Huiyuan, but he won the champion for Li Chunfang in that subject, and he won the third place in Tanhua and the first.

In the thirty-fifth year of Jiajing, Hu Zhengmeng was promoted to the Hanlin Academy in the ninth year, and he was a lecturer in the palace.

Yuan Ge Lao?

When Zhang Siwei and the others heard this title, they couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, and turned their heads to look at Lin Haoran.

Lin Haoran didn't get angry, but responded with a smile: "Lord Bachelor, this time Yuan Ge Lao's son is also participating in the examination, but Yuan Ge Lao is presiding over the examination in order to avoid suspicion!" ”

The lights in this courtyard were dim, and Hu Zhengmeng realized that he had recognized the wrong person, and he also made a confession: "It turned out to be Uncle Zuo, the old man of the lower officials was dizzy, please don't take it to heart!" ”

"How dare you!" Lin Haoran looked at him and looked at him as if it was wrong, so he invited and said, "I'm afraid that Master Bachelor hasn't eaten yet, right?" I've been waiting for a long time, so let's sit down first, and let's talk while eating, okay? ”

"Okay, please!" When Hu Mengzheng learned that these people had been waiting for him, he was secretly moved in his heart, so he hurriedly raised his hand.

The officials were already hungry, and when they arrived at the dining room, they were in a hurry to enjoy dinner.

Hu Zhengmeng's face was obviously not good, and the whole person looked sick, but it made the officials present feel a little worried about his physical condition.

At dinner, he also explained why he was late.

Jin Yiwei originally went to the Hanlin Courtyard on time to ask for someone, but was told by the officials of the Hanlin Academy that Hu Mengzheng was sick at home today, but when Jin Yiwei arrived at Hu's Mansion, he pounced, saying that he was invited to Yuwang's Mansion.

As a result, they ran from Dongjiang Rice Lane to Hufu in the east of the city, and then to Yuwangfu in the west of the city, and then brought people back to the east of the city, and the time had quietly come to night.

When everyone heard that it was such a reason, they didn't know what to say for a while, but they shook their heads with a wry smile.

After dinner, Lin Haoran also told the officials directly: "From tomorrow onwards, we will start to formulate the examination questions, and each of them will get at least one set of questions, and the day after tomorrow, we will get together and finalize the questions!" ”

The officials responded respectfully, and they all returned to the inner house to rest.

Hu Zhengmeng's body looked weak, but the whole person looked unstable, Lin Haoran saw this and stepped forward to help, that is, Zhang Siwei helped the person back to the room to rest.

Although he was determined to reform the criteria for selecting the chief examiner of the township examination in the two capitals and thirteen provinces, the chief examiner at the level of the general examination still maintained the same set of seniority.

Obviously, Hu Zhengmeng's age is not young, and his health does not appear to be good, but because he is the most senior bachelor in the Hanlin Academy, and he is also Yuwang's teacher, he is still the deputy examiner of this year's examination.

Lin Haoran also sighed secretly about this, but it was not entirely a bad thing, if the imperial court really arranged an energetic deputy examiner, he might openly contradict himself.

The next day, the officials gathered to discuss the questions.

There are a total of 20 questions in the first session of the four questions of the Five Classics, and the questions here are relatively fixed and have regulations, and the questions should not be too simple and avoid colliding with the previous ones.

This is also the most controversial topic content among the eight fellow examiners, because everyone's questions can be used, and everyone's questions have attack points, but they all hope that Lin Haoran will adopt the topic he is best at.

In fact, the interests of various housing officials are in conflict. The quota for the examination is a fixed 300, but only the candidates selected from their own room will have the "teacher and student status", so everyone hopes that there will be a few more jinshi in their room.

Lin Haoran knew this very well, that is, he tried to distribute the twenty topics as evenly as possible, and did not want to waste too much energy on these less important things.

When it was time to prepare the third exam questions, Lin Haoran solemnly requested: "The third course of economic history and current affairs is mainly to examine the candidates' vision and ability, and you can choose more off-the-road current affairs policies, which are eclectic!" ”

Although no matter how he selected the candidates for this examination, he was able to successfully receive the protégés of the three hundred prospective jinshi, but out of the consideration of his own interests, he naturally hoped to be able to choose some really useful materials.

Xu Jieming presided over Jiajing's 32-year examination, but why did he favor Zhang Juzheng, who was "not a teacher and student"?

Chen Jin, the champion of the 32nd year of Jiajing, was sent out to Huizhou Mansion in Guangdong Province for failing to do his job in order to canonize the feudal government, but Cao Dazhang switched to the Yan Party, and Wen Yinglu was similar in age to Xu Jie.

Lin Haoran has been in the career for so many years, and he knows the importance of being a protégé, and in the face of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he is naturally eager to select some capable protégés.

"The subordinate obeys!"

When Zhang Siwei and other officials heard Lin Haoran's remarks, they knew that this leading candidate for the reform faction was indeed different from the past, so they responded one after another.

These house officials are all smart people, and they know that Lin Haoran actually wants to focus more on strategy this time, and he wants to choose some policy articles with sharpness and vision.

Although Lin Haoran's standards may be different from his own preferences, if he can make a few more Jinshi in his room, this is undoubtedly a cost-effective deal, and he will naturally recommend the paper according to Lin Haoran's preferences.

On the ninth day of the first month of February, the day when the trial will be held.

On the third watch, the sky was still dark, and the capital seemed to have suddenly woken up.

The lights of various guild halls and inns were lit up one after another, and it was not long before horse-drawn carriages with red lanterns with the words "Shuncheon Fuya" appeared on the streets, and they all came towards Shuncheon Gongyuan.

A drum beat was heard from the Shuncheon Gongyuan, and the Shuncheon Mansion and the guards had already surrounded the place, and officials were directing and maintaining order here.

In front of the dragon gate, there was a crowd of people.

4,500 candidates arrived one after another, and they had been studying hard for three years, and they were already gearing up, but they hoped that they would be able to "leap into the dragon gate" today.

When Lin Haoran, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, served as the chief examiner of this year's examination, this is already a well-known thing, and the voice of the capital is surprisingly unanimous.

This is not all the flattery of the scholars, but Lin Haoran's consistent style of acting, so that he not only won the support of the people, but also won the respect of the scholars.

In particular, Lin Haoran's role model has made more and more scholars abandon the idea of being promoted to become wealthy, but want to become an official like Lin Haoran who is loved by the people.

However, there will be all kinds of accidents, a carriage of the Guangdong Guild Hall has not arrived for a long time, and when I sent someone back to look for it, I learned that the carriage had a sudden accident on the way.

In anxious waiting, the men were finally picked up by the carriage they had been sent back.

Meng Zhao and a few candidates got out of the carriage, and their faces couldn't help showing bitterness, which was really not a good sign, but he still smiled and thanked the fellow villagers who were waiting here.

"Brother Tinglun, you're scaring us!"

Wang Shiju and Li Tingchen were also waiting here, and smiled heartily at Meng Lun, who was belated.

Meng Zhao looked disapproving, and responded to the two: "Good things are grinding!" In this high school, my teacher and I are in the name of this teacher and student! ”

"Huh...... We also have this intention, and we are willing to hand over the protégé thorn again with Brother Tinglun! Wang Shiju and Li Tingchen looked at each other and smiled, also looking confident and authentic.

"Please!"

"Please!"

The three of them bowed to each other again, and then walked towards the dragon gate together, looking warlike and waiting in line to enter.

In front of the gate of Suncheon Gongwonwon, a ceremony is being held.

"There is kindness for kindness, and there is revenge for revenge!"

A Taoist was leading several officers and soldiers to wave their flags and shout, and they were actually dancing the gods.

According to the consistent tradition of the examination, every year before opening the Tribute Courtyard, the Ministry of Rites will ask the monks to set up an altar on the Mingyuan Tower to beat Jiao to drive away the unjust souls in the Tribute Courtyard.

Bang! Bang! Bang......

As the auspicious time arrived, the nine salutes suddenly exploded, and the gate of the Suncheon Gongyuan Temple slowly opened.

Since the Suncheon Gongyuan just held the Suncheon Township Examination in August last year, the place is not too dirty, and after simple care, it is able to allow candidates to take the exam inside.

"Let's go inside!"

When Lin Haoran saw the gate of the Tribute Courtyard open, he walked in front of him and led the inner curtain official into the gate of the Shuntian Tribute Courtyard.

At the moment of stepping into the Tribute Academy, some dusty memories couldn't help but open. Especially when I walked through the corridor and came to Yongdao to see the Mingyuan Building in front of me and the test houses on both sides, I was also full of emotion in my heart.

Seven years ago, he was still an ordinary member of the more than 4,000 scholars behind him, but now he has become the examiner of the examination, from an ordinary scholar to a high-ranking official of the imperial court.

In fact, not only Lin Haoran, but also the deputy chief examiner and the eight same examiners behind him were also touching the scene, recalling their appearance when they walked in here as scholars in the past.

Lin Haoran has never been too emotional, knowing that he still has something to do, he walked along the Yongdao to the Zhigong Hall for the ceremony, and then went to the Jukui Hall where the inner curtain officials lived and worked.

When the group crossed the stone arch bridge, a bugle army came to the stone bridge to guard, both to protect the inner curtain officer and to put them under house arrest.

The outer curtain officials were headed by Zhang Yue, the left deputy capital of the Imperial Palace, who went to the public hall to hold a simple ceremony, and then climbed the Mingyuan Tower to observe, and at the same time let the candidates outside enter the venue one after another.

When the drum of the locked courtyard outside came, Lin Haoran sent the first exam questions through the trumpet army on the bridge to the outer curtain officer waiting at the other end through the stone bridge.

At the end of the test paper, a fixed process is immediately put into operation, and the questions are printed on the test paper and then distributed to the candidates in this room.

The 44th year of Jiajing's examination quietly kicked off, and it was also when the examination was held in the Shuntian Gongyuan Locked Courtyard that a prisoner was finally escorted to the capital.