Zhu Houzhao was already tired of waiting, and it wasn't until more than ten o'clock in the evening that the examiners came to him with the palace test papers.

The ministers kowtowed and bowed, and due to Li Dongyang's poor health, Yang Tinghe read the scroll to the emperor.

It stands to reason that the reader should read all the top three articles, but the emperor can choose not to listen. For example, three years ago, Zhu Houzhao only listened to an article, and he pointed out the champions, lists, and flowers in the order in which the marking officers had arranged.

Sometimes, the emperor would dislike someone in the top three, perhaps because he was not satisfied with the article, or perhaps he simply felt that the person's name was not good.

Therefore, the ministers would prepare a few more test papers and read the next few to the emperor. But basically you won't read too much, the emperor also has to give face to the minister, how can you not like the articles that people rank in front?

Obviously, after reading the three articles, Zhu Houzhao didn't like it.

"Who is this Yu Ben? There is no him in the top three in the exam. Zhu Houzhao said very unhappily.

Yang Tinghe waved his hands and saluted: "Your Majesty, Yu Ben is the one hundred and ninety-second place in the current examination, and because of his exquisite articles, he is temporarily ranked second. ”

Zhu Houzhao said depressedly: "Read it again!" ”

Yang Tinghe had no choice but to take out the spare volume, stand in front of the emperor and continue to read, and after reading it, he quietly listened to it.

Zhu Houzhao asked outrageously this time: "Why don't you have a name?" ”

Yang Tinghe explained: "The fourth place to the last place has not been opened, and the name is sealed. ”

Zhu Houzhao began to toss and ordered: "Then tear down the seal and continue to read!" Also, just pronounce the name, don't read all the articles. ”

The ministers were absolutely down, and they didn't know what the emperor was messing with.

Yang Tinghe had to keep opening the papers, read out the names of the candidates in turn, and read all the spare papers, but Emperor Zhengde was still not satisfied.

"Again, again, again!" Zhu Houzhao urged repeatedly.

After dismantling for a long time, and almost one-fifth of the demolition was completed, Yang Tinghe finally read: "Guizhou Xuanwei Si Wang Yuan." ”

"That's him!"

Zhu Houzhao suddenly laughed: "This name is good, and it is the champion when you hear it." ”

The ministers looked at each other, and probably figured out the truth: the name of Wang Erlang, the white-clothed flying general, had already been heard by the emperor, and it just met the emperor's selection criteria.

Yang Tinghe could not advise because his son was temporarily ranked first.

As long as he dares to say more than half a word, once the matter comes out, it will be to suppress the local scholars, and it is to seek the champion for his son for personal gain.

"Ahem!"

Yang Tinghe coughed lightly.

Liu Zhong immediately stood up and arched his hand: "Your Majesty, no!" ”

"Why not?" Zhu Houzhao asked, "Is it the examiner's decision to judge who is the first?" ”

Liu Zhong replied, "Yes." ”

Zhu Houzhao asked again: "Am I the chief examiner of the palace examination?" ”

Liu Zhong replied: "Only Your Majesty can be the chief examiner of the palace examination." ”

"That's right," Zhu Houzhao said with a smile, "You are the chief examiner of the examination, if you take one of the Huiyuan, and others say that you don't get it right, do you want to kill him?" ”

Liu Zhong stubbornly said: "If there is an examiner who thinks that the minister is not right, the minister will discuss it with him in detail, and it is impossible to go his own way." ”

Zhu Houzhao stood up angrily: "I will discuss with you one or two!" You say, why can't Wang Yuan be named the champion? ”

Liu Zhong replied: "Those who are ranked as ninety-eight must have poor articles. ”

Zhu Houzhao stretched out his hand and said, "Show me the scroll." ”

Yang Tinghe immediately handed it over.

Zhu Houzhao roughly swept it, and instantly had the same thoughts as the examiners: What the hell is this writing?

"Ahem!"

Coughing twice to hide his embarrassment, Zhu Houzhao said with a serious expression: "In my opinion, this volume of needles is timely, and there is something to say, and I don't know how much better it is than the general talk of other articles." If such an article does not point to the champion, what is the reason? ”

What a ghost!

Although you can't see the name when you mark the papers, the top three papers that will be tested are silently listed and evaluated separately.

Since Yang Shen and Zou Shouyi have been rated first and third, Wang Yuan's paper must be that wonderful answer sheet, and the fourteen examiners reacted instantly.

"Your Majesty, no!"

"Your Majesty, please think again."

One by one, the important ministers knelt down one after another, if Wang Yuan's strange articles were all pointed, it would be the biggest joke of the year, and it would be even more ridiculous than the anti-thieves hitting a hundred miles south of the capital.

In addition to Li Dongyang, even Yang Yiqing and Zhang Lun, who drew circles for Wang Yuan, knelt down.

It doesn't matter if Li Dongyang kneels or not, the old gentleman is not in good health, there are many reasons not to kneel, anyway, the joke will definitely not bother him.

Zhu Houzhao was originally just a whim, if only two or three ministers objected, he would probably go down the slope and get off the donkey, point Wang Yuan as a list or a flower, and he could also go to the Hanlin Academy to play with him. But of the fourteen marking officers, thirteen actually opposed, which made Zhu Houzhao furious.

Lao Tzu built a leopard house, you talk nonsense, and now you can't even point a champion, who is the emperor!

Zhu Houzhao held Wang Yuan's scroll and asked, "Tell me, what is wrong with this article?" There were rebels in Gyeonggi, and a lot of the Yanguan's recitals were handed over, so you also came up with this year's strategy questions. Now that some scholars have explained the problem clearly and explained all the stubborn diseases of the Ming Dynasty, you are still avoiding medical treatment! Is it really that I am a faint king? ”

These words were righteous and awe-inspiring, and every sentence was heart-wrenching, and the ministers hurriedly kowtowed and asked for guilt.

Chen Miao, the left attendant of the household department, behaved positively, anyway, he had been dismissed by Zhengde once, and immediately said: "Your Majesty, the minister once inspected the border affairs of Ningwu Sanguan in Shanxi, and in terms of horse administration, salt administration and military household system, Guizhou scholar Wang Yuan said that it is indeed reasonable. However, this person's article is too radical, and it has never been done before, and once it is implemented, the world will inevitably be in chaos. If this person is named the champion, he will be ranked as a minister in the future, and he will put the country and society in danger! ”

Zhu Houzhao sneered: "Let the scholars test the problems of the times, firstly, to select talents for the country, and secondly, to open up the way of speech." How can the Ming Dynasty be convicted for his words? If no one is allowed to speak, then I will remove all the officials tomorrow! ”

Jiang Mian, a scholar at the Hanlin Academy, said: "Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty will not be convicted for his words, but he cannot let the scholars discuss national affairs in vain and confuse the public with gossip. You can look at people with the text, and this article is very radical, and it can be seen that this person has a particularly strong personality and is not suitable for being an important minister. ”

Zhang Lun, the secretary of Dali Temple who drew a circle for Wang Yuan, said: "Your Majesty, the deeds of Wang Erlang, the white-clothed flying general, have also heard about it. If His Majesty favors this person, he may be judged to be the first in the second class, and in the future, he can enter the military department, enter the Dali Temple, and move the capital to the procuratorate. With its fierceness of not fearing life and death and daring to speak out, it is most suitable for the military department, the Metropolitan Procuratorate or Dali Temple, and it is absolutely not allowed to enter the Hanlin Academy. ”

Zhu Houzhao had his own crooked reasoning, he held back his anger, and said with a smile: "It is precisely because his character is too strong that he should enter the Hanlin Academy to cultivate his self-cultivation, you should all teach him well and bring him back from the evil path!" Ladies and gentlemen, I have entrusted you with the heavy responsibility of instructing Wang Yuan. ”

The ministers were speechless, the emperor is too capable of, you can't say that he is wrong yet.

Since it is impossible to object from the article and character, what should we find?

Wang Yan, the right deputy of the Imperial Palace, suddenly said: "Your Majesty, in the border land of Guizhou, if you point to the champion of Guizhou scholars, I am afraid that it will not be able to convince the scholars of Guizhou." “

This reason is very good, very powerful, very and funny, and it deserves to be the head of the officials.

When the other graders heard this, they all had an urge to roll their eyes. If this word spreads, not only will the scholars of Guizhou be unhappy, but the scholars of other border provinces will also fry the pot.

But I have to say, that's really a reason.

Historically, Emperor Jiajing used this reason to deprive a Yunnan scholar of the title of champion.

The Yunnan scholar is named Li Qidong, and he was listed as a first-class person by the marking officer. The news spread that night, and scholars from several border provinces gathered at the Yunnan Hall to celebrate. This is not only a happy event for Yunnan scholars, but also a great event for all the border provinces that have never produced champions.

As a result, Emperor Jiajing engaged in feudal superstition and listened to the nonsense of a Taoist priest. said that if there is a big drought today, you need a champion who can rain, so Jiajing, like Zhu Houzhao at this time, worked hard to find a scholar named "Qin Leiming".

But this kind of superstitious remarks cannot be said explicitly, so Jiajing said: "Yunnan is far away, and it is not appropriate to point the champion." "Not only did he not point to the champion, but he didn't even give the list and the flowers, and only threw it to be the first in the second grade, which is estimated to be angry by the marking officials.

When the frontier soldiers heard this, they were so angry that they wanted to hit the wall.

Zhu Houzhao sneered: "Guizhou is the land of the Ming Dynasty? ”

Wang Yan also knew that he was unreasonable, so he stubbornly said: "It is the land of the Ming Dynasty." ”

Zhu Houzhao shouted angrily: "Since it is the land of the Ming Dynasty, why can't the scholars of Guizhou be named the champion?" You said! ”

Wang Yan was also angry, kneeling and refusing to get up: "This person is not worthy of being the champion!" ”

"You're begging for a beating!" Zhu Houzhao was so angry.

Wang Yan straightened his waist: "Please give me the court staff!" ”

Zhu Houzhao was furious: "Get out, this is not Fengtian Temple!" He pointed to the other examiners, "Today's champion, I have decided!" Who has any objections? ”

The crowd fell on their knees and did not rise, and objected with silence.

Zhu Houzhao didn't bother to pay attention to them, sat back directly with Wang Yuan's scroll, and wrote down six red words: first class and first place.