In the Yongle Fang blog stack, eight scholars gathered in the room to discuss the background of the various officials under the Jin Palace, which was not a boring thing, it was actually a major choice related to themselves.

There is a tradition in the Tang Imperial Examination, that is, after the scholars come to the capital, they must worship under a certain high-ranking official through various relationships, regard themselves as his protégés, and submit a petition for nomination, hoping that the high-ranking official will promote him in the future.

This kind of atmosphere has penetrated into the bone marrow of scholars, and it is not forbidden if you want to, and the superior will generally turn a blind eye and let it go.

Even Pan Liao, who has always been upright and self-disciplined, is not exempt from vulgarity, and tries to climb Yan Zhenqing and regards himself as Yan Zhenqing's protégé.

This kind of submission of the petition is not only for the imperial examination, but also for the future future, Datang officials are all over the world, counting on the recommendation of the Ministry of Officials, that is a very naïve idea, there are very few opportunities, why do the Ministry of Officials recommend you, and not recommend people who have been greeted by high-ranking officials?

No matter how good your performance is in the local area, and it is difficult for no one in the DPRK to have a chance to stand out, the officials can easily say, 'What the people want, continue to stay in office'.

What's more, for the children of the poor family, there is also a big mountain of the famous family in front of the side, the children of the famous family have the internal operation of the family, they don't have to worry about it, they will go up when the time comes, and the children of the poor family have to rely on themselves for everything.

Therefore, at the time of the imperial examination in the capital, it has become a must-do homework for thousands of scholars to choose famous ministers and high-ranking officials to submit their petitions.

High-ranking officials also like this kind of nomination, and the new science and technology scholars are all a blank sheet of paper, which is conducive to their own training, becoming their own protégés, getting their own cultivation, and their children and grandchildren can also be rewarded by the other party in the future.

Scholars are also particular about submitting their petitions, and they are generally submitted before the imperial examination, so that they may be able to help themselves talk when they are admitted.

Of course, this possibility is very small, first, the officials do not know your true level, and secondly, the imperial examination is very strict, the examiners are all closed marking, and it is difficult to hand in the slips, what if it is revealed? Few officials would take such a risk for the sake of a scholar they did not know.

Some scholars plan to submit their names after being admitted, and this kind of consideration is understandable for scholars, but it may be a little insufficient in sincerity, and the officials will feel uncomfortable.

There is a more important reason, after being admitted, you are the protégé of the Son of Heaven, you only submit the certificate after you are admitted, which official dares to compete with the Son of Heaven for the protégé? Therefore, after the entrance examination, the applicant will not be accepted again.

Votes must be submitted before the exam, this is a common practice, many officials will receive a large stack of votes, but will not look closely, generally wait until the list is issued, the officials will carefully flip through, their votes are not in the examination of the scholars?

If you don't pass the test, burn it with fire, put it away, and wait for the scholar to come to thank the teacher for his support.

However, there are also many pretentious scholars who disdain this kind of nomination, Xiao Zhenye is one of them, he sits in his room reading a book, and has no interest in participating in this kind of discussion, in fact, because he is a child of a famous family and does not need to hand over this kind of nomination.

Suddenly, the door of his room was pushed open, and his friend Xie Changming rushed in, "Lao Xiao, accompany me to hand over the name!" ”

Xiao Zhenye pouted and said: "You are a son of the Xie family in Jiangnan, and the king of Cui Lu back then, Xie was actually reduced to the point of handing over his name to others?" ”

"What are you doing with all this nonsense, if the family can help me, I still have to submit the name? In the entire Southern Shi clan, apart from your Xiao family, which one else mixes well? The entire Tang Dynasty was a northern scholar. ”

"The Xiao family is no longer good, and there is not even a house in Chang'an."

"At least there is still a prime minister in your family during the Zhenguan period!"

"That's a lot of old stuff from years ago."

Xie Changming waved his hand, "I don't fight with you about this, I know that you have a high temperament and don't look down on us villains, but as a friend, can you accompany me on a trip?" ”

"Then let me tell me, who do you want to vote for?"

"I want to vote for Zuo Sima Duyou!"

Xiao Zhenye pursed his lips, "I really know how to choose, and I actually choose the head of the Ministry of Officials." ”

"I admire his knowledge."

"Hypocrisy! I just can't get used to seeing you villains who talk about it and do it behind your back, and you actually want to rely on you to govern the country, it's sad to think about it. ”

"Are you going to go or not?"

"Let's go! Just when I went out for a walk. ”

........

When the two came to the door of Du You's mansion, they were a little stunned, only to see a long line of scholars lined up in front of Du You's mansion, there were as many as two or three hundred people, and a man who looked like a housekeeper sat behind a table in front of the mansion to receive the name, and then each of them gave back a beautifully made wooden bookmark.

"These are all scholars who admire Dusima's knowledge?" Xiao Zhenye said with a sarcastic smile,

"Don't talk about the wind and cold!"

Xie Changming walked to the end of the team with the certificate of nomination, "If you come, you will be safe, after handing over the certificate of nomination, let's drink!" ”

At the end of the line was a gentleman in his early twenties, with a Chinese face, bright eyes, and a righteous look.

When the scholar saw Xie Changming coming, he smiled and said, "The two brothers are also here to hand over the certificate?" ”

Xie Changming was quite humble when he heard his words, and suddenly had a good impression, and said with a smile: "I am, he is not, and my brother is also the mountain gate of Bai Du Sima?" ”

Shizi nodded, "When I was a teenager, I saw Du Sima once, and I admired him very much, hoping to become his protégé. ”

"Then you have to be admitted, if you can't pass the exam, you probably won't be able to get it."

"I can only say that I try my best, this time it is Li Lao Xiangguo who is the main exam, does my brother have a bet on the question?"

Although Xiao Zhenye despised the submission of the name, he was very interested in the question and the like, so he stepped forward and said, "Brother thinks it was the examiner who made the question?" ”

"I studied the imperial examination questions of last year and the year before last, and I think the test questions are closely related to the current situation, for example, last year's policy topic was "Guanzhong in the World", it happened that the King of Jin launched the battle to recover Guanzhong, and the year before last was to attack Hui, and the imperial examination strategy is related to the border stopper, so I judge that it should be the King of Jin who made the question, and it is closely related to the current situation."

Xie Changming and Xiao Zhenye suddenly became interested, and Xie Changming asked with a smile: "May I ask your surname, where are you from?" ”

"In Xia Hanyu, my ancestral home is Luoyang, but I came from Xuanzhou, and I participated in Xuanzhou's township tribute last year and obtained the qualification."

"Brother Han was originally in Xuanzhou, so it's close, my name is Xie Changming, a native of Changzhou, that one is Xiao Zhenye, a native of Yuezhou, we are all Jiangnan scholars, so we should live close."

Han Yu said: "I live in Yongle Fang, what about the two brothers?" ”

Xie Changming laughed, "Sure enough, we live together, and we also live in Yongle Fangwen Blog Stack, what about Brother Han?" ”

Han Yu smiled bitterly and said: "In the lower family, I can only live in the temple, and I am currently living in Tianyin Temple, and I will copy the Buddhist scriptures for the temple, so I will be free of room and board." ”

Xie Changming was very bold and said with a smile: "Let's go have a drink later, I'll have a treat, let's talk about the question." ”

Han Yu hesitated for a moment, then said happily: "Since this is the case, the junior brother is disrespectful." ”

Although the queue for submitting the petition is long, it moves quickly, and the petition is actually a resume, including their own information and the information of their fathers and ancestors, as well as their own ambitions and opinions on the current situation in the world, which is generally folded in half and placed in an envelope, with a place of origin and name written on the envelope, such as Xie Changming who wrote Changzhou Xie Changming.

Not long after, Xie Changming and Han Yu submitted their names, and each got a bookmark, with Du You's signature on the bookmark, both of them cherished it very much, and carefully put it away.

The three of them found a tavern nearby, and the three of them sat down at a small table, today it was Xie Changming who had a treat, he asked for two pots of wine, ordered five or six side dishes, and Han Yu grabbed the jug and poured wine for them.

"Come on! A toast to our acquaintance with Chang'an. ”

The three of them drank all the wine in the cup, and Xie Changming said with a smile: "Brother Han has not been to Xi'anmen Street to play, it is really good, and it is worthy of being the most prosperous place in the world." ”

Han Yu scratched his head, "I'm going to take a look in two days, I've been copying Buddhist scriptures these days, and I really don't have time." ”

Xiao Zhenye said with a smile: "We can go together, we have to go again, I want to go to Weiyang Palace to have a look, I heard that ordinary people can also go in to visit." ”

Han Yu shook his head and said: "It seems that Weiyang Palace is closed, I heard what the abbot of the temple said, Weiyang Palace is used as a place for examiners to read papers, and hundreds of examiners have entered, and they are heavily guarded, no one is allowed to visit, and it will not be reopened until the imperial examination is over." ”

Xie Changming and Xiao Zhenye glanced at each other, and both of them showed disappointment in their eyes, knowing that they should have gone earlier.

Xie Changming waved his hand, "Forget it, let's go after the exam!" Maybe we can be admitted to Taixue and Guozixue. ”

Xiao Zhenye has always been concerned about the issue, so he asked, "Brother Han, what do you say today's topic will be?" ”

Han Yu pondered for a moment and said slowly: "I think there are three possibilities!" ”

Xie Changming and Xiao Zhenye were in high spirits, and said in unison: "I want to hear about it!" ”

"The first possibility is related to Taixue, last September, Taixue officially opened, abandoning the traditional scriptures, all changed to a variety of professional courses, causing great discussion in the world, I estimate that today's imperial examination will involve this part, in the policy is more likely; The second possibility is business, which is growing rapidly this year and may involve transportation and commerce. ”

"What about the third one?" Xiao Zhenye asked.

Han Yu took a sip of wine and said with a smile: "The third possibility is Hebei, last year the Jin army captured Zhaozhou and took a foundation in Hebei, I estimate that Li Wujun will be taken this year, so will the imperial examination topic about Hebei Domain Town appear?" ”