The hospital was locked for a few days, and three days before the start of the exam, Shen Li asked Wang Xijue and Lin Yanchao to discuss the examination at the Ministry of Rites.

In the public hall of the Ministry of Rites.

The rest of the officials were all retired, and there were only three chief officers who presided over the Ministry of Rites examination.

On the seat, Wang Xijue was in the center, and Lin Yanchao and Shen Li sat on the left and right.

Wang Xijue is a cabinet scholar and a general figure of the deputy prime minister, while Shen Li is a scholar of the Ministry of Rites and a member of the second rank. As for Lin Yanchao, although he is a bachelor of Hanlin, if he does not have the identity of the examiner, on weekdays, Lin Yanchao would not be qualified to be equal to the two.

Shen Li opened his mouth and said: "According to last year's procedures, there are seventeen examiners in the same examination, including eleven Hanlin officials, three Kedao, and three from the sixth department. ”

"Among them, there are five rooms for the Book of Changes, three rooms for the Book of Books, five rooms for the Book of Poetry, two rooms for the Spring and Autumn Period, and two rooms for the Book of Rites."

"The examiners are selected under the age of forty, and the officials of the six departments of Kedao are between the fifth and seventh grades, and the examiners of the Hanlin Tong are the following. Is it as usual in the past, what do the two presidents think? ”

Wang Xijue said: "This cabinet department thinks that the candidates for the same examiner should be more cautious, and select from the Hanlin Jing officials, first on the subject, then on the character, and then on the knowledge, and the evaluation is the priority. ”

Shen Li nodded and said: "What the president said is exactly what the sage recommends the virtuous, those who observe are not virtuous, and those who use it are difficult to be virtuous." This is a list of examiners for the same examination drafted by the Ministry of Rites a few days ago, and the two presidents were invited to read it. ”

Wang Xijue and Lin Yanchao have seen it successively.

Lin Yanchao saw that there were Ye Xianggao, Fang Congzhe, Xiao Liangyou and others on the list, as well as Gu Xiancheng, you must know that the examiners and examiners generally choose to read the following officials.

That is to say, three years ago, Lin Yanchao could still stay in Beijing and become the same examiner, but after becoming a bachelor this year, in addition to being qualified to be the chief examiner, and then being ranked as the same examiner with these 'subordinates', it seems that he has a discordant identity.

Since the people to be selected were on the list, Lin Yanchao acquiesced to the list in his heart, but he didn't speak, but looked at Wang Xijue.

Wang Xijue looked at the list and frowned slightly, and immediately ordered two people, one said that he was too old, and the other said that he was usually impetuous and not suitable to serve as the same examiner.

Shen Li crossed out the names of these two people from the list according to his words, and then mentioned the other two.

Wang Xijue agreed with one person, and was noncommittal to the other, and turned to Lin Yanchao and asked, "Master Lin, what candidate is there in your heart?" ”

Lin Yanchao said in his heart, the two bigwigs have their favorite candidates, if they propose another person, they don't offend the two of them at the same time, and they can't do it randomly.

At that moment, Lin Yanchao said: "The time of the lower officials in Beijing is short, and they don't know much about their colleagues on weekdays. ”

Shen Li smiled and said, "Master Lin is too cautious. ”

Wang Xijue was unceremoniously, and directly said the name of an official.

Wang Xijue named this person, and Shen Li no longer insisted on the original candidate, and wrote this person in the list.

Then Shen Li said: "Today's department is based on the Book of Changes, and the Book of Books is the book of scriptures, there are a lot more moves than in previous years, does the official mean to reduce one room from the other rooms and divide them into these two rooms?" ”

After Shen Li finished speaking, Lin Yanchao's heart moved, he is the master of the Zhishangshu, from his selfishness, of course, he hopes that there will be more examiners in the Shangshufang, and there will be more candidates for the Zhishangshu recommended in this way.

Wang Xijue said solemnly: "The Book of Changes is the first of the Five Classics, and the Book of Books is the beginning of the Five Classics. ”

At this time, Lin Yanchao said: "What the president said is extremely true. The official thought that the sage of Confucius was the Spring and Autumn Period, and every word and sentence contained subtle words, and this scripture must not be moved. ”

Wang Xijue praised when he heard this: "Reading the Spring and Autumn Period can argue right and wrong, clear and straight, and there are many loyal and righteous people in the sect, and the Spring and Autumn Room is indispensable." ”

Shen Li knew that Wang Xijue's scripture was the Spring and Autumn Period, and he wanted to cut off the Spring and Autumn Chamber, and Wang Xijue disagreed. Lin Yanchao's move also meant to show favor to Wang Xijue.

Lin Yanchao continued: "As for the Book of Rites, there are only two rooms, and they must be missing, but the five rooms of the Book of Rites can be reduced to one room. ”

So Shen Li asked: "Only one room of poetry, so does President Lin have a choice between the Book of Changes and the Book of Changes?" ”

Lin Yanchao said: "This official thinks that instead of making a trade-off, it is better to leave the other rooms untouched, and then ask the court to add one more room and set up one more examiner." ”

Wang Xijue questioned when he heard this: "The same examiner has always been seventeen people, and it has been many years, and if you suddenly want to add one person, will the court agree?" ”

Lin Yanchao took the initiative to say: "In the middle hall, students thought that when the imperial examination was held in the year of Hongwu, there were only eight examiners, but now it has increased to seventeen, and the reason is that there are more and more candidates. ”

"Judging from the number of candidates reported by the Ministry of Rites, there are more candidates this year than in the previous subject, and it is reasonable for us to ask for more examiners."

Shen Li thought so, and immediately asked Wang Xijue: "The official thinks it's okay, but what does the president think?" ”

Wang Xijue said immediately: "This cabinet department thinks that instead of increasing the number of fellow examiners, then if you want to add two people, so that there is no need to reduce one room in the poetry room, so it is decided." ”

Wang Xijue simply made a decision, Shen Li, Lin Yanchao would not object when he heard this.

Shen Li immediately promoted the person who had just crossed out from the list, this person was Shen Li's original favorite, this time Wang Xijue no longer objected, and Lin Yanchao naturally agreed.

After this incident, Shen Li and Wang Xijue both knew that Lin Yanchao was powerful, and he quietly balanced the differences between the two and let them each get what they wanted.

The highlight of the examiner selection passed, and Shen Li motioned to the officials of the Ministry of Rites to serve tea to the three of them.

The three of them drank tea each.

Then Lin Yanchao said: "This official still has one more thing." ”

Shen Li put down the teacup and said, "President Lin, please speak!" ”

Lin Yanchao said: "This is the matter of this question. ”

Wang Xijue paused after listening to the action of drinking tea, and then put the tea cup aside.

Lin Yanchao said at the moment: "The official thought that in the past, the house official only looked at the first scene, and the first seven articles only focused on the first three. ”

"The first seven articles to see the examinees to explain the meaning of the subtle words, the second test to teach the examinees, judgments and other case articles, the last question is to see the changes of the examinees through the past and the present, whether they can apply what they have learned, it is not only to study as an official, but also to apply the officials' experience in the world, so the official intends to let the officials of each room after reading the three games and then recommend the papers, thinking that it is prudent, I don't know what the two adults think?"

Shen Li knew that Lin Yanchao had said this, nodded, and then looked at Wang Xijue.

Wang Xijue glanced at Lin Yanchao, and then asked: "After the three exams, the recommendation papers will be made, and it will only be a few days before the trial list will be released, and there will be nearly 1,000 recommendation papers in each room, can President Lin read it?" ”

Lin Yanchao said with a straight face: "The official thinks it is feasible!" ”

Wang Xijue nodded and said, "Even if this is the case, the cabinet department has no objection." ”