On the sixth day of the first month of March, a group of quasi-jinshi who passed the provincial examination gathered in the Chongzheng Hall and began the final round of the imperial examination. Because there was no need to worry about being dethroned, the 499 contestants were relaxed. If you know each other, you will call your friends and agree where to play after the game. Even if there is a gap on weekdays, it is also necessary to call "Brother Nian" to ease one or two.

Of course, there are exceptions.

Such as Huang Zhen. This old man was already terminally ill, and he didn't know what supported him to come to the Chongzheng Palace, saying that he wanted to participate in the palace examination. Of course, it's no problem to take the palace exam, but in case your brother can't get up in one breath and hangs up in the examination room, isn't it too unlucky?

As an old friend, Fang Zhongyong hurriedly stepped forward to comfort: "Brother Huang is sick, why do you want to come to participate in this Laoshizi's palace test?" ”

Huang Zhen said: "I already know Wenyuan's intentions. The foolish brother came this time, but he really didn't want to compete with the virtuous brother. But since ancient times, how can there be a jinshi outside the field, and let the foolish brother rest for a while, and you can also be a little more calm when answering the questions, Wenyuan don't mistake me! ”

Yes, this is determined to be a "martyr", let's not stop it, lest others think that we are jealous of our ability!

The other is very famous, Yang Chaye, a native of Hefei, Luzhou.

"History of the Song Dynasty: The Biography of Yang Cha" contains: Chamei demeanor, young and lonely, seven years old to be able to speak, the mother is quite knowledgeable, and she has tried to teach herself. Sensitive to the genus text, it is a system, if you don't care at first; and the manuscript is elegant, and it is called by the world. Be clear and decisive in the face of things, be diligent in the duties of officials, although there are many and never get tired of it. The carbuncle is made, as if it is right, and the business is painted for financial gain, and it is returned to Dadun, and people think that the use of God is too exhaustive.

With his highest position just "charging the three envoys", and often spraying people, uh no, often taking direct advice as his main business, he must have his merits in being able to pass on in the "History of the Song Dynasty".

Compared with Huang Zhen, Yang Cha, who is rumored to be seven years old before he can speak, obviously took the wrong medicine, uh no, he took **.

That Yang Cha has a thin figure and a white face and a slight beard, which is very much in line with the standards of a beautiful man in the Song Dynasty. Moreover, he wore a huge peony flower on his head, which is really comparable to the beautiful men of later generations, and ordinary fresh meat may be inferior to himself. (Not apocryphal, there is a story of the so-called "four-phase hairpin" in Shen Kuo's "Dream Creek Writings", so I will not repeat it.) ）

Zhao Zhen went to the palace, and everyone shouted long live.

The beautiful man Yang saw Zhao Zhen sitting down, and without waiting for Chen Yaozuo to announce the exam questions, he was stunned and said loudly: "The minister has something to understand, and he dares to show the official!" ”

Chen Yaozuo shouted angrily: "Above the Golden Palace, how can you wait for the wilderness." If it weren't for the fact that it was not easy for you to go to school, you would definitely go out of the temple and change your fame. Don't get back now! ”

This situation is unprecedented since the opening of the imperial examination in the Sui and Tang dynasties.

But Zhao Zhen, who has always been generous, was not very angry, and even looked at Yang Cha, who was still holding his neck, quite interestingly, and said gently: "The prime minister doesn't have to be angry. Since this scholar has something to ask me about, I can just answer it. It won't take too long, so I guess Zhongqing doesn't have any opinions! ”

Everyone said: "The minister doesn't dare." ”

Yang Cha was like a warrior who looked at death as if he were at home, and said with emotion: "Your Majesty is merciful, and allows your ministers to be presumptuous. The minister heard that during the Shangyuan Festival, there was a song "Qingyu Case" composed by the scholar surnamed Fang, which was extremely exquisite. His Majesty was happy, and promised that if Fang Mou Province tried to pass the test, he could directly point to the first place. Is it true that I don't know? ”

Zhao Zhen nodded and said, "This is indeed the case." All the important ministers in the DPRK and China know it. ”

Yang Chazuo angrily said angrily: "Since Your Majesty has already decided on the champion candidate, what is the use of me still participating in this palace test?" What's the use? ”

He took a breath and continued: "Yang is not talented, and he doesn't dare to ask for the first name, but Qingzhou Zhang Tangqing is famous all over the world, and he is really the best candidate for the top undergraduate student. If it is because His Majesty privately bestows and receives, where will the world's talents be placed, and where will the court rule be? Your Majesty, please think twice! ”

Yan Shu, the governor of the government, made a list of sins: "It is all the minister's inconsiderate thinking, so as to deceive the holy hearing." I hereby ask to resign from the post of governor of the government, and ask the Ministry of Rites to remove Fang Zhongyong's fame, demote him to a common person, and never be hired! ”

Fang Zhongyong was shocked.

We're a good boy, although we occasionally plagiarize some descendants (predecessors?). But we are also good babies who often get big red flowers in kindergarten! Why is it that Di Di is about to change my reputation?

I know that your Lord Yan's resignation is to retreat as an advance - the civil officials of the Song Dynasty are so arrogant, they resign at every turn, and they have to be invited by the official family three times and four times before they reluctantly appear again. But our Fang Zhongyong has not had time to contribute to the Zhao and Song dynasties, and he has not fully shown his talents.

What if the emperor and his old man are quick to talk for a while, and "grace is approved"? Who should we talk to?

Yan Shu's critical attack was too powerful for everyone to parry.

Seeing that it was going to be cold, Cheng Kong Daofu in the imperial history came out and said: "The scholar Yang Cha roared in front of the king, it was for the crime of dereliction of honor. Please punish Your Majesty! ”

Zhao Zhen smiled: "Shouldn't it be a crime of great disrespect?" ”

It is said that the anger of the person lasted no more than three minutes, and Yang Cha, who had calmed down, hurriedly knelt down and pleaded guilty: "The minister is guilty!" But I was annoyed in my heart: I regretted that I shouldn't have listened to Zhang Xiyuan's words, I wanted to have a reputation for being outspoken, but I didn't think that I would hate the official family. This is not a light crime! Zhang Tangqing, I will not give up with you!

Zhao Zhen sat on the dragon chair, watching everyone's performance, and couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous and a little boring. However, state affairs are important!

Zhao Zhen sighed lightly and said, "Yan Qing's words are serious. Qing is the pillar of the country, how can he resign lightly. As for Yang Cha, as well as Zhang Tangqing and others, I don't think I'm stupid, if you are really talented and learned, you will not be insulted. Take the test with peace of mind! ”

The questions of the palace examination were often drafted by the Hanlin scholars, and then approved by the emperor. If the emperor prides himself on his outstanding literary talents, or has the intention to find some talents from among the candidates who can solve the current hot issues, the emperor can also write the questions. Of course, the elimination of fraud should also be an important reason.

Therefore, although the vast majority of emperors were not very literate, no Hanlin scholar dared to do this risky work. Otherwise, the Emperor may think that you think he is not up to par, or that you want to cheat for personal gain. As a result, Li Di, a bachelor of Hanlin, "occasionally felt a cold" in a timely manner, and Zhao Zhen "reluctantly" came up with the question of the palace examination:

Zhou Tianzi's field is thousands of miles away, known as ten thousand rides, ten thousand horses are all equipped, and there are twelve idle horses, and the six Qing three hundred and sixty officials must all have their own carriages and horses, aren't there many carriages and horses? The land of a thousand miles is geometric, and the land of its shepherding is geometric, and how many horses can be accommodated? Thousands of miles of land, for the field geometry? What about the law of horses? Today, there is a wide range of horses, and there are often no horses, how can the ancient good raise horses and now is not good? It is advisable to say that it is right.

As soon as this question came out, there was a lot of grief.

To answer this question well, it is necessary not only to have practical insights into Ma Zheng, but also to master a certain knowledge of mathematics and geometry.

Fang Zhongyong couldn't have imagined that Zhao Zhen, who was nicknamed "Ren", still had a heart to fight in all directions. But he is not afraid, in the ancient times when "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic" and "Zhang Qiujian Arithmetic" were equivalent to the string theory of later generations, Fang Someone could boast of a sentence of "master loneliness".

Of course, since they can pass five levels and cut six will be selected to this golden palace through layers of selection, all of them are smart, diligent, or both smart and diligent, and the vast majority of people understand that the emperor's topic must be related to current affairs.

And to put it bluntly, there are only a few things about national affairs, civil, financial, legal, and military. It's just that most of the people's topics are related to civil and law, and as for the military, vulgar things have been heard of and have not been thoroughly studied. Yes, they scratched their heads and scratched their cheeks, or their faces were solemn, or their faces were like ashes, or they put down their pens in a depressed manner. If there is that Danqing's skillful hand and painting a "Palace Attempt", Fang Zhongyong thinks that it is really a human comedy.

Of course, Zhao Zhen still gave traditional literati like Liu Yong, who are longer than poetry and shorter than current literature, a way to live, and there are other poetry volumes to do. You can choose one of the two, and it's better to do both.

However, according to the "Regulations on Pro-Examination Jinshi" promulgated by Jingde of Song Zhenzong in the fourth year, "the state uses subjects to cover the world's heroes, righteousness to observe its general scriptures, endows it with its ancient knowledge, and discusses it with its knowledge, and strategies with its talents", if you want to achieve a good ranking, you must write a question, and you must write something to say, with a unique and feasible point of view. Otherwise, "Giving the Five Armors and the Birth of Jinshi" is waiting for you.

An official said, Wujia is also a jinshi, isn't it? What more bikes?

But you must know that the first and second class are called Jinshi and the first, the third class is called the Jinshi origin, and the fourth and fifth classes are the same Jinshi origin. This word "same" is amazing, and it basically determines the upper limit of your future career, that is, a petty official of five or six grades.

In order to fill the big hole that he dug "even six yuan, the official family gave marriage", Fang Zhongyong was even more obstructed by Zhang Tangqing and Yang Cha, and he was bound to write a wonderful essay that far surpassed his peers. Thanks to Lu Yu Cao Yi, he knows a lot about the disadvantages of the Great Song Dynasty Ma Zheng, otherwise, I am afraid that it will be suspended.

Rao is like this, Fang Zhongyong also racked his brains and worked hard to complete the 3,000-word policy article.

Because the nominal chief examiner of the palace examination is the emperor, the first emperor also had a clear edict that all those who enter the scholars are protégés of the Son of Heaven, so the officials who review the examination papers are called the paper reading officials, and there are also officials who are promoted, supervised, accepted, received, sealed, sealed, inspected, supplied, and written in the palace examination, respectively, responsible for the work of the palace examination. Therefore, Zhao Zhen, the "logo" of the palace test, just sat in the hall for a while, and left, until the end, and did not come back.

That night, it was sealed and transcribed.

The next day, the examiner criticized the examination papers.

On the second day, the basic ranking was determined, and the seal was opened in front of Zhao Zhen and the ranking was recorded.

But the names of the top three are vacant, that is, the commonly known champions, lists, and tanhuas, and the official titles are the first, second, and third places. This glory can only be appointed by the emperor, and others dare not and cannot do it for them.

Zhao Zhen pretended to be humble and asked, "Is there a candidate for Zhong Aiqing?" ”

Chen Yaozuo, the minister of Pingzhang, replied: "The ministers and others discussed the article and drafted Fang Zhongyong, Yang Cha, and Zhang Tangqing as the candidates for the top three tripods. As for the final situation, it is up to the officials to decide. ”

Zhao Zhen smiled: "I still trust Zhong Aiqing very much. That Zhang Tang Qing has a bad character, Yang Cha is impulsive and inorganic, how can he enter the top three? Put it in the top three, that is. ”

What happened during the palace test that day, everyone was a human spirit, how could they not see that Yang Cha was used as a gun by Zhang Tangqing, and there was no objection when they heard the words.

Only Kong Daofu said: "The official's eyes are like torches, and some tricks must not be hidden." But Yang Cha has been lonely since he was a child, although he occasionally made mistakes, but he is also a person who dares to speak out, and he asks the official family to raise one or two. ”

Chen Yaozuo said with a smile: "Imperial history Zhongcheng has the intention of soliciting? ”

Kong Daofu arched his hand and said: "A little selfishness, it's not worth mentioning." ”

Zhao Zhen smiled: "Kong Yuanlu also has selfish intentions, it's really rare!" That being the case, Yang Cha is the fourth, the original fourth Gong Dingchen, and the fifth Wen Yanruo are the second and third. Zhang Tangqing, in order to avoid his resentment, let's be the first in the second class! What do you think? ”

All are good.

Yan Shu, who has always maintained a state of "invisibility", bubbled at the right time: "Can the test papers be published to discuss in peace?" ”

Chen Yaozuo sneered: "Uncle Yan Tong also loves his son-in-law!" But don't worry, who of us and the others who read the papers is a favoritist, how can they be afraid of the discussions? ”

Yan Shugu asked: "The so-called human words are terrifying. A simple publication of the transcribed test paper will settle unnecessary disputes. Why not? ”