On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15, all the people in Beijing will offer moon cakes, melons and fruits, etc., and after burning incense on the moon, they will start to enjoy the moon and eat, and even stay up all night. As for the leftover mooncakes, they will be harvested in a dry and cool place, and then shared with the whole family at the end of the year, which is called reunion cakes.

But for the high-oil and high-sugar food of moon cakes at this time, Wang Xingping has no appetite, and the reunion is far from being said, fortunately, there are letters and exchanges in Guiyang from time to time, and everything is fine at home, except for an uncle, there are no other relatives in Beijing, and it is just a small reunion.

Moreover, Wang Xingping's mind is not on the festival at this time.

As soon as Fang returned to Beijing, he received an important message from several channels.

- The emperor is seriously ill!

When he first heard this letter, Wang Xingping wanted to add another word.

It turned out that on the tenth day of the eighth month, that is, shortly after Wang Xingping left Beijing, the emperor became ill, and even the next day's Halloween celebration was canceled.

It is rumored that the former emperor's concubine Zheng actually sent eight maids to Zhu Changluo in one go, causing the emperor's many women to suffer from deficiency. There is no evidence for such rumors, Wang Xingping will not believe it easily, but it is certain that Zhu Changluo is indeed overindulgent. It's no wonder that anyone who has been sitting tremblingly on the crown prince for so many years, and suddenly ascending to the throne without the constraints of others will inevitably not indulge himself once.

The same was true of his father Zhu Yijun back then, if it weren't for the Empress Dowager Li's own mother and Zhang Juzheng's discipline, I am afraid it would not be as good as Zhu Changluo's temperament, as for the Zheng family's dedication to the concubine, it was just for the Venerable, and he found a menopausal old lady with a not very good reputation to top the cylinder, of course, Zheng Guifei probably neither would nor dared to discipline Zhu Changluo, the titular son, like the Empress Dowager Li disciplining Zhu Yijun back then.

In Wang Xingping's opinion, I am afraid that Zhu Changluo's illness is more due to psychological reasons, at least not only due to physical illness, but sometimes psychological reasons also have serious interference with the condition.

However, when this matter spread yesterday, when I heard Wang Xingping's ears, it became another five words - 'Cui Wensheng is dead'.

Speaking of which, this Cui eunuch Wang Xingping is no stranger, he also had some dealings a few years ago, he loves the art of medicine and Dandao, and he is not a bad person carefully, but he is too conceited about a set of medical theories that he doesn't know where to come from, and it is also because of this unstable factor Wang Xingping finally chose to cooperate with Li Kezhuo, otherwise an internal official is obviously more useful than Honglu Temple Cheng in terms of intelligence.

In the early years, he had always been a close eunuch by Concubine Zheng Guifei's side, and Zhu Changluo was promoted to the eunuch of Ceremonial Supervisor Bingbi after he ascended the throne, which can be regarded as a step to the sky.

The eunuchs around the emperor know more or less the way of medical regulation, especially in the affairs of men and women, they are often closer than the imperial doctor and more trustworthy to the emperor, which is also reasonable, it is said that it is Zhu Changluo's own meaning to let Cui Wensheng diagnose and treat. Originally, the emperor was ill and let him get close to the internal officials to treat him to ask for peace of mind, and he learned from the imperial doctor outside to offer a warm and nourishing prescription to ask for a useless and faultless thing, but he just gave Zhu Changluo a dose of rhubarb, and I don't know where he got his confidence.

It is said that Zhu Changluo had diarrhea thirty or forty times a day and night, and he almost fainted, which was actually a sign of severe dehydration leading to organ failure.

Although this matter has just come out, Wang Xingping believes that there may be a lot of turmoil inside and outside.

Although according to the historical process, I am afraid that Zhu Changluo will be more auspicious this time, but considering that the historical process itself has changed a lot, he does not plan to speculate too much in this matter, and it is better to do a few important things for himself one by one.

Early the next morning, Wang Xingping went to Guozijian early with gifts, this year's entrance exam in Beiqiao has already passed, Wang Xingping because of the special situation, specially prepared for him and several other similar students, it is not difficult for Wang Xingping. Because of this, although he has already 'reported', he still lives in a rented house, and he will not live in the Zhai Club specially prepared for students by Guozijian until he passes the entrance exam.

However, the time of the exam is set for ten days later, and today he made a special trip to visit Wu Zongda in time for the Autumn Festival.

Wu Zongda is not an outsider, as early as when Wang Xingping first went to Beijing, he specially visited him.

Master Wu's current official position is the right of the right spring fang and the attendant of the Hanlin Academy, and it is also the former East Palace, although it is not a serious appointment of the Guozi Supervisor at the moment, but it is only one appointment away, and now the affairs of the Guozi Prison are all taken care of by him.

Another advantage of this person is that he is the same year as Wang Zunde, and he is still the Tanhualang of that department, although this relationship is not very close, but at least it can be lived on the skin.

Wu Jinshi has always been in the Department of Politics and Politics, after getting the Zhongjin Shi, he served as an editor in the Hanlin Academy, then the East Palace official, and now he has entered the Guozijian, which is a very noble way, and his temper is also very good, he is a righteous gentleman who is lenient and moderate, and he is decisive, but he is not as straightforward as many people in Donglin.

Wang Xingping went to see Wu Zongda for a special purpose.

Because once he officially entered the school, he had to face all kinds of rules of the country.

There are three kinds of daily assessment of Guozijian, such as sitting, examination, and points, and there are six classes, which is the source of the word 'six classes' in the notice book. There are three levels in the Guozi Prison, the primary level has three halls of justice, Chongzhi, and Guangye, the two halls of cultivation and sincerity are intermediate, and there is only one class of spontaneity at the advanced level.

In most cases, you have to sit in prison for more than a year and a half, and it takes more than 700 days, which generally refers to a single level of study hours, and if you are promoted to a higher level of school, you have to sit in another hall. In addition to the sitting hall, the most important thing is the examination class, and only if you can pass both the sitting class and the examination class, can you be promoted to a high-level spontaneous class.

After entering the rate hall, the exams will be more frequent, usually three exams in one quarter, one for the Mengyue test, one for the Zhongyue test, one for the internal medicine of the edict form, one for the Jiyue test for Shi Ce, and two judgments.

What is even more troublesome is that this kind of examination adopts a credit system similar to that of later generations, and each grade is evenly scored in three grades, with one point for both liberal arts and sciences (science refers to righteousness, not science) and excellent for the upper class, and half a point for those who are excellent in science and liberal arts, and no points for those who are inferior in arts and sciences.

Although there are those who are talented and extraordinary among the inmates can be hired regardless of the number of years, but that is very rare after all.

Although Wang Xingping does not want to be an official as a tribute eunuch, but just to ask for a place to participate in the Shuntianfu Township Examination, there will be a big problem in terms of time.

If you don't consider the exceptional special circumstances, Wang Xingping is facing at least a year and a half of sitting in the classroom and strict examination requirements, so that he can have a chance to get a chance to apply for next year's Shuntianfu Township Examination, even if he really has some confidence in his talents, but the regular examination will still delay many of his serious things, so he did not plan to study seriously in prison from the beginning.

Seeing Master Wu, Wang Xingping simply greeted him, and then turned the topic to his studies, which was also the issue he was most concerned about.

"I said goodbye last year, but I didn't expect Tiancheng to enter the Guozijian." Wu Zongda's always kind eyebrows and kind eyes said while playing with a pair of Australian magnifying glasses given by Wang Xingping, "Cunsi (Wang Zunde) also took special care of you a few days ago, and since you have the heart to study, I believe that the entrance examination will be difficult." ”

"The students are here first, firstly, Mr. Xie Qingmen (Wu Zongda's alias) taught that day, and secondly, there are some things that I want to ask Mr. for permission."

"You don't have to see anything if you say it." Master Wu has a straightforward temperament, and he doesn't think it makes much sense to talk around the bend, as the former prince and now the emperor's side, he is also very busy on weekdays.

"Actually, it's the students who want my husband to allow me to do an internship outside of prison."

Wu Zongda frowned when he heard this, he originally listened to Wang Zunde, Yang Shikong, Xu Guangqi and others to recommend it, plus he had a relationship with him in the past, he felt that even if there was an exaggeration, he was probably willing to study, but he didn't want to meet this time This young man actually said this matter, and his eyebrows couldn't help but be a little unhappy.

The so-called internship experience outside of prison, also known as political affairs outside prison, is customized by the Hongwu Dynasty. At the beginning of the country, there was an urgent need for talents, so in addition to studying, the students of the country were allowed and even encouraged to experience political affairs in various ministries and localities in the DPRK and the central government, which was quite similar to the internship system in later generations.

Originally, there were regulations on the internship calendar system, and the number of calendar students in the central departments was relatively fixed, and the total number of staff in the six departments, including the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Dali Temple, Tongzheng, the Second Division of Pedestrian Affairs, and the Governor's Office of the Fifth Army, was less than 400.

Just imagine, although the internship history has to participate in the assessment of specific government affairs, and those listed in the inferior class are also counted as not being able to pass the invigilation examination, but the government affairs assessment is more difficult to quantify than the standards in the invigilation class, and there are more human feelings and sophistication in the middle. Especially in recent years, some inmates with some backgrounds have been looking for a janitor in the Jiumen of Beijing in the name of internship history, and they are not too comfortable, but in fact, they are just a fictional story to enjoy outside.

As soon as Wu Zongda heard Wang Xingping say that he was going to intern outside prison, he also regarded him as such a gentleman, and this kind of thing also came to him, so he naturally felt a little unhappy.

But he was full of hard work, so he still suppressed a trace of impatience and asked, "I don't know where Tiancheng wants to practice?" There are no vacancies in the ministries in Beijing today. ”

Wu Zongda is not talking nonsense in this remark, although many of the vacancies of the Wanli Dynasty have not been filled, but since the new emperor ascended to the pole, all forces are busy filling the situation, and the vacancies that should be filled have already been almost filled, and even if there are still vacancies, they are all the roles of the chief official or the second assistant, and the ordinary positions of the calendar students are indeed never lacking, otherwise no one will have to guard the door.

Master Wu already planned to wait for Wang Xingping to say his thoughts and then perfunctory the past, he would go to his uncle again for this kind of thing, so as not to cause controversy about him, the new prince of the country.

But Wang Xingping has always been a person who plans and then acts, where will Wu Zongda ask, "Actually, Xingping has already been sent by a history, so I have come to ask Mr. to know, and I hope that Mr. will be allowed to be in prison for future reference." ”

"Oh? Already on a mission? This time it was Wu Zongda's turn to be surprised, he quickly eliminated the pickled errand of guarding the city gate from Wang Xingping's words, and waited for the other party to continue.

"The student used to be valued by Xu Lianchen to help him train the new army in Tianjin, but now it is quite effective. A few days ago, the bandits were suppressed in Baiyangdian, and more than 130 levels were beheaded in five or six battles before and after, and there were many captures, and Jinyiwei also took advantage of the situation to crack a big family in Renqiu County, which was a big family with stolen goods for the horses, and it is estimated that Renqiu and Gu'an counties will report this matter to the Ministry of War and the Criminal Department in the near future, so Lian Chen wants to study abroad and experience military training there. ”

In fact, the news has already arrived, but first, it is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and secondly, he Wu Zongda is not in charge of the Ministry of War or the Department of General Administration, so naturally the news is not so well-informed. But the beheading of more than 100 levels still made Master Wu quite moved, if these are all real first-level skills, then it can be called a great victory, even if this great victory is just a bandit, after all, Wang Xingping's age is not very old, if he really does things and can still have such a record after his death, it is no problem to give a first-class performance. And this matter actually involved Jin Yiwei, this Wang family kid is really hidden.

Wu Zongda groaned when he heard this, and after a long time, he said lightly, "Why do you want to train soldiers?" ”

This question really made Master Wu curious, after all, compared to the dispatch from Beijing, it is not an easy thing to train troops outside, even if it is only in Tianjin, let alone the risks faced by being in the battle formation.

Wang Xingping said with a straight face, "I want to be a big country in the Ming Dynasty and panic in the Heavenly Empire, but now I hear the alarm everywhere, when Zhang Xianggong was in Guiyang, he wanted to change the land and return to the stream, but in the end he failed to complete the work, Xingping also wants to carry forward the old Xianggong's ambition." As for Lian Chen's bent desire to cheer up Liaodong, it is an honor for students to be able to help one or two in the middle, and young people have to endure some hardships to be able to experience, which is also the original intention of "Mencius" in "Heaven will descend to the people". ”

Wang Xingping looked at Wu Zongda with extremely sincere eyes that he had practiced many times, and he hoped that his words would touch this 'Qingliu' who seemed to have no relationship with Donglin.

There was another silence, and Master Wu asked slowly: "It seems that you don't plan to give up in next year's Shuntianfu Township Examination?" ”

This is the layer that Wu Zongda just thought of, he remembered that Wang Xingping mentioned the idea of taking the right path of the imperial examination when they met last time, and now it took a lot of time to take the road of life in the past, if it is just for military training, there is no need to come to the Guozijian, both to enter the Guozijian, naturally it is also to be able to use, and it is not an extraordinary way to directly participate in the Beizhili Township Examination in the coming year through the identity of the prisoner, and his teacher Xu Guangqi is such a Xie Yuan.

"I hope Mr. will be perfected." Wang Xingping did not hide it.

"Okay, what you are doing is also the right path, I will promise you, but the training is the training, and the homework must not be left behind, otherwise the assessment of the past can be passed, but the township test will not depend on how well you train."

"Students understand."

The pre-admission interview seems to have been successfully passed.

He had just returned to his house from the Wu Mansion, and a distinguished guest had been waiting for a long time.

Looking at the thin-eyed old man, Wang Xingping habitually said, "Keqing came to the door in person, I don't know what to do." ”

The person who came was Li Kezhuo.

[References]

1, "Daming Huidian"

2, "Records of Emperor Mingshen Zongxian"

3, "History of the Late Ming Dynasty" Fan Shuzhi

4, "Wanli Ye Ed" Shen Defu

5, "History of the Ming Dynasty • Biography No. 8"

6, "History of the Ming Dynasty • Biography Eighty-first"

7, "History of the Ming Palace"

8, "Chronicles in the Middle" Liu Ruoyu

9, "Wan Department Miscellaneous" Shen Bang

10. "Analysis of the Inspection System of the Ming Dynasty Guozi Supervisor" Yang Wanhe

11, "A Preliminary Study of the Ming Dynasty Guozijian" Yan Lijun

12. "Research on Folk Literature in the Ming Dynasty" Zhang Bo

13, "Records of Emperor Mingguang Zongzhen"

14. "Ming Dynasty Guozijian's Prison Points and Internship Calendar System" Wang Linghao, Liu Shulan