Today's court is clearly divided into three factions.

The reformers led by the Ministry of Works, the conservative faction led by the Ministry of Rites, and the bystanders who did not participate in the opinions.

The two Shangshu did not speak, and the people above the court who argued were all officials below the fourth grade.

The courtiers looked at the impassioned Shuibu Langzhong Zhang Hao in front of them, and they all shook their heads secretly.

Although Zhang Hao is reasonable, but the imperial examination system, every step of the way, must be extra careful, if the reform is so easy, over the years, the imperial examination has long been restructured I don't know how many times.

"Present me the exam paper of the examinee you mentioned." At the top of the Golden Palace, a deep voice finally came.

His Majesty had opened the golden mouth, and Zhang Hao and Wang Shuo immediately closed their mouths.

A eunuch walked down, holding a few test papers, and walked up respectfully, standing beside the man in an imperial robe.

Chen Huang casually picked up the top exam paper, and after looking at it carefully, a trace of surprise appeared on his face, and he muttered: "If I remember correctly, the last time someone answered a question ten percent correctly was more than ten years ago, right?" ”

A rich-looking eunuch beside him nodded, and said with a smile: "Back to Your Majesty, that was fifteen years ago. ”

Chen Huang nodded and said: "It is not easy to answer all of them correctly, and it is even more difficult to answer them all correctly. ”

He put the paper down and picked up another.

This time he looked at it for a long time, and a strange light flashed in his eyes, and he praised: "Good, good, good!" ”

The officials in the palace couldn't help but be surprised when they saw that the son said three "good" words one after another today.

At this time, Chen Huang had already continued to speak.

"Don't be afraid of broken bones, you have to leave your innocence in the world!" Emperor Chen glanced down and said, "This poem can be used as a precept for the courtiers of the palace!" ”

He couldn't wait to look to the next page, this time, for a longer time.

The expression on his face changed from anticipation to stunned to dazed, then he put it aside and muttered, "This song, too, is not bad." ”

The last thing he looked at was the strategy part.

This time, Emperor Chen didn't look at it for long, his eyes looked down, and he said in a deep voice: "Fang Hong, Wang Bo, this is what you selected, Lingzhou Prefecture tried to solve the yuan?" ”

Seeing that the situation was a little bad, Wang Bo was stunned, and immediately walked out with a wat board and said, "Your Majesty ......"

"I asked you to take the main exam of the Lingzhou State Examination, is this how you chose the materials for me?" Emperor Chen rolled up the exam papers, slammed them on the ground, stood up, and asked, "You tell me, what is written on it!" ”

Seeing this, Wang Shuo glanced at Fang Hong and Wang Bo, with a hint of joy on his face.

Fang Hong stood up and hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, this exam paper ......"

"This exam paper is just bullshit!" Chen Huang interrupted him, glanced down, and said, "Where is the Lingzhou State Examination and the Co-examination?" ”

Above the court, there were more than a dozen people whose faces changed, and they could only stand up hard.

Song Qian, as the Jingdong Road sentence, is not in Beijing at this time, and only Zhang Hao and Ling Yihong are in the palace today.

Chen Huang looked down and said in a deep voice: "You can be convicted of your guilt!" ”

Poof!

As soon as these words came out, several officials who stood up immediately fell to their knees.

Emperor Chen looked at them and reprimanded angrily: "I will give you the important task of selecting materials for the country, you are so perfunctory, you tell me, what kind of bullshit article is this written?" ”

All the officials felt the anger of the Son of Heaven, lowered their heads, held their breath, and secretly mourned in their hearts for these examiners who went to Lingzhou.

Wang Shuo was overjoyed, stepped forward, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, the minister tried his best to dissuade several adults at that time, but unfortunately the ministers insisted that this volume was desirable, and the ministers did not persuade several adults, the ministers, the ministers are guilty!" ”

Chen Huang glanced down with some disappointment, and said: "Fang Hong, Wang Bo, as the main examiner, neglect his duties, he will be fined for one year, and the rest of the co-exams will be taken at the same time, and he will be fined for half a year, so as to set an example!" ”

When the officials heard this, they already understood in their hearts that His Majesty still did not want to punish them severely, and the punishment for one year was not serious, and the charges set for them were only negligence, not favoritism, which was already a great preferential treatment for them.

After Emperor Chen finished speaking, the anger on his face did not subside, he looked at the exam paper on the ground, and said angrily: "As for this paper, it is really ......ridiculous to set it as Xie Yuan."

At this time, I saw Zhang Hao's face sad and indignant, and he said loudly: "Your Majesty, the ministers and other ministers are small in their punishments, and the treasury is big!" ”

Emperor Chen was about to personally judge this volume as a falling volume, frowned, and asked, "What is the matter with the treasury here?" ”

Zhang Hao hugged the wat board and said loudly: "Because of this test paper, it can not only control floods and ensure smooth transportation, but also save at least 500,000 taels of silver for the treasury every year!" ”

As soon as these words came out, among the hundreds of officials, an official who was holding a wat board and taking a nap with his eyes closed opened suddenly, and his eyes were full of light.

A person beside him turned his head to look at him and asked, "Master Qian, what's wrong?" ”

Qian Shuo, the head of the household, did not answer him, and looked straight at Zhang Hao in front of him.

Because of the water control and water transportation, the state treasury has to allocate a huge amount of money to the Ministry of Industry every year, and every time he thinks about it, his heart is dripping with blood, if the Ministry of Industry can ask the Ministry of Household less than 500,000 taels of silver every year, how much less pressure will the Ministry of Household have?

Chen Huang was stunned for a moment, thought for a while, looked at Zhang Hao and asked, "What did Zhang Aiqing say just now?" ”

Zhang Hao stood up straight and said: "Back to Your Majesty, Tang Jieyuan's third trial in the state, after discussion by the Ministry of Water, is feasible, which can save at least 500,000 taels of silver for the treasury every year, and at the same time, it can also speed up the transportation of water, and ensure the smooth flow of water for at least ten years." ”

Chen Huang pondered for a moment, bowed down personally, and picked up the exam paper he threw on the ground again.

He looked at the exam papers, then looked at Zhang Hao, and asked, "Is Zhang Aiqing's words true?" ”

Zhang Hao stood tall and said, "The minister guarantees his life!" ”

Ling Yihong also walked out and said: "Your Majesty, Tang Jieyuan's policy on epidemic prevention can also be regarded as a norm, and it can be promoted by the imperial court, once there is an epidemic in a certain place, it can minimize the casualties and impact." ”

Chen Huang's eyes looked at the exam paper again, thoughtful.

At this time, Qian Shuo, the head of the household department, stood up and said: "Your Majesty, Lord Fang, Lord Wang, and all the examiners have done so, but they are all for the sake of the court and for the sake of Your Majesty. ”

The household department is in charge of the country's money and grain, and its position is very important among the six departments, and the words of the household servant are naturally very weighty.

All officials know that the treasury has been tight for a long time, and it has always been His Majesty's heart disease.

Now that the Ministry of Industry has saved hundreds of thousands of taels of silver for the treasury, His Majesty is happy in his heart, but just now he has punished those examiners, and you have no jokes, so naturally it cannot be easily recovered.

Emperor Chen glanced at the household department Shangshu with satisfaction, and said: "Qian Aiqing is reasonable, Fang and Wang Aiqing have meritorious advice, reward 1,000 taels of silver, 300 horses of silk, and the rest of you will take the same examination and take the examination, and each will reward 100 horses of silk......"

The oracle of the punishment has been issued and cannot be taken back, but these rewards are to make up for the punishment of the money, and there is more.

After Emperor Chen finished rewarding, he didn't mention the matter of those exam papers, thought for a moment, looked down, and said: "In order to make a decision, we still have to pay attention to the article, but in addition to this, we should also be appropriately appropriate, this matter, Shangshu Province will discuss it first......"

The word "discretion" is used very spiritually, and hundreds of officials have been immersed in officialdom for many years, how can they not understand.

Your Majesty has made a separate and obscure decree for this examination paper......

Wang Shuo's face turned pale, and he glanced in a certain direction, where was the location of the Ministry of Rites.

A middle-aged man glanced at him indifferently, Wang Shuo already understood, lowered his head, and never said a word again.

After a while, Emperor Chen looked down and said, "If there is nothing else, then retreat." ”

Today's early dynasty lasted for a long time, and the process was also full of twists and turns.

The Lingzhou Prefecture examination examiners, including Fang Hong, the servant of the Ministry of Officials, were punished first by His Majesty and then rewarded, although the policy of the Ministry of Industry's imperial examination reform was still not adopted, but His Majesty's secret decree to Shangshu still shows that in the confrontation between the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Industry is superior.

Being able to use a state exam paper to set off such a big wave in the court, the hundred officials can be regarded as having their first impression of Tang Jieyuan from Lingzhou.

"Lord Fang, stay." When Fang Hong was about to walk out of the palace gate, a voice suddenly came from behind him.

Fang Hong turned his head and saw the Ministry of Rites Shangshu coming over, and wondered, "What's the matter with Lord Tang?" ”