Chen Dong has always acted decisively, and he felt that he was not as good as virtue, and he really burned his article with the theme of "advocating etiquette and music to cherish distant people", and the time for the school examination was originally short, and in the end he only made up a random article and handed it in. Others are anxiously waiting for the ranking of the upper student assessment, but he is the most chic, and he believes in his heart that Xingde's article must be the first, and he is even more sure than Xingde himself.

Zhao Xingde was originally still a little confident, but as time passed, Guozijian did not release the list to announce the results of the exam, and he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. He took advantage of the psychology of today's officials to rejoice in their achievements, and drew a big pie in the "Ten Strategies for Expanding the Sea", saying that as long as they acted according to his strategy, within 20 years, the Great Song Dynasty could expand the sea frontier by tens of thousands of miles, organize immigrants overseas and cultivate countless fertile fields, and the people and land would make the best of their benefits, and the imperial court would enjoy the abundant products of all countries, the treasury would be abundant, and with the help of a strong navy, it would only take time to dominate the world and achieve peace.

Zhao Xingde also hid a small scheming in this strategy, because when the officials of the dynasty were attached to the prosperity of the capital, they were unwilling to go to a distant place to be an official, if they followed Zhao Xingde's policy, went to a distant country to serve as the governor of the vassal land, etc., it would be regarded as a daunting path by the vast majority of officials, and Zhao Xingde hoped to win such a position, as long as he focused on business consolidation, no matter how the government changed, he had a base and a way out.

However, some of the practices he put forward in the "Ten Strategies for Expanding the Sea" are still too unconventional, and it is still unknown whether the new party that the government is currently reusing. With the passage of time, the assessment results that should have been released a long time ago have not come down, and seeing that all of Taixue's classmates are restless, the apprehension in Zhao Xingde's heart has become stronger and stronger.

"It's on the list, it's on the list!" Just when all the students almost thought that they would not be released for this assessment, they did. "Come and see!" Zhao Xingde crowded in the crowd with Chen Dong, Deng Su, Zhang Bing and other classmates, searching up and down with great difficulty, almost doubling his eyes, and even Chen Dong, who was messing together an article, was ranked thirteenth, but Zhao Xingde's name was not at all.

"Impossible!" Chen Dong said unfairly for Zhao Xingde, "With Yuan Zhi's talent, it is impossible to fall into Sun Shan!" His voice fell, but it aroused the resonance of more people, "That's right! How could I not be ranked! "Is this policy really from the official family?" "Childe, I'm only a high nine bucket, it's definitely a mistake in this list!"

Seeing that all the scholars were shouting loudly, it seemed that they were going to hold on to Pei Xuezheng, the Taixue who was in charge of the list, Pei Xuezheng was in a hurry: "What's the hurry!" What's the hurry! While pushing everyone away, he laboriously took out another list from his arms, "It's not finished yet, this is first-class!" After speaking, he slowly and methodically pasted the second-class and third-class list on the side of the original posted, and pasted the first-class list, and as soon as the list was expanded, the word "Zhao Xingde" jumped out and topped the list!

"Hit! Yuan Zhi is the first! Chen Dong's expression seems to be more exaggerated than Zhao Xingde, it is said that the top ten of the first class of the Taixue assessment are all personally pointed out by the official, and he is a genuine protégé of the Son of Heaven.

Zhao Xingde looked at the red paper and gold characters with a little dumbfounded, he thought that he would be in the first class, but he never expected that he would be the first on the first list, and he didn't have time to think about it carefully, "Brother Yuan, congratulations!" "The first name of the Son of Heaven himself!" , "It must be a candidate for Fengchi!" "Don't forget my classmates in the future!" The clamor of congratulatory cheers around him had drowned him out.

Dr. Li Gefei of Taixue proudly informed his family of the news of the first place in the Xingde exam on the same day, and took out the champion red that had been treasured for more than 20 years, and put the wine to celebrate the virtue.

Li Ruobing didn't expect Xingde to be so good, he deliberately found the "Ten Strategies for Expanding the Sea" made by Xingde to read it again, and couldn't help but be surprised: "The so-called policy of the imperial court to cherish the distant country, probably not to use the might of the army, to lure it, to cherish it with kindness, and to tie up several ways with etiquette and righteousness, but those barbarian countries suddenly rebelled and surrendered, because the road was far away and not easy to crusade, many times the court endured." "Li Ruobing used to be an official in the northern counties and counties, and he had heard that many barbarian tribes suddenly rebelled and surrendered, and the court was helpless, and felt that some of the contents of Zhao Xingde's policy could also be used to deal with the barbarians on land, "Yuan Zhi actually took a different way, although the method of 'other properties' may take a long time, but it is like a salary from the bottom of the kettle, so that the barbarian tribe has to serve China, and the foolish brother admires." ”

Because of Chao Buzhi and Li Gefei's vigorous campaigning, the Qingliu celebrities such as Guozi Priest Jiu Yang Shi and Zuo Si Jian Chen Qian all went to the chapter to impeach Honglu Temple, thinking that Li Ruobing's duty as the supervisor of Duting Xiyi was to take care of Dali, Goryeo and other vassals of the Great Song Dynasty. Emperor Zhao You also seemed to remember that Li Ruobing was a protégé of the Son of Heaven, and he personally pointed out the first place in the assessment of the Taixue Shangshe, and left all kinds of twists and turns on this matter, and the matter was dragged down. Li Ruobing has also been "waiting for sin" at home, and Yu Lu has taken care of it, and his mood has become more and more relaxed.

"The eldest brother has won the prize, and the same is true for the southwestern barbarians such as Dali in this dynasty with the tea and horse trade," Zhao Xingdeqian conceded, "It's just that it's too urgent, it's best to induce Dali to plant as much tea and other things as possible, and less grain, so that in the next few decades, as long as the road to China is cut off, the country will be starving." ”

Li Ruobing was about to nod yes, but Li Gefei said: "Yuan Zhi, you must read more of the book of the sage in the future, don't be too scheming." Zhao Xingde nodded hurriedly yes, and when he looked up, he happened to glance at Li Ruobing, and they all saw a smile in the other party's eyes, it seems that this eldest brother has not been less lectured by his father-in-law.

Zhao Xingde's great joy of winning the first place in Taixue Shangjia diluted the sad atmosphere brought about by Li Ruobing's treatment of sin, although it was just a family feast, the house was full of lights, and at dusk, it seemed extraordinarily festive. Although Li Ruoxue and Zhao Xingde are engaged, they usually have almost no chance to speak, at this moment Li Ruoxue is sitting next to her, Zhao Xingde took advantage of the three points of drunkenness, admiring the face of the beautiful woman sitting next to her, her face rose a blush, and the glass cup used by everyone to drink reflected the ten colors and five lights, and it set off the beautiful woman's face like the morning glow, and it was incomparable. Li Gefei and his wife Wang connived at it as if they were ignoring it, which made Li Ruoxue feel aggrieved in her heart.

Li Gefei originally wanted to let Zhao Xingde and Li Ruoxue marry after the imperial examination, this time Zhao Xingde won the first place in Taixue Shangshe, and he may be elected at any time, and even go out of Beijing to take up a post, so there is no need to participate in the imperial examination, so the marriage may be advanced at any time. Every time she thinks about this, Li Ruoxue's heart floats with a little shyness and sweetness, and unconsciously, she is also intoxicated by the increasingly unscrupulous gaze of Xingde.

This drunkenness did not end until late at night, and Xingde drank lightly, and he was too strong to drink, so he stayed in the guest room of the Li Mansion. After Li Ruoxue and her mother Wang finished the arrangements for hospitality together, Wang saw that Li Ruoxue seemed to be a little preoccupied, thinking that she was going to get married soon, and most of the female dependents of the official eunuchs were going to travel with their husbands, and they were a little reluctant to go home, so they smiled and said: "It is said that the woman's family has short knowledge, or your father has knowledge, Zhao Yuanzhi is really a phoenix chick, humanity is the great achievement of recovering Youyan is not as good as the first place in the imperial examination, and his first-class title appointed by the official family is not much worse than the champion of the palace examination, I don't know how many times better than those sons and grandsons who are close to their ancestors. If you are a mother, you should also congratulate you on marrying a good family. ”

Li Ruoxue was preoccupied and didn't answer, and suddenly heard Li Gefei's voice behind him: "Taixue is only 3,000 students, and there are only less than 1,000 students in Shangshe, and how can it be compared with the top prize in the imperial examination in the world." The Jinshi background of my Li family's generations seems to be able to only be continued. ”

Li Ruoxue and Wang looked back, but saw Li Gefei holding a white porcelain wine glass, with a smile on his face, if he regretted it, he was actually extremely proud and happy, and sighed: "Tiger father has no dog, it's a pity that Brother Zhao didn't see today." ”

Li Ruoxue saw that her father was already drunk, and she was afraid that her father was old and easy to fall after drinking, so she accompanied Li Gefei back to the study, but saw that her father took out three lists, one was the Jinshi list of Xining's nine years, and below the Jinshi background, there were Li Gefei and Zhao Tixin's names, and the second one was the list of the Taixue Shangshe exam a year ago, Li Ruobing ranked first, and the third was the Shangshe exam that was taken down today, and Zhao Xingde ranked first. Li Gefei looked at these three lists under the lamp for a long time, and then he was extremely tired and fell asleep.

Li Ruoxue carefully put away the three imperial lists that represented the glory of the family, and served her father to sleep with her mother Wang, and then went back to the room to rest.

The list collected by the Li family is a sub-list, and at this moment, the main list of the Taixue Shangshe assessment and Zhao Xingde's "Ten Strategies for Expanding the Sea" are placed on the Qingyu case of Emperor Zhao You.

"This son has unique insights, far-sightedness, and detailed considerations, and is a talent that can be created. It's a pity that his surname is also Zhao, otherwise he can be a captain of my family. Emperor Zhao You looked at his daughter lovingly.

Zhao Huanzheng suppressed the excitement in his heart, looked at the three words "Zhao Xingde" at the top of the list with wide eyes, and said angrily: "Father came to make fun of people again." He took the policy written by Zhao Xingde himself, read it carefully, bowed his head and said, "Compared with others, although this article is good, it does not necessarily overwhelm the crowd, why did my father choose him as the first?" ”

Zhao You ignored her and diverted the topic, but continued to quip: "I heard that this person is both civil and martial, and his appearance is not bad. It doesn't matter if his surname is Zhao, it's a big deal that I give him a different surname. ”

Although Zhao Huan was often laughed at by her father about marriage, and even sometimes said that she would send her to Xia Kingdom, at this time, she already had Zhao Xingde in her heart, and she heard her father say solemnly as if it was true, her face turned red all of a sudden, and her heart was pounding, but she heard Zhao You's voice turn around and said, "It's just that in this way, the best talents can't be used by your brother, so there is only Huan'er who has wronged me." ”

Zhao Huan's eyes suddenly turned red, she was very well-behaved and sensible, and she didn't follow Zhao You's words and asked, "Which brother is it for?" He didn't relentlessly make trouble, but just choked up and said, "Erchen understands." ”

Zhao You didn't seem to notice his daughter's slightly strange expression, and sighed: "The so-called family and country in the world, when it comes to the royal family, family affairs and state affairs can no longer be separated. He stroked his daughter's hair lovingly, and said slowly: "Father will definitely find you a good horse who is talented and gentle and considerate." Is this Zhao Xingde," he tapped his fingers a few times on the handwriting on the Taixue Shangshe assessment list, and said slowly, "Although the article is not the first, the opinion is the first. I take him first, and let him know that Jun is like the sea. But looking at this sub-text, the unruly spirit between the lines is too heavy, and I want to meet this person to see if I have to suffer some setbacks and sharpen my temperament. After a pause, he explained, "It's like a horse has a fierce nature, and it has to strain its muscles and bones, starve its body, and even have a chain whip to control it freely." ”

Zhao Huan said: "Father, this is not a trick!" "Tricksters?" Zhao You smiled dumbly, and said leisurely: "The so-called thunder, rain and dew are all Jun's grace, and the three thousand scholars who are too learned can make your father and emperor think about it, I don't know what a great blessing." ”

"It's weird!" Zhao Huan pursed his lips, picked up Zhao Xingde's policy and read it carefully, thoughtfully.

In order to demonstrate the fairness of the scholars, the first-class policy of the Taixue Shangshe assessment is the same as the volume of the imperial examination Jinshi and the first, published all over the world, and Zhao Xingde's policy is destined to spread all over the world, and even for centuries. But before that, those who had paid attention to this submitted this strategy to the desk of Zhao You's biggest opponent, Chen Xuan, the emperor of the Xia Kingdom.

Chen Xuan had served in the Xia army for nearly ten years before inheriting the throne, and although he was nearly fifty years old, his body was still strong. When Chen Xuan inadvertently read Zhao Xingde's strategy, he actually put down the account books of the imperial treasury and the report of the Ordnance Department on the trial production of marching guns, and ordered the guards to send a pot of wine.

"Your Majesty, you seem to be in a good mood today?"

"The ancient sages were all lonely, but only the drinker left his name." Chen Xuan pointed to Zhao Xingde's policy and said to Prime Minister Liu Yi: "The ancients had a saying that the Han book was drunk, and today I got this strange text, and you and I conspired to get drunk. ”

"Your Majesty should be dignified and self-controlled."

"After the horse thief 'old knife handle' was leveled in Mobei, the brothers in the camp were almost drunk to death, why didn't you come to persuade him?"

"At this time, His Majesty had not yet inherited the throne, and at this moment, as a human king, he could not do anything happy. Even if everyone in the world is drunk, Your Majesty must be awake. ”

"Alas——, I already regret proposing to let you sit in this prime minister's position." Chen Xuan put down his wine glass with some regret, "By the way, last time Kang'er mentioned in the letter that he made a friend with a scholar in Bianliang, and this Zhao Xingde, but the same person?" ”