The date of the twelfth year of Chengping is February 22.

Early in the morning of the second day, Yan Junqing went to the Ministry of Rites to sign up. Gu Haotian didn't want to sign up, but Yan Junqing's enthusiasm had to agree first, and let's do it first, he thought. But when he was leaving, he suddenly remembered that Xu Guanzhong was also going to participate in the martial arts of Jinke, so he asked him if he wanted to go with him. Xu Guanzhong now has no idea of scientific research, and he also knows that Gu Hao is just acting on the spot, this time seeing his invitation, thinking that it is okay anyway, he will join in the fun with Quan Dang.

The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War were not far apart, and after the three of them arrived, they went in separately to register, and when they came out, it was nearly noon, so they went to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

The three of them found a place to sit in Yajing, ordered a few small Lai, and ordered a pot of good wine. While enjoying the street scenery outside the window, I chatted about what I had seen and heard, and slowly ate and drank.

"A few Lang Jun invited, Tang below, took the liberty to disturb."

I didn't eat for a while, but I saw a man in his thirties dressed as a Confucian scholar suddenly come to the table. The three of them looked at each other and felt strange, but they didn't say anything, just looking at what kind of medicine was in their gourds.

The man was not surprised, but went on with his own mouth.

"I just saw these two Lang Jun coming out of the Ministry of Rites below, presumably it must be Jinke's move."

This person named Fang Tang glanced at Gu and Yan, and when he saw their focused appearance, he was secretly proud in his heart.

"I have lived in the capital for a long time, and there is a relative who is an official in the Ministry of Rites, so I know a little about the imperial examination, I think the two are young, presumably the first time to participate in the scientific examination, if the letter is too much, there are a few words of advice to tell."

After that, that Fang Tang didn't speak anymore, but stood there with a smug face.

Looking at his pretended profoundness, Gu Haotian secretly thought that this person who could guard the Ministry of Rites to observe the entry and exit must be a person with a heart, if he had no other schemes, he would be a veteran of cheating. Thinking that he didn't lose anything anyway, he should listen to the story, so he invited him to sit down and drink together.

That Fang Tang was naturally not polite, and after eating and drinking for a while, he talked about the imperial examination again.

"The current imperial examination of our Great Zhou Dynasty seems to be a battle in the Gongyuan, but in fact, the kung fu is all outside the field."

"But why?"

Gu Haotian heard that something important was coming, so he pretended to be curious and asked.

That Fang Tang looked back and forth mysteriously for a while, then dipped his fingers in wine and wrote two words on the table - "exam questions".

Unexpectedly, they met a person who sold exam questions in front of the ceremonial department in broad daylight, and the three of them were very shocked, regardless of whether their words were true or false, but the chaos of this scientific examination had already been glimpsed.

"There must be ...... at hand"

"Naturally, how dare you sit here safely."

"What about the price?"

"That depends on how much you know, sticking scriptures, Moyi, poetry, two hundred taels; policy, discussion, five hundred taels; and all seven hundred taels. ”

"How?"

"Take half of the questions before the test, and take the rest after the test."

"What if I don't get the answer?"

"I do this business for more than a year, from the one who misses, in case of not winning the natural return of the money, even if I am deceived, it is nothing more than a hundred and ten taels of silver, you and others are all rich children, just eat a good banquet in the capital, if you win, then you have been on the gold list, the other half will not not take it!"

Gu Haotian talked to that Fang Tang for a while, and looked like a veteran, so he couldn't help believing it a little, so he asked again.

"When will I take the question?"

"Ten days later, we'll meet here."

That Fang Tang said, raised his head and toasted, and left the table by himself, but left Gu Haotian and the three of them at the table to look at each other.

After the meal, the three hired a carriage to go back to the Shanshui Inn. Yan Junqing sat sullenly in the car, as if he was disturbed by the appearance of that Fang Tang.

"Brother Yan, but you are entangled in the matter of the exam questions, there is no need to be embarrassed about this, the younger brother will buy a question at that time, whether it is true or not, it is nothing more than a few hundred taels of silver." Gu Haotian joked at him.

"It's not like that, if you do business like him, wouldn't everyone know the exam questions, so what else is the exam."

"Brother Yan thought about it a lot, you think that hundreds of taels of silver are so easy, and few people can afford to buy them, not to mention that others can't afford it, that Fang Tang said that he has been doing business for many years, and his eyes are poisonous." Xu Guanzhong said with a sneer.

"What if I miss the question and make a fuss?"

"You said that if we bought the question, but found that we couldn't press it, would we dare to make trouble?" Xu Guanzhong asked rhetorically.

Yan Junqing thought about it, he was involved in cheating, and even if he was fooled, he didn't dare to say it clearly. Besides, since that person dares to blatantly do this kind of business, he must have a strong backer, otherwise he would not dare. After thinking about it carefully, what the man did was really a profitable business, and he couldn't help but be disappointed a lot in this imperial examination, and his expression was gloomy.

"As Haotian said, this imperial examination is not examined." Yan Junqing sighed with emotion, but he was no longer interested in talking.

In the middle of the day, the three of them returned to the inn, Yan and Xu went back to the room to rest, Gu Haotian specially called Zhu Gui over because Zhao Ding was coming over at night, and asked some details of the banquet in the evening before going back to rest.

In the evening, Gu Haotian waited in the lobby early, and at the end of the unitary hour, Zhao Ding arrived at the Shanshui Inn. Gu Haotian saw Zhu Gui lead a handsome man of twenty-seven or eight in, and knew that it must be Zhao Ding, so he hurriedly got up and greeted him.

"It's not an honor for Master Zhao to come."

"Lang Jun must be Mr. Wen's high disciple Gu Haotian, and he is really an outstanding character." That Zhao Ding stared at Gu Haotian for a while and exclaimed.

"The bachelor is wrong."

Gu Haotian said modestly, and then led him into the quiet room to drink tea and speak.

"I have read Mr. Wen's letter, and the matter of introducing the king of Huainan County is fine." Zhao Ding tasted the tea, and first said what Wen Huanzhang had entrusted him.

"But there is a bachelor of labor."

"You don't have to thank me, but you did it yourself."

"I ......"

Gu Haotian was confused when he heard it, the king of Huainan County had never known himself, how could he make any effort. Zhao Ding couldn't help but laugh when he saw that he was dazed.

"Haotian himself has a great fame but doesn't know it, a few years ago, your song "Farewell" was sung by everyone in the capital, and then the poems made in Jeju were constantly found out, and now in the capital Shilin, you are also the number one person, even the Qinglou Chu Pavilion is also sung. The king of Huainan is also a good poet, a few days ago, when we got together, he asked me about the news of Haotian, I said that he was a student of Mr. Huanzhang, and he was going to enter Beijing in the near future. If you say that it is not your own effort, as long as you make a few more good songs, you will definitely be a regular visitor to this place in the future. ”

So that's the case, Gu Haotian understood the reason, but of course he was happy to see such a good thing. So naturally I thought of the old man who was saying goodbye at that time, and it happened that this was a court official at the moment, so he must have known, so he asked:

This "Farewell" was quoted indiscriminately when it was sent to Lord Xu Churen a year ago. But I don't know what position this old man is now? ”

"This old man is now the deputy head of the Privy Council's stable, alas! is a good upright and capable old minister, but he is pressed to watch the horses in the stable, and this court is also because there are too many capable people. ”

Zhao Ding sighed with a pun, but Gu Haotian was taken aback, wasn't the owner of the stable the second Zhao family in Jeju Zhao Zhongwu, how could he get mixed up with that guy, he suddenly felt deeply uneasy in his heart, there must be some conspiracy in this, no wonder when he said goodbye that day, the boss looked depressed, presumably he already knew something there.

The two were chatting, but saw Zhu Gui come in and say that the banquet was ready, so the two moved to the private room on the second floor, and Gu Haotian asked people to call Xu Guanzhong, Yan Junqing, and Xiao Rang to accompany them, and after several people informed each other, they sat down for the banquet.

The wine and food of the ancient family are all superb in this era, and Zhao Ding was full of praise when he first tasted it. In addition, several people are knowledgeable people, and after some contact, they are immediately happy. After three rounds of drinking, Yan Junqing thought about the noon incident, and felt uncomfortable after all, so he took the opportunity to mention it.

"Bachelor Zhao's seniors in the field are well-informed, and I want to ask for advice if I don't know what to do?"

"It's okay, please."

"Is there still justice in the imperial examination of the imperial court now?"

"How could Brother Yan say that?"

Zhao Ding was stunned by Yan Junqing's sudden question.

"I didn't hide it, but I encountered something in the next day, and I was really uncomfortable, so I took the liberty to ask."

Then Yan Junqing told him about the sale of exam questions.

After Zhao Ding heard this, he didn't feel particularly surprised, and after a while, he said slowly:

"I have been in the court for several years, and I have heard about the affairs of the science field, and several of them are honest people, so I said it directly, if it is not appropriate, you should laugh and talk about it."

"Since the reign of Cai Xiang in this dynasty, the atmosphere has deteriorated, the saint is addicted to the pleasures of cultivation and ignores the government, the hundred officials only care about filling their own pockets and do not do their jobs, corruption is rife in the court, and there are few upright people. As a national talent ceremony, the imperial examination has also lost its due majesty and sacredness, and has even become a tool for some people to collect money. Therefore, who knows whether the imperial examination is fair or not? Both of them are participating in the current department, just as a long insight, in fact, why care. Like me, I was born in the second class Jinshi, and now I have been seven years, but I am only a straight bachelor from the seventh grade. In fact, how can you compare to your calmness, now that such fine wine and food are in front, Hugh Ti's terrible imperial court and imperial examination, come! Come! Come! The wine will be poured in, and the glass will not stop. ”

Zhao Ding's speech was relatively calm at the beginning, but when he got to the end, he may have touched his mood, and gradually became a little excited.

So everyone no longer entangled in the imperial examination, only indulged in poetry and wine, and waited until the evening when the banquet was dispersed, and Zhao Ding was already eight or nine points drunk. Gu Haotian helped him into the carriage and asked Qin Sheng to send him back.

"Hao-Haotian, I have never met such fine wine and delicacies in my life, and I will talk to the king of the county again in the future."

When Zhao Ding left, he was still unsatisfied, and stammered about the next time.