Finally, Gao Yue's seat was under the corridor against the east gate, and he looked around, all of them were busy unloading baskets, mats, blankets, bookcases, etc.

Directly in front of him was Wei Cigong, whose seat happened to be at the outermost part of the corridor, facing the courtyard; Liu De's room is on his left, Dugu Liangqi is on his right, and Zheng Qi is behind his right.

The group of people happened to get together at Anmenmen, and they didn't separate much.

And Zhu Sui, Wang Biao, Bi Jun, Yuan Tongzhi and others are all sitting in the opposite west corridor, each of them is arrogant and ambitious.

The antechamber between the two corridors is where Pan Yan and the rest of the invigilators sit, and a tall incense table is set up under the steps of the hall.

For a long time, the entire south courtyard was the voice of lifting the son to settle himself, at this time, there were sergeants on the various window holes on the back wall of the corridor, among which Gao Yue turned around and saw that the little eunuch who was in the door just now was also sandwiched in it, this guy was about twenty years old, but they did not come to see the demeanor of the man, but with the sergeants in baskets carrying pen, ink, paper, inkstone, hu cakes, tea and rice, etc., there and whispered to sell them to earn money for the exam.

At this time, Gao Yue ate a lot of steamed beard at An Lao Hu'er before taking the exam in the morning, and he was not hungry, but his mouth was very thirsty, so he shouted to the little eunuch, "Alas, what is your name?" ”

"My name is Huo Jingliang." When the little eunuch saw Gao Yue turn around and ask himself, he couldn't help but smile and point to his cheek.

"Bring me a cup of tea!"

"Okay, good, our tea is good, because our tea paste is good, the paste is high, drink our tea, Bao Langjun high school and first."

After speaking, Gao Yue generously took out some money, and first asked Wei Cigong if he wanted to eat tea, and Wei Cigong said yes; asked Liu De Room again, but Liu De Room was already sitting there nervously speechless, just shaking his head; Then he asked Dugu Liangqi over there, and Liangqi also shook his head, and politely said that he was not thirsty, "Xie Gao must be first." ”

The so-called "must first" is a polite name for each other in the examination room, taking the auspicious meaning of the must first test.

Gao Yue turned to look at Zheng Qi again, who thought that Zheng Qi had already noticed Gao Yue's actions, so he continued to snort coldly, turned his head, and was just about to refuse, who wanted Gao Yue to directly throw some money crackling on his bookcase, "Zheng Bi will help me pass the money over first." ”

almost didn't make Zheng Qi angry, so he couldn't help it, collected all the money, and handed it to Huo Jingliang outside the window, Huo took out a large cup of tea, and put it on Zheng Qi's bookcase, "Please pass it to that lifter." ”

Zheng Qi clenched his hand into a fist, eager to smash the teacup with one punch, but in the end he held back and handed the teacup to Gao Yue.

"Xie Zheng must be first." Gao Yue then brought the teacup to his lips.

At this moment, Pan Yan and Pan Lishou had already walked out of the front hall, first in front of the incense case to congratulate the heavens, and then turned around to prepare to worship the east and west corridors successively, and then heard a few loud sipping tea.

The entire south courtyard fell silent, and many eyes were on Gao Yue, who was drinking tea at the door of the east corridor.

Gao Yue suddenly felt embarrassed, but fortunately, the next two corridors in the east and west all got up together and began to bow to Pan Shilang.

Gao Yue also quickly put down the teacup and did as the others did.

In the building above the main hall of the South Courtyard, behind the window, an old man overlooked Gao Yue's actions under the eaves of the corridor, and couldn't help laughing, "This strange money Langjun really has some meaning." ”

This old man is none other than the one who likes to buy steamed beards in front of An Lao'er's stall.

He had taken off his half-worn hat and furry felt hat, revealing a purple robe with a golden fish bag hanging from his waist.

Further to the west of the window, Yang Xuan, the Chinese scholar, was holding a cane in one hand and holding the window lattice with the other, and he also saw Gao Yue's behavior, but shook his head, "It is said that this move is like a fanzi, and today it is really true, how many can understand etiquette?" ”

Then Yang Juan seemed to have found the "ammunition" to bombard the imperial examination system, so he turned around and said to Chang Gon, the new subordinate Lang Lang who was sitting on the couch behind him, "This southern courtyard is crowded, and they all come for fame and fortune, is this also a selection of talents for the country?" Is the standard of meritocracy determined by the words and chapters assigned to the poem? ”

Chang Gon, who was sitting upright on the couch, bowed his head and smiled silently.

Then Yang Juan turned his face again, and saw Zheng Qi sitting in the back of Gao Yue, so he bowed his head and said to the steaming old man who was also leaning against the window, "Shi'an, this time your son-in-law Pan Yan is the first time to pay tribute to the head of the Ministry of Rites, have you ever known Zheng Qi of Xingyang?" ”

It turned out that Pan Yan, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, was actually the son-in-law of this old man.

Hearing Zheng Qi's name, Chang Gon raised his head and added a rare sentence, "Xingyang Zheng Qi is indeed talented." ”

The two prime ministers deliberately took time out of the complicated government hall to come and see the Spring Festival of the Ministry of Rites. Moreover, the two prime ministers almost reached some kind of terrible tacit understanding. That is this scientific expedition, Zheng Qi seems to be in the state of the inside.

But the old man with the word "Shi'an" kept staring at Gao Yue with interested eyes, and only raised his eyebrows for a long time, did not answer, and then paced back and forth in the hall for a few steps, looked at Yang Xuan, and then looked at Chang Gon, and then suddenly said, "What Yang Zhonglang said just now has something to do with me." Now that the country is in difficulty, Jinshike selects talents for the Holy Lord, and in my opinion, it is necessary to cut off the ornaments of vanity, accept practical good strategies, and do not take nonsense, but seek advice. ”

After the old man finished speaking, Yang Juan didn't react, and in the main hall below, Pan Yan sat back in place and raised his hand.

At the foot of the steps, the Linghu Wailang and the Governor of the Examination who had argued with Zheng Qi before shouted in a high-pitched voice, "The first scene, post the scriptures!" ”

Then, in the front hall where Pan Yan was, the curtains were lowered everywhere, so that he and the candidates between the two corridors were completely separated by these curtains, which also represented the official start of the exam.

As soon as this sentence was shouted, in the building on the second floor, Chang Gon and Yang Juan were shocked at the same time, among which Chang Gon's attitude was particularly intense, and he complained directly to the old man, "Jinshike has always been the first list of poetry, the second in the scriptures, and the third in the questioning." Why did the preliminary list change to the scriptures this time? ”

"This is the decision of the Lord Pan Li, and I, like you, am only supervising the field for the Holy Lord. Is it illegal for Pan Lishi to do this? The old man sat down on the couch calmly, stroking a cup of steaming hot tea.

Chang Gon suddenly had nothing to say, because the previous preliminary list of Jinshi (the first exam) was indeed a scripture, but later the practice was changed to poetry, and Pan Yan was just transferred back, but no matter how it was transferred, it was all followed, and there was no violation of the legal system.

Gao Yue saw that Liu De's room behind the bookcase next to him heard that the first scene was pasting the scriptures, his face was like ashes, and he was completely refreshed, and his hand holding the pen was constantly trembling, and he could hear the sound of his teeth fighting.

It's over, Liu De's room doesn't know the scriptures at all, and he thought that this year was still according to the usual rules, and the first list was his most proud poetry.

Just when Gao Yue was still worried about him, the heavy door of the middle hall was suddenly pushed open, and a person broke in!