"Is there anything wrong with this poem?" Liu Ling asked puzzled. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

Several examiners looked at each other, and an official who specialized in examining this examination paper bowed down and said: "This poem itself is excellent, there is no problem, but everyone feels that the criticism of this poem is too heavy, and the inspirational edge is insufficient, it seems that this candidate is a little dissatisfied with the imperial court." ”

Before Wang Anshi's imperial examination reform, poetry was the head of the imperial examination, so the imperial examination scholars all sang the praises of virtue in their poems, and rarely criticized the poems of the imperial court, so these officials unanimously praised this test paper, but this poem made them feel a little difficult to make up their minds, even if Liu Ling didn't ask, they would report for instructions.

Liu Ling nodded, and said to everyone: "The imperial court has set the tone for this imperial examination, and encourages scholars all over the world to support the Northern Expedition of the imperial court. ”

Liu Ling handed the file in his hand to the judge, "This file can be passed in the second trial, signed and sent to me." ”

"Xia Guan understands!"

At this time, Liu Ling saw a man hurriedly walking in from outside, so he greeted him and asked urgently, "Did you find it?" ”

He handed over a test paper box, "The three of us found it for five whole days, and we finally found it!" ”

Liu Ling was overjoyed, took the test paper box and opened it to see that it was Zheng Rongtai's exam paper, and he said, "Let's go down first!" Each of them will be rewarded with ten taels of silver. ”

"Thank you!"

After a salute and left, Liu Ling hurriedly walked to the examiner's room with the test paper box.

At this time, Yu Shen was standing in front of the window with his hands in his hands and was silent for a long time, looking preoccupied, and there was a knock on the door behind him, "Yu Xianggong, it's me!" It was the voice of Liu Ling, the deputy chief examiner.

"Come in!"

Yu Shen returned to his seat and sat down, Liu Ling pushed the door and walked in, Yu Shen smiled: "I've been sitting idle for a few days, don't you have to press the test paper to me at the end?" ”

"There are already more than 200 copies from Xiaguan, and I will try to give some to Yu Xianggong in the afternoon."

"What is the quality of this paper?" Yu Shen asked again.

"I feel a little higher than last time, maybe it was because of Enke last time, and many scholars were not prepared."

"Perhaps!"

Yu Shen glanced at the test paper box in Liu Ling's hand and asked lightly, "Is this Zheng Rongtai's test paper?" ”

"Exactly! He was eliminated in the first batch, and it was not easy for the three to find out from tens of thousands of test papers. ”

Liu Ling handed the wooden box to Yu Shen, Yu Shen frowned slightly when he heard that the first batch was eliminated, but he didn't say anything, opened the wooden box, and took out the test paper inside, his brows suddenly wrinkled deeper, he had never seen such poor calligraphy, it was simply the level of the primary school, no wonder the first batch was eliminated.

He simply 'brushed!' The ground tore open the paste note, which was Zheng Rongtai's test paper.

After a long time, he sighed and said to Liu Ling: "There are two troubles this time, one is this Zheng Rongtai, the brother-in-law of His Royal Highness the Prince, and there is a bigger trouble. ”

Liu Ling was taken aback, "Could it be that someone wants to take special care of it again?" ”

"I didn't say that I wanted to take special care, but people are really special, and they are His Royal Highness King Jia."

"Ahh Liu Ling exclaimed, "Has His Royal Highness King Jia also participated in the imperial examination?" ”

Yu Shen nodded, "This morning, Li Yan, the head of the inner house, sent someone to send a note, there is only one sentence, King Jia is also in the imperial examination. ”

Liu Ling was slightly stunned, why was it the note sent by Li Yan, shouldn't it be the note sent by Liang Shicheng?

Yu Shen understood Liu Ling's puzzlement, of course he knew why, Li Yan had been the head of the inner department for less than two years, and he was anxious to get rid of Liang Shicheng's constraints and wanted to become an independent family.

But this is a secret fight in the palace, he doesn't want to ask, his headache now is Jiawang Zhao Kai, Zhao Kai must have used a pseudonym to participate in the imperial examination, what is his pseudonym? But even if you know a pseudonym, how can you find it among the 80,000 vague test papers?

Yu Shen had a headache, he was very worried that Li Yan was conveying a message from the Son of Heaven, how would he explain if King Jia failed?

Liu Ling comforted him and said: "Xia Guan knows that His Royal Highness King Jiawang is extremely talented, as long as he plays normally, it is not a problem to be on the list, besides, the official family also knows very well that the imperial examination is a vague name system, if he wants Yu Xianggong to secretly help, he will definitely tell Xianggong the clues, since he doesn't say anything, it is likely that the official family does not have this intention, and Xianggong should not worry too much." ”

Yu Shen sighed, it wasn't Liu Ling's comfort that worked, and he really had no way to find King Jia's paper, he had to think about it for the time being, he handed Zheng Rongtai's test paper to Liu Ling again, "You can't be admitted with this test paper anyway, you find two trustworthy people to make a paper for him, and then admit him directly." ”

.........

Three more days have passed, and there are only two days left before the provincial examination is released, and a large number of scholars who have gone home or gone out to play have rushed back to the capital, and the inns, taverns and Qinglou in Bianjing are booming again.

That afternoon, Li Yanqing was about to go out for dinner, but a familiar fat figure appeared at the door.

"Lao Li, why do you always want me to come to you, can't you come to me?" Zheng Rongtai was very dissatisfied and blocked the door of Li Yanqing's dormitory and shouted.

"You're too busy, today this social, tomorrow that weight loss, I'm too lazy to look for you!"

"Where do I have any entertainment, I soak in the women's pile all day long, I'm tired of it, forget it, I don't want to quarrel with you, go have a glass of wine, I'll treat you!"

Li Yanqing thought for a while, "Then let's go to Qingfeng Tower!" ”

Zheng Rongtai's eyes suddenly smiled, as long as he didn't go to the Sangjia Wazi, the Biquan wine in Qingfeng Lou was their signature, and he hurriedly said: "Go!" Go to Qingfeng Tower. ”

Qingfeng Lou is in the south of Taixue, not far away, walk a few hundred steps after the south gate of Taixue, it is also one of the top ten restaurants in Bianjing, close to the South City Gate Royal Street, is the most famous restaurant in this area.

The two came to the restaurant, the restaurant was already full, it was full of guests who were eating, most of them were scholars who participated in the imperial examination, and there were two window seats that no one had sat on for the time being, but they had been booked, Zheng Rongtai was wealthy, and took out ten taels of silver and patted it on the counter, "Do you want ten taels of silver?" If you want, give us two seats. ”

Ten taels of silver suddenly made the shopkeeper smile and bend over, "What are the words of the little official, can we still get a guest?" Please take a seat on the second floor! ”

After speaking, he hurriedly gave the bartender a look, and the bartender understood, and immediately shouted: "Two distinguished guests, seat No. 3 by the window on the second floor!" ”

Zheng Rongtai's voice was too loud just now, and he had already alarmed the restaurant in the lobby on the first floor, and almost everyone was shocked, and he actually took ten taels of silver to buy a seat, what kind of gentleman is this?

Everyone secretly pointed at Zheng Rongtai and Li Yanqing and whispered, Li Yanqing's face was hot, he was not used to this kind of swaggering and domineering momentum, but Zheng Rongtai was triumphant, he was very surprised and envious by everyone, and followed the bartender to the second floor with his head raised.

The two finally got the best window seat, this seat is in the corner of the second floor, by the window and very quiet, Li Yanqing has been here a few times, he is more familiar with the wine and food of Qingfeng Building, he asked for a pot of Biquan wine aged ten years, this pot of wine alone costs five yuan, anyway, Zheng Fatzi treats, Li Yanqing is not distressed, he ordered five or six Qingfeng Lou's special dishes, this meal is at least twenty yuan, and the bartender next to him is speechless.

But Zheng Rongtai didn't care, he asked with a smile: "I heard my eldest uncle say that your family is happy, is that so?" ”

Zheng Rongtai's great-uncle was in charge of supplying the spices of Bao Yan Zhai, and he was relatively well-informed.

Li Yanqing smiled and nodded, "You now know why I didn't come to you!" I have to take care of this sister during the day, so I really don't have time to go out and find friends. ”

"Of course I understand, I'm joking with you, what's the name of the little sister?"

"It's the name I gave her, her name is Baoniang, and her official name is Li Baoyan."

Zheng Rongtai was stunned for a moment, and suddenly slapped the table and laughed wildly, causing the surrounding scholars to look at him angrily.

"Think it's weird?" Li Yanqing said lightly.

"Nope! No! I think that's a ..... name Ay! It's so famous, would your dad do it? ”

"He's a little reluctant, but I've decided on the name, and I can't help him."

Zheng Rongtai sighed, "It seems that the rumors outside are correct, you are the real proprietor of Baoyanzhai." ”

"Don't talk about it, do you have something to do with me today?" Li Yanqing asked with a wine glass.

Zheng Rongtai looked to both sides, moved the chair to Li Yanqing's side, and said to him in a low voice: "I have some inside information about the imperial examination to tell you." ”