Zhao Ji was a very ambitious emperor.

Since childhood, I have seen the weak and poor side of this country. The New Year's coin, which he nominally called a reward to the Liao State and Western Xia every year, was a thorn in his heart.

Therefore, when he ascended to the throne, it was destined that the country would become unusual.

He still vividly remembers the failure of Fan Zhongyan's Qingli New Deal in the Renzong Dynasty, and if he wants to completely change the country's predicament, he still needs some capable people. At this time, he thought of Wang Anshi. This person who taught him Jingyi back then was also a scholar and a Confucian, and in terms of identity, the implementation of the new policy had natural convenience.

The emperor, who was determined to do something, naturally broke out with unprecedented power.

In just two years, Wang Anshi was promoted from the governor of Jiangning Mansion to the governor of the political affairs, and even set up the Department of Regulations of the Three Divisions, which single-handedly controlled the country's financial power. The momentum was unmatched for a while, and it brought bitter admonitions from countless officials. After that, these people were released very directly.

Zhao Ji's heart is determined.

Because for the time being, the future of the New Deal is still very clear. He believed that with Wang Anshi's assistance for ten years, the new policy could be thoroughly implemented. When the country is rich and the people are strong, they will no longer have to endure the pickled smell of Yidi.

I have to say that from this point of view, Zhao Ji is undoubtedly an emperor with blood in his heart.

Therefore, in the face of the three deficiencies that were discussed in the DPRK and China, he knew that the questions of the current Kedian examination were used by Sima Guang and others to target Wang Anshi, but he still allowed them to be printed. In order to let the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty add the world's scholars until, he Zhao Ji is determined to support the change of the law and support the new policy. Those old ministers who dare to oppose it had better not make any trouble.

Eight full days have passed since the temple examination.

In the early dynasty again, the bachelor Su Shi and Langzhong Li Dalin, together with the crown prince Zhongyun Lu Huiqing and Guozixue Liu Chu, submitted the ranking of the palace examination and the examination papers from the academy.

As the emperor, he naturally can't let the courtiers below give the ranking without looking at these exam papers. Not to mention how all the people who become Jinshi are all protégés of the Son of Heaven, it is because the emperor has the right to change the ranking.

According to the usual practice, Zhao Ji asked Chen Shengzhi, the Pingzhang Shi under the Tongzhong Shumen, to read the examination papers of the Jinshi of the first list one by one.

The first place ranked by Su Shi and others was a scholar named Shangguan Jun.

In fact, in terms of Zhao Ji's literary literacy, this Shangguan Jun's article is really good, and his knowledge and vocabulary are all first-class. The only thing that disliked Zhao Ji was that this scholar actually slandered the New Deal like this, which made him feel inexplicably unhappy. If it weren't for the fact that changing the ranking of scholars would cause a strong backlash from the ministers, especially the backlash from the veterans of the three dynasties in the old party, Zhao Ji really wanted to put this scholar at the bottom of the second list.

But the unhappiness soon faded.

Because the second article that Chen Shengzhi read, this article written by a scholar named Ye Zuqia, really wrote it in Zhao Ji's heart. Especially the sentence "The ancestors mostly followed the simple government, His Majesty took the throne, and the revolution was new", in Zhao Ji's heart, this is the greatest praise for what he has done in the past two years.

Standing at the foot of the jade steps, the old party headed by Sima Guang couldn't help frowning when they looked at Wang Anshi and the others with satisfied looks. As Ye Zuqia's article came to an end, this kind of confrontation in expression completely reached its peak. However, there are still eight articles to read, so it is not yet time to explode.

I read six articles in succession, all of which were the result of partial victories and defeats between the new party and the old party.

Chen Shengzhi was allowed to drink a few sips of water, and then he took the ninth article. "Niu'anbao Shizi in Chengji County, Qinzhou, Shen Yun."

When the content of the opening chapter was read by Chen Shengzhi, Sima Guang's face was proud. It can be said that in several articles in a row, only this one is the most powerful refutation of the fearlessness of Destiny. It's just that he can't laugh anymore in the next paragraph. What kind of madness did this scholar make to dare to say words that respect God and disobey his fate.

An article that is not flattering, but clearly analyzes the reasons why the old and new parties are at loggerheads, makes these courtiers look at each other. immediately turned their attention to Su Shi and Li Dalin at the same time, how could they put such an article on the first class?

Chen Shengzhi quickly finished reading the last one.

At this time, a new round of competition will finally begin. Zhao Ji coughed lightly, completely breaking the strange atmosphere in the court: "Ministers, should the ranking of these ten articles be adjusted?" ”

Of course, Sima Guang took the lead: "Your Majesty, the dynasty knows the world with filial piety, and has not heard of the ancestors and the current politics." The old minister thought that this Ye Zuqia was a flattering person, and he had no virtue at all. If it weren't for the second, or even the first class, if it weren't for the emperor's last order, it should have been completely deposed and never hired. ”

Sima Guang's meaning, this kind of person should be placed in the second class.

However, it was not easy to come up with an article that could be used as a way for the new party to fight, and how to make the old party succeed. Wang Anshi immediately retorted: "Time has changed, and it is not appropriate to stick to the old ways." If everyone in the world is like Sima Gong, and the mistakes of the ancestors are covered with a fig leaf, my Great Song Dynasty can only gradually become terminally ill and difficult to treat. ”

The leaders all came out to speak, how could the officials who were shadowing below stand still.

For a while, the two parties quarreled so much that their faces were red and their necks were thick, Zhao Ji was angry in his eyes, and he made a color at the inner servants beside him, and the old lieutenant who had followed Zhao Ji for many years immediately understood the meaning.

A shrill cry resounded through the hall: "Silence. They are all members of the imperial court, how can they quarrel like ordinary people in the city. ”

The voices of mutual rebuttal gradually subsided, Zhao Ji nodded with satisfaction, sat on the dragon bed very seriously, and said in a deep voice: "Enough." This Ye Zuqia is not a flattering person. For many years, if you are convicted for your words, you will not be able to escape one by one. Besides, what he said is also reasonable, so let's put it first. That Shangguan Jun ranked second. ”

Zhao Ji has spoken, and the courtiers are not good at saying anything.

Just as Zhao Ji said, if you really want to pick words to accuse you, not to mention the past few years, in the past few months, many officials have been so fierce that they have completely become unjust.

The top three were finally decided after some debate.

However, the ranking of the second class has once again caused controversy. The most prominent is Shen Yun's article. Sometimes the offense of both sides will always develop into the offense of both sides. Shen Yun not only refuted the three deficiencies, but also affirmed some of the practices of the New Deal. Whether it is Wang Anshi or Sima Guang, they all feel that Shen Yun is a loach.

Just think about what happened to Su Shi, just say that the new deal should be slow rather than urgent, but it was first cleaned up by Wang Anshi, and the new deal fell and was liquidated by Sima Guang. I have to say that the general trend of this court is either the east wind overwhelms the west wind, or the west wind overpowers the east wind. Not only will the grass on the wall not survive, but even the wall will be blown down.

"Your Majesty, that Shen Yun is a flatterer, this person has no virtue and should not be on the first list."

This was said by an official behind Sima Guang.

"Your Majesty, this Shen Yun's words are empty and indefinite, and his person must be a person who has no idea and just wants to follow the flames. This person is not allowed to be included in the first list. ”

This is what Lu Huiqing said. After waiting for several days, he was finally able to avenge his second brother at this time, and when he said this, his heart was extremely happy.

However, an emperor still has his own judgment in the end. In fact, when I heard Shen Yun's article, many of the problems he had thought of before were explained one by one, which can be said to be very important for him to strengthen the new policy. But through this article, Zhao Ji also began not to blindly trust Wang Anshi and these new parties.

"Master Su, tell me, why did you set this Shen Yun as the sixth in the second class?"

Zhao Ji also wanted to hear Su Shi's opinion, so he asked with great interest.

"Back to Your Majesty, the princes of the court, this article is naturally extremely sycophant, I want to please both sides, and I don't please both sides. However, judging from the standard of evaluation, although the article in this life is thoughtful and thoughtful, although it is only a thousand words, it explains why it is innovative, how it is innovative, and how to innovate in the old-fashioned. In terms of government affairs, it is the safest way; For the New Deal, it is also the quickest way. I think the exam papers are limited, and the student's description is not exhaustive, so the minister released the second class. If not, it is okay to put it in the top three. ”

Su Shi's explanation made Zhao Ji happy for a while.

"Yes, when I heard the articles of this life, I knew that he also had hills and valleys in his chest. Since this is the case, then point him to the first place in the second class, and you ministers do not need to argue anymore. ”

Zhao Ji's crisp and neat decision made many ministers unable to react. Even if it is sensitive, because of the last sentence, it is completely helpless.

The next step was to agree on the other rankings, because of the title of this palace examination, the remaining six rankings were still debated for almost an hour, and this early dynasty was considered to have come to an end. The ranking of the first class was agreed, and Zhao Ji hand-picked the edict of the knowledge system. The so-called title of the gold list is the roll call in the form of an edict by the Jinshi.

In the next day, the officials will arrange the robes that need to be given to the new jinshi.

As the crown prince Zhongyun, Fan was purely qualified to participate in the early dynasty. Although he did not participate in the competition between the old and new parties for rankings, Fan Chun was really happy to hear that Shen Yun was designated as the top two in the second class. When I returned to the mansion in the evening, I immediately called the housekeeper: "I will go to the palace tomorrow, and you will go to inform Shen Yun and congratulate him on high school." By the way, after the roll call, you have to praise the official parade on the street, and then take twenty taels of silver and send it over. ”

"Little boy, I don't know what is the second place in Shen Gongzi's high school?"

For the imperial examination housekeeper, it is also a clear door, and only one or three people are allocated by the government to the chariots and horses, and the others need to pay their own expenses. And according to Shen Yun's ability, he will not be reduced to the second list.

"Second grade, first place." When these four words were spoken, Fan Chun still smiled.