[First Update.] 】

There was a bang, and the door was slammed shut.

After sending the guests back, the exhausted Zong Ze didn't have much strength, and after sitting down, he didn't want to move again.

It has been a few days since he became the champion, and there are still many guests in front of Zong Ze's door, but it also makes him tired of handover. If it's a serious conversation, even if it's a night talk. But the guests who came over were all funny, flattering, inquiring, and even sarcastic, and this guest made Zong Ze really unable to raise the spirit to interact with him.

There was a knock on the door, and immediately, the voice of the presiding monk also sounded outside the door.

Zong Ze sighed softly and stood up. Straighten his clothes first—even if he is tired, he will still pay attention to the small things of etiquette—and then go over and open the door.

One after the other, two bald heads appeared in front of him.

The presiding monk did not have the arrogance of being a landlord at all, and there was only cautious humility on his smiling face, "The champion has worked too hard in the past two days, and he has lost a lot. The poor monk found a recipe and let people boil some drinks, and served them with Poria cake, which was just right to nourish it. ”

The old monk spoke softly, very different from the one he had spoken in during the day when he reprimanded the little novice. Knowing that Zong Ze was tired, he specially sent a nourishing drink to Zong Ze, and also attached a few pieces of Poria cake as a dessert at night.

"The master has a heart."

Since Zong Ze moved in, the attitude of the presiding monk has changed several times in succession. At the beginning, Zong Ze was just an ordinary Guozi prisoner, just an ordinary response. As a monk official who has lived in Beijing for decades and is named in the Sanglu Division, he has seen too many officials, jinshi and gongsheng, and ordinary Guozi prisoners are really not worthy of his respectful treatment.

But when he learned that Zong Ze had written an article for the Express and was appreciated by many important ministers, he immediately changed into a different person. When Zong Ze won the middle tribute, and then passed the Ministry of Rites test, and was appointed as the champion by the Queen Mother, the old monk's attitude in the face of Zong Ze changed again and again, and his waist bent lower and lower.

However, Zong Ze's return gift remained the same. At his age, he can't be pampered or surprised, but he treats people consistently, and he doesn't have no eyes left because he has become the champion, Zong Ze can still do it.

The supper sent by the old monk, Zong Ze gave in, and when he saw that he couldn't refuse, he accepted it. Then thanked him, exchanged a few more words, and then sent the presiding monk out.

Returning to the room and sitting down, looking at the steaming silver bowl on the table, Zong Ze only smiled bitterly.

He also knew that the temple where he lived, from the presiding monk to the fireworker who watched the door, was very excited for the past two days. Not only because there is a champion among the candidates in the temple, but also because of the benefits.

How many guests come to visit every day, they will give some incense money in the courtesy. And more of a guest who is doing it for the sake of getting a little bit of the light of the champion, he is even more generous.

According to the gossip that Zong Ze heard from a classmate of Guozijian who lived in the courtyard next door, in just a few days, the small temple in Tokyo received more incense money every day than before he became the champion. Not to mention Zong Ze's promotion of the temple's reputation, just living in the room of Zhuang Yuanlang, thinking of how many tribute students will be willing to rent at sky-high prices in the future, it is enough for the presiding monk to hold his account book and can't sleep all night. Even the little novice who runs errands in the temple can eat a few more meals of dog meat.

The old classmates and friends talked and laughed as always, which made Zong Ze feel very relieved, but fortunately, some things have not changed.

As the champion, Zong Ze has a lot of work to be responsible for in addition to ushering in the send-off.

For example, the editor-in-chief work such as "The Same Year", as well as the interaction with other peers, and the Qionglin banquet that is close at hand.

But when the night was quiet and the last group of guests were sent away, Zong Ze recalled the roll call in the hall the day before yesterday under the lights, and it was still like a dream.

When the roster was called in the temple, he heard his name being the first to be announced, and Zong Ze could hardly believe his ears.

My own business, my own family knows best. Zong Ze knew very well how he did in the exam, and he didn't expect that he would be mentioned to the first position at all.

And according to the news that came out afterwards, the examiners of the palace examination ranked themselves in the last place because of their taboos. But the Queen Mother said yes, and the Zaifu didn't object, and they became the champions.

You can go back and read your article again. Because of the hasty temporary change of text, there are actually many debatable points, from the structure to the wording must be greatly changed. If you count it according to the answers of this exam, you can't afford to be called the champion at all.

A jinshi is enough to make the parents and wives at home feel gratified, and there is really no need to add a title of champion.

If you don't live up to your name, won't you be ridiculed? And now it's not 'how not', but it's already ridiculed. There is a standard for the quality of the article, and if Zong Ze's answer is measured by that standard, it cannot be regarded as qualified.

Zong Ze is still young, and he can't laugh at the attacks on the outside world, and he doesn't have the cheekiness of An Zhiruo, and he is always thinking about how to be recognized by the world.

Staring at the pattern on the silver bowl, his eyes gradually lit up.

Since there is no excuse, then simply live up to the name.

Zong Ze heard a piece of news two days ago, and combined with the previous rumors, it can be confirmed.

Although there is no need to go to the top of the list, Zong Ze feels that

Maybe...... You should give it a try yourself.

……………………

"Is this what Mian Zhong just wrote?"

Han Gang put down a densely written piece of paper and patted it gently.

"I don't know what I think of participating in politics?" Although Huang Shang was also laughing, his nervousness could be seen in his tense shoulders.

Han Gang glanced at him and smiled meaningfully: "It's better than Zhuangyuanlang's." ”

Huang Shang immediately asked with a serious face: "Maybe in the top ten?" ”

Whether you can win the top prize depends on luck, but it is impossible for the Son of Heaven to change the ranking of all the top candidates, so it is the top ten candidates who are really outstanding. It's just that Huang Shang asked like this, and he really wanted to be on a par with the Jinshi of Jinke.

In order to oppose the new law in the past, Su Shi tried to ask Xining for three years, and he had the same fun as Huang Shang, and then submitted it. As a matter of course, he was expelled from the imperial court.

Huang Shang did this, although it would not be like Su Shi, but it was not a good thing. Undermining the authority of the Caicai Ceremony is intolerable to the imperial court, and it cannot be done for any reason. Su Shi was expelled from the court, and it was not just a matter of offending Wang Anshi.

"That's hard to say." Han Gang said slowly, "Maybe you can, maybe you will be implicated again." ”

Huang Shang didn't let Han Gang avoid the question: "If the examiner is not partial, I don't know what to think of participating in politics?" ”

Han Gang thought seriously for a moment, "...... This argument is a topic, and you are taking advantage of it too much. ”

Although the level of today's examiners is not high, the evaluation of the essay question can be described as a mess. The Zaifu can beat back the unworthy first place, but they don't have the energy to check the marks of all the candidates, but after all, the second question is almost no score, or only seven and a half points, and the impact on the ranking is not great.

But Huang Shang's answer to the question of Shen Lun will definitely get a high score, at least the third class. If it is not based on the first and second grades of the subject, the second class is also possible. In this way, even if the question is not as good as others, the score can be pulled back or even surpassed in the argument. Of course, it's taking advantage.

"Politics is what it says." Huang Shang bowed his head and said, "Huang Shang lacks talent, and he is not good at carving words. In the temple examination, it is indeed difficult to deal with new questions at first glance, and it is not as thoughtful as now. ”

"Mian Zhong, you misunderstood." Huang Shang's tone was a little rude, Han Gang didn't think it was wrong, and shook his head, "Remember what you got in the essay exam?" ”

“…… Practice. ”

"Exactly. In terms of practical experience, you are too much of an advantage. Han Gang sighed lightly, "This is a new question for the imperial exam, but unfortunately it is bad for the small group, so it can only be used in the palace exam first." ”

"It's Huang Sheng who prepared too rashly. Even if it is based on those six titles, it should be passed. ”

"Performance is more important than anything else." Han Gang said, "Go to the border town and make a contribution that people have nothing to say, who can say that you are wrong to fall off the list after you come back?" It can also make the people who judge you fall off the list not be reused for the rest of their lives. ”

"Whether it is used or not, that is a matter for the imperial court. and will be dethroned, more because Huang Shang is not prepared. However, if Huang Sheng had gone to the southwestern border town, he would not have suddenly started to use troops, and perhaps he would have recruited displaced people, reclaimed wasteland, and built cities and walled forts for three years in office. ”

Huang Shang was so calm, which made Han Gang very pleased: "Wang Xiangmin presented "Ping Rong Ce" in the past, which was reused by the first emperor and appointed as an official Qin Fenglu. But before he used troops on a large scale, he spent three years on Qinfeng Road to understand the inside of Hanfan, investigate geography, and collect talents. It was the thorough preparation that led him to succeed in one fell swoop when he began to use his troops to the west. Mian Zhong, if you can be like Wang Xiangmin for three years, the political hall will not be unfulfilled."

"Huang Shang understands." Huang Sheng nodded, he really understood.

Han Gang's attitude is very clear, he does not support Huang Sheng to submit his article to compete with the candidates, it is completely meaningless, Han Gang attaches more importance to practical talents.

As if he had put down one thing in his heart, the smile on Huang Shang's face suddenly relaxed a lot, and he asked with a smile: "I just participated in politics and said that Huang Sheng can beat Champion Lang, but because Champion Lang's strategy is unsatisfactory?" ”

"It's just that it's not bad, it's just that he's lucky, and he can understand when he meets the Queen Mother."

It's not that I can understand, it's that I can't understand it at all. Huang Xiang sneered. The ministers all know that the Empress Dowager's education level is not enough for her to read an article.

"Huang Sheng has also read Zhuang Yuanlang's article, and there are indeed many evil words, but fortunately, the Queen Mother has the heart to ask for words, so she mentioned him first."

"Yes, otherwise, this time in the palace test, the top 100 will definitely not have his share: with the restoration of Renzong, he can't stand the sentence 'Heavenly prison is not far away, and the people's will can be known'."