Whether the Temple of Literature sent the southern chief examiner, Ji Ning didn't know, and even whether the imperial court sent the northern chief examiner, it was only in Tang Jie's speculation, and no one could confirm all this.

Ji Ning doesn't really care about who will take the exam, because he knows that even if it is the main exam in the north, the possibility of admitting the southern Huiyuan is very high, not to mention that now it is just the top 300 in the middle of the exam, Ji Ning is not greedy, he just wants to take the Jinshi, even if it is a top three Jinshi, he himself is satisfied.

Tang Xie asked, "Yongning, how are you preparing for the exam?" It is reported that this examination will add additional topics for arithmetic, which is also a rare examination in recent years to increase additional topics, and it seems that the imperial court is selecting special talents. ”

Ji Ning nodded and said: "I have also heard about this matter, but even if the answer to the question is good, the person admitted may not be a jinshi, this kind of question, don't do it!" ”

Ji Ning knows very well that the imperial court suddenly added the imperial examination questions, or additional questions, which means that the candidates can choose not to do this question, if they do it, it will have no impact if they are wrong, if they do it right, the imperial court may specially select it.

The final result is likely to be that this candidate was selected by the imperial court because of this question and went to some special positions to work as errands, which may be very promising, but contrary to Ji Ning's thoughts, because Ji Ning's goal is to enter the Temple of Literature, and the talents selected by the question are definitely to stay in the yamen who need to be accounted for in the imperial court.

"Yongning's arithmetic ability amazes me, I thought this opportunity was prepared for Yongning you, even if you don't get into the Jinshi, you can choose among the topics of the arithmetic, it is likely that you will also be among the court, become an official of the six departments, and the future may be higher than a third-class jinshi, Yongning should think about it!" After Tang explained, he got up to say goodbye, and Ji Ning also personally sent him to the door.

After Tang Xie left, Ji Ning was also thinking about this question, whether to answer the content of the scriptures in the exam.

The examination suddenly added "math problems", these math problems are likely to be very difficult, once you can't answer them, it will be a waste of time, but he believes that with his ability to understand mathematics, he is at least the best in this era, and if he answers correctly, he can stay in the court as an official, which is a shortcut, but he himself does not want to take advantage of this shortcut.

"It's still down-to-earth, when a Confucian with a literary name and a Confucian name, is the best choice, enter the temple, even if you are high, once it comes to the power struggle, you will die quickly. Right now, it's a heart to think about the Jinshi, and then bring down Zhang Hong, and do learning in the Temple of Literature with peace of mind! Ji Ning made up his mind in his heart.

……

……

On the twenty-ninth day of the lunar month, one day before Chinese New Year's Eve, Zhao Yuanxuan, as the lord of Huaizhu County, entered the palace for the first time, but what she saw was not the emperor in the main hall of the palace, but the concubines in the inner garden of the palace.

However, all those who enter the capital and bring the women in their relatives, who have been given a knight or are about to be knighted, need to enter the palace during the New Year's Festival, when the lord of the six palaces will set up a banquet to entertain, and after the end of the banquet on the day, there will be another reward.

In addition to the women of the royal family, the wives of the ministers of the court and the famous ladies who have not been out of the cabinet will also be invited, but whether to invite depends on the final invitation list of the Honglu Temple of the imperial court.

Zhao Yuanxuan is also a famous county lord in the royal family, her status is very high, so she has the qualifications to enter the palace to see the court, early, her invitation has been sent to the Chongwang Mansion Courtyard, she studied the court etiquette before, but also to be able to come in handy in this court meeting.

On this day, Zhao Yuanxuan paid great attention to his appearance and dress, because this was the best time for the royal women in the capital and the celebrities in the capital to contact.

At this kind of banquet, each woman will also try her best to show her talent and ability, if it is those who abide by etiquette and abide by the standard of "women are virtuous if they are not talented", they will also try their best to show their beautiful appearance, so that people know how dignified they are, which makes people admire.

After Zhao Yuanxuan entered the palace, he felt that the palace was very unfamiliar.

She thought to herself: "I've been to the palace before, and I don't remember if it was four years ago or five years ago, at that time, I was the happiest to be able to play with Sister Rong, at that time, Sister Rong hadn't moved out of the palace to live, but now after Sister Rong moved out, this palace is much more deserted!" Even the queen mother is no longer alive, and this time I came in, there shouldn't be anyone I know, right? ”

Zhao Yuanxuan knew early on that Princess Wenren Zhao Yuanrong would not participate in this banquet.

It's not because Zhao Yuanrong didn't get invited, but because Zhao Yuanrong's status is too high, and he is no longer suitable to participate in this banquet as a celebrity, because if Zhao Yuanrong comes to participate, it is impossible to define whether she is the host or the invitee, and the person who presided over this banquet itself is not Zhao Yuanrong, after the death of Empress Xiaohui, the matter of presiding over the palace banquet fell on Li Guifei.

Concubine Li Guifei is also the most favored imperial concubine today, although she is also in her thirties and approaching forty years old, she knows how to fix favors, and Zhao Yuanxuan has always wanted to know what this woman who can make the emperor swoon looks like.

Zhao Yuanxuan, under the guidance of the little palace maid, passed all the way through the corridor, the left middle gate and the Kangjing gate, and entered the Hui'an Palace, which was the place where they were temporarily waiting to be seen.

At this time, there are already a lot of celebrities and ladies in the Hui'an Palace, which is different from the place where ordinary officials are waiting to see the court, it seems very quiet here, no one dares to twitter inside, they are all women, and their knowledge is not high, for fear of causing any trouble, and they uphold a principle, that is, all women who come here to participate in the banquet are enemies, even if they are sisters who know each other on weekdays, they will pretend not to know each other on this occasion.

If the relatives of the two ministers seem to be very familiar with each other, and are looked at by the little palace maid serving next to them, they may tell the palace stewards and eunuchs and report them layer by layer, and then the emperor may know that the two ministers are close in private, and there is a possibility of forming a party.

Therefore, on this occasion, these relatives will not greet others, nor will they take the initiative to talk to others.

Of course, there are special ones, such as Zhao Yuanxuan.

Although Zhao Yuanxuan studied the court etiquette for a lot of time before entering the palace, it was not said that she was not allowed to enter the palace to talk, she saw so many beautifully dressed ladies, and naturally wanted to know a few more, which was also because Zhao Yuanxuan did not have any sisters in the boudoir on weekdays and did not know how to get along with others.

"This sister, you look so beautiful, what kind of rouge do you use?" Zhao Yuanxuan went up and pulled a woman in her twenties, who looked very charming and her face was very pale, and asked.