Soon it was the day before the palace examination, which was also the last level of this scientific examination and the one that determined the final ranking of the candidates. The officials of the Ministry of Rites also began to set up thrones, yellow cases, set up test tables, arrange candidates' seats, prepare answer sheets and a series of other things, and were very busy.

The next day, just arrived at the fifth watch, the sky was still dark, the candidates came to the main gate of the imperial city outside the Xuande Building, the five doors downstairs, the doors are all gold nails and vermilion paint, the walls are all bricks and stones, the engraved dragon and phoenix fly away, all the candidates are shining in their eyes, and they are so excited that they can't help themselves...... Ten years of cold window, what is the so-called?

The first emperor Zhenzong had a poem: "The rich don't need to buy good land, there are thousands of millets in the book; There is no need to raise a hall to live in peace, and there is a golden house in the book; Don't hate to go out with no one, there are many cars and horses in the book; Don't hate unscrupulous matchmakers when marrying a wife, there is Yan Ruyu in the book; If a boy follows his life's aspirations, he reads the Six Classics to the window. ”

The candidates standing here, after layers of competition, finally stood in front of the Son of Heaven - his house, waiting for the last leap of the carp to jump the dragon gate, how could the candidates not be excited!

Moreover, the palace examination does not have the kind of gains and losses before the state examination and the general examination, but more excitement and eagerness to try! Because in today's palace examination, as long as the candidates don't make stupid mistakes, they will not be degraded, and the worst can also be given a "Tongjinshi background", and a county magistrate should be released...... And for many people, it is much more comfortable to be a prisoner in the capital, a bachelor or something like that.

Many Jinshi have been Beijing officials for more than ten years, and so far nothing has been accomplished...... And such Beijing officials abound, many people just ate and waited for half their lives, and finally retired with honor, or in a certain political dispute, they became the fish in the pond that were affected.

"Ouch! Brother Tang, I am glad to be happy! ”

"Oh, isn't this Brother Yuan? Look up for a long time, look up for a long time! ”

Taking advantage of the fact that the palace gate was not opened, the candidates began to contact the nearest feelings!

Although officialdom is not as good as the battlefield, the knife is bloody, but it is also extremely cruel, and some people don't even know how to die! In the officialdom, the one who can really support each other is the same year as the same department standing here...... This is the law of officialdom!

Although since Taizu, the power to finally decide whether candidates can be admitted has been returned to the hands of the Son of Heaven, forming the palace examination. The Son of Heaven became the final examiner and became the mentor of all new scholars, but the relationship between the teacher, the protégé, and the same year still existed and was not completely eliminated.

Especially after Zhang Yuan sentenced the country, the palace examination no longer dethroned the candidates, the authority of the chief examiner of the examination suddenly became larger, and the imperial examination returned to a channel for the chief examiner to form a party for personal gain, establish and cultivate his own power, which is also the reason why the king of Shu won this chief examiner.

So as soon as the exam ended, Chen Shilang gathered this year's candidates together to help these students of the same year connect with each other, so now they are very familiar with each other! In addition to Xu Gang, Shen Hao, and Zhang An! Because Chen Shizhi has other arrangements for them.

Just when the feelings between everyone were heating up sharply, three bells rang from the palace!

There was silence in front of the palace gate, and an inexplicable nervousness suddenly spread to many students with the bell ringing, occupying everyone's heart......

Although the name of the new science and technology jinshi has been decided, who doesn't want to take a good ranking, and even hopes that God will open his eyes and let the official family take him as the champion! So when it came to the end, the students became nervous!

At this time, there was already a hint of fish belly white in the east, and the candidates all stood aside and made way for the ministers.

"Oh, isn't that Wenxiang?"

"Look, Vice Minister Pang!"

"Look, Chen Shiji"

The approaching candidates began to whisper, and looked at the important ministers of the court wearing python robes and jade belts with reverence, and looked at the scholars in purple robes and gold belts around their waists with envy and said, "This is the goal of my own struggle!" ”

After the ministers had all entered, an official of the Ministry of Etiquette shouted: "Xinmao Kedian test candidates enter!" ”

The candidates immediately lined up and stood up, followed the officials of the Ministry of Rites with great excitement, went from the main gate, passed through the deep doorway, and there was a very open square, through the square, stepped up the steps, and went up to a large platform, white stone railing, carved dragon pillars, and at the end of the platform was the magnificent and tall Wende Palace, where the ministers went to court.

All the candidates bypassed the Wende Palace, and passed through the four palace gates in a row, respectively bypassed the vertical arch hall, the imperial hall, the Jiying hall, and finally came to the Chongzheng Hall of the trial, there is also a wide platform in front of the hall, and there are rows of neat tables and chairs in the hall, there are one hundred and fifty sets!

A red carpet was laid in the middle of the platform in front of the hall, leading to the stairs on the side of the stage, and a yellow case was placed near the palace gate! The ministers who came in early stood on both sides of the red carpet, and the candidates also stood behind the ministers on the left and right under the guidance of officials.

In the left corner of the platform are Huang Zhong Da Lu, chimes and copper chimes, and a musician holding Xiao Sheng's reed flute!

When everyone stood still, Huang Men pulled up his voice and shouted, "Have fun!" Suddenly, the music was loud, and all kinds of musical instruments were played together, and the sound was nine times, sweeping people's hearts, so that the officials and candidates in front of the hall all looked solemn.

Then, Huangmen shouted in a louder voice: "The emperor has arrived!" ”

In the sound of music, a middle-aged man wearing a crown of heaven, a silk robe, and a black picture appeared on the red carpet, and slowly walked in front of everyone to stand - he is Zhao Zhen, the son of heaven!

"The ministers knock to see my emperor, long live, long live, long live...... "After all the ministers and candidates bowed to the Son of Heaven, the mountain shouted long live.

"Flat!" Zhao Zhen raised his hand slightly, signaling everyone to be exempt from courtesy!

Then, Zhao Zhen began to speak, which was nothing more than some words to encourage the candidates to answer the questions seriously. Soon he finished speaking, and then picked up the scissors, opened the test questions on the yellow case in person, and awarded it to Wen Yanbo next to him, that is, the middle-aged man who was called "Wenxiang" outside the palace gate.

After doing these things, Zhao Zhen withdrew in the sound of long live the mountain call, and the ministers who were pulled to fill the scene on both sides of the red carpet also left one after another, leaving only Wen Yanbo, the Chinese scholar Chen Wenzhong, and a cadre of officials from the Ministry of Rites, a total of more than ten people, they are the invigilators of the palace examination.

Under the instructions of the officials of the Ministry of Rites, the candidates sat down behind the examination table in turn, and after all the candidates were seated, Wen Yanbo stood at the front and said slowly: "Everyone, this palace examination has a total of three hours. The exam starts at the hour, and the exam questions are written by the official family, and the number of words in the answer is limited to 1,000 words, and the paper must be handed in at the end of noon! Let's go! ”

With the order of Wen Xiang, the officials of the Ministry of Rites began to distribute the answer paper, which was framed with rice paper, which was extremely exquisite! This palace exam is different, and all the candidates let out such a secret sigh!

After the answer sheets are distributed, the test questions will be distributed!

As soon as Xu Gang picked up the exam question, he was stunned, the official family actually came up with such a question! (To be continued.) )