Although the fraud case broke out, but did not affect the continuation of the palace examination, in the afternoon, in the palace city Xuanwu Palace, the annual palace examination is being held, this time the top ten jinshi of the imperial examination are eligible to participate in the palace examination, in order to determine the final champion, Bangyan and Tanhua, and the other seven jinshi will also receive the title of the palace jinshi, in the conferral of officials, than ordinary jinshi will have preferential treatment.

The palace examination is very simple, not a written test, but the emperor asks, and the scholar answers, which is actually equivalent to an interview, and the emperor will hand-pick the final champion, list eye and tanhua according to his comprehensive impression.

The order of answering in the temple was not based on the ranking on the gold list, but the ten of them were determined by drawing lots last night.

The top ten jinshi are: Zhao Bolun of Chenliu County, Ma Yingchu of Zaoyang County, Huangfu Weiming of Weiyang County, Cui Xuan of Qinghe County, Pei Zhi of Xie Liang County, Zhang Zhiqin of Ye County, Wu Hansheng of Dantu County, Yao Shun of Wannian County, Shen Qiwu of Jiangning County, and Zhang Qin of Jianyang County.

According to the lottery results, Pei Zhi of Xie Liang County ranked first, Shen Qiwu of Jiangning County ranked ninth, and Huangfu Weiming of Weiyang County ranked last.

Ten scholars were waiting in the Qifeng Pavilion next to the main hall in their robes, and they went in groups of two, everyone was very nervous, but the speed of the palace test was very fast, and in less than an hour, it was the turn of Huangfu Weiming.

At this time, a eunuch shouted at the door: "Shen Qiwu, Huangfu Weiming!" ”

The two of them stood up together and walked towards the door, "Here!" ”

"You come with me."

The eunuch took them to the main hall, Shen Qiwu knew that Huangfu Weiming was Wujin's brother and the person recommended by the prince, he saw that Huangfu Weiming's face was extremely serious, so he laughed in a low voice: "Brother Huangfu don't worry, this palace test is actually just a formality, in fact, the emperor has already set the top three last night, just ask a few words casually, as long as you faint in the court, there is no problem." ”

Huangfu Weiming thanked him: "Thank you Brother Shen for reminding me, I don't know what the emperor usually asks?" ”

"Just ask a little about the local customs, it was like this last year, for example, Brother Huangfu is from Weiyang, the emperor may ask about the population and taxes of Weiyang County, I think this should be Brother Huangfu's strength."

Huangfu Wei knew that he was referring to his appointment as the head of the transfer of Cao, so he smiled and asked rhetorically: "Brother Shen is from Jiangning County, but I know that it is only Brother Shen's ancestral hometown, does Brother Shen know the situation there?" ”

Shen Qiwu smiled slightly, "I really don't know, but there is a reason for this, I can tell Brother Huangfu, I have specifically analyzed the results of the palace examination in the past 20 years, and I found a habit of the emperor, if you know a place very well, the emperor will appoint you to be an official there, on the contrary, if you don't know a place very well, the emperor will also appoint you to be an official there, let you know there, a few years later, he will ask you again, so I chose my ancestral hometown Jiangning County when I signed up, and this is the reason." ”

Huangfu Weiming didn't expect him to be so frank, and he actually said this kind of thing, but after thinking about it again, he said this, but instead he went to his father's suspicion, and there was nothing to lose.

"Brother Shen is careful, admire!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, and then came to the front of the main hall to wait, and a wrestler shouted: "Shen Qiwu of Jiangning County entered the hall for an interview." ”

Shen Qiwu straightened his clothes, and under the guidance of a eunuch, he strode into the hall with his head held high, very confident.

Huangfu Wei saw that he looked proud, and couldn't help but secretly think, it couldn't be that he had already been designated as the champion! That's why he's so confident.

He waited anxiously outside the main hall, and a quarter of an hour later, a shout came from above the main hall: "Xuanweiyang County Huangfu Weiming enters the palace for an interview!" ”

Huangfu Weiming took a deep breath, and then followed the eunuch calmly up the white jade steps and walked towards the main hall.

Yesterday afternoon, they had collectively received simple etiquette training, knowing that the worship ceremony, the Xuanwu Hall is not the main hall of the palace, in fact, it is a small hall, the annual palace examination is held here, in addition, here is mainly to meet foreign envoys.

There are not many ministers in the palace, about thirty or forty people, who sit on both sides, and there are no standing ministers in the palace, which means that these ministers are from the third rank or above, and are qualified to sit.

On the jade steps in the middle of the main hall sat the current emperor Huangfu Xuande, but the light was relatively dim, and his face could not be seen clearly, but he could see every move of the scholar.

Wei Ming walked quickly to a yellow line and knelt down, bowed three times and bowed nine times, his heart began to get excited, he never dreamed that one day he would bow to the emperor in the main hall.

"Weiyang County Shizi Huangfu Weiming pays homage to Your Majesty, I wish your Majesty long live, long live, long live!"

"Flat!"

Huangfu Xuande's voice is very gentle, although it is not big, but it can spread to every corner of the hall, which is the ingenious design of the hall, which can amplify the sound.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Wei Ming stood up, stood with his hands down, did not dare to look up at the emperor, Huangfu Xuande had already tried nine people in the palace, although everyone was not for a long time, but he still looked a little tired, this was the last person, he cheered up and smiled: "Huangfu Weiming, you are the son of the Donghai Huangfu clan!" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, the student is exactly!"

Although he has been admitted to the Jinshi, but the Ministry of Officials has not been officially conferred an official, and he is still a protégé of the Son of Heaven, and he is not allowed to be called a minister, but can only be called a student or a small person.

Huangfu Xuande nodded, and asked him again, "What is the population of Weiyang County?" ”

Sure enough, Shen Qiwu was right, but Ming had been the head of Donghai County, and he knew the financial and tax population of Donghai County well.

He immediately said respectfully: "As of the end of March this year, there were 212,354 households in Weiyang County, with a population of 984,377 people, and a non-permanent resident population of 543,000. ”

Wei Ming's answer surprised everyone in the hall, how could he know so much? Uncle Shen Guo, who was sitting in the front, explained to everyone in a low voice: "He has been the head of Donghai County. ”

Everyone suddenly realized, Huangfu Xuande smiled approvingly, and said: "I read your resume, you have been the head of the household, so I don't ask you much about your duties, I just ask you casually, if you are a county official, someone picks up a cow and pays it to the official, you reward this person with a sheep, but this person says that you should not ask for anything in return, and refuse to accept sheep, what should you do?"

Their knowledge has been examined, the rankings have come out, and there is no need for Huangfu Xuande to ask about academic matters, he will understand the actual ability of these candidates from some aspects.

This question, Huangfu Xuande also asked Zhao Bolun just now, and Zhao Bolun replied that he should be rewarded and his virtue should be widely disseminated.

Now he asked Huangfu Weiming again, see how he answered?

Huangfu Weiming thought about it for a while, and then said: "The students should convene the villagers to protect the land, gather the squire elders, and listen to the students deal with the case, and the student union will order the cattle pickers to collect the sheep." ”

Huangfu Xuande asked again: "If he resolutely refuses to accept it, what will happen to you?" ”

"The student should give the sheep to his family for the merit of collecting the oxen and turning them in, and at the same time give him twenty rods for the crime of corrupting the people."

There was a whisper in the hall, Huangfu Xuande's eyes narrowed, and he asked again: "He picks up cattle and hands over officials without asking for anything in return, this is obviously the style of a gentleman, why do you say that he is corrupting the people's customs?" ”

"Returning to Your Majesty, picking up cattle and handing over officials, this is a virtue, virtue should be rewarded, in order to encourage more people to do good, if this cattle is not rewarded, although he has won the reputation of a gentleman, but once the matter spreads, try to ask other people if they pick up cattle again, who is willing to hand over the officials again? What is this not to corrupt the people? ”

Huangfu Xuande nodded secretly, and said very well, this is the answer he wants, no wonder the prince said that this Huangfu is only pragmatic, and it is really good, he asked with a smile: "Why did the county government come out with this sheep?" Isn't the cow loser responsible? ”

"If the owner of the cow is poor and can't take out the sheep, the student will order the owner of the cow to compensate for it with hard labor, and if it is really a lonely old man, it can be exempted from compensation, and the government should focus on maintaining the system, rather than just being a middleman."

Huangfu Xuande's answer made Huangfu Xuande quite satisfied, so he smiled slightly, "You step down!" I see. ”

Huangfu Weiming slowly retreated to wait outside the main hall, the palace test has all ended, Huangfu Xuande picked up the pen and ticked a few circles on the list, handed it to the eunuch standing aside, the eunuch handed over the list to Zhang Jinjie, the secretary of the ministry, Zhang Jinjie and several ministers quickly exchanged opinions, he got up and said: "Your Majesty, the ministers have no opinions." ”

"Well, that's it!"

．．．．．．．． Outside the main hall, the top ten jinshi stood in a row, nervously waiting for the final result, at this time a proclamator strode outside the hall, unfolded the holy decree and announced loudly: "The palace test is over, His Majesty the Emperor has personally ordered it, the champion of the Jinshi Branch in the twenty-ninth year of Zhenye, and the Huangfu of Weiyang County is only clear!" ”

Huangfu Weiming was so excited that he knelt down on his knees and kowtowed, "Student Huangfu Weiming, thank the emperor for his grace!" ”

"Zhenye has been on the list for twenty-nine years, and Ma Yingchu in Zaoyang County."

Ma Yingchu, who was thin and small, also knelt on his knees, so excited that he kowtowed to thank him, and he couldn't even speak, so he used kowtow instead of thanksgiving.

"Zhenye twenty-nine years into the Shike to explore flowers, Qinghe County Cui Xuan."

Cui Xuan was also so excited that he knelt down and kowtowed to thank him, "Student Cui Xuan, thank the emperor for his grace!" ”

The big Confucian Zhao Bolun and Shen Qiwu next to him were very disappointed, Zhao Bolun was the first place in the exam approved by Su Xun, originally Huangfu Xuande valued him very much, but his answer to the question just now made Huangfu Xuande very dissatisfied, so he was defeated.

And Shen Qiwu's disappointment was that his father told him last night that Empress Shen had asked the emperor for his consent, he would be Tanhua, and Huangfu was clearly the leader, and Zhao Bolun would be the champion, why did everything change in the end?

Shen Qiwu didn't know that Huangfu Weiming's answer to the palace test just now won the emperor's heart, so Huangfu Xuande temporarily changed his mind and named Weiming as the champion.

And he failed to choose to explore the flowers, because last night Shen Ruyi blew the pillow wind in the emperor's arms, saying that the Shen family is a relative of the emperor, and if the emperor's relatives are allowed to explore the flowers, it will make the world's scholars dissatisfied, and the emperor appreciates her for understanding the righteousness, so Queen Shen and Shen Qiwu became Shen Ruyi's stepping stones together.

The results of the palace examination were like wings, and they spread all over the city in an instant, and the new champion Huang Fu Weiming suddenly became the focus of discussion in the whole city, and his background, family background, and whether to marry a wife became the main topic of discussion, and various versions of the news spread in the capital.

In the noisy gongs, drums and suona sounds, dozens of jinshi wore red ribbons, rode on high-headed horses, and began to parade the streets to praise officials, accepting the ardent admiration of the people in the capital on both sides of the street, which was the most glorious moment for all scholars.

However, Guan Xianju and the Lin brothers have become prisoners at this time, and what awaits them will be the most severe punishment.

(To be continued)