That night, at the invitation of Liu Ming and Su Shi, Wang Anshi came to the hall where the other party was staying.

The night is getting thicker, the moon appears, the stars are dotted, raise a glass to invite the bright moon, and the shadows become three people.

Su Shi raised his glass and said, "Jiefu, I toast you." With my feeling, you will definitely be able to become a great minister in the future and make a career. ”

Wang Anshi didn't mind and said: "I don't mind if you are a great minister." However, as a courtier, you naturally have to do your part. Now that the Song Dynasty is poor and weak, there is the Liao State in the north and the Western Xia in the west, and all aspects are clamped down, and there must be changes. ”

Su Shi nodded and said, "Didn't Fan Gong carry out the reform of the Qingli New Deal because of this, and proposed measures such as curbing luck and fine tribute. In particular, this fine tribute has inhibited those Taixue students from taking shortcuts, but has given us a chance. ”

At the mention of this, Wang Anshi's eyes lit up and said: "Don't hide it from the two, I have long been dissatisfied with the previous imperial examination. The disaster of the world lies not in the lack of talents, but in the fact that the monarch does not want many talents; It's not that the scholars don't want to make a difference, it's that the king doesn't want the scholars to make a difference. The use of talents, this is the pillar of the country, get talent, the country will be stable and prosperous, without talent the country will be defeated and humiliated. However, you don't want a lot of talents, you don't want to use talents, why is this? ”

Seeing Wang Anshi's sharp remarks, Liu Ming and Su Shi were a little uncomfortable, and the two looked at each other and understood that they had to show some real skills, otherwise it was very likely that this Linchuan Gongshi would look down on him.

Liu Ming took the lead and said: "The king doesn't want talents, is the king overconfident in his ability to control the entire court?" ”

Wang Anshi nodded and said, "Hui Yuanlang said very well. For one thing, the king believed that the gains and losses of talent did not help the number of days in chaos, so he indulged his thoughts peacefully, and ended up in the danger of defeat and turmoil. Second, some kings think that their high-ranking officials can be enough to tempt the scholars of the world, so they can treat the scholars of the world arrogantly, and the scholars will run to themselves, but this will eventually fall into defeat and humiliation, which is the second. ”

Wang Anshi said eloquently: "There are also kings who do not seek how to find ways to cultivate and appoint talents, and are afraid and sad that there are really no talents in the world, and this will eventually fall into defeat and humiliation, which is the third. ”

Wang Anshi brought up the conversation, which made Su Shi and Liu Ming very interested. That night, the three of them talked very happily about heroes, and they were all drunk.

The temple examination was scheduled to be held on the eighth day of the fourth month, and the night before, the hall was filled with excitement and uneasiness. I was excited that tomorrow would be the face of the Jinluan Palace, and the dream of Tian Shelang and the Twilight Tianzi Hall finally came true. What is disturbing is that this palace examination is really too competitive. In the eyes of the tributes, the appearance of Su Shi, Liu Ming, and Wang Anshi has almost taken over the top three, and he is estimated to have no chance to enter the Zhongshu Province and the Privy Council in the future.

And at this end, Liu Ming's heart is even more determined. Wang Anshi is very proficient in the diplomacy, agriculture, business and military affairs of the current imperial court, and has a very deep insight.

Liu Ming thought to himself, even if he was ranked after Jing Gong, who shook the ancient and modern times, what else would he have to complain about?

Since I need to enter the palace tomorrow to try, less than an hour after dinner, the hall will collectively turn off the lights and go to bed. Liu Ming lay on the bed, his arm resting on his head, closed his eyes, recalled all the experiences since the provincial exam, and soon fell asleep.

Early the next morning, hitchhikers and horses neighed outside the hall. The officials of Honglu Temple knocked on the doors of these tributes one by one, and regardless of whether the other party woke up or not, they directly pulled it out, and once again emphasized how to salute, how to knock on the curtain, how to take steps, and how to call people when they saw them.

Liu Ming and the others listened to the palace rules again, and then followed the carriages and horses of the officials of Honglu Temple to wait outside the palace.

While waiting outside the palace gate, Liu Ming and the others also took the opportunity to glance at the palace. This palace is magnificent and majestic, and the five gates of the main entrance of the Xuande Hall are decorated with gold nails and decorated with red lacquer. The city wall is made of bricks and stones, carved with dragons and phoenixes of various shapes.

The cornices and arches, the towers and halls, the rafters arranged in layers, are covered with bright glazed tiles, and the curved ruler-shaped duolou on both sides are also decorated with vermilion painted railings.

Liu Ming and others lined up, led the issued examination cards, put on tribute uniforms, and lined up outside the east gate.

At this time, the sky was already bright, and the officials outside the door began to enter the court, and the three princes and nine ministers wearing scarlet official robes and goldfish bags entered the public. At the head was a crane-haired privy envoy Pang Ji, who was so majestic that he swept over the tributes with indifference. He was followed by Lord Yan Shuyan, who was more approachable than that Pang Ji, and he looked at the tributes gently, and then walked forward.

These tributes, after seeing these first-class masters, were extremely excited, and they all thought about it, and in the next few decades, maybe they would have that day.

Liu Ming saw a familiar face in the marching ranks of officials, wearing a red official robe and a gold and silver belt. Na Fubi also saw Liu Ming, and immediately showed a friendly smile on his face, stretched out his hand and pointed to the Chongzheng Hall in the distance, meaning to meet there.

Those candidates, seeing that Liu Ming was still in contact with that first-class master, showed envy on their faces, but thinking about it, they were lucky people who were red and purple, and they were able to worship Fan Zhongyan as a teacher, and their natural connections were very comparable.

Then, the music was loud, the sound of flutes and drums played at the same time, and under the guidance of the officials, Liu Ming and others passed through the three gates of the inner court city wall and came to the gate of the magnificent Wende Palace.

The palace is majestic and splendid, which makes all the candidates greatly admired, and the trip is worth it.

Even Liu Ming was emotionally swelled at this time, he looked back at Su Shi and Wang Anshi, and the two of them were also in high spirits.

The candidates cautiously stepped over the red lacquer threshold of the Wende Palace, and immediately under the guidance of the officials, the mountain shouted long live,

"Long live my emperor, long live, long live!"

Liu Ming took the opportunity to look at the dragon chair of the Ninety-Five, and saw a middle-aged man with kind eyebrows and kind eyes, wearing a crown of heaven and a silk robe sitting high above.

In this hall, which symbolizes authority and supreme pinnacle, all candidates have a heartfelt awe.

The invigilator next to him said loudly: "The palace examination has begun, please retire from the official family......"

Zhao Zhen, who was given the temple name Song Renzong in the future, sat on the dragon chair and suddenly made a gesture, and the eunuch next to him immediately said: "Wait, the official family has something to say." ”

All the officials and the tributes raised their heads and looked at the first words of this Ninety-Five Venerable.

Zhao Zhen opened his mouth and said: "Fellow palace examination candidates, it is not easy to come all the way from the solution to the exam. According to the etiquette system, when the palace test begins, I should retreat to the back of the screen. It's just ......," Zhao Zhen smiled, "I suddenly felt that this appearance was too short-lived. I'd like to talk to you a little bit more. ”

After Zhao Zhen spoke, the young tributes below were very excited, thinking that they were lucky enough to be able to talk to the emperor in this palace test.

"Well, that's it, I don't know each other, so I'll choose a representative......" Zhao Zhen flipped through the roster and clicked, "Xiangyang Gongshi Li Kecheng...... It's up to you. ”

This tribute named Li Kecheng stood out in the envious eyes of everyone. However, no one else knew that this Li Kecheng was frail and sickly, and he was also timid, and after being called, his heart was beating wildly and his steps were trembling.

Li Kecheng immediately knelt on the ground, his face flustered.

Zhao Zhen smiled and said, "Calm down, get up and talk." ”

It took a lot of effort for Li Kecheng to stand up, his head buzzing.

"Li Kecheng, I ask you, how did you feel when you first came to this Wende Palace?" Zhao Zhen smiled approachably.

Zhao Zhen knew that these tributes were very nervous, so he chose a light topic and wanted them to relax. But he didn't expect that these tributes had never entered the palace, but they had never seen the emperor. Suddenly, the monarch of the whole world asked, even if it was a daily homely conversation, he couldn't help but tremble his legs and feet, and he was extremely flustered.

This Li Gongshi came up with a metaphor in his mind, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, the student sees this Wende Palace, which is majestic and majestic, just like ...... It's like ......"

This Li Gongshi wanted to say that it was like the Jade Emperor's immortal palace, patting the official's ass, but he didn't expect this excitement, his blood and qi surged, and he suddenly felt extremely nauseous, his stomach was sour, and he vomited out his breakfast.

Suddenly, there was a foul breath coming from the Wende Palace, and all the civil and military officials hid their faces.

A few clever eunuchs next to him immediately came up with a wet cloth and wiped it, and they were extremely busy.

That Li Gongshi couldn't control the uproar for a while, but he annoyed the prince next to him, and the prince said in a deep voice, "Okay, you don't know the importance of your actions, and you actually compare Wende Hall to the filth in your mouth." So what has become of our official family? ”

Seeing that the minister of the court had spoken, the other tributes were all frightened. I thought to myself, this Li Gongshi is really unlucky, where can he vomit? I have to vomit in front of the emperor.

The crown prince and the prince were the closest to the tribute, and he was also the most smoked by the smell of filth, and he was in a very bad mood, he raised the wat board and said loudly, "Your Majesty, this tribute, here is talking nonsense, comparing the Wende Hall to filth, it is really a blind eye, and he despises the monarch's father. Wechen suggested that the court staff be thirty and deprive the tribute of the position. ”

When Li Gongshi heard this, his legs suddenly became numb, and he collapsed to the ground, forgetting to wipe the saliva at the corner of his mouth, and stood there in a daze.

Liu Ming and Su Shi also sank in their hearts, thinking that Li Gongshi was really unlucky, but this court staff was thirty, and it was inevitably a little heavy. It's a pity that they now have the lowest status in this court, and they don't have the right to speak at all.

However, Wang Anshi on the side seemed very excited, he seemed to want to defend Li Gongshi, no matter how Liu Ming looked at him, he turned a blind eye.

Outside the hall, several forbidden soldiers were already waiting beside them with killing sticks in their hands, and the atmosphere was very tense.

In the Wende Palace, there was instant silence, and the needle drop could be heard.