At this time, the atmosphere in the public hall was extremely tense, the red candles were in rows, as bright as day, Wu Daonan, a scholar of the Cabinet University, and Liu Chuxian, a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, the two examiners sat in the center, and the rest of the prison officials, the promotion officials, the examination officials, the sealing officials, the transcription officials, the reading officials, as well as the room officials of the twenty rooms of the Five Classics and the eighty-two marking officials gathered together, the candles and shadows, bright and dark, reflected the faces and various expressions of each person, surprised, stunned, sneered, cold-eyed, anxious, worried, confused, fearful, nothing to do with themselves, and gloating......

There will be a brief silence after the fierce dispute, and at this time, outside the gate of the Gongyuan Courtyard, which is more than half a mile away from the public hall, the surging noise will reach the ears of the examiners in the hall like a river tide, even if the door is heavy, it cannot block the sound.

Wu Daonan, who is a cabinet assistant, encountered such a thorny problem for the first time to preside over the examination, and his expression was extremely solemn-

In the afternoon today, Wu Daonan and Liu Chuxian, the deputy chief examiner, discussed the ranking of the three hundred and forty-four Chinese-style Zhu scrolls, and among the three hundred and forty-four Zhu scrolls, there are two hundred and five copies of the south volume and one hundred and thirty-nine copies of the north volume, which must be determined first, and then the five classics are determined, and the four classics of "Poetry", "Yi", "Li" and "Book" have been determined after some discussion, but the "Spring and Autumn" scriptures have made the two examiners very difficult, and the problem lies in the first question of the first emperor Temple of the Zhu scroll, if you talk about the eight Spring and Autumn questions of this Zhu scroll, the crown "Spring and Autumn" There is no doubt about the room, but now it is not possible to adjust the ink roll to test, and it is impossible to determine whether the first question is a mistake made by the examinee himself or was framed, if the examinee himself made a mistake, then it will be a joke to set this Zhu scroll as the Jing Kui now, and if it is framed, there will be a big storm when the ink roll is called-

Liu Chu said: "This volume is inappropriate as the "Spring and Autumn" scripture, the impact is too great, it can be recorded as the sixth place, if the candidate is indeed framed, it is not a loss to him to take the sixth place, in fact, the ranking of the test is not important, as long as it is in the middle, the real ranking is still in the palace examination - and if the candidate makes his own mistake, then he will be dethroned, and it is much better to dethrone a sixth place than to dethrone a Five Classics Kui paper. ”

Wu Daonan said: "Liu Shangshu's words are reasonable. ”

So according to Liu Chuxian's suggestion, the "Spring and Autumn" two rooms recommended a volume as the "Spring and Autumn" Jing Kui, the five classics have been set, then began to fill in the red number grass list, until the evening to fill in, immediately handed the grass list to the outer curtain, by the prison officer, the promotion officer together with the volume officer according to the number of the corresponding ink roll, at this time, the inner and outer curtain of the key opened, the inner curtain official and the outer curtain official gathered in the public hall, according to the practice of the examiners first eat a bowl of powder fruit to satisfy hunger, this powder fruit to japonica rice as powder, infiltrate the lard to make the skin, and then to the dew, Fresh bamboo shoots, meat grains, and Amanita are fillings, which are famous points in Beijing and can meet the taste of most people——

Wu Daonan didn't have time to eat the powdered fruit, so he invited Liu Chu over first, and the two examiners first found out the ink scroll that was the sixth place according to the number, and after inspection, both of them were relieved, and called Zhang Heming and Xu Guangqi over, and asked the two of them to look at this ink scroll-

Zhang Heming looked at the frontispiece of the ink scroll, the word "Mu" really did not lack the pen to avoid it, and the violation was conclusive, and sighed again and again: "It's a pity, it's a pity!" ”

Xu Guangqi put on the faint goggles that Zhang Yuan gave him and carefully checked it, the first question "Mu" is not missing the pen to avoid the pen is clear at a glance, Xu Guangqi looked at the second question and the third question, and finally found a major problem, he straightened up, took off his glasses, and said to the two examiners and Zhang Heming: "Wu Gelao, Liu Shangshu, Master Zhang, there are slight differences in the handwriting and ink color of this first question and the other six questions, and the lower officials think that this ink scroll has been replaced." ”

As soon as these words came out, the earth was shattered, and all the examiners in the hall heard it, and they didn't eat the delicious powder fruit anymore, so they gathered over to ask what was going on-

Wu Daonan's face was uncertain, he didn't want to make a mistake in the exam he presided over, originally he thought that after checking the ink scroll, he could reveal it, and the roll call could be carried out as usual, that is, one less Jinshi was recorded, but unexpectedly, this Xu Guangqi seemed to have decided that there was a big problem with this volume, and put forward the amazing remark that the ink scroll was replaced, which was more serious than the transcriptionist changing the Zhu scroll privately-

Wu Daonan frowned and said, "Xu Zanshan, this matter is not trivial, you have to be cautious when you say something." ”

Xu Guangqi said: "Please Wu Ge Lao carefully compare the handwriting of the first question of this ink volume and the other six questions, the handwriting of the first question is similar to the handwriting of the candidate on other volumes, and the difference can be seen if you look closely, the small block calligraphy of the first question is soft, inadvertently revealing the penmanship of the two kings, it can be said that the skill is profound, and in addition to this first question, the other questions include the edict of the second field, the small block calligraphy style of the three questions is unified, and the unrestrained posture is occasionally exposed in the end, and the calligraphy is actually mediocre, not good, not as good as the calligraphy of the first question, And it can also be seen that the writer of this question is deliberately imitating the candidate's small block calligraphy, deliberately suppressing his strengths, and then from the ink color, although they all use pine smoke ink, but as long as it is not the ink in the same inkstone, then you can see the subtle differences in the ink color, the length of the ink grinding time, the urgency, have an impact on the ink color——"

Xu Guangqi said eloquently, Wu Daonan, Liu Chuxian, Zhang Heming and others have been dealing with pen and ink for decades, immersed in silver calligraphy for decades, and after a closer look, they naturally know that Xu Guangqi said very reasonably, but the nuances of pen and ink cannot be used as evidence after all, the first volume can not be used as an inkstone with other volumes, as for the difference in handwriting, it is difficult to say, unless there is an obvious difference, it is normal for the same person to have some differences in the words written at different times, Wei Guangwei, the room official of the second room of "Spring and Autumn", pointed out this -

Xu Guangqi said: "In addition to the main paper, there is also a grass roll, and the lower official proposed to transfer the candidate's draft roll to inspect it." ”

The candidate's main paper and draft must be handed in, and the main paper will be handed over from the receiving officer to the sealing officer, and the draft paper will be kept with the receiving officer, and the draft paper will not be written on the header——

The sealing official is Zhou Yingqiu, the fifth rank of the Ministry of Rites, and the Jinshan Weiren clan of Songjiang Mansion, Zhou Yingqiu said angrily: "What does Lord Xu mean by this, is it suspected that Zhou was cheating when sealing it?" ”

Xu Guangqi arched his hand and said: "Lord Zhou, the lower officials have no such intentions, just for the fairness of the field, there are many doubts in this volume, and it should be found that the grass roll is compared, if the grass roll is consistent with the ink roll, then Wu Ge Lao They can also feel at ease to open the roll call and write the correct list, otherwise if something really goes wrong, it will be sent back to the examinee as a falling paper, and then the examinee will see that this question is not made by him at all, and he is afraid that it will not look good." ”

Zhou Yingqiu sneered: "Which subject did not fail the first candidate to go crazy and make trouble, how could he ever see the first candidate who fell into trouble and had to investigate the responsibility of the examiner - Lord Xu is afraid that he has other intentions." ”

In order to save the examiner's dignity, the imperial court will not be held accountable for some small mistakes in the process of grading, like some candidates who get the paper and find that the examiner only clicked on the first four lines of his first art, the examiner is so irresponsible, but the examinee can do nothing except scratch his hair-

Xu Guangqi said: "My generation of examiners, under the emperor's order to take the country for the country, rigorous and fair is the due righteousness, this exam paper in addition to the first question of the violation, the rest of the question of the four books of eight shares, the Spring and Autumn Question of eight shares, or the edict of the policy, "Spring and Autumn" room four hundred and twenty-one examination papers, no one else, Wu Ge Lao, Dean Liu is also for the sake of cherishing talents, so this volume will be left, to be found out and then decide whether to take the middle or fall, why not, why should Lord Zhou be involved in other intentions, can not do things with a heart of justice? ”

Zhou Yingqiu sneered: "Everyone thinks they are fair, so who is unjust!" ”

"Xu Zanshan cares so much about this exam paper, does he know who this candidate is?"

It was Wei Guangwei who spoke, Wei Guangwei and Xu Guangqi were fellow Jinshi, and the two of them were both examiners in the Spring and Autumn Period, because Xu Guangqi selected three recommendations from Wei Guangwei's dethroned examination papers and finally took them all as Jinshi, Wei Guangwei felt that he had lost face, and since then he has been hateful, and it is this Wei Guangwei who spread rumors that Xu Guangqi invaded farmland in Tianjin-

Xu Guangqi cultivated very well, and he was not angry, pointing to the complete ink scroll and said: "This ink scroll was only seen by the lower official at this time, and the seal has not been opened, how can the lower official know the name of this candidate, could it be that Lord Wei knows?" ”

Wei Guang's slightly slender eyes narrowed, and Sen Ran asked, "What does Lord Xu mean by this?" ”

Xu Guangqi said lightly: "Lord Wei asked me if I knew this candidate, I said I didn't know, and then asked Lord Wei rhetorically, why not?" ”

Wu Daonan frowned and said: "To the court, there is no dispute." ”

Zhou Yingqiu, the sealing official, naturally knew whose examination paper it was, and at this time, listening to the dispute between Wei Guangwei and Xu Guangqi, his heart flashed, and he bowed his hand to Wu Daonan and Liu Chuxian: "Wu Gelao, Liu Shangshu, all the examiners are here, you might as well be a witness, and now unpack this ink scroll, and see which candidate with great magical powers can still be recommended to the public court by the examiner after committing the temple of the first emperor?" ”

Zhou Yingqiu wanted to shift the attention of the officials in the hall from the exam papers to the candidates, he knew that Xu Guangqi and Zhang Yuan had a common teacher, Jiao Hong, as long as he grabbed this, Xu Guangqi would have a hard time distinguishing-

Although Xu Guangqi was not very sure that this exam paper was Zhang Yuan's, how could he be in the trap of Zhou Yingqiu, and said: "Now it's about the exam papers, not about the candidates, and the venue has never been unsealed before the admission is determined." ”

Wei Guangwei sneered: "These ink rolls were taken from the outer curtain according to the red grass list, aren't they all already admitted, and the ink rolls that have not been admitted appear here, what kind of rules is this?" ”

Wu Daonan spoke: "It was my decision to write this exam paper into the grass list, what responsibility do I have to bear, now I invite Zhou Langzhong, Xu Zanshan and Li Langzhong, the examinee, to go to the outer curtain to adjust the grass roll to inspect it, how about it?" ”

Zhou Yingqiu coughed all the way to the outside of the hall just now to spit, and came back and said: "Elder Wu Ge, there are eight thousand copies of the grass scroll, all of which have not been numbered, this has to be checked against the text, when will it be checked, wouldn't it be a mistake to write the list, but there are eight thousand people waiting outside the gate of the Gongyuan." ”

"It doesn't hurt to release the list an hour later." Wu Daonan was determined to find out this matter clearly, and instructed: "Send two more scribes, just compare the question of 'is the old gentleman' in the second part of the first scene, and you can solve the question, and the title of this volume is——" opened the volume and looked at it, and read: "Worry for life, and cherish the holy of good sorrow." He repeated it again and asked, "Have you remembered?" ”

Xu Guangqi and Li Langzhong both said that they remembered, Zhou Yingqiu was the most cautious, walked to Wu Daonan's side, looked at the scroll carefully, and softly recited the problem of "is the old gentleman" twice, and then walked out of the hall with Xu and Li, but stepped back and said: "Wu Gelao, Liu Shangshu, the transcription student who transcribed this Zhu scroll must be detained first, otherwise he may abscond in fear of crime." ”

Zhou Yingqiu reversed his previous attitude, and seemed to stand on Xu Guangqi's side, believing that the transcription student had cheated and framed him-

Wu Daonan shook his hand and said: "It's uncertain whether it is fraudulent and framed, how can you arrest people indiscriminately, first go to check the grass scroll and then say, three adults, go and come back quickly." ”

After Zhou Yingqiu, Xu Guangqi, and Li Sicheng went, they quieted down in the public court, and all the officials looked at each other.

The officials sat silently and speechless, waiting for Zhou Yingqiu and the three of them to take the straw roll for inspection, and suddenly heard a noisy noise behind the public hall, and faintly heard someone shouting: "It's a fire, it's a fire!" ”

The officials were shocked, they all came out of the hall to watch, the noise came from the direction of Jukui Hall, Jukui Hall is close to the north end of the Gongyuan, a little half a mile away from the public hall, even the fire can not threaten here, and then look at the fire, did not jump on the eaves, only bright and flickering as if there were a few more lanterns over there, it is expected that the fire is not big, the officials are a little relieved, there are supervisors rushed to command the army to extinguish the fire, I thought that the fire would be extinguished soon, but it also burned for half an hour before the fire gradually dimmed-

Liu Chu first looked at the fire in the direction of Jukui Hall, and whispered to Wu Daonan: "Elder Wu Ge, the place where the fire broke out seems to be the house where the ink scrolls and grass rolls are kept. ”

Wu Daonan's long eyebrows trembled, and he said astringently: "What a powerful method, this inner city of the capital division and the feet of the Son of Heaven, can these people do nonsense." "Ordered the Imperial History of the Patrol Field and the transcription officer to immediately go and ask the transcription student named Zhuo Xiaosheng for questioning-

After waiting for another two moments, Li Sicheng, Xu Guangqi, and Zhou Yingqiu, the three of them came back, and all three of them participated in organizing the army to fight the fire. ”

Xu Guangqi sighed: "The remaining small part of the grass rolls have become a mess because of the fire and water, and they are tasteless and recognizable. ”

Wu Daonan didn't say a word, returned to the public court, and waited for the patrol court to reply to the imperial history and the transcription officer, the transcription officer came back first, and said: "Wu Ge Lao, the transcription student named Ye Xiaosheng has not been found, and he must have escaped while the fire was chaotic. ”

Wu Daonan patted the case and said: "Investigate immediately, you must catch this Ye Xiaosheng." ”

Transcription students and talkers are recruited from the students in the states and counties near the capital, with names and surnames, and they can't escape, but now, how to write the list?

(To be continued)