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Renzong has been prosperous for a year, and more than three years have passed since the last imperial examination. During this long period of time, the only information that Guangguang students heard about the imperial examination was the list of the previous imperial examination announced not long ago.

After three years of investigation, Zhao Zhen took into account the emotions of the students in Guangzhou, and finally ordered Song Qi, who had already won two yuan in a row, as the champion against his will, and fulfilled his "three consecutive championships". However, Zhao Zhen only gave the false position of Hanlin Attendant, but Jia Xian, who was on the list, was awarded the economic envoy of the fourth product under the household department, and even Wen Yanbo, who was a tanhua, was also assigned to the General Judgment Court, awarded the post of government judge, and was in charge of the Jiangning Branch of the General Judgment Court.

This matter may be quite happy in the eyes of those students who don't know what's going on, after all, Song Qi, the traditional scholar with the highest prestige, "deserves his name". But some ministers in the DPRK and the central government felt a little worried, just like when Yan Shu saw this result, he originally wanted to talk to Zhao Zhen, but after thinking about it, he didn't know how to speak, so he couldn't say to the emperor: You have made the official title of the champion small!

In this way, it is a bit overstepping, Yan Shu doesn't want to get out of class yet!

Moreover, it didn't take long for the Ministry of Rites to issue another notice: In order to celebrate the birth of the prince, the current saint is specially open Enke! All walks of life must arrive in Luoyang, Xijing at the end of May of Xinghua 1st year, and this imperial examination will be held on June 1 at the Luoyang Branch of the Royal Academy, don't miss it!

After reading this announcement, many students were boiling again. Although I don't understand why the current saint has set the exam venue in Xijing, this is the first time since the founding of the Song Dynasty, but it is very good to have the exam. Seeing that it was less than three months since they left the exam, they said goodbye to their fellow villagers and embarked on a new journey.

Although Zhao Zhen has ordered the construction of highways between major cities, the time is too short to achieve significant results, especially in remote places in the north and south, and the excavation of roadbeds has not even begun. Therefore, this group of candidates who rushed to take the exam, except for the candidates along Jingcheng Avenue, the vast majority of them could not enjoy the convenience brought by the avenue.

Of course, after Zhang Rou integrated the water transportation of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, the number of passing ships increased day by day, and candidates along the two rivers and along the coast can also choose to enter Beijing by water.

When many students gathered in Luoyang, Sun Fu also found Zhao Zhen to discuss the matter of the imperial examination examiner.

"Your Majesty, with the meaning of the minister, this imperial examination still uses Yan Xiang as the chief examiner, and the minister is sending a person from the Ministry of Rites as the deputy examiner, what do you think?" After some thought, Sun Fu reported his thoughts to Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen shook his head: "Yan Xiang has to work on national affairs, and he can't leave the capital lightly, and it will take a lot of time to go to Luoyang, which is probably not appropriate!" I think it's better to let that Cai Qi be the chief examiner! ”

Sun Fu hesitated: "Your Majesty, this ...... Cai Qi is not too young! ”

Zhao Zhen: "It's okay! Anyway, I'm trying to do it this time, and it might be better to let a young man go. ”

"Okay!" Sun Fu didn't insist, but asked, "I don't know what instructions you have for the deputy examiner?" ”

Zhao Zhen: "Since it's an attempt, let's just be thorough." I suddenly had an idea, and the deputy examiner of this exam simply asked each of the sages from all walks of life to choose one person to serve as it. ”

Sun Fu: "What do you mean, you are arranging twenty-three deputy examiners?" Isn't that a little too much? ”

Zhao Zhen smiled: "It's okay! It's a big deal to let them score the candidates one by one, and let's take their average scores as the candidates' scores, which may be fairer. ”

Sun Fu: "Okay! Listen to you. Dare to ask the emperor, how to get this imperial examination question? ”

Zhao Zhen: "You don't have to worry about this, I thought about it last night, Aiqing just sent someone to Luoyang to maintain order, and I will send someone to inform you of the content of the exam when the time comes!" ”

Sun Fu: "Yes, Your Majesty!" That's going to arrange it? ”

"Go ahead!" Zhao Zhen waved his hand.

After Sun Fu left, Zhao Zhen gave an order to Xiao Shunzi and asked him to call Shen Zhongyuan over.

Shen Zhongyuan saw Zhao Zhen with doubts: "Minister Shen Zhongyuan see the emperor!" ”

Zhao Zhen: "Aiqing is exempt!" ”

Shen Zhongyuan: "Your Majesty, I don't know what you ordered when you summoned your ministers to come?" ”

Zhao Zhen: "I am going to hold a imperial examination this year, and according to the statistics of the Ministry of Rites, the number of candidates for this imperial examination may be more than 2,000. I need your Jinyi Guards to participate, so I order you to mobilize 2,000 literate and hyphenated men to be on standby in Luoyang by the end of May, while maintaining a minimum of control over various places. All these manpower you have gathered are secretly assembled, and you are not allowed to let the outside world know about your movements. You're going to do it yourself, you know? ”

Shen Zhongyuan arched his hand: "Please rest assured, the emperor!" The minister will definitely do it. If you have no other orders, the minister will send men now. ”

Zhao Zhen: "Go!" Tell me when you're done, and I'll give you a task. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Shen Zhongyuan stood up and saluted and strode away.

……

Time slowly passed through May in the anxious waiting of many students, and the hot weather also followed, adding fuel to the fire of the upcoming fierce imperial examination.

In the past, the imperial examinations were arranged in August, when the autumn was crisp. But this exam season has made many candidates sweat in their heads, not to mention that there are still a few days of closed exams in the future, and a small number of candidates who are not very strong in will and confidence have the idea of retreating.

On the playground of the Luoyang branch of the Royal Academy, more than 2,000 candidates from all walks of life gathered looked at the group of examiners with as many as twenty-four people in front of them against the sun, they were also drunk!

Cai Qi and the deputy examiners also stood under the sun anxiously waiting like the candidates, Shi Jie and Hu Yuan were also in the ranks, and the two of them walked up to Cai Qi under the prodding of others, and arched their hands towards him: "Lord Examiner, I don't know what we should do next?" ”

Cai Qi replied: "Two gentlemen, please wait, the saint has his own opinions, and this official does not dare to judge himself!" ”

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of forbidden soldiers walked in quickly, dragging several large carriages.

The officer at the head came to Cai Qi, and after saluting the imperial court, he handed him a sealed box: "The examination questions of the imperial examination have arrived smoothly, please check it!" ”

Cai Qi carefully checked the sealing situation and found that there was no trace of opening before waving his hand at him. After the forbidden army left, he opened the box and took out the holy decree inside, read it, and then handed the holy decree to the other twenty-three deputy examiners.

"You gentlemen get it, don't you?" Cai Qi asked after seeing that they had all read it.

Hu Yuan took the lead and responded: "Master Cai, let's see clearly, see if you can start!" ”

"Then let's get started now!" Cai Qi nodded, and then shouted at the candidates: "Attention candidates, the Holy Lord has sent a decree just now, and this imperial examination is now officially started!" ”

In the confused atmosphere of the candidates, Cai Qi continued: "The following announcement of the examination rules, from now on, all candidates need to rush to the Beijing Royal Academy within twenty days to participate in the palace examination. However, during these twenty days, you shall not carry any money or food, nor shall you accept any gift from anyone. If you find that someone violates the above rules, you can report it to our examiner team, and the violator will have all his fame revoked and will not be allowed to participate in the imperial examination for life! Do you all understand? ”

The candidates below are all looking at me, I look at you, and they are stunned by this strange exam rule, and they all forget to reply.

Cai Qi shouted again: "This official asked you, did you understand?" If you don't understand, bring it up now. ”

At this time, a candidate boldly asked, "Examiner, do you dare to ask if you want all of us to go to the capital empty-handed?" So what about our meals? It's such a long way, even if you have to walk for six or seven days, then you will starve us to death! ”

"This official will correct one point first, this is not the meaning of this official, but the meaning of the saint today!" Cai Qi arched his hand towards the east: "As for what you should do, that is something you have to consider, and it has nothing to do with this official!" If you feel you can't do it, you can quit now. The official gave you half an hour to think about it, and if you think about it, you will come to the carriage to receive your number plate. ”

……

At the same time, in a certain compound in Luoyang City, a group of people dressed in disorderly clothes stood in a neat line, listening to Shen Zhongyuan's instructions.

Shen Zhongyuan was also wearing civilian clothes, standing on Shi Jie, and shouted angrily: "The emperor is kind today, let you guys also come to touch the literati atmosphere of the candidates, don't embarrass Lao Tzu!" ”

Bang!

Two thousand brocade guards in civilian clothes gathered their feet at the same time: "Please give an order!" ”

Shen Zhongyuan: "Okay! Listen to this official! The Holy Lord ordered you to keep an eye on them one by one, and keep an eye on those candidates to the official, and record their every move, but not let them know about your existence. If any of you are found out, see how this official cleans you up when the time comes! Also, if anyone dares to help those candidates cheat, they will be killed! You have all seen the pervasive ability of those secret saucers, and you don't need to be reminded by this official. Have you remembered what the official said? ”

"Remember!" Two thousand people shouted in unison, and they were about to shake the tiles off.

Shen Zhongyuan: "Be quiet!" I want to blow the house down! Come here, get your number, and follow your target outside the Royal Academy yourself! ”

After half a ring, the Jinyi guards who received the task scattered and left the temporary base, and quietly followed the group of hard-working candidates under the cover of teahouses, hotels, and shops.

It is said that the Northern Song Dynasty was famous, and the Southern Song Dynasty produced traitorous ministers, which is indeed true. Coincidentally, the original history of Renzong Tiansheng also held the imperial examination in the eighth year, and a total of more than 40 people were admitted to the Jinshi in that imperial examination. Among them, there are Cai Xiang, one of the four great calligraphers of 'Su, Huang, Mi, and Cai', and Ouyang Xiu, one of the "Eight Masters of Tang and Song Dynasty Prose".

There are many historical bulls in this, so I won't list them all here. All in all, Zhao Zhen opened the imperial examination this time, and these people are basically among them.

Originally, these people are still very informative about their own academic skills, not to mention taking the first-class jinshi, at least it is a piece of cake to get a jinshi. However, if they have such an unreliable emperor today, it is also heartbreaking!

Ouyang Xiu, a native of Mianzhou, just turned twenty-five years old this year, and the last imperial examination was delayed because of some things, so he came prepared this time. Of course, his "preparation" has now become an ornament.

He had just walked out of the Luoyang branch of the Royal Academy, wearing his own numbered vest, walking on the streets of Luoyang in a trance, and said to himself: "It's really strange that there are many things every year, especially this year!" But this Nima doesn't give a penny, how can he go to the capital! Not to mention going to the capital, it's time to eat now, what way to solve the stomach problem? ”

Not only Ouyang Xiu, but many candidates in small vests on the street were wandering aimlessly like him, most of them looked like they were hanging their heads.

Of course, the ancients were not all obedient masters, and some people relied on their father's power and power to ignore the examiner's admonition at all, oh no, they didn't take it to heart at all. These people, as soon as they left the gate of the college, went straight to the place where they were staying, found their attendants and took the money, and took the shuttle bus from Xijing to Tokyo, and by the way, they gave the candidates who were slowly wandering there along the way a contemptuous look.

Humans also have a blind mind, and they may be able to stick to their principles at first, but when they see others cheating, many people will join their team.

Of course, not all of these people are powerful people, but there are also some scholars from ordinary families. Although none of them have any privileges available, the price of the shuttle bus opened by this dream transport bank is not very expensive, and it is not particularly difficult for them to use their eloquence to find someone to fool them for a little money.

"Anyway, the imperial examination is very important to me, and I can't delay it because I didn't get to the capital on time!" There are also those who think so.

As a result, as time went on, more and more people chose to "exploit loopholes". (To be continued.) )