Several other markers in Jukui Hall were suddenly startled by Zhou Xu's shout.

Especially Wang Yining is also old, and he can't stand this kind of shouting in the middle of the night, so he covered his chest and eased up for a long time before he smoothed out this breath.

"Brother Gongxu, what kind of article can make you so excited?"

"Brother Wentong, take a look, this article is really wonderful. The full text is profound, imposing and comfortable, especially breaking the topic and sticking to the golden mean, which is completely different from the ideas of other articles. ”

"The examiner who wrote this article can be described as a great talent."

Listening to Zhou Xu's praise, Wang Yining's curiosity was also aroused. As a colleague, he knew that the other party was an old pedant for decades, and he would not easily give this kind of comment to a certain candidate, so this article must be outstanding.

"Then the old man also came to taste the strange text in Brother Gongxu's mouth."

Wang Yining took this test paper, and after looking at it a few times, he couldn't help but nod, indeed as Zhou Xu said, this article is very well written, and he is qualified to win Xie Yuan.

"Brother Gongxu has a unique vision, but I don't know which candidate wrote this article?"

The practice of getting acquainted with the examiner in advance is not the only thing done by Shen Yichen. Almost all candidates with a little family background, or talented scholars, will have similar actions.

Many talented literati in Shuntianfu will take the initiative to hand over their essays to the examiner or other Hanlin scholars for review before the township examination.

On the one hand, it is hoped that this group of Confucian masters will correct themselves and find out the shortcomings and deficiencies in the articles to improve their own knowledge level.

On the other hand, I naturally hope that my essay can leave a good impression in the hearts of the examiners. And the style of writing, everyone has their own characteristics, once the examiner is impressed, even if the name is vague, you can roughly guess who wrote the article.

Therefore, this method of delivering articles is equivalent to the "cheating" of literati, even if it is disseminated, it will not cause public criticism, on the contrary, it will be respected by the world, thinking that this is Bole's unique vision.

Of course, there are risks associated with this method, and it will be embarrassing if the examiner recognizes the wrong person.

In history, Su Shi of the Northern Song Dynasty was the chief examiner for one year, and when he was reading the papers, he found that there was an article that looked like his protégé, so he gave this candidate a high score.

As a result, when I put the list, my protégé did not have high school, so I realized that I had recognized the wrong person.

Wang Yining has basically read the articles of well-known candidates in this township examination. This eight-strand essay has a unique idea, excellent writing, and a unique personal style, which can be recognized in theory.

It's just that Wang Yining searched in his mind for a long time, but he couldn't think of someone who could match, so he asked Zhou Xu.

"This ......"

Wang Yining's question really turned Zhou Xu down, and he didn't know who wrote the article.

Because Shen Yichen went to visit Zhou Xufu, he basically didn't talk about any articles and poems, and paid more attention to calligraphy and the Liu Qiu incident.

The main reason is Shen Yichen, who has no confidence in the face of Zhou Xu, a real Hanlin master and a master at the level of the imperial examination. I was worried that my mediocre level of poetry would be exposed, so I used my strengths and avoided my weaknesses to show my calligraphy skills more.

So after this wave of operations, Zhou Xu now realized that he didn't seem to have read Shen Yichen's article, how could he give him preferential treatment?

Thinking of this, Zhou Xu was a little shocked, the fresh candidates came to visit the examiner with some caution, and both sides knew this.

After the millennium imperial examination, it has also become a conventional way, Zhou Xu is not disgusted with the behavior of candidates even if he is an old scholar, as long as he has real learning, why not pay attention to the other party?

Isn't it just to seek talents for the country?

Shen Yichen visited himself, but did not show the article in order to be preferential in the imperial examination, which is very unreasonable.

Could it be that he looked down on Shen Yichen, and this son came to visit, simply for the exchange of calligraphy and literature?

If this is the case, Shen Yichen has to be so noble that he can be unmoved in the face of the temptation of winning the imperial examination.

The ancient saints, that's just the case, right?

Shen Yichen didn't know what Zhou Xu was thinking at this time, if he knew, I was afraid that he would be confused.

I never thought that the practice of a weak heart has now become a saint's act, can it be understood in this way?

"The old man can't guess who wrote it."

"Brother Gongxu can't guess it, it seems that this year's Shuntian Township Test is really talented."

"Then put this volume aside and wait for the final ranking."

"Just according to what Brother Gong said."

Shen Yichen's test paper was placed in the best ranks, waiting for the final ranking of the township examination.

A few days later, in Jukui Hall, the faces of several examiners became more and more haggard at this time.

The mountain of test papers in the room had also been reviewed at this moment, and the test papers of the 135 middle school students had been selected. Ten of them will participate in the final battle between Xie Yuan and the ranking of the Five Classics.

However, what really has the strength to compete for Xie Yuan are the two test papers placed in front of Zhou Xu and Wang Yining, as the chief examiner of the Ying Tianxiang test, they have the right to decide the ranking.

"Brother Wentong, these two articles are not comparable in the old man's opinion, I don't know what you think?"

The two articles in Zhou Xu's mouth, one of which was written by Shen Yichen, and the other was the article that Wang Yining called Jingkui's masterpiece before.

The idea of breaking the topic of that article is biased towards Zhang Juzheng of later generations, which is mainly pragmatic, and it happens to belong to two different styles with Shen Yichen, and it is indeed between the best.

"Everything is still based on the judgment of Brother Gongxu."

Although the chief examiner of the Ming Dynasty did not have a clear distinction between the main and the secondary, in fact, everyone understood in their hearts that this was just a polite gesture by Zhou Xu to show that he had no selfish intentions.

The officialdom doesn't even have this bit of eyesight, so it is estimated that it will be cool for a long time.

However, Wang Yining is still a little selfish, and when he said this, he pushed the test paper he liked a little forward to express his attitude.

Even if Zhou Xu is not good at being an official, he has been mixed in the officialdom of Beijing for decades, and this hint can still be seen.

So he looked at a few of his fellow examiners and wanted to ask them for their opinions.

"Xia Guan believes that the content of the article recommended by Lord Wang is solid, there is no extravagant style, and it is both practical and practical, and it can be used as a masterpiece of Xie Yuan."

Under normal circumstances, the same examiner will follow the eyes of the chief examiner and will not have any objections.

But Zhou Xu has not moved his nest in the Hanlin Academy for decades, and the possibility of promotion is not great.

And now Yang Shiqi in the cabinet of the three Yang died of illness this year, Yang Pu is old and ready to pay tribute, and the substitute cabinet down payment Ma Yu is not in good health, and he will not last long before he has to beg for bones, which is equivalent to half of the cabinet empty.

It is rumored that Wang Yining will be promoted to the head of the Ministry of Rites, and fill the vacancy in the cabinet as the minister of the Ministry of Hospitals, and the prospects are obviously far beyond Zhou Xu.

"I think that the article recommended by Zhou Daren is better, the golden mean is the avenue that our Confucian scholars have pursued all their lives, this candidate can apply what he has learned to write the article, and he should be the leader!"

"I think the lower officials have an opposing opinion, and I think it ......"

"How can the avenue be refuted? I don't agree with ...... below"

No one expected that the marking officers of Jukuitang would be divided into two factions because of the two candidates' test papers, and they began to argue.

"Colleagues, don't be impatient, this matter is still up to Lord Zhou!"

Wang Yining calmed down the dispute in Jukui Hall and kicked the ball back to Zhou Xu.

At this time, Zhou Xu was also a little difficult to ride a tiger, if there was no such controversy, it is estimated that he would have been done with his favorite test paper directly.

As a result, there is now controversy, and I am biased towards the article I like, and I am afraid that I am suspected of being arbitrary.

Zhou Xu, an old pedant, cares most about the reputation of the literati.

"Since it is difficult for your colleagues to make judgments, why don't you just pick out the test papers of the second or third games, and then divide them into high and low?"

Hearing this method, the rest of the marking officers also felt that it was reasonable, and nodded their heads and said: "

What Lord Zhou said was very true. ”

"That's very good."

"Xiaguan will go and find the test papers for the remaining sessions."

Soon, the two or three test papers of Shen Yichen and his competitors were selected, and all the examiners stood at the table to review them together.

In the second session, the three questions of "Theory", "Judgment", "Edict, Edict, Table, and Internal Medicine" were written by both of them, which belonged to the level of reaching the passing line, and there was no distinction between superior and inferior.

But when it came to the third game, Shen Yichen's article could be said to have crushed his opponents, and the format, content, opinions, etc., were more than one grade higher than those of his competitors.

Even from the style of writing, it doesn't look like a new student at all, it's more like it is written by a veteran of officialdom, and the style is very old-fashioned!

Seeing this scene, a victor's smile appeared on Zhou Xu's face, and then he set the tone: "Colleagues, this official selected the candidate of the Jade Ziqi number as the Jiazi Year Ying Tianxiang Test Xie Yuan, do you have any objections?" ”

"We have no objections."

Zhou Xu already has the right to forcibly take the middle and solve the yuan, and now he is speaking with the strength of the candidates, how can there be any objections?

Even the same examiners who argued before are convinced at the moment, what is there to say that their skills are not as good as others?

"In that case, let's take the candidate's ink roll and unpack it for verification."

The test paper that is transcribed and handed over to the examiner for review after the township examination is transcribed is called a vermilion paper, because it is transcribed with a red ink pen.

Once the decision is made, the sealed candidate's ink paper must be removed and checked. After confirming that it is correct, it will be officially selected, and the list can be announced.

Soon, the ink scroll of Shen Yichen and others was sent by the test paper officer, even if the seal of the name had not been opened, just by looking at the handwriting on the test paper, Zhou Xu had already recognized who the candidate was, and a sense of surprise arose in his heart.

At the same time, Wang Yining, who was beside him, looked at the ink scroll handed over, but sighed secretly.

Because he had long recognized who the test paper candidates were, and now that he was able to determine the battle for the loss of the yuan, he was naturally a little discouraged.

As the seal was opened, the information such as the candidate's name on the frontispiece also appeared in the eyes of the marking officers.

At the frontispiece of the Xie Yuan test paper, a line of small characters is neatly written.

"Ying Tianfu Jiangning County student, Shen Yichen!"