After the last of the imperial examination, the tributes can relax, and then it is time for the examiners to be busy.

Although the palace examination is nominally the main examination of the Son of Heaven, to complete the review of all the papers of the three hundred people, Zhao Zhen is obviously too busy alone, and he has to rely on the help of the ministers below.

The minister of the palace examination, also known as the reading officer, is led by Han Zhang, a scholar of Longtuge University, Wen Yanchang and Xu Mu are the deputies, and there are three scholars of the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Officials, and the Ministry of Industry, as well as the bachelor of Hanlin, the priest of the country, the Zhan Shi of the Zhan Mansion, and the doctor Taichang, together with a total of ten important ministers.

The reading lasted from March 15 to March 18, during which Zhao Zhen visited the examiners several times and gave them cold food.

The ministers all felt the importance that the Son of Heaven attached to this palace examination, and the ministers such as Han Zhang and Xu Mu were even more heavy, and the reading of the papers was carried out extremely slowly.

Hurrying and hurrying, I finally read the 300 examination papers on the night of March 18.

According to the rules, it must be recognized by six of the ten paper readers, that is, the examination paper with six circles drawn on the head of the paper in order to be shortlisted for the top ten and presented to the Son of Heaven.

So far, there are only nine exam papers with six circles drawn on the head, and there is still the last place to be decided.

There are a total of five articles that are eligible to participate in the competition for this last place, all of which are circled by the head. Each of these five articles has the support of the reading officer.

The officials who read the papers are all elders of the officialdom, so it is naturally impossible to fight for red-facedness, but although the tone is kind, the attitude is not to give an inch.

At this point, it's time for the chief of the ten reading officers to make a decision.

Han Zhang said in a deep voice: "Since everyone can't make up their minds, let's remove the name of the lake." ”

There was no objection from the readers.

After a while, after removing the name of the lake, the five papers were presented to the eucalyptus one by one, and the examiners saw the names of these five candidates, and they all felt some impressions, and couldn't help but sigh, sure enough, there was no vanity under the fame.

However, one of the names quickly attracted the attention of all the readers.

"What! Youyang Weichen, how could his article be here? ”

A few paper readers were quite surprised, Wei Chen's literary name was praised in the world, and he tried even better, and five yuan in his hand, which was the favorite of the champion, and now he has fallen to the point of competing for the last top ten places, which is really incredible.

Tian Dongsheng, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, picked up Wei Chen's article and glanced at it, then looked at Han Zhang's face, and suddenly realized.

This article is a true pharaoh, every word is beautiful, and it reads sonorously with the sound of gold and stone, not to mention this palace test, it is to look at the past and present, and it is also a rare masterpiece.

It's just that the article is well written, but the ass is sitting on the side of Zhao Zhen, the son of heaven, and singing praises to Zhao Zhen's benevolence, no wonder Han Zhang and others don't like it.

You must know that Zhao Zhen was in trouble with Han Zhang, Wen Yanchang, and Xu Mu, the three scholars of Longtu Pavilion, at this time, and the scholars could not persuade Zhao Zhen, and Zhao Zhen had no choice but to take these courtiers, and the two sides were deadlocked.

In this context, Wei Chen's article fell into the hands of the three scholars who read the papers, how could they easily pass the test?

Sure enough, I only heard the second assistant Wen Yanchang snort coldly: "This article blindly flatters the Son of Heaven, without the style of a scholar, if he is an official, he is also a minister." This person will never be among the top ten, so let's take a third class! ”

Xu Mu also said with a look of hatred: "This Wei Chen's talent is really the best talent, but he is a flattering person, pity, pity!" ”

Seeing that the two scholars said this, Han Zhang had no intention of objecting, and the rest of the people in the hall were a little drumming in their hearts. This is a battle between the scholars and the officials, and they don't want to get involved easily.

Seeing that Wei Chen's volume was about to be classified as third-class, at this time, Lu Zongdai, the secretary of the Ministry of Works, coughed lightly and reminded: "Everyone, if this official remembers correctly, this Wei Chen is the Huiyuan examination, and when the palace examination is always in the palace, no matter how the Huiyuan's article is written, it needs to be submitted to the Son of Heaven for review. ”

"Lu Laoshangshu is right." Hanlin Scholar Liu Tingxi also echoed, he turned his head to look at Xu Mu, and asked with a smile in his eyebrows: "Scholar Xu, you are the president of the Huijiao, you will not forget all the Huiyuan you took with your own hands, right?" ”

It's this Liu Tingxi again!

Xu Mu couldn't help but curse in his heart, if it weren't for Liu Tingxi's obstruction during the examination, Wei Chen would not have been able to win this huiyuan at all.

But Xu Mu also had to admit that although Liu Tingxi's words were thorny, he did make sense, not to mention, and the support of Lu Zongdai, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry.

The two book readers objected at the same time, and even Han Zhang, who was the chief of the book readers, could not turn a blind eye.

Han Zhang glanced at Xu Mu with a little dissatisfaction, Xu Mu's old face was slightly red, in the final analysis, this matter was his incompetence, if he stuck Wei Chen when he tried it, he would not have today's trouble.

At this point, Wei Chen's article is guaranteed to be in the top ten, and no one can change it, Han Zhang simply pushed the boat down the river and said: "If there is a rule, then submit this volume to the Son of Heaven for review." ”

The next day, inside the arch hall.

Zhao Zhen sat high on the throne, and the ten scroll readers each held a volume, and Hou Li, starting from Han Zhang, held the scroll in turn to the throne to read the scroll.

The articles of the palace examination were not read by the Son of Heaven himself, but were read by the minister to the Son of Heaven, which is also the origin of the name "Reader of the Papers".

In the first volume, Zhao Zhen frowned when he heard Han Zhang read the sentence "The heavenly prison is not far away, and the people's hearts can be known", and interrupted: "Are all the volumes of this department in this kind of official tone?" ”

In the past few years, in order to establish the reserve, Zhao Zhen has experienced all kinds of persuasions, what bitter advice, crying advice, sarcastic advice, death advice, and frequent tricks, which made Zhao Zhen die and live, so Zhao Zhen felt that his head was big when he heard this kind of righteous and righteous article, and he didn't want to continue listening to it at all.

Of course, Han Zhang understood Zhao Zhen's thoughts, but he still read this outspoken and daring article in person, just to try again and see if he could make Zhao Zhen change his mind.

It's a pity that the result was disappointed by Han Zhang after all.

Han Zhang was also very helpless about this.

Generally speaking, the top ten in the palace examination are selected by civil officials, and the specific ranking is determined by the Son of Heaven.

But after all, the palace test is the protégé chosen by the Son of Heaven, and the civil officials are just doing it for him, if the Son of Heaven is extremely dissatisfied with the top ten, he can also not take all of them, and personally go to the back to search for the papers.

Therefore, although Han Zhang could send his favorite admonition to Zhao Zhen, he could not stop Zhao Zhen from ranking this article last.

This is the demarcation between the power of civil officials and the Son of Heaven.

Han Zhang, Wen Yanchang, and Xu Mu read three articles in succession, all of which were sharp and outspoken, and the results were not surprising, all of them were beaten to the end by Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen was dissatisfied: "Before entering the official career, you dare to talk about it and discuss national politics in vain, this unhealthy trend must be strictly rectified!" ”

After speaking, Zhao Zhen looked at Lu Zongdai, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, and said slowly: "Lu Aiqing, you are a veteran of the two dynasties, and you have always been old, and the selected articles must be Zhongzheng and peaceful, why don't you read it and listen to it?" ”

"Obey."

After Lu Zongdai bowed, he stepped forward with the scroll in his hand, and the article he read in his mouth was from Wei Chen's hand.

After only listening to dozens of sentences, Zhao Zhen's brows relaxed, he had already read Wei Chen's article and remembered some of the content, but at this time, listening to Lu Zongdai's sonorous and powerful recitation, it was a unique charm.

I have heard that a really good article not only looks magnificent, but also has the sound of gold and stone when it reads, and the afterglow is endless, and now Wei Chen's article makes Zhao Zhen feel this feeling.

Unconsciously, Lu Zongdai had finished reading the article, Zhao Zhen was still unfinished, and after a long aftertaste, he said with great joy: "He is really a genius in the world, and this son is the leader of the current department!" ”