It's auspicious! ”

The bell rang, and Li Qingchen, who was sitting on the left side of the ceremony like dead wood, stood up, took out the exam questions, gave them to the people around him, and said loudly: "Send the papers, start the exam!" ”

Soon, the exam questions were transcribed in several copies and placed throughout the canon.

In the first year of Shaosheng, there were a total of 609 tributes, each of whom was a bookcase and a straw mat, and took the exam in the main hall at a distance, and the entire hall was crowded, and those who were ranked outside the three hundred were also arranged outside the main hall. The moment the exam questions finally appeared, many people were stunned.

The political questions are all about the same, and there is nothing to say.

For example, the title of a criminal case is the letter of the law.

The topic of tax collection is to torture the scholars about the study of tax rates.

There are not many questions, adding up to about ten.

Candidates who write quickly can complete all the political questions within half an hour.

But the topic of the policy theory is different, this is the main examination on behalf of the emperor to ask the policy, or the emperor himself to ask the question.

The title of the first year of Shaosheng is:

"Emperor Shenzong bowed to the virtue of the gods, there was the study of Shun Yu, with a few hearings, between the nineteen years, all the rites and music, the law so benefit the world is very prepared, I think about the ancestors, fist industry, night dare not forget. Today, Boyan Haoying is in the Guangdian, planning the affairs of the world, hoping to get the words, and to do something. The traces of gains and losses, facilities in politics and effectiveness in time. I have been in the palace for decades, and the choice of compound words is given, and the scholar is not energized; remove the officials of Changping, and the peasants do not increase their wealth; It can be hired or recruited to say that it is miscellaneous and the law is sick, or the east or the north is different and the river is troubled. The land is given to be soft and far away, and the invasion of the northwest has not been destroyed; Relaxation is convenient for the people, and the road to businessmen is not passable. As for the indecent officials, the military equipment, the famine is recommended, and the thieves are still in the sky, why is this? The husband can be the cause, otherwise the revolution, but it should be precious, why should the husband bother? Doctor Zi knows that there is nothing to hide. ”

What does that mean?

first touted the talent of Emperor Shenzong, Shun Yu's learning. This is the highest standard of being an emperor, and those who are emperors dream of reaching the level of Yao Shunyu soup and being admired by all generations. Then he talked about Emperor Shenzong's pro-government and merits, from the method of selecting scholars to the reform of the imperial examination, to the "Recruitment Law", "Qingmiao Law" and so on in the reform of the law, but the pen turned around, and the ending of the reform did not meet expectations.

Let the scholars write strategies and solve problems for the emperor.

Li Kui stared at the beads in his eyes, and he couldn't see that the emperor still needed to solve problems. This is clearly to make people take the blame for the failure of the law change, to put it bluntly, it is to use the name of the palace test to kill people with a knife. Not only to put the conservatives on their backs, but also to crush the conservatives. The heart of this scholar is too bad. The emperor couldn't have failed to see the relationship, right?

compares his father to Shun Yu, do you still need to tell him the truth?

Could it be that in the Shunyu era, the master had not yet been born, they were just barbarian kings, and they didn't know the beauty of etiquette, the weight of etiquette and music, and the thickness of benevolence?

It's certainly fine to write like that, but it's definitely bad luck.

On the contrary, after Ma Yu saw the title, he fell into deep thought. Xin said: "Although the strategy theory says that the method is changed, but it puts forward the shortcomings of the method change, whether to choose salty soup dumplings or sweet soup dumplings? Damn, it's a position question. ”

Not only him, but many scholars became nervous.

The palace test of the imperial court, the emperor came, and among the civil servants of the Manchu Dynasty, all the heads and faces arrived.

If you choose the reformers at this time, you will offend the conservatives. The conservatives were chosen, and the reformers were certainly not happy.

The point is, what is the emperor's mind?

As for Fan Chunren and Su Zhe in the main hall, as well as Zhang Dun, Cai Bian, Zeng Bu, and Li Qingchen, they are obviously standing in the two camps. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the law-changing faction has an absolute advantage in numbers. But at the same time, the conservatives didn't all go down. There is also a Lu Dafang, after escorting the coffin of the Empress Dowager Xuanren to the burial, he took leave and went back to Lantian to eat rice.

If Lu Dafang was present, he should be able to make a three-to-four situation, on the surface, the reformers are determined to forge ahead, but the conservatives have been in power for nearly ten years, and they are not soft persimmons that can be kneaded casually.

Unless the emperor is gone!

Is the Emperor ready to go?

Ma Yu's heart was also up and down, although Li Kui told him that the emperor hoped that someone in the palace would stand up and support the change of the law with a clear position.

But when he really gambled on his career, he hesitated.

Turning his head to look at Bi Yan not far away, he began to write on the draft unhurriedly.

I also began to get anxious.

And Li Kui and Fan Chong's seats are also very conspicuous, and there is no disruption of the exam number in the palace examination, and there is no fraud. The emperors are all sitting on top, and the questions are still made on the spot, so naturally there is no possibility of fraud. As for the ranking, it is to let the emperor see the appearance of the tribute, so that the emperor can have an impression.

Fan Chong had already thought about what to write.

He couldn't follow the emperor's mind to write an article in support of the change, and if he really did something, he wouldn't let the champion out.

The champion of Shaosheng's first year is really hard to get.

As for Li Kui?

He didn't go on the road of singing praises to Emperor Shenzong, nor did he think about stepping on the Yuanyou party. It's a different way. His mind was empty, and he had been prepared for it for a long time. Didn't Li Qingchen say that the law change was insufficient?

Of course, this is modesty. Literati don't like to talk full.

But also found the idea of the article for Li Kui, let's talk about the problem from the root. Not to mention changing the law, but also supporting the political views of conservatives. Rather, it is said that the population led to the dynastic dilemma.

Of course, at the beginning, I still have to praise the emperor and his father, and pull it up on the draft: "The first emperor has not started a business halfway, and the middle way collapsed ......" Li Kuigang wrote this sentence, and immediately reacted, and secretly cursed: I am used to copying, and I almost silently came out of the "Teacher Table". You have to change your tune, or you will definitely be beaten.

"The minister whispered that the first emperor worked hard, and he did not dare to slack off for decades, and he had the merit of crusading against the rebellion of Fanbang outside, and he had the virtue of being Zemeng and the people inside. The world is shared, and the people of Li respect. However, decades of long-cherished wishes have fallen short and have been mistaken by the courtiers? Those who do good things say that those who are high are not virtuous, and those who are humble talk about nothing, is this harm to the country? ”

"No, the Great Song Dynasty is peaceful, and the people are happy. It's not a small thing to mess up, it's not a traitor to be a disaster, it's really a number of heaven and earth, and it's not a human fault! ”

Writing this, Li Kui sighed, wondering if what he said was too explicit?

When it comes to the emperor, I must praise a few more words, no matter what the reason is, I can't forget it. It's like coaxing a child, give a sweet date to eat first, and then slap it. Of course, the emperor didn't dare to use the routine of training children, and coaxed the emperor without a trace, coaxed him happy, and then safely took the Jinshi background home.

Criticizing the emperor must be a death, a feudal dynasty, who can withstand the emperor's thunderous wrath?

Even if he didn't step on the emperor, in fact, between the lines, Li Kui stepped on a group of people and changed the law. But it's not so obvious, it depends on how people interpret it. It's like Su Shi was imprisoned and suffered from Wutai. Speaking of which, it is a group of people chasing after the wind and shadows, and they are afraid that the imperial historians who have no merit will deliberately find someone to stand up. This person's energy can't be small, and if he is small, he has no sense of accomplishment.

It can't be too big, people with too high status, they want to pull off the horse, and the difficulty is also high. So Su Shi was rectified, who made him a master in the literary world?

Li Kui looked up and down left and right for a long time, and felt that he still had to polish it.

When the beginning was finished, Li Kui was surprised to find that it was time for lunch.

The little eunuchs who came and went carried the wooden barrels in which the food was stored, and covered the food tightly with a thick cloth, for fear of running away from the heat. When it was opened, it turned out to be mutton buns.

Li Kui sighed in his heart, didn't he hook up with him and deliberately didn't let him do well in the exam?

Putting down the pen, Li Kui shouted to the eunuch who distributed the food: "Twenty mutton, no wild vegetable stuffing, and another pot of mutton soup." ”

The originally tense atmosphere of the palace test was dissipated by Li Kui's shout, and the surrounding gongshi looked at Li Kui like fools. What can Li Kui do, his amount of food can eat thirty, and eating twenty is half-full. That is, because there is an exam in the afternoon, otherwise I will let go of eating and I don't care about it.

The eunuch who delivered the meal took a few small yellow doors and put the food on Li Kui's bookcase with an angry face.

Li Kui fixed his eyes and saw that he was still an acquaintance Hao Sui. He looked at Hao Sui's treacherous face suspiciously, and felt that this old boy had a grudge against him, would it ......

Without waiting for him to speak, Hao Sui couldn't help it, and said in a sharp voice: "Li Kui, that is, today's palace test, you can call our family." Don't know what to do, eating food is not poisonous. ”

Li Kui rolled his eyes and said leisurely: "I don't dare to forgive you." ”

Angry, Hao followed the truth and put the wooden barrel in his hand on Li Kui's head and beat the bastard violently. Since Li Kui appeared, he has been snubbed a lot by the emperor. Although he is still listening to the emperor on a errand, but there is one more opponent around him who competes for favor, this kind of grief and anger that he has been working hard for more than ten years to get rich, and he wants to make a wedding dress for others in a blink of an eye, makes Hao Sui hate Li Kui to the bone.

But on the occasion of the palace test, Hao Sui didn't dare to quarrel with Li Kui.

He even wanted to secretly knock over Li Kui's magic box on Li Kui's test paper, but he waited for a long time, but he didn't wait for the opportunity.

Li Kui stretched out his hand to guard his book case tightly, and this guy actually put the test paper in the placket of his clothes and hid it close to his body, obviously he came prepared.

The imperial court has a talent ceremony, and the people around the emperor cannot be idle.

This is an opportunity for most of the Jinshi to enjoy the service of the eunuchs in the palace and the delicious taste of the imperial kitchen. And for a lot of people, only a few times.

Of course, the Qionglin Banquet must be the same.

Li Kui took a bite of mutton soup, opened his big mouth, and sent two mouthfuls of huge buns into his mouth. Swallow it with a bang, and it's as fast as the reincarnation of a starving ghost.

Many tributes were stunned by Li Kui's arrogance.

Even several ministers sitting on the high platform cast their eyes on Li Kui.

Zhang Dian sat calmly in the position of the prime minister, eating the cooking cake unhurriedly, and he did not have high requirements for food. Not the kind of child of a family who admires luxury, from a habitual point of view, he is an outlier.

In this regard, he is a bit similar to Li Qingchen. However, Li Qingchen was born in a poor family, and he lived a simple life in order to warn himself that everything he got now came through hard work, and he could not forget the hardships of hardship. The literati like to remember the bittersweet and sweet, and some people persevered, and life became simpler, and virtue and exercise were sublimated. Some people pretend to be purely for the sake of showing others.

However, Cai Bian and Zeng Bu are different, they like fine clothes and fine food, and they are unwilling to criticize themselves. But the food was not bad, and it was barely eaten.

Suddenly, Zeng Bu saw Li Kui, laughed, and said to Li Qingchen: "Brother Li, you were just embarrassed by that wine bag and rice bag, right?" ”

Li Qingchen didn't want to see Li Kui, not only Li Kui, but also everyone related to Su Zhe.

However, in comparison, his dislike for Zeng Bu was even greater than that of Li Kui, and he smiled lightly: "No, I'm just sharpening him." Brother Zeng is too careful. ”

Hum.

Zeng Bu touched a soft nail, and his heart became more and more unhappy.

There are more people on the side of the reformers, but on the side of the conservatives, although there are few people, they are very harmonious. Whether it is Fan Chunren or Su Zhe, they are all moody and moody on weekdays, but they are still gentlemen who try their best to unite their own people internally. Compared with the reformers tearing each other down, the conservatives are much more united. But unity is useless, and the emperor seems to have made up his mind to let the conservatives get out.

Don't look at the topic of the policy theory, it says that the result of changing the law is not good.

But when Su Zhe looked at the topic, he was as clear as a mirror in his heart. The emperor wanted to liquidate the Hou Party, and the spearhead directly pointed to the reason for the failure of the reform, because he did not stick to it.

Why didn't you stick to it?

Because there is a queen mother, and there are Yuanyou party members.

Appeasement externally, strong pressure internally, and public resentment boiling. This is the predicament that the reformers told the emperor about the current Great Song Dynasty. But in reality, this is not the case. When the Yuanyou Party was in power, they did not reach the level of generals, and at that time, Zhang Qi had not yet shown his talent as a commander, and with one person, he bullied the Western Xia to the point of collapse. And every time he wins more with less, he can be called a demon in the literary world. Back then, this official who was still working as a transfer envoy in various places did not show his military talent at all.

If there was such a powerful person in the northwest who was like a Dinghai divine needle to suppress the Western Xia Kingdom, Sima Guang would not be in a hurry to negotiate peace. The reason why I want peace talks is because I have no bottom in my heart, and no one in the ruling group formed by a group of sour Confucians can fight at all, but they are very good at writing history books. In this situation, if a war breaks out on the frontier, Sima Guang and the others can only vomit blood and stare dryly.

But even if he is as witty as Su Zhe, he doesn't know where to explain to the emperor, the law will not necessarily be weak if it is not changed, and it will not necessarily be strong if it is changed. The problems of the common people are simply not something that can be solved by changing the law.

If you want to puncture the scam of the law change, you can only give the law changers a chance, time, and the result of failure.

But these Su Zhe can't be given. Once it is given, he will lose even the capital to gain a foothold in the court, not only him, but also Lu Dafang, Fan Chunren and others, will carry a heavy burden in their hearts and start their long degrading career.

It could be a decade, maybe a little longer.

Just after Li Qingchen unveiled the policy theory exam questions, Su Zhe was thinking about countermeasures. Before that, Su Zhe naively thought that the conservatives might not have a good time, but the Empress Dowager Xiang also supported the conservatives. In addition, Lu Dafang has not yet begun to degrade, as long as it is connected to the capital, at least it can be done to stabilize its position.

But when Li Qingchen unveiled the exam question, Su Zhe couldn't help it anymore, this question was given by Li Qingchen? Or did the emperor mean it?

On the surface, the change did not succeed for a number of reasons. But the danger contained in it is clear to Su Zhe and others that the prophet of Chunjiang Plumbing Duck can only feel the cold pain in the water. Is this what the emperor means by liquidating the court? Maybe the tributes who took the exam didn't know, but Su Zhe had already seen the emperor's mind clearly, and he might not have made up his mind, but he had already begun to condone the presumptuousness of the law-changing faction. He made up his mind not to endure anymore, and simply fought once, not hoping to make the emperor change his mind, but at least he couldn't let this life go with regrets......

"Ziyou, look at how fragrant that kid eats, eat with Li Kui, the old man can eat two more bowls of millet rice every time." Fan Chunren smiled and pointed in Li Kui's direction.

Su Zhe was interrupted from his train of thought, and looked at Li Kui with a little dissatisfaction. I heard Fan Chunren chattering: "When the first son stayed at home with Li Kui and Li Yun, they ate a month's ration for their family of four in two days, which is really cute." ”

Su Zhexin said: "Fortunately, I didn't let them enter the house at the beginning, otherwise the family business that the old man had saved up with great difficulty would have been eaten up by this goods?" ”

Hey, something is wrong, Su Zhe was stunned, what was he thinking just now, how did he forget?