North of the city, Chengfu.

Cheng Minzheng, the chief examiner, sat in the study and drank tea, waiting for Tang Yin's arrival.

Cheng Minzheng was fifty-three years old at the time, and he was a typical civil official family. Since the generation of great-grandfathers, the Cheng family has relied on the imperial examination to become officials for generations.

His father, Cheng Xin, was appointed to the Nanjing Military Department.

Cheng Minzheng has been a famous prodigy in Beizhili since he was a child. When he was seventeen years old, the pond in the back garden of the Cheng family was opened and Di Lian, and he won the first place in the high school Beizhili Township Exam.

When he was only twenty years old, he would take the Huiyuan examination, the palace examination for the high school rankings, and enter the Hanlin Academy as a Jishi. almost created the myth of the three elements in the company.

Li Xian, the first assistant of the cabinet at the time, took a look: Hey, this young man has a bright future.

So Li Shoufu caught his son-in-law and married his daughter to him.

In addition to his father, who was the secretary of the Ministry of War, Cheng Minzheng had another father-in-law who was the first assistant of the cabinet.

It should be said that Lao Cheng has a king to blow up the start.

Dad is a Shangshu and has a huge network of officialdom. I also competed for myself, and the year of the weak crown became the eye of the list.

The spring breeze is proud, and the sun is full of Chang'an flowers. He also married the daughter of the first assistant family of the cabinet.

The future is immeasurable, really promising.

However, Lao Cheng is a person who has the ability to study and take the imperial examination, and the ability to do things as an official is average, and he is decent. Relying on his early entry, hard relationship, and bitter qualifications, he became the right waiter of the Ministry of Rites.

According to the rules of promotion in officialdom. He will stay up for another two or three years, and at the age of fifty-five or so, he will be promoted to the secretary of the Ministry of Rites.

And the Ministry of Rites is the cabinet prince of Tianzi No. 1. Not surprisingly, he can enter the cabinet before the age of sixty and is a very popular minister.

This time, the emperor's grace is mighty, and Li Dongyang, the best friend, is also powerful. Li Dongyang recommended him, and the emperor appointed him to be the chief examiner of the examination.

The examiner is a temporary assignment and is not considered a permanent officer. But the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty who are above the third grade, everyone is rushing to be the main examiner.

The main examiner of the examination will become the seat teacher of the first, second and third class jinshi of the whole subject. Political power can skyrocket.

There are hundreds of people in one department, and there will be a few in the future. Even if someone becomes the first assistant in the future, when they see him, they must respectfully call him: "Seat teacher".

Cheng Min is full of political ambitions. Before the start of the examination, I will accept a few agreed protégés who are already famous all over the world.

A person like Tang Yin, who has the title of the first of the four great talents in Jiangnan, if he can become his agreed protégé, he will have face on his face.

Look, being able to be a talented teacher shows that my own talent and learning are also the best in the world.

Second, the relationship between protégés and protégés is one level closer than that of ordinary protégés.

Tang Yin, a promising young talent, if he is used by me. The strength of my network is going to increase a few points.

Let's say that Tang Yin led Xu Jing to the door of Chengfu.

Xu Jing is the son of a rich man's family, but he is by no means a stupid son. People have a fame.

In the township test of the Ming provinces, even if you want to spend money to bribe the examiner to buy people's fame, you have to be excellent. First of all, the handwriting should be good. Secondly, you must know how to choose words and make sentences.

Otherwise, even if the test questions are leaked to you, you won't know how to write an essay.

Find someone to catch a knife, and you can't memorize it if you write an article in advance.

If you don't write it well, the examiner who takes bribes won't be able to circle your paper.

Xu Jing heard that Lord Cheng, the chief examiner of this examination, invited Tang Yin to enter the mansion. His mind turned: I'll go with me and have a good relationship with Master Cheng, isn't there a few more chances of winning this test?

So Xu Jing asked Tang Yin to come with him.

Tang Yin did not refuse. On this trip to catch the exam, Xu Jing spent not eight hundred but five hundred taels of silver on him.

Meticulous care along the way, attentive and considerate.

This bit of face still has to be given to Xu Jing.

The two stood in front of the gate of Cheng's mansion.

The king of Hades is easy to see, the little ghost is difficult, and the prime minister is a seven-rank official in front of the door.

Cheng Wang, the old man in the porter, stopped the two.

Tang Yin took out the name of the worship: "Ying Tian raised Tang Yin to come to meet Master Cheng." ”

Cheng Wang took the famous post: "Ah, it's Tang Juren." Our lord has been waiting for you for a long time. ”

Turning his head, he shouted to a young servant: "Brother Rui, lead Tang Gongzi to the master's study." ”

Xu Jing followed Tang Yin and wanted to enter the mansion, but Cheng Wang stopped him: "Who are you?" ”

Xu Jing replied: "Jiangyin raised Xu Jing and came to meet Master Cheng." ”

Cheng Wang's old face drooped, as if Xu Jing owed him two taels of silver and didn't pay it back: "When the mansion of the courtier's servant in the Ministry of Rites, what kind of cat and dog can enter?" ”

"Go, go!"

Tang Yin explained: "Old man, this Xu Juren came with me. It's my best friend. ”

Cheng Wang's attitude towards Tang Yin was different from that towards Xu Jing. His son Cheng Zhong is Cheng Minzheng's personal servant and is well-informed.

Cheng Wang knew that Tang Yin was a great talent valued by the master.

Cheng Wang's tone eased and said to Tang Yin: "Tang Juren." Our lord only said to see you, not to see you as a friend. ”

"We don't dare to go to the house to collect people."

Xu Jing's eyes were quick and he stuffed a silver ticket into Cheng Wang's sleeve.

However, it happened suddenly, and his silver tickets were stacked backwards, and Cheng Wang couldn't see the number.

Cheng Wang believes that the denomination of ten taels or eight taels is to support death.

However, he put away the arrogant and untamed expression just now: "Ah, Tang Juren has been in the countryside for a long time, and he may not know the rules of the Beijing official mansion." ”

"The master didn't say to see you, I can't let you into the house."

"But you're here with Tang Juren. I can't let you stand at the door and wait. ”

"In this way, you go to the concierge and sit for a while, drink a cup of tea, and wait for Tang Juren."

Xu Jing is a wealthy family in Jiangyin. Jiangyin is also a rich and prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River. Cheng Wang said that he had been "in the countryside for a long time".

There is no way, in the eyes of these old capitals, out of Sijiu City, it is all from the countryside. When people from other places enter Beijing, they are all stinky rural people from other places, and they come to the capital to ask for food.

If Xu Jing hadn't given Cheng Wang a silver ticket, he wouldn't even let Xu Jing enter the concierge.

Tang Yin strode into the mansion. Xu Jing entered the gatehouse.

Cheng Wang gave Xu Jing a small maza: "Xu Juren can sit down for a while!" On weekdays, those four-grade and five-grade magistrates come to visit the master, and they can't even mix with Maza. ”

Xu Jing understands the world very well: "Ah, thank you old man." ”

Cheng Wang said again: "If it's a sixth-grade or seventh-grade official, I won't even let the concierge enter." You have to stand at the gate and wait. ”

"Come on, I'll make you a pot of tea. Although it is high and broken, the water in the capital is good, and the high crushed is better than a few taels of silver and a pound of tea in the countryside! ”

Xu Jing is again a thousand thanks.

Cheng Wang walked out of the gatehouse and came to the tea room. He said to the old man in the teahouse: "I came to the countryside to ask for food!" Flush the pot high crushed. ”

The old man in the tea shop turned around to make tea.

Cheng Wang took the opportunity to take out the silver ticket Xu Jing gave him from his sleeve to see if there were ten taels.

It doesn't matter if you open it, Cheng Wang almost fell!

I saw a big book on the silver ticket: "Take the library city with the ticket, two hundred taels of silver." ”

Cheng Wang was dumbfounded. That country guy who asked for food was too generous! One shot is two hundred taels?

You must know that those prefects and counties from other places came to visit Cheng Minzheng at the house, and they rewarded Cheng Wang with a maximum of ten taels or eight taels of silver.

Cheng Wang put away the silver ticket and hurriedly patted the old man of the teahouse on the back: "Make the best tea before the rain, that's a distinguished guest!" Those who come from the rich and noble township in the south of the Yangtze River are not used to drinking high crushes. ”

Cheng Wang carried the teapot and returned to the gatehouse. The attitude changed: "Ah, Xu Juren, this is the best tea before the rain." Please use it, please use it. ”

Xu Jing took a sip and said, "Sure enough, it's good tea." The old man bothered. ”

Xu Jing smiled secretly in his heart: What Dad said is true, there is no spending money in the world.

It must have been the old man who went out to see the silver ticket I gave him, and knew the number. Otherwise, how can you change your attitude?

Cheng Wang began to talk to Xu Jingpan: "Don't look at me as just a janitor of the Shilang Mansion. Tell you, My son can be promising! ”

"My son is our master's personal servant! He is also literate and hyphenated, and waits for pen and ink in the master's study every day. ”

When Xu Jing heard this, his eyes lit up: "Ah, your son is so promising!" It turned out to be someone close to Master Cheng. ”

Cheng Wang stroked his beard proudly: "That's nature." Have you ever heard that an ant next to the Buddha can become an immortal. ”

"One of us guards the gate for the master, and the other serves him closely. The officials in the capital have to give us a few thin noodles when they see us. ”

Speaking of which, Cheng Wang realized that he was blowing up. hurriedly went back to make up for it: "Ah, I'm talking about those five-grade and six-grade petty officials." ”

Xu Jing smiled secretly in his heart: The fifth-grade and sixth-grade imperial court officials give you face? What are you? Just an old janitor.

However, Xu Jing was very interested in Cheng Wang's son. Or rather, he was very interested in the questions of the current examination.

Xu Jing smiled: "I am a lifter from the southern countryside. Nothing insightful. You can deign to talk to me today, and I have gained a lot of knowledge. Thanks a lot. ”

After speaking, Xu Jing took out another silver ticket and handed it to Cheng Wang.

Cheng Wang looked at the denomination, and it turned out to be a silver ticket of two hundred taels!

He said, "How embarrassing is this", but his hand was very honest, and he took it and put it in his sleeve, with a sincere and frightened expression.

Xu Jing smiled: "What you said just now is right. If the ants around the Buddha can become immortals! ”

"I also want to follow the fairy spirit. See when your son is free. I set up a big banquet in Wanfu Building in the capital to invite you and your son. ”

Wanfu Lou is the most expensive restaurant in Beijing.

Xu Jing, a rich man from the south of the Yangtze River, entered Beijing, and the consumption principle was not to eat the best, but only the most expensive.

Cheng Wang was flattered and kept rubbing his hands: "Ah, Xu Juren, oh no, Master Xu is too polite." ”

The Ming Dynasty can be called "master". A change in salutation is a change in attitude.

Xu Jing began to draw a big cake for Cheng Wang again: "I'm a good person to make friends." As long as you are like-minded, giving one or two thousand silver will be regarded as entering the treasure game and losing a few more dice. ”

The unruly old man of the gatehouse, Cheng Wang, the old capital, was completely conquered by Xu Jing, the rich man of the land.

Cheng Wang praised repeatedly: "If my son can make a generous and heroic friend like Master Xu, it is really a blessing from the cultivation of three lives!" ”

Let's talk about Tang Yin's side.

Tang Yin entered Cheng Minzheng's study and saluted him.

Cheng Minzheng saw that Tang Yin not only had good articles, but also looked more solemn and standard. He likes this junior even more.

Cheng Minzheng is a great Confucian, a talented person. Naturally, he has a lot of common language with Tang Yin.

The two chatted about poetry and the art of the eight-strand system, and they chatted for a whole hour. It's just too late to see each other.

Cheng Minzheng took a sip of tea and finally began to get down to business: "In fact, I will try not only to see how to learn, but also to see luck." ”

"Wang Shouren, the son of Wang Hua's family, is the best name in Jinghua, and he still failed in two subjects."

The previous examiners accepted the protégés, and only those who were talented but not very high-born.

Wang Shouren's father Wang Hua is now a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, and his identity is too sensitive. No examiner dared to make an appointment with Wang Shouren.

Tang Yin didn't know why Cheng Minzheng brought the topic to luck.

Cheng Minzheng finally made his intentions clear: "I plan to accept you as a protégé, how about it?" ”

Although Tang Yin is wild and uninhibited, he is not stupid, and he is not diligent and indistinguishable. He knew what an agreed protégé was.

As a lifter, he naturally knew the meaning of the examiner's words.

Tang Yin was silent.

Cheng Minzheng said again: "You have such a talent, it shouldn't be difficult to answer the questions and control the level, right?" Show me your handwriting again. ”

Accepting a protégé is not the same as venting the question. It's just a matter of asking the protégé to mark the answers.

Don't look at the roll as a blur. The examiner agrees with the candidate that it is easy to make a secret note. For example, what is the sound of the first few words in each line when solving a problem. Take the level as a secret mark.

Look at the candidate's handwriting before the test to make sure that it is safe.

Unexpectedly, Tang Yin actually said to Cheng Minzheng: "Master." Students boast of some knowledge. Confident to be able to stand out in the exam, the tributary hall exam. ”

"Even without the help of the teacher, students can be nominated on the apricot list and even make it to the gold list."

"Maxima is often there, but Bole is not. Students don't dare to compare themselves to Maxima, but you are Bole. ”

Tang Yin's words implied a deep meaning. First of all, he did not call Cheng Minzheng "Master Cheng" or "Cheng Butang", but called him the master.

It shows that Tang Yin has agreed to be attached to Cheng Minzheng and be his good student.

Secondly, Tang Yin clearly refused Cheng Minzheng's help.

The translation of this sentence is: Teacher, without your help, I can also become a tribute and go to the palace to try to make a Jinshi fame.

You don't have to worry about it.

But just because I don't ask you to help doesn't mean I'm not attached to you.

You're still my teacher, like my own father.

In the future, when I become an official, I will also remember your good son. You told me to go east, and I will never go west.

Cheng Minzheng's kindness was rejected, not only was he not angry, but he was overjoyed. He was a man of talents. What's more, Tang Yin is a great talent who can be counted all over the world?

Moreover, Cheng Minzheng saw the shadow of his youth in Tang Yin.

When we were young, Lao Cheng was as confident as him. In front of the middle school Xie Yuan, Zhong Hui Yuan, and Zhong Bang, I also told my father that I don't need to ask someone to find a disciple, I can still go to high school.

Cheng Minzheng praised Tang Yin: "Sure enough, he is a great talent in the world, and he has a bamboo in his chest!" I'm waiting for you to be on the apricot list and even on the gold list! ”

"At that time, I will set up a banquet for you in the mansion to celebrate you!"

During this visit, Tang Yin did not become Cheng Minzheng's agreed protégé. The two just admired each other and became year-end friends.

Cheng Minzheng did not reveal the question to Tang Yin. Although Lao Cheng's ability is not strong, he still has a bottom line.

But Xu Jing caught up with Cheng Minzheng's servant.

There is only half a month left before the examination. On the fifth day before the exam, you should decide on the exam questions.

Cheng Minzheng pondered the exam questions in the study every night.

Daming's examination is by no means like some TV dramas made up in later generations, the examiner comes up with a question of more than a dozen words, and the candidate writes an article and is done.

There are three sessions and 22 questions in nine days.

In the first three days, there are three ways of reading and righteousness, and four ways of scripture and righteousness.

Two sessions and three days, one examination, five strategies, one edict, one edict, one table, and one internal medicine.

In the last three days, there are five ways of examining scriptures, history, time, affairs, and strategies.

The volume is divided into two volumes, the southern and the northern. Some of the questions are different from those in the north.

Among them, the most important is the book meaning and scripture meaning of the first field, which accounts for a large proportion of the "circle".

Whether it is the ancient imperial examination or the modern college entrance examination, the principle of the questions is almost the same.

There are basic questions to test basic skills, and there are also pull questions to distinguish personal ability.

Although Cheng Minzheng is the main exam, he did not have all 22 questions.

He is only responsible for the scriptures.

In the scripture question, he deliberately made a strange and tricky one. It is similar to the most difficult score question in mathematics in the college entrance examination.

He was very satisfied with the question. Whether it is a brilliant talent, a decent talent, or a mediocre talent who doesn't understand bullshit, it all depends on whether the candidate can do this question.

What Cheng Minzheng didn't know was that when he was busy writing exam questions, Cheng Zhong, the personal servant who grinded him beside him, kept glancing at the paper with the rest of his eyes.

On the ninth day of February, the Gongyuan was opened, and the students came to enter the Dragon Gate with examination materials.

Chang Feng walked with Wang Shouren and Zhang Xuan and came to the Dragon Gate.

Chang Feng glanced at the word "Gongyuan", and here are the ideals and pursuits of many generations of scholars.

The three of them entered the dragon gate.

Not long after, Tang Yin and Xu Jing also entered the Dragon Gate together.

As the director of the Ministry of Rites sounded the gong for the opening of the test, the 12th year of Hongzhi will officially begin.

(End of chapter)