Fengtian Temple court.

This day was the last court meeting of the previous year, and several things were decided on the spot, all of which were related to the arrangements for the next year.

First of all, at the beginning of the year, the emperors could not go, and the nobles sent to worship on their behalf.

Then there is the big ceremony at the beginning of the year, the emperor will still go in person, and at the same time explain that after the big ceremony is celebrated, the minister of civil and military affairs will fast for three days, that is, he must not touch wine and meat, and at the same time, he must abstain from the affairs of the house.

He also told me about the ten-day break on the Shangyuan Festival in the coming year.

"Filial Piety Record" recorded: "In the first month of Xinwei, the great worship of heaven and earth in the southern suburbs, return to the palace to pay homage to the queen mother, the queen mother, out of the palace to celebrate the heavenly palace civil and military ministers, above the Yuan Festival to give the civil and military ministers ten days off......"

Because in addition to the sacrifice and the holiday in the coming year, some things will be decided before the year.

In addition to the necessary things, the emperor suddenly decided to take the two examiners in February of the following year.

Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng are the same as history.

The pilgrimage ends.

Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng were sent to the Qianqing Palace to discuss the details of the next year's examination, while the remaining ministers left the palace separately.

"Why did Your Majesty decide to take the main exam of the Ministry of Rites so early this year? In the past, you have to wait until the end of the first month, or the beginning of February to decide, but this session is related to the rumors of the previous topic? ”

Xu Qiong, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, went over to inquire about Liu Jian after leaving the Fengtian Palace.

Liu Jian remained silent.

Xie Qian smiled: "Your Majesty may have another deep meaning, why bother thinking if I don't understand?" Who is the main examiner different? ”

Xu Qiong glared at Xie Qian.

The scene was somewhat embarrassing, and Tu Yun came over and pulled Xu Qiong aside, as if there was something to talk about.

……

……

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youzhu was teaching Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng face-to-face, and among the ceremonial eunuchs on the side, only Xiao Jing and Wei Bin were there.

After saying that he would test the necessary etiquette, Zhu Youzhu also reminded him in particular: "...... Both of them are highly respected among the scholars, and they usually receive a lot of scholars, and since you are the main candidate for the world's scholars, then you should not have any private relations with the scholars. ”

"Yes."

Li Dongyang received the order on behalf of the two.

It is said that Cheng Minzheng likes to make friends with young scholars, but in fact, Li Dongyang is not inferior to Cheng Minzheng in this regard.

Just because Li Dongyang is a cabinet elder and an orthodox civil official, it is a very high honor for others to ask to see Li Dongyang...... It's not like Cheng Minzheng, who can go to meet ......

The threshold for Cheng Min's politician is too low.

So much so that when there was a case later, others would attack Cheng Minzheng, but not Li Dongyang, and even let Li Dongyang investigate the case, which shows that Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng were treated differently in the court.

Subsequently, the emperor asked Wei Bin to send Li Dongyang out of the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youzhu seems to have something to say, he has to tell Cheng Minzheng alone, leaving only Xiao Jing to observe.

"Master Cheng, it has been nearly a year since you returned to the dynasty, and you have done a good job in everything, and I will reward you as appropriate. Don't take the things you have asked before, to your heart. Zhu Youzhu comforted first.

Cheng Minzheng felt aggrieved.

This kind of thing is afraid that it will become a shadow in his heart for the rest of his life.

But it also made him see that he didn't seem to be very popular with those courtiers, maybe he should really resign after serving the courtiers, and it would be best not to come back.

"The minister commands." Cheng Minzheng still has to pretend to be teachable on the surface.

Zhu Youzhu said again: "How is the progress of the matter of asking you to cooperate with the Guozi Prison and select a few eunuchs?" ”

Cheng Minzheng said: "The final list has been listed, there are more than 50 people, and the articles and insights are good. ”

"Well, the one who chooses the best will be entrusted with the rank of Xuezheng in the Guozijian for calling." Zhu Youzhu said.

Cheng Minzheng was stunned.

After choosing for a long time, in the end, I just selected a few people to assign to a Xuezheng? So why go to such a long time? Some of them are already at the level of "learning right", right?

Zhu Youzhu asked again: "Is Zhang Bingkuan, whom I told you earlier, on the list of candidates?" ”

"Yes." Cheng Min Zhengxin said, fortunately, I paid attention, otherwise I wouldn't be able to answer the call in front of the palace.

Zhu Youzhu said with a smile: "It's good, then this selection, let's take him as the leader." ”

Cheng Minzheng took a cool breath.

He thought he had heard it wrong, the emperor actually said that Zhang Zhou should be the leader of the selection, which meant ......

Private?!

Zhu Youzhu sighed: "Master Cheng, you should also know that in the past time, he has done a lot of things for the imperial court, I just want to leave a way for him to be outside the examination, if he can't be listed in this examination, I will select him to enter the court in this way." I don't want to delay any longer, let him take the exam again next year. ”

"Your Majesty, will this be ...... Inappropriate? "Cheng Minzheng wanted to remind the emperor.

You are so fond of Zhang Zhou, we courtiers can understand it, but it is a bit too much for you to break the rules and even set up a separate way for him to enter the court.

Zhu Youzhu said: "I can't help it, let Xiao Jing tell you the specific things." You can't say anything about this to outsiders, even if it's a national sacrifice wine! It's up to you how to do it! ”

Cheng Minzheng didn't mention how awkward it was.

A previous case almost tortured me to the point of burning, and my mood just calmed down in the past two days, but the emperor taught me to cheat together to select Zhang Zhou?

……

……

Cheng Minzheng didn't dare to ask more, so he could only follow Xiao Jing outside the palace.

Xiao Jing smiled on the road and said, "Master Cheng, what Your Majesty said, you understand it, right?" ”

"Yes." Cheng Min Zhengxin said, why don't you understand this, the monarch and the minister cheat together.

A seemingly fair and just selection is actually to open the back door for Zhang Zhou alone, and in the end, no matter what the results are, let Zhang Zhou be the first and pave the way for Zhang Zhou.

Cheng Minzheng said with a frustrated face: "Now that the exam has not started, Your Majesty is too anxious to make such an arrangement?" ”

Xiao Jing said with a smile: "If you wait for the test to be arranged, it will be too deliberate, and there will be more opposition from the DPRK and China." ”

"Hmm." Cheng Minzheng nodded, and asked again, "Then if he is really selected, he will fail to pass the test when he returns, and he will still be a person, what kind of official position will he be given?" ”

Xiao Jing glanced at Cheng Minzheng with a meaningful look.

As if to say, this is also what you should ask?

"Master Cheng, there are some things that shouldn't have been told to you, but since Your Majesty has told you frankly that there is such a thing, then our family will not cover it up, Your Majesty's meaning is that if Zhang Gongsheng really does not have a Zhongjin Shi, then he will be selected by raising people and entering the Hanlin Academy for review."

"What?"

Cheng Minzheng almost dropped his jaw.

Xiao Jing said: "Master Cheng doesn't need to be surprised. ”

Cheng Minzheng argued: "Even if it is a Zhongjin Shi, not a Ding Jia, and a Shu Jishi who is selected to enter the museum, it will take three years before he can be released for review and stay in the museum, why can a move be like this?" Do this...... Fellow courtiers will not agree. ”

Cheng Minzheng felt that the emperor was messing around.

Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Since you asked, then our family might as well tell you some more things, Your Majesty does not plan to choose Shu Jishi after this palace examination, as for Zhang Gongsheng's entry into the museum, it is because he has made meritorious contributions." You should also know that the epidemic in Jingshi before, the pox of the little princess, as well as the Qingning Palace disaster and the ground movement in Xinye, were all measured by him, and he was very effective in teaching the prince in the East Palace. Just give a Hanlin review, it's all a loss to him! ”

"Gonggong Xiao, even if he really has talent in this area, wouldn't it be good to let him enter the Qin Heavenly Prison?"

Cheng Minzheng was also anxious, obviously there was a way to enter the court without passing the imperial examination, why did he have to break the rules to let Zhang Zhou enter the Hanlin Academy?

It's pulling me into the water.

What to choose to pay tribute, but the emperor is ready to stuff people into the Hanlin Academy as the Hanlin review that the Jinshi dream of, am I not an accomplice?

Originally, those ministers had opinions about me, and if others knew that I was involved, it would be light to skin me and cramp.

Xiao Jing shook his head and said very seriously: "No, Your Majesty thinks that even if you give Mr. Zhang a prisoner of Qintianjian, it will humiliate him." Besides, Mr. Zhang also explained that he is not good at things such as measuring the sky, and this errand should be handed over to someone who is good at it! ”

"Huh?!"

Cheng Minzheng was completely speechless.

From Xiao Jing's title to "Mr. Zhang", he understood how much saintly this Zhang Zhou was now.

Dongchang factory officials have to be polite to Zhang Zhou, what qualifications does he Cheng Minzheng have to object?

It's just that he can't figure it out, if Zhang Zhou doesn't know how to calculate the celestial phase, then how can he accurately say things like the Qingning Palace disaster, the epidemic, and the earthquake?

It can't be that this kid doesn't want to enter the Qin Heavenly Prison and deliberately said so, right?

"Master Cheng, you seem to have a lot of opinions, haven't you forgotten what books you have read before?" Xiao Jing saw that Cheng Minzheng was talking so much, and he felt unhappy.

It's for you to arrange work, you're good, question this and disagree with that, who gave you the courage?

When Cheng Minzheng heard this, his brain was buzzing.

Xiao Jing didn't hide it, and said in a cold tone: "Earlier, His Majesty asked Dongchang to check your mansion and Hanlin Academy, but I saw a lot of books in your study, some of which you are reading, as for which ones...... Do you want our family to remind you one by one? ”

"No...... Not necessarily. ”

Cheng Minzheng was very frightened.

In the previous so-called problematic case, Li Dongyang felt that his inner thoughts were being spied on, why didn't he Cheng Minzheng have this understanding?

It was only after the Dongchang investigation was completed that he returned his "innocence", so that this matter did not develop again.

It's like the exam question of "Four Sons' Attainments", Cheng Minzheng pondered afterwards, isn't this the exam question he is proud of in his heart, and he wants to use it in a future main examination?

Xiao Jing said: "Master Cheng, someone asked our family to tell you that some of your disciples and subordinates in your house are not very disciplined and like to accept bribes so that those students can visit you." If you can't even manage your family, how can you achieve something in the court? ”

Cheng Minzheng almost asked, who said this?

But he held back.

He thought about it for a while, it seems that there are a lot of scholars recently, and the door seems to be very loose, and he can hand over the worship post by himself, probably taking advantage of his mind as a master who likes to make friends with young people.

"It's so self-sufficient, Master Cheng." Xiao Jing said, "Our family doesn't want to cause trouble, but the errand entrusted by His Majesty has to be completed." You can rest assured, even if the matter of the selection of the Guozijian is decided, and the results are reported, this performance will not be issued, and only after the spring of the next year, it is determined that Mr. Zhang is not selected, and His Majesty will use this result to select him. The result has nothing to do with you, Master Cheng. ”

Cheng Minzheng hurriedly arched his hand and said: "That bothers Father-in-law Xiao." ”

"Well said, well said."

Xiao Jing then put on a smile that was as amiable as ever, as if there had never been any misunderstanding or displeasure before.

(End of chapter)