The rulers left one after another, Zhao Hong went to the back garden for a walk, the willow road smelled the warbler, the strange flowers and flowers, the feet stepped on the bluestone quietly, and the water murmured, but Zhao Hong was rare to see a smile.

The morale is sluggish, and the side affairs are getting closer, but Lin'an City is still singing and dancing, and it seems that everything is outside the body.

He worries all day long, is it really unfounded?

"Your Majesty."

Xue Ji, who was in charge of this imperial examination, came over and was cautious.

Perhaps noticing Zhao Hong's frowning, Xue Ji accompanied him all the way, but he didn't say anything.

"Xue Qing, during the palace test, I saw clearly that among the Jinshi, there seemed to be no old man, and there were even very few people who were not confused. Why is that? Could it be that there is also an age difference between the quality and disadvantage of reading? ”

Finally, Zhao Hong spoke, still frowning and worried.

"Your Majesty doesn't know, in addition to the imperial examination jinshi in this dynasty, there is also a special performance name Enke. It is the scarcity of those who take the imperial examination because of the elderly. Enko will be set up in three days, and His Majesty will see if he will preside over it himself. ”

The emperor asked, and Xue Ji hurriedly replied. In fact, he is also trying to perform the famous palace test.

In the early Northern Song Dynasty, those who won the special performance name did not need to go through the palace examination to be awarded the birth. With the continuous increase in the number of special performers, in order to distinguish the merits of the results and use them as the basis for distinguishing the level of official positions, since the eighth year of the Northern Song Dynasty Dazhong Xiangfu (1015), there is a requirement for the special performers to go to the palace examination, and the time is generally set on the next day of the Zhengsheng famous Jinshi palace examination.

Like this time, it was set up three days later, which was also due to the increase in Zhao Hong's "care" procedures for the new branch Zhengsheng Jinshi, and the time was prolonged.

"Enko? Three days later? ”

Zhao Hong reacted and nodded slightly.

All day long, he was worried about the Mongol army's invasion of Western Xia, and he actually forgot about it.

"Back to Your Majesty, the special performance name is also called Enke and Enbang. There are also Jinshi special performance names and Zhuke special performance names. Because the Jinshi who won the special performance name are all old people, the people of the time also called it the old list. Those who were born in the name of a special performer were a gift from the imperial court. ”

Seeing that Zhao Hong seemed to be wandering out of the world and was ignorant, Xue Ji hurriedly introduced it carefully.

Zhulu Jinshi has participated in eight imperial examinations and is over 40 years old; Zhuke participated in five times, and when he was more than 50 years old, he was allowed to go to the special performance hall examination. More than forty or fifty, but he is a full old man.

Zhao Hong stopped, settled down, and asked solemnly.

"How many famous Jinshi are there in the undergraduate? What official position is conferred? ”

National affairs, no matter how big or small, are related to people's livelihood, must be taken seriously.

"Back to Your Majesty, there are a large number of special scholars, which can be almost equal to the number of scholars in the imperial examination. In this imperial examination, there were 386 scholars and 342 special scholars, accounting for as much as forty and a half of the number of scholars. ”

As if to relieve pressure on Zhao Hong, Xue Ji hurriedly explained:

"Your Majesty doesn't have to worry too much, most of the official positions awarded by the special performance scholars are elected officials and fictitious titles, and they are not real positions."

In the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination carried out a special performance named Enke, and the number of people taken from each list was different, ranging from dozens to thousands. Historically, about 110,000 jinshi were admitted to the two Song Dynasty imperial examinations, of which about 60,000 were Zhengsheng Jinshi and Zhuke, and about 50,000 were special Jinshi and Zhuke, accounting for about 45 percent of the total number of people who ascended to the top. The number of special performers is evident.

"Xue Qing, you can tell me more about the special performance."

Xue Ji introduced carefully, and Zhao Hong probably understood the mystery.

Although the number of students admitted to the special performance is large, the number of officials awarded is very low, and even some of the special performance names only have false titles. No real job.

The formal imperial examination of the imperial court was selected as a scholar, and the first place in the first class of the famous jinshi was awarded, and Xuanyi Lang (from the Bapin Jingguan) and the official judge of the book signing; The first, second, and third places were awarded to Cheng Shilang (Zhengjiu Pin Jingguan) and Zhixian; The first, fourth, and fifth are awarded to the two envoys (selected from the eight ranks); The first person is Wen Linlang (selected from the eight grades).

Zheng Song is named the second class jinshi, awarded two envoy officials (selected from the eighth grade), the third first class awarded the junior rank official (selected from the ninth grade), and the fourth and fifth grades are awarded the trial title officer (not flowed), but after a year, they can basically be out of the official and get a rapid promotion.

Compared with the Zhenggong Famous Imperial Examination Scholars, the first-class upper, middle, and lower grades of the special performance name can generally only be awarded to judges, divisions, books, lieutenants (selected from the nine grades) and even trial officials; The second-class upper, middle, and lower grades can generally only be awarded to the trial title of Jingshi assistant teacher. Although they were allowed to serve as officials, the total number of people in the two ranks was limited to twenty-three. The third and fourth rank of the special performer are even lower, and it is difficult to produce officials, and the total number of people is limited to eighty. The vast majority of special performance scholars can only be awarded to junior officials such as Xiazhou assistant teachers who cannot be released for life.

As for the number of special performances, the number of subjects is higher, and the number of officials is also lower. And even if the special performance name jinshi can be awarded a real position, they can only be selected (low-level civil officials) at most, and it is even more difficult for the special performance name to become a Beijing official and embark on the road of normal promotion. Therefore, for the vast majority of people with special performances, it is a blessing to be able to become a candidate, and the future of the career after that is basically hopeless.

"The questions for the special hall exam have been prepared, right?"

Come to think of it, it is easier and simpler to perform the famous hall exam than the main hall test.

"Your Majesty, for the special name Enke, it is still the same as the former palace test, try to discuss one poem and one poem; The five ways of righteousness are all branches. The elderly in the name of the special performance are exempt from the test. ”

Xue Ji looked at Zhao Hong's careful questioning, and he also cheered up and played right.

The examination of court officials, and many famous scholars also participated, and there seemed to be some hope for the career again.

"For the special performance of the famous palace test, it is also the same as the famous jinshi, the test policy is changed, the question is easier than the name of the main performance, and the poetry and lyrics are abolished. The elderly are voluntary. ”

Although the special performance name system seems to go through the back door and involute, breaking the principle of fair competition, it gives opportunities to talents who have not been selected in the imperial examination. In addition, the treatment and opportunities to enter the ranks of the special performers do not have help, but reflect the humanistic care and humanitarian care of the imperial court.

With the reform of the administration of officials, officials were incorporated into the civil service system, and officials could also enter the civil service, and it would not take one or two decades for the special performance name to exist in name only.

"Your Majesty, do you have to cancel the special name Enko?"

Xue Ji was shocked, the emperor was a maverick, this is not to cancel the special name Enke.

"What? Are you afraid that I will ban the special name? ”

Sure enough, Zhao Hong shook his head and asked with a smile.

"There's no need to make a fuss, it's better to keep the status quo. When the special performance is called Enke's palace examination, I will also personally preside over it, and I will also show the grace of the court and sympathize with the scholars. ”

Those who came from the special name were all scholars, and they were completely different from the scholarly class, and they were not vested interests. These scholars, however, were a widespread class in the ranks of scholars, and their numbers rivaled those of the Shojo Famous Jinshi.

"Send a decree to the special performers, and I will personally preside over the palace examination and drink with them. In addition, choose some tea, wine, meat, etc., as a reward. ”

Although they did not have much say in the central government, they were very active in the rural society, and had a great influence on many aspects such as local education, water conservancy construction, social security, township rules and regulations, sacrificial activities, and the compilation and revision of chronicles.

By reusing these people, through them to maintain grassroots governance at the township level, they can also accurately convey the decrees implemented by the imperial court, and not be confused by the gossip of those with ill intentions.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Xue Ji let out a sigh of relief, it seems that the emperor is also a temperamental, and he finally doesn't have to worry about the emperor using a knife against the special name.

"Your Majesty is worried about the "fly camp dog"? ”

Observing the words, Zhao Hong's brows tightened, and Xue Ji spoke quietly.

"The sluggish morale will lead to the decline of the world, and it will not be of any benefit to our Great Song New Deal. The new science and technology jinshi, who is not able to do general affairs and relies on Xu officials, is not going back? ”

"Your Majesty, for the new science and technology scholars, why don't they first go to the six departments and five temples of the imperial court, and then familiarize themselves with the practice in the local state capitals and counties, and then confer officials according to the merits of the assessment......"

Xue Ji said slowly, and Zhao Hong suddenly became enlightened.

Isn't this the system of prison and student calendar in later generations? It's a good reference.