The ninth day of September.

Chung yeung festival.

On this day, the entire county town is lit up.

The shops in the east and west markets all put a few pots of autumn chrysanthemums in front of their respective stores for visitors to watch.

Various restaurants and street stalls are equipped with ribbon-cutting flags to sell chongyang cakes mixed with fruits, such as pomegranate seeds, chestnut yellow, ginkgo biloba, pine nut meat and so on. It also made the shape of a lion barbarian king with powder, and put it on the cake, which is called 'lion barbarian'.

It is said that in Bianliang, Tokyo, there are lion clubs in Kaibao Temple and Niohji Temple, and all the monks sit on the lion and give lectures on the law.

Every time the Lions Club visits, hundreds of people rush to watch.

After all, lions are a rare foreign thing, and monks sitting on lions to preach the scriptures are really full of gimmicks.

However, this grand event, in recent years, with the Song Huizong worshipping Taoism and suppressing Buddhism, has long disappeared, and has been replaced by Taoist Jiao.

In previous years, in addition to appreciating chrysanthemums and tasting Chongyang cakes, the wealthy businessmen in the county would bring their families, go on outings to climb the heights, and drink and have fun.

But this year, few people went out of the city for outings.

First, the New Year is not good, the world is very chaotic, and there are many bandits in the mountains.

Secondly, and most importantly, today is the day of the Locked Hall Examination.

In the eyes of the people in the city, this was obviously the first imperial examination under Han Zhen's rule.

In particular, the people who participated in the scientific expedition were all officials.

This adds a lot of gimmicks to the trial of the lock hall.

Qingzhou Gongyuan, the vermilion gate is closed.

Dozens of soap officials dressed in red and black uniforms, holding water and fire sticks, stood straight on both sides of the gate of the Tribute Courtyard.

On the side of the gate, Sihu joined the army and Wang Weizhong was wearing a green official uniform and a right-angled official hat, sitting upright behind a court case.

The four household Cao Xu officials, lined up, stood on both sides behind Wang Weizhong.

A solemn atmosphere came to the face.

It's just that this posture is more pompous than when the township test was taken, which makes people feel awe.

The hundreds of officials who participated in the hall lock test stood quietly outside the tribute courtyard, waiting for admission with their faces stretched and nervous expressions.

The streets on the outskirts were densely packed with onlookers and scholars.

On the second floor of a tea shop opposite the Gongyuan, two women dressed as scribes in Confucian robes were looking out the window.

These two are Lin Wanqing and Li Qingzhao.

Li Qingzhao's sad eyes like autumn water slowly swept through the dense crowd below, and said with emotion: "The specifications of this lock hall test far exceed the township test in previous years, and Qingzhou has not had such a grand event for many years." ”

Lin Wanqing on the side said: "According to Youyou, if you want to be an official in the future, you need to start as an official, so the lock hall test will become the norm in the future." ”

Li Qingzhao couldn't help but shake his head and laughed: "This east bed of yours, if the matter is spread out, it will definitely be pointed out by thousands of people, and it will be regarded as a great enemy of life and death by scholars all over the world." ”

Xu officials are officials, this is the root of the scholar.

But she had to admit that it was a genius ploy.

Only in this way can Zhao Song, who shares the world with the scholars, tear a hole.

Otherwise, the rebellion in Zhao Song would never have succeeded.

Without him, the reader does not support it!

And Han Zhen skillfully bypassed the scholar and started with the officials.

Does it matter whether the reader supports it or not?

It doesn't matter, the officials can also govern the people.

This is an upright conspiracy, even if the Zhao and Song courts learn about it, they are helpless.

Because it is impossible for Zhao Song to dig his own grave and improve the status of the officials, and those scholars and doctors with vested interests will never agree.

Therefore, for Zhao Song, Han Zhen's conspiracy is unsolvable!

Hearing this, Lin Wanqing suddenly asked, "Does my sister think he will succeed?" ”

This son-in-law of his own family is a big thing to lose his head after all, if it happens, it's fine, but if it fails......

"Who can say that?"

Li Qingzhao shook his head and said with a wry smile: "The Great Song Dynasty is now in turmoil, there are strong enemies peeping outside, traitorous ministers are in charge inside, and the people are not making a living. All I can say is that this is a good opportunity to get started, but in the end, it's all up to him. My sister should know that things are man-made! ”

To be honest, she is not optimistic about Han Zhen in her heart.

As the saying goes, a dead camel is bigger than a horse.

No matter how erosive Zhao and Song are, after all, the background is there, in the land of Hebei, 100,000 Western troops are running all over Gaotuo Mountain.

Forbidden armies are everywhere, and in a short period of time, they can gather a million troops.

But in order to take care of her best friend, she can only pick up some nice things to say.

Seeing that her best friend was still worried between her eyebrows, she continued to comfort: "Don't think too much, your husband is a thoughtful person, and he should know the truth of thinking about defeat before he wins, and he has already arranged a way out." Even if you lose, you will be able to save your lives. ”

"Hmm!"

Lin Wanqing nodded, and the worries in her heart dissipated a lot.

"County magistrate, Zhizhou has arrived!"

Just then, a loud chant came from the street below.

Immediately afterwards, the crowd that blocked the street immediately dispersed to both sides, making way for a road.

Han Zhen rode on a tall horse, and Zhao Ting was also on a horse, half a body behind.

Surrounded by a group of heavily armed Qingzhou Army soldiers, they slowly walked in the direction of Gongyuan.

Zhao Ting was wearing a scarlet official uniform, with a jade belt around his waist, and on the official hat he wore on his head, two narrow right angles continued to tremble slightly as the war horse moved, like a pair of dragonfly wings.

In contrast, Han Zhen's dress was very ordinary, wearing an azure robe, with long hair tied up, and a white hosta, which diluted a bit of heroic domineering, and there was a momentum of not being angry and arrogant between his eyebrows.

At the moment they appeared, everyone subconsciously ignored Zhao Ting, and their eyes involuntarily converged on Han Zhen.

"I've seen the county magistrate!"

No matter what these people thought in their hearts, at this moment, they all bowed down in unison and greeted respectfully with respectful faces.

In the teahouse, looking at the heroic posture of the young man like the stars and the moon through the window, Li Qingzhao couldn't help sighing: "Looking at its appearance and distinguishing its potential, it is indeed a hero in the world!" ”

Even she had to admit that Han Zhen seemed to have the bearing of a human king.

After waiting for a while, but Lin Wanqing didn't answer, Li Qingzhao couldn't help but turn his head slightly under curiosity.

But I saw that my close friend in the boudoir was staring at the young man below without blinking, a pair of beautiful eyes were burning, and a white and slender little hand was tightly gripping the handkerchief.

Li Qingzhao suddenly chuckled in his heart, and a trace of horror flashed in his eyes.

This......

is also a woman, how can she not know what Lin Wanqing's gesture means.

Li Qingzhao is not a woman who is bound by dogma, when she was not married, she was afraid of heaven and earth, and she was nicknamed Li Qingzhao in Tokyo City, and she was even better at it.

The key is that what she drinks is not fruit wine and rice wine, but a kind of spirits called burning white.

Her best friend has been widowed for many years, if she likes a man and remarries, she will not stop her, but will gladly agree, and if she is not happy, she will leave one or two poems on the day of Lin Wanqing's wedding.

But, Han Zhen is a leisurely husband and her son-in-law!

Thinking of this, Li Qingzhao's expression was complicated, and he called softly: "Evening sunshine." ”

"Huh?"

Lin Wanqing came back to her senses, and when she saw Li Qing taking care of herself, she suddenly felt a little weak, and her eyes dodged: "What's wrong with my sister?" ”

Li Qingzhao's lips moved, hesitated for a moment, and finally did not choose to break it, but reminded him euphemistically: "Why don't you see you today?" ”

Hearing her best friend mention her daughter, Lin Wanqing couldn't help but feel a different kind of shame in her heart, but she pretended to be calm and said: "Youyou accompanied her sister-in-law to visit Washizi." ”

Li Qingzhao chuckled and said: "I said, with Youyou's sticky strength to his husband, if it's okay, I'm afraid that I will come together if I am noisy." ”

"yes!"

Lin Wanqing nodded, and forced a smile to be squeezed out on her delicate face, which was similar to Ma Shuyao's seven or eight points.

As soon as the point arrived, Li Qing took out Ma Shuyao, and after mentioning it vaguely, he didn't say anything more.

With Sister Lin's exquisite thoughts, she should be able to hear her good intentions and know her way back.

……

"County magistrate, Zhao Zhizhou!"

Wang Weizhong, who was originally sitting at the back of the court, immediately got up and made a gesture when he saw Han Zhen and Zhao Ting coming.

Han Zhen nodded slightly and walked to the gate of the Tribute Courtyard.

After standing still, looking at the hundred officials in front of him who were about to enter the examination room, he slowly spoke: "Everyone in the world says that Xu officials are lowly people, and everyone says that Xu officials are cunning people who deceive their superiors and subordinates, and only know how to oppress the people. ”

"That's right, and that's true of most of the officials. But they don't know that the status of the officials is low, even if they work hard and do errands conscientiously, they can only get a commendation from the officials, and they will never come out. They don't know that the salary of the officials is meager, and it is difficult to even support their families. ”

These words immediately resonated with all the officials present.

Yes, they are lazy and cunning, they oppress the people, but no one is born to want so.

There is no way, there is only a little bit of money, no farming, no business, no work, no extortion to get money, and the family will starve to death.

When providing for a family becomes a problem, moral principles become less important.

The ascending channel is blocked, and one day is a Xu official and a lifetime is a Xu official, so what is the use of hard work?

Han Zhen paused slightly, and his tone suddenly increased: "I, Han Zhen, don't believe that you are born like this, and I will give you a salary increase." There will never be a day, and I will break the cage for you with my own hands. After today's lock hall test, the top six will be released as officials to govern the people. ”

"The price has risen, and the opportunity to become an official is also there, and now is the time for you to wait for proof. It's not to prove it to me, nor to show it to the people who are watching, but to prove it to you and so on, that the officials can also fulfill their duties, be diligent and conscientious, and can also serve as an official for one term and benefit one party. ”

At this time, the officials only felt their hearts surge.

Some of them are old, and their eyes are slightly red.

It's just because Han Zhen's words hit their hearts.

"Thank you, County Magistrate!"

Hundreds of reference officials bowed down in unison and thanked them loudly.

Even the soap officials on both sides of the errand bent down with gratitude on their faces and saluted together.

Zhao Ting and Wang Weizhong, who were standing behind Han Zhen, couldn't help but glance at each other, and they all saw the shock in each other's eyes.

Today's lock hall test, plus if these words are spread, he Han Zhen will definitely be able to win the heart of the world's officials.

has been an official for decades, he has been a magistrate, a general judge, and a magistrate, Zhao Ting knows too well in his heart that Xu officials have always been a force to be reckoned with.

Disaster relief, tax collection, arrest of criminals, registration and registration, measurement of land...... All of this is done by the officials.

To put it bluntly, they are the imperial court, the people who have direct contact between the government and the people.

If a yamen's officials are united, they can completely elevate Shangguan, and even treat Shangguan as a fool.

A yamen without officials can still operate as usual, and there is no chaos.

But if there are no officials, they will be immediately paralyzed.

And this power has rarely been discovered and used since ancient times.

On the contrary, the most hated by ordinary thieves is the officials.

Therefore, after breaking through the county, the first thing to do is to slaughter the officials.

Now, Han Zhen is here!

Glancing at the direction of Tokyo City, Zhao Ting secretly said in his heart: Don't look at the current situation, there is no effect, just wait.

When Han Zhen really got up and raised his arms, those princes in the court and those scholars in Shilin who thought highly of themselves would find out what a terrible force this was!

After gladly accepting the gifts from the officials, Han Zhen continued: "In this locked hall test, Zhao Ting and Zhao Zhizhou served as the chief examiner, and the examination papers were named, upholding the responsibility of fairness and justice. You are not allowed to cheat, deceive, once discovered, dealt with strictly, understandable? ”

"Understood!"

The officials were in their hearts and hurriedly spoke.

Han Zhen smiled slightly, and said loudly: "Open the dragon gate!" ”

With his shouting, the vermilion gate of the tribute courtyard behind him slowly opened.

In an instant, the eyes of the officials became bright and hot.

Han Zhen waved his hand: "Enter the examination room." ”

Hearing this, the officials immediately consciously lined up in a long line and walked towards the gate of the Gongyuan.

Sitting in the Wang Committee at the back of the court, holding the list in his hand, he checked the information one by one.

The four officials behind him were responsible for searching their bodies to check whether the reference officials were carrying cheat sheets or contraband.

Again, the sense of ritual is very important.

The more formal, the more orthodox!

After staring at it for a while, Han Zhen turned his head and ordered, "Zhao Zhizhou, the hall lock test will be handed over to you!" ”

"The county magistrate is relieved, and the officials will definitely handle it properly."

Zhao Ting bowed slightly, and assured with a solemn expression.

"Hmm!"

Han Zhen nodded, no longer stayed, stepped on the war horse, and prepared to leave.

Before leaving, he couldn't help but raise his head, smiled slightly towards the second floor of the tea shop, and nodded.

In the end, it is the mother-in-law, since she has found out, she has to say hello.

Lin Wanqing felt flustered for no reason, and smiled back.

Seeing Han Zhen's departing back, she got up and said, "Sister, let's go back too." ”

"Hmm."

Li Qingzhao nodded.

……

……

After leaving the Gongyuan, Han Zhen led a team of soldiers and rushed to the Wuwei military camp outside the city non-stop.

Today is the day of the triumphant return of Nie Dong and Liu Qi, and he, the commander, will appear in the barracks no matter what, to greet the triumphant soldiers.

A quarter of an hour later, Han Zhen entered the barracks.

The barracks were very lively, and large iron pots were set up, and the boiling hot water in the pots was filled with mist.

The cooks and helpers in the army are slaughtering chickens, ducks, pigs and cows.

On the school grounds, there are long tables, and on each table there is a large jar of soju.

In peacetime, it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol in the Qingzhou army, and once discovered, the 20 military sticks cannot run.

If you don't want to fight with a military stick, you can choose one of the two for two days of confinement!

But today is different, it is not only the Double Ninth Festival, but also the first time that the Qingzhou Army has won a big victory with foreign troops, in order to reward the soldiers and boost morale, so Han Zhen specially purchased a large amount of wine and meat from the city.

(End of chapter)