An hour later, Zhang He set off with a thousand veterans of the Qingzhou Army.

Sunjia Town is more than 100 miles away from Linzi, and it takes at least three days to reach it even if it is a rapid march.

It is a big test to win it in five days, which is why Zhang He is so urgent.

Fortunately, there are not many defenders in Sunjia Town, only 600 officers and troops are stationed, and they are under the command of the inspection envoy.

Patrol inspection is a special position, between the prefecture and the army, generally set up at the passes of various mountains and rivers.

On weekdays, he is responsible for guarding the passes, checking passing merchants, and assisting the county from time to time to arrest rogues and bandits.

The inspection envoys, like the county lieutenants, are all military attaches at the end of the ninth rank.

As for whether Zhang He can take Sunjiazhen, Han Zhen is not worried at all.

Now that the enemy is clear and dark, and the officials in the county town are in control, there are a thousand ways to take Sunjia Town without blood.

A small nine-grade inspector is not just fooling.

It's really not good, and you can still force it by force.

After dealing with the affairs of the army, Han Zhen rode his war horse and stepped on the sunset to return to the county town.

Follow the street all the way to the inner city mansion.

Sitting down at the back of the hall, Han Zhen took the hot tea handed by the official and ordered someone to summon Zhao Ting.

"Can the exam papers be corrected?"

Although the officials have made a decision in advance, the procedures that should be followed still need to be followed.

Besides, in the future, I will really use the lock hall to try to select talents, and this time I should accumulate experience.

Zhao Ting bowed down and said, "The county magistrate, the lower officials, together with other colleagues, have corrected the exam papers last night. ”

Han Zhen asked again: "How are the officials who have been decided?" ”

Zhao Ting replied: "These six colleagues are all among the top ten. ”

"Not bad!"

Han Zhen glanced at it and ordered, "Submit the top ten exam papers." ”

The examination papers of this locked hall examination are still very different from the imperial examinations of the Song Dynasty.

Taking Jinshi as an example, candidates need to write one poem, one poem, one fu, and one treatise, five strategies, ten posts of the Analects, and ten articles of ink meaning for the Spring and Autumn Period or the Book of Rites.

The proportion of poems is very heavy, and in addition, the policy theory of the time is also mostly pay attention to the sound and rhyme, highlighting the literary brilliance.

The examination paper of this locked hall test only has five policy theories, and the questions of each policy theory are sharp and clear, not the vague concept of Jinshike.

It does not require sound rhyme, but is mainly practical.

In short, don't fool people with all the bells and whistles, I want to see practical and effective solutions!

Such a unique examination paper made those reference officials who boasted of outstanding literary skills and were familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics complain.

On the contrary, those officials who are not so good at writing but pay attention to hard work are ecstatic.

Of course, the style is also very important, but that's for the future.

Taking the exam paper handed over by Zhao Ting, Han Zhen took out the exam paper of the scheduled official from it and looked at it carefully.

Just looking at the exam papers, these officials gave him the feeling that they had the means, but they were a little immature and not old enough.

But these are all side stories, after all, experience is something that takes time to experience and precipitate.

After reading six exam papers in a row, the sky outside the lobby had begun to darken.

In the lobby, Zhao Ting had already ordered the soap officer to light a candle.

Putting down the exam papers, Han Zhen instructed: "The list will be released tomorrow, and by the way, these six exam papers will be posted under the list!" ”

"The subordinate officer receives the order!"

Zhao Ting replied.

Han Zhen seemed to have thought of something, and added: "By the way, the official uniform and the farewell will also be issued tomorrow." ”

With that, he got up and stretched, and strode out of the mansion.

When I returned to the house, the night completely covered the sky.

In the main hall, An Niang and Han Zhang were having dinner.

Seeing Han Zhen coming back, Han Zhangshi immediately got up and said, "Erlang is back, can you eat?" ”

"Not yet!"

Han Zhen shook his head.

Hearing this, Han Zhang immediately ordered the maid to put on a pair of chopsticks.

"Second uncle!"

Little Beanzi swallowed the food in her mouth and said hello.

Picking up the rice bowl, Han Zhen said slightly apologetically: "I've been a little busy these days, so I can't take care of you." ”

Since returning to the county town, he has been busy with his feet not touching the ground.

An Niang said reasonably: "Erlang is doing a big thing now, how can he be distracted." Besides, you've been with us for the past few days. ”

"Yes, the slave family and Sister Anniang are not ignorant fools, Erlang doesn't have to care about us." Han Zhang echoed.

"Hmm."

Han Zhen nodded, glanced at Xiaodouzi, and asked, "Can you find a private school?" ”

An Niang chuckled: "Found it." This matter helped a lot, and when he heard that the slave family was looking for a private school, he proposed that Xiaodouzi go to the private school of the Ma family to study. ”

"Ma's private school is good."

The Ma family has been inherited for more than 100 years, and no less than ten Jinshi have been cultivated during this period, which can be regarded as a family history.

Han Zhangshi said softly: "Erlang, thanks to Youyou these days, I came early every day, before and after running, took us around the city, familiar with the county town, and was very careful." ”

Although she is Han Zhen's concubine, after getting along for a while, Han Zhang and An Niang completely like this little girl.

"I'm provincial."

Han Zhen smiled slightly.

Ma Shuyao's recent performance has been really good, and he will be rewarded well when he goes back.

After dinner, Han Zhen walked to the corner of the courtyard.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, the tiger, which was originally lying on his stomach, raised his head slightly.

When he saw that it was Han Zhen, he let out a low roar in his throat, as if he was greeting.

Seeing this, Han Zhen couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

He found that this period of captivity gave the tiger a little more lazy temperament.

At the moment, he is crawling in an iron cage, like a big cat.

It's just that the smell on my body is getting stronger and stronger.

Thinking of this, Han Zhen took out the key on his waist and opened the iron cage.

Seeing that the iron cage was opened, the tiger suddenly came to his senses and stood up.

During this time, he was kept in an iron cage, but it was suffocated, although the iron cage was large enough, but the tiger was too big to fully move.

Holding the iron chain with one hand, Han Zhen pulled the tiger out of the iron cage.

"Roar!!

As soon as he got out of the iron cage, the tiger stretched his body, and then raised his head to the sky and roared.

Syllable!

Han Zhen slapped it on the head and scolded, "Don't scream at night!" ”

The tiger naturally couldn't understand the words, but the fear carved into the bone marrow made it shrink its neck.

Under the frightened and curious eyes of the maids and servants, Han Zhen led the tiger all the way to the well.

After examining the wound on the back of its head and seeing that it had healed completely, Han Zhen picked up a bucket of well water and poured it on the tiger.

Stirred by the well water, the tiger subconsciously shook his body quickly.

For a while, Han Zhen's body was also completely wet.

Picking up the soap, he began to bathe the tiger.

In fact, tigers are cats that love to be clean, and often clean their hair.

But even so, Han Zhen still washed out a lot of dirty things.

After washing it three times in a row, it was finally much cleaner, and the fishy smell on my body was much lighter, and if I didn't get closer, I could hardly smell it.

After taking a bath, Han Zhen led the tiger around the house twice to familiarize it with the environment.

After putting the tiger back in the cage, he also went back to the backyard to wash and rest.

……

……

Following.

The front of the government was crowded with people.

Today is the day of the release of the list.

In addition to the reference officials, there were hundreds of scholars who came to watch.

They want to see how the high school exam papers are, and they have a good idea of what they do.

He Jun stood quietly in the crowd, his face was neither sad nor joyful, but the hands that kept clenching into fists and letting go revealed the tension in his heart.

Unlike those who joined halfway, he was born as an authentic official.

Grandpa is a Xu official, and his father is also a Xu official.

After his father died, there was no brother in the family, so this errand naturally fell on him.

The son inherits the father's business!

However, others don't know that He Junshu reads very well.

Even the master of the county school praised him as a seed of reading, but every time he said two sentences, the master would shake his head and sigh, and his eyes showed a complicated look.

He Jun didn't understand it when he was young, but when he grew up, he finally understood.

He is the son of a Xu official, a lowly person, and he will not be able to participate in the imperial examination in his life.

No matter how good a book is, what's the use?

Since then, He Jun has burned the books he bought with frugality, and has become a cunning and lazy official.

Grovel in front of the officials, and show off in front of the people.

He Jun thought that his life would be such a muddy past.

Until the appearance of a person.

Han Zhen!

As a Xu official in Linzi County, how could he not recognize the famous Han Er.

Although he is a splash of skin, he is righteous and bold, and he is good at fighting, so he has an excellent reputation.

Who would have thought that such a person would suddenly turn into a thief who killed officials and rebelled, and seized Linzi County.

All the people in Linzi County know that Han Zhen is a thief, but he is such a thief, and one day he promised them that if he works hard, he can also be an official!

At that moment, He Jun only felt his brain explode.

When he looked at Han Zhen again, his eyes were full of fanaticism.

After that day, He Jun was like a different person, working day and night, just hoping to be favored and participate in the hall lock test.

And now, the list is about to be released!

Thinking of this, He Jun's breathing couldn't help but be a little shorter, and his released hands were clenched again, and his joints were white.

In the Qin and Han dynasties, officials and officials were only differences in rank and rank. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, although the status of Xu officials began to decline, the promotion channels were still clear.

Until the Song Dynasty, the officials were completely reduced to lowly status.

In the second year of Song Taizong's arch, Chen Yiqing, a subordinate of the Zhongshu Sect, participated in the imperial examination, and Zhao Guangyi of Song Taizong was furious: "The establishment of the department level, waiting for the flow of scholars, how can you allow the officials to rush in and steal the name of the department!" ”

He ordered Chen Yiqing to be "pursued and punished, exonerated from his crimes, and extorted to the Bureau", and ordered that Xu officials would be strictly prohibited from participating in the imperial examinations in the future.

Since then, Xu has been completely driven into the abyss and will never be able to turn over.

In the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang also made a clear personal order: "However, the official Xu Xinshu is broken, and he is not allowed to take the test." ”

"It's coming!"

"It's out!"

At this moment, there was a cacophony of voices in the crowd.

He Jun looked over and saw two scribes of Cao, walking out with the list in hand.

The people who had been waiting for a long time immediately came to their senses, stood on tiptoe one by one, stretched their necks and looked in.

As the scribe posted the list and exam papers on the bulletin board, the scene suddenly became extremely chaotic.

He Jun was pushed by the crowd and walked a few steps forward, staring at Guibang with a pair of eyes.

In an instant, he saw his name.

Because the top six on the list are written in vermilion plum blossom letters, which are particularly conspicuous compared with the black ink handwriting that fell off the list.

The first A, He Jun!

"Whew!"

He Jun let out a long breath, only to feel that his brain was dizzy, and the noise in his ears gradually became blurred, and finally turned into bursts of tinnitus.

"I've got it! I've got it! ”

"Hey!"

"It's just two first, it's just two!"

At this moment, it can really be said that a few families are happy and a few are sad, but the hundred officials only take the top six as officials, and they are destined to be more disappointed and downcast.

I don't know how long it took for He Jun to gradually come back to his senses, and the voice in his ears became real again.

"Brother He, congratulations, the first place in the first place in high school!"

Hearing this, He Jun turned his head to look and saw that the person who congratulated him was his friend Ye Xiangxing, so he couldn't help arching his hand and said modestly: "It's just a fluke." ”

Ye Xiangxing said in a complicated tone: "Brother He, why do you need to be humble, I look at your exam papers, every word is beautiful, and I am ashamed of myself." ”

He Jun glanced at the list again, and saw that Ye Xiangxing's name was ranked twelfth, and comforted: "Brother Ye, don't be discouraged, the gap between the top six is weak, and I want to come to high school next time." ”

"Huh!"

Ye Xiangxing pointed to the surrounding black pressure on the onlookers, and smiled bitterly: "Next time, I'm afraid I won't even be able to enter the top 100." ”

In fact, they all knew in their hearts that this time the locked hall test was very likely to be the only chance they had in their lives.

100 people, compete for six places.

Is it intense?

It's not intense.

When it comes to the next locked hall test, their competitors will become hundreds or thousands of scholars, these people have talents, some people, and even elites who have been carefully cultivated by high-ranking families and taught by famous teachers.

At that point, the difficulty will increase exponentially.

Looking around, looking at the scholars in Confucian robes, He Jun smiled confidently and reminded: "Brother Ye must not be presumptuous, compared to poetry and songs, four books and five classics, I may not be able to wait." But don't forget the questions on the exam paper. ”

"You are saying ......"

After receiving his reminder, Ye Xiangxing's eyes suddenly lit up.

He Jun nodded, lowered his voice and said, "That's right! The county magistrate selects materials and only focuses on hard work. After the exam papers are posted, it is they who should be worried, not Brother Ye! ”

"Wow!"

Ye Xiangxing slapped his thigh, and his confidence rekindled in his heart.

Oh, yes!

There are only five policy theories in this examination paper, and each policy question points to the root of the problem, which is far from the ambiguity of Zhao Songxiang's examination.

This is enough to explain Han Zhen's attitude.

Thinking of this, Ye Xiangxing said with a smile: "Brother He's high school head armor should be a big white." I'm in for a treat today, let's have a drink. ”

He Jun hurriedly waved his hand and said, "I should be invited for this meal, how can I let Brother Ye break the bank." ”

Now the treatment of the officials has increased several times, not only can they feed their families, but they can also go to the restaurant from time to time to have a drink.

"Dangdang!"

A loud and piercing gong sounded in everyone's ears.

Turning his head to look, he saw that the scribe in charge of releasing the list was beating the gong and said loudly: "The top six officials in the middle of the list will have official uniforms and reports today, and they will come to the government office tomorrow to report on their work!" ”

For a while, everyone looked at He Jun and the six with envious eyes.

After today, the six of them will no longer be officials, but officials!

(End of chapter)