A few days later, at the morning meeting of the court parliament on the morning of February 7, Fan Zhongyan formally took out his examination method and proposed it at the court meeting.

Unexpectedly, there were few opponents, and with the support of the Constitutional Yuan, Zhao Zhen successfully applied for the birth of the examination law.

At that time, Fan Zhongyan was very surprised, but he didn't expect the examination law to be promulgated so easily.

He also thought that he would be resisted by the Manchu ministers.

After analyzing with Zhao Jun afterwards, I learned that it was because the officials didn't know how powerful the test method was, so naturally they didn't have the courage to offend Lao Fan, a great hero who had just finished the war.

Even in history, when the Qingli New Deal was first implemented, there was not much resistance.

After half a year, that is, in October 1043, the Qingli New Deal began, and in April 1044 of the following year, because after the implementation of the New Deal, the favor was reduced and the grinding was tight, and those who wanted to get lucky felt deeply inconvenienced, so the slander of the New Deal gradually increased.

There is also Wang Anshi's change of law, which was also about a year after the promulgation of the law, and the conservatives found that the change violated their interests, and this is why there is a "new and old party dispute".

In other words, the issuance of a new decree by the imperial court will not be greatly hindered.

It was only after the decree was issued and put into effect that those whose interests were damaged found that the decree made them feel that their interests were damaged, so they began to rebel and continue to engage in party struggles to sabotage the results of the reforms.

At present, the reform of the law has just begun, and everyone does not know what the test law means, so the opposition will naturally not make any trouble.

So the test method was successfully issued.

In just one month, the new regulations were quickly disseminated to officials across the country, ordering them to complete their assigned duties every month, and from two months later, their performance would be checked once a month.

The first two months of the promulgation of the examination law were very smooth, in order to give officials a time to adapt, the imperial court deliberately promulgated it in early February, and then in late May, it officially began to enter the assessment stage.

In ancient times, after all, transportation was inconvenient, and it took a month just to convey the meaning of the imperial court to officials across the country.

It will take about a month or two for officials to understand the meaning of the test and let them adapt to their new work status.

Otherwise, it would be outrageous to immediately carry out verification as soon as it was promulgated, and it is estimated that at least half of the more than 40,000 officials in the country will have to be eliminated.

So give officials a little tolerance.

This means that officials across the country are actually given a minimum of two and a half months to adapt, and officials who are relatively close to Bianliang and are quickly conveyed to the will of the new policy even have a three-and-a-half-month adaptation period.

This gave the officials enough time, and if they could not adapt to such a situation, and the first batch of assessments would be deposed, it would naturally not be a problem for the imperial court.

Everything went smoothly during the adaptation period, and soon a month later, the national officials basically understood the situation, and the will from above was passed on layer by layer.

The officials of the imperial court instructed the officials at the road level to complete the tasks each month, asked them to do a good job and how to deal with things, and then the road level passed on this concept to the state, and the state then conveyed it to the county.

As a result, the officialdom of the Great Song Dynasty quickly entered the working state after a month, which greatly improved the current situation that the previous officials were not clear about their superiors and subordinates, their responsibilities were chaotic and they did not know what they should do, the efficiency of the government was slow, and even many local officials received salaries every day and did not do anything.

Of course.

There must also be officials who don't take the New Deal seriously at all and continue to go their own way.

Anyway, the imperial court gave them two or three months, and the opportunity was given to them, if they couldn't grasp it, then naturally no one was to blame.

So before the assessment officially began, everything was calm.

However, the effect is also obvious.

At least the efficiency of the officials of the central court is indeed much higher than in the past, and the speed of operation of various departments is also quite effective.

After all, the following roads, states, and counties are assessed every month, and they are inspected by the superiors and subordinates and the Imperial History Department once a month.

The officials on the side of the imperial court, the imperial history platform, and the picket departments of various institutions are around, staring at them every day, even if there is no record and verification, the pressure is naturally given to many officials.

Under the influence of this atmosphere, even the prostitute officials did not dare to go.

In the Song Dynasty, officials were actually forbidden to engage in prostitution, but everyone knew that this law was in vain, and Su Shi often used prostitutes.

Zhao Jun, an elective course in the history department of the National People's Congress, "The History of Prostitution in China", said: Although the Song Dynasty forbade prostitution, the atmosphere was even worse than that of the Tang Dynasty. You can know how strong the prostitution of officials was at that time.

But at present, the imperial court is cracking down, although the stick has not fallen yet, but the Beijing officials are well-informed, and they all know that the imperial court is serious, so they have converged a lot.

Anyway, you can't be a prostitute, but you can play with a concubine, and there is no need to commit crimes against the wind.

For a time, Bianliang was in a good mood.

Officials at all levels are in good order, and Bianliang's public order, business environment, people's lives, and all aspects are much better.

And in the midst of all this, Zhao Jun officially proposed to Cao Fu in February of the Qing calendar year.

After more than a month of tedious processes such as three books and six ceremonies, the wedding date was officially selected in April, and the wedding date was officially selected in May.

On May 6, the auspicious day of the zodiac, Zhao Jun's mansion was quite lively.

He still lived in the small courtyard outside the Xihua Gate, and because the place was not spacious, he rented the Xiangding Building on the same street as a venue for banquet colleagues.

I also had a small banquet at home.

The main banquet was for people with a better relationship, such as colleagues in the Constitutional Yuan, as well as Di Qing, Cao Xiu, Wang Su, Yang Cha, Yang Xu, Zhao Luan, Chen Xiliang, Bao Zheng and other subordinates who were more appreciated.

Zhao Jun doesn't have many friends in the Great Song Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan is one, Yan Shu is one, Lu Yijian's words are actually friends and enemies, and the rest of Wang Zeng and others are half colleagues and half friends, after all, the age gap between the two sides is too big to be close.

As for the best relationship, it is naturally Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen strongly asked to go out of the palace to attend the wedding, on the grounds that Zhao Jun had no relatives and no reason, and he, as Zhao Jun's collateral ancestor, should replace Zhao Jun's parents as the man's elder.

Of course.

This reason is said to the Constitutional Yuan, and the external reason is that Zhao Jun is an important minister he relies on and attaches great importance to his wedding.

But the emperor's departure from the palace was a major event, so the court made trouble for several days and dissuaded them.

In the end, it was Empress Cao who took the case, and the Praetorian Guards sealed the streets of Qingtai Street for about an hour in the evening of the wedding, and the emperor and empress came to the venue to participate in the ceremony.

Anyway, Qingtai Street is just outside the Xihua Gate, just outside the palace, and most of the shops on the street are closed in the evening.

Although this is inevitably a bit pompous and a waste of money, the cost is not as big as going out of the city.

In the morning, the Zhao Mansion was lit up, and a few tables were set up in the small courtyard outside, and the guests had not yet arrived, and now the main thing was to arrange the venue.

Because at that time, the marriage ceremony was not called a wedding, but a dusk ceremony, which was held in the evening.

Therefore, we can often see the wedding chapel scene in the TV series at night, and the banquet is prepared during the day.

Xiangding Lou was wrapped up and is now preparing the ingredients.

Zhao Jun's mansion was sent by Zhao Zhen to be the imperial kitchen in the palace, and the specifications were still very high.

In the afternoon, Zhao Jun was wearing a red robe, whose scientific name was Zhan Foot Hood, round-necked official robe, short shirt, trousers, long shirt, leather belt, and black leather boots, which was like Zhao Zhen's dragon robe, which was quite dazzling.

Surrounded by Cao Xiu, Di Qing and other Imperial City Guards, he rode on a tall horse, brought a large bag of dowry, and headed towards Cao's mansion all the way.

Cao's house is also very lively early in the morning, not only to prepare a dowry, Cao Miaoxin also has to wear a dress and dress up beautifully.

Unlike later generations who thought that ancient weddings wore phoenix crowns, the wedding costumes of different dynasties were different.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, the bride's costume was mainly black, but it gradually evolved into black and red by the end of the Han Dynasty. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the costumes changed to white. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, it turned cyan again.

At that time, there was a saying that "the hairpin is green and the green is dressed, and the green clothes are leather with shoes".

The Song Dynasty inherited the Tang Dynasty more, and the bride also wore a big blue, which required to wear "big sleeves, green, plain yarn in the single, knee covering, big belt, leather belt, shoes with the same color, flower hairpin, covered flute, two Bo temples, and decorated with gold and silver miscellaneous treasures." ”

It was not until the Ming and Qing dynasties that the phoenix crown began to be veiled.

Due to the cumbersome dressing style of the Tang and Song dynasties, Cao Miaoxin spent a morning dressing up at home, and he hadn't eaten anything until noon, so the maid made a plate of pastries.

In the afternoon, Zhao Jun came to greet his relatives, and Cao Cong, as the only surviving elder of the Cao family, came out to greet him in person.

The two sides saluted, and the Praetorian Guards moved the bride price box by box.

Zhao Jun is actually quite poor, don't look at him touring the world, copying his family softly, many high-ranking officials have a lot of money, and they are all in his pocket.

But most of them were handed over by him to the treasury and used to support the war between Western Xia and Liao.

The rest was put into the Imperial City Division's funds.

Now the Imperial City Division has blossomed all over the country, selecting elite soldiers to serve as guards, and tens of thousands of people have gone to various roads, states, and counties across the country to establish strongholds.

These are all costly and watery.

The officials objected to the funds coming out of the treasury, and Zhao Jun didn't bother to fight with them, so he raised the funds by himself.

For example, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has set up a number of state-owned enterprises in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Nantong and other places to set up trade with Japan's Goryeo, and the money earned is not only used for enterprise development, but also has to be handed over to the internal funds, which will contribute money to support the construction of the Imperial City Division.

So he himself has no money in hand, after all, he feeds the whole family alone, and when the expenses are not large, the annual salary is either to help the poor, or to put the imperial city treasurer.

However, he has a lot of precious antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and treasures on hand.

It's not that it's corruption, most of them are rewarded by Zhao Zhen, and some of them are given by Lu Yijian and Wang Zeng, and it's not a problem to calculate the value of more than one million yuan.

Therefore, although he does not have much money in his hand, giving these things is more valuable than sending money directly.

At this moment, the guests inside and outside the Cao Mansion gathered, and they came to congratulate them, and they wanted to have a meal in the Cao Mansion at noon, and the officials heard the praise and sang something constantly: "Han Gan's "Royal Horse Map" is a pair! ”

"A jade crystal coral in the South China Sea!"

"A gilded jade Buddha in the Nanliang court!"

"Yan Zhenqing's handwritten book post three!"

"Ten catties of dragon and phoenix group tea!"

．

The guests were stunned.

What a family.

This kind of thing that is worth a lot of money as a dowry?

The Zhiyuan is really generous.

Only Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng and others, who were sitting on the main seat, glanced at each other.

With tears in his eyes, tears rained down, crying and fainting in the toilet.

Those are all treasures they treasure!

It's all forehead drops.

But apparently Zhao Jun didn't bother to care about them.

Cao Cong happily welcomed Zhao Jun in and held a welcome ceremony.

At the end of the Shen period, when the guests had eaten almost and the ceremony was over, the bride was carried out and sat in a sedan chair.

At this time, there was a lot of excitement inside and outside Cao's house, and neighbors from all walks of life came to beg for money.

The servants of the Cao family kept waving red envelopes and throwing out copper coins, and everyone grabbed them.

Firecrackers ignite in an instant.

"Crackling!" "Knock knock!" "Toot toot!" "Didi, Didi!"

All kinds of suona, gongs and drums, and flutes play cheerful music.

Many relatives and friends, and the hundreds of officials who came to congratulate also went out one after another, the big officials took carriages and sedan chairs, and the junior officials walked towards Qingtai Street.

At this moment, Qingtai Street has been closed, Zhao Jun has compensated every household with a certain amount of red envelopes, and Xiangding Lou has prepared sumptuous food.

Most of the officials were welcomed into the Xiangding Building for dinner.

Zhao Jun still rode on the horse and took the bride back to his small courtyard.

Although the yard is small, it feels like home.

After getting off the sedan chair, the music officials and servants stood outside the sedan chair and sang a poem about stopping the sedan chair.

The maid next to Cao Miaoxin sent out the red envelope.

Then many neighbors' children swarmed up, clamoring for red envelopes.

The maid also immediately threw out a large number of copper coins.

At that time, this was called "barricade joy", "sprinkling grain beans" and "seeking good fortune".

Finally got off the sedan chair, Zhao Jun went up and grabbed Cao Miaoxin's hand, Cao Miaoxin's cheeks flew in an instant, and his face turned crimson.

After all, the Song Dynasty did not wear a red headscarf when married, so Cao Miaoxin was very shy at that time.

However, feeling Zhao Jun's warm hand, she quickly snuggled up unconsciously.

Two people entered the house.

This process is called entering the church, bowing to both parents, and it is called worship.

At this moment, Wang Shouzhong shouted: "Your Majesty has arrived!" ”

As a group of forbidden troops from Ulala poured in, separating the crowd of people watching the excitement, a wide and tall carriage slowly stopped at the gate of Zhao's mansion.

Cao Cong, Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng and other high-ranking officials hurriedly went to greet them.

Zhao Zhen took Empress Cao down from the carriage, looked around, and said with a smile: "I'm not late." ”

"It's just the right time."

Cao Cong smiled: "I'm about to worship the church right now." ”

"Hurry up, hurry up."

Zhao Zhen pulled Queen Cao and urged her to enter the house.

After a while, Zhao Zhen sat down with Empress Cao, as well as Cao Cong and Cao Miaoxin's mother, Mrs. Shen.

No way.

Zhao Zhen is an ancestral member of Zhao Jun.

And Cao Miaoxin's father Cao Wei died early, so naturally he could only be replaced by his uncle.

It's getting dark.

The salute said loudly, "The bride and groom are in the court!" ”

Zhao Jun pulled Cao Miaoxin into the hall.

"Worship heaven and earth!"

The ceremonial officer shouted.

The two bowed down outside the hall.

"Second worship high hall!"

The two kowtowed to Zhao Zhen and Cao Cong.

"Husband and wife worship each other!"

The two bowed to each other.

"Send to the cave!"

After the last shout, the two were escorted into the bedroom.

Naturally, the bedrooms have also been refurbished.

There are ceremonial female officials who perform the ritual of "spreading the tent" and "closing the bun" for them.

Then Cao Miaoxin sat in the bedroom, and after Zhao Jun confessed to him, he went out to accompany the guests.

In this process, Cao Miaoxin was accompanied by female officials and maids.

Zhao Jun was going to toast Zhao Zhen and them.

At the banquet, Zhao Zhen was very happy, waved his hand, and gave Zhao Jun a period of time to get married, and the whole wedding was a successful end.

(End of chapter)