Fengtian Palace Chao Hui.
This day is the last court meeting before the year. Several things were decided in the hall, all related to the arrangements for the coming year.
First of all, at the beginning of the year, sacrifices are held in various imperial mausoleums. The emperor cannot go, so the nobles dispatched will perform the sacrifices on his behalf.
Then there is the great sacrifice at the beginning of the year. The emperor will still go there in person. At the same time, he will explain that after the great sacrifice is celebrated and a banquet is given, the civil and military ministers must fast for three days, that is, they must not touch alcohol or meat, and they must also abstain from food House curtains.
He also talked about taking ten days off during the Lantern Festival next year.
The actual records of Xiaozong record that "at the end of the first lunar month, the great sacrifice to heaven and earth was completed in the southern suburbs. He returned to the palace to pay a visit to the empress dowager and the empress dowager. After that, he left the imperial Fengtian palace to celebrate the ceremony with the civil and military ministers. On the Lantern Festival Give the civil and military ministers ten days of leave."
Because the next year will be a holiday in addition to offering sacrifices, some things will be decided before the New Year.
In addition to necessary matters, the emperor suddenly and uncharacteristically decided to conduct an examination with two chief examiners in February of the following year.
Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng are exactly the same as history.
The meeting is over.
Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng were summoned to the Qianqing Palace to discuss the details of the next year's examination, while the remaining ministers left the palace respectively.
"Why did Your Majesty decide the examiner for the Ceremony Examination so early this year? Normally, the decision will be made until the end of January or early February. This time it is related to the rumors about the previous questions."
Xu Qiong, the Minister of Rites, went to ask Liu Jian after leaving Fengtian Hall.
Liu Jian remained silent.
Xie Qian smiled and said, "Your Majesty may have other intentions. I don't understand why we should think about who will be the examiner."
Xu Qiong glared at Xie Qian.
The scene was somewhat awkward, but Tu Jian came over and pulled Xu Qiong aside, as if he had something to talk about.
In the Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Youtang was giving Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng face-to-face instructions. Among the eunuchs and eunuchs in charge of etiquette, only Xiao Jing and Wei Bin were present.
After talking about the necessary etiquette for the examination, Zhu Youtang also reminded him, "Both of you are highly respected among scholars. You usually meet with many scholars. Since you are the main examiner to select the world's scholars, Then you should not have any private relations with the scholars."
"Yes."
Li Dongyang accepted the order on behalf of the two of them.
It is said that Cheng Minzheng likes to make friends with young scholars. In fact, Li Dongyang is not inferior to Cheng Minzheng in this regard.
Just because Li Dongyang is a pavilion elder and an orthodox civil servant, it is a high honor for others to ask to see Li Dongyang. Unlike Cheng Minzheng, anyone can go to see him
Cheng Minzheng's family The threshold is too low.
So much so that when the case came up, others would attack Cheng Minzheng, but not Li Dongyang. They even asked Li Dongyang to investigate the case, which shows that Li Dongyang and Cheng Minzheng received different treatment in the court. .
The emperor then asked Wei Bin to send Li Dongyang out of Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Youtang seems to have something else to say, he wants to be aloneTell Cheng Minzheng that only Xiao Jing will be left to listen.
"Scholar Cheng, you have been back to the court for nearly a year, and you have done well in everything. I will reward you as appropriate. Don't take the things you mentioned earlier seriously." Zhu Youtang did it first comfort.
Cheng Minzheng felt aggrieved.
This kind of thing may be a shadow in his heart for the rest of his life.
But it also made him realize that he did not seem to be very popular with the courtiers. Perhaps he should resign after serving his term and it would be best not to come back.
"I accept the order." Cheng Minzheng still had to pretend to be taught.
Zhu Youtang said again, "I asked you to cooperate with the Imperial College in selecting several supervisors. How is the progress?"
Cheng Minzheng said, "The final list has been listed. There are five. There are more than ten people with good articles and insights. "
"Well, the best ones will be appointed to the Imperial Academy for appointment," Zhu Youtang said.
Cheng Minzheng was startled.
It took a long time to select, but in the end I just selected a few people and assigned them to a Xuezheng. Why go to so much trouble? Some of them are already at the "Xuezheng" level, right?
Zhu Youtang asked again, "Is Zhang Bingkuan, whom I told you before, on the list of candidates?"
"Yes." Cheng Minzhengxin said, luckily I paid attention, otherwise I would have summoned everyone in front of the palace. Unable to answer.
Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "Very good, then let him be the leader in this selection."
Cheng Minzheng took a breath.
He thought he heard wrongly. The emperor actually said that Zhang Zhou should be the leader of the selection. What he meant was that
it was a private matter
Zhu Youtang sighed, " You should also know, Bachelor Cheng, that he has done a lot for the imperial court in the past period. I just want to leave a way for him outside the examination. If he cannot be listed in this examination, I will wait for this. I don't want to delay any more and let him take the exam again next time." "Your Majesty, is this inappropriate?" Cheng Minzheng wanted to remind the emperor.
We who are ministers can understand that you favor Zhang Zhou so much, but it is a bit excessive for you to break the rules and even set up a separate entrance for him to enter the court.
Zhu Youtang said, "I can't help it. I'll let Xiao Jing tell you the specifics. You can't talk about this to outsiders. Even if it's the Guozi offering wine, you can't tell me how to do it. See You"
Cheng Minzheng felt very uncomfortable.
A previous question almost tortured me to the point of burning inside out. I had just calmed down a bit in the past two days, but the emperor taught me to cheat and select Zhang Zhou.
Cheng Minzheng did not dare to ask any more questions and could only follow Xiao Jing outside the palace.
Xiao Jing said with a smile on the road, "Sister Cheng, do you understand what His Majesty said?"
"Yes." Cheng Minzheng said, what is there that you don't understand? , the king and his ministers cheated together.
A seemingly fair and just selection actually opened a backdoor for Zhang Zhou. In the end, regardless of his grades, Zhang Zhou was given the first place and paved the way for Zhang Zhou.
Cheng Minzheng looked frustrated and said, "Now that the examination has not started, Your Majesty is making such arrangements. Isn't it too impatient?"
Xiao Jing said with a smile, "If we wait until after the examination, we can make arrangements." , that would appear to be too deliberate, and there will be more opposition from the DPRK and China." "Yeah." Cheng Minzheng nodded and asked, "Then if he is really selected, he will fail in the test. It's still a matter of promoting people, what kind of official position can be given to him?"
Xiao Jing glanced at Cheng Minzheng with a meaningful look.
It seems to be saying, this is what you should ask too
"Scholar Cheng, there are some things that I shouldn't tell you, but since His Majesty has told you frankly that this is the case, Then our family will not hide it. Your Majesty's intention is that if Zhang Gongsheng really does not win the Jinshi, then he will be selected by the imperial examination and admitted to the Hanlin Academy as a review."
"What"
Cheng Minzheng almost dropped his jaw in shock.
Xiao Jing said, "Master Cheng, don't be surprised."
Cheng Minzheng protested, "Even if you are a middle-level Jinshi, not a Dingjia scholar, the Shujishi who are selected to enter the library must pass the three-year examination." It can only be released for review after years. Why can such a move be done? The courtiers and colleagues will not agree."
Cheng Minzheng felt that the emperor was acting indiscriminately.
Xiao Jing smiled and said, "Since you asked, I might as well tell you something more. His Majesty does not plan to select a concubine after this palace examination. As for Zhang Gongsheng's admission, that is Because he has made great contributions. You should also know that he detected the epidemic in the capital, the acne of the little princess, the disaster in Qingning Palace, and the earthquake in Xinye, and he was very effective in teaching the prince in the East Palace. He is being treated badly by only being reviewed by the Imperial Academy."
"Eunuch Xiao, even if he is really talented in this area, wouldn't it be good to let him go to the Qin Tian Prison?"
Cheng Minzheng also I'm worried. There is obviously a way to enter the imperial court without going through the imperial examination. Why do you have to break the rules to let Zhang Zhou enter the Hanlin Academy?
This is pulling me into trouble.
I chose someone to pay tribute, but it turned out that the emperor was going to put the person into the Hanlin Academy for the Imperial Examination that every Jinshi dreamed of. Didn’t I become an accomplice?
Originally, those ministers treated me I have an opinion. If I let others know that I was involved, it would be easy for me to be skinned and cramped.
Xiao Jing shook his head and said seriously, "No, Your Majesty feels that even giving Mr. Zhang a supervisor in the Qintian Prison would be an insult to him. Besides, Mr. Zhang also explained that he is not interested in matters such as measuring the celestial phase. I'm not good at it, this job should be left to someone who is good at it."
"Ah"
Cheng Minzheng was completely speechless.
From the moment Xiao Jing changed the name of Zhang Zhou to "Mr. Zhang", he understood how favored Zhang Zhou was now.
If the owner of the Dongchang factory is polite to Zhang Zhou, what qualifications does Cheng Minzheng have to object?
It’s just that he can’t understand. If Zhang Zhou doesn’t know how to calculate the celestial phase, then what’s the point of being clear? How could he accurately say things like the Ning Palace Disaster, the epidemic, and the earthquake?
It can’t be that this kid doesn’t want to enterQin Tianjian, you said that on purpose
"Scholar Cheng, you seem to have a strong opinion. Have you forgotten what books you have read before?" Xiao Jing felt unhappy when he saw Cheng Minzheng talking so much nonsense. .
I have arranged work for you, so you are better off. Who gave you the courage to question this dissatisfied person?
When Cheng Minzheng heard this, his brain was buzzing.
Xiao Jing did not hide it, but said in a cold tone, "Previously, His Majesty asked Dongchang to check your residence and the Hanlin Academy. I saw a lot of books in your study. You are here After reading through it, do you want us to remind you one by one?"
"No need to."
Cheng Minzheng was very frightened.
Li Dongyang felt that his inner thoughts were being spied on in the previous so-called "Ven" case. How could he, Cheng Minzheng, not have this feeling?
It was just that after the Dongchang investigation was completed, he returned the favor. An "innocence" prevented this matter from developing further.
Just like the test question "Four Sons Achievements", Cheng Minzheng thought about it afterwards. Isn't this the test question he is proud of and wants to use it in a future main examination?
< p>Xiao Jing said, "Scholar Cheng, someone asked our family to tell you that some disciples and servants in your house are not very behaved and like to accept bribes so that those students can visit you. If you can't even control your house, Well, how can you achieve something in the court?"Cheng Minzheng almost asked who said this
But he held back.
He thought about it and found that he seemed to have seen a lot of scholars recently, and the rules seemed to be very loose. He could hand out greetings just by himself. This might be because he, as a master, likes to make friends with young people.
"Take care of yourself, Bachelor Cheng." Xiao Jing said, "Our family does not want to cause trouble, but the errands entrusted by His Majesty must be completed. Don't worry, even if the selection of eunuchs for the Imperial College is decided, Report the results and this memorial will be kept unpublished. Only after the next spring, when it is confirmed that Mr. Zhang has failed, will His Majesty use this result to select him. The result has nothing to do with you, Bachelor Cheng."
Cheng Minzheng hurriedly held up his hands and said, "Please worry about it, Mr. Xiao."
"Easy to say, easy to say."
Xiao Jing then put on his usual kind and pleasant expression. My dear smile, as if there had never been any misunderstanding or displeasure before. Please remember to bookmark, the latest and fastest website is free to read without anti-theft