Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

In the examination room, there are still people who are leisurely and leisurely to relieve the summer heat, obviously only Lu Ci.

Wu Yong has been sweating profusely since the moment he opened the question.

He has a slight impression of the proposition of Fu, but he can't remember the meaning of the question at all.

And the propositions of Ge Shihe Lun are even more confusing, and I don't remember the source at all.

His family is rich and powerful in the county, and he is also the youngest son in the family, so it can be said that he has received all kinds of favors and favors.

There is a capable elder brother who inherits the family business, but Wu's father is not reconciled to the fact that the Wu family is just a merchant, so he pins his hopes on the young son who has been clever since childhood, hoping that he will succeed and become a high school scholar.

But although Wu Yong is a little smart, he is very lazy, how can he afford to study hard in a poor window?All these years, he has been praised by his master, all because of finding those students from the Han family who are not able to afford food and clothing to act as ghostwriters.

When it came time to understand the exam, anyone with some talent would not be able to take the exam for him at the risk of not only being imprisoned, but also not being able to pass the exam for life if he was found out.

And without real talents and learning, why would Wu Yong spend a lot of money to hire them to replace them?

But usually, he was quite rewarded by his masters, which made Wu's father place high hopes on him, which made him unable to get off the horse. Only in the last few months, he devoted himself to making money, and then pooled money with a group of cronies, and found someone to bring a towel and a box. .

Fortunately, when they entered the examination room, the supervisor did not check carefully, he only glanced casually perfunctorily, and then let them in.

It's just that after bringing the towel box book in, it's not so easy to read after all-the shop inspectors with sharp eyes are walking around all the time, and any examinees who have a slight movement will immediately notice it.

Where did you make such an obvious move to flip the book?

Wu Yong and the others also anticipated such a scene in advance, and after discussing for a while, they found that the best time was to ask for it collectively.

The so-called request is to ask the chief director a question on the grounds of "doubt", and ask him to clearly state the source of the topic and give an explanation.

Under normal circumstances, even if this move may be ridiculed by others, the director will not easily refuse.

When they were led to another room to listen to the principal's explanation of the topic, they were far away from the line of sight of the patrol officer, and they could gather together, cut off the sight of the principal, take turns to be the middle man, and quickly read the cheat sheet.

Wu Yong cleared his throat, led the inspector over, and said respectfully and politely: "This question is quite profound. I want to ask Yao and Shun about one or two things. Where did it come from? It's easy to use its characters. May I ask the chief?"

The inspector frowned, but turned around to ask the chief examiner for instructions.

On the way there, I was stopped again by those who were in Wu Yong's group with the same reason, and it became a joint petition.

After learning about this, the chief examiner, Yang Lu, couldn't help frowning: "There are more than a dozen people asking for help at the same time?"

Usually when there are scholars who do not understand the meaning of the question, due to the thin-skinned and good-faced nature of the scholars, most of them choose to keep silent. this face.

What's more, after asking, even if there is no express statement in the tribute rules that it will lead to downgrading, as we all know, it will also lead to a bad impression of the examiner.

Now there is more than one person invited, but there are more than ten people, so Yang Lu can't tolerate doubts and nervousness.

Is it because his proposition is too unclear that this kind of situation where many people petitioned for clarification?

Yang Lu still had a serious face on the surface, but besides muttering in his heart, he was already a little uneasy.

It was the first time for him to be appointed as an examiner, so he naturally didn't want to make any mistakes, but once it got out, there was no guarantee that there would be political opponents impeaching him for improper proposition.

If you are really convicted, although it is not more serious than being entrusted by others and doing the king's law, you will still be fined copper, which will lead to the removal of other political achievements for a whole year, which will hinder your promotion and damage your reputation. of.

Yang Lu was very dissatisfied with the dozen or so people, but even the officials allowed the scholars to apply during the palace examination, how could he refuse?

Wei nodded and asked the shop inspector to lead the dozen or so people into another room, so that he could do the explanation alone.

Seeing that things were going well, Wu Yong couldn't help being overjoyed, his face tensed with difficulty, and he quickly exchanged a look of success with his colleagues.

Yang Lu came late, and during the waiting period, Wu Yong and the others naturally gathered together as planned, while the few people in the middle stepped up and read the manuscript.

The door was open, and because of the dead silence, they couldn't whisper to each other, otherwise they would be spotted by the shop inspector outside immediately.

You can turn the pages of the book, but don't worry about it.

Before they were told to wait for a long time, the director of Yang Lu opened the door and came in.

After waiting anxiously for quite a while, Wu Yong, who hadn't had his turn to turn over the book, was still annoyed when he saw five or six shop inspectors suddenly coming in behind the dark-faced Chief Secretary Yang Lu, and closed the door.

Wu Yong felt an ominous premonition in his heart.

Yang Lu's mood was even worse than his, and he shouted without hesitation: "The people in this house, after being reported by others, are all suspected of entering the venue with a book, borrowing the book to turn over the book, and they all stripped off their clothes. Check the tattoo carefully!"

Everyone showed expressions of unbelievable panic, and there was an uproar.

Especially Wu Yong, his face was already pale, and he protested loudly: "I don't accept it! The official has an edict, and the act of stripping clothes and searching is not the way to get a scholar. How can the chief minister abuse his power and listen to other people's slander, Wantonly insulting and slandering us—"

Yang Lu waved his hands annoyedly: "If you really wronged you, I should plead guilty to you and return your innocence; if you tie your hands and feet because of this, and don't investigate those who cheat, I, the boss, have done it! "

If the person who made the report was another scholar who had a direct conflict of interest with this group of people, even if he felt that the coincidence of all these people applying for the invitation at the same time was completely strange, he might have to hesitate for a while.

But the one who reported it to him just now was the shop inspector who had no grievances with them.

Although there have been scandals where inspectors "falsified scholars and rewarded them with luck", they are a minority in the end, and most of them are bullying and fearful. If they are not [-]% sure, how can they offend more than a dozen scholars at once? .

The crowd shouted and protested excitedly, and some even tried to run away, but they were all subdued by the tall and burly shop inspector.

Their reaction made Yang Lu's guess even more certain.

Once the outer clothes were peeled off, the cheat sheet they had carefully hidden was nowhere to hide.

People get loot.

Until now, everyone couldn't imagine how the situation, which had been going so smoothly so far, turned so sharply.

They were all well aware of the severe punishment that awaited them, all of them were disheveled, their faces were ashen, and they no longer had the arrogance and arrogance just now.

Yang Lu snorted coldly: "Wu Yong, Li Da, Su Li, He Lianzhong...the above 15 people are usually busy with many things and don't study hard. They were seized. Moreover, they had previously used false statements to quibble, and the circumstances were very serious. The accomplices were immediately rescued, and the court took one action; the three main offenders, Wu and Li Su, were given two actions by the court, and they were not pardoned; if they commit the crime again, they will never be prosecuted..."

Wu Yong and the others didn't dare to argue any more, and they were helped out on the spot in desperation, which can be called embarrassing.

There are punishments, and naturally there are rewards.

Yang Lu's face softened too much for the shop inspector who reported and exposed him to prevent him from being covered in the dust of ineffective proctoring and suffering the consequences of damage to his reputation.

In accordance with the reward specified in the regulations, he ordered the government to distribute a very heavy reward of up to [-] guan to the inspector, which made the latter smile and salute happily to thank him.

While thanking him, he couldn't help secretly congratulating himself on his luck.

If it wasn't for yesterday's inspection, he accidentally picked up a small note that these people didn't know who had missed, with the words "please review" written in cursive, which made him suspicious.

During today's search, in order to verify his inner guesses and catch people with stolen goods, he deliberately relaxed a little so that they would be less vigilant.

After all, there have been examples of shop inspectors slandering scholars in order to get rewards. After that, we must not rely on doubts alone, but have conclusive evidence.

He wasn't quite sure until this group of daring people really joined forces with the plan written on the note.

Fortunately, otherwise, I would have missed this windfall.

——Of course, the reward money will eventually be returned from the 15 people who committed the crime.

Not many scholars knew about this little episode, except for those sitting in the cubicle next to Wu Yong and the others, they were slightly aware of it.

It's just that time is running out, even though they are curious, they have no time to worry about it, and quickly put their minds back on more urgent questions.

When the lanterns came on and the daytime test was over, the examiner ordered the officials to collect the test paper for the first session.

In the midst of mourning, Yang Lu calmly put down the thin quilt.

This night, each student had to sleep in the small cubicle where the daytime exam was held.

Lu Ci wanted to bring his more comfortable down pillow into the examination room, but this kind of stuffing, which is easy to hide cheating notes, is obviously not allowed to bring in.

He didn't get what he wanted, so he could only regretfully sleep with other people for a night.

In any case, it was the most difficult first test for him, and he did well in the exam, so he was in a good mood.

Especially when compared with the students who worry about gains and losses, full of worries, turn over the content of the daytime test questions in their minds, and lament for some late-knowledge mistakes, they are even more different.

It took Lu Ci about half an hour to get used to the hard and cold ground and the thin bedding, and soon fell asleep peacefully.

Others didn't have such a good attitude—some were crying bitterly, some were full of melancholy, some were uneasy, and some were infected by the surrounding atmosphere and thought that they didn't do badly in the exam, but they were all made to worry.

For some reason, the shop inspector in charge of the night watch purposely walked around to the compartment of the leisurely candidates who had impressed him so much during the day.

Seeing that Lu Ci was in a deep sleep, he didn't seem to be awakened by his slight footsteps at all, and it didn't seem like other people showed uneasiness when they saw him approaching...

He really didn't know whether he was expecting it or was speechless.

Zhu said that he often went through the simulation training of the examination room environment with Lu Ci, so although he was tossed and turned for a while, he didn't sleep well last night, and today he experienced some mood ups and downs. He took the exam all day and answered three major questions in a row. I also felt quite tired, so I fell into a deep sleep not long after.

Amidst everyone's joys and sorrows, the dawn broke and after a simple wash, the second solution test began in full swing.

On the second day, the test is about the five principles of theory.

However, everyone knows that Fu is undoubtedly the most important thing for the imperial court to select scholars nowadays - don't you see that not long ago, there were people who were selected as the number one scholar because of their good Fu!

The second is poetry, and then it is the turn to "take both" policy theory.

If the first game is not played well, even if the last two games are good, the ending is basically doomed.

Therefore, even though the vast majority of people know it is not good, they still can't help but immerse themselves in the development of their poems and prose theory yesterday, and they are absent-minded when reviewing the questions.

In addition, there are not a few people who have not slept well for two consecutive nights and are in a trance.

However, Lu Ci, who came here to learn from experience and plan to fight again next time, took everything seriously—while others were still wandering, he had already put all yesterday's events behind him and concentrated on answering. Here comes the question.

Besides, because he had rested properly, he was full of energy and full of energy at this time. Just to describe his appearance, he was much better than the people around him.

Even Yang Lu, the chief examiner, couldn't help noticing this scholar who was the youngest in the row, but was extremely calm and calm.

Like poems and prose, essays have a wide range of propositions, but all subsets of classics and history can be written, and they may be combined with current affairs.

However, the theories studied yesterday were based on observing the reasons for their right and wrong from the ancients; today's research is based on observing the reasons for their actions in today's world.

In addition, only one theory of causation is tested, while five strategies are tested. No matter what the consideration is, the examiner must include all three kinds of strategies when making a proposition: Confucian classics as the topic; The sub-historical policy; and the current affairs policy with current affairs and politics as the main content.

This time, although he was not as lucky as yesterday to bet on the topic, but similar to later generations' argumentative essays, which do not need to pay attention to rhythm, Lu Cike has always been true.

Compared with poetry and prose, this can be regarded as his strong point.

Lu Ci was the same as yesterday, he prepared the draft and estimated the approximate number of words, so he started without haste. Even though the policy also only set a lower limit, there is no upper limit, but the time limit, it is doomed that it will not be as exciting as the provincial examination. Seven or eight thousand words, so I have to take it easy.

Lu Ci still had a slight obsessive-compulsive disorder. In order to pursue neatness, he simply kept the length of the five policies basically the same, and the difference in the number of words did not exceed one hundred.

This is to prevent people from seeing his priorities or preferences, and to avoid giving people a feeling of top-heavy and insufficient planning.

However, although Lu Ci answered smoothly, he was still a little surprised.

According to his speculation, the chief examiner, who should not pay much attention to current affairs, actually asked three current affairs questions.

Only one of the classics and Zi Shice, which are preferred by most candidates and more popular, were selected.

As a result, the first two questions can be eloquent, but the last three questions are exhausted, and there are quite a few authors who don't know how to answer them.

What made him even more subtle and familiar was that the last question was actually a question about a county in Guangzhou, which is backed by Baiyun Mountain. The water is bitter and muddy.

Lu Ci was struggling.

Do you want to be lazy and recount the water system proposals that you wrote to the government last time but didn't come to fruition in the end?

The author has something to say: Notes:

1. The function of the transcription system is really very powerful, it can prevent the examiner from deciding the future of the candidate based on personal feelings, but it has not been implemented yet.

Two of the most famous examples are that in the fourth year of Emperor Renzong Jiayou, Ouyang Xiu was the examiner of the palace examination and wanted to depose Liu Ji. It belonged to Liu Ji, so he was dismissed, but who knew that the paper belonged to Xiao Ji.In the end, Liu Ji won the first prize based on his own talents, which surprised even Ouyang Xiu. ("Mengxi Bi Tan" Volume [-])

The second example is Su Shi.When he was Zhigong in the third year of Yuanyou, in order to let Li Yunzhong, "one of the six gentlemen of the Sumen", according to "Helin Yulu", he also tried to use favors to pre-purchase topics.When grading the papers, he thought he had found Li Mo’s paper, and was overjoyed that this was definitely Li Mo’s, so he let him pass, but the result was not, Li Mo still failed the exam...

2. Please = enter the meaning of the question

It is mentioned in the fifth of the seventh "Personal Examination" in "Song Hui Yao Compiled Drafts Election" that if the source of the question is not clearly stated in the provincial examination (I can't find any information that can't solve the test, I can guess), the applicant is Can please.

The behavior of cheating by flipping books by inviting people was also described by Ouyang Xiu.Annotations have been made in the words of the last chapter, so I won't explain them in detail.

3. Punishment for carrying a book

Reference from the third one of "Song Huiyao Compiled Draft·Election".

One move in the hall means that you will not be able to apply for the next tribute exam, and the second move in the hall means that you will not be able to participate in the two tribute exams. Not pardoning the original means that even the world cannot be reduced or exempted.

4. There are rewards for shop inspectors who catch cheaters, up to five hundred guan (as mentioned in the article).

Therefore, there have also been cases of people framing scholars in order to get rewards.It was later stipulated that there must be conclusive evidence before a judgment can be made. (Just like picking up a ball of paper around someone, it cannot be said that someone has participated in fraud, there must be more conclusive evidence)

"Song Huiyao Compiled Drafts Election" [-]th, [-]th and [-]th "Fat Jie"

5. The type and scope of the policy are as mentioned in the article and will not be described in detail ("Long Story")

Until the fourth year of Qingli, Fan Zhongyan tried to reform the focus of selecting scholars, and policy theory was not paid much attention (but the reform soon failed); after that, Wang Anshi reformed the tribute again, and only then did he really despise poetry and fu and emphasize policy theory.