The daily life of the crown prince of the Song Dynasty

Although Zhao Yang said it implicitly, Ouyang Xiu still heard Zhao Yang's real intention and couldn't help being surprised.

"Your Highness, do you want to reform the imperial examinations?"

Seeing that Ouyang Xiu understood what he meant, Zhao Yang didn't deny it, but asked, "Sir, what do you think?"

Ouyang Xiu didn't rush to object, but asked first: "Your Highness, how do you want to reform the imperial examination?"

Seeing Ouyang Xiu asking him this question with a serious face, Zhao Yang couldn't help but look serious. He picked up a pen and wrote on the paper about the children's examination, the rural examination, the general examination, and the palace examination.

"Children's Examination? Township Examination? General Examination? Palace Examination?" Ouyang Xiu asked suspiciously, "Your Highness, what is the Children's Examination, and what are the Township Examination and the General Examination?"

Zhao Yang continued to write on the paper, and said: "Sir, this children's examination is divided into three stages: county examination, government examination, and hospital examination." After writing, he continued, "Sir, you have passed the children's examination. Candidates are called scholars, and scholars can take the next township examination."

"Your Highness, you are dividing the solution test into three stages."

"The solution to the test is too easy. I made this children's test much more difficult than the solution." Zhao Yang put down the pen in his hand and crossed his chin with his hands. "I always think that the imperial examinations in Song Dynasty are too simple. Too many people are admitted, which leads to an increase of officials every year, which is also one of the reasons for redundant officials.”

Ouyang Xiu agreed with Zhao Yang's statement: "Your Highness is right."

"Sir, let me tell you about the county examination first." Zhao Yang introduced Ouyang Xiu in detail, "The county examination is hosted by each county and is held in February every year. There are five consecutive examinations. The content of the examination is still a subset of classics and history and policy theory. And poetry."

"Those who have passed the county exam can then take the prefectural exam. The prefectural exam is naturally hosted by each prefecture. It will be held in April. There will be three exams in a row. The content of the exam is the same as the county exam. Of course, the difficulty will increase. Next is the college exam, which will be administered by each state. Xuezheng presides over it. The college examination does not need to be taken every year, but can be taken twice every three years, and the imperial court sends Xuezheng to various places to preside over it..." [The information about the county examination and these related imperial examinations comes from Du Niang]

The child examination system mentioned by Zhao Yang was copied from the Qing Dynasty.He felt that the imperial examination system of the Qing Dynasty was the best in all dynasties, so he copied it directly.

He also explained to Ouyang Xiu in great detail the procedures and rules of the provincial examination, general examination, and palace examination, as well as what No. 1 of these six examinations was called.

Ouyang Xiu listened very carefully, and the more he listened, the more frightened he became.

"By the way, those who take the central and rural examinations are called juren, and they can directly enter the official position. Of course, the official position is not high. Those who take the national examination are called gongshi, and gongshi can also directly enter the official position. Of course, the official position is higher than that of juren. Gongshi You can choose to participate in the palace examination, or you can choose not to participate in the palace examination. There is no need to specially modify the palace examination." Zhao Yang just finished speaking, thinking of one thing, and said quickly, "I think people who pass the palace examination, especially the champion, second place, Tanhua, you can let them parade through the streets on horseback, let the common people in Bianjing see the demeanor of the disciples of the emperor, and let them have a good look, after all, they have studied hard for ten years."

In the Ming Dynasty, it was good to make a horse parading through the streets, and Zhao Yang thought it could be used.

He also explained to Ouyang Xiu in detail how the cross-horse parade works and its benefits.

After talking about the horse parade, he talked about the Luming Banquet.In the Song Dynasty, there was a feast of deer singing, so there is no need to change it specially.

After Zhao Yang finished speaking, he looked at Ouyang Xiu expectantly: "Sir, what do you think of the imperial examination I mentioned?"

Ouyang Xiu's face was full of shock, he stared straight at Zhao Yang, and it took a long time before he came back to his senses.

"Your Highness, you... the imperial examination you said is very good..." Ouyang Xiu was surprised by Zhao Yang's new imperial examination.Because it was too shocking, he lost his composure.

"Then do you think the imperial examination system I mentioned can be implemented?" After all, the imperial examination system he mentioned was in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and it was too "advanced" for the Song Dynasty. He was worried that the ministers would not accept it.

Ouyang Xiu took a deep breath to calm down his turbulent mood.

"Your Highness, it can be implemented." After finishing speaking, he said, "Your Highness, the imperial examination you said is very good, really very good!" The new imperial examination proposed by His Highness is really amazing!

Zhao Yang looked happy: "Sir, if you think it's okay, then I can rest assured."

"Your Highness, you should tell the officials." Ouyang Xiu didn't know what he thought of, and his face was flushed because of being too excited. "It will be...it will be...it will be..." Because he was too excited, Ouyang Xiu couldn't say a complete sentence for a while.

"I'll tell you first, sir. Only if you think it's okay, sir, will I dare to tell daddy, otherwise I'm afraid daddy will say that my idea is not good."

"No!" Ouyang Xiu said very loudly, "Your Highness, your idea is very good! Very good!" The new imperial examination system proposed by His Royal Highness will definitely be remembered in history! "Your Highness, let's go tell the officials now." After speaking, he grabbed Zhao Yang's hand and walked out.

Zhao Yang, who was suddenly pulled away, was stupefied, and he woke up when he walked out of the East Palace.

Ouyang Xiu forgot his status for a while, and dragged Zhao Yang to the Funing Palace in big strides.

At first he walked, then he dragged Zhao Yang directly to run.

Seeing that Ouyang Xiu was so excited, Zhao Yang let him drag him away.

Liang Yinshou was outside the gate of Funing Palace, seeing Ouyang Xiu running all the way with His Highness the Crown Prince, he was startled, thinking something happened, he rushed forward to salute, but Ouyang Xiu turned a blind eye to him.

Ouyang Xiu didn't wait for Liang Yin to pass the message, and pulled Zhao Yang into Funing Palace.

Song Renzong was reviewing the papers, when he saw Ouyang Xiu who suddenly barged in, he was slightly stunned, and was about to say something, but he saw Zhao Yang behind Ouyang Xiu.

Zhao Yang was dragged all the way to Funing Palace, stumbling and panting.When he arrived at Funing Palace, he put his hands on his knees and panted heavily.

Seeing his son panting like a cow, Song Renzong hurriedly put down the Zhazi in his hand, walked up to Zhao Yang, and asked with concern: "What's the matter?"

Zhao Yang raised his left hand and waved it: "I'm in a hurry..."

Only then did Ouyang Xiu realize that he had lost his composure and disrespect just now, and quickly pleaded guilty to Song Renzong and Zhao Yang: "The official, Your Royal Highness, the minister lost his composure, please punish the official."

"What's going on here?" Song Renzong held up the teacup and handed it to Zhao Yang, "Yang Yang, take a sip of tea first."

Zhao Yang took the teacup and drank it in a big gulp.After drinking a cup of tea, he calmed down.

"Mister was too excited to drag me to Funing Palace."

Ouyang Xiu looked ashamed: "This minister deserves to die, please punish the officials."

Song Renzong waved to Ouyang Xiu, and then asked curiously: "What made Uncle Yong lose his composure?"

"It's the new imperial examination system proposed by His Royal Highness." Ouyang Xiu's expression became agitated again, "Officials, the new imperial examination system proposed by His Royal Highness is very good, you must listen to it."

"What's the matter with the new imperial examination system?" Song Renzong looked at Zhao Yang in surprise, "Yang Yang, tell me about it."

Zhao Yang had recovered his breath at this time, and told Song Renzong again in detail what he said to Ouyang Xiu just now.

After Song Renzong heard this, he was as shocked as Ouyang Xiu's reaction.

Even Zhang Maoshi who was waiting at the side was stunned.Although he did not take the imperial examination, he has been with Song Renzong for these years, and he knows the imperial examination very well.Now hearing the new imperial examination system proposed by His Royal Highness, he knows very well what kind of sensation the new imperial examination system will cause.

"Dad, what do you think?"

"Okay, okay!" Song Renzong said yes three times, "It's really great!"

Hearing what Song Renzong said, Zhao Yang was completely relieved.

"When did you think of it?" Song Renzong sometimes really wondered why his son could come up with so many good ideas.

"I thought about it in the early court." Kekeke, he thought of the imperial examination system in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the early court.

"Why don't you tell me when you're in court?" Song Renzong was a little jealous.The new imperial examination that the son thought of did not tell him first, but told Ouyang Xiu first.

"Down the court, weren't we talking about the poorhouse and the free school, and then I forgot to mention it." Zhao Yang scratched his face and said, "After reading the book with my husband in the afternoon, I just remembered this. Then I will tell Mr.

"How did you come up with this idea?"

"That's how I thought of it." Zhao Yang straightened his face and said, "Actually, I always thought that the imperial examinations in Song Dynasty were too simple. The most important thing is that there are many students who take the imperial examinations, and too many people are admitted. As a result, there are more and more officials, so I think the imperial examination system can be changed."

Song Renzong said with relief and pride, "Yangyang, your idea is very good."

"Daddy, if you want to adopt the new imperial examination system I proposed, there is one thing you have to do first."

Song Renzong raised his eyebrows slightly: "What is it?"

"Completely abolish the yin compensation system." Zhao Yang said with a serious face, "The reform of the imperial examination system is to better select talents for the court. Naturally, the requirements for the students are very strict. However, those who rely on the yin compensation system to enter the official career It is too unfair to the students who have passed five levels and cut six generals."

"Officials, what His Royal Highness said is very true. If the yin compensation system is not abolished, the reform of the imperial examination system will only make students all over the world think that the court is embarrassing them." Although Ouyang Xiu himself is a high-ranking official, his sons can rely on his yin and yang. To make up for it, he obtained a Jinshi background and later entered an official career as an official, but he didn't think it was a good thing.

"Daddy, the new imperial examination system is much stricter than before. This is not a good thing for the students. If you don't cancel the subsidy system, the new imperial examination system will be difficult to implement." Zhao Yang said seriously.

"You are right." Song Renzong sat back at the imperial table again, "However, it is not a trivial matter to completely abolish the yin compensation system."

"Father, the shady compensation system must be abolished, not only the shady subsidies of the ministers, but also the shady subsidies of the generals, so that civil servants and generals will have no complaints." After Zhao Yang finished speaking, Song Renzong frowned. As he spoke, he sighed slightly in his heart, "Father, if you don't want to abolish the yin compensation system, then the new imperial examination system should not be implemented for the time being." The complete abolition of the yin compensation system and the implementation of the new imperial examination system should wait for him to ascend the throne. do it.

"Yang Yang, whether it is to cancel the yin compensation system or implement a new imperial examination system, I have to discuss with the ministers." Song Renzong liked Zhao Yang's new imperial examination system very much, but as Zhao Yang said, if To implement the new imperial examination system, the yin compensation system must first be abolished. "Go and call Yan Xiang and the others."

"Yes, official."

"Daddy, then you discuss it, and I'll go back first."

Song Renzong nodded lightly: "Well, you go back first."

Zhao Yang had just walked a few steps, when he stopped suddenly, turned around and said to Song Renzong, "Daddy, let me tell you, I will go out of the palace to participate in the spring hunting in a few days."

"Go, be safe."

"I'm leaving."

Song Renzong discussed with the ministers, but Zhao Yang was too lazy to participate because he was too lazy to listen to the ministers.Besides, even if he was present, the ministers would not listen to him.

Although Zhao Yang began to officially go to court this year, he was still young and had not really taken power, so not all ministers listened to what he said.

"Let's go to Kunning Palace for some snacks."

As soon as Zhao Yang walked to the gate of Kunning Palace, he met Zheyun who was carrying a food box to find him.

Zheyun was very pleasantly surprised to see Zhao Yang.

"Your Highness, why are you here?"

"Sir was called by daddy to discuss matters, so I came here." Zhao Yang stretched out his hand to hold Zheyun's hand, and walked into Kunning Palace.

Seeing her son coming, Empress Cao asked a little strangely: "Yang Yang, why are you here at this time?" At this time on weekdays, Zhao Yang was studying.

"Sir was called by father to discuss matters."

Zheyun has already opened the food box and brought out the snacks she made.

"Your Highness, you must be hungry, hurry up and have some snacks."

"Okay." Zhao Yang was thinking while eating his snacks, wondering if his father could convince the ministers.

Empress Cao saw that her son looked distressed, and asked worriedly, "What's the matter, what happened?"

"No." After Zhao Yang finished speaking, he saw Empress Cao and Zhe Yun looking at him worriedly, and he smiled at them comfortingly, "It's really all right, I'm just thinking about something."

"Thinking about what?"

Zhao Yang put down the dim sum in his hand, and told Empress Cao what happened in Funing Palace just now.

Empress Cao was very surprised at first, and then said with a serious expression: "I'm afraid the ministers are unwilling to completely abolish the shadow compensation system."

"If daddy is tough, then it will definitely be cancelled." Zhao Yang knew in his heart that if Song Renzong was tough and courageous enough, he wouldn't be his daddy. "However, with Dad's temper, I'm afraid he won't."

"The government can't do it, so you can do it yourself in the future." Empress Cao said, "The new imperial examination system you mentioned is very good, and it must be implemented in the future."

Zheyun at the side didn't speak.On weekdays, Empress Cao and Zhao Yang talked about political affairs, but she never interrupted.She will not tell her family about the political affairs she heard in the palace.

"I thought, it would be great if the new imperial examination system could be introduced in three years." Zhao Yang felt that the sooner the new imperial examination system was implemented, the better.

Empress Cao comforted: "Good things take time."

Zhao Yang propped his face in his hands, curled his lips and said, "If daddy can't do it, then I have to do it myself." When he ascends the throne, he will be busy recovering Yanyun sixteen states, and he has no time to do other things.He really hoped his dad would help him with these things before he ascended the throne.In this way, after he ascended the throne, he would not have to be busy recovering Yanyun sixteen prefectures, and at the same time be busy organizing and reforming the government.