Prime Minister

Chapter 253 Wang Gui
Seeing that the dragon gate was about to open, the examinees who came from afar kept shouting 'wait a moment' and 'please wait a moment, sir'.

In front of Longmen, the supervisor and the examinees were arguing endlessly. The examinees headed by the Kaifeng Mansion shouted: "Officer, the emperor wants to recruit scholars to show off the cold and show off among the people. Now that there is such an unexpected snowstorm, everyone has a way." The difference between distance and distance, can we allow time to make up for the injustice of the sky with people's flexibility?"

The supervisor looked at the candidate up and down and said directly: "What's your name?"

The other party was at a loss for words for a while, and the prison gate officer sneered, "I dare not even report my name, someone here will fork it out!"

Seeing this scene, Zhang Yue knew that although what the examinee said was very reasonable, it was not enough to impress the supervisor.

Because it is the duty of the supervisor to open the dragon gate according to the schedule, otherwise the court will hold him accountable for negligence of duty, so the postponement of the examinee has nothing to do with him.

Therefore, no matter how good the truth is, it is useless without power.

So Zhang Yue went up and said to the prison gate official: "I am the official of Yangzheng Zhai, Zhang Yue, who has something to report!"

The prison gate officer raised his eyebrows. Just now the examinee dared not speak his name for fear of being retaliated against. Now there is one person who dares to come forward. Is it true that he is dead or alive?
Before and after Zhang Yue came up, Huang Lu and other imperial examination candidates gathered behind him.

Seeing this, the prison gate officer said with horror, this person still has some background.

The prison gate officer sneered and said, "What a life-and-death bastard, do you know Chen Pengnian?"

Zhang Yue knew that Chen Pengnian was a famous minister. He promoted Jinshi because he was young and reckless and liked to slander officials.At that time, Song Baizhi Gongju hated him as a man and deposed Chen Pengnian.

But later Chen Pengnian was selected as a Jinshi, and has been working hard to select scholars with articles, so as to reduce the number of examiners to select scholars based on their own likes and dislikes.

When Chen Pengnian was a Hanlin scholar, he reported to Prime Minister Wang Dan.Wang Dan asked: "What is this?" "

Chen Pengnian said: "The examination room is organized."

Wang Dan threw it on the ground and cursed: "Neihan has been an official for a few days? How dare you cut off (examiners and) Jinshi from all over the world."

Zhang Yue heard the other party's threat, the implication is that you want to learn from Chen Pengnian?Do you know the consequences of offending the examiner?
Zhang Yueyan said: "I don't dare to learn from Chen Gong, I just report something."

"You said it!"

Zhang Yue said: "We just counted the number of people under the door. There are still 19 people missing in Pi Yongsheng's eyes. Please show me how to deal with it."

Zhang Yue is playing tricks here, Pi Yongsheng includes Tai students and Guangwen students, but they can mislead each other.

Hearing this, the other party was stunned and thought, Taixue is so close to the Gongyuan, yet there are so many candidates missing, so he forced the exam to start not only offending the nineteen people.Not to mention the candidates from Kaifeng Mansion and other places?
The supervisor immediately asked the students from Kaifeng Prefecture who were arguing with him just now: "How many people do you have in Kaifeng Prefecture?"

The Kaifeng Mansion student shook his head blankly.

The prison gate officer shouted: "Hurry up and count!"

The prison gate officer was a little angry, turned his head to look at Zhang Yue, but said softly, "What did you say was your name just now?"

Zhang Yue said: "I am Zhang Yue, the head of the Yangzheng Zhai of the Lower Taixue."

The prison gate officer frowned and said: "It turns out that Zhang Duzhi, I have read your poems and articles. You go back and continue counting the number of people. I will send someone to report to the chief director and then I will talk to you."

Zhang Yue said happily: "Thank you, sir."

Everyone around was overjoyed, and a group of students from Kaifeng Prefecture stepped forward and said, "Thank you, Brother Zhang."

Zhang Yue smiled, but he never showed favor to others in the open, so he resigned: "Well, I also have some classmates who are delayed due to snow, but I just report the truth."

Zhang Yue glanced into the distance after answering, and now the snow in front of the Gongyuan gate has stopped.

In front of Gongyuan Street is a sea of ​​people. Candidates come shoulder to shoulder from afar. The people around Gongyuan Street spontaneously get up early to sweep the snow on the street, clearing a road for candidates to drive directly to Gongyuan.

Even so, the horse-drawn cart and the donkey cart were still blocked half a mile away from the Gongyuan, unable to move a step.

Therefore, the examinees had to give up their cars and rush to the Gongyuan with their test boxes, which contained fat, candles, water charcoal, meal utensils and so on.Now each and every candidate is afraid of delays, so they either carry the test box on their shoulders, or hold the test basket in their hands, and rush to the Gongyuan.

Seeing this scene, Zhang Yue couldn't help saying, Brother Guo, you should hurry up.

Candidates have been suspended from entering in front of the Dragon Gate, and the officials sent by the supervisor immediately reported the situation here to the chief examiner Wang Gui and the two assistant examiners Fan Zhen and Wang Chou.

In the past few days, when Wang Gui and the two examiners were locked in the courtyard, they sang a lot of poems to each other, and the relationship between the three of them really improved.

"Only one Taixue is short of 19 people. What about Kaifeng Mansion and other places?" Wang Gui asked.

"Not counted yet."

"So how about the off-site candidates?"

"Everyone is begging for a strict deadline."

Wang Gui asked, "Oh? It's such a big commotion, but someone took the lead?"

"The leaders don't want to say their names, but I know that there is a man named Zhang Yue in Taixue."

Wang Gui couldn't help thinking when he heard Zhang Yue's name.

Of course he already knew about Zhang Yue, and he had heard about Zhang Yue's articles and talents. The last time Zhang Yue went to his house to submit papers, Wang Gui happened to be away, otherwise he would have called to meet him.

Not only did Wang Gui know Zhang Yue well, he also knew that Zhang Yue was Ouyang Xiu's nephew.

It should be known that Wang Gui and Ouyang Xiu had a very close relationship in the past. In the second year of Qingli, Wang Gui participated in the Bietou test. At that time, Ouyang Xiu and Zhang Fangping were Wang Gui's chief examiners.

In the second year of Jiayou's reign, Wang Gui was the Tong Zhi's tribute judge, who was Ouyang Xiu.

The two stayed overnight for more than 50 days, and when they were bored, they sang poems to each other.

In the poem written by Wang Gui to Ouyang Xiu, it is said that when he went out 15 years ago, he is most honored to attend the East Hall today.

It means that I was a student of yours 15 years ago, and now we are examiners together. This is really an extremely honorable thing.

In addition to the relationship between Zhang Yue and Ouyang Xiu, Wang Gui also knew about Zhang Yue's engagement to Wu Chong's family through Ouyang Xiu's guarantee.

Wang Gui didn't speak yet, Fan Zhen said beside him: "I heard that Zhang Duzhi is very powerful in Taixue, Lu Zhidao relies on him as his left and right hands, it seems that he is not a person who makes trouble."

What Fan Zhen heard, it was Fan Zuyu who whispered it in his ear.

The official at the side quickly explained: "The villain didn't say that he caused trouble, he just reported the truth, and he didn't get involved with the clamoring people."

Wang Gui smiled slightly when he heard the words: "I know, this Zhang Duzhi is a courageous person, not to mention that if he doesn't know how to count the students, we don't know that even this student is short of so many people."

Wang Chou, who was at the side of Yushi Zhongcheng, asked: "Then what is the plan of the chief?"

Wang Gui thought for a while and said, "I recalled what my grandfather told me about the Zhenzong Dynasty. At that time, the late emperor asked the minister: 'How much is the world's tribute?'

’ Zaichen replied, “There are more than three thousand.”

'About the routine, the name geometry? '

'About one out of ten. '

The first emperor sighed and said: "There are tens of thousands of people who will fall. You must choose your own division carefully.'"

Speaking of this, Wang Gui paused and said: "There are tens of thousands of people who have fallen in time, and the late emperor can't let it go. He ordered him to be cautious and refused to miss a person with real talent and learning. Now the delay due to the wind and snow is unexpected. We How can you take away the hard work of these scholars for ten years with one sentence, what do you two think?"

Both Fan Zhen and Wang Chou said: "All follow the orders of the chief."

Wang Gui said: "Alright, tell the supervisor to wait another quarter of an hour. If you don't come again, I will do my best."

(End of this chapter)