Great Tang Dynasty

Chapter 1668 Conspiracy Out

The ministers returned to the main hall, and all the candidates' essays had been collected and sent to Li Shimin.

Because there are not many people who have passed the Jinshi exam, it is not difficult to read these articles.

Moreover, Li Shimin only needs to take a quick look at the articles of many people. What he really cares about is the top three articles.

And the fact is indeed the case, there were no amazing performances before, and there were not many surprises for everyone in the palace test. Their articles are not surprising, they can only be said to be relatively stable.

In comparison, Di Xiaoxu's article was relatively better. After Li Shimin read it, he couldn't help but nodded.

He felt that Di Xiaoxu's articles were known for their strangeness, and in today's palace examination, it was even more unexpected.

If it wasn't for other people's articles later, Li Shimin would have announced Di Xiaoxu's ranking on the spot, number one.

However, Li Shimin did not do this, but even if he did not do this, Di Xiaoxu would not be able to get to the second place or to be the top pick.

After reading Di Xiaoxu's article, Li Shimin somewhat dispelled his doubts, and felt that Ma Zhou was very fair in doing things. This Di Xiaoxu did have real talents and real learning. If he has real talents and real learning, then let him enter the top three. It cannot be said that Ma Zhou was partial.

Thinking in his heart, Li Shimin picked up Song Tao's article, but after he took a few glances at it, his expression changed.

Song Tao's previous article was not beautiful. After reading it, his whole body would float comfortably, but now Song Tao's article is nonsense, not only nonsense, even the words are half written It's written in white, and it looks like neither fish nor fowl.

There is really no way for such a person to be associated with the previous Song Tao.

And the reason for this situation is that there is something tricky in it?
In the case of the imperial examination, as long as the examiner releases the water, it is very easy for the candidate to get a good result in the test. If you know the test questions in advance, can you find someone to write an article for you to memorize, and then write it out silently?
Now he seriously suspects that Song Tao's previous article was written by someone else, and he already knew the exam questions before.

As for this test question, apart from Li Shimin, only Qin Tian, ​​Zhang Lao and Sun Lao knew about it. Since both Zhang Lao and Sun Lao were under confinement, only Qin Tian had doubts.

Did the things I was worried about before happen like this?
It is not difficult to guess that this matter was even done by them, Qin Tian and Ma Zhou.

Li Shimin thought a lot, and the more he thought, the more ugly his face became.

Immediately afterwards, Li Shimin snorted, and after he snorted, the whole hall immediately fell silent, everyone kept silent, for fear that the emperor would be angry, only Li Tai acted very composed.

His plan was successful.

That Song Tao was actually one of his people. When Li Shimin chose Ma Zhou as the chief examiner, he asked Song Tao to apply to Ma Zhou for a banking paper, to gain Ma Zhou's favor, and to bind himself with Ma Zhou.

As long as he is bound with Ma Zhou, he can perform amazingly and write a very beautiful article during the exam, but during the palace exam, he has to show his feet and show his true ability Out.

As long as he showed his true abilities, his father would suspect that Ma Zhou was acting as a hindrance.

At that time, Ma Zhou, the chief examiner, was about to leave without food.

Now, Song Tao's article is nonsense, he wants to see how Ma Zhou will deal with this matter, a person he keeps saying is good, even a person who can be the number one scholar, but writes a nonsense Article, then did he bend the law for personal gain?

Qin Tian's expression froze slightly. When he saw Li Shimin's expression changed, he knew something had happened, and at this moment, he finally understood how Li Tai framed him and Ma Zhou.

It's just that now that I know this, it's too late to make amends. Now, who doesn't know the relationship between Song Tao and Ma Zhou?

He really didn't expect that Li Tai would use this method to frame Ma Zhou. This method is really a bit extreme. If there is a mistake in any link, it is impossible to succeed.

When Qin Tian was thinking about it, even when he was about to figure it out, Li Shimin finally spoke.

"Where is Song Tao?"

As soon as the order was issued, a candidate stood up tremblingly: "The grass...the grass people are here."

Li Shimin snorted: "I still know that I am a grassroots person. Come and see what you wrote. Today, in front of me and all the officials, read the article you wrote."

Song Tao didn't dare to refuse, so he could only read his article. After he spoke like this, the atmosphere in the whole hall suddenly became a little weird. Some people wanted to laugh, but they held back, and some looked proud. Some people were a little nervous, and the one who was nervous was naturally Ma Zhou.

He couldn't understand, how could Song Tao, who had such a beautiful rhetoric before, write such a nonsense article?

He suddenly felt that he was going to be blind, and he actually thought he was good.

Of course, at this time, he has also realized the existence of danger, and it can even be said to be a special danger.

There was not much written in an article, so Song Tao finished it in a short time. After he finished reading, Li Shimin looked at Ma Zhou and said coldly: "Ma Aiqing, this is the champion you recommended to me. This is the one you are very optimistic about. candidates?"

Obviously, Li Shimin really began to suspect that Ma Zhou was cheating for personal gain in the imperial examination.

After being asked by Li Shimin, most of the people in the court cast their eyes on Ma Zhou. At this time, Ma Zhou was very disturbed, but he forced himself to remain calm at this time.

After following Qin Tian for so long, he has already understood a truth, the more dangerous the situation is, the more important it is to keep calm.

Ma Zhou took a step forward and said, "Hui Sheng said, this Song Taochen had read his article before, and it was indeed good, so he was optimistic about him. I don't know what happened to the article in the palace examination, maybe it was him. It didn’t play well, maybe the article he gave to the minister before was written by someone else.”

Faced with this situation, you always have to justify yourself.

However, after Ma Zhou said this, Li Shimin snorted again: "If the course paper he submitted before was written by someone else, then what happened to the article he wrote in the examination room? Was it also written by someone else? You, the chief examiner, do you want to give me an explanation?"

Li Shimin really began to doubt Ma Zhou. He felt that someone had leaked the exam questions to Song Tao, and who else could leak the exam questions except Ma Zhou who was optimistic about him?
As for where Ma Zhou got the exam questions, it is also easy to find out.

(End of this chapter)