Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 576 Hanyuan Hall sets up examination room
The Hall of Nourishing Heart,
In the imperial study room,

In the study room, the two people who replied were obviously stunned. They were here to listen to the holy teachings. His Majesty should not be the one to dictate everything. How could he ask such a question?
Especially Chu Nian, who is behind him, I thought that His Majesty would tell Enke the time for the exam, and Mr. Nan would just do it. Who would have thought that His Majesty would actually ask in return, maybe there was something else going on.

Chu Nian could think of why Nan Zixian, who was a bachelor of Wuying Palace, still didn't understand. His expression was slightly startled, his official uniform shook unconsciously, and there were two hair ribbons on his white temples. Falling, all express the inner tension.

"Your Majesty, after the great competition in the capital, Your Majesty issued an edict to open Enke. It has been more than two months. The original time for the provincial examination was set at the beginning of April.
Calculating the time has come, although things are going on in Beijing in April, students rushing to take the exams have entered the capital one after another, registered, and never left. Seeing that the time is approaching, if you wait any longer, I also think about the students rushing to take the exams. The money may not be enough. , at that time they were afraid of chaos, and how could the imperial court stop them? "

Nan Zixian thought for a while and expressed his worries. After all, he was the examiner appointed by His Majesty. After all, the exam should be held in April. If it were delayed, the students would get together and cause trouble because of the delay. , as for what happened in the capital, we can only turn a deaf ear.

"Oh, that's what you think. Let me ask you, have you heard about tonight's court meeting?"

Emperor Wu did not say whether he agreed or disagreed, and asked Nan Zixian what happened at the court tonight. He slowly put the tea bowl in his right hand into his mouth, took a sip of Yunwu tea, squinted his eyes slightly, and let People can't see their faces clearly.

Mr. Nan in the hall, with his waist hunched and his head lowered, only stared at His Majesty's movements with his peripheral vision. It was difficult to fathom what His Majesty meant by the Holy Heart.

He did hear about it last night. After all, it was the first time since His Majesty ascended the throne. Someone even beat the Dengwen drum. Everyone in the capital didn't know, and everyone in the capital didn't know. It was bold to be strict with officials and be careful. replied,
"Your Majesty, I have heard a little bit about it."

"Will it have any impact on Enke?"

"What Aiqing said is not unreasonable. In that case, there is also a palace in the east of the palace, Hanyuan Hall, which will be left to you. It will be used as the venue for the examination. I will take care of the arrangements. This will be enough. "

"As for the issue of financial expenses that you mentioned, I have ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to start tomorrow. All those who are enrolled in the Imperial Examination will be able to collect two taels of silver from the Yamen of the Military and Horse Division based on their signature in the examination room. This will be used to support their living expenses in Beijing. It’s considered a gift from me, what do you think?”

After speaking, his faint eyes looked at the two people in the hall with deep meaning. However, they bowed their heads and did not see this scene. The flickering firelight of the oil lamp on the royal desk looked a little dim.

Chu Nian followed His Majesty's words and thanked him, which made Zhou Shihong take a high look.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will strictly investigate the officials under my command. Those who dare to bend the law for personal gain and cheat will be severely punished."

But Emperor Wu didn't care about a palace at all. What he wanted was Enke's success. He suddenly thought of that boy Luo Yunhou. Although he was troubled by many things, having said that, if you have too many debts, you don't have to worry. If you have too many lice, you don't need to itch. There are many capable people. It's hard work, and we need to bear more burdens.

"You can use it as you please. Manage Enke well this time, and strictly scrutinize your officials. What happened last year must not happen. He dares to engage in favoritism and malpractice in the imperial examination. I will not spare him."

Nan Zixian said that Ling Ran was righteous, but he actually said that the matter of beating the Dengwen drum was irrelevant, which made Chu Nian behind him feel nervous. Mr. Nan said too much.

Nan Zixian and Chu Nian looked at each other and looked at each other, how could this happen? In this way, regardless of the distance of the road, as long as they meet the conditions and can take the exam, they will crawl over for the two taels of silver. Nan Zi was hesitant and said tentatively,
"Your Majesty is merciful. This move can solve the problem of students rushing to take the exams. However, Your Majesty, what I want to say is that if they really have to pay for them, I am afraid that the number of people in Enke will increase sharply this year, and the examination room space will not be enough.
Over the years, there have been more than a thousand candidates for the Shuntian Prefecture Provincial Examination. Before coming, I looked at the registration roster. This year, there are already more than two thousand people in Enke. If I have to pay for the money, I am afraid that the number will still increase. If there is a significant increase, the examination room may not be enough. "

"That's nice to say, but I don't plan to start the exam now. Things in the capital still need to be dealt with. The guest troops coming to Beijing from all over the country will arrive at a later date. We still need Wang Ziteng to lead the army south. I've done some calculations and it should be at the end of the month. At that time, wait until the army leaves before starting the exam."

"Replying to Your Majesty, I feel that the influence is somewhat large. In my opinion, it is dispensable. Enke is the hope of many people who are rushing to take the exam. They are all eager to display their talents in the exam room. Although there are rumors in the capital, , but in my heart, the imperial examination comes first, and everything else takes a back seat."

"That's right, Chu Nian, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty, the Hanyuan Palace is your Majesty's newly built palace. How can you arrange it for me? I dare not accept the order."

Chu Nian's words were perfect, compared with Nanzi's, and he made judgments. Emperor Wu felt comfortable listening to them. His words were pleasant and his words were comfortable. He was worthy of being a talented man from Wuying Palace, with a delicate mind.
"Hmph, you Chu Nian still speaks nicely, I like to hear it."

When Chu Nian heard His Majesty's question, he hurriedly bowed his hands and saluted.
"Returning to your majesty, I feel that what Mr. Nan said is very true. Encourage is rare, and many scholars who are rushing to take the exam are also anxious. When something happens, there will inevitably be various rumors saying that it will have no impact. I don't think so, and there is also the capital. The price of goods is a bit high, and the expenses incurred by those who rush to take the exam may not be enough. If it takes a long time, there will definitely be some complaints, so the time for the Enke exam to start still needs to be decided by His Majesty,"

The two of them were obviously a little surprised. They didn't expect His Majesty to delay it until the end of the month.

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty."

After hearing Nan Zixian's answer, Emperor Wu smiled. It was Nan Zixian who was still straightforward and straightforward.

Emperor Wu's words frightened the great scholars Nan Zixian and Chu Nian to kneel down immediately and asked His Majesty to take back his orders.

Zhou Shihong put down his tea bowl and continued to ask.

"this."

Seeing His Majesty's decisive look, Academician Nan Zixian knew that Your Majesty would definitely not take back his life. The matter was settled. After thinking about it, the examiners and inspection officials for all aspects of the imperial examination had been decided and were already in place in the capital. , I guess there will be no mistakes. The eunuch who will invigilate the examination will be the prince of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In this way, the expenses in the examination room will also be guaranteed.

"Okay, remember what you said. However, this year, Enke, I think that for the sake of safety, adding two more people, one as deputy judge and one as supervisor, will not interfere with you as the chief judge, so I will add him The two of them were placed in Hanyuan Hall to preside over Enke, what do you think?"

Nan Zixian was stunned and seemed at a loss. Are you going to add more people? Your Majesty is worried about us. Could it be that you have heard some rumors? Let’s talk to each other. These days, I have almost no free time in order to select invigilators. Everything is business as usual. Since Hanyuan Palace is mentioned, I should be worried about this.

Chu Nian, who was behind him, was a little anxious when he saw Mr. Nan was silent for a long time. He stretched out his hand and pushed Mr. Nan on the back. Nan Zixian was shocked, woke up, and hurriedly replied,

"I agree. Someone needs to be responsible for setting up the Hanyuan Hall as an examination room. It's my fault that I didn't consider it carefully and asked Your Majesty to worry about it. It's just my fault. I just don't know who your Majesty will arrange for someone to preside over the examination in Hanyuan Hall."

At the beginning, Emperor Wu was satisfied with what he said, and secretly wondered if Nan Zixian could speak too. But in the end, he was a little dissatisfied, and he remained the same.
"I think Enke is going to change this year. In the examination room of Hanyuan Palace, I want Marquis Luo Yun to be the chief judge, and the person to supervise is Marquis Xiangyang. In this way, Aiqing will not have to run in both directions. What do you think? Woolen cloth."

When the two of them heard that Wu Xun had intervened in Enke's matter, they were shocked. Could it be that Xungui was going to compete for Enke's right to preside over Enke? You know, the imperial examination has always been a matter within the civil service. Who would invigilate the examination? As the chief judge, he is the teacher of those students.
The traditional rules
All the students who have passed the exam have to go to the examiner's house to meet their teacher, and the examiner opens the door. When these students who pass the exam enter the house, the relationship between teachers and students is settled, and once it is decided, it cannot be changed.

In all the dynasties, there has never been a Wu Xun who could be recruited as a master. If this hole is opened, Wu Xun's power in the court will inevitably expand. Whoever gave His Majesty the idea should be killed.

Thinking of this,
Nan Zixian's face straightened, he straightened his body and said loudly,

"Your Majesty, the imperial examination is a major event for those who study in the world. There are many academies in our dynasty, and there are many students. They are involved in a wide range of things. In all dynasties, civil servants have been the examiners. They have inherited the way of heaven and practiced the studies of saints. How about To allow Mr. Xungui to serve as the examiner, isn’t this a reversal of yin and yang, which messes up the way of heaven?”

Chu Nian was frightened when he heard Mr. Nan's words. He gritted his teeth and spoke out,

"Your Majesty, I feel that what Mr. Nanda said is very true. This year, the number of Enke students rushing to take the scholar examination is the highest in history. It attracts the attention of the world and is a holy place in the hearts of scholars. I have never heard of Wu Xun as the master. The examiner's job is not to say no, but as the presiding official, he must be familiar with the teachings of the saints and the essence of writing articles. These are the most basic. It is not about wielding swords and guns and doing whatever he wants, for the sake of fairness. , the papers should be reviewed by civilian officials.”

Seeing the excited expressions of the two people, Emperor Wu looked up at them. Sure enough, civil and military affairs were incompatible. He was a little hasty, but he still had to work around it. Otherwise, if the imperial examination questions were leaked in the end, how would Luo Yunhou investigate the case? .

"What Aiqing said makes sense. I have no intention of replacing you. You have misunderstood."

"Uh, please ask Your Majesty to clarify my doubts."

The two of them didn't know how serious they were, so they spoke out together.

"You are still the chief examiner, and you will also mark the final result of the paper. Luo Yunhou is only responsible for the candidates in Hanyuan Hall. Being the chief examiner is only in name. After the paper has been reviewed, it needs to be presented to you. Besides, you also need to send officials. When I reviewed the papers in the past, Marquis Luo Yun couldn't sit there and review them one by one. He couldn't sit still either. It was really impossible. Chu Nian, you also go to Hanyuan Hall and stare at it. What do you think?"

The two of them still didn't understand what Emperor Wu meant. After all the talk, the chief judge of Hanyuan Palace was not the noble Luo Yunhou, and they wanted to object again. At the critical moment, Chu Nian behind him grabbed his sleeve. Chu Nian first opened his mouth,

"Replying to your majesty, I agree. Although I have never seen Luo Yunhou, I have heard about him for a long time. The marquis is a decent man and upright. As the head of the Hanyuan Palace, he does everything he can. The Marquis of Xiangyang is also known for his righteousness, so it doesn't matter. It’s inappropriate. Although I don’t quite understand your majesty’s arrangement, your majesty must have deep intentions and I will cooperate well with Marquis Luo Yun.”

"Well, Chu Nian still understands the truth. You went there as a jury. You still need to arrange the examination room. I will listen to you for the specific matters. If there are any problems that cannot be solved, just talk to Luo Yunhou,"

Looking at Nan Zixian again, his face was still red. Emperor Wu shook his head in his heart. He was too stubborn.

"This matter has been settled. Don't spread the word outside. It is a great achievement to handle the imperial examination with peace of mind. Don't make any mistakes. Okay, retreat."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take my leave."

Chu Nian responded and hurriedly tugged Master Nan's sleeve again. The latter reluctantly bowed and left.

The two of them exited the imperial study and hurried out of the Yangxin Palace. When leaving the palace, Nan Zixian couldn't bear it anymore.

"Chun Nian, what do you mean by this? Why did you agree to Luo Yunhou to be the chief examiner of Hanyuan Hall? Do you know that if this spreads out, what will you and I look like to the world's scholars?"

"Mr. Nan, please be patient and don't be impatient. Think about this. Even if the two of us disagree, His Majesty can change this idea. Since you can't change it, why should you bear it to the end? I'm sorry for you and me, Your Majesty. The two of them will not be able to live together for the rest of their lives."

Chu Nian had a look of helplessness on his face and could only offer kind words to persuade him, but Nan Zixian was obviously a villain in Chu Nian's words.

"How can you say that? As disciples of saints, we should argue with reason and make strong statements. If Wu Xun tastes the sweetness of this, we will not be able to drive him away even if we want to drive him away in the future."

Although Nan Zixian is on the side of the civil servants, what is more important is what he just said. The reason why the word "Zushi" is famous all over the world is because of its connotation. Behind him are thousands of disciples' former residences, and the officials and officials are intertwined to protect each other. A net is used to capture young talents from all over the world. They serve in local places and compete with nobles for supremacy. If they lose their local governance and support, the officials in the court will be like a tree without water. Sooner or later they will wither. If these are touched, it will be Dig the lifeblood of the civil service line.

Chu Nian couldn't understand what he heard, but he understood better. Nowadays, the two saints in the palace are silent, the courtiers outside the palace are competing for fame and fortune, and everyone has selfish motives. Who still remembers this.

"Mr. Nanda is dedicated to the public service, and I admire you from the lower officials. But Mr. Nanda, you have a clear name that can be spread all over the world. Have you ever really considered it for us officials? In the past, others took the imperial examinations, and I am the only one who can do it." As a bachelor of Wuying Palace, I have an empty reputation. It has not been my turn for more than ten years. Now I have an opportunity. Mr. Nan, we should not cherish this hard-won opportunity. Why are you so stubborn?"

Chu Nian had a sad look on his face. He had discussed this matter with Ji Mingping. If he and others were not qualified to be the presiding judge, the Li Party was in power in the past, but now the North and South Township Parties are competing, and perhaps there would be no place for us and others to gain a foothold.

Nan Zixian was speechless for a moment, and even more embarrassed. Looking at Chu Nian's face, his shame was beyond words.
"I have been negligent. We are not even qualified to participate in government affairs and party struggles. We have no rank. It is because I did not think carefully. In this case, I will not ask about Luo Yunhou when he comes. You can just take charge of Hanyuan Palace. I think the Marquis will not care about this, the civil servants know about it, let them fight for it."

"Thank you, sir."

Chu Nian bowed deeply to Mr. Nan!
(End of this chapter)