Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 643: Capital Gongyuan Examination Hall
"Drive, drive,"

The driver swung his whip, and a loud whipping sound was heard. Many vendors on the street looked over curiously, and saw a group of mighty men and horses, riding on war horses, marching on the street.

Behind the team, there was also a carriage, and it looked like the noble man was going out.

The people on the road had already moved away and made way for them.

Zhang Jinyu was sitting lazily in the carriage, always feeling like she had nothing to do. She looked around and saw that the carriage didn't even have snacks or cakes for herself. She had to take out the water bag and unscrew the lid. He took a big sip.

then,

He opened the curtain and looked outside, but he didn't see anyone on the street. It was different from usual, so he asked;
"Hey? Why are there so many fewer people on the street today? Where are those students who often gather and chat? Ningbian, look at it, don't you?"

It’s not surprising that Zhang Jinyu was surprised. Today’s capital has long been overcrowded, with scholars rushing to take exams, merchants from all over the country, and even many promoted officials coming to the capital.

say nothing else,

The price of a house in the capital is one per day. If the Ministry of Internal Affairs had not followed its own plan to provide rental houses to the officials in the capital, many officials in the capital would not even have a place to live. A few days ago, my father-in-law heard that Your Excellency's letter: Nowadays, as long as there are repaired houses, there are people vying to apply for them.

I just don’t know if these people who applied are really in need of a house, or they are just trying to be second-tier dealers. After all, you can make a lot of money by doing this.

Chu Nian was sitting on the other side. He also reached out to lift the car curtain and looked out. It was indeed as the Marquis said. Except for some ordinary people on the street, the rest of the people were really gone.

"There are fewer people. The students didn't come. They must have gone to the Five Cities Military and Horse Division to exchange for examination tickets and get payment. After they have collected these, they should come out again. But the people are also fewer. The official thinks that they should It’s related to what happened last night,”

Thinking of what happened last night, Eunuch Zhao, the Royal Horse Supervisor, ransacked the homes of many wealthy businessmen. This was quite a commotion. The people were frightened last night and how could they have the courage to come out again.

Zhang Jinyu hummed, what happened last night was that Zhao Si led the imperial army to ransack the house. I don’t know how much money the old eunuch had embezzled, but he saw what Mr. Chu meant and there was something in his words, so he asked;

"Huh? Mr. Chu, do you have any opinion? What does this have to do with the fact that the people don't come out?"

Just ask casually,
Chu Nian took it seriously, turned around and sat upright, cupped his hands and said;
"Master Marquis, don't you hear that crimes should be punished in accordance with the law? Although wealthy merchants are guilty, they will still have to be interrogated and arrested by the government and punished according to the laws of martial law. How can we send out people from the Imperial City Department to use the imperial army to attack? This is against the way of a saint."

Looking at Chu Nian, who looked upright, Zhang Jinyu couldn't help but have a headache. He was not afraid of nerds, but he was afraid that such an official with an official position and ideals seemed to make no sense.

"Ahem, Mr. Chu is right. Unfortunately, with Enke around the corner, prices in the capital have soared. Normally, a bowl of noodles can satisfy you for three yuan, but now a bowl of noodles can cost you ten yuan. Mr. Chu can't do anything about this. Know,"

Zhang Jinyu coughed and talked about nothing else but the snacks at roadside stalls. Zhang Jinyu himself has eaten almost all the snacks from various places in the capital. They are high quality, cheap and delicious. Nowadays, even the food at these stalls, It has more than tripled, let alone other places.

"Ah, this, Mr. Marquis, I don't know that the price will increase so much, but I can't lose the dignity of the court. After all, the students are rushing to take exams, and the court has also issued expenses."

Chu Nian had a look of surprise on his face. His wife had always taken care of the expenses of the house. He had never cared about this. The Marquis said it so clearly. He shouldn't be lying. He didn't expect those profiteers to just do this. , isn’t it true that everyone in the capital is in danger? After all, no one knows who will be ransacked next.

"Decent, what is decency? What you give is what I give. Haha, oh, Mr. Chu, if you want to be decent, you have to have a right heart. You need to learn the knowledge of the saints, and they also need to learn their behavior. You can't learn half of it." Dao, everything will be fine. What happened last night, if there are no ghosts in your heart, are you still afraid of ghosts knocking on the door? "

Zhang Jinyu laughed at her indifferently, they are just some sanctimonious villains!
If it were him who ransacked his house and didn't cause any trouble for him and embarrass them, he would be merciful.

Chu Nian's face turned red with embarrassment, and he was speechless for a moment. He hated these things the most, but no one was perfect, and corrupt officials had been banned for a long time in every dynasty. How could they be controlled? There were thousands of kinds of scholars, so they couldn't be lumped together.
"What the Marquis said is reasonable, but no one can make mistakes without being a sage. I believe that those who read the books of sages have good thoughts in their hearts and cannot be treated as the same. However, throughout the dynasties, the disaster of eunuchs has caused disasters in the palace. Have to guard against it.”

Zhang Jinyu then turned his head and looked at the civil servant in front of him. This was what he wanted to say. The disaster of eunuchs was originally caused by Zhao Gao of the Qin Dynasty. It has happened in all dynasties, but now it seems that it is under the control of His Majesty and the Supreme Emperor. There are really no signs of this. Let’s just say that those people from the Imperial City Division, how could they dare to go there without His Majesty’s permission.

The reason why the civil servants are afraid is that they have done too many bad things and are afraid that they will be caught by the spies of the Imperial City. The same is true for the governors and envoys of the vassal kings in various places. Even outside the customs, if Lao Shen is not bold, tut, tut, it will be the same.

"Well, what I thought and said is correct, but these are the matters that the elder should take care of. Mr. Chu, let's make arrangements for the imperial examination. The Gongyuan is here."

Zhang Jinyu had no intention of chatting with Chu Nian here. The civil servants had not yet reached the stage of taking power. Let’s talk about the disaster of eunuchs later. She shouted to the people outside,
"Go back to Lord Marquis, and you'll be there just around the corner,"

"Well, dismount wherever you arrive, then remember the terrain, and then go back to the palace to see how Hanyuan Palace has been modified."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

When Chu Nian saw Marquis Luo Yun cut off his words, he knew it was interesting and stopped talking about it. He knew that the Marquis did not agree with it.

What happened last night was so big, now those cabinet elders must have received the letter, and they don't know how to respond. Then I thought about the words of the Marquis, and suddenly a word came out, insatiable!
"Master Xuhou, we have arrived."

"it is good,"

Zhang Jinyu didn't care about Chu Nian. He opened the curtain and walked out directly. He got off the carriage and looked to the north. Passing through the towering gatehouse, his eyes suddenly opened up and a huge courtyard came into view.

It is no less than the standard of a royal palace, with a vermilion gatehouse and a big loudspeaker on the side.

It seems to have the meaning of a carp leaping over the dragon's gate!

behind,

Chu Nian also hurriedly got out of the car and came to the Marquis, "Master Marquis. This is the Gongyuan Courtyard where scholars have always rushed to take scientific examinations. Enter this vermilion gate and you will see it inside."

"It's really nice. It looks impressive. Come on, let's go in and take a look."

"Yes, Lord Marquis,"

Zhang Jinyu took a step forward and walked in. The yamen guard guarding the gate still wanted to stop him. Chu Nian hurried over and waved his hand. When the yamen servant saw it was Mr. Chu, he immediately stepped back and opened the gate.
The gate of Gongyuan is composed of several vermilion railings. On the railings are engraved the names of famous people who have won the imperial examination for thousands of years. Some of these names have been erased, and some are still clearly visible.

It's a strange news. After passing through the gate, there are small houses neatly arranged on both sides.

There are ten characters on the lintel of the door: "One Yuan and the rank are known all over the world", which means that as long as you pass the imperial examination, you can become an eternal talent and be famous throughout the world.

When you first enter the courtyard, the inner walls are painted with various cultural patterns, which is very elegant.

After all, it was the first time for Zhang Jinyu to come in. He was a little curious. After entering the door and entering the courtyard, his eyes suddenly opened up and a huge courtyard came into view.

The courtyard is surrounded by three layers of outer walls, including an outer thorn wall, an inner thorn wall, and a brick wall. There are also watchtowers at the four corners of the Gongyuan, which should be used for surveillance.

It looks like a prison where many scholars taking the exam are trapped.
In the central square, there is a huge bronze tripod with the four characters "Golden List Title" engraved around it. The mouth of the tripod is filled with smoke, and the dragon pattern is looming in the smoke, making it look very mysterious.

The building on the east side of the courtyard is the examiner's hall of the ancient imperial examination Gongyuan. There are simple wooden furniture in the hall. Officials are seated according to their rank, in an orderly manner, like rows of military camps. The teahouse on the south side of the Gongyuan is mainly located in Before the examination, it provided tea and a place for the scholars to relieve themselves from the heat.

Got it all! It's just better than imprisonment.
It's a bit difficult to handle.

"Master Chu, the Gongyuan is so big, these rows of houses are too small,"

Zhang Jinyu pointed at the small house, and it was half empty. A large template was placed in front of it. There was a small kang and a toilet inside. Damn, food and accommodation were all inside. Some houses were located close to the toilet. That smell,

"Master Marquis, this has always been the case for imperial examinations. No matter who comes here, it is the same. They eat, drink, and have sex inside. They can't leave until they hand in their papers. Master Marquis, please take a look."

Mr. Chu is used to it, and I think it was the same when they came here for reference. Some people brought too few clothes and caught cold at night. The next day, they had wind and cold and fever. Many people fell ill after taking the exam, and some couldn't bear it. Live here and go west,
I walked to a small house where candidates lived, reached out and lifted up the template, and the wooden board lifted up. Then I put it on the place where I was sitting. The place where I could sit became a place where I could lie down. It was very convenient. that is,
Zhang Jinyu glanced at the bare stone walls around him and shook his head. It was so miserable.
"Master Marquis, this is where candidates take the exam. Basically, the exam is held at the beginning of spring before the rainy season. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the candidates when it rains and the wind blows."

Chu Nian also felt this. He thought that they were one month late back then. During the rainy season, not only was it slippery and muddy, but when the wind blew, the test paper was covered with water, and all the hard work was wasted. Just because he was careful and handed in all the papers. Only then were they able to be admitted, but many of the more talented ones ended up losing their reputations, and there was nothing they could do.

Zhang Jinyu had a look of disgust on her face. She walked in and looked around, but she saw cold stone walls. She sat down on the wooden board, stiff and cold.

Staying here this night, when the wind blows, if you don’t have something to keep out the cold, not to mention the wind chill, you will also have a high fever. No wonder Jia Zhu of the Rongguo Mansion didn’t hold on. How has the young master of the Duke of the Kingdom ever suffered such a crime? Hanmen It makes sense that there are many places for admission.

There was still that smell. I glanced at the toilet next to me. There was still a layer of dirt on it and the smell was unpleasant.

"What about eating and drinking?"

"Master Marquis, the candidates entering the venue must bring their own food and drink. If the water they use is gone, Gongyuan can provide it, but food is basically not provided. As for people with three emergencies, this is the only way to deal with it."

Chu Nian understood what Mr. Hou meant, pointed to the toilet next to the bed and said, "Every time is a fixed day. Unless you hand in your papers and leave midway, you are not allowed to leave this room under any circumstances."

Zhang Jinyu couldn't say anything. This wasn't new now. The imperial examination was passed down from the Sui Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. After that, it became more and more perfect. It should be more thoughtful than he thought.
Hearing that water was provided to the students, he asked;
"By the way, the drinking water you mentioned is provided by Gongyuan. Is it hot water or cold water?"

Zhang Jinyu couldn't help but wonder. Although Jia Zhu was exposed to the cold, as a young master of the Duke's Mansion, it was not easy to bring more clothes, even a mink fur coat. After entering the tribute courtyard, he huddled up in the coat and endured it for half the night. Yes, after getting up early, drink some hot water to get rid of the cold. How could you be so sick?
No wonder Zhang Jinyu was curious. Even after Jia Zhen was detained, the palace had no intention of releasing her. This meant that Jia Zhen's future was cut off. Your Majesty should still be considering who should receive this title, but he didn't know. How did Jia Zhu die? The death of the eldest son of the second wife was so strange. It seemed like he was right after he passed the imperial examination. We need to investigate this matter carefully when we get back.

"Back to Lord Marquis, usually when the weather is hot, Gongyuan provides cold water from the well, and when the weather is cold, it provides hot water. As for the current weather, there is no fixed number of whether it can be hot or cold."

Chu Nian was a little surprised. Why did the Marquis ask about this matter? It was easy to answer. There were several large wells in the tribute courtyard, and when the barbecue was started, a bonfire would be set up in the center of the courtyard to boil hot water and supply it to the officials. There is nothing wrong with using it for lighting and heating at night.
"The Marquis is worried about the food and drink expenses of the candidates. There is no solution to this matter. The Marquis, even the officials who enter the Gongyuan, invigilate and inspect the exams, have to bring their own dry food. They can only go out unless they are promoted to Longmen, otherwise Longmen will definitely It’s not open.”

Afraid that the Marquis would not understand the rules, Chu Nian explained again,
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Zhang Jinyu's face suddenly turned ugly. What, even the examiner can't come out. Who stipulates this thing? Damn it, it's so inhumane. According to the examiner entering the venue one day in advance, it doesn't take five days before and after. , after all, I still have to mark the papers, which takes a lot of time.

Just thinking about it gives me a headache. I really feel like I'm looking for trouble. Thinking about the dry food, the dog won't even eat it.

"Well, Mr. Chu, do these examiner officials pay attention to their meals?"

"Well, there is nothing special about returning to the Marquis. Just eat enough. However, the examination is the same as for candidates. You must not bring any other letters or other things with you."

Chu Nian introduced it calmly. After all, it was the first time for Mr. Hou to participate in the main trial. As a deputy trial, he made a mistake but was equally guilty.

Zhang Jinyu touched his chin. He wanted to light a bonfire in the tribute courtyard here. A place as big as Hanyuan Palace must have a courtyard. In this way, hot dishes can also be eaten. They didn't say they couldn't bring them.
This is easy.

"That's good. I still have my own soldiers. You guys can check and verify your identity. When the time comes, Mr. Chu, you can follow me to eat and drink spicy food. Let's go and take a look inside."

Zhang Jinyu's face lit up, and she patted Mr. Chu on the shoulder. Mr. Chu didn't know why, so he could only nod and smile;

"Then I'd like to thank you, Lord Marquis!"

(End of this chapter)