Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 191 "As You Like It"

"No, no, this is absolutely not possible."

"Just once, just this once, never again."

"It's really not possible. If I do this, I will be impure. What's the difference between me and those shameless people?"

"What does it matter? Anyway, this kind of thing is just like that. Just bear with it and it will be fine."

In his study room, Fang Chongyong looked at Li Kui, whom he had not seen for a long time, with a strange expression. He felt strange that this "little cousin" of Wang Yunxiu's family refused his proposal.

It can only be said that everyone understands the imperial examinations of the Tang Dynasty.Without backstage help, it is absolutely impossible for you to win.

But it is not necessarily possible to have a backend, because there is also an exchange of interests between the backends, and how to choose between them is a big knowledge.

At this time, it depends on the candidates' own abilities.Whether it's your own strength or off-the-beaten-path tricks, you have to be good at it.

So if you say this imperial examination is unfair, it is indeed a routine from top to bottom; but from a certain perspective, it is particularly "fair" and conforms to the competition rules of the feudal era.Backstage and family background are also part of one's own strength.

"Actually, I am doing this to help you. After all, you are also a cousin of Mrs. X."

Fang Chongyong said with an inscrutable expression.

"Brother-in-law, stop playing around. If you take part in the imperial examination, you are not guaranteed to win the first place. You have already been a governor. If you fail, the imperial court will be disgraced. You may not be able to pass the imperial examination. Big change, you are going to kill a group of people!"

Li Kui begged with a wry smile.

Fang Chongyong said that he could win the first place, or even win the first prize, and Li Kui believed it.

Based on the other party's past qualifications, holy family background, and family background, there is no doubt that no one can compete with him.Even if he misses, the sage can "correct" him immediately by just asking.

But, you didn’t even take the exam, and you hired someone to take the exam on your behalf. Isn’t that a bit too arrogant?

"You are not playing around. Tomorrow you take the exam in my place. As long as I can get the first prize, the examiners will know that you have a strong background. Next year, it will be easy for you to win the imperial examination."

Fang Chongyong said very confidently. These words directly hit the pain point of Li Kui's imperial examination in recent years: he has been on the imperial examination blacklist.It will never be possible to pass the exam without being "whitewashed".

As for why Li Kui was on the imperial examination blacklist, it was naturally caused by carrying the coffins of the three unlucky guys who "killed three sons in one day" under Brother Ji.

And this time, as a "gunman", he took the imperial examination for Fang Chongyong. As long as he can win the first prize, then these examiners and officials in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel will know that this person has a holy family, and the chance of passing the imperial examination next time will be great. .

Hearing this, Li Kui also fell into deep thought.Of course he knows that he has been unlucky in the past few years, not because he failed to pass the exam, but because some people still hold on to the "Old Almanac" and think that he is a person disgusted by the saints and deliberately do not give him a chance.

"Really okay?"

Li Kui asked doubtfully.

He was now like a good-natured woman who was about to be dragged into trouble. She had already sat on the edge of the bed and was still asking her adulterer if he had any infectious diseases.

"It really can't be true anymore. The sage's golden words say that he will hit the target."

Fang Chongyong said in a low voice.

Li Kui was overjoyed, this wave was really extremely stable!

"Then... what should I do if the examiner asks me?" Li Kui asked, still a little worried.

"As long as you are not embarrassed, it is others who are embarrassed."

Fang Chongyong laughed and said.

Li Kui nodded, accepting this "errand". He knew very well that there would be no such store after passing this village, and he had the right not to void it after expiration.If you don't do things for others, why should others push you during the imperial examination?

No matter what Fang Chongyong's plan is, he has served as governor and is favored by saints. His father Fang Youde is a military governor. These will not change for the time being.It is only right to use this relationship to climb up quickly.

"Don't worry, just go to the exam safely. I believe that not many of the candidates know you."

Fang Chongyong suddenly remembered that when he was the general of Zuo Jinwu Guards, he seemed to have appeared in front of a large group of imperial examination candidates.But those people probably didn't expect that the former governor, the former Zuo Jinwu Wei Zhonglang General, would also take the imperial examination, right?

"Don't worry, it's all trivial, trivial."

Fang Chongyong gently patted Li Kui's shoulder and said.

……

The location of the imperial examination was in Shangshu Province in the early Tang Dynasty, and the results were announced at Duanmen of the imperial city.Since the 24th year of Kaiyuan, in order to strengthen the management of imperial examinations, the imperial court began to establish the Gongyuan Yuan in the Ministry of Rites, which was in charge of the registration, examination, and issuance of examination results, and had a special seal.

It can be regarded as strengthening the imperial examination system.

Gongyuan is located in the northeast of Chang'an Imperial City and south of Shangshu Province. It faces south and is surrounded by thorn hedges.

This morning, the Zhuque Gate located in the middle of the south of the Imperial City, facing Zhuque Street, slowly opened.All candidates who passed the identity verification entered quietly one by one.Half an hour later, the gate of Gongyuan will open, and this year's "non-customized imperial examination" will be held here.

"Strange, why didn't I see Fang..."

Du Fu, who was sitting in a wheelchair, got stuck mid-sentence and didn't know what to call Fang Chongyong.

Fang Shijun?
Fang Chongyong is no longer the governor.

General Fang?
Fang Chongyong is not the general of Jinwu Guard now.

Brother Fang Xian?
It seems a little bit cliché, almost frivolous, and not very respectful.

"It's Mr. Fang."

Yuan Jie added.

"Yes, yes, it is indeed Mr. Fang."

Du Fu's face flushed with excitement. When he remembered that his poem "stunned the audience" at the banquet hosted by the right minister that day, he felt that this imperial examination was absolutely foolproof!
Right Prime Minister Li Linfu even came to their table to toast in person, and encouraged Du Fu and Yuan Jie to "take the exam well". In fact, they already understood what this meant.

Now, they are also candidates surrounded by powerful people, and they are on the same starting line as other people who use the back door.

No, he was even slightly ahead.

"Well, Fang Chongyong, right? Your identity has been verified, let's enter the examination room."

A middle-aged examiner wearing a red official robe said to Li Kui, who was wearing a brocade robe, that the examiner had already read the "family status" handed over by the other party and recorded personal information, and had carefully checked and "checked" it.

The "Family Statement" is issued by the Ministry of Rites after reviewing the candidate's personal situation. It contains the candidate's name, age, place of origin, father's name, father's official position, number of exams, location, appearance, etc.Equivalent to "admission ticket".

Is this person Fang Chongyong?

Du Fu and Yuan Jie looked at each other. The man in front of the Gongyuan Gate was more than a head shorter than Fang Chongyong, and the other differences were even greater.

This horse riding joke is too big!
Could it be that someone is pretending to be someone else?How dare you dare to replace Fang Chongyong?

The two of them were puzzled, but they watched quietly.

However, they soon saw another official wearing a red official robe, stopped "Fang Chongyong", and then said with a straight face: "Stop, you are not Fang Chongyong, you are Li Kui. I participated in the Spring Festival last year. I recognize you."

"Yan Zhenqing! Don't mess with things. This is not your Yushitai's yamen, and you can't control things here!"

The imperial examination examiner was anxious and quickly stepped forward, pulled Yan Zhenqing aside and scolded him.

"Miao Jinqing, who gave you the courage to not care if a candidate pretends to be someone else?"

Yan Zhenqing asked solemnly.

He was the censor last year and was responsible for supervising the imperial examinations. He happened to know this Li Kui.

However, Yan Zhenqing was promoted this year and was already a censor in the palace, responsible for supervising all kinds of illegal and irregular things during court meetings.

For example, the emperor was late to court, did not arrive, and left early; officials wore the wrong court uniforms, their clothes were not in compliance with regulations, they whispered to each other after attending court, and so on.It seems that the responsibility is great, but in fact, the authority has been cut off a lot!
He has no control over Gongyuan's affairs at all.

"I act according to my conscience, and you can't control it. Leave immediately, otherwise I will accuse you of interfering with the imperial examination!"

Miao Jinqing threatened Yan Zhenqing.

"Okay, okay! You do have the ability, so just wait and see."

Yan Zhenqing, who was full of anger, shook his sleeves, turned around and left!

He stayed there for nine days at the saint's birthday banquet, going every night, but failed to find a chance to talk to the saint. Such an atmosphere was not conducive to impeaching An Lushan for his misdeeds in Hebei!

Since Zhang Jiuling, no one in the central government has been able to stand up and point out the saint's mistakes, and Chaogang has become increasingly corrupt.

There was no Zhang Jiuling inside, and no virtue outside. The corruption of the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty was already visible to the naked eye.No matter inside or outside, they are all like flies and dogs.

Now, a rich and powerful kid openly lets a gunman take the exam for him!Such horrifying things are truly unheard of in the more than 100 years since the founding of the Tang Dynasty!

This is an extremely egregious event that fundamentally breaks the rules of the imperial examination. We must not sit idly by and ignore it!
Yan Zhenqing swore that he would never tolerate adultery!

Fang Youde wrote to Yan Zhenqing, saying that he would not be able to return to Chang'an until October or November.

In the letter, Fang Youde told Yan Zhenqing that civil unrest broke out in Yangzhou, and the local government deceived the superiors and concealed it, so that the civil unrest has now spread.

However, all the soldiers and horses in the Tang Dynasty were in border towns, and the internal armaments were empty. There were no military arrangements and no troops to mobilize.Officials at all levels probably did not report the matter and were waiting for the civil unrest to subside on its own.

After he has finished handling these matters, he will return to Chang'an to report to the saint.

Fang Youde emphasized that he was quelling the chaos, collecting evidence at the same time, and was stationed in Yangzhou City.

I hope Yan Zhenqing won't reveal the matter for the time being, because then he will get rid of a large number of moths in the court.

Yangzhou has been prosperous since ancient times, so why did civil unrest break out?
Yan Zhenqing was also puzzled by this problem, and he didn't hear any news in Chang'an.Probably, those people and Fang Youde had temporarily reached a consensus.

Fang Youde organized training and united troops to quell the chaos, but they concealed the matter and did not report it.

"In the prosperous times, such weird things happened. Yangzhou is a land of plenty and there is no shortage of food and clothing. You can pick up money when you walk on the road. How can there be chaos?"

Yan Zhenqing sighed with emotion.

Suddenly, he stopped and remembered the name he just heard.

"Fang Chongyong!"

Yan Zhenqing hurriedly returned to the gate of Gongyuan and saw many pieces of paper densely pasted on the wall of Gongyuan, with the names of the candidates taking the exam written on them.He searched for a long time and finally saw the words "Fang Chongyong" in an inconspicuous position at the end.

"This, this, this! This is!"

Yan Zhenqing, who had always been calm and composed, suddenly lost his calm expression!

Of course he knew that Fang Chongyong was the son of Fang Jieshuai and was quite talented. He served as the governor of Ganzhou at a young age, and also served as the governor of Shazhou in Shazhou, Hexi for four years. When he returned to Chang'an, he served as the general of the Jinwu Guard.

This person's future is more than limitless!
Why did he appear on the imperial examination list of Gongyuan!
Yan Zhenqing was frightened.

A young man with such rich officialdom experience, who has already reached the rank of fourth-grade governor and general of the Jinwu Guard, actually came back to take the imperial examination!
What's even more disgusting is that he actually asked someone to take the exam for him!
What kind of operation is this?

If such a person with rich official qualifications failed to pass the imperial examination, does that mean that the imperial examination system itself is unfair and unreasonable, and that it cannot select people suitable for officialdom?

Yan Zhenqing thought about this as she walked.He suddenly realized that it was best not to go to the emperor to complain!

As an official who was promoted to Jinshi in the 22nd year of Kaiyuan (734 AD), Yan Zhenqing should resolutely uphold the imperial examination system, whether from his own background or from his own ideas!

Once Fang Chongyong fails to pass the imperial examination, officials from Mengyin will definitely use this as an excuse to attack the imperial examination system!
This is no small matter!

Yan Zhenqing somewhat understood why Fang Chongyong wanted to find a candidate who had been taking the imperial examination for many years to take the exam for him.This fig leaf really cannot be lifted off!

The things tested in the imperial examination have no necessary connection with the ability to be an official.People like them, who were born in Jinshi, knew this kind of thing tacitly.

Historically, it was not until Li Deyu became prime minister in the middle and late Tang Dynasty that he openly criticized the imperial examination system as useless and unable to select talents. The content of the examination would never be used again as long as he passed the examination.

Obviously knowing that this person is looking for a gunman to take the exam, knowing clearly that this is blatant cheating, but due to emotion, reason and law, he has to cover it up!
After Yan Zhenqing understood this, he suddenly felt that the sun and the moon were upside down, and his three views were shattered!

"Oh, why is this?"

He couldn't help sighing.

Fang Chongyong may have the ability to be an official, but as long as he takes part in the imperial examination, his lack of ability in the examination will be exposed.And he is definitely the one who will win. When others take out his papers to compare, what will be the effect?
Thinking of this, Yan Zhenqing suddenly discovered that Fang Chongyong was quite "sensible".Yan Zhenqing knew that Li Kui was really talented, so at least he ranked No. 1 on his test paper, which would not cause any controversy.

There was no controversy between the court and the candidates, and he quietly passed the exam and became a Jinshi. Wouldn't this ending be "happy for everyone"?
"That's it."

Yan Zhenqing shook his head in disappointment. All the ambitions he had when he was a Jinshi in junior high school were blown away by the wind and rain.Now, he has also learned not to do useless things at certain times.

(End of this chapter)