Traveling through Tianlong: Starting from the Zhenlong chess game

Chapter 406: Recruiting Scholars through the Imperial Examination
Zhezong's plan is this.

If he has an heir to inherit the throne in the future, then everything will be easy to say. As Zhou Gong's assistant to the young master, Zhao Mu continued to fulfill their dream of restoring the Song Dynasty to the glory of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

But if Zhe Zong didn't have time to give birth to a son. Then he was prepared with both hands.

The first is that he helped Zhao Mu clear all obstacles, and then passed the throne to Zhao Mu in a fair and just manner.

The second is that Zhezong failed. He did not have time to prepare to pass the position to Zhao Mu. Then he would leave Zhao Mu a secret decree to pass the throne. Then secretly send the emperor's seal to Zhao Mu. At that time, Zhao Mu followed his imperial edict and the emperor's seal, and ordered the whole country to lead the soldiers and horses of his feudal country to fight back, then overthrow the false emperor and seize the throne.

No matter which point you want to accomplish, you must first reward Zhao Mu. He not only wanted to reward Zhao Mu with official titles, military power, and land.

He is also planning to select a few noble female relatives to help Zhao Mu consolidate his personal relationship so that he can get the support of the noble group behind him in the future.

Zhe Zong looked at the doubts in Zhao Mu's eyes, and then asked: "Uncle, do you have any doubts that you want to tell me?"

Zhao Mu looked at Zhe Zong and said, "Since His Majesty asked, I will speak frankly. I always feel that Your Majesty has been a little strange these days."

Zhe Zong asked: "Oh? What's wrong with me?"

Zhe Zong said with a smile: "This is not surprising. The emperor's uncle is standing in the civil service train. Most of the top civil servants in the court are elderly, and the youngest is over forty. The emperor's uncle is standing Standing among them like a crane among chickens, it is naturally very conspicuous. "

Zhao Mu murmured: "Maybe. It's just that Wei Chen always feels that she has some conspiracy."

Zhao Mu replied: "I feel that Your Majesty has something important to hide from Wei Chen. If Your Majesty can trust Wei Chen, then Wei Chen is willing to share your worries for Your Majesty."

Zhe Zong shook his head and said: "Not much. According to the official system of our dynasty, Taishi, Taifu, Taiwei, Situ and Sikong are all of the first rank. Originally, I planned to promote the emperor's uncle to Taiwei, but the title of Taiwei was changed. The imperial sister asked for it for her husband, Prince Consort. Now I can't go back on my word and abolish his position as Taiwei, but it's the same as Grand Master."

Zhao Mu then said: "By the way, there is the second thing. I always felt that the Zhao Princess was a bit shady. She seemed to have known Wei Chen for a long time. As soon as she entered the door of the hall, she glanced at the civil and military officials. After class, I fell in love with Wei Chen at first sight."

The title of Grand Master that Zhao Mu is now canonized is half a level more expensive than that of Wang Anshi's Grand Master. This somewhat flattered Zhao Mu.

However, Zhezong stopped talking and Zhao Mu said no more.

Zhe Zong said with a smile: "Haha, uncle, you are worrying too much. I have a loyal minister like him, so what can I have to worry about? As for the reward, uncle, there is no need to doubt it. I am not a dog cooked by rabbits." Gou Jian, and the emperor's uncle deserves all those awards."

Zhao Mu continued: "Then I would like to thank Your Majesty, but the position of Grand Master is a bit too big."

Zhao Mu was very clear about the official positions in this dynasty. Although they were all first-class official titles, the official positions of Grand Master, Grand Tutor, and Shangshu Ling were generally conferred to respected elders of the three dynasties. The gold content is higher than that of the three permanent officials in the DPRK. For example, Wang Anshi held the title of Prime Minister and Grand Tutor during his lifetime.

Zhe Zong said: "If you have it, let it be. Respond to all changes by remaining unchanged, and the soldiers will swallow up the water and the earth. No matter what this Khitan woman is planning, as long as our monarchs and ministers are united, there will be no gap for her to take advantage of."

Zhao Mu smiled and said: "Haha, what your Majesty said is true."

Zhezong asked at this time: "Uncle, have you traveled far recently?" Zhao Mu shook his head and said, "Reporting to your majesty, everything outside has been settled. There is no need for me to worry about anything. I don't know if your majesty has any plans. What order?"

Zhezong said: "Now our Song Dynasty is prosperous, but in the future after we take over Xixia, Tubo, and Liao, there must be someone to govern and accept it. Therefore, I plan to add an enke in three months. Let the world The scholar came to Beijing to take the exam. I am busy with the reform of the military system and have no time to take care of anything else. Since the emperor's uncle has returned, I plan to appoint the emperor's uncle as the examiner and attend the imperial examination on my behalf. Do I share your worries?”

After Zhao Mu thought about it, he said: "Your Majesty, I am a warrior, but I cannot understand the beautiful articles of the officials. It would be okay if I were asked to do some learning by searching for chapters, excerpting sentences and quoting scriptures, but if I were to be the chief examiner, I would evaluate the articles. The articles written by the disciples are a bit difficult for Wei Chen."

Zhe Zong said: "Uncle, don't worry. I have prepared a deputy examiner for you. With him by your side, I believe that your uncle can successfully complete it."

Zhao Mu heard this and already guessed who the deputy examiner was.

Zhao Mu asked: "Your Majesty, is this deputy examiner Su Shi?"

Seeing Zhao Mu's words, Zhezong smiled and said: "Haha, uncle Huang is really a roundworm in my belly. You can guess how I arranged it. Not bad. I summoned Su Shi back this time, except for The second reason for showing off to Su Zhe was because of the incident involving Enke. Although Su Shi was not a serious person, he only thought about how to stew meat at home. Really good.”

Zhao Mu also smiled inwardly when he heard this and expressed his affirmation of Zhe Zong's opinion.

You can admire Su Shi's character and fun-loving personality. But the only thing that cannot be criticized is his cooking skills and literary talents.

Although Zhao Mu didn't know why Zhezong asked him to do this, he did not have anything important to do recently. It would be better to see how the imperial examination is used to select scholars.

Zhao Mu said: "Since there is a virtuous assistant, then the humble minister will accept the order."

Zhe Zong nodded upon hearing this.

After the uncle and nephew had breakfast together, Zhezong sent Zhao Mu home.

Zhezong also had his own intentions when he asked Zhao Mu, a military general, to preside over the imperial examination. It is indeed true to obtain scholars for the country, but Zhezong's biggest purpose is to cultivate the strength of his own followers for Zhao Mu.

Zhezong didn't care at all whether the imperial examination could select talented people this time, or whether there was any fraud. What he is interested in is the result of this imperial examination.

Historically, the first thing for high school students to select scholars through the imperial examination was not to go to the official department to report, nor to ride on horseback in the streets. Instead, go and learn from the examiner. As long as you succeed, the examiner who presides over the exam will be the master of the students. And those students promoted by the examiner are considered his students.

In the past, Di Renjie was famous all over the world because he usually presided over the imperial examination competitions during the Wu and Zhou Dynasties. Therefore, many senior officials, including Zhang Jianzhi, even though their positions are equivalent to his, still call him "mentor" in private.

Zhezong also prepared this encore for Zhao Mu. After the encore was over, he would take some of his soldiers and send them to local officials. Others stayed in the official department as candidates.

These people will be the civil servants who will serve under Zhao Mu in the future.

(End of this chapter)