Prince of Song Dynasty

Chapter 586
(I wish my brothers a happy Spring Festival, good health, happy family, and wealth! In addition, I am very grateful to the old brothers 'Weihushan Laoba' and 'Gentle Crazy' for their generous support and monthly ticket support.)
For the past ten days, Tao Gu had been arguing for a long time with Lu Duoxun and Xu Xuan about the examination questions of this subject, and it was not until yesterday that the subject of Jinshi was decided.After the Great Song Dynasty unified the Central Plains and Jiangnan, the Emperor personally arranged the first talent show ceremony, and the entire world's scholars were watching, and no one dared to ignore it lightly.The setting of the topic is related to all aspects.For example, the direction of the emperor's recent attention, the most urgent issues that need to be considered by the Song Dynasty, and so on.

Getting up from the bed, the little official sent to serve him brought a washbasin towel and green salt for washing.Brushing his teeth with green salt on his fingers, Tao Gu missed the toothbrush and tooth powder produced by Ye's Workshop that he usually used at home.

Since Ye Chen had nothing to do more than a year ago, he invented toothbrush and tooth powder for his own convenience and for the Fuzhong to have another way to make money at that time.Today, the entire Song Dynasty, even the big Khitan country in the north, Dali in the southwest and other small countries and small clans, as long as they are officials, nobles, wealthy businessmen, gentry, etc., have become accustomed to using toothbrushes and tooth powder.But this Gongyuan still followed the old rules in the past, and even forgot to prepare.While brushing his teeth with blue salt in pain, Tao Gu thought about waiting for a chance to beat the moths in the Gong Yuan after the ceremony exam.

It's fine if it's the chief examiner.Tao Gu was already very tired of being Lu Duoxun's deputy and being locked in the temporary tribute courtyard for more than half a month, living inconveniently.Although today is the day of the entrance examination for Jinshi, it will take quite a long time until he is freed.

The Jinshi Ritual Examination is the earliest, and three days later, it will be the final special exam.The task of proctoring the examination by Lu Duosun and others will continue until seven days later.And the marking work will continue until late May.

"It's still early..."

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Kou Zhun came out from the back door of Ye Mansion very low-key, and brought an extremely handsome young companion with him. When he arrived at the examination room, it was just after the fourth watch, the sky was still dark, and the air was even colder.However, the Ministry of Rites examinations in the Song Dynasty in Zhao Kuangyin's period ended within one day, so the opening would be very early, unlike the mid-to-late Northern Song Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty, which had to take the examination for three consecutive days.

On the one hand, this is due to the difference in the examination subjects. On the other hand, it is also because the Song Dynasty was founded not long ago, and there was no formal tribute courtyard in Kaifeng City.How many exams in the past ten years have either borrowed the residence of the Imperial College or occupied the place of the Temple of King Wucheng.

It is indeed a tragedy to take an exam in a small room like a pigsty in a kennel.Fortunately, the test is only for one day and one night. Although eating, drinking and lassing are all included, it is still acceptable.Kou Zhun rejoiced secretly in front of the gate of the temporary tribute courtyard.

Across a hundred or so Imperial Guard soldiers, he looked at a bunch of red apricots protruding from the courtyard wall of the Imperial College.Illuminated by the lights surrounding the courtyard wall, the branches of the apricot tree are decorated with more than a dozen half-red and half-yellow apricots, which are particularly eye-catching.

At this moment, someone chanted a poem behind him: "The beauty of the garden can't be hidden, and a bunch of yellow apricots come out of the wall."

A scholar in his twenties who was half a head taller than Kou Zhun recited poems and came to Kou Zhun's side. Seeing that he had attracted Kou Zhun's attention, he bowed to Kou Zhun and said, "My lord, Gao Jianwen, this This little brother is so young, he has the qualifications to take the tribute college exam, I don't know where he is."

Kou Zhun returned a salute and reported his name first: "Little brother Kou Zhun, I have seen brother Taiwan."

Then, without answering, he said: "There is no beautiful garden in the Imperial College, but the spirit of killing is very heavy. Oh... The poem that Xiongtai read just now... is very interesting."

A smug look appeared on Gao Jianwen's face, but he still pretended to be modest and said: "Brother Kou has won the award, this is just a casual work, not elegant."

The handsome young man next to Kou Zhun snorted, and cursed thick-skinned and hypocritical in his heart.

Kou Zhun smiled, and said nothing more on this matter, "Brother Jianwen, you are very at ease, and you don't seem to be going to take an exam at all."

Gao Jianwen looked up at the sky, with a look of openness: "It doesn't matter if you succeed or you fail. At this point, it's useless to think about it. Sometimes you have to have something in your life, and you can't force it when you have a life."

Kou Zhun shook his head, it seemed that Gao Jianwen didn't have any confidence, he just came here with the attitude of giving it a try.As for the candidates around, occasionally there are a few who have the same idea as him, and they see everything away.But most of them are extremely nervous, and their expressions are tense.

Of course, there are also candidates who are full of self-confidence or conceit.Two or three young people in their early twenties passed by at this time, glanced at Kou Zhun and walked forward.Kou Zhun was deeply impressed by his slow steps and calm demeanor.

At this time, those few people didn't know what they were talking about, and they all burst into laughter, causing all the candidates around to look sideways, even Kou Zhun and Gao Jianwen looked over.

With the sound of several gongs, the gate of the Imperial College was finally opened.The two prison guards came out solemnly leading a group of guard soldiers.The crowded crowd gradually quieted down. Listening to the command of the prison gate officer, they lined up in a serious manner.

Thousands of people slowly moved forward in front of the Guozijian gate, and gradually merged into the examination room.

The sun finally came out, and the blue-purple sky was replaced by red light all over the sky, and it was still a sunny day.

Since Zhao Pu was dismissed as prime minister, the weather has been fine all this time, and today is no exception.The weather is good, and the mood of these scholars who are taking the exam will also improve.It's just that Kou Zhun was worried about Ye Chen's safety in his heart, and his heart was actually extremely heavy.

Although Kou Zhun is Ye Chen's disciple and the senior brother of the prince Zhao Defang, he has lived in a simple way since he came to Kaifeng for the past two years, and has never interacted with Kaifeng scholars and literati, so although some high-ranking officials in Kaifeng know that Ye Chen has a With the existence of young disciples, some people know Kou Zhun's name, but except Luo Yaoshun, Cao Wei and other people who are close to Ye Chen, the others have never seen Kou Zhun, let alone know what he looks like.

So Kou Zhun didn't have to worry about someone recognizing his identity.Ye Chen also explained to Jia Xian that he was not allowed to use any relationship or greet the examiner, and Kou Zhun himself took the exam as an ordinary student.

On the screen wall behind the door, there is a notice posted, indicating where Gongsheng students from different regions and different origins will take the exam, and officials will be arranged to guide them.Although there were many candidates, there was no confusion at all.Gongsheng students from the same hometown have to guarantee each other, and the exam places are also together.Kou Zhun reported his identity as a native of Kaifeng, and together with other Kaifeng Gongsheng students who took the exam, he was assigned to a hall of the Imperial College.

However, after entering the gate, the Gongsheng students were not immediately separated to their respective examination places, but were led to the square in front of the main hall of the Confucian Temple.

The Zhigong promoted Lu Duoxun, and the same Zhigong promoted Tao Gu and Xu Xuan, leading the next group of examiners, standing in front of the main hall.Worshiping the most holy teachers such as Confucius and Mozi in the main hall is a process that must be gone through before the exam.

Listening to the command of the praise officer, he bowed down together with thousands of people, holding his voice and bowing quietly to the sage Confucius who said "the sky does not give birth to Zhongni, and the ages are like a long night".

Once again, goodbye.

Almost all the Gongsheng students were nervous, expecting, and all kinds of messy thoughts were swept away during the prayer together.

When Kou Zhun stood up again, his worries about Ye Chen were temporarily suppressed deep in his heart, but his heart was as still as water, and there was no more distracting thoughts.This state of mind alone is far beyond that of his peers.

After paying homage to the most holy teacher, more than 5000 tribute students who lined up in a messy and crowded square in front of the Imperial Palace Hall immediately scattered away as if they were falling apart.Under the guidance of the subordinate staff, he went to the examination room where he was.

A table that is half new and not old, and a round stool with peeling paint, this is Kou Zhun's position.I don't know how long it took the students of the Guozijian to be exposed on weekdays.In the entire side hall, the seats assigned to more than 400 local Kaifeng lock hall tribute students are all dilapidated.

A piece of paper with Kou Zhun's name on it was pasted in a corner of the case, along with his native place and year.Even if they have the same name and surname, as long as they have different birthplaces and different ages, they will not sit in the wrong seat.There is also a small bucket next to the tables, and the clear water in it is prepared for grinding ink.

This kind of careful preparation shows the level of organization.It is the experience accumulated step by step during countless years of scientific research in the past dynasties.

However, Kou Zhun doesn't have the extra energy to focus on the exam preparations.The exam questions for the Ministry of Rites Examination have already been announced before the gate of the Imperial College.The transcript was brought to the hall by the examiner and hung high in front of the examinees.

Kou Zhun glanced at Jingyi's question, and it was really difficult.However, he had mentally prepared in advance to select 300 people from more than 300 people. With such a high elimination rate, the difficulty of the test questions must be very high, so as to widen the ranking gap and make it easier for the examiners to judge.

After scooping up a little water from the small bucket and grinding the ink, Kou Zhun opened the paper used for the draft text that had just been handed out, and began to copy the exam questions on the draft paper.

The four treasures of the study, such as pen, ink, paper and inkstone, can be brought in by candidates themselves, but books such as anthology and other books are not allowed to be brought into the examination room.

The Jinshi examination lasted for a day and a night, but most of the candidates seldom handed in the papers quickly. Basically, they took the exam from early morning until lighting the lights. For such a long time, of course they could eat in the middle.Almost every examinee came in with a basket filled with pens, ink, paper, inkstone and dry food.But the soldiers who searched the candidates did not break the cake to see if there was a small note hidden inside.

The content of today's scientific research is divided into half of classics and articles and half of policy theory.It was completely determined by Zhao Pu and Zhao Kuangyin in the early days of the founding of the Song Dynasty. Compared with the original Southern Tang, Wuyue, and Southern Han, it is much more pragmatic and reasonable to use poetry and prose to select scholars.In such an exam, as long as the questions are not leaked, you can't cheat by entraining them.

Kou Zhun moved his pen like flying, and copied all the titles neatly. Although the 25 scriptures were unpopular, it was not a big problem for Kou Zhun.And after reading the strategy theory, he was relieved a lot.

It’s already past midnight, and it’s the first day of junior high school. We all know that we Chinese are very busy on the first day of junior high school, so today is likely to be only one update, but I will try my best to strive for two updates.Finally, thanks again to 'Weihushan Laoba' for their generous support at 6666 coins on New Year's Eve.

(End of this chapter)