The first-class concubine of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 109
The lantern market was lively, but the thin man's words struck Liu Wei, Lu Mengzheng and Li Hang's ears like thunder.

How is this possible?Are the questions of the imperial examination also sold?If there is one for sale, wouldn't whoever buys it will surely be a Jinshi and have a bright future?

Lu Meng is just a straightforward person, his face suddenly changed, he wanted to grab the skinny man and ask him clearly, these scholars study hard, are they not as good as the exam questions bought by others?

But just when Lu Meng was about to get angry, Liu Wei suddenly smiled and said, "You are right, we are indeed candidates for this year's spring examination, but do we believe it when you say it is the examination question for this year's imperial examination? If it is false Yes, haven’t we lost both fame and money?”

Hearing what Liu Wei said, the thin man was not nervous or angry, but very excited, because it is normal to have doubts about this kind of thing, if he had no doubts and bought it immediately, he would have doubts and be careful.

"At first glance, this young master is a sensible person, but what I can tell you is that this test question is absolutely true, and it is genuine. You can get a title on the gold list for a hundred pennies, but it is very affordable."

Liu Wei didn't change anything because of the thin man's words. He just groaned and asked, "How can we prove that he is real? If you don't explain clearly, we won't buy it if we don't believe it."

The thin man grinned and said: "To be honest, this exam question was secretly passed on by a relative in my palace. Of course, not all of it was passed on, it was just a discussion topic. If you guys want other topics, I can let you know." The relatives in the palace will pass it on again, but the price must be raised again."

As he said that, the man looked at Liu Wei: "Young master, do you want to buy the title of this topic?"

Liu Wei smiled: "Buy, of course, but it's inconvenient to hold a hundred coins. I have an ingot of gold here. Is it enough?" Liu Wei took out a piece of gold from his body, which is enough, then Seeing the gold, the thin man immediately beamed with joy: "Enough, of course it's enough."

The man smiled and handed a piece of folded paper to Liu Wei, and then took the gold from Liu Wei: "My lord is a generous man, this year's imperial examination will definitely win the first prize, I don't know about other poems, Moyi topics Do you want it?"

Liu Wei nodded: "Yes, of course, but how can I contact you?"

"It's easy to handle, as long as you want it, you can go to Sanjia Lane in the west of the city in three days. Then I will naturally bring the rest of the questions, but... next time I want copper coins. This gold is good, but it is inconvenient to spend. .”

Liu Wei nodded: "Okay, see you in Sanjiaxiang in three days."

After finishing speaking, the thin man disappeared into the sea of ​​people with the gold in his arms, and at this time Princess Ruyi, Chai Feng and Lu Mengzheng all looked at Liu Wei with strange and puzzled eyes.

"You don't take the imperial examination, so why spend so much money on this?" Princess Ruyi is not greedy for money, but he felt a little distressed after all that ingot of gold just bought a piece of paper.

Before Liu Wei could open his mouth, Lu Mengzheng said, "Damn it, that person must be a liar. The imperial examinations are so sacred that there are exam questions leaked. It's impossible, absolutely impossible. Prince Liu, I'm afraid you've been fooled."

"That's right, how can such a thing be sold as real test questions?" Chai Feng didn't believe it either.

However, Li Hang remained calm, and only after Chai Feng finished speaking, he said, "Whether this matter is true or not, it is always a strange thing. As the official of Kaifeng Mansion, Liu Concubine wants to investigate clearly, right?"

Li Hang explained the mystery with a single word, and everyone suddenly realized that Liu Wei did not take the imperial examination, but spent money to buy the test questions. There must be a purpose, and it is his purpose to investigate this matter clearly.

Liu Wei smiled slightly: "Brother Li is right. The imperial examinations are for the court to send talents. If someone relies on this opportunism to get a Jinshi and rank, then I don't know what the Song Dynasty will be like. The person who sells the exam questions thinks It’s very beautiful, no matter whether it’s true or not, most of the scholars who bought it don’t dare to say anything, the real ones don’t make it public, and the fake ones don’t make it public either, but luckily I’m not an examinee, if it’s true or not, you’ll know when you go to see the Holy Majesty gone."

After Liu Wei finished speaking, he said to Li Hang and Lu Meng, "I'm afraid it will be difficult to continue tonight."

"It doesn't matter, it's still a matter of great importance, Prince Concubine Liu, please take care of yourself."

Liu Wei nodded slightly, and then left the Lantern City with Princess Ruyi.

Liu Wei sent Princess Ruyi back to the mansion first, and then drove the carriage to King Jin's mansion. Now Liu Wei has already hinted that he wants to join the King of Jin, so it is absolutely unreasonable for him not to tell the King of Jin about things related to the imperial examination.

When Liu Wei arrived at Prince Jin's Mansion, he was led in by his servants, but the first Liu Wei saw was Su Tongkan. After Su Tongkan met Liu Wei in the living room, he said with a smile: "Tonight, during the Lantern Festival, how can Prince Liu have the time to come to the palace?" Instead of going to accompany the princess?"

Liu Wei didn't intend to joke, and said: "I have something important to see the lord, I don't know where the lord is now?"

"My lord and my concubine have just returned from the palace, and they are already extremely exhausted, so I'll come first, what is Prince Concubine Liu going to say?"

Liu Wei knew that Su Tongjian was King Jin's think tank, and that King Jin would not hide many things from him, so he handed the paper he bought in Dengshi to Su Tongkan. Su Tongkan was a little puzzled, and opened it He smiled and said, "But Concubine Liu wrote a new lyric, to let..."

Su didn't finish what he had read, so he was stunned for a moment, and said after a long time: "This... this seems to be a topic of policy discussion, what does Concubine Liu mean by this?"

Liu Wei told Su another about the situation he encountered in Dengshi, and then said: "If this is really the topic of this year's policy discussion, then the topic of this year's imperial examination may have been leaked. This matter is no small matter. That's why I'm here to discuss with the prince."

Su Tongjian is King Jin's think tank, and his strategy will never lose to Liu Wei. After listening to Liu Wei's narration, he has already realized the seriousness of the matter. If the topic has been leaked, can the candidates they want to promote be able to do it? What about winning a Jinshi?

The Song Dynasty had just founded the country, and there were only about [-] Jinshi admitted each time, and half of the [-] were the children of officials and eunuchs who were taken care of in the capital, so it was extremely difficult to be admitted to the Jinshi. It is possible that none of the people they support could pass the exam.

After thinking about this, Su Tongkan hurriedly said: "Madam Liu, wait a moment, I'll go invite the prince right away, I'm afraid I have to report this matter to the Holy Majesty immediately."
-
When Jin Wang and Liu Wei left Jin Wang's mansion in a carriage, the streets were still very lively, and many people hadn't returned home. There was noise around the carriage, but Jin Wang fell into deep thought.

Just now, Su had read the contents of that piece of paper, and he was immediately shocked after reading it. He is a prince, and he knows more or less the topic of this year. The topic written on that piece of paper, It is the topic of this year's spring exam.

He really couldn't figure it out, how could the questions of the imperial examination be spread out?Is it true that the person Liu Wei met said that it was spread by people in the palace?But no one in the palace knows the subject except the emperor?And those who made the questions were claustrophobic.

The carriage turned around a few times on the street and finally entered the palace.

King Jin and Liu Wei entered the imperial study, and Zhao Kuangyin raised his tired eyes to look at them, and asked, "It's so late, what's the matter?"

King Jin stepped forward, handed Liu Wei's previous paper to Zhao Kuangyin, and said, "My lord, this is what Prince Liu met at the lamp market tonight. Someone is selling questions for the imperial examination."

"what?"

Zhao Kuangyin couldn't help being surprised, the imperial examinations were used to select talents for the court, if those talents entered the court by this method, wouldn't it be very dangerous for the Song Dynasty?

The paper was opened, and when Zhao Kuangyin saw the content on it, his brows became deeper: "Damn it, Brother Wang, do you know how this topic was leaked?"

Liu Wei didn't talk much with King Jin when he came, but now after hearing what King Jin and Zhao Kuangyin said, he knew that what was written on the paper was undoubtedly the topic of this year's imperial examination.

But in this way, Liu Wei's worry became true, someone really leaked the questions of the imperial examination.

King Jin didn't know how the question was leaked, so he had to tell Liu Wei what he got from the person who sold the test questions. Zhao Kuangyin didn't think much about it at this time. It was Liu Wei who discovered it. , said angrily: "The people in the palace leaked it?"

Seeing this, Liu Wei hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the person who wrote the question must show it to His Majesty after he finished his work. When His Majesty reads it, is there anyone present?"

When Liu Wei reminded him like this, Zhao Kuangyin already understood, and after he understood, his heart became clear, and his expression relaxed a little: "I already know what's going on, and I won't let that eunuch go, but now that the topic has been leaked, The question needs to be reworked.”

Hearing what Zhao Kuangyin said, Liu Wei felt relieved. Originally, all the forces in the DPRK and China wanted to use this imperial examination to strengthen their own power. Liu Wei's favorite Lu Mengzheng and Li Hang had already been wooed by the King of Jin. This made Liu Wei He felt very uncomfortable, if he didn't know what they would achieve in the future, it would be fine, but he knew what they would achieve in the future, so it would be a little disadvantageous for him to make them become Jin Wang's loyal fans.

Even if he couldn't subdue Lv Mengzheng and Li Hang, he still couldn't make them obey King Jin's words, otherwise it would be difficult for them to support him if he had any ideas in the future.

Therefore, Liu Wei wanted to reform the imperial examination system, but before that, he had not found a suitable reason, but now that the questions of the imperial examination were leaked, it was a perfect reason for Liu Wei.

The leak of the imperial examination questions shows that the current examination system is unreasonable. Since it is unreasonable, if he proposes a more reasonable one, will Zhao Kuangyin refuse it?

Thinking about it, he would not refuse, so at this time, Liu Wei stood up and said: "My lord, asking another question can only solve the problem for a while, but it is not a long-term solution!"

(End of this chapter)