Emperor Yongzheng: Eagle Bow Sirius

Chapter 25 Surprised by cheating and expelled from the city of Thorn
On the first day of March, Qin Tianjian will take an examination for Enke of Shuntian Prefecture. See page 63 of this volume.The auspicious day chosen by the chief examiner Zhang Tinglu and Yang Mingshi.Because Yang Mingshi didn't have a private house in Beijing and wanted to avoid suspicion, he only rented a small courtyard in a secluded corner in the east of the city.As the main exam was going to be tomorrow, Ye Yangming did not sleep at night, so he lit a stick of incense on the stove and sat cross-legged silently waiting for the auspicious time.Every time he encounters a major event, he must do his homework to show his piety and loyalty. The family members all know his nature, and they dare not sleep, and they wait on their posts in the room.Until Zizhengshi Pai, there were three muffled noon cannon sounds from Gongchentai in the distance. Yang Mingshi Quran opened his eyes, got up slowly, straightened the crown belt of Chaozhu, wiped his face with a hot towel and said: " Prepare a sedan chair for me!"

The Shuntianfu Gongyuan is located in the southwest corner of Beijing. Since the pre-Ming Dynasty, it has been the most important place for the imperial court's grand ceremonies. After repeated repairs, its regulations are even more magnificent than the six yamen.The diameter is 160 feet deep, and the outer wall is four feet high. The battlements are full of jujube trees, which is called "thorn city".Entering along the right way, there are three archways on the left, middle and right. The stone plaque on the left archway says "Yumen", the right one is called "Zhou Jun", and there is a large archway in the middle. Lifen character, but it is "world civilization".Yang Mingshi's eight-person green cloth official sedan chair landed steadily here.When he bent down to look out, he saw Shang Zi Han starry sky full of bucket handles spinning upside down, knowing that it was just past the fourth watch, and Zhang Tinglu hadn't arrived yet, so he walked slowly towards the dragon gate.

In March in Yangchun, the daytime is very warm, and the early morning is still cold and cold. Under the starlight, the surrounding thorns on the city of thorns are densely packed, as if there is a layer of brownish fog on the ancient city.The peach grove under the wall has also lost its bright and charming charm in the daytime, and the branches are shaking in the breeze dimly, passing a strong fragrance, which gives people a feeling of comfort and coolness in the early morning.Walking past the stone archway, one can see a small hall with three couplets set up on both sides of the corridor. Yang Mingshi, who has been there, knows that this is the so-called "Inspector Hall". Take off your clothes and wide bands, and open your arms and legs for inspection by the servants of the Gongyuan, so as not to bring in stolen goods—the most important place for Xiaolian to sweep their faces.Yang Mingshi couldn't help frowning, seeing watermelon lanterns hung in front of the hall, and the window paper was bright, he thought someone had already gotten up to do business, and just as he was about to go there, he heard someone shout:
"The test-takers are waiting outside Yongcheng!"

"It's me." Yang Mingshi said unhurriedly, walking forward while speaking.

"Regardless of who you are, you can't come here, the front is Longmen!" The guard said impatiently and walked over, just about to scold him, when he saw Yang's name clearly, he hurriedly called Qian'er and said, "It's Master Yang, good morning, little one!" Think it’s because the judges couldn’t wait and broke in by themselves!” Yang Mingshi walked towards the procuratorial hall, and said with a smile: “I’m early, are you early too! Sooner or later, the procuratorial hall will be on business? What are you doing?" The guard narrowed his eyes with a smile, and replied: "The east room is where Master Zhang came for the exam, and Zhang Zhongtang set up wine there to send Master Tinglu into the room, and the west room is where our brothers make paper figurines. Son, try to be quiet."

Yang Mingshi stood still and thought for a while, the Zhang brothers talked, it would not be good to get in by themselves, so he walked past the west hall, and saw a few government servants making paper figurines under the lamp—one green and one red, two paper figurines dressed as ghosts , Grass on the inside, paper pasted on the outside, with the words "en" and "resentment" written on the paper.Yang Mingshi couldn't help laughing and said: "When I entered the ward, I heard that there were two ghosts of 'grievance' in the examination room. I thought it was just a lie, but I didn't expect to have the original body! Why haven't I seen it before?" To prevent him from coming in, he hurriedly dropped his work and came together to kill Qian'er.An old yamen servant said with a smile: "This is available in the science and technology examination room. It is offered in the Xiwang Tower. It is not for the examiners to see. It is only for them to know. It also means to persuade them to do more good deeds on weekdays." Yang Mingshi nodded with a smile , sat down on a chair, watched them stabbing ghosts, and asked about the old rules and regulations of the examination room. I heard the cock crowing three times in my ears. I guessed that Zhang Tingyu had already left, so I got up and came out of the hall. , and stood silently under the shadow of the lamp.

"Brother, it's time to go to the palace to see the emperor," Zhang Tingyu said in his mouth as he descended the steps, "Thousands of reminders, just one sentence, be fair. Now that the emperor is reforming the administration of officials, this is the most important thing, and he is trying to catch the top ones." The practice of corrupt and corrupt officials. Our family tradition pays attention to a word of honesty, you don’t cause troubles, and you look decent and bright on the old man’s face, and I can speak and do things in it. Oh! Isn’t this Yang Songyun? When did you come?” "Why don't you report to me? I know! What kind of mission are you doing?" Yang Mingshi rushed forward, raised his hands and said, "Don't do their business. The two brothers in the middle hall talk, and you should avoid it when you are born late."

Zhang Tingyu nodded slightly, and said: "The students over there can't wait anymore, they have to pass the Longmen. This is the important place of your tribute court. Once you have paid homage to Confucius, you won't even be able to be an official. Take care of yourself!" With a wave of his hand, he quickly carried out a soft bamboo silk sedan chair secretly. Zhang Tingyu raised his hand and hurriedly got on the sedan chair.Zhang Tinglu had just had a drink, she looked a little dazed under the shadow of the lamp, she shook her head vigorously, and said with a smile: "Lord Song Yun, let's go in." Flocking to the parliamentary hall.When Yang Mingshi looked back at Longmen Gate, the first person who signed up for the inspection was Cao Wenzhi, and the second one was Liu Molin, who was having a drink and joking in the Bolun Building on Gongyuan Street. He couldn't help smiling.He touched the test questions he bought in his sleeve, and his heart was moved again.Seeing that Zhang Tinglu had entered the Longmen of the Gongyuan, she hurriedly followed her. She had seen the examiners from the [-]th room who had already entered and waited, as well as the written notes, seals, examination papers, supplies, There are more than [-] officials and officials of the five reading and transcribing institutes standing beside the Zhigong Hall.Seeing the two examiners entering hand in hand, everyone knelt down and said in unison: "Greetings to Teacher Zhang Tai and Teacher Yang!"

"It's exhausting everyone." Zhang Tinglu looked at the morning star in the east, and the cool morning breeze was blowing. He felt refreshed, and said with a smile: "Please get up!"

So everyone got up one after another.Zhang Tinglu and Yang Mingshi paid close attention to each other, walked towards the Supreme Court one after the other, kneeled down three times and kowtowed nine times to the memorial tablet of "Confucius, the most holy teacher of Dacheng", and followed the salute according to their ranks.Zhang Tinglu made an oath in the incense alliance, "to recruit scholars for the country and the community impartially, without favoritism, accepting entrustments, and not accepting bribes-if you have this heart, the gods will die together"-this is an old stereotype that has not changed for hundreds of years, everyone It's not surprising that it's familiar.The two chief examiners retired, and then the deacons of the Gongyuan were busy with their duties, offering sacrifices to Emperor Wenchang, worshiping Kuili, and inviting Guan Shengdijun...these are too complicated to describe in detail.Zhang Tinglu has done this job for two terms, and it is commonplace, but Yang Mingshi can't see these miscellaneous tricks and tricks, and he is full of discomfort, because he called the deacon of Yanxitang and asked: "Is this a temple fair? There is such a mess here They are all gods, what do they do? Is it Confucius’s big man or theirs?”

"Master Yang!" Seeing his uneasy expression, the official of Yanxi Hall hurriedly knelt down and said, "This is a rule handed down from the previous generations watching the Gongyuan. The examination room has always been the most afraid of spreading the plague. These gods are specially invited to protect the holy place of the Gongyuan. ..." Yang Mingshi listened for a while, and said: "Here is the tablet of the king of Wenxuan, and it is also a forbidden place by the state. Do you need these? Let me tell you—come!"

"exist!"

"Drag me the 'grievance' ghost!"

"tie……"

Several yamen servants looked at each other anxiously, agreed in trembling voices, looked up at the handsome and resolute young deputy chief examiner, seeing his unquestionable expression, they had no choice but to go down and drag the "ghost".Zhang Tinglu has always had nothing to do with these things. He was thinking about the few people that the third elder brother Hongshi specially asked him to take care of, and he was afraid of being discovered by the stunned deputy chief, so Yang Mingshi suddenly came up with such a thing. I couldn't help being stunned, and when I saw the examiner in the [-]th room, they all looked at each other in blank dismay.Just as everyone was ignoring them, a few yamen servants had already carried the two paper straw figures—one rich and gentle with a smile on his face, and the other with a green face and fangs, ferocious and terrifying—that is, the two ghosts of 'gratitude and resentment' to the Supreme Court.Yang Mingshi slapped the wood with a "snap", his color suddenly changed, he stepped down from the office, walked around the two ghosts for two steps, but turned his eyes to the examiner in the eighteenth room.Which of those examiners has no "ghost" in their hearts?Seeing this cold and sinister gaze sweeping over, everyone's heart jumped, but when they heard Yang Mingshi sneered and said: "Such ghosts and monsters can actually work here! 'En', who has never suffered? 'Resentment' Who has never had it? Report it later or sooner, why do you want to report it now? What kind of matter can’t be reported, but why do you want to show off at the national talent ceremony? I read the books of sages and sages when I was taught by myself. The Son of God doesn't say a word, don't care if it exists outside the heaven and earth, where the Dao is, how can evil ghosts be allowed to run rampant?" He stared at the two paper ghosts contemptuously, and said coldly: "Drag it down and break it!"

A few yamen servants agreed in a panic, and dragged the paper ghost down.The resident deacon of the Tribute House believed this the most, hurriedly came up to call Qian'er and said: "My lord...you can't do it, you have to...you have to..." He looked at Yang Mingshi's gloomy face, but didn't say what he said next.

"What do you want?"

"To... retribution!"

Yang Mingshi suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed loudly, "How can there be such a feeling? How can it be justified? Crush it and set it on fire! Let me see what kind of retribution I am? If I want to spread the plague for this, I will take it all!" After hesitating, the two ghosts were beaten into a pile of shredded paper and grass in a short time, and the flames were burning.Zhang Tinglu also had ghosts in his heart. The third elder brother secretly passed on the exam questions and told him to take care of four people. He also took five or six of them with him.At this moment when she came back to her senses, Zhang Tinglu felt that Yang Mingshi was overbearing, and he was acting like this in the Supreme Court, without even a discussion, and he didn't take himself as the main examiner seriously.Thinking about the "grievance ghost" has turned into ashes.Zhang Tinglu suddenly ordered loudly: "Open the dragon gate!"

"Open the dragon gate!"

The Yanxi hall official shouted, and the two red-lacquered and copper-nailed gates in the middle of the Panlong Huabiao were opened, and the people came in one by one with a basket in one hand and a candle in the other in the order of their names. Shed, sitting in awe and waiting for the roll.But I saw dozens of rows of tile-roofed slab houses, one room for each person, each room was more than three feet wide, and there was a table along the door, with a pen holder, ink grinding water and other things on it. , but it was completely silent, tense and solemn.Here, Zhang Tinglu gave up his hands, and the two of them washed their hands in the copper basin. At the same time, they bowed deeply to the test questions of the imperial seal on the gold plate. At first glance, the first test question on the top reads impressively:

Those who benefit are the sum of righteousness.The hair on Yang Mingshi's body suddenly exploded, his heart beat wildly, his eyes looked up and down Zhang Tinglu, and he came back to his senses after a while.When the officials carrying the title went out, Yang Mingshi resisted the anger in his heart and said softly, "Master Zhang!"

"Well?"

"What about the two test questions?"

"Well, I'm not busy. One test will be broken down." Zhang Tinglu leaned back on the chair, took a long breath, and said, "You don't know that people like Gongyuan are also making money in the frying pan. Come out and leak out."

Yang Mingshi also breathed a sigh of relief. It seems that the leak of the exam questions has nothing to do with the chief examiner. Maybe it was just a coincidence that the seller of the exam questions guessed a question and made a rash announcement. It is his own guilt for messing up the exam room.Thinking about it, Yang Ming smiled and said: "You are the chief examiner, just sit here, and the errands of the examiners in the various rooms and the affairs of the examination room are mine. I will go out and have a look." After finishing speaking, he resigned, thinking all the way, Just be suspicious.

(End of this chapter)