Chapter 96: Settlement after the Banquet
"Your Majesty, the 210th tribute scholar, Min Luxian, a native of Wuhang City, behaved in an ugly manner after getting drunk." The palace maid bowed her head.
Yan Xuanyu said, "Pen officer, write this down."
The official in charge of recording took up his pen and carefully wrote it down on the scroll.
One of the officials below looked at Yan Xuanyu's expression and found that he looked calm. He even picked up the exquisite snacks on the table and ate them.
This is nothing, because the emperor has always been quite casual in front of others.
However, the key point is that this is an imperial examination that His Majesty attaches great importance to and has spent a lot of effort on, and in the end, only 350 tribute scholars were selected from all over the Great Zhou.
But some people behaved in a really stupid way.
How could they be so foolish as to behave like this on their first dinner? It was truly... utterly foolish.
I thought His Majesty would be furious, but he only said four simple words - Pen official, write it down.
"Don't worry, my dear ministers. We can select half of the 350 tribute scholars to serve in the imperial court," Yan Xuanyu said slowly. "Are you worried that there won't be anyone available?"
Those who are eliminated at this step are not smart, so it is not a loss to be eliminated.
As mentioned before, the Gongshi Banquet screens out those who are obviously stupid, and the Qionglin Banquet tests their character again.
...
Are the tribute scholars too stupid?
It's because some of them are too conceited.
The first imperial examination is of great significance to the entire Great Zhou. How can those who have fought their way out of the Great Zhou and passed the examination and have the opportunity to face the emperor directly not be conceited?
They knew that the treatment after becoming a tribute scholar would be no different, so they thought that this tribute scholar banquet was purely to reward them and to highlight their honor.
The delicious food and wine, the singing and dancing of the beautiful actors, the gold utensils and gorgeous decorations everywhere made them feel like they were in the clouds. In their drunken eyes, they seemed to see a bright future ahead of them.
When they were in high spirits, there were many people who recited poems and composed couplets. After all, they were young people, tribute scholars of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and they were in their wildest years. They felt that their hearts were full of lofty sentiments and talents, and writing poems and articles was almost as easy as breathing.
...
The woman in palace dress repeated the article that the student had recited without changing her expression.
Officials: ...
Do they want to cover their ears and pretend not to hear?
In just a few hundred words, they had already helped him decide where to bury him in a good place.
What was even more unexpected was that the palace maid, who had a pretty face, could memorize the whole article of more than 300 words after listening to it only once. This ability made people present look at her sideways and had all kinds of thoughts in their minds.
Some people lamented that those who could be in the palace were not simple people.
Some people wonder how many talented people are gathered around His Majesty.
After completing the task, the pretty palace maid bowed and left.
...
Tong Wan only realized that her heart was beating violently after she left Xingyun Pavilion.
She actually entered the palace and just appeared before His Majesty and all the gentlemen!
Those were the highest-ranking officials of the Great Zhou. Just now, they all looked at her with either inquiring or approving eyes.
Tong Wan was one of the female students in the Lanxue Academy. She was very talented because she had helped her mother as a clerk counting money and delivering goods in the past, so she had an excellent memory.
After entering school, he studied hard and was soon noticed by the female teacher.
The female teacher once said something that Tong Wan still remembers clearly in her heart.
She said, "Tong Wan, you have to remember that Lanxue Academy is your opportunity. We don't have it easy like men. If women want to go far on this road, they must desperately grab everything they can."
Tong Wan still doesn't know the name of the female teacher. She heard that she was once a young lady from a wealthy family. Because she didn't like needlework and loved poetry and books, she remained unmarried until she became an old maid with no one to marry.
At this time, men's requirements for women are generally that they should be able to read and write, and being too smart is not good.
If the girl comes from a high-ranking official's or wealthy family, she can be called a talented woman. Even so, others will inevitably ask her privately why she reads so many books.
This is not a problem that only appeared in the Great Zhou Dynasty, but has always been the case.
...
Your Majesty has issued many decrees that benefit the country and the people, including the imperial examinations held every three years and the establishment of schools of good conduct throughout the Great Zhou.
Without a second thought, the mother sent Tong Wan's brother, who was two years younger than her, to Shan School, and simply told Tong Wan to stay with her and continue helping with the business.
In fact, there was always a voice in Tong Wan's heart: Is this how it should be? Is this how it should be?
She is just a woman and cannot change anything.
She should be like a normal woman, and find a husband of equal status when she reaches a certain age. If the couple gets along well, she can live a stable life of taking care of the husband and raising children. If not, she will suffer for years.
Tong Wan should be like this too.
However, the Lanxue Academy happened to be established in the capital, which gave a woman who had the same ignorant ideas as Tong Wan a seemingly vague future.
So Tong Wan made up her mind to enter the Lanxue Academy run by the concubines in the palace. Especially when she later learned that the emperor was behind the Lanxue Academy, Tong Wan's heart warmed a little.
She wanted to do her best to see how far she could go.
...
However, after the pretty palace maid left, all the officials were worried, fearing that the emperor would be angry and drag her out to be executed.
Everyone knows that the emperor is very good at cultivating his energy and does not get angry easily.
But this matter... involves the power of heaven!
The student was so proud that he told others clearly that what he wrote was the best in the world: If I am not selected, it means that the other party has no vision!
The next examination after the provincial examination is the palace examination. Who will be the one with "no vision"?
That was a question given by the emperor on the spot.
Someone looked towards Prime Minister Lin and was surprised to find that he was also drinking tea in a relaxed manner, not caring about the current situation at all.
After a long while, Yan Xuanyu finally spoke: "Yes, I look forward to his performance in the palace examination."
Listening carefully, there was actually a smile in that voice.
The officials were stunned.
You say that Your Majesty is lenient to others, but those who behave improperly are removed from the scroll. But if you say that Your Majesty is strict, then he can tolerate students who speak wildly like this!
For a moment, everyone had a new understanding of Yan Xuanyu.
Yan Xuanyu didn't have any ideas. Who hasn't had a middle school period? He wasn't trying to start a literary inquisition. As long as it wasn't against the Great Zhou or society, the child could say whatever he wanted.
And it's true, because of this article, the tribute scholar named Wei Yi actually gave him a stamp. He really wanted to see what this person looked like and see if his talent was really "not choosing him would be a lack of vision."
...
The banquet lasted for a long time.
After eating and drinking his fill, Fan Chuntai felt a little disappointed: "I thought it would be a gathering of talented people."
Tang Xing shook his head. "You and I both know from our experiences that the imperial examination is a real test of one's character. I guess they all want to take advantage of this opportunity to relax for a moment."
After all, the palace examination will begin soon.
"However," Tang Xing changed the subject, "this is in the palace after all."
Fan Chuntai didn't drink much of the wine, but he ate a lot of the delicious food that was flowing like water. A gentleman should observe etiquette and eat only until he is 60% to 70% full. He ate so much that his belt became a little tight.
Hearing this, Fan Chuntai felt a little guilty: "Yes."
Fan Chuntai's family was relatively well-off, otherwise he would not have been able to attend a private school in his early years. However, at today's tribute scholar banquet, he realized that the delicious food he had eaten in the past was really nothing.
Tang Xing didn't eat much. He just felt a little regretful that there were so many delicious foods in front of him, but his mother and sister at home couldn't eat them.
Everyone's conversation will be recorded and presented to Yan Xuanyu and a group of officials.
"Tang Xing?" Yan Xuanyu finally noticed the name and said to Lin Fu, who was sitting below him, "His ranking is quite low, but the important thing is that he's from a farming family. That's really rare."
It is very convenient now. The palace servants are well-trained. As soon as Yan Xuanyu sees Tang Xing, they will send him records such as Tang Xing's hometown.
Yan Xuanyu was also surprised to see that he had never studied in a private school.
To be honest, although he distributed the imperial examination outline and intended to help students from ordinary families, he never thought that the son of a farmer could achieve academic success in two years and even make it to the capital by relying solely on this.
It was so intense that even Yan Xuanyu would shudder at the sight of it.
How difficult is this road to get here?
This person must have had a certain background in the past, and perhaps he could read and write.
In the era of Yan Xuanyu's previous life, learning to read was a very simple thing. However, in the Great Zhou Dynasty a few years ago, books were limited - good books were all in the mansions of aristocratic families, and the books circulating in the bookstores outside were just ordinary books; to enter a private school, one had to have a good relationship with the teacher, pay a tuition fee to become a disciple, or impress the teacher with one's character - most of these were said on the surface for others to see. How many people were truly moved by the students' spirit of learning and accepted them as students?
Paper and pens are very expensive, and ordinary people can't even afford to buy them because they can't even afford to eat.
The hardships involved are too great to contemplate.
Yan Xuanyu has now built Shanxue Schools in various places in Da Zhou according to local conditions, and selected students of all ages who meet the admission requirements to enroll, which will gradually provide children from farming families with a way to study.
All the officials silently took note of the people mentioned by Yan Xuanyu.
...
After the tribute scholar banquet, dozens of people were informed by people from the palace that they did not need to take part in the palace examination.
Because they are no longer qualified.
This incredible news immediately spread like wildfire in the capital. Of course, Yan Xuanyu did not deliberately conceal it, but let the news spread faster.
As expected, those students began to cry out for justice, and gradually a trend emerged - some voices questioned the fairness of the imperial examination.
Dozens of students jointly wrote a petition, vowing to knock on the door of Prime Minister Lin’s mansion.
The students were surrounded by the Jinyiwei.
The two sides are at a stalemate.
Rumors spread everywhere for a while.
"Have you heard about that?"
"I heard about it. Do you think this is true or false?"
"But there are dozens of people! And they all passed the imperial examination and became Gongshi, but now they have been stripped of the title..."
...
Lin Fu: "They gathered a crowd in the capital to make a commotion and disregard the law. They even dared to do so in front of the Prime Minister's residence. If it had been a few years ago, they would have been dragged away and beheaded."
Lin Fu has always been kind and gentle, and it is rare to see him so angry.
His friend, the Minister of Rites Yao Wuzhou, was there and felt very sympathetic towards Lin Fu. He asked, "Your Majesty, why are you so slow in releasing the news?"
Of course, the fire should burn more vigorously.
A few days later, before the palace examination, several people were stripped of their status as tribute scholars and lost their qualification to take the examination.
For a time, the other candidates preparing for the palace examination were in a panic.
...
Outsiders are just watching the fun. Those who spread the news that "those whose tribute status was revoked were ordinary students with no background" definitely do not understand the inside story.
Among those dozens of people, some were from prominent families and some were sons of officials from various places.
"Don't be sad, it won't happen." Fan Chuntai patted Tang Xing's shoulder, also to comfort himself, "We won't be disqualified from the palace examination."
Tang Xing said expressionlessly: "I know, but you have been saying this for many days."
Fan Chuntai wiped his sweat anxiously: "I made a mistake that day too."
"It's not wrong to have a meal, especially since this is a banquet." Tang Xing turned another page. "You should think about what to say during the palace examination."
They have come to their senses these days. Those who were disqualified as tribute scholars in the past few days were all the tribute scholars who were described as outrageous at the banquet that day.
"Hey? Look, isn't that Wang Heng?" Fan Chuntai glanced out the window inadvertently and found a familiar figure.
"Wang Heng?" Tang Xing put down the book.
Ordinary things don’t arouse his interest, but Wang Heng’s affairs are not ordinary!
Wang Heng was also one of the tribute scholars who attended the tribute banquet, but he was the one who improvised the article that day...
At that time, Wang Heng was full of passion and he wrote the poem in one go thanks to the alcohol. After he finished writing, his heart was filled with excitement.
However, a few days later, one tribute scholar after another was pulled down, and he panicked.
"Those people are betting on when Wang Heng will be punished." Fan Chuntai whispered.
"Bet?" Tang Xing was surprised. He had been reading in his room these days and knew nothing about what was happening in the outside world. In order to avoid suspicion, he and Ming Chengyu and the other two had not seen each other for dozens of days.
"Openly gambling is against the laws of the Great Zhou."
Fan Chuntai waved his hand: "No, no, they bet on books. Each person bet on a college entrance examination question. Whoever wins gets it."
Tang Xing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Heng was also worried about the exam all day long. His friends advised him to take more look at the imperial examination questions, but he said: He can't even make it to the palace examination, and he may even be taken to the Dali Temple, so let him relax for a while!
However, the students waiting for the palace examination did not wait for the result of their bet, but received the response from the court.
All the students who gathered to cause trouble and spread rumors have been taken to the Dali Temple.
In addition, the matter of the tribute scholar banquet was also announced to the world, including detailed reasons for canceling the tribute scholar's qualifications.
From then on, people all over the world knew that character and behavior would be included in the criteria for imperial examinations.
So people all over the world felt sorry for those students. They had already become tribute scholars, but because of a tribute scholar banquet, they had no chance to become officials. It really made people speechless.
Everyone also had a new understanding of the imperial examination, which examined not only the students' knowledge but also their character.
...
At the same time, a student named Wang Heng stared blankly at the paper in his hand.
Wang Heng already knew that everyone in Xingyun Pavilion was under surveillance that day, so he thought he would be arrested as well.
He had just written down the article from memory and when he read it again, Wang Heng still had no regrets, because this was the most fluent and emotional article he had ever written. He might never again have that heroic spirit or the excitement of standing among the students that day.
However, this article did offend the emperor.
However, all the scholars who made mistakes were liquidated, but he was standing here now, holding a piece of paper with the ink still wet on it, on which were written the articles that offended the emperor.
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