Chapter 448: The selected Huiyuanlang?

This is the first time that Minister Shao serves as the chief examiner, so he may not be able to control the evaluation standards accurately. However, this is not the case for Academician Han. He has been selecting talents for the court for many years and is very experienced. Many capable high-ranking officials are his students.

Without even looking up, the Han University student replied, "You've also picked out a bunch of them. Screen them out first and make your choice at the end."

Shao Jiming bowed his hands and praised: "It has to be you, Mr. Han University."

A few days later——

The dedicated Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites collapsed. He howled, "Why are there so many first-class candidates? There are too many to choose from. There is no way to choose from them all. They are all first-class candidates!"

The scholars of Han University also changed from being calm at the beginning to looking solemn. They reviewed all the answer sheets in the past month and finally admitted 366 students, which was more than 40 more than the previous year.

But this is not the most unusual thing.

The most unusual thing is that they screened a total of fifteen top candidates for the final version.

In previous years, it was considered quite good to have three to five people attending the science contest, but this year there were more than a dozen people, which was really abnormal.

Han Dashi said solemnly: "Could it be that the test questions were leaked?"

Minister Shao shook his head and said firmly: "It's impossible. The person who wrote the test has not been released yet, and the test papers are guarded by the army. Even if Luo Jingfeng came, he would not be able to take the test papers away quietly."

His heart was already beating fast.

The imperial examination was the top priority for the imperial court in selecting talents. This was the first time he took over the position, and there must not be any omissions.

Han Dashi said coldly: "Investigate, investigate the obfuscated names and the transcripts, this matter must be thoroughly investigated."

The responsible official quickly took the test papers and transcripts of the fifteen people and checked them carefully.

The two examiners looked more and more depressed.

The Han University student looked up and said, "Nothing went wrong."

Minister Shao noticed something unusual: "From the handwriting, most of these fifteen people are from the North Academy of Hanlin, and the others may be students from all over the country. Hiss... Is the North Academy of Hanlin so strong this year? Is the teaching of the academy better? Or is someone provoking them?"

A bachelor from Han University said: "After checking the identities and backgrounds of these students, I think there must be something unusual."

Minister Shao frowned and said, "Grand Master, the purpose of keeping the names anonymous in the imperial examinations is to allow the nobles and the poor to compete fairly. If we check their backgrounds like this, it may be unfair..."

Han Dashi scolded him, "You don't know anything, how dare you hand over the list of fifteen people to the emperor?"

Minister Shao thought about Wei Yushi who was beaten for the third time, and silently did as he was told. They carefully checked the identities of these fifteen people, and found that they were all students who had achieved good results in the autumn examination.

Based on this, it can be inferred that the examination results should not be falsified.

But they discovered a more serious problem...

Minister Shao said with shaking hands: "Among these fifteen people, there are actually six boys. The oldest is thirteen years old and the youngest is only eleven years old."

Fortunately, they checked the identities of these people.

Otherwise, if this list is handed in, they will be beaten with a hundred sticks each.

"How is it possible that a boy could pass the imperial examination? And even be on our list of top candidates?" The more Han Dashi thought about it, the more outrageous it seemed to him. He even ranked the fifteen people.

It was discovered that the top three candidates in the examination were all virgins.

The two looked at each other and both felt: It's over.

The hardest job ever is here.

Han Daxue said: "When we report to the emperor, we can say that these fifteen people are all top talents, but in fact, only three people will be reported and announced to the public."

There was a very famous imperial examination in history. The candidates were so strong that eight of them had become prime ministers. However, only three people in the first place could be selected according to the rules, and the results would not be changed due to any exceptions.

Minister Shao said, "Then let's do as the Grand Master said and report these three people up."

Han Daxueshi shook his head and said, "No, these three names cannot be released to the public. It's fine if the common people don't see them. But if the emperor sees the palace examination, he will think we are just playing house, selecting three children to take the imperial examination as a joke."

Minister Shao was silent for a while, but couldn't help but said: "But the articles written by these three people are indeed the best among these people. We shouldn't..."

Han Daxueshi interrupted him and said, "Whether it is good or not should be left to the emperor to judge in the palace examination. It is a small examination, and the ranking is not important. We can't gamble with our family and future."

Minister Shao was convinced.

He asked in a low voice: "Who of these three should we replace?"

Han Daxue said calmly and confidently: "Zong Jincheng is the only legitimate son of General Zong, and he cannot be touched."

Minister Shao nodded repeatedly.

The two most powerful people in the capital today are Luo Jingfeng and Zong Zhao. Not to mention third-rank officials like them, even the emperor has to give them some face if he comes.

Minister Shao continued reading: "Zong Wenxiu is the legitimate son of the second branch of the Yuanyang Marquisate, and is also the nephew of General Zong. This... doesn't seem to be very convenient to do anything about it."

The two of them fixed their eyes on another name.

Qin Ye.

His father was also an official in the court, but only a fifth-rank official. As a top scholar from a poor family, this status was already higher than most people, but it was not worth mentioning in the powerful capital.

Han Daxueshi sighed, "At such a young age, he has passed the Jieyuanlang exam, and now he is going to pass the Huiyuanlang exam. His talent is really outstanding... But he is too young to handle the intrigues in the court, and Lord Qin can't protect him. Just suppress it, give him a second-class grade, and then he can be promoted after two years of training in the Hanlin Academy."

Minister Shao's heart skipped a beat and he couldn't help but ask, "Just move the first place in the first class to the second place? Grand Master, this... this is the boy who should have been the first place winner."

Han Dashi was silent for a while, then replied softly, "What else? Do you want to move those two people from the Zong family? How brave are you and I to touch them?"

"But……"

"Don't worry about it. Pick a candidate who has reached the age of 20 from among these fifteen people and appoint him as the top candidate."

Minister Shao became more and more upset as he listened. He muttered, "Since everyone has to move from the back, why not just move General Zong's legitimate son up? He's already the second."

Moving someone up from the bottom is unfair to all the students above.

"You first removed an eleven-year-old Huiyuanlang, and then moved up another eleven-year-old Huiyuanlang. Are you crazy or am I crazy?" Han Dashi reminded him, "Today I will teach you how to be the chief examiner. As long as the emperor, General Zong, and the Duke of Huguo do not come to explain to us, no one can affect the fairness of the imperial examination."

Minister Shao: “…”

Fairness, where is the fairness?

Qin Ye was demoted to second place. How is this fair?

Minister Shao silently pulled out the fourth place: "Pan Hongzhi, this year he is twenty-two, he has reached the age of twenty."

Han Dashi glanced at him and said, "You come from a poor family and cannot suppress Zong Jincheng's status. The Zong family may not accept it."

Minister Shao: “?!”

I’m done with it! I’m done with it!

Being an examiner in the imperial examinations is simply not the job for a good official!