Chapter 53: The top scholar probably won't be here these days
The snow fell heavily in the imperial capital of Qi.
After a day, the entire imperial capital was covered in white.
Walking on the streets of the imperial capital, you can see the white mist with the people's breathing.
Apart from sending Lord Zhang out of the capital, Xiao Mo has been studying in the inn.
Before we knew it, the weather was getting warmer and it was already early March.
On this day, on Xuanwu Street, which leads from the imperial capital to the Imperial Examination Hall, all the street vendors had been cleared out.
Today is the day of the imperial examination.
After being searched, Xiao Mo entered the examination room and came to his own examination room.
The exam is divided into three sessions, one per day.
The first session on the first day was poetry.
The test required one poem and one fu, which was the most important exam in the Great Qi Dynasty and directly determined whether one would be admitted as a Jinshi.
Poetry questions are generally more free.
However, the topics of "fu" mostly come from Confucian classics, historical books or imperial edicts.
This exam tests literary talent, rhythm, and parallelism.
The title of the poem is "Bright Moon".
Xiao Mo wrote a poem "Water Melody: When Will the Bright Moon Appear?", and slightly changed the first stanza to suit the theme.
The title of the "Fu" is the rise and fall of a country.
Xiao Mo imitated "Afang Palace" and wrote "Spring Li Palace Fu". It just so happened that there were many dynasties in this world and it was very rich in history, so it was also very easy to find allusions to replace Afang Palace Fu.
For this first exam, let alone anything else, I must first secure my qualification as a Jinshi.
Second scene: Discussion.
Test the article "Essay".
Similar to the argumentative essay Xiao Mo wrote in the college entrance examination in his previous life, it discusses a historical event, a governing philosophy or a philosophical proposition.
Examine the candidates' insights, logical thinking and writing style.
The third game: Strategy.
The test consists of five "policy" questions, which is a test of actual government affairs ability, covering specific issues such as politics, economy, military, law, and people's livelihood.
After three days of exams, Xiao Mo felt as if he was in another world after leaving the examination room.
Xiao Mo is still quite confident that he can pass the exam.
As long as you pass the provincial examination, the palace examination will be fine.
In the Great Qi Dynasty, there were differences in the starting points of "Jinshi Jidi", "Jinshi Chuan" and "Tong Jinshi Chuan".
But the most important thing is to rely on the experience gained in officialdom.
Ten days later, early in the morning.
As the bells on Xuanwu Street rang, not far from the gate of the imperial palace, Lord Fang, the Minister of Rites, personally hung up the Spring List under the protection of soldiers.
The candidates crowded under the list, looking forward to it.
“I won!”
“I got it too!”
"Sir! What have you got?"
"I'm ranked fifty! Hahaha!"
"Quick! Take him away!"
“No. I didn’t.”
"Hahahaha, I'm number twenty-second! Hahaha!"
"Catch these twenty-two people and bring them back to the palace!"
As soon as the results of the imperial examination were announced, some people were already looking for a son-in-law.
Looking at himself who ranked first, Xiao Mo didn't dare to say anything, for fear that someone would kidnap him and not let him leave without getting married, so he quickly left quietly.
But you can hide for a while, not forever. In Qi State, all inns where scholars stayed had to be reported.
How could a champion like Xiao Mo be able to hide?
Not long after, the dignitaries in the imperial capital of Qi rushed into the inn where Xiao Mo was staying.
Fortunately, Zhang Qianzhi had made preparations in advance and thought about today before leaving Beijing.
Miss Zhang asked the guards to guard Xiao Mo's door and not allow anyone else to disturb him.
Unlike other ladies from wealthy families, Miss Zhang often shows up in public and has a certain reputation in the capital, and many people know her.
Seeing Miss Zhang coming, others naturally didn't dare to act rashly.
"Thank you, Miss Zhang." Xiao Mo bowed to Zhang Shuiqing.
"No need to thank me, Xiao Huiyuan." Zhang Shuiqing said with a smile, "But since I brought people here today, I'm afraid everyone in the court knows that you are my father's man."
Xiao Mo said frankly: "It has been a long time."
From the moment I was nominated as the top scorer, I became Mr. Zhang's man, not to mention that I also visited Mr. Zhang afterwards.
But Xiao Mo was already prepared.
How could one not take sides in the court?
Now I am standing on the side of Lord Zhang, that is, on the side of Prime Minister Fang.
Zhang Shuiqing nodded and smiled without saying much.
Ten days later, the palace examination.
The palace examination in Qi was different. There was no answering session, but the scholars took turns to meet the emperor.
The scholars all lived in the outer palace and could only leave after all the scholars had seen the emperor, which usually lasted two to three days.
The order of meeting the emperor is determined by drawing lots.
Xiao Mo was unlucky and drew the last one.
On the third day, Xiao Mo walked into the hall.
Sitting in the main hall were the King of Qi, Prime Minister Fang, and the other six ministers.
Everyone knows the relationship between Xiao Mo and Zhang Qianzhi.
Everyone knows the "Enfeoffment Order".
And now, everyone knows the "Water Melody: When Will the Bright Moon Appear" and "Spring Li Palace Fu".
When Xiao Mo entered the venue, almost everyone looked at the prime minister sitting next to the emperor.
Xiao Mo is already considered Zhang Qianzhi's student, and is Fang Ling's junior.
After Xiao Mo came in, Fang Ling closed his eyes, remained silent, and ignored everything.
"I am Xiao Mo, a student, and I am here to pay my respects to His Majesty and all the gentlemen." Xiao Mo bowed solemnly.
"When will the bright moon appear? I raise my cup to ask the blue sky. I wonder what year it is in the palace in heaven." The Lord of Qi looked at Xiao Mo with a smile, "What a talented and handsome young man! My dear ministers, please don't speak for now. I will test him first!"
The palace examination for ordinary scholars only lasts for a stick of incense at most.
But Xiao Mo stayed in the hall for a full half hour.
After Xiao Mo left, Lord Qi looked at the people around him and said, "I'm sure you all have no objection to the number one scholar in this palace examination, right?"
Mid-April.
The residence of the Qingshan County Magistrate.
The county magistrate, Mr. Sun, was in the yard making tea and playing with birds.
"Master! Master!"
Just as Lord Sun was adding water to the parrot in the cage, a servant ran in stumbling and frightening the parrot so much that it flapped its wings several times.
"What's the matter? You are so reckless that you scared my bird!" Lord Sun scolded.
"Master! Someone is coming from the Imperial City!"
"Someone is coming from the imperial city? What's the matter?" County Magistrate Sun was shocked, thinking that he didn't usually embezzle much money.
"Master, someone from the Imperial City said they want to give you a reward! Xiao Mo from your county! He won three prizes in a row!"
"What!" The Qingshan County Magistrate was overjoyed. "Great, great! Hurry and meet the imperial envoy!"
But when the Qingshan County Magistrate was halfway there, he suddenly thought: "Quickly prepare the big red horse and big red flowers, and prepare to parade for the top scholar!"
"Well, the top scholar didn't come to the county town."
"He didn't come to the county? Where did the number one scholar go?"
"The top scholar seems to have returned to the village."
“.”
"Master, I'll send someone to fetch the number one scholar right away."
"No need." The Qingshan County Magistrate gathered his sleeves and looked towards Sheshan. "The number one scholar probably won't be coming these days."
(End of this chapter)
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