Chapter 298 299. Please Heaven! Distinguish between Loyalty and Treachery!
The other examiners were also furious.
But it was not because there were boys and girls among the candidates, nor because of the Changning Marquisate, but because some people suspected that the results of this county exam were falsified.
Damn it!
Doesn't this mean they are corrupt, colluding with each other, and taking advantage of others' interests?
The examiner was also furious.
Falsified grades are either due to the examiners covering up for the students, or someone cheated in the exam room and the examiners didn't notice. How is this any different from pointing fingers at them and calling them blind, saying they neglected their duties?!
This is a serious crime that could cost you your life!
After being an honest official for most of his life and having maintained his integrity for decades, he was blamed for supervising an exam and correcting a paper. Who could bear this?!
"If I ever commit corruption or abuse my power, I'll chop off my head and let them kick it around like a ball! My Song family will be extinct and there will be no more officials!"
The old censor with the worst temper was so angry that he slammed the table and cursed. If his family had not stopped him, he would have almost put on his official uniform and rushed to the palace to cry to the emperor to mobilize troops - the blame was put on his head, and he would not be able to get rid of the hatred in his heart unless he was arrested and beaten with dozens of boards!
The censors were known for being honest officials who valued reputation above their lives. If anyone dared to throw a spoonful of dirty water at them, they would crash into that person's door and scream before dying:
"Please Heaven! Distinguish between loyalty and treachery!"
The examiners and examiners reacted so strongly that the nobles who had just been accused of cheating did not dare to act rashly. The people of Kyoto were also convinced and talked about this "cheating incident" with great relish.
In addition to Miao Yurui, who won the first place, the most frequently mentioned person is several other men and women who "took advantage of the situation" and disguised themselves to take the exam.
These people also have close ties with the Changning Marquisate.
"Shu'er?"
Lei Zhouzhou only realized how much had happened in the past few days after returning home from vacation. He was very surprised. "Besides my sister-in-law, did Shu Ge'er, Shen Qiqi, Gong Yang and the others go?"
"yes."
Lei Li nodded with a smile, pinched Zhou Zhou's cheek and said, "Shu Ge'er and the others are supporting us, Zhou Zhou. Those families who challenged our family have been saying bad things about Zhou Zhou, both publicly and privately."
"As good friends, they must have been furious. Worried that no one would take the county exam, they took the exam on their own initiative. They all achieved good scores and gave us Zhou Zhou a sense of relief."
"Your sister-in-law ranked first in the county exam, Shu Ge'er ranked ninth, Shen ranked forty-eighth, Gong Yang ranked eighty-eighth, and the others also ranked well, all in the top two hundred."
These three people are Lei Zhouzhou’s good friends in Kyoto. Except for Shu Ge’er who is a boy, the other two are girls.
Shu Ge'er is also a relative of the old censor who is the most abusive. He has a rather radical and aloof personality and is particularly protective of his shortcomings. He instigated the talented Shen Qiqi and Gongyang Shi to vent Lei Zhouzhou's anger, and also encouraged other friends to take the county examination together.
The county examination and the prefectural examination are combined into the Tongsheng examination, which is similar to the preliminary and final rounds. Only after passing these two levels can one get the stepping stone to the civil service examination and become a Tongsheng.
There is no age limit for the Tongsheng examination; anyone from eight to eighty years old can take the exam.
Compared with other prefectures, the people of Kyoto Prefecture paid more attention to their children's education. Especially after the Dayou Dynasty implemented the Wanjia School, which provided low-cost enlightenment to the lower classes, most people would send their children to the Wanjia School.
This has led to many people being mysteriously confident in their children, and they always want their children to take tests to see if they can pass and whether they have the talent for studying.
Therefore, the prefectural examination in Kyoto Prefecture, namely the preliminary round of the Tongsheng examination, had the largest number of participants among the ten prefectures.
——Kyoto Prefecture has dozens of counties under its jurisdiction, but Kyoto itself is a prefectural capital, not a county seat, just like the modern city and county levels. xx city has xx county, but xx county is not in xx urban area. The preliminary rounds in xx county and xx urban area will be held at the same time.
The first test of the Tongsheng exam was also held in Kyoto Prefecture, but it was still called the "County Exam", and the candidates counted were only those with registered household registration in Kyoto Prefecture.
In Kyoto Prefecture, students who passed the county examination gathered in Kyoto Prefecture to take the prefectural examination. That is, the contestants who passed the preliminary round went to the city for the final round. Only those who passed the final round could become real "Tongsheng".
Miao Yurui, Shuger and others naturally also have to take part in the provincial examination.
Miao Yurui ranked first in the county examination in Kyoto Prefecture.
But he may not necessarily get first place in the provincial examination. There is no guarantee that there will be some extremely talented people in the counties under the jurisdiction of Kyoto who will compete with him for the first place.
"Those old guys in Kyoto will definitely come up with some evil ideas again."
A cold light flashed in Lei Li Taohua's eyes, but her tone did not show much concern. Instead, she smiled frivolously. As she spoke, she lowered her head and took a sip of this year's pre-rain Longjing tea.
"Seeing that there was no man in Kyoto who could rival our Yu Rui, he lost face and went to the subordinate counties and other prefectures to find a so-called one-in-a-million genius to compete with him in order to regain his face. However, he didn't know that this would actually lead to him falling into our trap."
“Because they have a sense of crisis.”
Zhou Yi placed the tea cake that Lei Li liked next to him, and took a sip of the new tea, his brows slightly raised. His husband had put too much tea leaves in the tea, and the tea tasted a bit strong.
"The more urgent their actions are, the more they care. The more they care, the more it shows that Yu Rui, Shu Ge'er and others have truly threatened their status and interests."
"However, if they weren't stepping on the backs of our brothers and daughters, there would be no need to be so angry. 'Profit' is something that everyone can earn, but only when you earn it is it real."
Whether the cat is black or white, the one that catches mice is a good cat.
"Indeed."
Lei Li nodded in agreement, then frowned slightly, "Don't tell Yu Rui about these things. It's putting pressure on him for no reason. It's our fault if we implicate him."
The affairs of the adults in officialdom involve the younger generation, and it is wrong for them to act as a shield.
Zhou Yi naturally agreed.
Neither of them thought there was anything wrong. This young man, who seemed like a child to them, was actually almost thirty years old and had already become a mature adult.
—
The county examination is in February and the prefectural examination is in April.
The results of the county exam were widely publicized, causing everyone in Kyoto to look forward to the prefectural exam. They wondered whether a boy would come from behind to win, or whether a man would take first place as usual.
The number of people taking the Kyoto Prefecture exam this year is 10% higher than last year, and is concentrated in the subordinate prefectures.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this was definitely the work of that group of old nobles. Lei Li and Zhou Yi knew it too, but they were not panicked or busy at all. They were not the candidates, examiners, or graders, so why were they so panicked?
If the result is not good, the first person to be anxious is the emperor. If the result is good, the emperor will also be the happiest.
The three types of talents competed for the top, making the court more lively. This was not only beneficial to the country, but also to the hidden prince.
With a solid foundation, tall buildings can be easily built.
There were twice as many examiners and graders in the prefectural examination as in the county examination. However, because the examination was more meticulous, the grading time was not much faster, and the results were not finally released until nearly May.
[Shock! My brother is number one again!]
[Shocking news! First place in both the county and provincial exams! Laurel flowers have fallen in the Marquis of Changning's mansion!]
[An unprecedented and astonishing feat! The first child to take first place in the student exam!]
[Surprise! Reveal the origins of the boy and girl who passed this year's Tongsheng exam!]
He ranked first in both the county and provincial examinations.
Miao Yurui is first again.
Shuger ranked eleventh in the provincial examination, Shen Qiqi ranked sixty-third, and Gongyang Shi performed exceptionally well and ranked seventy-ninth. This time, the policy essay topic happened to be her strong point.
The rankings of the other brothers' daughters varied, but overall, they were enough to shock Kyoto and even the entire Daiyu.
This move severely slapped the faces of those old Kyoto nobles who held an opposing and critical attitude, and also gave a hard slap in the face to those self-righteous and self-willed men and students, overturning the fallacy that "since ancient times, men and women have not been good at poetry and prose and have not understood state affairs."
The city of Kyoto was in an uproar, with people in the streets and alleys talking about the Tongsheng Examination.
Because there were a large number of people taking the Tongsheng examination this year, in order to commend and encourage the students, the court specially set up rewards for the top 100 Tongsheng, which were varying amounts of rice, flour, cloth and silver. The first place in the provincial examination was awarded a medal and 1,000 taels of silver.
"If only my son could succeed and get first place in the provincial exam, that would be worth a thousand taels of silver!"
"My eldest son is not good enough, but the second and third mothers are smart. I might as well send my two daughters to Wanjia School and let them become scholars to show their respect!"
"What's the use of a maid examining? Even if you pass the exam, don't you still have to get married? If you get married, you'll be someone else's scholar!"
"Do you really think you can become an official? I think those masters above are just talking big to cheat us out of our money. Even studying in Wanjia School costs money!"
"That's true. It's better to save more dowry for the girl. Illiteracy won't be a big deal..."
Families with more financial resources in Kyoto were tempted. They wanted to send one more child to school, as it meant one more hope for the child to rise to prominence. There were also those who only had daughters and sons, and they gritted their teeth to support their children's education so that they could have a better life, or to provide for them better in their old age.
Some people are stubborn and think that girls and boys will eventually get married, so studying and taking imperial examinations are pointless; others simply care about money and don't want to support a child.
You can only get money if you pass the exam. If you fail, the money you spend on buying books for school will be like throwing meat buns at a dog, and it will never come back.
Even if you are a teacher, it is difficult to make a living by running a school. If there is a teacher who is a man and a teacher who is a boy, most people will definitely choose the school run by the former.
So many Kyoto citizens just joined in the fun for the sake of having fun, but for the noble families in Kyoto, it was a completely different story.
One thousand taels of silver is nothing, but the meaning behind it is heavy.
Even some aristocratic families felt a little regretful. Since this was something the emperor agreed to implement, it would be much better for them to close their eyes and stand on the emperor's side. After all, it wouldn't be a loss if they failed the exam, they could just say that their children were naughty and didn't study seriously.
If I do well in the exam, I will be able to compete for the first place in the imperial examination next year. This will be recorded in history and my name will go down in history!
Now all the limelight has gone to the Marquis of Changning's Mansion. Without the status of a Tongsheng, you cannot participate in next year's academy examination and provincial examination. Isn't this just watching the Marquis of Changning's Mansion enjoy this honor alone?
All those who passed the examination for students of higher learning this time are close to the Marquis of Changning’s mansion. If the brothers and daughters really become officials in the future, won’t they all be the Marquis of Changning’s disciples?
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