The last conscience of the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 31 Palace Examination Questions
Listening to Cao Yang's description of the female envoy beside Cao Tan, Liang Xin felt surprised and doubtful at the same time.

Cao Yang shuddered: "It's not just scary. Forget it, let's not mention them. They will follow my sister to whomever she marries. They just don't know how long the person who marries my sister can last. Anyway, I don't have the details." I’ve told you, but you’re not interested in listening, so go play a game of chess.”

"It's terrible, it's terrible." Liang Xin patted her chest.

Which one is Wang Jingyu?

She is a researcher of ordnance, and her hairpins all have machine-buckled hairpins, the kind that can seal your throat with blood within five steps.

At noon, Liang Xin had something to eat in Cao Yang's courtyard, then went home first, bringing a can of Fanlou soup, and then some serious Fanlou famous dishes, and then entered the palace.

In the palace, Zhao Ji just woke up.

The young eunuchs prepared the dishes and soup brought by Liang Xin, as well as the dishes prepared by the imperial chef.

Liang Shicheng waved his hand to signal the young eunuchs to leave.

When there were only Liang Xin and Zhao Ji in the room, Liang Xin said: "Zhao Yi, I think you should recharge your batteries for a few days. You will definitely have to take the exams separately for the few officials you have recruited. In case the eldest lady comes to observe, you will always It would be better if you are full of energy. If you do it well this time, the eldest lady will also think that you are running the country well."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

The eldest lady still had enough power to intimidate the Queen Mother, and Liang Xin did not dare to mention that the eldest lady would be unhappy.

We can only follow Zhao Ji's thoughts.

Then, let Zhao Ji think for himself, if the eldest lady is happy then, it will be a good thing for him.

After saying that, Liang Xin put a few pieces of paper in the bag on the table: "This is the test question you want. Let me explain the benefits of Hehuang to our Song Dynasty and its suitability for the Xixia strategy. Let's send people first. In the past, the people were settled and laid out, so that Taozhou could slowly regain actual control and dig out the best and most exquisite Tao inkstones."

"Over there, don't mention Tao Yan, just Hehuang."

"Don't just talk, write it down." Zhao Ji felt that he couldn't remember it just by listening.

It took more than an hour for Liang Xin to finish talking about Hehuang, Shanzhou, Taozhou, Qiang people, Tubo people... After these things, Liang Xin said: "I want to take a few days off."

"What are you doing?" Zhao Ji's first reaction was to be alert. Does Liang Xin want to go out to play by herself?

Liang Xin replied: "My father proposed a marriage to a daughter of a military attaché's family who had worked as an envoy in the Cao family. He asked me to take a concubine. It will be done the day after tomorrow, so I asked for two days' leave."

Zhao Ji thought for a while: "No, it's not allowed."

Liang Xin was stunned. At this time, he was not stupid enough to say that there were rules in the official department, nine days' leave for marrying a wife and three days for taking a concubine. How could there be five days' leave for taking a concubine?

Zhao Ji added: "It's not allowed anyway. I'll give you half a day at most. When the eldest lady praises me for my ability to govern the country, I'll give you a few more days off."

"This, this, okay." Liang Xin actually didn't care.

"Also." Zhao Ji continued: "The matter of the imperial examination."

Liang Xin: "The imperial examination?"

Zhao Ji said: "Although I was dizzy sitting in the court in the morning, I probably heard a few words. They were noisy. Go ask about the situation and come up with an idea to prevent the eldest lady from asking questions."

"Yes." Liang Xin stood up and retreated.

Outside the door, Liang Shicheng was leaning on a pillar to show off to the eunuch. When he saw Liang Xin coming out, he went up to greet her.

When the father and son arrived at a deserted place, Liang Xin asked: "This morning, there was a lot of noise about the imperial examination."

Liang Shicheng nodded: "There was almost a fight. Mr. Han advocated the trial of gifts, Mr. Zhang advocated the trial of strategies, and Privy Council Zeng advocated the pardon."

Liang Xin has been traveling for some time and has read a lot of Di newspapers.

Fu test is to determine the ranking in the palace examination based on poems. This is the earliest method that has been implemented in the Song Dynasty.Zhang Xianggong, who is from the Xinfa lineage, hopes to decide the name of the palace examination based on policy.

Privy Council Zeng, that is, Zeng Bu, his attitude was that even after the death of the late emperor, it would still be the same as before. There would be no imperial examination, and the final ranking would be determined based on the ranking in the general examination.Everyone had their own reasons, and there was a huge quarrel.

Liang Xin asked again: "Didn't you mention Cai Jing?"

Liang Shicheng replied: "Don't tell me, it's really weird. Yesterday, the court was off for ten days. Two of Cai Jing's party members were tortured to death in Dali Temple. It stands to reason that there should be people quarreling with the court today because of his affairs. Only Tai Jian Here, someone is impeaching Cai You for selling his official position, and please ask Dali Temple to investigate thoroughly."

Liang Xin asked: "Dad, what do you think?"

Liang Shicheng closed his eyes and thought for a moment: "Uncle Fu did mention something. He said that there are not many people of the Xinfa lineage in Taiwan admonishing. Although the admonishing people in Taiwan have not mentioned it, they have been saying that Cai Jing is disobedient to King Jian." That's the direction, so Mr. Zhang would probably choose to break his arm to survive."

"Abandon the Cai brothers?"

"Yes." Liang Shicheng nodded: "There are also some invisible rules in this court. If the old law line stops with the Cai brothers, then Zhang Xianggong will not protect Cai Jing. On the contrary, it will be a fierce fight. I observe , The old method doesn’t expect to overthrow the new method in one go. It’s better to break an arm than to break a finger.”

Liang Xin nodded silently.

Liang Shicheng continued: "Cai Bian is the son-in-law of Ban Shan Gong. The fall of the Cai brothers there is of extraordinary significance. Look, if there is one more person in the church before the end of the month, I estimate that the two families may have reached a tacit understanding."

"Who?"

"Cai You's wife, Cai Jing's eldest daughter-in-law."

Liang Xin understood.

Once a person is demoted to the Jiaofang, it means that the Cai brothers are finished and it is impossible to turn around again.

Liang Xin asked: "What if she was unwilling and committed suicide?"

Liang Shicheng: "Is there any difference?"

"It seems not." Liang Xin thought for a while, and that's right, there is indeed no difference.Liang Xin asked again: "If the eldest lady asks the officials, if they don't accept the secret in the palace examination, what will be tested, what should the officials do?"

Liang Shicheng put his hands in his sleeves and thought for a long time: "These three choices are actually not good."

Liang Shicheng explained: "The trial Fu means to favor the old method, and the test policy means to favor the new method. I'm sorry... The eldest lady actually doesn't like it, unless there is a third way of taking the exam. Dad will tell you a little thing, Your uncle Fu arranged for people to deduct the offerings from Princess Zhu’s courtyard. When the eldest lady finds out, what do you think?”

"how?"

"Just a few strokes, no blood was seen, but not a grain of rice was made up for the deducted part. This ten days, the deducted numerical control was given to Princess Zhu's hospital."

After listening to this, Liang Xin thought to herself that these old ladies are really cruel.

Concubine Zhu was the biological mother of the late Emperor and King Jian. According to the rituals, she should have been given the title of Queen Mother long ago, but she was still a concubine.

Liang Xin: "Dad, I understand."

"How?"

"The third type of test question."

Liang Shicheng: "What is the test?"

"painting."

"Painting?!" Liang Shicheng was surprised at first, then turned around and smiled: "Son, you are talented."

　A little more than one day left.

　　Come on.

　　The manuscript has been saved... one hundred thousand words.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)