back to ancient times to be emperor

Chapter 646
Five days passed by in a hurry.

In the past few days, the Ministry of Rites has been extremely busy.In addition to issuing test numbers and arranging the test room in Ji Ying Hall, they also had to admonish these candidates one by one.After all, the palace is heavily guarded and intrusion is strictly prohibited.If you break into the harem, the emperor wants to save you from the death penalty, and you will inevitably be revoked, and you will not be allowed to retake the exam for life and other severe punishments.

Some people say that the Ministry of Rites is a leisurely government office, and this is also because there is no imperial examination.As soon as the imperial examination comes, the Ministry of Rites will be very busy, which is almost as busy as farming.But after the imperial examination, the Ministry of Rites gradually became quiet again.There is no way, the Ministry of Rites is equivalent to the combination of the Education Bureau and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of later generations. Education has not kept up these days, and most of the people are still illiterate. What can the Ministry of Rites do?At worst, it would be a verbal war with foreign envoys and a lesson in etiquette.

The four Wang Anshi brothers got up early, not because they couldn't sleep, but because when they applied for the exam number a few days ago, the officials from the Ministry of Rites warned them that they must not "miss the hour", otherwise their exam qualifications would be reduced if the palace gates were closed. cancelled.At the same time, the Ministry of Rites also distributed a copy of "Instructions for the Imperial Examination" to replace the previous admonition on etiquette.In addition, it also earnestly warned that "the number paper must be kept, and if it is lost, it is not allowed to enter."

In view of this, who else dares to sleep late?No, these movers are about to set off before Mao's time.A group of people lit lanterns and marched to Xuande Gate, the main entrance of the imperial palace. They waited for the examination number to be checked, and searched their bodies.

The four brothers of the Wang family checked the examination number before they were able to enter the palace.At this time, the sky was not yet bright, and the palace was still shrouded in darkness.Seeing the red walls and green tiles in the dim light, even Wang Anshi, who had been to the palace once, felt a surge of pride born from his chest, let alone other gestures.

Under the guidance of the servants, these candidates came to the front of the Jiying Hall, and saw the mixed picture hanging high.This mixed map is actually a seating chart. Students can find their seat number according to the seating chart, and just sit in the seat according to the number.

Today is not a regular court, so there are no officials in the palace, except for the examiner who was temporarily decided by Lu Chengqi.The detailed official with the greatest power is naturally Wen Yanbo, the chief examiner of the tribute examination.Now that he was the chief examiner of the tribute examination, he also became the detailed official of the palace examination.

As soon as Demao arrives, the waiter will call out the candidate's test number according to the mixed map, check the name and household registration, and put them into the hall one by one.There is a curtain in the hall, and seats are arranged in rows.There is a card on the table, three feet long, covered with white paper.The candidate's name, place of origin and seat number are written on it.These things cannot be defaced or moved, otherwise they will be treated as cheating.There is also a pen, ink, paper and inkstone, so you don't need to bring your own.

After all the candidates entered the Jiying Hall, and after sitting for a few times, the middle officials distributed the imperial examination questions.Candidates need to first copy the imperial examination questions on the straw paper on the desk, and then put the imperial examination questions into a yellow gauze bag and tie it around their necks.This is to prevent the imperial examination questions from being defaced. If they are defaced, it will be "called disrespectful, and the papers will not be accepted."At this time, the exam is very painful. Not only must the taboo of the late emperor's name be avoided, but also the questions of the imperial examination must be kept, which is in the way.

In addition, the palace test is different from the solution test and the provincial test, and cannot be "invited".In the old system, when poetry and songs were being tested in the palace examination, scholars could "invite" the emperor. If the emperor didn't want to answer, the question maker had to answer in the Xuanxuan.Later, Emperor Yuanshou felt that such "reciprocation and divergence was undignified, and it was not conducive to the fairness of the examination room", so he abolished the "invitation" and issued an edict that "all the questions of the imperial examination will be printed by the Ministry of Rites, and scholars are not allowed to submit invitations. From then on, the Jinshi each subdued their positions and were not allowed to return to the palace."

Perhaps it is difficult for others to understand, so it’s fine if the question cannot be defaced, but if you have doubts about the question, you can’t ask it. If you understand it wrong, who can you talk to?In fact, this is the brilliance of Emperor Yuanshou. The examination papers will not be defaced and cannot be submitted, which shows that the palace examination is absolutely different from the examination and provincial examination.

Following the servant's promise, the palace examination officially started, and the examination time was six hours.In fact, there was only one question, which was chosen by Lu Chengqi himself.This title is taken from two similar articles in "Book of Rites: The Doctrine of the Mean" and "Confucius' Family Language", without changing a single word.

The title of the first paragraph is: When Zilu met Confucius, Confucius asked, "Why do you enjoy yourself?" He replied, "I like a long sword." If you add knowledge, how can it be compared?" Zilu said: "How can learning be beneficial?" Zi said: "My wife and ruler without admonishing ministers will lose their integrity, and scholars without religious friends will lose their hearing. The mad horse will not let go of his strategy, and he will not let it go." The bow does not turn back, the wood is straightened by the rope, the man is sage when he is remonstrated, and he is asked again and again, which is not smooth? Destroying benevolence and evil officials is close to punishment. A gentleman must learn." Zilu said: "There are bamboos in Nanshan , not soft and straight, cut it and use it, and reach the rhinoceros leather. In this way, how can you learn it?" Zi said: "Break and feather it, and arrowhead and sharpen it. Isn't the penetration too deep?" Zi Lubai Said: "Respect and be taught."

The title of the second paragraph is: Zilu Wenqiang.The Master said: "The strength of the south? The strength of the north? Restraining the strength? Gentleness teaches, and does not repay the injustice. The strength of the south is also where the gentleman lives. The gold and leather are not tired of death. The strength of the north is also strong. , and the strong live in it. Therefore, a gentleman is harmonious and does not flow, it is strong to be correct! Neutral and not leaning, it is strong to be correct! The state has the way, it does not change, it is strong, it is strong! The country has no way, it does not change until death, it is strong Correct!"

The title of the third paragraph is: Zilu asked Confucius, where did he learn what Confucius said, and where is it better than a sword if he is not worthy of a sword?
Both of these are classic allusions, about learning and the analysis of strengths and weaknesses.When Lu Chengqi asked this question, he actually meant one thing, what is real strength, and what is real knowledge.It is true that helping the community is knowledge, but isn’t that kind of farming knowledge?Another one, what is strong.Literati like to use this to justify whether the country needs an army or national defense.In fact, all three-year-olds know that if there is no army, how can a country be called a country?However, these literati who are stupid in reading, for their own benefit and ignoring the national interest, have repeatedly suppressed the violent tool that the country relies on for this order, thinking that it has violated the people, how absurd!

Why did Lu Chengqi ask this question?He just wants to warn these scholars, stop being stupid, you are not Zilu, and I am not Confucius.I don't have the heart of a sage. I am angry and want to kill someone.Think about it, a group of ministers have been expressly implying that you want to disarm the army and weaken the generals all day long. What is the intention of this?Zilu is so brave, Confucius just advised him to learn.But Lu Chengqi is the emperor, if a benevolent person becomes the emperor, then the world will suffer.Furthermore, soldiers, the great affairs of the country, the place of death and life, the way of survival, must be investigated.Look, if there is no army, would the emperor Lu Chengqi still be the emperor?Therefore, you can throw away anything, but you must not throw away the gun barrel in your hand.Not only can't lose it, but hold it firmly!Grandpa Mao has already said that political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. If Lu Chengqi wants to secure his throne, he must firmly control the military power and control the army in his own hands.So he reorganized the army and set up the Royal Military Academy, all with this intention.

It's ridiculous that those civil officials are worried day and night, deeply afraid that the warriors will make waves again and rob their power.This is also a common problem of human nature. Power is a bone-destroying poison. Once it is contaminated, you want to firmly control it in your own hands.But the civil servants didn't know that in the Dashun Dynasty, only Emperor Lu Chengqi had the power to formulate rules.And their power was bestowed by Lu Chengqi.Once Lu Chengqi didn't trust them, the power would be gone.The military officer is different, because of the checks and balances of the Privy Council, the military officer can't touch the military power at all.Only by obeying Lu Chengqi's orders can they mobilize the army.

This is due to Dashun's system, so Lu Chengqi's current opponent is not the seemingly vicious Liao Kingdom, nor is it Goryeo, but these seemingly docile, but actually full of rotten civil servants.If the will of the country is not unified, then everything will be in vain.What Lu Chengqi has to do now is to correct the mentality of the civil servants and let them see clearly what is right and what is wrong!

(End of this chapter)