Prime Minister

Chapter 479

The provincial examination in the second year of Zhiping.

The Quan Zhigong Jue of this subject is Feng Jing, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, and Fan Zhen, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, is the Tongzhi Gongju, and Shao Bi is the Zhizhi Gao.

This subject does not have a palace examination because the officials are still in mourning. The provincial examination is the final result, so the examination method is slightly different from the past.

The provincial examination is divided into two sessions, with poetry and prose as the first session, and policy theory as the second session.

Use poems to decide whether to stay or not, and policy to decide whether to stay or not.

That is to say, taking the policy theory examination without dismissal, this move caused a wave of waves among the candidates.

The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty were also constantly changing. From Fan Zhongyan's reform of the imperial examinations to Ouyang Xiu's emphasis on ancient prose, the proportion of policy theory has been increasing, while the proportion of poetry and prose has decreased.

When it comes to Zhang Yue and Xu Jiang's subject, the status of policy theory has been elevated to a certain point.For example, Zhang Yue's poems and prose, which were mediocre in the provincial examination, would not even have been expected to get a high ranking ten or twenty years ago.

But in the second year of Zhiping, when Feng Jing took the exam, the status of poetry and prose was elevated again.Feng Jing is Fu Bi's son-in-law, and everyone speculates that this may be Fu Bi's intention.

Although Fu Bi supported the political reform, he tended to be cautious and conservative during the reform. Nowadays, there are many voices in the court who propose to emphasize poetry and abolish ancient prose, especially Sima Guang and other officials think that the status of poetry and prose should be restored. So maybe he made up his mind.

Therefore, with the support of officials from this faction, the reform of the imperial examinations, which had persisted for decades, went back.

After Zhang Yue heard about this, many officials who opposed the restoration of the status of poetry and Fu approached him.However, Zhang Yue has no words. The reform and reform are not smooth sailing, and the route is full of twists and turns.

It is also good to go back and let everyone compare again.Moreover, it is not suitable for him to speak out now. Compared with Sima Guang actively raising opinions to the court, he is more willing to do some practical things now.

Therefore, the provincial examination of this subject in the second year of Zhiping was carried out in a way of emphasizing poetry and prose.

As far as the Zhang family is concerned, Zhangqiu and Zhang Yi took the exam at the same time for this subject.In addition to the two of them, there are seven or eight children of the Zhang family who went to this department.

Since Zhang Dexiang died of illness, the children of the Zhang family are still serving as officials in the court today, including Taichang Cheng Zhang Yue, Ruzhou Zhizhou Zhang Heng, Xiongwu Army Jiedu Tuiguan Zhang Dun and other five or six officials.

Although there are no high-ranking officials, and they are not as powerful as Er Han and Lu Na, the family power can also be called a second-class powerful family.

The two or three people who took the exam this time were all from Yinguan background, so they arranged to take the exam in the lock hall.

As for Zhang Qiu and others, they took the exam in the Gongyuan with most of them.

When it came to the day when the announcement was made, everyone in the Zhang family was looking forward to it, and Zhang Shiyu and his wife were hurrying around in front of the door.

Zhang Yue sat down and comforted them both.

"The good news is here."

I don't know who said it, and everyone greeted them out at the same time.

"Congratulations to Mr. Zhang's high school."

Zhang Shiyu wept with joy, and Zhang Qiu was hit again.

Facing the guests who came to congratulate him, Zhang Shi said: "The imperial examination is really difficult. Our Axi is just a little lucky. He went to the examination room twice and did not return empty-handed. He passed the exam twice. See what you can do about it."

"I heard that the emphasis on poetry and prose this time made the candidates who were good at strategy theory helpless. Ah Xi can still get in. I really don't know what to say. Thanks to the teacher's good teaching, we Ah Xi are just obedient."

Zhang Shi enjoys Versailles to the congratulatory guests, but no one thinks he is showing off.

It is fair to say that flaunting money and power will be criticized by others, but flaunting the family name of descendants will not only not be criticized, but also praised.

Now the guests who came to the door to congratulate him all gave a thumbs up and praised it. It is really remarkable that the writing and ink of the Zhang family in Pucheng have been handed down from generation to generation.

Zhang Yue looked at it and smiled, but when he entered the room, he saw that Zhang Qiu was sitting in the study without hearing anything from outside.

There is also a policy discussion to determine the final ranking, and there will be no celebration until the exam is over. Think about it before Zhang Yue's own palace exam.

Zhang Yue walked into the study, but seeing Zhang Qiu immediately got up and saluted, "Third Uncle."

Zhang Yue said with a smile: "Why don't you go outside and have a look, so that parents can look good."

Zhangqiu smiled embarrassedly: "I haven't tested the strategy theory, but the strategy theory is my specialty. In the second round, I will definitely win a province, that is, the champion, so that my parents will be proud."

Zhang Yue laughed and said: "Ambition, this is a good boy from our Zhang family."

Zhang Yue patted Zhang Qiu's shoulder and said, "Axi, Third Uncle is really happy for you."

Zhang Yue spoke a little excitedly.

Zhang Qiu patted his head in embarrassment, and then said: "Uncle San, it's a pity that this subject is a public ranking, there is no imperial court, and there is no honor banquet, so it is not as beautiful as Uncle San when you won the first prize."

Zhang Yue said with a smile: "Scenery and so on are for others to see, the important thing is to be happy for yourself, and for my parents to be happy."

Zhang Qiu nodded and said: "Third Uncle is right, I have been immersed in my studies these years, I think I will honor my parents and Third Uncle and Aunt after I become an official."

Zhang Yue laughed and said, "What is filial piety? What matters is yourself. What do you want? How can an official have no ambition?"

Zhang Qiu shook his head and said, "I don't have any ambitions at the moment, I just think about the well-being of my parents, uncles and aunts, and I will have no regrets in this life."

"What stupid things are you talking about? I won't say anything if you don't see any guests. When the guests leave, just talk to your parents."

Zhangqiu said: "Yes."

On the second day when Zhang Yue came home from the Yamen, Tang Jiudao had a visitor.

When Zhang Yue saw it, it turned out that it was Zhang Yu. Zhang Fang and several other uncles of Zhang's family also arrived.

Zhang Yue heard that Zhang Yi was also on the list.

So they came here to congratulate each other?

Zhang Yue suddenly thought of something, that's it, they must come here to discuss this matter.

Zhang Yue walked to the side of the hall, but saw Zhang Yu, Zhang Fan was talking to Zhang Shi, and Zhang Qiu sat beside him awkwardly.

Zhang Fang said: "I also know that this is difficult to say, but I still have to say that it is the emperor Zhenzong's imperial decree to our Zhang family that brothers should not be treated together. Therefore, Brother Heng and Brother Dun were both Jinshi at the beginning. Brother Dun was the number one scholar, so Brother Dun abandoned the Jinshi, and won the Jinshi No.5 again in the next year."

"Now that Gouzi and Axi are promoted together, if our Zhang family produces two more Jinshi, wouldn't this violate the imperial decree of Emperor Zhenzong? Our official family has always disliked powerful families, and our Zhang family has finally achieved today." Status, how can it fall short at this moment?"

But seeing Zhang Shi showed embarrassment.Several other Zhang parents and elders on the side also echoed.

Zhang Yu said: "Brother Chu took the No. 1 lock hall test this time, that is, the first place in the provincial test. Speaking of which, Axi's first subject name seems not as good as that of Brother Chu."

After finishing speaking, Zhang Yu Yi said to Zhang Qiu in a pedantic manner: "Axi, you will only be 16 years old this year. It's too early. It doesn't matter if you are a Jinshi two years later."

Zhang Yue couldn't help being furious when he heard this, and went straight into the door.

At this time, Zhang Yu and Zhang Fang wanted to continue talking to Zhang Shi, but when Zhang Yue walked in, they both stopped talking.

When Zhang Shi saw Zhang Yue, he said immediately: "Third brother, they just now..."

Zhang Yue said: "Needless to say, I heard everything just now. The uncles are polite."

After seeing the ceremony, Zhang Yue sat down, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea, then slapped the table and angrily shouted at the servants beside him: "What's the matter, why is the tea cold, how can you serve cold tea to the guests?"

The servants on the side were baffled by Zhang Yue's scolding, the tea was obviously still hot, how could it be cold, so they could only hold the tea with their heads down and leave.

Zhang Yu and Zhang Fang didn't dare to speak when they met Zhang Yue. In front of Zhang Yue, they didn't dare to act as aggressive as Zhang Shi.

Zhang Yu has seen how powerful Zhang Yue is. Before he became an official, he was already a big deal, and he never took his uncle seriously.

Now he is a majestic court official with real power in his hands. I heard that he even beat the official family a few days ago. Not only is he fine, but he has also gained a reputation as Wei Zheng.

Seeing Zhang was getting more and more angry now, Zhang Yu and Zhang Fang looked at each other, and the other uncles of the Zhang family who came to help the place dared not say anything.

Zhang Yudao: "Since Brother Yue heard it all just now, then I won't say anything else. In other big families of officials and eunuchs, there are so many children and none of them are successful, and they can't produce a Jinshi in several generations. But our Zhang family won the imperial examinations repeatedly, and several times we won two or three Jinshi in one subject."

"Speaking of which, this is the luck of the family, but it is a pity that our Zhang family has been the lone minister of the emperor since the Duke of Xi. Since we are lone ministers, we should not be good at joining the list with our children, so as not to fall into the pretext of others. What will the officials think of it in the future? Our Zhang family, not to mention Brother Yue, Brother Dun, Brother Heng, you are all officials in the court, and your future official careers will also be implicated."

Zhang Fang thought to himself, Zhang Yue is now the backbone of the Zhang family in Chaozhong, if he insists on fighting for his son's place in the imperial examination, he will offend him, and his son's future official career will not be easy.

Zhang Fang said: "Brother Yue, although you are the junior of the two of us, your knowledge is far superior to that of our two uncles. Which one do you think Gouzi or Axi should choose?"

After Zhang Wen finished speaking, Zhang Yue glanced at Zhang Qiu, but saw that he was very wronged at the moment.

He was too young to give up the last subject, and now he is 16 years old. Could it be that he gave up the name of the subject because his brothers from the same family are both promoted?
Twice in a row?

Zhang Yue said: "Brothers are not allowed to be promoted at the same time. It is a matter of the Zhenzong Dynasty. This is already an old calendar. Why do we always stick to the rules? It seems that the four brothers of Zeng Zigu's family are Jinshi. Do you think anyone in the world has ever gossiped?"

Zhang Yu asked: "Brother Yue, what do you mean by brothers?"

Zhang Yue said: "That's right, that's exactly what it means. Let Brother Chu and Ah Xi go to the next exam."

Zhang Yu said anxiously after hearing the words: "This is not feasible. You have to think about your own official career and that of Brother Dun, as well as the safety of our Zhang family. It is not uncommon to see such things in the past dynasties!"

Several uncles of the Zhang family also nodded.

Zhang Yue said: "Brother Dun gave up his fame at the beginning, but it doesn't mean that my family's Axi will also give up today. I heard that a powerful family is based on doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, and being loyal and filial, but I haven't heard that it is necessary to make my children give up their academic names. It's in line with the emperor's wishes. It's not Axi, it's my own nephew that's why I said that, and I have a heart of love for the hostess."

"I don't agree with this matter, so let's settle this matter for the uncles!"

Zhang Yu couldn't help being speechless when he heard the words. In the past, he could force Zhang Shi and Zhang Yue's family, but now he can't.

Zhang Fang also showed serious worries.

However, seeing that Zhang Yue had said it to death, they had no choice but to do anything.

(End of this chapter)