Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 214
"...Zhang Yang from Shehong County, Zizhou, Wang Ju from Yingchuan County, Yingzhou, Wen Dalin from Qiantang County, Hangzhou, Zhang Zhu from Bianliang County, Kaifeng Prefecture, the above [-] scholars, please come out!"

Twenty scholars walked out of their seats under hundreds of pairs of envious eyes. Not only the top three will be selected among them, but even if they fail to enter the top three, they will also be listed as the second best, and they will be awarded Jinshi background. Walking out of the team, he ranked second, second only to Wang Suizhou of Bianliang, the favorite to win the championship.

Pei Qun continued: "The following are the three boys who will test the scholars. Please invite Zhang Qiu from Bianliang, Li Ying from Yuhang County, Hangzhou, and Liu Ran from Wujiang County, Pingjiang Prefecture."

Fanning's head 'hum! ' With a bang, there is no self?

Although he kept saying that he didn't care about rankings, he was really disappointed that he wasn't included in the interview list.

Su Liang was also taken aback, and said in a low voice, "What's the matter, Fan Ning, how could there be no you?"

Fan Ning glanced at Liu Ran who was looking at him triumphantly, and he also felt a trace of indescribable bitterness in his heart.

"Maybe I didn't perform well in the imperial examination!" He replied lightly.

"It's so unfair, let this bastard be proud!" Su Liang stared at Liu Ran's back with hatred.
"You come with me!"

Pei Qun took 23 interviewees to Fengqi Pavilion to wait for the interview. Although the three boy candidates were able to participate in the interview, only one of them was admitted.

The admitted boy boy test candidate will be ranked No.1 in the second class, and the other two candidates who were not accepted in the interview will enter the top three list, but they are also awarded Jinshi background.

At this time, Fan Ning's mind was a little confused. He was thinking hard about what went wrong with his palace examination questions, which made the examiner dislike it.

As No.1 in the Provincial Examination of Boys and Children, he did not enter the top three in the end. It can only be said that there was a problem with the questions in his palace examination, and the problem was not small, and he probably violated some taboos.

Could it be that Ouyang Xiu was displeased with his idea of ​​building a powerful navy and expanding overseas territories?
． ． ． ． ． ． ． ．
At this time, Emperor Zhao Zhen had already sat down in the Imperial Study Room. While drinking tea, he flipped through the list of interviews. Because he needed to finalize the No. [-], No. [-] and Tan Hua, the current list was not the last one.

Once the top three are determined, the Ministry of Rites will present a complete list, and Zhao Zhenzhu will officially release the list after approval, announcing the list of the imperial examinations to the world.

Now what Zhao Zhen saw was the interview list provided to him by the Ministry of Rites.

Zhao Zhen looked at the list of twenty Jinshi, he turned to the next page, and the next page was the list of three Tongzike Jinshi.

Zhao Zhen nodded, put the list on the table, and picked up the teacup to drink tea, but his eyes accidentally saw the stone paperweight on the table.

With a thought in his heart, he put down the teacup and asked calmly, "Which number is Fan Ning?"

Song Xiang was stunned for a moment, then turned his head to look at Zhang Xuan, the servant of the Ministry of Rites. Zhang Xuan's face turned pale. He never thought that the emperor would pay attention to Fan Ning?

If he had known this earlier, he would not have taken the risk for Zhang Yaozuo if he was killed.

Zhang Xuan took advantage of the fact that the Son of Heaven did not read the entire list, and conducted the interview first. When the chief examiner found out that something was wrong, the rice had already been cooked and cooked. At most, the officials below did not communicate with the chief examiner in time, and the matter was over with a simple punishment up.

Zhang Xuan didn't dare to tell the truth, so he had to push the responsibility down again, and said in a low voice: "I haven't seen the complete list, please let me take a look and report to Your Majesty!"

"no need!"

Zhao Zhen glanced at Zhang Xuan in dissatisfaction. The Minister of Rites who was in charge of the imperial examination did not see the complete list, which is simply absurd!
Song Xiang was also very dissatisfied, how could Zhang Xuan make such a low-level mistake?But he was caught by the emperor again, and he secretly hated him, but Zhang Xuan was his man, so he wanted to say something nice for Zhang Xuan.

Song Xiang said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Zhang Shilang has not closed his eyes for two days and two nights. He has devoted himself to the holding of the imperial examination. Although he made a mistake at the last moment, his spirit is still commendable."

Zhao Zhen's face softened a little, and he said, "Go and announce! Get ready to start the interview."

At this moment, Xiangguo Wen Yanbo shouted from outside: "This is a blatant deception, don't stop me, I want to see the emperor!"

Zhao Zhen was taken aback, what happened?He hurriedly said: "Let Mr. Wen come in and talk."

At this time, Zhang Xuan's face changed drastically, and his legs trembled. He already realized that something was going to happen.

After a while, Wen Yanbo rushed into the imperial study angrily, and bowed to Zhao Zhen, "I want to impeach Mr. Song for the crime of deceiving the emperor!"

Song Xiang's face changed, and he was very dissatisfied: "Mr. Wen, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Zhao Zhen frowned, "Mr. Wen, I'm at a loss, just speak up if you have anything to say."

Wen Yanbo presented a list, "This is the list of top rankings obtained by this minister, please see if there is any difference, Your Majesty?"

Zhao Zhen looked at the list, and asked puzzledly, "I don't see any difference?"

"Your Majesty, please look at the Children's Department!"

Zhao Zhen turned to the second page, his face changed suddenly, the No. 1 was Fan Ning, Wu County, Pingjiang Prefecture.

Zhao Zhen looked at Song Xiang sharply, "Song Xianggong, give me a try!"

Song Xiang was also stunned, the two children's lists were different, Fan Ning was removed from the list given to him by Zhang Xuan, but he didn't know that there was another list.

He stared at Zhang Xuan extremely dissatisfied, "Zhang Shilang, you gave me the list, why did this happen, why didn't you tell me?"

Zhang Xuan was already on the verge of riding a tiger, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and said, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites believes that Fan Ning's qualifications are questionable, so he has been removed from the interview list."

"Then I just asked you what number Fan Ning was, why did you say you didn't know?" Zhao Zhen asked coldly.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I really don't know what number Fan Ning is now. Maybe it's the first name, maybe it's No.4. Before I confirm it, I dare not speak nonsense."

"Hmph! You are so good at sophistry that I have nothing to say, so tell me, where is Fan Ning not qualified?"

Zhang Xuan felt guilty for a while, he gritted his teeth and said: "He is the grandson of Fan Zhongyan, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites. We think he should take another test, but he didn't, so the Ministry of Rites believes that his qualifications are flawed. In order to avoid people from all over the world to discuss , so cancel his interview."

Zhao Zhen narrowed his eyes, it's really interesting that Fan Zhongyan was involved.

Wen Yanbo sneered, and saluted Zhao Zhen, "Please ask him a few words, Your Majesty!"

"Wen Xianggong just speak out!"

Wen Yanbo glared at Zhang Xuan and said, "Excuse me, Zhang Shilang, Fan Ning is just the grandson of Fan Zhongyan's clan, not his own grandson. Fan Zhongyan's official inauguration in the Ministry of Rites is the second day of the imperial examination. Does this violate the regulations of the Bie Tou Examination?"

Zhang Xuan knew that if he took a step back, his body would be smashed to pieces. At this time, he had no choice but to go all out.

"Strictly speaking, he did not violate the rules of the Bietou Examination, but he is the grandson of the Minister of Rites, so it is not impossible to let him participate in the Bietou Examination, so I just said that his qualifications are flawed, otherwise in the During the provincial examination review, I will disqualify him from the list, but as the minister of the Ministry of Rites, I will never recommend a scholar with flawed qualifications to the emperor for an interview."

"You recommend?"

Wen Yanbo continued to sneer: "What qualifications do you have to recommend? Have you talked to the chief examiner? Who approved it? The list you provided to the emperor was re-drafted by the chief examiner?"

Although what Zhang Xuan said was very reasonable, Fan Ning's qualifications were flawed, etc., but Wen Yanbo caught his biggest loophole.

The Ministry of Rites is not qualified to cancel anyone's ranking. They can only raise objections. The two prime ministers in charge of the palace examination will review whether the evidence is reasonable and sufficient. After the prime minister approves, the chief examiner will revise the new list, and then the three principal and deputy chief examiners will re-sign .

The process is very strict, just to prevent cheating.

Zhang Xuan was hit to the point, he felt that he was going to collapse, he summoned up his last ounce of courage and said: "This matter has been handed over to Yuanwailang Pei Qun, and I believe that he should have already communicated. .”

At this time, Song Xiang, who felt that he had been betrayed, said coldly: "Zhang Shilang, you are talking nonsense with your eyes open! I have been with you all the time, and you actually let a Yuanwailang communicate with me? When will he communicate with me?" Pass?"

Song Xiang's knife in the back made Zhang Xuan collapse. He fell to his knees, trembling all over, unable to speak a word.

Wen Yanbo bowed to Zhao Zhen again, "Wei Chen has already asked Yuanwailang Pei Qun, and he said that Zhang Xuan asked him to modify the list without authorization. He did everything according to Zhang Xuan's request, and Zhang Xuan didn't ask him to communicate with the chief examiner at all. .”

Zhao Zhen sighed, "How dare you openly bully me like this!"

He stared at Zhang Xuan, "Say it! Who ordered you to do this?"

Zhang Xuan kowtowed like garlic, "No one instigated this official. It is this official who has a grudge with Fan Zhongyan. This official wants to take the opportunity to retaliate. It is this official who has failed His Majesty's expectations. This official is willing to accept all punishments!"

Although Zhang Xuan was in despair, he was not confused. He knew that if Zhang Yaozuo confessed, it would only make him worse!
Zhao Zhen looked at him coldly for a moment, then waved his hand, "Pull him out and hand him over to Dali Temple for interrogation!"

Several guards dragged Zhang Xuan out, but Zhang Xuan remained silent.

Song Xiang said with a face full of shame: "The humble minister is also responsible for negligence!"

Zhao Zhen said indifferently: "The follow-up of the palace examination will be handed over to Mr. Wen, and Song Aiqing will leave it alone."

Song Xiang's heart sank, the officials didn't call him Song Xianggong, he felt an inexplicable worry, could something bad happen to him?

He hated Zhang Xuan so much in his heart, but he had no choice but to bow down and say, "I obey the order!"

Zhao Zhen said to Wen Yanbo again, "I'll give you half an hour to sort it out again, and I want to see the complete list."

(End of this chapter)