The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Zhao Zhen kept laughing, pointing at Su Jin and cursing: "You are getting more and more courageous. You force yourself to stand up for others, but you put this account on my head. If you don't explain it clearly today, I will make up my mind to do it." I won't spare you, even if you have great abilities, it's a dead end to correct you in front of me."

Su Jin hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, although the Emperor did not personally teach it, how can a courtier know what the Emperor advocates and opposes; if you dare to ask the Emperor, the answer to the exam questions is chosen by the Emperor himself."

Zhao Zhen sneered and said, "It was drafted by me personally, and "On Punishment, Reward and Loyalty to the Best" was selected by me from more than a hundred policy issues, so what?"

Su Jin bowed and said, "Ask the emperor again, what is the standard for the imperial court to select scholars?"

Zhao Zhen said: "You've come to test me, Lu Aiqing, tell him what are the criteria for the imperial court to select a scholar?"

Lu Yijian said slowly: "The first thing the imperial court chooses is to appoint people on their merits. The so-called sages can be understood as being loyal to the emperor and patriotic, with high integrity, well-read poems and books, and political integrity."

Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "Lu Aiqing has worked hard, and the explanation is quite incisive. Su Jin, do you understand?"

Su Jin bowed and said: "I have been taught, but what I want to ask is, since the imperial court has selected someone, does it mean that this person meets the imperial court's selection criteria?"

Zhao Zhen said: "Most of them are. It is not ruled out that there are a few people who are pretending to be fake, but they will be discovered sooner or later, so don't worry."

Su Jin nodded and said: "I don't know if this humble minister is among those fake eyes?"

Zhao Zhen said: "Well...you are naturally not among them, you can be proud."

Su Jin bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your approval. This minister is indeed quite proud."

Du Yan frowned and said, "Su Jin, what do you want to say? If you don't explain clearly what the emperor asked you, you will be forced to face it! That's a felony!"

Su Jin waved his hand and said, "Why is Mrs. Du so eager to punish me? If the officials explain, the emperor will not spare me. How can it be your old man's turn to worry about getting angry?"

Zhao Zhen shouted: "Hugh is so glib, you asked me for a long time what you want to express?"

Su Jin hurriedly cupped his hands and said: "Qi Zou the emperor, my minister is Jieyuan from the east and west of Beijing, I wonder if the emperor has read the minister's policy?"

Zhao Zhen snorted and said, "Look, so what? It's rumored that your article is so good, but I think it's nothing more than a mediocre work."

Su Jin scratched his head and said, "I have little talent and little learning, so naturally I can't get into the eyes of the emperor. Does the emperor think that there is something wrong with my views?"

Zhao Zhen said realistically, "It's well-founded."

Su Jindao: "That's it, I followed the emperor's instructions today, so I came out to speak for those students."

Zhao Zhen said in amazement: "Speaking of it, when did I teach you? Are you playing with me?"

Su Jin pretended to be surprised and said: "Huh? The imperial court took Weichen as the solution to Yuan, and the emperor did not refute the views of Weichen's policy theory. Isn't it the same as saying that the emperor is Mo Weichen's point of view in policy theory; His argument is that "benevolence can be surpassed, righteousness cannot be surpassed", which is actually the way of benevolence and forgiveness. The emperor agrees with this point of view. Why do you need to say it yourself? If the emperor acquiesces, how dare I stand up today? In the end, I really act according to the emperor's ideas; if I am convicted of this matter, I will die wronged."

There was an uproar in the court, this kid can really speak the vernacular, this is completely a sneaky change of concept, the emperor read your strategy, if he doesn't object, it means he acquiesces?This is too strong a word.

However, although it is a strong statement, it seems that there is no way to refute it. Su Jin's meaning is very clear: I wrote a policy theory and expressed my point of view, and your court also gave me a solution. In the name of Yuan, doesn't that mean that the court and the emperor agree with the article's point of view?If my point of view is wrong, why do you want me to understand Yuan? [

Zhao Zhen was caught in a trap by Su Jin alive. He was angry and funny. He felt like he wanted to refute, but he did not use his strength; Saying that he didn't agree with his point of view at all, Su Jinding wanted to ask: Then why did the court let me understand Yuan?This kind of thing that slaps oneself in the mouth must never be done.

Yan Shu, Fu Bi, Ouyang Xiu, and the others looked at each other, and they were already super talkative to Su Jin. You can say that he is lame, and you can say that he is arrogant, but you have to admit that this guy has a quick mind and sharp words, and he is good at using words. Strategies; some of the officials finally understood why this Su Jin was able to handle food affairs, straighten out Huainan Road officials, and at the same time be able to push back the provocations of the Liao Kingdom. This is not luck, but skill; He went in, not to mention those people?

Many people secretly made up their minds that they must have a good relationship with this kid in the future. Even if they can't be friends, they will never be his enemies, because people like themselves are not this kid's opponents at all.

In the midst of the commotion, Zhao Zhen spoke: "Su Jin, when you say that, I'm going to refute it. In fact, I don't object to your point of view. I just take it as a point of view; but since I didn't make it clear To express my objection, it is understandable that I acquiesced to this theory, so I will let you be a good person today and let those candidates take part in the palace examination."

Su Jin was overjoyed, and Natou kowtowed, and those candidates also quickly knelt down to thank you, and the other candidates also hurriedly knelt down, and they knelt down in a crowd, shouting loudly: "The emperor is holy! Long live my emperor."

Zhao Zhen saw Du Yan and Lu Yijian's expressions were extremely unfriendly, so he said: "Even so, you broke the rules without being called, and this way of benevolence and forgiveness is not applicable to everything. I will still punish you."

Su Jin was stunned and said: "Is this also going to be punished?"

Du Yan shouted: "Twenty sticks, or ten slaps."

Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said: "After all, Su Jin is an official and an undergraduate student. He still doesn't have to hit the board in front of everyone, but he will be fined fifty catties of copper. If he commits a crime again in the future, the punishment will be doubled."

Su Jin was overjoyed and thanked him, as long as he didn't get his pants stripped, spanked, or slapped, let alone fifty catties of copper, even one thousand catties would be fine.

Lu Yijian got up slowly and said: "Your Majesty, do you not care about Su Jin's nonsense about the government and slandering the Emperor?"

Everyone fell silent all of a sudden, and almost forgot that the boy had spoken rudely just now, saying that he caught the big and let go of the small, that the great Song Dynasty was bullied by other places, and that he said that the details were too important, typical slanderous words.

Everyone's eyes focused on Zhao Zhen, Zhao Zhen smiled slightly and said: "Lu Aiqing, I have figured it out just now, although Su Jin's words are a bit extreme, but it is indeed the status quo; On the contrary, it should be encouraged to speak out, and if it is pointed out that the relegation of Chaogang can promote the disadvantages of reform, what's the harm in being relegation?"

Everyone is impressed by Zhao Zhen's broad mind. This is a benevolent king who does not hide his illness or avoid medical treatment, does not hide it, does not get angry when criticized by others, but speaks words of encouragement, which is really impossible.

"I have already thought about the questions to be asked in today's palace exam, but now I want to change the topic. There is only one question in today's palace exam, and that is to find out the most important shortcomings of my Great Song Dynasty and propose a solution at the same time. ;Speaking is a crime, you students can speak freely, but you are not allowed to perfunctorily pick up people's teeth and wisdom, you need to have something to say."

Everyone agreed in unison, and all the officials thought, today's palace examination is really unprecedented, and such a question has been asked; what is the emperor thinking in his heart?Could it be that the emperor wants to make some big moves, saying that the Great Song Dynasty has accumulated many disadvantages, the emperor does not ask the ministers, but counts on these moves to have any good ideas?I'm afraid the emperor is in a hurry to go to the doctor.

Seeing that the emperor spared Su Jin easily, Lu Yijian felt very unhappy; he stepped forward and said: "This old minister is not feeling well, and I would like to ask the emperor to allow the old minister to return to the mansion to recuperate early. It is enough for other adults to be here for the imperial examination. "

Zhao Zhen knew that he was unhappy, so he agreed to his request after a few words of relief; Du Yan also wanted to imitate the gourd, and played: "The old minister has a headache, please the emperor to allow the old minister to go back to the mansion to rest."

Zhao Zhen frowned and said, "Du Aiqing had a backache last time, but this time it's a headache. Your body is too weak. Why don't you take a long vacation for a year to recuperate?"

Du Yan was taken aback, and hurriedly said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern, but this old minister's illness is only a temporary illness, but it is also a serious problem, and I can still hold on."

Xia Song on the side covered her mouth with great joy, and said in her heart: You also follow Lu Xiangna's example, and you don't urinate to take pictures. Your Majesty is so smart, how can you not know what you are thinking, you are an idiot!

Now that the reference was over, all the candidates left the main hall and came to the square outside the hall. The examination seats on the square had already been prepared, and the officials of the Ministry of Rituals distributed number plates to 230 and two candidates, guiding them to sit down. [

Zhao Zhen also set up a seat with a yellow dragon umbrella on the steps at the entrance of the hall, made some refreshments, and gave a few ministers, the Privy Council and the heads of the three departments to sit down and watch from a high position; Stand on either side of the steps.

The invigilator of the Ministry of Rites arranged to go forward to ask Zhao Zhen for instructions, and Zhao Zhen waved the drumstick himself. After three drum beeps, the palace examination officially began.