Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 627 Qianyang Points Top Three

On May 11, the fifteenth year of Jiazhao, the Wenhua Hall in the palace of Dazhou.

In the early morning, the sun rises in the east, the clouds are like brocade, the vast palace of the Great Zhou is illuminated by the rays of light, the palaces are stacked up, magnificent and splendid, just like a palace in heaven.

The three chief examiners, Wang Shilun, Chen Mo, Xu Liangxiong, and more than a dozen other examiners entered the East Pavilion of Wenhua Hall.

The examiner who had been guarding the examination papers all night handed over more than 300 examination papers to the examiner, who counted them and made sure they were correct.

Before handing over the palace examination papers, the examiner will select the papers of the top 18 candidates in the examination, seal them tightly, and hand them over to the chief examiner for priority review.

The final round of the Spring Examination and the review of the palace examination papers began.

The remaining 300 palace examination papers were to be graded by 18 examiners, who had to complete the grading within two days and determine the rankings of the 300 candidates. The time was very tight.

The three chief examiners will receive the palace examination papers of the top 18 candidates and will carefully review them to make sure that the level of their answers matches their examination ranking before presenting them to the emperor for his review.

But sometimes the top 18 candidates may have mistakes in their palace examination papers, or their answers may be mediocre, or their words may be taboo.

Whenever this kind of situation occurs, unqualified palace examination answer papers will be drawn from the top eighteen, and other excellent palace examination answer papers will be used as substitutes.

Such unfortunate situations are not very common. Students who rank in the top 18 in the joint examination are all extremely talented and rarely fail in the palace examination.

In the wing on the east side of the East Pavilion, the three chief examiners read the eighteen palace examination papers separately. When they found the exquisite points in the articles, they would often discuss them with each other.

At this time, Chen Mo got one of the ink scrolls and just read a few lines of the article, he couldn't help but sigh: "Good calligraphy, really good calligraphy, pure and elegant, concise, elegant and spirited, with the bearing of a great man."

Wang Shilun walked behind Chen Mo with great interest, looked at the ink scroll in his hand for a few times, and said with a smile: "It is indeed a good calligraphy. Compared with the first time I saw it, it is more mature and beautiful. It has entered the realm of a master."

Chen Mo smiled and said, "It turns out that Lord Wang is also good at calligraphy. He has a sharp eye and can tell the level of calligraphy just by looking at it a few times."

Xu Liangxiong, who was marking the papers at the side, felt a little confused after hearing what the two said.

Although the names on the palace examination papers were sealed and stamped with the official seal, they were not copied into the Yishu script. Therefore, every paper of the palace examination was in the candidate's own handwriting.

All the students who can enter the palace examination have studied hard for more than ten years. It is very common to find students with outstanding calligraphy in the palace examination papers.

But Wang Shilun and Chen Mo are both great masters of today, with profound learning and broad knowledge. How could the candidate's calligraphy be so amazing that it was regarded as a master by these two people?
Xu Liangxiong also came over to watch out of curiosity. He only took a glance at the palace examination paper and couldn't help but applaud.

He asked, "Lord Wang and Lord Chen were delighted to see the calligraphy. Could it be that they recognized the calligraphy of that examinee?"

Chen Mo smiled faintly. The names on the test papers were sealed, so how could he know which candidate it was? I have to read this answer sheet carefully.

After the results are announced, I can find out the name of the candidate. I will sell my face to ask for a copy of this outstanding calligraphy to appreciate."

Xu Liangxiong was slightly stunned when he heard this. He had clearly heard the conversation between the two just now, including the words that Chonghua had said when they first met, becoming more elegant and sophisticated.

It sounded as if he could recognize people, but Lord Chen flatly denied it. However, Xu Liangxiong was also a man immersed in officialdom, so he didn't find it strange.

The marking of palace examination papers is a matter of great importance. Both Wang Shilun and Chen Mo are veterans in officialdom. It is understandable that they do not want to leave any room for criticism at such a critical juncture.

……

The first encounter with Chonghua mentioned by Wang Shilun was an anecdote that happened when the officials of various government offices entered Chonghua Palace to celebrate the 65th birthday of Emperor Yong'an.

At that time, Emperor Yong'an held a birthday banquet in the palace and drank and chatted with the ministers who came to pay their respects.

During this period, Emperor Yong'an showed his treasured calligraphy scroll of the Heart Sutra to several important officials who loved calligraphy, so that they could evaluate and exchange ideas with each other.

Among these important ministers were Wang Shilun and Chen Mo.

At that time, Xu Liangxiong was only a Langzhong of the Ministry of Revenue and had not yet been promoted to the Minister of the Left. He was far from being the head of a government office, so naturally he did not have the honor of entering the Chonghua Palace to celebrate his birthday.

Therefore, when Wang Shilun and Chen Mo laughed and said that Chonghua had first met him, he was naturally at a loss...

……

However, Xu Liangxiong did not care about this matter. He was concentrating on reviewing the scroll in his hand, carefully considering the words and writing comments.

The palace examination papers of the top 18 candidates in the imperial examination will be reviewed directly by the chief examiner, bypassing the co-examiners.

After the chief examiner has reviewed the papers, they will be presented to the emperor for his perusal, and the top three in the first class and the top fifteen in the second class will be selected.

These top-ranked students are the brightest stars among the students in the world in this spring examination.

From this we can see that these eighteen palace examination papers have a unique weight.

Each examiner was given six of them, which was a small number. If these six papers were commented on by the examiner, the emperor would eventually select them as the first class, or even the top scorer.

It is a great honor and opportunity for the examiner who is in charge of marking the papers.

Those who get the top place in the imperial examination, as long as there are no unexpected events in the officialdom, can basically become high-ranking officials with decades of accumulated achievements. This is an excellent foundation of personal connections for the examiner.

Wang Shilun and Chen Mo, both of them are already the leaders of the six departments, shrewd and experienced people, and perhaps they will not care too much about this kind of honor.

But Xu Liangxiong was in his prime, having just been promoted to the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue last year. His career was booming, and he attached great importance to the reputation of the chief examiner.

Therefore, he naturally had no intention of paying attention to the obscure words of Wang Shilun and Chen Mo, but was fully focused on reviewing the six scrolls in hand.

……

Without mentioning Xu Liangxiong's thoughts and plans, Chen Mo admired the calligraphy on the ink scroll in his hand for a few more times, and then began to concentrate on reading the contents of the ink scroll.

After just reading the first two paragraphs, a pair of seemingly dim old eyes gradually brightened, and even revealed a deep-seated sharpness.

He continued to tap the table with two fingers, which was his usual action when he was excited, but he did not utter an exclamation like he did just now.

He simply read the scroll carefully twice, picked up the pen and pondered for a moment before writing down a dozen words of comment.

Wang Shilun, who was sitting not far away, saw Chen Mo's expression as he reviewed the ink scroll. A smile appeared on his face, which seemed somewhat meaningful.

……

The three chief examiners only reviewed eighteen palace examination papers, and all of them were excellent policy essays, which they recited aloud with a sense of elegance as if they were discussing philosophy.

But the eighteen examiners were not so happy. They had to review more than three hundred essays for the palace examination and rank them roughly within two days. The time was tight and the workload was heavy.

Therefore, in the East Pavilion of the Cultural Hall, the examiners were carefully reviewing the papers, not daring to be negligent or slack in the slightest.

Only Sun Shouzheng, one of the examiners, was somewhat distracted and his eyes were wandering around although he was also reviewing the papers.

At this moment, his heart seemed to be on fire. His mind was not on grading the papers, but on planning to do another big thing.

However, as a co-examiner of the joint examination, he was so busy with work after the palace examination that he was unable to spare any time.

He was only a seventh-rank imperial censor with limited authority. There were many things he could not do on his own.

He stayed awake all night last night, his blood burning with passion, his mind full of confidence, and he tossed and turned restlessly.

But at dawn, officials from the Ministry of Rites came to his door to deliver a message, and a carriage and horse escorted him into the palace to review the papers. Could he say that he would not go?

It takes two full days to mark the papers of the palace examination. The eighteen examiners have to live and eat in the East Pavilion of the Cultural Hall. The door is guarded by the imperial guards and they are not allowed to leave.

After two days of marking the papers, the rankings of the 300 candidates were basically determined. This was a great torment and irony for Sun Shouzheng.

However, the palace security was tight, and facing other examiners and three chief examiners, he did not dare to act rashly.

The matter is of great importance. If one examiner is suspected, no one can say for sure whether the other two examiners are also involved.

Sun Shouzheng was upright and stubborn, but he was not stupid. He knew that if he could not hit the target with one strike, he would be doomed...

……

The first day of marking the examination papers in Wenhua Hall seemed uneventful.

The chief examiner carefully reviewed the 18 first papers, considering the best and weighing the best.

The examiners raced against time to evaluate the 300 papers as quickly as possible, and inevitably argued over the quality of the papers.

As the sun rises and sets, thick darkness once again shrouds the imperial city.

The three chief examiners completed their comments on the 18 first papers, determined the approximate rankings, and waited for the emperor's final selection. They also began to inspect the marking of their fellow examiners.

The eighteen examiners still had a heavy workload. Marking the papers was easy, but arranging them was a lot of work. They had to study late into the night, and it would be difficult for them to relax early the next morning.

……

On May 12, the 15th year of Jiazhao's reign, in Qianyang Palace, Emperor Jiazhao returned to Qianyang Palace after attending the morning court session. He saw the three chief examiners, Wang Shilun, Chen Mo, and Xu Liangxiong, already waiting in the palace.

Also entering the palace were two examiners in charge of the examination papers and two seal officials.

There were three other eunuchs, each holding several test papers in their hands, standing behind the official in charge of the palace examination. After reviewing the eighteen first papers, they had been divided into three grades: upper, middle and lower.

The eighteen people are roughly ranked. Compared with their rankings in the imperial examination, although there are some similarities, there are also big differences. In short, there are certain deviations, which is also common sense.

When Emperor Jiazhao sat down at the imperial desk, Wang Shilun stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the examination papers of the first eighteen candidates for the spring examination have all been reviewed.

Two of them did not answer the policy essay questions well, so they have been replaced by people from the back list. The 17th and 18th are tentatively decided. Your Majesty, please review and select them. "

As soon as Wang Shilun finished speaking, three eunuchs stepped forward and presented the ink scrolls, which were divided into three grades, to the imperial desk.

Emperor Jia Zhao's gaze rested on the ink scroll on the far left, which was one of the six ink scrolls ranked first by the three chief examiners.

Unless there are any accidents, the top three will be selected from these six ink scrolls.

The emperor flipped through the six scrolls and saw one of them with exquisite, elegant and outstanding calligraphy. It looked very familiar, and the emperor's mouth twitched slightly.

He said in a serious tone: "Please take your seat and remove the seal!"

When the Emperor of Heaven and Earth reviews the imperial examination papers, there is naturally no reason for them to be sealed or covered up. The imperial power is supreme, and the world is clear and bright, and there is no room for any concealment.

Guo Lin ordered the eunuchs in the palace to set up tables and give seats to the three examiners.

The examiner and the sealer on the test paper stepped forward to check if the seal on the test paper was intact. After making sure it was intact, the sealer removed the seal on the test paper in front of the emperor and his ministers in the hall.

Emperor Jia Zhao looked at the scroll with excellent calligraphy. The name of the candidate written on it was indeed Jia Cong. A barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

I took the scroll with some interest and read it carefully...

……

The sealing officer handed over a total of 18 removed seals to the three chief examiners, on which were written the ink paper numbers and the names and hometowns of the corresponding candidates.

Because when the emperor was browsing the papers of the first 18 candidates and selecting their rankings, the three chief examiners needed to participate in the consultation, so naturally they had to know the names and identities of the candidates.

The three chief examiners were all extremely talented and learned people. Although they did not have photographic memories, they had very good memories.

As long as they see the sealing number and name, they can associate it with the corresponding article they have reviewed.

When they saw the names on the envelope, they all had different expressions on their faces, some were surprised, some were confused, and some even had a hint of surprise...

……

Sitting on the throne, Emperor Jiazhao carefully read the scroll in his hand.

When he read: What is a benevolent person? It is the spirit of righteousness, the feelings of loyalty and uprightness, the actions of strictness and prudence, the courage to refuse fame and leave behind hopes, and the heart to support the world. Do not be as kind as a woman, and do not be as patient as a mediocre person.

I was slightly shocked, and felt that every word and sentence seemed to be reflected in my heart.

There was a look of yearning and contemplation in his eyes, and he silently said: Thank you for your courage to leave, and your heart to support the world. Don't be a woman's kindness, and don't be a mediocre person's tolerance...

He thought back to the time when he ascended the throne by chance. The government and the public were against the tide, ready to make a move. They slandered and vilified him to the utmost, but after a bloodbath, it was finally settled in one fell swoop.

If you want to achieve your ambition of ruling the world, you must have the courage to give up the fame. Womanly kindness and wasteful love will only become obstacles to your great cause!

Jia Cong is only of the age of dancing elephants and has limited experience, but he is intelligent and seems to have been deeply enlightened and has gained a lot of comprehension of the world. He is already quite experienced. A good teacher produces good students, and Liu Jing'an is indeed amazing!

Emperor Jia Zhao suppressed the shock in his heart and continued reading the following text.

He could feel that as the meaning of the text deepened, the calligraphy copied by Jia Cong became more and more majestic, like the melodious sound of a chime or the thunder from the sky.

"Thus, those who are good at governing the world do not rely on the skills to control the world, but on the way to govern their own hearts. It is not enough to have the virtue of being diligent and diligent in governing the country, but it is important to have the heart to forget personal feelings and benefit the world."

Emperor Jia Zhao felt as if he heard the sound of bells and drums in his heart, and couldn't help but feel a little awed...

When he read: From this point on, the great achievements of the three dynasties of Yao, Shun and Yu can be easily seen in your Majesty’s reign…

The emotions that had just been stirred up slowly subsided again. It was not difficult to see that His Majesty was ruling for a long time. He recalled the meaning of the text and felt a little yearning in his heart...

……

At this time, the three chief examiners were seated, waiting for Emperor Jiazhao to review the papers before they could speak and discuss the selection.

The three men saw that the emperor only took the first ink scroll, but was unable to put it down, with his eyes and expression changing constantly, and it was obvious that he was moved by the meaning of the text.

The three of them were all surprised. Among them, Wang Shilun was a cabinet minister and also the head of six ministries. It was not the first time for him to serve as the chief examiner of the imperial examination.

In the past, when Emperor Jia Zhao reviewed the papers, he would read ten lines at a glance, and after reading the papers he would know the quality of the papers, that was all.

It was the first time I saw the emperor browsing the ink scroll, and he was so moved. Which candidate's essay was so good?

The three of them couldn't help but silently recall the brilliant essays written by those examinees among the papers they reviewed...

……

Emperor Jia Zhao did not seem to realize that he had read the imperial examination paper with such concentration and spent such a long time on it for the first time...

At this time, he read the article's policy statement:

The more evil a high-ranking official does, the greater the harm he does. The greater the harm, the less people dare to speak out. Some people avoid him and run away, while others are forced to follow him out of selfish desires. This is the beginning of the corruption of officialdom.

He only appointed ministers who were not afraid of powerful rulers, set up refined and dedicated departments, worked hard to eliminate them, and implemented the laws of the Han Dynasty to punish corruption and the system of the Song Dynasty to imprison corrupt officials. What else did he do?
Eliminate corrupt officials, remove harm to the people, kill one or two people, and all people in the world will live. This is the greatest benevolence in the world.

Emperor Jia Zhao always had a murderous feeling in his heart. In the past, he was jealous of the chaos and loss of military power, the lawlessness and corruption in the army, and he had already made some plans in his mind.

Jia Cong's method of clarifying the administration of officials made him feel moved when he read it, and it was vaguely connected, giving him a sense of tacit understanding...

After reading Jia Cong's scroll, Emperor Jia Zhao's mind was agitated and he found it difficult to calm down for a while.

He put down Jia Cong's ink scroll and began to browse the other ink scrolls.

This time I browsed much faster. Except for a few that I read in more detail, I read most of the scrolls very quickly.

……

When Emperor Jia Zhao put down the last scroll, he said, "This time, your review of the papers and selection of talents has been quite effective.

The essays submitted by the top 18 candidates this time were well organized and well-written, and the people who wrote the essays were all extremely talented.

Among them, Jia Cong's policy essay has lofty ideas, a brilliant style of writing, and is soul-stirring. His practical methods are penetrating and profound, and can be said to be a profound awakening. I was deeply touched when I read it. "

When Emperor Jia Zhao said this, the Minister of Personnel Chen Mo showed joy on his face and said, "Your Majesty, I just learned that Jia Cong's scroll was reviewed by me after the seal was removed.

After reading his calligraphy scrolls, I share the same feeling as Your Majesty. Among the six calligraphy scrolls that I have reviewed, Jia Cong's essay should be ranked first!

Jia Cong was selected as the top scorer in this imperial examination after his name was covered on the copy of the examination paper. His literary talent and intelligence were far superior to his peers, and his policy essays were free and unrestrained, which was refreshing and could win the approval of the emperor.

I believe that Jia Cong's talent is enough to win the first place in the world. I ask Your Majesty to make a decision and appoint Jia Cong as the top scorer in this year's imperial examination."

As soon as Chen Mo said this, everyone in Qianyang Palace was moved. Winning the first place in the world and being the top scholar is an amazing reputation for anyone, and it is hard not to be moved.

After hearing what Chen Mo said, Wang Shilun's eyes fluctuated slightly, but he remained calm.

After hearing what Chen Mo said, Xu Liangxiong felt anxious. He didn't expect that Chen Mo would have such luck that he happened to review the ink paper of Jia Cong, the top scorer in the imperial examination.

If the emperor listens to Chen Mo's suggestion and selects Jia Cong as the top scholar of this exam, one of the top three will be eliminated.

Wang Shilun is a cabinet minister and the head of six ministries. He has always been highly valued by the emperor. The emperor must have attached great importance to the six scrolls he commented on.

Among the three examiners, he had the lowest official position and prestige, and was brought in temporarily to fill the number.

If His Majesty selected the other two people from the first class from the papers reviewed by Wang Shilun, this possibility is very high.

When I review the papers, if no one gets into the first place, and nothing is gained, this person will be in big trouble...

At this time, Emperor Jiazhao glanced at Xu Liangxiong, and then turned his gaze to Wang Shilun, who had a calm expression.

He asked, "Lord Wang, Lord Chen suggested that Jia Cong be chosen as the top scholar. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)