The Ming Dynasty took an unconventional approach

Chapter 458: Seeing the Blue Sky
There was a quarrel in the palace all night and continued the next day, but they still could not decide the top three candidates for the palace examination.

Yang Pu thought that Xue Shao's answer was perfect, and since he was the first place in both the first and second place in the imperial examinations, he should be chosen as the first place.

Passing the imperial examination and passing the imperial examinations was a very commendable thing for the emperor and his court officials.

But he was the only examiner who thought so. The others believed that Xue Shao had used the imperial examination to file complaints, thus undermining the imperial examination system. His results should be cancelled, and he should even be severely punished as a warning to others.

"If we don't punish them severely, whoever has grievances will come to cause trouble in the imperial examinations in the future. How can the country recruit talents? Your Majesty, there is no order without rules. If you have grievances, go to the Dali Temple, the Ministry of Justice, or the Censorate. If that doesn't work, you can still beat the drum to report it, but you can't come and cause trouble in the imperial examinations!"

Yang Pu: "If his essay is not relevant to the topic, he will write a separate petition, which is a complaint, but his essay is intended to answer the test questions, it's just that the examples he cites are controversial."

"Master Yang, he is Xue Xuan's nephew and student. He even submitted his paper early to attract attention. Xue Xuan's case has already been concluded. He deliberately used this as an example. If this is not a complaint, what is it?"

"So, is it true that there was no injustice in Xue Xuan's case?"

After these words were spoken, everyone fell silent, and many people secretly looked at the emperor and Wang Zhen who was standing next to the emperor.

The emperor, who had been silent all this time, raised his eyelids and asked them, "Yes, was there any injustice in Xue Xuan's case?"

Wang Zhen knelt down, and two of the examiners also knelt down. One of them was the Minister of the Dali Temple, and the other was the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

The emperor snorted and was about to speak when an examiner reminded him, "Your Majesty, the results will be announced tomorrow, so it is more important to determine the rankings."

He said: "Since Xue Shao is controversial, why not put him aside and decide on the top three first. If your majesty and the examiners think he is suitable, put him at the end of the top three. If they think he is not suitable, it won't be too late to exclude him. This way it won't affect other candidates."

Yang Pu hurriedly stopped him: "No, this is unfair to Xue Shao."

"Master Yang, there are 150 candidates for this year's exam. If we don't decide the ranking, it will be unfair to all 150 people. Is it unfair to just one person or to all 150 people? You choose."

"You!" Yang Pu looked at the emperor anxiously.

The emperor lowered his eyes to think, nodded slightly, and asked them to exclude Xue Shaoding's ranking first.

With Xue Shao's controversial project gone, the remaining rankings will be easy to determine.

Before dark, the rankings were decided, but Xue Shao's stay or departure was still uncertain.

The emperor walked out of the hall silently without saying a word, and even without taking anyone with him. He went up to the observatory in the palace and looked down at the entire palace and the entire capital city.

His eyes couldn't help but look towards the imperial prison and into the distance, as if he wanted to see farther and wider places through the darkness.

The next day, the palace examination results were posted and all candidates entered the palace in an orderly manner to hear the results.

Unlike other examination lists, the palace examination list was read out one by one by the emperor, then passed to the steps through the cabinet door, and finally the guards shouted out the names in unison, which was equivalent to announcing to the world and full of the sense of ceremony.

That is why all those who pass the exam, regardless of their ranking, are full of pride and ambition.

At least that's the case for now.

Xue Shao was still standing in the middle of the first row.

The emperor unfolded the list, glanced at it, and then raised his head and said, "Second place winner - Xue Shao!"

Xue Shao looked up in surprise, paused for a moment, then reacted, immediately stepped forward and raised his hand respectfully.

The emperor handed the golden list to Cao Jixiang.

Cao Jixiang handed the gold medal to Xue Shao, and pressed down on Xue Shao's hand.

Xue Shao raised his head slightly and looked at him.

Cao Jixiang smiled at him.

Xue Shao's heart was at ease. He walked to the right side of the hall with the gold list in his hand. He quickly scanned the hall and did not see Wang Zhen. He then collected his attention, unfolded the gold list, and began to read out the names. This was the job of the so-called "Announcement of the List". The names of the second-class candidates were read out one by one, and then passed down one by one by the cabinet ministers. When they were passed outside, the guards shouted out their names in unison.

At this moment, the names of the successful candidates resounded throughout the heavens and earth, as if announcing it to the world, full of a sense of ceremony.

This experience once in a life is enough!

After Xue Shao finished reading out the names of the second class, the emperor began to call out the names of the third class, that is, the first place in the third class, and he stood on the right side outside the hall and read out the names of the third class.

The names of the last three candidates, namely the top scorer, the second place winner and the third place winner, were announced by the emperor himself.

The roll-call ceremony lasted for an hour. As soon as the top three came out, officials from the Ministry of Rites came forward to escort them away. They changed their clothes, put flowers on their heads, and immediately mounted their horses to parade through the streets.

The rest of the candidates can choose to join in the fun, or they can stay and attend the palace banquet later.

This was a banquet for Jinshi scholars held by the Ministry of Rites, and it was held in the imperial city. Generally speaking, the emperor would also attend.

This may be the only opportunity for many candidates in their lives to have close contact with the emperor.

Because some people may disappear while serving as officials.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

Xue Shao stood aside, and many candidates who were familiar with him came up to congratulate him, "Congratulations, Brother Xue, congratulations, Brother Xue!"

Xue Shao smiled and clasped his fists, "Congratulations, congratulations."

"It's a pity that you are not the top scholar. You should at least be the third scholar, right? You are the first and second place winners, so you should not be the fourth place."

Xue Shao smiled and said, "It shows that the imperial court is fair in selecting scholars. They did not select me as the top scholar just because of my good reputation. It must be because my paper is not as good as theirs."

"Brother Xue, how did you solve the problem?"

"Oh, the ranking has been announced. What's the point of answering now? Let's not talk about it anymore. Brother Xue, don't be discouraged. Although you can only be selected as a candidate for the Imperial Academy, you can enter the Imperial Academy if you are selected. If you want to enter the cabinet, you must enter the Imperial Academy. You have already stepped half a foot into the cabinet."

Only the top four in the palace examination can enter the Hanlin Academy directly. Others have to take the exam again if they want to enter the Hanlin Academy.

However, most of the people present decided to give up and just seek official positions.

There are too many big guys and limited places in the Hanlin Academy, so they'd better not join in the fun.

Xue Shao just smiled awkwardly and turned his head to look in the direction of the hall. There, Zhu Qizhen had already stood up and left, and the corner of his robe flashed around the corner.

He was also confused.

He thought he would either fail or come in last, but he never expected to be ranked second.

The emperor must insist on the supremacy of the monarchy.

After realizing this, Xue Shao's mood improved slightly. This was a good thing, as it meant that the emperor had read his answer. Although his heart was biased, he might not necessarily be biased towards them.

However, Wang Zhen did not show up today, where are the others?

Wang Zhen was in the imperial prison, living next door to Pan Yun, which made Pan Yun squat in front of the fence and keep looking at him.

He came in early this morning. When Pan Jun saw him being respectfully brought in in prison clothes, he couldn't help but go to the door and watch him being locked up in the next room.

After confirming that he was not here to interrogate anyone, but was here to go to jail like her, Pan Yun laughed out loud.

The whole prison was filled with Pan Yun's hearty laughter. The bigwigs sitting deep in the prison couldn't help but turn their heads to look over. Someone murmured, "Who is laughing so brightly, as if seeing the blue sky..."

(End of this chapter)