A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 209 Is this question easy?

In terms of mentality, Zhang Fangping still needs to deal with more before he can be as steady as an old dog.

Song Xuan comforted her casually:

"Don't be nervous. You said the test was easy. We're just calling out names in the order of the exam rooms. Your exam room is at the back, so you have to read your name."

"Ah, is that so?"

Others were surprised and said, "Then I didn't win!"

Song Xuan, Zhang Fangping, and Wang Gui all looked over.

Isn't this obvious?
"Oops, oops!"

When the imperial examination results were announced, some people cried and some laughed.

Song Hao didn't care when he heard Song Xuan's name. It would be embarrassing if he really failed the exam.

Besides, what’s so difficult about taking the test?
The really difficult part is the provincial exam.

There are always thirty-three top scorers from all over the country who take part in the provincial examination every time, not to mention the top scorers from previous years!
That is the real elite fight. If you are not careful, you will have to start all over again.

"Number 35, Guichang, Zhang Fangping."

Zhang Fangping, who had been very nervous, could not help but jump up when he heard his name, clenching his fists and yelling:
“I made it to the second round too!”

Song Xuan smiled and gestured to go home to prepare for the exam.

Anyway, the results have almost been announced.

Song Xuan roughly counted them and found that there were probably no more than three hundred people.

The examination room suddenly shrank in size.

More than 97% of the tens of thousands of candidates were directly eliminated.

Those who stayed were all good players.

Among these top players, less than a hundred can successfully pass the second round and make it onto the red list.

As Song Xuan slowly squeezed out of the crowd.

Many students who did not hear their names called were trying hard to squeeze forward.

Trying to find his name on the red list!
There were many people with tears in their eyes, muttering to themselves, beating their feet and stamping their chests, and even crying loudly.

Because this not only means that some new students will fail the exam, but also many old students who have passed the exam will find it unacceptable to fail.

Everyone wanted to take the imperial examination, so that not only could they make a name for themselves, but they could also take care of their family and create a family tree.

No matter how you look at it, it is extremely attractive.

Ultimately, success belongs to a few people.

The imperial examination is like a ladder ascending to heaven.

Fajieshi is just a small boss before ascending to heaven, like a tiger vanguard.

But even here, countless people have become Tiger Pioneer's takeaways and become part of the pile of bones.

Zhang Fangping was still very excited. He walked past those who were crying, laughing, dazed or stupid, without paying attention to their feelings.

However, as the first person to adjust his mentality, Song Xuan has been observing others all the way.

He took in the faces of most of the students.

Imperial examination!

Who doesn’t want to be on the list of successful candidates?
After a while, Song Xuan took the lead and walked out of the crowd in the opposite direction, heading towards his own way home.

Leave all the noise behind!
Song Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. No matter when or where, he had to roll up!

There were already too many people who had failed in their examinations in front of the Imperial Examination Hall.

"Brother Twelve, I've entered the second round."

Zhang Fangping was still very excited.

Although there is still a long way to go to make the list, at least we are qualified to compete for that fluttering red list!
Those black names written on the red list will have different fates from those who are not on the list in the future.

Song Xuan could not criticize the imperial examination at that time.

Even though the competition is fierce, it still provides a ladder for many children from poor families to move up!

In the bookstore, Wang Gui boasted about how his twelfth brother had entered the second round and was just waiting to win the first place.

Listen to everyone burst into laughter.

After all, Song Xuan still maintains a good popularity.

This time even the secret agents of the Imperial City Bureau were a little surprised.

Song Xuan was able to successfully pass the first round and enter the second round of exams!

If he really passed the exam and became the top scorer.

When we go to Tokyo to take the provincial exam in the future, can we brothers still earn some extra money here?

We have to find a way to extend our stay here.

After going back and forth and squeezing in the crowd, Song Xuan was already sweating all over.

After he came back from washing up, Zhang Fangping still couldn't hide his excitement.

"Go take a shower. I just worked up a sweat and it smells really bad."

Song Xuan patted Zhang Fangping.

Zhang Fangping chuckled and immediately went to wash up while humming a tune.

Daybreak.

Song Xuan washed up and went directly to the Imperial Examination Hall.

After yesterday's incident of judging people by their poems and essays, there were only about 300 people standing in front of the Imperial Examination Hall.

The huge square suddenly became much quieter.

Lu Lejian carried the exam basket:

"I was very excited yesterday and wanted to invite everyone to go to the brothel, but when I thought about those who failed the exam also went there, I decided not to stimulate them."

"Yeah."

Wang Tai sneered, "You, Lu Lejian, have started to mock others for being unsuccessful. Don't forget that you didn't make the list that time either."

"The past is the past, and today is today."

Lu Lejian was naturally very proud: "Who said I couldn't be on the list before and I can't be on the list today?"

"On the contrary, you have to be careful. You don't know who is among these three hundred people!"

Either they attack each other or they joke with each other.

In short, the atmosphere is much more relaxed.

The concept of one person competing with more than 10,000 people is completely different from that of one person competing with 300 people.

Anyway, everyone is the best in poetry and prose this time, so it depends on whether the other three subjects can widen the gap again.

"Twelfth brother, do well in the exam."

Song Hao came over to say hello again. He was full of confidence and wanted to win the title of Jieyuan to accumulate capital for his future entry into the officialdom of the Song Dynasty.

After all, he was personally tutored by the top scholar, so how could his results in the imperial examination be bad?

Song Xuan smiled and replied, "You too."

He watched Song Hao queue up and thought that as the big brother, he couldn't help but show off.

However, the seventh brother just nodded and followed Song Hao without saying anything.

"Shi Er Lang, I'm not trying to fan the flames, but your Fifth Brother might be trying to suppress you."

"Hey, you also want to take the exam for the top prize, so you've been trying to beat me for a long time, haven't you?"

"I wouldn't dare."

Wang Tai chuckled.

Because he was so good at writing poems this time, he naturally aspired to be the top scholar.

Everyone has come to take the imperial examination, who doesn’t want to be first?
Who doesn’t want to win three prizes in a row!

However, dreams and reality are too far apart. You may get the first place in the provincial exam, but you may not necessarily get the first place in the provincial exam.

During the seventy years of the Song Dynasty, with so many imperial examinations, there were only two and a half people who won the top three places in a row.

Those who scored three or even two in the imperial examinations were by no means a minority.

"Shi Er Lang, you'd better be careful." Bao Zheng also said with his hands behind his back, "I'm also well prepared."

"Good good."

Song Xuan strode forward:

"Everyone is so confident, let's meet in the exam room and see who is the real hero!"

"Hehehe, let's wait and see."

This time, after entering the examination room, the body search was extremely thorough.

Because pasting scriptures and writing meanings of poems are the easiest to cheat and plagiarize.

In addition, there are very few students taking the exam, so there are plenty of events.

Song Qi was grading the test papers and his eyes were dazzled.

At this time, he is still standing there and doing his duty.

After all, Yan Shu, the prefect of Yingtian, who was even more tired than him, was also watching there.

Song Qi gave Song Hao some advice, telling him that as long as there were no major problems with these three subjects, there would be no problem for him to make the list.

Song Hao naturally looked grateful. Without the help of this person, he really would not be able to perform so well.

Twelfth brother is just too arrogant!

There are certainly many difficulties and obstacles on the road to imperial examinations.

How can you be successful without the support of a noble person?
What's more, they are relatives, so they will have a close alliance when they become officials in the future. Supporting each other is the best option.

However, Song Hao didn't say much, he just ran to his examination room.

"Perhaps if Twelfth Brother encounters more setbacks, he will understand the many truths of this world."

Little did he know that Song Hao didn't understand his younger brother at all. How could someone who had worked hard outside since childhood and built a world from scratch not understand many truths in this world?

But after all, there are some principles that we have determined ourselves, and no amount of advice from others can change them.

Song Qi looked at Song Xuan, who was smiling and undergoing examination there.

Of course he knew that Prefect Yan had personally written him an A-grade, and the other examiners had also written an approval along with him.

The key point is that these students are really disappointing!
No one has ever written better poems and essays than Song Xuan.

Even if Song Qi wanted to object, he had no chance to do so.

This kid is so strong, why didn’t he pass the last test?
Song Qi couldn't understand.

Because according to his understanding, Song Xuan has the ability to get the first place, so he should have been on the list last time no matter what.

No matter how hard a person tries, his or her results will not be much better than the last time.

If Song Xuan performed well in all three subjects, he would definitely be the top scorer in Yingtian Prefecture.

Song Xuan sat on the chair and began to grind ink.

Ten questions on the meaning of the sutra and thirty questions on the sutra.

In his opinion, there was absolutely no problem.

Swish, brush, brush.

Song Xuan could answer the question almost as soon as it came out.

It was so fast that not only Song Qi was a little suspicious, but even Yan Shu suspected that the questions he had asked were too simple.

When it came time for the final appearance, Yan Shu grabbed Song Xuan and asked:

“Is this question easy?”

"Why does Mr. Yan ask this?"

Song Xuan didn't quite understand what the person who set the test said. The question was obviously quite difficult. Didn't he hear everyone wailing?

"I saw that you answered the questions very quickly and correctly, so I had some doubts."

"I see."

Song Xuan thought for a moment and replied:
"Mr. Yan, there's no need to be so modest. Your ancestors must have been subjected to a lot of abuse from students recently."

"They said your question was very difficult, and they all hope that your ancestors can take you away soon."

"Next time the exam is held, you, the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, better get promoted and transferred away, and stop causing trouble for them here!"

Yan Shu nodded slightly, he also heard some bad voices.

After all, last time Song Xuan went to the toilet because the questions were a bit difficult, he angrily cursed Yan Shu as "Old Thief Yan" and was caught red-handed.

"Don't talk nonsense. You haven't answered my question yet."

Song Xuan laughed twice:

"Mr. Yan, you don't know that last time I only put a little bit of effort into this test, thinking that I could easily pass it no matter how I took it."

Yan Shu thought that this was indeed the case.

Song Xuan had an idea in mind and he really made it to the list!

But he was deliberately dismissed by himself to prevent him from being lazy and thinking that it would be enough to just pass the imperial examination.

What a waste of my excellent talent!

"As the saying goes, shame breeds courage. From the last time to this time, I've put a full half of my energy into the test. If I still don't do well, wouldn't I be letting myself down for all my hard work?"

Yan Shu was very satisfied listening to Song Xuan's words of self-motivation:
"You, Song Twelve, are supposed to be very successful in the imperial examinations. Don't act so careless. That's not good."

Yan Shu sighed again: "Those censors in Tokyo are always finding fault with everything."

"If you continue to be like this in the future, you will definitely be the focus of attention."

"Hehe." Song Xuan chuckled:
"Don't give me the chance, or I'll knock all their teeth out with my imperial scepter to help you vent your anger!"

"Hey."

Yan Shu subconsciously wanted to cover Song Xuan's mouth, but was stopped by the height difference.

"You can't joke about this."

The group of censors is very troublesome.

If anyone doesn't find a way to report someone, it would be dereliction of duty!

From the prime minister to the ministers, everyone must learn to adapt to this group.

Especially for the prime minister, if he is impeached too many times, the emperor will choose to send him away for a while and transfer him back to the central government when the right opportunity comes.

"I was just joking."

Song Xuan smiled and didn't say much.

Yan Shu waved his hand and told him to go out quickly and not to ruin his good mood all the time.

He admitted that Song Xuan was a genius rarely seen in a century.

But such a genius is really difficult to control.

How can you just come up and attack others?

Yan Shu couldn't help but shook his head. He was just happy about Song Xuan's rapid progress, but the words just now made him frightened again.

After all, according to the Song Dynasty's recommendation system, if there is a problem with the recommended person, the recommender will also be jointly liable.

Yan Shu watched Song Xuan walk out of the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall, and thought again. Song Xuan passed the imperial examination on his own and was definitely not recommended by him.

Then there will be no problem at all.

As for the policy essay, it seemed to Song Xuan to be an extremely simple question.

Develop water conservancy projects.

Because of Renzong's order, all the major water systems from Kaifeng Prefecture all the way south were developing water conservancy projects in order to supply the survival of Tokyo's one million people.

Song Xuan also took the time to "guide" Zhang Kang, the prosecutor in charge of this matter.

Zhang Kang has changed from being a fair and plump boy to being a dark and strong man.

At least he is really busy with the development of water conservancy projects.

In addition to benefiting the people and the court, it can also benefit yourself.

The fact that Yingtian Prefecture was developing water conservancy was a well-known fact, and students' parents might have taken them to build river embankments, etc.

Following the old rules, Song Xuan first made a clear statement on the topic, saying that water conservancy is the foundation of the country and the lifeline of the people.

From dredging rivers to prevent floods, to building canals to benefit agriculture, and constructing reservoirs to prepare for droughts and floods, the Zhengguo Canal in history is listed, to Fan Zhongyan's construction of seawalls today.

Finally, Song Xuan also listed the golden channel, which could bring endless benefits to the Song Dynasty.

It should not only maintain the water system in Henan, but also connect the vast southern regions such as Jiangxi with the Grand Canal.

The development of Jiangxi in the Song Dynasty benefited greatly from this golden channel.

On the one hand, grain, tea, porcelain, paper, cloth and coins produced in Jiangxi were transported to various parts of the north and south.

On the other hand, goods produced in other places and even foreign countries enter Jiangxi.

Emperor Taizong of Song once ordered the attendant official Liu Mengzheng to go to Lingnan to plan the transportation of spices and medicines to Bianliang.

After an on-site inspection, Liu Mengzheng reported, "Please go upstream from Guang and Shaojiang to Nanxiong, and then transport it on foot from Dayuling to Nan'an Army. There will be three stations, each with 30 soldiers, and then transport it by water."

Spices imported from overseas countries landed in Guangzhou, went up the Beijiang River to Shaozhou, turned into the Zhenshui River to Nanxiong County, transported by land through Sanpu, crossed the Dayuling Mountains to Dayu County, and then by water from Zhangshui into the Ganjiang River, passed through Poyang Lake, went east down the Yangtze River, turned into the canal in Yangzhou and reached Bianjing.

This transportation route, a plan for transporting goods from Guangnan to Beijing, was approved and implemented, and was maintained for a long time until modern times. It became a major transportation artery between the Central Plains and Lingnan, and had a profound impact on the economic prosperity of many counties and towns along the route.

Therefore, the waterway communication from the political center of the northwest to the economic center of the southeast is mainly completed by the Han River and the Yangtze River.

The inland waterway transportation that connects with the Maritime Silk Road starting from Guangzhou is "Han River - Yangtze River - Xiang River - Xijiang River - Pearl River".

After the opening of the Grand Canal, the "Canal-Yangtze River-Gan River-Beijiang River-Pearl River" route became the main north-south channel in the country.

Now that Tokyo needs the support of water transport, it is even more important to connect the limited waterways and make use of them for the court.

In the future, large-scale export of porcelain and silk will surely bring huge profits.

I respectfully present this policy proposal to Your Majesty, hoping that Your Majesty will consider it and implement it. It will be a blessing for the world and the people.

Song Xuan finished his work and began to copy it onto the test paper.

After finishing writing and the ink dried, Song Xuan raised his hand to indicate that he wanted to hand in the paper.

In the last subject, he couldn't help it.

Finally, the exam is over.

Many students didn't look up until Song Xuan handed in his paper.

They haven't even written down how to conceive it!
Song Xuan actually handed in the paper?
When he said before that he wanted to take the imperial examination, was he really not bragging?

Song Hao has never competed with Song Xuan on the same field.

The two of them were not competing at all in the private school, so when Song Hao looked up and saw that Song Xuan had finished writing, he was extremely surprised.

how come?
Which student in the entire examination room is not thinking hard?
How come you, Song Xuan, have already answered?
Did time pass so quickly while I was deep in thought?

Song Hao glanced at the clepsydra again to make sure that not too much time had passed.

Why?
Yan Shu glanced at Song Xuan's paper. First of all, the paper was neat, which alone made him better than many people.

Plus the handwriting is beautiful!
As for the content, after a quick glance at it, Yan Shu thought it was worth putting in the hands of the prime minister of the court.

Let them discuss it. If this matter is done according to Song Xuan's suggestion, and more rivers in the south are dredged and connected together, how much will the revenue of the national treasury increase?

Song Xuan stood alone at the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall again.

Zhang Kang, the magistrate of Yingtian Prefecture, saw him approaching slowly and took the initiative to speak:
"I didn't know that Prefect Yan would come up with this policy proposal."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan smiled, picked up his exam box, grabbed a handful of roasted chestnuts from it and threw them to Zhang Kang:

"Actually, I didn't expect that."

Zhang Kang took the chestnut and asked softly:

"So do you think you have a good grasp of this?"

(End of this chapter)