The morning light spilled out from the clouds and fell on the magnificent palace of the Forbidden City. After being refracted by the glazed tiles, the sky and the earth were a dazzling golden color.
When the clouds in the sky dispersed, the golden light merged with the sunshine again, making it even more brilliant.
Dang-dang-dang, morning bells sounded continuously inside and outside the palace at the same time.
Hundreds of Yulin guards and Han generals dressed in silver armor, silver helmets and feathers, with their heads held high and their chests held high, stepped out from the doorway of Chengtianmen (Tiananmen) in neat steps, and slowly came out, standing between heaven and earth.
Today, the Ming Dynasty's recruitment ceremony officially begins.
It was already Mao hour, and Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Rites, led 642 people and ministers, passed through the Qianbu Corridor and gathered outside the Chengtian Gate.
"Master Hou!" Xia Yuanji slowly stepped forward and said to Huaiyuan Hou Changsen in front of the imperial guards, "The auspicious time has arrived!"
Chang Sen, who was in charge of the Imperial City Guards, nodded solemnly and said, "Servant Lao Xia, ask the tributes to line up according to their rankings during the examination and open their pen and ink book boxes!"
These scholars who participated in the imperial examinations also had to undergo inspection when entering the palace.
"As it should be!" Xia Yuanji smiled.
Scholars can bring their own pens, inks, paper, inkstones, etc. to participate in the palace examination. The so-called inspection is to see if there are any contraband. As for entrapment, who is crazy enough to cheat under the nose of the emperor?
The magnificent palace, as well as the Yulin Guards who were like heavenly soldiers and generals, made these proud men who participated in the palace examination feel a little uneasy in their hearts.
I lined up, opened my belongings, and held my breath.
Xia Yuanji looked around the group of scholars and landed on a young man, who nodded calmly. The young man lowered his head slightly as a salute.
That young tribute was none other than Yang Rong from Fujian.
Chang Sen, who was next to him, had sharp eyes and smiled and said to Xia Yuanji, "Does the minister recognize that tribute?"
"He is a student of Xiaguan!" Xia Yuanji said with a blunt smile, "His provincial examination was supported by Xiaguan, and Xie Yuan was ordered by Xiaguan himself!"
Chang Sen smiled and didn't take it seriously.
Wherever there are people, there is a relationship. Some people are born with good luck, and some people work in vain all their lives. There is no reason to explain this matter.
Then he laughed and joked again, "Look, they are all Mr. Wenquxing! I am a rough guy. I feel envious when I look at scholars, but I am not the material for the imperial examination!" Then he laughed and said, "I heard that in the previous dynasty, the palace examination
Just after the results were released, the dignitaries in the capital came all over the capital to arrest the Jinshi Master as their son-in-law, without knowing whether it was true or not!"
Xia Yuanji also laughed and said, "Why, the Marquis is determined to recruit a scholar as his son-in-law!" He said with a smile, "If you are so determined, you can be a low-ranking official to match him!"
Before Chang Sen could speak, among the inspection team over there, a Yulin guard suddenly said, "Hey, why did you bring this thing?"
In an instant, Xia Yuanji's expression changed drastically.
The imperial examination is so important. If someone really brings contraband, it would be a shocking event.
I walked over quickly and saw a few honest-looking scholars with frightened expressions on their faces and trembling voices. Because of these words, there was silence all around, and everyone looked over.
"What did you bring?" Chang Sen also asked hurriedly.
"Master Marquis!" The Yu Linwei smiled, "These tributes brought a few steamed buns and half a pack of pickles in their boxes!"
"Ah?" Chang Sen wondered, looking at the helpless scholars, he smiled and said, "Why are you bringing these?"
Cold sweat broke out on the foreheads of several scholars. Before they could say anything, Xia Yuanji looked at their boxes and his face became furious, "Who asked you to bring them? Before you entered the capital, Tixue never told you the regulations for the palace examination.
?"
"Back to your lord!" Among the few scholars, a tall man said with his fists clasped, "Before I came here, Lord Tixue told me that if you are hungry during the palace examination, you can eat!"
This student was none other than Han Kezhong from Shandong.
"Nonsense!" Xia Yuanji said angrily, "During the palace examination, Guanglu Temple will prepare soup and rice for you. You can eat it, but who said you can bring steamed buns?"
When he thought of the palace examination, in front of the emperor, the hungry scholar took out the steamed buns and took a few bites. Xia Yuanji suddenly became furious and stamped his feet repeatedly.
The scholars around looked at Han Kezhong and others, some sighing, some gloating about their misfortune.
From behind, Yang Rong bowed his head and said, "My lord, I don't blame those who don't know. These Nian brothers must have been negligent for a while!"
"Yeah, it's not a big deal! Just a few steamed buns, it's okay!" Chang Sen also smiled.
Xia Yuanji thought about it and said, "Throw away those steamed buns and follow the front!"
"Throw it away?" Han Kezhong was puzzled. Although he was a little timid, he still said, "Sir, that's food!"
"you"
"He's right!" Chang Sen stepped forward, looked at the boxes of several tributes, and said, "The food is still not available!" After saying that, he reached out and took out one, broke it open, put it in his mouth, and said with a smile, "Give it away.
Let’s talk to someone! It just so happens that I didn’t eat in the morning!”
Han Kezhong regretted his words just now. When he saw the general in front of him, he helped him to save the siege, cupped his hands and said, "Wan Sheng, thank you sir!"
"Go in! Take the exam well!" Chang Sen said to Xia Yuanji, who was shaking his head, while eating steamed buns with one under his arm, "It's not easy for students from poor families!"
Xia Yuanji bowed his hand to Chang Sen, and then continued forward with the candidates who had completed the examination.
After passing Chengtian Gate, you will see the Meridian Gate.
There are five door openings on the front of the Meridian Gate, with two city gates on both sides. The entire gate is in a concave shape.
There are also 42 rooms on the left and right gates on both sides. Except for the six court rooms among them, they are the royal court rooms, where princes and officials gather and hold court. The other court rooms are all six duty rooms.
Also known as Liuke Gallery.
Then, according to their ranking during the examination, the tributes will go through the left door on the east side in odd numbers and the right door in the west in even numbers. These two doors will only be opened during the palace examination and the court meeting.
After passing through the Meridian Gate, the Fengtian Palace, the most magnificent palace in the Forbidden City, which also represents the imperial power, comes into view.
There is Huiji Gate on the east side of the main hall, which is the hub connecting Wenhua Hall and Hanlin Academy, and is also the only way to enter and exit Donghua Gate.
There is Guiji Gate on the west side, which is the hub of contact with Wuying Palace and the only way to enter and exit Xihua Gate.
On the north and south sides of these two gates, there are eleven verandah rooms with eaves and ridges on each side. On the east side are the Records Hall, the Jade Document Hall and the Living Notes Hall, and on the west side are the Huidian Hall.
More than six hundred tributes stood nervously and uneasily in front of Fengtian Palace, under the imperial steps. Many of them will be on duty in these pavilions set up in the imperial city every day in the future, that is,
Hanlin.
There will also be many people on duty in the six-section duty room at the side of the Meridian Gate every day.
Among them, there are prosperous young people, middle-aged men with calm faces, and of course some gray-haired old Confucians who have spent their lives studying.
In the distance from outside the palace to inside the palace, some people are proud of themselves as young people, while some people have walked away for a lifetime. There are even some people who will never have the chance to reach this point in their lives.
Snap! Snap!
The captain of Feiyu uniform stood in front, and there were several sudden whips.
Next to the side of the main hall, the music officials of the Ministry of Rites directed the musicians to play music.
Immediately, in the eyes of all the tributes, the Minister of Rites, the bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, various bachelors, the chief examiner and others slowly appeared.
First bow your head to worship the sky, and then stand on the Dan steps.
The heavy red door of Fengtian Hall slowly opened.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
"Kneel down! Kowtow!"
~~~
Zhu Yunxi was wearing a solemn Gong robe, and amid the obeisances of the ministers and students, he pulled Liu Jin, who was also wearing a Gong robe, and slowly walked up the imperial steps leading to the dragon throne.
"Come in! Kneel down! Kowtow twice!"
The tributes of the Ming Dynasty followed the command of the ritual officer, kowtowed and stood up, moved forward, kowtowed, and entered the main hall.
It is not about kneeling three times and knocking down nine times, but bowing five times and knocking down three times.
Put your hands together, raise them high, press them on the ground, and then bend your knees. When you stand up, press your right knee with both hands to stand up. When you bow your head, you should fold your hands and press them on the ground together, with your head touching your hands. When you kowtow, you should separate your hands and press your hands on the ground, with your head touching the ground.
"Follow the emperor's edict to carry out the mission!"
Liu Sanwu, a member of Zhongshushe, read out the imperial edict to the tributes who had finished the ceremony.
"I have often heard that no king is higher than Zhou Wen, and no king is higher than Qi Huan." (King Wen of Zhou and King Qi Huan, the leader of the Five Hegemons of Spring and Autumn Period).
"Everyone waits for the wise to become famous. Are the wise today more intelligent than the ancients?"
"Therefore, in the name of the Emperor, I open schools to recruit scholars and seek talents for the country. As a great official, we are as close as one family."
On the throne, Zhu Yunxi sat upright, looking at the Gongshi students in front of him.
Liujin's eyes kept rolling, his face full of curiosity.
After Liu Sanwu recited the imperial edict, he bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, the birthplaces and names of the tributes from all over the world have been verified. I respectfully ask you to change to Yuyin!"
Yuyin is the voice of the emperor.
Zhu Yunxi stood up slowly and said loudly, "The imperial examination begins!"
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This chapter has been completed!