The prime minister and other important ministers had come to the end of reviewing the papers. They saw that the emperor was still holding Jiang Liuer's three papers and looking at them with great interest. They didn't know how to remind them.
Seeing this, Prime Minister Gu Tongguang had no choice but to come to the emperor's presence with the papers for the number one, number two, and top three candidates.
Then he coughed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, the review of the papers by the ministers has ended. These are the top three papers we have arranged. Please point them out."
The emperor looked up in astonishment, and it took him a long time to react, "Oh, hey, I almost forgot. I'm waiting for you. I'll take a look at this paper again. The Prime Minister and the ministers can also take a look at this paper."
Gu Tongguang and others were already curious as to why the emperor was so fascinated by it, so they took it respectfully, returned to their seats and slowly read Jiang Liuer's Theory of Consciousness Only.
The emperor also began to review the top three papers. He frowned and read the three papers hastily, but none of them seemed to satisfy him.
Many of the scholars waiting at the scene were uneasy, and their eyes couldn't help but look towards where Jiang Liu'er was.
Xu Lan thought to himself: "I won't let this kid win the top prize? That means people should not be judged by their appearance..."
Jiang Liuer looked at his nose with his eyes, and his heart with his nose. He seemed calm, but in fact he was as flustered as a dog.
I couldn't help but start a conversation with another consciousness in the sea of consciousness, "Hey, do you think the emperor will directly appoint me as the number one scholar?"
The consciousness in the sea of consciousness sneered and said: "If I don't chop off your head, it should be a great favor from the emperor."
"What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't slander any minister or political affairs."
"Hey, I think what the emperor said about traveling westward to learn Buddhist scriptures is quite interesting."
Jiang Liu'er couldn't help but feel excited, "That's right, I don't know if what Xu Lan said is true. If it is true, how many of the 100 people here will go?"
"If there is an opportunity to flatter the imperial power, I am afraid that those with wealth will find a way to do it."
Jiang Liu'er thought for a while, "I have no money, but I don't know if I can try my luck with them. Anyway, I'll go to the vicinity of Yehai first and see if they can cross Yehai. If they can cross, hey, it means
I also have a way."
While I was thinking about it, the ministers had already circulated Jiang Liuer's examination papers, and they finally fell into the hands of the new national preceptor, Abbot Shaolin Cizhen.
Cizhen first frowned, then became confused, then became confused, and then nodded again.
The ministers began to ask each other about Jiang Liu'er's origins. At this time, the emperor saw that everyone had circulated Jiang Liu'er's Theory of Consciousness Only, and then asked the eunuchs to hand over the three examination papers to the prime minister.
He said: "Prime Minister, the ranking will be determined according to what you said. I have no objection."
Prime Minister Gu Tongguang said in surprise: "Your Majesty really has no objection."
The emperor looked at Jiang Liu'er, smiled and said, "I really have no objection!"
"That……"
"Prime Minister, I will take the order according to your choice."
"Well……"
So Gu Tongguang stood up, revealed the planned ranking, and asked the eunuch to announce it in public.
"He Fengchen was appointed as the top pick, second place was Zhu Tianlei, top pick was Li Xunhe..."
After the eunuch read the number to the ninety-ninth, he suddenly stopped.
The candidates present were surprised. There were a hundred candidates in total, but why were only ninety-nine ranked?
What about the person who turned in the paper first?
Most of them didn't know that the first person to hand in the paper was named Jiang Liu'er, and they just looked at each other in confusion.
Only Xu Lan looked at Jiang Liu'er in surprise, and Jiang Liu'er was also confused, thinking: "You're not going to take away my Jinshi title, are you? You're not even willing to give me the last place?"
The emperor squinted his eyes and looked at Jiang Liu'er and smiled and said, "How is it? Jiang Liu'er is the first to hand in the paper. You are so anxious, but you didn't hear your ranking. Are you panicking now?"
Jiang Liuer quickly stood up and smiled awkwardly.
At this time, all the scholars present knew that his name was Jiang Liu'er, and the only person whose name was not reported was him!
Jiang Liu'er was just rummaging around, rolling his eyes, and said quickly: "Thunder, rain, and dew are all your kindness. No matter what your majesty arranges, the students will accept it sincerely!"
The emperor laughed, and the ministers beside him also smiled inexplicably.
The emperor said to Prime Minister Gu Tongguang: "Look, you can't even say the official words well. It all sounds false to me."
Gu Tongguang said with a smile: "People who can write the Theory of Consciousness Only have a true heart and are not used to saying things that go against their heart."
The emperor chuckled and said: "Jiang Liu'er, since you said that thunder, rain, and dew are all the grace of the king, then I won't rank you, but there is something for you to do, so you have agreed."
Jiang Liu'er didn't know how to answer, so he cursed: "Your Majesty, I'm just going to be polite to you, why do you still take it seriously..."
However, in the face of the imperial power, it is of course impossible to think or say anything. I just bowed down and said humbly: "Students will do their best..."
The nearby scholars all looked at Jiang Liu'er out of the corner of their eyes, some were envious, some were surprised, but most of all they were jealous!
Especially the scholars who come from aristocratic families, they know very well what it means to be directly appointed by the emperor to do something, which means that this person is in the heart of the emperor for some reason!
And since he was not from a noble family, he had just left aside the major factions in the court and had a clean background, making him the most suitable person to be trained as a confidant of the emperor.
Such a situation naturally has its good and bad aspects. The advantage is that one can be like those powerful ministers and cruel officials in history who relied on the favor of the imperial power to rise to the top in one step!
As long as you serve the emperor and do things beautifully, you will be inferior to ten thousand people. Even the most powerful people must make concessions for it!
Once upon a time, a cruel official from the imperial power took a fancy to the legitimate daughter of a certain family, and just said a few words at home. The head of that family immediately sent the girl to the house of that cruel official to spend the night with him. Not only did people at that time not feel ashamed of it,
On the contrary, I feel happy.
Because if you don't take the initiative and wait until the other party takes the initiative to ask for it, the family may suffer the bloodiest revenge, and may even destroy the family and genocide.
This is the scary thing about cruel officials who are supported by the imperial power. They only care about honor and favor during their lifetime. Even if they know that one day they will be abandoned by the imperial power, they will suffer endless backlash, and the nine clans will be wiped out, it doesn't matter.
One of the concepts they firmly believe in is: If a man cannot eat five pots of food in life, he will be cooked in five pots of food when he dies!
At this time, the emperor looked at Jiang Liu'er and smiled meaningfully, and said: "You are not willing to agree at all. Anyway, it is not up to you anymore.
In this way, Daci'en Temple was attacked by the evil Xuanyin Sect, and the abbot was seriously injured and died tragically. Currently, no one has succeeded to the position of abbot.
I observe that your theory of consciousness-only theory has many similarities with the Faxiang Sect of Daci'en Temple, especially the theory of Yinming you discussed.
I think that although you are young, you are quite Buddhist, and it would be a pity not to become a monk, so I specially appointed you as the new abbot of Daci'en Temple!
As for this Dharma name... I have also thought of it for you, it will be called Xuanzang, what do you think?"