However, no matter how doubtful Wei Chen was, the emperor didn't say anything more.
After Zhao Zhen read Wei Chen's paper, he put the paper back on the table, pressed it with a paperweight again, and continued to inspect elsewhere.
After the group of them left, Wei Chen sat back in his seat. Only then did he have the opportunity to quietly look up at Zhao Zhen, who was not far away.
Zhao Zhengui was the emperor, and his face was quite prosperous, but his body was a little stooped, perhaps due to old age and illness, which made him look very thin.
At this time, Zhao Zhen, accompanied by Han Zhang and several other important ministers, was carefully inspecting the examination room.
When he occasionally talked with Han Zhang and others, he seemed approachable and didn't have much airs. He didn't look like the kind of moody and tyrannical king.
Seeing this, Wei Chen couldn't help but have a good impression of this official.
"Maybe it's just because the official likes calligraphy that he specifically commented on my handwriting?"
With this thought in his mind, Wei Chen finally withdrew his gaze. After calming down, he returned his attention to his paper.
Although the article has been written, it still needs to be carefully checked and revised several times before being transcribed into the main volume. This is also a tedious task.
Just as Wei Chen buried his head and wrote without any distractions, Zhao Zhen had already walked around the examination room and slowly sat back on the throne.
The waiter next to him saw that Zhao Zhen was a little tired, so he brought a steaming bowl of Qibao Leicha.
This Qibao Leicha is made of sesame seeds, peanuts, mung beans, arrowroot powder, glutinous rice, and red beans mixed with tea powder and fried together. When you drink it, you will get a lump in your mouth. It not only quenches your thirst, but also relieves hunger.
After drinking a bowl of Qibao Leicha, Zhao Zhen suddenly felt comfortable, sweating a little and feeling much better. After placing the finished tea bowl on the tray in the hands of the waiter, he glanced at the people in the hall.
All tributes.
Just a few dozen meters away from Zhao Zhen, somewhere in the left corridor of Chongzheng Hall, there was a Gongsheng student sitting upright in front of the table. It was Wei Chen.
At this moment, Wei Chen's eyes are focused on the pen and paper, his shoulders are straight, his back is straight, his posture is heroic, and his body and temperament are like an unsheathed sword.
In Zhao Zhen's eyes, Wei Chen, sitting among a circle of tribute students, stood out from the crowd. He could not be ignored and could be seen at a glance.
Zhao Zhen's eyes skipped the crowd and rested on Wei Chen for a long time. Thinking of Wei Chen's quite satisfactory style, he couldn't help but nodded with satisfaction.
Although the pavilion style has been criticized for its lack of aura, it is not without its advantages. At least it is square, neat, and in line with the law, which is clear at a glance.
It is said that words are like people, so Wei Chen is also a law-abiding minister who will not cause trouble for the emperor at every turn. And this quality is precisely what Zhao Zhen values the most.
Zhao Zhen is over fifty and has been emperor for almost forty years. The illnesses and setbacks he encountered during this period have long since worn away his ambitions.
Zhao Zhen certainly can't say anything bad about ministers who are upright and forthright in admonishing them, but one or two are enough to give Zhao Zhen a headache, and he really doesn't want to have a few more.
At Zhao Zhen's age, he still took the trouble to inspect the examination room in person, wasn't he just trying to select a few suitable talents?
Zhao Zhen didn't want the emperor's disciple he had just elected today to go to court the next day and fight for the ground, forcing him, the emperor, to be unable to step down. Wouldn't that be adding to the obstacles for himself? Why bother?
Therefore, ministers like Wei Chen who keep their own rules and can share the emperor's worries are the best ministers in Zhao Zhen's eyes.
Of course, the good writing of Wei Chen will only increase Zhao Zhen's impression points. The reason why Zhao Zhen favors Wei Chen actually has deeper considerations.
……
As the exam time continues to pass, the sun has set in the west outside Chongzheng Hall, and a brilliant sunset appears on the horizon.
Many candidates in the hall had finished writing their papers. After Wei Chen checked them several times, he stood up and handed the papers to the examiner, and then walked out of Chongzheng Hall.
At this time, the sky was already dark, and a little Huangmen came to Wei Chen with a lantern: "Hui Yuanlang, it's dark and the road is slippery, I'll help you light the way."
Hearing that the little Huangmen named Gao Huai was the attendant of Zichen Palace, Wei Chen was moved in his heart. He did not refuse the other party's request to lead the way for him, but cupped his hand and said: "Then I'll have you, Eunuch."
."
Gao Huai from Xiaohuangmen saw that Wei Chen was so polite and showed no signs of a scholar looking down on eunuchs, so he was quite pleased. He smiled and said, "Mr. Huiyuan, you're so polite. It's my honor for you to lead the way for me." After that, Wei Chen, under the guidance of Gao Huai, passed through many palaces and arrived outside Donghua Gate, where the two of them said goodbye.
Various carriages are parked outside Donghua Gate, and countless candidates have their papers waiting here.
"Master!"
Seeing Wei Chen coming out, Yuan An, who had been waiting anxiously, immediately had a smile of surprise on his face and hurried forward to greet him.
Wei Chen was about to say something to Yuan An, but he saw that the curtains of the carriages in front of him were all opened. Sheng Changbai, Wang Yaochen, Chen Jun and other people from Jingxi Society poked their heads out, smiled and bowed to Wei Chen: "Congratulations.
,Congratulations."
Wei Chen was stunned for a moment, then smiled knowingly and bowed: "Congratulations to all of you. After ten years of hard work, I have a lot of poems and books, and I finally sold them today!"
Chen Jun looked at the majestic imperial city in the distance in the dusk. He laughed first, then shook his head with emotion, and finally couldn't help himself and burst into tears.
"Be a farmer in the morning, and ascend to the emperor's hall in the evening."
This clichéd sentence, spoken by Chen Jun at this moment, contains incomparable true feelings.
The old man like Sheng Changbai couldn't help himself at this time. He grabbed the wine bottle from Tao Dazhi who was standing aside, took a big gulp of it, and then laughed heartily: "Ten years of imperial examinations are all in this sip of wine."
Got it!"
Seeing everyone's gaffe, Wei Chen couldn't help but think of the scene in his previous life when he and a group of friends were tearing up books and throwing them away on the roof of the building on the day after the last test of the college entrance examination. That feeling of being liberated after being suppressed for many years,
Wei Chen will never be forgotten.
However, there are still differences in the past and present lives.
"From today on, my hundred or so kilograms will be sold to the emperor of the Zhao family." Wei Chen shook his head mockingly, then took a deep breath, smiled and patted Sheng Changbai on the shoulder and said, "Here it is.
What's the point of drinking? Come on, let's go to Fan Tower and I'll be the host!"
However, Tao Dazhi immediately poured cold water on Wei Chen: "Fan Lou has to make a reservation at least ten days in advance. It's probably too late for us to go now."
"So awesome?"
Sheng Changbai's eyes widened in shock. He had been in the capital for two or three years and had never been to Fan Tower, so naturally he didn't know this.
Tao Dazhi was obviously very familiar with the situation of these hook-and-rail tile houses. He spread his hands and said: "That is the most famous gold-selling cave in Bianjing. The background is very complicated. Not to mention that we are just tribute scholars now, even serious Jinshi people go there without making an appointment.
Even if you want to eat at a banquet, you have to be rejected.”
"Then let's go to Yuxianlou in Zhouqiao Night Market. Fanlou will be the same if we try it another day." Wei Chen waved his hand indifferently.
Yuxianlou is also a famous restaurant in Bianjing, and its quality is not much worse than Fanlou. Anyway, it’s all about relaxing and having fun, so why not go there?
Wei Chen's proposal was recognized by everyone, and everyone forgot about being sentimental at this time, and everyone was excited and gearing up.
"Let's go, let's go, the rich man is the host today, it's just a good time to rob the rich and give to the poor!"