Entering the palace gate, you can see that the sky in the palace is divided into seven parts bright and three parts dark. The morning sun is spitting out from the edge of the clouds. The morning light shines on the eaves of the palace and casts on the deep and wide palace road, interlacing light and dark.
As soon as Mrs. Sheng got off the palace carriage, she repeatedly told her daughter-in-law and granddaughters to be careful. There are many rules in the palace. They are not allowed to whisper or look around.
When they first arrived at the palace, Wang Ruofu and Sanlan were a little frightened. After hearing the old lady's instructions, they naturally nodded in agreement and followed Old Madam Sheng, not daring to take a wrong step.
The queen invited dozens of officials this time, and quite a few of them had already arrived. They all greeted Mrs. Sheng familiarly.
Mrs. Sheng knew very well that officials and officials like Bianjing usually used their eyes to screen people, but now they were just coping with the routine, and they were not very sincere.
In the past, when Yongyi Hou Xu Pingjing was there, the old lady was the legitimate daughter of the Hou family, so her status was naturally extraordinary. But now that the old Yongyi Hou has passed away, the Xu family is increasingly declining, and the old lady has also cut off contact with the Xu family. The situation is naturally different from the past.
Different.
As for the Sheng family, although it is quite prosperous, the head of the family is now just a fifth-grade Beijing official. He is still not in the eyes of these top wealthy families. Naturally, they will not be very warm to the women of the Sheng family.
.
The Sheng family walked slowly between the palace walls, and in a blink of an eye they arrived at a pavilion. They met Mrs. Xue, the wife of Mr. Lu, the Minister of Industry, entering the palace with her eldest daughter-in-law.
Sheng Hong has now been promoted to the Ministry of Industry as a foreign minister, and Mr. Lu is his immediate boss. When he meets the daughter of the Lu family, everyone in the Sheng family naturally has to pay tribute.
When Mo Lan saluted Mrs. Xue, Mrs. Xue just nodded reservedly. But when it was Ru Lan and Ming Lan's turn to greet each other, Mrs. Xue looked at them and said with a smile: "One is pretty, the other is beautiful. The daughter of the Sheng family is really
The appearance becomes more and more beautiful."
Both women bowed and saluted gracefully: "The old lady is so complimentary."
Mo Lan, the only one who was not praised by Mr.
Mr. Xue chatted with Mrs. Sheng for a few words, and then took the initiative to invite the daughter of the Sheng family to watch the ceremony with him on the stage.
Old Mrs. Sheng was a little surprised when she felt the kindness in the other party's tone, but she did not refuse the other party's kindness and nodded in agreement.
The group of people chatted and laughed, and climbed up to the high platform. They saw that the platform was surrounded by screens, and there were twenty or thirty officials here. They were all laughing and chatting happily. Even if there were some grudges or quarrels on weekdays, on this occasion
It is impossible to have an attack.
The high platform for viewing the ceremony was several feet high. Looking down from the platform, the palace people below seemed to have shrunk many times. Their round heads were lined up, which was very interesting. This was the first time for Rulan and Minglan to see this.
After such a battle, I couldn't help but whisper excitedly.
Mo Lan's expression was quite calm, mainly because no one paid attention to her, so she could only stand alone and feel pity for herself.
Not long after, Ru Lan and Ming Lan suddenly heard the sound of soft footsteps, and several rows of skirts fluttering under the screen, and they hurriedly stopped and stood in silence.
The queen's phoenix has arrived.
Everyone on the stage held their breath. The civil servants, headed by Mrs. Chen of Han Zhang, and the royal family members, headed by the two concubines of King Yong and King Yan, all bowed and saluted.
Rulan and Minglan lowered their heads and quietly looked at the empress whose mother had given birth to the world, but they saw that her appearance was not that of a beauty, but after all, she was the daughter of a general, and she still had a bit of heroism in her grace.
Queen Cao seemed quite friendly. She smiled and waved her hand, gesturing for everyone to level up and take their seats.
On the viewing platform, only the ladies of the court who have the imperial title can have seats. Although Mrs. Sheng is the only daughter of Marquis Yongyi, she is not kind to others, and she still has no royal title, so she can only stand aside like all the juniors.<
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At this time, a chamberlain walked up to Mrs. Sheng and led her to a seat next to Queen Cao to sit down.
All the officials on the stage looked over in surprise, with a bit of confusion and confusion on their expressions.
This old lady from the Sheng family is indeed quite noble when it comes to her background, but on this high platform where wealthy wives gather, she is nothing. Why does the Queen care for her so much?
The most surprising person was Wang Ruofu. Seeing that his old lady not only got a seat, but was also so close to the Queen, Wang Ruofu couldn't help but feel a little in awe of the old lady, and hurriedly took the three Lans with him.
Go up and stand respectfully beside Mrs. Sheng.
……
Outside Donghua Gate.
All three hundred tributes from the sixth year of God's blessing have gathered here. Looking around, there are both old men with white hair and middle-aged people in their prime.
Of course, the most popular ones are high-spirited young people like Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai.
After more than ten years of hard study, several times of loss and torture, I have just waited until today. No one dares, let alone misses this possibly the most glorious moment in life.
The dirty deeds of the past are nothing to be proud of, but today there is no limit to the dissolute thoughts. The new scholars who are about to be released can no longer contain their excitement and excitedly congratulate each other.
"Dang——"
The leisurely bell rang, and Wei Chen and a group of new scholars looked solemn. They lined up in two teams and entered the palace with bowed heads. They entered the wide square paved with white marble in front of Chongzheng Hall one after another.
Inside and outside the Chongzheng Hall, officials at all levels in Beijing have completed their duties. Flags are flying in the left and right corridors, and several groups of brightly armored Imperial Guards are standing nearby.
When everyone stood still, suddenly the palace music started to play, "Longping Chapter" was played, and then the whip was blown three times at the back steps, and "Qingping Chapter" was played.
Amidst the sound of ritual music, Emperor Zhao Zhen of the Great Zhou Dynasty appeared in everyone's sight, wearing a crimson dragon robe, and with the support of the chamberlain, taking steady and powerful steps.
Amidst the shouts of the mountains and the tsunami, Zhao Zhen ascended to the throne, and the ministers bowed and kowtowed three times. After everyone was calm, Han Zhang, a bachelor of Longtuge, came out to announce the imperial edict.
"The Emperor's grace is great. He opens up subjects to recruit scholars and promotes talents for the country. Don't ask about his origin. Today, the palace examination in the sixth year of You's reign has been completed. Your Majesty will test the world's tributes and award the first-class Jinshi and the third-class Jinshi. The second-class Jinshi comes from the first class.
One hundred and thirty-five people, one hundred and sixty-two people were born in the same rank as the top three, and the roll call came out to express gratitude!"
Although Han Dajun is very old, he is full of energy. His voice when he read out the edict was very loud, and every new scholar in the square could hear it clearly.
In the Chongzheng Hall, hundreds of officials stood in line, Emperor Zhao Zhen sat high on the throne, and the chamberlain beside him held a eucalyptus plate covered with bright yellow brocade and presented three copies of the palace examination ink scroll.
Zhao Zhen took the first ink roll, opened it and glanced at it, then paused deliberately and admired the silent scene inside and outside the palace, and then slowly spoke, breaking the suffocating silence.
"First place in the imperial examination, Wei Chen!"
As soon as the words fell, the music burst out loud, and more than 200 officials below the steps sang in turn: "First place in the first class of the palace examination, Wei Chen!"
In this way, the sound was passed from sound to sound, and the sound of his voice was getting louder and clearer from far to near, resounding throughout the entire imperial city, until it reached Wei Chen's ears on the square outside Chongzheng Hall.
The moment Wei Chen heard his name, he felt his breathing shorten, his heart pounding, and even his brain went blank.
Although he had already had a vague premonition when he had the imperial meal with the emperor yesterday, it was not until this moment, when he heard his name being sung three times by the official, that Wei Chen finally confirmed: "I won the top prize!"<