Judging from the results of the provincial examination, Gu Bai and Cui Lang are most likely to win the top prize this year. Of course, although Shen Jian ranks fourth, it is not impossible to win the top prize.
The seed contestants for the imperial examination are all here. If you can make it work, be the banker yourself, and do a shady transaction, wouldn't you not have to worry about running out of money for the rest of your life?
Gu Bai looked at Cui Lang, thought for a while, and said, "What if Brother Cui lets the palace exam slip, and then all the money you win will belong to you?"
Cui Lang smiled and said, "How about you ignore Brother Gu and let him go? No matter who wins between me and Brother Shen, all the money will be yours."
Tang Ning looked at them and felt that the banker would not be able to open this time.
Two common people, a good man with ambitions in all directions, should regard fame as rubbish. Even if he becomes an official, he still cannot afford a house in the capital. If he is a poor official, how can he have real money?
Xiao Jue looked at the two of them and said, "Gu Bai, it's useless for you to ask for so much money. The Cui family is also a wealthy family in the south of the Yangtze River. You are not short of money. How about you give me the money if you win?"
Xiao Jue wanted nothing but a white wolf, and others were not fools. The two of them didn't even bother to talk to him.
Tangning thought for a while, looked at him and said, "Why don't you bet on me? My odds are much higher than the two of them. If you win, you will make a fortune."
"You?" Xiao Jue glanced at him and said, "Do you think I'm stupid? Ever since those examiners made the announcement, who in the capital doesn't know that the imperial examination is not your strong point? You have so much money that you have nothing to spend on it.
I bet you will be the top pick..."
Although Xiao Jue's words are a bit hurtful, they are also true. Even Miss Li, who has never criticized him, doesn't think highly of him, but it doesn't matter anymore. Enough is enough, and you should give up when you feel good. You have to go the right way to make money, and hold on to Tang Yaojing's big heart.
Long legs and good cooperation in business is the right way.
Xiao Jue looked at Gu Bai, then at Cui Lang, shook his head and said, "Forget it, I won't gamble this time. If I lose, I won't even have my pocket money."
Cui Lang paced and murmured: "This palace examination is said to be conducted by His Majesty himself. I don't know how many questions there are and how difficult they are."
Shen Jian opened his mouth and said: "Although His Majesty made the proposition himself, it should not be much different from previous years. It could be three at most, two at least, nothing more than that."
After the palace examination time was announced, other related matters were also announced.
For example, although the Ministry of Rites is responsible for this palace examination, the emperor himself sets the questions. This is different from previous years when the Ministry of Rites had full supervision. It is also the first time in recent years that the emperor has set the questions.
The reason why each Jinshi class is called the emperor's disciple is because the palace examination is held in the imperial palace. Strictly speaking, the emperor is the examiner.
But in fact, the emperor would delegate this power to the most respected ministers, and he would not personally intervene from the question to the marking of the paper. Only when the examiner presented the list of the top ten, Yubi would personally select the first and third questions.
The imperial examination only tests policy theory, and no one can guarantee whether there will be a dark horse, not even Gu Bai, Cui Lang and Shen Jian.
Of course, this time, they didn't regard Tangning as their opponent at all.
The odds offered by major gambling houses in Beijing, the three of them combined are not as high as Tang Ning's. However, no matter how high the odds are, they still have to pass the exam. Gu Bai and Cui Lang don't know how to take risks, so Tang Ning
I gave up gambling very early on.
Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room.
Chen Huang held up his pen and pondered for a long time without writing it down.
Eunuch Wei walked up to him and asked, "Your Majesty, why don't you take a rest?"
Emperor Chen shook his head and said: "No need, the imperial examination is coming soon, so we have to decide the topic early."
He put down his pen and asked: "Has the spy who went to the grassland returned?"
"Not yet." Wei Jian shook his head and said, "But your Majesty, there is no need to be anxious. Counting the days, there should be news in May at the latest."
Emperor Chen looked outside the palace and said, "I hope what they said is not true."
As soon as he finished speaking, with a "squeak" sound, the palace door was slowly pushed open, and King Run ran in from the outside holding a box in his hand.
The young eunuch at the door was startled and said hurriedly: "His Royal Highness King Run, His Royal Highness King Run will stay here. Your Majesty is busy. Please come back later."
Zhao Yuan stopped and said, "Father didn't even eat in the morning. I'm here to deliver food to him. I'll put it down and leave."
The eunuch looked at him and said, "Your Majesty, please put down your things and I will bring them to Your Majesty in a moment."
"It's okay, I happen to be a little hungry, Yuan'er, please bring it over." A voice came from the front.
Zhao Yuan ran over with the box in his arms. Chen Huang looked at him and asked with a smile: "What good things did Yuan'er bring to my father?"
Zhao Yuan put the box on the table and said: "There are elbows, fried fish, pastries and preserves. Father, you can eat whatever you want..."
Chen Huang picked up a fried small fish with chopsticks. Zhao Yuan said in a show off: "The fried fish is pretty good this time. I'm watching from the side and don't let them turn it over hard. Father, please try and see if it tastes good."
!”
Chen Huang looked at the small fish on the chopsticks, as if he thought of something, he moved his hands.
…
There was not much time to prepare for the imperial examination. Tang Ning felt that ten days had passed by in a blink of an eye, and it was already April 23rd.
Zhong Yi stood in front of him, straightened his collar, and Xiao Ru handed over a bundle.
Tangning held them in her arms, patted their shoulders gently, and whispered, "Wait until I come back."
The palace examination lasted for one day, with entrance at dawn and handing in papers at dusk.
As the last and most important test of the imperial examination, the process of the palace examination is quite complicated. After roll call, scattering of papers, praises, salutes and other procedures, the questions are officially issued. After answering, the test papers are sealed and the general palace examination
Two to three days after the exam is the marking day, eight marking officers take turns marking each exam paper, and each test paper will pass through the hands of eight people to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the marking.
The palace examination was held in a large hall in the palace, which was large enough to accommodate the 212 tributes who participated in the provincial examination.
This was not the first time for Tang Ning to enter the palace. When she walked to the palace gate, she saw many people waiting at the door.
When the time comes, eunuchs will bring these people in.
Xiao Jue actually arrived earlier than him. He was standing chatting with Gu Bai and Cui Lang. When he saw him coming, he waved to him from a distance: "Here!"
The atmosphere before the imperial examination was actually much better than the provincial examination.
After all, this time is just a ranking, no one will fail, the worst can still be a county magistrate. Of course, whether you are a county magistrate or a county magistrate, it still depends on the results of the palace examination.
"Finally, I don't have to be forced to read by my father." Xiao Jue leaned against a tree, breathed a long sigh of relief, looked at Tang Ning, and said, "After today, I will take you to have fun. This capital city is so good, you still have to
I’ve never seen it before.”
He dared to talk so brazenly about having fun and what tricks a boy could do. Ever since he took him to a brothel last time and saw what he said about having fun, Tang Ning no longer had any hope in his words.
Tang Ning stood next to Xiao Jue and the others and noticed that many people around her were looking at him, including many who were whispering.
"Is he Tangning?"
"Lingzhou Jieyuan, the first place in the provincial examination, the one who kicked Gu Bai and Cui Lang down."
"It turns out that this is the Poetry Madman. He doesn't look too crazy..."
"Yeah, it doesn't look like the monster who could answer 100% in the first game. Do you think it's impossible for him to win three yuan in a row this time?"
"It's impossible. Many examiners have said that his strategies were mediocre and he was able to get first place in the provincial examination only because he was so good in the first two games. But above the palace examination, he was not so lucky."
"I guess he's at most Grade 2."
"It's also possible that the top three..."
…
Although these people deliberately lowered their voices, some of them still reached Tang Ning's ears.
Xiao Jue looked ahead and said, "These guys only have so much ability to talk about it."
Tang Ning didn't feel anything. Her colleagues were enemies, and she couldn't expect her competitors to wish her well.
When he thought of this, the noise in the crowd suddenly stopped.
A eunuch came out of the palace wall and shouted at the top of his lungs: "All tribute students, prepare to enter!"
