Shen Dunyan and Zhang Yue's argument was comparable to Pingbian policy, which made the examiners feel that it was a bit excessive, but such excessiveness was also expected.
Shen Tan is a good friend of Yang Tian, so he naturally supports him. At the same time, he also has a good relationship with Ouyang Xiu. Moreover, it was he who ordered Zhang Yue's famous roll, so those words of flattery are perfectly normal.
Yang Di said: "Since it is a palace examination policy discussion, you can answer whatever is asked. In this way, Wang Kui has been an official for several years, governed several places, and heard many temple discussions."
Wang Anshi said: "Wang Kui's poems and essays are average in every sentence, which shows that he has awe. What's more, in terms of essays and poems, this person is better than Zhang and Jiang."
An examiner on the side said: "Jiefu, this poem is based on the Spring and Autumn Period, and it is in line with Mencius's theory of noble people. It is refreshing to read. Haven't you also valued Mencius's words?"
Wang Anshi said: "Otherwise, Mencius is Mencius, and Dong Zi is Dong Zi. Mencius acted in the kingly way, and the kingly way is not domineering, let alone the way of a king."
“Mencius said that nature is good, but Dongzi said that there are three qualities, namely saints, middle-class people and doushao. Can this be confused with the same thing? Dongzi often said that heaven and man are in harmony, but floods and droughts are constant, and Yao and Tang are unavoidable.”
Wang Anshi’s words made all the examiners present feel confused.
Is it wrong to say that heaven and man are in communion with each other? Our civil servants have been talking about this for thousands of years.
Wang Anshi was good at eloquence and eloquent, and no one could refute him for a while. Of course, those who could refute were unwilling to refute.
To be honest, Zhang Yue, Wang Kui, and Jiang Yan all came from poor families. Due to disputes among several examiners, they separated names by name just to see who was born.
But according to their origins, all three of them were from poor families, so the controversy arose.
Originally, most of the officials on the court were still inclined to choose one of Zhang Yue and Jiang Yan as the first choice to submit to the emperor. However, Wang Anshi, as the detailed official, had to fight hard, and Wang Kui was pulled up by him.
Wang Anshi was still arguing with Yang Tian and Shen Tuan on the court.
Zhu Congdao, the Taichang Shaoqing who was the official official, stayed out of the affairs and was extraordinarily calm. He smiled and chatted with his colleagues: "Since more than ten days ago, I have heard that in the streets and alleys of Bianjing, there are rumors that Wang Kui is the emperor." The matter of being number one."
"The people's hearts have been decided, but these two princes still fight on their own, why bother?"
Many examiners have heard of the rumor that Wang Kui won the top prize, but no one thinks it is a joke. However, it can be regarded as nonsense in the market.
At that time, many people believed in the prophecy and thought it was a sign from God.
Even officials and scholars are no exception. They all believe that the imperial examination is rarely done by one's own efforts, but mostly depends on the favor or favor of ghosts and gods.
Otherwise, just look at the incense in Erxianggong Temple and Daxiangguo Temple before Kaoqian. There are also divination people who tell dreams. Most people believe it.
Often these two sentences are spread to the court, and under the amplification of hearsay, they become extremely important and can influence the final result.
After hearing what Zhu Congdao said, more and more examiners supported Wang Anshi.
However, Yang Wei and Shen Tao did not believe this, and Wang Anshi just insisted on his own principles.
To be fair, Wang Kui's and Zhang Yue's articles have their own merits. Wang Kui is better in terms of diction, but the truth is as if it is not stated. However, this is not a shortcoming. It is a good thing to keep your words steady in the imperial examination and not show off your edge.
Zhang Yue is better at reasoning and his diction is not bad either.
The articles on No. 1 Scholars can be said to be well-written and high-quality compared to other Jinshi volumes.
But if we have to compare, it is a debate whether literature is better than quality or quality is better than literature.
When the two sides were at loggerheads, everyone finally made up their minds and asked Yang Wei and Wang Anshi to submit their proposals to the emperor, who then made the final decision.
After hearing this opinion, Yang Wei and Wang Anshi both accepted it and stopped quarreling.
The examiners decided to do the next best thing. They first chose Zhang Yue or Jiang Yan according to Yang Wei's opinion, and then submitted the test together with Wang Kui, who was recommended by Wang Anshi.
In the end, most examiners still believed that Zhang Yue's literary talent was superior and excluded Jiang Yan. Based on the previous rankings, Jiang Yan not only missed the number one scholar, but also fell to the 19th place.
Because Shen Tuo and other preliminary examiners gave Jiang Yan exactly 19th place.
It can be said that if you take a step forward, the sky will be brighter, but if you take a step back...
The fate of many people is just one step away.
Then everyone was immediately busy booking other places.
The second place was finally decided on Chen Mu. This person was the son of the famous official Chen Dongzhi. As a son of an official, he was not allowed to be the number one scholar. This person would not be the number one scholar anyway.
The third person is Wang Zhichen, who turned out to be a craftsman and supervisor. As a court official, it is even more impossible for him to be the number one scholar.
As for the four and five members, they have also been decided.
The examiners carefully considered and reserved the top prize and the sixth prize for Zhang Yue and Wang Kui. While everyone was discussing, they filled in the rankings and examinee roll numbers. It was almost dawn when they finally finished writing.
All the names were written on the list and it was submitted to the emperor just before the Cold Food Festival. Wang Anshi and Yang Tian then each made their own plans to explain how to take Zhang Yue, and Wang Kui gave their respective reasons to the emperor.
March 9th is the cold food day.
The examiners were waiting in the palace to celebrate the festival, and when the examiners were speaking.
Suddenly, the imperial medicine hospital reported that the emperor's original decree was taken from the original volume of the 第, 菹, and 忁 fonts.
Cold Food Festival, light rain.
For people in Bianjing, this is just an ordinary Cold Food Festival, but for the scholars, in two days it will be the time for the roll call at Donghua Gate.
Bianjing was another scene during the cold food period. The paper horse shops on the streets were stacked with paper cans to look like pavilions and were placed on the street.
People in Bianjing have wicker sticks inserted in front of the lintels of every house. Date noodles are shaped into flying swallows and strung on the wicker sticks. They are called Zitui Yan. These jujube swallows can be eaten by children if they are left for years. Used to treat mouth sores.
The ten days after the imperial examination were ordinary days for Zhang Yue, and the matter of engagement was left to his brother and sister-in-law.
Guo Lin and Zhangqiu prepare for the Imperial Examination.
There was no movement in the Wu family. It was something that should be avoided before the engagement, and the matchmaker was the mediator.
On the day of cold food, Zhang Yue, Huang Lu and other Taixue classmates went on an outing, or went to the market to buy some cold food such as thick cakes, wheat cakes, cheese, and milk cakes.
When returning to the city, the forbidden carriages and horses swept the temple, worshiped the tombs of the Taoists of the ancestors, and the tombs of the palace people returned from outside the city. The palace people carried gauze lanterns in front of them to lead the way.
Watching the royal horses galloping past the palace, Zhang Yue hid on the side of the road chatting with Huang Lu. In the past few days after the palace examination, news about the palace examination was flying all over the sky. One moment it was said that Wang Kui had won the top prize in high school, and the other moment it was said that Jiang Yan was the top scholar in high school. Of course, there are also talks about Zhang Yue High School's top pick, but there are quite a few of them.
Yue never believed in these chapters, but someone would always tell them to him.
Han Zhongyan came to see Zhang Yue for a day and said that there were rumors that Zhang Yue spread rumors in order to discredit Wang Kui so that he could compete for the top prize.
Zhang Yue knew that there is no smoke without fire, so he hit the target instead after the news about Wang Kui teasing a good girl spread. Of course, Zhang Yue knew that it was Huang Lu who said it, but Wang Kui mistakenly thought that he spread it. After all, Wang Kuiruo was ruined. , if you cannot win the top prize, you will benefit the most.
Zhang Yue said to Han Zhongyan: "I have never said anything unfavorable to Wang Kui. As the saying goes, the pure will self-purify, and rumors stop with the wise. I don't want to explain to others, lest I encourage the rumors."
Han Zhongyan said: "Since you act openly and aboveboard, I trust you and I will explain something to you when the time comes. However, it is always hard to guard against rumors. You should be more careful yourself."
Zhang Yue said: "Thank you very much, but I don't do anything to deceive my heart, and I am not afraid of what others say."
Han Zhongyan sighed: "It's a pity that people's hearts are unpredictable and difficult to measure. If you come to compete for the top spot, how can you not be jealous? Sometimes you don't want to fight, but today you can't tolerate not fighting. As long as you are in it, you can't escape.
All kinds of open and hidden arrows. As the saying goes, if you want to reach a high point, you must first bear its weight. If you are in trouble, come to me at any time."
Hearing this, Zhang Yue thanked Han Zhongyan, knowing that as Wang Kui's voice for winning the top prize became louder, the news that he had been misunderstood and slandered him behind his back would have some impact on his reputation.
Zhang Yue is not so strong in his heart that he doesn’t care about other people’s opinions of him at all.
But he knew that regardless of this incident, controversy will always accompany it, as long as you want to go to that place.
No good thing is perfect in the world. Even if you win the top prize, you have to look at it in two. Han Zhongyan's words also reminded himself, but he did not tell Huang Lu about it because he was worried that the other party would feel guilty.
Anyway, there are various versions of the news. Unfounded things will disappear after being circulated for two or three days. People chase hot spots, which are three-minute hot spots. After the palace examination results are released, all controversies will stop. Let others arrange it.
There are only two days left.
Now Zhang Yue is lying when he says that he doesn’t want to get the No. 1 pick, but it doesn’t hurt to think that he can get into the No. 2 pick.
Being the No. 1 Scholar can be said to be a good starting point, but more importantly, it is a reputation that allows the world to know oneself. Just like no one knows who the second person on the moon is, winning the No. 1 Scholar will make him a household name.
However, although the starting point is good, it is still up to you how you will go through the long official road. There are also many Jinshi who did not win the first prize but ranked among the prime ministers.
Zhang Yue took a look at the loess under his feet and answered what he said, the road is at his feet.
Zhang Yue and Huang Lu, who were hiding by the roadside, waited until the passing palace carriage passed by before they started on the road again.
Looking around, the outskirts of Bianjing look like a city, with people out and about. Among the tall trees and fields, scholars sit here with wine cups and bowls, and encourage each other to drink. It's very lively.
The common people carried their food and swam until dusk before returning to the city. There was water flowing under the small bridge beside the road, and farmers holding pack horses had just returned from selling goods in the capital.
Chapter Yue Yue looked at the scenery of Bianjing City Wall illuminated by dusk, and thought, why should we worry about fame and fortune all day long and miss such a beautiful spring?
As soon as the cold meal was over, the imperial medicine office sent another order to take a few volumes to the imperial palace for review. In the afternoon, Yang Tian and Wang Anshi were summoned to the imperial palace to see the emperor.
After the two arrived, they saw Han Qi, an official in a purple robe, sitting on the imperial palace looking at papers. Zeng Gongliang was sitting by the imperial desk drinking tea. Now Fu Bi was in Dingyou, and only Han Qi was in charge of the political affairs hall.
It is rumored that Zeng Gongliang will also join the political hall from the Privy Council to assist Han Qi.
Yang Wei, after Wang Anshi saw the ceremony.
The official then looked away from the scrolls and said to the two of them: "Two gentlemen, I am looking for you to discuss these scrolls in detail and discuss the matter of ranking first in the imperial examination."
