The scientific examination was the most important way to select officials in the Wei Dynasty. It can be roughly divided into three links: the provincial examination, the general examination, and the imperial examination.
The rural examination is usually held in the autumn and is hosted by the county government offices in various places.
Since the first emperor of the Wei Dynasty established the country on the land of Sanchuan, after hundreds of years, it has finally developed into six counties. From north to south, they are "Shangdangnan County", "Hedong County", "Sanchuan County" and "Song County".
, "Yingbei County" and "Nanyang County".
Among them, "Shangdangnan County" and "Yingbei County" are bordered by "Han" in the north and "Chu" in the south respectively. There have been constant annexation wars in the past, so they can only be regarded as small counties, while the other counties are all large counties, including the current Wei Dynasty.
The newly established "Song County" was established after the emperor conquered the Song Dynasty.
Because the sizes of these counties are different, the number of scholars recruited for each hometown examination is also different. It is roughly 300 people in small counties and about 500 people in large counties. So according to a rough calculation, a joint examination is held every three years.
With more than 2,600 students, it can be said to be a major event in the Wei literary world that happens every three years.
I have to say that it is a great honor to serve as the chief proctor for more than 2,600 candidates and students.
At least this is what Mr. Luo Wenzhongluo, the official doctor, thinks so.
Speaking of this matter, Luo Wenzhong sincerely lamented the uncertainty of the world and the unpredictable will of God, because seven or eight days ago, his son Luo Rong almost brought down the entire Luo family because he unintentionally offended Zhao Hongrun, the eighth prince of the Wei Dynasty.
Unexpectedly, seven or eight days later, the Emperor of Wei appointed him as the chief invigilator of this year's general examination. Is this the so-called saying that if you survive a catastrophe, you will be blessed later?
On March 26, the 16th year of Hongde's reign in the Great Wei Dynasty, which was the first day of the examination, Luo Wenzhong came to the official office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs early.
In order to celebrate this special day, Luo Wenzhong also put on a brand new official uniform.
When he stepped into the yamen of the headquarters of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, he encountered officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs coming and going from time to time, and his colleagues congratulated him one after another.
Luo Wenzhong was also very happy about this. After all, in the past scientific examinations, the left and right ministers of the Ministry of Civil Affairs were the examiners. Who would get him as the examiner? If in the past, he would be at best one of the sixteen invigilators.
That’s all, how can I have the honor and qualifications of being the chief invigilator?
After sitting in the front hall of the official office of the official department for a while, the sixteen officials from the official department who served as invigilators also arrived one after another. The rank of these officials was similar to that of Luo Wenzhong. They were all doctors of the official department. There were also a few exceptions.
Chief, after all, although doctors are said to have a high rank in the Ministry of Personnel, there are only sixteen doctors in the entire four divisions of the Ministry of Personnel. Furthermore, not all doctors and officials have the opportunity to participate in the examination.
There were one or two guys who were either unlucky or lucky and missed the opportunity to appear in front of the students because they were busy with government affairs. They were replaced by the officials in charge.
After chatting with his colleagues for a few words, Luo Wenzhong, as the chief invigilator of this examination, had the obligation to understand the preparations for the examination.
In fact, the preparations for the examination had already been completed, and Luo Wenzhong knew very well that by asking a few questions, he was just saying a few words to show off his current identity, so that the other doctors and principals could change their previous attitudes.
I just put him as the leader in this examination.
"Everyone, everyone, this time Luo is fortunate enough to be selected by His Majesty as the chief invigilator of this examination. He deeply feels that he has a heavy responsibility. If there are any omissions during the period, I hope that all my colleagues will help Luo."
"Where, where."
"Lord Luo is serious."
"It's your duty, Lord Luo, don't worry."
All the officials responsible for invigilating the exams have expressed their attitudes. Although they used to be equals, now that Luo Wenzhong has been appointed as the chief invigilator by the emperor, he must be the leader, even if he is more or less jealous in his heart.
, and will never show it. After all, they are officials who have been in the officialdom for many years and are deeply familiar with it.
"Speaking of which, for this year's examination, His Majesty also appointed a prince to serve as a prisoner? Do you, sir, know about this?"
An invigilator asked curiously.
Seeing someone mention this matter, all the officials in the Ministry of Civil Affairs were also a little puzzled. After all, this kind of incident of a prince accompanying a prisoner has never happened in the past examinations. If there is nothing strange in it, no one will believe it.
"Perhaps it's because of the repeated incidents of cheating in examinations over the years?"
An official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs told the truth.
As soon as he said this, the atmosphere in the room became a little dull.
Being in the civil service, how could they not be aware of the fraud in the examination? It is not an exaggeration to say that perhaps more than half of them are involved in it to some extent, some are seeking money, some are to consolidate their connections, and some are to take care of their relatives
With students, although not blatantly, they take care of it as appropriate. Even officials who are not involved in it sometimes turn a blind eye.
Yes, after all, they are colleagues in the same official department and government office. They look up and don't see each other when they look down. There is no need to behave like enemies.
What's more, sometimes they can gain the benefits of connections and money by being more liberal, so why not?
"But I don't know which prince is serving as the escort." An official asked in confusion.
"It should be His Royal Highness the Prince of the East Palace."
"That's not necessarily true. It may be King Yong, or maybe His Highness King Xiang."
Since there was no way to find out the news inside the palace, they could only make guesses based on thin air.
After chatting for a few words, these chief invigilators of the subject examination went to the examination venue one after another.
During this period, some colleagues may have secretly thrust a few pieces of paper into Luo Wenzhong's hands while others were not paying attention.
Luo Wenzhong collected the papers calmly.
This scene may have been noticed by other officials in the Ministry of Civil Affairs, but they all just pretended not to see it.
Because if the guess is correct, the names written on those pieces of paper should be people's names. The children of the upper-class and powerful families in the capital who participated in this examination were entrusted to them, the officials of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, to take care of them secretly.
Of course, it cannot be said that none of the children of the powerful are talented and learned. In fact, just like the scholars invited by the sixth prince Zhao Hongzhao to participate in his Yafeng Poetry Club, they are almost all the princes of the famous and powerful families in the capital.
All of them are capable of writing and writing, and are well-read in poetry and books. They are by no means some dandy with no knowledge or skills.
But having said that, even if the children in the family are not unlearned and dandy, if they can ask the officials from the Ministry of Personnel to serve as invigilators to take care of them a little, even if they pay some money for it, what will it mean to the powerful people in the capital?
Woolen cloth?
Spend money to buy peace of mind.
Take Luo Wenzhong as an example. His son Luo Rong will also take part in the examination this year. He must not vent to his colleagues and ask them to take care of him, even though his son Luo Rong has an arrogant personality.
, but there is also real talent and practical learning.
The location of the examination was the Confucius Temple belonging to the Ministry of Personnel in Daliang, Chendu. It was originally a school temple specially set up by the Ministry of Personnel for the children of officials from the six bureaus of Menxia Province to enter school. All children of officials in official career were eligible.
Entering a school is equivalent to the imperial school or religious school, which is a school specially opened for certain children.
However, during the examination period, the Confucius Temple will temporarily suspend classes and serve as an examination venue for the scientific examinations hosted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
At this time, in the Confucius Temple, all the scientific examination personnel affiliated with the Ministry of Personnel have arrived. In addition to one examiner and sixteen invigilators, there are also more than a dozen officials and historians, more than twenty chief officials, and hundreds of officials.
The government service soldiers borrowed from Dali Temple, Yinling Mansion, Chengmen Governor's Mansion and other government offices were responsible for maintaining order in the entire examination room.
As for the invigilators like Luo Wenzhong, they were actually the last ones to enter the venue. After all, it was not their turn to do the chores. The invigilators were busy, while the principals and officers under them had to deal with it.
They, the invigilators, arrived at the main hall of the Confucius Temple. Because it was still early, they took a short rest in the main hall. Once it was 6 o'clock, they would officially start this year's examination and let the students outside the temple into the examination room one after another.
But what made them a little surprised was that at this time, a rich and well-dressed young man was already sitting in the Confucius Temple, but they didn't know who he was, because this man had a ridiculous mask on his face, covering his face.
.
But the guard behind him was amazing. The ten guards were all wearing dark armor and carrying swords on their shoulders. Their eyes were sharp and mighty.
"Who is your Excellency?" Luo Wenzhong asked with a frown.
As soon as he finished speaking, the wealthy young man raised his hand and showed a golden token, which was exactly the same as the token that Tong Xian, the great eunuch of the palace, had shown in Youzhi Palace, the emperor's imperial order.
Seeing this, all the sixteen invigilators in this group didn't understand, and they all knelt down towards the gold token.
There is no doubt that the person in front of me must be the prince sent by the emperor to accompany him this time, but I don't know which one he is.
"Get up." The rich man waved his hand lightly and looked at Luo Wenzhong with half-smiling eyes.
Perhaps he noticed the way the person in front of him looked at him, Luo Wenzhong was a little puzzled, and bowed his hands and said: "May I ask who your highness is?"
"Hehehe..."
The wealthy young master chuckled twice, raised his hand and slowly took off the mask on his face, and said with a smile: "Luo Wenzhong, don't you recognize my highness?"
As he watched the other person slowly take off his mask, revealing his true face, Luo Wenzhong's expression suddenly changed.
"Zhao...Zhao Hongrun?! Is it actually the eighth prince Zhao Hongrun?"
Luo Wenzhong was shocked to find that the prince in front of him, who was sent by the Emperor of Wei to supervise the scientific examination, was actually the eighth prince Zhao Hongrun who he had framed a while ago and had him imprisoned and punished in the clan.
Looking up at the guards behind the Eighth Prince, Luo Wenzhong secretly took a deep breath because he saw Shen Yu and Lu Mu, the two clan guards, glaring at him fiercely.
"How...how could this happen? Why is it him?!"
Luo Wenzhong was in great confusion, because as far as he knew, the eighth prince Zhao Hongrun in front of him should not be valued by the Emperor of Wei, and was a dispensable prince. It was precisely for this reason that Luo Wenzhong dared to design
Frame him and make him fall into the punishment of the clan.
In his opinion, if such an insignificant prince stayed overnight in Miss Su's boudoir in a waterside pavilion, once the clan learned about such immoral things, how could he be leniently spared? Even if he was imprisoned for a year and a half, it was not impossible.
thing.
Unexpectedly, in just seven or eight days, His Highness the Eighth Prince escaped from the prison of the clan and transformed into the prince accompanying him during the examination.
This is simply, simply incredible!
Under the puzzled eyes of the other sixteen invigilators, Zhao Hongrun stood up slowly, walked slowly to the ugly-looking Luo Wenzhong, and smiled at him in a low voice.
"Thank you for taking care of me last time. Let's play the second game, Mr. Luo."