It is Renwu (the fifth day of the lunar month) in June of the first year of Qing Dynasty. Bianjing City is still prosperous and the streets are still busy with traffic.
But the atmosphere has undergone some subtle changes.
First of all, there were many horse-drawn carriages near the Goulan House on Maxing Street. On the Bianhe River by Zhouqiao Bridge, the number of painted boats also began to increase.
From time to time, you can see a painted boat, draped in red and green, playing drums, harps and reeds, full of talented people and beauties, sailing down the river to enjoy the scenery of Bianjing.
This is because, last month, the officials of the current dynasty officially ordered the imperial edict to be written and announced to the world. Because the emperor's heir was blessed by his ancestors, the imperial examination was held to select talents. One was to celebrate, and the other was to prepare officials for the emperor's heir.
This imperial examination was even named "Qianlong Bang".
This was used to place high hopes for the emperor's heir and the country's future expectations.
In order to recruit talents of sufficient quantity and quality, this official even issued an edict to allow ministers of two or more systems to recommend those common people who failed to pass the state and county examinations due to various reasons, and officials to participate in this imperial examination.
For this reason, in addition to the formal imperial examination, there are additional requirements: a virtuous and upright person who can speak out and give advice, a person who is excellent in classics and can be a teacher, and a wise official who is knowledgeable in the three subjects of education.
Therefore, the tribute examination and the system examination will be held at the same time!
The emperor played such a big game, how could all the literati in the world not follow him?
Since the day the imperial edict was issued, talented intellectuals from all over the country began to enter Beijing one after another.
As soon as these people, especially the young ones, entered Bianjing, they were immediately dazzled by the colorful world and almost forgot who they were.
Those whose family background was not very good were immediately discouraged by the high housing prices in Bianjing.
"It costs twenty guan a month!" A young man walked to the edge of Zhouqiao with his luggage on his back and sighed: "No wonder everyone says that living in Bianjing is not easy!"
The house he just looked at was only the third one in the house. The furniture was simple, the layout was ordinary, and even the environment was ordinary.
Such a house could be bought for twenty dollars in his hometown.
But in Bianjing City, twenty guan can only be rented for one month!
That's it, the landlord saw that he was a scholar and had good features, so he gave him a special discount.
"Jiefu! Jiefu!" From a distance, a scholar in Tsing Yi waved to him: "Wang Jiefu! Wang Jiefu!"
As he spoke, he rushed over and came to the young man's side. He looked at the young man up and down, and then burst into laughter: "I made a bet with Ouyang Xiuzhuan yesterday that Wang Jiefu would definitely arrive in Beijing within three to five days...
"
"Looks like I still win!"
"Zi Gu!" The young man looked at the scholar in front of him and laughed. His young face was extremely bright: "I arrived in Beijing yesterday and haven't had time to settle down yet, so I couldn't visit. I hope Zi Gu will forgive you!"
"Stay at my house..." The scholar named Zigu said, "Just in time, I can have a night talk with Jiefu Bingzhu, discuss the affairs of the world, and compare articles and classics..."
"Isn't this bad..." Wang Jiefu hesitated.
The young man named Zi Gu grabbed Wang Jiefu and said, "Jiefu, what's the relationship between our two families?"
"My mother was still talking about you to me yesterday!"
"Auntie Lao, please remember..." The figure of that kind and kind elder flashed through Wang Jiefu's mind, and he finally bowed: "I'm going to bother Brother Zigu!"
"Let's go! Let's go!" The scholar named Zi Gu immediately became happy and pulled Wang Jiefu forward: "It just so happens that today the emperor has invited the state to his home, so we can discuss the affairs of the country together!"
When Wang Jiefu listened to the words of the person in front of him, his mood immediately became high.
Their generation was born in the era of peace and had a prosperous life since childhood, but their care for the country and the world far exceeded that of their ancestors.
Although they are still just white-clothed men who have not passed the Jinshi examination, they have dared to write letters to speak out, and even write to the Prime Minister and the government, discussing the pros and cons of the world's military and civil affairs.
In the past, they often exchanged letters even though they were separated by thousands of mountains and rivers.
Now, since we are all gathered together, we should get drunk before resting, hold candles and talk at night, and fall asleep after resting our feet.
This Wang Jiefu, whose real name is Wang Anshi, is the son of Linchuan judge Wang Yi.
And that 'Zi Gu', whose real name was Zeng Gong, was related to Wang Anshi. Zeng Gong's biological mother, Mrs. Wu, was the aunt of Wang Anshi's first wife.
The Zixuan mentioned by Zeng Gong is his half-brother Zeng Bu, and Chiguo is the political advisor of Chen Yaozuo's government during the Jingyou period. Now he is the youngest son of Han Yi, who knows Haozhou as Shangshu Zuocheng.
Han Wei.
They are all elites of the younger generation.
Moreover, the three views, ambitions and ambitions are generally the same.
And these people also admired Fan Zhongyan, Yin Zhu, and Ouyang Xiu.
Wang Anshi followed Zeng Gong all the way through the bustling streets of Bianjing. When he was about to arrive at Zeng's mansion, Wang Anshi suddenly heard someone on the roadside seeming to be discussing something.
Originally, he wouldn't care about this matter.
But he had sharp ears, so when he heard the word "Chunfang", he stopped.
"Jiefu, what's wrong?" Zeng Gong looked back and quickly stepped forward and asked.
"I just heard those people talking about Chunfang..." Wang Anshi said softly: "I mentioned in my words that there was a thunderbolt in Chunfang the day before yesterday. The sound could be heard both inside and outside, and could be heard clearly even several miles outside the imperial city..."
He looked at Zeng Gong and asked, "What's going on?"
"This matter..." Zeng Gong looked around and then said in a low voice: "I heard from Chiguo that it seems that it was caused by Duke Shou's order to make something extremely powerful..."
"I don't know what it is exactly. I just heard that the officials have appointed the Imperial City Envoy and the Deputy Commander of the Tianwu Army. Zhichunfang Liu Yongnian is the Commander of the Grenadier Army. He is fully responsible for selecting capable, brave and strong people from the Palace Front Division.
Soldier, serve as a grenadier army officer..."
"It seems that this Grenadier Corps is the army that will use that kind of weapon in the future..."
When Zeng Gong said this, he laughed self-deprecatingly and said: "But which outsider can clearly explain these three Yamen matters?
"Even this matter, I heard Ouyang Xiuzhuan mention it by chance..."
"Why does Ouyang Xiuzuan care about this matter?" Wang Anshi didn't quite understand.
"Jiefu doesn't know yet, does he?" Zeng Gong said: "Last month, Gao Ruona was transferred from literary to military, and was awarded the title of Observer of Yongzhou and the general manager of the Qinfeng Road Horse and Infantry Army. He still held the post of Tianzhang Pavilion Assistant.
!”
"As for the grenadier army, it is said that the Duke of Chunfang intends to specially assign it to Gao Ruona to garrison Qinzhou after the army is formed!"
"Ah!" Wang Anshi suddenly became angry: "Don't everyone say that Duke Chunfang has the appearance of a young holy king?"
"Why do you want to hire such villains?"
Young Wang Anshi has a strong sense of justice. Right and wrong are extremely clear in his eyes. There is no room for compromise between loyalty and villainy, good and evil!
And Gao Ruona, as the culprit who directly caused Fan Zhongyan and Ouyang Xiu to be demoted back then, is naturally a traitor in his eyes!
Why did such a traitor fall into Chunfang's eyes? He was sent to Qinfeng Road. Wouldn't that create trouble for Fan Jinglue and Judge Yin?
Zeng Gong sighed, looked at Wang Anshi, and said: "It is precisely because he is a young holy king that he is like this!"
"Without partiality or party, the king's way is sloppy! Without party or party, the king's way is mediocre! Without any reaction or side, the king's way is upright..."
