The seven-story pagoda is stacked layer by layer, solemn and generous, and looks like one from all sides.
In the hollow pagoda on the top floor, there is a statue of Wenqu Xingjun carved with incense.
This is the Liang Dynasty, where examiners mark papers.
Because it involves the imperial examination, which is related to the fate of Daliang, and Wenquxingjun is there and is paying close attention to it secretly.
Moreover, there were too many candidates, and all of them stood out in the provincial examination and were the best among the talents.
Therefore, every test paper must be treated with care, without slacking off or bending the law for personal gain.
All test papers start from the first floor of the tower and proceed upwards.
The marking officers on the first level don't need to read too carefully. They just read them roughly and pass the papers that are eligible for promotion to the top.
Their main responsibility is to filter out the test papers that are just fake at first glance, and present the truly literary and insightful answers to the marking officers above.
At the top of the seven-story pagoda, sitting there was an unparalleled scholar and the prime minister of the dynasty.
No matter what kind of paper, when it comes to them, it is already destined to be some unparalleled talents who enter the palace examination.
And what they are responsible for is just to give these proud men who enter the palace examination a ranking in the examination, to judge the Huiyuan of this world, and when they enter the palace examination and meet the emperor, they will also walk into the hall in their own order.
Therefore, whether you are qualified to enter the palace examination still has to be evaluated by the second-level marking officer.
Although they have gone through many layers of screening, there are not many test papers that have come to them, and they are all answer papers from some talented people.
But this step is the one with the greatest responsibility and the most controversy.
Because they want to control the number of places to enter the palace examination and eliminate some "redundant" test papers.
Since ancient times, there has been no first place in writing. Maybe this examiner thinks that this paper is a good answer and wants to recommend it to the palace examination. But in the eyes of another examiner, this paper may be bullshit.
After all, a person with great talent must not only have a profound literary background, but also have his own opinions and answer questions with his own personality.
For example, if people like Shang Yang and Wu Qi are asked to answer questions about social forms, their opinions will inevitably make many people of their generation think that they are nonsense and nonsense.
After all, it is just a subjective evaluation, and it will not be immediately rectified in the long history.
Insightful examiners will feel that the "reform theory" proposed by these two people seems to have some truth, and this candidate has an idea.
But in the eyes of other civil servants who are pedantic or have the same character, it is just a piece of waste paper.
Therefore, at this level, there are five marking officers who will discuss whether they can enter the palace examination based on each stack of answer sheets and from an impartial perspective as much as possible.
If there is a disagreement, a vote will be used to determine the winner. Five is an odd number, which means there will be no tie in votes.
Moreover, the test paper has already gone through the following layers of screening. Even if the other two opponents think that the answer sheet is complete bullshit, there must be someone with real talent, otherwise the test paper will not reach this level.
From this, we can actually see that the Liang Kingdom attached great importance to the imperial examination.
Not to mention that before entering the tower, every examiner bathed and burned incense. They also offered incense to Wenquxingjun on the top of the tower and recited the rules of marking. It was similar to an oath for future generations, indicating that they would never do anything that goes against their true intentions or use power for personal gain.
Let any talented person in the Liang Dynasty be covered with dust, otherwise he will have trouble sleeping and eating in the future, and God will abandon him and people will be disgusted.
In a world where gods are everywhere, this is indeed a very heavy oath.
After a debate, the examiners finally voted four to one to eliminate the stack of papers from the palace examination.
Examiner Li, who was angrily reprimanded by four colleagues for his lack of knowledge and came in to mess around, felt helpless and aggrieved.
I obviously think that the stack of test papers is not bad. Although I am not a world-famous talent, I am still qualified to enter the palace examination. Why are you different from what I think...
Sighing, Examiner Li comforted himself. Maybe the candidates in this year were really too good. Two colleagues just said that if they had been in previous years, they would have passed.
However, in order to limit the number of students and give opportunities to other more talented people, the test paper had to be excluded.
Examiner Li didn't think too much and continued to pick up the next stack of test papers. The answerer was: Mrs. Ye.
Mrs. Ye, it seems familiar. I vaguely heard it mentioned by one of her colleagues.
However, Examiner Li didn't think too much about it. There were so many famous wizards, and ultimately it all depended on the quality of the answers.
Examiner Li read the first page word for word. The examinee named Ye Tai was completely correct in this page of archaeological scriptures and there were no mistakes or omissions.
This is also rare. Although it is the sixth floor of the pagoda, there are no mistakes at all, there is not even an ink ball, and there are relatively few neat handwritings.
Turn to the second page, the test question is: "There is a way to make money."
Examiner Li took a cursory look and felt that this candidate seemed to have some knowledge. After a closer look, he became serious.
After reading the entire article eloquently, Examiner Li was stunned for a long time and breathed out. It actually gave him the feeling of reading a world-famous chapter.
Is this something that a talented scholar from a remote area could write?
Supply and demand theory, hedgehog theory, principle of equivalent exchange.
The three theories may seem a bit gimmicky at first, but after carefully reading the analysis, it suddenly becomes enlightened, as if the door to a new world has been opened, or a new continent has been discovered in the endless sea!
Those key sentences in the article are concise and comprehensive, but also have profound meaning. If they were written by famous writers, they would definitely become famous sentences through the ages!
Examiner Li is very sure of this.
There is no free lunch in the world.
The customer is the Buddha.
It is better to teach a man to fish than to teach him to fish.
Money is not everything, but nothing is impossible without money.
In just a few words, he perfectly expresses the way of doing business and the way of teaching and educating people.
Let alone put this in the test question "The Way to Make Money", even if it were taken out separately and improved, it would definitely be enough to become a famous book!
Examiner Li gathered his thoughts and quickly flipped through the next few pages. His eyes lit up again, then he was immersed in it, and finally he was mesmerized.
Examiner Li closed the test paper and couldn't help himself for a long time. He even had some doubts about life. This set of answer sheets refreshed his three views.
He even thought that there should be no competition in the palace examination. The number one scholar should be given directly to Mrs. Ye. Stop working on the six departments and directly let Mrs. Ye take charge. The world will surely be at peace!
Of course, this is just a fleeting thought when intoxicated. Of course Examiner Li knows that no matter how wonderful it is on paper, it cannot be perfect in practice.
But for such a great talent, even though it is just a theory on paper, once the test paper comes out, who dares to say that he is worthy of the number one scholar?
In answering the questions, Mrs. Ye’s understanding of immortality, Buddhism, and Taoism, her perception of life, and her understanding of social forms, in the opinion of Examiner Li, have truly reached the pinnacle of humankind!
"Old Li, what are you doing? Come and take a look at this set of papers. We were arguing just now. Now the vote is 2 to 2. You have been immersed in grading the papers and I didn't bother you. Now come and take a look." One of the examiners said.
Only then did Examiner Li come back to his senses. He looked at his four colleagues with strange expressions and said, "Ignore that set of papers for now. Let's take a look at this one. I don't think the state officials and prime ministers should bother."
, directly determine the number one scholar...ah, it is Hui Yuan, and then submit it directly to the emperor, I think the imperial examination is also..."
"Hey!"
Examiner Zhao felt a little uncomfortable and interrupted: "That's almost it. With the test paper just now, we all thought that we would not be able to enter the palace examination this time. You recommended it alone, and this time it was better. I want to directly determine the first place and the top pick."
?Old Li, your independent intention in reviewing the topic is too strong, and it is easy to be influenced by the outside world. If you continue to talk about it, you will offend the national scholars and the saints."
Examiner Li argued hard this time and handed over the test paper directly, saying: "If you don't accept it, come and argue!"
Although the other four examiners were a little unhappy, they were also curious about what kind of test paper could make Lao Li lose his temper like this, so they all came over.
I looked at the candidate’s name: Mrs. Ye.
At this moment, the expressions of the three examiners suddenly changed.
The other one, like Examiner Li, was astonished and said: "Mrs. Ye, I have vaguely heard of this name. Well, the first page looks perfect at first glance. There are no fallacies. There is not even an ink ball. It is very rare."
Examiner Zhao, who had just criticized Lao Li, also read it from beginning to end and turned directly to the second page without asking other colleagues.
Like Examiner Li, they seemed to have some opinions of their own.
But after he calmed down and read it, he raised his head and looked at each other in confusion.
The atmosphere fell into a subtle state. The sixth floor of the pagoda, which was originally the busiest and most controversial, became audible.
Examiner Li suddenly laughed loudly and said: "What do you think, everyone, is Ye Tai's talent worthy of Hui Yuan? Not to mention, his subsequent understanding of immortality, Buddhism, and Tao is unprecedented and unprecedented!
"
Suddenly, an examiner said quietly: "Do you know who Mrs. Ye is?"
Examiner Li was stunned. At this time, shouldn't you sigh with me that Ye Taizhi is so talented?
Why do they all look so weird?
Are you trying to refute me again?
Can you still refute this?
Isn’t this worthy of entering the imperial examination?
Stop joking!
Examiner Li frowned and said: "Who is Mrs. Ye? This is the Reading Tower. You won't be jealous of the talented and capable, right? If this can still be dismissed, I will read your book tomorrow!"
The examiner sighed: "Oh, Mrs. Ye is a disciple of Lu Guoshi!"
Examiner Li's eyes lit up and he said: "Oh? There is also this level... No, what are your expressions? Are you really going to do something against your will?"
Examiner Li originally wanted to laugh loudly and say that Lu Guoshi, a series of great talents, were all outstanding among people. However, in the middle of the sentence, he heard that Lu Guoshi seemed to have been separated from the national master recently.
Of the five examiners present, three were from the Imperial Division, no, it should be said four, and the remaining one was a rising star in the court, and seemed to have been courted by the Imperial Division.
As long as he wants to have promotion opportunities in the future, he will not dare to offend the Imperial Master.
As for me, my uncle's teacher is one of the national scholars, so I act freely and freely, which is normal, and I don't want to form a clique.
But these colleagues don't have this kind of backing. If they...
Examiner Zhao stared at Lao Li and said: "Let's just say it bluntly, the disciples of the Imperial Master bumped into us a few days ago. Although he didn't say it explicitly, he understood the meaning behind his words. Don't let the Imperial Master Lu's people pass.
Lao Li, you can figure it out, we are helpless because we speak lightly."
Another examiner sighed and said: "We don't have a backer like you, but your background is also different. Lao Li, your uncle, was always just a disciple of the national scholar, not a national scholar himself.
You strongly recommended the examination paper to our Mrs. Ye, and you have followed your heart. However, if you make a big fuss and insist on presenting the examination paper in front of the national ministers and prime ministers, you will definitely offend the national ministers. I don't think you can protect your uncle.
Get off you.
Alas, I am not saying this to force you to stop me. I have done something that goes against my true intention, and we cannot feel at ease, but peace of mind...is nothing compared to a black gauze hat, or even a head on my neck."
Examiner Li looked at his colleagues with different expressions, but none of them were good, and was at a loss.
what do I do?
What should I do?
…
At the same time, Ye Taihe Wangcai on the deck of the boat was also tutting his tongue at this time.
Wangcai: "Little Golden Man, what do you think Lao Li will choose?"
Mrs. Ye sneered: "He has no choice, and he can't choose. There is only one way to survive. More than him, I want to know how Mr. Wen Quxing chooses. Should he sit back and ignore it, or do something good?"
Wangcai pursed his lips and said: "There are gods three feet above the head. They have sworn an oath, and the identity at this moment is of great importance. Will it have any impact in the future?"
Ye Taidao: "That's for sure. Today, a large amount of luck from the human race gathers in the Reading Tower, and the gods and Buddhas pay attention to it. There must be a cause and effect in doing so. The life span will be reduced sharply, the wife and children will die early, and they will have trouble sleeping and eating. They will all come to the door, and they will also come after death.
There will be retribution.”
Wangcai nodded and said: "I saw that the trajectory of luck is like this, but didn't you say that the human race's luck is very strong? Why does it only have such an impact?"
Ye Tai smiled and said: "There are two reasons. First, they are human beings. Even if they seek to usurp the throne, heaven will not punish them. Some who succeed in usurping the throne may be blessed with great luck.
But do you want other races to touch the emperor? Not to mention the demons and monsters with murderous intentions, if they just force their way into the palace gate, they will be suppressed to death by the majestic dragon energy.
Even if they are immortals and Buddhas, if they have not yet attained the Golden Immortal Realm of Great Luo, if they kill the emperor for their own selfish purposes, their karma will be enough to immediately wipe out the Golden Immortal Realm, and their bodies and souls will disappear.
Even if it is Daluo Jinxian, without a big background and great luck to offset it, it will end in a dismal end.
Moreover, the luck of the human race actually has more influence on those with higher status. Saints and quasi-sages all need the human race to build dojos for them and present incense and vows.
If they take action, although there is a high probability that they will not die, they will no longer have the blessing of wish power in the future, and even the wish power absorbed in the past will turn into karma.
The second reason is that they are not the masterminds. The source of the mastermind is Huagui Sanxian. More karma is shared by the entire faction and the higher-ups involved in this matter.
We are originally from the human race, and karma comes slowly and slowly, and even if it is repaid, it will be late. This is also one of the reasons why many monks will fall into the devil's path even if they know that it is contrary to justice.
As long as the realm is broken through quickly enough and accumulated enough, the luck rewarded by heaven will be enough to offset some small evil effects, of course, they are only small evil effects."
Wangcai: "Oh, it means we are all biological sons. If we fight with each other, it counts as an exchange of feelings. If we kill someone, we will only receive a slight punishment. But outsiders can't do it. If an outsider hits my biological son, will I be done with him?"