The institutional construction of the core of power in the early Northern Song Dynasty was quite special, with a two-government and three-division system.
The third division has now been deposed, so there is no need to mention it.
Now let’s talk about the two houses.
The two mansions are Xifu and Dongfu.
It belongs to the highest authority of the Song Dynasty.
Xifu refers to the Privy Council.
Dongfu refers to the inner court.
Since the office of the inner court is in Zhengshi Hall, the people also call it Zhengshi Hall.
Since the inner court was a combination of the two provinces under Zhongshu Menxia, some people also called it Zhongshu Menxia.
Some people who do not understand the construction of the two-government and three-division system of the Song Dynasty always regard the political hall as a place where officials and prime ministers work together, but this is not the case.
First of all, both the east and west palaces are outside the palace. How can officials go outside the palace to work with the prime ministers every day?
The officials naturally stay in the palace. If the prime ministers want to work with the officials, they must also stay in the palace.
Therefore, the place where the palace works is called Zishi Hall.
This is the difference between Zhengshido and Zishido.
The West Prefecture used to be unworthy of its name. Under the policy of emphasizing culture and restraining military force, it was always suppressed by the East Prefecture.
Now after a military reform, it has completely stood up.
Already qualified to compete with Dongfu.
As the third prime minister of Dongfu, the three of them naturally felt unhappy.
However, the three people did not object to the matter, but acquiesced to it.
The benefits that the strengthening of military affairs brought to the Song Dynasty are very intuitive.
Although the three of them pursue power, there is no need to prevent the Song Dynasty from becoming stronger because of their pursuit of power.
More importantly, the Xifu was suppressed in the past. This was also the intention of the first three officials. In order to prevent the military from causing chaos, they implemented government orders that emphasized civility and restrained military force.
Now that Zhao Zhen no longer suppresses the military ministers, they will naturally not cling to the political order of emphasizing civility and restraining military force.
The three of them waited in Zishi Hall for a long time in a depressed mood, and then Li Zhaoliang arrived at Zishi Hall.
The three people discussed the military affairs in Yongzhou with Li Zhaoliang, and then Li Zhaoliang wrote the transfer order and sent someone to send the order to Yongzhou quickly.
After the military affairs in Yongzhou were settled, Lu Yijian and the other three left the palace with their own thoughts.
The matter of Kou Ji serving as the chief examiner of the Enke Literary Examination has become a foregone conclusion because of their compromise. It will be useless to continue the quarrel, so there is no need for them to admonish Zhao Zhen.
Some days later.
The imperial court was busy with the sudden addition of Enke.
In the middle of autumn, Kou Ji left his mansion, went to Kaifeng Mansion, and presided over the Kaifeng Mansion's trial.
After the examination results were released, Kou Ji continued to live in his house and write books.
It's almost winter.
A man dressed as an old farmer, leading a donkey and pulling a cart, appeared on the official road of Bianjing City.
The old farmer looked very simple, wearing gray linen clothes and a bamboo hat on his head. The bamboo hat was covered with a layer of black cloth. He walked slowly and looked at the fields on both sides of the official road in Bianjing City.
When he arrived at a field, the old farmer was a little thirsty. He took off the water bag from his waist and poured water into his mouth. However, the water in the water bag was exhausted, so he could only walk to the field to ask for water from the farmer who was harvesting beans.
The farmer saw that he was simple and honest, so he rewarded him with a bowl of water.
The old farmer tasted the water cautiously, his eyes lit up slightly, and he said with some surprise: "Cooked water?"
Cooked water refers to boiled water.
The farmer was happy when he heard what the old farmer said, "You actually know that this is cooked water?"
The old farmer held the bowl, took a sip and said, "You can drink it..."
When the farmer heard this, he smiled and said: "What do you mean, do you drink sleeping water often? It seems that you are a doctor."
The old farmer was a little curious. When he saw the farmer sitting down, he also sat aside and asked, "How do you say it?"
The farmer said with a smile: "Looking at you, I guess you went to Bianjing to visit relatives. You probably haven't lived in Bianjing for a long time, so you don't know the expression of cooked water. Since you are used to using cooked water, you must be a doctor."
The old farmer smiled and said: "What else can you say about cooked water?"
The farmer said proudly: "Of course, the story about cooked water came from the Kou Mansion. It was said that a servant of the Kou Mansion was sick all day long. The steward thought he was lazy, so he told the story to the boy.
Kou Gong.
After Xiao Kou Gong learned about this, he went over to check and found that the servant's illness was caused by raw water.
Young Kou Gong said that there are ghosts in the raw water that are causing trouble. If you drink the raw water into your stomach without being calcined by the fire, you will definitely get sick.
If you want to avoid the disease, you can only burn it with fierce fire to burn the ghosts inside.
Who is Xiao Kou Gong? He is the smartest person in the Song Dynasty. What he said is naturally correct.
The servant listened to his words and boiled some raw water with a strong fire. After drinking it, he immediately recovered from his illness."
The old farmer patiently listened to the farmer's words and said with a smile: "As far as I know, Mr. Kou rarely interferes with the affairs of his servants. All the affairs in the house are taken care of by his wife.
Moreover, Xiao Kou Gong does not believe in ghosts and gods, so he will not talk about ghosts and gods."
When the farmer heard what the old farmer said, his expression changed instantly, "You are a foreigner, what do you know? I live in Ruian Town, and when little Kou Gong said this, I was listening.
How can the things I heard with my own ears be false?"
When the old farmer heard this, he smiled and shook his head and said: "Then it must be the little Kou Gong who said this..."
"Hu Lie Lie!"
The farmer was so angry that he cursed and snatched the water bowl from the old farmer's hand.
But when he saw the old farmer's face, he couldn't bear to put the water bowl into the old farmer's hand again, and said with a groan: "You are a foreigner, if you dare to say bad things about Xiao Kou Gong in Bianjing City, you are asking for a beating."
Seeing how pitiful it is for you to go to your relatives alone, I will remind you.
When you enter Bianjing City, don't say anything bad about Xiao Kou Gong."
The old farmer said with some surprise: "Little Kou Gong is so domineering that he can't even listen to others say bad things about him?"
"Pooh!"
The farmer glared angrily and spat: "If you say this, your tongue will be cut off when you die. Others say bad things about Xiao Kou Gong, and I don't understand him. But you and I are both people digging in the soil.
How dare you speak ill of Little Kou Gong?
If it hadn't been for Xiao Kou Gong's righteousness and the countless methods that are beneficial to farming, how could we, ordinary people, have a good life.
Little Kou Gong is a blessing to us for surviving.
We must respect Little Kou Gong from the bottom of our hearts.
We don't say bad things about Mr. Kou because we repay our kindness, not because Mr. Kou is bullying others.
Ever since Xiao Kou Gong came to Beijing, I have never seen him bully the common people."
The old farmer nodded slowly and said with a smile: "But I heard that the little bandit who killed so many heads in Hexi was not a kind person."
The farmer angrily snatched the water bowl from the old farmer's hand, glared and yelled: "Little Kou Gong did this to steal more land for us people to survive.
When we get to the King of Hell, if the King of Hell scratches the little Kou Gong's flesh for this, we will also have to help the little Kou Gong get stabbed.
You, a foreigner, speak ill of Little Kou Gong at all times, so if I gave you a drink of water, it would be a waste."
The old farmer sighed: "I agree with one of your words. That is that Mr. Kou is really doing good for the people."
The farmer snorted and said, "Now I know it's too late to say good things about Little Kou Gong. Common people who still keep their mouths shut, are you not a common people? Can you still be a scholar who went to Beijing to take the exam?"
The old farmer was stunned for a moment and said frankly: "I came to Beijing this time to rush for the exam, but I am not a scholar. I am Enke's deputy exam."
When the farmer heard this, instead of being shocked, he seemed to have heard some big joke.
"You can blow better than the one I met before... A black charcoal guy I met before dropped three pennies on the ground and was picked up by someone. He asked someone to return it, but they didn't return it, so he had to drag him away.
, told people that he was a scholar who came to Beijing to take the exam, and he would be punished for bullying him. He also made people teach him a lot of Song Dynasty rules, and was beaten. He ran away to Bianjing City obediently. Now
Maybe I'm hiding somewhere and crying.
It's a good thing for you, you don't even pretend to be a scholar, and just say that you are Enke's deputy exam this time.
If you were Enke’s assistant exam, I would be..."
The farmer originally wanted to say that he was the examiner, but considering that Kou Ji was the examiner of Enke this time, he immediately changed his mind and said: "I am the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture..."
The old farmer laughed and said, "I'll go to Kaifeng Prefecture tomorrow to see if you are the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture."
After saying this, the old farmer laughed and left the field.
When the old farmer walked away, the farmer said sarcastically to the old farmer's back: "Then can you leave me your name, and I will go to Gongyuan tomorrow to see if you are the sub-examination for Enke.
"
"Fan Zhongyan of Pizhou..."
"..."
Fan Zhongyan's ancestral home was Pizhou. Later, when his mother remarried, he moved to Wuxian County, Suzhou and changed his name to Zhu Shuo.
After changing his name back to Fan Zhongyan, he also changed his ancestral home.
So he called himself Pizhou Fan Zhongyan.
The farmer pouted at Fan Zhongyan's back, thinking that he was a big talker.
If he really were an official, he would be like Fan Zhongyan, dressed like an old farmer and without even a single entourage.
When those officials travel, they are not followed by a crowd of people cheering in front of them.
"Pooh……"
The farmer spat and returned to the field to continue working.
I kept complaining in my heart, people these days are too dishonest, each one is more boastful than the other.
Fan Zhongyan led the donkey cart all the way to the outside of Bianjing City. He stood at the gate of Bianjing City and was filled with emotions.
Not long after he stood at the gate of Bianjing City, a figure appeared in front of him.
After Fan Zhongyan saw the person clearly, he saluted hurriedly, "Sir..."
Kou Ji waved his hand and said: "Okay, I have little knowledge and I can't teach you anything. If you call me sir in Hexi, I dare to respond. In Bianjing City, I dare not respond, otherwise I will be scolded to death."
Fan Zhongyan solemnly said: "Although the teacher did not teach students knowledge, he did teach them the principles of life and work. In a person's life, there are three teachers, the teacher of education, the teacher of industry, and the teacher of people.
You should be a teacher to your students."
Kou Ji shook his head dumbfounded, "Okay, let's not mention this matter. Knowing that you are coming back today, I came here specially to greet you. You have been in Hexi for many years, and the house in Bianjing City is somewhat abandoned. Although the imperial court has sent
People cleaned it up a lot, but there were too few people.
You can stay in my house these days."
Fan Zhongyan bowed and said, "Thank you sir..."
Kou Ji glanced around and said, "Where are your followers?"
Fan Zhongyan smiled and said: "The entourage is behind. They brought a lot of things. After I entered the boundary of Bianjing City, I left them behind and rushed over alone."
Kou Ji laughed and said, "You don't have any followers with you. Aren't you afraid of being robbed?"
Fan Zhongyan said with a smile: "Since the reform of the military system, more government officials and soldiers have been added to various places. The court also cleaned up a lot of rogue bandits. Now there is not a single bandit in Hexi. How can there be a small bandit under the emperor's feet?"
Besides, didn’t you bring any entourage, sir?”
As soon as Fan Zhongyan finished saying this, he saw a young man standing behind Kou Ji. He had a slightly dark complexion and was wearing Confucian clothes. He looked like a scholar.
"The student made a mistake. I didn't expect that the gentleman would bring an entourage with him."
Kou Ji glanced back at the young man behind him, smiled at Fan Zhongyan and said: "He is not a follower, he is a scholar taking the examination in this department."
Fan Zhongyan was taken aback for a moment and said thoughtfully: "Sir, do you intend to promote him?"
Kou Ji shook his head and smiled: "No... I just happened to meet you. When I came here to greet you, I happened to meet him selling calligraphy on the roadside. I saw that he was good at calligraphy, so I gave him some money and invited him
Temporarily come to my house to serve as a transcriber."
Fan Zhongyan stroked his beard, stared at the young man and said meaningfully: "Little guy, you are just lucky..."
The young man heard Fan Zhongyan's words and replied stiffly, "Bao Zheng, the scholar in Xialuzhou, is not a young man..."
Fan Zhongyan was stunned and suddenly laughed loudly, "Hahaha... I think you are the only scholar in Bianjing City who dares to talk to me like this. I will remember you."
Bao Zheng glanced at Fan Zhongyan and said nothing.
Bao Zheng felt that he had encountered two lunatics.
A man suddenly appeared when he was setting up a stall, asked his name, checked his register, threw him a piece of gold, and asked him to follow him to his house for a few days to make copies.
As soon as the other one appeared, he looked like he was awesome.
But there is no real wealthy person, no one with real status, who behaves like them?
If he hadn't secretly bitten into the gold thrown to him by the first person who appeared, and it was real gold, he would have suspected that he had met two liars.
When he went out to set up a stall, the old owner of the Luzhou Guild Hall specifically reminded him that there were many swindlers in Bianjing City who specialized in deceiving scholars.
Some lie to scholars, saying that they can help them find recommendations.
Some deceive scholars, saying that they can help them obtain entry qualifications for Wenchang Academy.
Some simply say that they can help scholars run for official positions.
Anyway, there are all kinds of scammers targeting scholars.
Bao Zheng suspected that the two people in front of him were liars who set a trap for him, which was normal.
After Fan Zhongyan laughed, he said to Kou Ji: "Sir, didn't you reveal your identity?"
When Bao Zheng heard this, he sneered in his heart.
Haha, the trick of the liar has appeared.
Does the next person in gorgeous clothes want to claim that he is the son of a noble family or a teacher?
Then wait quietly for yourself to join in and cheat yourself a good deal.
Unfortunately, your tricks are of no use to me.
Because all my money is stored in Yizijiaozi shop, and Jiaozi is kept in the clubhouse.
I don't have a penny on me, what can you do to me?
When I find your lair, I will go to Kaifeng Mansion to expose you.
The old curator was afraid that we would be deceived, so he specially explained to us the tricks of scammers in Bianjing City.
Bao Zheng is not afraid of what the liar will do to him.
Because this is Bianjing City, a place where literati gather.
There are many intellectuals in power.
During the scientific examination, those who attacked the scholars met a tragic end once they were discovered.
Bao Zheng didn't know much about other things, but he was familiar with the laws of the Song Dynasty.
Then, the scene Bao Zheng had in mind did not appear.
After Kou Ji heard Fan Zhongyan's words, he smiled lightly and said, "What do you do if you reveal your identity? Wouldn't it be no longer fun if you reveal your identity?"
Fan Zhongyan was stunned for a moment, and then said in a dumbfounded voice: "Sir, this behavior is beneath your dignity."
Kou Ji smiled calmly and said: "With my status, even if I do something that is beneath my status, others will tell it as a good story."
Fan Zhongyan nodded slowly and said: "That's true..."
"Come on, go back to your house. I'll have people prepare hot water, wine and food for you to catch the wind and wash away the dust."
"Is there any rice?"
"have……"
Fan Zhongyan’s ancestral home is Pizhou, but he grew up in Suzhou and is accustomed to eating rice.
After eating noodles in Hexi for a long time, I have long missed rice.
I actually ate a lot on the way back to Beijing.
But how could the food in the inn be comparable to the food in Kou Mansion?
Kou Ji took Fan Zhongyan and Bao Zheng and wandered all the way to Ruian Town.
Along the way, Bao Zheng looked at the two of them with a scrutinizing gaze, and occasionally looked at the surrounding scenery.
Arriving at the edge of Ruian Town, Bao Zheng stared at the prosperous Ruian Town and whispered: "Is this the world-famous Ruian Town?"
Kou Ji nodded slightly and said with a smile: "Yes, it is indeed Ruian Town..."
Bao Zheng pondered for a moment and said lightly, "I heard that Privy Kou lives in Ruian Town."
Hearing this, Fan Zhongyan stroked his beard and smiled meaningfully.
Kou Ji nodded slowly and said: "Yes, Privy Kou lives in Ruian Town. Privy Kou is the examiner of this Enke Civil and Military Examination. When you ask about his residence, do you want to imitate others and go to his house to submit papers?"
?”
When Bao Zheng heard this, he frowned slightly.
When he was at the Luzhou Guild Hall, the old director told Bao Zheng that if Bao Zheng could get to know one or two people who entered the Kou mansion, he must go in with them and show his face in front of Privy Council Kou.
If you can present your own article on the spot, you may be valued by Privy Kou, and you will definitely be admitted to high school in this subject.
The words of the old curator were undoubtedly spoken from the bottom of his heart.
But Bao Zheng was full of resistance.
So after hearing what Kou Ji said, he said bluntly: "Can you help me submit the papers?"
Bao Zheng has already regarded Kou Ji and Fan Zhongyan as liars.
Because submitting papers is also a way to deceive scholars.
The two people in front of them must have discussed it long ago. They used the trick of reuniting old friends to dispel other people's suspicions, and then brought up things like submitting papers to lure him in.
He just pretended to take the bait and see what these two liars could come up with.
Kou Ji heard that Bao Zheng's tone was wrong and guessed that Bao Zheng had other thoughts, but he still answered Bao Zheng's words.
"I can't help you submit papers..."
Bao Zheng was slightly stunned.
Kou Ji continued: "But I can take you into the Kou Mansion and let you meet Privy Council Kou."
Bao Zheng originally thought that he had guessed wrong. After hearing what Kou Ji said, he confirmed that he had guessed correctly and sneered in his heart.
"Then I'll thank you in advance..."
Bao Zheng said in a nonchalant voice and began to look around.
What are you looking at?
Consider the route for a while.
If there are too many people on the other side and the situation is not right, he will definitely have to run.
Kou Ji and Fan Zhongyan were slightly stunned when they saw this.
The two looked at each other and smiled.
After all, Bao Zheng is just starting out, and some of his little thoughts are written on his face.
The two of them had been in officialdom for several years and met all kinds of people. How could they not understand Bao Zheng's thoughts?
The two of them saw through Bao Zheng's thoughts, but did not reveal it.
The two of them stopped talking to Bao Zheng and walked towards Ruian Town chatting and laughing.
We walked all the way to a huge mansion and stopped.
The reason why I didn't move forward was because the front of the mansion was crowded with people.
All of them were scholars, holding test papers in their hands, and asked to see Kou Ji in front of the gate of Kou's mansion.
The gatekeeper of Kou's villa stopped them, so they gathered at the door of Kou's villa and refused to leave.
They were looking forward to Kou Ji appearing and finding a way to get their articles into Kou Ji's hands.
Bao Zheng looked at this scene and was a little dumbfounded.
He could confirm that the mansion in front of him was the Kou Mansion Villa.
Because he saw among them the figures of several scholars he met at the Luzhou Guild Hall.
He felt that the liar was too bold and dared to take him to the entrance of the Kou Mansion.
Are all the swindlers in Bianjing City so arrogant?
Privy Kou was highly praised by the public, but as a scholar, Bao Zheng knew some official news and knew that Privy Kou was very ruthless in dealing with evildoers.
If a liar hangs out at the door of his villa, isn't that looking for death?
Kou Ji and Fan Zhongyan didn't pay attention to Bao Zheng's thoughts. Kou Ji looked at the scholars at the door who were submitting papers, frowned slightly and said: "The custom of submitting papers must be changed... If submitting papers works, then what else?
What kind of imperial examination should I take?"
Fan Zhongyan smiled bitterly and said: "That's what I say, but the custom of submitting papers has changed. In the future, important officials in the court will have less private income, and they will also have less opportunity to recruit some talents into their sect.
If this matter is reported to the court, all the civil servants in the court will definitely refute it."
Kou Ji snorted coldly, "Since the imperial court has opened the imperial examination and implemented a policy of concealing names in order to prevent fraud, it must be fair. I will discuss this matter with the three people in the inner court, and I will also report it to the officials.
.”
Fan Zhongyan sighed and said nothing.
Bao Zheng stared at Kou Ji in astonishment.
Judging by what you said, are you Privy Council Kou?
Who is Privy Kou?
He was an important minister of the Song Dynasty, one person below him, one person on par with others, and one person above tens of thousands of people.
Even if you don't go out shouting and cheering, you still need to have three or five guards.
You are just wandering around alone, how dare you pretend to be Privy Councilor Kou?
When I went to Kaifeng Mansion to report you, there was another charge.
Just wait to die.
Anyone who pretends to be an important official of the imperial court commits a crime, which can range from exile to beheading.
If you pretend to be an important official of the imperial court and pretend to be on the head of Privy Council Kou, you are seeking death.
"Let's take a side road..."
Kou Ji looked at the betted main entrance of Kou's mansion and said to Fan Zhongyan.
Fan Zhongyan cupped his hands and said, "It all depends on Mr.'s instructions..."
Kou Ji took Fan Zhongyan and Bao Zheng, walked half a circle around the Kou Mansion's courtyard, and arrived in front of a very hidden door.
Kou Ji stepped forward and knocked on the door.
Fan Zhongyan stood aside with a smile and looked at Bao Zheng from time to time.
Bao Zheng stared, his heart sinking.
Too bold.
This group of liars actually colluded with people from the Kou Mansion.
I have long heard that the disciples of the dignitaries in Bianjing City are making money outside the back of the dignitaries.
Now it seems that it is indeed true.
If this matter is exposed, it will definitely be a shocking case.
Should I run now?
Or stay and find out?
It may be dangerous if you stay.
Just when Bao Zheng was struggling in his heart, the door was opened.
A man dressed as a steward came out and bowed deeply to Kou Ji.
"Master..."
Then he saluted Fan Zhongyan and said, "Congratulations to Fan Zhizhou for being promoted to Minister Fan."
Bao Zheng's eyes widened in horror and he froze on the spot.