A Complete Explanation of the Negative Textbooks of the Imperial Examination - Chapter 48

    “It is not difficult to cancel the grades of Dong and Wu, but another student, Xiao Jingduo, what should I do?”

    This is a tricky one.

    Several people in the palace fell silent for a while, an official of the Ministry of Rites pondered for a moment, and said: “Although Xiao Jingduo’s article looks like he wrote it, who knows if he has read it? This piece of paper? Fraud is a big deal, and if one is not handled properly, it will cause public outrage among the students all over the world. In my opinion, it is better to cancel his qualifications for the examination as well.

      Guozijian Jijiu also participated in grading the papers. Seeing this, he couldn’t help frowning.

    ” Ladies and gentlemen, although this is nepotism, I still have to say a few more words. I also have an impression of Xiao Jingduo as a student. During the period of Guozijian, he studied diligently, self-disciplined, and never got along. The other students go out to have fun, and they are rare good seedlings. If you don’t believe me, I can archive Xiao Jingduo’s articles in Guozijian, and everyone will know at a glance that it is his consistent style on the exam papers.”

    It can be seen that this student is still quite outstanding. The words of the wine sacrifice made the officials of the Ministry of Rites fall into silence, and after thinking for a while, some people still felt inappropriate: “However, this note was passed down from his hands after all, if we deal with the other two students, but we don’t know the originator. Don’t ask, I’m afraid it will be difficult to convince the public.”

    “If he really wants to cheat, why would he take the initiative to report it? To put it in a bad way, if Xiao Jingduo really has this intention, this piece of paper in his hand will not fall into another place at all. In the hands of the two of them. I think most of him didn’t know about this matter, and it was too late to find out later, so he could only hurriedly come to report it.”

    “Even if Xiao Jingduo is innocent, fraud is not a trivial matter. Since he is the source of the leak, he can’t help but retreat. How many people in the court and countryside are staring at the imperial examinations, as long as they are handled improperly, There will be stormy waves among the people. With the current situation, only by disposing of him can the turmoil of fraud be quelled in the fastest and best way.”

    Although this is heartless, it is true. Several officials in the East Palace held their own opinions and debated endlessly. The prince sat on the top and didn’t care about the disobedience of the courtier. Instead, he was thinking about another thing.

    How did Xiao Jingduo get this leaking note?

    In a small courtyard not far from the East Palace, Rong Ke also wielded the most crucial knife.

    “Tell me honestly, where did this note come from?”

    Xiao Jingduo stood under the stage, sighing slightly in his heart.

    Sure enough, this topic cannot be avoided after all.

    “This is a family matter. I have no intention of bothering the county master with the affairs of the Hou’s mansion, but now it seems that if I don’t explain it clearly, the county master may not believe me.” Xiao Jingduo paused and said, “I doubt that my cousin can predict the future.”

    Rong Ke’s eyes suddenly sharpened, she didn’t speak, just fixed her eyes firmly on Xiao Jingduo.

    Xiao Jingduo continued: “This incident has been foreshadowed many years ago. In the fifth year of Qiyuan, there was a great epidemic in Chang’an. I had just returned from Qingyuan Temple at that time, and I was running around the south of the city every day, trying to find The source of the epidemic. One day into the night, I was looking at medical skills, but my cousin suddenly visited and brought a sachet, saying that wearing this can prevent ghost fingerprints. My cousin is completely unskilled in medicine, I naturally don’t believe it, but wait After I got the sachet, I found that the herbs in it were quite special. When combined, it happened to be a recipe recorded in my grandfather’s medical book. I had never shown this book to others, which was strange, so I spent the night studying it. , I finally discovered by chance that the prescription recorded by my grandfather seemed to be able to restrain the plague in Chang’an. Later, I changed the prescription and added or decreased a few herbs, which is the red hot prescription that the county master and the prince saw.”

    “The red hot recipe actually came like this…” Rong Ke sighed, she only knew that Xiao Jingduo had come up with a prescription, but now she knows that this recipe was discovered under the stimulation of his cousin of. But this doesn’t explain anything, Rong Ke said, “The spread of remedies in the world is the most unreasonable. What if your cousin really heard about Chiresan by mistake?”

    “I thought the same at first, so I didn’t take it to heart. But later, her behavior became more and more weird. Once, my cousin rushed to find my grandmother, crying and saying that my second brother It’s not good, I accidentally kowtowed on the rockery, and it was too late to be saved. My grandmother was shocked, and hurriedly walked towards the place my cousin said, and after going, sure enough, Xiao Jinghu Playing on the rockery, I was frightened by my grandmother and others, and I actually fell down and knocked my head. After several times, everything my cousin said came true. When others asked why, my cousin just said what she felt in her dream. , Grandmother said that this was the enlightenment of the Bodhisattva, so she favored her cousin more and more. Naturally, these are not important.” Xiao Jingduo did not intend to bother Rong Ke with such trivial matters as the back house, and quickly turned to another topic, “The same is true for this fraud. My cousin took advantage of my unpreparedness and stuffed the note with the article into my book cage. After I moved outside, Dong Peng accidentally found the note and took it away quietly. After the exam, Dong Peng and Wu Tai said something Drunk talk, I realized that I was wrong, I immediately went back and questioned my cousin, and sure enough, she said that she was enlightened by the Bodhisattva in her dream, and she saw the question of this year’s imperial examination in advance, and she fell silent and secretly stuffed it into me.”

    “No wonder, I feel that the preface of the article on the note doesn’t fit the description. It doesn’t seem like it was written by one person. According to what you said, it can be explained.” Rong Ke nodded, she He raised his eyes and glanced at Xiao Jingduo, and suddenly smiled, “Your cousin really cares about you. If you really care, you can pass the jinshi exam without even knowing it, and it’s not difficult to even get a champion.”

    Rong Ke’s words were a bit sarcastic, but Xiao Jingduo’s face was solemn, and he said seriously: “The county master is joking. There are so many things that need to be realized, where can I have time to play and have fun? I take every step carefully, how can I take risks in my career for some trumped-up things?”

    Rong Ke didn’t expect Xiao Jingduo’s reaction to a joke. Knowing that she had made a slip of the tongue, she had no choice but to skip this topic and remind Xiao Jingduo with some displeasure: “What is the risk of taking an official career, you haven’t passed the jinshi exam yet.”

    Xiao Jingduo hadn’t finished speaking, but when Rong Ke stopped him, he was speechless.

    Who called him, he really hasn’t passed the jinshi exam yet.

    Xiao Jingduo was inexplicably deflated and could not speak for a while. Rong Ke can be considered to have pulled back a game, and smiled contentedly: “Okay, I have a count of this matter, you go back first.”

      Rong Ke saw Xiao Jingduo’s hesitation at a glance. She didn’t say anything, just glanced outside the house. Xiao Jingduo followed Rong Ke’s line of sight and saw a slanting sun on the wall and the gradually darkening sky.

    Unconsciously, it was getting dark, and if you don’t leave, you will catch up with the curfew. Only then did Xiao Jingduo react, and quickly said: “The county master forgives his sins, and I was rude just now, and I will retire.”

    It’s getting late, he doesn’t retire, what’s it like?

    In Dingyonghou’s mansion, Cheng Huizhen kept sending the little maid out to inquire about Xiao Jingduo’s movements.

    Finally, the maid finally brought the news that Cheng Hui really wanted to hear: “Miss Biao, Da Langjun has just returned, and now he has gone to the Gao Shou Tang.”

    Cheng Huizhen breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s good.”

    Xiao Jingduo never came back after she said something from her, which frightened Cheng Huizhen. Now that Xiao Jingduo was back, Cheng Huizhen finally put her heart back in her stomach.

    The maid peeped at Cheng Huizhen’s face and asked tentatively, “Miss, how about we also go to Gao Shou Tang to greet the old lady?”

    Miss Biao has been inquiring about Dalangjun all day, and now Dalangjun is back.

    However, Cheng Huizhen did not go down the steps handed over by the maid. She thought about it and finally shook her head: “Forget it, I’m not feeling well now, so I won’t bother my grandmother.”

    The maid was disappointed and puzzled. She really didn’t understand the minds of these masters, so she had to say obediently: “Since the lady is not feeling well, the slave will not forgive the lady. The lady rests well, and the slave retire. “

    The maids in the room all filed out, and Cheng Huizhen sighed deeply, revealing some real thoughts.

    What did my cousin do? Who did he meet and what did he say? How is he going to handle this?

    Cheng Huizhen couldn’t say any of these questions, she felt depressed, she always wanted to seize the opportunity and get closer to her cousin, but it seemed that this time, she pushed her cousin further.

    Cheng Hui was lost for a while, she couldn’t help but think back to the note that she had racked her brains to silence, she clearly meant it well, why didn’t her cousin accept it? Not only did she give him an article that was enough to make him famous, but she also revealed this year’s strategy topics in advance. This is an opportunity that many people have been waiting for!

    The reason why Cheng Huizhen was able to write these things is because the ninth year of Qiyuan was so famous, and many famous talents emerged in the imperial examinations in the spring. Then fame rose.

    The ninth year of Qiyuan was the starting point of Xia Jia Saburo’s fame. He became a blockbuster because of the corruption case in Jiangzhou. There is naturally a reason for his identity, but I have to say that the Jiangzhou case was a highlight in his career. Without this amazing beginning, his career would not have been so smooth.

    Later the Jiangzhou case and Xia Saburo became one of people’s favorite conversation topics after a meal. Almost everyone knows that Xia Saburo went to Jiangzhou for a sightseeing tour and accidentally discovered Jiangzhou Prefecture The truth that he painstakingly concealed, he ignored the pursuit of local officials, returned to the capital after untold hardships, and exposed the evil deeds of Jiangzhou officials to the saint.

    Jiangzhou suffered a disaster, but the government officials concealed it for their own performance appraisal, so that more than half of Jiangzhou suffered casualties and mourning was everywhere. Once the incident was reported, it immediately caused an uproar in the world, and the saint was furious, and immediately beheaded all the officials in Jiangzhou to show the public, and Xia Saburo’s name also spread all over the world, opening his road to Qingyun.

    Cheng Huizhen woke up from her memory, she really couldn’t figure it out, she provided Xiao Jingduo with an opportunity no less than the Jiangzhou case Yu Xia Sanlang, such a beautiful starting point, why did Xiao Jingduo not accept it?

    …

    Candles have been lit in the palace. The lights flickered and shone on his jade-like face, making him more and more noble and majestic.

    The palace was silent, but the tall door creaked, followed by a girl’s voice: “Father.”

    The prince just raised his eyes, then lowered his head, and returned his attention to the memorial: “Why are you here again?”

    Rong Ke rubbed himself close to the prince and sat down next to his father’s arm: “Why are you the only one left? When did the chiefs leave?”

    “It’s time to let go of the government office. If there is no result from today’s discussion, they will go back first.”

    Rong Ke paused for a while and asked, “Everyone, what did you say today?”

    “The two cheating students will be removed. As for the other, it has not yet been negotiated.”

    “Father, I have something to say.”

    The prince turned his head, no emotion could be seen in his beautiful and soft eyes, he calmly asked: “Oh? What do you want to say?”

    Rong Ke’s heart skipped a beat, and what she was about to say turned around immediately: “I’m here this time to talk about that note…”

    Rong Ke summed up Xiao Jingduo’s words, and the prince’s expression gradually became serious: “Ke Ke, Zibuyu is eccentric, he can predict things that haven’t happened, this is not a joke. “

    “I know, but other than that, no one can explain the missing questions, right?” Rong Ke took out Cheng Huizhen’s note, put it on the table and pointed it to the prince. , “Father, look, what does this policy topic say?”

    “Jiangzhou is corrupt, officials lied to cover up the disaster, and asked how to manage official governance?” After the prince read it, he didn’t feel anything wrong, “Agricultural science and official governance are compulsory questions for policy theory. , many people will bet in these two directions, this does not seem to confirm that this woman is familiar with the future.”

    “Father, look again, the title says that Jiangzhou suffered a disaster, but the local prefecture concealed it. Ordinary people are betting on the question, either from the past, or simply nonsense, If there is no certainty, who would dare to arrange the officials of the court like this? Secretly concealing the disaster situation is the crime of deceiving the king, and this is not a joke. If this is nothing, how can the officials of Jiangzhou give up?”

    The prince pondered for a while, and said: “You mean, this is something that will happen in the future, and the other party didn’t notice it for a while, so he accidentally wrote it?”

      Pass.”

    The prince looked at Rong Ke in disbelief: “Could it be that Jiangzhou has suffered a disaster?”

    Even the crown prince was shocked by Rong Ke’s words, but Rong Ke herself was very calm. She nodded calmly, with an indescribably fearless expression: “It’s very possible.”

    The prince could not sit still, he stood up and paced the palace. He walked around twice, then stopped, turned around and said to Rong Ke seriously: “Ke Ke, you are too bold, guessing a high-ranking official in the DPRK based on a slip of paper that is not true or false, if someone listens to him, he Go, the consequences are unimaginable.”

    “I know, but according to the situation of the Yangtze River in previous years, Jiangzhou should not be silent at this time. The sky is high and the emperor is far away. If Jiangzhou suffers a disaster, the state government is afraid that the DPRK will blame it. , it is not impossible to forcibly suppress this matter.”

    Prince thought more thoughtfully, he shook his head and said, “No, all of this is just based on guesswork. If it turns out that we have wronged the Jiangzhou government officials, it will be difficult.”

    “It’s easy to say, if we don’t send people from the East Palace, won’t we be?” Rong Ke straightened up and said, “Uncle San Biao was scolded by grandfather two days ago, half of the people from Chang’an We all know that Uncle San Biao likes to travel in the mountains and water. We asked Uncle Biao to go to Jiangzhou to find out. It will neither startle the snakes nor implicate us. If this matter is false, let Biao Uncle pay for it. I went out to play, if this is true…”

    Rong Ke did not continue, but the prince already understood.

    “If this is true, then everyone in Jiangzhou is so bold!” The prince took two steps, and he had already made up his mind, “I will send someone to arrange it tomorrow. Your mother is in a bad mood for a few days, you can go to Xia’s house with your mother tomorrow to relax.”

    The third cousin in Rong Ke’s mouth is from the princess’s family. Xia Saburo doesn’t like the official career, but only loves to travel in the mountains and waters. Mr. Xia can be said to be brokenhearted by this grandson, and he will be angry every few days. If Saburo Xia went to Jiangzhou on a whim, it would be in line with his usual style of behavior.

    Rong Ke winked at the prince and smiled: “Father, I understand.”

    After the prince finished speaking, he looked at Rong Ke with a smile and said, “Tell me, what did you want to say?”

    Mo Ruofu, the best-known daughter, how could the prince not see that Rong Ke changed the subject temporarily. Rong Ke smiled awkwardly and said, “Father, in my opinion, these three candidates are kept. It’s too much to punish only two students for missing a question in the imperial examination. Who can guarantee that there will be no other fish that slip through the net?” Since it’s an essay and a strategy theory, it’s better to let all the candidates take the test again.”

    Prince frowned: “Retake all the exams?”

    “Yes! Give them this opportunity and let them prove by themselves that who is innocent and who has taken shortcuts. Besides, aren’t other candidates complaining about the wrong essay topics? Oh, then Just give them another chance and let these examinees see if we have wrong questions or if they are not good enough.”

    This method is reasonable, although more troublesome, but fair. Anyway, the Ministry of Rites holds the imperial examination every year, so I am not afraid to do it again. However, the prince looked at Rong Ke and reluctantly nodded his daughter’s forehead: “Remember.”

    Not long after the highly anticipated imperial examinations ended, the students were eagerly looking forward to the announcement, but another news made them jump up in shock.

    The Ministry of Rites posted a bulletin. This time, someone cheated in the Jinshi Division of the imperial examination. After discussion, the Ministry of Rites decided to invalidate the scores of Jinshi Essays and Policy Discussions, and all students retake the test.