Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 663 A Game

"What's the complaint?"

Yang Yuan lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and walked out of the carriage.

There were three people standing in front of the carriage, a young man in scholarly robes in front, an old servant and a strong servant behind him, each carrying a package.

Judging from their attire, they looked as if they had traveled a long and dusty journey to reach Lin'an.

The young man in the scholar's robe looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, a dark red face, and sharp features, which seemed to have the appearance style of the southwest region.

He pursed his lips, looking serious and unsmiling, and looked somewhat similar to the people in the Kham region that Yang Yuan had met when he was traveling in his previous life.

Yang Yuan looked at him intently, then raised his eyebrows and asked, "Are you a woman?"

It’s not like this woman has any special disguise skills, but she just looks more androgynous.

In addition, she had a strong body and dark skin. If Yang Yuan had not brought girls dressed as women with him more than once and had not had experience in identifying them, it would have been difficult to see through her identity as a daughter.

"That's right, Longgan Guo Yuxiu, nice to meet Mr. Yang."

The girl in the men's shirt bowed to Yang Yuan, looking very heroic and imposing.

Yang Yuan kicked Liu Dazhuang on the butt: "You have no sense."

Liu Dazhuang suddenly realized what was going on and quickly turned over the shaft, took out the pedal and placed it under the shaft.

Yang Yuan got out of the car and stopped three steps in front of the girl in the man's shirt. He was secretly on guard and asked, "Miss, what grievances have you suffered? Why don't you go to the prefecture or the county to appeal to me instead?"

He could see that the girl must know Kung Fu, and the two servants behind her, one old and one strong, were also martial artists, so they would naturally not be careless.

Guo Yuxiu said proudly: "I want to apply for the examination, but the prefecture and county will not allow me. I can only go to Lin'an to file a complaint, but even if I file a complaint with the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Rites will not accept it.

I have heard of Mr. Yang's name for a long time, and now I know that he is a counselor, so I can only ask Mr. Yang to do justice for me."

Yang Yuan asked in surprise: "Wait, what are you going to do?"

"Take part in the test."

Yang Yuan was stunned and asked, "You, are taking part in the test, a woman?"

Guo Yuxiu said: "The court stipulates that anyone who participates in the examination, if he is a student of an official school, will directly qualify as a Tongsheng. If he is a self-taught student at home, he should apply to the local prefecture or county to obtain the status of a Tongsheng."

Guo Yuxiu reached into her bosom and took out the "official certificate" proving that she had obtained the status of a tongsheng.

Yang Yuan turned his head and glared at Da Zhuang. This kid still needs to be disciplined.

Da Zhuang suddenly realized what was going on again, and hurried forward, took the "official certificate" from Guo Yuxiu, and handed it to Yang Yuan.

Yang Yuan's eyes widened when he saw it. This... this really was Guo Yuxiu's academic certificate. She really passed the examination and became a Tongsheng.

This "official certificate" did not say whether she was a man or a woman, because there was no place to mark her gender on the document.

In this era, it is assumed that only men can take the imperial examinations, so there is naturally no need to do this.

However, even if it was a child exam, someone would have to check the copied works. How did this girl get away with it?

Yang Yuan glanced at Guo Yuxiu. Although she looked androgynous, her figure...

It should be fine. She only needs to take off her outer clothes, not all the clothes. Then the person who searches her shouldn't think she's a man.

Guo Yuxiu said: "Yang Jianyi, the laws of the Song Dynasty stipulate that those who have obtained the qualification of Tongsheng can take the Jieshi examination.

However, the prefecture and county where the student lived refused to accept the student's application, so the student had no choice but to go to the capital to appeal for justice."

Yang Yuan frowned and asked doubtfully: "You are a woman..."

Guo Yuxiu raised his eyebrows and asked, "May I ask, Doctor, is there a rule in the imperial examinations of our Great Song Dynasty that prohibits women from taking the exams?"

At this time, some pedestrians on the street had gathered around. After hearing the conversation between the two, they immediately started talking.

Yang Yuan looked down at her certificate of status as a student and couldn't help laughing.

This is quite interesting!

Ever since he entered the Menxia Province, he has been in a state of "disappointment".

That’s right, other officials “cultivate their reputation”, but Mr. Yang’s “reputation” is a little too great, and he would often burn the eaves of the yamen, so he has to “reduce his reputation”.

He was so bored that he finally found something to do.

Whether this matter is accomplished or not, it is an elegant matter and will not have any consequences. It will neither touch the sensitive nerves of civil and military officials nor cause dissatisfaction among local officials of the court.

With Shishi's talent, he could only admire himself, and he always felt that it was unfair.

He didn't have the ability to speak out on this matter before, but now he wants to take charge.

Yang Yuan patted the official document in his palm, put it into his sleeve, and said with a smile: "Miss, what you said makes sense. Come with me to the Ministry of Personnel to talk."

After saying that, Yang Yuan returned to the car.

The carriage continued to move forward. Guo Yuxiu stepped aside and followed it with two servants after the carriage passed.

The old servant whispered, "Young lady, I didn't expect that this Mr. Yang would actually accept the offer. I have inquired about it and found that he has a very good reputation as an official with a good reputation and he is not afraid of the powerful.

He has solved cases such as the corpse hidden in the wall, the fake huizi case, the Mahuang crossbow case, the Dashi smuggling case, and the Ministry of Personnel corruption case, and is known as the great judge. Tell him about our family's grievances and ask him to administer justice. "

"He can't. He's not qualified."

Guo Yuxiu glanced at the car in front of him, shook his head slowly and said, "I don't trust this matter even if it's the government.

I must take part in the scientific examination and become the first woman in history to do so.

By then, even if I fail the exam, I can make this matter known to the world.

When I file a complaint with the emperor, even the emperor will not be able to let it go, and there will be a chance that our case will be overturned." Sitting in the car, Yang Yuan thought about this woman who wanted to take the imperial examination but was not allowed by the county and had to travel thousands of miles to Beijing to file a complaint, and he found it interesting.

In fact, Yang Yuan has always felt that it is okay for women to work outside. And he has already done so in Xinjin.

However, in places like Xinjin, Jin Kingdom, and Western Xia, women farmed, herded, hunted, and picked, and they supported the family just like men, shouldering no less responsibilities, so they always had a say.

So for places like theirs to accept women working or even holding official positions, it only takes a word from the people above. Even if there are people below who are dissatisfied, they can just complain.

But in the Central Plains, even in the Song Dynasty, which was much more lenient towards women, this was not an easy task.

Can Guo Yuxiu be allowed to take the imperial examination? If Guo Yuxiu is allowed this time, what will happen if more women want to take the examination next time?
A man who passes the imperial examination can become an official, but what meaning does it have for a woman who passes the imperial examination?

If there is no practical significance, then allowing them to take part in the imperial examinations would only increase the burden on their families and the pressure on the court to hold the imperial examinations.

While Yang Yuan was thinking, the carriage arrived at Menxia Province, and Yang Yuan took Guo Yuxiu and her two servants in.

With Yang Yuan leading the group, this group will naturally not be stopped.

Cui Baiyu, the official in charge of the Tongjin Division, saw Yang Yuan and bowed to him: "Yang Jianyi."

Yang Yuan smiled and nodded at him.

Cui Baiyu saw the three people following Yang Yuan and asked curiously, "Yang Jianyi, what are they doing..."

Yang Yuan smiled and said, "A candidate who was taking the exam encountered some troubles. He went to the Ministry of Rites but couldn't get it resolved. I'll ask around."

When Yang Yuan led Guo Yuxiu and others over, Cui Baiyu was surprised and asked, "We just had a quiet New Year, and now we are starting to mess with the Ministry of Rites again?"

Cui Baiyu frowned, "That shouldn't be the case. The Minister of Rites is the father-in-law of the Prince of Jin. Yang Jianyi wouldn't bite even the father-in-law of the Prince of Jin, right?"

Just then, Tang Hefeng, the head of the memorial room, passed by with a stack of memorials approved by the palace. When he saw Cui Baiyu, he hurriedly greeted him.

Tang looked around, approached mysteriously, and whispered, "Cui Geshi, have you heard that the Minister of Rites is going to retire?"

Cui Baiyu was surprised: "Minister Qu is not very old, right? Why is he going to retire so soon?"

Tang Zhushi said: "Who knows? Anyway, he has written a letter to beg for his remains."

"Have the officials approved it?"

"The emperor has approved it. However, the emperor also said that the imperial court's talent selection ceremony is imminent, and the Ministry of Rites should not act rashly at this time, so he asked Minister Qu to preside over this examination before retiring."

Cui Baiyu glared and said, "Minister Cui has been a senior official for two dynasties. He has made great contributions and is also the old Taishan of His Royal Highness Prince Jin. Don't you want the emperor to keep him?"

"No!"

"Sigh~~"

Cui Jishi looked in the direction where Yang Yuan was walking with awe.

This Yang Jianyi is so terrible.

Has he reached the point where whoever he wants to impeach will flee at the first sign of trouble?
Even the father-in-law Prince Jin couldn’t handle it?

Minister Qu was implicated because the Minister of Rites intended to assassinate the emperor.

This matter is too serious. Even after repeated investigations, even if it is proven that Minister Qu was completely unaware of the matter, he cannot escape responsibility.

Now the court has allowed him to resign voluntarily, which is already giving him some dignity.

However, Cui Jishi was not the one standing on the tower of Zongyang Palace that day, so he naturally did not know the real reason why Minister Qu "begged for his remains".

Yang Yuan took Guo Yuxiu to the signing room and asked her questions in detail.

It turns out that Guo Yuyou is from Longgan, but his family now lives in Jinzhou (Ankang, Shaanxi).

So, she passed the examination and became a student in Jinzhou.

The Tongsheng exam was a preliminary examination for students. In the Song Dynasty, passing the exam only exempted one from some corvee labor, but had no other rights.

So as a big family in the area, and she herself looked relatively androgynous, she didn't specifically state her female identity during the registration process, so she easily got through.

However, the examination was for candidates who were admitted to the imperial examinations, which was much stricter. After knowing that she was a girl, the Jinzhou government refused to issue her the examination certificate.

Therefore, she went to Lin'an to file a complaint in anger, but she didn't expect that the people from the Ministry of Rites would call it ridiculous and drive them out without any explanation.

"I see."

Yang Yuan was thinking about it while listening to her. When she finished, he asked with a smile, "Do you have a place to live now?"

Guo Yuxiu shook his head and said, "We went to the Ministry of Rites as soon as we arrived in Lin'an, and we haven't found a place to live yet."

Yang Yuan returned the official letter to her and said, "There is a Lu's Inn on Houshi Street. You can stay there. It will be convenient for me to look for you when I need to.

The imperial court has never stated that women are not allowed to take the imperial examination. So, I have accepted your case and will give you justice. "

"Thank you Yang Jianyi!"

Guo Yuxiu smiled and bowed to Yang Yuan.

Lu You was currently serving as a deputy minister in the Ministry of Rites. After some thought, Yang Yuan decided to go to the Ministry of Rites to meet Lu You first and discuss with him the possibility of allowing Guo Yuxiu and even more women in the future to take part in the imperial examinations.

As soon as he came out of the signing room, he happened to meet Cui Jishi again.

"Hey, Yang Jianyi, are you going out?"

"Oh, Yang is going to the Ministry of Rites. See you later."

Yang Yuan smiled at him and walked away.

Cui Jishi was secretly shocked, Ministry of Rites, it’s over!
(End of this chapter)