A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 274 He didn't trust anyone equally.
Empress Liu also knew that the policy question posed by the emperor was extremely difficult.

In fact, having been in power for several years, she has a deep understanding of this!

Of course, Empress Liu E didn't figure out any good solutions either, and could only follow what Emperor Zhenzong had taught her.

It was simply a matter of first securing the loyalty of a large number of people, and then stopping some of the late emperor's erroneous policies.

In this way, he could win the support of a group of elite scholars and officials.

Then, he used those who were loyal to him to deal with another group of ministers who were not convinced by him.

She just sat there watching those scholar-officials argue amongst themselves.

However, now there is also a "son" who is eager to take over the reins immediately!
Fortunately, this force is extremely weak.

As for the rest of her governing methods, Liu E did not understand them for a time.

Because she knows that even if you are the emperor, you are not the only one who can issue orders.

Then the officials and local government can handle things as easily as if they were their own arms.

They can use all sorts of reasons and methods you wouldn't expect to give you a discount on this task.

Moreover, Song Xuan was a tribute student who had never held office.

Even if someone is highly learned, can they be more learned than the great Confucian scholars of the time, such as Liu Yun and Sun Shi?

They are simply more experienced in teaching and educating students.

Thus, Liu E could foresee that Song Xuan would not be able to write any concrete governing methods.

This doesn't seem like the same approach as managing the Yellow River.

Having a little experience will allow you to give it a try.

The dangers of the imperial court far surpass those of the Yellow River.

One wrong step can often lead to utter ruin.

It's nowhere near as satisfying as getting an elbow strike from the Yellow River.

After all, no matter how much the Yellow River flooded, it wouldn't submerge the fields and mansions of these Song Dynasty elites.

However, Liu E still praised him to his face:
"Back then, the genius Kou Zhun passed the imperial examination at the age of nineteen, and now Song Xuan is also only nineteen years old. Yet he can write and think at the same time during this palace examination. I see many people who haven't even touched their pens."

Zhao Zhen hadn't expected his mother to mention Kou Zhun, and he didn't respond.

After all, the name Kou Zhun was a taboo for a long time.

"I remember that Yan Shu was only fourteen years old when he took the imperial examination."

When Liu E saw Yan Shu walking over to inspect the area, she knew that Emperor Zhenzong had mentioned Yan Shu before.

Moreover, she was well aware of Emperor Zhenzong's attitude of raising Yan Shu as a "son".

"At that time, it was Kou Zhun who publicly proposed that Yan Shu should not be appointed as an official, and the reason given was simply because he was from the South."

"No one in the entire court dared to object, except for the late emperor, who unusually rejected Kou Zhun's proposal, promoted Yan Shu, and even sent him to be your tutor."

At that time, Liu E took the initiative to show goodwill to Yan Shu.

The main reason is the Shinshu sect!

Unfortunately, this young man was too clever and always chose to protect himself.

Liu E's words were not directed at Kou Zhun, since that man was dead and had no descendants.

The one who is alive today is Yan Shu.

Empress Liu wanted to use him again when she summoned him to the court.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, there will never be another powerful minister like Kou Zhun in the court."

Almost all of Kou Zhun's faction members were dealt with by Ding Wei.

Then Ding Wei's power was dealt with by Empress Dowager Liu.

Only then did he secure his position as regent!
Empress Liu could neither agree nor disagree with Emperor Zhao Zhen's words; he was still too young.

I haven't encountered many things, so I lack experience.

How can you be so sure that nothing will ever happen in the future?

Even someone as wise as Emperor Taizong of Tang could not have foreseen that the Tang Dynasty would go down such a path after he chose the Xuanwu Gate succession method.

Just then, Zhang Maoze walked over; Zhao Zhen had specifically arranged for him to keep an eye on Song Xuan.

"What's wrong, is Twelve-Lang feeling unwell again?"

Zhao Zhen swallowed his words.

To avoid revealing her close relationship with Song Xuan in front of the Empress Dowager.

After all, while he was willing to appoint the top scholar, he actually needed the Empress Dowager's approval.

"Your Majesty, Song Huiyuan has already finished writing it."

Zhang Maoze's face showed joy.

He felt that Song Xuan was not affected at all by being framed, and truly deserved to be called a child prodigy.

It was accomplished in one fell swoop.

"Ok?"

Both Liu E and Zhao Zhen were somewhat stunned.

"you sure?"

Zhao Zhen asked with some uncertainty.

He knew Song Xuan was quite capable; back then, Song Xuan wrote his provincial examination essay extremely quickly, and then fell asleep on the table.

Because the task of collecting examination papers was handled by eunuchs, officials like Yan Shu had no right to examine these papers.

Only after the editor has covered up the important words such as the name and place of origin at the beginning of the paper and replaced them with fonts, and after the next official in charge of copying has finished copying them, can the paper be given to the examiners to see.

Then the examiner sets the grade, covers it up again, and it can be shown to the next examiner for final grade determination.

Finally, check if their individual ratings are the same to prevent manipulation of the test takers.

"Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager, I am certain."

Zhang Maoze said with utmost solemnity:
"For the first half hour, Song Huiyuan kept his hands warm by the bronze stove while thinking. In less than a quarter of an hour, he finished writing the policy essay."

"Less than three quarters of an hour?"

"Is the article very short?" Zhao Zhen asked quickly.

"Your Majesty, I have roughly counted it; it is around 1,200 characters."

Liu E was somewhat surprised to hear Zhang Maoze's answer.

Because a calligraphy brush needs to be dipped in ink, it needs to be dipped every few characters.

To ensure speed without making typos.

Song Xuan's speed far exceeded the reasonable speed of the imperial examination.

Because Empress Liu knew that during Emperor Zhenzong's reign, Yang Yi was the fastest writer.

Yang Yi wrote the preface for "Xikun Chouchang Ji" in one go, which also took an hour.

Approximately 800 words.

This was even praised by many in the court as an exceptional case where the text was written without any corrections!
Yang Yi was quite pleased with himself for this.

Not to mention that Song Xuan was still taking the imperial examination at this time, a moment that would determine his future and destiny, yet he wrote so quickly.

It's truly unbelievable.

Even the fastest shooters during the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizu, when aiming to win the championship, did not possess this speed.

Back then, Zhao Kuangyin believed that whoever wrote the fastest would be the top scholar!
Even if two people submit their papers at the same speed, there can only be one top scorer.

Zhao Kuangyin ordered them to fight on the spot, and whoever won would be the top scholar of this year!
Sima Guang's later copy of the Zizhi Tongjian was only about three thousand characters long.

"he."

Zhao Zhen was somewhat surprised, but quickly concealed the joy on his face:
"It seems that what happened just before the exam did not have a significant impact on Twelfth Prince, so I am relieved."

"Then let's take a look at his test paper."

Upon hearing Liu E's words, Zhang Maoze was momentarily stunned.

After all, this does not conform to the procedures of the palace examination.

Zhao Zhen then spoke:

"Your Majesty, this action is against the rules of the palace examination."

"Go and call Sun Shi and Liu Yun; they are very experienced."

"Yes."

The two esteemed scholars bowed to Empress Dowager Liu, and then a question was asked:
"Song Twelve has finished writing his policy essay, but he hasn't submitted it yet. I'd like to take a look at it now, but is that against the rules?"

"this."

Sun Shi was also taken aback.

He really didn't expect that Song Xuan would encounter such a big problem before the exam, but still be able to adjust his mindset in time and complete the writing of this policy essay question.

"Is it finished?"

Liu Yun had not seen such a quick-witted person in a long time.

"That's right, it only took less than three quarters of an hour."

Empress Liu looked at the two great Confucian scholars of the time:

"So I wanted to take a look beforehand, but the Emperor said it didn't comply with the rules of the palace examination. You know there are many imperial examinations, but is there any precedent?"

Sun Shi was dumbfounded.

He had thought that Song Xuan's ability to adjust his mindset and answer the questions in time was already a sign of his strength.

I never expected Song Xuan to be so ridiculously strong.

Less than a quarter of an hour?

He was even faster and more quick-witted than Yang Yi.

"Could it be something I wrote randomly? Is Song Huiyuan afraid he might lose his mind again?"

After Liu Yun finished speaking, Liu E agreed.

Was Song Xuan forced into this behavior?

"It's possible."

On the contrary, Sun Shi felt that if Chen Yaozi hadn't caused all those troubles before the exam, Song Xuan wouldn't have forced him.

But through Song Xuan's performance in the provincial examination, he realized that the one who had finished answering the questions early and had been sleeping all day was Song Xuan.

This led Sun Shi to believe that Song Xuan had indeed written a good policy essay, and that he had written it so quickly under the pressure of external threats.

But I just don't know how well it's written.

Because of Liu E's question, Sun Shi's curiosity was piqued.

Seeing that he was also hesitating, Liu E looked at Liu Jun.

Liu Yun was habitually lazy, but he didn't seem to mind making things worse, and said with a smile:
"In fact, during the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, once the papers were finished, they could be submitted on the spot without the need for anonymous copying or anything like that."

"Even the two late emperors, Taizu and Taizong, commented on the scholars' poems and essays on the spot."

In the past, it was poetry and prose, so it was understandable that they could write quickly.

Now that it's about policy discussions, the speed is extraordinary.

Just look at the many students below who are still racking their brains to figure it out.

Liu Yun's words gave Liu E a suitable reason, but she still asked persistently:
"What about the reign of Emperor Zhenzong?"

Only in this way can we avoid giving others something to criticize.

Liu Yun smiled slightly:
"In response to Your Majesty, during the imperial examination back then, Yan Tongshu said that he had done a similar question and asked Emperor Zhenzong to set another one. After Yan Shu finished writing it, Emperor Zhenzong saw it on the spot and was very satisfied."

The person in question, Yan Shu, is still there supervising the exam.

"Oh, I almost forgot about that."

Liu E nodded slightly: "Since there is already a precedent, then looking at his exam paper, there is nothing that does not conform to the rules."

Zhao Zhen was speechless, since Liu Yun had already said everything that Empress Dowager Liu wanted to say.

Liu E asked, "Isn't it just that you want them to find excuses for you?"

So Zhang Maoze walked over with a smile and said softly:

"Song Huiyuan, have you finished writing?"

"It's not finished."

Song Xuan's words nearly made Zhang Maoze lose his footing.

After all, it was him who reported it.

Now, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the two chief examiners all want to see Song Xuan's exam paper.

As a result, Song Xuan said that if he didn't finish writing, then he couldn't hand it in.

Zhang Maoze immediately looked miserable:
"Song Huiyuan, don't make jokes."

"Otherwise, my head wouldn't be attached to my neck."

“I see you’ve finished writing.” Zhang Maoze said with a pleading look on his face.

How could you possibly peek at the contents of my exam paper?

"Could it be that this guy surnamed Chen sent them to cause trouble on purpose?"

Song Xuan stared at him and said:

"I know that ever since Emperor Taizong issued the order that anyone who submits their work quickly will be immediately driven out of the palace and dismissed, I haven't finished writing yet. Don't try to deceive me, and don't say anything to me."

Zhang Maoze was so stared at by Song Xuan that he dared not speak, and no matter how much he pleaded, it was no use.

Song Xuan pretended not to hear.

Wu Yu, who was standing to the side, felt that he was being influenced by the eunuch's incessant chatter.

Twelfth Brother said he hadn't finished writing and even told him to hand in his paper early.

It's hard not to suspect that this person is a remnant of Chen Yaozi's faction!

Otherwise, how could the broken inkstone, the inferior paper, and that sleeping incense stick have been placed so precisely next to Song Xuan?
Zhang Mao could only return to report with a long face.

When Zhao Zhen saw that his personal eunuch looked so strange and didn't even bring Song Xuan's examination paper, he immediately felt puzzled.

Could it be that he gave a random, fabricated report?

Liu E merely glanced at Zhang Maoze casually, which frightened Zhang Maoze so much that his legs trembled slightly.

"what happened?"

Zhao Zhen naturally wanted to give Zhang Maoze a chance, otherwise it would be unacceptable for him to deceive Aunt Ning.

Zhang Maoze told the truth: Song Xuan said he hadn't finished writing and didn't trust him.

He even cited the example of Emperor Taizong's reign to say that no one could fool him.

Zhang Maoze swore to Heaven that he would never dare to deceive the Empress Dowager or the Emperor.

Song Xuan did indeed finish the exam paper very early and was waiting for the ink to dry so as not to stain the paper.

Otherwise, even if I had ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare to lie.

He could not possibly be an accomplice of Chen Yaozi, heaven and earth can bear witness!
This left Zhao Zhen somewhat amused and exasperated, yet he also felt that Song Xuan's reaction was perfectly normal.

Anyone who has been tricked before the palace examination and still trusts others so easily only shows that they don't learn from their mistakes and will fall into the same trap again next time.

Liu E found it somewhat amusing; Song Xuan's nervousness only made her feel that Lü Yijian's power needed to be put to the test.

On the eve of the imperial examination, such a huge "mistake" has been made, and if word gets out, it will become a laughing stock for neighboring countries.

Sun Shi sighed: "Fortunately, Twelve Lang is a vigilant person, otherwise it's hard to say how angry and helpless he would have been after being hit."

"This is a disciple of the Emperor!"

These words were meant for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

The imperial examination was a major national event.

But some people dare to cause trouble here, which not only harms the students, but also undermines the emperor's dignity!

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhen immediately became angry, and the smile on his face vanished.

To maintain the overall situation, he did not send anyone to interrogate Chen Yaozi, but instead sent Wang Zeng and Lü Yijian to question him, thus giving Chen Yaozi ample face.

Unfortunately, Chen Yaozi didn't need this dignity, because they had no evidence.

Who saw it?

There wasn't even a witness!
Anyway, someone did this, but there's no evidence that Chen Yaozi did it.

What can you do with me?
“What Attendant Sun said makes sense.”

Liu E agreed, then smiled and said:
"It seems they were too negligent; this matter still needs to be investigated."

"I'll go ask for it," Liu Yun volunteered.

"Alright."

Liu E expressed her agreement.

Liu Yun walked over with a smile and looked at Song Xuan: "Twelfth Brother, have you finished writing?"

"It's not finished."

Without looking up, Song Xuan flipped through his exam paper to avoid being seen by others, and casually raised his hand to signal.

Yan Shu immediately walked over and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Lord Yan, this person is always chattering here, affecting my exam. I suspect he is an accomplice of Chen Yaozi, deliberately trying to ruin my mood and make marks on my exam paper."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Liu Yun's white beard nearly stood on end in anger.

Her face immediately turned red and warm.

He truly never expected that his mission to retrieve the exam paper would result in Song Xuan reporting him.

This is absolutely shameful!

"I am Liu Yun!" Liu Yun extended his finger:
"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Who are Chen Yaozi's accomplices!"

"You're my accomplice, of course."

Song Xuan shielded his exam paper with his body:

"Don't think I don't know the rules of the palace examination. Dean Fan reminded me to pay close attention long ago!"

"You absolutely cannot hand in your paper early, or you'll be dismissed!"

"What you said, brat, is absolutely infuriating!"

Liu Yun was silenced by Song Xuan's single word "comrade."

If he were truly an accomplice of Chen Yaozi, he wouldn't have held an "important position" for so long without being promoted!
Of course, Bao Zheng did not mention to Song Xuan that he had been appreciated by Liu Yun and had received a letter from Yan Shu suggesting that he try his luck at Yingtian Academy.

Song Xuan, however, said without any concern:

"He dared to pull so many tricks during such a grand imperial examination; I don't believe he could have done it all by himself."

"Besides, I haven't even finished the paper, why should I hand it in early!"

"This is the Empress's will."

Liu Jun directly sold Liu E out.

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"I don't know if what you're saying is true, but I'm not handing in my paper, what can you do about it!"

Seeing Liu Yun's flushed face, Yan Shu began to believe that this might be the Empress Dowager's intention.

However, Yan Shu could also sense that Song Xuan was doing it on purpose.

He knew Song Xuan too well; he would never let revenge linger overnight.

Anyone who gets involved with the Chen brothers now is just asking for bad luck.

Now that Liu Jun has been "insulted," he will surely spread rumors about the bad things Chen Yaozi did.

Chen Yaozi's potential allies will also weigh the options: in a critical moment, should they lend a hand to their brother, or sacrifice a friend to save themselves?

Song Xuan himself was unsure, but one should always be wary of others.

He just wants to muddy the waters and make things worse.

In the end, they dared not act rashly.

The only way is to attract attention!

As for wrongly accusing the great Confucian scholar Liu Yun, Song Xuan didn't care at all.

After all, a gentleman can be deceived by his principles!

"Good good."

Liu Yun stormed off in anger.

Wu Yu was surprised to find that Chen Yaozi had so many accomplices. In broad daylight, an eunuch and an examiner came to ask him for the exam papers.

If it weren't for the strict discipline in the examination room, he really wanted to shout it out for Song Xuan again.

Then Zhao Zhen and Liu E saw Liu Yun return with a dark face, saying that Song Huiyuan did not believe him either.

He even falsely accused himself of being Chen Yaozi's accomplice and covered up the exam paper to prevent him from seeing it.

This is the greatest insult to oneself.

I, Liu Jun, am a renowned Confucian scholar. If the Emperor hadn't summoned me back from Luzhou, I wouldn't have wanted to come at all.

Who would have thought that when they learned that Bao Zheng had passed the provincial examination, he was quite happy and specially summoned him for a long time.

I never imagined that I would encounter such a "wrongful" situation during the palace examination today.

Sun Shi grunted, suddenly wanting to laugh.

Actually, the person who was happiest to see Liu Yun get his comeuppance was Zhang Maoze.

He originally thought that Song Xuan despised him and refused to believe him because he was a eunuch.

Unexpectedly, Song Twelve didn't even believe Liu Yun, a great Confucian scholar of the time!

He is equal and doesn't trust anyone.

When Zhang Maoze saw that even the great Confucian scholar Liu Yun had been treated this way, he immediately felt much better.

They also cited past examples from the reign of Emperor Taizong as a precaution.

It is no wonder that there are so many cases in the twelve volumes of Song's works, all of which he wrote very clearly.

Zhang Maoze also thought that Song Xuan was intelligent and did not easily trust others.

After all, this is the imperial examination, which determines a person's fate and even the fate of their entire family. We must be careful!

Zhao Zhen's face was gloomy, but he was not angry because of Liu Yun.

The fact that this matter has driven a student to this point shows just how much pressure Song Xuan is under!
With her cheeks reddened by the icy water and her hands trembling, she forced herself to say she was fine.

Also, in order to keep their minds clear, they should finish the test as quickly as possible.

The goal is to prevent the medication from taking effect again, which would prevent us from performing better!
And now Song Xuan's repeated refusal to submit his paper early shows his caution!

Scenes flashed through Zhao Zhen's mind, and he felt nothing but anger.

Because of the lack of evidence, he originally wanted to find an opportunity to give Chen Yaozi a warning.

But now it seems that this anger is burning fiercely in Zhao Zhen's heart, and he can't put it out no matter what he does.

Zhang Maoze suppressed his smile, because he noticed a slight change in the Emperor's expression. After years of serving him, he understood that the Emperor was angry.

He guessed that she wasn't angry with Song Xuan!
The Chen family is probably going to be remembered.

"Hey."

Empress Liu sighed, "To actually push a top scholar to this point shows just how outrageous the palace examination was!"

This only fueled Zhao Zhen's anger.

This was the first time since he became emperor that he had personally presided over the palace examination!

Surprisingly, someone tried to sow discord between him and others in this situation.

How can I make him happy?

Yan Shu also strolled over slowly and took the initiative to ask:
"Your Majesty, I heard from Attendant-in-Waiting Liu that Song Xuan is to be asked to submit his exam paper early. Is this true?"

"it is true."

Liu E replied, "Has Song Xuan finished writing his exam paper or not?"

"Your Majesty, I am unaware of his situation and have not examined his examination papers."

Liu Yun snorted coldly: "He must have finished writing it, otherwise how could he dare to turn it over and prevent people from seeing it before the ink is dry!"

“You are acquainted with Song Xuan, and you appointed him as the top scholar in Yingtian Prefecture.”

Liu E looked at Yan Shu and said, "He must believe you. I want to see the exam paper that this great talent of his has finished in less than three quarters of an hour."

Yan Shu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, somewhat incredulous:
"Is it true that the Empress Dowager finished writing in less than a quarter of an hour?"

"It's not impossible that someone might spread the wrong message during this period."

Zhang Maoze immediately stepped forward and bowed to explain that he had been specially sent by His Majesty to investigate.

They were worried that something might happen to Song Huiyuan, so they kept a close eye on him.

Therefore, he was quite certain about the time and the number of words on Song Xuan's exam paper.

The Song Dynasty did not stipulate that eunuchs were forbidden from reading and writing, especially since he was required to study alongside Emperor Zhao Zhen.

Yan Shu understood; it seemed to be His Majesty's arrangement.

"Then I'll go and talk to him about it."

Yan Shu began to explain to Song Xuan:
“Song Twelve can be quite stubborn at times. He lost his mother at a young age, and his father was a gambler. His eldest brother was adopted out, and his second brother is the same as his father.”

"So Song Shier started his own business and mingled on the streets when he was eight years old."

"If he hadn't been burdened by his family, he would probably have taken the imperial examinations for children much earlier, just like me."

"He is rather wary, I hope Your Majesty will not take offense."

Liu E knew about Song Xuan's situation; Song Xiang had told her about it.

Zhao Zhen also knew about Song Xuan's background. He later learned that perhaps a change in his family had led eight-year-old Song Xuan to wander around the capital, perhaps to look for his mother.

That's how the two of them had the chance to meet.

It's likely that Song Xuan's mother deceived him; she didn't come to Tokyo but stayed in Nanjing, not wanting to see him.

It wasn't until Song Xuan became successful and passed the imperial examination with top honors that she shamelessly brought her half-son to try and acknowledge him as her relative, but Song Xuan politely refused.

Liu Yun, Sun Shi, and Zhang Mao, however, were hearing about it for the first time.

Liu Yun's expression improved considerably, and she let out a long, leisurely sigh.
"It was I who misunderstood him."

Sun Shi raised an eyebrow: "I never expected Song Huiyuan to have such a tragic background."

"Go."

"and many more."

Zhao Zhen called out to Yan Shu, "I shall go myself."

Yan Shu did not refuse; he knew the Emperor's intentions.

The fact that he personally woke Song Xuan up just now is clear proof of this.

However, Song Xuan is indeed a man of great vision and wisdom, and he will be able to help the emperor govern the Song Dynasty in the future.

However, if the emperor and his minister wanted to issue policies and make a big splash, they still needed to move the insurmountable mountain above their heads.

Zhao Zhen walked ahead, with Zhang Maoze following closely behind.

Song Xuan was still wondering who Liu E would send, so he could give that person a good thrashing and worsen his bad impression of Chen Yaozi.

In any case, it may take a dozen or twenty years for a person to build a good reputation.

However, it takes very little time to ruin a person's good reputation.

Perhaps your method, even if it's just for a moment, or even the instant you open your mouth to make false accusations, can ruin the good reputation he has built up over a lifetime.

Unexpectedly, it was Emperor Zhao Zhen who arrived.

Zhao Zhen walked up to Song Xuan and lowered his voice, saying:

"Twelfth Brother, have you finished answering the questions?"

"To answer Your Majesty, I dare not lie. It is indeed finished, but just now..."

"No need to explain."

Zhao Zhen raised his hand to stop Song Xuan from speaking: "I know the whole story, and I will definitely give you an explanation in the future."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have never suffered such an injustice before."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhao Zhen nodded in agreement.

Based on your behavior in your hometown, the great reputation you made in Songcheng, and even when you first entered Yingtian Academy to confront the powerful Hanlin scholar Dou Chou, you did not suffer any losses.

I have indeed suffered a great injustice today, and I am powerless to do anything about it for the time being.

"Does the Empress Dowager want to see what your policy essay is like?"

Song Xuan looked doubtful: "Your Majesty, isn't this against the rules? After all, there is the example of Emperor Taizong."

Zhang Maoze's lips curled up, and he almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

It turns out that Twelfth Brother really didn't look down on him, a eunuch; he even had to be wary of the Emperor.

Where can I go to reason with you!
Zhao Zhen hadn't expected Song Xuan to be so insistent on his opinion, and he comforted him, saying:

"Twelfth Brother, I'm going to see the exam papers with my own eyes anyway, so what difference does it make if it's a little earlier or a little later?"

Zhao Zhen was surprised that Song Xuan still insisted on his own opinion, and he actually admired him somewhat.

Song Xuan did not immediately hand in his paper just because the emperor himself had come to ask for it.

After all, this was a rule set by the ancestors, and as a subject, he had to abide by it.

This shows there are principles involved!
I like people with principles.

"Since Your Majesty has spoken, I may submit my paper."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhao Zhen nodded in satisfaction.

He told Song Xuan to roll up the scroll and not to leave the main hall in a hurry.

How do you feel about your writing?

Song Xuan rolled up his test paper and laughed:
"Play normally."

Zhao Zhen had a smile on his face.

If he performs as expected, it means that Twelfth Brother is very confident!

This statement made Zhao Zhen even more eager to know what he was going to write.

As Zhao Zhen left with Song Xuan's exam paper.

Wu Yu was somewhat bewildered.

How did the Emperor personally take away Song Huiyuan's examination paper?

The Emperor is certainly not an accomplice of Chen Yaozi!

So, could it be that Twelfth Brother's policy essay was so well written that His Majesty came to take a look in person?
Actually, Wu Yu wasn't the only one who saw it.

Quite a few students who were looking up in a daze nearby also saw this scene.

The question was too difficult, and I didn't have a solution for the time being.

Looking around, it's perfectly normal.

Just now, when the great Confucian scholar Liu Yun came over, he angrily turned and left, which was witnessed by everyone.

The fact that the emperor, dressed in a dragon robe, personally came to collect Song Xuan's examination paper was a great surprise to everyone.

For a moment, I was filled with doubt, wondering what had happened.

Song Xuan felt much lighter and more refreshed.

This time, we'll put Chen Yaozuo right on the hot seat. Let's see how long you can stay arrogant.

Regardless of whether he did it or not, Song Xuan felt that they should find the culprit and give him a good beating first.

Even if someone beats you up, you have to hold on to them tightly until they are unable to fight back before you beat someone else.

Since he had handed in the exam paper and had nothing else to do, Song Xuan went straight to sleep.

After all, after engaging in high-intensity activities, one needs to rest and recuperate.

Zhao Zhen didn't look at it first, but handed it to the Empress Dowager.

Liu E opened Song Xuan's paper; the paper was neat and the handwriting was beautiful.

In the entire Song Dynasty, there was no one else who could write in the style of Song Xuan.

The last time Liu E saw Song Xuan's policy essay on the management of the Yellow River, she thought his handwriting was quite beautiful.

It seems that it will become a unique style in the future – Song typeface!

Liu E then carefully examined Song Xuan's "profound insights".

Song Xuan wrote at the beginning that he would take the policies of the three dynasties as a reference.

His point was that no matter how much later emperors revived the dynasty, they could not have laid the foundation as well as the three founding emperors.

The text includes detailed accounts of Emperors Taizu, Taizong, and Zhenzong, as well as citations of certain cases.

There were several cases that Liu E had never heard of, but she did remember the cases from the recent Tiansheng era.

After all, it's entirely up to her to decide how to handle it.

Liu E even vaguely sensed that Song Xuan had mentioned his plan to rule as regent, which included the oppressive policies of the Three Commissioners, the troubles on the northwest border, and so on.

She was greatly surprised.

Because through this policy essay, Liu E felt that Song Xuan actually possessed a certain maturity and political acumen, which subtly aligned with the principles of political maneuvering.

Liu E read it three times and felt that Song Xuan had provided her with some ideas on governance.

She nodded slightly: "This child's writing is like the striking of metal and stone, clear and resonant."

"The laws and regulations are strict and cannot be easily changed, which is the essence of the founding of the country by Emperor Taizu."

"What is even more commendable is that he understands the principle of combining firmness and gentleness, unlike those scholars who only know how to rigidly adhere to dogma."

Empress Liu turned to Emperor Zhao Zhen with a meaningful expression:
"Sixth Brother, if this man is used well, he can become a pillar of the court; if he is not used well, he may become the second Kou Zhun."

Just now, the mother and son were talking about Kou Zhun, and now that they've brought it up again, Zhao Zhen was a little confused.

"Take a look too."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhao Zhen sat down and began to look at Song Xuan's exam paper.

Empress Dowager Liu's comments about Song Xuan alone made Liu Yun and Sun Shi both look around, hoping to catch a glimpse of his words.

However, they were obstructed by the eunuchs around the emperor.

If the examiners were to grade the papers and easily learn Song Xuan's content, Chen Yaozi's accomplices would inevitably be involved.

After all, the three Chen brothers had served as officials in the imperial court for many years and had deep roots in the government.

Otherwise, this wouldn't have happened right under everyone's noses.

It's truly a case of being blind to one's own shortcomings.

Everyone thought that no one would dare to cause trouble during the grand event of the imperial examination, but things often go wrong unexpectedly.

Nothing is permanent!

Yan Shu was also curious about what Song Xuan had written that would elicit such a comment from Empress Dowager Liu.

Yan Shu felt that Song Xuan's policy essay this time was not radical at all; on the contrary, it was quite conservative.

It should be noted that Empress Dowager Liu's ruling style was rather conservative.

She would rather do nothing than make a mistake and give others ammunition to criticize her for ruling as regent.

Yan Shu was a smart man, and he had spent a long time in contact with Song Xuan, so they had a basic understanding of each other.

If Song Xuan wanted to use strategic deception to deceive Yan Shu, he would have to go through a lot of trouble.

However, others were not as clever as Yan Shu, nor did they understand Song Xuan as well as Yan Shu did.

Therefore, they were easily led astray by Song Xuan, becoming his tools to achieve his goals.

Zhao Zhen looked at Song Xuan's article, which was eloquent and well-reasoned.

Like Liu E, he was extremely surprised by Song Xuan's extensive use of the subject.

Putting aside those cases, even regarding the words of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, Zhao Zhen didn't know if they had ever said them.

After all, he had just ordered the compilation of the Veritable Records of the Three Reigns this year, in order to commemorate the teachings of the previous emperors.

As a result, Song Xuan directly used the methods of the previous emperors to teach himself how to handle government affairs.

That's just too clever!
Even Zhao Zhen himself didn't expect this.

So it turns out I can learn from my predecessors how to be a good emperor?

Because he had always done what Liu E had instructed him to do.

But his own mother was not the real emperor, so how could she understand the ways of the emperor?
Zhao Zhen began to read it a second time, noting that even the hardest metal and stone would crumble if it lacked resilience.

“I attend to state affairs every day and see the Empress Dowager, along with Chancellor Wang and Chancellor Lü, making decisions on all matters. How could I not wish to become a great emperor like them?”

"Unfortunately, the time for him to assume personal rule is probably a long way off."

Because Zhao Zhen discovered that his mother held onto power very tightly, and it was unlikely that it would be handed over to him unless she passed away.

Zhao Zhen understood that the time was not yet right, so he could only engrave the word "patience" in his heart!
"Twelfth Brother is again bringing up the old stories of Kou Zhun and Wang Dan, which is clearly what he is saying."

Zhao Zhen immediately pursed his lips, afraid of making the slightest sound.

He glanced at his mother instinctively, then spoke:

"Your Majesty, I think Song Xuan's policy essay is excellent. I'm afraid no one can write it better than him."

Liu E looked at Zhao Zhen: "Does Your Majesty mean to appoint Song Xuan as the top scholar in court right now?"

“That is indeed the case.” Zhao Zhen mustered his courage: “I think Song Xuan’s policy proposal is very well-organized and makes a lot of sense.”

Liu E nodded slightly; she thought so too.

However, considering that the favor bestowed upon Song Xuan should come from her own efforts, she did not immediately agree.

Listening to the conversation between the mother and son, Sun Shi suddenly spoke up:
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, this matter needs to be considered carefully. At least let this old man, the chief examiner, take a look."

"Alright."

Liu E expressed her agreement.

She felt that Song Xuan's selection as the top scholar was in her best interest.

Lü Yijian's faction definitely needed someone to keep them in check.

But at the same time, it can avoid major conflicts.

Empress Liu wanted to make Lü Yijian obedient, not to allow him to become too powerful to control.

After all, we need to use these people ourselves.

If Song Xuan were selected as the top scholar, he would have enough status but not enough official rank, which would certainly help him achieve his goal.

Once the goal of putting Lu Yijian's faction in check is achieved, Song Xuan will be sent out to gain experience and gain more experience.

This can both show favor and prevent them from entering the central government too early.

Get more in one fell swoop.

Liu E quickly devised a plan to use and arrange for Song Xuan.

After all, in the Song Dynasty today, Empress Liu is the player, and everyone else is just a pawn.

However, some scholar-officials and emperors were unwilling to be pawns and wanted to be players themselves.

Liu E's goal was to suppress all those who wanted to become chess players.

Let them obediently serve as your pawns!
Sun Shi was looking at Song Xuan's exam paper when two heads popped up on either side of him.

Liu Yun and Yan Shu also came to see.

After all, the emperor was going to name Song Xuan the top scholar, so what was there to worry about at this point?
Yan Shu nodded to himself, realizing he had guessed correctly.

Song Xuan is a clever fellow; his methods of governance are written in such a conservative way, which suits Empress Dowager Liu's taste perfectly.

Furthermore, given the detailed citations, it would be a waste of his talent not to appoint him as the top scholar, as he was being targeted by "Chen Yaozi's cronies"!
Sun Shi couldn't help but exclaim in amazement:
“I am unaware of these cases, so how could he possibly know them?”

Liu Yun was also incredulous:

"Indeed, could it be that he is quite interested in the criminal law of the Song Dynasty?"

"Song Twelve has already memorized the laws of the Great Song Dynasty."

Yan Shu's words startled the two great Confucian scholars of the time, who both turned to look at him.

Song Xuan studied Confucian classics, and the imperial examinations also tested Confucian classics. His teacher was also the one who taught him Confucian classics!

How can I memorize all the laws of the Song Dynasty?

Could it be that he is outwardly Confucian but inwardly Legalist?
That's a bit "heretical"!
Liu E's eyes were filled with surprise:

"really?"

Yan Shu nodded with absolute certainty:
"Of course it's true."

Liu E was still somewhat incredulous, because she thought, who would want to read about the laws of the Song Dynasty for no reason?

So boring and dull, and what's so interesting about solving cases?

“I’ve even asked him for help when solving cases. Song Twelve has a very thorough understanding of the law, and every time the court issues a gazette, he sends someone to copy it from the capital city. He even collects the gazettes of the previous emperors.”

"I think these cases must have appeared in the official gazette, which is why Song Xuan remembered them."

With Yan Shu's supplementary explanation, Liu Yun and Sun Shi nodded in agreement.

"The fact that he wrote this policy essay shows that he had really done in-depth research, and it was not just empty talk on paper."

Because he also criticized Emperor Zhenzong for spending money on the "Heavenly Book Movement" and the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai in his later years, though he only mentioned it briefly.

But Liu E would be very happy to see it.

It was she who ordered the abolition of these movements!

"I still don't quite believe he can remember the laws of the Song Dynasty."

Liu Yun shook her head: "Just looking at it gives me a headache."

"what is this?"

Yan Shu chuckled and said, "Song Xuan's good friend Zhang Fangping has a photographic memory. We can only envy such a talent."

"Photographic memory?"

Even Empress Liu found this unbelievable!
Did the Song Dynasty really produce so many extraordinary students at the same time?
(End of this chapter)