A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 282 A Ten-Thousand-Word Letter

Zhang Shide picked up Song Xuan's letter and read it carefully.

After a long pause, he finally spoke:

"People's hearts have truly deteriorated!"

“In the past, Chen Yaozuo was framed and demoted because his brother Chen Yaosou offended people by upholding justice, but he was still able to face it calmly.”

"Now that he holds a high position, he actually allows his brother to do such a wicked thing."

Zhang Shide let out a long sigh:

"The fact that such a person holds a high position only shows that there are more and more evil people mingling in the court."

Fan Zhongyan nodded slightly.

Now that he knows about this, he can't just ignore it.

So he asked Zhang Shide to help him turn away some students who came to ask him questions.

He was to carefully write a memorial and present it to His Majesty to set the record straight.

"Write, write."

Zhang Shide stood up, leaning on his cane, and said:
"My body is only fit to do these kinds of chores now."

Say it.

Zhang Shide slowly helped Fan Zhongyan close the door.

Fan Zhongyan sat in his chair, held his breath and concentrated for a while, before suddenly opening his eyes, picking up a brush, dipping it in ink, and beginning to write a ten-thousand-word memorial.

……

"Is this the Song family's residence?"

The messenger stood at the door, but it was Uncle Song Lin who heard the sound and spoke up:

"Is something wrong?"

"I am delivering a message for Scholar Song."

"Song Dynasty's top scholar?"

Song Lin knew that Song Xuan and his two brothers were going to Tokyo to take the provincial examination this year, and if they did well, they could become Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

What's the story behind this top scorer?

Song Lin had wanted to take over Song Xuan's cold drink shop for a long time.

Upon hearing the words "Song Zhuangyuan," I prayed in my heart that it wouldn't be him.

Even Song Hao.

This boy has always been personally tutored by Song Qi, the magistrate of Songcheng County, and he is practically the top scholar in the imperial examination.

In this way, Song Hao's chances of becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination would be greatly increased.

Just as Song Kang had finished mentally preparing himself, his father came out leaning on his cane: "What top scholar?"

Grandpa Song knew that several of his younger relatives had gone to Tokyo to take the imperial examinations, and that the results were out so quickly?
"May I ask if this gentleman is the ancestor of the Song family?"

"Exactly."

The messenger hurriedly offered his congratulations, saying that your twelfth son had been personally selected by the Emperor as the top scholar in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era of the Great Song Dynasty.

He is now the youngest scholar to achieve the highest honors in the Song Dynasty, having won all three top honors in the imperial examinations.

He truly is a literary star descended to earth.

It was an honor for me to deliver the letter for him.

Old Master Song was shaking with excitement:
"Is this really true? Don't try to fool this old country bumpkin."

"Who would dare to lie to you, sir!"

The messenger was all smiles.

Old Master Song took the letter, carefully examined the cover, and then immediately gave the instructions:
"Please have a simple meal at my home, my little brother. You must be tired from your journey."

"You go and entertain them."

Song Lin had not yet fully accepted the fact that Song Xuan had become the top scholar, but upon hearing his father's instructions, he immediately agreed and asked the messenger to go and rest, and to inquire about the specific details.

Grandpa Song excitedly clutched Song Xuan's letter, then went into the house, carefully examined it for a moment, and then cautiously opened it.

In his letter, Song Xuan reported his own results and also mentioned Song Hao and Song Ming's, but he didn't know if they would pass the palace examination.

Old Master Song chuckled. In fact, with a grandson like Song Xuan who had achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, the Song family's status in the local area would rise dramatically.

Even the magistrate of Ningling County would have to personally visit to offer his congratulations, which would be considered one of his achievements.

As for his other two grandsons, he naturally hoped they would also be on the list of successful candidates.

In this way, all three Song brothers passed the imperial examination, which will be recorded in the county annals.

Old Master Song even thought that once Song Xuan became a high-ranking official, he might be able to earn himself some kind of honorary title or reward.

Previously, officials were granted titles for one generation, but as the Song Dynasty became more generous to its officials, the title was extended to three generations.

When someone dies, it's called a gift.

The first thing was to announce the good news, and the second thing was about his marriage.

When Old Master Song learned that Song Xuan had been recruited as a son-in-law by Cao Liyong, the Privy Councilor of the court, he naturally had no objections.

Anyway, the grandson makes the decisions in these matters.

Besides, he had heard of Cao Liyong's reputation.

In addition to the position of Privy Councilor, what is there for our humble Song family to complain about?
That is, the family has a few acres of poor land, a relatively large population, and some cousins ​​who work as minor officials in the county government.

Only in this way can the entire clan pool their resources to run a small private school.

The old man felt ashamed when he thought about how his son was a gambling addict and that he would have to attend his grandson's wedding.

Immediately afterwards, Song Xuan explained his father's situation in the letter.

If this matter gets out, someone might set a trap for his father and brothers.

I hope that my grandfather can discipline them strictly.

Finally, if you find this matter difficult, you can ask Chief Cao for help and have him send someone to keep an eye on their movements.

Old Master Song read the letter five times before finally putting it down.

Because there are some words he doesn't recognize.

Old Master Song called his grandson over and asked him to go to Lema Town and invite Chief Cao over.

Chief Cao is still half-dead. The last time he met with Old Master Song was when Song Xuan first arrived in Song City and went to prison.

As a result, this guy fed and drank well, which left the Hanlin Academician of the court helpless, and in the end, he even forced him to hang himself.

At that time, Chief Cao already knew that Song Xuan was ruthless and capable of great things in the future.

Song Cheng's adopted son, Qu Ze, would also report to him from time to time about the situation.

Nowadays, there are hardly any impoverished households left in Songcheng.
He was somewhat surprised to hear that Old Master Song had invited him.

But he immediately ordered people to carry him to the appointment.

Although Chief Cao made money, he didn't buy any new clothes; they were still tattered and worn.

Upon entering, he found a sumptuous feast and fine wine.

"What great news is it?"

Chief Cao chuckled and said, "My disciple told me to drink less, to save my life for when he makes his fortune."

Old Master Song poured him a glass of wine:

"Brother Cao, can you read?"

"I don't recognize many of them."

"Then take a look at this letter."

Chief Cao recognized that it was written by Song Xuan.

He was immediately invigorated; he had passed the imperial examination so quickly.

Apart from this matter.

What else could be worth having a big meal?

After reading it, a question appeared in Chief Cao's eyes:

"He was named the top scholar in court!"

"Winning three yuan in a row?"

"My disciple, he is so amazing!"

"Hahahaha!"

Chief Cao laughed so hard that tears streamed down his face.

"It's time to drink, and of course, we should celebrate in style."

The two old men clinked glasses and felt an unprecedented sense of comfort.

"I hope Brother Cao can take my unfilial son's matter to heart."

Grandpa Song sighed deeply: "Fortunately, my grandson is a good man and did not follow in the footsteps of his father and brothers."

"Leave this matter to me."

If Cao hadn't known that his parents were dead, he wouldn't have been able to hold his official position for another two or three years.

He really will kill Song Xuan's gambling-addicted father.

"Don't worry, Brother Song, I will have people watch over them day and night. If all else fails, after Shierlang's wedding, we will find a pretext to lock him up in prison without his father having to intervene."

"Uh, sigh."

Old Master Song could only sigh.

He broke his grandson's leg in an attempt to stop him from going to the gambling den and force him to quit gambling.

Unfortunately, even the cane couldn't stop him from heading to the gambling den.

"It's all because I, as the father, am not ruthless enough that my third son has become such a gambler."

"The past is the past."

Chief Cao picked up a piece of food and smiled, "The younger generation is doing well, and we older folks can't hold them back."

"good."

The two exchanged a smile and said nothing more.

In any case, Song Xuan's passing the imperial examination with top honors was enough to make them happy for a long time.

The fact that they immediately wrote to inform Song Xuan of any good news showed that they held a place in Song Xuan's heart.

This is what truly moved them both.

……

The people of Dongjing City have been talking about Song Xuan proving himself with his abilities and winning the top scholar title these past few days.

Even the rats in the sewers of Ghost Fanlou were talking about this.

It's as if anyone who doesn't know this is out of touch with the times and will be ridiculed.

The Song Dynasty highly valued scholars.

In addition, both the government and the public have a fondness for child prodigies.

Song Xuan passed the imperial examination with top honors at a young age, which immediately inspired many parents to urge their sons to take Song Xuan as a role model.

It can be said that ever since Song Xuan was named the top scholar on the spot, the people of Dongjing City couldn't stop talking about him, and he became a hot topic for a long time.

The brothels in Tokyo also spread the word, hoping that the top scholar Song would come and visit.

Sun Yang's official store directly advertised this.

It is said that when the top scholar of the Song Dynasty finished the provincial examination, he ate at their shop and paid the bill very generously.

Sun Yang Zhengdian even offered a separate menu featuring the top scholar.

This naturally attracted a large number of followers who came to Sun Yang's main store to sample the champion's menu.

Although most of them had never met Song Xuan, they could still feel a sense of satisfaction from tasting the dishes that the top scholar had eaten.

The Song Dynasty had a strong commercial atmosphere.

The owners of these shops that have made their mark on history are no fools; they know how to seize every trending topic to attract business for themselves.

In no time, countless people followed suit.

Many shops and vendors use the slogan "Even the top scholar of the Song Dynasty said it was delicious."

It's as if Song Xuan has eight hundred stomachs.

He does nothing all day but eat his way from one end of the street to the other, and then from one street to another.

Or perhaps the top scholar Song bought something from me.

"Even the top-scoring students who used it say it's great!"

Even the girl with the door half-closed claimed that she was the top scholar of the Song Dynasty and everyone who used her said she was good.

Regardless of whether Song Xuan actually ate there or not.

Anyway, there are indeed people willing to become like-minded with the top scorer!

So much so that the girl was almost overwhelmed with business.

Such pleasures.

It is not something that can be told to outsiders.

All of these factors contributed to Song Xuan's immense popularity among the people of Bianjing (Kaifeng).

Not only ordinary people, but also many scholars were once envious.

The fact that Song Xuan was targeted by high-ranking officials but was able to launch a counterattack is truly inspiring.

Who doesn't want to be the top scorer in the imperial examination?

The fortune-telling stalls at Daxiangguo Temple were packed with people.

After all, Song Xuan had indeed had his fortune told there.

Moreover, the fortune teller had predicted that five prime ministers would walk past me on a single day.

It was even widely publicized!
Song Xuan had already revealed himself, but the other four people who were with him that day were completely unaware and were all guessing who it was.
I don't know if they're married or anything like that.

Some people were even secretly monitoring Song Xuan's classmates, hoping to find their daughters a future prime minister as husbands so that their families could benefit from his good fortune.

People like Zhang Fangping were all included in the list of those vying for a son-in-law.

As for Fanlou, it doesn't need to use Song Xuan in its advertising.

People thought that a top scholar like Song Xuan would eventually come to their shop to see what he was capable of.

How could Fanlou possibly go to the same lengths to attract customers as other shops?
Officials have visited our shop several times.

Their reputation has stood the test of time.

If we publicly address Song Xuan, wouldn't that be beneath us?

"The emperor values ​​heroes, and literature teaches you all."

"Of all professions, only studying is noble."

This poem vividly illustrates the relationship between the Song Dynasty court and the scholar-officials, as well as the social status of the scholar-officials.

It's perfectly normal for Song Xuan to be so popular.

In the Song Dynasty, a person's political identity and social status could be obtained through reading.

This is a completely new concept.

Before the Song Dynasty, there was a lack of practical conditions and social foundation for the formation of this concept.

Starting from the Song Dynasty, the personal experience of benefiting from the government's promotion, and the reality that "the court was full of nobles, all of whom were scholars," all contributed to this.

Like spring rain falling on the soil, it nourishes and fosters the dreams of generations of commoners and scholars.

This glory and dream constantly inspire their ambition.

It is undeniable.

Profit.

It's a temptation for anyone.

However, not all scholars in ancient China were solely driven by profit.

It is like the relationship between "tool" and "way".

Many of them used the imperial examination as a "tool" to realize their ideals.

Since ancient times, Chinese scholars have carried in their blood a sense of responsibility to the world.

Due to factors such as the objective environment and the policies of the rulers, this sense of responsibility prevented many scholar-officials from fully realizing their potential in many periods.

During the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, powerful clans and aristocratic families were the main players on the political stage.

"The highest ranks have no poor families, and the lowest ranks have no noble families."

This aristocratic system and its lingering influences continued into the Tang Dynasty.

This made it difficult for most scholar-officials to "serve the world when they are successful," so they had to turn to "cultivating their own virtue when they are unsuccessful."

As a result, some people retreated to the mountains and forests, taking the opposite of actively engaging in worldly affairs, and became hermits.

There were many people in the Song Dynasty who chose to live in seclusion in famous mountains.

There are those who are upright and unconventional, elegant and refined, as well as those who take shortcuts to obtain high-ranking official positions and generous salaries.

For example, Zhong Fang, who was twelve years older than Lin Bu, pretended to be a hermit while secretly seeking official positions. He eventually gained the attention of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Zhenzong of Song and became a remonstrating official in the court.

Lin Bu, however, never considered taking the "shortcut to Zhongnan Mountain." He was genuinely and thoroughly hidden from the world.

Fan Zhongyan wrote him a letter just a few days ago.

When Fan Zhongyan was serving as the magistrate of Xinghua, he went to Hangzhou for tourism.

He invited three or five friends to visit Lin Bu, but they couldn't take a boat because of the heavy rain.

Fan Zhongyan wrote the poem "On Making an Appointment to Visit Lin Chushi, But It Was Delayed by Rain" with great regret.

This Lin Bu was known as the "Prime Minister in the Mountains." For two years, during the fifth year of the Tiansheng era, Emperor Renzong of Song sent people to visit and comfort him.

The phenomenon of hermits in ancient China, in a sense, can be seen as a distorted form of liberation that arose under extreme political repression.

Of course, the idea of ​​taking a shortcut to Zhongnan Mountain is also indispensable.

The great upheavals at the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties period thoroughly eradicated the remaining corrupt clan mentality.

In the Song Dynasty, the conflicts between officials and commoners that were common in Tang Dynasty political life were virtually nonexistent.

The powerful clans have really been almost wiped out.

Furthermore, the constant changes of regimes during the Five Dynasties period disrupted the established political order and broke up the traditional political structures.

It is also impossible to form the kind of solid political factions based on "disciples and former officials" that emerge during peacetime.

This provided the vast majority of scholar-officials with a relatively equal opportunity and possibility to enter officialdom.

From the emperor's subjective intentions, the Zhao Song Dynasty, in view of the drawbacks of the aristocratic politics of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the group politics of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the military politics of the Five Dynasties, and in addition, did not have much of the halo of "divine right of kings".

Therefore, this regime, which was also established through usurpation, chose and formulated a political strategy that could most broadly win over the scholar-officials.

Let them all participate in politics, so as to strengthen the loyalty of the scholar-officials to the regime.

This is what is meant by "governing the world with the scholar-officials".

These words not only conveyed the pride and confidence of a generation of scholar-officials, but also served as a reminder to the monarch that we were collaborators with this regime.

It's a completely new version of the relationship between ruler and subject!

At present, the scholar-official class is extremely satisfied with the Zhao Song Dynasty.

This satisfaction inspired more people to change their fate through studying and taking the imperial examinations.

Although Lü Yijian explained the path he was certain of to the Chen brothers.

The brothers also sent people to spread rumors that Song Xuan had allegedly cheated in the imperial examination, but these rumors were not particularly prominent amidst the collective praise for Song Xuan.

The fact that Song Xuan could cheat in the palace examination is clearly a rumor spread by the Chen brothers.

Isn't this an insult to us, calling us fools?
Especially since you brothers Chen dared to cause trouble during such a grand imperial examination, you are disrespecting the emperor, and the next step will be to bully orphans and widows.

Is the next step to usurp power and seize the throne?

This is a topic that even the Song Dynasty couldn't touch!

Because Zhao Kuangyin knew very clearly the path he had taken, he was determined not to let anyone who came after him repeat it.

In addition, some busybodies revealed Song Xuan's family background.

His mother remarried, his father was a gambling addict, his eldest brother was adopted out, his second brother was a gambling addict, his stepmother also divorced his father, leaving behind his younger sister.

Song Xuan used to be Xiao Zhou Chu from his hometown.

After being encountered by Yan Shu, the prefect of Yingtian, he was persuaded to take the entrance exam for Yingtian Academy.

Song Xuan turned over a new leaf!
Most people feel that they could never achieve what Song Xuan has accomplished in his position.

In comparison, public opinion was not in favor of the Chen brothers at all.

Some busybodies even threw rotten eggs and poured excrement at the Chen family.

Tokyo City is full of philandering rich kids and audacious, impoverished people.

Anyway, there are all sorts of versions of the rumor.

However, the villains in all of this were the Chen brothers. Amidst the public outcry, officials naturally impeached Chen Yaozi.

That was Cheng Kan, the loser who was Song Xuan's competitor.

He had a good relationship with Cao Liyong; otherwise, he wouldn't have been recommended to be Cao's son-in-law.

This was something Cao used to subtly instruct Cheng Kan to impeach him.

However, Liu E kept the memorial without sending anyone to investigate it.

Because there's no evidence in this kind of situation, it's not appropriate to say anything.

Empress Liu was not trying to favor the Chen brothers; it's just that political struggles are not a one-off affair.

It is a case of "a single hair can affect the whole body".

Liu E decided when and who to take action against; it was her own decision.

Instead of being led by the nose by others.

Song Xuan's affairs have become a hot topic in Tokyo.

Her subconscious thought was that someone was secretly pushing things along.

This situation, which was beyond her control, made Liu E feel irritable.

Therefore, she subconsciously held back her decision, waiting for the right opportunity to make a decision.

Most importantly, it did not affect Song Xuan's grades.

He remained the top scholar in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era, and was personally selected by His Majesty in court.

This is something that even Empress Liu E could not easily change.

Even if the Empress Dowager were to rule as regent, she could not arbitrarily change what the emperor said in public.

Otherwise, if the emperor loses all his authority, who will respect him in the future?

At least on the surface, Liu E, as the emperor's mother, had to take the initiative to uphold the emperor's authority.

At the same time, it is also to maintain her legitimate rule.

Of course, there was no shortage of discussion about Cao Yong.

After all, he had snatched away a son-in-law who had passed the imperial examinations three times in a row.

For this reason, Song Xuan also refused the marriage proposals from the current prime minister, Lü Yijian, and Zhang Shixun.

Where should we talk about it?

Cao Liyong was extremely influential!

Cao Cao's actions, in particular, were the envy of many military families.

It seems that Cao Liyong will truly become a member of a family of generals for generations to come.

If his grandson were to prove himself, perhaps he too could be encouraged by Song Xuan to pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi.

Many military families want to switch from military to civilian positions.

Unfortunately, all of them were complete failures.

It might just be that there's no atmosphere like that in the family.

Cao Liyong relayed a message to Song Xuan, saying that it wasn't just members of Cao Bin's family who wanted to know whether Song Xuan would teach students.
They're so eager to improve!

They were willing to raise their descendants to be scholars.

After all, it wasn't a secret that Song Xuan would be an official in Tokyo.

He'll most likely be a low-ranking official with no particularly important duties; his job will mainly be to accumulate seniority.

In particular, the official system of the Song Dynasty was very bloated, with several people in one position. How much work could you possibly be in charge of?

In the Song Dynasty government, anyone who went to get off work and left work normally was considered a "scratching" official!
Most officials are late or leave early.

There are even quite a few who openly drink and throw parties.

So what if the censor impeaches me? The emperor doesn't care. Who do you think you are?

Most officials are like careless dogs going to work at the cultural center, deliberately arriving two hours late, and they're still the first ones to arrive.

Song Xuan currently has little interest in educating the children of military generals; he is currently considering taking on the position of magistrate of Kaifeng County.

He looked at the letter in his hand, with an attachment of a lengthy letter written by Dean Fan Zhongyan.

Because of his own letter, Lao Fan wrote a lengthy and wicked memorial entitled "A Letter to the Regent," and the crucial point is that he is currently in mourning.

In addition, Lao Fan had grassroots experience and had communication with Lin Bu, the "Prime Minister in the Mountains," which helped him purify himself.

Therefore, the ten-thousand-word memorial immediately became a hot topic of discussion in the imperial court.

Not only that, but the story even reached the hermit Lin Bu, making him always want to see the details.

Unfortunately, I could not have it.

In fact, Fan Zhongyan was proposing targeted reforms to address the current problems in the Song Dynasty.

In Fan Zhongyan's view, no matter how good the Song Dynasty is now.

In reality, the country's overall strength has declined significantly, it is internally deficient, and it will not be able to develop in the long term, let alone resist powerful enemies.

Only through change can a nation's destiny endure.

Fan Zhongyan systematically proposed six reform measures: "strengthening the foundation of the state, enriching the people, valuing reputation and titles, preparing against barbarian tribes, suppressing treacherous and ambitious individuals, and clarifying the state's understanding."

In Song Xuan's view, these were all old topics, and Fan Zhongyan only gave general guidelines without providing specific operational instructions.

Many places are not very developed.

However, Fan Zhongyan actually served as a county magistrate and prefect, so he wrote about it in great detail.

Because county magistrates are generally appointed according to precedent.

Older people tend to think about their children and grandchildren, which can lead to selfishness. They often try to make a quick buck or exchange benefits whenever possible.

Anyway, there's not much hope for promotion, and I'll eventually retire.

The younger ones looked down on the low-ranking position of a county magistrate and saw no hope for the future, so they were passive in their work.

In this way, how can one effectively manage a region?

Although Fan Zhongyan is not that famous at present, he is only renowned in Yingtian Prefecture and some surrounding counties.

However, most of it comes from the mouths of some educated people.

Previously, the issue of students from Yingtian Academy dominating the list of successful candidates had been discussed by some officials, but it was only a small-scale discussion.

Later, Su Shi said that the thing he regretted most in his life was not getting to know Fan Zhongyan.

If Lao Fan had mentioned Su Shi's name once or twice in the article, it would have been an immense honor for him.

Now, taking advantage of the fact that Song Xuan, a student of Yingtian Academy, had become the top scholar in the imperial examination, Fan Zhongyan submitted a memorial of ten thousand words.

Therefore, Emperor Zhao Zhen immediately ordered Fan Zhongyan to come to the capital for a detailed discussion.

Song Xuan held the letter tightly. Since Old Fan had made such a comment in his ten-thousand-word letter that young people had no future as county magistrates, he was quite surprised.

He felt he could use this incident to secure the position of magistrate of Kaifeng County.

In this way, it can also serve as an endorsement for Lao Fan and encourage others to follow suit.

I, a top scholar who passed the imperial examinations three times in a row, am willing to serve as a county magistrate. What are you, a bunch of scholars who are not as good as me, complaining about?
Get more in one fell swoop.

Song Xuan smiled slightly, wondering if Lao Fan had arrived in Tokyo yet!

Fan Zhongyan actually arrived in Tokyo, but he did not meet the emperor; instead, he stayed at the post station.

He had just seen off the people who came to make peace.

This was also at Lü Yijian's secret behest; nowadays, both the common people and officials have grievances against the Chen brothers.

This will hinder the future promotion of the two brothers.

It would be best to find someone to mediate and put the matter aside. In a year or two, they will have a chance to move up in the ranks.

Otherwise, this potential problem cannot be ruled out, and it will inevitably be brought up when their promotion is proposed.

The political implications still need to be considered.

If the Chen brothers cannot be promoted, it will delay Lü Yijian's plans.

As for what happens next and how the Guo family deals with Song Xuan, that's none of his business.

Fan Zhongyan put his hands behind his back, not in a hurry to find Song Xuan, and left himself an address.

The top ten candidates had to be personally approved by the emperor, and there were also appointments to official positions. During the palace examination, the emperor personally presided over the reading of names, which was considered an honor for those who passed the imperial examination.

Zhao Zhen looked at the roster sent by the Ministry of Personnel.

As for the official position of Grand Judge, there's no need to pay any attention to it.

He frowned when he saw that the actual official positions offered to Song Xuan were the Prefectural Judge and the Military Advisor.

Was this not intentional?

Chen Yaozuo is now the Prefect of Kaifeng, and Chen Yaozi worked there for several years, so it's inevitable that he has a few confidants.

What are their intentions in sending Song Xuan there to work?
Enraged, Zhao Zhen didn't even finish reading before looking up at Wang Zeng beside him: "Prime Minister Wang, who arranged Song Twelve's official position?"

Wang Zeng walked over and looked around before speaking:

"Your Majesty, this must have been done by officials of the Ministry of Personnel according to custom. Minister Lü, is that so?"

Lu Yijian quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has already seen this matter."

Zhao Zhen leaned back in his chair and nodded:

"I understand."

Lu Yijian was unsure of what the emperor was saying.

Wang Zeng understood what they were doing, but he did not intend to help them at this time.

Song Xuan was a talented man, but he also had a strong sense of pride.

It still needs to be polished a bit more before it can mature.

Under his watchful eye, the Chen brothers dared not do anything too outrageous.

Has Fan Zhongyan arrived in Tokyo?

"Reporting to Your Majesty, we have arrived."

"Very well, then summon Fan Zhongyan and Song Xuan together. I think their ideas are quite good."

"Here."

Wang Zeng and Lü Yijian certainly knew about Fan Zhongyan's ten-thousand-word memorial, but they just happened to call Song Xuan into the palace, and they couldn't figure out why.

Lü Yijian felt that the Emperor seemed to be biased towards Song Xuan.

After all, Song Xuan's official position, placed in such a substantive post, was extremely good for training people.

It would be acceptable anywhere!

Even if Fan Zhongyan passed the imperial examination, he would only be assigned to Guangde Army as a military advisor, in charge of litigation and case matters, holding the rank of ninth grade.

These scholars who passed the imperial examinations did not start from a high level.

Song Xuan remained in the capital, holding the rank of seventh grader, and even his position as a judge was only a sixth-grade official.

The other successful candidates could only look on with envy!

It should be noted that Fan Zhongyan passed the imperial examination ahead of schedule and served for many years, but he was only a local magistrate of the eighth rank.

As soon as Song Xuan became an official, his achievements were equivalent to Fan Zhongyan's years of diligent work at the grassroots level.

Fan Zhongyan is now almost forty years old and still only holds the rank of a minor official of the eighth grade.

How can the two of them be compared?
Because of his ten-thousand-word memorial, Fan Zhongyan was recommended by Wang Zeng and Yan Shu and had the opportunity to become a government official in the capital. However, he was then sent to a post outside the capital until Empress Dowager Liu passed away and the emperor took over the reins of government, at which point he was recalled.

Of course, Song Xuan was still somewhat inferior to Diao Guangdou, the chief criminal investigator of the Song Dynasty. He did not achieve the triple crown of the imperial examinations and was only a fifth-rank official when he first entered the officialdom.

If Chen Yaozuo hadn't become the Prefect of Kaifeng, these two official positions would have been extremely lucrative for Song Xuan.

However, Emperor Renzong (Zhao Zhen) did not see it as a lucrative post.

Placing Song Xuan in that position was a deliberate act of revenge against him.

However, Lü Yijian did not think highly of Fan Zhongyan's ten-thousand-word memorial.

That's just the opinion of a bookworm.

In their eyes, Song Xuan, the newly crowned champion, is a young man who always needs to be tempered before he can be used effectively!
After all, I went through the same thing myself.

Song Xuan looked at the eunuch who was delivering the imperial edict and felt that he looked very familiar.

"It's you?"

"It's me, Shi Zhicong."

Shi Zhicong bowed and said:

"It was thanks to the top scholar that I was spared death that day, and now I have been transferred to serve the emperor."

"In the end, someone wanted to harm me, and I was the one who was caught in the crossfire. I should apologize to you."

Song Xuan generously handed him a gold leaf: "Thank you!"

Shi Zhicong was stunned for a moment, because he had volunteered to do this job to thank Song Xuan.

Unexpectedly, Song Xuan thanked him instead.

"How can this be allowed?"

"Haha, once I officially become an official, this kind of thing won't happen anymore."

Song Xuan patted him on the shoulder: "After all, you helped me a lot. Otherwise, if you had lit it during the exam break, I would have really been infected."

Shi Zhicong did not refuse, after all, it was rumored that the top scholar Song was a generous and forthright person.

Now that we've met, it's indeed true.

Very few people have actually seen a golden leaf.

Shi Zhicong quickly told Song Xuan what he knew: that he was going to meet the emperor with Master Fan Zhongyan.

Another point is that he noticed the official's expression wasn't very pleasant when he saw Song Zhuangyuan's official title.

Song Xuan understood.

It must have been Lü Yijian who secretly exerted his influence; he was protecting his own people.

If you collude with the imperial court and don't protect your own people, who would want to associate with you?

Do you really think that Empress Guo was as stupid as a pig?

In Song Xuan's view, Prime Minister Wang Zeng's choice to remain on the sidelines was probably because he wanted to use himself to deal with Lü Yijian, and he was secretly pushing things along.

In the political arena, who has a pure heart?
So at the palace gate, after being searched, Song Xuan received the token he had been given in advance.

It was during the grand court assembly, when the emperor personally called out the names of those on the identity plaques.

This identity plaque is different from the one he wore when he took the imperial examination.

The Song people called the palace examination "Dan Chi Dui Ce," which means answering questions in front of a red-lacquered palace.

A few days before the palace examination, scholars would go to the bookstores entrusted by the government to pay a fee and receive a copy of "Imperial Examination Instructions". Then, the bookstore staff would lead them to the Ministry of Personnel, where each person would write their name and receive an examination number according to their provincial examination ranking.

The examination number was a white paper card signed and sealed by officials such as the Minister, Vice Minister, and Director, and it also recorded the name of the eunuch who supervised the palace examination at Chongzheng Hall on the day of the examination.

If the examination number is lost, one will not be able to enter the hall to take the exam.

Song Xuan looked at the number in his hand; it was still the same one he had used during the palace examination.

The only difference was the addition of the "Completed Examination at Chongzheng Hall" mark and a line of eunuchs' names and signatures.

You need to have this with you when the results are announced.

As Song Xuan was watching, he saw Fan Zhongyan get out of the carriage and walk towards the palace gate.

Song Xuan hurriedly went to greet him: "Hahaha, the dean is here!"

Fan Zhongyan also had a happy expression on his face. He had originally planned to prioritize public affairs over private matters and visit Song Xuan after fulfilling the emperor's summons. He never expected to meet him here.

"The youngest top scholar in the Song Dynasty."

Fan Zhongyan reached out and patted Song Xuan on the shoulder:

"Good! Twelfth Prince has finally achieved the highest honors in all three examinations and is on the right path. He has not disappointed us."

"Hehe, if I hadn't been tricked, I could have written a better essay for the imperial examination. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and didn't have time to polish it."

Fan Zhongyan nodded upon hearing this, but he didn't say anything more; he simply kept it in mind.

Besides, this matter is already over, so there's no use in feeling regretful anymore.

Only by seizing the present moment can we have a chance to change the Song Dynasty.

He took a deep breath and entered the palace gate to register for a body search.

Then he was led into the imperial city by a eunuch.

Only then did Fan Zhongyan inquire:

"Were you also summoned by the emperor?"

"Indeed, but I don't know what it is."

Song Xuan lowered his voice and said:
"Perhaps it's related to the dean's lengthy memorial."

Fan Zhongyan found it even stranger.

Although he had made a copy for Song Xuan, he believed that the Emperor was completely unaware of this matter.

Moreover, Song Xuan would not publicize it.

For a moment, Fan Zhongyan couldn't understand it, as he had never met the current emperor.

Because when he passed the imperial examination, it was Emperor Zhenzong who read his name aloud.

Fan Zhongyan understood the principle that too much talk leads to mistakes, and besides, this was the imperial palace, where the eunuch leading the way might have extremely sharp ears.

Some things cannot be said within the palace walls.

Liu E was not present in the main hall at this time.

She did not want to summon Fan Zhongyan because Empress Liu herself was rather conservative in her rule.

Moreover, she had no intention of changing things according to Fan Zhongyan's advice.

The officials of today are like children, their mentality is unstable, and they like to believe everything they hear. Let them listen to what they want and satisfy them a little.
Anyway, it's not going to be implemented.

Just as Empress Liu thought, Emperor Zhao Zhen, with his radical ideas, did indeed believe that Fan Zhongyan was genuinely thinking of the Song Dynasty.

His lengthy letter was very sincere and reasonable.

A detailed face-to-face discussion is necessary.

At this moment, only Zhao Zhen, Wang Zeng, and Lü Yijian were in the main hall.

Lü Yijian knew the Empress Dowager's intentions in advance, which is why he sent someone to talk to Fan Zhongyan.

Because he knew that Fan Zhongyan's trip to the capital was nothing more than a futile effort.

"Fan Zhongyan, the former magistrate of Xinghua County, met with Your Majesty."

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Song Xuan also bowed.

"No gift."

Zhao Zhen sized up Fan Zhongyan, who appeared mature and prudent.

Old Fan is not impulsive anymore at his age.

His second son, Fan Chunren, is estimated to be born in three months.

Fan Zhongyan was also sizing up the young emperor before him.

After all, in the minds of the scholar-officials, everyone was a collaborator.

He also wanted to see if the emperor was capable of taking responsibility.

Otherwise, his ten-thousand-word petition would not be implemented, and it would all be empty talk.

The Song Dynasty will not change, so how can it revitalize its national strength?
The two sized each other up for a moment, and then Zhao Zhen spoke first:
"I have read through all of Minister Fan's ten-thousand-word memorial, and it is very well written."

"The essay written by the top scholar I personally selected for the palace examination also touched upon the corruption of officialdom, so I asked him to come and take a look."

"Come here, give me a seat."

The master and apprentice thanked him, and Song Xuan took Fan Zhongyan's ten-thousand-word letter and pretended to read it.

Zhao Zhen gave Song Xuan time to go and see, and then looked at Fan Zhongyan and said:

"How does Fan Qing possess such insight?"

Fan Zhongyan then recounted his observations and experiences as an official, and through conversations with Lin Bu and Prefect Yan, he developed a framework in his mind.

He was extremely indignant when he heard that his students had suffered such injustice in the palace examination.

If this bad start is not rectified, will other localities follow suit in the future?

If rampant cheating occurs during the imperial examinations, who can guarantee that a second Huang Chao won't be created?
These words drew a sidelong glance from Song Xuan.

Straight bastard.

Old Fan wrote so euphemistically, but the words he uttered were so radical!
Although Wang Zeng greatly admired Fan Zhongyan, he was shocked to hear him make such bold statements so soon after their first meeting. He glanced at Song Xuan.

Because he remembered that Song Xuan seemed to have mentioned something about Huang Chao.

You can really tell they're from the same sect at a glance!

Lü Yijian shared the same view.

He originally thought Song Xuan was an isolated case, but it turned out that even the dean of Yingtian Academy spoke in this way.

Does that mean that almost all the other students at Yingtian Academy were also influenced by Fan Zhongyan?

(End of this chapter)