A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 285 The List of Prime Ministers in the Fifth Year of Tiansheng

It won't be long before Song Xuan changes into the new clothes bestowed upon him by the emperor.

Zhao Zhen sat back on the dragon throne and waited, without rushing to announce the second-place winner.

官家对于宋煊的厚爱，可是让满场之人都瞧见了。

Many people could even foresee that the Song family would rise and prosper because of Song Xuan.

Because there are precedents for this.

Such as the Lü family of Donglai (the family of Lü Mengzheng), the Han family of Zhending (the family of Han Yi), the Wang family of Sanhuai (the family of Wang Dan), and the Li family of Raoyang (Li Fang).

There were also some prominent families with military achievements, such as the Cao family of Zhending (Cao Bin).

Emperor Zhenzong once commented: Among the families of generals and ministers of our dynasty, only Li Fang and Cao Bin were able to establish themselves with their own reputation and not fall from their family lineage.

Li Fang's grandson, Li Zhaoshu, was the one who acted as a matchmaker for Cao Yong and was recommended and promoted by Cao Yong.

Empress Cao was not yet ten years old at this time.

Her father, Cao Qi, was Cao Bin's second youngest son. Later, it was Li Zhaoshu who acted as matchmaker and arranged for Li Shiheng's youngest son, Li Zhi, to marry Empress Cao.

After all, Cao Liyong was related to both the Cao family and the Li Shiheng family by marriage.

This marriage is a perfect match between close relatives, and both sets of parents agree to it.

However, Li Shiheng's youngest son, Li Zhi, disliked being an official and getting married; he only wanted to attain immortality.

So on their wedding night, Li Zhi claimed to Empress Cao that he saw thousands of ghosts and gods right in front of him, which frightened him so much that he jumped over the wall and ran away from the wedding, leaving home.

Empress Cao thus became a widow, and her father, Cao Qi, was so angered by this that he passed away.

When Emperor Renzong of Song was forced to choose a second empress, the dowry for his second empress, Cao, was prepared by his uncle, Cao Cong.

After all, the Song Dynasty had a very strong tradition of lavish dowries, and since everyone was going to become an empress, how could their dowry be small?

As a result, Cao Cong's family lived on borrowed money all the time.

Emperor Renzong of Song did not bestow any rewards upon the Cao family, and pretended not to know about the matter.

It wasn't until Gao Taotao was made empress that she began to actively reward the Cao family, enabling them to repay most of their debts.

At this moment, Cao Qi, the father of Empress Cao, looked at Cao Liyong's back with envy on his face.

Fortunately, he also has a daughter, and he plans to marry her off to a top scholar in the imperial examinations.

Cao was too preoccupied to notice the envious looks on others' faces.

Even if he was overjoyed in the main hall, he couldn't keep provoking others, otherwise he would be impeached by the censors.

Song Xuan was always served by several eunuchs, and he didn't even have to put on his own shoes; they were all dressed up for him.

Then, led by the eunuch, Song Xuan came out from the back hall again and greeted him once more.

Zhao Zhen nodded with satisfaction:

"The top scholar of the Song Dynasty is indeed full of heroic spirit, truly embodying the spirit of the people of our Great Song Dynasty!"

Empress Liu agreed with the emperor's boastful words.

To become an official.

Facial features are very important!
If Song Xuan wore a new official robe, he might appear even more dignified.

As soon as the emperor spoke, the civil and military officials who saw Song Xuan's attire also expressed their agreement.

After all, in social interactions, appearance is always the first thing that matters.

Song Xuan immediately bowed and said:
"Your Majesty praises me for my appearance, but I am filled with trepidation."

"In terms of the spirit of the Song Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan, who worried about the world's troubles before enjoying its pleasures, can serve as a model for all."

"Kou Zhun's strategy at Chanyuan was the pillar of the nation."

"I am willing to follow suit, not just to look on, but to do real work!"

"I would rather serve as a ladder, helping Your Majesty to reach greater heights and see the talents of the world brought into your fold!"

Who is Kou Zhun?

Needless to say.

Even though the name is now taboo in the court, the Treaty of Chanyuan is a feat that no one can ignore.

Fan Zhongyan has also been the subject of much discussion in the imperial court recently.

But what does Song Xuan mean by saying that his teacher was concerned about the world before enjoying himself?
I have never heard of such a statement.

However, these were probably just words that Fan Zhongyan used in his daily teachings to help his students remember.

Fan Zhongyan, also nearing forty, was still wearing his green official robes.

Because he became the emperor's "secretary," he was fortunate enough to stand in a corner of the main hall.

He never expected to hear his own name spoken by his students.

Because Fan Zhongyan was standing in a corner of the crowd, he didn't even recognize his colleagues from the same department.

His attempt to catch a glimpse of Song Xuan's dashing figure was also blocked by others.

At this moment, quite a few eyes were turned toward Fan Zhongyan, this minor official of the eighth rank.

Fan Zhongyan stood in the corner with a serious expression, without saying a word.

Old Fan never expected that in an event featuring Song Xuan as the main character, he would be actively promoting his reputation as a "master".

This made the other officials realize that Fan Zhongyan was truly capable.

Otherwise, how could the youngest top scholar in the history of the Song Dynasty mention Fan Zhongyan in a scene that belongs only to his own glory?
It can be said that Song Xuan and Fan Zhongyan were not only teacher and student, but also fellow townsmen.

Fan Zhongyan is observing mourning in Ningling County, and he will probably be buried there in the future.

Emperor Zhao Zhen was very satisfied with Song Xuan's courage.

He understood that Fan Zhongyan supported reform, which is why he publicly helped Fan Zhongyan gain fame.

He believed that after this imperial examination, Song Xuan, Fan Zhongyan, and the students of Yingtian Academy would once again become famous throughout the world.

Cao Yong nudged Zhang Qi, who was standing to the side, and told him to take a good look at what his son-in-law had said.

That really sounds inspiring!

Zhang Qi had become somewhat numb. Before Lao Cao revealed that he had a good son-in-law, there weren't so many underhanded dealings between the two sides.

However, ever since Song Xuan rose to prominence and dominated the imperial examinations, leaving no one in his class to rival him in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era.

Old Cao's tail couldn't help but wag.

She just had to flaunt it in front of him, a man who didn't even have a son-in-law.

Zhang Qi felt his head buzzing.

Yan Shu was not resentful, because he was a moderate person who did not like to show off too much.

宋煊没有提自己，就是最好的。

Chen Yaozi snorted inwardly. This kid is so glib at such a young age, he's really shameless!
Song Shou, who was also a Hanlin Academician, snorted softly upon hearing this, but remained silent.

Liu Yun glanced at Chen Yaozi, then looked at Song Xuan.

The fact that he was able to appoint Song Xuan as the top scholar in the imperial examination was enough to bring him a sense of satisfaction in his life.

Liu Yun was even planning to resign, hoping to promote Jia Changchao to replace him, because Jia Changchao was also extremely skilled at being a teacher.

Liu E remained expressionless; she disliked neither of the two people Song Xuan had mentioned.

It was simply because Liu E felt pleased with what Song Xuan had said, and it was also reasonable for her to express her determination to the Emperor by citing examples of certain individuals.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Zhen said, "I am glad you said that. I will not let you down."

Then, at the reminder of the Minister of Rites, the ceremony had to continue.

Song Xuan listened to Cao Liyong's invitation and went straight to the next spot.

Wang Zeng pulled his outstretched hand back.

That's it.

It's normal for him to be willing to stand with his father-in-law.

In the Song Dynasty, there was a significant gap between civil and military officials.

Cao couldn't suppress his smile as he looked at Song Xuan's gold hairpin and gold belt, feeling extremely smug.

Fortunately, Lao Cao was wearing a long-winged hat.

Otherwise, this space really wouldn't be enough for him to look around Song Xuan from both sides.

"Second place in the first division—Han Qi from Anyang County, Xiangzhou!"

After Zhao Zhen finished reading it, the eunuchs immediately began to spread the word.

Song Xuan also raised his eyes slightly; he really hadn't expected Han Qi to be able to achieve the second-highest score in the exam.

The sounds carried outside.

Han Qi was also somewhat bewildered.

He felt he did well on the exam, but there was a significant gap between his essay and Song Xuan's, and he never expected to get second place.

Han Qi followed Cai Qi's instructions and took the official road on the left. He should never follow Song Xuan's example and take the imperial road.

That was the emperor's preferential treatment of the top scholar.

Amidst the envious glances of the crowd, Han Qi entered the hall.

The civil and military officials in the hall had all heard of this name; he was also a student of Yingtian Academy.

Besides the exam results, it was Chen Yaozuo's attempt to forcibly take him as his son-in-law that caused such a stir, which led to the palace examination.

Even Han Qi's father-in-law, Cui Li, did not expect his son-in-law to do so well in the exam.

He was immediately overjoyed, and without caring about where he stood, he walked to the side and watched his son-in-law walk in step by step.

Cui Li knew about Song Xuan standing up for his son-in-law. Luckily, Song Xuan became the top scholar in the imperial examination; otherwise, the Cui family would have had a hard time repaying this favor.

Han Qi nodded to his father-in-law before walking over.

Zhao Zhen also encouraged him with a word, and then announced that he would be appointed as the Assistant Director of the Imperial Workshops and the Prefect of Zizhou, a sixth-rank official position.

It can be said that Song Xuan's position as a seventh-rank county magistrate in the capital was relatively well-paid.

Many officials who went to serve in local areas dreamed of being transferred back to Beijing to serve as officials in the capital.

Only in this way can one have the opportunity to reach a high position.

Xia Song, who had just been transferred to the position of Deputy Privy Councilor, first worked with Wang Dan on the daily records of the emperor's activities, and then spent nearly twenty years gaining experience outside the capital before being transferred back to the capital.

For civil officials, serving as Deputy Privy Councilor was usually a transitional position, as exemplified by Yan Shu.

Only after working according to the procedure for a period of time will one be promoted to Vice Minister of State Affairs.

Seeing Song Xuan standing to one side, Han Qi instinctively went over to him without waiting for Wang Zeng to call out to him.

Zhao Zhen didn't care about the positioning and directly announced the third place.

"Third place in the first class, Zhang Fangping from Songcheng, Yingtian Prefecture."

When Zhang Fangping walked out of the crowd, it truly felt somewhat unreal.

He walked excitedly along the official road, entered the palace, bowed, and was then appointed as a proofreader.

Zhang Fangping and Fan Zhongyan were both in the Secretariat, but Zhang Fangping's position was much better than Fan Zhongyan's.

Only the most outstanding among those who passed the imperial examination, or those with "extraordinary talent," could be granted this honor.

They belonged to the ranks of honest officials, with leisurely duties, generous benefits, rapid promotion, and a bright future, and were regarded as "a good choice for scholars to start their careers."

Then Zhang Fangping also stood next to Song Xuan.

The fourth and fifth place winners were also from Yingtian Academy: Wang Yaochen and Zhao Gai.

There are five people in the top tier.

They all came from Yingtian Academy.

Furthermore, the top three were all under twenty years old, which can be said to have set another record for the Song Dynasty.

Or rather, this year's list is a remarkable chapter in the history of the imperial examination system in China.

Zhao Zhen's arrangement was based on his own considerations. Leaving aside Song Xuan's strategy, the others were roughly equal in ability.

However, Wang Yaochen and Zhao Gai left no impression on Emperor Zhao Zhen.

Han Qi was the top scholar in the provincial examination and one of the five prime ministers mentioned in the divination.

Furthermore, his refusal to submit to the Empress Dowager's faction, and his refusal to reject his previous marriage for the sake of wealth and status, are sufficient to demonstrate his resolve.

Zhao Zhen sent him away to gain experience as soon as possible, while also reducing conflicts with the Chen family.

Zhang Fangping has a photographic memory; there is no other person like him in the world.

Such skills were something Zhao Zhen longed for, and he wanted to keep them by his side to learn from them.

From now on, he will be able to constantly remind himself that if he wants to ask something, Zhang Fangping will be able to just say it without thinking.

save time and energy.

What a great storage hard drive!

As for the other Wen Yanbo, his name didn't even appear in the top ten list. Even if Zhao Zhen wanted to rank him higher, he didn't have the chance.

In fact, Wang Yaochen knew he had no chance when he saw Song Xuan's policy essay.

But unexpectedly, he didn't even have a chance to be second, and ended up in fourth place.

Zhao Gai was indeed extremely excited; he had actually managed to rank first, it was simply pure luck!
Especially this year, these opponents are all very strong!
Zhao Gai's thinking was correct; the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era was indeed a golden age for talent.

It's known as the "Prime Minister List"!
It can be compared to the Millennium Dragon and Tiger List.

Wang Yaochen was appointed as a sub-prefect in a remote area, while Zhao Gai took over Song Xuan's position as a judge in Kaifeng Prefecture.

After the announcement of the top-ranked officials, Fan Zhongyan, a minor official dressed in a green robe, once again attracted attention.

After all, the excellence of the students he taught further highlighted the brilliance of Fan Zhongyan as the dean!
The people around him started to greet him, since this place was far from the center of the main hall, a corner within a corner.

Fan Zhongyan had not expected these students to do so well on the exam, and he simply gave a calm response.

He did not take credit for it.

The students at the academy did well in their exams, all thanks to their own hard work.

And their respective teachers diligently instructed them.

All I did was keep track of the general direction and occasionally explain Confucian classics to them to ensure they could study with peace of mind.

The fact that Yingtian Academy dominated the provincial examinations is truly astonishing.

However, topping the list in the imperial examination was enough to elevate Yingtian Academy to the position of the number one academy in the Song Dynasty.

Perhaps the money Song Xuan provides in the future won't be enough.

Next, Yingtian Prefecture will need to provide more funds to ensure that the money from the increasing number of students will continue to flow in.

Wang Zeng stroked his beard, looking at the newly appointed scholar who had been led astray by Song Xuan and was now standing next to Cao Liyong.

Yan Shu, as the Deputy Privy Councilor, also stood on that side.

Yan Shu also deserves credit for Yingtian Academy's current glory.

Wang Zeng didn't say anything more.

If they want to stand, then let them stand.

Hearing the praises from his ministers below, Zhao Zhen was momentarily flattered and immediately ordered that all the court painters be summoned.

Today's grand occasion must be recorded in its entirety.

Yan Shu watched as the newly appointed scholars chatted amongst themselves, even Cao Liyong, who had initially been showing off, stepped back. He was filled with emotion.

He never expected the result of today's imperial examination.

"Now we're really going to go down in history."

Hearing Zhang Fangping's words, Song Xuan couldn't help but laugh out loud:
"I never expected that five of our academy students would occupy the top spot."

"Yes."

Zhao Gai's face was full of excitement:

"In the future, when we serve as officials in the capital, we will need to help each other a lot and strive to achieve some political success to repay the emperor."

"You two shouldn't slack off while you're out of town!"

Song Xuan added a sentence.

He knew Han Qi was taciturn, but he could tell that Wang Yaochen's smile was forced.

After all, he came here aiming to be the top scorer. Even if he doesn't get the top score, it would be good if he ranked second or even third.

The result was fourth place, neither high nor low, which made him very unhappy.

"Ah."

Wang Yaochen gave a curt reply.

He felt he had wasted three years of his life and regretted it. He thought the previous year's competition had the two Song brothers, which was very strong, but he didn't expect that this year there was still Song Xiao, who was even stronger.

Not only were the civil and military officials inside the hall discussing it, but the students waiting in the square were also talking about it.

The top five students in the first-class ranking are all from Yingtian Academy!
Lu Lejian pounded his chest and stamped his feet: "I'm also from the academy, and I feel that my writing is quite good, so how come I didn't make it into the top class!"

Wang Tai chuckled: "Brother Bao, it's so bright outside today, perfect for daydreaming."

Bao Zheng laughed a few times, telling them to calm down.

The top five students in the first-class ranking all came from Yingtian Academy, which is a source of pride for them.

After all, we're all in this together.

However, when the eunuchs on the palace wall announced the top five to the people outside Donghua Gate, it immediately caused an uproar.

"The top five are all students from Yingtian Academy. Fan Zhongyan is really amazing."

"Yes, I also want to send my son to Yingtian Academy to study."

"The top three scholars were all under twenty years old, but unfortunately they were already married."

"what a pity!"

Li Junyou still brought Wang Yufeng to watch the excitement, and at this moment they listened to the eunuch's announcement.

“Look, the people around my cousin’s husband are also so outstanding.”

"Yes."

Wang Yufeng clicked his tongue twice:
"It's truly enviable."

Ouyang Xiu also remembered that he was one of the five prime ministers.

Upon hearing the names of Song Xuan and Han Qi, he secretly clenched his fist in the crowd. "I can't be any worse off in the future. I'll strive to achieve the highest honors in all three categories!"
The names of Bao Zheng, Wen Yanbo, Yu Zhouxun, Wang Tai, Wu Yu, Wu Kui, Tian Daocheng, Wu Jin, Lin Qi, Fan Xiang, Yu Gui, Xiao Ben, Fan Qi, Ruan Yi, Lü Lejian, and many others are all on the list.

Song Xuan didn't recognize most people.

Song Hao became increasingly nervous. He felt that his writing was alright, but how come his name hadn't appeared yet even after reading through the top five?

Song Ming's mindset was clearly much better than Song Hao's.

He felt his chances of making the list were slim, but he was already very happy to have passed the provincial exam.

Next time, I'll just follow Wang Yaochen and participate in the palace examination.

In this way, he will have three years of dedicated study on policy essays, which will surely enable him to pass the palace examination and become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

But Song Hao was different. He performed quite well in the preliminary and provincial examinations and always wanted to replicate the achievements of the Song brothers.

However, when Song Xuan was announced as the top scholar in court, he was somewhat devastated and even mentally unstable.

But you wouldn't have done so badly on the test, would you?
"Fifth Brother, there's no need to worry so much."

Song Ming noticed that his fifth brother, Song Hao, was even emitting white smoke from his head, which showed how extremely nervous he was.

Song Hao shook his head repeatedly, but his fingers clenched tighter and tighter.

He was not reconciled.

As the number of people increased, Fan Xiang became increasingly nervous. He looked at Zhu Yu beside him and said:

"Brother Zhu, even Wang Tai and others are on the list, why haven't they called your name yet?"

Whether it was the preliminary examination or the provincial examination, Zhu Yu's ranking was quite high.

Zhu Yu sighed:

"This policy essay is difficult for me; I didn't write it very well."

"Don't worry, even if your writing is just average, it will definitely be ahead of mine."

Fan Xiang clenched his fists, becoming even more nervous:

"But I must pass the imperial examination, otherwise not only will my future be ruined, but my marriage will also fall apart, and my life of wealth and luxury will be gone."

Zhu Yu patted him on the shoulder:

"Don't worry, you might be next."

"How could that be? You're still here."

Fan Xiang didn't believe Zhu Yu's words at all.

Immediately following was the voice of Fan Xiang from Sanshui, Binzhou, who ranked 172nd in the fifth class.

Fan Xiang almost lost his footing.

He staggered for a moment, then asked somewhat uncertainly, "Is it really me?"

"It really is you!" Zhu Yu helped Fan Xiang, who almost fell over, and said, "You can go now. Officials from the Ministry of Rites are calling your name over there."

Fan Xiang staggered out of the crowd, listening to Cai Qi's instructions, his whole being filled with extraordinary excitement.

The Shi brothers, who were also on guard duty, watched Fan Xiang, who was walking unsteadily, walk across the official road for the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), and their eyes revealed a strong sense of joy.

Song Twelve was right after all.

His classmates must be able to pass the exam.

Shi Yuansun, who had been watching from the corner, suddenly stood up and grabbed his subordinate who was with him:
"Was it Fan Xiang you just called out to?"

"Yes Yes Yes."

"Hahaha."

Shi Yuansun raised his hands and roared to the sky.

Then he started dancing around excitedly. If they weren't in the palace, he would have rushed out and picked up Fan Xiang.

What a wonderful brother-in-law!
Fan Xiang was so excited that he trembled all over. He then went to the main hall to pay his respects and was assigned to serve as an official in his hometown of Shaanxi.

Looking at the extremely excited Fan Xiang, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but say, "I heard that Minister Fan ranked last in both the preliminary examination and the provincial examination?"

"That's exactly right, Your Majesty."

Fan Xiang's face also showed a hint of relief: "I am quite lucky."

"Then you are truly lucky." Zhao Zhen pointed directly at Fan Xiang: "Because you were also the last in the palace examination."

"what?"

Fan Xiang was dumbfounded and stood there stunned for a moment.

Not only Fan Xiang, but also the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and the civil and military officials present were extremely different.

The list from the fifth year of the Tiansheng era is truly impressive!

The two individuals, who achieved the highest honors in three consecutive examinations and those who failed the lowest, actually coexisted and were classmates in the same academy.

Moreover, he was probably the first and perhaps the last person in the history of the imperial examinations to pass the lowest level three times in a row.

Because this is truly like dancing on a knife's edge; the slightest mistake could lead to failure.

"I believe that from now on, all candidates can say that they have failed Fan Xiang!"

Fan Xiang simply smiled at the emperor's teasing.

He was extremely satisfied with today's outcome.

Fan Xiang looked at Song Xuan, who had won the triple crown, pointed at him and then at himself, and then burst into laughter.

Even Empress Liu was affected by the atmosphere in the palace:

"I never imagined there were people in the world who could pass the three worst exams in a row."

Zhao Zhen chimed in, "Yes, when I saw it, I couldn't quite believe it."

Wang Zeng stroked his beard and smiled at Lü Yijian beside him:

"It seems that Song Xuan's list of successful candidates in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era will definitely be recorded in history books."

The tradition of the Song Dynasty.

The list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations that year would be named after the top scholar (状元).
Wang Zeng also had a list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations named after him.

Lu Yijian was also speechless with astonishment by the list from the fifth year of the Tiansheng era.

After all, even the lowest-ranking students in the middle school have appeared.

This is even harder to achieve than winning the triple crown in a row!

Are there really such extraordinary people in the world?
"This this."

Lu Yijian was also at a loss for words: "He does indeed have a bit of luck about him, you have to admit it."

The key point is that Lü Yijian learned through his cousin Lü Lejian that Fan Xiang had become the son-in-law of the Shi family ahead of schedule.

It was Song Xuan who acted as matchmaker and facilitated the connection.

This made Lü Yijian realize that Song Xuan was indeed quite capable, and that all the people around him must have made the list.

You can't argue with that!
"Hahaha."

Wang Zeng laughed heartily upon hearing this, and then teased Lü Yijian:

"I see that Zhang Fangping, the third-ranked scholar, is not married yet. Do you want to marry your daughter to him?"

Lü Yijian remained silent.

Because he knew his daughter was sick.

If Song Xuan really wanted to marry Zhang Fangping, he would never help to keep it a secret.

After all, Zhang Fangping was the only male in his family; the rest were all his sisters, and he didn't even have any cousins.

He can be described as the only son of the Zhang family.

It cultivated a photographic memory.

How could Zhang Fangping marry a woman who has difficulty conceiving?

Although Lü Yijian thought highly of Zhang Fangping, he was unwilling to harm him.

After all, having offspring is a major matter for a family.

The Lü family followed this path.

As long as they have many children, they will eventually become successful and lead their families to continue to hold power in the Song Dynasty's political arena.

Their political goal was to make the Lü family a permanent fixture in the Song Dynasty regime!

According to the original historical development, Zhang Fangping did indeed join Lü Yijian's faction, and the epitaph for Lü Yijian's spirit path after his death was written by Zhang.

This shows how good their relationship is.

This kind of job is generally not suitable for people with poor relationships or those who lack literary talent.

The epitaph for Fan Zhongyan was written by Ouyang Xiu.

Although Lü Yijian formed factions for the benefit of his own family, he was also quite protective of his own people.

He maintains objectivity in many matters and possesses extensive governing abilities.

He's not a saint, how could he be without selfish motives?

Even if Fan Zhongyan used the "Chart of Officials" to impeach Lü Yijian, many people in the court at that time were Lü Yijian's cronies. Only his people could be quickly promoted and given lucrative and important positions.

However, in the conflict between Fan Zhongyan and Lü Zhongyan, Fan Zhongyan suffered a major defeat and was demoted repeatedly.

Even the court officials, fearing Lü Yijian's power as prime minister, dared not speak.

When Fan Zhongyan was demoted and sent away from the capital, no one dared to see him off.

This clearly demonstrates Lü Yijian's arrogance and the extent of his network of followers.

Wang Zeng was puzzled when he saw that Lü Yijian did not respond.

If he had children, he would have truly wanted to find a son-in-law through the imperial examination results.

Lu Yijian stumbled in front of Song Xuan. What could the daughter of a prime minister possibly be so shameful about?
Zhang Fangping, in particular, has a limitless future and a photographic memory; perhaps his children will also possess such talent.

What a wonderful thing!
Why did Lü Yijian remain silent?

Wang Zeng found it strange, but he didn't ask any further questions.

After all, if someone doesn't speak about something, it means they have something difficult to say, or they don't want to talk about it.

Chen Yaozi looked at Song Xuan, who was surrounded by many newly appointed scholars, and felt not only dissatisfaction in his heart, but also on his face.

Although he had also achieved the highest rank in the imperial examination, Song Xuan's words that day shook the foundation of the Chen family and hindered his path to advancement.

Everyone knows that the next step for a Hanlin Academician is to be promoted to the position of Prime Minister.

Now that this has happened, Chen Yaozi should not think about anything further.

Chen Yaozi was stubborn and easily angered; at his age, all he sought was power.

Now that his upward trajectory is blocked, how can he not resent Song Xuan?
Looking at Chen Yaozi's face, Song Shou was once again certain that this man harbored a deep grudge against Song Xuan, and it seemed that he needed to remind him of something.

After all, Chen Yaozi had served as the Prefect of Kaifeng, and his successor was his second brother. It would be easy for him to find fault with a minor county magistrate like Chen Yaozi.

……

While the students in the square were still waiting for the loudspeaker to announce the next name, Cai Qi, an official from the Ministry of Rites, had already headed towards the main hall.

After all the newly appointed scholars have changed their clothes, they will have to give the officials a thank-you ceremony.

After all, they are all disciples of the emperor.

The etiquette was very formal and ceremonial.

Only after this process is completed will there be the grand event of the newly appointed scholars parading through the streets.

"Is it finished?"

"I counted, there were only 377 people."

"The officials said there would be no more than five hundred people, how come there are no more spots available so quickly?"

"Yeah, does that mean all of us write really badly!"

Although no one announced the end of the list, even the Ministry of Rites official in charge of guiding the process left.

That would further illustrate the point.

Fan Xiang was the last one; none of the people after him made the list.

"impossible."

Song Hao's face was filled with disbelief:
"I actually failed the exam?"

Song Ming, who was also a student who failed the exam, was already prepared.

Given his low ranking in the provincial exam, it's normal that he didn't pass.

Besides, there has been progress, hasn't there?
Last time we didn't even pass the provincial exam, but we passed this time. How can we not make progress?

"Fifth Brother, don't worry. We'll try again next year, and we'll definitely pass the palace examination."

Song Ming's encouraging words sounded extremely grating to Song Hao.

Because the development of the real world is very different from what he imagined.

Song Hao genuinely wanted to receive the same treatment as the two Songs of the second year of the Tiansheng era, but Song Xuan was chosen as the top scholar on the spot, while he himself failed the palace examination.

Such a disparity was hard for Song Hao to accept for a while.

"No, no, that's impossible."

"How could I have failed the imperial examination?"

"The papers must have been graded incorrectly!"

"Fifth Brother, please don't say such things."

Song Ming quickly covered Song Hao's mouth.

Can you say such things casually?

Does being lucky in the provincial examination guarantee that we'll pass the palace examination?
He just noticed that Zhu Yu, who was ranked higher than Fifth Brother, was not on the list.

Everyone has off days; we can just try again next time.

Song Hao wasn't the only one who went mad.

Many people could not accept that they had failed the imperial examination.

Many people burst into tears.

After all, ten years of hard study had not yielded the final result, and he still had to go home and endure three more years of torment before he could continue down this path.

Even many talented people cannot bear the situation of always failing the exam.

After all, not everyone can adjust their mindset in time.

Then someone cried, and the sound of crying immediately infected everyone else.

Many people became melancholy.

The main hall was filled with laughter and joy; the newly appointed scholars were overjoyed.

But among these unsuccessful candidates in the square, who can laugh out loud?

Those taking the imperial examination for the first time can encourage themselves to try again next time.

However, the students who participated in the palace examination more than once were under tremendous pressure and were extremely tormented.

The petite Zhu Yu stood with her hands behind her back amidst the wailing crowd, finding only the noise bothersome.

He walked to the side and asked a minor official from the Ministry of Rites.

Now that the roll call at Donghua Gate has ended, are these people allowed to leave?

The minor official was taken aback.

This place is an excellent spot to pay homage to the newly appointed scholars.

They'll be riding horses through here in a bit.

If we were to leave the palace now, would we have to squeeze into the streets outside?

Your body is so thin.

Hearing the experienced clerk's advice, Zhu Yu gave up the idea of ​​leaving early.

If it weren't for Song Xuan protecting him, he probably would have been squeezed into a meat patty in the bustling crowds of people in Tokyo.

Inside the palace.

As the mentor of the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), Zhao Zhen readily accepted their homage.

The announcement at Donghua Gate took quite a while, and they will be parading through the streets on horseback in a while, to be admired by the people of Tokyo.

Emperor Zhao Zhen specially arranged for Song Xuan to ride a white horse, without a single blemish, to serve as the leader.

After all, the top scholar's parade through the streets was unmatched by any of the other successful candidates.

Moreover, some of the successful candidates in the imperial examinations did not know how to ride horses, so the imperial guards would help them lead the horses.

Zhao Zhen was in a good mood today and specially granted Fan Xiang, who had achieved the lowest score in the imperial examinations, a black horse without a single blemish on its color, as a special privilege for the last person in the procession.

After all, such a thing is truly rare in the world and deserves special treatment.

Most of the other Jinshi's horses were variegated or chestnut-colored, with very few being solid-colored warhorses.

Horses were not easy to obtain in the Song Dynasty; they were all raised in a unified manner within the Imperial Guard camp.

Fan Xiang quickly expressed his gratitude.

Zhao Zhen then arranged for the Imperial Guards to help lead the horses, and Fan Xiang hurriedly asked if he could choose an Imperial Guard to lead his horse.

Zhao Zhen inquired about the reason.

Fan Xiang openly stated that he had formed a marriage alliance with the Shi family, and therefore wanted the Shi family members to help lead the horses so that they could share in this glorious moment.

"Hahaha."

Zhao Zhen laughed loudly several times, and with a wave of his hand, granted the request.

Nowadays, the sons of the Shi family hold no official positions in the imperial court, yet they have somehow managed to become Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) three times in a row.

It seems we should send them to other military units to prove their skills in the future.

Song Xuan then whispered to Zhao Zhen:
"Your Majesty, please don't take us newly appointed scholars seriously. We're in the limelight today."

"But there's still a group of candidates in the square who didn't pass the palace examination. When we parade them through the streets later, Your Majesty can give them some tea and snacks as a reward to put their minds at ease!"

"Perhaps, encouraged by the Emperor, another talented individual will emerge in the imperial examination of the eighth year of the Tiansheng era!"

Song Xuan knew that Zhang Yuan had been dismissed from the palace examination and harbored resentment, so he defected to the enemy.

It can be said that from the imperial palace to the common people, the Song Dynasty revered those who succeeded in the imperial examinations.

The loser won't even be given a second glance, and might even be ridiculed.

"Yeah."

Zhao Zhen nodded slightly. To put it bluntly, the imperial examination was a game for the winners.

But victors are always a minority; the majority of people in the square are losers.

But there are also many potential winners, they just need more time and luck.

Moreover, the fortune teller said that five prime ministers passed by him, which meant that someone had failed the exam.

Failing the exam this year doesn't mean you won't pass it next year.

赵祯对宋煊的提醒分外满意：“你们且去游街吧。”

Previously, nobody cared about these students who failed the exam.

The fact that the Song emperor personally went to encourage the troops was tantamount to achieving the same effect as his father's personal campaign before the Treaty of Chanyuan.

The newly appointed scholars who passed the imperial examinations had a fixed route for their procession through the streets.

The entire procession emerged from the Donghua Gate and marched along the main streets of Tokyo to the special assembly area set up at the Daxiangguo Temple, showcasing the Song Dynasty's reverence for culture and the glory of "excelling in studies leading to officialdom."

Afterwards, they would collectively pay homage to Confucius and Mencius, pay respects to Huang Jia, continue their studies as fellow students, inscribe their names on a stele, and create a "Record of Fellow Students".

It's essentially a "contact list," so that everyone can look out for each other in the officialdom, since the connection of being from the same cohort of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) is there.

Finally, we await the Emperor's banquet at Qionglin.

This time, the procession was once again led by seven golden-armored imperial guards, with Song Xuan riding a white horse at the very front of the procession.

Many successful candidates in the imperial examinations also chose to ride horses themselves or have the imperial guards lead their horses with them.

Song Xuan reined in the horse and stopped in front of Di Qing, a smile on his face:
"Di Erlang, would you be willing to lead my horse?"

"I?"

Di Qing clearly did not expect Song Xuan to give him such an opportunity to shine.

He was exiled to the capital to serve in the army because of his skill in riding and archery. He joined the Imperial Horse Guard as a cavalryman and, because of his good looks, he was often assigned to stand guard in the palace.

"Yes, we met when we were both struggling."

Song Xuan's smile remained unchanged:

"Since the Emperor has permitted the Imperial Guards to lead my horse through the streets, how could I not choose you, who is even more skilled in riding and archery?"

"Besides, I'm not familiar with the horses in the military camp. If a horse gets spooked due to the large number of people, that would be a big problem."

"it is good."

Di Qing readily agreed and handed his spear to his colleague.

This naturally drew envy from a group of colleagues.

To lead the horse and hold the stirrups for the top scholar in the imperial examinations means one's life will likely be tied to promotions.

Cao Yuan rushed over:
"Brother-in-law, good brother-in-law, let me lead your horse."

Upon hearing the news, Cao Yuan immediately rushed over to offer to lead Song Xuan's horse. How could he possibly miss such an opportunity to make a name for himself?

Besides, it's better to keep the good stuff within the family.

Anyone with eyes could see that Song Xuan was dressed in gold belt, with a gold flower in his hat, riding a white horse and standing out from the crowd, accompanied by an honor guard and a band.

This truly reflects the unique status of the top scholar.

Di Qing was initially pleased, but then felt somewhat embarrassed.

After all, it was really beneath the brother-in-law's dignity to lead the horse for his brother-in-law, especially since they were close and he held a high official position.

"Brother, why don't you lead the horse for Han Qi or Fang Ping?"

Song Xuan turned his head and smiled:

"I have told others that if I become rich and powerful, I will not forget them. Besides, I have already spoken to Di Qing in advance. How can I go back on my word?"

Cao Yuan looked at Di Qing, who was also a member of the Imperial Guard, and sighed slightly.

He patted Di Qing on the shoulder, knowing that Song Xuan liked making friends.

Since they've already agreed, we, as family members, shouldn't be forceful and make Song Xuan lose face.

"Alright."

Cao Yuan then burst into laughter:
"I can't be the top scholar's horseman, but the second and third place scholars aren't bad either. Which one should I choose?"

"This is really putting me in a difficult position!"

"Hahaha."

The group laughed loudly, but Geng Fu, who was also Di Qing's colleague, refused to back down.

The opportunity was right in front of him, and Geng Fu quickly stepped forward, expressing his willingness to share the burden for Chief Cao and to lead the horse and hold the stirrups for the third-ranked scholar.

Cao Yuan didn't refuse. In any case, apart from the designated candidates for the imperial examination, it was up to whoever was eager to participate. Who knows, it might lead to a connection that could benefit his career in the future.

Shi Xiaosun's mouth was practically splitting open with laughter.

He personally led the pure black horse and helped Fan Xiang mount it.

With such an honor, the Shi family will surely be able to return to the political arena of the Song Dynasty.

Seeing that many of the successful candidates had mounted their horses, Cai Qi, an official from the Ministry of Rites, calmly said:

"play music."

(End of this chapter)