Five-year enthronement three-year simulation

In the past, Wang Zhi was just an insignificant reviewer from the Seventh Rank Imperial Academy, but he was single-handedly promoted by Cheng Guogong to his current position.

At that time, he had endured for many years and hadn't managed to make it through. He was still just a self-assessment doing chores, and the countless talents and ambitions in his chest had nowhere to express, and could only rot in his stomach.Wang Zhi was so depressed that he even thought of resigning from office, but he didn't have the guts to give up the official position he had studied hard in the cold window, so he could only stand in the yard when he had nothing to do, mourning the spring and autumn, and angrily wrote poems and lyrics for himself.

To be honest, Wang Zhi does have a bit of literary talent, and he also has the emotional bonus of unfulfilled ambitions. The poems he composed are very spiritual, and every word and every sentence reveals the grief and helplessness of his heart.

This just happened to attract Cheng Guogong who came to the Imperial Academy one day to do business.

He deliberately read through Wang Zhi's poems since he entered the Imperial Academy, and asked regretfully: "Since Wang Langjun has such a great talent, why did he only receive a post of review?"

Wang Zhi smiled wryly, and said politely, "I will not lie to my lord. During the palace examination, the humble minister failed to answer the question His Majesty asked, so his ranking was not good, and he only got a fellow Jinshi... So, after entering the Imperial Academy , I was only awarded a small official position from the seventh rank, and I don't know when I will see the end."

"It turns out that Wang Langjun is really underappreciated."

After Cheng Guogong sighed, there was a flash of light in his eyes, and he asked generously: "However, if the old man is willing to help you gain a firm foothold in the Imperial Academy and advance step by step...Wang Langjun, can you do it?" Knowing how to repay you, you are willing to use it for this old man?"

The pie in the sky would fall on his head one day, Wang Zhi was taken aback, and immediately overjoyed, he hurriedly saluted the other party, and said sincerely: "I am willing to go through fire and water for my lord, and I will do whatever it takes!"

Cheng Guogong gave a "hmm" and nodded in satisfaction.

Later, he really did what he said at the beginning, and changed Wang Zhi's appearance, from a small self-criticism to a fourth-rank waiter studying for a bachelor.The fourth grade is already considered a high-ranking official in the Hanlin Academy, and has a great say, second only to the head of the academy and several highly respected Hanlin direct bachelors, and others dare not provoke them easily.

So now, he has the confidence to come to the courtyard gate to personally receive Ming Tan and Lin Shurong.

Wang Zhi dressed his official robes subtly, black gauze on his head, and the cloud and goose patch on his chest glowing silver in the sun. He stood imposingly at the door and looked at the two people under the steps.

Unlike those nerds in the Hanlin Academy who have never even met a saint, he has gone to several palace banquets with Duke Cheng, so he has naturally seen Princess Yonghui's true face.

Therefore, Wang Zhi recognized it at a glance - it really was the Ninth Princess and Miss Lin!

Concentrated in his heart, he hurriedly walked down the steps three steps at a time, bowed his hands and saluted, "I have seen Jiu..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Ming Tan: "I am traveling in modest clothes this time, there is no need to be polite, my lord."

Except for the head of the Second Rank, most of the officials of the Imperial Academy did not go to court, and Ming Tan did not expect to be recognized by anyone other than Yang Xueshi.She came here this time because of important responsibilities, and she wanted Xueshi Yang to personally recommend a few talented people, so she didn't want to make public, she just asked politely: "May I ask where the Master Yang is?"

A gloomy look flashed across Wang Zhi's eyes.Does this mean that his official position is too small to come out and receive her?

He gritted his teeth secretly, but he didn't dare to show it on his face, "...Yang Zhangyuan is not in the Imperial Academy right now, I will invite two distinguished guests to enter."

"Aren't you here?" Ming Tan was stunned, he really didn't expect such a bad luck.

But the palace is also out, and everyone has come, so it seems a bit unworthy to go back immediately; anyway, the adults of the Hanlin Academy are mostly free on weekdays, and there is no errand that requires them to go out for a long time... Why don't you just sit inside and see for yourself After a while, it's not a waste of time.

Thinking of this, she turned her head and met Lin Shurong's eyes. Seeing that the latter nodded in the same way, she smiled and said, "Then I will thank you, my lord."

Wang Zhi suppressed the dissatisfaction in his eyes, forced a smile, and turned around to lead the way for them.

Autumn is about to happen recently, and the Imperial Academy is the official office in charge of imperial examinations, so it is naturally very busy.In the short distance they walked, they have already seen many blue-robed bachelors rushing by, almost holding half-person-high papers and books in their hands.

Even if the provincial examinations are held in various provinces, the Hanlin Academy is already so busy. If students from all over the world come to Beijing to catch up for the general examination...

Too bad too bad.

While sympathizing with these civil servants, Ming Tan followed Wang Zhi's footsteps and came to the main room of the Hanlin Academy dedicated to receiving guests.

However, after a closer look, you will find that it is not so much a main room as a remodeled study.

Because it is a living room for receiving guests, the door of the room is always wide open. You can see a tall bookshelf when you step over the threshold. There are a few high-leg square tables and round-backed armchairs in the place, and the soft cushions are placed in a careless manner. It is very simple, and it looks like it has almost never received guests.

I can also understand, who would run to the Imperial Academy without incident?

Ming Tan lazily picked a chair and sat down, while Lin Shurong had already walked around to the bookshelf and was carefully looking at the ancient books placed on it; Wang Zhi on the side didn't speak for a while, but refused to leave, so he As if he had forgotten how to treat guests, he didn't even pour them a cup of tea, but just stood there like a wooden sculpture, rolling his eyes quietly twice.

He has always kept in mind Duke Cheng's kindness of knowledge and encounter.

And in the autumn hunting some time ago, it was the Ninth Princess who was so unreasonable and unforgiving that she forcibly misinterpreted the righteous heart of the Duke, and caused him to be deprived of his official position, almost becoming the laughing stock of the officials in the whole capital!

Even the Imperial Academy was joking about this some time ago, Wang Zhi gritted his teeth with hatred, and punished a few tongue-twisters on the spot, but the anger in his heart remained undiminished.

It's all the fault of Princess Nine!

He has hated Ming Tan for a long time, now that the other party comes to his door, he will naturally treat him in the same way, and give her a big shame!

Wang Zhi's mind was spinning rapidly, and when he was planning, Lin Shurong at the side reached out and took a copy of "Jiannan Poetry Draft" from the bookshelf, flipped through a few pages, and said with a smile: "I never thought that there would be a book hidden in the Imperial Academy." There are also so many collections of poetry, it's amazing..."

Ming Tan sat on the chair for a long time, feeling bored, so he didn't mind reading those ancient books that used to give her a headache, got up and went to Lin Shurong's side, and glanced at the bookshelf.

"Yes," she glanced over a pile of "Li Taibai Collection", "Du Gongbu Collection", "Yuefu Poetry Collection" and other books one by one, and she couldn't help but marvel, "I thought the Imperial Academy should be full of books. They are all collections most related to scientific research.”

Hearing this, Wang Zhi, who was standing aside, couldn't help but pause in his thoughts, and subconsciously frowned fiercely.

Is poetry anthology unrelated to scientific research?

The test post poems are also an important content of the imperial examination. Although the subject matter and format are quite limited, most of them are best to praise the emperor's martial arts and martial arts. The content is the same... But the importance of poetic talent can still be seen!

Those who don't know how to write poems are really called literati in vain!

——The sad thing is, looking at the entire Tiancheng, I am afraid that only Wang Zhi thinks so.

For most students who are focused on scientific examinations, compared with metrical poems that can be written to cope with errands with a little bit of rhyme, it is obvious that the meaning and strategy of the test are more worthy of attention.

And this kind of topic, the most inseparable from the Four Books and Five Classics, and other classics such as other schools of thought...

In comparison, poetry and songs have already become a means of cultivating sentiment or entertainment in leisure time, and they will no longer be regarded as treasures by people.

Therefore, what Rong Tan and the others didn't know was that most of the books placed in this main room were actually cleared out from the Book Pavilion of the Hanlin Academy and discarded here.

——And fortunately, those collections of poetry were collected by Wang Zhi himself, and then ordered by the Zhishi adults to move out of the bookstore and put them here to eat ashes.

"...Although poems and songs were very popular in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and there are thousands of famous poems handed down, in reality, officials in the court should be more familiar with a subset of classics and history."

When Lin Shurong's plain voice came, it was like adding fuel to the fire, making Wang Zhi's anger even higher, "Your Majesty is determined to make some real achievements. Today's imperial court most needs capable ministers who can do practical things and have insight." Regardless of the other things, it is enough to see from the palace examination alone—since the founding of the Taizu, the emperors of all dynasties have always only asked about current affairs and policies, not like the previous dynasties who love to test people and write poems... From this , no matter how brilliant these poetry collections are, they are still rarely favored by the world."

What she said, every word and every sentence, were all accurately stepped on Wang Zhi's minefield, so stunned that he almost spit out a mouthful of blood on the spot, and his anger lost his reason in an instant!

"Hmph! What Miss Yilin means is that she is advocating the 'useless poetry theory' among the people?"

Wang Zhi finally couldn't bear it anymore, and impulsively opened his mouth to refute: "In ancient times, there were "Three Hundred Poems" and "Chu Songs" that were the most famous for a hundred years, and today there are also great poets who are as lonely as a layman who have kept writing for thirty years, and are highly regarded. The literati all over the world admire—the current imperial examinations are biased towards Confucianism, which is to focus on one thing and lose the other—how can you be so biased towards it?”

Hearing this, Lin Shurong was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at Wang Zhi who was very excited for some reason, with a strange expression on his face.

She was silent for a while, but she didn't mind the rudeness in the tone of the official in front of her. After a while, she calmly replied: "What your lord said is reasonable. Of course, the two volumes of 'Coquettish' are all famous works...but What I said just now, also never denied the splendor of these poems and songs, I was just talking about the facts—”

"Don't you think," Lin Shurong asked softly with his hands behind his back, with a hint of sharpness between his brows and eyes, "a person who specializes in poetry and prose is better at writing essays than someone who is familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics Got the gold medal in the exam?"

...Even Wang Zhi knew that the answer must be no.

In addition to a few short test post poems, which other questions will test the level of conception, sentence rhyme, and emotional artistic conception?

But all literati have pride, even if they know they are wrong, they must still have a debate, and they will not lose if they lose.

Wang Zhi boasted that he was very talented, and he was also influenced by the unique aloofness and arrogance of the Imperial Academy, so naturally he would not just swallow this breath.He sneered coldly, half of his heart was filled with hatred for Ming Tan's harming Duke Cheng for not being allowed to enter the court, and half of his heart was strongly dissatisfied with Lin Shurong's words. With the combination of both sides, his anger finally broke through the sky, and even the two people in front of him His identity was forgotten for a moment.

"Then let's have a competition!"

Wang Zhi gritted his back molars, and said in a cold voice: "I heard that Miss Lin's talent is the most famous in the capital, and even Your Majesty would like to praise her as 'not a scholar'——in this case, you and I may as well Take the policy theory of the last exam as the topic, each write an essay, and then submit it to the adults of the Imperial Academy for evaluation, and see whether the woman who has read the Four Books and Five Classics is better, or me, the official and minister of the Imperial Academy who writes poems and fus. Superior!"

Hearing this invitation to fight, Lin Shurong's eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned to look at Mingtan.Seeing that the latter's eyes were shining, he didn't look worried at all, he just seemed to be watching the fun, and he couldn't help but feel a little funny.

Your Highness is sure that she will not lose?

Worth mentioning.Since it was the other party who asked for the competition on his own initiative, what's the point of accepting it?

And I can also use this to search in the Hanlin Academy to see who is a great talent, so please go and publish a magazine for His Highness...

"can."

Lin Shurong smiled, and said slowly: "Then Mr. Lao will set up the pen and ink in the courtyard. After the two of us compose the composition on the spot, I will invite the academicians of the Imperial Academy to comment on it."

……

Hearing that someone was going to smash their Hanlin Academy's venue, many scholars put down their work in surprise, gathered in the courtyard, and pointed at the two who had already set up a table among them.

"Isn't that Wang Shidu? Who is the woman who wants to compete with him?"

"Editor Li, why don't you even know her? That's a well-known talented woman in the capital, Miss Shurong, the eldest daughter of Lord Lin's family!"

"This...why did Miss Lin suddenly come to our Imperial Academy? She also wants to compete with Wang Shi in writing essays?"

"As far as Wang Zhi's level of squishy and inappropriate essays is concerned, how dare he compare with others? If he loses...wouldn't it be embarrassing for our Imperial Academy!"

"Xueshi Zhao's words are wrong! You just came here, maybe you don't know yet, their topic is the strategy theory of the last exam, and Wang Zhi happened to participate in the examination of that exam, so I think he knows the topic very well-he usually I love poetry and prose, and my articles have never been very good, but I have been in the Imperial Academy for so many years, and there is always some talent in it; as for Miss Lin... a girl who has never taken a scientific examination, and would not even think about it. Knowing the number of words, taboo, copying, mentioning and other things that need attention, how can you write an article that conforms to the standard? What's more, it was the last time that everyone said, "It's impossible to start, it's as difficult as going to the sky"?"

"Well, yes, the old man also thought that Wang Zhi might not lose."

"...Ah? Do you adults really dislike Miss Lin? It is widely rumored in Beijing that she has the talent of Ban Ji Xu Shi and Xie Ting Yong Xue. Could it be that she is no better than Wang Zhi?"

"Hahahaha, it's just a way for dignitaries to make a name for themselves, Xueshi Zhang, you really believe it!"

"Yeah, she's just a girl, at most she's only been taught by a female gentleman invited by her family, how can she be real? What's the title of 'the most talented woman in the capital', just competing with those dude young masters?" Like 'the first son of the capital', it's a bluff, it can't be taken seriously!"

"Hmph, Mr. Lin Xiang is an important official in the court, but my daughter is used to chasing fame and fortune. She insisted on calling the talented woman's name for more than ten years. Now she will finally reveal her true nature!"

——Like those officials who were not optimistic about Lin Shurong, Wang Zhi also thought so.

His poems are shocking and weeping ghosts and gods, which can make Cheng Guogong fall in love with him!It's just that the article is a bit inferior, not as good as many second-class Jinshi in the Imperial Academy... However, compared with a white man who has never participated in any scientific examination, it must be more than enough!

What's more, he once participated in the examination papers of the previous test by virtue of Cheng Guogong's relationship, and he still remembered many good sentences in his heart; but the opponent in front of him was not only young, but also a man who couldn't even go to a private school. The woman... how could she win him over?

The more Wang Zhi thought about it, the more excited he became.

If he can feel proud in this competition and regard this "the most talented woman in the capital" as a stepping stone, he will not be gossiped in secret every day, and ridiculed for wasting pen and ink and lacking talent and learning!

"The topic of the policy theory in the last exam was 'Reward doubts and punish doubts'," Wang Zhi stood behind the case with great confidence, and said gracefully, "Miss Lin first invites you."

Unlike his face full of spring breeze, Lin Shurong had almost no expression on his face. He only nodded politely to Wang Zhi, then hung up his wrist, and took the lead in dipping the brush in his hand into ink.

At the same time, Ming Tan standing in front also lit a long stick of incense, patted the black ash on his hands, got up and said with a smile, "Let's begin."