To The Land of Nevernight

The 30th year of Kaiping, the first month.

The new year has just passed, but the officials in Shengjing did not have a good holiday.This year is different from previous years. With the re-opening of the Duzhi Division and the emergence of the tax reform system, the Beijing officials are busy all day without touching the ground.Last year, the Ministry of Officials gave more than 20 days of holidays during the Chinese New Year, but this year there are less than [-] days left.

Tang Shen did not return to Gusu.

On the second day of the first lunar month, Tang Shen came to Fu's residence carrying a few boxes of New Year's goods.Fu Wei was already watering the flowers.

Looking at Shengjing now, among all the officials of the fifth grade or above, who stays up all night and works hard with paperwork, only Fu Xiru is free enough to water the flowers!

Tang Shen came to Fu Wei: "Sir."

Fu Wei didn't look back, while watering the flowers, he said to Tang Shen: "This year it came early. Jing Ze, don't leave at noon, stay for dinner. Your senior brother is coming too."

Tang Shen nodded.

Wang Qin was busier than Tang Shen.

It's the Chinese New Year, and Tang Shen still has at least ten days off.But for a second-rank official like Wang Qin, as the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, he was closely related to the matters of Du Zhi Si and tax reform, and he had no chance to rest at all.At noon, Wang Qin came belatedly to congratulate Fu Wei on the new year.

The three teachers and students had dinner in the house, Fu Wei pointed to Wang Qin, and said to Tang Shen: "Look at your senior brother, he is only 28 this year, and he has busy himself into an old man. He thinks he can be an old man before the age of 30." Prime Minister, I still feel that I have a long lifespan, and it’s no big deal to use it up a few years in advance.”

Wang Qin picked up a shrimp slowly, as if he didn't hear Fu Wei's words.

Tang Shen glanced at him quietly, and said, "Senior brother is on an errand for the court, sir, why are you still talking about him?"

Fu Wei immediately stared, he looked at Tang Shen, then at Wang Qin, and said: "Okay, why didn't I realize that the two of you brothers and sisters are venting out of the same nostrils now, and they are working together to bully you as a teacher. Wang Zifeng, when did you abduct your little brother, and now he is talking to you!"

Tang Shenxin said: After I came to Shengjing, Wang Zifeng taught me to study, to be an official, and even to take the imperial examination, Wang Zifeng personally picked me up at the gate of Shengjing Gongyuan.I turned to my senior brother, there seems to be nothing wrong with it, right?

Wang Qin put down his chopsticks, and said leisurely: "Little Junior Brother has me in his heart, sir, don't be jealous."

Tang Shen: "...?" This is so strange.

Fu Wei was taken aback for a moment, he looked at Wang Qin for a long time, and then he snorted coldly: "It's really a student, sir, I can't help it."

Tang Shen coaxed Fu Wei for a long time before coaxing him well.

After dinner, Wang Qin went back to the yamen of the Ministry of Household Affairs to do business.Tang Shen left after dinner.

Before leaving, Fu Wei hesitated for a moment, and said to his students: "Jing Ze, don't trust your senior brother in everything."

These words sounded familiar. Four years ago, Liang Song had said this to Tang Shen in a letter.Now that Fu Wei said it again, Tang Shen was vigilant and said: "Student remember." After leaving Fu's residence, Tang Shen sighed and said: "Everyone told me not to trust Wang Zifeng completely, but when would I trust him? , when you should not trust him, you guys should tell me clearly!"

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, before the Lantern Festival, Tang Shen returned to the Hall of Qinzheng on business.

The next day, Xu Wei called him over.Xu Yan sat on the grand teacher's chair, drinking tea contentedly.Seeing Tang Shen coming, he smiled, and said in a gentle tone, "I remember, Mr. Tang was the Tanhua in the 27th year of Kaiping."

Tang Shendao: "Responding to my lord, the next official is indeed the candidate who was selected three years ago."

"Now in a blink of an eye, three years have passed, and we are going to Chunwei again." Xu Wei said with emotion, "I called you today, and I have an errand for you. Next month will be the examination, Zhou Dashi from the Imperial Academy I called your name and asked you to be the deputy examiner."

Tang Shen was shocked: "My lord?"

Xu Wei smiled and said: "Don't be too surprised. The exam is different from the rural exam. The exam is held every three years. During the exam, people from nine places in China have to go to Beijing to take the exam. There are tens of thousands of candidates. The master of the exam There is only one examiner, and that is the current day. You are all deputy examiners, and there are dozens of them. It is impossible for the Imperial Academy to take on such a big job alone, and in previous years, officials will be transferred from various yamen."

Tang Shen was suspicious, but he didn't show it. Instead, he said gratefully: "Your official must do a good job!"

Xu Wei smiled and said, "That's it."

After Tang Shen left the house, not long after, a middle-aged man in his early 30s with a beard walked into the house.He looks tough, handsome and resolute. After seeing Xu Wei, he bowed respectfully and saluted: "I have met you, sir."

Xu Wu motioned to him: "Sit down."

Yu Chaosheng bowed his waist slightly, and walked back to the chair. After sitting down, he raised his head and looked at his teacher.

Xu Wu said: "Xianzhi, you have just returned to Beijing this year, how do you feel about everything in Beijing?"

Yu Chaosheng said one by one: "The students have been back to Beijing for more than a month. Today, they just went to the Ministry of Officials to do business. They really feel that they are very different from six years ago. Leaving aside, let's talk about the recent tax reform system of Duzhisi. The officials take care of each other and work together to promote it, which makes the students very admire." Then he changed the subject, "Although the discipline party is weak, it is supported by the discipline minister and holds the power alone. There are many talents in the royal party, and it is Wang Zifeng. However, regarding the matter of Du Zhisi, the students felt that Ji Xiang was still in a hurry. Wang Zifeng and Tang Jingze, the royal party has been too popular in the past two years, and Ji Xiang hastily reopened Du Zhisi. Something bad will happen, I'm afraid it's not right."

Xu Wu took a sip of tea: "When you came in just now, did you see Tang Jing?"

"Yes, I have seen Mr. Tang from a distance, but he has never seen me."

"Zhou Jin transferred him to serve as the deputy examiner of the general examination in February this year."

Yu Chaosheng was shocked and said, "Sir?!"

"It's definitely not Zhou Jin's idea. It should be Fu Wei who instigated it behind his back. Fu Wei wants to transfer his students to the exam. What does he want to do, or what will happen during the exam?" Xu Wei sighed for a long time , said: "You should also go to the deputy examiner of the current year's examination. Since Zhou Jin used my name on the surface, she said that it was Tang Jingze who I transferred. Then transferring one is also a transfer, and transferring two is also a transfer. You Let's go with him to try the Tribute Court."

"Yes."

In the 30th Kaiping Examination, Shen Yun, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, was the chief examiner, and Zhou Dashi of the Imperial Academy was the assistant.In the middle of the night before the test, dozens of officials entered the Shengjing Gongyuan and boarded the Mingyuan Tower.Standing on the towering Mingyuan Building and looking down, Tang Shen saw tens of thousands of people gathered outside the gate of Shengjing Gongyuan, waiting to enter the examination room.

When the time came, the officials opened the door to let people go, and the crowd rushed into the examination room.

Tang Shen is the youngest among the officials serving as the examiners of the examination this year.Tang Shen looked at these students in the tribute courtyard with mixed feelings in his heart.But it didn't take long for him to feel emotion, and he saw a figure out of the corner of his eye.Tang Shen walked over and said, "It's Lord Yu."

Yu Chaosheng, who was wearing an official uniform, turned around and looked at Tang Shen. He bowed and said, "Master Tang."

Tang Shen said with a smile: "I heard that Mr. Yu was transferred from Guazhou to Beijing last month. I don't know how he has adapted to the dry and cold weather in the north. The next official is a member of Zhongshushe in Xu Xianggong's house. He once heard Xu Xianggong talk about it. Master Yu, I have heard about it all the time, but I have never seen it. When I saw it today, it really is extraordinary."

After Tang Shen was bragging like this, Yu Chaosheng naturally had a wave of business bragging: "I have also heard Mr. Tang talk about Mr. Tang..."

The two finished blowing each other and left separately.

The smile on Tang Shen's face slowly disappeared, and he frowned.

Yu Chaosheng is Xu Wei's favorite student and the second place in Kaiping's 18th year.I'm afraid I can't tell his identity by saying this, but as long as I say it, the 18th Kaiping champion's surname is Wang Mingqin, and his style name is Zifeng.All the officials in Shengjing would immediately think of such a person.

In the 18th year of Kaiping, Wang Qin was outstanding in talent and learning, and was bestowed by Zhao Fu himself with the words "No.Yu Chaosheng has the talent of number one scholar, in other years, he may not be able to get a number one, but he happened to be admitted in the same year as Wang Zifeng, so he was overshadowed.

After getting the second place in the exam, within a few years, Yu Chaosheng went to other places to be an official, and was not recalled to Beijing until the end of last year by Zhao Fu.

Now Yu Chaosheng is an official in the Ministry of Officials. He is the right servant of the Ministry of Officials, and he lives in the third rank.

This year's chief examiner is Shen Yun, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, and Yu Chaosheng was transferred to be the deputy examiner, most likely because of Shen Yun's intention.But Tang Shen thought: Why didn't Xu Wei mean it?

Yu Chaosheng has just arrived at the Ministry of Officials, and he is obviously Xu Wei's person.Shen Suo is half of Chen Dang, and he and Zuo Cheng Chen Linghai are classmates and friends.He didn't need to promote Xu Yu's people to give Yu Chaosheng a chance.

So, why did Xu Wei send his students to the examination?

Tang Shen clenched his fingers, his mind spinning a thousand times.

He didn't know Zhou Jin, senior scholar Zhou, and senior scholar Zhou would not transfer him over as an assistant examiner for no reason.This matter should be Fu Wei's order from the Imperial Academy, which is the meaning of my husband.But Fu Wei has not entered the imperial court for a long time, he is just a retired veteran cadre with a title, he can indeed promote his students on purpose, let Tang Shen just become an official for three years and become a deputy examiner of the examination, but Tang Shen knows that Fu Wei is not like this people.

and so……

It was Wang Zifeng's idea!

It was Wang Zifeng who specially transferred him to the meeting, so that he could not enter the court to work in February of the 30th year of Kaiping!

Brother, brother, what exactly is Wang Dang going to do?

Looking at the pitch-black sky, Tang Shen suddenly felt that the heavy rain that Su Wenyun had mentioned was about to come.

However, now that he is in the Gongyuan, no matter how heavy the rain is, there is an umbrella called "Huaishi" that covers his head to protect him from the wind and rain.

Just as he was thinking blankly, suddenly, Tang Shen saw a few men with black cloth scarves on their heads walking into the tribute courtyard. After searching for a while, he found his own numbered room and got in.Tang Shen looked at these people a few more times in a strange way, and the official next to him was very discerning, and immediately explained: "My lord, these people are reformed people."

Tang Shen: "Return to righteousness?"

"Exactly. In the tenth year of Kaiping, the Song Dynasty regained the land of Youzhou and other prefectures that had been occupied by the Liao people for 40 years. The Song people who lived in these state capitals were called Liao people because they had been Liao people for decades. It is a 'reformed person'. There is an order from the Holy Spirit, and the reformed person needs to wear a black scarf on his head when he goes to Beijing to take the exam to show his difference."

When the official said this, he didn't say any more, and Tang Shen also found the three words "returning to the right" from his memory.

Tang Shen read a lot of books when he was an official in the Imperial Academy, and also learned about the identity of the Guizheng.The official only said that the emperor ordered reformers to wear black scarves to show their identity, but he didn't say that reformers were never allowed to be ranked in the second list of Jinshi, at most they were born with the same Jinshi.This also means that Guizheng people will never have the chance to become a court official above the third rank!

But there are no absolutes in the world, Tang Shen knew a reformed person who became a second-rank official.However, the opponent was a second-rank official who was killed alive on the battlefield with a sea of ​​bones and blood, not through the imperial examination.

Converted people...

Before dawn, in the Shengjing Gongyuan, people entered the numbered room, began to rest, and prepared for the exam.

On the other side, a fast horse stepped across the muddy official road, from Guangling Mansion in the south of the Yangtze River, galloped across the mountains and rivers, and came to Shengjing.

The next day, before the morning court started, Zhao Fu squinted his eyes and was served by court ladies and eunuchs to put on court clothes.

Ji Fu hurriedly entered Funing Palace, and said: "Officials, Zhezi is coming from Jiangnan, so hurry up and come here."

Zhao Fu opened his eyes: "Take a look."

Ji Fu presented the notebook with both hands.

After a while, Zhao Fu snorted angrily, and smashed the hard fold out.Coincidentally, the hard memorial hit the forehead of a young eunuch, and blood flowed out immediately.The little eunuch let out an "ouch" in pain and fell to the ground.Ji Fu quickly winked, and ordered the rest of the people to carry this unworthy thing out.

Zhao Fu was furious at first, then he gradually calmed down.

There was no emotion on the old and calm face of the Son of Heaven.

After a long time, he stretched out his hand, and Ji Fu quickly helped him up.

Zhao Fu: "Let's go to court."

Ji Fu: "Yes."

On this side, it was the second day of the exam at Shengjing Gongyuan, and the examiners upstairs in Mingyuan went down to rest in batches.On the other side of the capital, in the Zichen Hall of the Great Song Dynasty Palace, Zhao Fu sneered and said: "At the end of last year, the deeds sent by the Guangling Mansion did not match the number. None of my good ministers told me. My good officials are all upright officials of the Song Dynasty! Ji Wengji, Wang Quan, what explanation do you have!"

"boom--"

A booklet was thrown on the ground and rolled very skillfully, like a repeat of the scene two years ago, it unexpectedly rolled at the feet of Hubu Shangshu Wang Qin again.

But this time, the emperor no longer wanted to scold him, but the two most powerful prime ministers in the dynasty.

Ji Wengji and Wang Quanqi stepped forward and bowed to salute.

Zhao Fu said angrily: "Look! Show me what is written in this notebook!"

Wang Qin bent down, picked up the folder, and first handed it to Zuo Xiang Ji Wengji.Ji Wengji looked at the contents of the booklet, his expression changed, and he handed it to the right minister Wang Quan.

Zhao Fu: "Wang Zifeng, read it to me, what is written on it!"

In the Zichen Palace, some officials looked at Wang Qinqingjun's tall and straight back, and shed tears of sympathy for Mr. Wang who was innocently implicated.Lord Wang took the memorial, his expression remained unchanged, and he read out the content in a calm voice: "In the 30th year of Kaiping, Qin Hao, the county magistrate of Jiangdu County, Guangling Prefecture, supervised the county's tax reform and collection. On the fourth day of the first lunar month, Qin Hao appeared in the suburbs. The corpse and the rest of the bones were eaten by wolves, and there was no place for them..."

Above the court hall, all the officials were shocked in an uproar.

Ji Xiang and Wang Xiang understood what was going to be written in this booklet, and Qiqi raised his head in shock and looked at the emperor.

The emperor said coldly: "Continue reading for me!"

Wang Qin paused and continued reading.

After reading the entire book, Wang Qin bent down, held the book in both hands, and raised it above his head.Ji Fu stepped down from the hall and took the notebook back.

Zhao Fu's eyes circled around the officials, his voice was calm, but it was like the silence before the storm: "My dear friends, who will tell me about what happened a month ago, why it is only today? To my ears?"

The author has something to say: I told readers in the group before that we have four male gods in this article~

Lao Wang and Xiao Tang must be two of the four, and Su Wenyun is also one of them~

So, Da Song F4, there is only the last one left, he played very early~ Guess who it is~

PS: I call for the old Wang next door!Pharaoh debuted at position C!