Chapter 872 0867 [Wan Yan Ping]

The Ministry of Rites Imperial Court was located in the southeast corner of Luoyang City. It was called Henan Prefecture Imperial Court in the early Song Dynasty.

In the future, it will be used to hold national examinations, so it will naturally have to be expanded. The entire neighborhood was demolished and incorporated into the Imperial Court.

All the merchants and civilians who moved away were resettled in the nearest temples. The temples were converted into houses and shops, and they were compensated with a sum of money as a rental subsidy during the reconstruction period.

The old ministers of the Jin Dynasty, led by Zhang Hao, participated in the special examination in the original Imperial Court.

The questions were announced one by one, and more than 300 candidates were stunned.

Question 1: A prefect of Liaoning took advantage of the opportunity of measuring land to accept a bribe of 1,000 strings of cash and concealed 5,000 acres of land for a wealthy family. He also took the daughter of a local wealthy family as a concubine and obtained her dowry of 3,000 strings of cash and 500 acres of dowry land.

Question: According to the "Great Ming Law", what crime did the prefect commit? How should he be dealt with?

Zhang Hao's forehead began to sweat, first because he didn't know the answer, and second because he knew it was a warning.

Last year, the court gave these old officials of the Jin Kingdom a whole year to prepare for the Enke exam. And they also specially defined the scope of the exam, asking them to read books such as "Da Ming Law" carefully.

Zhang Hao also read "Da Ming Law" carefully, but that was all, and he didn't remember it carefully.

His attention was focused on books such as "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius" compiled by the Ming Dynasty.

Especially "The University" and "The Doctrine of the Mean", which are said to be written by Emperor Zhu. It must be focused on. Zhang Hao is only in his early thirties, and he recited the whole article with the enthusiasm of a young man.

What the hell is the first question about law?

Zhang Hao thought of his cousin Zhang Xuanzheng who was beheaded, and his cousin Zhang Xuansu who was implicated and exiled, and quickly wrote down the answer "the main offender was beheaded and his relatives were exiled."

But is it also illegal to marry the daughter of a big family in the place of office as a concubine and receive her dowry?

Zhang Hao had a vague impression that it seemed to be a violation of the rules, but he forgot why it was a violation.

He thought about it carefully and could basically guess what the situation was. It should be to prevent officials from colluding with powerful people.

But what was the specific crime?

How should it be punished?

Zhang Hao scribbled on the draft paper and left the answer sheet blank for the time being. If he couldn't think of an answer before handing in the paper, he would copy it down.

Question 2: Mencius said: "The people are the most important, the country is second, and the monarch is the least important." Discuss this sentence in detail.

Zhang Hao was secretly happy when he saw the question. He had memorized the official "Mencius's Justice" of the Ming Dynasty, and he could quote from a wide range of sources with his own talents.

But when he wrote, Zhang Hao's expression became solemn again.

He went back to review the first question!

Liaoning, measuring land, accepting bribes, big families, marrying, the country, the monarch and the people...

After thinking for a quarter of an hour, Zhang Hao could basically confirm that the second question was not a question about the meaning of the classics.

Instead, it was a policy discussion!

To be safe, he looked at the third question again and found that there was no third question.

There were only two questions in this special exam.

And the stem of the first question pointed out the direction for the second question.

Zhang Hao spread out the draft paper and wrote: "Liao lost its national destiny and Jin gained it, Jin lost its country and Ming gained it. Why is this? The people's support or opposition..."

It took a whole day to test two questions.

Zhang Hao revised the essay again and again, and finally wrote more than 8,000 words.

He focused on the topic of "people's support" and discussed in detail why Liao and Jin perished. From the official system to the administration of officials, from military to civil affairs, he summarized the failure of Liao and Jin clearly.

After criticizing Liao and Jin, he praised the benevolent government of the Ming Dynasty and flattered the emperor and the emperor.

More than 300 test papers were handed in, and Zhai Ruwen led the examination.

For the first question, only a few people got full marks.

For the second question, half of the candidates answered it as a question of classics.

Three days later, the special exam list was posted.

Zhang Hao called his friends to look at the list, and found his name in an instant. He was ranked fifth.

Only 20 people were admitted.

More than 300 people sighed and resented Emperor Zhu for treating the old ministers of the Jin Dynasty poorly. The number of admissions for this special examination was too small!

In Zhu Ming's opinion, it was really quite a lot. More than ten people were directly granted official positions for their meritorious service in cooperating with the Ming Dynasty's household registration. Now another 20 Jinshi were admitted by the special examination, and a total of more than 30 old ministers of the Jin Dynasty could continue to serve as officials.

These only count civil servants over 30 years old.

The Jin generals who surrendered and made meritorious service were directly incorporated into the military system, and even the Jurchens could join the army.

And the Jin civil servants under 30 years old can participate in the normal imperial examinations in Liaoning and Hebei. The imperial examinations in these two provinces are not complicated. As long as you have real talents and knowledge in your stomach, you will definitely have no problem passing the examination for a Juren, and if you continue to study, you may even pass the Jinshi.

An imperial messenger came on horseback and said to the old ministers of the Jin Dynasty who were looking at the list: "Your Majesty has ordered that you do not need to take the palace examination. The top 20 candidates in the special examination will be granted the title of Jinshi. In the next month, you should read the Great Ming Law carefully and go to the Ministry of Personnel for the examination before you can be appointed as an official."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The admitted person shouted immediately.

The messenger asked again: "Where is Kang Guojun, the first place in the special examination?"

"Here!" A young man in his early thirties stood up.

The messenger said: "Follow me into the palace to meet the emperor."

Seeing Kang Guojun heading towards the imperial city, all the old ministers of the Jin Dynasty were envious.

Some people also speculated that Kang Guojun was received by the emperor because he ranked first in the exam this time, perhaps because of his deceased father.

Kang Guojun was so excited at this time that he was determined to realize his ambitions in the Ming Dynasty.

He waited for a long time in the side hall of the Chuigong Palace, and was finally led in by the eunuch. He bowed and said: "Your servant Kang Guojun, I pay my respects to His Majesty the Emperor!"

Zhu Ming nodded in approval: "Not bad, you didn't kneel. It seems that you have memorized the etiquette chapter of the Ming Dynasty Law very well. You deserve to get full marks on the first question."

Kang Guojun said: "Since you are a Ming official, you should be familiar with Ming law."

"Sit down," Zhu Ming asked, "Kang Gongbi is your father?"

Kang Guojun sat down and said: "It is my father."

Zhu Ming asked again: "What position did you hold in Jin?"

Kang Guojun replied: "I was a prefect by virtue of favor, but because I offended my superiors and colleagues, I was transferred back to Jin to be a ceremonial official. Apparently promoted but actually demoted, I was in charge of craftsmen who made seals."

Zhu Ming smiled and said: "If there are good officials who are not used, how can Jin not perish?"

Kang Guojun's father was Kang Gongbi, whose ancestral home was Wanping and was a Jinshi. When he surrendered to Jin, he was just a small judge of Liao.

When he was a county magistrate in Jin, because of natural disasters, he could not collect taxes in full, so the Caosi sent people to arrest people everywhere to collect grain. Kang Gongbi petitioned for mercy and the arrested people were released. The local people also built a shrine for him.

Later, when he was transferred to other positions, Kang Gongbi was still kind and honest, and even embezzled the grain to relieve the victims. At that time, he was in charge of the money and grain warehouse, and was not the local chief official at all. Illegal grain transfer for disaster relief was punishable by death.

More than 100,000 people of the Jin Kingdom rebelled and killed countless officials and gentry in southern Liaoning. Only after Kang Gongbi was arrested, the leader of the rebel army, Hou Gai, personally released him.

And Kang Gongbi's superiors and colleagues were all chopped by the rebel army.

Because the people knew who was the real good official.

Zhu Ming said, "Hou Gai, who released your father, is now a seventh-rank military officer in the Ming Dynasty. He is old and was transferred back to the Privy Council after the Jin Dynasty was destroyed. I asked him about Liaoning, and he said that when the Jin Dynasty ruled Liaoning, it only met your father, a good official."

Kang Guojun bowed and said, "My father's teachings are in my heart."

"I believe you are also a good official, otherwise how could you be excluded in the Jin Dynasty?" Zhu Ming said, "You ranked first in the exam this time, and you have experience in governing the people in the Jin Dynasty, so you don't have to take the Ministry of Personnel test again. When there is a vacancy, you will be directly appointed as a prefecture judge."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Kang Guojun hurriedly stood up and thanked him.

Zhu Ming said, "Go, be a good official."

Kang Guojun bowed and left, feeling extremely happy. He was very frustrated in the Jin Dynasty, but he found the direction of his life in the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Ming picked up his pen and continued to read the memorials.

It was summer again, and floods continued.

Fortunately, in the past two years, the land was returned to the lake, and water conservancy was actively built, so the degree of damage caused by floods was relatively reduced.

However, Fujian encountered a typhoon this year, and many prefectures and counties were affected. Quanzhou City was flooded for three days. Merchant ships in Quanzhou's outer port were also severely damaged, and coastal boat people were in urgent need of assistance from the court.

The draft sent by the cabinet was to reduce taxes in the disaster-stricken areas as appropriate.

Zhu Ming first approved the word "yes", and then wrote in red: "If the boat people affected by the disaster in Fujian are willing to immigrate to Taiwan County, they can take the opportunity to distribute food and agricultural tools, and half-farm and half-fish on the coast of Taiwan. Taiwan's coastal plains are rich, and grain and sugar production are increasing year by year. Immigrants should be encouraged to open up land."

After a day's work, the female official came with a sign.

Which concubine to spend the night with was arranged in advance. Although the emperor could change it temporarily, Zhu Ming basically would not do so.

There are also some days in each month that are not arranged in advance, and the emperor can choose by himself.

Zhu Ming suddenly remembered something and asked, "Yelü Chongyuan is fifteen years old, right?"

The female official remembered it very clearly: "She was fifteen years old four months ago."

"Go to Yelü Chongyuan." Zhu Ming said.

Zhu Ming was quite respectful to all officials, generals, and concubines in the harem, and he would tell them where he was going in advance. This was to avoid a sudden arrival and causing chaos in the interviewee's home.

Zhu Ming took a nap in the Chuigong Hall, and the female official took the opportunity to make arrangements.

Yelu Yan, who had been in the palace for more than a year, heard that the emperor was coming, and hurriedly made arrangements to welcome him, happily dressing up in front of the mirror.

After getting ready, she repeatedly asked the palace maids where she looked inappropriate.

When Zhu Ming arrived, the wine and food were already served.

"Your Majesty, may you be well!" Yelu Yan bowed with the palace maids.

This Liao princess was becoming more and more beautiful, and Zhu Ming was very hungry when he saw her. He held her hand and said, "Do you feel lonely away from home?"

Yelu Yan was overjoyed: "The noble sisters in the palace are very kind. I often play with them and don't feel lonely."

"That's good, let's go in and talk, I'm a little hungry." Zhu Ming pulled Yelu Yan into the house.

The two sat down, and the maid Jinfeng hurriedly helped to pour wine.

Zhu Ming thought of Wuqimai: "There is a princess of the Jin Kingdom, is she in your courtyard?"

Yeluyan pointed at Jinfeng and said: "This is her."

Zhu Ming looked carefully and gradually had an impression.

He had seen Jinfeng once, and this time compared to the last time, her facial features had grown a lot, and her baby fat had disappeared.

She was more beautiful than last year.

Zhu Ming asked: "Is your mother a Bohai tribe?"

Jinfeng replied: "Li from Liaoyang."

Zhu Ming smiled and said: "I think your mother must be a beauty. Wuqimai was born like that, and you can still have such a look."

Jinfeng was happy, but she didn't dare to answer, fearing that she would make Yeluyan unhappy, so she just stood there with a red face. After thinking for a while, she replied: "My mother works in the laundry department."

"How old are you this year?" Zhu Ming asked again.

Jin Feng misunderstood and replied, "Thirty-two."

"Puff!"

Zhu Ming quickly shut up and almost spit out a mouthful of wine: "I'm asking you, not your mother."

Even though he said that, three words came to Zhu Ming's mind - "Mother and daughter X".

Although he felt itchy in his heart, Ju Ming still held it back: "Your mother should be transferred to serve the Supreme Emperor."

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty!"

Jinfeng was so excited that she quickly knelt down. Even if she was transferred to Zhu Guoxiang as a maid, it would be a hundred times better than staying in the laundry department to wash clothes.

Ju Ming added: "You are also a subjugated princess, with a body like duckweed. From now on, please change your name to Wanyan Ping."

First there was Yeluyan, and then there was Wanyanping.

Plus a Li Qinglu.

It's just bad taste!