In February of the second year of Jingrui, Xinsi, Gongyuan.
As the sky was twilight, people's voices were already heard in the streets and alleys, and many people gathered outside the gate of the Gongyuan, waiting anxiously.
Today is the day when Jinke Chunwei releases the rankings. The new emperor's first test after ascension to the throne has attracted much attention, and the significance is even more extraordinary.
As soon as the time came, the gate of the Gongyuan opened, and more than a dozen government servants came out in a file. The yellow list was posted, and there were crowds of people under the list. Everyone rushed up, trying to find their names in the dense list of candidates.
For a time, there were those who were ecstatic, those who wept loudly, and those who were disappointed and lamented.
Liang Zhen passed by the gate of the Zigong courtyard, listening to the hustle and bustle of the other end, he gently curled the corners of his lips calmly.
The results of Chunwei's release of the rankings spread throughout the capital within a day, and Zhu Yunxuan, who had been paying attention to this matter in the imperial city, also asked for the first time. Zeng Huai told him happily: "The old minister heard that there are many students in this group of students. There are few talents that can be molded, and His Majesty can take a look with his own eyes on the day of the palace examination, and choose those who can be used."
Zhu Yunxuan naturally thought the same way. Few of the ministers in the court really turned to him. If he wanted to cultivate his own contacts and cronies, he could only start with these new officials. Even if it took ten or twenty years, he would can afford to wait.
No one expected that this happy event would turn into a heinous disaster after less than two days.
In the early court, an unknown censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate suddenly jumped out and impeached some of the same examiners in the current examination for accepting bribes, engaging in malpractice for personal gain, and the court was in an uproar. When he got down, he expressed his willingness to use the black gauze hat on his head and the head on his neck to guarantee that everything he said was true. Please order a thorough investigation, so as to restore justice to all the students in the world and the innocence of the imperial examinations!
Cold sweat broke out on the spot of Yan Shi's academic forehead. Of course, he himself would not do such stupid things that risk the world's disgrace. Afterwards, it was found that something really went wrong under his nose, and he couldn't bear it anymore and had to walk around.
As for the fellow examiners who were impeached, they crawled on the ground tremblingly, their faces ashen ashes.
Zhu Yunxuan's face turned black on the spot, and he ordered the Ministry of Criminal Justice, Dali Temple, and the Metropolitan Procuratorate to jointly investigate the fraud case in the test, and must find out the truth in the shortest possible time.
The news spread like wildfire, and soon spread throughout the entire capital. For a while, rumors spread everywhere, and all the examiners and successful tributes were affected. Those students who failed the exam all gathered outside the gate of the Tribute Academy, and the crowd excitedly asked the court for an explanation. Following one, they kept rushing forward, not knowing who made the first move, the conflict escalated, and soon changed from a confrontation to a brawl between the students and the officials of the Tribute Academy.
In the chaos, the plaque on the gate of the Gongyuan was smashed, and the Hanlin official with a gray beard vomited blood and fell down.
The Jingwei army in helmets and armor holding long swords moved after hearing the news, and surrounded the entire Gongyuan in an instant. Within a quarter of an hour, all the students who made trouble were taken down and sent to prison.
Overnight, all the candidates who could be seen everywhere in Beijing disappeared without a trace. Those who passed the exam were taken by the third division as suspects and interrogated severely.
In this way, not only was there no peace in the world, but it was just a not-so-new imperial examination fraud case that had happened in all dynasties, and it began to develop in a weird direction.
After hearing that a candidate had hanged himself in the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice due to the unbearable humiliation, Zhu Yunxuan finally couldn't bear it anymore and summoned Liang Zhen to Ganlin Palace.
Liang Zhen folded his hands in his sleeves, smiled calmly and looked at Zhu Yunxuan, who was dark-eyed and annoyed in front of him, and said calmly: "It's rare that His Majesty took the initiative to summon the minister, and the minister is really flattered."
"Liang, Zhen," Zhu Yunxuan was furious, "What on earth do you want to do? You started the farce outside, right? How long are you going to be crazy?!"
Originally, he didn't think about it, but Zeng Huai came to tell him that what happened at the gate of the Gongyuan was too unusual, so he thought about it.
Not to mention the imperial examination fraud case, it happened during the reign of the first emperor, and the court has always been unable to ignore it. The people who should be dealt with deal with it and then retake the exam. There was no such a big commotion at that time. Immediately after the censor played that day, he ordered the three divisions to jointly investigate the case. It is said that those students who failed the ranking had no reason to make troubles, but they not only made troubles, but almost killed them. If there is no one behind the scenes, Zhu Yunxuan will not believe of.
But when the incident happened, the Jingwei army didn't go early or late, and they didn't take down those students who were more reckless than martial artists until the two sides made a move and someone fell down. How could it be a coincidence
It is only possible that Liang Zhen arranged all these things from the very beginning. Liang Zhen commanded the soldiers and horses of the capital, and even directly served as the commander of the Jingwei Army. It couldn't be easier for him to stage such a farce in broad daylight. .
What's more, the censor who played on it may have been arranged by him.
"Crazy?" Liang Zhen's eyes darkened, "Why can't I understand what your majesty said? What did I do wrong? Those students who failed the exam made trouble outside the tribute courtyard. I asked the deputy commander to lead the army to take them down. What's wrong? Is it? As for the others, the matter of cheating in the imperial examination has nothing to do with the officials."
"Stop pretending to me!" Zhu Yunxuan raised her voice and sternly said, "You know what your plan is! Don't you just want to make things worse so that I can deal with Yan Shixue together?!"
Liang Zhen snorted: "Your Majesty has not yet married the young lady of the Yan family into the palace, but he has started to show favoritism. As Yan Shixue, as the chief examiner of the examination, he can't escape the responsibility when something like this happens. Is it possible that Your Majesty is still reluctant to touch him?"
Zhu Yunxuan said bitterly: "Even if you really want to punish him, you should wait for the third division to investigate the case and make a decision according to the law. Whatever should be done, I will never say a word! But what did you do?! You spread the word Rumors, inciting those students who failed the rankings to go to the entrance of the Gongyuan to make trouble, and let the Jingwei Army take them all to prison, you made such a noise on purpose, don’t you just want to force me to deal with all the officials involved in the case?!”
Liang Zhen narrowed his pupils slightly, and said in disapproval: "Your Majesty, even though you are the emperor, you can't just talk nonsense. If you accuse me like this without evidence, I won't admit it. You can just say that the candidate who hanged himself in the prison of the Ministry of punishment is also the same. It’s okay for me to push you, after all, that’s what you think.”
Zhu Yunxuan sneered: "Whether you have done it or not, you know in your heart that I have no evidence. Even if I have evidence, I can't do anything to you. You don't pay attention to me as the emperor at all, and you are forcing me and playing tricks on me. Are you very happy?" ?"
Liang Zhen shook his head slightly: "It doesn't matter what I did, the important thing is that something like this happened in the first trial after you ascended the throne, Your Majesty. Can't help you."
"I don't need you to teach me what to do! If you don't make small moves behind your back, I won't be so passive! You help me?! You just want to see my jokes and deliberately make things difficult for me! How can you help me? !"
Zhu Yunxuan was full of anger and anger. When he ascended the throne, he disposed of the three cabinet ministers headed by Zhang Nianling because of the battle for the throne. He had already made many civil servants and scholars dissatisfied with him. This time, something like this happened again. If one is not handled well, his reputation as the emperor will be ruined. Liang Zhen is clearly fanning the flames and fueling the flames behind his back because of that dirty selfishness. How dare he say the words to help himself!
"Your Majesty, why are you so angry?" Liang Zhen said disapprovingly, "Instead of questioning the minister here, you should find out the matter as soon as possible and deal with the person who should be dealt with."
Zhu Yunxuan was furious: "Yan Shixue has entered the prison of Dali Temple! You are still standing here to show off your power!"
Liang Zhen answered him calmly: "If there is evidence for what your majesty said, you can also ask someone to take you to the prison of Dali Temple, but that elder Yan Ge, if you want to ask your majesty, you really think that he just suffered innocently. implicated?"
Zhu Yunxuan stared at him with icy eyes: "He is lax and neglects his duties. When the third division thoroughly investigates the case, I will deal with it myself. There is no need for King Zhao to remind me."
"...Lack of discipline, dereliction of duty," Liang Zhen chewed on these eight words, "Really? Is it really just laxness of control, dereliction of duty?"
Zhu Yunxuan's voice became colder: "What do you mean?!"
"It's nothing, Your Majesty won't believe me if I tell you. Before I told you that Mr. Yan Ge had close contacts with foreign people and took advantage of them. You said that I was talking nonsense. Now if I say that he was bribed by candidates You also have a share, you will definitely say that the minister is slandering him again."
Zhu Yunxuan's pupils shrank suddenly: "Yes or no, the third division will investigate thoroughly, there is no need for King Zhao to tell me!"
"It's my minister's overstepping. I shouldn't be in charge of this matter," Liang Zhen changed his words in a polite manner. "But how to deal with those students who make troubles, please let your majesty express it."
Zhu Yunxuan suppressed his anger, and said: "Find out the leaders, expel their merits, and never hire them. Those who hurt others will be dealt with by the Ministry of Penalties according to the law. The rest will be released after being warned."
Liang Zhen smiled: "Your Majesty really cherishes these students."
If he said it, no matter whether he was the leader or not, all those who participated in the trouble would have to be fined and banned for two subjects. I just wish Yunxuan wanted to win over these scholars, naturally he couldn't punish too much, just deal with a few leaders if he wanted to. Liang Zhen knew what he was thinking, so he didn't say anything more to continue to anger him.
"And you," Zhu Yunxuan said in a deep voice, "I can't touch you now, if you continue to act recklessly like this, sooner or later you will kill yourself."
The smile in Liang Zhen's eyes deepened: "Is Your Majesty caring about the subject? I just need to be educated."