Jijiu knew that Xu Zhen had a barbarian by his side, and also heard that this barbarian was able to live in Chang'an only because of Xu Zhen's spoiling in front of the Holy One.
She originally thought that Xu Zhen was a good person, willing to offend the Holy One for her sweetheart, but now it seems that it is nothing more than that.
The two continued to chat about the content of the autumn test.
The sacrificial wine told Xu Zhen about the layout of the autumn test. The autumn examination is held in various provincial capitals or in special courtyards of the imperial city, and is generally presided over by the Minister of Rites or the Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
Most of the students take the Jinshi examination. The autumn examination requires three examinations of "economics, policy questions, and Ci Fu". Each examination lasts three days and three nights. , Those who are particularly outstanding can be directly appointed officials, and the rest, as long as they pass the examination, can participate in the palace examination in the spring of the next year.
After the palace examination, as long as you can get the appreciation of the Holy One, you can basically become a local official or a small central official.
The difference between this year's autumn exam and previous ones is that this time the papers were issued by the emperor, so it can be regarded as an imperial examination presided over by the emperor.
But corrections and the like are still handed over to the Ministry of Rites.
There are also proctors.
The imperial examination is a serious matter and cannot be sloppy.
Jijiu was talking on the other end, Xu Zhen nodded half-understood, and wrote down the key points.
In the end, the two chatted about the same, and Jijiu glanced at the little sword on Xu Zhen's waist again, and left with a smile.
Xu Zhen didn't understand the meaning of that look.
She just became a minister today, and she has a heavy task. After listening to the contents of Jijiu, she hurried over to correct the examination papers of Taixue students.
Most of the writing on it was Jinglun Fu, and occasionally there were some paintings. The paintings of plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum were very artistic, but Xu Zhen couldn't appreciate them.
She corrected until the afternoon, and finally finished correcting, and tiredly picked up her homework and sent it to Taixue.
Tang Yanzhi followed behind her.
After walking two steps, Xu Zhen turned her head and asked, "If you come out like this, will someone report you?"
Tang Yanzhi also wanted to apologize for what happened before.
If she wasn't too useless, Xu Zhen wouldn't be scolded for it.
She came out today just to talk about what happened before.
But Xu Zhen obviously forgot about it.
She asked: "By the way, where is Taixue going?"
Tang Yanzhi hurriedly said, "On the east side, there is the Kaiyang Gate."
Xu Zhen asked, "Which side is the east side?"
Tang Yanzhi ran forward to lead her.
Xu Zhen followed and asked Tang Yanzhi how the past few days were, and asked Tang Yanzhi if he was injured during the rainstorm.
Tang Yanzhi replied one by one: "These days have been pretty good. During the rainstorm, I happened to read the brochure you showed me, so I escaped."
Xu Zhen smiled and said, "That's good."
During the chat between the two, Tang Yanzhi finally stopped being restrained and returned to his original chattering nature. He complained to Xu Zhen, saying that the two who had played well with Zhong Mei these days were going crazy. Now that the backer has collapsed, he is too scared to speak.
Xu Zhen laughed out loud.
Tang Yanzhi said again: "Besides, I had a good time with you before, but now that you have become a minister, some people even send me walnuts to please me."
Xu Zhen was surprised that she still had this ability.
Tang Yanzhi said: "In short, you are already the most powerful in the Ministry of Rites. See who is upset, just use your power to suppress!"
After hearing this, Xu Zhen hurriedly said: "Can you still do this! That's really cool!!"
Tang Yanzhi said: "Of course you can, it's just that it's easy to offend people!"
Xu Zhen: "..."
The two walked to Taixue.
Taixue was built a little bit away from Kaiyang Gate, and it belongs to the imperial palace. It is almost as magnificent as the study room, covered with glazed tiles, and green bamboos are planted at the main entrance.
After walking in, the stone road inside has just been scrubbed and shone brightly.
Xu Zhen handed over the homework to the principal at the door.
The principal of Taixue looked at Xu Zhen and whispered, "Is this the newly appointed Shang Shulang?"
Tang Yanzhi was the first to answer: "Yes."
The director of Taixue hurriedly said: "Why did Shang Shulang send homework in person? How is the homework written?"
Xu Zhen said, "It's pretty good."
The director of Taixue bowed to invite Xu Zhen to go inside, and when he reached a study hall, he asked her to hold a mobilization meeting for the students.
Xu Zhen then told a few stories.
The following students listen carefully, and the students of Taixue are very talented and practical.
After Xu Zhen finished speaking, she was about to leave. Before she left, she said casually, "If you don't understand anything, you can ask me now."
In the end, someone actually stood up and asked her a question.
A girl with an indifferent expression stood up.
She raised her voice and asked Xu Zhen: "Xu Shangshu, I heard that you explained the test questions to Hongdu Academy a few days ago, so why don't you tell us some?"
Speaking test questions? ... Xu Zhen remembered that it should be the topic that she talked about when everyone was under the tent together after the waterlogging was over.
She was about to explain.
The principal of Taixue leaned over and said in a low voice, "This is the second wife of General Guide's family."
Xu Zhen understood.
She said: "The topic of the lecture given to the Hongdu Academy is because they kept saving people in the flood. This kind of behavior is very good, and it is a good official that the country needs, so I put the topic on for them."
Er Niangzi said, "But they have exceeded the norm."
Xu Zhen asked, "What?"
Er Niangzi said: "As students, what they should do is to study, but they go to save people, so what about those officials who should save people, won't they be blamed by the Holy One?"
Xu Zhen said, "Ah? How could you think so—"
Before she finished speaking, the second lady said again: "Shang Shulang, there was a story in the Legalists back then. It was about people running into the capital during a famine. Should the sage open a warehouse to save people? Rewarding credit, the disaster victims have no credit at all, but they are treated the same as those who have credit, which is breaking the rules. If the rules are broken, how will the country be stable in the future?"
Xu Zhen said: "There are special methods for special times. Besides, if you don't open warehouses to save the people, the country will be stable. Who will farm and fight for you?"
The second lady was about to speak.
Xu Zhen hurriedly said: "Besides, when you become an official, do you want to be a well-behaved official, like Shang Yang, who was chased and killed in the end and hid in a small inn, but because of the laws he set, he couldn't show his identity? Did you die tragically because of an ultimatum?"
The second lady said: "If it is for the stability of the country, I will definitely be willing."
Xu Zhen said: "That's great. What the country needs is exactly what you are. You must work hard for scientific research, and you must not take shortcuts."
The second lady was stunned for a moment, and finally remembered that she wanted to criticize the students of Hongdu Academy today, instead of taking shortcuts to listen to the betting questions.
She wants to explain.
Xu Zhen had already run away with a smile, Tang Yanzhi followed behind and dashed away, the head of the Taixue couldn't stop her.
Seeing this, the group of high school students from Taixue couldn't help sighing: How did such a person become Shang Shulang
On the way back to the Ministry of Rites, Tang Yanzhi asked Xu Zhen about the betting.
Xu Zhen hurriedly said: "At the beginning, I just said something casually and felt that I would pass the test. After all, this year, the emperor will propose a question. How can I be accurate in my guess."
Tang Yanzhi said: "You must not guess right."
Xu Zhen asked, "Why?"
Tang Yanzhi said: "According to Jijiu's story about the previous incident, someone's betting on the question was accurate, but the Holy One will not care about this, he will definitely think that someone leaked the question."
Xu Zhen smiled and said, "This year, they were selected from thousands of test booklets from all over the world. It would be strange if I could guess correctly."
The two walked towards the Ministry of Rites happily.
Right now, the Holy Majesty is having a headache about the questions of the autumn exam three days later.
He asked people to scatter the booklet, and randomly selected a few topics from it, but what were those topics written about? ? It is really far away from the topic selection of the Ministry of Rites.
But the ruthless words have already been released, so we can't ask the Ministry of Rites to re-write the question now.
The Holy Majesty was in so much pain that he had no choice but to resign himself to his fate and read one by one.
Fortunately, after reading it for a while, I finally picked out a few good test questions, and even a few novel viewpoints, which coincided with the strategy of governing the country proposed by the previous emperor teacher.
His Majesty's eyes lit up, he squeezed a few pieces of rice paper, carefully put them into a silk bag, and then sent someone to call the emperor over.
…
There are more and more strange students in Chang'an, dressed in different styles, looking dazzling. Many old farmers sat at the gate of Chang'an, saying that they were seeing off their students. Everyone was very happy, looking forward to a good result in the future.
Xu Zhen was walking on the road when going to and from get off work, and saw many students sitting on the side of the road nervously studying, and suddenly wanted to look for the students from Qinglong Mountain, but there were no acquaintances from Jiangling around, so it was hard to inquire, and she didn't know if they had come Chang'an rushed for the exam.
Xu Zhen continued to do her work.
Three days later, the sun was shining brightly, and the autumn wind was blowing, blowing the aroma of wine all over Chang'an, and someone sprinkled bright red petals on the roof, which is a behavior only for major events.
The autumn test has finally begun!
The morning bell rang, and the dark crowd gathered in the street, squeezing the entrance of the examination institute one after another.
The street was buzzing with people, speaking local dialect lively.
The cake seller yelled: "If you don't bring dry food, come and buy a cake!! The exam will take three days!"
The voice was quickly overwhelmed: "I have the pen and paper without me!"
There are also candidates talking and boasting to each other.
Another bell rang.
Two generals walked out of the examination hall and shouted for silence. Then everyone slowly separated and stood up, and began to verify the identity badge.
Xu Zhen sat in the examination room and dozed off.
There was heavy dew in the morning, the examination room was open air, the floor was a bit wet, and the table was a bit foggy. Xu Zhen asked her to wipe it off with a rag, and then put rice paper and the Four Treasures of the Study one by one.
Candidates walked in one by one.
Her side is only Exam Room A, and there is Exam Room B, C, and D next to her.
Several people from the Hongdu Academy were assigned to this examination room, and after seeing Xu Zhen, they bowed to her, and Xu Zhen also greeted several people.
Most of the remaining candidates did not know Xu Zhen, and many of them were curious about how Xu Zhen became a minister at such a young age, so they inevitably looked at Xu Zhen a few times.
Xu Zhen didn't care.
She waited for everyone to sit down, turned her head to look at the sundial, and saw that the time was almost there, so she asked someone to open the sandalwood box, took out six test questions from the Holy Majesty, handed them to the examiner next to her, and handed them out one by one.
Everyone took the test in the open air, and brought food and quilts, and guards stood behind every five people to monitor cheating.
So Xu Zhen is really relaxed.
During the day, someone brought her a washbasin, and at night, she was covered with a quilt, so she had nothing to do except to be in a daze.
When she is bored.
Some candidates in the Chang'an examination room have already had turmoil in their hearts.
Most of these candidates were taught by Xu Zhen. They looked at their exam papers and the questions on them, and were so shocked that they couldn't speak.
Aren't these questions in the autumn test the same as what Mr. Xu said before?
Why is it the same
... It's not a leak, is it? ? No, this year's ones were all chosen by the Holy Spirit, and there were several test questions!
Impossible to leak the question, so what's going on?
Several students in Jiangling quickly thought of Xu Zhen's test book, and they were excited inside, thinking to themselves that the master is really good, and all the questions he gave were selected by the Holy Spirit! !
Someone in the same examination room looked up at Xu Zhen, and saw Xu Zhen yawning non-stop, lying lazily, not at all the guilty conscience after venting the question.
These few people thought about it, did not say anything, bowed their heads and continued to write their own topics.
Finally, three days passed.
The first exam was over, Xu Zhen collected the test papers together during the day, and pretended to grade them together.
It might be possible to go home at night.
It was windy at night, and Xu Zhen wrapped herself in her robe to go home, feeling the cooling of autumn.
In the yard, Xun Qianchun was holding a branch and standing on the boulder beside the tree with his eyes closed. His clothes were billowing in the wind, his face was small and white, and he looked as cold as a flower on a cliff, but his whole body exuded a lingering and murderous aura.
Xu Zhen felt as if she was practicing martial arts, so she didn't dare to disturb her and just watched quietly from the sidelines.
Xun Qianchun soon discovered Xu Zhen.
She opened her eyes, restrained her breath, threw the branch aside, jumped off the boulder and walked in front of Xu Zhen.
She was a little taller than Xu Zhen, she lowered her head slightly and said to Xu Zhen, "Sir, you are back."
Xu Zhen looked into her dark blue eyes and said with a smile, "Yes, were you practicing martial arts just now? What martial arts?"
Xun Qianchun said: "Family tradition, swordsmanship."
Xu Zhen asked: "Is it serious, can you beat ten of them one by one?"
Xun Qianchun led Xu Zhen into the room, and said: "If you can practice well, there will be more than ten."
After hearing this, Xu Zhen felt an inexplicable feeling of admiration in her heart.
As expected of a big villain, the force value is too high.
The two sat down and talked about other things.
Xu Zhen asked: "I'm not here these few days, do you miss me?"
Xun Qianchun's ears turned red quickly when he heard the words, but his face was still indifferent, and he said very calmly: "I miss you very much."
Xu Zhen smirked, and she asked again: "What have you been doing these three days?"
Xun Qianchun said: "Read books."
Xu Zhen felt sorry for the little beggar who failed to take the imperial examination. She was about to comfort her. Thinking of her achievements in the past three days, she quickly took out a household certificate from her body and handed it to Xun Qianchun: "Look, the new household registration help You're done."
They didn't dare to use Xu Xiaochun's previous identity, so before the autumn test, Xu Zhen asked Tang Yanzhi to find someone from the Ministry of Officials to help him get a household registration, relying on her status as a minister.
This time the name is Xu Chunchun.
Xun Qianchun saw it, raised the corners of his mouth, and held the tablet in front of his chest.
"Thank you, sir."
Xu Zhen hurriedly said: "Thank me for what, this is what I should do."
As she spoke, she felt that it was too raw, and she didn't know what to say to change the subject. After thinking about it, she thought of the little sword she talked about with Jijiu three days ago.
Xu Zhen thought for a moment, took out the small sword from her waist, put it on the table, and moved it towards the little beggar twice.
Asked: "Yes, this thing-"
After Xu Zhen said that, she didn't know how to continue.
Xun Qianchun looked at her.
Xu Zhen felt that it was not good not to ask, and it would easily lead to misunderstandings. She said politely: "I heard that the full moon swords of your barbarians have special meanings."
Xun Qianchun nodded.
Xu Zhen asked, "What?"
Xun Qianchun said, "Yes."
Xu Zhen tugged at her sleeve: "Why do you talk so little, please explain clearly."
Xun Qianchun looked down at Xu Zhen's fingers, then looked up at Xu Zhen, and explained: "There is such a saying."
Xu Zhen listened to what she said, aftertaste for a moment, and asked in shock: "It really exists?? And you know? Then why did you give me this thing!! Isn't this what you gave to your future husband??"
Xun Qianchun leaned over and looked at Xu Zhen with downcast eyes. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly and accidentally touched Xu Zhen's.
Xu Zhen felt a little itchy, so she stepped back a little.
Xun Qianchun looked at her suspiciously.
Xu Zhen said, "Speak up if you have something to say, don't get so close."
"Yeah." Xun Qianchun said, "As long as it's someone who spends a lifetime with you, you can give it away."
Xu Zhen corrected her and said: "Your husband should be the one who spends your life together, not me. You should take this thing back first."
Xun Qianchun said: "It is sir."
Xu Zhen asked, "What?"
Xun Qianchun said with certainty: "I want to always be by my husband's side." After she finished speaking, she paused for a moment, "Didn't the husband promise me before?"
Xu Zhen agreed, but she couldn't deny it.
But the meaning of this little sword seems to be different from this life together.
Xu Zhen wanted to say something, but seeing Xun Qianchun frowning slightly, she couldn't say anything immediately.
It's too hard to explain.
Xu Zhen found an excuse for herself, she tucked the little sword back into her waist again, and said, "Then when you find something you like better, remember to take it away, I'm just helping you keep it now."
Xun Qianchun said: "No."
Xu Zhen said, "Don't be so sure, you will be slapped in the face."
Xun Qianchun didn't say anything more.
Xu Zhenjiang touched the little sword and thought about a lot of things. After eating, she didn't pack up her things and went directly to sleep on the bed.
At night Xun Qianchun came to get under the covers.
Xu Zhen leaned over to touch her hand, and said after a while, "It's still too dangerous for you to be in Chang'an."
Xun Qianchun remained silent.
Xu Zhen said: "If you have a chance, go back to Jiangling. I'll be with you."
After speaking, he sighed a few more words, and soon fell asleep, looking completely heartless.
However, Xun Qianchun's chest felt tight after being teased by her.
In the middle of the night, Xun Qianchun still didn't fall asleep. She was thinking about the old affairs of her family, the new people she met, and more about her husband's affairs.
She covered Xu Zhen with a quilt, walked out to the yard with a small sword in her hand, sat on a boulder with the sword in front of her knees, and began to think about martial arts.
Suddenly there was movement on the wall.
Xun Qianchun looked up and saw a familiar woman in a blue dress jumping in.
The woman in the blue skirt came over quickly and was about to speak.
Xun Qianchun threw a stone, wiped the woman's body and threw it on the grass, saying, "Hush."
The woman in the blue skirt laughed twice, lowered her voice and said, "Although it's only been a few days, you really haven't changed at all, except for this one. If I hadn't seen your sister shrunk, I wouldn't have recognized you before." yours."
Xun Qianchun nodded.
The woman in the blue skirt said, "Do you want to take advantage of the previous waterlogging to do something?"
Xun Qianchun said, "It's too late."
The woman in the blue skirt asked: "What about the latest autumn test?"
Xun Qianchun didn't speak.
The woman in the blue skirt said: "If you want to overturn the case, if you don't make a move, no one will pay attention to you."
Xun Qianchun: "Yes."
The woman in the blue dress said, "So what are you going to do?"
Xun Qianchun said: "Wait a little longer."
The woman in the blue skirt couldn't help laughing, she laughed a few words, and Xun Qianchun threw a stone at her to silence her. The woman didn't dare to laugh anymore, and chatted with Xun Qianchun instead.
When about to leave.
Xun Qianchun rarely opened his mouth and made a sound.
She asked the woman in the blue skirt: "You are familiar with my elder sister, do you know if she is sick?"
The woman in the blue skirt was stunned: "Sick? Probably not."
Xun Qianchun responded.
The woman in the blue skirt asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Xun Qianchun said: "My body hurts a bit."
The woman in the blue skirt asked, "What kind of pain method?"
Xun Qianchun said, "I don't know."
The woman in the blue dress laughed and said, "Don't be crazy about martial arts. Anyway, your elder sister won't be hurt. She went to the battlefield and was hacked more than a hundred knives, but she didn't say it hurt."
Xun Qianchun said: "So that's how it is."
The woman in the blue skirt said, "Then I'll go first."
Xun Qianchun was about to say goodbye when he saw the eyes of the woman in the blue dress glistening, as if she was crying.
She wanted to ask, but the woman in the blue skirt had already run far away, and she couldn't even ask.
Xun Qianchun continued to calm down, ready to think about martial arts.
It's just that the night breeze is faint, and from time to time, the voice of the husband sounds in her mind, what the husband said, and the kindness the husband treats her.
Xun Qianchun was very puzzled, what happened to him.
Let's ask Mr. when he is free some other day.