The chickens hadn’t crowed, the dogs hadn’t barked, and it was pitch black outside the window, with no light in sight.
Zhu Pingan got up and washed up, ate breakfast sent by the buns little maid with a lantern, put on the brand new scholar’s crown with the assistance of the buns little maid, then went out of the Linhuai Marquis’ mansion, towards the Forbidden City.
Breakfast is meat buns with clear porridge small dishes, taste is very good, can be eaten out of Li Shu home that rapid progress of the chef’s handiwork, buns skin pliable filling fresh, small dishes crisp and tasty, into the abdomen mouth and mouth to stay fragrant.
That said, this Li Shu family chef is also quite hard, at least than their own wake up more than half an hour in order to make such a table of breakfast, some day will have to thank the Li family chef in person, recently has been thanks to the Li family chef’s gourmet care, I’m grateful to.
Zhu Pingan out of the Linhuai Marquis House, then all the way to the Forbidden City and go, because yesterday the Ministry of Ceremonies sent the scholar’s crown to notify the pass on the location is the Forbidden City of the Palace of Honour.
The Forbidden City, this city within a city, is the modern Forbidden City, of course, Daming this time the Forbidden City and the modern Forbidden City is still a big difference, the modern Forbidden City, after all, after the Qing Dynasty’s remodelling. Unlike the modern Forbidden City, people pay money to buy tickets can go in to play a circle, Daming this time the Forbidden City belongs to the forbidden land, it is the Imperial Palace, living in the world’s most honourable groups.
Chuanlu, said the ceremony of revealing the rankings of the Palace Examination.
Zhu Pingan walked to the Forbidden City noon gate, the east gradually had a hazy light, the sky wants white, flowers want red, willow wants green, the Forbidden City golden glazed tiles spread a golden light, full of gorgeous rich.
Outside the Forbidden City, there is a crowd of people in the dark, divided into two groups, one group is wearing the uniforms of the civil and military officials, these people are divided into two camps according to the civil and military, which are divided into a number of small camps; the other is like Zhu Pingan, who wears a brand-new scholar’s crown, wearing a hairpin hat of the new entrants.
Both groups of people are very excited, civil and military officials are excited because it has been a long time since they have seen Emperor Jiajing, the last time the Imperial Examination, some of them were not qualified to go to the Western Garden, it is rare for Emperor Jiajing to have a whim. In this Forbidden City, the Palace of Honour pass on, these civil and military officials have been able to see the face of the Holy Face, how can not be excited; as for the civil and military officials behind the new entrants to the excitement, it is because today is the day of their big day. The Golden Palace passes on, this is their ten years of hard work to finally harvest the moment.
Because the time is still early, the Forbidden City’s palace door has not yet opened, everyone outside while waiting and chatting, overflowing with excitement.
Zhu Pingan arrived at the Forbidden City. Then with Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen into the four hundred new entrants.
The hottest topic of the new entrants door chat is the belonging of the first prize, this time not only they do not know the first twenty rankings, even in front of so many civil and military officials do not know the top twenty rankings, including Yan Song Yan Pavilion Ministers and other eight read the scrolls do not know, they only know the ranking of the twenty entrants after the first prize.
At this time the top twenty rankings, since Jiajing Emperor ranked, it is sealed up, until today when pass the buck will be opened and announced the rankings.
Of course, even if the exact ranking of the top twenty is unknown. But there are still a lot of insider information circulating out, these 400 new entrants in many are born in the family of dignitaries, or with dignitaries with relatives, relationship sets of relations, there are many new entrants to the corner to inquire about some of the eight ministers to read the scrolls of the information.
In addition, yesterday, Emperor Jiajing summoned the top 20 news, also spread in the crowd.
It is because the unknown nature of the first prize is mixed with some known nature, everyone will chat so hot.
“It’s reasonable to say that the Scholar of our last examination has a good chance.” A man wore a hairpin black hat. Wearing a set of jinshi crown clothes and holding an acacia wood wutu board, the newly-admitted jinshi voiced his opinion in the crowd.
As soon as this person’s words hit the ground, someone laughed and shook their head.
“This Nian brother is afraid that he only knows one thing but not the other.” This person shook his head and laughed as he opened his mouth with a gossipy flavour on his face.
“Oh. May I hear about it.” The first newly-admitted scholar arched his hand towards this person for advice.
“Although I heard it from hearsay, but the news is very reliable, my father’s good friend serves in the Da Lisi, his superior Da Lisi Secretary as one of the ministers of the reading of the scrolls, yesterday in my house drinking wine had mentioned to my father, said that the reading of the scrolls is completed. The top twenty examination papers were presented to the imperial inspection, and when the imperial inspection opened the mass seal, it was found that our Zhu Huiyuan had scored only seven ‘O’s in this reading of the examination papers, and was ranked only eleventh before being presented to the imperial inspection.” The person who shook his head and laughed, said with a gossipy face, satisfied with watching the surprised expression of the person opposite him, having had enough of the addiction of gossip.
“Eleventh ah, this ranking not to mention the first ah, is the second ah is not in the front ah.” The crowd murmured.
“On this are still Yan first minister took care of it, I heard the first reading finished, this paper only six ‘O’, are among the three A. Yan Shoufu cherish talent, let the reading officer re-read once more, only one more ‘O’.” Some of the new entrants who knew more about the inner workings of the game added what they knew about the inner workings of the game.
What a blast, the Huiyuan only got seven ‘O’s, and the second grade is not even close to the top! The second place is not even close to the top! Everyone was in high spirits for a while, especially those who felt they had answered the questionnaire well, feeling that they had another chance.
”Erm, it’s me who’s talking.” Zhu Pingan listened to everyone’s comments with a bashful face, only smiling slightly as the crowd looked over sympathetically, unable to see any frustration at all.
In the eyes of the crowd, Zhu Pingan was in a state of mourning, sadness, as well as a rush of strong support ……
After hearing the news, Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen two people couldn’t help comforting Zhu Pingan, want Zhu Pingan to relax, don’t think too much, the result didn’t come out, everything is possible, even though the two people in the heart of the real feeling is not possible.
“Don’t worry, can today, I have got what I want. As for the scholar, I’m lucky to get it; I’m destined to lose it.”
Zhu Pingan smiled with a light and frank face.
“What a good one to get, I am fortunate; to lose, my life. Zi Hou is as self-contained and open-minded as he is, admirable.” Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen were in awe of Zhu Pingan’s optimistic attitude towards life, and this sentence of gained I am fortunate; lost I am destined, simply made the two of them fold their arms.
Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen look at it this way, it does not mean that the crowd is looking at it this way: pretend, pretend, you just keep pretending, see when you can crash, wait until the results come out, there is a time for you to cry.
“I think ah, this Enke first prize, non-Ouyang brother, I have heard that Ouyang brother but won a full house, the eight ministers reading the scrolls are all “O” high evaluation.” Someone in the crowd confidently put forward the assertion that the first prize will definitely belong to Ouyang Zishi.
This assertion was agreed by most of the people present, almost the whole crowd, and then the people standing beside Ouyang Zishi began to compliment him, as if the top prize had already been awarded.
Ouyang Zishi in the crowd of compliments under the mouth said dare not, the results have not yet come out, everyone do not joke and so on, but is full of spring, spring breeze, looking forward to the bright, completely a look of confidence.
“I heard that this time the top twenty face the saint last, the saint let choose a reward, dare to ask you brother to choose what ah?” There are located in the first twenty by Jiajing summoned to see the scholar, to the crowd asked.
Soon after someone responded, said it was gold carp, one after another several people said it was gold carp.
Someone asked Ouyang Zishi, Ouyang Zishi also replied that it was a goldfish, carp jumping the Dragon Gate, couldn’t be more appropriate.
Then someone thought that even though Zhu Pingan was ranked eleventh, but also after all, he had been summoned by the grace of His Majesty, so he came to ask Zhu Pingan what he had chosen.
“Golden Rooster.” Zhu Pingan replied with a sincere face.
Err.
When the crowd heard this, they were quiet for a few seconds, then they whispered again, and many of them couldn’t help but laugh in a small voice. They did not expect Zhu Pingan to choose Golden Rooster, Carp Leaping Dragon Gate is said to be a good performance in the imperial examinations, obviously Carp Leaping Dragon Gate is the most suitable for the imperial examinations, but he chose Golden Rooster! The examination paper in Yan first minister to take care of, only got eleven, and now this golden chicken a choice, huh, the first prize what don’t even think about it, impossible. In their eyes, the first prize nine times out of ten is Ouyang Zishi, anyway, in their eyes, Zhu Pingan is impossible.
When Ouyang Zishi heard this, the corner of his mouth couldn’t help but hold a sneer, and whispered, “Playing nonsense. Then, the confidence inside his eyes became even thicker.
