In the early Northern Song Dynasty, the system of the core of power was relatively special, and it was a system of two governments and three divisions.

The Third Division has now been deposed and is not to be mentioned.

Now let's talk about the two houses.

The two provinces are the West and the East.

It belongs to the highest authority of the Great Song Dynasty.

Xifu refers to the Privy Council.

Dongfu refers to the inner court.

Since the office of the inner court is in the political affairs hall, the common people also call it the political affairs hall.

Since the inner court is a synthesis of the two provinces under the Zhongshu Gate, all some people also refer to it as the Zhongshu Gate.

Some people who do not understand the construction of the two governments and three divisions of the Great Song Dynasty will always regard the political hall as a place where the officials and the prime ministers work together, but this is not the case.

First of all, the eastern and western palaces are outside the palace, how can the officials go outside the palace every day to work with the prime ministers?

The official family naturally stays in the palace, and the prime ministers have to work with the official family, so they have to be in the palace.

Therefore, the place where the palace works is called the Shishido.

This is the difference between the government hall and the capital office.

The West Mansion used to be unworthy of its name, and under the policy of emphasizing literature and suppressing military force, it has been pressed and beaten by the East Mansion.

Now, after a military reform, he has completely stood up.

already has the qualifications to fight with Dongfu.

As the three rulers of Dongfu, the three of them are naturally unhappy.

But if it's not happy, it's not happy, the three of them didn't object to it, but acquiesced in it.

The benefits brought to the Great Song Dynasty by the strengthening of military affairs are very intuitive.

Although the three of them pursue power, there is no need to prevent Da Song from becoming stronger because of the pursuit of power.

What's more, Xifu was suppressed before, and that was also the mind of the first three officials, who implemented the decree of emphasizing literature and suppressing military force in order to prevent the military from making rebellion.

Now that Zhao Zhen is no longer pressuring the military ministers, they will naturally not tightly grasp the decree of heavy literature and military suppression.

The three of them waited for a long time in a depressed mood, and Li Zhaoliang arrived at the Shishitang.

The three of them discussed with Li Zhaoliang about the military affairs in Yongzhou, and then Li Zhaoliang wrote down the order and sent someone to send the order to Yongzhou quickly.

After the military affairs in Yongzhou were properly handled, Lu Yijian and the three of them left the palace with their own thoughts.

Kou Ji's appointment as the chief examiner of the Enkewen exam has become a foregone conclusion because of their compromise relationship, and it will be useless to make any more trouble, so there is no need for them to admonish Zhao Zhen anymore.

Some time after that.

The imperial court is busy with the sudden addition of Enko.

When Kou Ji was in the middle of autumn, he went out of the mansion and went to Kaifeng Mansion to preside over the examination of Kaifeng Mansion.

After the release of the test list, Kou Ji continued to live in the house and write books.

It's almost winter.

A man dressed as an old farmer, leading a donkey, and the donkey pulled the cart, swayed and appeared on the official road in Bianjing City.

The old peasant looked very simple, dressed in gray cloth linen, wearing a hat on his head, covered with a layer of black cloth, walking slowly, constantly looking at the fields on both sides of the official road in Bianjing.

When he arrived at a field, the old farmer was a little thirsty, so he untied the water bladder from his waist and poured water into his mouth, but the water in the water bladder was exhausted, and he had to go to the field to ask the farmer who was harvesting the beans for water.

When the farmer saw that he was simple and honest, he rewarded him with a bowl of water.

The old farmer tasted the water carefully, his eyes lit up slightly, and he said with some surprise: "Cooked water? ”

Cooked water, which refers to water that is boiled.

When the farmer heard the old farmer's words, he was happy, "You actually know that this is cooked water?" ”

The old farmer held the bowl, took a beautiful sip and said, "You can drink it......"

When the farmer heard this, he smiled and said, "Listen to what you mean, often drink sleeping water?" It looks like you're a doctor. ”

The old farmer was a little curious, and when he saw the farmer sitting down, he also sat on the side, and asked, "How do you say that?" ”

The farmer smiled and said: "Look at your appearance, it is estimated that you are going to Bianjing City to join your relatives, you should not have lived in Bianjing City for a long time, so I don't know what is said in the cooked water, and you are used to using cooked water, then you must be a doctor." ”

The old farmer smiled and said, "What else can you say about cooked water?" ”

The farmer said proudly: "Of course there is, the saying of this cooked water came from the Kou Mansion. said that a servant of the Kou Mansion was sick all day, and the steward of the house thought he was lazy, so he told Xiao Kou Gong about it.

When Xiao Kou Gong learned about this, he went over to check it out and found that the servant's illness originated from raw water.

Xiao Kou Gong said that there are ghosts and monsters at work in the raw water, and if they are not calcined by the fire, they will inevitably get sick if they drink it in the stomach.

If you want to avoid the disease, you can only use the fire to calcinate and burn the ghosts in it to death.

What kind of person is Xiao Kou Gong, that is the smartest person in my Great Song Dynasty, and what he said will naturally not be wrong.

The servant listened to him, and boiled some raw water over a blazing fire, and when he drank it, he was immediately cured. ”

The old farmer patiently listened to the farmer's words, and said with a smile: "As far as I know, Xiao Kou rarely asks about the affairs of the servants, and all the affairs of the house are in charge of the lady.

Moreover, Xiao Kou Gong doesn't believe in ghosts and gods, so he won't talk about ghosts and gods. ”

When the farmer heard the old peasant's words, his face changed instantly, "You are a foreigner, what do you know?" I live in Ryan Town, and I was listening to this when Little Kou Gong said this.

What I have heard with my own ears cannot be false. ”

When the old farmer heard this, he shook his head with a smile and said, "Then it must be Xiao Kou Gong who said this......

"Nonsense!"

The farmer was angry, cursed, and snatched the bowl of water from the old farmer's hand.

But when he saw the old farmer's face, he couldn't bear to stuff the water bowl back into the old farmer's hand, and hummed: "You are a foreigner, if you dare to say bad things about Xiao Kou Gong in Bianjing City, that is to beg for beating."

Seeing that you go to your relatives alone to blame the pitiful, I will remind you.

When you enter Bianjing City, don't speak ill of Xiao Kougong. ”

The old farmer said with a little surprise: "Xiao Kou Gong is so domineering, he can't listen to others say bad things about him?" ”

"Phew!"

The farmer glared angrily, spat and said, "If you say this, you will have your tongue cut off when you die." Others say bad things about Xiao Kougong, and I don't know him. But you and I are both people who dig in the soil, how dare you speak ill of Xiao Kougong?

If it weren't for Xiao Kou's righteousness and countless methods that are conducive to farming, how could we, the little people, have a good life.

Xiao Kou Gong has the grace of our lives.

We have to respect Xiao Kou Gong from the bottom of our hearts.

Don't say bad things about Xiao Kou Gong, we know how to repay our kindness, not Xiao Kou Gong is domineering and bullying people.

Since he entered Beijing, I haven't seen him bully that people. ”

The old farmer nodded slowly and said with a smile: "But I heard that the head of the little Kou Gong killed in Hexi is not good. ”

The farmer angrily snatched the water bowl from the old peasant's hand, glared at him and scolded: "Little Kou Gong is to rob us people of more land to survive, so he created the murder.

When we get to the king of Hades, if the king of Hades scrapes the flesh of Xiao Kou Gong because of this, we will also have to help Xiao Kou Gong take a knife.

You, a foreigner, speak ill of Xiao Kou Gong when you open and close your mouth, and I gave you water to drink, it's a waste. ”

The old farmer sighed: "You have a sentence, I agree. That is, Xiao Kou Gong is really working for the benefit of the people. ”

The farmer snorted and said, "Now I know that it's too late to say good things about Xiao Kougong." People who are still open and silent, are you not a people? Can you still be a scholar who took the exam in Beijing? ”

The old farmer was slightly stunned for a moment, and said frankly: "I really entered Beijing this time to catch the exam, but I am not a scholar, I am the deputy exam of Enke." ”

When the farmer heard this, he was not shocked, but seemed to have heard some great joke.

"You're better than the one I've ever touched before...... I met a black charcoal head before, dropped three cents on the ground, was picked up, he asked the family to pay it back, people didn't pay it back, he had to pull people, told people that he was a scholar who entered Beijing to take the exam, bullied him to be punished, and also pulled people to talk a lot of Da Song law, was beaten, obediently ran to Bianjing City, and now maybe hide in the place to cry.

You're good, you don't even pretend to be a scholar, and directly say that you are the deputy exam of Enke this time.

If you're Enko's sub-examiner, I'm ......"

The farmer originally wanted to say that he was the main examiner, but considering that Enke's main exam was Kou Ji, he immediately changed his words and said: "I am the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture......

The old farmer laughed and said, "I'll go to Kaifeng Mansion to see if you are the prefect of Kaifeng Mansion." ”

After saying this, the old farmer laughed and left the field.

When the old farmer was leaving, the farmer sneered at the old peasant's back: "Then can you leave me a name, and I will also go to the Gongyuan to see if you are the deputy examination of Enke this time." ”

"Pizhou Fan Zhongyan ......"

“……”

Fan Zhongyan's ancestral home was Pizhou, and later because his mother remarried, he moved to Wu County, Suzhou, and changed his name to Zhu Shuo.

After changing Fan Zhongyan's name back, he also changed back to his ancestral hometown.

So he called himself Fan Zhongyan of Pizhou.

The farmer pouted at Fan Zhongyan's back, just thinking that he was a big talker.

If he really became an official, he would be like Fan Zhongyan, dressed as an old peasant, and he didn't even have an entourage by his side.

Those who are officials travel, which one is not followed by a bunch of people who hug each other.

"Phew......"

The farmer took a sip and went back to the field to continue working.

complains vigorously in my heart, people in these years are too dishonest, and one can blow more than the other.

Fan Zhongyan led the donkey cart all the way to the outside of Bianjing City, standing at the gate of Bianjing City, full of emotion.

Not long after he stood at the gate of Bianjing City, a figure appeared in front of him.

After Fan Zhongyan saw the person who came, he hurriedly saluted, "Sir......"

Kou Ji waved his hand and said: "Okay, I'm just a shallow learner, I can't teach you anything, you call me Mr. in Hexi, I dare to respond, in Bianjing City, I don't dare to respond, otherwise I will be scolded to death." ”

Fan Zhongyan said solemnly: "Although Mr. did not impart knowledge to students, he taught students the principles of being a person and doing things. In one life, there are three teachers, the teacher, the karma teacher, and the human teacher.

Mr. should be a teacher to the students. ”

Kou Ji shook his head with a smile, "Okay, let's not mention it." Knowing that you are coming back today, I have come here to welcome you. You have been in Hexi for many years, and the house in Bianjing City is somewhat deserted, although the imperial court has sent someone to clean it, but the popularity is too little.

You will live in my house these days. ”

Fan Zhongyan bowed, "Thank you, sir......"

Kou Ji glanced left and right and said, "What about your entourage?" ”

Fan Zhongyan said with a smile: "The entourage is behind, they bring a lot of things, after I entered the boundary of Bianjing City, I left them behind and rushed over alone." ”

Kou Ji laughed and said, "If you don't bring any of your followers, aren't you afraid of being robbed?" ”

Fan Zhongyan said with a smile: "Since the reform of the military system, government servants and soldiers have been added in various places, and the imperial court has also cleaned up some rogues before. There is not a single thief in Hexi now, how can there be a little thief at the feet of the Son of Heaven?

Besides, didn't the gentleman bring an entourage as well? ”

As soon as Fan Zhongyan finished saying this, he saw a person of weak crown age standing behind Kou Ji, with a slightly dark complexion, wearing a Confucian costume, looking like a scholar.

"The student lost his words, but I didn't expect Mr. to bring his entourage."

Kou Ji glanced back at the young man behind him, and smiled at Fan Zhongyan: "He's not an entourage, he's a scholar who is taking the exam in this subject." ”

Fan Zhongyan was slightly stunned, and muttered: "Mr. intends to promote him?" ”

Kou Ji shook his head and smiled, "No...... I just happened to run into it, too. When I came here to meet you, I happened to meet him selling words on the roadside, and when I saw that he was good at writing, I gave him some money and asked him to come to my house for a time to be a copy. ”

Fan Zhongyan stroked his beard, stared at the young man and said meaningfully: "Little guy, you have good luck with shit......"

The young man heard Fan Zhongyan's words, and replied stiffly, "Bao Zheng, a scholar in Xialuzhou, is not a young ......."

Fan Zhongyan was stunned for a moment, and suddenly laughed out loud, "Hahaha...... In Bianjing City, the only scholar who dares to talk to me like this is probably you, and I remember you. ”

Bao Zheng glanced at Fan Zhongyan and did not speak.

Bao Zheng felt that he had encountered two neuropaths.

One of them appeared out of nowhere while he was setting up a stall, asked him his name, and after examining his register, he threw him a piece of gold and told him to follow him to the house to make a copy for a few days.

As soon as the other appeared, he looked like he was very good.

But the real blessed people, the real people with status, none of them are like this?

If it weren't for the gold that the first man threw at him, he had secretly bitten into it, and it was real gold, he would have suspected that he had met two liars.

When he went out to set up a stall, the old owner of the Luzhou Hall specially reminded him that there were many liars in Bianjing City, who specialized in deceiving scholars.

Some deceived readers, saying that they could help them find a way to recommend.

Some deceived readers, saying that they could help them get the entry qualification of Wenchang Academy.

Others simply said that they could help scholars run for office.

Anyway, there are all kinds of scammers who target readers.

Bao Zheng suspected that the two people in front of him were liars who tricked him, and it was normal.

After Fan Zhongyan laughed, he said to Kou Ji: "Didn't Mr. reveal his identity? ”

When Bao Zheng heard this, he sneered in his heart.

Hehe, the trick of the liar appeared.

The next gorgeously dressed person is not to claim that he is the son of a noble family, or a teacher.

Then wait for yourself to come up and cheat yourself.

Unfortunately, your deception has not worked against me.

Because my money is stored in the Jiaozi shop, and the Jiaozi is kept in the guild hall.

I don't have any money on me, what can you deceive me?

When I find your lair, I will go to Kaifeng Mansion to expose you.

The old curator was afraid that we would be deceived, but he specially explained to us the tricks of the scammers in Bianjing City.

Bao Zheng is not afraid of what the liar will do to him.

Because this is Bianjing, the place where literati gather.

There are many literati in power.

During the scientific expedition, those who attacked the scholars, once discovered, ended up quite miserable.

Bao Zheng doesn't know much about others, but he is familiar with the laws of the Great Song Dynasty.

Then, the scene that Bao Zheng thought of did not appear.

After Kou Ji heard Fan Zhongyan's words, he smiled faintly: "What do you do?" Isn't it fun to clarify your identity? ”

Fan Zhongyan was stunned for a moment, and then said with a smile: "Sir's move is a loss of identity." ”

Kou Ji smiled indifferently: "With my identity, even if I do something that loses my identity, others will pass it on as a good story." ”

Fan Zhongyan nodded slowly and said, "That's ...... too."

"Let's go, go back to the house, I will have people prepare hot water and wine and food for you."

"Is there any rice?"

"There is ......"

Fan Zhongyan's ancestral home is Pizhou, but he grew up in Suzhou and is accustomed to rice food.

I have eaten pasta in Hexi for a long time, and I have long missed rice food.

On the way back to Beijing, I ate a lot.

But how could the food in the post station be comparable to the food in Koufu.

Kou Ji took Fan Zhongyan and Bao Zheng all the way to Ruian Town.

Along the way, Bao Zheng looked at the two of them with scrutinizing eyes, and occasionally took a look at the surrounding scenery.

When he arrived at the edge of Ruian Town, Bao Zheng stared at the bustling Ruian Town and said in a low voice: "This is the world-famous Ruian Town?" ”

Kou Ji nodded slightly, and said with a smile: "Yes, it is indeed Ruian Town......"

Bao Zheng pondered slightly, and said lightly, "I heard that Kou Shumi lives in Ruian Town. ”

Fan Zhongyan heard this, stroked his beard, and smiled meaningfully.

Kou Ji nodded slowly, "Yes, Kou Shumian lives in Ruian Town. Kou Shumi is the main examiner of this Enke civil and military examination, you inquire about his residence, do you want to follow the example of others and go to his house to submit papers? ”

When Bao Zheng heard this, he frowned slightly.

When he was in the Luzhou Guild Hall, the old curator told Bao Zheng that if Bao Zheng could get acquainted with one or two people who entered the Kou Mansion Courtyard, he must follow them in and show his face in front of Kou Shumi.

If you can present your own articles on the spot, you may be valued by Kou Shumi, and this branch will definitely be in high school.

The old curator's words are undoubtedly heartfelt words.

It's just that Bao Zheng's heart is full of resistance.

So after hearing Kou Ji's words, he said bluntly: "Can you help me throw the paper?" ”

Bao Zheng has already regarded Kou Ji and Fan Zhongyan as liars.

Because submitting papers is also a means of deceiving readers.

The two people in front of him must have been discussed a long time ago, and they used the trick of reuniting old friends to dispel the suspicions of others, and then proposed things like throwing papers to lure him to the bait.

He pretended to take the bait and saw what the two liars could say.

Kou Ji heard that Bao Zheng's tone was wrong, and guessed that Bao Zheng had other thoughts, but still answered Bao Zheng's words.

"I can't help you cast ......"

Bao Zheng was slightly stunned.

Kou Ji continued, "But I can take you into the Kou Mansion and let you meet the Kou Privy. ”

Bao Zheng thought that he had guessed wrong, but after hearing Kou Ji's words, he confirmed that he had not guessed wrong, and sneered in his heart.

"Then I'll thank you first......"

Bao Zheng said lightly, and his eyes began to look around.

What to look at?

Look at the route for a while.

In case there are many people on the other side and the situation is not right, he will definitely have to run.

Seeing this, Kou Ji and Fan Zhongyan were slightly stunned.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Bao Zheng is a fledgling after all, and some careful thoughts are written on his face.

The two of them have been up and down in the sea for several years, and they have seen all kinds of people, how can they not see Bao Zheng's thoughts.

The two saw through Bao Zheng's thoughts, but they didn't say anything.

The two no longer bothered with Bao Zheng, but walked towards Ruian Town with a smile and a smile.

I walked all the way to a huge mansion and stopped.

The reason why he did not move forward was because the front of the mansion was full of people.

All of them were scholars, holding the test papers in their hands, and asked to see Kou Ji in front of the gate of the Kou Mansion Courtyard.

The gatekeeper of the Koufu Annexes stopped them, and they gathered at the gate of the Koufu Courtyard and refused to leave.

They were looking forward to Kou Ji appearing and finding a way to get their article into Kou Ji's hands.

Bao Zheng looked at this scene and was a little dumbfounded.

He could confirm that the mansion in front of him was the Kofu Annex.

Because he saw a few scholars in the Luzhou Hall in it.

He felt that the liar was too bold to dare to take him to the gate of the Koufu Courtyard.

Are all the liars in Bianjing so arrogant?

The people have rave reviews of Kou Shumi, but Bao Zheng, as a scholar, knows some official news, and knows that Kou Shumi is very ruthless to the wicked.

The liar is hanging at the gate of his courtyard, isn't that looking for death?

Kou Ji and Fan Zhongyan didn't care about Bao Zheng's thoughts, Kou Ji looked at the readers at the door, frowned slightly, and said, "The atmosphere of submitting papers has to be changed...... If it works, then what kind of imperial examination is there? ”

Fan Zhongyan smiled bitterly: "That being said, the atmosphere of throwing papers has changed, and in the future, the important ministers of the court will have one less private income, and there will be one less opportunity to include some talents in the door."

This matter has been played to the court, and the Manchu Dynasty Wenchen will definitely refute it. ”

Kou Ji snorted coldly, "Since the imperial court has opened the imperial examination, and in order to prevent fraud, it has also implemented a decree that is vague, so it must be fair." I will discuss this matter with the three members of the inner court, and I will also play the official family. ”

Fan Zhongyan sighed and did not speak.

Bao Zheng stared at Kou Ji with a stunned expression.

Listen to the meaning of your words, you are Kou Shumi?

Who is Kou's Privy Secret?

That is the important minister of the Great Song Dynasty, under one person, one person is on par, and above ten thousand people.

Even if you don't hug you when you go out, you have to have three or five guards.

You just wander alone, and you dare to pretend to be Kou's privy secret?

When I went to Kaifeng Mansion to denounce you, there was one more crime.

Wait for death.

Pretending to be an important official of the imperial court to commit a crime, the light is exile, and the worst is beheaded.

If you pretend to be an important official of the imperial court and pretend to be the head of Kou's privy secret, that is, you are looking for death.

"Let's go off the beaten track......"

Kou Ji looked at the main gate of the Kou Mansion Courtyard, which was being gambled, and said to Fan Zhongyan.

Fan Zhongyan arched his hand and said, "It's all up to Mr. ...... orders."

Kou Ji took Fan Zhongyan and Bao Zheng and walked around the Kou Mansion Courtyard for half a circle, and arrived in front of a very hidden portal.

Koji stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Fan Zhongyan stood aside with a smile, and glanced at Bao Zheng from time to time.

Bao Zheng stared, and his heart sank.

Too bold.

This group of swindlers actually colluded with the people of Koufu.

I have long heard that the doormen of the mansions of the powerful in Bianjing City are making money outside behind the backs of the magnates.

Now it seems that it is true.

If this matter is exposed, it will definitely be a shocking case.

Am I running now?

Or do you want to stay and find out?

It may be dangerous to stay.

Just when Bao Zheng was struggling inwardly, the portal was opened.

A man dressed as a steward came out of it and bowed deeply to Kou Ji.

"Young Master......"

Then he saluted Fan Zhongyan, "Congratulations to Fan Zhizhou and promoted to Fan Shilang." ”

Bao Zheng's eyes widened in horror and froze in place.