Zhao Zhen laughed endlessly, pointed at Su Jin and scolded: "You are getting more and more bold, you are forcing yourself to stand up for others, but you put this account on my head, if you don't explain it clearly today, I will not spare you, even if you have great ability, it is a dead end to be punished in front of me." ”

Su Jin hurriedly said: "The emperor is clear, although the emperor has not taught it personally, how can a courtier not know what the emperor advocates and opposes; Dare to ask the emperor, but the emperor personally selected the test questions?"

Zhao Zhen sneered: "I personally drafted it, and the "Theory of Punishment and Reward for Loyalty" was selected by me from more than 100 policy questions, so what? ”

Su Jin bowed and said, "Ask the emperor again, what is the standard for the imperial court?" ”

Zhao Zhen said: "You have taken the test, Lu Aiqing, tell him what are the standards for the imperial court?" ”

Lu Yijian said slowly: "The first thing to appoint scholars in the imperial court is to appoint people on the basis of merit, and the so-called sages can be understood as loyal to the monarch and patriotic, noble in ethics, full of poetry and books, and good for government. ”

Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "Lu Aiqing has worked hard, and the explanation is quite incisive, Su Jin, do you understand?" ”

Su Jin bowed down and said: "Wechen has been taught, but what Wechen wants to ask is that since the court has taken someone, does it mean that this person meets the court's standards for taking scholars?" ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Most of them are, it is not excluded that there are a few people who are confused, but sooner or later they will be discovered, so don't worry." ”

Su Jin nodded and said, "I don't know if Weichen can be among the fish-eyed pearls?" ”

Zhao Zhen said: "What are you...... Naturally, it's not among them, and you can be proud. ”

Su Jin bowed and said, "Thank you for the emperor's praise, Weichen is indeed a little proud." ”

Du Yan frowned and said, "Su Jin, what do you want to say when you go around?" If you don't explain what the emperor asks, you will be in front of you! That's a felony! ”

Su Jin waved his hand and said, "Why is Master Du so anxious to cure my crimes?" If the lower officials don't explain, the emperor won't spare me, where is your turn to worry about the old man? ”

Zhao Zhen shouted: "Hugh is flamboyant, what do you mean by asking me for a long time?" ”

Su Jin hurriedly arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, Weichen is Xie Yuan of Jingxi Road, I don't know if the emperor has seen the minister's strategy?" ”

Zhao Zhen snorted and said, "Look, so what?" It is rumored by the outside world how good your article is, and I don't think it's just a work of Zhongping. ”

Su Jin scratched his head and said: "Weichen is only shallow in learning, so naturally he can't get into the emperor's dragon eye, and the emperor thinks that the minister's views are wrong?" ”

Zhao Zhen said matter-of-factly: "It's reasonable. ”

Su Jin said: "That's it, Weichen is following the emperor's teachings today, so he came out to speak for those students." ”

Zhao Zhen was stunned and said, "Speaking of which, when did I teach you?" Are you playing with me? ”

Su Jin pretended to be surprised and said, "Huh? The imperial court took Weichen as the solution yuan, and the emperor did not refute Weichen's views on policy, which is not equivalent to saying that the emperor is silent about Weichen's views in policy; The argument of that policy is that 'benevolence can be passed, righteousness cannot be passed', in fact, it is the way of benevolence and forgiveness, the emperor agrees with this view, why should he say it himself, as a courtier, he should understand the meaning of the saint's words, how can he make the emperor talk about everything; if the minister does not have the emperor's acquiescence, how can he dare to stand up in vain today? In the final analysis, Weichen really acted according to the emperor's ideas; If he is convicted of this matter, then Weichen will die unjustly. ”

There was an uproar in the court, this kid can really speak in the vernacular, this is a complete change of concept, the emperor saw your strategy, and if he didn't object, he acquiesced? That's too much of a rhetoric.

However, although it is a strong word, it seems that it cannot be refuted, Su Jin's meaning is very clear: I wrote a policy and expressed my views, and your court also gave me a Xie Yuan, and the emperor did not object to it after reading the article, nor did he deprive me of the name of Xie Yuan, so doesn't it mean that the court and the emperor agree with the views of the article? If my point of view is not right, why do you want me to understand the meta?

Zhao Zhen was wrapped into a trap by Su Jin alive, both angry and funny, feeling like he wanted to refute, but he had no power; It's as if he was kidnapped by this kid, and now it seems that he can only agree with his strong words, at this time, if he doesn't agree with his point of view at all, Su Jinding will ask: Then why did the court let me understand Yuan? You can't do this kind of thing of slapping yourself in the mouth.

Yan Shu and Fubi Ouyang Xiu and the others looked at each other and grinned, they were already super speechless to Su Jin, you said that he was a scoundrel, and you said that he was a strong word, but you have to admit that this guy has a quick mind and sharp words, and is good at using stratagems; Some of the hundreds of officials have finally understood why this Su Jin can handle grain affairs, rectify the rule of the officials on the Huainan Road, and push back the provocation of the Liao State without damage, this is not luck, this is the ability; Even the emperor was surrounded by him, let alone those people?

Many people secretly decided that they must have a good relationship with this kid in the future, even if they can't get along and can't be friends, they will never be his enemies, because they are not this kid's opponents at all.

In the midst of the chaos, Zhao Zhen spoke: "Su Jin, when you say this, I have nothing to refute, I actually don't object to your point of view, I don't think about it; But since I have not explicitly objected to it, it is understandable that I am acquiescing to this; In this case, let you be a good person today, and let those few lifters participate in the temple examination. ”

Su Jin was overjoyed, and bowed his head, and the few lifters also quickly knelt down to thank him, and the other lifters also quickly knelt down, knelt down in chaos, and shouted in unison: "The emperor is sage!" Long live our emperor. ”

Zhao Zhen saw that Du Yan and Lu Yijian's faces were extremely unkind, so he said: "Even so, but you broke the rules without being summoned, and this way of forgiveness is not available for everything, and I still have to punish you." ”

Su Jin was stunned and said, "This is also a punishment?" ”

Du Yan shouted: "Twenty rods, or ten palms." ”

Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said: "After all, Su Jin is an official and a bachelor's degree, so he still doesn't need to play the board in front of everyone, but he must be fined fifty catties of copper, and if he commits another crime in the future, the punishment will be doubled." ”

Su Jin was overjoyed and grateful, as long as he was not stripped of his pants and spanked, or slapped in the mouth, not to mention fifty catties of copper, it would be okay to be a thousand catties.

Lu Yijian slowly got up and said, "Your Majesty, doesn't Su Jin just talk about the government and slander the emperor?" ”

Everyone calmed down all of a sudden, and almost forgot that this kid had just made a disrespectful speech, saying what he was talking about grasping the big and letting go of the small, what he said about being bullied by other places, and what he said was too heavy and detailed, typical slanderous words.

Everyone's eyes focused on Zhao Zhen, and Zhao Zhen smiled slightly: "Lu Aiqing, I have already figured it out just now, although Su Jin's words are a bit excessive, they are indeed the status quo; I should not punish anyone for talking about the malaise of society, but I should encourage a wide range of opinions. ”

Everyone was impressed by Zhao Zhen's broad mind, this is Renjun, who does not shy away from illness and medical treatment, does not hide it, and is not angry when he is accused, but instead speaks words of encouragement, which is really rare.

"I have already thought about the question of today's palace examination, but now I am going to change the question, and there is only one question for today's palace examination, that is, to find out the most important shortcomings of my Great Song Dynasty at present, and at the same time propose a solution; The speaker is not guilty, and the students can speak freely, but they are not allowed to be perfunctory and empty, and they need to have something to say. ”

Everyone agreed in unison, and all the officials thought that today's palace exam was really unprecedented, and there was such a question; I don't know what the emperor is thinking? Could it be that the emperor wants to carry out some big moves, saying that the Great Song Dynasty has a lot of disadvantages, the emperor doesn't ask the ministers, but he expects these actions to have any good ideas? I'm afraid that the emperor is sick and rushed to the doctor.

Lu Yijian saw that the emperor easily spared Su Jin, and his heart was very unhappy; stepped forward and said: "The old minister is not feeling well, and I want to ask the emperor to allow the old minister to return to the palace as soon as possible to recuperate, and it is enough for other adults to be here for the palace test." ”

Zhao Zhen knew that he was unhappy, so he agreed to his request after a few words of relief; Du Yan also wanted to paint the scoop according to the gourd, and said: "The old minister has a headache, please ask the emperor to allow the old minister to return to the house to rest." ”

Zhao Zhen frowned and said: "Du Aiqing had back pain last time, this time it was a headache, your body is too weak, why don't you take a long vacation to recuperate for a year?" ”

Du Yan was taken aback, and hurriedly said: "Thank you for the emperor's care, but the old minister is just a disease of the time, but it is not a big problem, and he can still hold on." ”

Xia Zhu on the side covered his mouth and said happily, and said in his heart: You also follow Lu Xiang's example, and you don't pee and take pictures, the emperor is so smart, how can he not know your thoughts, a stupid person!

At that moment, all the lifters withdrew from the main hall and came to the square outside the hall, the examination seats on the square had already been prepared, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites distributed number plates to the two hundred and thirty-two lifters to guide them to sit down.

Zhao Zhen also put up a yellow dragon umbrella cover on the steps at the entrance of the hall and put a seat, got some refreshments, and gave a few ministers and the heads of the Privy Council and the three divisions to sit on, and watched from a high position; The rest of the officials could only stand on either side of the steps.

The invigilator of the Ministry of Rites arranged to come forward to ask Zhao Zhen, Zhao Zhen personally waved the drumstick, and after three drums, the palace examination officially began.