In the past few days, Cheng Jun has invited Xu Ping to go out to play several times, but Xu Ping refused, saying that he had to wait for the roll call to be in the mood.

March 24, the day of the palace test list. Xu Ping got up early, took a few hundred taels of silver, and went to look at the list outside Donghua Gate with Lin Wensi.

Today is not as good as in the past, Liu Xiaoyi also rode a horse with the two of them, just waiting to see the list and come back to report Xu Zheng and his wife.

Outside the Donghua Gate, before dawn, a large group of lifters had gathered in the distance, all waiting there anxiously, waiting for the verdict of fate.

This is exactly the time of the early dynasty, there is an endless stream of officials at all levels, and the lifters can only watch from afar, and they will not post the list until the early dynasty begins.

It wasn't until a glimmer of light appeared in the sky that the ranks of officials of the upper court completely disappeared, and several chamberlains came out of the palace and posted a list on the powder wall.

When the people saw it, they hugged the ground.

Xu Ping and Lin Wensi glanced at each other, shook their heads impatiently, stayed outside the crowd, and only waited for the crowd to disperse before going up to look. The list is there, and it can't fly, so why rush for a while.

A few chamberlains posted a list and stood there to maintain order, and a small yellow door saw Xu Ping from a distance, said to his companions around him, and hurried over.

When he arrived at Xu Ping's side, Xiao Huangmen said: "Little official, it turns out that you have arrived!" ”

Xu Ping saw that it was Shi Quanbin, and hurriedly replied: "It turned out to be the head of the Shi Pavilion, is he also here to watch the list?" ”

Shi Quanbin nodded: "This has always been the business of our Imperial Medicine Academy, and I also received this errand." ”

After speaking, he looked at the surroundings and no one was paying attention, grabbed Xu Ping and whispered: "I'll tell you, don't tell others, you won the second class and the first class, the nineteenth, you don't need to look at the list." ”

The list is only a name, there is no ranking, and you will not know the rank until after the roll call, showing the emperor's dominant position in the palace examination. Of course, the people on the list have a rough idea of the ranking, and they will not stand randomly after entering the hall.

After listening to Shi Quanbin's words, Xu Pingqi said: "It turns out that the cabinet chief already knows. In the next book, he is a civilian, how dare he let the cabinet chief care. ”

Shi Quanbin shook his head and sighed: "These things such as marking papers and exams are the ministry of our Imperial Medicine Academy. Speaking of this, he looked left and right like a thief, and then attached it to Xu Ping's ear and said: "You have been planting rice in Kaifeng Mansion in the past two years, which is very helpful to farming, and the official family has also heard your name. It's just that I don't know why you offended the Queen Mother, and you were demoted by the Queen Mother, which is your current ranking. It's good that you know what to do. ”

Xu Ping nodded ignorantly, but didn't know how to answer. I didn't expect that the little good I did casually would be remembered. As for how to offend the Queen Mother, he knew in his heart that he had so many awkward troubles with Ma Jiliang's family, but it was luck to be demoted to one level.

The name of the Imperial Medicine Institute is unremarkable, but it is actually the most powerful department in the palace. They follow the emperor every day, they are the closest, and the emperor's private affairs are all entrusted to them. Although the palace examination is mainly based on appointed examiners, the Imperial Medicine Academy, as the emperor's confidant, also participates in the whole process, supervises each other, and conveys the emperor's intentions to the examiners at any time. The nominal chief examiner of the palace examination is the emperor, and the ranking can be directly determined.

The problem is that now that the Queen Mother is in power, Shi Quanbin is following the emperor, and there is not much benefit, so he can only watch his colleagues who follow the Queen Mother to be powerful. The queen mother is a woman, especially relying on the inner servant, and the people in the imperial medicine institute around her are particularly popular. For example, Zhang Huaide, Luo Chongxun, and Jiang Deming are in power, and they are even able to influence the promotion of ministers.

Seeing that Xu Ping didn't speak, Shi Quanbin whispered again: "By the way, it is Zhang Huaide who is going to pass on the meaning of the Queen Mother." It's in the name of the Queen Mother, who knows if it's revenge for the previous white sugar! ”

Xu Ping didn't dare to mix with this kind of struggle for power and profit, so he just snorted indiscriminately. However, this name Xu Ping wrote down, and Zhang Huaide was later tossed to death by Li Yonghe.

After chatting a few more words, Xu Ping came to his senses, and took out the silver he was carrying from his arms, wanting to give it to Shi Quanbin to repay his kindness.

Shi Quanbin saw Xu Ping take something out of his arms, and when he saw Bai Huahua, he hurriedly held it down: "Don't take it out, little official!" It's driving me to death! As long as I am seen by a few yellow doors over there, I will only have a dead end when I play it! ”

The power struggle in the palace was much more sinister and fierce than that of the outer courts, and Xu Ping didn't understand, so he had to put the silver in his hand back.

Shi Quanbin returned to normalcy and said to Xu Ping: "The Imperial Medicine Institute is also in charge of making some personal things for the official family, and recently a popular car among the princes I heard that the style came out of your family, and the official family liked it, and asked me to make one for the queen according to the same, and I will ask you to help when the time comes." ”

Xu Ping hurriedly agreed, this matter is much easier to operate, and he is worried that he is worried that the crime of bribery and bribery to the ministers is not something he can afford as a newcomer.

After gossiping here, Lin Wensi had already come back from watching the list, with joy on his face, and said to Xu Ping: "Good luck this year, our son-in-law actually won at the same time." The roll call is about to be rolled over there, just go and I'll go home and ask for a feast for you to celebrate! ”

Seeing Lin Wensi coming back, Shi Quanbin did not say goodbye and left. He still has a lot to do at roll call, and he can't talk here for a long time.

congratulated Lin Wensi, but Xu Ping didn't know whether to tell him the news brought by Shi Quanbin for a while. If you don't say it, you won't understand it. In this era, the palace test is divided into one year, saying that it is a first-class, but the specific status is not good, who knows if the emperor will make a special armor on a whim?

After all, he still watched Lin Wensi happily take Liu Xiaoyi back, and Xu Ping didn't tell him his ranking. Anyway, it's only a day, so let's talk about it in the evening.

Today is the roll call of the Jinshi on the main list, and tomorrow is the Zhuke, Lin Wensi still has one day to spare.

Xu Ping waited in place for a while before the chamberlains and officials came out, took the new branch scholars to form a team, and entered the Chongzheng Hall in turn.

At this time, all the glory of the imperial examination ceremony was attributed to the champion, and all the jinshi entered the Chongzheng Palace, put in order, and first read the champion scroll by the prime minister Wang Zeng. The champion of Jinke turned out to be Wang Yaochen of Yingtianfu, but Xu Ping had no impression, just standing in the crowd and listening, he couldn't hear clearly.

After reading the champion volume, the official roll call was made.

This year's ranking really has a new trick, divided into six classes, five people in the first class, and it is really a special armor. Wang Yaochen stood at the front, and behind him were Han Qi and Zhao Ji and other four people.

The second class of thirty people is the first class, and the second minister Zhang Zhibai is the name of the name. At this time, although there was silence, hundreds of people were crowded into a large hall, as well as many ministers and attendants, and a large number of armor soldiers, which was also irritating.

Wen Yanbo's ranking was high, and he was already out of the ranks, and after waiting for a few more people, Zhang Zhibai read the name of Xu Ping of Kaifeng Mansion. Xu Ping was crowded in the crowd, how could he hear it, until the guards under the stairs shouted his name together, and the voice was so loud that it made him dizzy. Learn from others to hear the name and not go out of the queue first, until the guard shouted twice before squeezing out of the crowd.

Two heavily armed guards came to Xu Ping and asked in a deep voice, "Let's report home!" ”

Xu Ping learned from others, and replied respectfully: "Kaifeng Mansion Gongju Xu Ping, father Xu Zheng!" ”

The guard nodded, came up left and right, and carried Xu Ping straight forward. was caught by two high-ranking scholars, Xu Ping barely touched the ground with his feet, and he couldn't cry or laugh. Is there still someone who is so excited that he can't walk after being called by the roll call? There is such an embarrassing rule.

Before reaching the steps, the guard stopped, still holding Xu Ping tightly. It seems that it is not because he is afraid that Jinshi will not be able to walk, but for the sake of the safety of the emperor on the stage.

The voice of the little emperor came from above, still asking for his patronymic name. The reason why the place of origin was added was because Emperor Zhenzong had a trouble, and the two new scholars had the same name and different place of origin, but only asked the name to reverse the ranking of the two, and then deliberately added the place of origin and patronymic name.

There was no need for Xu Ping to speak, the guards around him answered for him.

As soon as the guard's words fell, the sun, which had been hiding in the clouds in the sky, suddenly jumped out of the clouds and shone brightly. With a colorful light, it illuminated the somewhat gloomy Chongzheng Palace.

This sudden change occurred, and the entire hall stayed there at once.

Zhang Zhibai, who was taking a roll call on several sides of the case, was slightly stunned, took a step back and bowed deeply to the emperor on the high seat behind the stage, and said loudly: "Congratulations to Your Majesty for winning people, God gives Ruiguang!" ”

As soon as these words came out, the temple shouted long live.

Xu Ping stood there stunned, not knowing what to do for a while. At this time, in late spring, clouds and mist are already very common, this is just a very common natural phenomenon, I don't know what a group of people are excited about.

The little emperor behind the stage got up, poked his head into the case and said, "Is it Xu Ping of Kaifeng Mansion?" I also heard that you opened ditches and canals in Kaifeng Mansion to promote rice planting, which is of great use to the country! Very good, very good! You are the youngest in the undergraduate jinshi, and the old example of the previous dynasty was Tanhualang. The sky is shining brightly, such an auspicious omen, and it will be upgraded to a higher level! ”

As soon as the words fell, the surrounding ministers who were happy shouted long live.

Xu Ping was carried by two guards, moved from the third row to the second row, and stood beside Han Qi.

The first-class had already thanked him, and Xu Ping had no choice but to bow alone and thank the emperor.

According to the custom handed down from the Tang Dynasty, the first Jinshi is the champion, the second is the leader, and the third is not fixed. Because the Tang Dynasty had the habit of enjoying the flowers in the spring, the youngest two were selected as the flower explorers, which were passed down to the Song Dynasty, although they did not appreciate the flowers, the youngest of the Jinshi was still called the flowers. The former dynasty crown was on the throne when he was young, and he had done flower exploration.

This time Xu Ping, because he was promoted to stand next to Han Qi, the eye of the list, since then, Tanhua has become the title of the third place, which has been passed down to future generations.

Xu Ping didn't know this story yet, but today he understood the origin of Tanhua. I can't help but think of Xiao Li Tanhua in the story of Gulong, it turned out that it was not about the high ranking of Jinshi, but about his young man's ascension.

In the main hall, Xu Ping was in the spotlight at this time, and his brilliance even overpowered the champion Wang Yaochen, so he couldn't help but not be nervous. Thinking about these chores of Xiao Li Tanhua, he forcibly calmed down his mind.

Ps: According to history, Tanhua will not be referred to as the third place until the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, and the special title for the third place will not be until the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, which is borrowed from the protagonist a hundred years earlier.

Tiansheng rolled up to the first time in the fifth year of the day, the sky appeared Ruiguang, the day was five colors, there are many records in the notes of the Song people, and it is also borrowed here as the halo of the protagonist.