Rise From the Humble

The palace gate opened wide, and people came out of the small yellow gate, announcing an order to all the tributes waiting outside to enter the West Garden. Zhu Ping'an and other tributes lined up under the guidance of the small yellow gate and were divided into two rows. They filed in excitedly and nervously, not daring to breathe.

Xiyuan is like a fairyland. Except as soon as he entered Xiyuan, Zhu Pingan almost mistakenly thought that he had arrived in Penglai Wonderland. The first thing I saw was Jinhai in Xiyuan. Zhu Ping’an has been famous for a long time in modern times.

At this moment, the blue waves of the Golden Sea are rippling, and the water mist shrouds the islands in the Golden Sea and the towering peaks on the opposite bank in the mist. From time to time, there are several cranes, exotic flowers and grasses are everywhere on the shore, and the palace in the distance is looming. Like a paradise on earth.

Under the guidance of the Xiaohuang Gate, Zhu Ping'an and other tributes passed through the Jin'ao Yudong Bridge between Zhonghai and Beihai and entered the hinterland of Xiyuan.

The emperor's own army is fully equipped to guard the main roads in Xiyuan. According to the armor style, it is roughly divided into Jinwu Guard, Habayashi Guard, Fujun Guard, and Huben Guard. They are scattered throughout Xiyuan to protect the safety of the Xiyuan Palace.

After entering the hinterland of Xiyuan, the small yellow gate did not lead Zhu Pingan and others directly to the palace examination room, but led Zhu Pingan and others to a slightly low palace. There was a plaque on the palace, and on the plaque were four A big character, "Zhenkun Dao Temple".

At first, Zhu Ping'an and others were still wondering what Xiao Huangmen was doing leading everyone here, but they soon understood.

Shower and change clothes!

Although this hall is low, it is big enough. There are several separate bath barrels with rippling steam, covered with curtains, and all the students file in to bathe and change clothes.

This bathing has two purposes, bathing and changing clothes to show respect to the emperor, Emperor Jiajing is on the verge of cultivating immortality and alchemy, and cannot be bumped by ordinary people like Zhu Pingan; Go into the bath naked, and we will search your clothes and belongings outside. The contraband should be temporarily left in the Zhenkun Dao Hall, and will be returned after your palace test.

After bathing and changing clothes, Zhu Pingan found that the pen, ink and inkstone he was carrying were temporarily left in the hall. As for the ginseng that Li Shu asked Baozi's little maid to send, it was kept because it was not a contraband but a food category. Zhu Pingan was allowed to take it with him. Palace examination.

After bathing and changing clothes, Xiao Huangmen led Zhu Ping'an and others to go south again, and there was a row of straight huts near the south gate of Xiyuan.

Probably the officials of the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple.

Xiaohuang gatekeeper Zhu Ping'an and others led them to these officials of the Ministry of Rites, whispered to the officials at the front, and left waving their whisks.

The rest is the matter of the Ministry of Rites, roll call, emphasizing discipline, and mobilization. It took about half an hour. Afterwards, Zhu Pingan and others followed the officials of the Ministry of Rites to the examination room of the imperial examination—Taisu Hall.

Taisu Hall is located on the north side of Xiyuan, close to Beihai.

When Zhu Ping'an and others arrived at Taisu Hall along with officials from the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple, the rising sun had already risen in the east. Officials from the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple took the tributes to the open space in front of the palace and stood in awe to wait for the edict.

"Xuan Jiajing and Xinhai Enke Gongshi have an audience." The announcement came from the palace one after another.

Soon, officials from the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple led Zhu Ping'an and others to enter the Taisu Hall along with the inner guard who announced the decree.

There were already many officials in Taisu Hall, wearing official robes of crimson, cyan and green, embroidered with birds and animals, looking at the four hundred paying tributes with the eyes of younger generations.

"The ministers pay homage to the Holy Majesty, long live my emperor, long live, long live, long live, long live, long live, long live"

Zhu Ping'an, along with officials from the Ministry of Rites, Honglu Temple and all the tributes, paid a grand salute to Emperor Jiajing who was sitting on the dragon throne - five bows and three kowtows. This is an expressly stipulated salute for tributes to the emperor during the palace examination. To put it simply It is to bow your head to your hands five times, and then kowtow to the ground three times.

"Stay flat." A dignified voice came from the hall.

This was the voice of Emperor Jiajing. After hearing this, many Gongsheng trembled with excitement. After being pushed a few times, they hurriedly got up and stood respectfully in the hall.

When Zhu Pingan got up, he took the opportunity to look at Emperor Jiajing. Emperor Jiajing was sitting on the dragon chair. He was a little thin, but his majestic aura was extremely strong. He was wearing a dragon robe, like a real dragon coiled on the dragon chair, which made people feel... Don't dare to look directly.

"It's the end of the year for Enke. The auspicious signs are here for you. Don't let me down!" Emperor Jiajing said a few sacred precepts after the tributes were completed. To put it simply, this Enke is in compliance with God's will. You also have to do the same. You must follow the sky and respond to the people, and don't disappoint my expectations.

After Emperor Jiajing finished speaking, he nodded to Huang Jin who was standing next to him. Then Huang Jin held an apricot-yellow cloth scroll in front of the imperial case in his hands, walked down the hall and handed it to a middle-aged official. The official was the Minister of Honglu Temple, who knelt down to salute Jiajing after receiving the apricot yellow cloth inscription.

He, Honglu Temple Minister, is the examiner for this palace examination.

After receiving the test questions and saluting, he placed the test questions on the east side of the imperial desk in front of the cabinet members and others. Under the supervision of the cabinet members, he opened the test questions and placed them on the imperial desk.

After that, there was a burst of drum music and the sound of whips.

Zhu Pingan followed everyone in the hall to salute Emperor Jiajing sitting on the dragon chair again, this time knocking three times and prostrating nine times.

After everyone bowed, Emperor Jiajing slowly left the Taisu Palace. He still had a furnace of good elixirs to refine, and he didn't have time to keep an eye on it. He could just leave the palace examination to his ministers. Otherwise, why would he be given so much salary? them.

After the emperor left, a group of ministers in the palace also left, Yan Song and more than a dozen officials stayed, and Xu Jie did not stay, neither did the examiners of the examination this time, probably to avoid suspicion.

After the emperor left, the officials of the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple divided Zhu Ping'an and others into two rows according to the rankings in the test, and sat on the east and west sides of the Taisu Hall. Those with even numbers sit on the west side of the main hall.

Tables and chairs have been placed on the east and west sides of the main hall for the Gongshi Palace Examination. Zhu Ping'an and Ouyang Zishi ranked first on the east and west sides, facing each other far away.

Zhu Ping'an was very bad. After so many times of bowing and tossing, Zhu Ping'an, who was already exhausted and haggard, almost couldn't stand up, and his haggard and tired state became even more serious. Ouyang Zishi, who has been silently paying attention to Zhu Ping'an, saw Zhu Ping'an's crumbling figure, and silently raised the corners of his mouth, what are you fighting with me for?

"It's the palace examination, one breakfast, one lunch, and two rounds of tea are provided. The palace examination has its own rules. You should do it yourself, and don't let your majesty live up to your expectations!"

After all the Gong Shilie sat down, the officials of the Ministry of Rites finished their brief lectures, and then began to distribute the test papers for this palace examination.

After Zhu Pingan received the test paper, he slightly rubbed his tired and dizzy forehead, and slowly opened the test question in his hand.

The test paper was made of snow-white rice paper, with extremely fine workmanship and a touch of sandalwood. The test questions were written in excellent style, and the test questions slowly appeared in Zhu Ping'an's eyes.