Rain comes after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, night of flowers and candles in the bridal chamber, and naming one's name on the gold medal list. These are the four great joys in life.

From a certain perspective, meeting old friends in a foreign country is quite difficult.

The world is so vast, with a population of more than ten million, and a vast territory, from the south to the sea, and the roads are difficult, making it difficult to reach the sky.

At this time, Li Sanjian and Zeng Gongming had just arrived in Kaifeng Mansion and met their old friends. Wouldn't they feel extremely happy?

So with the help of Ran Yunbiao, Li Sanjian hurriedly found a residential house, and after settling in Fu Erniang and others, he went to a wine shop called Zhaixinju in the south of Kaifeng City with Ran Yunbiao and Zeng Gongming to have a drink and reminisce about the past.

Zhaixinju is not big, it can accommodate about forty or fifty people, and the decoration is very ordinary. However, as the holiday approaches, the business of Zhaixinju is getting better and better day by day. The reason is that Zhaixinju is located close to the palace, so We were able to find out some news about the imperial court in time. The most important thing is that Zhai Xinju’s boss is a thoughtful person. He knows that it is the time when scholars from all over the world gather in the capital, so he specially prepared some high-quality and low-priced wine, food and other items, and searched for them. Some famous calligraphy and paintings, rattan and bamboo, lacquerware, gold and stone and other objects were placed in the wine shop, making the Zhaixin residence extremely quiet and elegant.

The waiters, idle men, wine ladies and others in the wine shop who have already been warned by their bosses warmly welcome every guest who comes to the door, no matter how high or low, and try their best to make every guest feel at home. This matter can be opened No joke, you must know that some of these scholars from all over the world will definitely pass the imperial examination and be nominated for the gold list. Maybe some of them will be number one, number two, third overall, etc., and some will even be awarded the title of marquis or prime minister in the future.

If this is true, it will bring unpredictable reputation and benefits to Zhaixinju. It will be an honor and even a blessing!

Zhaixinju has two floors. Downstairs are usually busy people, eating some wine and food and rushing on their way, but there is a larger rooftop upstairs. As long as you are not afraid of the cold, you can warm wine, discuss matters, and talk loudly on the rooftop, which is a unique flavor. of.

Li Sanjian, Ran Yunbiao, and Zeng Gongming were sitting in a corner on the rooftop, drinking and talking about the past.

The corner where Li Sanjian and three other people were sitting was surrounded by vines. There was a table of drinkers not far away, who seemed to be scholars going to Beijing to take the exam.

There was a draft on the rooftop, and the north wind was biting, but after drinking the hot wine, Li Sanjian and others felt less cold and a little warmer.

"Second brother, you really know a lot of people. You can understand Yuan in one fell swoop. You are worthy of being a disciple of Mr. Dongpo. I had already heard about this when I was in Lingnan. I am really happy for you. Come on, second brother, third brother. Brother, drink this cup to the full." Ran Yunbiao picked up a cup of hot wine and said with a smile.

Ran Yunbiao is the oldest, already seventeen and almost eighteen years old, so he is the eldest among the three brothers, Li Sanjian is the second, and Zeng Gongming is the third.

Hearing this, a young scholar in his early twenties at a nearby table turned back and glanced at Li Sanjian. Li Sanjian and others were immersed in drinking and did not pay attention.

Damn it, Li Sanjian muttered secretly in his heart, talking about the pain in his heart as soon as he opened his mouth. Did he really not know that he was kicked out by Su Shi?

Li Sanjian's face couldn't help but become a little ugly...

"Eat wine, eat wine, we just want to drink wine, what are we doing with these things?" Ran Yunbiao didn't know, but Zeng Gongming knew very well, so he poked Ran Yunbiao with his elbow and said.

I mentioned

What's going on? Is it a matter of Jieyuan? This is a matter of honoring the ancestors. Why do they look so discouraged?

Ran Yunbiao looked at Zeng Gongming and then at Li Sanjian, feeling puzzled in his heart.

"To be honest with you, brother, I have... been taught by him... he has been dismissed as a teacher..." Li Sanjian drank the wine in one gulp, feeling extremely miserable in his heart.

The young scholar at the next table showed a hint of imperceptible surprise when he heard this.

"What? Expelled from the school? Why?" Ran Yunbiao was even more confused when he heard this. If he can win the title of Jieyuan, he may be able to be on the list in the future. Based on Li Sanjian's talent and learning, this possibility is very high. In this way,

It is what every master dreams of, so why was he expelled from the master by Su Shi?

"Hey, it's hard to explain this matter, so it's okay not to mention it." Li Sanjian smiled bitterly and said to Ran Yunbiao: "Is my brother also here to take the exam?"

Ran Yunbiao glanced at Li Sanjian, nodded and said: "I am indeed here to take the Ministry of Ceremonies examination this time, but it is not a civil examination, but a martial arts examination."

"Martial arts? What is this?" Li Sanjian asked in confusion.

As early as when he was in Lingshan County, Qinzhou, Li Sanjian heard Ran Yunbiao say that he wanted to abandon literature and martial arts and practice martial arts. But now, Li Sanjian still doesn't understand what martial arts is?

Are lieutenant generals selected based on their martial arts skills? Li Sanjian thought to himself.

"Martial arts is also one of the subjects of the imperial examination, but the examination of martial arts comes after liberal arts..." Ran Yunbiao said after thinking for a while.

Ran Yunbiao talked about the martial arts exam for a long time, which made Li Sanjian dizzy, but he also roughly clarified the context of the martial arts exam.

The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty included Jinshi subjects, Zhu subjects, and martial arts examinations. In addition to the standing examinations, there were also system subjects and Tongzi subjects.

The content of the imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty has been constantly changing. Until now, all subjects have been abolished, leaving only Jinshi subjects, martial arts examinations, nine classics, five classics, Kai Zhili, three histories, three rites, three biography, Mingfa subjects, etc.

, select scholars based on the meaning of scriptures and so on.

The Jinshi Department selects scholars based on classics and meanings, while the Martial Arts Examination selects scholars based on policy questions, military literature, and martial arts skills.

Use strategy to decide who will stay, and use bows and horses to decide who will win!

Chengwen includes policy questions and military books, while martial arts mainly includes archery, including mounted archery, infantry archery, crossbows, and piercing weapons. In addition, there are five items: weapons, warping, load-bearing, appearance, and answers.

The martial arts examination is usually arranged after the Jinshi examination, that is, after the literary Jinshi is selected, the martial arts Jinshi is selected.

The martial arts examinations also consist of decomposition examinations, provincial examinations and palace examinations, along with martial arts and martial arts schools.

Although there were martial arts examinations in the Song Dynasty, the scale was not even close to that of the Jinshi examination. The Jinshi examination usually selected more than a hundred people in each subject, or even hundreds of people, while the martial arts examination only selected scholars in each subject.

Generally, there are several to ten people, and usually no more than twenty people at most.

However, although the number of candidates for martial arts is relatively small, the number of people who wish to take the martial arts examination is also relatively small. There are only dozens to hundreds of people in each subject. From this point of view, it is a way out to become an official through martial arts examination.

.

Moreover, it is relatively easier to become an official through the military examination. Those who become an official through the military examination do not necessarily have to be military attachés or military generals. They can also transfer to civilian positions. However, if those who pass the military examination want to take a further step, or embark on the road to governance,

That is even harder than reaching the sky, and almost impossible.

As a military attache or general, even if you have made great contributions to supporting the country, you can be appointed an official, a marquis, or even a duke or a king, but there is almost no such thing.

It is not easy to get the position of prime minister or executive. Not only the position of prime minister or executive, but also the official position with real power is not easy to get.

Di Qing, a famous general of the Song Dynasty, made countless military exploits and achieved great success, but he only got the position of deputy privy envoy. Not long after Di Qing took the position of deputy privy envoy, he was kicked out before his buttocks were hot, and he was demoted again and again.

, and finally died in depression.

In fact, these had little impact on Li Sanjian. The purpose of Li Sanjian's imperial examination was to get rid of poverty at home and get rid of the situation of being looked down upon. Therefore, it was also a shortcut for Li Sanjian to become an official through the military examination.

A military attaché is also an official, no matter how inferior he is, he is still an official of the Song Dynasty. Li Sanjian thought to himself that if Li Sanjian couldn't kill a chicken, Li Sanjian would have wanted to take the martial arts examination.

Isn't it just memorizing a few military books? Li Sanjian thought to himself, how can there be such a fierce competition in the martial arts examination? It's a life-and-death, hand-to-hand rhythm.

"My brother is good at both civil and military examinations, so he will definitely be able to pass the examination smoothly." Li Sanjian complimented with a smile after he figured out what martial arts examinations were.

"That must be the case. He must be an official." Zeng Gongming also nodded.

Ran Yunbiao shook his head when he heard this and said: "It's easier said than done. You may not know much about the things in the court."

Li Sanjian nodded when he heard this. Although Li Sanjian didn't understand the affairs of the imperial court, he also understood that the road to imperial examination and officialdom sometimes did not depend entirely on true talent, but had various possibilities, such as family connections, etc.

After hearing this, the three of them fell silent and drank.

After a long time, Zeng Gongming said: "Let's not talk about these dull things. Brother Mingshi, why don't you come to Kaifeng for a few days and tell us about the strange things in Kaifeng?"

"I've never heard of strange things." Ran Yunbiao drank a glass of wine and said, "There are quite a few strange things. At the turn of December, on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, there is an eclipse on the first day of the lunar month. On the second day, the white air spreads for hundreds of miles, and in the middle of the night

Stars were falling like rain, and the west wall of the city collapsed inexplicably for several miles. Everyone in Kaifeng said that this was a strange sign from heaven and not a good omen."

Li Sanjian and Zeng Gongming looked at each other when they heard the stars were falling like rain in the night.

Zeng Gongming couldn't help but feel a little funny. Wasn't the meteor shower caused by Li Sanjian when he was traveling on the boat? There was also a meteor shower in Kaifeng at this time. Could it be that it was Li Sanjian who arrived in Kaifeng and the sky brought this strange phenomenon again?

Li Sanjian was so arrogant at first that he was pointing his fingers at the sky and scolding his mother, but God was so angry that he rained down meteorites...

"When did this happen?" Zeng Gongming asked, holding back his laughter.

"It happened a few days before you came to Kaifeng Mansion." Ran Yunbiao replied: "I heard that this incident has alarmed the emperor, and there are rumors that even the imperial examination may be suspended or even canceled due to a strange phenomenon coming from the sky.

"

"What?" Li Sanjian and Zeng Gongming were both shocked.

If the provincial examination is postponed or cancelled, wouldn’t Li Sanjian and others have wasted their trip?

You must know that Li Sanjian and others went through great hardships to get to Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo from Lingnan.

If the imperial court really cancels or suspends the provincial examination, Li Sanjian and others will have no choice but to do so. This matter is not without precedent.

"This is because the powerful ministers of the imperial court are in charge, and the loyal ministers have been wronged. It is not our fault. Why should we cancel the provincial examination?" At this time, the young scholar sitting next to him stood up and said loudly to Li Sanjian and others.
Chapter completed!