Chapter 655: Chuanlu Granted to Hanlin

Great Zhou Palace, Chengtian Gate.

As the auspicious time to enter the palace had arrived, three hundred Jinshi led by Zhang Wenxu, Jia Cong, and Chen Qirui, under the guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials, exited the Chengtian Gate and passed the Rui Gate.

Until they reached the Meridian Gate, the Jinshi team stopped temporarily. Under the distribution of the Ministry of Rites officials, three hundred Jinshi walked according to the ranking of the three ranks, with odd numbers walking through the Left Ye Gate on the east side and even numbers walking through the Right Ye Gate on the west side.

This kind of etiquette of walking into the palace is similar to the etiquette when entering the palace for the Palace Examination.

When the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony in the palace ends and three hundred Jinshi exit the palace, the way they pass the Meridian Gate is different according to the etiquette, which is a later story.

After the procession of three hundred jinshi passed through the Meridian Gate, the path they saw along the way was wide and solemn, with layers of palace halls on both sides, red walls and green tiles, flying eaves and auspicious beasts, a magnificent sight that felt like a palace in the heavens.

When they entered the palace for the Palace Examination, they had already seen this royal atmosphere, but at that time they entered the palace to take the exam, their hearts were restless, each with their own aspirations, and it was difficult to have the mood to taste the scenery along the way.

Now it is very different. Everyone here has the status of Jinshi, years of hard study in books, and fighting in the examination field, and finally achieved a perfect result. In high spirits, the scenery seen in their eyes is naturally magnificent everywhere.

Three hundred Jinshi entered the Chengtian Gate, passing through the Huiji Gate, Wenhua Hall, Wuying Hall, and East and West Hua Gates along the way, as if they were stepping on the blue clouds, as if they were walking on the road to heaven.

A few of them may reach the pinnacle of officials, have great power, and even leave their names in history.

But most of them can only go to other places, be parents of a county, work diligently, vomit blood, cherish their reputation, stop at the fifth rank in their lives, and finish a life that was once brilliant but mostly mediocre.

Although the imperial examination is the only way for scholars in the world to climb the blue clouds, how many people can truly reach the top and see the infinite scenery?

When three hundred Jinshi walked to the front of the Fengtian Gate, under the reminder of the Ministry of Rites officials, they stopped again.

The tall and towering red gate in front of them was covered with copper nails the size of bowls, flashing with cold golden light.

This is the gateway between the inner and outer palaces of the imperial city. Those who can enter this gate frequently are all those who have a smooth official career.

Among the three hundred Jinshi, most of them may be the last time they step into the Fengtian Gate in their lives.

Behind these two huge red gates will be their unpredictable official career. Who can stir up the wind and clouds and stand at the peak, and who will sink into the lower officials and be mediocre for a lifetime!

By the second quarter of the Chen hour, the signal guns behind the palace gate rang, and the bells and chimes rang, like fairy music, making people feel grand and solemn.

The Fengtian Gate slowly opened, as if a cold and majestic air came to the face, with a vast rhyme, making every Jinshi feel refreshed.

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials, three hundred Jinshi lined up according to their classes and entered the square in front of the Huangji Hall, standing in their positions.

More than three hundred people stood solemnly, and the three Jinshi of the first rank stood in the first row, which was exceptionally eye-catching.

Zhuangyuan Zhang Wenxu stood in the first place on the left, Bangyan Jia Cong stood in the second place on the left, and Tanhua Chen Qirui stood at the end.

All the new Jinshi wore uniform Jinshi ceremonial robes, but because there were many people on the list, the Ministry of Rites made another batch in a hurry in addition to the inventory of Jinshi ceremonial robes.

Although they were made according to several rules, it was inevitable that some people's clothes would not fit, but mixing in the crowd of hundreds, it was not very conspicuous.

Only the first-rank Jinshi ceremonial robes were more exquisite and complex, surpassing their peers. Because the three were the face of the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony, their ceremonial robes had been tried on several times in advance, so they were all fit.

It's just that Zhang Wenxu and Chen Qirui were both from other places to take the exam in the capital, unlike Jia Cong who had a great lineup. After a set of ceremonial robes were obtained, several maids washed and ironed them overnight.

Qingwen's needlework was superb, and she knew Jia Cong's body size without looking, and even changed a few stitches on the ceremonial robe overnight, making Jia Cong wear it more properly.

Therefore, the three first-rank Jinshi stood side by side, and Jia Cong's ceremonial robe was exceptionally brand new and fit, stiff and stretched, like custom-made, with shoulders and back straight, sleeves and waist straight, making him look more like a jade tree in the wind, with a handsome and dazzling style.

Zhang Wenxu and Chen Qirui's ceremonial robes, although clean and neat, were relatively old, with many wrinkles on the shoulders, elbows, waist, and back, which was a bit of a flaw...

Based on clothing and demeanor, the three first-rank Jinshi already showed a difference, just like a foil and a foiled, each with its own interest...

In front of the Danbi of the Huangji Hall square, the two chief examiners of this year's Spring Examination, Cabinet University Scholar Wang Shilun, Minister of Personnel Chen Mo, and Minister of Rites Guo Youchang, etc., stood solemnly waiting.

In this year's Spring Examination, eighteen co-examiners were not implicated in the cheating case and official discipline, and ten remained, also waiting to accompany them solemnly in the second row.

After that, there were more than a dozen officials including reading officials, printing officials, managing officials, sealing officials, and monitoring officials who accompanied the Spring Examination.

The number of Spring Examination officials present was far less than the configuration of the imperial court.

That's because more than thirty Spring Examination officials could not attend the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony because they were involved in the corruption of official discipline or were convicted of bribery.

In addition to these Spring Examination officials, officials above the fourth rank in the capital's various offices attended the ceremony according to the law, full of red and purple, vast and brilliant, and the atmosphere was solemn.

By the third quarter of the Chen hour, the grand and melodious bell and drum music slightly converged, and the palace gate of the Huangji Hall slowly opened.

The Spring Examination officials and visiting officials in each row stepped into the Huangji Hall one by one according to their classes.

According to the arrangement and guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials, all the new Jinshi still lined up solemnly in front of the Danbi outside the hall.

A yellow table was pre-set in the middle of the Danbi stone, and three Ministry of Rites Chuanlu officials stood on each side.

A nine-tripod incense burner was placed on the yellow table, and three bright yellow burning incenses were lit. The smoke floated and rose, revealing a solemn and mysterious atmosphere.

In the Huangji Hall, to the east of the Emperor's throne, another yellow table was set up, on which the Golden List of the Jinshi of this year was enshrined.

After the officials entered the hall and stood in their positions, only a moment passed, the bell and drum music sounded again, and Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, wearing a blue-bottomed bright yellow dragon crown robe and a twenty-four-tassel Tongtian crown, walked slowly into the hall.

All the officials entering the hall, as well as more than three hundred new Jinshi outside the hall, knelt down in unison, performed the five-bow and three-knock ceremony, and shouted long live.

After the officials finished worshiping, the chief examiner of this year's Spring Examination, Cabinet University Scholar Wang Shilun, stepped out of the class.

He said: "Reporting to the Emperor, the auspicious time has arrived. The officials entering the hall and the Jinshi offering etiquette are all in place. Please open the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony!"

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao replied: "Approved!"

The eunuch conveying the decree in the hall shouted loudly: "Fifteenth year of Emperor Jia Zhao, Spring Examination Chuanlu Grand Ceremony, open..."

The voice of the eunuch conveying the decree was passed on one by one, from the deep and wide Huangji Hall to the square outside the hall, echoing in the ears of all the new Jinshi of this year. Everyone stood upright, their expressions becoming more solemn.

Cabinet University Scholar Wang Shilun, with a solemn expression, took the Golden List from the Huangji Hall and placed it on the yellow table pre-set in the middle of the Danbi stone, worshiping and paying tribute in the lingering smoke.

Finally, he said to the six Chuanlu officials on both sides: "By the imperial decree, the Golden List is in place, Chuanlu call the names!"

The first Chuanlu official on the left walked to the yellow table, opened the Golden List with both hands, and sang the list of names:

"By the decree of the Emperor, on the tenth day of the fifth month of the fifteenth year of Emperor Jia Zhao, the examination of the tribute students of the realm, three hundred and five people, the Golden List selection, announced to the world!"

"First Rank, granted the status of Jinshi."

"First Place, Zhang Wenxu, from Lin Zi, Qingzhou..."

"Second Place, Jia Cong, from Shenjing, Yongzhou..."

"Third Place, Chen Qirui, from Yishan, Yuezhou..."

Every Jinshi on the Golden List would be called by the Chuanlu official.

But the three in the first rank were different. Each person's name would be called three times, and each call would be accompanied by the sound of drums and music, brilliant and glorious, shaking people's hearts.

Even though Jia Cong's heart was different from ordinary people, when he heard his name being called repeatedly, and the bell and drum music echoed, as if it resounded through the world, his heart also surged with infinite pride and joy.

After the three in the first rank were finished, it was the turn of the second and third rank Jinshi to call their names.

However, the second and third rank Jinshi did not have the honor of being called three times like the first rank, but each person was called once, and the music was also simplified.

But even so, it was the highest honor that thousands of scholars pursued and hoped for in their lives. Every Jinshi whose name was called was excited, and there were many people who were moved to tears.

Behind the yellow table in the middle of the Danbi stone, six Ministry of Rites Chuanlu officials took turns to replace each other, calling the names of more than three hundred Jinshi of this year, exhausted, and it took more than half an hour to complete the name-calling ceremony.

After the three hundred new Jinshi finished calling their names, under the guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials, they knelt down again to thank the Emperor for his grace.

At this time, the eunuch conveying the decree exited the Huangji Hall, stood in the middle of the Danbi stone, and shouted loudly: "Call the first-rank Jinshi of this year to enter the hall to listen to the seal, the top fifteen of the second rank, and the top five of the third rank, enter the hall to watch the ceremony!"

Hundreds of Jinshi in the square outside the hall heard the call, and there was a slight commotion, and many people had excitement and envy on their faces.

Although there were more than three hundred new Jinshi, only the three in the first rank could be granted official positions directly after the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony.

Other Jinshi can only be granted official positions after the court examination, observing government in the Ministry of Personnel, and evaluation by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel.

Except for the three in the first rank, the best of the new Jinshi are those who enter the Hanlin Academy through the court examination. As long as their official career is smooth in the future, most of them can be promoted to above the fourth rank.

The second ones observe government in the Six Ministries of the capital and other offices. After passing the performance evaluation of the Ministry of Personnel, they can remain as low-level capital officials.

The third ones, the bottom of the second rank in the Palace Examination, and most of the third-rank Jinshi, basically have to be sent out of the capital to go to various states and prefectures as county magistrates, judges, and other positions.

Moreover, the Ministry of Personnel does not always have vacancies for official positions. Many Jinshi have to stay in the capital for a year before they can be assigned official positions by the Ministry of Personnel. As for going to prosperous big cities or desolate wilderness, it depends on your luck. Therefore, for all new Jinshi, the three in the first rank are the proud children of heaven in the same year. Once on the list, they can be granted official positions, and they are clean and noble Hanlin positions. Future heads of ministries or cabinet ministers and literary nobles are all expected.

The fifteen people in the second rank who can accompany them into the hall to watch the ceremony are also outstanding people in this year's Spring Examination. Compared with other same years, they have a higher probability of entering the Hanlin Academy as officials, but they need to undergo a round of court examinations.

As for the top five of the third rank who enter the hall to watch the ceremony, they are just foils, because there are many Jinshi in the third rank. Whether for morale or face, they have to take care of it...

After twenty-three new Jinshi, under the guidance of the Ministry of Rites ceremonial officials, entered the brilliant Huangji Hall, they were divided into three rows and stood in the hall, adding a lot of popularity to the whole hall.

The many Spring Examination officials in the hall and the visiting high officials above the fourth rank all gathered their eyes on the center of the hall, on these new Jinshi in high spirits.

These new Jinshi with prosperous academic careers will definitely be the rising stars of the officialdom, and even the outstanding ones among them may become the pillars of the court who have power over the court in a few years...

Everyone's eyes finally gathered on the three first-rank Jinshi in the first row. Some paid attention to Zhuangyuan Zhang Wenxu, and some examined Tanhua Chen Qirui.

But the Bangyan attracted more attention, because although Jia Cong was a new Jinshi, his family background was prominent, his official title was precious, and his military merit was dazzling. Zhang Wenxu and Chen Qirui could not be mentioned in the same breath.

In the future official career, it is almost self-evident that among the more than three hundred Jinshi of the same year, few people can go further and higher than him...

!

At this time, Minister of Personnel Chen Mo stepped out of the class, walked under the imperial steps of the throne, bowed and knelt to Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, and took the imperial decree of enfeoffment passed by the deputy chief eunuch Guo Lin.

Unfolded the bright yellow scroll in the hall and proclaimed in a loud voice:

By the decree of the Emperor.

The prosperity of the imperial examination, the nation selects good talents regardless of noble or commoner gates; literary brilliance gathers, and the words are clear and crown the peak of the scholarly forest; the world produces wisdom, and the sincerity of the heart and strategy is bowed to the state.

The monarch's grace is added, encouraging the heart and ambition, granting the position of Hanlin, to take on state affairs.

First Rank, First Place Zhang Wenxu, captured the top spot in the world, to lead the same peers, granted the Grade 6B Hanlin Xiuzhuan;

First Rank, Second Place Jia Cong, literary talent is prosperous, and he has made meritorious service with his heart, granted the Grade 5 Hanlin Shijiang Xueshi;

First Rank, Third Place Chen Qirui, academic career is excellent, humble and harmonious, granted the Grade 7 Hanlin Bianxiu.

The remaining new Jinshi of this year, who have received the imperial grace, do not abandon the new glory, do not forget the right heart, have the state in their hearts, and wait for state affairs...

This is the decree.

Chen Mo finished reading the imperial decree of enfeoffment, but as soon as the words fell, all the visiting officials were shocked in their hearts and couldn't help but make a commotion.

The hall etiquette officials hurriedly spoke to stop it, and the commotion and private whispers of the officials quickly subsided.

Jia Cong heard the imperial decree clearly, and his heart was also quite surprised. He originally thought he would be like Chen Qirui, granted the position of Grade 7 Hanlin Bianxiu, which would be a matter of crying and laughing for him.

Unexpectedly, it was such a result. When kneeling to thank the Emperor for his grace, the sentence "Long live, long live, long live" was called very sincerely...

The fifteen people in the second rank and five people in the third rank who entered the hall to watch the ceremony also knelt down with the first-rank Jinshi to thank the Emperor for his grace.

Jia Cong's classmate Cai Xiaoyu was also among them, ranking thirteenth in the second rank.

Although his ranking in the Metropolitan Examination was behind his classmate Liu Xiaoping, his answers to the Palace Examination policy discussion were quite wonderful, making his Palace Examination selection ranking greatly advanced, and he actually entered the top of the second rank.

Summarizing the reasons, the policy discussion topic of this Palace Examination has a unique advantage for Jia Cong's two close classmates, because they are very familiar with Jia Cong's affairs...

In fact, Liu Xiaoping's answers to the Palace Examination policy discussion were also quite smooth.

But Cai Xiaoyu had a father who was a cabinet elder of the current dynasty, and he had been taught by his family since he was a child, standing high and looking far, and his insights on the political arguments of court officials were above his peers, so the policy discussion topic of the Palace Examination was naturally quite outstanding...

When he finished listening to the content of the imperial decree, the strange feeling in his heart was like a mountain and a mountain. If his brain was still sober and he was worried about the solemnity of the court, he would have burst into laughter.

He couldn't help but shout in his heart, Yuzhang is really so magical, grabbing people's limelight, ruining people's interest, as always...

Cai Xiaoyu suddenly thought, if he were Zhang Wenxu, what should he do at this moment? Just a slight assumption, he couldn't help but shiver, secretly calling bad luck, and didn't dare to think about it anymore.

Zhuangyuan Zhang Wenxu, who stood at the first place on the left of the Jinshi line, felt like a stormy sea after kneeling and thanking, and his blood seemed to be pouring into his head, and his knees were slightly soft.

He is the Zhuangyuan of this year's Spring Examination, the person who captured the top spot in the world. Among the three hundred Jinshi, only he can be crowned with glory.

Why did such a strange thing happen? Bangyan Jia Cong was actually granted the position of Hanlin Shijiang Xueshi. In the past, I have never heard of such a situation in the first-rank enfeoffment.

It was actually two levels higher than his Zhuangyuan who was granted the position of Hanlin Xiuzhuan. Is his Zhuangyuan still a Zhuangyuan?

Not only Zhuangyuan Zhang Wenxu was surprised and shocked, but most of these visiting officials also had such thoughts.

They are all people who have experienced the court for a long time, and many of them have attended the Chuanlu Grand Ceremony more than once.

But today's Chuanlu enfeoffment of the first-rank Jinshi was too extraordinary and unheard of in the past. It was because it was too bizarre that they couldn't help but make a commotion.

This time the imperial court granted Zhuangyuan Zhang Wenxu and Tanhua Chen Qirui the positions of Hanlin Xiuzhuan and Bianxiu, which were all according to the usual practice, which is not surprising.

But the act of granting Jia Cong the position of Bangyan was really surprising...

At this time, many officials couldn't help but look at the official row of the fourth rank, the head of the Hanlin Academy standing at the first place, Hanlin Academy Scholar Ge Hongzheng.

This only Hanlin Academy Scholar of the current dynasty, although only a Grade 5 official, has a noble status, equivalent to a mascot in the imperial court.

According to the Great Zhou official system etiquette, the Hanlin Academy Scholar needs to sit above the fourth-rank capital officials to show respect.

Therefore, although Ge Hongzheng is only a Grade 5 official title, whether it is a palace banquet or daily morning court, he stands at the first place in the fourth-rank civil official row, which can be called a strange landscape in the court.

This head of the Hanlin Academy, after hearing the imperial decree, did not have the surprise of other officials, but his expression was calm and not different.

Many officials saw this scene, and they understood in their hearts that the first-rank Jinshi was granted the Hanlin official position, and this head of the Hanlin Academy must have known it in advance.

The officials who were sensitive in their minds, after the initial shock, thought about it for a while, and probably understood the reason why Jia Cong was granted the enfeoffment.

Jia Cong can be regarded as an outlier among the Jinshi of this year. Not only is he from a Duke family, with double titles, but he is also a Grade 5 head of the Firearm Division of the Ministry of Works.

According to the imperial examination regulations, the first-rank Jinshi must be granted the Hanlin official status. This is an iron law that cannot be broken, and it is also a measure to highlight the cleanliness of the imperial examination.

According to the Great Zhou imperial examination regulations, the Bangyan and Tanhua are granted the Grade 7 Hanlin Bianxiu.

But this kind of regulation is completely inapplicable to Jia Cong, an outlier.

If the imperial court really wants to stick to the rules and grant a Grade 5 head of the Ministry of Works a Grade 7 Hanlin official title, it will definitely become a laughingstock in the Great Zhou officialdom.

The current Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao and Minister of Personnel Chen Mo are afraid they can't afford to lose this face...

However, the establishment of officials in the Great Zhou Hanlin Academy only has the head of the Hanlin Academy as a Grade 5 official, and the secondary officials are two Grade 5B Shijiang Xueshi and Shidu Xueshi, all of whom are Grade 5B.

Since Jia Cong, a Grade 5 official, cannot be granted a Grade 7 official title, he naturally cannot be granted a Grade 5B official title, so he can only be granted a one-level promotion to become a special Grade 5 Hanlin Shijiang Xueshi.

This is also the only reason that many official etiquette officials can think of. This must also be the only reason for the strange situation of the first-rank Jinshi enfeoffment today.

But people like Wang Shilun and Chen Mo, who are in the game, think of the roots, which are more complicated than other officials...

The current scene may be a kind of compensation that meets the specifications after the current Emperor, for various reasons, yielded the name and looked away from Jia Cong.

Or it may be that Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao is showing the world that the imperial examination selects talents, and nobles and commoners can be on the same list, but the holy heart is dictatorial, and the imperial grace is heavy, all coming from above!

The officials present thought of the roots of each, and their thoughts surged, with many feelings.

This year's Spring Examination was full of twists and turns. Originally, Jia Cong could be said to be heaven-sent, not only the proud disciple of the literary saint Liu Jingan, but also the Huiyuan of the Metropolitan Examination of this year. He should have been the best candidate for Zhuangyuan.

But the Emperor did not name him Zhuangyuan, but named him Bangyan of the first rank. The officials present could figure out one or two of the reasons and considerations, and they were not surprised.

But this young Count seems to have a precious life and is hard to abandon.

Even if he couldn't capture the top spot in the world, he still relied on his extraordinary foundation and talent to become the most glorious person among the three hundred Jinshi of this year, grabbing all the limelight, like an uncrowned king.

And in the future court, there will be a more unique scene. Jia Cong, a Grade 5 Hanlin Shijiang Xueshi, will stand above the fourth-rank capital officials with the Hanlin Academy Scholar Ge Hongzheng!

The Hanlin Academy Scholar Ge Hongzheng is nearly forty years old, while Jia Cong is only fifteen years old. This will be such an extraordinary state...

At this time, many visiting officials looked at Zhang Wenxu, who stood at the first place of the new Jinshi, and couldn't help but feel a strange feeling of crying and laughing.

In the nearly one hundred years since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, among all the Zhuangyuan of the Spring Examination, Zhang Wenxu is probably the most unfortunate, most humble and aggrieved one... (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 656 =====