Chapter 101: On the Imperial Examinations, the Slaves Bully Yucun
In order to avoid the Mid-Autumn Festival, the autumn examination in the Zhou Dynasty was customarily to start on August 19 and end on August 27.
There will be three consecutive exams during this period, each lasting three days, for a total of nine days and seven nights.
Generally speaking, the chief examiner and deputy chief examiner will be decided in mid-July, and the appointment of examiners in each department will not be later than late July.
Sun Shaozong only got the news now, which was much later than others, not to mention that he was a genuine "newcomer in the imperial examination."
Therefore, he did not care about anything else for the moment, and first closed the door to refuse visitors and studied the rules, both explicit and implicit.
"As an inspector, Mr. Dong does not participate in transcribing or examining the papers, so Mr. Dong does not need to worry too much about the cheating on the papers. What Mr. Dong should pay attention to are the scholars who smuggled in papers and kept private documents."
"Inspections in previous years were also very strict. Even dry food and steamed buns had to be broken into pieces, and even the nostrils and ears were searched. But it was still difficult to prevent cheating."
"Because the scholars wanted to add a little hope, they really showed their magical powers!"
"Cheating on clothing, shoes, hats, or the four treasures of the study has been a common practice since ancient times, and new tricks have emerged in recent years, such as swallowing wax balls, tattooing with pigeon blood, inserting bamboo tubes in the anus, and hiring people to make fake skin. They really have thought of every possible trick!"
"During the reign of Emperor Taizu, there was even a fellow who sneaked into the Imperial Examination Hall six months in advance and buried cheat sheets in the toilets, waiting to dig them out and use them during the exam!"
"Is there such a thing?"
Sun Shaozong couldn't help but ask curiously: "Then how was he discovered?"
"It's buried too deep!"
Cheng Rixing sighed, "He squatted in there for half an hour, and when he came out his sleeves were covered in mud. He was found out on the spot. This incident caused a lot of uproar, and when the exam was held again, the toilets were all newly dug."
Sun Shaozong was speechless for a while, and couldn't help asking, "What happened to the scholar who dug the pit?"
"What else can I do?"
Cheng Rixing spread his hands and said, "At that time, an elder suggested that since he liked to dig holes in the toilet, he should be stripped of his honor and punished to be a 'night fragrance messenger' for three years."
The so-called "night incense messenger" is the one who goes door to door on the streets every morning, calling people to pour out the night incense.
This should be considered as asking for benevolence and getting benevolence, right?
After hearing Cheng Rixing's description of all these cheating methods, Sun Shaozong felt that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. Just as he was about to continue asking, he heard someone outside say, "Sir Sun, the prefect asked me to bring the list of candidates to you for your review."
Sun Shaozong hurried out to greet the young official who was delivering the list, but he suddenly saw four clerks carrying shoulder poles behind him. He couldn't help but gasp: "This... these are all the candidate lists?!"
"nature."
The green-robed official bowed to the north and flattered, "Thanks to the education of the prefect, the literary style in Shuntian Prefecture is flourishing. This year, there are more than 2,300 scholars taking the autumn examination, which is much more than in previous years!"
Two thousand three hundred people?
Even if it was a list of 23,000 people, there was no need for four people to carry the load, right? !
But the other party looked like he was used to it, so Sun Shaozong didn't want to make a fuss.
After sending the green-robed official away, he picked up the book and took a closer look.
Tsk~
No wonder there are so many of them. In addition to name, place of origin, address, age, height, weight, guarantor, etc., this booklet also lists many details, such as: whether married, left or right hand, whether there are birthmarks on the body, whether the feet are turned inward or outward...
It’s so detailed that the only thing missing is to mark the size of the job on it!
In addition, each candidate also comes with a portrait...
In the past, Sun Shaozong always felt that the Ministry of Rites, an idle government office, employed so many clerks, which was a waste of the country's food - now it seems that they are not just there to eat for free!
"Do we have to check all these details one by one before entering the examination room?"
Sun Shaozong threw the list back into the carrying pole and said speechlessly, "If it's really that detailed, three days won't be enough for them to enter!"
"It's mostly about the fear of someone impersonating you."
Cheng Rixing said helplessly: "But Dongweng doesn't need to worry too much. Soldiers from the patrol camp and the city defense camp will help to verify the identity. Dongweng just needs to guard the side."
No wonder cheating in the imperial examinations cannot be eradicated. It would be strange if those idle soldiers in the patrol camp would conduct thorough inspections!
"After going through this trouble every three years, isn't there a way to save time and effort?"
"Well..."
Cheng Rixing said: "When the emperor was in power, someone actually thought of a solution. He had a large pond built in the Imperial Examination Hall and ordered the examinees to take a collective bath before entering the hall, and then change into the clothes prepared by the court."
Sun Shaozong's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he said happily: "Since there is such a rule, why didn't you say so earlier?!"
Cheng Rixing complained: "Dong Weng, it's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just that this method has been banned. It's useless even if you know it."
"Why? This method should be quite practical, right?"
"After the exam, dozens of people contracted syphilis. Common people called it 'a subject that would end one's progeny'. As a result, the scholars were very angry and the measure was completely abolished."
Okay~
This reason is indeed very powerful. If it were Sun Shaozong, he would definitely strongly oppose it!
After calling a few clerks to sort the list into different categories, Sun Shaozong was not interested in reading it. After a little hesitation, he simply suggested: "Talking about it on paper is not enough. Why don't we go to the Imperial Examination Hall first and conduct an on-site inspection so that we can adapt to the local conditions when the time comes."
Cheng Rixing naturally would not have any objection.
So Sun Shaozong ordered his men to prepare a carriage, and recruited Zhou Da and Zhao Wuwei to accompany him, and then he prepared to rush to the examination hall.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they left the Criminal Law Department, they ran into Jia Yucun's subordinates, who said that the prime minister wanted to invite Sun Shaozong to discuss matters.
Although he was unhappy about Jia Yucun betraying him, he still had to go when Shangguan summoned him.
So Sun Shaozong asked Cheng Rixing and others to wait at the gatehouse, and he hurried to Jia Yucun's courtyard.
He often came and went in this courtyard, so there was no need for him to report anything. He went straight into the living room and saw Jia Yucun walking back and forth there with his hands behind his back, looking indignant.
What kind of drama is this?
Having seen this old fox's acting skills many times, Sun Shaozong would not easily believe his outward emotions.
So he pretended not to see it, stepped forward and bowed, saying: "I wonder if the Lord Prime Minister has summoned me to do anything for me?"
Jia Yucun paced a few more steps before turning back and asking, "Brother, do you know the chief steward of Rongguo Mansion?"
The chief steward of Rongguo Mansion?
"Are you talking about Lai Da?"
"It's this guy !"
Jia Yucun gnashed his teeth and cursed: "How dare a lowly fellow come to my house and threaten me just now? This is simply outrageous!"
