Traveling through the emperor, overthrowing the empress dowager at the beginning

Beijing, Caishikou.

The crowd was bustling and lively.

In the carriage, Zhang Caiwei stood in gorgeous clothes with a graceful figure. There was a hint of stubbornness on her delicate face and unwillingness in her beautiful eyes.

Beside her, Zhang Chongwen was dejected, obviously overshadowed by the shadow of failing the exam.

Zhang Caiwei frowned, her tone filled with dissatisfaction: "Brother, my dear brother, how come you did so badly in the exam?"

Hearing this, Zhang Chongwen was speechless for a moment. After a while, he muttered, "The questions in this exam are too unorthodox. They are not found in the Four Books and Five Classics."

He began to try to save face.

Zhang Caiwei pursed her lips.

Yes, the question is all wrong.

Then how come others passed the exam?

Zhang Caiwei sighed softly and suddenly asked, "Who are the three best students in this imperial examination?"

She still held a glimmer of hope in her heart. If they were all from poor families, then it would confirm the court's idea of ​​suppressing aristocratic families, and her brother's failure in the exam would be excusable.

At least it won't be so embarrassing if you tell it to others.

However, when Zhang Chongwen said the three names and their hometowns.

Zhang Caiwei was speechless.

Considering that two of the top three in the imperial examination were from aristocratic families?

Well, now there is no way to make excuses for Zhang Chongwen.

Zhang Caiwei then noticed the only name that was not from a noble family.

"Jaban."

Could it be that Jiaban?

Zhang Caiwei suddenly felt a little annoyed. She had known that Jia Ban was talented, but after Jia Ban rejected her recruitment, she thought that although he was talented, he was too arrogant as a scholar.

Not an obedient choice for a retainer.

Now it seems that Jia Ban is not just a talented person, but a great talent.

At the beginning, she should have increased her interests, or even sent people to kidnap Jiaban and use him for her own purposes!

It’s too late to regret now.

Just when Zhang Caiwei was feeling depressed, Zhang Chongwen suddenly sighed and said, "Little sister, it doesn't matter if you don't become an official in the capital."

"Look, didn't the young master of the Dong family come to take the imperial examination? When you marry him in the future, our two families' influence in Longxi could even surpass that of the Han family and become the most powerful in Longxi. Then why would we have to serve as officials in the capital?"

Zhang Chongwen now feels that being a local emperor is better than being a Beijing official.

After hearing this, Zhang Caiwei's face darkened slightly and she snorted in her heart.

She had long heard of the reputation of the young master of the Dong family. He was a playboy, illiterate and unlearned. It was a joke for such a person to take part in the imperial examination, and it was even more unreasonable for her to marry such a person.

But the family elders and her brother kept persuading her, which made her very annoyed.

"This imperial examination system seems to be alright. I heard it was the emperor's idea. Then the emperor's illness was cured. Is that true?"

Zhang Caiwei suddenly changed the subject, but asked the question that puzzled her most.

"It's true. The news received by the family elders cannot be false."

Hearing this, Zhang Caiwei suddenly became interested.

From a fool to a wise ruler.

This is really bizarre.

She really wanted to see the emperor in person.

I just don’t know if there will be a chance.

In the palace.

Taiqian Hall is solemn and dignified.

The sunlight shines through the carved window lattices and onto the ground paved with golden bricks, casting a brilliant light.

The students who passed the imperial examination filed in with anxiety and expectation.

Among them are white-haired old people, but more are middle-aged people, and there are also young people, but not many.

And there were three hundred of these scholars.

Ye Chen sat upright on the dragon throne, emitting an invisible majesty that permeated the entire hall like a substance.

When the scholars saw Ye Chen, they were all very respectful.

And those children of aristocratic families, relying on their numbers and strong physique, swarmed to the front.

Seize the most advantageous position.

So I can meet the emperor directly and try to leave a good impression.

The children from poor families were pushed to the back, including Jia Ban.

That’s why Jia Ban didn’t see Ye Chen the first time.

Just then, Jiaban knelt down and worshipped with everyone else in reverence.

Ye Chen's eyes swept over everyone and he spoke slowly. His voice was low but carried unquestionable majesty.

"I order the scholars to submit their opinions according to their ranking. Tell the eunuchs to call out the names of the people and only see ten people at a time."

His words echoed in the hall like a huge bell.

When the scholars heard this, they were startled, and those children from noble families who had already fought for the front row did not dare to move.

The eunuch who delivered the message began to call out names, and immediately the imperial guards came forward and stopped all the scholars outside the Taiqian Palace.

Outside the Taiqian Hall, the scholars were blocked by the imperial guards and could only line up in an orderly manner.

Following the eunuch's summons, the scholars entered the hall one after another.

Among the ten people who walked in first, eight were children of wealthy families. They were dressed in gorgeous clothes of extraordinary quality.

As soon as these people came in, their eyes were eagerly cast towards Ye Chen sitting on the dragon throne, their eyes full of awe.

Immediately afterwards, these people knelt down and kowtowed without hesitation, shouting "Long live the Buddha".

Except for Jaban, he didn't kneel.

At this moment, his eyes suddenly widened, his face was full of shock, and he stood there in a daze.

He never imagined that the person he had met in the private room was actually the current emperor.

The scene of their past encounter flashed through his mind, and his heart was in turmoil.

Cheng En saw this and frowned slightly. He said in a shrill voice, "How dare you, a scholar, not kneel before His Majesty?"

Jia Ban woke up as if from a dream and was about to kneel down.

At this moment, his mood was complicated.

He was afraid that Ye Chen would punish him for disrespect, but he was also a little excited.

The emperor actually came to meet him in person?

Could it be that Ye Chen agreed with his ideas and really wanted to make use of him?

Has this steed finally found its mentor?

At this moment, Ye Chen sat upright on the dragon throne. His eyes were calm and deep, like a bottomless pool, revealing majesty.

He raised his hand slightly, his movement graceful and steady, with an innate imperial bearing, and said calmly, "Stand up."

The sound was not loud, but it was like throwing a huge rock into a calm lake, causing layers of echoes in the hall.

Jia Ban and the other nine students all stood up, not daring to breathe.

Ye Chen spoke slowly, his voice low but full of power.

"The three top-performing candidates will begin the Golden Urn Lot Casting exercise. These three are different from the other candidates."

"Apart from these three candidates, only one in every ten candidates will be admitted to the six ministries. Their official rank will be Grand Secretary, with lower pay than that of Vice Minister."

"But as long as you can independently maintain the operation of the six ministries, I will promote you to the position of Vice Minister!"

"The rest of those who were not selected will be sent to various places in Longxi to educate the people. Their performance will be evaluated every six months. If their performance is outstanding, they will be able to return to the capital and join the six ministries."

After Ye Chen said this, the ten scholars including Jia Ban were stunned.