Chapter 421: Palace Examination Questions

After chatting with Wu Bi for a few words, Xu Wei from the other side saw Chen Ao and just smiled coldly at him. Cheng Hui walked over and bowed to Chen Ao and said, "Brother Chen, we are meeting again."

Chen Ao didn't have much contact with Cheng Hui, but he just saw that he was so handsome that he was in a beautiful way. Although his usual clothes were simple, he had a gentlemanly spirit in his behavior. Somehow, this person developed a mature and steady appearance at a young age, and had a respectable temperament.

Chen Ao smiled slightly and said, "Yes, Brother Cheng came early."

Cheng Hui looked at Chen Ao up and down. Chen Ao's deeds were undoubtedly the ones who heard the most in the Imperial Academy. He was the top scorer in the art exam, and now he passed the Jinshi. He was familiar with all the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. The emperor personally issued an order to marry. Many people wanted to ask for these things. But this young man, even a few years younger than him, actually took all of them.

When talking about Chen Ao, some people think of the Imperial College, and when talking about Cheng Hui, some people think of the Imperial Academy. These two people each represent the signs of two supreme academic institutions. From the very beginning, they were in a state of incompatibility.

Cheng Hui even thought in his heart that if Chen Ao was a student, perhaps such a romantic figure would be Cheng's best friend. He sighed in his heart, and his handsome face was slightly quiet, but this expression was fleeting, and he was replaced by Zhuo Ao. He said to Chen Ao: "Today's palace examination, I took the exam to ask. With Brother Chen's talent, this top scholar is probably already in his pocket, right?"

Chen Ao didn't know what Cheng Hui was thinking. Cheng Hui was the Taixue, and he was undoubtedly a thorn in the Taixue's eyes. Cheng Hui was provoking himself and wanted to defeat him in the palace examination. The Imperial College was not only his alma mater, but also related to the reputation of his father-in-law. The other party was arrogant, and Chen Ao was even more arrogant than him. He laughed and said, "Where, where, there is no tiger in the mountains, and the monkey was just a king."

This sentence has obvious meaning, and Cheng Hui just smiled and said, "I'll ask Mr. Chen for advice." After that, he walked aside with Xu Wei again.

The morning drum sounded, and seven candidates who passed the imperial examination went straight to the palace. The venue of the palace examination was still held in the martial arts hall. At this time, the civil and military officials in court clothes had been waiting for a long time. Zhao Ji was wearing a red crane and a crown on his head, and sat solemnly. Seeing the candidates entering one after another, he saw the familiar figure, and his heart felt a little warm. When they were about to salute, he raised his hand and said, "Don't give up the gift."

As soon as he finished speaking, an eunuch announced his decree: "The ruling said: Since ancient times, the king who received the orders and revived has never been able to be a wise man and a gentleman to rule the world together? Hence, he has never left the streets and alleys... The two and three sons assisted me in the wisdom and humbleness, but only my talent is to use it. I have used it and I am honored to be the one."

The seven candidates quickly bowed and listened. This was an edict to seek talent. The general meaning was that since ancient times, there were no monarchs who founded and revived the country. They had no talented people to govern the country together with him? When they got talents, they often did not leave the alley. Was this a chance to encounter? No! It was just that the ruling people went to visit them seriously... so that we could appoint them.

These words are clichés and almost become custom-made. Chen Ao and others thanked them for their kindness. Then Zhao Ji gave them a seat and said something else to comfort me. This long foreplay made Chen Ao a little sleepy. He was obviously in a bad spirit when he woke up. After being tossed like this, his spirit relaxed and he yawned repeatedly.

Zhao Ji's eyes just came over. Seeing that he looked like he was still saying beautiful words, he glared at him, with a warning sign. Chen Ao looked at him and hurriedly bowed his body and sat straight.

After finally getting to the point, Zhao Ji said leisurely: "This time I asked about the proposal, I was asking about state affairs. Please listen to the topic carefully."

"Now the Jin people are rising, and they win many battles and the Liao people cannot defeat them. Recently, there are reports of war, saying that the Jin people and the Liao people fought against Shangjing. The Liao army was defeated by 200,000 troops. The Jin people occupied Shangjing and looked at the Liao people's Linhuang Mansion. This time, the Jin envoys had arrived in Bianliang, and they wanted to join the Song Dynasty and attack the Liao people. After the matter was completed, our Song Dynasty will regain the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun. The Jin people won the Xijing. Linhuang. Do you think you can swear?"

When they heard that the Liao people's Shangjing was taken away by the Jin people, except for Chen Ao and Wu's pen, the rest were surprised and happy. The Song and Liao people had irreconcilable hatreds. The two sides had many frictions for a hundred years. The Liao people were arrogant and demanded annual tributes every year. Once they were not satisfied, they immediately knocked on the gate and attacked them. The conflicts on the border continued. The Song people have always regarded the Liao Kingdom as a major concern.

But on the other hand, most of the Song people were panicked about the national strength of the Liao people. After several battles, although the two sides won and lost each other, in the minds of the Song people, the Liao people's toughness was already well known, and no one had ever thought that this once arrogant enemy would be beaten by some Jin people.

Among the people present, Chen Ao probably sighed in his heart. He could not have imagined that the Jin people had captured Shangjing now. If they stood by or took advantage of the situation, it would be only a matter of time before the destruction of the Liao Kingdom was destroyed.

The territory of the Liao Kingdom can be roughly divided into five parts, one is Shangjing Road, which covers a very wide area, which is almost equivalent to all the territory of inner and outer Mongolia in later generations. It was the land of the dragon-rise of the Liao people. The Liao people once built capitals there, and their political status was extremely important.

The second part is Tokyo Road. Tokyo Road is similar to the northeast of later generations, and has now been occupied by the Jin people. There is also Linhuang Mansion, which is located in the south of Shangjing. It is actually the central jurisdiction of the Liao people and is the capital. The Jin people occupied Shangjing. Linhuang Mansion was equivalent to being completely exposed to the iron hooves of the Jin people and may fall at any time.

In the current Liao Kingdom, there is probably only Xijing Road left, and Nanjing Road and Zhongjing Road can still accumulate strength. These three roads are located south of the Great Wall and are under the jurisdiction of the King of the South Court.

The current situation should be that the Jin people completely occupied the north of the Great Wall, and the Liao people had almost made plans to retreat into the pass. The Jin people were good at horse warfare and were invincible outside the pass. However, if they wanted to enter the pass, they had to break through the Great Wall barrier. So the Jin people thought of the Song Dynasty and hoped to swear with the Song Dynasty and attacked the north and south. Then, once the Liao people suffered from enemies from both sides, they would inevitably be in chaos. As long as the Jin army entered the pass, everything else would be easy. Not to mention the Liao people, even the Song people could be cleaned up in one fell swoop.

Chen Ao knew history well, how could he not understand the Jinren's wishful thinking? But he looked at the faces of the people in the hall, and they were all a little excited. No one would have thought that a disaster would come.

He sighed in his heart, and one of the old Jinshi stroked his beard and shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, I think this is a great opportunity for the Northern Expedition. I think that Emperor Taizu had failed to conquer Liao in the past and left a huge disaster. Today, I can defeat Liao in one fell swoop and avenge my shame."

Several other Jinshis made suggestions, most of them were the main warfare. They were well-educated people, and they were a lot of reasons, citing scriptures and citing classics, and were impeccable.

Zhao Ji nodded repeatedly and said with a kind look: "Your dear, you said it well." As a king, the recapture of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, which is the Liao people's Nanjing Road, is a thing that has been famous for all ages for Zhao Ji. Now that he has the opportunity, how could he not be moved? After hearing these people's words, he felt that if he was in the Northern Expedition, his achievements would be chasing the Emperor Wu of Han and Tangzong.

Several Jinshi received praise and were overjoyed.

Zhao Ji turned to Wu Bi and said, "Wu Bi, your father is the host of the guest. I believe you have something to say, but why do you keep silent?"

Wu Bi was silent for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I... I think the matter of the Northern Expedition still needs to be considered..."

After these words, Zhao Ji's face turned a little ugly and said, "Do you have any reason?"

Wu Bi was panicked for a moment. In fact, he had a lot of thoughts in his heart, but when he saw the emperor was unhappy, he was uneasy and stuttered: "This... this... the situation is still unclear. I am afraid that it is inappropriate to send troops rashly. What's more, my three armies of the Song Dynasty have not been rectified, so I am afraid that I will still be able to do it slowly..."

Zhao Ji snorted coldly and kept silent.

At this time, Xu Wei laughed and said to Wu Bi: "What is the reason for Brother Wu? The Liao people are newly defeated. Isn't their morale unchanged? How can we miss the opportunity from heaven easily? When the Liao people have gained a firm foothold, they will regret it at that time."

He immediately said to Zhao Ji: "Your Majesty, I think it is urgent to immediately draft an edict to all parties to swear an oath with the Jin people, and to make all parties prepare for the strategies. On the one hand, I will put pressure on the Liao people and support the Jin people. On the other hand, I will prepare for the war and fight the northern expedition at any time."

Zhao Ji said, "What's your name?"

Xu Wei said: "My name is Xu Wei."

Zhao Jihe nodded: "What a Xu Wei."

Xu Wei was overjoyed and knew that this was the emperor's affirmation of him. Today's argument, no matter how bad the grades were, they were not much worse.

There was nothing in the hall, only Shen Ao and Cheng Hui were left. Shen Ao seemed to be in deep thought and turned a deaf ear to everything in the hall. As for Cheng Hui, he was elegant and calm, as if he had already had a draft in his heart. He just maintained a sense of humility and was willing to express his views before he could finish speaking.

As soon as Zhao Ji finished speaking, Cheng Hui said slowly: "Your Majesty, Xu Wei said it very well, but I think Wu's words are the old sayings of the country."

Cheng Hui's first words were shocking, Zhao Ji was a little surprised and said, "Cheng Qing just said it's okay."

Cheng Hui thought for a while and said, "The war reports I received at the Song Dynasty are mostly provided by the Jin people. No one knows what the battle in Shangjing is. What's more, the Jin people wiped out 200,000 enemies in one fell swoop. I thought this was probably an exaggeration from the Jin people. If the Liao people still had the strength, and if our Song Dynasty rashly attacked the northern expedition, please think deeply about the consequences."
Chapter completed!