Chapter 444: Entering the Palace to meet (1)

These days, Liu Ertiao and Zhang Chuwen have been very busy.

In addition to dealing with the powerful and powerful gentry who tried to come to win over them, they also had to prepare for the ceremony to enter the palace in a few days.

On the tenth day of the imperial examination, the emperor will formally meet, examine and evaluate the top ten new Jinshi in Tai Chi Hall. This is a tradition, a tradition set by Li Shimin.

Three days ago, the eunuchs from the palace had already sent two gold medals, which were certificates for entering the palace. At the same time, there were two volumes of dress, etiquette, and bookmarks that must be paid attention to when attending the palace. When entering the palace, the emperor was not visiting relatives and friends. In formal occasions, he had to follow the rules and could not be surpassed.

If the national imperial examination is an opportunity to become an official, then the ceremony of entering the palace, which the emperor personally receives, is an opportunity to advance to the sky in one step. Whether you can attract the attention of the emperor and gain the appreciation of the emperor directly depends on whether your future will be brilliant.

Liu Ertou and Zhang Chuwen knew this, and other students were not confused about Jinshi. This was a huge opportunity for them. Whether their career will rise to the top or whether they will be smooth all the way depends on their performance this time.

This is also the reason why the power of the gentry would have so much trouble to win over the two civilian Jinshis, Liu Ertiao and Zhang Chuwen. If they had not won the ninth and tenth position, and had such an opportunity to soar to the sky, even if those people were willing to win over, they would not have been as enthusiastic as they are now.

In today's terms, Liu Ertiao and Zhang Chuwen, two poor students, are two potential stocks, and they may appreciate rapidly at any time. Now that there is a chance, there will be a lot of people who hope to buy them.

"The emperor is not a fool," drove away all the servants who served in the study. Zhang Chuwen crossed his legs and held a cup of hot tea in his hand. He said to Liu Ertiao a little disrespectfully: "He knew that if he could get into the top ten Jinshi, there would be no problem in talent and cultivation. With the emperor's wiseness, he would no longer write more about this talent and learning."

He sucked two sips of tea with a sound. Zhang Chuwen then told Liu Ertiao what he thought about this matter in his heart: "A person who can make good articles can only be said to be talented and amazing. However, the emperor wants to choose officials, which is considered to be personal behavior and ability to deal with things. These are definitely not the nerds who can only recite poems and lyrics and read poetry and books hard. Therefore, in the Tai Chi Hall, those who can attract the emperor's appreciation will definitely not be scholars who only make achievements in talent and learning! We brothers have a chance!"

When he said this, Zhang Chuwen was very confident, and at the same time he could not help but remembered that the "high talent and low ability" that his brother-in-law said to him at the Lantern Festival last year. It was a very vivid word, which also inspired him and opened the trick. For students like him who are dedicated to entering the government, talent learning is just a stepping stone that can allow him to enter the career of the government. After stepping, there will be no practical things. Whether he can show his ambitions in the official career and help the world in the future depends on his personal ability.

"Well, I have heard from my elder brother about this," Liu Ertiao rubbed his hands slightly, and said softly: "Although talent and learning are important, once you enter the official career, it is not practical in the officialdom, and it cannot solve practical problems with it. Whether you can be a good official or a high-ranking official depends on it, it depends on it!"

Liu Er stretched out his finger and pointed to his head. Neither he nor Zhang Chuwen were the kind of people who could read books until they died. Especially after studying the "Black Way" left by Liu Yi for them, his mood became even more vivid and he saw everything more thoroughly than before.

"However, except for us brothers," Liu Ertiao looked at Zhang Chuwen and said softly: "The other eight people are not those who are only knowledgeable. Just Du Zhigui and Yuwen Fangde, whom I know, are not Yiyou. It is hard to say whether we can make a name for ourselves among these ten people. We should be more cautious."

Liu Ertiao was not as optimistic as Zhang Chuwen. He thought that Du Zhigui and Yuwen Fangde were not only good at family status, but also famous and noble ministers, but also considered talented and virtuous people. Compared with these two, he and Zhang Chuwen, two poor men with no background, are still a bit inferior.

"Haha, Brother Erzhao is too worried," Zhang Chuwen chuckled indifferently, put down the tea bowl with a little chill in his hand, looked at Liu Erzhao and said, "We are going to the palace this time and we meet the emperor. Who is the emperor today?"

Zhang Chuwen raised his hands and said, "That is a wise king who is rare in the ages, and he is also a dignified emperor who combines the power, wealth and honor of the Tang Dynasty. In front of him, power and status are just a dish or a wisp of clouds and smoke, which is not taken seriously from the emperor. In front of the emperor, Du Zhigui and Yuwen Fangde are not much different from us!"

"Young Master, the time is almost here, and the new clothes and bath soup are ready. Should you and Mr. Chu Wen go to take a shower and change clothes?" After a light knock on the door, Liu Yan's report came from the door of the study.

"Well, Brother Chu Wen, please!" Liu Ertiao responded, then stood up and reached out to ask Zhang Chu Wen to go first.

"Second Young Master, when you go to the palace today, you may not be able to protect each other. In a while, the second young master and Chu Wen will escort the second young master to the palace gate and wait there. When you arrive in the palace, Master Erzhao and Master Chu Wen, be careful!" Xue Rengui followed him at this time and carefully gave a few instructions beside Liu Erzhao.

"Well, I know, Brother Xue, the palace is guarded strictly, so there should be no danger. Brother Xue doesn't have to worry." Liu Erzhao turned around and smiled at Xue Rengui. Although he had never encountered any danger, Liu Erzhao was still very grateful for Xue Rengui's close protection for the past six months.

After patting Xue Rengui's shoulder, Liu Erzhao followed Zhang Chuwen's pace again, and then went back to their own bedrooms.

Bathing in soup and renewing clothes is the first step to visiting the palace. Washing your body and tidying up your appearance is a kind of politeness and respect for the emperor.

At the time of Si, that is, at around nine o'clock in the morning, after everything was ready, outside the gate of Liu Mansion, a luxurious carriage sent directly from the palace drove from a distance. Three eunuchs came down from the carriage. For Liu Erzhao and Zhang Chuwen, two new Jinshi who were about to enter the palace, they checked up and down, their clothes, faces, and whether there were fierce weapons on their bodies. After confirming that they were sure, they waited on the carriage.

Xue Rengui, the guard, also wanted to get up and escort Liu Erzhao to the gate of the palace, but before he could raise his foot, he was bombarded by the eunuchs. Their carriage went straight into the palace, and there was no rule to stay halfway. He could not. Xue Rengui had to lead a strong horse from the mansion, followed the carriage, and escorted them to the gate before stopping. As a guard, Xue Rengui was very qualified.

Compared to Xue Rengui's cold wind outside, Liu Ertiao and Zhang Chuwen were much more comfortable. There was a soft quilt, a stove, and a sandalwood in the carriage. Sitting inside was several times more comfortable than at home. Royal things were not something ordinary people could imagine. Two boys who had never met anything were stunned by the luxurious decorations in the carriage.

At the same time, the two people also had a little more yearning and longing in their hearts, and they all hoped that when they could have such a carriage, and of course, more importantly, when would they have the corresponding identity to be able to get on such a carriage.

The carriage was running very steadily. Liu Erzhao and the others didn't feel any bumpy in the carriage. When they adjusted their mood from the luxurious layout in the carriage, the carriage had already entered the imperial gate and entered the palace unimpeded.

"Okay, Tai Chi Hall has arrived. Please get off the car!" Soon, the carriage was stopped, and the eunuch got off the carriage first, stood under the carriage and bent over to ask Liu Ertiao and Zhang Chuwen to get off the carriage.

Big, vast, grand!

When they first came to Tai Chi Hall, Zhang Chuwen and Liu Ertiao were both surprised by the magnificent arrangement here. Compared with this, the two so-called mansions in their house were simply two inconspicuous and small, and they could not compare at all. They were worthy of being royal things. They were not only for transportation, but also for the place where they lived was so noble and grand.

However, with the first experience in the carriage, the nerves of both of them became thicker, and they soon woke up from the shock, and their mood was adjusted to a peaceful and calm state in a very short time.

"Please follow the younger one, two sir!" One of the eunuchs walked out, saluted them lightly, and signaled them to go with him.

After walking up the steps from the Tai Chi Hall gate, the three of them walked for nearly a moment before reaching the main entrance of the Tai Chi Hall. Liu Erzhao and the others were taken by the eunuch to a side room on the left side of the Tai Chi Hall. In the side room, there were already four Jinshi dressed in the same clothes on the side.

"Two sirs, please wait here for a while. When the people arrive, the emperor will meet him in person!" After inviting Liu Ertiao and Zhang Chuwen into the room, the eunuch who led the way whispered, then turned around and walked out.
Chapter completed!