Wanbao Building, in the private room.

The steaming hot pot was rumbling, and Heiwa brought Shangguan Buyue and Cai You to Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan put a few slices of mutton into the pot and said to the two of them with a smile: "I haven't started eating yet. Tonight is to treat you two to dinner!"

"Your Majesty, you are polite...you are polite!" Both of them were a little scared. It was the first time in their lives that Zhao Yan invited them to dinner.

"Sit down, this is not in the palace, you don't have to be polite!" Zhao Yan said with a look up again.

Shangguan Buyue and Cai You immediately sat down separately, with a little nervous expression.

Eat... Eat and eat..." Zhao Yan said with chopsticks, and then he picked up a piece of mutton first.

The two of them were no longer polite and immediately picked up their chopsticks and started eating.

After eating for a while, the moment Zhao Yan picked up the wine glass, the two of them quickly picked up the wine glass.

They didn't dare to wait for Zhao Yan to toast them.

Even a strong man like Shangguan Buyue was a little restrained after sitting against Zhao Yan. After all, the other party was the king and they were the ministers.

Zhao Yan picked up the wine glass and said, "Thank you for your hard work these days. When the imperial examination is over, you can rest for a few more days!"

Hearing this, Cai You's tears were almost shedding. He felt that the hardships he suffered and the sufferings he suffered these days were worth it.

"Your Majesty, I am afraid that it is my blessing to select talents for the Great Zhou Dynasty!" Cai You said from the bottom of his heart.

Shangguan’s unhappiness was not as abundant as Cai You’s emotions, but he also said, “Mr. Cai’s words are very reasonable. This is our duty as a minister.”

Zhao Yan smiled, picked up the wine glass and drank it all, and the two of them also drank the wine in the glass.

After the three of them had a meal, drink and chatted for a while, Zhao Yan said: "Tonight, in addition to wanting to thank the two for their hard work in the imperial examination, I have another thing to ask for. I wonder if you can do it for me?"

Swish!

Cai You stood up instantly and bowed, "What Your Majesty has entrusted must be a major national event. Eating the king's salary should share the worries for the king. The minister must do it with all his strength."

Shangguan, who was standing by, turned his eyes and suddenly felt that the hot pot didn't seem that simple.

If Zhao Yan asked the two of them to do their business, they could just issue the imperial edict directly. On this special occasion, they would say the word "Que", which means that the "Que" must be extraordinary.

"Your Majesty, as long as it is for the country and the people, I will be responsible for it!" Shangguan Buyue also stood up and bowed and said.

When Zhao Yan heard the four words "for the country and the people", he couldn't help but smile slightly awkwardly.

What he entrusted was neither for the country nor for the people.

If it is for the country and the people, he only needs to issue an edict, and there is no need to leave the palace to have such a hot pot.

Zhao Yan looked at Cai You and Shangguan’s curious eyes, hesitated for a moment, and said, “I want you to open a back door and let me participate in the imperial examination as well.”

"ah?"

The two of them stared at each other like copper bells, and their mouths were open, and they were stunned. Such requests were simply nonsense!

Since ancient times, no emperor has taken the imperial examination and has completed one.

Zhao Yan continued: "I want to participate in this imperial examination with the pseudonym Yan Zhao. I will try to see where my talents and knowledge can occupy among the candidates. However, considering that the final topic of the theory was my question, I abandoned the first subject, which is fair."

"Of course, no matter what ranking I get in the exam, I don't need to report it, I don't need to be on the gold list, nor do I occupy a single place."

Zhao Yan gave up the first subject of calligraphy, because on the one hand, he did take a lot of advantage in strategy theory, and on the other hand, he was the worst subject of calligraphy, among the four subjects.

This subject is not large, so if Zhao Yan plays his full strength in the last three subjects, it is not ruled out that he will be on the list. Because the papers are marked in the form of sub-seal and transcribed, Zhao Yan can also clearly see what his status among scholars.

To put it bluntly, Zhao Yan participated in the imperial examination just to have fun.

"This...this..." Shangguan Buyue and Cai You hesitated immediately.

Opening the back door for the emperor is the first time in the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty. If the laws and regulations of the Great Zhou Dynasty were followed, the two of them would be favoritism and abuse of power, but it would be hard to say that the person they helped was the emperor.

The imperial examination was a major event in the court after all, and the two did not want any accidents.

Shangguan Buyue frowned slightly and bowed to Zhao Yan, saying, "Your Majesty, this matter is not to be played by. Please allow me to discuss it with Shangshu Cai in the side room, and then submit a definite answer to you."

"Okay." Zhao Yan nodded, then picked up the cooked yellow throat and put it in the dish.

Next door room.

"If Your Majesty participates in the imperial examination, if Wen Xiang discovers that you and I will definitely be the ones who are punished. After all, Your Majesty cannot be wrong." Cai You said with a frown.

"This matter is indeed a bit too outrageous, but if we reject His Majesty, it would be a bit unreasonable. After all, we have eaten all the hot pot!"

"What should we do? It would be a bit unworthy if we offend Your Majesty because of this!"

Shangguan thought for a moment of displeasure and said, "Would you like to offend Your Majesty or to offend Wen Xiang?"

Cai You curled her lips: "I don't want to offend either."

"I must offend one!"

"Then...then...then...then offend Wen Xiang!"

...

About a quarter of an hour later, the two returned to the table.

"Your Majesty, I will quickly make your identity certificate. You can come directly to the imperial examination tomorrow, but you may have to go to the wrong place!" Cai You said.

"Yes, I have no problem." Zhao Yan smiled brightly and immediately picked up a piece of tender lamb for himself.

"Come on... the two dear friends, let's continue eating and drinking."

Shangguan Buyue and Cai You no longer thought too much and started drinking happily.

The day after tomorrow, the weather will be slightly bright.

Zhao Yan was wearing casual clothes and carrying his small basket of imperial examinations. Under Shangguan's unhappy arrangement, he came to the tribute court from a side door and sat in a position that had no number.

There are more than 10,000 candidates, but they can't remember everything from each other, so no one will notice that there will be a newcomer in the exam room this year.

Today's subject is the meaning of Mo, that is, the short answer questions, and the questions are all derived from the Confucian classics.

Zhao Yan followed Liu Chaotong and Pan Wenyue to learn some methods of interpretation of the meaning, so he was not afraid of this subject at all.

Zhao Yan sat in his exam seat, arranged all the pens, ink, paper and inkstone, and then looked around curiously.

No one is as relaxed and casual as he takes such exams.

At this moment, Shangguan Wanton walked slowly with a small basket.

He looked ahead, neither slow nor slow, and as he walked, he suddenly saw Zhao Yan.

"Yan...Yan...Zhao, he is indeed there."

At this time, Zhao Yan just turned around and saw him.

Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!
Chapter completed!