However, after being a prince for more than 20 years, Luo Kangrui knew how to advance and retreat. The decision to appoint the number one scholar had to be decided by the emperor.

Luo Youdu didn't think much and directly selected Zhong Shiheng as the top pick.

Luo Kangrui was a little surprised, but he didn't dare to say anything. As he grew older, he also had his own sense of opinion, and he fully agreed with his father's individual thoughts, but there was only one thing: Luo Kangrui was good at knowing and employing people. Kneeling and obeying, not one of the people my father chose to promote was missed...

The playmates arranged for him in the early years are now the future pillars of the Dayu court.

Even the seemingly absurd Xiao Chuo, the minister of official affairs who played with him when he was a child and had no idea of ​​his father, showed extraordinary talents in his position.

Some people even said privately that if Xiao Chuo were born a boy, it would be very possible for him to enter the Council of Ministers and become the prime minister.

Luo Youdu finalized the list of civil and military champions, stood up and said: "Let's go to the Jinluan Palace to meet the future pillars of the imperial court." He paused and said seriously: "The greatest wealth that my father left for you is not this country, but These are the talents who can determine the world."

If there had been no influence from later generations, Luo Youdu would most likely have selected one of the Xia brothers as the number one scholar, but he cheated on this aspect and naturally chose a talent like Zhong Shiheng whose talent was visible.

This is also Luo Youdu’s biggest advantage and one of the keys to Dayu’s rocket-like development.

He can clearly understand the potential of some people to be loyal and traitorous, so he can promote and cultivate them emphatically.

This is not to say that he did not make mistakes. On the contrary, with the development of education and the expansion of territory, many dusty pearls in history have shone brightly in his era. It’s just that these need to be discovered little by little, but Lu Mengzheng, Zhang Qixian People like Fan Zhongyan and Zhong Shiheng do not need to be discovered. They are pearls in their own right and can shine in advance.

As for Xia Wangrong and Xia Yuqi, they also have great potential, and Luo Youdu also plans to reuse them, but instead of betting on their potential, it is better to put the biggest bargaining chip on Zhong Shiheng.

In fact, Xia Wangrong and Xia Yuqi are also famous figures in history, but they are not known to Luo Youdu.

Xia Wangrong and Xia Yuqi were born in the Yeli family of Dangxiang in Ningxia. Their original names were Yeli Wangrong. Yeli Yuqi was the right-hand man of Li Yuanhao in Xixia. The two men, both civil and military, contributed most to the successful founding of Xixia.

The battles at Sanchuankou and Haoshuichuan that defeated the Song army were the work of the two brothers.

However, the Tuoba Li family of the Dingnan Army had long been destroyed, and the Yeli family of Dangxiang surrendered to Wang Hua, who changed the Yeli family of Dangxiang to a Han surname and took Xiazhou as his surname.

Of course Luo Youdu didn't know all this.

Just to mention it, Ye Li Wangrong and Ye Li Yuqi, the two founding heroes of Xixia, eventually died under Zhong Shiheng's alienation plan.

Luo Kangrui said cautiously: "Kid, please keep this in mind."

Xu Bu came to the main hall, and all the candidates for the civil and military examinations saluted with anxiety and excitement.

"Without courtesy, keep your body straight and raise your heads. You are all the future pillars of the imperial court. I am not a savage beast. There is no need to lower your head and straighten your waist. I, my good man of Dayu, must have the vigor of a man. "

The candidates all straightened up after hearing this, with excited expressions on their faces.

Facing those clear and inspiring eyes, Luo Youdu nodded with satisfaction and said: "This is my good man from Dayu..."

He smiled and praised His Highness and everyone, which made all the candidates feel warm in their hearts.

Luo Youdu asked: "Who is Fan Zhongyan?"

A somewhat green young man walked out in front of everyone's admiring gaze: "The students are here!"

Luo Youdu looked at his idol and said: "I have read your exam paper several times and it is very good. The prince and I are both in awe of each other. At your age, it is really amazing that you can have such insights. Especially. It’s me who saw the illusion of the future in your article, which is even better.”

Fan Zhongyan bowed his head with some excitement and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty. Ever since I was a student, I heard your Majesty's words of wisdom from my father: 'Be concerned about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness'. I have been deeply moved. I take this as my motto and write it in front of my bed, so I can alert myself day and night.”

The hall was silent for a moment.

Fan Zhongyan thought he had said the wrong thing and was a little uneasy.

Prince Luo Kangrui looked at his father with some surprise. His father, who was calm and always smiling, was actually blushing and shy?

what's the situation?

Luo Youdu thought to himself: "As long as I am not embarrassed, others will be embarrassed!"

He solemnly announced the list of civil and military champions, ending this embarrassing meeting...

------------------

A scholar in a green shirt moved forward along the crowd, looking left and right, looking for his companions in the crowd.

The scholar came to Luoyang not long ago, and this was the first time he encountered such a situation, so he could only follow the flow of people.

After crossing the Tianjin Bridge, the towering Duanmen Tower came into view, and a trace of yearning flashed in the young man's eyes.

"Retro Brother!"

Someone grabbed him from behind and said loudly: "Why did he disappear in the blink of an eye? Hurry up, you will miss the time, but you will have to wait another three years."

The young man in green shirt looked back in astonishment. He saw that the person who came was slightly older than him, had a face with a Chinese character, and a strong body, but he had a scholarly air. However, he did not recognize him and said: "Brother, you have the wrong person."

The visitor was also startled and said hurriedly: "I'm sorry, my brother, Wang Zeng of Yidu, Qingzhou, has a very similar back to a good friend of mine, so I'm sorry to bother you."

The young man in green shirt's eyes lit up and said: "But Wang Xiaoxian from Jixia University in Qingzhou?"

The young man in green shirt was born in Bailudong University. He had read Wang Zeng's article and was deeply impressed. After getting confirmation from the other party, he hurriedly said: "I met Brother Wang when I was in Yan Shu, Fuzhou, Jiangxi."

Wang Zeng was also stunned for a while, and whispered: "But Uncle Yan Tong, the prodigy of Bailudong University?"

Yan Shu was able to write at the age of seven. After entering elementary school, he learned six basics in one year and skipped to middle school. In another year, he entered Bailudong University, the best university in Jiangnan, and became the youngest bachelor in Dayu. He is famous.

The world.

The news even reached the imperial court. After hearing the news, Emperor Dayu couldn't help but praise: "Young prodigy, this boy will become a great player in the future."

Emperor Luo's knowledge of people was unparalleled in the world, and none of the people he praised were incompetent: such as Zhang Qixian, the envoy of the rice bucket, Kou Laoxi Kou Zhun, the magistrate of Taiyuan, Li Jilong, and Cao Wei, all before they became successful.

Give him the talent that Emperor Luo has discerned with his discerning eye.

The most rare thing is that Yan Shu was famous in his childhood but had no arrogance. He still went his own way and was obsessed with literature, leaving many articles and poems. Even Li Yu, who was at the pinnacle of Yu Ci, praised Yan Shu's words for their spirituality.

Wang Zeng looked at the young man in front of him, clasped his hands, and smiled to himself: "Yes, I heard the day before yesterday that Bailudong University sent 20 people to Beijing, and my uncle Tong was among them.

As we are destined today, why don't you, my uncle and I, follow me on the Luoshui boat to have a glimpse of the magnificence of the literary and military champions? Maybe one day, you and I can also wear red robes, ride white horses, and travel to the capital of gods."

Yan Shu was a little moved, but remembering the classmates who came with him, he shook his head and refused.

Wang Zeng didn't want to let go of the prodigy in front of him, and said: "The two champions are about to parade through the streets, and the crowds are surging. It's strange to find them. Why don't you board the boat with me, it will be easier to find people on the boat. I saw Uncle Tong on the boat.

I just found my brother's back."

Yan Shu looked at the crowds of people around him and agreed.

Wang Zeng led Yan Shu onto a painting boat on the Luo River.

Seeing Wang Zeng leading a stranger aboard, everyone looked curious.

Wang Zeng introduced Yan Shu to everyone on the boat.

Hearing that it was a prodigy from Jiangnan, they all came up to say hello.

They are all scholars, and most of their future goals are to serve the imperial court. A potential person like Yan Shu is someone that everyone is willing to make friends with.

Yan Shu returned the gift one by one, including Bao Lingyi, Sun He, Sun Ji, Lu Zhen, Gao Fuyao, Huang Zongdan, Sun Ji, Qian Yi...

The vast majority are top students from major prestigious universities.

Before Yan Shu could meet everyone on the boat, one person crowded onto the boat, but it was Wang Zeng who wanted to find his friends Li Di and Li Fuxu.

When Li Di got on the boat, he shouted loudly and said: "The number one scholar in civil and military science has come out now. Fan Zhongyan from Heluo University is the number one scholar in literature. The number one scholar in martial arts is from Chang'an."

There was a burst of excitement on the boat, especially the students from Heluo University, who were very proud of you.

"Finally, I feel proud and proud for once. I can't let the poor and untouchables step on my head every time..."

An inappropriate voice came from the crowd.

Yan Shu frowned when he heard this. His great-great-grandfather Yan Yong was a Jinshi in the 10th year of Xiantong in the Tang Dynasty. He served as an official in the Jiangnan West Road Observation and Judgment Court. He did not enter the official position for the next few generations and was also from a poor family.

Wang Zeng said in a low voice: "Don't pay attention, mediocre people will only complain."

Great-grandfather Wang was a descendant of the Wang family in Taiyuan. He took refuge in Yidu, Qingzhou during the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties. However, after the turmoil of the Five Dynasties, the family had long since ceased to exist. He was orphaned at the age of eight and was a lonely young man. He relied on work-study and scholarships to get into university.

Feed themselves.

Since Luo Youdu changed the Enyin system in the past, the imperial examination has become the most direct channel for literati to enter officialdom.

After more than thirty years of perfecting the system, officials who entered official positions through the imperial examination accounted for half of Dayu's population.

Luo Youdu improved the education system many times, launched compulsory primary education, promoted the work-study policy, and implemented the scholarship system, allowing more ordinary people to get ahead.

It was rare for the number one scholar in the previous Jinshi examinations to come from poor families or even common people. For example, Lu Mengzheng, Wang Shize, Liang Hao, Xiao Pai'an, Xiao Liuzhe, Xia Renrong, etc. were all commoners. Among them, Xiao Pai'an and Xiao Liuzhe were Khitans.

Xia Renrong, a tribesman, is even more of a party member. This has caused dissatisfaction among a small number of people, who feel that untouchables and other tribesmen have affected them.

I simply don’t know that even if there weren’t these people, they wouldn’t have the ability to rise to the top.

Gongs, drums, and cheers are already approaching.

"The Number One Scholar is here!"

There were shouts from all around.

Yan Shu, Wang Zeng and the others couldn't help but look at the Tianjin Bridge: that was the road to promotion for them in the future.

The two people who attracted the most attention among the crowd were riding white horses and wearing festive red costumes on the Prancing Horse Bridge.

Yan Shu looked at it intently, his eyes shining with brilliance.

The same was true for Wang Zeng, Bao Lingyi, Sun He, Sun Ji, Lu Zhen and others. They all thought silently in their hearts: One day, we will also receive this honor.

Not only them, but millions of people also yearn to jump over the dragon gate, reach high school in one fell swoop, become the emperor's disciples, and go down in history.

In the following years, Luo Youdu gradually delegated power to Prince Luo Kangrui. He would only come forward when making important decisions and selecting talents. It felt like he had all the talents in the world at his fingertips.
To be continued...