FYM - 117

On the first day of the fourth month, the palace examination commenced, and the front of the Qian Ding Palace was once again bustling with activity.

The imperial examination was divided into five ranks, with the top two ranks being honorary, and only the lower three actually used for selecting candidates. This was the first time the examination had been held since the Guang You era, and those selected would undoubtedly be highly valued by the Empress Dowager and the young emperor in the future. As a result, the custom of “snatching sons-in-law from under the list” was particularly popular. Civil and military officials were all waiting in front of the main hall; those with unmarried daughters stretched their necks as far as they could to see.

Fang Xianting came today as well, but only to support Song Shuyan, standing at the forefront of the ministers in his purple robe, his eyes slightly closed, signaling others to keep their distance. The most clueless person present was Yinping King Wei Bi, who, after observing for a moment, went forward to disturb Fang Xianting’s peace. He clasped his hands and called out “Lord Marquis” with a smile, immediately catching the attention of the other officials.

“I heard that General Jiang Chao recently passed the military examination and has been promoted to Commander, now serving the country in the north. I should congratulate you, Lord Marquis.”

This statement was meant to express goodwill, but it sounded like a taunt implying that the Lord Marquis was favoring his own family at the expense of public duty. Upon hearing this, Fang Xianting’s expression remained cold, and he did not respond.

Wei Bi himself realized the ambiguity of his words a moment later and inwardly complained about how difficult it was to flatter someone. The next moment, his face lit up with another smile, and he continued, “Having pillars of the nation is a good thing, and it can also relieve some of the burdens on the Lord Marquis... I wonder if the Lord Marquis has any free time lately. Could he honor me with a visit?”

This...

The eavesdropping officials were each surprised, thinking that when did the Yinping King change his ways and begin understanding the principle of “bending one’s head under the eaves”? However, the events at Yangzhou’s riverbank were clear to anyone with eyes—everyone understood the underlying twists. The Lord Marquis had carved a bloody word onto his chest to quell civilian unrest, which prevented him from returning to the Yuzhou battlefield even now. It was unlikely that he would easily accept the overtures of the Yinping King?

Sure enough, Fang Xianting’s expression remained aloof and did not show much response to Wei Bi’s warmth. The latter silently cursed the young man’s arrogance but outwardly became even more obsequious, bending his waist halfway and saying, “I have just acquired several jars of excellent Chang’an Xinfeng wine, much better than the weak wines of Jiangnan. Tonight, we must drink until we are thoroughly intoxicated!”

This was somewhat shamelessly persistent. Fang Xianting furrowed his brows, probably considering whether it would be inappropriate to reject Wei Bi in such a public setting. Fortunately, Wang Mu emerged from the main hall to summon the ministers inside. Fang Xianting then said indifferently, “Let us discuss this matter later. Yinping King, please adjust your crown and enter the hall.”

The Qian Ding Palace, with its carved beams and painted rafters, was solemn and majestic, rivaling the splendor and grandeur of the eastern and western capitals. The young emperor, who had not been seen for several days, seemed to have recovered from his illness and grown taller. Now sitting on the dragon throne, he looked increasingly regal. Nevertheless, when the ministers bowed and shouted their respects, they still addressed the Empress Dowager first. He didn’t seem displeased, and looking back at the curtain behind him, there was a faint smile.

Grand Tutor Chen Meng, the chief examiner of this imperial examination, personally led the candidates into the hall. A total of twelve candidates were selected, all wearing white-sleeved scholar robes. After performing the ritual bows upon entering the hall, they stood in line with heads bowed. Only about the top three would likely be appointed to official positions immediately.

“I’ve heard that during the Linghe era, governance was smooth and harmonious. Every time there was an imperial examination in Chang’an, tens of thousands of scholars gathered, and even ordinary taverns were filled with learned men exchanging ideas. Today, Nandu Jinling also exhibits such elegance and talent. All the brilliant minds of the land have entered the palace. The revival of our great Zhou dynasty’s prosperity seems not far off!”

The young emperor delivered a steady opening speech, followed by expressions of gratitude for Grand Tutor Chen Meng’s hard work over the past months. Meanwhile, the court was already rife with tension—officials from Jinling and Luoyang factions had already exchanged several rounds of fierce glares.

Among the twelve scholars: three were recommended by Song Bo, another three were selected by Wei Bi, and Jia Xin, the husband of Song Shuqing (the second Miss Song), also took the exam while holding an official position. The remaining five unknown candidates were emerging talents from humble backgrounds, similar to their tutor, Grand Tutor Chen Meng, in terms of modest origins.

The top three in the palace examination could be immediately appointed to official positions. How should these rankings be distributed to satisfy everyone? Standing behind his elder brother, Song Dan, Song Bo quietly observed the entire scene, his mind calculating rapidly—he favored a relative named Song Huan, and it would be best if he could rank highly. Next in preference was his son-in-law, Jia Xin. Although there had been some friction between the Song family and them over the years, his father-in-law’s words couldn’t be ignored. If Jia Xin were selected, it wouldn’t harm the Jinling faction.

While mulling over this, Grand Tutor Chen Meng had already ordered the Ministry of Rites officials to distribute the examination questions. Incense was lit in the center of the hall to indicate the time limit. It was rumored that the Empress Dowager herself had formulated the questions, focusing on urgently needed strategies for enriching the country and benefiting the people. The scholars answered carefully. One young, pale-faced scholar finished fastest, submitting his paper when the incense had burned halfway down. From afar, it appeared he had written extensively and elegantly, perhaps truly inspired with a pen that brought forth flowers of wisdom.

The answers were collected by Wang Mu and personally delivered behind the curtain for the Empress Dowager to read before being presented to the young emperor. By the time the latter finished reading, the other scholars had also stopped writing, and the hall fell silent except for the soft rustling of papers within and outside the curtain.

Everyone held their breath in tense anticipation, except for the first one who submitted his paper, appearing quite calm and composed. Soon, a gentle female voice came from behind the curtain—it was the Empress Dowager asking, “Where is Xu Zongyao from Pengzhou?”

He stepped forward, bowing deeply towards the curtain, his slender and frail figure suggesting he was about twenty years old. Yet, his demeanor exuded remarkable composure as he replied, “Your servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty.”

“The writing is splendid and powerful—a rare masterpiece,” the Empress Dowager commented blandly, her praise devoid of emotion. “However, I am curious about the meaning of ‘inspecting fields and registering households’ mentioned in the essay. How should it be implemented in governance?”

After hearing this, Xu Zongyao bowed again, showing no signs of panic or discomfort from the public inquiry. Calmly, he responded, “I have heard that morning fungi do not know the changes of the moon, and cicadas are unaware of the seasons’ transitions, due to their limited vision and shallow knowledge, unable to comprehend the vastness of the world and the difficulties of the state. In my humble opinion, I dare to offer these thoughts, humbly reaching your wise ears.”

“Since the Taiqing era, prolonged warfare has exhausted the realm, leaving the people impoverished and without reserves. After the southern migration, matters have become even more complex. People have moved, and lands and properties lack certainty. If this continues, internal chaos may arise from scattered hearts.”

“To reclaim the Central Plains, we must first increase the population. To boost the population, we must first stabilize the land. South of the Yangtze River, the land is fertile, but the exact numbers remain unclear. Appointing officials to inspect fields and register households in each county will clarify land ownership and population. Unclaimed land can be distributed to those without, preventing influential families from annexing land and falsifying household registers to evade taxes. This is indeed a sound policy for ensuring peace and benefiting the people.”

He spoke calmly and clearly, not faltering once in this solemn court. The assembled dignitaries couldn’t help but admire the emergence of new talent, though they were secretly alarmed by the policies proposed—

Appointing officials to inspect land and population? That’s a daunting task! How many fields and forests are there in each province and county? How many people and livestock in each household? How many men, women, children, and elderly? Investigating each one won’t be easy!

And what did he say? Preventing influential families from annexing land and evading taxes? Isn’t that pointing fingers at the Jinling faction? Before and after the southern migration, officials in various parts of Jiangnan reported inflated land and population figures to suppress the Luoyang faction’s nobility and secure more benefits for themselves. What would they have left after such an investigation? Wouldn’t everything be taken by newcomers from the Central Plains?

The faces of the Jinling faction darkened, while officials from the Luoyang faction watched with satisfaction. This young man truly was fearless, offending half the court with just a few words! But what he said was exactly what they wanted to hear. If the court could grasp the financial pulse of Jiangnan, the Jinling faction wouldn’t be able to act recklessly. Even if their Luoyang faction couldn’t gain much oil, having the wealth flow into the national treasury was better than letting political rivals take it. They could now stand on equal footing with the Song family!

Amidst the surging undercurrents, a light laugh came from behind the curtain. The Empress Dowager’s tone was gentle yet tinged with depth as she asked, “The relocation of the capital involves myriad complexities, not confined to half a month’s journey by land and water. When millions of officials and civilians from the north settle in the south, disputes and chaos naturally arise. If drastic measures sever all ties, how would you address the resulting instability?”

This question was profound, indirectly bringing the current power struggle between the two factions to the forefront. The young man faced this dilemma without losing composure, responding respectfully, “Your servant dares to speak boldly. I’ve heard that Your Majesty once promised the masses at Yangzhou’s riverside to ‘plan for the long term and restore prosperity.’ I’ve also heard that Lord Marquis vowed, upon removing his armor and inscribing a pledge, to continue northern expeditions until the Central Plains were reclaimed—if our dynasty seeks mere survival and surrenders the northern territories to barbarians, we might avoid immediate conflict. But if we truly aim to reclaim our territory and restore unity, then this drastic measure cannot be avoided.”

His resolute words rang like metal and stone, each syllable carrying weight, even bordering on offense, causing a stir among the crowd. Even Fang Xianting, standing at the forefront of the ministers, turned his head to give the young man a second look. A eunuch beside the young emperor loudly reprimanded, “How dare you!” but the Empress Dowager behind the curtain gently raised her hand to signal it was fine. Her soft voice came again, asking a third question: “Establishing officials to inspect land and population is a good strategy, but who will oversee it? Factionalism remains a stubborn disease, with orders from above blocked at every level. If layers of obstruction prevent the grand plan from succeeding, what then?”

Upon hearing this, Xu Zongyao bowed deeply again and solemnly replied, “Your servant is a native of the Linghe era, fortunate to have studied classics and history during a time of peace, enlightened by the teachings of sages. Witnessing the turmoil of the state and the suffering of the people, even as a commoner, I harbor aspirations to benefit all. If I am ranked today and become a disciple of the Son of Heaven, I will dedicate myself entirely to public service without reservation, working tirelessly and loyally. Within the court, I will follow only the Emperor’s commands and avoid forming cliques. Outside the court, I will regard the people as injured and seek advice from the common folk.”

“Not dying, not resting.”

These words from the white-robed prime minister carried immense weight, especially the word “death.” Throughout history, those who acted against the tide were lone ministers. He likely knew that this speech would push him into a desperate situation. Currently, the whole court was watching him sideways, and in the future, both overt and covert attacks would be hard to defend against. Yet, his noble aspirations remained unbroken, willing to put life and death aside. Petty scheming was never his intention; even if he were to throw himself into the flames like a moth, he would maintain his integrity.

Whispers of discussion continued. At that moment, how many self-proclaimed wise individuals secretly laughed at this young, spirited man? Perhaps they all believed he couldn’t walk this path to heaven for long. Even if he miraculously leaped over the dragon gate, he would soon be dragged down into the mud. Behind the curtain, however, it gradually grew quiet. Xu Zongyao knelt in the center of the grand, magnificent hall, vaguely feeling a gentle gaze fall upon him. After a while, he heard the most revered woman under heaven speak again, this time with just a faintly smiling word—

“Good.”