prosperous age

The imperial examinations in the Ming Dynasty were usually held on the first day of the third month, and the imperial examination in the eleventh year of the Wanli reign was no exception.

While the candidates were sitting outside the Huangji Hall answering questions, Wei Guangde and other cabinet ministers, as well as the heads of the Six Ministries, also left after Emperor Wanli left, leaving only the proctoring officials to supervise the examination.

After all, everyone has official business to attend to and can't just stay here waiting for the candidates to answer the questions.

Afterwards, naturally, after the candidates submitted their papers, the receiving official would transfer the papers to the sealing official for sealing, then to the paper manager, and finally to the East Pavilion.

In the evening, Wei Guangde and other cabinet ministers, along with the examiners appointed by Emperor Wanli for this palace examination, reviewed the papers and scored all of them.

As is tradition, the tables were rotated, and everyone sat together. After reading the two exam papers, the papers were moved to the next examiner to continue reading.

Because the palace examination was presided over by the emperor, the officials who reviewed the papers could not be called examiners, but only paper readers.

Grading the palace examination papers was an extremely time-consuming and demanding task, which is why the palace examination results needed to be taken into account the provincial examination results.

The time allotted for grading was far too short; there simply wasn't enough time to look at each paper carefully.

How could it be possible without taking the provincial examination rankings into account?

It can be said that, apart from the scrolls that were to be read to Emperor Wanli at the end, Wei Guangde really did not read them all.

However, he was already used to it. He had participated in the imperial examination many times, but this was the first time he was the one to preside over it.

In previous imperial examinations, the reading of the examination papers was overseen by Zhang Juzheng's household.

By noon the next day, the examiners had finally finished reading all the papers, thus completing this arduous task.

However, after separating the top-grade, second-grade, and third-grade papers, they selected the so-called best papers.

These were the papers that Wei Guangde wanted to read carefully, since they were to be sent to the Wanli Emperor so that he could select the top three candidates in the first class and the top few in the second class.

If the test paper is too bad, it will definitely be put down, and the ranking will naturally drop.

It can be said that the fate of the tribute students was entirely in their own hands.

Of course, the papers were all sealed up, so no one knew who actually wrote them.

"Brother Shandai, in the bet on the top scholar, who do you think will win?"

After the rankings were finalized, Shen Shixing yawned and asked Wei Guangde in a low voice.

"It's just those few, and as for who will win, that depends on the Emperor's will."

Wei Guangde laughed and said, "However, because I have to participate in the reading of the examination papers, I did not place any bets on the top three scholars this time."

"Hehe, Brother Shandai, you really are something else, hehe."

Shen Shixing immediately yawned and then chuckled softly.

Ordinary people could gamble on who would be the top scholar, and officials who didn't participate in the examination could also gamble on who would be the top scholar, but the officials who read the examination papers were not allowed to gamble.

After all, although the exam papers were sealed, they were all familiar with the key points.

For example, the exam papers of Zhu Guozuo, Li Tingji, Zhou Yingbin, and others were sealed, but they could still tell who wrote which paper.

Putting aside the secret marks used by the officials in charge of sealing the papers, the order in which the papers were handed to them was actually quite particular. The papers that were handed in first were not placed on top, but rather arranged in order of their ranking in the imperial examination.

Therefore, the final grading is basically done in this order, with only slight differences between individual exam scores and the final exam results.

"Do any of you have any objections to the grading of these exam papers?"

At this moment, Wei Guangde saw that the academicians of the Hanlin Academy had put down their exam papers, so he asked a question.

After he finished speaking, Shen Shixing and more than ten other examiners bowed in unison and said, "No objections."

These are also part of the palace examination process, but the candidates cannot see them.

What they saw during the palace examination was the scene of them sitting on low tables, writing furiously, and then going back to court to wait for the examination results to be announced.

Of course, after the results of the provincial examination were released, apart from the top ten who still had a chance to compete for the top spot, everyone else had long given up their hopes.

"In that case, let's seal the exam papers and enter the palace again tomorrow morning to read them aloud for His Majesty."

Wei Guangde spoke up.

What happened next was none of their business.

The eunuchs in the inner court would keep an eye on the exam papers they distributed.

There will be no compromise on this point.

No one dared to tamper with the rankings on these exam papers, as they bore various markings made by the examiners.

Besides, even if they wanted to change the best papers, they wouldn't dare, because they were all approved in front of all the examiners.

If you get a different copy, you'll know immediately when the papers are read the next day.

Meaningless.

Wei Guangde and others filed out, and the scrolls inside the hall were handed over to the inner court for security.

Just as Wei Guangde was about to return to his office in the cabinet to rest for a while, after all, he was exhausted from staying up all night.

Jiang Zhi quickly caught up and whispered in his ear, "Shan Dai, after this year's palace examination, should we erect a stele for the successful candidates?"

"Ok?"

Wei Guangde was taken aback upon hearing this, and then stopped in his tracks.

The Jinshi Stele is naturally a stone tablet inscribed with the names of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

The phrase "the sea dries up and the rocks crumble" has long been a popular expression of time, and as an important image in traditional Chinese culture, stones have been endowed with the function of storing time.

The stone, imbued with unwavering integrity, will forever shine for posterity. The words, some deep, some shallow, carved into the stone tablet not only erase the linear traces of time but also allow us to travel to the future.

When we look back at those who come after us, we will revive the historical memories of that time and fulfill the eternal vows of those who erected the stone tablets.

The practice of inscribing the names of successful candidates in the imperial examinations has a long history, and in the Tang Dynasty it was mainly a personal act.

During the Song Dynasty, the practice of inscribing the names of successful candidates in the imperial examinations on stone tablets and erecting steles shifted from a private activity to one supervised by the government.

Since the imperial examinations were reopened in the second year of the reign of Emperor Renzong of Yuan and the names were inscribed on stone, the dates, rankings, names, and places of origin of the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties have all been recorded on the Jinshi Inscription Stele at the Confucius Temple in Beijing.

Only the inscriptions of the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) from before the tenth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty were placed in the National Academy in Nanjing, the capital city.

In addition, after the imperial examinations were held in the second year of the Huangqing reign of the Yuan Dynasty, the names of the successful candidates were inscribed on the stele to glorify their ancestors. However, in the Ming Dynasty, the names of the Yuan Dynasty candidates were erased from the stele and the names of the Ming Dynasty candidates were inscribed on it.

Therefore, in later generations, only three Yuan Dynasty Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) steles have survived.

Jiang Zhi's statement actually refers to the fact that since the second year of the Longqing reign, after the imperial examinations in the same year and the fifth year of the Longqing reign, as well as the second, fifth, and eighth years of the Wanli reign, no monument had been erected for several consecutive years, either due to oversights caused by political turmoil or because the national treasury was empty.

In the second year of the Wanli reign, Wei Guangde did know about it, but at that time everyone was busy with the inscriptions and no one mentioned it, so the inscription of the names of the successful candidates was overlooked.

As for the fifth year of the Longqing reign, Wei Guangde was unclear about the reason for the oversight.

However, the interruption of the Jinshi Stele during the Wanli era was due to Zhang Juzheng.

According to him, the country is facing financial difficulties, so there is no need to spend money to erect a monument.

In essence, it's about saving money wherever possible, and the Ministry of Works is happy to do so.

This saves the Ministry of Works money, so they are naturally happy.

However, these scholars who passed the imperial examinations at that time might not have thought much of Zhang Juzheng.

"The Qujiang Banquet and the inscription of names on the Wild Goose Pagoda have been glorious traditions in the imperial examinations since ancient times. How can we omit them?"

It would be a great pity if the illustrious names and achievements of these individuals who passed the imperial examinations and were recorded in history were not included.

Jiang Zhi continued.

At this moment, Shen Shixing, Yu Youding, and others had also stopped and stood around Wei Guangde, waiting for him to make a decision.

Should this stele commemorating the successful candidates in the imperial examinations be erected or not?

After all, in earlier years, Zhang Juzheng said not to erect a monument, and the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) were considerate of the court's difficulties and said nothing.

“Since it is a tradition, how can we leave any regrets?” Finally, Wei Guangde spoke up, “Not only should a monument be erected after this imperial edict is finalized, but the stone tablets for the previous Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) should also be added.”

Also, do not erase the old Yuan Dynasty stele and erect a new one.

That is ultimately the glory of a generation of scholars, indelible. What do you all think?

Shen Shixing chimed in, "That's exactly right."

"Yes, the Prime Minister is right."

Wei Guangde made his statement, and others echoed his sentiments.

"Then I should go back to the Ministry of Works and have someone report this matter to the emperor?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi spoke up.

"Please submit a memorial; the honor of being a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) should continue to be passed down."

Centuries later, their names can still be revered.

Wei Guangde smiled and said, "The existing Yuan Dynasty stone tablets in the Imperial College must also be well protected, and we must not overlook them."

Wei Guangde reminded him.

That afternoon, the Ministry of Works sent a memorial to the Ministry of Rites requesting them to investigate and restore the old system, and to complete the inscription stele in accordance with regulations, thus demonstrating the court's emphasis on the imperial examinations. The memorial was then delivered from the Ministry of Works to the Office of Transmission.

The bigwigs have reached a consensus, so such a memorial will naturally go through the procedures quickly.

Before the end of the day's official business, the draft had already been completed in the cabinet and sent to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs for the emperor's review.

"In the eleventh year of the Wanli reign (1583), the imperial examination for candidates from all over the country was held. The first class was awarded the title of Jinshi Jidi, the second class was awarded the title of Jinshi Chushen, and the third class was awarded the title of Tong Jinshi Chushen."
Zhu Guozuo was the first-place winner in the first class of the imperial examination.

Li Tingji ranked second in the first class of the palace examination.

After the sealed examination papers for the Jinshi list were removed, the results were largely accurate: the top scholar was Zhu Guozuo, the second-place scholar was Li Tingji, and the third-place scholar was Liu Yingqiu.

The list then passed to Zhou Yingbin, followed by Zhang Kun, Liu Zhixuan, Ma Rong, Wang Yi, and others.

The entire ceremony of announcing the imperial examinations was conducted in accordance with regulations by the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies, so there were naturally no oversights.

After all, it's held every three years, and the procedures are exactly the same each time.

The selection ceremony for talented individuals in the eleventh year of the Wanli reign passed in such a calm atmosphere, no different from the previous ones.

However, a few days later, Li Sancai, an assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, submitted a memorial stating that the sons of ministers should not pass the imperial examinations, and put forward four suggestions, requesting the emperor to issue an edict to have the relevant departments verify and implement them.

The incident was quite unexpected. Among the candidates who participated in the palace examination was Shen Yongmao, the son of Shen Shixing.

At that time, Shen Shixing submitted a memorial requesting to avoid suspicion and withdraw from the ranks of examiners.

However, Emperor Wanli rejected Shen Shixing's request on the grounds that "the examination of papers is a serious matter and requires impartiality in selecting the virtuous," and ordered Shen Shixing to continue to perform his duties as an examiner of the palace examination papers.

In addition, Wei Yunzhen, the censor of Shanxi Circuit of the Censorate, also submitted a memorial stating that strict measures should be taken to prevent corruption in the imperial examinations.

He cited the example of Emperor Shizong, during which the two sons of the regent Zhai Luan passed the imperial examinations and were dismissed from their posts, as well as all the examiners.

In recent years, Zhang Juzheng has deceived the emperor by claiming that he is young, and several of his sons have passed the imperial examinations.

I humbly request Your Majesty to reiterate the previous decree, and that the examiners be sure to uphold impartiality and scrutinize every detail.

If anyone colludes with powerful and influential people or accepts bribes from wealthy families, the officials in charge of the censorate must investigate the facts and report to the emperor.

If the sons of high-ranking officials passed the imperial examinations, such as when Shen Yongmao, the son of the prime minister, participated in the palace examination and read the papers, they should not have been admitted as Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examinations).

Following the precedent of officials avoiding conflicts of interest, those in lower positions should avoid those in higher positions.

Those who possess talent and ambition, and are capable of passing the examination and entering the Secret Pavilion, can develop on their own after retiring from their posts.

The memorial was handed directly to Wei Guangde by Yu Youding, which made him frown.

Wei Guangde was unsure whether Wei Yunzhen and Li Sancai were colluding, or why he had reported this matter to the emperor.

After all, submitting an impeachment petition at this moment seems to be aimed directly at Shen Shixing.

However, if this memorial is not handled properly, it could sow discord within the cabinet, and he might be suspected of being behind it.

"This matter appears to be offering suggestions, but between the lines, there is a hidden intention to criticize the regent."

Moreover, the very act of submitting this memorial is tantamount to pointing a finger at Ru Mo's nose.

Wei Guangde spoke calmly, then seemed to realize something and said, "I remember that Ziwei's son, Zhang Jiazheng, was on the list. I read his letter before the New Year, asking him to take care of me."

"Yes, I heard she's recuperating at home and is currently worried about her son's path to the imperial examinations."

Yu Youding spoke up.

He and Zhang Siwei were old acquaintances, so he naturally received letters from Zhang Siwei as well.

As for whether Yu Youding made things easy for him during the imperial examination, Wei Guangde couldn't say much, but he needed to resolve this matter first.

"Wei Yunzhen, Li Sancai"

Wei Guangde read it aloud twice, then called out to the door, "Lu Bu, quickly go and invite Grand Secretary Shen over here."

"Your Excellency, this is..."

Yu Youding spoke up.

"This matter concerns Ru Mo, so it would be best to have him come over and let him know. He can then defend himself."

This matter depends on the palace's decision.

However, given Shen Yongmao's scholarship, this scholar did not commit any fraud; there is no need to worry too much.

Wei Guangde began to explain.

He wasn't worried that Shen Shixing would be punished by the Wanli Emperor for this; the young emperor now needed Shen Shixing to keep an eye on him.

Yes, and the person in front of me, and the others.

As for the memorials from Wei Yunzhen and Li Sancai, they will probably be ignored.

The things contained in the memorial might not be widely accepted in official circles.

If the sons of high-ranking officials are prohibited from participating in the palace examination, does that mean the sons of other officials are also barred from taking the imperial examinations?
Nonsense.

The funniest thing is that the emperor was in charge of the palace examination, and Wei Yunzhen thought the emperor would help Shen Shixing cheat?

Even if that were true, it would be a sign of imperial favor, and would have absolutely nothing to do with corruption.

His eldest son had already passed the provincial examination in Jiangxi and was considering when to have him return to the capital to take the metropolitan examination, which should be the next one. When Wang Jiaping was the chief examiner of the metropolitan examination, how could he possibly allow his suggestion to be approved?

Shortly after, Shen Shixing entered the duty room, but his expression was not good.

Wei Guangde guessed that this person had probably heard the news and was in a bad mood.

However, Wei Guangde still handed the memorial to Shen Shixing for him to read.

"Ru Mo is nothing but a clown, just trying to grab attention."

I imagine His Majesty will punish him after reading it.

After Wei Guangde and Shen Shixing finished reading the memorial, they finally spoke.

"Ugh"

Shen Shixing didn't say much, but sighed and said, "I will defend myself at the meeting. I'm not feeling well today, so I came here to ask the Grand Secretary for leave."

"Hehe, Rumo, you didn't actually fall for Wei Yunzhen's scheme, did you? He's just hoping you'll make way for your son and resign voluntarily."

Wei Guangde laughed and said, "All these examples of officials avoiding each other, and lower-ranking officials avoiding higher-ranking ones, are just him trying to gain fame and reputation."

"You can ask for leave today, but you'll have to rest for one day and then come to work tomorrow."

Wei Guangde said. (End of this chapter)