I studied in modern times

Chapter 1035 Palace Examination
The third day of the fourth month of the third year of the Yuan You era (the day of Yi Mao).

Jiying Palace.

Zhao Xu sat upright on the throne, with the figures of the two palaces on either side of the curtain behind him.

On either side of the palace steps stood the two prime ministers and other officials, as well as Zhang Heng, the chief examiner of the Imperial Examinations and vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Zishao, the acting chief examiner of the Imperial Examinations and vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Fan Bailu, the supervising secretary.

Inside the hall, more than 700 newly appointed scholars sat on the ground, holding pens and bowing their heads.

In the vast hall, only the voice of the Left Chancellor, Lü Gongzhu, reading the imperial edict on behalf of Heaven: "I have been entrusted with this great mandate, but my understanding of the Way is limited. I fear I am unable to fulfill the benevolent teachings of my late mother and mother and to uphold the virtuous conduct of the late emperor. I have pondered this day and night, and I am delighted to receive loyal advice and wise counsel from all under Heaven, so that I may accomplish this task..."

The palace examination questions were straightforward and predictable.

There was almost no radical talk or intention to reform.

All that remained was the eagerness of a young emperor to govern well and his desire to recruit talented individuals.

Those who don't know the situation might think that the current emperor only wants to live in harmony with the scholars and officials of the world, and that everyone should just make do with each other.

However, all the scholars were excited after hearing the topic, and they all began to rack their brains to think about how to flatter the current emperor and praise the great wisdom of the previous emperor's reforms, so as to win the emperor's favor and blessings.

So that he could make a name for himself in this imperial examination and achieve a great comeback!
no way!
In the imperial examination, the competition was never about writing or scholarship.

It's about who can better understand the emperor's will and who can better scratch the emperor's itch!
Moreover, the examples of predecessors have all proven that if someone fails to scratch the emperor's itch, or even offends the emperor.

No matter how good the article or how talented the author, they probably won't get a good ranking!
The most typical example is Wang Anshi.

Back then, Wang Anshi wrote the four characters "孺子其朋" during the palace examination.

He was immediately demoted from first place to fourth.

The most tragic case was that of Liu Yong, also known as Liu Sanbian.

Because he was too impetuous when he was young, he wrote a line: "I would rather exchange fleeting fame for a shallow and low song!"
But because his lyrics are so good.

Thus, the song spread throughout the land and naturally reached the ears of the true temple.

The true temple then raged: Well! Well!

Do you want to exchange your fame and fortune for drinking and listening to music?

I grant your wish!

Thus, Liu Yong's talent had nowhere to be displayed.

Fortunately, Liu Yong lived a long life, outliving Emperor Zhenzong and Emperor Zhangxianmingsu, and finally Emperor Renzong took over the reins of government, at which point he was able to finally become an official.

Even so, they could only sink into the sea of ​​elections.

Even after serving three terms and passing six examinations, achieving outstanding political results, and accumulating a sufficient number of top-notch recommendation letters, he still could not be promoted.

In the end, it was only with the support of Fan Zhongyan, who presided over the Qingli Reforms, that the people were able to escape the sea of ​​elections.

But by this time, the once dashing and talented scholar had reached the twilight of his life. A man of exceptional talent and learning, he ended up with only the position of Assistant Minister of Agriculture.

In contrast, those lucky ones who managed to scratch the emperor's itch all rose rapidly through the ranks and made great strides!

For example, Cai Jing, Ye Zuqia, Zhang Shangying, etc.

With so many examples, both positive and negative, only a fool wouldn't flatter!

So, after hearing the questions, the scholars wrote furiously, one essay after another praising the Yuan You era's governance and extolling the great achievements of the late emperor and how sacred and great the current emperor was in inheriting the virtues of the late emperor.

However, the efforts of these people were destined to be wasted on the blind.

Because at this point, Zhao Xu had no interest in the palace examination.

He's just here to go through the motions, to make a show of it.

no way!
He won far too many times in this year's imperial examinations.

He not only achieved his political goals, but also established the criteria for selecting officials in the future, and firmly established his authority.

In particular, Li Changning, the old scholar who led the disturbance, died of depression just three days after returning home.

Zhao Xu, the top scholar in the Flying Dragon List in his previous life, died just like that.

Although, in Zhao Xu's previous life, he also did not live long—he died of illness not long after becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination and being appointed to an official position.

But to die so quickly, so precisely, and so perfectly... one can only say that the Li family of Yanjin has some clever people!

When Zhao Xu saw that the Li family was so obedient and sensible (not letting Li Changning die in Bianjing, but instead finding a way to get him out and then letting him 'die of illness'), he was naturally overjoyed and bestowed a favor—removing the Li family from the blacklist.

From then on, the Li family would have no obstacles in taking the imperial examinations or becoming officials.

Otherwise, their whole family would end up like Liu Yong, unable to pass the imperial examinations even if they could become Jinshi, or even become Gongsheng!
This is imperial power!
No need for a statement, no need for punishment, just a little bit of willfulness is enough to ensure that a family will never have a chance to rise again!

They might not even know that such a huge mountain is pressing down on their heads.

Soon, the palace examination was coming to an end.

One by one, the scholars began to hand in their papers.

Because it was the palace examination, everyone had already been determined to pass and be appointed to a higher position; the only difference was their ranking.

There were no methods such as natural anonymization, arrangement, or copying.

As the palace examination ended, an official in charge of ceremonies led the newly appointed scholars in bowing and paying their respects.

Then they left the hall in turn.

The next time they come to the Hall of Heroes, it will be time to announce the names of the successful candidates.

Of course, the end of the palace examination did not mean that these newly appointed scholars could relax.

On the contrary, this occurred between the end of the palace examination and the announcement of the results and the reading of names.

Most of them are about to enter the most intense and exciting period of their lives.

Because, in the story, it takes place between the announcement of the results of the imperial examination, the reading of names, the release of the official robes, and the appointment of officials by the Ministry of Personnel.

The Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) also had an activity that could determine their future careers and fates—the Qiji (a gathering of scholars).

The so-called "period gathering" is a tradition passed down from the Tang Dynasty.

It was an event where newly appointed scholars gathered for banquets and feasts, much like modern parties, dinners, and team-building activities.

However, it is different from modern parties and other events.

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, there was an activity called "Collection of Fellow Students".

This activity is similar to the yearbooks of modern middle and high school students.

Everyone wrote down their names, hometowns, mailing addresses, emergency contact information, and so on.

Then, one copy for each person.

This is crucial!
This is because for most newly appointed scholars, this is the largest network of connections they can make in their entire lives!

If anything happens in the future, this record of our shared experiences will come in handy.

Often, a letter or a business card can break through the shackles that others may not be able to overcome even after exhausting their efforts and trying their best.

In officialdom, mutual assistance among those born in the same year has long been an unspoken rule.

This tradition continues even in modern times.

However, this was not in modern China, but in India, another major Eastern power. After the Indian civil service examination, all candidates who passed the exam would go to the Indian Academy of Administrative Sciences for a six-month training program before taking up their posts.

This six-month training program was similar to the Qiji activities of the Song Dynasty.

Countless future local tyrants who will dominate India forge deep friendships during their training, band together, support each other, and become behemoths that even the Indian Prime Minister hesitates to approach.

It is said that this system was created by Dai Ying, who specifically drew upon the successful experiences of the Qing Dynasty's imperial examination system.

Through this, Britain was able to control and enslave its vast Indian colonies.

As for why India continued to use it after independence?

Naturally, this is because India is too fragmented, and the central government can only use this system to control the local areas and suppress the local powerful families, religious leaders, and princely lords.

As officials in temporary posts, these civil servants are far less harmful than local power brokers who entrenched themselves in their posts and abuse their authority.

(End of this chapter)