The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 534 Standing atop the First Peak of Wu Mountain (Fifteen)

As May approaches, the Jiangnan region is lush and green, with a warm breeze that is truly breathtaking.

However, even in this warm breeze, there was still a lingering smell of gunpowder smoke and the vibrations from horses' hooves treading on the bluestone pavement.

After the main force of the Southern Tang was defeated in Wuchang, Li fled eastward in panic and insisted on returning to Jinling. Xu Wen's symbolic resistance in Jiangzhou for a few days before abandoning Jiangzhou and then Poyang made the Northern Army's advance unusually smooth.

After Shi Hongzhao and Wang Xiancheng led the main force of the navy to take over Poyang Lake, they continued to sweep along the river and wipe out the remaining enemy forces without stopping for a moment. They went straight down to Hukou and Pengli, which are further east of Poyang Lake. Together with Wang Zongkan's central army, they successively captured Huangmei, Susong, Wangjiang and Shuzhou. Finally, they stopped and rested at Wankou, deterring the remnants of the Southern Tang forces in Hefei, which were the troops of Xu Wen's eldest son, Xu Zhixun.

Meanwhile, after besieging Changsha, capturing Langzhou, and clearing the entire Dongting Lake area, Wang Yanzhang's main force of the western route army separated its elite troops to cooperate with the subsequent Palace Guard troops advancing from the north of the Yangtze River and began to sweep eastward across Jiangxi.

After Xu Wen abandoned his posts, the key towns of Hongzhou, Fuzhou, and Raozhou in Jiangxi either surrendered voluntarily, knowing they were no match for the enemy, to protect the people in their cities; or the local gentry and powerful families, seeing that all was lost, joined forces to expel the officials who still wanted to hold out, and welcomed the imperial army with food and drink. In a short time, all the towns in Jiangxi submitted to him.

The only tough battle took place in Shezhou, the gateway to southern Anhui.

This place is surrounded by mountains on three sides and water on one side. To the north are the Huangshan and Jiuhuashan mountain ranges, to the west lies the Baijishan Mountain range, and to the east is the Tianmushan Mountain range. The Xin'an River meanders through the south, forming a natural moat. Furthermore, because it is located at the junction of Wu, Yue, and Min, its economy and military are integrated.

Tao Ya, the prefect of Shezhou, has been appointed by Yang Xingmi since the second year of Jingfu, a full twenty years ago. He has risen to the position of military commissioner of Shezhou, Wuzhou, Quzhou, and Muzhou, making him a veritable regional warlord.

He ruled Shezhou independently for twenty years, forming a strong community of interests with the local gentry. Even Xu Wen and Zhang Hao dared not easily touch him at first. Although Shezhou maintained stability under Tao Ya's rule, with "intact city walls and population growth," and even made Shezhou a "wealthy land in the southeast" through private trade with Minyue, by the standards of the Northern Dynasties, Tao Ya could clearly be considered a person who treated the people well and did not hinder their livelihood, and was a meritorious person.

However, it is true that Tao Ya appointed and dismissed officials on his own, withheld taxes, secretly colluded with foreign countries to exchange for weapons, and formed a private army to maintain his separatist regime. The local gentry who were deeply tied to him were even more reluctant to hand over their foundations.

Whether it was because he was confident in his twenty years of managing Shezhou and had the strength to resist unification, or because he was unwilling to give up power and wanted to bargain, thus finding himself in a difficult situation, Tao Ya relied on the geographical advantage and the elite Yue troops in the city to adopt a scorched-earth policy and defend the mountain city to the death against the Northern Army.

However, whether Tao Ya intended to offer a conditional surrender through symbolic resistance or was truly determined to fight to the death for her family's livelihood, the Northern army showed no mercy. After a three-day siege and unsuccessful attempts to persuade her to surrender, the Northern army immediately dismantled the cannons from their warships to bombard the city gates, and the Wu-Yue troops from Hangzhou, along with the Palace Guard led by Yu Zhong, launched a fierce assault on the city walls.

Ten days later, the city fell.

When the city fell, Tao Ya forced his entire family to set themselves on fire. Local gentry families who resisted under his rule, such as the Wang and Cheng families, who had been granted official positions through marriage alliances, were all exiled and their property confiscated.

A trip to Shezhou is of great significance.

This means that after Wu and Yue submitted to the Qing dynasty, the previously divided Jiangdong and Zhejiang regions were completely connected and integrated. The rift that once separated Xiao Yan's territory was finally forcibly healed. The entire Jiangnan region, from its geography to its people, was truly severed.

With the connection of the regions, the passage from Poyang to Hangzhou has also been opened.

Thus, with only the remnants of northern Anhui and Huainan, Changsha in Hunan, and Fujian remaining unsubmitted, and the world about to be unified, Duan Chengtian, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, together with Wen Tao and Shangguan Yunque, personally led the Northern Garrison Command, along with the unruly people under Zhao Congyi's command of the Jiangnan Thousand Household Office and the Three Thousand Courts, as well as officials from the Censorate and a large number of capable officials drawn from the Central Plains, Hebei, Hedong, and Shu—that is, the Three Provinces and Six Ministries—carrying pre-prepared rosters, to various newly subdued prefectures and counties.

The establishment of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Jiangnan began when Xiao Yan left Hebei five years ago, and it has been further developed with the cooperation of the Three Thousand Courts and other unscrupulous individuals. The imperial court is well aware of the personnel and networks in the vast Jiangnan region, if not completely ignorant of them.

Anyone whose name is on the register and who stubbornly resists with irrefutable evidence of their crimes, such as the henchmen of Xu Wen and Zhang Hao, as well as corrupt officials who arouse great public resentment and local tyrants who run rampant in the countryside, will be executed without mercy once verified, their property confiscated, and their land seized. Their clansmen will be exiled to the border regions or demoted to commoners, depending on the degree of their involvement.

There were also those who were quick to seize the opportunity and surrendered when the Northern army was at the gates. These were lower- and middle-ranking officials and local landlords who had a decent reputation and no notable misdeeds. They were ordered to stay where they were and await their fate.

Therefore, as the newly appointed officials and local officials placed under observation quickly took their places, the newly attached prefectures and counties immediately posted notices to reassure the people, announcing the abolition of the oppressive dynasty's exorbitant taxes and levies, the cancellation of debts, and the exemption of this year's summer taxes, which drew cheers from the people. At the same time, they purged the powerful and wealthy, investigated the household registration, and merged the poll tax into the land tax.

With the combined efforts of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Bad People, and under the supervision of the Censorate, this process was exceptionally efficient, but also inevitably exceptionally bloody.

...

Hangzhou, West Lake.

It is early summer, and the lake and mountains are already lush and green. Willows sway gently along the Su and Bai causeways.

A group of people were walking slowly along the mountain path of Wushan in the southeast of West Lake.

There were only two people leading the group. The man was dressed in a round-necked scarlet robe with a jade belt around his waist and a simple turban on his head. He was handsome and elegant, like a noble young man on an outing.

Walking beside him was a beautiful woman in palace attire, her black hair tied up and adorned with a jade hairpin. Her phoenix eyes sparkled with grace and poise, yet also possessed the spirited charm that women should have.

Amidst the chaos and turmoil of the world, throughout the Jiangnan region, dynasties have changed hands frequently in the past month, and countless families have fallen. Yet, the couple strolled leisurely along Wushan Road, taking in the scenic beauty of the lakes and mountains, enjoying a tranquil and carefree atmosphere quite different from the tense situation.

However, behind the two was a large and impressive entourage.

At the foot of the mountain, the Imperial Guards stood solemnly in formation. Those accompanying them on the climb included officials selected from the three provinces and six ministries, the Privy Council, and the Censorate in Bianjing, such as Guo Chongtao and Li Cunli, who were of mid- to high-ranking rank, as well as young talents like Li Song and Zhang Zhaoyuan, who were gradually emerging due to local recommendations.

The other group consisted of local officials from Jiangnan who had recently joined the government and, after initial screening, were deemed to have some ability and a decent reputation, as well as some scholars who were well-regarded in the region. They mostly looked reserved and uneasy, cautiously following behind, watching the young emperor and empress's every move, and then quickly averting their gaze, lest they attract attention.

Among this group, Qian Liu and his son Qian Yuanguan, along with a dozen or so former officials of Wuyue such as Du Jianhui and Lin Ding, lagged behind Xiao Yan and the Empress by a few steps, bowing slightly and adopting an extremely humble posture.

The Qian family's surrender allowed the Northern Army to take control of Zhejiang and Jiangsu without bloodshed, a feat of immense merit. After the fall of Shezhou, Xiao Yan set off from his camp at Poyang Lake, traveling by boat down the Xin'an River and the Fuchun River, heading straight for Hangzhou.

After entering Hangzhou, Xiao Yan publicly praised Qian Liu for "following the will of Heaven and the people, and protecting his hometown." He issued an edict to spare the lives of the Qian clan, granted him a residence in Bianjing, and bestowed upon him the title of "Marquis of Guiming." After reclaiming the iron certificate of merit that Emperor Zhaozong had originally bestowed upon him, Xiao Yan also specially ordered that he be granted a new gold token of immunity from death as a sign of favor. This showed that he was extremely satisfied with the obedient and submissive attitude of the Qian clan.

As for Qian Yuanqiu and Qian Yuanxiang, the two sons who were killed in Wuchang by the fake Li in a fit of rage, no one dared to mention them anymore, as if they had been completely forgotten.

After resting in Hangzhou for two days, and as the city's morale improved and order was restored, Xiao Yan issued an edict summoning renowned scholars and gentry from the newly annexed areas of Zhejiang and Jiangxi, as well as former officials who had been retained. These included famous scholars, surrendered generals, and surrendered soldiers, who would then tour West Lake and climb Mount Wu.

Those who received the imperial edict from various places dared not delay in the slightest and all rushed to Hangzhou day and night.

This led to the current situation on Wushan Mountain, where officials from both the north and south, as well as both new and old faces, have gathered.

The mountain path wasn't steep, but it was winding and meandering. Xiao Yan walked at a leisurely pace, occasionally pausing to admire the gnarled ancient trees along the path or to identify the cliff carvings eroded by time on the stone walls.

As he climbed a little higher and looked back at the vast West Lake below, a smile appeared on his face. He said, "It is said that the scenery of Jiangnan is beautiful, with osmanthus blossoms in autumn and lotus flowers for miles. Although it is early summer now, the beauty of Wu Mountain and the shimmering West Lake are already evident."

The Empress nodded slightly and replied, "It is fortunate that this picturesque land has been spared from war and its vitality has been preserved."

Xiao Yan glanced at her, smiled, and said nothing more.

Qian Liu was able to be granted the title of marquis not only because he conformed to the general trend of unification, but also because he had protected the territory and its people for many years, sparing the Liangzhe region from the suffering of large-scale war.

Reaching a platform halfway up the mountain with a panoramic view, the group stopped to rest. Leaning on the railing, they could see the entire West Lake, with the shadow of Leifeng Pagoda and the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon faintly visible. At the foot of the mountain, the city walls of Hangzhou stretched out. Although the streets had been quiet for a few days due to the presence of the Imperial Guards outside the city, they had now regained their former bustling atmosphere, dazzling the eyes with their vibrant energy.

A simple seat had already been set up by eunuchs. Xiao Yan briefly looked around at the scenery before taking the lead and sitting down in the main seat. He then raised his hand to signal to everyone: "Today we are climbing the mountain to enjoy the scenery, not discussing court matters. Please do not stand on ceremony and take your seats."

After expressing their gratitude, everyone carefully took their seats in turn. However, the scene of them talking in hushed tones or silently admiring the scenery during the climb was no longer present. They knew that the emperor's summons must have a reason, and that today's meeting was probably more crucial to the future direction of Jiangnan. Therefore, they were all somewhat uneasy.

Then, seeing everyone take their seats, the young emperor delayed discussing the important matters that everyone had expected. Instead, he began to talk with Qian Liu, Li Cunli, and others about the local landscape and the flavor of the northern mountains and rivers.

When the emperor and empress were talking, everyone chatted back and forth in a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere. When the tea and snacks were ready, Xiao Yan would occasionally whisper to the empress and point out the scenery, never talking about anything else, as if it were just an ordinary outing between the emperor and his ministers.

Not to mention that Qian Liu has already landed safely and doesn't care about the lives and futures of everyone else, nor to mention that the officials from Bianjing who were parachuted into Jiangnan were all promoted on the spot, putting everyone else at a disadvantage.

The officials and gentry from Jiangnan who had gathered here watched as the emperor and his ministers from the north chatted and laughed, while they themselves felt like outsiders. On the one hand, they echoed the atmosphere and laughed, pretending to be relaxed, but on the other hand, they became increasingly uneasy and anxious.

The emperor casually decided the fate of his former master and swiftly purged many of his former colleagues. Is the reason for summoning everyone today really just to climb the heights and enjoy the view?

Thinking they would be qualified to be summoned by the emperor, almost everyone prepared excellent arguments for their audience. As a result, there were quite a few who wanted to confront the emperor directly and persuade him to reduce the killing.

But seeing this scene, one is at a loss for what to do. Instead, some perceptive people feel a sense of impending doom and even a faint impulse to be seen and incorporated into the new order.

After an unknown amount of time, seeing that some people were becoming impatient, even showing signs of restlessness, and even Qian Liu himself was breaking out in a cold sweat, Xiao Yan finally looked around at everyone, signaled to the Empress to have the eunuchs pour tea and water, and then spoke in a calm tone:

"Jiangnan has just been pacified, and everything is in need of rebuilding. I have summoned you all here for two reasons: first, to take advantage of this beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains to meet with you; and second, to hear your opinions on local governance and the benefits and drawbacks to people's livelihood. Today, we will only discuss local customs and traditions, and also listen to the advantages and disadvantages of the local area. You may speak frankly about your thoughts."

Finally, this moment arrived. Before anyone could react, an elderly man, dressed in a blue scholar's robe and appearing to be around fifty years old, slowly rose from his seat, walked to the center, and bowed deeply to Xiao Yan.
"Your Majesty, I have a question that I am not clear about, and I humbly request your guidance."

Xiao Yan sipped his tea and smiled, simply saying, "Speak."

The old man straightened up and said directly, “Your Majesty has implemented new policies, equalizing land distribution and rectifying official corruption. We common people are deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s efforts to eradicate long-standing abuses and benefit all people. Now, Your Majesty is so open-minded as to summon people like us to speak freely, for which we are truly grateful. However…”

He paused briefly, then cupped his hands and continued, “However, the Jiangnan region has just been pacified, and the people are still suspicious, like birds startled by the twang of a bow. Your Majesty has acted swiftly and decisively in purging the old officials, but have your methods been a little too harsh? I dare to suggest that Confucius once said, ‘To kill without teaching is cruelty.’ Perhaps it would be better to slow down the punishments, give more guidance, and show leniency, which would be more effective in winning over the hearts of the people of Jiangnan?”

These words caused the atmosphere on the platform to freeze instantly. Guo Chongtao, Li Cunli, and others frowned slightly, all looking at the old man and exchanging a few words in hushed tones. Qian Liu's eyelids twitched, and he subconsciously wiped away his sweat, fearing he would be implicated. The other scholars from Jiangnan, amidst their fear, clearly also harbored a certain anticipation, holding their breath and waiting for the emperor's reaction.

The Empress pondered for a moment, her phoenix eyes calmly looking at the old scholar, without uttering a sound.

Xiao Yan smiled nonchalantly, but simply asked, "I've heard you refer to yourself as a commoner?"

"Your Majesty, I am Shen Song, a humble citizen. I was once appointed as the judge of the Zhenhai Army by Marquis Guiming Buqi, but I have since resigned."

Xiao Yan suddenly realized, then nodded and said, "Since Mr. Shen once served as the judge of the military governor, in charge of criminal matters and finances, he must know a great deal about the old situation in Zhejiang and even Jiangnan."

Shen Song straightened up, bowed his head, and said, "This humble subject... knows a little."

"Then let me ask you, under the old system, in places like Hangzhou and Suzhou, which you are familiar with, or Shezhou and Raozhou, which you have heard of, how many out of ten households had land to cultivate and could support their families? And how many had no place to stand and had to rely on powerful families, becoming tenants, servants, or even selling their children?"

Shen Song was taken aback, opened his mouth, but couldn't answer for a moment. He had been in charge of criminal law and finance for many years, how could he not know the suffering of the common people? Over the years, he had also tried his best to promote the improvement of the household registration and taxation system in Wuyue Kingdom, but the military towns were arrogant and powerful, and such things could be done, but only outside of them.

Therefore, if this continues, people will either get used to it or be powerless to change it; this is the only way to deal with the situation.

He could speak eloquently about anything else, but when the emperor asked him about this matter in person, he found it difficult to give a frank answer.

Xiao Yan did not wait for him to give a specific answer, and continued slowly:

"When I came here, I reviewed some files and heard reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. In the fourth year of Tianyou, Raozhou had more than 73,000 registered households, but by last year, only 58,000 households remained. Where did these 15,000 households go in the past five years? Did they die in war and famine, or were they forced to flee to other places due to harsh government and exorbitant taxes? Or perhaps... their land has already been completely confiscated, and they have been reduced to servants dependent on powerful families, unable to even be registered in the household register?"

He smiled, glanced at the silent scholars from Jiangnan, and finally returned his gaze to Shen Song.

"Jiangnan is known as the land of fish and rice, abundant in resources and prosperous in people. Yet what I have seen and heard is that behind the red gates, the stench of wine and meat, while on the roads, the bones of those frozen to death lie. The powerful own vast tracts of land, while the poor have nowhere to stand. People like Xu Wen and Zhang Hao, on the one hand, exploit the people to fund their extravagant military expenses, and on the other hand, secretly build ships, preparing to abscond overseas with their wealth when the situation turns unfavorable. Do they ever care about the lives and deaths of the millions of people in Jiangnan?"

He leaned forward slightly, looked at Shen Song, and continued to speak with a smile:

"Mr. Shen said, 'To kill without teaching is cruelty.' But how can we 'teach' these parasites who have entrenched themselves in the local area for decades, sucking the people's blood and causing countless families to wail in despair? If we let them continue, how many more families will be destroyed and people killed every year? Killing one person can save ten starving families; wiping out an entire clan can save a thousand people from freezing and starvation. How do you think I should calculate this?"

Shen Song stood there, his face turning pale and then flushed, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

He could certainly refute it, and even cite data to show that this was just an isolated case, but the emperor had already said that he came to Jiangnan to settle accounts, to kill one person to save ten households, and that the emperor wanted to take the land of this clan and distribute it to a thousand people to cultivate. He didn't care about any 'education' or 'benevolent governance'.
Faced with the facts, Shen Song's reasoning was clearly ineffective. He struggled for a long time under Xiao Yan's gaze, finally sighing, bowing deeply to the ground, and saying in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty's words are truly enlightening. It is... that this humble subject is outdated."

Seeing that Shen Song was holding back, Xiao Yan seemed to have not had enough fun. His smile faded a little, but he still just swirled his cup and said, "Mr. Shen can think like this, which shows that he is not completely out of touch with reality. I know that all of you here have more or less land and manors in your families. In the past, it was common for you to rely on the old system to accumulate your family property."

He paused slightly, and the air on the platform seemed to freeze a little more, with many people subconsciously holding their breath.

"However, the new dynasty has its own laws and regulations. The policy of 'equal land distribution' is imperative. This is not only my wish, but also the hope of the millions of people who have suffered from land annexation."

Today, taking advantage of the beautiful scenery of Wu Mountain, I would like to make this clear to you all. Those who voluntarily conduct a land survey and, according to the new policies, proactively donate any land exceeding the limit to cooperate with the government in distributing it to landless or land-poor people… Considering their compliance with the general trend, the court will not only grant leniency for their past allegiance to the false dynasty, but also, if their family members possess genuine talent, I will not hesitate to give them opportunities in future imperial examinations and official careers. Besides land, ancestral homes and other family assets will also be protected according to the law; the court will never seize them without cause.”

These words immediately caused a stir on the platform.

Some people looked hesitant, while others had shifty eyes, as if they were quickly weighing the pros and cons.

Voluntarily surrendering land is undoubtedly a painful sacrifice, but if it can secure the safety of the family and even future political capital, it seems... not something that cannot be considered.

However, Xiao Yan's next words made everyone's hearts skip a beat again, and even extinguished the last glimmer of hope that had just arisen.

"However, if anyone harbors illusions, thinking they can get away with it, or outwardly complies while secretly obstructing the implementation of the new policy, or even attempts to rely on their past power to resist stubbornly..."

He sneered and looked around at everyone. Although his gaze wasn't particularly sharp, it inexplicably sent a chill down the spines of many people present.

"Then don't blame me for not adhering to any of those sage principles like 'killing without teaching is cruelty.' My blade is sharpened swiftly, and the Imperial Guards have their lists of names meticulously prepared. When the time comes, confiscation of property and extermination of entire clans will be no exaggeration. I will use their wealth to replenish the national treasury and support my new army; I will use their land to sustain my people and solidify my foundation! Gentlemen, do you understand?"

Although the last sentence is a question, it is clearly a statement in essence.

The platform fell silent; you could hear a pin drop. Qian Liu kept his head bowed, avoiding eye contact with anyone. The scholars and gentry of Jiangnan were all pale-faced and drenched in cold sweat, completely devoid of any leisure or interest in appreciating the scenery.

Shen Song remained bowed, but sighed inwardly. He knew that the Emperor's words were not only for those present, but also intended to spread throughout Jiangnan through their mouths. The Emperor's words were a combination of kindness and severity, with the bottom line clearly drawn, leaving no room for negotiation.

Seeing that the intimidation had been effective, the coldness on Xiao Yan's face gradually faded, and he returned to his previous seemingly calm demeanor. He spoke as if he had merely casually settled a small matter, and his tone softened again:

"Of course, the court cannot govern the country with swords and laws alone; it also needs talented people. Jiangnan has always been known as a land of culture and talent. I intend to reopen the imperial examinations this year to select talents for the country, regardless of whether they are from the north or south, and to select only the talented."

These words startled everyone who was still immersed in fear.

With the war still unresolved, the emperor is already planning to hold the imperial examinations?
How can the examinations and selections be fair, given the natural suppression between North and South?
Despite the doubts, this stark contrast reignited the ambitions of many. If they could advance through the imperial examinations, wouldn't their families have new hope?
Shen Song, seemingly forgetting his earlier embarrassment, couldn't help but speak up again: "Your Majesty, Jiangnan is newly annexed, and the people yearn for stability. However, in the past two years, there has been frequent unrest, and the heavy taxes and levies have caused hardship for students and led to the loss of classical texts. If we hastily pit students from the north against each other in the same examinations, I fear... I fear it would be unfair and would fail to showcase the flourishing of education in Jiangnan."

It must be said that he was a stubborn man. His words indeed represented the sentiments of many scholars in Jiangnan, and there was a sense of pride in the Jiangnan cultural tradition and an unwillingness to compete with the North, which was regarded as a "cultural desert".

Fortunately, Xiao Yan did not get angry upon hearing this. He merely raised an eyebrow slightly, first glancing at Shen Song, then sweeping his gaze over some scholars who seemed to be nodding in agreement.

"Do you think that only Jiangnan is in turmoil, while the Central Plains, Hedong, and Hebei in the north have been plagued by decades of war, with bones covering the fields? Jiangnan has always been known as a land of culture and has a rich cultural heritage. How could it have become so depleted of talent after just a few years of war that you would willingly demean yourself and admit that you are inferior to the students in the north?"

His tone remained calm, but the weight of his words made Shen Song and the others blush, clearly not expecting the emperor to respond in this way. The unspoken meaning, however, brought a collective joy to everyone.

"Under my rule, all under heaven and all the tribes and peoples are subjects of the Great Tang. From now on, there will be no distinction between North and South, only between those with superior and inferior talents. The selection of officials through the imperial examinations shall prioritize fairness. To this end, I hereby establish several rules, which you shall heed."

Upon hearing this, everyone listened attentively and respectfully.

"Firstly, all prefectures and counties must strictly adhere to the rule that candidates can only register for the exam in their place of household registration. Impersonation or taking the exam under false pretenses is strictly prohibited. Violators will be permanently stripped of their academic titles, and the officials involved will be dismissed and investigated."

"Secondly, the 'anonymous transcription' method was implemented. The candidates' exam papers were transcribed and numbered by designated personnel. The examiners only read the copies and did not know the candidates' names or hometowns. The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Censorate sent people to supervise the entire process. If any cheating was found, no matter who was involved, once verified, the main culprit would have their property confiscated and be exiled, and the accomplices would not be let off lightly either!"

"Thirdly, the previous practice of candidates having to purchase their own test papers and writing materials is abolished. The government will uniformly distribute test papers with the official seal, charging only a symbolic fee of fifty coins to cover the cost. Those whose families are truly poor can have their fees reduced or waived after verification by having their neighbors jointly vouch for them."

"Fourth, each prefecture and county should subsidize the travel expenses of candidates who have obtained the 'review certificate' in their area, as well as the distance to the capital, with the standard set at one to two strings of cash. Candidates should be able to stay at post stations along the way free of charge upon presenting the 'review certificate' and official documents."

"Fifth, all those who have obtained the 'Certificate of Appointment' must gather in Bianjing before New Year's Day, regardless of whether they come from the northern grasslands, the miasma-ridden Lingnan, or the shores of West Lake. Next January, I will personally set up the provincial examination in Tokyo to await the talents of the world!"

These measures, once promulgated, not only stunned the scholars of Jiangnan, but also secretly alarmed officials in the north, such as Guo Chongtao.

Such strict regulations and such strong support for students from poor families almost completely eliminated the possibility of powerful and wealthy families manipulating the imperial examinations, and also greatly reduced the burden on poor students.

In particular, the anonymous grading system and the severe punishment for cheating were a radical solution, which explains why the imperial examinations in the new dynasty were delayed; it turns out the emperor had already considered this.

Li Song, who was young and outspoken, couldn't help but praise, "Your Majesty's move has truly cleansed up the long-standing abuses of the imperial examination system and laid the foundation for lasting peace for the poor scholars of the world! I seem to have already seen a prosperous era where no worthy person is overlooked!"

Shen Song and the other scholars from Jiangnan exchanged glances, each seeing a mixture of shock and ulterior motives in the other's eyes.

If this were truly the case, what would be there for students from Jiangnan to compete with the world based on their own talents?
"Your Majesty's wisdom is profound, we are truly in awe!" Qian Liu and the others all rose and bowed in sincere admiration.

Xiao Yan nodded, and was about to speak again when a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) dressed in a flying fish robe quickly walked up the mountain, knelt down on one knee, and presented a sealed letter with sealing wax in both hands.

"Your Majesty, this is an urgent report from Jinling, submitted by Duke Li Maozhen of Wei."

Xiao Yan took the secret letter, tore off the sealing wax, pulled out the letter paper, and quickly scanned it. The contents of the letter didn't seem particularly surprising, but the attitude and conditions of a certain person mentioned still made his brow twitch almost imperceptibly.

The Empress took a step closer and asked in a low voice, "What is the matter in your letter, brother?"

Xiao Yan did not answer immediately. He slowly folded the letter, put it into his sleeve, and then turned around again to face the vast West Lake.

A thin layer of mist had risen on the lake, rendering the distant mountains and nearby waters as hazy as an ink painting. Several fishing boats that had set out early were hauling in their nets, and the faint sound of fishermen's songs drifted through the air.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his figure standing tall and straight in the howling wind of Wu Mountain. After a moment of silence, he finally let out a very soft sneer.

"I will set off tomorrow and go to Nanjing to meet some old friends."

(End of this chapter)