Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 644: Why is the Number One Scholar so named?

The palace city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Qianyang Palace.

At the end of May, in the afternoon, the sun outside the hall was already scorching, but inside the spacious hall, there was a refreshing coolness.

Early summer is the most pleasant time in Qianyang Palace. When June comes, the sun is scorching in the capital, and ice jars have to be placed in the hall to provide some coolness.

The finalization of the examination fraud case finally calmed Emperor Jiazhao's irritability and anger. He felt at peace and his thoughts became clearer.

He carefully read the transcript of the imperial examination results, picked up the red pen on the desk with an expressionless face, and lightly crossed out Lin Zhaohe's name among the three people in the first class.

Among the candidates in this spring examination, Lin Zhaohe was one of the few whose talent could be compared to Jia Cong. Logically speaking, he was an extremely rare talent.

But things have their reasons and are difficult to reverse. Emperor Jiazhao will give them up without hesitation or hesitation.

For the emperor, there are many talented people in the world, and there are many people like Lin Zhaohe. For the sake of the overall situation of the country, he will not be tied down by one person or one thing.

At this time, the emperor felt somewhat fortunate. Although the cheating in the imperial examination had caused widespread harm and implicated many students and officials, Jia Cong was not involved at all.

Although there are many talented people in the world, Jia Cong's talent is extraordinary and difficult to replace...

If Jia Cong was also involved in the fraud case this time, Emperor Jia Zhao would not be able to write off the case lightly as he did with Lin Zhaohe...

……

Emperor Jiazhao copied the palace examination list and thought quietly. Less than half an hour later, the three officials who were ordered to attend the imperial edict came to the palace to meet him.

Nearly ten days ago, Emperor Jiazhao summoned three examiners to the Qianyang Palace to discuss the selection of the palace examination list.

By the time the second selection was made, everything had changed. One of the three examiners for the imperial examination had left. Xu Liangxiong would never be able to enter the palace again in his life.

The world is in turmoil, the career is difficult, victory today and defeat tomorrow, who can fully control it...

Among the three officials, Minister of Rites Guo Youchang took his place and participated in the imperial examination selection for the first time.

Although Guo Youchang was not the appointed examiner, Wang Shilun and Chen Mo did not think that he was not worthy of being selected.

Guo Youchang was the Grand Master of Rites and a famous scholar in the literati circle. He served as the chief examiner of the imperial examinations many times.

Originally, he was an important candidate for the chief examiner of the imperial examination, but because he was Jia Cong's examiner and had selected Jia Cong as the first in the Yongzhou examination, he withdrew from the selection of the chief examiner of the imperial examination to avoid suspicion.

Now that the Spring Examination has gone through many twists and turns, Guo Youchang has returned to the imperial examination selection process, which is well deserved.

Emperor Jia Zhao glanced at the three officials and said, "The Spring Examination has encountered many twists and turns, and the fraud case has involved many candidates and officials. The first round of palace selection has many flaws, and we need to re-evaluate the selection.

The candidates for the second and third places can be adjusted by the ministers through discussion, and those who cheated and disobeyed the imperial examination can be eliminated. Then, among the failed candidates, the best candidates can be selected to fill the gap, and new questions can be formulated to make up for the ceremony of the palace examination. "

As soon as Emperor Jiazhao finished speaking, Wang Shilun and Chen Mo handed over the list of ten additional candidates for the palace examination.

Ever since the fraud was uncovered, the main culprit Wu Liang was arrested, and nine tribute scholars and two candidates were convicted and imprisoned, Wang Shilun and Chen Mo knew that the imperial list needed to be selected and supplemented, so they had done their homework in advance.

The ten additional candidates they selected were ranked closely after the 300 candidates on the list, but they were just a hair's breadth away and ultimately failed to make the cut.

For these ten unsuccessful candidates, the addition of the list is like great fortune and a rare opportunity. I wonder how ecstatic they will be when they hear the good news...

Emperor Jiazhao took only a quick look at the ten additional candidates and put them aside because he believed in the rationality of adding ten people.

He knew very well that this spring examination was too eventful, and on the day when the imperial examination notice was posted, the attention these ten additional candidates would receive would probably be no less than that of the three candidates in the first place.

There are more than a thousand failed candidates in the Shenjing City, and they will frantically verify the fairness of the additional ten people.

Wang Shilun and Chen Mo witnessed the severity of the fraud case and knew how serious it was, so they would not take the risk themselves.

They are all experienced and prudent people. They will never leave any topic for discussion on this matter, nor will they find excuses for attacking the thousands of failed candidates.

But the fact is that Wang Shilun and Chen Mo handled the matter prudently, just as Emperor Jiazhao had expected, without any selfish motives. They added ten people directly according to the ranking sequence of the examination papers, and there was nothing wrong with them.

The records of the examination grading and ranking are well documented in the Imperial Examination Hall files and the Ministry of Rites documents, and cannot be false in the slightest.

……

Emperor Jia Zhao said: "In addition to the ranking of the second and third places, and the candidates for the supplementary list, the most important thing in selecting the palace examination list is the selection of the top three.

The top three candidates are the hope of scholars all over the world and the face of the imperial court in selecting talents. In addition to requiring outstanding essays, it is also necessary to demonstrate the court's intention of selecting only the most talented, without distinction between the noble and the common people, and fairness and justice.

I was originally recommended by Chen Mo, Lin Zhaohe, a candidate from Hangzhou Prefecture, who was a top scorer in the provincial examination. He came from a humble family and his talent in the examination was comparable to that of Jia Cong, the top scorer in the provincial examination.

I then looked at his essay in the palace examination and found it to be open, vigorous and outstanding, so I appointed him as the top scorer.

However, when the examination cheating case broke out, Lin Zhaohe was suspected of cheating in the examination due to his close relationship with the main culprit Wu Liang, and was arrested and taken to the Court of Inquisition and the Dali Temple for interrogation.

This matter caused a sensation and was known to everyone in the court and the country. Although Lin Zhaohe was acquitted after being tried in the Dali Temple, his reputation had been tarnished and he could no longer live up to the expectations of the world.

The top candidate needs to be re-selected, and one more person needs to be added to the first and third places.

After Lin Zhaohe was demoted to the middle of the second class, he was no longer included in the Hanlin Academy and stopped his activities to avoid stirring up criticism from both the court and the public.

What do you think of the selection of the top candidates and the method of selecting the top scholar?"

Wang Shilun, Chen Mo, Guo Youchang and others present were all successful candidates in the imperial examinations, so naturally they attached great importance to the honor of becoming a Jinshi.

They all knew that Lin Zhaohe was selected as the top scholar, winning the highest honor for a scholar.

Now, due to a false charge, his reputation has been tarnished. Not only has he lost the honor of being the top scholar, but he has also lost the title of first class, falling to the second class. Everyone is sighing and regretting this.

Moreover, the emperor specifically instructed that he should be ranked lower in the second class and be deprived of the qualifications to enter the Hanlin Academy, which almost cut his official career short.

Although the system of selecting civil servants in the Great Zhou Dynasty was different from that of the previous dynasty, there were some similarities between them.

Civil servants who are not Jinshi cannot be promoted to the fifth rank or above as a rule, and those who are not Hanlin cannot be promoted to the third rank or above.

If one ranks in the middle of the second class in the palace examination, he will not even be able to stay in Beijing as an official, but will be sent to serve as an official outside the capital, usually as a county magistrate.

Jinshi candidates did not enter the Hanlin Academy, but were sent to serve as officials outside the capital. Because of their distant connections and lack of personal connections, many county magistrates and Jinshi candidates only reached the sixth rank in their lifetime.

Some of them were promoted to the fifth rank, which was a great opportunity. As for the opportunities above the fourth rank, they either had a strong network of contacts or were from a serious Hanlin family, which was not something ordinary people could hope for.

Emperor Jia Zhao selected Lin Zhaohe as the bottom of the second class and deprived him of his qualification to be a Hanlin, which meant that his career would be wasted in a remote county in a remote state...

Just like before Jia Cong's death, Liu Jing'an had taught him that the Spring Examination was the final stage of the imperial examination, and the path for scholars to climb to the top was not only extremely glorious but also extremely dangerous, so one must be extremely cautious.

A top talent fell just like that...

However, among the three leading civil servants present, even Chen Mo, who recommended Lin Zhaohe to the first class, did not think that there was anything wrong with Emperor Jiazhao's actions.

Because this year's spring examination was so difficult and eventful that it could no longer withstand any doubts and criticisms.

……

Wang Shilun said: "Your Majesty, it is not difficult to add one more person to the first class. The top eighteen people in the examination can all be selected.

The emperor originally selected Lin Zhaohe as the top scholar, not only because of his outstanding talent in the imperial examination, but also because he came from a humble family.

Selecting Lin Zhaohe as the top scholar can demonstrate that the imperial examination of the Great Zhou Dynasty is based on merit, treating the nobles and the commoners equally, and is fair and just.

Even people living in remote villages can find a way to serve their country as long as they study hard and have great talents.

This move can avoid the regret of missing out on talent and win the hearts of scholars all over the world.

I think that when His Majesty selects the number one scholar again, he can follow the previous method, so that he can be impartial and the scholars and people will respect him."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo, who was standing by, raised his slightly graying eyebrows and said, "Your Majesty, what Lord Wang said makes sense.

However, the imperial examination was a major national event for selecting talents, in which the noble and the common people were treated equally, regardless of their family background. It only considered the quality of their writings and classics. Only the most talented were selected, and this was the true meaning of the imperial examination.

I have recommended Jia Cong and Lin Zhaohe to the first class. When Lin Zhaohe was selected as the top scholar by His Majesty, I was happy to see it happen. Although these two are different from nobles, they both have the potential to be the top scholar. "

After listening to the reports of Wang Shilun and Chen Mo, Emperor Jiazhao looked hesitant and did not express his opinion. He just turned his gaze to Guo Youchang who had not yet spoken.

As the Minister of Rites, Guo Youchang was well versed in the methods of selecting talents for the imperial examinations, and had a deeper understanding of how to maintain a balance in government.

Just now, Wang Shilun and Chen Mo spoke passionately, their words were detailed and thorough, but in the final analysis, it all came down to one point: whether Jia Cong could be selected as the top scholar!

Wang Shilun advised Emperor Jiazhao to follow the method of selecting Lin Zhaohe and select the top candidate among the candidates with ordinary backgrounds but outstanding talents as the top scholar in order to win the hearts of scholars and people all over the world. Chen Mo advised Emperor Jiazhao to stick to the true meaning of selecting talents in the imperial examination and select the top scholar based on their talents. Lin Zhaohe was gone and no one could compare to Jia Cong in talent, so he should be selected as the top scholar.

Guo Youchang saw the look Emperor Jia Zhao was giving him and smiled bitterly in his heart. He seemed to often fall into this situation...

Jia Cong is the top scorer in this year's imperial examination. His talent is unquestionable.

Moreover, he had a close relationship with Guo Youchang and was selected by Guo Youchang as the top candidate in the Yongzhou Academy Examination. Guo Youchang was Jia Cong's imperial examination teacher, and Jia Cong was his most proud disciple.

But from a selfish point of view, Guo Youchang hoped that Jia Cong could become the top scholar. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime honor to have a disciple who won three first places in a row, and it might even be recorded in history.

When later generations traced the origins, they would probably know that it was Guo Youchang who was able to spot Jia Cong when he was still a nobody and selected him as the top candidate in the imperial examination, which led to him winning several first prizes in succession...

Even the top civil servants would flock to such a glorious and legendary event, and Guo Youchang was naturally no exception.

But precisely because of his close relationship with Jia Cong, he had to be cautious, just like he had previously withdrawn from the selection of chief examiners for the Spring Examination because of Jia Cong.

……

Moreover, there was another thing that made Guo Youchang think about.

The Ministry of Industry's firearms workshop outside the city has been guarded by additional troops in recent days. Security inside and outside the workshop has become increasingly strict, and outsiders are unaware of the situation.

Although the development of firearms by the Firearms Workshop was a major military secret, it was extremely difficult for outsiders to find out.

But the emperor suddenly left the palace, led a large number of imperial guards, and went to the firearms workshop in person, but he could not hide it from anyone.

Moreover, after the emperor returned to the palace, he immediately issued an edict to promote Jia Cong to the rank of fourth-rank Xinwu General, which attracted considerable attention.

It is well known that the firearms developed by the workshop in the past were very powerful on the battlefield in Liaodong.

Therefore, it is not difficult to guess that it must be Jia Cong who developed the powerful firearms, which made Emperor Jia Zhao come in person and reward him for his merits.

Afterwards, a secret decree was issued from the palace, and the Ministry of Works, Ministry of Revenue, and Ministry of War all took action accordingly. They acted meticulously and it is said that they also selected craftsmen from all over the country.

Guo Youchang was a man who had been in officialdom for a long time and was experienced and knowledgeable, so he didn't need to inquire deliberately.

It can be guessed that Jia Cong's new creation must be an amazing military artifact, so the emperor must take big action.

A young nobleman, entrusted with the important military and national secrets of the Great Zhou, I am afraid that within a few years, he will become so important and difficult to ignore among the military heroes of the Great Zhou.

Does His Majesty really hope that such a person, while destined to be prominent in military exploits, can also reach the pinnacle of literary glory?
Therefore, Guo Youchang is inclined to Chen Mo's opinion.

But whether to avoid suspicion or analyze the situation, he had to stand on Wang Shilun's side.

He just thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, what Lord Chen said about the imperial examination is that it is based on talent, which makes sense.

But the situation now is different from previous years. The imperial examination has been plagued by twists and turns, and fraud has been rampant. The court has lost face, the integrity of the imperial examination has been tarnished, and the people are talking about it, making the world and people's hearts unstable.

The current situation cannot be ignored. It is urgent and imperative to rectify public opinion, appease and guide the people.

This time, the focus of selecting the top scholar is not only on talent and reputation, but also on winning the hearts of the people. The person selected should be impartial and not cause controversy, so as to win the hearts of scholars and people all over the world and restore the reputation of the clean and honest imperial examination system.

My advice is the same as yours, Lord Wang. I second your opinion...

During this discussion, the three leading civil officials expressed their views eloquently and incessantly, while Emperor Jiazhao listened in the middle, thinking and planning how to strike a balance between the two.

Guo Lin, who was standing beside, was confused by what he heard. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart that these civil servants were all cunning and it was difficult to tell which of their words were sincere.

After a long time, Emperor Jiazhao finally listened to the opinions of the people, picked up the red pen to mark the name of the top one, asked Guo Youchang to draft the imperial edict in court, and ordered the Imperial Observatory to choose the day for the announcement of the results.

When the three officials saw the final ranking, Wang Shilun remained calm, Chen Mo closed his eyes slightly, and Guo Youchang was relieved...

In the eyes of Emperor Jiazhao and the three senior officials, this list of key palace examination candidates took into consideration major issues such as the overall situation of the court and the country, the balance of reputation, and the hearts of the people.

But the entanglements and entanglements caused by this are more than just these...

……

Earl's Mansion, Yingchun Courtyard.

Outside the courtyard, there are waterside pavilions, winding corridors, a majestic pavilion, a quiet chess field, and a gentle breeze.

Jia Cong and Yingchun sat opposite each other, and the sound of chess pieces tapping on each other's feet was pleasant to the ears.

As the breeze blows, Yingchun's skirt flutters gracefully, her hair rises slightly, and she is graceful and charming.

Daiyu, Xiangyun, Xiuyan and other sisters sat on the corridor outside the pavilion and chatted, with their laughter and clear voices, looking gentle and happy.

There is a waterside pavilion under the corridor, the sun is shining brightly, mandarin ducks are floating around, their feathers are gorgeous, it is a beautiful sight.

Jia Cong dropped a child, glanced at the sisters chatting outside the pavilion, and asked, "Second sister, third sister went to the East Road Courtyard yesterday and did not come back in the afternoon. Did anyone send a message?"

Yingchun replied with a smile, "I knew you would complain about sister Tanchun not coming home last night. Actually, her return to the East Courtyard has something to do with brother Cong."

Jia Cong looked strange and said, "How does it have anything to do with me? Although my third sister lives in the East Palace, she goes back to stay for two days every once in a while because she is filial to the master.

This time it is not the same, what is the reason?"

Yingchun said, "Brother Cong is busy going to the government office, leaving early and returning late every day, so he doesn't know much about what's going on in the mansion.

The East Courtyard has become bustling recently, with many court officials coming to pay a visit to the Second Master. Some are colleagues and old acquaintances of the Second Master, while others come to him in a roundabout way to ask for favors.

It is said that a recent imperial examination cheating case has involved many officials. In serious cases, they have been dismissed from their posts, while in minor cases, they have been demoted and transferred out of the Ministry of Personnel.

Nowadays, these officials are looking for connections everywhere to improve their career prospects. They come to visit the second master for this reason. "

Jia Cong felt strange because Jia Zheng was a wealthy and powerful official. In the past few years, he could even help people get official positions relying on his ancestors' influence and connections.

But the situation of the Jia family has changed drastically, and the second branch has become a side branch, so it would be difficult to do such a thing.

What's more, the fraud case is in the public eye, and it is not easy to exonerate these officials.

Given Jia Zheng's current position and situation, how could he accomplish such a thing? Why did so many officials come to him?

But he only thought about it for a moment and guessed some of the reasons...

Yingchun saw Jia Cong's expression and said with a smile: "Brother Cong is always smart, he must have guessed the reason. They came to see the second master, but they have ulterior motives.

They all knew that Brother Cong was now highly regarded by the Emperor and had a say in the palace.

But apart from going to the yamen, Brother Cong rarely socialized or attended banquets, and never met strangers. They had no friendship with Brother Cong.

So he went to find the second master. Everyone in the city knew that Brother Cong grew up in the second house.

Sister Tanchun went to the West Mansion and heard these rumors, feeling a little worried.

Brother Cong is a scholar who has passed the imperial examination. Since the imperial edict has not yet been issued, how can he get involved in these matters? That is why I am here to serve as your scout vanguard."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "So that's how it is. Third sister, you are worrying too much. The imperial examination fraud case is a serious matter. How could I not know the seriousness of it? I will definitely not get involved in it."

Yingchun said, “We all know that Brother Cong is a cautious person, so he is naturally not worried.

I heard that these officials came to the house to lobby for the convenience of bringing their wives and gifts to show the good relationship between the two families. The second wife must have entertained them..."

When Yingchun said this, Jia Cong understood what she meant and also knew the reason why Tanchun rushed to the east courtyard.

Now that the second branch of the Jia family has fallen into decline, Mrs. Wang can no longer forget her former power and is determined to help the second branch prosper.

If she was bewitched by the wives of officials and persuaded Jia Zheng to mediate the matter, Jia Cong would certainly not accept it.

But if the rumor gets out, it will bring disaster to Jia Zheng.

Tanchun was a smart person and knew her stepmother's temperament and style very well, so she hurried to the East Courtyard.

When Jia Cong thought of this, he forgot to put down the chess piece in his hand and felt a little worried.

I don't know what the situation is like in the East Road Courtyard now...

(End of this chapter)