I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 274 Zhao Yu: My son has made something of himself.

...

Zhao Yu has already said it: "We have fourteen brothers, eleven of whom have died, leaving only the three of us. If the three of us love and support each other, how could Zhao Yu disagree with Zhao Ji's desire to participate in the imperial examination?"
Besides, the new law governing princes and members of the imperial clan was implemented by Zhao Yu. He couldn't very well contradict himself by preventing Zhao Ji from participating in the imperial examinations, could he?

Therefore, Zhao Yu readily agreed to Zhao Ji's wish to participate in the imperial examination.

However, after Zhao Ji left, Zhao Yu couldn't help but frown. Zhao Yu agreed readily, but that didn't mean he was without suspicion of Zhao Ji.

Emperor Huizong of Song (Zhao Ji) was already a prince, second only to the emperor, yet he still wanted to take the imperial examination. What was he trying to do?
'Grind reputation, and wait for the opportune moment to seize my throne?'

Aside from this reason, the only other reason Zhao Yu could think of was that Zhao Ji wanted to be given an important position by him.

However, regardless of the reason, Zhao Yu was determined not to let Zhao Ji succeed.

Let's talk about the former first.

Because Zhao Ji was Emperor Huizong of Song in history, Zhao Yu would never truly trust him, no matter what he did, even if he saved Zhao Yu's life, especially when Zhao Yu's son was still young.

A male lion defeated a lion king, took over the lion king's pride, and the first thing he did was to kill all of the lion king's cubs.

Before Zhao Yu time-traveled, he frequently watched Animal World.

Furthermore, Zhao Yu certainly couldn't allow Zhao Ji to reverse the history he had worked so hard to change back to the humiliation of the Jingkang Incident.

It's worth noting that the main culprits behind the Jingkang Incident, Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan, are still alive today, so it's not impossible that this is the case.

Therefore, Zhao Yu definitely had to be extremely vigilant against Zhao Ji.

As for the latter?
Even if Zhao Ji genuinely desired to be valued by Zhao Yu, his wish could not be easily granted.

Zhao Yu knew that once the tree of power was planted, its roots would spread silently until they touched the very foundation of imperial power.

The key issue is that if Zhao Ji uses this as a springboard to pursue greater power, it could become an uncontrollable force.

More importantly, if something were to happen to Zhao Yu, Zhao Ji would have the possibility of competing for the throne with Zhao Yu's son.

Therefore, Zhao Yu would definitely not trust Zhao Ji.

This might just be the mindset of an emperor.

He doesn't trust anyone.

He was destined to be alone.

When Zhang Chun heard that Zhao Ji also wanted to participate in the imperial examination, he offered Zhao Yu a radical solution.

……

A few days later, several officials heard that Zhao Ji was going to participate in this year's imperial examination. They all advised Zhao Yu that if princes and members of the imperial clan participated in the imperial examination, it would be suspected of competing with scholars from all over the country for profit. They also said that princes and members of the imperial clan already had special channels to enter officialdom, so why should they compete with the hard-working candidates for the opportunity?
Zhao Yu, "forced by circumstances," had no choice but to issue an edict: all princes and members of the imperial clan who participated in the imperial examinations must have their titles revoked and take the exams as ordinary scholars.

This is reasonable, after all, princes and members of the imperial family have special ways to enter officialdom, and can participate in politics and be appointed officials based on their noble status.

In other words, the new law governing princes and members of the imperial clan stipulated that princes and members of the imperial clan, as members of the royal family, would obtain titles through imperial favor or examinations (i.e., studying at the Imperial Academy or military academies), and thus enter officialdom to assume important positions. Moreover, they would receive a rigorous royal education from a young age, and their training direction and goals would differ from those of officials who entered officialdom through the imperial examinations.

In this situation, they really had no need to participate in the imperial examinations.

But some people just like to cause trouble for no reason, and what can Zhao Yu do? He can only deal with whatever comes his way.

Faced with this unexpected situation, Zhao Ji could only choose between continuing to be a prince and participating in the imperial examination.

Frankly, Zhao Yu was also very curious about Zhao Ji's choice. 'Will Zhao Ji back down and become a complacent prince, giving up all hope?'

What choice Zhao Ji would make became a hot topic of discussion both inside and outside the city of Bianliang, the capital of the Eastern Capital.

For the vast majority of people, not to mention royalty, any title means power, status, and endless wealth and glory.

The path to the imperial examinations, however, was fraught with unknowns and challenges.

Many people couldn't understand why Zhao Ji, who was already a prince, would still participate in the imperial examinations. Was he crazy?
Of course, some people understand Zhao Ji and think that he is a prince with dreams and even achievements, and therefore support him in giving up his royal title to participate in the imperial examination.

Some people even placed bets on this matter. It is said that the odds of betting on Zhao Ji to give up his royal title were as high as 1 to 19.

Li Yan, Yang Jian, and Yuwen Xuzhong all reported to Zhao Yu that Zhao Huan had specially returned home from the Imperial Academy to advise Zhao Ji not to act impulsively and not to give up his royal title.

Yang Jian also vividly described to Zhao Yu that Zhao Huan cried like a baby, and Zhao Ji scolded him for being useless, saying that he didn't have a son like him.

It is understandable that Zhao Huan would try to stop Zhao Ji from giving up his royal title.

After all, as long as Zhao Ji does not give up the title of king, Zhao Huan will definitely get the title of heir king after Zhao Ji passes away. Even when it is passed down to Zhao Huan's son, his family will still have a prince.

If Zhao Ji were to relinquish his royal title, Zhao Huan and his descendants would likely have to fend for themselves.

This is like having a mountain of gold waiting for Zhao Huan to inherit, but suddenly the head of the family, Zhao Ji, wants to donate the gold and go off to learn a trade and set up a stall. Naturally, Zhao Huan would be extremely anxious.

In short, people are speculating whether Zhao Ji would give up his royal title, which was second only to the emperor, for the sake of his dream of passing the imperial examination.

Emperor Huizong of Zhao did not keep Zhao Yu and the world waiting for long.

Before the deadline for registration for the audition, whether it was due to his confidence in his own talent, his long-suppressed ambition, or simply his unwillingness to be looked down upon by the world, it is unclear.

Finally, amidst Zhao Huan's tearful and earnest persuasion, Zhao Ji resolutely gave up his royal title and embarked on the path of the imperial examination, choosing to take a chance as an ordinary scholar.

Emperor Huizong's decision was like a thunderbolt, instantly causing a huge uproar both inside and outside the capital city of Bianliang.

Some people praised Zhao Ji;

Some people criticized Zhao Ji for being impulsive, while others even called him stupid.
However, many more people are simply ready to watch this spectacle unfold.

Upon learning of Zhao Ji's choice, Zhao Yu was secretly astonished. He was surprised that Zhao Ji truly possessed such courage, daring to abandon the wealth and honor that should have been his for the elusive path of the imperial examinations; yet, he also felt a vague unease and worry that if Zhao Ji truly rose to power through this desperate measure, he might cause trouble in the future. Now that things had come to this, Zhao Yu certainly could no longer stop Zhao Ji from participating in the imperial examinations.

But this does not mean that Zhao Yu did nothing and let Zhao Ji escape his control.

Zhao Yu immediately summoned Li Yan, Yang Jian, and Yuwen Xuzhong, instructing them to each send a group of spies to infiltrate Zhao Ji's inner circle so that he could know Zhao Ji's every move.

……

Zhao Ji first participated in the provincial examination in the autumn of the eleventh year of Hongwu's reign.

This test was administered by the prefectures or transport offices, examining candidates' knowledge of poetry, classical texts, and policy essays. Only those who passed were granted a quota to travel to the capital.

For example, candidates from Jiangnan East Road had to pass the preliminary examination in Jiangning Prefecture, and then have a "public document" issued by the local official to prove their clean record (not a monk or Taoist priest, not a clerk, and without any criminal record) before they could set off.

Kaifeng Prefecture belonged to the capital region. If a candidate had a household registration in Kaifeng Prefecture, he would usually take the preliminary examination in Kaifeng Prefecture. The examination would be held in the examination hall or other designated examination venues in Kaifeng Prefecture.

If the candidate was a student of the Imperial Academy, then he would participate in the preliminary examination at the Imperial Academy.

According to regulations, candidates without a Kaifeng Prefecture household registration should take the provincial examination in their original place of residence. However, since Kaifeng Prefecture had a relatively large quota for provincial examinations and more opportunities for admission, many candidates from other places tried to go to the capital to take the provincial examinations.

However, the imperial court also imposed certain restrictions on this. For example, during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, it was stipulated that only those who had been registered residents of Kaifeng Prefecture for more than seven years and did not reside elsewhere could participate in the provincial examination in Kaifeng Prefecture.

In addition, candidates without household registration but who have not occupied quotas in other prefectures can also take the exam in Kaifeng Prefecture after verification and with the guarantee of an official.

These candidates from other places also took the preliminary examinations at the relevant examination halls in Kaifeng Prefecture.

As a candidate with a household registration in Kaifeng Prefecture, Zhao Ji naturally participated in the preliminary examination at the examination hall in Kaifeng Prefecture.

Surprisingly, Emperor Huizong was quite capable, and he actually ranked first in the provincial examination.

At the end of the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign, after the group of candidates who had obtained the quota arrived in Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Eastern Capital, they first reported to the Ministry of Rites and submitted official documents and family records (place of origin, information on three generations of ancestors) so that officials could verify their identities and prevent impersonation.

In the first month of the twelfth year of the Hongwu reign, the provincial examination officially began, with the examination venue set up in the Gongyuan (Imperial Examination Hall).

Candidates enter their assigned cells according to their numbers. Each cell accommodates only one person. Candidates must bring their own writing materials and food, and the work continues day and night.

The five examinations were as follows: the first examination tested the interpretation of Confucian classics such as the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, and the Rites of Zhou; the second examination tested poetry and prose (one regulated poem and one parallel prose); the third examination tested policy essays (providing insights on current affairs); the last two examinations were added by Emperor Zhao Yu; the fourth examination tested the new learning (Wang Anshi's new learning, also known as the "Jinggong New Learning"); and the fifth examination tested economics (questions set by Ye Shiyun).

The results of the provincial examination were quite unexpected.

Not only did Zhao Ji, the highly anticipated candidate, pass the imperial examination, but Zhao Yu's three sons—Zhao Kai (Zhao Yu's fifth son, the first son born to Zhao Yu by Wang Yisu), Zhao Cheng (Zhao Yu's fourteenth son), and Crown Prince Zhao Shou—also passed the imperial examination!
This outcome was truly unexpected for Zhao Yu.

It should be noted that this subject has special honors and a special category for prodigies.

Special recognition was a unique phenomenon in the imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty. It was a special favor granted by the emperor or the court to those who had participated in the imperial examinations multiple times but had not been admitted.

Initially, those who received the Special Appointment title could be granted official rank without taking the palace examination. Later, however, they were required to take the palace examination, and the content of the examination was simpler than that of the Regular Appointment title. The Special Appointment title had a large number of openings, but the official rank granted was very low. Most people could only obtain low-level honorary titles and had little chance of obtaining substantive positions or promotions.

The "Child Prodigy Examination" was a subject specifically designed for young candidates in the imperial examinations, primarily to select exceptionally gifted child prodigies.

The imperial court stipulated that anyone under the age of fifteen who was proficient in the classics and could compose poetry and prose was eligible to take the examination. First, the prefectures and counties would submit their applications to the imperial court. After the Imperial Academy completed its examination, the applications would be sent to the Secretariat for a second examination. Those who passed would then be personally examined by the emperor.

The examination mainly consisted of reciting scriptures, and sometimes included poetry and prose. Based on the examination results, candidates would receive different rewards, such as being granted official rank, being appointed to a government post, or being exempted from the preliminary examination.

In short, the special examination was mainly a way to help those who repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, while the children's examination was for selecting outstanding young talents. Both played a supplementary role in the imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Yu's sons, the oldest being twelve and the youngest nine, all met the age requirement to participate in the imperial examination for children. A group of officials, led by Cai Jing, in order to curry favor with Zhao Yu and to help the princes gain fame and prestige, facilitated this imperial examination for children, hoping that Zhao Yu's sons would shine in it.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yu's sons Zhao Shou, Zhao Kai, and Zhao Cheng were so successful that they didn't take the children's examination but directly participated in the regular imperial examinations, and they actually passed and became Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examinations).

Zhao Yu knew beforehand that about ten of his sons were participating in the adult imperial examinations, but he had no real hope that they would pass. He just wanted them to broaden their horizons, since none of them held any titles and they met the eligibility requirements.

On the surface, Zhao Yu said to his attendants, "Nonsense! The imperial examination is the most important way for our Great Song Dynasty to select talents. How can we let children play around with it? What kind of behavior is this!"

After saying this, Zhao Yu feigned anger and said, "Cross out the names of those three, and then select three more."

Cai Jing quickly stepped forward to persuade him: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The Crown Prince and the two princes are young and promising, and their passing the provincial examination is truly a blessing for our Great Song Dynasty and a boon for the people. It would be a pity if such extraordinary talents were buried because of their age. Moreover, our Great Song Dynasty has not stipulated that young people cannot participate in the imperial examinations and can only participate in the preliminary examinations. Now, the restriction that princes cannot participate in the imperial examinations has been lifted. It is reasonable and legal for the Crown Prince and the two princes to pass the examinations. Since this is the case, we should follow the will of Heaven and reward them. Only in this way can Your Majesty's fairness and wisdom be demonstrated, and scholars throughout the land be encouraged to study diligently."

With Cai Jing taking the lead, a large group of officials immediately echoed his sentiments.

Zhang Dun was old, Zeng Bu was old, Han Zhongyan and Su Zhe were too conservative and didn't understand economics well, so Cai Jing was undoubtedly the best candidate to be the next prime minister.

Crucially, Cai Jing was completely obedient to Zhao Yu, and Zhao Yu had no reason to abandon Cai Jing and use someone else instead.

The current situation is that once Zhang Dun's health deteriorates to the point of failure and he voluntarily retires to his hometown, Cai Jing will succeed him as prime minister.

Cai Jing, wanting to curry favor with Zhao Yu, naturally attracted a large following.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yu insisted: "Just let three of them participate in the palace examination to broaden their horizons, and don't mention the matter of them being selected for official positions again."

Seeing Zhao Yu's insistence, Cai Jing and the others dared not persuade him any further and had no choice but to obey.

Fearing that the three young men Zhao Shou, Zhao Kai, and Zhao Cheng might overthink things, Zhao Yu called them over and said to them, "For you, it is better to fail than to succeed. Go back and study this carefully, and each of you should write a memorial to me."

How Zhao Yu taught his son is a matter for another time.

It is said that after the provincial examination results are released, those who pass will be granted the qualification of "Jinshi", but to obtain the "Ji Di" (a higher degree in the imperial examination), they still need to pass the palace examination.

On the first day of the third month, about seven hundred candidates waited for the examination at the Jiying Hall, which was personally presided over by Emperor Zhao Yu.

Zhao Shou, Zhao Kai, and Zhao Cheng were also granted special permission to participate in the palace examination, but their scores were not included in the evaluation.

The palace examination consisted of only one essay question, and this year's topic was personally set by Emperor Zhao Yu: Discuss the strategic relationship between the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties…

……

(End of this chapter)