Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 469: The Hidden Rules of the Palace Examination
"Okay, Father Lazzaro Catano, President Nicola Trigo, I respect your decision." Deng Yuhan frowned and nodded, feeling like he needed to throw a bucket of cold water on Guo Jujing to cool him down. "But I have to remind you. When chopping down a tree, push it from behind; when watching a fire, stand aloft. No matter what you do, the first thing to do is to avoid getting yourself involved. We finally survived that disaster, and if we get burned while starting the fire, it would be a waste of time."

"Father Johann Schreck is absolutely right," Johann Adam Schall von Bell, who wasn't mentioned by Deng Yuhan, chimed in. "Neither the Translation Bureau nor the Observatory have even gotten off the ground. Even the 'Jerusalem', to which President Nicola Trigo has been assigned, has only a sign. To put it bluntly, we've accomplished nothing yet. It's only with the recommendation of His Excellency Xu that we've managed to secure a small position in the Ming court. His Majesty's trust and tolerance for us are limited. We must avoid angering His Majesty. If His Majesty were to anger us again, I'm afraid our cause, and our lives, would be completely ruined."

In reality, Johann Adam Schall von Bell sincerely disapproved of the idea of ​​"setting fire to the forest." However, his influence within the Jesuit Order was still limited, leaving him with virtually no say. He knew that without the sixth-rank official rank bestowed upon him by the Ming Emperor, he would never have gained the favor of the elders and become a member of the post-Long Huamin era's decision-making body. Therefore, if Schall von Bell wanted to oppose the idea, he could only offer subtle suggestions by agreeing with others.

"Father John Schall," Ginnigo nodded slightly and looked towards Johann Adam Schall. "What is the emperor's attitude towards Buddhism?"

Although Ginnigu had been forcibly elevated to the position of Acting Superintendent of the Jesuit Diocese of China by Guo Jujing and Wang Fengsu, this top official had never met the Ming emperor. In this respect alone, he was even inferior to the young Luo Yagu, who had at least entered the imperial palace. However, even if Johann Adam Schall von Bell had offered to bring Ginnigu to the palace during his second audience, Ginnigu would not have dared to enter. He had studied law, history, philosophy, and theology at the University of Douai, had only a rudimentary grasp of mathematics, and knew nothing about astronomy, the subject of the emperor's deepest interest. If he were called upon and questioned, he would surely be exposed.

"I'm not quite sure about this." Johann Adam Schall von Bell shook his head.

"I think," Guo Jujing interrupted, "the emperor probably doesn't believe in Buddhism."

"How do you explain this?" Jin Ni Ge immediately turned around and looked at Guo Jujing.

"I still remember that when we went north to the capital with a letter from the Ministry of Rites last year, the Taoist Zhang Zhenren was also summoned by the emperor. But at the same time, I haven't heard of any Buddhists being summoned by the emperor. So I think the emperor should like Taoism more than Buddhism." Guo Jujing said,

"Your statement is a bit far-fetched, and I don't think it's well-founded," Ginnigo countered, citing Guo Jujing's own words. "You just said that Buddhism is deeply rooted in the capital, with temples everywhere. Perhaps the emperor doesn't even need to summon renowned monks to become close to Buddhism. And I remember when Father Alfonso Vagnoni arrived from Nanjing, he said Master Zhang was dead."

"It's no surprise that Master Zhang died," Guo Jujing said nonchalantly. "He wasn't summoned to Beijing because he contracted an illness and stayed in Nanjing. You wouldn't convert to another religion just because the Pope called you, would you?"

"That's different," Ginnigo said. "In China, 'Zhang Zhenren' was not only a renowned figure in Taoism, but also a title that required imperial conferral. Upon Zhang Zhenren's death, the emperor should have issued a decree to the Ministry of Rites, instructing His Excellency Xu to prepare the conferral ceremony and to send a delegation south to confer the title of Zhang Zhenren's son as the new Zhang Zhenren. But all this time has passed, and there's still no news of a new conferral. This suggests the emperor likely didn't value Taoism. At the very least, your speculation is unfounded."

"Okay," Guo Jujing said without hesitation. "Maybe it's a bit far-fetched."

Ginni was delighted to have persuaded Guo Jujing. He struck while the iron was hot, incorporating the suggestions of Deng Yuhan and Johann Adam Schall von Bell, and continued, "Before taking action, we should first find a way to ascertain the Emperor's attitude towards Buddhism. If the Emperor is a Buddhist, then we should refrain from any rash actions and instead focus on establishing our position through astronomy and translation. We should find a vacant plot of land and build a small church. If the Emperor is not a Buddhist, or even detests Buddhism, then we can later find a way to compete with the Buddhists for land and build a large church. It's better to develop our business slowly than to anger the Emperor and bring about a catastrophe."

"I agree." Deng Yuhan immediately seconded the motion.

"Me too," said Johann Adam Schall von Bell.

"Since the three court officials have unanimously decided, what else can an old man like me say? They didn't say it has to be done now." Guo Jujing chuckled and shook his head, stroking his beard awkwardly. "However, how do you three think we can ascertain the Emperor's attitude towards Buddhism?"

"Just ask His Excellency Xu," said Ginnige. "He's the Minister of Rites, a favorite of the Emperor, and he's in charge of both the Daoist and Buddhist Records Offices. He must know the Emperor's attitude towards Buddhism and Taoism."

"I think," Tang Ruowang objected weakly, "it would be best not to disturb Mr. Xu at this moment."

"Why?" asked Ginnigo.

"Mr. Xu is a very smart person. If we ask him this kind of question, he will definitely guess our plan at once." said Johann Adam Schall von Bell.

"Then we might as well ask for his opinion," said Ginnigo.

Guo Jujing also nodded in support of Ginni. "I still remember that the reason why Master Xu was so willing to spare no effort to help us, even to the point of being baptized, was largely because his philosophy of 'interpreting Buddhism to supplement Confucianism' aligned with President Matteo Ricci's policy of 'respecting Confucianism and suppressing Buddhism'. I think he would help us if he could."

Tang Ruowang insisted solemnly, "Mr. Xu has been the subject of much criticism because of the Mendoza and Niccolò Longobardi affair, and was even summoned to the palace by the Emperor for a reprimand. Now is the time to avoid suspicion. Even if he is willing to help us combat Buddhism, it certainly wouldn't be now, and certainly not under the pretext of imperial turmoil. Gentlemen! Mr. Xu is a Ming scholar-official, and loyalty to the emperor comes first. Even if something like this is to be done, it must be done behind his back."

On March 16th, the first year of the Taichang reign, the battle outside Shenyang continued. However, as reinforcements from all directions joined the battle, the battlefield was no longer confined to Shenyang, but extended from Shenyang to Wujing, Hupi, Fengji, and even showed signs of spreading to Liaoyang.

While the war was spreading in Liaodong and smoke was everywhere, in the sunny and bird-song city of Beijing, the special examination of the first year of Taichang had entered the most critical stage: review and marking of the papers.

The imperial examination system was undoubtedly a crucial channel for selecting talented individuals for the nation and increasing social mobility. However, specifically the palace examination, it was more of a grand ceremony for public display. Its overarching message wasn't the scholarly achievements of decades of study or the profound insights and wisdom of governing the country, but rather the current state of the nation and the political climate of the court. The emphasis on fairness, impartiality, and the prevention of corruption and malpractice in the examinations was merely a formality.

The most obvious and unobstructed political indicator in the palace examination is the imperial examination essay. Through the imperial examination essay, people can often get a glimpse into the emperor's current state of mind and the issues that the emperor values ​​most. It can also further shed light on the problems facing the country.

For example, the Jiaxu year of the second year of the Wanli reign was the first palace examination during the Wanli reign. The Wanli Emperor was still young at the time, so he should prioritize learning and rely on his ministers. Therefore, the questions included such phrases as "teach and be close to the wise", "diligently encourage and read carefully", and "consult the ministers in detail". The core content of the questions was also "study the ancients and study the truth".

The situation was completely different during the Jiwei Imperial Examination in the 47th year of the Wanli reign. This was the final palace examination of the Wanli reign. By then, the emperor was already elderly and terminally ill, and news of the disastrous defeat at Sarhu had reached the capital before the examination. The nation was in deep distress, so the examination questions included phrases such as "decayed customs and lack of understanding," "incorrigible government and unreformed governance," "the upper and lower classes are in a state of inflexible conformity, and discipline and order are broken down," and "the dikes and defenses have all collapsed." The core content of the examination question became "rectify the political order and restore the old ways of our ancestors." For the first time, the sentence "To help me make up for my shortcomings, I will personally review it" was added at the end.

The examination questions were open and aboveboard, and the court was clear and honest. However, the post-exam review and grading process was filled with more filth and calculation, revealing not the state affairs but the status and power comparisons within the court.

For example, in the Xinwei year of the Zhengde reign, Yang Shen, son of Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe, was named the top scholar. This could be seen as a precursor to the retirement of Prime Minister Li Dongyang and the succession of Deputy Prime Minister Yang Tinghe in the seventh year of the Zhengde reign. And in the Gengchen year of the Wanli reign, Zhang Juzheng's third son, Zhang Maoxiu, was named the top scholar, a blatant act of favoritism by the Wanli Emperor towards his imperial tutor, Zhang Juzheng.

Where there's preferential treatment, there's discontent. In the 11th year of the Wanli reign, Shen Shixing's son Shen Yongmao and Zhang Siwei's son Zhang Jiazheng passed the imperial examination, both ranking in the top two spots. This sparked widespread discontent and ultimately sparked a court struggle. But as long as the emperor intervened, the dispute remained a mere dispute. Finally, Shen Shixing and Zhang Siwei petitioned for retirement, but the emperor refused. Instead, he impeached Shen Shixing and Zhang Siwei and their associates, deducting their salaries and reducing their salaries.

Of course, not all sons of cabinet ministers could achieve success in the imperial examinations. If they couldn't pass the provincial and metropolitan examinations, it wouldn't matter if their father held the position of Prime Minister and was appointed by the emperor as the chief examiner. The most obvious example is Fang Shihong, the "eldest son" of the current Prime Minister, Fang Congzhe. This playboy, known for his romantic interests and fondness for prostitutes, was the epitome of a failure in the imperial examinations. For decades, he couldn't even achieve the title of scholar, let alone juren or jinshi. He finally managed to secure the sinecure of the sixth rank of Shangbao Sicheng through his father's influence, but unfortunately, he lost it. The resulting commotion nearly brought his father down.

Besides the cabinet ministers and the emperor, a powerful internal minister could also influence the palace examinations. For example, in the third year of the Zhengde reign, the examiners, led by then-Prime Minister Li Dongyang, curried favor with the powerful eunuch Liu Jin, accepting his advice by selecting Liu Jin's fellow townsman, Lü Tan from Shaanxi, who had finished sixth in the examination, as the top scorer. Liu Jin hoped to recruit Lü Tan, but Lü Tan refused the offer, showing no appreciation for the eunuch's offer. Unsurprisingly, his actions incurred the eunuch's hostility, forcing him to resign to save his own life, only to be reinstated during the Jiajing reign.

Even if Lü Tan hadn't joined Liu Jin's entourage, he still drew criticism. Back then, Yang Shen, hoping for a joint imperial examination, had failed the imperial examination. This led to speculation that Liu Jin and Lü Tan were behind the scenes, preventing the renowned scholar Yang Shen from achieving the top spot. Fortunately, Yang Shen didn't take the imperial examination until the middle or late Wanli reign. Otherwise, let alone his "long-standing reputation," he would have been lucky not to have been impeached by the censors.

Li Dongyang, the cabinet's chief examiner, was his teacher. His father, Yang Tinghe, was also a palace examiner and a likely successor. Emperor Zhu Houzhao, however, was not particularly concerned with examination rankings. This combination, amidst the Wanli era, a court filled with powerful officials, was ripe for manipulation. Whether it could be manipulated was another matter entirely.

In addition to these dark unspoken rules lurking beneath political victories and defeats, there are also some gray unspoken rules that have to arise for practical reasons.

Although the number of candidates for the Palace Examination was much smaller than that of the Joint Examination, which attracted tens of millions of participants, the time for marking the papers was correspondingly compressed to just one day, the 16th. It was difficult to review and evaluate each and every Palace Examination essay in such a short time and to determine the quality of the papers.

In order to quickly select the best papers and avoid delays in the palace examination process, the examiners would often, before sealing the papers, follow an unwritten convention and place the papers of the top few or ten candidates aside. This was easy because it was clear who was sitting in which seat in the palace.

If nothing unexpected happens and no one makes advance reservations, then the top three in the first division will most likely be from these papers, and the remaining papers will also take up the top few spots in the second division. After all, the examinations take two weeks to review, and the co-examiners and the chief examiner have screened and thoroughly examined the papers, making them a very good reference.

At 1:00 AM, seventeen examiners, led by the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, and other accompanying officials gathered in the Wenhua Main Hall. After greeting and eating, everyone went about their business as usual.

This time, the first papers of all eighteen examination rooms were brought out in advance. Each of the six Grand Secretaries received three papers with their names covered. After each of them finished reading, they exchanged their papers until every cabinet minister had reviewed all eighteen. The remaining 213 papers were then distributed piecemeal to the other eleven examiners for evaluation and classification.

These eleven examiners would review all 213 papers in a pre-determined order. As they reviewed, the examiners would circle or cross each paper. Generally speaking, the more circles on a paper, the higher the final ranking. However, since the selection range for the top two places had already been established, the ranking order of the remaining papers was not actually that important. Even those with many circles would only receive a cursory review when they reached the cabinet ministers.

The examiners, other than the cabinet ministers, were well aware of this and didn't pay much attention to it. At most, they would only give a few careful glances to papers with beautiful handwriting. If the handwriting was ugly, they would simply cross it out and move on to the next paper. Reading hundreds of articles on the same topic in a single day would cause a lot of aesthetic fatigue.

(End of this chapter)