Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 478: Announcement Day (Part )
With less than half an hour left before the court was dismissed, Wang An finally returned to the Qianqing Palace.

"Your servant greets the master, may he live long." Wang An came to the center of the hall and saluted the emperor.

"Get up." Zhu Changluo continued to write red ink on the memorial in front of him.

"Thank you, my lord." Wang An stood up and returned to his seat, but found that there was not a single memorial on the desk.

"Your notebooks have been distributed to them both," Zhu Changluo said without looking up. "Did you go to the Ministry of Rites?"

"My Lord," Wang An turned around and faced the Emperor. "I've gone to the Ministry of Justice."

Hearing this, Wei Chao paused, his head still lowered, but his ears pricked up.

"The Ministry of Justice has nothing to do with the Imperial Ceremony, right?" Zhu Changluo finished writing the imperial edict before putting down his pen and looking at Wang An. "Did you go talk to Old Huang about the patrol camp?"

Huang Kezan, while reporting the interrogation records of Li Guocheng, also mentioned that the patrol camp's food reserves were running low. Huang Kezan hoped that the emperor would discuss with the ministers to solve the problem of "where to get the food from", and suggested that it would be best to provide it from the palace.

Since Huang Kezan did not reach a consensus with the other prime minister, Duke of Yingguo Zhang Weixian, Huang Kezan submitted the memorial in his personal capacity rather than in the name of rectifying the government office.

Zhu Changluo, of course, was unaware of, and unconcerned with, the minor twists and turns involved. His instructions were direct. No need to waste time wrangling; the palace granaries should be opened to replenish the rations of the displaced and idle. Then, funds should be allocated to purchase grain from the market to restock the granaries of the patrol camp. Finally, these people should be sent to Tianjin and handed over to Sun Chengzong for management. The court did not want to support idlers, and there was a shortage of them there. By providing work instead of support, the dilemma would be resolved.

"No," Wang An said, "I went to find Li Guochen."

For Wang An, the resettlement of these seven thousand men was a minor matter. Since the emperor had approved the order, he could simply direct Cao Huachun to follow the administrative process. Simply disbursing the grain and silver and recording the expenditures would be enough, and the matter would have little to do with the Imperial Household Department. Subsequent oversight would be handled by personnel stationed in Tianjin by the East Factory, so there was no need for him to personally visit the Ministry of Justice.

"What do you want to see him for?" Zhu Changluo took another memorial and looked through it. This was the last one for today.

"I asked him to review the confession submitted by the Ministry of Justice." Wang An told the truth, but it was obvious that he could not say enough.

"There's nothing to review. The Li family's case has already been decided. There's no need to worry about something that has already been decided." Zhu Changluo shrugged nonchalantly. He didn't even want to ask more questions.

What really deserves his attention now is how to deal with other nobles who are involved or not involved.

If a closer look were conducted, all the nobles and relatives who attended the rally in Tsinghua Garden that day could be arrested, and there would be no shortage of evidence and stolen money. The Liaodong campaign lasted two years, and the campaign against the Chahar tribe, the left wing of the Mongols, lasted five years. The nobles and relatives undoubtedly made some money, whether legal or illegal. However, the emperor could not persecute the nobles and relatives. The central monarchy required the support of the nobles and relatives, and the position of Governor of the Beijing Camp must be independent of the civil service selection system. Extensive persecution of the relatively privileged hereditary military honors would chill the nobles and relatives' hearts, further undermining the foundation of the emperor's rule.

However, letting them off lightly wouldn't work either. To let them off would be to condone them, and to condone them would be to encourage them. The nobles, led by Marquis Wuqing, dared to smuggle strategic materials to the Northern Tartars and cause them to vanish at sea. If a few of them weren't brought out and severely punished, this group of people would truly be lawless and would sooner or later cause something even bigger.

Therefore, there must be a limit when it comes to who to pursue and what charges to bring.

Zhu Changluo continued to read the memorial, and saw that it said:

Zhou Zongjian, Imperial Censor of the Fujian Province of the Censorate, respectfully submits this memorial. A country's history is like a family's chronicle; a person's aspirations and histories are like his own. I have examined the Shimiao Veritable Records, completed in the early years of the Wanli reign. The records were meticulously reviewed, and every detail of the events is preserved. Now, the Emperor has first agreed to the request of the Minister of Aid and the Book of Rites to compile the Veritable Records of His Majesty's Father. They believe the Minister of Aid and the Book of Rites are attentive to historical events and must have a plan, which they will entrust to the historians. However, I have heard that many of the court's historical records have been lost because the historical bureaus have been stagnant and have long maintained their rules. Furthermore, within the past forty-eight years, with the shifting of bureaus and the disparate nature of the discussions, coupled with over twenty years of silence, the opinions of the emperor have largely been shelved, and only one in ten of those that have been submitted to the Six Imperial Court are considered. I now wish to compile these memorials into a book, but with so little to offer, what basis can I base my work on?
This memorial is not long, only about 400 words, and its core point is very clear, that is, the compilation of the Veritable Records should not only collect the regulations issued by the emperor, but also organize the memorials that have not been approved by the temple. It would be best to send officials from the Ministry of Rites to all parts of the country to collect the good deeds of filial sons, chaste women, hermits, and high-ranking officials, as well as valuable unofficial histories, and add them into the memorials after distinguishing them, so that the Veritable Records can be complete and detailed.

There was no reason to object, so Zhu Changluo wrote in reply: Your proposal is very appropriate. I will send it to the Ministry of Rites and ask them to draft a charter as soon as possible.

After finishing, Zhu Changluo put down his brush and stretched himself. The day's work was finally over.

After loosening his muscles a little, Zhu Changluo half leaned back in his chair and waved to Wang An. "Come here, come here."

"Yes." Wang An's heart tightened. He walked cautiously to the emperor and stood with his head bowed.

"Take a look at this first." Zhu Changluo took out a notice from a nearby drawer and handed it to Wang An.

Wang An swallowed nervously, but when he took the post and looked at it, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"You two gentlemen are truly experienced in planning for the country." Wang An quickly adjusted his mindset and straightened his back slightly.

"I just think too much." Zhu Changluo smiled, a smile that was somewhat bitter. The notice read: The situation in Liaodong is unclear at this time. If we rashly dismiss our troops, we may cause a blockage in the network and shake the morale of the army. Therefore, we think...
It's March 17th. Is Shenyang still in the hands of the Ming Dynasty?
Zhu Changluo shook his head to clear his mind, then picked up a list from the table. "Go and make the arrangements. Find a time and a reason to summon them to the Yangxin Palace."

Wang Anpeng took the list, glanced at it, and asked, "Master, how about four days from now?"

"Four days, what do you mean?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"The list of successful candidates will be announced tomorrow, and the Ministry of Rites will host a banquet the day after tomorrow. Three days later, the newly-appointed Jinshi will have to return to the palace to present their thanks. The palace will be bustling with activity these days, so it's going to be very busy," Wang An said, returning the invitation and the list of successful candidates to the drawer. "I'm afraid the news will leak out."

"If they can't even hide such a small thing, I wouldn't have called them here. Four days is too long, let's do it the day after tomorrow." Zhu Changluo said.

"But my lord," Wang An said, "the Ministry of Rites must have an official present at the banquet."

"Li Tengfang is also a court official. Let him accompany the scholars for a meal." Zhu Changluo said.

"Yes, I will obey your order." Wang An said no more.

Zhu Changluo stood up, and Wei Chao and Liu Ruoyu also stood up. "Master, are you still going to Jingren Palace today?" Wang An did not want the emperor to go to Jingren Palace again, such a sad place, and add to his troubles.

"Go." Zhu Changluo sighed softly.

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On March 18th, the first year of Taichang, the day of announcing the list of successful candidates.

The day of the announcement of the results of the imperial examination is known as the day when the names of the successful candidates are announced. The winners of the top three places, the second and third places, and the ranking of the remaining top three candidates will all be revealed on this day. For students who have studied diligently for ten or even several decades, this day is the most important day in their lives.

In a courtyard near the Imperial Examination Hall in Mingshifang, Wen Zhenmeng, a newly minted Jinshi (Jinshi) in his fifties, tossed and turned all night, like the other Jinshi in his class. Before the fifth watch drum had even struck, he had already climbed out of bed and, with the help of his wife and concubines, donned his newly minted Jinshi uniform.

Jinshi clothing is a special clothing given to new Jinshi scholars for attending the imperial examination ceremony.

The clothing includes a scarf, a robe, a leather belt and a tablet made of locust wood.

The so-called "jin," or round black gauze cap, has a very distinct characteristic: its stitching. It incorporates the crown of the official official's regular black gauze cap and the wings of the official official's futou, a combination of the two. In addition to the main body, the jinshi jinshi cap also features two hanging straps, a feature not found in any other formal official uniform and a defining characteristic of the newly minted jinshi's attire.

The robe of a Jinshi is a dark blue robe with a round collar and right lapel. Although the collar and cuffs of the robe have a green edge, it is still relatively simple overall.

Because Jinshi was not considered an official and had no rank, the leather belt of Jinshi's uniform was an ordinary leather belt without any decoration, with only a black corner hanging down at the back.

Regulations stipulated that this uniquely designed formal attire, imbued with the symbolism of aspiring officials, could only be temporarily loaned to Jinshi candidates. The "Collected Regulations" stated, "After the imperial examination, the ceremonial robes were awarded to the Imperial College. They were to be worn on the day of the results announcement. After presenting a letter of thanks, they would visit their teachers and perform the "Release of the Vegetarians" ceremony before changing into their regular clothes. Their scarves and robes would then be returned to the Imperial College for safekeeping." In other words, after the ceremony, the candidates, having shed their Jinshi status and officially entered the ranks of officials, had to return the attire to the Imperial College for the next batch of new Jinshi candidates.

After putting on the Jinshi uniform, Wen Zhenmeng immediately felt much more energetic, and the temperament of a pale-faced old scholar suddenly emerged.

Wen Zhenmeng walked out of the room alone and entered the second courtyard. His old nephew, the 42-year-old Shujishi Yao Ximeng, who had passed the imperial examination one year earlier than him, was already standing in the courtyard wearing the same miscellaneous court robes as those of a ninth-rank official.

Yao Ximeng came from the Hanlin Academy after the court session ended yesterday evening. Although he did not say hello in advance, Wen Zhenmeng had expected him to come, so he asked someone to prepare wine and food for him.

Drinking with the three uncles and nephews Wen Zhenmeng, Wen Zhenheng and Yao Ximeng were not only Wang Zheng, a failed juren from Shaanxi who had been living in Wen's house since the imperial examination, but also his friendly friend Fang Fengnian.

At first, the atmosphere at the banquet was rather awkward. Wang Zheng was the oldest, yet only a juren (a scholar-official), and everyone, save for Wen Zhenheng, who lacked any official title, looked down upon him. While no one truly looked down upon him, he felt uneasy at the table. Fortunately, after three rounds of drinks, Wang Zheng was persuaded by his "little brothers" to let things slide.

Let’s drink while we have wine. Why think so much? There is still one subject next year, so just take the next exam.

My friend Fang Fengnian originally planned to stay overnight, but he forgot to bring his imperial examination uniform, so he could only ride the Wen family's mule back to his residence before the night watchman rang.

"Uncle." Seeing Wen Zhenmeng wearing the clothes of a Jinshi, Yao Ximeng first smiled knowingly, and then went to greet him.

"Captain Meng, I'm wearing this outfit too." Wen Zhenmeng also walked over with a smile.

Wen Zhenmeng and Yao Ximeng had no intention of waking Wang Zheng and Wen Zhenheng. They simply exchanged greetings and headed side by side towards the main gate, where a pre-hired carriage was waiting for them.

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According to regulations, all civil and military officials in the capital were required to attend the ceremony to show the court's respect for those who passed the examination. If they were unable to attend, they had to inform the Ministry of Rites in advance of the reason, otherwise they would be impeached.

However, regulations are ultimately static; their effectiveness depends on the emperor's intervention. After the palace examinations of the 17th year of the Wanli reign, the emperor himself stopped presiding over them and attending the ceremony of announcing the names of the successful candidates. Naturally, he also ignored the attendance of other officials. Consequently, the ceremony became increasingly deserted.

But this year's situation was completely different from previous years. Even before the hour of Mao, the corner in front of Daming Gate was already packed with people. The congestion, centered in Qipan Street in front of Daming Gate, spread all the way to the surrounding Dashiyongfang and Nanxunfang, as well as the Zhengxi and Zhengdongfangs outside Zhengyang Gate. And it seemed to be spreading further.

"Master Wen, Master Yao!" The carriage carrying uncle and nephew Wen and Yao had just crossed East Chang'an Avenue when it was jammed. The hired driver had no choice but to lift the door curtain and said to the two men, "The carriage will not move. To avoid wasting time, you two should get off and walk."

Wen Zhenmeng wasn't particularly surprised by the traffic jam; the commotion outside had already foreshadowed it. But when he looked out the door, he was still a little startled. "Wow!" Wen Zhenmeng turned his head to look at Yao Ximeng. "I remember there weren't so many people last time, right?"

In the 47th year of Wanli's reign, Wen Zhenmeng and Yao Ximeng went to the capital together to take the imperial examination. Although Wen Zhenmeng did not pass, he still accompanied his nephew to Qipan Street to participate in the ceremony of announcing the results of the imperial examination.

"No, I remember the carriage drove all the way to the intersection of Qipan Street." Yao Ximeng was also surprised. "This is probably even more lively than the Lantern Festival."

"Get off first and squeeze through first." Wen Zhenmeng nodded deeply, a look of joy gradually appearing on his face. On a day like this, a lively atmosphere is always better than a quiet one.

The driver helped Wen Zhenmeng off the carriage and extended his hand to Yao Ximeng. After both of them had gotten out, the driver said, "Master Wen, you can go now. Today's fare will be fully refunded to your family later." In business, it is important to know when to give up. Even if the destination cannot be reached due to objective reasons, the carriage and horse company will still refund the fare, so as to retain regular customers.

"On such a happy occasion, don't even think about this little tip." Wen Zhenmeng smiled at the driver and pulled out a few large copper coins from his pocket. "This is your reward. Go back. Don't ask the coach company to return the money."

"Thank you, Master Wen! Thank you, Master Yao!" The driver happily took the copper coins and thanked the two masters.

(End of this chapter)