Li Yuanying didn’t actually know Emperor Li had visited the Imperial Examination Hall before. The Jinshi examinations were much simpler these days, requiring just one essay on a current topic. It wasn’t easy writing a good essay, however, as it needed to be relevant, impressive, and unique.
The exam allowed test-takers to bring their own food and last a whole day. They could even light candles to continue writing throughout the night.
Li Yuanying and his group had discussed similar topics even though they hadn’t guessed the actual exam question. He was good at brainstorming and quickly drafted a general outline, then began writing his essay. Halfway through, he felt hungry, took a few bites of his food, and regretted not bringing tea. Nevertheless, he managed to eat enough and continued writing.
By noon, Li Yuanying had finished his essay. He reviewed it, checking for typos, prohibited content, and overall fluency. As for literary style, that was his limit; he couldn’t really improve it, so he just aimed for comprehensibility.
He was satisfied with his performance and turned in his essay early, leaving the Imperial Examination Hall. He looked around, but Wei Jiu and the others weren’t out yet. He went to a tavern outside the hall, used the restroom, and sat down, asking for some tea.
The tavern owner had never heard anyone ask for tea at a tavern before and said, with an air of resignation, that his shop was too small and had no connections to procure the kind of tea favored by officials. Li Yuanying knew tea was a hot commodity, but he didn’t know that regular people couldn’t buy it. He told the owner to send someone to Qianjin Hall to get some tea; he wanted his tea.
Li Yuanying paid generously, making the owner and staff happy to do business with him. They collected the money and went to fetch the tea. With that settled, Li Yuanying asked the owner about the difficulty of buying tea. He enjoyed hearing about it; the harder it was to buy, the more it meant the tea was selling well and they were making a lot of money!
Shortly after, the staff returned, not only with tea, but also Huang Ying, Huang Li, and the others. Li Yuanying had gone to the Imperial Examination Hall without them today, claiming he didn’t want special treatment. He’d told them to read or study medicine at Qianjin Hall and the library.
When they heard Li Yuanying was done with the exam, they, along with their guards and eunuchs, rushed over to serve him. They even brought all the tea-making equipment, taking over a corner of the tavern and familiarly preparing tea for Li Yuanying.
While the tavern wasn’t packed, it wasn’t empty either. Seeing two teenage girls brew tea effortlessly, everyone found it visually pleasing. Some bold patrons asked Li Yuanying for some tea, saying they wanted to try something new.
Li Yuanying generously agreed: “Why not?”
Hearing his generosity, they introduced themselves and exchanged names with Li Yuanying.
Li Yuanying readily shared his name, but the others only knew Prince Tang, not Li Yuanying. They found the name vaguely familiar, but couldn’t recall where they’d heard it.
Upon learning he had just finished the exam, several people joined his table, asking him what questions were on the exam, how difficult it was, and how he did. Li Yuanying answered them all, confidently claiming he would surely pass and that the questions were easy.
Everyone found his confidence surprising, considering he was only thirteen or fourteen years old. Out of respect for his hospitality, they all agreed to keep their thoughts to themselves, offering sincere congratulations to Li Yuanying.
After sharing tea with the tavern patrons, Li Yuanying finally waited for Wu Mei and the others to emerge. Di Renjie and the others took a more complicated exam, so they weren’t seen yet. Li Yuanying sat by the window and waved to them when they came out, inviting them into the tavern for tea and to wait for the others.
The tavern patrons hadn’t left yet. Seeing the three young ladies emerge from the examination hall, all younger than each other, they immediately recalled recent rumors. They heard this year’s Jinshi exam was quite chaotic, with the current emperor sending his brother and even his daughter to take it. There were also two other female candidates, one of whom was his brother’s fiancée!
Seeing the three young ladies nonchalantly ignoring the stares, confidently settling around Li Yuanying, the patrons inexplicably felt that their presence in the tavern wasn’t inappropriate, but their prolonged gazing was a bit rude.
Many then learned Li Yuanying’s true identity: he was the current emperor’s youngest brother! No wonder even his two maids were so pretty and adorable!
Li Yuanying, of course, had no idea what the patrons were thinking. After Wu Mei and the others arrived, he asked how they did on the exam.
They all felt they had performed normally. Wu Mei’s face even held a hint of bright radiance. She knew she would be disqualified even if she got a good score, but since she had been given the opportunity, she would seize it!
Li Yuanying knew their identities would easily become a subject of gossip, so he had a good plan: “Could you rewrite your essays? If you can, we’ll publish them in the newsletter and let scholars across the land judge them. We’ll take the lead and tell everyone that any test-taker can submit their essay. We’ll publish them in batches, and the newsletter will pay them a fee so they can live comfortably in Chang’an.”
Wei Jiu nodded: “I can rewrite it.”
Wu Mei and Chengyang said they could do it too.
Li Yuanying suggested publishing four essays per issue without names, letting readers decide for themselves what was good and what was not. Truly good writing knows no bounds; all it needs is a platform to be seen.
At that moment, Di Renjie and the others emerged. Li Yuanying bid farewell to the tavern patrons he had exchanged names with, telling them that he and the others’ essays would be published in the newsletter the next day, urging them to read them.
They were naturally excited by this news, promising to read the essays and tell their friends and family about them.
Di Renjie and the others, upon hearing about the publication of their essays, regretted not taking the Jinshi exam, which would have allowed them to join in the fun with Li Yuanying and the others.
Tang Guan, however, was a bit worried: “Wouldn’t the Emperor be angry with you for doing this?” Publishing their exam essays before the rankings were announced and letting outsiders judge them seemed like a way to pressure the Emperor into giving them a good ranking.
Li Yuanying retorted: “I didn’t ask him to play favorites, so what’s he got to be angry about?” He was simply allowing everyone to read the essays and judge their quality. What was wrong with that? The Imperial Examination Hall was closed during the grading period, so any external noise wouldn’t affect the results. Why couldn’t he release them?
Li Yuanying wasted no time and immediately took Wei Jiu and the others to the library to memorize their exam essays before nightfall.
The next morning, those who habitually read the newsletter noticed a special edition. It included four unsigned exam essays, each with a different style, some delicate and meticulous, others natural and grand, and some sharp and incisive. Overall, they all offered a satisfying reading experience.
It wasn’t possible for them not to be satisfying, as they had been writing at least one essay every day for the past few months, writing until they felt sick and reading each other’s essays until they felt sick. They could write thousands of words with their eyes closed, no matter the topic.
Everyone holding the newsletter couldn’t help but reread the four essays, silently ranking them in their minds. Some test-takers were disheartened after reading them, thinking that if the other candidates were all at that level, they were doomed to fail.
Others were unsure and wanted to know others’ opinions. They boldly took their essays to the library to be published in the newsletter. This way, they could assess their own level and earn a fee. What was there to lose?
The next day, the newsletter published four more exam essays.
The candidates relaxed: it seemed not everyone was a master.
The Imperial Examination Hall still had many more days of grading, so many people couldn’t wait. They proposed that the library stop publishing four essays at a time and instead post each one as soon as it was received. This way, they could constantly read new essays and compare them to their own. The library readily agreed, changing to instant copying and posting, making it just as lively as when it first opened.
The commotion outside naturally reached the court officials.
Kong Yingda, upon hearing it, immediately recognized Li Yuanying’s hand in it. His beard bristled with anger. That brat couldn’t be still even after the exam, and he even paid money for the candidates to publish their exam essays! Now everyone was discussing which of the exam essays was best, and many believed the best one was among the first four published!
This clearly indicated that he believed the ranking might be unfair and was taking preemptive action by spreading his essays. They really did have confidence in their work!
Kong Yingda didn’t cover for Li Yuanying, and he directly reported the matter to Emperor Li.
Emperor Li, his face dark, summoned Li Yuanying.
After making arrangements for the publication of the essays, Li Yuanying had stopped paying attention to the matter. He happily instructed Dong Xiao’e to allocate staff, discussed internship arrangements with the Imperial Academy, and prepared for the upcoming trip to Taiyuan.
There was no concept of a palace exam at this time. After the exam, one simply waited for the list to be released, followed by a royal audience and a triumphant return to one’s hometown. These things held no interest for Li Yuanying. If Wu Mei topped the list, he could arrange a feast at Fengtai Tower, a grand one!
So Li Yuanying, having done what he could, no longer cared. He was eagerly planning a post-exam trip, taking Si Zi and the others to Taiyuan to visit Li Zhi and see his chubby son.
When Emperor Li summoned him, Li Yuanying was confused and asked why he had been called so suddenly.
Emperor Li threw the latest “special edition” of the newsletter at Li Yuanying and demanded an explanation.
Li Yuanying replied, “Just exchanging ideas!” He naturally asked Emperor Li in return, “Didn’t you discuss your exam with others after you finished it, Brother? These essays aren’t something to hide; why can’t they be published?”
Emperor Li glared at him.
Even though Li Yuanying hadn’t signed his name, he could guess that the first four essays were written by the group. He just wasn’t sure which one was the most impressive.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that one of the essays was deep and sharp, far surpassing all the others. Even the scholars from the Hongwen Hall admitted that it was a shame to use it for the exam. It was a truly timeless piece, every sentence hitting the mark.
To write a piece on current affairs to that level, one must have experience, insight, and generosity of spirit.
Emperor Li privately hoped that the essay was written by Li Yuanying, but after considering it several times, he realized it couldn’t be.
Li Yuanying lacked the sharpness the essay possessed. Another essay, with an “I could have been more unrestrained” vibe, was more in his style. It was clear he was trying to restrain himself.
Wei Jiu and Chengyang couldn’t have written it either.
That left only one possibility: Wu Mei.
He had given her the name “Mei” because he believed she was exceptionally beautiful with a charming aura.
It turned out that since leaving the palace, Wu Mei was gradually becoming like a sharp sword unsheathed, her brilliance increasingly evident!
Seeing Emperor Li’s displeasure, Li Yuanying actively explained himself: “Brother, while it’s true that one should not shy away from nepotism, I am your brother, Chengyang is your daughter, and Wei Jiu will be your future sister-in-law. We’re all close to you, so it’s inevitable that some people will spread rumors! I know it’s tough for you, so I published the essays beforehand to let others see them. If they think they deserve a higher ranking and blame you for favoring your own family, I’ll show them what’s what!”
Emperor Li coldly snorted: “If you think you deserved a lower ranking, would you let others judge as well?”
Li Yuanying flatly denied: “Impossible! If you weren’t fair, you could have simply forbidden us from taking the exam. When the Turks surrendered, you gave them land to settle and appointed them as officials and generals. No matter where people come from, as long as they are willing to be Tang subjects, you treat them the same as other Tang citizens, allowing them to become naturalized, join the army, and take the civil service exams. You welcome envoys from all over, and if they want to learn Tang writing and Tang knowledge, you allow them to attend the Imperial Academy. You have room for everyone in the world, Brother, so surely you have room for a few Tang women?”
Emperor Li’s expression softened a bit. Leaning back on the couch, he rubbed his forehead, looking weary, and asked: “Have you been getting close to the sons of the Fanyang Lu family recently?”
Seeing that Emperor Li seemed tired, Li Yuanying smartly approached him, massaging his temples while saying, “Yes, it was Old Fang who brought him to Cuiwei Palace last time. You even praised his poetry! Let me tell you, he’s smart; he learns things quickly. I think he’s being held back by his family. They make him study classics, which is honorable and all, but very difficult. If he came to Chang’an earlier, he would definitely have taken the Jinshi exam with us!”
Emperor Li was enjoying Li Yuanying’s flattery when he was reminded of those annoying aristocratic families.
If all the sons of aristocratic families took the Jinshi exam, Li Yuanying would have no chance! While the court had established official schools, giving commoners a chance to study, many commoners were illiterate from birth, and others needed to stay on the farm. It was difficult to find those who could truly use their knowledge. The talents who could immediately be put to work were mostly in the hands of the aristocratic families.
Emperor Li didn’t mind using people from those families, but the problem was that they looked down on the Li Tang royal family, and many didn’t even bother to take the exam. This time, he let Li Yuanying and three female candidates take the exam, causing some candidates to silently boycott it, believing it insulted them!
Emperor Li had his pride as well. These aristocratic families were unwilling to play with his Li Tang royal family, so he didn’t particularly like them either. When he asked Gao Shilian to compile the “Shizu Zhi,” he specifically asked Gao Shilian to move those families down a rank.
Hearing Li Yuanying’s sincere praise for Lu Zhaolin, he felt quite curious. If there was anything the aristocratic families looked down on the most, it was people like Li Yuanying, members of the royal family with a less than stellar reputation. How did this kid win him over?
Li Yuanying, hearing Emperor Li’s disbelief that he could be friends with Lu Zhaolin, said unhappily: “I made an effort to be friends with him, and he’s been sincere with me in return. What’s so strange about that? I also correspond with many of his friends. When we encounter problems we can’t solve, we write to them for help!”
Emperor Li said: “It seems he really considers you a friend.”
Lu Zhaolin wouldn’t have mentioned Li Yuanying to his friends, let alone included him in his correspondence, unless they were genuinely close.
Li Yuanying proudly declared: “Of course! I’m great at making friends!”
Emperor Li, seeing his smugness, didn’t want to hear him brag any further. He told him to go play and stop meddling.
Li Yuanying flatly denied: “I’m not meddling!” He wouldn’t leave, instead asking, “Brother, did something upset you?”
Emperor Li initially didn’t want to tell him, but Li Yuanying had learned some techniques from Sun Simiao and was giving him a comfortable massage, so he leaned back and mentioned it briefly.
The worry was about whether to lead a campaign against Goguryeo. Goguryeo had been restless for the past few years, mainly because of the powerful minister named Ge Suwen. Ge Suwen’s full name was Yuan Ge Suwen, with Yuan being his surname. Everyone conveniently called him Ge Suwen or simply changed his surname.
Ge Suwen, who held military power, did whatever he wanted in Goguryeo. He had already dismembered the previous king who wanted to kill him, and the current king, whom he had put on the throne, was completely subservient, supporting everything he did. After finishing the internal power struggle, Ge Suwen set his sights on neighboring countries, starting with Silla. After all, Silla was already unstable, and Goguryeo and Baekje were ganging up on them, leaving them completely defenseless.
All of these were vassal states of the Tang Dynasty. They were disobeying their overlord and repeatedly challenging the authority of the Heavenly Khan, something Emperor Li couldn’t tolerate. He had to strike!
The military officials in the court all agreed. They hadn’t exercised their muscles for a long time and were eager to earn some military merit. As for matters like the depleted treasury and suffering populace, those weren’t their concern. If military officials could handle those, what was the point of the civil officials?
Naturally, most civil officials opposed this move, as it would increase their workload while helping others gain glory.
Wei Zheng, in particular, opposed it vehemently. He seized every opportunity to advise Emperor Li, saying that the Tang Dynasty had been engaged in continuous warfare for years, first with the Turks and Tuoba, then Tubo and Gaochang. The people were suffering!
Goguryeo was far away in Liaodong, with poor land and meager resources. Even if they captured it, there would be little benefit. More importantly, the front line was too long, making troop and supply movement incredibly difficult. A Goguryeo expedition would mean heavier burdens on the people, with all the adult males enlisted. Their lives would be unbearable!
Li Yuanying realized that during his time studying for the exam, there had been a round of debate in the court. Dai Ting, as usual, hadn’t sent any news, and he didn’t know what the situation in Silla was.
Hearing Emperor Li talk about how awful Ge Suwen was, Li Yuanying became anxious: “Are Dai Ting and Manman okay?”
Emperor Li said: “Xiangli Xuanjiang said they had arrived safely in Silla when he returned. There’s no other news. Why, haven’t your people sent you any messages?”
Li Yuanying replied: “Dai Ting never writes. He says it’s useless to write from so far away. He’ll just report everything when he comes back.”
Li Yuanying had considered appointing someone to specifically write letters, but then realized it would seem like he was monitoring Dai Ting, so he gave up and let Dai Ting do as he pleased.
Emperor Li raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you worried he’ll run off with your money?”
Li Yuanying said: “If Dai Ting cared about money, he wouldn’t be running all over the place.”
Emperor Li said: “Oh? Then what does he care about?”
Li Yuanying was stumped.
He hummed: “How should I know! He doesn’t care about that little bit of money anyway.”
Emperor Li felt that if this kid wasn’t lucky and hadn’t picked good people, he would have already squandered all the money he had.
At that moment, someone announced that Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling were requesting an audience. Emperor Li told Li Yuanying to go find Li Jing; there was a military report from him that might contain news from Silla.
Li Yuanying didn’t enjoy listening to them discuss politics, so he ran off.
Changsun Wuji entered, noticing that Emperor Li’s mood had improved. He sat down and asked about Li Yuanying’s presence. Emperor Li, with an exasperated expression of “What do I do with my nosy little brother who always wants to be near me?”, said, “That kid learned a trick from Old Sun and insisted on giving me a massage, so we chatted a bit.”
What could Changsun Wuji do?
He could only praise Li Yuanying for being such a filial younger brother.
Li Yuanying, unaware that he had just grossed Changsun Wuji out, went off to find Li Jing to read the military report.
Li Jing had applied for retirement, but Emperor Li hadn’t let him. He had recently been put back in charge of the Ministry of War.
Upon hearing that Emperor Li had sent him, Li Jing naturally showed him all the reports.
Li Yuanying had only heard a few things from Emperor Li, so he was impressed by Yuan Ge Suwen, who could be considered the main culprit. He discussed him with Li Jing: “This guy is pretty formidable.”
Li Jing said: “The countries in Liaodong are isolated, and they’re so bold because they believe themselves remote. Once our troops march north, they will quickly surrender. They’re not that powerful.”
Li Yuanying said: “If we attack and they surrender, should we still keep fighting?”
Li Jing replied: “If they surrender, of course we stop.”
Li Yuanying said: “It sounds pointless. It’s just surrendering. They’re already Tang vassals. Whether they surrender or not, they have to pay tribute. If they’re shameless, they surrender to us and then continue to cause trouble as soon as we leave. Do we have to fight them again?”
Li Jing said: “There’s no other way; you can’t wipe out an entire population just because they’re willing to surrender.”
Li Yuanying sighed and lamented: “The most difficult people in the world are the shameless ones!”
The young prince didn’t see any reports about Silla, but the news of Jin Shengman’s safe return had been brought back by the envoys, so he wasn’t too worried. He thanked Li Jing and left.
The next morning, the Imperial Examination Hall was to release the list. As soon as the gates of the markets opened at dawn, scholars scattered across the city flocked to the examination hall to see the list.
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