This was a crucial moment for Li Yuanying, determining whether he could pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi. He didn’t sleep in, getting up early to gather his friends and wait for the results to be posted.
Li Yuanying was unaware of the intense disagreement among the examiners regarding the ranking for this Jinshi examination. They almost came to blows.
Initially, everyone remained calm, sitting together peacefully to grade the papers. After all, the papers were anonymized and transcribed, so they didn’t know whose exam paper they were holding. They simply assessed the papers based on their own opinions.
The examiners for this exam were all appointed by Emperor Li, with Ma Zhou serving as the chief examiner. Of course, after Emperor Li officially became the chief examiner for the Jinshi examination, he gracefully stepped down to be the deputy chief examiner.
However, all the work still fell on Ma Zhou’s shoulders. Ma Zhou was a man of great ideas. When Emperor Li ascended the throne, he assigned homework to his former comrades, asking them to write down their insights and experiences and submit them for his review. One of them wrote something particularly good, and Emperor Li was astonished, thinking, “How could this rough and unrefined man have such profound and detailed thoughts?”
Emperor Li summoned the man and questioned him, only to learn that he had hired a ghostwriter, and the ghostwriter was Ma Zhou. Emperor Li immediately appointed Ma Zhou to an official position, often seeking his opinions.
For instance, in the past, during curfews, officials would run around making announcements. Ma Zhou, observing this, found it inefficient and wasteful. He immediately submitted a memorandum suggesting that they use drumbeats as a signal. From that day forward, the opening and closing of the markets were marked by drumbeats!
Ma Zhou was a man of nimble thinking. He came from a humble background, possessed a sharp intellect, and vigorously advocated for the exam paper he reviewed to be ranked first. He believed that the candidate could focus on reality, criticize the current state of affairs, while simultaneously maintaining literary elegance. Reading the entire essay was a refreshing experience. The many measures proposed, though bold, were feasible. In all respects, it deserved the top spot!
Don’t say “there’s no best in literature, no strongest in martial arts.” When a good essay is placed next to an ordinary one, the difference is starkly apparent!
If at this point, the dispute was merely due to different personal preferences, then after the initial rankings were drawn up and the original papers were retrieved to verify the identities, the argument intensified. Some even switched sides, agreeing with the opposition, arguing that this exam paper not only didn’t deserve first place but should be disqualified!
Though Ma Zhou also felt that the top spot was debatable, when he heard others say that the exam paper should not only be ranked first but also disqualified, he became even more determined to keep it in the first place. He directly proposed the final solution: “Let His Majesty decide!”
There was no other way. This answer sheet belonged to Wu Mei. Wu Mei was once Emperor Li’s consort. There were still whispers circulating about the legendary story of the “ruthless king losing his beloved” (a story that Li Yuanying had made up). Whether Wu Mei should be ranked first was something that only Emperor Li could decide. After all, no one knew if Emperor Li was like that “ruthless king,” heartbroken and restless, reminiscing about his lost love!
With Wu Mei as the target, the rankings of the others were no longer a concern. Everyone went along with the drafted rankings. Ma Zhou took this highly controversial ranking to Emperor Li for confirmation.
Emperor Li took the list and began to review it.
This Jinshi examination selected twenty-five candidates, five more than the original twenty.
This was also Emperor Li’s instruction. Even if Chengyang and the others passed, they couldn’t hold official positions outside the palace, making the places they occupied meaningless. To ensure the influx of talent, he added five extra places, allowing them to select up to twenty-five if qualified, but if not, they would rather have fewer candidates than lower the standards.
When Emperor Li saw the name written at the top by Ma Zhou, his face darkened. Though he had anticipated it, seeing Ma Zhou present such a list still put him in a bad mood. It was mainly because Wu Mei was once his woman in the palace. Now, she had not only entered the imperial examinations, but also taken the top spot!
Even though Emperor Li thought Li Yuanying’s story of the “ruthless king losing his beloved” was completely fabricated, at this moment, he couldn’t help but put himself in the shoes of that “ruthless king,” watching his “beloved woman” rise through the ranks, thriving more and more each day.
To ask him to decide whether to let Wu Mei remain in first place was tantamount to asking him to slap himself in the face!
Emperor Li glared at Ma Zhou, feeling that he was clueless about how to navigate social situations, making him handle such a matter!
Unfortunately, Emperor Li was more aware of the situation than Ma Zhou. Wu Mei’s essay had spread widely, and almost everyone literate in Chang’an City had read it!
The main culprit was Li Yuanying, who felt that publishing it in the official gazette wasn’t enough. He had someone set the most moving passages to music and have it sung at the Fengtai Pavilion. Now, everyone knew that this year’s imperial examination had produced an incredibly brilliant essay!
If the top spot were given to someone else, the best course of action would be to suppress that person’s essay, never allowing anyone outside to see it, lest the two essays be compared! However, none of the candidates this year stood out. No one’s exam paper could clearly surpass Wu Mei’s!
In reality, this situation was exactly as Li Yuanying had said. Since he had already allowed them to take the imperial examinations, he should have the magnanimity to tolerate the possibility that they might top the list and become Jinshi.
A person’s talent and knowledge come from both innate ability and cultivation. Both are indispensable. Therefore, true talents are extremely rare, discovered only after sifting through countless candidates. If Wu Mei’s academic achievements had reached this level, then why not give her the top spot?
As for whether this would lead to women across the land vying to follow suit and take the imperial examinations, there was no need to worry. The imperial edict calling for talented individuals had been issued for years. Most people still couldn’t put down their plows, and even many men didn’t have the opportunity to study, let alone women.
Even if they could all read, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. After all, women are primarily responsible for raising children. The reason why families from prominent clans were highly sought after was because they raised well-mannered, intelligent daughters, few of whom were foolish or ignorant.
Having made his decision, Emperor Li carefully reviewed the rest of the rankings. He didn’t see Li Yuanying’s name at the beginning. It wasn’t until the tenth place that he saw “Li Yuanying.”
This ranking was not particularly high, but it was definitely not low either. After all, there were many people taking the exam this year. Li Yuanying securing the tenth place was enough to shock many!
Further down the list, Emperor Li saw Wei Jiu and Chengyang occupying the last few places. Considering the age of these three young people, Emperor Li thought it was extraordinary that all four of them had passed the Jinshi examination.
He had found all the names he was looking for. Emperor Li was content. He returned the list to Ma Zhou, without making any changes to the rankings. He was unusually easygoing, allowing Ma Zhou to publish the results directly based on this list!
The examiners, taking a closer look at the rankings, realized that the only three female candidates had actually been selected, and Li Yuanying had surprisingly grabbed the tail end of the top ten!
While Ma Zhou went to Emperor Li to confirm the rankings, the examiners took the opportunity to reread the essays of these few candidates, hoping to find some flaws. However, they found that these essays flowed smoothly, without any awkwardness.
These examiners were all learned scholars who enjoyed Emperor Li’s favor. They couldn’t bring themselves to deliberately nitpick. They could only sigh, lamenting that their own students were lacking in talent, unable to even match these children barely over ten years old.
Everyone agreed, so the list was copied and released on the day of the announcement.
Li Yuanying and the others arrived early but didn’t manage to squeeze into the front. They waited as usual, relying on the people inside to pass along the news. No one knew why, but after the Ministry of Rites posted the list, the people who saw the rankings first fell silent. Each of them stared incredulously at the name at the top of the list.
The crowds outside, three layers deep, started to get anxious. They pushed forward, asking the people in front, “What’s going on? Who is at the top? Why are you all quiet? After you’re done looking, move aside so we can see too!”
Only then did the people at the front snap out of their trance, muttering in disbelief, “How is this possible?””Wu Mei? A woman?””The top spot is a woman?””Impossible! How could this be?”
Someone even burst into tears, feeling that the heavens were utterly unfair. How could a woman take the top spot, while they couldn’t even make it into the bottom half?
Hearing this, Li Yuanying was instantly energized. He proudly asked people to make way for them. “Make way, make way, everyone move aside. The top scorer is right here. Let us all have a look!”
Upon hearing his words, everyone cleared a path for him. He led Wu Mei and the others to the front to see the list. Li Yuanying glanced at the top. Sure enough, it said “Wu Mei”!
Li Yuanying was overjoyed. He turned to Wu Mei and offered his congratulations. “Mei Niang, it’s really you, you got first place!”
Wu Mei was also a bit incredulous. She looked at the name on the list, her heart filled with a joy and lightness she had never felt before. After leaving the palace, her mother and sister had both written letters to question her, asking why she was so foolish. Why would she abandon her position as a consort and follow a notorious troublemaker?
Only she knew how happy her current life was.
Li Yuanying lived freely and recklessly. He did whatever he wanted. Most importantly, he not only lived this way himself, but he also encouraged those around him to do the same.
Perhaps this freedom came at a price, but what did it matter? Nothing in this world was perfect. At this moment, she firmly believed her choice was right. She had never regretted leaving the palace.
Wu Mei laughed along with Li Yuanying, her heart light. She then searched the list for Li Yuanying and the others’ names. After confirming that all four of them who had taken the Jinshi examination had passed, they squeezed out of the crowd to meet up with Di Renjie and the others. Their months of grueling study had paid off. Everyone who had taken the exam this year passed. Di Renjie, who was usually unassuming, had actually taken first place in the Mingjing examination!
Li Yuanying had expected his friends to pass, but he hadn’t imagined that the top scorers of both exams would be his companions. He held one top scorer in each hand, running around showing off to the other candidates, boasting that he had the Jinshi top scorer on his left and the Mingjing top scorer on his right. No one in the world was more impressive than him!
Seeing Li Yuanying’s smugness, many people wanted to give him a beating. Their envy, jealousy, and hatred towards Wu Mei and Di Renjie faded.
Soon, many people sincerely approached them to offer their congratulations, especially those who had studied at the Imperial Academy with them. They were all proud of these new Jinshi who had brought honor to the Imperial Academy!
Li Yuanying thrived on this kind of excitement. He immediately extended an invitation, saying that they would be having a banquet at the Fengtai Pavilion that afternoon. Everyone was welcome to join, eat as much as they liked, and drink as much as they wanted.
As soon as the results of the imperial examinations were announced, messengers with the good news ran through every street and alley. The news that this year’s top scorer was a woman quickly spread throughout Chang’an City.
The Fengtai Pavilion also received the good news immediately. They knew that Li Yuanying had become the first Jinshi prince of the Great Tang, and they would have a Jinshi princess! What was even more remarkable was that the top scorer was their own!
This was incredible! Before Li Yuanying even sent word to arrange the banquet, the Fengtai Pavilion had already begun gathering ingredients and preparing the feast.
Chengxin was recently engrossed in stage design. Upon hearing the good news, she decided to treat the entire Fengtai Pavilion as a stage. She decorated the building inside and out with colorful silks, even had people build a beautiful archway outside the Fengtai Pavilion to greet guests. The Fengtai Pavilion had become the most dazzling sight on the entire street, a clear indication that the owner had something to celebrate!
Su Qiuniang followed Chengxin to check on the archway. Seeing all the staff busy and enthusiastic, her heart overflowed with joy. She looked up at the towering archway, smiling and remarking to Chengxin, “Days like this, I never even dared to imagine them.”
Chengxin paused, then smiled and replied, “Who could have imagined them back then?”
Days like this, they had never even dreamed of them.
**Author’s Note:**
Little Prince: I’m so happy today!
Surprise update this morning! You didn’t expect this, did you? *insert picture of a smiling Little Prince*.
Little Prince gets two top scores, wouldn’t you want to shower him with some nutrient solution? Last night at midnight, the nutrient solution was showing as zero, but it’s back this morning! You can test it out!
I’m not threatening you with updates!! The main reason is that the Little Prince started on January 1st and has already reached 550,000 words! If we count each month as four榜单 (rankings), plus the ones where there are no rankings, we can only have ten人工榜 (manual rankings). But if we update daily at 3,000 words, we could have twenty rankings! If we keep this pace, we’ll have a million words and still not have as many rankings as some people who have only written 500,000 words! So, here’s the update plan: If you send the Little Prince to the top of the rankings for a day, I’ll update twice a day, with 6,000 words total. If not, it’ll be like everyone else, 3,000 words a day, clinging to manual rankings, taking a break and catching my breath. Last month I updated a full 200,000 words! It’s been touch and go every day! My hair is falling out! Anyway, I’m still begging for some nutrient solution! If we hit the top, I’ll write even if it means I lose all my hair! qaq
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