Zhao Song: My father was Emperor Taizu of Song

Chapter 133 Failure

Chapter 133 Failing the Examination (A long chapter of 4,000 words)

In the second year of the Jianlong era, at the end of March, after many busy days, the first imperial examination of the Song Dynasty finally came to a close.

The essay topic for this imperial examination was set by Zhao Dezhao.

Firstly, let us discuss what policies should be adopted to benefit the country and ensure the safety of the people in this present age.

After the topic of the policy essay was decided, Zhao Dezhao did not participate much, but handed over the responsibility entirely to Xue Juzheng and Lu Duoxun.

The establishment of the Chamber of Commerce and the Martial Arts Academy has also been put on the agenda, and he is simply too busy to attend to them all.

It wasn't until the day the final examination papers were reviewed that Zhao Dezhao managed to steal a moment from his busy schedule and hurriedly went to the Ministry of Rites' examination hall.

"Your Highness, with the combined efforts of all my colleagues, we have completed the grading of all the examination papers, of which 112 have passed."

Upon seeing Zhao Dezhao arrive, Xue Juzheng dared not delay and quickly stepped forward to report: "All the examination papers have been sealed and copied. After the officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices verify the original papers and the names and hometowns of the candidates, the complete list of admitted students will be submitted to Your Highness for review."

"So, in this imperial examination, a total of 112 people were selected as tribute students and are eligible to enter the palace examination?" Zhao Dezhao raised his eyebrows and clicked his tongue unconsciously.

The number of people was several points more than he had initially expected.

The subsequent palace examination will only determine the rankings, and will not eliminate students again.

"The fact that over a hundred people were admitted this year has exceeded my expectations." Xue Juzheng, thinking that Zhao Dezhao had mistakenly believed that the selection process was too lenient and would result in a mixed bag of candidates, quickly explained, "However, Your Highness, rest assured, none of my colleagues and I dared to slack off in grading the papers this time. The grading was even stricter than in previous years. Every single admission paper was reviewed and weighed repeatedly, and there were absolutely no mediocre candidates among them."

"Strict selection of officials is the proper way," Zhao Dezhao said, waving his hand dismissively.

Seeing that Zhao Dezhao did not show any displeasure, Xue Juzheng breathed a slight sigh of relief and couldn't help but smile and say, "Through this imperial examination, I have discovered that there are so many virtuous scholars in the world, like pearls hidden in the ocean."

"The same standards were applied, but the number of people admitted this year far exceeded that of previous years, which shows that most of those who passed the exam were scholars from humble backgrounds who were previously kept out of the court by those mediocre people."

"Your Highness's new policy on the imperial examinations has truly benefited the world and is a merit that will last for generations!"

Xue Juzheng adopted a very humble attitude.

Zhao Dezhao grinned and glanced meaningfully at Xue Juzheng: "It is my good fortune that Lord Xue understands my thoughts. There will be many things I need to rely on Lord Xue in the future, and I hope that Lord Xue will not refuse."

"Of course, of course—"

Seeing that Zhao Dezhao understood his meaning, Xue Juzheng's smile deepened. He then suddenly slapped his forehead, quickly retrieved a copied exam paper from his desk, and handed it to Zhao Dezhao with a hesitant expression: "Your Highness, today's exam papers were all graded according to Your Highness's requirements, only those who held criticisms of the old policies were selected. However, this exam paper—has left me somewhat undecided."

Zhao Dezhao nodded slightly, took the test paper, and after only a quick glance, he knew why Xue Juzheng was in such a predicament.

This is a policy essay advocating that the Song Dynasty restore the old system of the Han and Tang Dynasties. It begins with Emperor Wu of Han's "exclusive veneration of Confucianism" and elaborates on the "Reign of Zhenguan" of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Every word is precious and the writing is powerful. The author's talent is evident in the use of classical allusions, which amazes the reader.

To be fair, this policy essay is excellent in both style and insight. Even in previous imperial examinations, it would have been a top-ranking work and can be considered a rare masterpiece.

But it's a pity—

"This person is not needed." Zhao Dezhao handed the exam paper back almost without hesitation.

The exam paper was copied and had no name or place of origin on it. His decision was based purely on the viewpoints expressed in the exam paper and had nothing to do with personal grudges.

The reason is simple: this person's viewpoint contradicts his own.

For this imperial examination, he wanted scholars who could firmly support him in implementing reforms and breaking free from the shackles of the old system, not conservatives who clung to the old ways and were determined to restore the old system of the Han and Tang dynasties.

Even if this person is a rare talent, it still won't work.

The world is not lacking in talent, but in people who share his vision and perspective.

If this person is employed, he will inevitably become an obstacle to the new policies in the future. Rather than turning against him later, it is better to discard him as soon as possible.

Although Xue Juzheng had already guessed this result, he still couldn't help but feel sorry for the candidate, but he dared not have any objection. He turned to the Vice Minister of Rites beside him and instructed, "Go and have the Court of Imperial Sacrifices remove this person's name from the list of successful candidates."

"Yes, sir." The Vice Minister of Rites dared not delay and hurriedly left.

Before long, the officials in charge of verifying the list and preparing for the release of the results from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices found the candidate information corresponding to this exam paper.

Looking at the list in his hand, the official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices couldn't help but shake his head and sigh: "So it was Zhang Quhua—no wonder he could write such a policy essay, it's just a pity—."

"7

Despite his feelings, he dared not be negligent in the slightest. He immediately picked up his pen and ink and gently crossed out the three characters "Zhang Quhua" from the original list of 112 admitted students.

As the sun rose higher, the open space outside the Ministry of Rites' examination hall was already crowded with scholars and commoners waiting for the results to be announced.

As officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Ministry of Rites jointly hung the list of tribute students on the high wall, the previously noisy crowd instantly fell silent, and everyone looked up:

Yang Li ranked first in the provincial examination.

Zhou Wei ranked second in the provincial examination.

Li Su ranked third in the provincial examination.

Liu Cha ranked 111th in the provincial examination.

A total of 112 names were densely packed on the list, several times more than in previous years, leaving the onlookers dumbfounded.

"Heavens above! This imperial examination has actually admitted over a hundred people!"

"I knew the new policy was good! Look, Zhou Wei was just a vagrant, yet he achieved high honors in the imperial examination. We poor folks finally have our day!"

"That's right—in previous years, at most twenty or thirty people passed the imperial examinations, but this year more than a hundred people made the list, and there are so many more."

"Wearing simple clothes was something I never even dared to dream of."

Listening to the noisy discussions around him, Zhou Wei stood quietly in the crowd, looking at the name "Zhou Wei" on the list, but a sense of unrealistic fantasy welled up in his heart.

A month ago, he was a displaced person, a migrant worker who couldn't afford three meals a day and could only barely make ends meet by doing odd jobs. He didn't even have a household registration certificate.

And now, he has actually become a tribute student of the Great Song Dynasty!

How could such a dreamlike scene not leave one in a daze?

Congratulations, Brother Zhou, on your outstanding achievement!

Lü Duan was still amazed, but he was genuinely happy for his friend: "Now, Brother Zhou, you should accept my invitation and have a few drinks with me to celebrate, right?"

"It is only right that I treat you to a meal this time." Zhou Wei also came to his senses and quickly said, "It's just that I am short of money and really can't afford to take Brother Lü to a luxurious place like Fanlou. I can only find an ordinary tavern. I hope Brother Lü won't find it too bad."

According to the custom of Kaifeng, if someone achieved high honors in the imperial examination and became a tribute student, they would hold a banquet to celebrate their glory with their friends. Their first choice would be Fanlou, the largest and most luxurious restaurant in Kaifeng.

However, he was extremely poor, and the few hundred coins he had saved were earned from working for others, so he could not afford to live a luxurious life.

"A mountain is not valued for its height, but for the immortals dwelling there; wine is not valued for its price, but for the sincerity of the drinker." Lü Duan laughed heartily, not caring at all. "To be able to drink with Brother Zhou, even a roadside stall is better than delicacies from Fanlou."

After saying this, the two smiled at each other and prepared to squeeze out of the crowded throng to find a nearby tavern to celebrate properly.

Just then, a commotion arose, and a young man dressed in fine clothes, surrounded by a group of scholars, forcefully pushed through the crowd, head held high, and walked straight toward the list of successful candidates.

"Brother Xinchen, in my opinion, there's no need to look closely at this list of tribute students. If you can't rank highly, then who in Kaifeng is worthy of being on this list?"

"That's right! The world's talents are only a bushel, and Xinchen alone possesses eight-tenths of them. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he's the most outstanding official in the capital. Passing the exam this time is just a piece of cake!"

Listening to the flattery of the scholars around him, Zhang Quhua was disdainful, but he couldn't help but show an expression of enjoyment on his face. He even raised his chin slightly and became arrogant.

Despite their flattery, he felt that these people were simply telling the truth.

Looking across the entire Kaifeng Prefecture, among the younger generation, who can surpass him in talent?

In the crowd, Lü Duan caught sight of Zhang Quhua, who was surrounded by the crowd. He frowned slightly, recalled the names on the list, and whispered to Zhou Wei, "Brother Zhou, I remember this person. Isn't he Zhang Quhua from the Zhang family of Sui County? I didn't see his name on the list when I looked at it just now."

Zhou Wei nodded, then shook his head slightly, grabbed Lü Duan's hand, and quickened his pace to squeeze out: "What does this have to do with us?"

Whether he makes the list or not is his business; we can go and celebrate with our drinks.

Lü Duan nodded as well; he didn't like to pay attention to such gossip and trivial matters.

I had only asked casually, and seeing that Zhou Wei was unwilling to elaborate, I said no more.

On the other side, Zhang Quhua also happened to catch a glimpse of Zhou Wei squeezed in the crowd. He was slightly taken aback at first, but seeing that Zhou Wei's expression was calm, without joy or disappointment, he couldn't help but sneer in his heart: "Judging from this person's expression, he must not have passed the exam."

"Indeed, but what can a lowly commoner like me possibly read? Even if I were lucky enough to participate in the imperial examination, it would just be a waste of a spot."

He shook his head dismissively, then looked away, no longer paying attention to Zhou Wei. He raised his eyes to the list of tribute students on the wall, his gaze confident: "Yang Li—Yang family of Jingzhao."

Upon seeing the person at the top of the list, Zhang Quhua frowned, muttering with a hint of annoyance, "Although a one-day test is not enough to determine one's talent, it is not undeserved that he can get first place."

In his view, the top spot in the imperial examination should have been his, but now it has been taken by someone else, so he inevitably feels a sense of loss.

But he patiently continued looking down, his gaze sweeping over the second-place position.

Zhou Wei?

How could that vagrant be ranked second?

Zhang Quhua's gaze suddenly stopped, and he froze instantly.

How is this possible?!

He subconsciously rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things, but upon closer inspection, the name "Zhou Wei" was still clearly visible on the list, ranking second only to Yang Li.

Just as he was still in shock, one of the scholars who had previously flattered him suddenly asked in surprise, "Strange, why don't I see Brother Xinchen's name?"

"What a joke!" Another scholar couldn't help but laugh immediately: "With Brother Xinchen's talent, how could you possibly fail the exam?"

You must not have looked carefully enough. Look again carefully!

These two sentences struck Zhang Quhua like a thunderbolt. He snapped back to his senses, forced himself to remain calm, and looked down at the list, his gaze rapidly sweeping over every name on the list.

Li Su — Wang You — Liu —

As names flashed before his eyes, the composure in his eyes gradually vanished, his face turned slightly pale, and his breathing became increasingly rapid.

He followed the list carefully, from the first name, Yang Li, to the last, Liu Cha, looking at every single name, but he never saw the name "Zhang Quhua".

He froze, and his lips began to tremble.

"Impossible—absolutely impossible!"

He abruptly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them again, his gaze falling on the list once more, carefully reading it from beginning to end.

Once, twice, three times —

The scholars surrounding him gradually realized that something was amiss.

"Brother Zhang—it seems you really failed the exam?"

"No way? With Zhang Quhua's talent, how could he fail? I thought he would at least make it into the top three!"

"Who knows? Maybe he just had an off night?"

The whispers reached Zhang Quhua's ears like sharp knives, cutting into his heart.

He looked at the list three times, and with each look, his despair deepened until finally, he understood a fact.

He failed the exam.

"Buzzing..."

Upon learning the truth, Zhang Quhua's face turned deathly pale, his mind went completely blank, and he felt as if all his strength had been drained away. His body trembled slightly, his vision went black, and he was about to faint.

"Brother Nobuomi!"

Seeing this, the scholars around him rushed forward to support him, urgently comforting him, "Wake up! Don't get agitated!"

"Yes, Brother Xinchen, perhaps something went wrong. Don't let it harm your health."

"So what if you failed this time? With your talent, Brother Xinchen, you're sure to pass the next imperial examination with flying colors and stand out from the crowd!"

But these words of comfort sounded like a great mockery to Zhang Quhua.

He had long been accustomed to standing on the clouds, but now he had suddenly fallen into the mud. This huge drop made his heart begin to twist slightly.

"Get out! All of you, get out!" Zhang Quhua suddenly flew into a rage, shoving away the people who were helping him. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was crazed. "Who needs your fake kindness to comfort me? Don't think I don't know you're just laughing at me! Get out! Get as far away as possible!"

Everyone was startled by his sudden outburst of rage. Seeing his frenzied appearance, they all looked helpless. They wanted to persuade him again, but seeing that Zhang Quhua had already fallen into a state of madness, spewing out foul language, they gradually frowned.

They meant well, but were treated like dirt. Since that's the case, there's no need for them to keep trying.

He was nothing more than a failed scholar.

The crowd snorted and dispersed in a huff.

Zhang Quhua staggered back a few steps, standing dejectedly before the list of successful candidates, repeatedly muttering, "How could this be—how could this be—how could I have failed? They must have cheated! They must have cheated!"

"Those examiners must be jealous of my talent! They conspired to deliberately ostracize me! That must be it!"

"I'm going to seek justice! I'm going to beat the drum and appeal to the authorities!"

He muttered to himself as he staggered out of the crowd, appearing as if he were insane.

Suddenly, he crashed into someone with such force that he staggered back several steps before barely managing to regain his balance.

He raised his head blankly, and before he could see the person in front of him clearly, he heard a deep voice slowly ring in his ear: "Brother Xinchen, please calm down."

"Regarding your failure in the exam, I may know some inside information."

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