Chapter 123: The Top Scholar

Chapter 123: The Top Scholar

After the Yuanhua Emperor's words fell, no one dared to speak in the grand hall for a moment.

The second prince, Jia Hongyi, was the first to speak, "The Palace Examination tests national policies. I believe the young scholars still lack some experience. The Top Scholar should be a seasoned and composed candidate."

In this year's Metropolitan Examination and Palace Examination, his faction had no one capable of competing for the Top Scholar. However, he knew that the Crown Prince and Prince Jin were in a confrontation, and both sides had young talents. Jia Hongyi was happy to add some discomfort to their situation.

Prince Jin, Jia Honghan, curled his lips as if casually making a joke, "The Top Scholar is naturally for His Majesty to decide. However, I do have a favorite for the Third Place Scholar. With Du Yunse's appearance and demeanor, he is undoubtedly deserving of the title."

After both had spoken, the Yuanhua Emperor made no comment, "Crown Prince, what do you think?"

Jia Hongyuan seemed to snap out of his thoughts and softly laughed, "I was just thinking about how I would answer the emperor's question if I were one of the candidates below. I was momentarily lost in thought. Not just the Top Scholar, but every one of the three hundred candidates outside the hall is a pillar of our great nation. I wish to read each of their answers in detail."

The Yuanhua Emperor hummed in acknowledgment and said no more.

Jia Hongyi and Jia Honghan's eyes flashed with obscure light.

The brief conversation inside the Hall of Heavenly Purity did not spread beyond its doors. Outside, after some thought, most of the three hundred candidates had already begun writing on their draft papers.

The Palace Examination lasted a full day, ending at sunset. They had to write a splendid essay of two to three thousand words, leaving time for revisions and copying, with not a moment to spare.

Du Yunse ground the ink, spread out a long sheet of paper for his draft, and placed his brush at the far right.

"Your servant's view—"

"The great way of governing the world and aiding the people lies in the doctrine of harmony, in the adaptability born from balancing extremes, and then all methods are perfected. The previous dynasty suffered from the turmoil caused by extensive maritime trade, later closing the country and allowing problems to accumulate without resolving them, resulting in new disasters."

Du Yunse wrote the first paragraph summarizing the entire essay in one breath, then paused slightly.

The Yuanhua Emperor's question for this year's Palace Examination was "Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the previous dynasty's extensive maritime trade and strict prohibition of maritime trade."

As expected by all those in the know, it was related to ports and maritime trade.

In answering the Palace Examination, one must consider the emperor's intentions. The Yuanhua Emperor planned to establish new ports, so in answering this question, one could not possibly say that strict prohibition of maritime trade was beneficial.

However, one could not blindly promote extensive maritime trade either, as the Yuanhua Emperor's question clearly indicated that he still had doubts. Extensive maritime trade was not without its drawbacks; otherwise, the previous dynasty would not have first opened and then closed it.

The key to answering this question lay in identifying the drawbacks of the previous dynasty's extensive maritime trade, analyzing the root causes, and offering detailed and comprehensive solutions.

Maritime trade must be opened, but the errors of the previous dynasty must not be repeated. Therefore, seeking the ministers' counsel—this was the Yuanhua Emperor's true stance.

Du Yunse's philosophy was the way of harmony.

"The sage said, 'Harmony is the great root of the world; balance is the universal way. Achieving harmony, heaven and earth take their places, and all things thrive.'" (Note 1)

Quoting the sage to strengthen his argument, harmony is the great way of the world. Only by maintaining harmony and avoiding extremes can all things grow and develop.

Maritime trade is not wrong. The previous dynasty suffered from its drawbacks because they went to extremes.

Initially, they only knew to open up extensively, buying and selling goods to earn various rare treasures and the praise of foreign nations, but they did not set necessary restrictions. When the accumulated issues became hard to resolve, they went to another extreme, entirely banning maritime trade, which not only failed to solve the original problems but also led to new ones.

Du Yunse's brush never paused, writing several sections of content. First, he analyzed the specific problems in the previous dynasty's extensive maritime trade policy, then wrote about the new problems that strict prohibition of maritime trade would cause.

This was something he had been thinking about recently. Du Yunse also subtly mentioned some of the things Qiu Huanian had said that day, after careful selection and concealment, broadening the scope of his answer.

These analyses were all supported by classical references, with elegant language, making it a first-rate essay even without considering the content.

After finishing all the analysis, Du Yunse finally breathed a sigh of relief. The ink in the inkstone had been used up, so he simply put down his brush and began grinding ink again.

As he picked up the brush again, it was time to write down the specific strategies, which was the most critical section of the entire exam.

Of course, the essay was logically structured; if the previous analysis was not thorough, the subsequent strategies would certainly be superficial and miss the mark.

"The benefits of maritime trade lie in its fundamentals, while its pitfalls stem from lack of restraint... I propose six strategies to tackle this."

Du Yunse began to write and explain his six strategies in order.

First, specific regulations needed to be established for tribute and rewards. Foreign nations shouldn’t be allowed to bring mere wood and spices, offer beautiful women and strong men, bribe Honglu Temple officials with flattery, and then coax the court into exempting taxes, enabling them to return home laden with gold and silver treasures.

Second, restrictions on maritime trade were essential. Tea, ironware, and salt must not be sold in bulk, regardless of the money or jewels offered in exchange.

Third, the management of such large-scale trade and specialized taxation, jointly handled by the Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Revenue, would inevitably lead to shirking responsibilities, uneven workloads, and discord. It would be best to create a dedicated office or even a unified administrative zone.

...

Du Yunse continued to refine his thoughts into language fit for the Palace Examination.

Having spent a long time with Qiu Huanian and deepening their exchanges, his way of thinking and subconscious language choices had been influenced. Many words that once seemed strange no longer did.

However, this lack of strangeness was limited to the two of them. The Palace Examination paper submitted to the emperor must not hint at their private exchanges.

The early spring sunlight, though not strong, warmed away the chill.

As the sun began to set, Du Yunse finished his draft, and Jie Tanguang on his right side also completed his around the same time.

Du Yunse ignored the sound of Jie Tanguang gathering his draft. He reread his own draft, tweaked the wording, added parallelism and analogies, enhancing the essay’s coherence and flow.

At 3:45 PM, Du Yunse ensured that the essay had no further additions or deletions, calculated the time, and began to formally transcribe the examination paper.

The character 'subject' was written in small letters, while 'Your Majesty' and 'monarch' were capitalized at the top of the line, following the same format. The standard small, neat characters flowed smoothly onto the high-quality snow-white tribute paper, as composed as their author.

During this time, the Yuanhua Emperor had a meal and descended to the hall to walk among the three hundred candidates.

Many candidates, catching sight of the emperor’s bright yellow robe, grew nervous and couldn’t help but pause their brushes, afraid their trembling hands might ruin their papers.

The Yuanhua Emperor shook his head inwardly, walked straight past, and lingered a while longer in front of the desks of the top candidates from the imperial examination, with Du Yunse and Jie Tanguang receiving the longest attention.

Both proved their reputations and talents, staying unfazed.

By 5:45 PM, the sun had sunk significantly, its light turning golden-red, signaling the approach of dusk and the end of the Palace Examination.

The three hundred candidates, Yu Dynasty’s finest scholars, finished their papers on time. How well they had performed would be revealed at the grand ceremony two days later.

The Palace Examination papers were graded swiftly. The papers were collected before dusk, and by evening, the several grand academicians and Hanlin examiners appointed by the emperor would enter the palace to grade the papers overnight.

During grading, each examiner had to read all three hundred papers once. If they deemed an essay well-written, they would mark it with a circle.

By the evening of the second day, the examiners had to finish reading all the papers and submit the ten with the most circles to the emperor, who would then select the top three in the first rank and the first in the second rank. The remaining papers would be divided into the second and third ranks by the examiners.

By the morning of the third day, the rankings of all papers had been finalized, the names unsealed, and the golden list prepared. The grand ceremony for the new imperial examination graduates, the most glorious event for them, began.

As the sun set brilliantly, Du Yunse laid down his brush and ink at the whip’s crack. The three hundred candidates first bowed together to see off the Yuanhua Emperor, then quietly waited for the Ministry of Rites officials to seal the names and collect the papers.

By the time all the procedures were completed and the candidates could rise to leave the Forbidden City, many were already unsteady on their feet, their stomachs burning, barely managing to maintain decorum within the imperial city.

Du Yunse chewed a few more pieces of Sorghum Candy, and Jie Tanguang beside him noticed and glanced at him. Du Yunse met his gaze calmly.

"..."

Jie Tanguang glanced at the custom-made pouch hanging from Du Yunse's waist, shook his head, and said nothing.

In silence, the three hundred candidates retraced their path through the Right Side Gate beside the Meridian Gate, passed through the straight path and the side gates flanking the Duan Gate and the Chengtian Gate, and finally arrived at Chang'an Street outside.

Chang'an Street, which originally spanned the entire capital, was divided into East and West Chang'an Street by the two towering gates set up by the imperial city designers outside the Chengtian Gate.

Du Yunse only left the strict confines of the imperial city after walking out of the East Chang'an Gate, finally hearing the bustling sounds of the market.

No one dared to gather and wait near the imperial city, so Bai Quan could only stand by the East Chang'an Gate, watching. When he saw Du Yunse come out, he quickly drove the carriage over from a distance to take Du Yunse and Wang Yinzhi, who followed closely behind, home.

Qiu Huanian had been restless all day, pacing by the residence gate an hour early.

Seeing the carriage return, he hurried over to take Du Yunse's hand and led him inside.

"Come on, let's celebrate finally finishing the last exam of the imperial examination. I've asked the kitchen to prepare a lot of good dishes. Forget about everything else, let's have a good meal first, then get some sleep."

Yes, from the county exam, the prefectural exam, the academy exam, the provincial exam, the metropolitan exam, to the Palace Examination, he had completed all six major exams of the imperial examination with distinct levels.

Holding Qiu Huanian's warm hand, Du Yunse felt a sudden clarity, finally emerging from the influence of the Palace Examination and returning to the mundane world he cherished.

That night, Du Yunse and Qiu Huanian shared a few drinks at the table, and after washing up, they soon fell asleep holding each other.

He slept deeply. Qiu Huanian shifted slightly, moved up, and wrapped his arms around Du Yunse's head, pressing his face against the top of his hair, and happily nuzzled like a little fox guarding its territory, then fell back asleep.

The next morning, Du Yunse woke up right on time, as usual.

Realizing their sleeping position, he was slightly surprised. Just as he was about to get up to check on Qiu Huanian, he was gently pulled back by the neck.

Qiu Huanian murmured, "Don't get up yet, stay with me for a bit longer."

Du Yunse chuckled and stayed in that position, holding Qiu Huanian's waist with his hand, listening to the heartbeat close at hand, and enjoying a little more sleep he hadn't had in years.

The Palace Examination was over, with one day left before the announcement ceremony. Many people wanted to know how the top candidate had performed, but Du Yunse had not gone out or accepted any invitations.

These days were unusually sunny, and the magnolia trees in the main courtyard were in full bloom, with purple and white flowers complementing each other, quite beautiful.

Qiu Huanian suddenly got the idea to fry magnolia flowers and eat them, not letting the servants do it, but specifically directing Du Yunse to pick the flowers.

While Du Yunse stood on a small stool picking flowers, Qiu Huanian set up a reclining chair under the eaves, swaying and giving random directions.

Soon, a basket of flowers, each about half the size of a palm, was picked—beautiful and adorable.

Qiu Huanian went to the kitchen, added sugar and eggs to the flour, and whisked it into a batter, coated the picked and washed magnolia petals, fried them in oil for a few seconds, then quickly fished them out. The petals' fragrance lingered, and their thin, crispy coating gave them a unique texture.

Eating flowers wasn't filling. After frying a dozen or so petals and feeding himself and Du Yunse enough, Qiu Huanian had someone clean up and prepare a proper meal.

He and Du Yunse returned to the main room in the inner courtyard, finally finding time to discuss the Palace Examination questions.

The Yuanhua Emperor's specific focus on maritime trade in the Palace Examination showed he wasn't a proponent of isolationist policies. Qiu Huanian sincerely breathed a sigh of relief.

Du Yunse analyzed it thoroughly, and the strategies he proposed were very much in line with the current situation of the Yu Dynasty. Qiu Huanian, as a modern person standing on the shoulders of giants, couldn't think of anything better.

"My Palace Examination paper also has a part of Brother Hua in it."

Qiu Huanian smiled and shook his head, "What I said was based on your experiences. Being able to analyze the deeper reasons and integrate them into the answer is your own ability."

"Besides, how can we distinguish between you and me?"

Qiu Huanian asked Du Yunse, "When will Haijin Town's port open?"

"If His Majesty is willing to adopt my strategy, it should still take one or two years of preparation."

Qiu Huanian nodded. Thorough preparation before implementing such a major policy is wise. He could also use this time to do more and strive to catch the first wave of benefits.

"I originally thought about using part of the sixty-acre estate far from the city for workshops and growing raw materials for the workshops, while keeping the rest for ordinary crops. But now I think it might be better to use all of it for workshops."

"Brother Hua, you can handle these arrangements as you see fit." Du Yunse naturally had no objections.

Qiu Huanian stood up and stretched. "After the Palace Examination Ceremony, we should return to Xiangping Prefecture. Before we leave, let's pick a day to go to the estate and make arrangements. I’ve been away for so long, and I’ve already started missing Jiu Jiu, Chun Sheng, Yun Cheng, and Yuanling, as well as Xin Bai..."

...

On the 20th day of the third month of the 23rd year of Yuanhua, early spring weather, flowers in full bloom.

As dawn broke, civil and military officials, dressed in court attire, stood in rows on either side in front of the Hall of Heavenly Purity, quietly awaiting the triennial Palace Examination Ceremony.

The newly appointed Jinshi first went to the Imperial Academy to receive their Jinshi robes. After changing, they came to the front of the Hall of Heavenly Purity, standing in the center of the officials, facing north.

Three hundred Jinshi, dressed in deep blue round-collared robes with green borders, their collars revealing a hint of white inner garments, wide sleeves, leather belts with green straps, black gauze hats with hanging ribbons, and holding locust wood tablets, looked exceptionally spirited.

Standing in rows in front of the Hall of Heavenly Purity, hearing their names called within the Forbidden City, was indeed the pinnacle moment every ancient scholar dreamed of.

At the third quarter of the Chen hour, grand and melodious ceremonial music sounded in front of the Hall of Heavenly Purity. The Emperor, clad in ceremonial robes and accompanied by his entourage, ascended the Danbi platform, with dukes and princes flanking him.

Soon after, the herald would announce the names of the newly appointed Jinshi one by one. The top three in the first rank would be called three times, while those in the second and third ranks would be called once, each time accompanied by grand drum and music.

When the names of the Zhuangyuan, the Second Place, and the Third Place in the first rank were called, they would step forward and kneel before the ranks. Those in the second and third ranks would kneel in place to express their gratitude.

After all the names were announced, everyone performed three bows and nine kowtows to respectfully escort the Emperor back to rest. Officials from the Ministry of Rites would hold the imperial edict and lead the top three through the main gate of the Meridian Gate, walking out of the imperial city along the central imperial road, and post the edict outside the East Gate of Chang'an.

Afterward, officials from the Ministry of Rites would escort the Zhuangyuan back to his residence with canopies and ceremonial attendants, a process commonly known as the Zhuangyuan's procession.

Du Yunse stood at the head of the newly appointed Jinshi, posture upright, gaze slightly lowered, heart calm and composed.

He had given his all in the Palace Examination, and Jie Tanguang, supported by the Third Prince, must have been equally prepared. Ultimately, who would be named the Zhuangyuan depended entirely on which strategy the Yuanhua Emperor wished to adopt.

But if he couldn’t return home with the Zhuangyuan’s entourage, Brother Hua would likely be deeply disappointed...

As Du Yunse briefly lost himself in thought, the ceremonial music ceased, and the herald, holding the yellow edict, stepped forward.

The air seemed to freeze in that moment, and all the newly appointed Jinshi instinctively held their breath.

Du Yunse heard the herald’s melodious and steady voice.

"First in the first rank of the Palace Examination in the 23rd year of Yuanhua—"

"Du Yunse, from Xiangping Prefecture, Liaozhou."

"With exceptional literary talent, appointed as the Zhuangyuan, granted the title of Jinshi."

Du Yunse exhaled softly, stepped forward, stood before the ranks, and knelt.

He heard the herald announce his name three times, each followed by grand, melodious ceremonial music, echoing through the solemn, majestic imperial city.

The sound seemed to transcend time and space. Du Yunse suddenly saw his father, years ago, following the carriage step by step, sending him off to study far away. He saw his mother, at his father’s funeral, threatening her own life, demanding he continue his studies and not waste his future.

He saw his ten-year-old self, small, walking through mountains, rivers, and seas, gradually growing up.

He saw countless past experiences—some good, some bad, some joyful, some sorrowful.

When he finally reached the end, he saw his parents standing together, waving at him. He spun around to find Qiu Huanian already there, a smile lingering in his eyes.

"..."

"Your humble servant, Du Yunse, offers deepest gratitude for Your Majesty's benevolence."

The icy ground before the Hall of Heavenly Purity burned like fire as his forehead met it.

The herald's proclamation resounded through the long streets, yet a decade of toil at his studies left him unaged.

"Volume Two: Triumph of the Triple Crown (End)"

Author's Note:

Note 1: Sourced from "The Doctrine of the Mean"