Chapter 62 The Sky: Anonymous Exams Emerge

Chapter 62: The Heavenly Screen — The Birth of Blind Examinations

The capture of Tuoba Yi and the burning of Ye City were heavy blows!

…

Wang Jian, another Wei general stationed north of Ye City, was already on his way.

He had a premonition of disaster the moment he received news of Tuoba Yi’s southward pursuit and immediately led his troops. His initial thought was that even if he couldn’t dissuade Tuoba Yi, he could at least provide support.

Yet, Tuoba Yi’s downfall came far swifter than he’d imagined.

Liu Bobo, who captured the enemy forces, proved to be far bolder than the average general.

Now, a clear-headed Liu Bobo led his troops in retreat, leaving Wang Jian—who had followed the flames—only able to glimpse the distant riverboats fading from sight. There was no hope of catching up with the enemy who had crossed the border.

"General, it’s a good thing we moved fast, or we would have been surrounded," a soldier remarked, tugging at his hastily donned uniform. Though still unaccustomed to the shift from refugee to soldier, he couldn’t help but praise their luck. "Now, he can only stare at our backs in frustration."

"Not necessarily," Liu Bobo replied grimly.

"Huh?" The soldier didn’t understand what else the general could be worried about.

Then the young general, still a youth himself, smirked mischievously: "He can always watch the Heavenly Screen to pass the time, can’t he?"

"…"

…Well, that was true.

But would General Wang Jian—would he really find that entertaining?

Amidst his frustration at being unable to pursue, the reappearance of the Heavenly Screen felt like another sudden obstacle.

He wasn’t even sure if he could afford to ignore the information on the screen—whether he could, like Tuoba Gui had done when leading them against Yan, resolutely block out the sights and sounds to launch a crucial campaign.

All he could do was stand by the Yellow River, sighing in vain.

Equally disinclined to watch the Heavenly Screen but forcing himself to listen was the Qin Army, still at Mianchi—especially King Yao Xing, who had spat blood yet again.

Shortly before the Heavenly Screen’s return, he had received urgent news from Luoyang.

One message, delivered by scouts, detailed the situation at Luoyang’s various passes. His scouts couldn’t ascertain how united the people of Luoyang had been or how they had repelled the enemy, but he now knew that every entrance to Luoyang was back in the hands of the Ying forces.

If he sought another opportunity to expand his territory, it would not be in Luoyang.

Hangu Pass was easy to defend and difficult to attack; the Qin Army had suffered a heavy defeat there before. To regain confidence and seize it would require far more than ten or even a hundred times the manpower stationed there.

Nor would Luoyang underestimate the Qin Army’s movements again.

One wrong move led to a cascade of errors! Though not a complete defeat, it had cost him dearly—almost like losing an arm.

Yao Xu was dead. Beyond giving his uncle a lavish burial and personally mourning him, there was nothing else he could do—not even the hope of retrieving his body…

Though Yao Shuode and the others accompanying him didn’t blame him for this, Yao Xing himself simply could not accept the outcome.

The other message came urgently from Hedong.

That fellow, Tuoba Gui, King of Wei, had been only three days’ march from the Luoyang battlefield earlier—yet only moved to Hedong after news of his general’s death arrived.

He had not attacked Luoyang. After a tense standoff across the river with Yong’an, he had withdrawn his forces.

Rationally, Yao Xing believed Tuoba Gui’s decision was entirely correct. With Luoyang now a fortified city, throwing troops into battle without restraint would only lead to a disastrous defeat.

But…

With Tuoba Gui’s departure, Luoyang truly became Yong’an’s domain.

Gazing at the reappearing Heavenly Screen, how could Yao Xing still view it as a tool to expose Yong’an’s weaknesses? His eyes were inevitably clouded with a hint of distraction.

Had the Qin Army not regained its fighting spirit amidst the life-or-death crisis of public opinion, he might have collapsed already.

Yao Xing rubbed his temples and instructed the man before him: "Chong, record everything the Heavenly Screen says."

The continuous blows had left him somewhat disoriented. He had to ensure he could make a clear judgment once he regained his composure.

Yao Chong glanced at Yao Xing’s weary, pale face, unsure whether to be grateful that the Heavenly Screen had mentioned Yao Chang earlier rather than now. Even if it spoke of Yong’an’s achievements, it was still better than twisting the knife in Yao Xing’s wounds, wasn’t it?

…

"Taking the Battle of Luoyang as a watershed—or alternatively, Huan Xuan’s enfeoffment as King of Chu—Yong’an’s political and military initiative grew significantly."

"On the surface, the rivalry between Huan Xuan and Yong’an was out in the open. Huan Xuan, commanding the elite troops of Jing Province and bearing the title of King of Chu, cut an imposing figure. But upon closer inspection of the policies issued during this period, at least thirty percent originated solely from Yong’an."

"Don’t underestimate that thirty percent. These were explicitly her own decrees, not even counting the additional decisions influenced by her."

"That’s truly remarkable."

"Indeed, regencies by empresses dowager had precedents—such as Lü Zhi of the Western Han or those during the Eastern Han’s 'child emperor era.' But the dominance of powerful ministers and aristocratic clans inherently clashed with a dowager’s genuine hold on power. Who was primary and who was secondary—that was the real game."

"For example, Empress Chu, who presided over six reigns and three regencies, lived in the era of Grand Marshal Huan Wen. Compared to her predecessors, she was more a figurehead for political stability than a sovereign capable of independently enacting policies."

"Now, Huan Wen’s son Huan Xuan keeps pushing harder, rewarded with the title of King of Chu for his 'merits' in 'quelling rebellion'—yet the dowager has seized the authority to issue decrees alone. In a sense, he has already lost."

"And it was at this time that Yong’an, leveraging that wager and the subtle dynamic between ruler and subject, rolled out a unique examination."

The officials in Jiankang froze in place.

When it came to examinations, no one understood them better.

Hadn’t Yong’an administered one just before leaving for Luoyang due to the war, and again before her inspection of Jingkou?

The anxiety they’d felt upon seeing those blank papers was still fresh in their memories…

So, it seemed their parallel selves up there had undergone something similar?

They might as well listen and see what the Empress Dowager had been planning.

Yet as they listened further, they realized this was different.

"The topics of this examination were military strategy and governance."

"Military strategy focused on how to handle the situation after Luoyang’s recapture—with Luoyang and Jing Province as the core, surrounded by three enemy forces besides the Jin Dynasty. How to counter potential alliances, manage post-war relations, and ensure that if war reignited, Luoyang wouldn’t fall immediately, keeping the battlefield beyond the Eight Passes."

"Governance addressed how to restore livelihoods in the war-torn Luoyang, how to resettle its people and refugees fleeing south after the war, and how to allocate manpower without draining the existing systems of Jing and Yang Provinces."

"In short, the central theme was Luoyang. In modern terms, it was a classic essay prompt: 'From a political or military perspective, analyze the Jin Dynasty’s recapture of Luoyang and propose your own strategies.'"

"A perfectly normal question."

"The unusual part lay in the new rules of the examination."

The rules changed?

The officials exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what new trick the Yong’an from above had devised this time.

This seemed like a simple brainstorming session, nothing more.

Then the Heavenly Screen spoke: "This was a blind examination, open to officials and commoners eligible to take the exam from four regions: Jiankang, Jingkou, Nanjun, and Wujun."

"Jiankang, the capital of the Jin Dynasty. Needless to say, it’s where the greatest concentration of scholars resides."

"Jingkou, the most densely populated area of northern refugees and the headquarters of the Beifu Army. Northern scholars without connections or family backing mostly live here."

"Nanjun, the gateway from Jingzhou to Luoyang, once a hub for prominent intellectuals during the Eastern Han. Now, it’s also home to some Jingzhou local magnates, though descendants of scholars who once studied here still remain."

"Wujun, one of the core residences of the Jiangdong aristocratic families in Yangzhou, a relatively prosperous county in the south, where Huan Xuan had recently purged a number of stubborn opponents under the pretext of suppressing rebellion."

"'Blind examination,' as the term suggests, means the submitted answers are concealed to ensure the examiners cannot see the candidates' names."

"The selection of these four examination sites is intriguing, and the blind examination rule is equally fascinating."

"The choice of examination sites is interesting because, during this period, there were no strict regulations on migration between provinces—only the northern and southern borders were strictly monitored. Holding exams in these four locations maximized inclusivity for the population within the realm."

"As for the rule, while we today are accustomed to blind examinations, back then, it was an earthshaking innovation. And the moment it was proposed, it faced immediate backlash from a crowd of small-minded critics."

The tomb guardian Xie Zhong had just uttered the words "Blind examination is absurd" when the celestial screen’s label of "small-minded critics" struck him like a physical blow.

He fell silent, his facial muscles contorting as though unable to swallow his protest. Around him, others with similar reactions also hushed, as if fearing they’d be labeled as small-minded while already serving as tomb guardians.

At most, a few whispered objections lingered in the wind.

"...How improper!"

Indeed, how improper! This was an examination that completely shattered the old rules.

"Under the original Nine-Rank System, lineage and social standing were prioritized and held the most weight in evaluating talent. Thus, when writing exam answers, one’s surname, prestigious ancestral home, and official rank were always prominently displayed."

"Concealing this information immediately leveled the playing field."

"The privileged class was naturally displeased—this undermined their prestige."

"Of course, when announcing this examination, the Empress Dowager stated: 'If you find this question uninteresting, you don’t have to participate. I don’t have the authority to force everyone to offer their views. Some may not excel at such questions but can still be good officials.' Nevertheless, among the aristocratic families, there were inevitably those who sought to obtain official posts amid the chaos and had to rely on this exam—only to find their greatest advantage stripped away. Would they oppose it? Absolutely!"

"They argued that this blind examination method would allow unqualified individuals to take advantage of the chaos and inflate the grading workload."

"Moreover, after being anonymized, the answers would be sent from various regions to Jiankang, shuffled, and then reviewed. But people from different regions inevitably had localized perspectives, and those from different social strata saw things differently. With no way to trace the origins of the answers, might some truly outstanding candidates be unfairly eliminated?"

"These arguments sounded high-minded, but upon closer inspection, their core demand was self-serving!"

"Yet, these objections barely made a ripple."

"First, we must thank the late Emperor Xiaowu, Sima Yao. His death was farcical, and he allowed Sima Daozi to become a calamity, but during his reign, he tirelessly worked to centralize imperial authority—curbing the influence of the aristocratic families! Had this happened fifty years earlier, regardless of Huan Xuan’s military power, his power consolidation in the south wouldn’t have gone so smoothly, and other powerful families would have vocally opposed him in court."

"But this wasn’t the most crucial point. The key was that the three most powerful figures—the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the King of Chu—all publicly declared support for the examination rules."

"The Empress Dowager, of course, was the one who proposed the rule."

"Emperor Sima Dewen was the second to voice support. The Empress Dowager tactfully reminded him that this aligned with his father Sima Yao’s political stance. Moreover, under this rule, some hesitant humble-born scholars might enter the examination hall—potential allies against Huan Xuan. If he didn’t cast a wide net now to cultivate a counterbalance to Huan Xuan, when would he?"

"Dense as he was, Sima Dewen didn’t fully believe the Empress Dowager acted solely for his benefit. Yet, unaware of her impending next maneuver or that her power could function independently of the throne, he agreed."

"Next was the King of Chu. The Empress Dowager posed a critical question: 'King of Chu, as a native of Jingzhou, have you ever faced discrimination?'"

Huan Xuan lowered his gaze, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes.

The Yong’an of the celestial screen wasn’t merely asking about discrimination against Jingzhou natives in Yangzhou—she was also alluding to the exclusion of the Huan family by the elite aristocratic families. Though people spoke of the "Wang, Xie, Huan, and Yu" clans, in truth, many dismissed the Longkang Huan Clan as newly prominent upstarts among the aristocracy.

This discrimination and wariness only worsened after Huan Wen’s death.

His greed for wealth and power was, in part, a response to being pushed down.

If even the influential Huan family faced such treatment, how much worse was it for ordinary Jingzhou natives?

Northern migrant scholars took pride in their ancestral homes, while the Jiangdong aristocratic families in Yangzhou flaunted their local roots. Jingzhou, meanwhile, was stuck in an awkward limbo.

The labels of "local strongmen" and "bandit clans" further marked Jingzhou scholars as unconventional.

To encourage Jingzhou scholars to compete on equal footing with candidates from the other three regions, the blind examination was essential!

"Huan Xuan had no love for the Wang and Xie families’ interests and was already locked in a standoff with Yong'an, who hailed from the Langya Wang clan. Why wouldn’t he accept this proposal? Though he was the third to endorse it, his methods of enforcing compliance were far more intimidating than Sima Dewen’s."

"Even funnier, Yong'an merely asked if the King of Chu had faced discrimination, yet Huan Xuan launched into an eloquent rant."

"He turned to an official from Wujun and said, 'You’re worried about regional bias affecting performance—say, someone from Qiantang in the south not understanding Luoyang’s situation. But are you afraid of me? If I see an answer from Wujun, I’ll tear it up on the spot.'"

"The crowd was speechless. Given the King of Chu’s track record, though no military thug, he was entirely capable of such an act."

"Opposition in the court was swiftly silenced."

"Not just Wujun’s papers—what about the Wang and Xie families? Wouldn’t theirs be at risk too?"

"Better to conceal all names and origins, ensuring absolute fairness."

"Perhaps the currently dominant King of Chu, setting aside biases, might even recruit some unconventional talents and ease tensions between factions."

"Though these critics still saw the rule as an attack on aristocratic privilege, the peculiar circumstances forced them to grudgingly admit it was the most suitable method for the time."

"In their rush to prepare and submit passable answers, they even forgot to look beyond their immediate concerns—to see the seismic impact of this four-region, blind examination decree."

[Remember my earlier mention of Emperor Yong'an’s recruitment philosophy? "Employ the talented, regardless of origin." This was a grand proclamation of that principle!]

"Commoners across the land saw a glimmer of hope—and the one offering it was none other than Yong'an."

Tuoba Gui offered no comment on this segment, though his gaze flickered thoughtfully toward Cui Hong and Cui Hao. A cold smirk played on his lips.

As the celestial screen noted, this move was perfectly timed and perfectly placed.

If he tried to replicate it in Northern Wei, it would fail spectacularly.

Few among the Xianbei were cultured, and the Han scholars fluent in discourse were mostly northern aristocratic holdouts. Until he had enough talent to overturn the table, he couldn’t afford to undermine their foundation and invite backlash.

For now, he could only watch and see what Yong'an would achieve through this blind examination.

"With Luoyang stabilized by military presence, the reinstated siblings Fu Yan and Fu Hong, and the Eight Passes holding firm, the autumn of that year saw the four-region blind examination unfold in full swing."

"Before candidates began their tests, Yong'an assembled the grading team."

"She couldn’t possibly review all the papers alone—dozens, if not hundreds, of assistants were needed. But where to find them? Lower-ranking clerks might lack literacy, while educated officials wanted to take the exam themselves. What then?"

"Some might say, 'That also allows officials not participating in the exam to evaluate the exam papers.' Indeed, some graders were chosen precisely this way. But Yong'an pointed out that these individuals, due to long-standing personal connections, could recognize many candidates' handwriting, rendering the anonymity ineffective. They could be used to review exam papers, but not relied upon entirely. So, she employed a unique group of individuals."

"To ensure fair judgment, they needed to be literate and possess considerable knowledge, yet not be among those taking the exam. Were there such people? Yes—literate women."

"For example, Wang Gong, previously defeated and overthrown by Huan Xuan, had a daughter-in-law from the Xie clan of Chen Commandery named Xie Yuejing. After being brought back to Jiankang, she earned a reputation as a sharp-tongued woman, butting heads with everyone, especially her father Xie Zhong, whom she particularly disliked. But as a Xie woman, her cultural level was very high. Though not comparable to Chancellor Xie, grading these papers would pose no difficulty for her."

"Before the grading began, the Empress Dowager recruited such a unique group of examiners. Officially, they were to assist the court officials chosen as graders, but in reality, she had secured a group loyal solely to her."

"Her first act upon summoning them was to show them the thousands of exam papers gathered before them, imparting a critical lesson."

"Look closely. See clearly. These people dared to take the exam, submitting their policy essays. These people dared to seek official positions from the court, aspiring to important responsibilities. What about you? Can you rise above expectations?"

"In this era of collapsing traditions and chaotic order, is the imperial court any better than a slapdash operation? No! Then why can’t you step forward like I have?"

"Instead of continuing to be dependent on your male relatives, instead of continuing to be used as tools for balancing power and securing retreats, why not, after broadening your horizons, come and serve under me?"

"Yong'an didn’t voice these questions directly, but surely, those involved in grading sensed the message."

"Because the outcome of this exam was by no means what modern observers might imagine upon hearing of it—not 'a hundred schools contending' or 'free expression,' but rather 'freaks and charlatans flaunting their skills.'"

[Fortunately, our Emperor Yong'an is not only adept at selecting talents from all walks of life but also excels at another skill: sorting talent from trash.]

"Keeping trash in its place, preventing them from hindering proper affairs, is also a kind of expertise."

"Given that there were three key initiators of this blind imperial exam, besides Yong'an, there were also—"

"Trash Can No. 1: Emperor Sima Dewen."

"Trash Can No. 2: King of Chu, Huan Xuan."

"...Your Majesty." Huan Xuan finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up.

Wang Shenai turned to see a thin layer of sweat on his temples, his already pale face tinged with an unnatural flush.

Struggling under the surrounding gazes, Huan Xuan asked, "I am still recovering from my injuries. May I be excused from this meeting and spared the celestial screen?"

Though he’d never heard the term "trash can" before, the giant image on the projection screen left no room for doubt!

On the left, a bin; on the right, another—both labeled with fruit pits and debris, bearing his and Sima Dewen’s names. How could he not understand what it meant?

He was already injured—couldn’t they give him a break?