Chapter 115 Palace Examination

Chapter 115: Palace Examination

When Song Tingzhou passed the metropolitan exam and returned home, Meng Wan was overjoyed. He gave red envelopes to all the servants and received a basketful of good wishes.

The metropolitan exam was not the end. Song Tingzhou and the other selected tribute scholars still had to learn court etiquette before entering the palace for the palace examination.

The palace examination would not eliminate anyone barring unforeseen circumstances. It only ranked candidates into three tiers: first class (three people), second class (about forty to fifty people), and the rest were third class associate jinshi.

That was why Zhu Zening had the self-awareness to think being at the bottom of the list was not bad.

A few days later, Song Tingzhou indeed received a notice from the Ministry of Rites. All new tribute scholars were to enter the palace to learn court etiquette and officially participate in the palace examination on the eighth day of the fourth month.

The tribute scholars who had passed the exam, regardless of whether they were from Shengjing or elsewhere, all waited for the palace examination. Unlike the metropolitan exam, their hearts were both excited and anxious as they waited to enter the palace for the examination, because they knew this was the final hurdle before leaping over the dragon gate. Their heads and bodies had already crossed the dragon gate; only the tail tip remained.

Meng Wan packed Song Tingzhou's luggage again. He had inquired around and asked Geng Mama. Madam Xiang's son had passed the jinshi exam in his early years, so Geng Mama had some memory of it.

For this study of court etiquette, all tribute scholars would live together in the Baohe Courtyard for one month. They could not leave the palace during that time, but the living conditions inside were good. There was no need to prepare food or bedding.

Meng Wan brought him several sets of underwear, toiletries, and then stuffed silver coins into his bag. Money could make the world go round. Even if something was missing, silver could always be used to bribe the palace attendants.

Third Master Zhu probably had the same idea. Zhu Zening's bundle was full of heavy irregular lumps. Probably worried that his son would spend like the proverbial rich man's foolish son, he had cut the silver ingots into smaller pieces of one or five taels.

After bidding farewell to their families, the two lined up together. Zhu Zening was a little excited.

"My father gave me three hundred taels of silver. How much did your wife give you?"

Song Tingzhou coughed lightly. "About the same." Wan'er had given him five hundred taels. Where in the palace would he spend so much silver?

"Your wife is really generous."

Zhu Zening hemmed and hawed. "My father said I’m an adult now. After the exam, he's going to find me a match."

Song Tingzhou nodded understandingly. Zhu Zening was already twenty, long past the age for marriage.

Zhu Zening was about to say more, but it was soon their turn. The official from the Ministry of Rites ahead cleared his throat and raised his voice expressionlessly. "Silence!"

Zhu Zening immediately shut his mouth and lowered his head. Song Tingzhou frowned slightly. Was it his imagination, or did the official wearing a round-collared vermilion robe embroidered with golden pheasants on the chest seem to size him up several times?

They were strictly searched by the heavily armored Imperial Guard. First, their identities were verified against the list to ensure they were legitimate entrants.

Then they were led by Ministry officials into the Baohe Palace. The palace roads were complex, the atmosphere solemn. Occasionally, guards with a murderous aura patrolled past. The tribute scholars kept their heads down and followed, daring not to act rashly. Even Zhu Zening behaved.

Baohe Hall was at the back of the three main outer halls. They passed through the side gates of Taihe Hall and Zhonghe Hall. After walking for about two quarters of an hour, they finally entered the gates of Baohe Hall.

The leading Ministry official first explained the general rules: they must not leave Baohe Hall without permission for a month, nor make loud noises inside the hall, etc.

No etiquette was taught that day. They were first assigned to two side halls originally meant for palace attendants. Each was given a uniform.

With four hundred people gathered together, each room housed eight people.

This aspect was not strict; they could room with acquaintances. Changping Prefecture had only produced two tribute scholars: Song Tingzhou and Zhu Zening. So they were assigned with six other strangers to one room.

Those six were interesting. Four of them fawned over a man called Wu Qianzhang. Another was subtly ostracized.

Zhu Zening saw this clearly and whispered to Song Tingzhou, "This Wu Qianzhang looks down his nose at everyone. If we weren't together, we'd be as isolated as that tribute scholar from Anping Prefecture."

Song Tingzhou found it childish. The youngest among these tribute scholars was twenty, the oldest fifty or sixty. One of those flattering Wu Qianzhang was already forty. At such an age, they were still playing the same game as Zhang Jizu back in Quanshui Town. Ridiculous. Did they expect to become bosom friends in just one month?

Approaching someone with ulterior motives only invited contempt. Wu Qianzhang looked down on those who surrounded him; he had no equal respect for his peers.

Since they only had to stay for a month, Song Tingzhou just wanted to learn etiquette smoothly and pass the palace examination.

Many others shared this thought. The tribute scholar from Anping Prefecture in the same room was also quiet. But more were shrewd, wanting to build connections during this month.

This idea was not uncommon. After all, these men would be posted to various positions across Yu Nation. Especially the top five, from whom the first class would likely come. After the palace examination, they would enter the Hanlin Academy. As the saying goes, "No one enters the Hanlin Academy without being a jinshi; no one enters the Grand Secretariat without being in the Hanlin Academy."

Though the power of the Grand Secretariat was gradually weakening, the position of chief minister was still coveted by these tribute scholars who had not yet entered officialdom. So the Hanlin Academy was popular.

If they made connections and became friends, couldn’t they pull each other up later?

Song Tingzhou ranked twelfth, which was not low among these four hundred. Some proactively approached him to build relationships. Song Tingzhou’s attitude was much better than during his prefectural school days. He did not brush them off but answered any questions. However, he did not form close ties.

Before entering the palace, Zhu Zening had a long heart-to-heart with Third Master Zhu about the Zhu family's situation. Third Master Zhu did not elaborate on the details, only saying, "Your second uncle committed a heinous crime. Our Zhu family was nearly wiped out. Several of your cousins and uncles back home are dead. Your fourth uncle is unreliable and was jailed for two years. I went back to Changping to collect the bodies."

How many people in the entire Zhu clan had died because of Second Master Zhu's greed?

If Third Master Zhu had not had a premonition and arranged to outsource the clan's children beforehand, spending money to bribe the officials to look the other way, the Zhu family would have been reduced to just Zhu Zening. Even now, it was not much better. Those children would have to wait a few years before they could be brought back.

Hearing this, Zhu Zening, who had previously paid no attention to worldly affairs, understood why his father had aged so much in recent months. He was speechless. The carefree young master began to shoulder responsibility.

Third Master Zhu told him not to just spend money in the palace but to befriend the higher-ranking tribute scholars. Zhu Zening understood what this meant, but he could not suddenly become obsequious. Instead, he tried to talk to those he found agreeable and discuss academics.

Being one of the younger among these tribute scholars, even if his rank was low, few people were cold to him when he initiated conversation. So he gathered quite a bit of information.

After a day of learning court etiquette in Baohe Hall, Song Tingzhou and Zhu Zening walked to the dining hall. Zhu Zening chattered nonstop.

"No wonder Wu Qianzhang is so arrogant. He's the top scholar of this metropolitan exam. I thought his name sounded familiar." It turned out he had seen it on the list.

Song Tingzhou said flatly, "I thought you knew on the first day. The first name is so prominent."

Zhu Zening lowered his voice. "Not only that. I heard he's from the main branch of the Heqi Wu family. No wonder so many people suck up to him. The Minister of Rites is his uncle. The minor officials in the Ministry treat him like a god."

With good academic standing and a powerful uncle, his official career was surely secure.

Song Tingzhou stopped walking. "Heqi Wu family?"

"Yes. And that Chai Jun from Anping Prefecture in our room turned out to be the third place in this exam. Who would have thought?"

Anping Prefecture was a small and remote prefecture with only two counties. There were fewer scholars from the north than the south. This time, only one tribute scholar came from Anping Prefecture—this Chai Jun.

That guy had only brought two sets of underwear and a few books. Normally, after passing the provincial exam, local officials would give rewards. A poor xiucai, a rich imperial candidate. By the time they reached this stage, even travel expenses were covered by the county government. There was rarely anyone truly poor.

But Chai Jun was an exception. He was also unusually aloof. Although Song Tingzhou was also cold and would not initiate conversation, at least he would not give people a sour face.

Chai Jun was almost the opposite extreme of Wu Qianzhang. Cold and proud, he disdained to talk to others and looked down on those who fawned over Wu Qianzhang. He was also unfriendly to Zhu Zening, the merchant's son. Strangely, he had exchanged a few words with Song Tingzhou.

Two equally proud people under one roof was a disaster. Especially since Wu Qianzhang had many supporters while Chai Jun was isolated. Within a few days, they clashed several times.

Fortunately, scholars were not like martial arts students. Their disputes were mostly verbal. Chai Jun endured their scorn for nearly a month until the day of the palace examination.

On the eighth day of the fourth month, all tribute scholars changed into the uniform blue gauze robe, tied with a black horn belt and wearing a jinshi cap. They followed the Ministry officials and palace attendants who had taught them etiquette to the main hall of Baohe Hall for the palace examination.

Song Tingzhou did not want to argue with Wu Qianzhang, so he and Zhu Zening hung back, waiting for Wu Qianzhang's group to leave before following.

"My robe! Who did this!" Chai Jun shook out the blue gauze robe from his bed and found that the hem and waist had been cut several times with scissors. On the verge of the palace examination, even immediate mending would be impossible.

Zhu Zening sympathized with his breakdown. If he appeared before the emperor in that robe, he would not even need to take the exam. He would be dragged out by guards for disrespect.

Song Tingzhou turned back to his bed, rummaged through his things, and found a brand-new blue gauze robe. He handed it to the lamenting Chai Jun. "I brought a spare. You can use it. It might be a bit large for you." Chai Jun looked at him with shining eyes. How could he refuse? "Thank you, Brother Song. I will never forget this great kindness."

Song Tingzhou's expression was indifferent. "It's just a small favor, Brother Chai, no need to dwell on it."

After saying this, he left the room first with Zhu Zening.

Zhu Zening asked in surprise, "You actually prepared an extra set of robes?"

Song Tingzhou's lips curled into a faint smile, and even his tone softened. "Wan'er prepared them. There's more than one set." There were two more in the bundle.

Zhu Zening admired him. "I need to learn more from Brother Wan'er." He felt Wan'er was even sharper than his father.

During that month in the Hall of Preserving Harmony, they not only learned the rituals of bowing to the King, the three kneels and nine prostrations, the positioning and protocols for court assemblies and such occasions, but also had to master the various rituals for court sacrifices.

They had to grasp the seating arrangements for court banquets, learn the dining etiquettes, eating postures, interactions with other officials, and the order of toasting. They must behave gracefully and move with proper form.

Additionally, they had to learn the respectful language used when speaking to the King and other royal family members in the palace, the phrasing for answering the King's questions, and the demeanor for discussing state affairs with officials—all to be clear, articulate, and appropriate, displaying the cultural depth and cultivation expected of new imperial scholars.

In short, it was quite tedious, but the results were gratifying. At least among these four hundred, not a single person made a misstep when entering the hall, showing that the Ministry of Rites had trained them well.

Everyone bowed with heads lowered, not daring to look directly at the King's countenance, and only sat on the cushions in the great hall after the King gave the order.

The hall was furnished with four hundred desks and cushions. The Tribute Scholars sat in order of their metropolitan exam rankings, preparing to answer the questions. Song Tingzhou was ranked near the front, while at the very front were Wu Qianzhang, the second-place elderly scholar, and Chai Jun.

Wu Qianzhang saw Chai Jun's robes were in good condition but slightly oversized, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes—he clearly knew who had done it, and perhaps had even been complicit.

Chai Jun was naturally aware of this as well, but he dared not make a scene in the hall, so he could only swallow his resentment.

Soon, soldiers began distributing the exam papers. Song Tingzhou was startled when he received his—the paper was completely blank.

Someone behind him couldn't help but let out a soft cry, "Ah?"

This was considered a breach of court protocol, and the soldier quickly seized the person. The King, showing mercy, said calmly, "Forget it. Move him to the last seat."

It was fortunate he wasn't expelled from the hall, but this Tribute Scholar would probably not be admitted.

The others grew more cautious and sat even more rigidly.

After the blank papers were all distributed, soldiers brought in three baskets filled with crops. Everyone looked and saw: a basket of potatoes, a basket of wheat, and a basket of rice.

The King's majestic and solemn voice rang out from the dragon throne above, "All of you are the pillars of the state. I share the people's concerns. I know that the grain production of the state of Yu is not abundant. Four years ago, I received divine potato seeds and was overjoyed. However, the wheat of the north and the rice of the south have always been the foundation of the nation. What do you think of these three crops?"

Although the King's exam question revolved around the word "grain," its scope was exceptionally broad, offering ample room for elaboration.

Potatoes have become widespread in both northern and southern regions in recent years, and everyone knows they are beneficial to the nation and the people. But rice and wheat have been cultivated for generations. Does the high yield of potatoes mean that we should give up rice and wheat and plant only potatoes for the whole country?