The Prisoner of Beauty - Chapter 165
Chapter 165
When the news broke that the Great Yan had pioneered the imperial examination system for entering government service, scholars from humble backgrounds across the realm were invigorated, spreading the word to one another with joy and excitement.
Naturally, where there is joy, there is opposition. The voices of dissent came from the old aristocratic clans whose vested interests were being threatened. Unfortunately, the arm cannot twist the thigh; while the current Emperor had a reputation for being henpecked and implemented broad, lenient policies, his methods were decisive and swift. When iron-fisted action was required, he never hesitated. Furthermore, he did not rely on these local clans to stabilize his rule as the Liu family of the previous dynasty had. Thus, after a chaotic burst of opposition, the matter eventually fizzled out. Moreover, not all aristocratic clans jumped out to oppose the system; there were enlightened scholars who approved of it, the most famous of whom was Gao Heng of Bohai.
Gao Heng came from a prestigious family. Although he had never sought government office, the Gao clan was a prominent family in Bohai, and Gao Heng himself bore the title "Crown of Bohai." His reputation was known to all. Not long after the court promulgated the imperial examination system, while clans across the land were busy criticizing the new policy, he was the first to stand up publicly and express his support. Not only that, he was the first scholar in Bohai to register for the inaugural examination.
Once the news spread, it became a hot topic throughout Bohai.
According to the detailed examination regulations that had been released, the county, state, and metropolitan examinations all strictly enforced the practice of sealing names during grading. Because it was the first examination after the founding of the dynasty, the Emperor attached extreme importance to it. To truly select talent and eliminate fraud, the court dispatched educational officials to supervise the entire process across all thirteen states and the capital. If any nepotism or fraud were verified, the heads of the involved officials and scholars would be forfeit.
In other words, this would be a selection examination that relied entirely on ability. Given Gao Heng's reputation, if he truly wanted an official position, he had no need to use such a risky method. To others, his actions were nothing short of shocking.
Not to mention the willingness to lower his status and compete with ordinary scholars, even if he were to take the top spot, it would merely be gilding the lily for him. If he were eliminated, it would be a stain on his reputation.
Gao Heng’s relatives and friends came to dissuade him, but he would not listen. Instead, he was filled with high spirits, laughing: "The new dynasty is sweeping away old abuses and everything is being renewed. The imperial examination system is like a clear breeze brushing against my face, its scent like orchids to my nose. It shows the court’s resolve to recruit talent without bias. Since we have been honored to be among the scholars and have the good fortune to encounter an era of clear governance and benevolence, we should naturally enter the world with full effort. How can we stand still and hesitate just to cherish a bit of shallow fame from the past?"
Once these words spread, no one in or out of Bohai could help but admire him.
Under the "celebrity" effect of Gao Heng, other aristocratic clans, in order to demonstrate their loyalty to the new Emperor, also began selecting their own children to take the exams. Within a short time, it became a trend.
Gao Heng’s words were not only those of a great master but were also full of confidence.
He truly had the capital for such confidence; not only was he exceptionally talented and well-versed in archery and horsemanship, but he also had profound insights into policy essays. He passed the county and state examinations without any obstacles. The following spring, with the top ranking in the state examinations, he headed to Luoyang with his head held high to participate in the final metropolitan examination. When the final rankings were released, he was among the top three alongside two other scholars.
The chief examiner, the Great Scholar Fang Xi, a doctor at the Imperial Academy, did not dare to make the decision himself. He listed the three top papers separately and, along with all the other successful papers, presented them to the Emperor, asking him to personally rank the finalists.
...
In the afternoon, the bright sun shone on the layers of dark green glazed tiles of the palace halls, where the chiwen (roof ornaments) stood tall and the eaves curved sharply.
Inside the Huaguang Hall in the Northern Palace, where the Emperor and Empress spent their daily lives, a thin wisp of incense smoke curled slowly from the mouth of a gold-inlaid bronze Boshan incense burner. It spiraled and dissipated, making the immortals and spirits carved into the burner’s waist appear as if they were about to take flight, as if one were situated on the mythical Penglai Mountain amidst the sea.
Inside the hall, layers of gauze curtains filtered the bright light, which turned dim and dusky as it reached the inner chambers.
A few palace maids in colorful clothes stood quietly in the corners of the hall, holding their breath as they awaited the Empress to wake from her afternoon nap.
...
Fang Xi, having been granted a seat by the Emperor, sat upright on an embroidered daybed, waxing eloquent about the results of this metropolitan examination.
The Emperor sat behind his desk, listening to his critique while looking at the three papers that had been selected.
The paper-based exam scripts rustled softly as he flipped through them.
Six months prior, artisans from the Bureau of Works had, after repeated experiments, finally produced paper that could fully replace silk and bamboo slips for smooth writing.
The newly created paper shed the coarse texture of the past, which had been deemed unsuitable for refined circles. It was not only clean, white, and flexible, making it extremely easy to write upon, but it was also far cheaper than silk. The Bureau of Works disseminated the papermaking method across the nation, and it quickly spread. For this imperial examination, all the responses submitted by the scholars were, by order of the court, written on this paper.
"Your Majesty, these three papers were appraised by the old minister and others. After repeated deliberation, we unanimously recommend them as the top three. Especially the one by Gao Heng of Bohai..."
As Fang Xi was speaking, he suddenly heard the sound of light footsteps—it sounded as if someone was running and jumping in the room.
This was extremely improper, especially in the Imperial Study.
Who was so unbridled that they dared to run and jump in the presence of the Emperor?
Fang Xi paused just as he heard a clear, tender child’s voice from behind him: "Father Emperor!" He turned, and a little girl had already entered the doorway.
The girl was only two years old, yet she was already as exquisite as if carved from jade, incredibly lovable. A tuft of straight, black bangs rested on her forehead, and her hair was tied into two little buns on either side. With snow-white skin and jet-black eyes, she wore a little dress in a tender pink hue. She hopped and skipped toward the Emperor, oblivious to anyone else. Reaching his side, she climbed onto the Emperor’s arm, asking in a milky voice, "Father Emperor, what are you looking at?"
Just moments ago, when the Emperor was listening to his appraisal, Fang Xi had felt that the Emperor seemed distracted, perhaps even slightly displeased.
This had made Fang Xi uneasy, suspecting that the top three essays were not to the Imperial taste, which was why he had been explaining them so vigorously.
But at this moment, he saw the Emperor smile and lift the tiny girl onto his lap, letting her sit in his arms before he continued flipping through the papers.
Fang Xi was secretly astonished.
He naturally recognized the little girl who had suddenly run into the room as Princess Changning, the beloved daughter of the current Emperor and Empress Qiao.
He had also heard that the Emperor doted on the Princess immensely, not only allowing her to enter the study freely, but even if she happened to be present while he was discussing matters with ministers and refused to leave, the Emperor would simply hold her on his lap.
He never expected to witness such a scene himself today.
Seeing the little princess sitting in the Emperor’s lap, slumped over the imperial desk with her chin in her hands and her head slightly tilted, staring at him with round, wide-open eyes, Fang Xi couldn’t help but clear his throat. He sat even straighter with a serious expression and resumed where he had left off: "Your Majesty, especially the paper by Gao Heng of Bohai. His prose is profound, brilliant, and majestic. His policy responses strike at the heart of the issues, and his writing is luminous. Not only does this man have a long-standing reputation for talent, but in this examination, his position as the top scholar is well-deserved..."
The Emperor had put down the file, looking at Fang Xi for a moment. He did not speak at first, then suddenly tapped the desk forcefully with his finger, producing a loud "tap."
Fang Xi was startled and stopped.
The Emperor said expressionlessly: "I know. You may step down first!"
Fang Xi was unwilling to give up and hurriedly stood to explain again: "The papers of the top three finalists were selected collectively. I only saw the names after breaking the seals; I know the paper belongs to Gao Heng of Bohai. There is absolutely no nepotism. And I am not the only one moved by his writing; the Prime Minister was also full of praise for Gao Heng’s paper after reading it—"
"Step down."
The Emperor repeated himself, his tone even colder.
The little princess turned her head quickly to look at her father. Seeing him tense his face, she hopped down from his lap and ran to Fang Xi, looking up at him and whispering, "Father Emperor is unhappy! Last time, someone Father Emperor told to stop kept on talking, and it made Father Emperor unhappy. He got yelled at in the end, so pitiful..."
Fang Xi racked his brain but could not figure out how he had touched the Emperor’s scale. His face flushed red then turned pale. Looking down to see the little princess looking at him with sympathy, he felt touched and forced a smile, bowing respectfully to thank her before having no choice but to retreat.
...
Xiao Qiao had accompanied Wei Shao in reviewing memorials until late the previous night, and she hadn’t slept well upon returning to her chambers. Feeling a bit drowsy at noon, she had gone back to sleep. When she lazily woke up and opened her eyes to see that Feifei was no longer beside her, she asked the palace maids where she had gone.
The palace maid pulled up the layers of gauze curtains that shielded the light, and the inner chamber immediately flooded with brightness.
One of them smiled: "Just now, the little Princess woke up and ordered us not to wake the Empress. She quietly got out of bed herself and said she was going to find the Emperor. Chun Niang has already taken her there."
Feifei was over two years old now, and she was spoiled so much by her father that it was a wonder she hadn't torn the roof off. When the Emperor finished his morning audience and was discussing affairs with ministers in the study, if it wasn't a major matter, the little princess would often pop her head out from behind the desk, startling Gongsun Yang and the others—this was a common occurrence.
The Emperor not only took no offense, but whenever this happened, he would instead lift her onto his lap.
Then, the ministers could only continue their reports while the little princess tilted her head, slumped over the edge of the desk, and stared at their moving mouths in a daze.
By now, the ministers had likely grown accustomed to such scenes.
Xiao Qiao finished combing her hair. Seeing Feifei hadn't returned, she touched up her makeup and left Huaguang Hall.
Since his ascension, Wei Shao held the morning court early and finished late, diligent and unceasing. He often spent until late at night reviewing memorials before returning to the inner palace to rest.
At this hour, the morning audience should have ended, and he must be in the Imperial Study.
...
Fang Xi was walking along the palace path, feeling dejected and confused, when he saw Empress Qiao approaching from the opposite direction, surrounded by attendants. With her exquisite face, cloud-like robes, and pearlescent jewelry, she looked like a celestial being. He hurriedly stopped at the side of the road and, as she neared, offered his greetings.
Xiao Qiao smiled and said: "Is the Doctor here to see His Majesty about the imperial examination?"
Fang Xi knew that the proposal for the imperial examinations had come from Empress Qiao in the first place. Moreover, the fact that the Emperor always followed the Empress’s words was no longer a secret in the court. There was nothing to hide from her, so he said: "Exactly. I just presented the papers of the top three finalists to His Majesty. As for who will be named the top scholar, that is for His Majesty to decide."
Xiao Qiao asked: "Who are the top three?"
Fang Xi reported the names of the other two and said: "The youngest of the three is one the Empress has likely heard of—Gao Heng of Bohai."
Thinking of the Emperor’s reaction to his critique of Gao Heng’s paper, he felt bewildered and could not help but complain again: "Forgive my boldness, Empress, but I must add one more thing. His Majesty pioneered the imperial examination system, which is a great matter concerning the state. Since he entrusted me with such a heavy responsibility, I must exert my utmost effort, not daring to be even slightly negligent. In my view, Gao Heng’s prose is brilliant and his mind is vast; his position as top scholar is well-deserved. Yet, when I recommended him to His Majesty just now, His Majesty seemed doubtful. If he is being overlooked due to his past reputation—to avoid suspicion—that would be a pity and contrary to His Majesty’s original intent of recruiting talent from all under heaven."
Xiao Qiao naturally knew that Gao Heng had participated in the first examinations. When she first heard the news, she had been quite surprised. She certainly hadn't expected him to make it all the way to Luoyang.
What exactly was turning over in the Emperor’s mind? Others might not know, but Xiao Qiao could usually guess with high accuracy. As soon as she heard this, she knew what was going on.
She glanced at the perplexed Doctor of the Imperial Academy, Fang Xi, and smiled: "Even if His Majesty does not select him, he surely has his own considerations. Besides, it has not been decided yet, has it? Doctor, return with peace of mind and wait for the news."
After Fang Xi left, Xiao Qiao entered the Imperial Study.
Chun Niang and a few palace attendants were standing outside. Seeing her arrive, they hurried to greet her.
"The Princess is inside. She woke up earlier and wanted to find the Emperor," Chun Niang whispered.
Xiao Qiao nodded. As soon as she stepped inside, she saw Feifei sitting on Wei Shao’s lap. Wei Shao held his daughter with one hand and a paper in the other, reading it to her sentence by sentence. He asked: "Does Feifei think this one is good? Should we choose this as the top of the list?"
"But I don't know! It's too hard!" Feifei twisted and turned on her father’s lap with a sour face. "The old man with the white beard who was chased away by Father Emperor earlier seemed very learned. If Father Emperor really doesn't know, just go and call the old man back..."
Wei Shao looked up, saw Xiao Qiao had arrived, and his hand paused.
"Mother!"
Feifei was accustomed to calling Xiao Qiao "Mother." Seeing her, her eyes brightened with relief. She quickly climbed down from Wei Shao and ran toward her as fast as she could.
"Mother! Father Emperor keeps reading those words I don't understand to me! He wants me to help him choose! It's so hard! Mother, quickly help Father Emperor!"
Having said that, she abandoned the Emperor and scurried out.
Xiao Qiao watched her daughter’s figure disappear behind the door, turned to look at Wei Shao, and walked toward him.
Wei Shao acted as if nothing had happened, seemingly casually pressing a folder to the very bottom of the stack.
Xiao Qiao came to his side and said: "What were you doing just now? You have a ready-made Doctor of the Imperial Academy you could consult, yet you had Feifei help you decide the rankings? You’re acting absurdly."
Wei Shao opened his arms to pull her over, pressing her to sit on his lap. He held her just as he had held Feifei, lowered his head, and leaned into the fragrant nook of her neck, taking a deep breath before murmuring: "I have no patience for listening to those old pedants lecturing me. Why don’t you decide for me."
Xiao Qiao glanced at him and smiled: "Very well. Your servant is bold, then; I shall overstep my bounds."
She reached out and pulled out the very folder he had just pressed to the bottom of the stack.