Chapter 11: Delivered to the Door
While Li Xiaonan sat in her honeycomb-like examination room, racking her brain for rhymes, Prince Rui’s Heir, Gu Yan, anchored his fleet at the private wharf of the Prince Rui’s Mansion villa outside Hangcheng.
Outside both Hangcheng and Pingjiang City, there was a villa left by the ancestors of the Prince Rui’s Mansion.
The wharf of the Hangcheng villa connected to the sea and was deep enough to dock warships.
Within the Hangcheng villa, there was also a cemetery that looked no different from an ordinary family’s graveyard. Every year, when the imperial court offered sacrifices to the meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion, eunuchs were dispatched to perform solemn rituals here.
The sacrifices at the Prince Rui’s Mansion were even more numerous, and each successive Prince had to perform sacrifices and pay homage here before their succession was considered complete.
In the past, Gu Yan detested these old rules, finding them stale and archaic. Now, he felt a sense of reverence and gratitude towards the burial grounds and these two villas.
The anchor was dropped into the water, the anchor chain clattered down, and the boatmen busied themselves setting up the gangplank.
Gu Yan, wearing a golden crown and a black robe with python patterns, stood tall with a solemn expression. He strode off the ship and, accompanied by the old steward who guarded the villa, walked to the mausoleum for worship.
After kneeling and paying respects at over a hundred graves and burning two sacrificial texts personally written by the Emperor and his father, it was already the hour of Wei.
Gu Yan hastily ate his meal and instructed the stewards to prepare for immediate departure to Pingjiang Prefecture upon his return.
Gu Yan got on his horse and headed directly from the villa to the Hangcheng Imperial Examination Hall.
On this trip to Jiangnan, he was carrying the task of Imperial Inspector, responsible for observing and supervising the governance and public sentiment of Jiangnan, and was required to submit a memorial every ten days.
For important matters like the county and prefectural examinations for child scholars in Liangzhe Circuit, he, as the Imperial Inspector, had to observe them, but it was merely a glance—the chief examiner, Wei Educational Commissioner, was his maternal uncle.
The term of the previous Educational Commissioner for Liangzhe Circuit had not yet passed its halfway point when he fell gravely ill and died in the twelfth lunar month of last year. His sixth uncle, Wei Yuming, was appointed as the Educational Commissioner for Liangzhe Circuit and rushed south before the Spring Festival to preside over the annual and imperial examinations for Liangzhe Circuit.
His sixth uncle was Gu Yan’s first teacher, impeccable in both learning and character. The only criticism of the examinations he presided over was that they were too difficult.
However, this was Jiangnan, a region with a flourishing literary tradition and numerous talented scholars; slightly more difficult examination questions were not a major issue.
Thinking of his sixth uncle, a hint of warmth appeared on Gu Yan’s stern face.
Around the third quarter of the hour of Shen, Gu Yan arrived at the Imperial Examination Hall.
The area outside the Imperial Examination Hall was crowded with people, all craning their necks, waiting for their family members to finish their exams.
Led by an attendant, Gu Yan and his retinue bypassed the crowd and headed towards the side entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall.
As they reached the narrow alley leading to the side entrance, Gu Yan stepped on the stirrup to dismount. His gaze swept over the crowd, and he immediately saw Li Xiaonan lunging towards Li Jinzhu from the steps of the ceremonial gate of the Imperial Examination Hall.
Gu Yan felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his eyes wide open, his body rigid.
“Master?” The head eunuch, Shi Gun, hurried forward, extending his arm, ready to catch his Young Lord if he fell.
Alas, his Young Lord had been acting strangely from time to time since his serious illness in the twelfth lunar month. For instance, right now, he was fine, but why was he acting as if he had seen a ghost?
Shi Gun’s call of “Master” woke Gu Yan. Gu Yan lowered his eyelids, concealing the expression in his eyes, dismounted, and said coldly, “Let’s go.”
Gu Yan strode forward.
The attendant used Gu Yan’s imperial envoy seal to open the side gate of the Imperial Examination Hall.
Wei Yuming, the Educational Commissioner, stood with his hands behind his back on the steps of the main hall. Hearing footsteps, he turned and saw Gu Yan, his face breaking into a smile.
“I expected you to arrive by now. How was your journey?” the Educational Commissioner asked, looking at his only nephew and student with affection.
“It was alright. I missed the Qionghua flowers in Yangzhou, but thankfully, I didn’t miss the golden osmanthus in Hangcheng. Hmm? There don’t seem to be many candidates this session,” Gu Yan said, glancing around.
“The first session, Classical Discourse, has already eliminated thirty percent,” the Educational Commissioner snorted, raising his chin with an arrogant expression. “Nearly twenty percent didn’t even understand the questions; they were far too undisciplined.”
“Which prefectures and counties are taking the examination today? Is there any prefecture or county that you’ve eliminated entirely in the Classical Discourse session?” Gu Yan asked with a smile.
“Today it’s Pingjiang Prefecture. Hmph! Even if there are prefectures and counties that were entirely eliminated, it’s because they were not diligent. I am impartial,” the Educational Commissioner said, lifting his chin.
“Are those the ink scrolls that were just collected? I’ll take a look,” Gu Yan said, turning towards the long desk in the main hall where the rosters and ink scrolls were placed.
A staff member approached, but Gu Yan waved him away, indicating he didn’t need assistance. He walked to the long desk, picked up an ink scroll at random, examined it carefully, then picked up another, put it down, and picked up yet another. He continued to look through them as he slowly moved forward, reaching the stack of rosters. He picked up the topmost one and slowly flipped through it.
Turning to the second book, Gu Yan saw the name Li Xuedong, with the remark “Kunshan County” next to it.
Gu Yan’s eyes flickered slightly, but his hands did not pause. He continued flipping through the rosters, finishing one book and then another, before putting them down and returning to the Educational Commissioner’s side.
Twilight had already fallen outside. There were only about ten examination rooms left with candidates who had not yet submitted their papers.
“Will the results be posted and interviews conducted tomorrow? With so many essays, can they all be read?” Gu Yan fanned himself with his folding fan, his tone and expression extremely casual.
“This is not many at all. The results will be posted at the hour of Chen tomorrow, and the interviews will commence immediately.
“Your mother said you’ve been clamoring to go south since last December, and she doesn’t know what you’re up to. What are your plans?” The Educational Commissioner looked Gu Yan up and down.
“Since Uncle was appointed Educational Commissioner here, I wanted to come and study under Uncle for a bit.” Gu Yan looked earnest.
“Don’t try to fool Uncle again!” The Educational Commissioner did not believe him at all.
“Tonight, I will review papers with Uncle, and tomorrow morning, I will come here and continue to study by Uncle’s side.”
The Educational Commissioner raised his eyebrows and scrutinized Gu Yan from head to toe again. “Your mother said that after you fell ill in December, you became more sensible and mature. Is this true maturity?”
Gu Yan glanced sideways at the Educational Commissioner and did not reply.
The Educational Commissioner stroked his beard, looking at his beloved nephew with immense fondness.
There was nothing wrong with his nephew, nothing unattractive about him. He wondered which girl would be fortunate enough to have him in the future!
………………………………
There was no established precedent from the imperial court regarding whether to conduct interviews after the courtyard examination results were posted; it was up to the Educational Commissioner to decide.
The previous two Educational Commissioners had randomly selected dozens of people for interviews, asking them one or two questions about classics and laws before concluding. No one knew what this year’s Educational Commissioner, Wei, would do.
Li Xiaonan dared not be careless. She and her Eldest Sister arrived at the Imperial Examination Hall before the hour of Chen, hiding in a corner, waiting for the draft list to be posted.
Several scribes struck copper gongs and posted a large sheet of mulberry paper on the screen wall outside the Imperial Examination Hall.
The waiting crowd surged forward.
Li Xiaonan, close to Li Jinzhu, moved with the crowd, standing at the periphery, listening intently to the chaotic, loud recitations.
“Thirty-seventh, table ‘Shang’…”
This draft list was posted by table number, and ‘Shang’ was Li Xiaonan’s table number.
Li Xiaonan tugged hard at Li Jinzhu. Li Jinzhu quickly looked at Li Xiaonan. Li Xiaonan tilted her head up at Li Jinzhu, a smile flowing from her curved eyes, her face blooming like a flower.
About five or six steps away, Li Wenhua stood with his arms crossed, looking bewildered as he listened.
“I’ll tell him after the exam,” Li Xiaonan glanced at Li Wenhua and said softly.
“Okay!” Li Jinzhu thought the same. The two of them glanced at Li Wenhua, and while he wasn’t paying attention, they squeezed into the crowd and waited behind the screen wall for the interview entry.
Two scribes emerged from the ceremonial gate, unfurled a roster, and loudly called out table numbers.
Li Xiaonan released Li Jinzhu’s hand and walked towards the ceremonial gate.
The thick roster, with over two hundred people, entered the Great Accomplishment Hall.
Li Xiaonan walked in the middle of the large interview procession, slowly regulating her breathing, recalling Mr. Gao’s instructions:
If many people were on the draft list and all were to be interviewed, then this interview was meant to eliminate people, and one had to be careful.
This time, instead of examination rooms, rows of tables were set up in front of the Great Accomplishment Hall. The tables were still numbered by the Three Character Classic.
Li Xiaonan sat down behind the table numbered ‘Shang’.
Moments later, after a clear chime of a bronze chime, the Educational Commissioner’s voice rang out: “The test questions have been placed on your tables. Choose one question. The time limit is one stick of incense. Alright, you may open the questions.”
Li Xiaonan quickly broke the wax seal. There were three sheets of questions: Classical Discourse, Historical Discourse, and Poetry and Prose.
Li Xiaonan chose Classical Discourse without hesitation and immediately began to brainstorm.
A scribe walked past the table and collected the other two sheets of questions.
From the moment Li Xiaonan entered, Gu Yan had been watching her with slightly narrowed eyes.
Wearing rough black and grey clothes, with a slender neck and thin arms, she lowered her head, very cautiously, but not timidly. Hmm. This little girl was quite bold, daring to impersonate someone for the exam, truly remarkable!
After the Educational Commissioner announced the start of the examination, Gu Yan descended the steps and walked slowly through the examination area, pacing towards Li Xiaonan.
Let’s talk about the specific process of the child examinations:
The process for the county, prefectural, and courtyard examinations was roughly the same, all requiring five sessions.
The first session was called the main examination, the most important one. Only this session was mandatory; the other four sessions, how they were conducted, and whether their results counted, were all decided by the chief examiner.
The main examination required candidates to enter before dawn and began at dawn, ending at dusk. No lamps were allowed. The specific details were as described in the text.
The second session was called the interview, which could be understood as a face-to-face questioning. The chief examiner would call the candidates over, look at them, and ask them questions. The specifics were up to the chief examiner.
The third session was called the re-examination, also known as the grand re-examination, and was also a relatively important session. It also required candidates to enter before dawn and was similar to the main examination, but generally easier. However, one might encounter someone like the Educational Commissioner Wei in the text; there was nothing that could be done, as it was up to the chief examiner.
The fourth and fifth sessions were taken consecutively, usually in the morning and afternoon of the same day, or sometimes completed in half a day. The examination content was relatively arbitrary, with varying amounts, depending on the chief examiner.
Before the final round of the courtyard examination, there was a session called Classical Classics. The Educational Commissioner would set a series of questions, and the child scholars participating in the examination would choose one to answer. Generally, two days were given to write and submit it. This could be understood as pre-exam homework. Under normal circumstances, one could choose to do it or not, but there were cases like Educational Commissioner Wei, where unsatisfactory homework meant one was not allowed to take the examination. This was not a violation of rules; the Educational Commissioner had this authority.
Additionally: Rhyming Dictionary is a reference book. This book was the only one allowed into the examination hall. Most candidates brought their own, while some were provided on-site. This could be compared to allowing a dictionary or calculator in an exam today.
The specific details of the examination were as in the text.
