Chapter 53 053 I'm drunk.

The examiners' personal aesthetic preferences do influence the grading process, but generally they gravitate towards the "imperial will." In previous years, there have been those with exceptional literary talent, but their essays were considered "rebellious." Even the most appreciative examiner wouldn't dare admit such a paper. His Majesty might praise it repeatedly to demonstrate magnanimity in recruiting talented individuals. But once his favor fades, this could become evidence of disrespect for the emperor, a knife turned against oneself—who would willingly take that risk?

A single sentence from above can be interpreted in thousands of words by those below. His Majesty's statement, "It will not hinder the imperial examinations," is something only those as upright as ironwood would truly believe. That said, it's difficult for upright people to gain a foothold in the court. Perhaps at a certain time they are plentiful, but once they become useless, they are demoted and banished from the capital. For example, now only a few remain in the Censorate, to serve as role models in crucial moments.

“Your idea is good, but after careful consideration, it may not be so,” Xie Lanzhao said. This is not something that can be solved by the sage’s repeated emphasis.

"Then what should I do?" Zhao Jialing asked humbly, still wanting to see if there were any promising talents among the candidates in this examination. As long as they had one or two merits, even if they failed, they could still shine at Mingde Academy.

"The imperial examinations will proceed as usual. Mingde Academy will remain open to the public; those who fail will naturally go if they wish," Xie Lanzhao said. Prices in Chang'an are exorbitant, and judging by the selection process, the vast majority will be those who fail. Some may return home dejectedly, while others will prepare to study again. Where will the money come from? Where will they make connections? These various changes will present scholars with multiple choices.

"And what about the scholars who passed the imperial examinations?" Zhao Jialing pondered for a moment, then said, "After the Ministry of Rites finishes selecting the candidates, I intend to personally examine their scholarship. My questions at this time should be irrelevant to the officials of the Ministry of Rites, shouldn't they?"

Xie Lanzhao pondered for a moment and then thought the matter was feasible. She considered it and said, "I fear the court officials might object, saying that His Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, has deprived the Spring Official of his authority."①

"It doesn't matter." Zhao Jialing snorted. "I am the emperor. What can they do if I insist on testing them myself?"

Xie Lanzhao slowly said, "In the past, the examiners were the main examiners. If His Majesty initiated the palace examination, those selected would all be the emperor's protégés. We might as well make this a regular practice." Meeting Zhao Jialing's slightly surprised gaze, she continued, "Your Majesty doesn't need to bring it up this time. It was only right that Your Majesty personally intervened at the beginning of the reform of the imperial examination system. As for next year, we can use this incident as a reference to confirm it."

Zhao Jialing nodded.

The second time, Zhao Jialing discussed the imperial examination with his court officials. As Xie Lanzhao had said, some did indeed believe this was an encroachment on the authority of the Ministry of Rites, though such voices were not widespread. The court officials also had their own considerations. This was the examination after the reform; who knew how many years it would last? If everything were to revert to the old system in the future, wouldn't the examiners and graduates be in an awkward position? They would inevitably be the subject of gossip. However, if the examination and ranking of the graduates were determined by His Majesty, then even if the system were abolished in the future, no one would dare to arbitrarily reopen this "old case."

The exam papers are now being copied anonymously, and the examiners are under a locked-down system. Besides, the candidates haven't been finalized yet, and nobody knows who will ultimately be selected. Saying anything now might be digging a hole for your future self, so it's better to just keep quiet.

For the next period of time, the political situation remained stable and uneventful.

The colorful "auspicious signs" at the Xianling Mausoleum of the late emperor added a significant stroke to the fifth year of the Tianfu era, marking the end of everything.

However, as the dazzling spectacle on the other side faded, the blazing fireworks of Chang'an shone brightly, bringing a new liveliness to the already prosperous city.

The grand court assembly on New Year's Day was no less arduous than that on the Winter Solstice. The grand assembly took place in the Hanyuan Hall, with officials, imperial envoys, and other members of the imperial family dressed in their court robes. Emperor Zhao Jialing, clad in his imperial robes, presided over the assembly. The Grand Chancellor presented congratulatory memorials from various prefectures, and the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat reported auspicious omens… After the ceremony, a deafening roar of "Long live the Emperor!" erupted from below. Since ascending the throne, Emperor Zhao Jialing had held several New Year's Day assemblies. Except for the first one, subsequent assemblies had been merely tedious tasks. However, this time, his state of mind was slightly different. A tremor arose spontaneously, and even during the Eight-Row Dance, his surging emotions did not subside.

After the court audience concluded, Emperor Zhao Jialing, as was customary, granted a general amnesty from the Danfeng Tower. As was customary, the Attendant-in-Ordinary read out the bestowals of silk and brocade. The position of Attendant-in-Ordinary was vacant, and Emperor Zhao Jialing did not appoint the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat to fill it, but instead entrusted the task to Xie Lanzhao. These ceremonies followed established procedures, though this year there were slight changes. In addition to money and cloth, a musket was also bestowed upon the trusted head of the Imperial Guard. As for the civil officials—regardless of rank, all elderly individuals were given a pair of reading glasses.

The "reading glasses" were a byproduct of glass research, and Zhao Jialing deliberately chose this opportunity to bestow them upon people to win their favor. Afterwards... of course, they would be sold in the shop.

If Mingde Academy is to be extended to prefectures and counties in the future, are we really expecting the prefectures and counties to fund it themselves? The imperial court will have to contribute a large sum of money no matter what. Zhao Jialing hadn't calculated it, but judging from the Minister of Revenue's expression, he knew it was a terrifying figure, so they still had to find a way to raise the funds.

The New Year's Day was considered the Winter Solstice, granting a seven-day holiday. Whether it was the imperial family or ordinary households, everyone would host banquets for relatives. This banquet, too, had to be held. The Zhongwang family was observing filial piety before the late emperor, and Zhao Jialing would not disturb them. However, Princess Jinxian, Princess Zhongshan, and people from the Hengshan Prince's residence were invited for a small gathering. His nieces were somewhat reserved, and Zhao Jialing, not particularly close to them, wanted to avoid making them feel awkward, so he made a brief appearance as usual and then left. After a couple of days, he grew bored and began pacing around the palace with his kitten.

[San San, the Xie family doesn't have many relatives, does they? Hmm, her grandmother is related to the imperial family, and her mother has some uncles. Her father has an uncle. How much time would it take to visit relatives? Ah, I almost forgot, besides relatives, there are also friends. So, I have no chance to visit her?]

[If the host wishes to go, Xie Lanzhao will likely greet you first.]

How could I possibly use force to steal her attention? Everything is going well; my life is progressing smoothly, and I don't need to create unnecessary trouble.

"Then... just bear with it?"

[Am I a ninja?]

Wise Ruler System: [So, what does the host want to do?]

Zhao Jialing: [A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.]

That's what they said, but Zhao Jialing immediately went to the Empress Dowager to inquire when the Grand Princess Hengyang would come to the palace for an audience. Since she was already here, how could Xie Lanzhao not come? The Empress Dowager saw through Zhao Jialing's intentions at a glance and teased, "Isn't inviting someone to the palace just a matter of His Majesty's word?"

Zhao Jialing argued vehemently, "That's different."

As for the Empress Dowager, she naturally sent an invitation to the Xie residence. However, it wasn't a banquet specifically for His Majesty's family; rather, all the ladies of official rank were required to attend the banquet in the palace.

Zhao Jialing was completely satisfied.

Halfway through the banquet in the Empress Dowager's palace, she secretly had Yin'e invite Xie Lanzhao over.

Even in the first month of the lunar calendar, the cold wind blowing on your face is still biting and chilly.

The plum blossoms in the imperial garden bloomed in due season, gradually opening up and resembling clouds of rosy hues.

A few nights ago, it snowed lightly. Clumps of white snow accumulated on the branches, and when the wind blew, the snowflakes fell like light cotton.

The carved windows in the hall have been removed, and Zhao Jialing has had glass windows installed so that people can see the flowers outside from inside without being exposed to the cold wind.

Plum branches sway in the snow, a red stove warms the wine.

Zhao Jialing dismissed all the servants from the hall. Her eyes were hazy like autumn mist over a river, and her cheeks were flushed. Before Xie Lanzhao arrived, she had clearly drunk several cups of wine: "I didn't get to see the plum blossoms when I went to your house before, but it must be quite enjoyable to appreciate them in the palace now, right? Although it doesn't have the elegance of riding a donkey across the Ba Bridge in the snow to find plum blossoms, the bright window and the lingering aroma of wine are not bad, are they?"

Xie Lanzhao lowered her eyes and said, "Not bad."

Zhao Jialing was satisfied. She gazed at Xie Lanzao for a long time, a touch of melancholy rising in her heart. She said, "I haven't sat down to drink with you in recent years. At that time, I thought you didn't want to be with me anymore."

She had watched Xie Lanzhao's resolute departure with tears in her eyes; anyone with a temper would remember that for a lifetime. The throne suddenly fell upon her, and she even arrogantly thought she would teach Xie Lanzhao a lesson. She had betrayed her, but in the end, wouldn't she still have to become her subject? This emotion firmly took over, completely suppressing any trace of grief arising from the late emperor's death.

Zhao Jialing drank a cup of wine and began to pour out his heart again. "How could there be such a heartless person as you in this world? One moment you were making vows of eternal love to me, and the next you were throwing yourself into the arms of my elder sister."

Xie Lanzhao looked up and saw His Majesty's eyes were burning with a serious expression of reproach. She didn't know how to respond for a moment, and after a long while, she said, "Your Majesty, there was no vow of eternal love. Moreover, the word 'embracing' is not quite appropriate."

Zhao Jialing glanced at her, as if he hadn't heard what Xie Lanzhao said. She said wistfully, "Fortunately, I am not a petty person. You thought I was no longer interesting back then, but I still see you as always, the apple of my eye."

The absurd and baseless accusations flowed naturally like water, and even in this moment, His Majesty did not forget to boast.

Xie Lanzhao chuckled. Before she could say anything, Zhao Jialing raised his hand, held a glass of wine, and brought it to her lips.

Her eyelids twitched, and Xie Lanzhao hurriedly called out to her, "Your Majesty!"

Zhao Jialing's eyes darted around, and he asked her, slightly drunk, "Do you think they should be punished?"

Xie Lanzhao: "..." Fine, let him drink the penalty wine. How can the emperor personally feed her? She sighed softly and reached for the wine cup, but Zhao Jialing pulled his hand back, and the wine in the cup splashed onto the back of his hand.

Zhao Jialing stared at Xie Lanzhao: "Shouldn't we?"

“Yes,” Xie Lanzhao said softly.

"Then why aren't you drinking? Do you want me to sing a drinking song?" Zhao Jialing stared at her, "Tassels hang from the brocade curtains, fragrant sachets sway, inviting you to sit on the coral bed. One cup is filled with amber color, one cup summons the bright moonlight. I urge you not to refuse the king, I urge you to get drunk and drink a thousand cups..."

With the clear singing in his ears, His Majesty's drunken state became increasingly obvious.

What do you mean by "innocent and cute after getting drunk"? Is that just self-praise?

She should have known.

With no one around, we might as well let His Majesty have his way; otherwise, if this commotion becomes public knowledge, that would be truly absurd.

Xie Lanzhao concealed her embarrassment, and as the cup came close, she gently touched it with her lips, leaving a trace of wine and a thin sheen.

Zhao Jialing's brows relaxed, and she was overjoyed. Her thoughts were in a daze, and she felt as if she were walking on clouds.

"You never tell me what's on your mind, so I'll punish you with a cup of wine."

"You defied me for that person's sake, so you shall be punished with another cup."

"Fourth Sister and her husband bullied me, they should be punished with a cup."

...

Xie Lanzhao: "?"

This time, she pushed away the wine cup that was brought in front of her and raised an eyebrow: "Your Majesty might as well just say that you want to get me drunk."

Zhao Jialing was a beat slow, looking innocently at Xie Lanzhao: "Really?"

Xie Lanzhao hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, I originally—"

But before she could finish speaking, Zhao Jialing interrupted her.

"I have a headache, I'm very drunk."

"Xie Lanzhao, why do I see two of you?"