Chapter 87 087 Lifetimes

Despite the Emperor and Empress's wedding, the court structure remained largely unchanged. Xie Lanzhao did not continue as Chancellor and Minister of Personnel, as these were outer court officials and ultimately not suitable for the position. The position of Minister of Personnel remained vacant, with a Vice Minister taking charge. As for Chancellor, Emperor Jialing had noticed the efforts of the court officials, but still appointed Xiang Yanyi, Minister of Revenue, to concurrently hold the post.

In the main hall where state affairs were discussed, a chair belonging to the Empress was added. The court officials had no objections; they were actually used to Xie Lanzhao appearing in court, only her position had shifted from the head of the officials to beside His Majesty the Emperor.

In the spring of the eighth year of the Tianfu era, the most important matter was the imperial examination. All candidates for the imperial examination were personally examined by Zhao Jialing, and even the essay topics were drafted after discussions between her and Xie Lanzhao. The aim was to select practical individuals; literary talent was secondary. Approximately two hundred candidates came from various prefectures, including students from Mingde Academy. Zhao Jialing set no quota, accepting all suitable candidates, totaling eighty-three. Those who were slightly less qualified were all formally enrolled as students at Mingde Academy.

Officials selected through the imperial examinations by the emperor himself did not need to wait for a formal selection process and could be appointed immediately. None of these successful candidates remained in Chang'an as proofreaders; instead, they were sent to regions prone to locust plagues, such as Henan, Shandong, and Huainan, to serve as officials in charge of granaries. Their task was to manage water resources and construct irrigation systems. Emperor Jialing also granted them the special privilege of submitting memorials directly to the emperor. Most were of the lowest rank, but in effect, they were also the emperor's envoys.

The subtle changes in the system of appointing officials through the imperial examinations caused considerable unease among the court officials. His Majesty clearly needed to get things done; would the new generation of officials eventually overtake them, the older generation? Having already climbed to high positions, none of them wanted to be left behind. Retirement meant receiving half a salary, but how could it compare to their time in office? If the finances faltered, even receiving that half salary would be a question. Under these circumstances, they had no choice but to force themselves to learn, seeking experience from the ambitious Minister of Works.

The atmosphere in the court was subtly changing. The courtiers vaguely sensed that His Majesty was a bit too impulsive, yet they were powerless to stop him. Look at everything His Majesty has implemented over the years—hasn't it all benefited the people? Even though the seeds haven't yet blanketed the entire Great Yong, newspapers and academic journals have already sent hymns of praise everywhere. Previous auspicious omens have been exaggerated, and after rounds of recitation, they've evolved into a chorus of divine blessings. In short, the people everywhere see His Majesty as a wise and benevolent ruler of a prosperous era; even those in dire straits are willing to persevere rather than become bandits.

Regarding official corruption, the imperial court was no longer turning a blind eye. While the Censors of the Censorate were responsible for inspecting various circuits, these censors actually spent the vast majority of their time in the capital, primarily overseeing the Six Ministries. Emperor Jialing directly increased the number of Censors to twelve. Besides three remaining in the capital to inspect the Six Ministries, the rest were dispatched to inspect counties and prefectures according to their duties, overseeing criminal cases. Any corrupt officials were directly reported for investigation and punishment. From prefects to county clerks, all were within the scope of the Censors' duties.

The censors were well-regarded, and the people welcomed them wherever they went. However, the situation was quite different in the prefectures and counties. Officials were filled with trepidation, fearing they would be investigated. But the censors, acting on imperial orders, were not merely a source of anxiety. Besides investigation, they had another task: to establish exemplary officials. These exemplary officials were first granted the qualification of being graduates of the Mingde Academy, and then, through calculations by the Ministry of Revenue, given appropriate salaries. It should be noted that assistant officials without official ranks were essentially considered "servants." Although the court had not changed the official ranks this time, it had changed their treatment.

Mingde Academy, salary… Does obtaining student status at Mingde Academy automatically qualify one for a salary? The Censor deliberately leaked this information, guiding the officials' thinking in that direction. There was no set system, no definitive answer, but such a path existed, and there would always be minor officials willing to take it. In a prefecture piloting Mingde Academy, a county official passed the law exam and became a law student at Mingde Academy. Shortly after, an imperial edict arrived in the county, not changing the official's position but also issuing him a salary.

Today, minor officials can only receive a salary if they are students of Mingde Academy. Graduates of Mingde Academy are linked to minor officials and salaries. Over time, people have started to distinguish between those who become officials first and then enter the academy, or those who graduate from the academy first and then become minor officials.

The eighth year of the Tianfu era was the second imperial examination after the reform.

Reforms continued. First, new subjects were added, and then an imperial edict was issued allowing students with outstanding performance at Mingde Academy to be directly sent to the provincial examinations. This effectively gave Mingde Academy the same status as the Imperial Academy. While no major changes were made to those participating in the imperial examinations, a loophole had been opened. Since Mingde Academy had students from all walks of life, some restrictions on these individuals were effectively reduced, allowing them to see hope and a path to advancement.

The court officials from aristocratic families certainly saw this, and wouldn't they want to stop it? They wanted to maintain the aristocracy's centuries-old transcendence and pride, but His Majesty clearly had no intention of protecting them. From the very beginning of printing, the aim was to break the scholar-official monopoly. The scholar-officials cooperated with the imperial power, protecting and restraining it. And the emperor, he saw further. As long as they were useful, he wouldn't care about their social status or origin.

But the tide of events was unstoppable, and their rage was futile. The four characters "Mingde Academy" represented merit; Her Majesty would no longer be controlled by them. With divine protection, Her Majesty could act with impunity and arbitrariness. Even if the aristocratic families united in a final attack, it would only result in a stalemate, and besides, the aristocratic families were not truly of one mind. Xie Lanzhao, now Empress, was an anomaly among the high-ranking families, and she stood at the top, leading the women of those families. The aristocratic families united through marriage, but when their daughters were no longer willing to work for the benefit of goods and the family, could they still cooperate?

This outcome was not brought about by Xie Lanzhao and His Majesty, but by something that had been plotted decades ago, when Prime Minister Zheng was still alive.

The daughters of aristocratic families are running away.

Those from humble backgrounds who were ostracized by the aristocratic families were also struggling.

Everyone wants a piece of the pie, and everyone wants to climb to the top.

But in the past, the stage was only so big, making it extremely difficult to make an appearance. However, the great changes have broken down those boundaries.

If we can't stop them, then we can only try to make the most of our existing advantages and run forward as fast as possible.

In an inn in Chang'an.

Even though the envoys from the outer vassal states couldn't communicate with the outside world, they could still sense the increasingly different atmosphere. Some of the guests from the outer vassal states, such as Ashina Bilian, were studying at the Imperial Academy, and she knew even more. Originally, she wanted to obtain an official position in the Great Yong Dynasty through the imperial examinations, but due to special circumstances, she had to petition the higher authorities.

While Ashina Pilian was waiting, a major event occurred. Her elder brother, Ashina Tumen, had actually led his entourage to escape Chang'an! Ashina Pilian was shocked. According to the official system of the Great Yong Dynasty, how could her brother possibly escape the capital? If he had succeeded, it would undoubtedly be a sign of the Great Yong Dynasty's indulgence. Her mind was in turmoil, and she immediately reported it to the authorities. The officials of the Court of State Ceremonial treated her fairly politely, but as a hostage from the Turkic Khaganate, she could only stay in the guesthouse for the time being.

In the palace.

When Zhao Jialing heard about Ashina Tumen's escape, he simply smiled.

The Turkic spies had been hiding in Chang'an, and the secret guards had long been keeping an eye on them. The information they received was a mixture of truth and falsehood. During this time, news from the Turks had come in that they had been making many small moves. They probably knew that the Great Yong had been investing heavily in firearms research, and fearing that the chances of success would decrease over time, they had begun to plot an attack, joining forces with the Tibetans, Khitans, and Xi people.

Li Zhaoci had been researching firearms, not only in their operation but also in minimizing costs. Of course, possessing firearms didn't guarantee invincibility; firing wasn't uninterrupted and required resupply. However, if they could exhaust the firearms battalion, they could still turn the tide. In a sense, the Turkic Khan's assessment was correct: the further they went, the smaller their chances of victory became.

"The return of the hostage to the city will likely mark the start of the war," Zhao Jialing said, her eyes fixed on the terrain map. "This is not our territory, so we didn't know much about it before. But now, with this map, we can reach Huanglong in the fastest way possible." The Turkic Khan was wrong. The Great Yong's advantage wasn't just in firearms; their complete control over the terrain was akin to having "heavenly eyes." They could accurately predict where to set up an ambush and where the enemy might be lying in wait.

She rubbed her wrist and sighed, "It wasn't for nothing that I spent so much time drawing this." The original drawing was in the system, but the copy wasn't detailed enough. Only Zhao Jialing could see the initial version; if she wanted to send it to the border, she would have to draw it herself. She brought her hand closer to Xie Lanzhao and said softly, "It's sore."

Xie Lanzhao gave it a perfunctory rub and said, "It was finished two months ago and sent to the Protectorate by fast horse. How could it be so sour now?" The defense against the Turks did not arise suddenly, and the drawing was a long-term project. It had already begun when the ministers saw the large drawing.

Taking the opportunity, Zhao Jialing winked at Xie Lanzhao, "You've never stopped using your hands, for example—"

Before Zhao Jialing could speak, Xie Lanzhao had the foresight to cover her mouth. With her eyelashes lowered, she softly said, "I did the reply." Now His Majesty is shirking his responsibilities with a perfectly justifiable attitude.

Zhao Jialing whimpered twice and licked Xie Lanzhao's palm. After receiving a cold look, she hugged Xie Lanzhao tightly and said happily, "We are one. If you suffer here, I will suffer there. Isn't that harmonious?"

Xie Lanzhao glanced at her and sneered, "Isn't it me who's suffering?" His Majesty has gradually become excessive and presumptuous, sometimes not listening to her much. She should have left the sleeping pillow at the Xie residence; now, His Majesty has suddenly had a brilliant idea, and the sleeping pillow has become indispensable. He even has the audacity to say, "Otherwise, what if I get exhausted from working day and night?" Is that even human language? When he's shameless, he readily agrees to call her a demon. Sometimes, she can't help but miss the His Majesty who had a wild heart but no frivolous courage.

Zhao Jialing noticed Xie Lanzhao's absent-mindedness: "What are you thinking about?" Before Xie Lanzhao could answer, he raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Thinking about me."

Xie Lanzhao gazed at the open-minded Emperor, whose good and bad were written all over his face, and at the very least, his innermost thoughts were revealed. She said truthfully, "I think of Your Majesty from that year."

Once Zhao Jialing got into the mood, he started his theatrical performance: "This is about reminiscing about my youth. Alright, Xie Lanzhao, you think I'm unrecognizable now, don't you?"

Xie Lanzhao pushed her, but couldn't budge her. She frowned and whispered, "What nonsense is this?"

Zhao Jialing refused to let go, resting her chin on Xie Lanzhao's shoulder: "I was injured because of you, and I need to compensate you."

Although she didn't understand His Majesty's intense desire to perform, Xie Lanzhao was happy to play along. When you and I become "we," then responding to everything is only natural. A smile played on her lips as she softly asked, "What do you mean by compensation?"

Zhao Jialing cleared his throat: "Paying for eternity isn't too much to ask, is it?"