Enke
Ning Lingyi really had no spare time to spend with Tuoba Hong.
Why did she go to see her former fiancé, now a defeated general?
She had more pressing chess moves to make.
*
In the middle of spring in the first year of Taichu, the capital was still cold. The snow on the corner of the wall outside the Imperial Examination Hall had not yet melted, but the early-blooming magnolias on the branches were already trembling and revealing white petals.
In the Yuelai Inn in the south of the city, seven or eight scholars preparing for the imperial examinations sat around the fire, but Lu Jianbai was the only one curled up on an old couch in the corner, silently reading "Salt and Iron Discussions" in the dim light coming through the window lattice.
"Hey, isn't this Brother Lu who wrote 'The phoenix roosts on the wutong tree, but it's not the right place; the hens crow at the tripod, and the country is about to fall'?" A scholar in a green robe strolled over and said sarcastically, "Why are you taking this special examination for the hens crowing at dawn?"
The room suddenly became silent.
Last year, Lu Jianbai's poem satirizing a woman claiming the throne was widely circulated among the literati. Although the new dynasty had just been established, no one dared to mention it again, but everyone remembered it.
Without even looking up, Lu Jianbai stroked the yellowed edges of the book with his fingertips. "I am paid by the emperor, and I must be loyal to him. Now that the emperor has opened the imperial examinations, I shall take the test."
Another person sneered, "Brother Lu is quite adaptable. I wonder if His Majesty will allow you to enter the examination hall after seeing your poem?"
"I may be untalented, but I know the way to be a minister is to speak out and remonstrate, not to flatter." Lu Jianbai finally raised his eyes, his gaze clear and piercing. "I do not agree with a woman ascending the throne, but since I have received the mandate of heaven, I will serve as a minister. This does not conflict with my taking the exam to serve my country."
The crowd was shocked.
An older scholar shook his head and sighed, "Brother Jianbai, it's not that we're being mean. But with your attitude, even if we only admit 500, let alone 1,200, Jinshi, you definitely won't be a part of this imperial examination."
Lu Jianbai did not answer any more, but raised the scroll a little higher to block out those gazes that were either sarcastic or pitying.
It doesn’t matter whether people laugh at him as a villain or a fool.
He understood that he was himself, and that was enough.
*
Half a month later, the air in Minyou Hall was filled with the smell of incense.
Lu Jianbai actually passed the provincial examination and came to participate in the palace examination.
He followed the other scholars in performing the ritual of three kneelings and nine kowtows. When he stood up, he stole a glance and saw that the emperor on the throne was only wearing casual clothes and no makeup. When his eyes swept over the crowd of scholars in the palace, he was inexplicably reminded of the solemn and murderous autumn military review on the battlefield.
The policy questions were issued, the first few of which were about grain transport, salt administration and the governance of new lands. Lu Jianbai's writing was eloquent and his strokes were inspired.
Until the last two questions appeared before my eyes.
The first question discussed the pros and cons of the previous dynasty's hereditary succession system for the royal family. He quickly grasped the point: this was a continuation of the new dynasty's policy of weakening vassal states and consolidating power, a consensus already shared by both the government and the opposition. Sure enough, the rustling of pens and the chorus of praise for the emperor filled the air all around him.
The second question, written in black and white, the ink still fresh, reads: "As a woman, I have reigned supreme over the world, but not all women are like me. Is it feasible for women to serve as officials? Where should the boundaries be drawn?"
Lu Jianbai's pen tip hung in the air for a long time.
The talented scholar from southern Jiangsu in the row in front of him had already written, "Your Majesty is wise and enlightened, and women are as talented and virtuous as men." Even the fellow countryman in the back seat, who had privately complained to him on their journey, "How could a woman have a place in the court?", now wrote with a pious look on his face, "Kun's virtue carries all things, and she is just right for assisting in government."
Beads of sweat slid down his forehead, wetting a corner of the rice paper.
He knew that as long as he followed the emperor's will, fame and fortune would be easy to come by. Those who mocked him would be stunned, his elderly mother would finally smile, and his ten years of hard work would be justified.
But what flashed before his eyes were other images: years of famine in his hometown, a baby girl from a neighbor's house abandoned in the snow; corpses carried down from the battlefield, their clothes torn and their faces unrecognizable...
In this world, it is not easy for women to survive, let alone study and make progress.
When he finally put pen to paper, he wrote about the disparity in household registration ratios, the folk custom of drowning girls, the hardships of women's survival, and the futility of education when granaries were not full...
Every word and sentence is contrary to the Holy Will.
After writing the last word, the ink smeared like blood. He blew it dry, closed the paper, and handed it in, his mind clear—his career ended here, but he had no regrets.
*
After the palace examination, the test papers were sent to the palace overnight.
Ning Lingyi reviewed each of the papers under the lamp. Her attention was mostly focused on the various responses to "women serving as officials." Seeing the fierce opposition and cautious reservations, she remained calm and not angry.
Until she saw a test paper.
The candidate, Lu Jianbai, wrote:
"I have observed the household registers throughout the country, and found that six or seven out of ten are men, while only thirty or four out of ten are women. Women are not only of low status, but also few in number. In impoverished families, daughters are often drowned or abandoned at birth. When they grow up, they are often considered the private property of their husbands, the source of conflict among the men. This is not a one-day phenomenon; it is the product of thousands of years of war, poverty, and the intertwining of rituals and laws."
"If we ignore this concern and force women to go out into the world and become officials, I fear that not only will this fail to free them, but it will make them targets of public criticism and bring them further disaster. We must wait until peace reigns and the granaries are plentiful, so that women can travel without fear of danger and have a foundation for self-reliance at home, before we can proceed with our plans."
"If, one day, women are able to establish themselves and make a living, then it is possible that they will stand alongside men in the government and rule the country together. Doing so then will be good governance; forcing it now would be like adding fuel to a fire; it would be more of a disaster than a blessing..."
Seeing this, Ning Lingyi sighed softly.
Having fought for years and penetrated the countryside, how could she not be aware of this shocking reality? Of the registered population of 50 million, only a little over 10 million were women! While a minority of men were literate, still only 5 to 6 percent, the number of women was barely one in a hundred. The vast majority of women were confined to their own small homes, dependent on their fathers, brothers, or husbands for their entire lives, with no autonomy whatsoever.
"If there is a future, if there is a future..."
Where will the future be for the women of this world? How many women will perish on the road to their origin?
As an empress, she would feel guilty if she couldn't do something for women.
"This man doesn't just talk nonsense; he speaks the truth." Ning Lingyi put down the test paper and said to Su Qingfan and the others standing by, "Let's appoint him as the top scorer of this exam."
*
On the Gengwu day of the fourth month of the first year of Taichu, when the officials bringing the good news came to the inn where Lu Jianbai was staying with drums and gongs, and shouted "Congratulations, Master Lu, for being the top scorer in the imperial examination", Lu Jianbai could hardly believe his ears.
"Mr. Lu! Come downstairs quickly to receive the good news!" the inn waiter urged.
Puzzled, he straightened his clothes and went downstairs. He saw the inn lobby already packed with people. Two officials from the Ministry of Rites stood in the middle, holding red invitations. Upon seeing him, they loudly congratulated him, "Congratulations to Master Lu of Linzhou Prefecture in Jiangnan Province for having won first place in the Jiachen Enke (special examination)!"
Lu Jianbai stood there in a daze, and the hall erupted in an uproar. Several scholars who had been having breakfast in the hall stood up, their faces drained of all color.
"Lu Jianbai? But the Lu Jianbai who wrote rebellious poems?" someone exclaimed in surprise.
"Impossible! They must have the same name!"
"The Ministry of Rites made a mistake. How could an essay like that win the first prize?"
Several veteran scholars beat their chests and stamped their feet, "Absurd! Absurd! This boy openly criticizes the emperor, how can he be chosen as the top scholar?"
Lu Jianbai's ears were filled with whispers. He read the victory report over and over again, feeling deeply moved - he actually won!
*
When he rode his horse through the streets, the people on the roadside cheered and threw flowers that covered the streets.
In the Qionglin Garden, hundreds of flowers bloomed, the brocade robes of the newly minted scholars complementing the blossoms. As the imperial carriage approached, the five hundred scholars waited with bated breath, the only sound being the rustling of new leaves in the spring breeze.
Ning Lingyi arrived, not wearing formal court robes, but only a bright yellow casual dress, but she looked naturally majestic.
After three rounds of drinks, her eyes fell on Lu Jianbai.
"Lu Jianbai."
Lu Jianbai immediately left his seat and knelt respectfully before the emperor: "I am here."
"I chose you as the top scholar. Do you know why?"
The entire room was silent. All eyes were fixed on Lu Jianbai. Many people knew what was going on and waited to see how this outspoken champion would respond.
Lu Jianbai took a deep breath and answered truthfully, "Your Majesty, I... don't know."
Ning Lingyi's gaze passed over him, looking at all the newly minted scholars and the ministers present, and she said, "As a woman, I ascend to the throne and wish to elevate the status of women. This is my heart and this aspiration, known to all the world."
"Improving the status of women is not something that can be done overnight. We need to recognize the difficulties of reality and move forward step by step."
Her gaze returned to Lu Jianbai. "Your article points out the difficulties of promoting women as officials—people's livelihoods are difficult, and women struggle to even survive, let alone study and advance. This is the truth. By selecting you as the top scholar, I want everyone to know that the Taichu Dynasty tolerates truth and values pragmatism."
"We understand!" The five hundred Jinshi scholars, along with the ministers present, kowtowed in unison in response.
Ning Lingyi nodded slightly and continued, "Some may think that raising women's status means competing with men for resources. This idea is completely absurd!"
She looked around at everyone and said earnestly, "The foundation of a country lies in its countless families. When all families prosper, the country prospers. Among the countless families of ordinary people, there are men and women. This is not about competing with men for profit, but about sharing profit with men."
She looked at the future officials about to depart for various locations and gave them earnest advice: "Therefore, I hope that when you serve as officials, you will not only encourage agriculture and sericulture and comfort the people, but also pay attention to education, especially the education of women. Even if you only encourage women to learn a few words and understand a few principles, it will be a great merit."
At this moment, Lu Jianbai raised his head and couldn't help but ask about his most pressing dilemma: "Your Majesty is wise and I will learn from your teachings. However, as for me, I have studied hard for over ten years, and my family has done its utmost to support me in my studies. Nowadays, people's mindsets are still undeveloped, and resources are scarce. It is difficult for us to afford to support a woman's education. It's not that I don't want to, but I simply can't."
When Ning Lingyi heard this, instead of being displeased, a hint of admiration flashed in her eyes.
She sighed softly, "What Lu Qing said couldn't be more true. But how can we abandon the great cause of enlightenment just because of the hardship of survival?"
"The root cause of the people's suffering lies with the court. It is I who have failed to ensure that the granaries are well-stocked. Therefore," she said firmly, "from this day forward, the court must reflect upon itself, prioritize the people's livelihood, and reduce taxes and levies. Only when the people's granaries are well-stocked and their homes well-off can we promote education, enlighten the people, and enable women throughout the land to learn and gain understanding."
"Your Majesty is wise and holy! Long live the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor!" This time, not only the newly-appointed Jinshi, but all the ministers knelt down in submission and shouted "Long live the emperor!"
From then on, Ning Lingyi's carefully crafted move on the chessboard of the world finally paid off.
She finally gained a glimmer of hope, and the court now had room for women's aspirations.
Of course, the road ahead is long, but she will always keep going.
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