Chapter 76 His lifelong reputation won't be ruined by...
In late October in Bianjing, a slight chill was already in the air, but the offices for reviewing examination papers were arranged very comfortably. The Song Dynasty never skimped on such small details in its treatment of officials. However, the fatigue of the examiners was not alleviated by this.
Anyone who sees a mountain of exam papers, like snowflakes, crashing down on them, would feel a sense of dread. Moreover, since the system of anonymous copying was adopted, the examiners no longer had the leisure to appreciate the candidates' diverse calligraphy styles; all they saw were the clumsy, craftsman-like characters of lowly clerks.
These civil officials probably never imagined that after spending half their lives writing, they would one day find themselves struggling with words.
At this time, encountering a good article is like receiving rain after a long drought. Therefore, an article with a fresh, humorous, and insightful style quickly circulated among the examiners and was recommended to the chief examiner.
"Oh?" Ouyang Xiu became slightly interested: "What did this person write?"
"...You can see for yourself."
Ouyang Xiu held the scroll, holding his breath and examining it closely. After a while, his gaze stopped on a certain spot on the scroll, and he murmured to himself, "...Did the Great Shun swear a blood oath with the Southern people?"
No, is there such a story?
Ouyang Xiu's eyes showed a moment of confusion, but as the chief examiner and a leader of the contemporary literary world, he could not show weakness. He quickly composed himself in front of the examiners. He rubbed his index finger on the exam paper twice: "Indeed, it is quite good. Find his papers from the first and second sessions. If they are seven or eight tenths as good as this one, keep them as backups."
What are the alternatives? Naturally, they are the alternatives for the top scholar in the imperial examination.
"Yes." The examiner left after receiving the reply.
This left the highly respected literary master questioning his existence, his well-read mind frantically searching for anything related to "Shun and the Southerners." But alas, he found nothing. Seeing that no one was around, Ouyang Xiu patted his forehead and sighed softly, "The sea of learning is indeed boundless; one must not slacken one's efforts."
As for the other possibility, he hadn't even considered it. Someone with such writing skills and insights dared to fabricate classical allusions right under the noses of the examiners in the autumn imperial examination hall.
...Moreover, none of the examiners noticed it.
No, it should be said that most people noticed, but none of them dared to admit it, fearing that they would be ridiculed by their colleagues for their lack of knowledge. So they collectively ignored this point and recommended it to the chief examiner, Lord Ouyang Xiu. Only when he nodded did everyone secretly breathe a sigh of relief and secretly vow to go back and study the Records of the Grand Historian carefully.
But this one, kept as a backup, seemed like an auspicious sign. In the following hours, several more papers with unique insights and substantial content were selected. Ouyang Xiu reviewed them, checked the answers from the first two sessions, and then sent them as backups.
A rough count revealed that there were as many as six or seven portions.
As Ouyang Xiu examined the six or seven examination papers, he felt it necessary to revise his previous thoughts. It turned out that Bianjing still had many talented individuals concerned with national affairs. It was worthwhile that after setting the final essay question, he deliberately changed the first major question in the classics section to "Even a nine-generation feud can be avenged," to remind the candidates to pay more attention to border matters.
He went through each of the exam papers again, secretly debating which one was better, when the previous examiner returned.
"grown ups?"
"Another new exam paper?" Ouyang Xiu frowned slightly. The previous few papers he had been using as backups were already fiercely contested, leaving him in a dilemma for a while. How could there be a new one about to join the fray?
He casually took it: "What's written on this one?"
"...He wrote everything down."
Ouyang Xiu: ?
But when he received the exam paper, he understood what "write everything" really meant. The first impression of the paper was its length, making one wonder if such a long essay could have been rushed out in just one day during the imperial examination.
Upon closer inspection, the text begins with the historical evolution of the southwestern border region... especially the section about Zhao Tuo leading 200,000 Qin troops to establish his own state, which is extremely detailed and vividly described, as if the examinee himself were present.
He must be a man well-versed in history!
Ouyang Xiu made a judgment in his heart.
He then began a new section, discussing the necessity of trade relations with the southwestern kingdoms, as well as the Nong Zhigao rebellion and the mobilization of troops to quell it.
The causes and consequences are explained. It encompasses almost all the essential viewpoints from previous exam papers, and adds more detailed supporting arguments.
Ouyang Xiu finally understood what "wrote everything" meant. In terms of the comprehensiveness of viewpoints, this article surpassed all the previous ones.
He continued reading with lingering interest, but his gaze was suddenly fixed on the words "reform of local administration" and remained fixed for a long time.
"My lord? My lord?" The examiner noticed the unusual look on his face and became anxious. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Ouyang Xiu did not answer immediately, but instead let out a long breath and barely calmed his mind: "If we follow the way I have written in this life to manage the southwest and the borders of the Great Song, we can live to be a hundred years old without worry."
The examiner's eyes widened: "Is it really that... exaggerated?"
His official rank was not high, and he did not hold an important position. He was not knowledgeable about the affairs of the country. He only held the attitude in the books of sages and virtuous men towards the southwestern border regions, believing that it was enough to ensure peace on the border and to educate the people with virtue.
But Ouyang Xiu, who had once held a high position and was a supporter of reform, thought to himself: It's a pity that "replacing native chieftains with appointed officials" is such a massive undertaking. Its initial implementation will likely be extremely difficult, and may even have the opposite effect. It will take at least two or three generations of monarchs to see results. The current emperor may be willing, but if the future ruler is a short-sighted and impatient man… alas, what a pity.
But that is the fault of the future ruler, not the fault of this examinee. Rather, to be able to write such insightful words in the autumn imperial examination hall, it is foreseeable that there will be another pillar of the court like Fan Zhongyan and Fu Gong.
He immediately said, "Bring me his first two exam papers as well; I want to review them myself."
If this boy answers the first two exams well, he will undoubtedly be the top scholar.
As a respected figure in the literary world, Ouyang Xiu greatly appreciated promoting new talent and understood the importance of a good reputation for someone just entering officialdom. Consider Yan Hui, for example; his early reputation as a child prodigy undoubtedly played a significant role in his rise to the position of prime minister.
The current emperor is a monarch who favors young talents over middle-aged and elderly pedantic scholars. Ouyang Xiu felt it necessary to give a helping hand when talented individuals emerged. How far they go in the future depends on their own destiny.
Originally, if he had answered the first two exams well, he could have easily secured the title of top scholar. But this person still gave Ouyang Xiu an unexpected surprise.
Leaving aside "Ode to the Benevolent Nature of Yao and Shun," writing poetry and prose was Ouyang Xiu's forte. The writing style of this exam paper was not particularly impressive to him, but he discussed it from the perspective of the monarch's own virtue of "daring to take responsibility."
What does this tell us?
This shows that this young man is morally self-disciplined and dares to speak frankly and offer advice! It is conceivable that if the future emperor's conduct were to falter, he would certainly not pretend nothing had happened.
These are people like us!
Ouyang Xiu, who wrote "On Factions," thought of this.
As for the essay on water conservancy, it truly broadened Ouyang Xiu's horizons. This student actually wrote about the advantages and disadvantages of machine-made dikes, and even explained the conversion method between dike thickness and corvée labor. Looking at the string of large numbers on the paper and the eloquent explanation of principles, Ouyang Xiu was even a little dizzy.
In modern terms, he was a pure liberal arts student who couldn't understand a single thing about mathematics.
Ouyang Xiu, however, showed no displeasure whatsoever. He had always been averse to things like modern mathematics, equations, and the method of exhaustion. Practical mathematics, however, was an exception. The labor costs associated with water conservancy projects were supposed to be calculated by his clerks and minor officials, and then simply reviewed by the person in charge. If the person in charge could calculate it himself, he wouldn't be afraid of being deceived by his subordinates.
—Not only is he of outstanding moral character and conduct, but he is also adept at handling general affairs.
At this point, Ouyang Xiu had no reason not to award him the title of top scholar. He even had an impulse to immediately peel off the covered name of the examinee and find out who this person was. He even wanted to drink and chat with him and become friends.
Unfortunately, the grading isn't over yet. There are still more than a dozen papers that haven't been graded.
Ouyang Xiu eagerly awaited the results, unsure whether to be relieved or disappointed, but none of the remaining papers were worthy of special attention. The examiners sat together and jointly judged the merits of the papers.
The autumn provincial examination was not like the final imperial examination, where only the top scholar (解元) held real prestige. Ouyang Xiu presented his proposal on "replacing native chieftains with centrally appointed officials," and after everyone read it, there were no objections, making him the unanimously recommended top candidate.
The second and third place winners were then selected from the remaining seven papers. The paper titled "Da Shun," which had initially amazed the examiners, was ranked fourth. Although the paper presented novel viewpoints and used humorous and unconventional language, it ultimately lacked composure in the autumn examination and lost to the second and third place winners.
The more than one hundred examination papers of the successful candidates were quickly ranked, and the examiners picked up brushes to copy the names. But Ouyang Xiu, under the watchful eyes of everyone, was stunned after tearing off the name of the top scholar.
Ouyang Xiu: "..."
Ouyang Xiu: "…………"
Zhao Zongsu? Who?
I vaguely remember that a couple of days ago, Fan Gong wrote to him to boast that he had gained a prodigy disciple with extraordinary talent, and I think that was his name? Also, a few months earlier, the emperor issued an imperial decree to recommend a member of the imperial clan to study at the Imperial Academy. Was that member of the imperial clan also named that?
What was it about this kid that made him famous back then?
It seems that it's because... he was only three years old.
Ouyang Xiu was numb, Ouyang Xiu was completely numb.
He recommended a three-year-old child as the top scholar in the provincial examination. People wouldn't think he had a keen eye for talent; they would only think he was utterly absurd: forming cliques and favoring his own faction's disciples—this was his first crime. Add to that his sycophancy and flattery of officials—this was his second crime.
Help! His lifelong reputation won't be ruined by this autumn examination!
"My lord?" The examiner, noticing Ouyang Xiu's grim expression, sensed something was amiss. He glanced at the exam paper and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is there something wrong with Zhao Zongsu?"
"……No."
Ouyang Xiu gritted his teeth and said, "You should write it correctly: The top scholar in the autumn imperial examination of Bianjing in the fourth year of the Qingli era was named Zhao Zongsu!"
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Author's Note: Regarding extra chapters... I'd really like to too. My tenosynovitis has improved a bit recently, so I'll try to update with more words. [Lop-eared rabbit head][Lop-eared rabbit head][Lop-eared rabbit head]
Thank you so much for your continued support, my little angels! (bows)
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