Chapter 50 The Big Test
The effect of using rumors against rumors was remarkable. Compared to an unknown orphan girl from a poor family, ordinary people were clearly more interested in the anecdotes about the Xie family.
Within two or three days, no one in the teahouses and taverns remembered the Yu family daughter from Chang'an Academy; they only cared about which candidates Xie Shichang had "favored."
It wasn't until the eve of the imperial examinations, when betting games were set up in the markets to predict who would be the top scholar, that people's attention was diverted.
On the day of the exam, before dawn, candidates had already begun to arrive at the square in front of the examination hall.
Yu Mingshu struggled through the crowd and found He Zheng sitting on the steps under the corridor. She took out a brocade pouch and handed it to him.
He Zheng squeezed the deflated brocade pouch, looking bewildered: "What is this?"
Yu Mingshu said, "It's a talisman for academic success that my mother obtained from the temple."
He Zhengxi asked, "I'm in too?"
Yu Mingshu rummaged through the basket and took out two more. "There are three portions in total. One for you and one for Xie Sanlang."
He Zheng wiped the smile from his lips and said, "You can't bring this into the exam room, can you?"
"That's what I said too, but my mother insisted I bring it." Yu Mingshu shrugged helplessly. "Did Jinghong come along? You can have him keep it for you later."
He Zheng nodded and said, "Okay, then give them all to me."
Yu Mingshu gave him all three, then looked around and searched but couldn't find Xie Huaijin. "Speaking of which, I haven't seen Xie Sanlang lately. Is he deliberately avoiding me?"
He Zheng chuckled: "You just rejected the Xie family's marriage proposal not long ago, so of course they're avoiding you."
Yu Mingshu said dismissively, "That was Minister Xie's idea. What does it have to do with him? I'm not embarrassed at all, so why is he avoiding it?"
Not everyone can be as open and honest as you.
He Zheng finished speaking helplessly, looked up at the horizon that was quietly turning white in the distance, and suddenly remembered something interesting, saying, "Do you know that there are gambling games in the streets to guess the top scholar in this year's imperial examination?"
Yu Mingshu looked at him and shook her head. "I haven't gone out lately."
He Zheng laughed and said, "They all bet on Xie Huaijin, but I bet on you."
Yu Mingshu asked, "How much did you bet?"
He Zheng opened his five fingers to her.
"Five strings of cash?"
"Fifty strings of cash."
Yu Mingshu gasped and couldn't help but scold, "If you have money to burn, just give it to me, okay? Where did you learn such a spendthrift attitude!"
He Zheng, abandoning his usual thrifty and frugal demeanor, laughed heartily and said, "If you really take the top spot, we'll split the winnings in half."
Although the fifty strings of cash weren't hers either, Yu Mingshu still felt a pang of regret and gave him a not-so-fierce glare: "I really thank you."
She rarely showed intense emotions or exaggerated expressions, which He Zheng found fascinating, and he couldn't help but deepen the smile in his eyes.
As dawn broke on the distant horizon, a deep, somber bell tolled from the examination hall. The noise outside seemed to be muted, and the candidates, whether chatting or reciting their lessons, fell silent and surged toward the entrance for verification.
The body search process in the imperial examinations of the Great Liang Dynasty was not as strict as in later generations. You didn't have to strip naked, nor were you searched for hidden corners as described in sensational articles. You just had to stand there like you were going through security at a high-speed rail station and let a minor official touch you from head to toe.
This was the part that Yu Mingshu was most worried about and most resistant to.
Logically speaking, this path has been trodden by predecessors. Princess Huailing must have gone through this hurdle when she went to the examination hall. There must have been a precedent to follow.
However, until she entered the examination room, no one informed her how to proceed.
Clutching her examination admission ticket, Yu Mingshu followed the crowd forward. When the line got stuck halfway, she stood on tiptoe and looked up, suddenly noticing a familiar figure sitting in front of the examination hall gate.
His Highness the Crown Prince actually came to the examination hall in person?
As she saw the Crown Prince, his gaze also fell upon her. Their eyes met, and Liang Yuanjun turned her head to give some instructions to the female official beside her. Yang Leyi then walked down the steps.
A gentle, clear voice rang out from not far away.
“Miss Yu, please come with me.”
Yu Mingshu said "Excuse me, could you please pass me?" to the other examinees around her, and struggled to get away from the crowd. Yang Leyi led her to a separate passage on the far right.
Two female officials from the inner court stood at the checkpoint, one of whom raised her hand to signal her to show the petition.
"Name."
“Yu Mingshu”.
Actually, this step was somewhat unnecessary. Yu Mingshu was the most special candidate in the entire exam. She was the only woman in the room, and the examiner recognized her appearance, making it almost impossible for her to be impersonated.
The female official still carefully verified the credentials before letting her through the curtain to conduct a body search.
Yu Mingshu raised his arms and couldn't help but ask, "The imperial court actually arranged two separate examiners for the students?"
Yang Leyi, who was standing to the side, smiled when she heard this and said, "It is because our Crown Prince is so thoughtful that he asked His Majesty for permission beforehand, and that's why he assigned two female officials to conduct the pre-examination verification for the young lady."
It would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.
The Crown Prince's meticulousness lay not only in arranging for a female official to search her separately, but more importantly, in the fact that Yang Leyi called her name in full view of everyone, and she walked from the crowd to a private passage without avoiding anyone. Thus, anyone with malicious intent would have no opportunity to spread rumors.
After the body search was completed, Yu Mingshu put away the interrogation report and looked towards where the Crown Prince was. Suddenly, he understood those strategists in history who, on a whim, decided to devote themselves to their monarch.
Before entering, she passed by the Crown Prince sitting in a round-backed chair, and with a heart full of gratitude, she nodded and bowed sincerely.
…
Although the spring chill hadn't completely dissipated, it was still much warmer than the severe cold of last winter when I took the exam. At least when I was writing, my entire wrist was exposed through my sleeve, and it didn't get stiff and painful from the cold.
In the examination hall, thousands of candidates wrote fluent and insightful essays, while others struggled to utter a single word, their thoughts blocked by ice. The invigilating officials walked through the aisles, observing the expressions and behaviors of each candidate.
About two hours later, or maybe less, the shadow on the sundial in the distance quietly shifted, and the soft halo outside the cubicle gradually became somewhat dazzling.
Yu Mingshu put down her pen and scratched at the air for a moment, relieving the stiffness caused by holding the pen for so long. A commotion came from across the street, making her look up out of curiosity.
Just across the aisle from exam room number seven, two inspecting examiners grabbed a candidate who looked to be over fifty and roughly tore open the collar of his undershirt.
The sound of tearing fabric was particularly jarring in the quiet examination room. After a few seconds, the examiner shouted sternly, "Bringing in cheat sheets is considered cheating. Take them away!"
Another proctor immediately lifted the table and grabbed the examinee's arm to forcibly remove him.
The examinee panicked, fell to his knees with a thud, and clung to the examiner's right leg like ivy, wailing desperately, "Misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding! I am the top candidate in Liangzhou's provincial examination, how could I possibly cheat! This thing is not mine, someone must have deliberately framed me!"
"This note was sewn inside your collar, and you dare to say it was a setup by someone else?"
"The student...the student really hasn't even glanced at it!"
The arguing drew the attention of many candidates, who turned to look at the proctor and promptly shut the candidate up.
The head examiner addressed the neighbors in a stern voice: "Stop looking around! Answer the questions calmly!"
The examination room returned to calm.
Yu Mingshu's gaze fell back on the exam paper, with only the last question remaining.
In addition to the required essays, poems, and policy discussions, the provincial examination also included an unassigned essay. This essay was the key to her standing out among the candidates.
Actually, the Liang Dynasty's imperial examinations did not initially include this unassigned essay question; the early Jinshi examinations placed more emphasis on poetic talent.
After nearly a century of practical testing, the emperor finally realized that being a great poet and writer was not the same as having the talent to govern the country. Therefore, he decided to change the direction of the examination and added a unique essay question to the imperial examination, allowing candidates to express themselves freely.
Because the examiners do not specify a topic, this essay is able to reveal the candidate's talent and personality. Whether the candidate is straightforward or tactful, radical or steady, the depth of their knowledge and their understanding of politics and people's livelihood can all be demonstrated in an essay.
How do you write a high-scoring essay?
There is no good or bad in personality; the key is to understand the examiner's preferences.
A wave of hunger jolted Yu Mingshu out of her thoughts. She rummaged through the basket containing her exam materials, pulled out a cold pie from a hidden corner, and nibbled on it, thinking as she ate.
This year's chief examiner for the imperial examination was Prime Minister Li Qinian, and the other officials in charge were all from humble backgrounds. In recent years, Li Qinian seemed to be a smooth-talking old fox, but as far as she knew, he had a ruthless and decisive side when he was young.
Articles that sing praises and glorify the situation may not suit their tastes.
She has to raise questions in the article, but these questions can't be too pointed; it's best to avoid offending any party. It's a delicate task.
After finishing the pie, Yu Mingshu mentally reviewed Yu Zhui's famous "Mingfa Lun" and, following the senior's sense of propriety, picked up his pen again to begin answering the questions.
…
In the private room where the examiners were to rest, Li Qinian and the others stood up and bowed to the Crown Prince and Yang Leyi as they entered.
Liang Yuanjun smiled warmly, "No need for formalities. This year, Prime Minister Li is the chief examiner, and I am merely an assistant examiner. I'm just here to take a casual look around."
A junior official, quick-witted and observant, brought over a food box. "Your Highness cares deeply for the candidates and values talent, even coming personally to supervise the exams. It must be very tiring. Now it's lunchtime, Your Highness, would you like to try the cooking from the Ministry of Rites' small kitchen?"
Liang Yuanjun sat down next to Li Qinian, glanced at the food handed to her, and then looked at the clerk who had spoken. "Does the Ministry of Rites usually eat this well?"
She emphasized the word "usually," and the clerk looked away uncomfortably, letting out two dry laughs.
"Normally... it's not bad, but the examiners are working extra hard today, so the food should be a bit more varied."
Li Qinian glanced over indifferently, and the minor official immediately bowed his head and retreated.
"Your Highness has toured the area; has any student caught your eye?"
"What can you tell from a cursory glance? If I had to pick a few outstanding ones, Xie Sanlang's handwriting would be the most pleasing to the eye, and Xiao Lai's appearance would be the most dazzling."
Li Qinian chuckled to himself.
Chen Qu, who was standing nearby, said, "I just went out to inspect the area, and I didn't expect that He Erlang was not as reckless as the rumors suggested. While the candidates next to him were still pondering, he had already confidently put down his pen, and it seems that he was very confident."
Perhaps to avoid suspicion, Liang Yuanjun did not respond to his words.
Li Qinian rolled his eyes and pondered, "He Zheng is just a bit impulsive, but his literary and military talents are no less than others."
After finishing her meal slowly, Liang Yuanjun took the handkerchief handed to her by Yang Leyi, wiped her mouth, and asked, "Have any of you managed to find Miss Yu's cell?"
When asked about the most unique person in the exam—the only female candidate—the examiners exchanged glances, hesitant to speak.
Li Qinian said, "I overheard someone mentioning it; she seemed quite composed when answering questions, like someone with considerable knowledge."
Chen Qu joked, "I heard Dr. Xu from Chang'an Academy say that Yu Mingshu's handwriting is somewhat lacking, and he gets a headache just looking at it. I just took a closer look, and it's not as bad as Dr. Xu described."
Yang Leyi sighed, "Dr. Xu is the top scholar in the Ming Dynasty calligraphy category. Whose calligraphy can he not find fault with?"
Li Qinian turned his gaze to the Crown Prince, "Does Your Highness think highly of Yu Mingshu?"
These words created a subtle atmosphere in the room. Liang Yuanjun's gaze drifted to Yang Leyi, then subtly returned to Prime Minister Li.
"When I was young, I read Vice Minister Yu's 'On the Law of Enlightenment,' which was highly praised by Lord Yang, who called it the first practical work since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty. Like father, like daughter, how can I not look forward to Yu Mingshu's performance?"
In the corner, someone sighed inappropriately, "What a pity, how could the charisma of Imperial Censor Yu have been misplaced on this young lady..."
Before he could finish speaking, two cold, sharp gazes swept over him.
The person who spoke felt a chill run down their spine. Although they didn't know what they had said wrong, they instinctively shut their mouth.
…
It was dusk when they left the examination hall. Yu Mingshu had the foresight to instruct his family not to be noisy outside the examination hall and to park the carriage in front of an inn two streets away.
So when she arrived at her destination, she could see her own carriage as soon as she looked up. Wu Qiuniang and Yu Dan were both waiting by the carriage. When they saw her come out, they waved to her excitedly.
As soon as Yu Mingshu arrived, she noticed that Wu Qiuniang's smile contained a hint of hesitation. She guessed that her mother probably wanted to ask her how she did on the exam, but was afraid of putting pressure on her, so she hesitated to speak.
She laughed heartily, took her mother's hand, and said, "Mother, everything went smoothly today, so don't worry."
Wu Qiuniang breathed a sigh of relief, and Yu Dan and Xia Man beside her smiled happily.
"Alright, alright, I knew it. You never need anyone to worry about you."
The Yu family's dinner tonight was exceptionally lavish, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Cui Hongli.
Three days ago, Manager Cui had already found out the exam time and arranged a whole set of signature dishes, just waiting for this evening to deliver them to her door right on time.
The dishes served at the restaurant were unlike any other home-cooked meal. The moment the food box was opened, the aroma of food wafting from the Yu family's courtyard filled the entire street.
He Zheng arrived uninvited, treating the Yu family mansion as his third home. Upon entering, he naturally washed his hands and sat down at the table.
Wu Qiuniang glanced outside the door and whispered to Yu Mingshu, "Should we invite Mr. Yuan and Xie Sanlang over?"
Yu Mingshu said, "I just checked, and neither of their houses has their lights on. Maybe the people haven't come back yet."
Upon hearing this, Yu Dan nudged He Zheng with his elbow, "Why didn't you go home after your exam? Didn't the Earl of Anyuan throw you a celebration banquet?"
He Zheng shrugged and said, "Who celebrates right after finishing an exam?"
Before he could finish speaking, Jing Hong approached He Zheng with a troubled expression and whispered, "My lord, the madam has arrived."
He Zheng was taken aback: "Who?"
Jinghong repeated, "Madam has arrived; she's right outside the door."
Yu Mingshu, Wu Qiuniang, and the others exchanged glances. He Zheng was unmarried, so the "madam" that Jing Hong mentioned was most likely his mother, the wife of the Marquis of Anyuan.
He Zheng got up and walked out, and the others didn't dare to delay and hurriedly followed him out.
Outside the gate of the Yu family, the carriage of the Marquis of Anyuan slowly came to a stop. A middle-aged maid lifted the curtain, and a graceful and wealthy figure peeked out from inside the carriage.
Lady Tao, wife of the Earl of Anyuan, had a very different temperament from other noblewomen. Although they all wore gold and jade hairpins and brocade dresses, she exuded a heroic and spirited aura.
He Zheng went to greet her in surprise: "Mother! What brings you here?"
"To celebrate your good exam results, your father went to great lengths to hire the chef from Xuanminglou Restaurant and have them prepare a whole roasted lamb for us. And you, instead of caring about your parents, went and celebrated by yourself." Tao scolded her son with a smile, but her gaze kept drifting towards Yu Mingshu behind him.
The Yu family members were inevitably a little embarrassed by these words, but Yu Mingshu remained calm and stepped forward to greet the other party, saying, "Greetings, Madam Anyuan."
Tao held her wrist, gently shook her head, and said, "You are Erlang's friends, just call me Auntie, there's no need to be so formal."
Yu Mingshu was taken aback by the other party's amiable demeanor and unusually kind eyes. She paused for a moment, then readily changed her address to "Auntie".
Tao's eyes crinkled into a smile, her expression deepening. "I've always heard people mention Miss Yu's name. Seeing her today, I can confirm that she is indeed a beautiful and intelligent young lady. Erlang's personality has changed quite a bit in the six months since we met."
He Zheng's heart skipped a beat, a vague sense of foreboding creeping over him. He quickly stepped forward to block his mother's view. "Mother, please tell Father for me that my older brother gets angry whenever he sees me. I won't go back today on this special day to upset him."
"You still remember those sixty lashes?" Tao sighed and poked his forehead, then turned and beckoned to the servants. "This leg of lamb was specially reserved for you by Dalang, so you could share it with your friends. If I had known you were still holding a grudge, I wouldn't have sent it to you."
The servants immediately brought out the food box and handed it to Luoyan and Qingque.
He Zheng chuckled, "For such a small matter, a servant could have easily made the trip. Why did you have to come all the way here yourself?"
Tao glared at him: "How long has it been since you came home? If I don't come here in person, when will I ever see you again?"
Knowing he was in the wrong, He Zheng tried his best to coax his mother back home.
After a night of commotion, the sun rose as usual.
Yu Mingshu was temporarily freed, but Yu Dan still had to go back to the academy to study. Fortunately, after he transferred to the Mingfa Department, he learned things that suited his taste better, which slightly alleviated his painful feeling of going to school as if he were going to a funeral.
Yu Mingshu felt very uncomfortable with the sudden free time.
She spent the whole morning tidying up her yard inside and out, then went to the kitchen to help Luoyan and the others chop firewood for five days and prepare the vegetables for tonight...
After a busy day, I returned to find it was only past noon.
Luo Yan was both amused and exasperated: "Miss, you really can't stay idle?"
Yu Mingshu didn't know how to explain to her that he hadn't had such a leisurely time in nearly twenty years.
Even during the three months after her college entrance exam in her previous life, she was learning to drive and taking driving tests, and she also worked a summer job for a month.
"Don't you think my mother gets bored staying at home all day?"
Luo Yan said, "Isn't this how all women are after they get married? Madam is already used to it."
Yu Mingshu shuddered and said, "That's terrifying."
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