New system for spring examination
The spring breeze in February is like a pair of scissors, cutting out the green willows throughout the city.
The apricot blossoms in front of the examination hall are in full bloom, their pink and white petals fluttering like snowflakes.
Wu Meiniang held Princess Taiping in her arms on the pavilion overlooking the street, looking down at the bustling crowd below.
The number of students taking the exam this year is more than 30% higher than in previous years; they are all dressed in blue robes, and the sound of reading aloud fills the air.
(OS: This scene is comparable to the Spring Festival travel rush! It seems that students from poor families cherish this hard-won opportunity to take the imperial examination.)
Today, the little princess is dressed in a light green Hangzhou silk spring dress, with delicate intertwined floral patterns embroidered on the collar, and a budding apricot blossom pinned in her hair. She is curiously playing with the Hetian jade ring on her mother's lapel.
When she saw a student downstairs drop his books because he was nervous, she chuckled.
Li Zhi pointed to several exceptionally young students in the crowd, his tone filled with surprise: "Meiniang, look! This year there are so many candidates who haven't even reached adulthood yet, the youngest is only fifteen."
Taiping followed her father's finger and suddenly babbled, "Little...brother..." Then she shyly buried her face in her mother's neck.
At this moment, Li Hong strode over, carrying the newly revised "Regulations for the Imperial Examinations," his small face full of seriousness: "Father, Mother, your humble servant has discovered through statistics that the number of candidates newly added to this year's examinations is the largest, accounting for 40% of the total."
He opened the carefully bound booklet made of Taiping paper, "Especially the children of farmers, almost all of them chose this subject."
Li Xian peeked out from behind his elder brother, proudly proclaiming, "That's because my 'Elementary Arithmetic' is so simple and easy to understand! Even an old woman selling vegetables can read it!"
Wu Zetian smiled and shook her head, saying to Li Zhi, "Your Majesty, it seems that practical knowledge is indeed more popular with the people. In the past, the imperial examinations only valued poetry and prose, but now the mathematics subject is the most sought after."
Three days later, during the palace examination, Wu Zetian specially brought Princess Taiping to watch the ceremony behind a sandalwood screen.
When the examiner asked about suggestions for improving the canal transport system, a farmer's son, dressed in a patched long gown, spoke eloquently: "...I believe that if water-powered waterwheels could be widely adopted and installed along the canal routes, it would save 30% of the manpower, and the elderly, weak, women, and children could all operate them..."
Taiping suddenly clapped his hands in his mother's arms and clearly said, "Good!"
This sound startled everyone inside and outside the screen.
Li Zhi was overjoyed and immediately said, "This young man will be promoted exceptionally and appointed as the Chief of the Grain Transport Office, in charge of improving agricultural tools."
(OS: If this were a talent show, Taiping would definitely be the best judge; he could decide a contestant's fate with just one sentence!)
On the day the results were announced, Wu Zetian personally carried Princess Taiping to the examination hall.
When she saw that the majority of the students from poor families made it onto the list of successful candidates, the little princess excitedly waved her little hands, and the nine-turn golden bells on her wrists jingled all around.
She suddenly pointed to a name on the list: "Di...Di..."
Li Zhi looked closely and saw that it was Di Renjie's nephew, Di Guangyuan. He laughed loudly and said, "Princess Taiping's eye for talent is no less than your mother's. The Di family is about to produce another capable minister."
In late spring, the newly appointed scholars entered the palace to express their gratitude.
Wu Zetian had Princess Taiping sit on a specially made peacock brocade cushion to receive the students' kowtows.
When Di Guangyuan stepped forward, the little princess presented her favorite cloth tiger—which Li Xian had specially sewn for her.
"What Your Highness means," Wu Meiniang explained with a smile, "is that you should always maintain a childlike heart and not lose your true self because of your official position."
Di Guangyuan solemnly accepted the document, his eyes slightly red: "Your subject will certainly not fail the princess's high expectations."
That night, Wu Zetian reviewed the official appointments of the newly appointed scholars under the lamplight.
Taiping lay on the soft couch beside her, her small hand holding a specially made rabbit-hair vermilion brush, and circled Di Guangyuan's name—the very young man who had given her the cloth tiger during the day.
(OS: Is this kid going to start his own "Taiping Party" someday? He's already building his own faction at such a young age!)
The moonlight outside the window was as clear as water. Wu Meiniang looked at her daughter's peaceful sleeping face and suddenly remembered the bewilderment she felt when she first traveled through time.
Looking at the flourishing state of the imperial examination system now, I feel that all the efforts were worthwhile.
——
[Mini-drama: The Prince's Troubles]
(The Secret Records of the Eastern Palace)
His Highness the Crown Prince has been quite troubled lately, and the reason is none other than his exceptionally clever younger sister.
Ever since Princess Taiping demonstrated her exceptional insight in the imperial examinations, the Second Prince has been clinging to his younger sister like a piece of chewing gum.
Today, he brought out a wooden puppet that could write automatically from somewhere and insisted that the princess evaluate it.
As a result, Taiping only glanced at it before turning away in disgust and burying herself in her wet nurse's arms.
(It seems that Her Highness has very high standards when it comes to aesthetics, and the Second Prince's "outlandish ideas" simply don't meet her standards.)
What troubles His Highness the Crown Prince even more is that now, when court officials submit memorials, they always ask first, "Has Her Highness the Princess reviewed them?"
This morning, an imperial censor even solemnly suggested that the princess, who is only a little over one year old, participate in the council of state affairs. His Highness the Crown Prince was so frightened that he quickly rejected the suggestion on the grounds that "the princess is too young."
"My sister is still young," the Crown Prince complained to his confidant, rubbing his temples. "She should be playing happily, not getting bogged down in these trivial political matters all day."
Little did anyone know that Taiping, who was passing by, overheard this and immediately pouted so much that an oil bottle could hang from her lips.
In the end, it was only after His Highness the Crown Prince agreed to take her to the Grand Canal Administration to see the newly arrived canal boats that his sister finally smiled.
(Being an older brother is difficult, but being the Crown Prince's older brother is even more difficult! You have to worry about state affairs and also keep your younger sister happy. This morning, I even saw Your Highness secretly reading "Psychological Counseling for Young Children," which shows how much effort you've put into it.)
[Mini-drama: Li Xian's Troubles]
(The Third Prince's Private Diary)
My younger sister outshone me again today!
This morning, I wanted to show Taiping my new drawing of a canal boat, but she actually pointed to the sail and said, "Brother, the angle of the sail is wrong; the boat will capsize against the wind."
(How does she know all this? I'm the one who goes to the canal transport office every day!)
What's even more infuriating is that when Di Guangyuan came to express his gratitude, Taiping gave him a cloth tiger.
I stayed up all night sewing that for her! Even though the stitches were crooked, my mother still praised me for my care.
My cloth tiger is now in someone else's hands, but my sister doesn't care at all.
I decided not to tell her bedtime stories for three days.
But just now she came to me with her little pillow, her eyes red, and said, "Brother Xian, Taiping had a nightmare..."
Oh well, never mind.
I still told her the story of Yu the Great taming the floods.
Who told me to be the older brother?
(But I must ask her tomorrow how she figured out the angle of the sail was wrong...)
[Mini-drama: Di Renjie's Observations]
(Work Notes of Dali Temple)
Today's imperial examination witnessed a remarkable event.
Princess Taiping was able to recognize talent and discern ability; with a single word of "good," she identified a brilliant talent from a humble background.
After observing for a long time, I realized that the princess did not speak casually.
When the examinee talked about the water-powered car turning overturned, Princess Little Hands kept imitating the turning motion of the car.
Her eyes lit up when she mentioned that 30% of the workforce in the province was saved.
(Such keen observation skills are truly unlike those of a young child.)
What surprised me even more was the gift the princess gave to Guangyuan.
The cloth tiger looked ordinary, but the "king" character embroidered on its body was exactly the same as that on the canal transport flag.
(Her Highness always seems to subtly reveal principles of governance in her playful moments.)
I suddenly recalled Her Majesty the Empress's often-quoted saying, "Education through entertainment." Perhaps, this is the true essence of education.
However... the Second Prince has been asking the Princess about her preferences lately, saying he wants to improve his inventions.
Should I remind him that the princess appreciates designs that benefit the people and are practical?
Never mind, let the young people figure it out themselves.
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