Chapter 37: Today I First Come to Pay Respects to Minister Zhang

"That is precisely the logic. While the timing of Heaven cannot be defied, human affairs cannot be neglected."

Lu Beigu nodded and said, "The bitterly cold lands of the far north are inherently difficult for farming and rely entirely on pastoralism. If they encounter another great cold, the pasture grass will not grow, and the Hu cavalry, in their struggle for survival, will inevitably raid southward. Although the Treaty of Chanyuan has been established, one cannot expect permanent peace. Eventually, the Winter Break will arrive; at that time, even if it is not the Khitan, there will surely be northern Hu peoples like the Xiongnu, Xianbei, and Rouran descending upon the Central Plains once again."

"Thinking of danger while in safety; your concerns are not unfounded!"

The old man sighed, "I never expected to hear such novel theories today by the shores of the Mohe Pool."

"You young man, though so young, can discern such insights from old papers; you are indeed a person of heart. However, I have heard that scholars from Sichuan often come to deliver manuscripts to Minister Zhang, seeking a sudden ladder to high office. Could it be that you, at such a young age, also wish to take this shortcut?"

The old man spoke seriously, "I advise you: if you do not take the proper path of the imperial examinations, even if you secure a minor official post, you will remain stagnant in place for a lifetime. By then, there will be no medicine for regret."

There is a saying regarding this: the Song Dynasty's recommendation system was initially extremely rampant, and it even allowed high officials to recommend relatives and retainers for office.

However, in the third year of Qingli, Fan Zhongyan, in his "Reply to the Imperial Decree Outlining Ten Matters," proposed principles such as "Clarifying Promotion and Demotion" and "Suppressing Unmerited Success," directly targeting the accumulated abuses of the recommendation system and carrying out large-scale dismissals of redundant officials. The famous story of "Why let one family cry when the whole region can cry" originated from this.

The Qingli Reforms explicitly set an annual upper limit on the number of people each official level could recommend. Even for high officials like the Commissioner of the Three Departments, the number recommended did not exceed three. By the first year of Jiayou, although the number of recommendations had been somewhat relaxed, the conditions remained extremely harsh, and the recommender bore joint responsibility.

Therefore, the path of recommendation can only be sought through high officials, and generally, only those with genuine talent and ability are recommended.

Yet even so, those who enter office through recommendation can only become "Selected Officials." This means holding the lowest-level positions such as Judge, Clerk, Registrar, or Commandant. Although these are official posts, they involve dirty and exhausting work. The saying "all laboring their muscles and bones, crushing their spirits, being commanded by others, hardly differing from servants" describes the current state of these "Selected Officials."

If a "Selected Official" cannot be further recommended to the capital, it means they will be stuck as a petty official for life; their career path is essentially visible to the end, with no possibility of further advancement.

Therefore, unless the path of the imperial examinations is truly impassable, ordinary scholars will not choose the path of recommendation.

But doesn't that sound strange? How is it possible for someone to possess enough talent to be appreciated by high officials yet be unable to pass the imperial examinations?

Yes, there are such cases.

Take Su Xun, for example.

When Zhuge Liang was "appointed in the midst of a defeated army and given orders in a time of peril" upon his first emergence from seclusion, until he wrote the "Memorial on Deploying the Army," only twenty-one years had passed.

But this old fellow, up to now, has been taking the imperial examinations for a full twenty-two years and still has not passed as a Jinshi.

This is a figure listed among the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song." Even if his literary skill points were all allocated to "Prose," making him severely specialized, his innate talent is clearly evident. Surely his performance in the imperial examinations would be superior to that of the vast majority of candidates?

Yet, he tried hard, but simply could not pass as a Jinshi.

In fact, Su Xun did not even pass the provincial exam for Juren on his first attempt.

The reason is simple: no matter how well Su Xun wrote his policy essays or how bitterly he memorized the classics, on the poetry and prose composition and the ink interpretation sections, the "exam kings" could always widen the score gap through extreme tactics.

— So, truly do not think that taking the imperial examinations in the Great Song is easy!

The old man also assumed Lu Beigu wished to take this shortcut, and thus kindly offered this advice.

Lu Beigu quickly clasped his hands and said, "It is not so. This junior will present himself to the Son of Heaven next year; today, I merely come first to pay my respects to Minister Zhang."

Hearing this, the old man's expression softened, and he pointed at Lu Beigu, laughing.

"You young man, your words are bold!"

Lu Beigu smiled but did not reply.

Clearly, although the old man did not like those who came to deliver manuscripts to Zhang Fangping seeking recommendation, as many possessed only empty literary talent.

However, he could not change Zhang Fangping, after all, it was well known that Zhang Fangping enjoyed associating with talented scholars.

In fact, people like the old man were the ones who did not conform to the customs of the Song Dynasty scholar-official class.

Because scholar-officials made friends through literature, appreciating and promoting scholars who had not yet taken office was extremely common.

At this moment, Li Pan, who had been waiting at the door and could wait no longer, adjusted his clothes and hat and walked in.

"This subordinate, Li Pan, Magistrate of Hejiang, greets the Transport Commissioner."

The Transport Commissioner?

Lu Beigu was somewhat surprised; this was a high-ranking official, though he did not know whether it was the Transport Commissioner of the Yizhou Circuit or the Zizhou Circuit.

Seeing Li Pan, the old man asked in a manner resembling an interrogation, "Why have you come today to pay your respects to Minister Zhang?"

Li Pan was certainly not foolish; he guessed that Lu Beigu had already been asked this question.

So he answered respectfully, "It is because my student has some thoughts on the art of governing the state and saving the people. There are unexpressed meanings in his policy essay, and he wishes to discuss them face-to-face with Minister Zhang."

At this moment, Li Pan also took the opportunity to introduce Zhao Bian's identity to Lu Beigu, and Lu Beigu hurriedly bowed.

"I greet Transport Commissioner Zhao!"

Just then, a high official in a purple robe stepped out from behind the screen.

This person wore a purple robe with a curved collar and wide sleeves, the robe reaching the feet, with a jade belt at the waist, a gold fish bag hanging from it, a straight-footed stiff hat on the head, and black leather boots on the feet; truly, he possessed an extraordinary bearing.

"I greet Minister Zhang!"

Li Pan quickly led Lu Beigu in a bow.

"No need."

Zhang Fangping stroked the three long whiskers under his chin and said, "This young man must be the one you mentioned who wrote the 'Strategy Against Xia'?"

"Exactly so," Li Pan replied respectfully.

"Sit as you please."

Zhang Fangping brushed off his purple robe and sat in the place of honor.

This purple robe was the official uniform, also known as the common robe or "Service-Reducing Robe," worn by Song officials for daily work and general formal occasions. Those of the third rank and above wore purple, those of the fifth rank and above wore red, those of the seventh rank and above wore green, and those of the ninth rank and above wore black.

The saying "The entire court of red and purple nobles are all men of letters," the "red and purple" within refers to the high-ranking officials of the court of the fifth rank and above.

And Li Pan was wearing a green official robe.

Zhang Fangping looked at Zhao Bian, who had intended to leave but had now sat down again, and asked with some curiosity.

"Did you not just say you were leaving? What is it? Are you not leaving?"

Zhao Bian smiled, "The theories spoken by this youth just now, I find extremely reasonable. Coincidentally, the Transport Commissioner's Office has nothing pressing at this moment, so there is no harm in listening to what else he has to say."

Hearing this, Zhang Fangping was somewhat surprised, after all, there were very few people whom Zhao Bian, this old stick-in-the-mud, could appreciate.

"There are indeed few people whom you find appreciable, so let us listen."

Zhang Fanggu nodded.

After all, the matter to be discussed was not a secret, and it happened to concern economics; it was only natural for Zhao Bian, as the Transport Commissioner of the Yizhou Circuit, to sit in on the discussion.

"I read your 'Summer Strategy,' it was written quite well."

Zhang Fangping picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea; his gaze was not sharp, but when it fell on Lu Beigu, it carried an immense pressure.

The former "Chief Minister of Finance," now a great frontier official holding down the Southwest, his every casual word and gesture truly gave off a feeling of "majesty without anger," and Lu Beigu unconsciously straightened his back.

"You've come from afar, so I'll spare the small talk. I count myself as half-versed in military matters; in earlier years I also wrote the 'Ten Strategies for Pacifying the Rong'—using spies, recruiting archers, and so on—I don't want to hear any of that."

"As for your strategy of 'cutting off the sinews of commerce,' the Qingli Peace has already been settled, and the court cannot rashly open border markets with the Qingtang Tibetans. However, as a countermeasure, it does indeed make sense. Just now the Zhao Transport Commissioner mentioned that you discussed the theory of cold and warmth with him—we'll come back to that later."

"What I'd rather hear now is this so-called 'method by which salt, paper money, and grain resolve their three difficulties among themselves' that you mentioned earlier to Magistrate Li—what exactly is it about?"

(End of chapter)