[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty":3,"chapter-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-37":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Literary Genius in the Song Dynasty",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2336420,4568,"Chapter 37: Today, First I Pay Respects to the Chancellor","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-37",37,"\u003Cp>“Precisely so. Though heavenly timing cannot be reversed, human preparation must not be neglected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Beigu nodded and said: “The far north is a bitter, frozen land, inherently unsuited to farming, reliant entirely on nomadism. If a severe cold spell strikes and pastures fail to grow, the barbarian horsemen will inevitably raid southward for survival. Though the Treaty of Chanyuan stands, we cannot expect eternal peace—there will come a day when the cold period returns, and whether it is the Khitan or another northern barbarian tribe like the Xiongnu, Xianbei, or Rouran, they will once again descend upon the Central Plains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To think of danger in times of peace—your concerns are not unfounded!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man sighed: “I never expected to hear such novel insights beside the Maha Pond today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re young, yet you’ve discerned this from ancient texts—you’re a thoughtful one. But I’ve heard scholars from Sichuan often come to Zhang Fangping to submit writings, seeking a swift ladder to power. Are you, so young, also seeking this shortcut?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man sternly said: “Let me advise you: if you bypass the imperial examination path, even if you secure a minor post, you’ll remain stuck for life—there’ll be no cure for regret then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is a reason: the Song dynasty’s recommendation system was originally extremely lax, permitting high officials to recommend relatives and retainers for office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third year of Qingli, Fan Zhongyan proposed in his “Response to the Imperial Edict on Ten Matters” principles such as “Clarifying Promotion and Demotion” and “Curbing Unmerited Advancement,” directly targeting the systemic flaws of the recommendation system and dismissing vast numbers of redundant officials—the famous story of “One family’s weeping versus a whole region’s weeping” originated here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingli Reforms clearly capped the number of people each official could recommend annually—even high officials like the Three Department Commissioner could recommend no more than three. By the present year of Jiayou One, though the quota had been slightly relaxed, the conditions remained extremely strict, and recommenders bore joint liability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the recommendation path could only be pursued by seeking high officials, and only those with genuine talent and learning were likely to be recommended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even then, those entering through recommendation could only become “selected officials”—positions such as judge, clerk, registrar, or constable, the lowest ranks. Though technically officials, they performed only menial, grueling labor—“exhausting body and spirit, serving others, little different from servants”—was the reality of these “selected officials.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if a “selected official” failed to be recommended further to the capital, his career was sealed—he would remain a petty official for life, with no prospect of advancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, unless the imperial examination path was utterly impassable, ordinary scholars would not choose the recommendation route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this seems strange, doesn’t it? How could someone possess talent sufficient to impress high officials yet still fail the imperial examinations?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are such cases. Indeed, there are.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Su Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Liang, in his youth, “took office amid defeat, accepted command amid crisis”—even when he wrote the “Memorial on the Expedition,” he had served only twenty-one years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this man has now taken the imperial examinations for twenty-two years straight—and still has not passed the jinshi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is among the “Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song”—even if he devoted all his literary skill points solely to prose, neglecting poetry and verse, his talent and ability are plainly evident; surely he outperforms the vast majority of examinees?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he has tried, and tried, and still failed to pass the jinshi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when taking the provincial examination at the state academy, Su Xun did not pass on his first attempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason is simple: no matter how brilliant his policy essays, no matter how diligently he memorized the classics, in poetry and ink-essays, the top candidates always pulled ahead through extreme mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—So do not for a moment think passing the imperial examinations in the Song is easy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man assumed Lu Beigu also sought this shortcut, hence his well-intentioned warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Beigu quickly bowed and said: “Not so. I shall go to the Son of Heaven next year; today I merely come to pay respects to the Chancellor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the old man’s expression softened, and he pointed at Lu Beigu and laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re bold, young man!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Beigu smiled but said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, though the old man disliked those who came to Zhang Fangping to submit writings seeking recommendation—most were merely ornate in words without substance—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he could not change Zhang Fangping, for it was well known that Zhang favored associating with talented scholars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, men like the old man himself were out of step with the prevailing spirit of the Song scholar-official class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For scholar-officials bonded through literature, and recognizing and nurturing unappointed students was commonplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Pan, who had waited at the door until he could wait no longer, straightened his robes and entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant, Li Pan, County Magistrate of Hejiang, pays his respects to the Transport Commissioner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transport Commissioner?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Beigu was surprised—this was a high-ranking official. He did not know whether this was the Transport Commissioner of Yizhou Circuit or Zizhou Circuit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man, upon seeing Li Pan, interrogated him as if cross-examining: “Why have you come to pay respects to Chancellor Zhang today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Pan was no fool—he guessed Lu Beigu had already been asked this question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he replied respectfully: “My student has ideas on statecraft and governance; his policy essay contains unexpressed points, and he wishes to discuss them face-to-face with Chancellor Zhang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Li Pan also took the opportunity to introduce Zhao Bian’s identity to Lu Beigu, who immediately bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant greets Commissioner Zhao!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a senior official in purple robes stepped out from behind the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a purple, wide-sleeved robe with a curved collar that reached his feet, girded with a jade belt and carrying a gold fish pouch, his head adorned with a stiff, straight-tailed futou, and his feet clad in black leather boots—his demeanor was truly majestic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant greets Chancellor Zhang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Pan immediately bowed with Lu Beigu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping stroked his three-stranded beard and said: “This youth—surely you mean the one who wrote the ‘Strategy for Defending Against Xia’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely so,” Li Pan replied respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sit freely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping brushed his purple robe and sat at the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This purple robe was the official court dress, also called “simplified dress,” worn daily by Song officials and in general formal occasions: third rank and above wore purple, fifth rank and above wore crimson, seventh rank and above wore green, ninth rank and above wore blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phrase “All in court wear crimson and purple—all are scholars” refers to “crimson and purple” as the robes of officials of fifth rank and above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Pan wore a green robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping, noticing Zhao Bian—who had just claimed he was leaving but now sat down—asked curiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you just say you were leaving? What? Not going now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Bian smiled: “The views this youth expressed just now struck me as profoundly sound. Since the Transport Commissioner’s office has no urgent matters, I might as well hear what else he has to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping was surprised—few people earned Zhao Bian’s admiration, especially not this old stickler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you find him worthy, then listen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter to be discussed was not secret, and it concerned economics—Zhao Bian, as Transport Commissioner of Yizhou Circuit, had every right to listen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I read your ‘Strategy for Defending Against Xia.’ Well written.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping lifted his teacup, sipped, his gaze not sharp—but when it settled on Lu Beigu, it carried immense pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the “Minister of Finance,” now a frontier governor of the southwest, his casual words and gestures exuded an aura of quiet authority. Lu Beigu unconsciously sat up straighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve come a long way; no idle talk. I’m half a military man—I once wrote ‘Ten Strategies for Pacifying the Barbarians,’ on espionage, recruiting archers, and so on. I don’t want to hear that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for your ‘cutting the sinews of commerce’ strategy: the Qingli Accord is settled; our state cannot suddenly open trade with the Qingtang Tibetans. But as a countermeasure, your idea has merit. Zhao Bian just mentioned your cold-warm theory—let’s return to that later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right now, I want to hear what you told County Magistrate Li about your ‘three difficulties resolved at once’ method—salt, paper money, and grain. How does it work?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1421,"2026-06-20T21:44:14.864Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7720c6ec29b1e08f0209f73e937a7291cc582a81b8b4ba05116f0b7222513a34","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-38","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-36",56,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-cover.jpg"]