Chapter 568: Autumn Examinations of the Fifth Year of Qianyou

It was now mid-autumn, when melons ripened and fell from the vine, and the fields were heavy with harvest. The whole world was painted in golden autumn hues. In the Eastern Capital, new autumn fruits had come to market, and every trade was thriving.

Every autumn, Liu Chengyou was in good spirits—after all, it was the season of harvest, and the weather was pleasant. Feeling refreshed and clear-headed, Liu Chengyou leafed through the autumn execution list submitted by the Ministry of Justice.

"This is the second batch since autumn began, ninety-seven men in total. All have been checked against the archives by the Ministry of Justice and verified by Dali. The evidence is conclusive, and the sentences are beyond dispute!" Li Fang explained briefly.

"Quite a few have violated the court's prohibitions and profited from smuggling, haven't they?" Since lives were at stake, Liu Chengyou read carefully, then looked up and asked: "Just those selling smuggled salt alone number over thirty?"

Sensing the Son of Heaven's doubt, Li Fang said: "This is the Huainan salt case. Merchants of Yangzhou colluded with salt-field officials from within and without. It was discovered by Administration Commissioner Wang, and they were caught in one net. By law they must die; the verdict has been submitted, awaiting Your Majesty's decision!"

Wang Pu had done much in Yangzhou, up and down, high and low.

"I recall that in the early days of the state, commoners who committed the crime of selling private salt or brewer's yeast were put to death regardless of the amount. I thought this law too harsh, so I issued an edict to weigh crimes and mete out punishments as leniently as possible, so that there would be gradations!" Liu Chengyou said: "But I never imagined that, in this way, smugglers would not decrease—some have even grown bolder, colluding from within and without, stealing state wealth for private gain!"

"Your Majesty legislated with benevolence in mind, but corrupt officials and merchants do not feel your grace. They harbor greed and violate the law. Simply punish them according to the statutes—Your Majesty need not take it too much to heart!" Thinking the Emperor was displeased, Li Fang tried to console him.

But Liu Chengyou was hardly given to melancholy. He simply made a stroke with his vermilion brush and said coldly: "Send it back to the Ministry of Justice. All criminals shall be dealt with according to the law! The law makes no allowance for sentiment, still less for such treacherous scoundrels!"

"Yes!"

"This is the report from the Minister of Rites: the list of scholars coming to the capital for this year's special examination. Please review it, Your Majesty!" Pausing, Li Fang reported to Liu Chengyou with a hint of a smile.

As the reform and centralization of power unfolded with great vigor, to fill the vacancies throughout the Great Han court and the prefectures and counties, Liu Chengyou, after returning to the capital from his southern campaign, issued an edict to hold another special examination in the Eastern Capital to select talent.

Since the early years of Qianyou, only the third year of Qianyou had no examination; in almost every other year one was held. However, with the restoration and expansion of local education, starting next year, the Great Han's three-tiered imperial examination system could formally begin. For the empire's scholars, this was the last year of the old system's bounty—those admitted in these years, great or small, were basically given official posts directly.

For instance, the jinshi of the first year of Qianyou, men like Wang Pu and Wang Qiwu, had already become major officials of circuits and prefectures. What scholars most hoped for was that, if they passed, they would catch the Son of Heaven's eye and serve before the throne—then they would rise swiftly and have boundless prospects. Men like Wang Qiwu, Wang Zhu, and Li Fang had set an example and a goal for everyone.

Therefore, this autumn's special examination was the largest in number and scale since the founding of the state. Liu Chengyou appointed He Ning, Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall and Minister of Rites, to oversee the examination.

"Quite a number, aren't there? From all corners of the land—even Huainan and Fangzhou have sent people!" Liu Chengyou chuckled: "This autumn's special examination—scholars are very enthusiastic, their spirits are high!"

"The Great Han has been founded for six years, and the situation grows more stable by the day. A sage ruler sits on the throne, wishing to gather worthy talents to prosper the state. Your Majesty has restored order from chaos and values scholars—this is known to all. How could the empire's talents not gladly flock to serve the court!" Li Fang replied.

"Since the founding, through the special examinations, over a thousand talents have been selected, haven't they?" Liu Chengyou stroked his beard and asked.

"Exactly so!" Li Fang said.

"Go—have the Ministry of Personnel select from the officials chosen by special examination those with top-rated records and evaluations, and show them to me!" Liu Chengyou instructed: "With so many people, I want to see just how many have truly been tempered by experience!"

"Yes!" Li Fang acknowledged, while inwardly thinking that the Son of Heaven indeed valued scholars, but valued practical talent even more.

If Liu Chengyou knew what Li Fang was thinking, he would have laughed from the heart. He did not value scholars per se—he valued forces beneficial to his imperial rule, and scholars were merely one such force.

"The examination is about to begin. Your Majesty must finalize the questions as soon as possible!" Li Fang added.

"Mm, I know. Go about your business!"

On the tenth day of the eighth month of the fifth year of Qianyou, as the time came to an end, the silence of the examination hall was broken. The scholars, each alone, filed out of the imposing examination compound. Nearly two thousand people taking the examination in the capital at once—this was a first for the Great Han.

Voices of discussion did not cease; in groups of three or five, they sought out friends and walked together. No matter the era, those who had just finished an exam talked of nothing but the questions.

As in previous years, most scholars had registered for the jinshi examination, and the proportion rose year by year. Several young scholars walked together, chatting freely along the way.

Most wore grim expressions—clearly, this year's questions were quite vexing. The special examination was uniformly simplified; according to Liu Chengyou's wishes, besides testing basic qualities in writing and phonology, there were the practical affairs and policy questions that Liu Chengyou valued most.

"Candidates who memorized the Mencius are lucky this time—most of the Four Books questions came from it!" One man sighed: "Had I known, I would have memorized it thoroughly."

"We've all read the Four Books and Five Classics; filling in the blanks and completing the passages isn't hard!" Another shook his head and said: "No, it's the practical affairs that are more troubling. The question I drew was to list a case and write out the trial procedure and the statutes to be applied. This is clearly a question for the law examination!"

"Yours is still fine—my question was about the cultivation of millet. Wouldn't it be better to let a farmer answer it?" One man's tone was full of lament.

"I drew a tax question, requiring calculation with mathematics..."

"I thought the policy question would be the hardest, but I never expected the practical affairs to be so tricky and narrow!" A scholar who looked like he hadn't answered well was full of sighs.

"We traveled a thousand li to the capital, only to serve the court and work for the state. Who would have thought that what we've learned is almost useless for these questions? Is the court deliberately making things difficult?" This man was already resentful—with such an attitude, failing was not far off.

"Brother Li, don't speak recklessly. They say this special examination's questions were personally set by the current Son of Heaven. Those practical affairs, so different from the usual, must also come from His Majesty's ingenious mind!" A quick-witted man hurriedly urged.

As he spoke, he glanced at a young man beside him who was elegant in bearing and wore a smile, and asked: "Young Lord Lu, you look so calm and unhurried—surely you're confident of success?"

The scholar surnamed Lu was very young—even calling him a youth would be no exaggeration. The others couldn't help but turn their eyes to him. They saw the corners of his mouth curl up slightly, carrying an air of pride, as he said: "Looking at the questions set by the Son of Heaven, they all concern matters of national welfare and governance. What he seeks, as the name suggests, is talent for practical affairs. The Son of Heaven wants more than mere bookworms. If you feel it unfair, or think you haven't shown your strengths, or believe your literary talent is brilliant, then you shouldn't have registered for the jinshi examination..."

When his words fell, some were enlightened, while others felt displeased, finding him arrogant. The scholar who had raised the question seemed more composed, and spoke to ease the atmosphere: "May I ask, Young Lord Lu, which policy question did you choose? The strategy for pacifying Shu, or the strategy for north-south relations?"

Young Lord Lu smiled but did not answer. He walked with his hands behind his back, his face full of confidence, his bearing imposing.

In the Han palace, preparations for the Mid-Autumn Festival were already underway. Liu Chengyou made his way to the Jixian Hall, the place where examination papers were centrally graded. The graders, besides the chief examiner He Ning and two Hanlin Academicians, were all capable officials drawn from the relevant departments—each reviewed the questions in their specialty, scoring on a ten-point scale.

Two thousand examination papers, worked on day and night, were finished in less than two days. When Liu Chengyou arrived, the ten grading officials all wore exhausted expressions, disheveled and bedraggled—after all, they had been confined to the hall for eating, drinking, and everything else.

Liu Chengyou casually picked up a practical affairs paper and looked at it. It concerned a criminal case. The answer was long, the calligraphy beautiful, full of classical citations, and detailed in content. Summed up, it was one phrase: punish according to the law. But it never got to the specifics—how to apply the law, which statute to apply, the trial procedure, points of caution—not a word on any of it.

"Is it asking too much of these scholars to answer such questions?" Liu Chengyou asked He Ning.

He Ning clearly understood the imperial intent deeply, and replied: "If one only knows how to study mechanically, then one is not a man of practical affairs. Even a clerk wielding a brush must be familiar with statutes and regulations!"

Of course, in this selection, the practical affairs questions were only an experiment, a bonus item. The real basis for ranking and appointment remained the writing and the policy questions. This time, the requirements for scholars in practical affairs were not high—after all, such skills could be acquired through study and experience. But afterward, it would be different. He also wanted to use this special examination to set a new trend and point the empire's scholars in a direction: practical affairs to strengthen the state.

"Have you determined the top candidate?" Liu Chengyou asked He Ning.