Chapter 972: The Fifteenth Year of Qianyou

The fifteenth year of Qianyou (962), spring, the second month.

Because of the spring examination, the Eastern Capital was noticeably more lively. Scholars from all directions gathered in the capital, adding a bright splash of color to the thriving scene of the Eastern Capital.

The development of things can sometimes be strange. In the early years of Qianyou, various institutions and regulations had gaps and omissions, yet the Emperor showed exceptional attention to the imperial examinations, wishing he could hold them every year, and the number of jinshi admitted each time far exceeded that of previous dynasties by several times, even tenfold.

However, by now, the court's various systems for the imperial examinations had become quite complete, and the three-tier examination system from the local level to the central government had also been established. But since the ninth year of Qianyou, they had been delayed several times. Only in the autumn of the twelfth year of Qianyou was a special examination held, which could be considered a small relief for the scholars waiting to take the exams in the prefectures and counties.

Speaking of it, this spring examination was nominally only the second regular examination since the founding of the state. According to the Emperor's wishes, from now on, a major examination every three years would be the regular examination, established as a standing system.

However, compared to the early years when all comers were accepted, the requirements for the examinations were now much higher. For literati, the benefits of the early founding period had already diminished considerably, and the number admitted per examination had also sharply decreased, being strictly controlled. First, the Great Han no longer had that many positions to fill; second, if something became commonplace, it would no longer be valuable.

Nevertheless, under Liu Chengyou's governance, no matter what changed, he still placed greater emphasis on the practical and comprehensive abilities of scholars. Those who merely studied by rote found it hard to gain his favor. No matter how well one wrote essays, in Liu Chengyou's eyes, at best one could serve as a recorder or clerk—and if one lacked political and administrative insight, one couldn't even do clerical work well.

Of course, Liu Chengyou still held great respect for learned scholars and erudite Confucians. The Three Halls and the two Hanlin academies housed a large number of talented people, and local authorities also gave them good treatment, supporting them in their scholarly and moral pursuits.

Even so, the literati's enthusiasm for the imperial examinations had not diminished; on the contrary, they became even more eager, almost squeezing their heads through any crack to get in. Especially coming to the capital to take the examination—this was an opportunity to fight for the starting point of an official career.

As the state returned to order, politics gradually stabilized, and the economy moved toward prosperity. In the current Great Han dynasty, the spring of the literati had not yet fully arrived, but the era of military men running rampant was thoroughly over. With the perfection of various institutions, what civil officials could see before them was a broad and bright road.

This year's chief examiner was Minister of Rites Liu Wensou. This gentleman had considerable skill in selecting talent through the examinations, and his reputation for judging people was quite famous.

During the scholars' preparation period, Emperor Liu Chengyou left the palace in plain clothes, conducting a private inspection—though what he was inspecting was not the sentiments of the common people. Under tight protection, the carriage stopped before a mansion gate, and Liu Chengyou, dressed in ink-black silk, descended from the carriage.

"Father!" A crisp call, very pleasant to the ear.

"Don't be in a hurry!" A gentle smile broke through Liu Chengyou's stern countenance as he looked at the delicately featured little girl standing on the carriage shaft.

He wanted to pick her up, but she wasn't willing. Instead, she let Liu Chengyou take her hand and jumped down to the ground herself. This girl was naturally the eldest Princess, Liu Jia, the Emperor's most beloved daughter, now nine years old.

"Go announce our arrival!" he instructed a palace eunuch beside him who had changed into plain clothes.

"Yes!"

Liu Chengyou's head eunuch had been replaced again. This time it was an old eunuch, already over fifty, named Sun the Yan army, who had served in both the Tang and Jin palaces.

As for the previous Sun Yanxi, he had already been executed by Liu Chengyou's order. The reason lay in the construction of the Zhaolie Temple. During his supervision of the project, he had conscripted laborers on a massive scale, causing many deaths, and moreover had built it too extravagantly. To supply the construction, he had also disturbed the local populace.

The Emperor attached great importance to the Zhaolie Temple, so all parties gritted their teeth and cooperated regarding its construction, which gave Sun Yanxi the opportunity to throw his weight around. It wasn't until Liu Chengyou personally inspected the project and noticed something amiss that he flew into a rage. Immediately afterward, accusations of various crimes against Sun Yanxi came pouring in, including some illegal acts committed during his return to the capital to recuperate from illness during the northern campaign.

As for the result, naturally he was executed, and that was that. To the Great Han dynasty, this could be called a trivial matter, but for Liu Chengyou, it planted a thorn in his heart.

Sun Yanxi had once been the head of the palace eunuchs, a close attendant of the Son of Heaven. Within the imperial palace, in terms of status, only Zhang Dejun ranked above him. During the time he served by Liu Chengyou's side, he had been respectful and dutiful. Though slow of speech and not quick in action, Liu Chengyou found him convenient to use. Yet, in places beyond Liu Chengyou's gaze, he had worn such a detestable face.

At the same time, Zhang Dejun also incurred the Emperor's displeasure. Could Zhang Dejun, as Commissioner of the Palace City, have been unaware of Sun Yanxi's crimes? According to his explanation, he hadn't wanted to report rashly without solid evidence. But how could such an excuse convince Liu Chengyou? If evidence was needed, why did accusations come pouring in right after he inspected the project?

The truth was that Zhang Dejun had been pulling strings behind the scenes. As for the reason, it was simple—the two men had a grudge between them. And Zhang Dejun had been quietly waiting for his opportunity, waiting to seize a fatal handle on him before pushing him over...

Having understood all this, Liu Chengyou found a pretext to give him a thorough scolding, as a kind of warning. The facts proved that the human heart is hard to fathom. Controlling a person is no easy matter, especially one who holds a certain amount of power in his hands. Someone like Zhang Dejun, when faced with matters concerning his own interests and safety, could not help but act in his own private interest.

Zhang Dejun was clever in that he didn't cross the bottom line, confining the matter to an internal struggle among household servants and underlings.

The mansion was not that of some Prince or Commandery Prince, but the residence of Wang Pu, a chief minister and Grand Academician of the Chongzheng Hall. The compound was medium-sized, without extravagant airs, with little ostentatious scenery, and few servants, but its rules were strictly enforced.

Like an uninvited guest arriving, Liu Chengyou didn't allow an announcement to be made. He directly had the household steward lead him to see Wang Pu. The accompanying guards also made themselves at home without ceremony, taking up positions everywhere and sealing off the various courtyards.

Passing through several winding corridors, the trembling steward led him to the hall where Wang Pu was. Before he even arrived, he could hear several coughs from within, and the air was permeated with a faint scent of medicinal herbs.

Stepping inside and looking around, what he saw was Wang Pu lying on a sickbed. At the bedside, his eldest son Wang Shen was respectfully attending to the medicine. Looking up and seeing Liu Chengyou, both father and son's expressions shifted slightly.

Wang Shen set down the medicine bowl and immediately rose to kneel, while Wang Pu struggled to sit up: "How could Your Majesty trouble yourself to come in person?"

"Don't get excited. Your body isn't well—lie down!" Seeing this, Liu Chengyou said immediately, then gestured to Wang Shen.

Seeing this, Wang Shen also hurriedly rose, took a backrest pillow, and helped his old father sit up. Liu Chengyou then sat directly at the edge of the bed, and Princess Liu Jia also sat down beside him, her little legs swinging back and forth. She was lively on ordinary days, but when she needed to be well-behaved, she was very obedient.

"I had no idea your illness had become so severe!" Looking at Wang Pu's sallow, gaunt face, Liu Chengyou sighed.

Wang Pu's voice lacked vigor, yet it still showed his reverence for the Emperor, as he said: "Plagued by illness, with the foul aura of medicinal decoctions defiling Your Majesty's sacred person, this is this minister's crime!"

"You need not speak thus!" Liu Chengyou comforted him: "Since I am a sacred person, I am naturally immune to all harm!"

Compared to the official histories, Wang Pu had been granted a considerable extension of life. However, in the end, it was merely an extension. With his devotion to state affairs, wearing down his body with worry, lasting until now was already no small feat. Over the past three years, he had been unwell, until last winter, when he finally took to his bed and could not rise again.

As for the nature of his illness, it could be summed up in four words: illness from accumulated overwork.

"You are a pillar of the state, a man of merit, toiling for the nation for over a decade as if it were a single day. You must take good care of yourself and recuperate properly—please, do take care!" Liu Chengyou said with some emotion.

Hearing this, Wang Pu's mouth curved slightly open, a smile spreading across his sickly face. His eyes were deeply sunken, but his gaze shone with spirit, as he replied: "This worn-out sack of skin and bones of mine can only be sustained by medicine and stones, beyond recovery. The reason I still stubbornly hold on is only that I hope to witness with my own eyes the unification of the Great Han's rivers and mountains. If that comes to pass, I shall die without regret!"

Wang Pu's words were filled with fervor for unification and for the state, and Liu Chengyou could not help but be moved. Meeting his gaze, Liu Chengyou spoke concisely, like a solemn promise: "Your wish will be fulfilled!"

"With Your Majesty's great talent and bold vision, it will certainly be accomplished!" Wang Pu was equally certain, looking at Liu Chengyou: "Does Your Majesty intend to launch the southern campaign?"

Nodding, Liu Chengyou did not avoid the matter: "After three years of resting the troops and nurturing the people, the time has come to end this era of chaos and separatist regimes!"

"Then this minister offers his congratulations in advance to Your Majesty—sweeping across Jiangnan, clearing the realm, and creating peace anew!" Wang Pu's aged voice seemed to gain some strength.

Seeing him somewhat agitated, Liu Chengyou hurriedly soothed him.

"You've been idle at home for three years now, haven't you?" To accommodate the patient, Liu Chengyou spoke with Wang Pu only briefly before turning his attention to Wang Shen.

Wang Shen was just past thirty, with a small mustache, ordinary features, and a thin build. In bearing, he was completely incomparable to his father, though his eyes did faintly reveal some shrewdness.

Hearing the question now, his mind stirred slightly, and he hurriedly replied: "In response to Your Majesty, that is correct!"

Wang Shen had originally served as an officer in the imperial army. His highest military post had been Commander of the Third Command of the Left Wing of the Wujie Army, after which he was transferred to serve in the Ministry of War. Three years ago, he got into a verbal altercation with a colleague that escalated to fisticuffs, and then he was dismissed from office. It was also due to Wang Pu's influence that he hadn't been stripped of everything entirely.

"Staying at home all day is no way to live. It's time you came out to serve the court!" Liu Chengyou said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Shen was immediately delighted and hurriedly said.

Liu Chengyou's brow furrowed slightly. By all rights, one should modestly decline at least once, especially in front of one's ailing old father's sickbed.

On his side, Wang Pu then dismissed Wang Shen and said with emotion to Liu Chengyou: "Your Majesty wishes to employ Wang Shen, at least partly out of regard for this old minister's face, and I am deeply grateful. But no one knows a son better than his father. Wang Shen is of middling talent, with a small measure of ability, yet he is narrow-minded and eager for quick success. Your Majesty may use him, but must not give him great responsibility..."

Looking at Wang Pu, the surprise on Liu Chengyou's face quickly faded. He pondered briefly, then sighed: "With such selfless devotion, you truly exemplify the utmost of what a minister should be!"

When he left the mansion, Liu Chengyou's mood was somewhat heavy. Wang Pu's condition was not optimistic. Just as he had said, he was barely holding on, hoping to see the day the realm was unified...