Chapter 419: This Year's Number One Scholar
Once the decree was issued, all common people were stirred with excitement.
"Three years of tax reduction... Heavens, our current Emperor is truly benevolent! To reduce taxes during wartime is simply unprecedented!"
"The Emperor is only eight years old, still a child. As the books say, human nature is inherently good at birth. The Emperor's kindness and compassion for us poor folks make him a good ruler indeed."
"I heard the victory over Eastern Tomb Kingdom was also thanks to the Emperor's brilliant strategy. They say his plan required substantial silver, but the Ministry of Revenue refused to fund it. The Emperor personally offered his private treasury, which moved civil and military officials to pool resources for weapon production. Otherwise, this battle couldn't have been won."
"The Emperor truly cares for his people. Having such an emperor is our blessing."
"Who could disagree?"
"..."
With military victory combined with tax reduction policies, the new Emperor's prestige soared dramatically.
Amid this atmosphere, the spring palace examination arrived. Those who had passed the imperial examinations late last year gathered in the palace for the final assessment.
Typically, the Emperor would set three questions for the final palace examination. However, since the new Emperor was just a child, Yun Chu had five assisting ministers jointly devise the examination questions.
The sight of over a hundred scholars standing in the grand hall was truly magnificent.
High-ranking court officials stood in two columns, prepared to offer suggestions for the final results.
"Your Majesty!"
Everyone bowed in unison.
Chu Hongyu raised his hand: "Rise, all of you. You are all pillars of our Great Jin's future. Our kingdom relies on your talents. Now I shall present three final questions. After completion, submit your papers to the Regent for review, followed by other ministers."
The scholars each took their seats.
Chu Hongyu read aloud three major questions - two simpler ones and one policy essay - to be completed within the allotted time.
Sitting behind the beaded curtain, Yun Chu spotted Meng Shen and Yun Zhenjiang. These two boys, just over ten years old, came from noble families exempt from preliminary county and provincial exams. They directly participated in the metropolitan examination, achieving decent results as tribute scholars qualifying for the final palace exam.
Also present was Dai Hong, second young master of the Dai family and husband of her half-sister Yun Ran. At twenty-one, he was considerably older than Meng Shen and Jiang Ge'er, yet among all tribute scholars, his age was merely average, with some candidates even older in their thirties and forties.
And Nie Meng, eldest son of Nie Zhou from the Nie family.
Nie Meng kept his head down writing, his clear-cut features showing no traces of recent bereavement.
Soon, Nie Meng completed his examination first. He handed his paper to a young eunuch, who delivered it to the Regent.
Chu Rui glanced at it, feeling pleasantly surprised. The essay carried Nie Zhou's distinctive style and integrity.
He never really wanted to kill Nie Zhou, but the man's stubborn loyalty left no choice but to eliminate him.
More tribute scholars kept submitting their papers, each reviewed by Chu Rui.
He had to admit that the foolish Qinghua Princess had raised her son well - Meng Shen's talent ranked among the top three.
But how old was Meng Shen? To make him a Tanhua or Bangyan?
Wouldn't that only strengthen Yun Chu's influence?
Holding the ranking placards, Chu Rui finally placed one on Nie Meng's examination paper.
He owed Yun Chu for Nie Zhou's death.
So he would repay this debt through Nie Meng - by making him the Number One Scholar.Then, the ministers passed them around, placing their tokens on the examination papers they believed deserved the title of Number One Scholar. Finally, the papers were presented before the throne for the Emperor and Empress Dowager to make the final decision.
Chu Hongyu glanced at them and then handed them to Yun Chu.
Upon seeing Nie Meng’s handwriting, Yun Chu was reminded of Nie Zhou’s calligraphy. Father and son both carried an unyielding pride in their bones.
This particular examination paper had received the most tokens, making it the crowd’s favored choice for the Number One Scholar.
However, Nie Meng was only sixteen years old—still a child. She had no desire to drag this young man into the political struggles of the court.
For the same reason, regardless of how outstanding Meng Shen and Yun Zhenjiang were, she would not allow them to stand out in this imperial examination.
Yun Chu set down her token.
As soon as Chu Hongyu saw the top three candidates Yun Chu had selected, his eyes lit up.
He cleared his throat and addressed the high-ranking officials and scholars: “Is candidate Feng Quanyi present?”
Feng Quanyi stepped forward. “Your humble servant is here.”
He was a member of the former Empress Dowager’s maternal family. At the time of the Empress Dowager’s rebellion, the Feng family had been sentenced to exile. After the Regent ascended to power, the Feng family was pardoned and allowed to return to the capital, reclaiming their former residence. The Feng descendants were also granted eligibility to participate in the imperial examinations.
“Feng Quanyi is honest and sincere, and his essay is steady yet profound, provoking deep reflection. I am pleased with it,” Chu Hongyu declared, picking up his brush to personally inscribe the results. “Feng Quanyi, First Rank, First Place.”
As these words were spoken, the entire court fell into silence.
Everyone knew who Feng Quanyi was—a blood relative of the Regent. However, no one could recall which essay belonged to him.
Had his essay been even slightly remarkable, they might have had some impression of it. But now, no one could remember it at all, indicating that Feng Quanyi lacked any notable talent. In other words, among so many outstanding candidates, Feng Quanyi was unremarkable.
An unremarkable candidate had become the Number One Scholar?
Was this not a farce?
Feng Quanyi himself was stunned.
He had indeed been a scholar in the past, but after two years of exile and enduring unprecedented suffering, he had long forgotten most of what he had studied. His participation in the imperial examination was solely due to the opportunity granted by the Regent—he had merely come to try his luck.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that a casual attempt would earn him the title of Number One Scholar.
Of course, he did not believe he possessed any genuine talent or learning. Instead, he assumed the Regent had manipulated the outcome, forcing the young Emperor to appoint him as the top candidate.
Overwhelmed with ecstasy, he knelt down and proclaimed, “I kowtow to thank Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years!”
Chu Rui narrowed his eyes.
He could not understand what Yun Chu was doing.
This triennial imperial examination was the perfect opportunity for her to promote her own allies and place them in key positions throughout the court. Why would she promote Feng Quanyi?
But soon, he realized why.
Because the First Rank, Second Place, was a member of the Lin family—Lin Qiang’s younger brother, who was similarly lacking in exceptional talent.
Chu Rui had originally intended to assign these two candidates to the Fourth Rank, allowing them to secure minor official positions in the court.
Never had he expected that one would become the Number One Scholar and the other the Second Place.
Yun Chu was trying to elevate them only to destroy them!
Chu Rui looked toward the elevated throne, his gaze piercing through the beaded curtain to rest on Yun Chu.
Yun Chu met his gaze, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.
At present, Chief Li was busy rallying officials to depose the Regent, but many were hesitant, fearing failure and subsequent retaliation from the Regent.
That was precisely why she had decided to promote members of the Feng and Lin families.
She aimed to force those wavering officials to make a swift decision.
“Nie Meng, First Rank, Third Place.”
Chu Hongyu personally inscribed the names of the top three scholars with his imperial brush.The court officials couldn't help but murmur in astonishment, whispering among themselves.
"Nie Meng possesses the talent of a Number One Scholar, yet he was relegated to third place."
"Being ranked below others is one thing, but to be placed behind Feng and Lin - what genuine talent do those two even possess?"
"Lord Nie died tragically, and now his eldest son has lost the Number One Scholar position. How lamentable. The Emperor is too young and cannot discern people clearly."
"Don't you understand? It was clearly the Regent who made the Emperor appoint these two as the top candidates. As the chief among the auxiliary ministers, the Emperor has no choice but to obey him."
"The Regent... ah..."
Everyone shook their heads in dismay.
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