Chapter Thirty-Two: Something Sinister Must Be Going On

Before the final results of the imperial examination were announced, Pei Min undertook a brief self-assessment and was surprised to find that his advantages over others were unusually significant. In particular, his relationship with He Zhizhang was enough to earn him considerable favor—not in the sense of cheating, but rather an alignment of ideals. Just as a thousand readers might see a thousand Hamlets, as the chief examiner, He Zhizhang inevitably graded the papers according to his own philosophy. Having spent so many days at the He residence, engaged in nearly a hundred banquets, Pei Min, He Zhizhang, and Zhang Xu had often discussed the classics and history, thus gaining a deep understanding of each other’s thoughts and principles.

Catering to the examiner’s preferences was crucial in the exams, and in this regard, Pei Min believed no one could surpass him. Therefore, for the first round of classics and history, his score would be nothing short of excellent. At that time, there was no detailed percentage system; instead, grades were assigned as A, B, C, or D. For the classics and history exam, if not an A, he would certainly receive a B at the very least.

As for the poetry and composition exam, although Li Shangyin was perhaps not as famous as Li Bai or Du Fu, his renowned poem "The Brocade Zither" would undoubtedly earn an A—there could be no doubt about that. The final policy questions: the first topic concerned water management, and his advanced, scientifically sound proposal for controlling water and managing silt could not possibly be faulted—it was a guaranteed point-scoring question. The second topic dealt with border troubles; though his personal philosophy might differ from the examiner's, his argument was nevertheless reasonable. Even if points were lost, it would not be by much. With the advantage of the first question, earning an A in this section would be no great issue.

With luck, he might receive three A grades; at worst, two As and one B. Achieving top marks seemed beyond doubt.

Of course, all this was mere conjecture. The true results would only be known when the list was released.

At this moment, Pei Min was not the only one anxiously awaiting the publication of the examination rankings; countless scholars longing for their chance at glory were also watching eagerly, eyes filled with hope.

The only ones unconcerned were the three candidates Chang Hao, Lu Ze, and Feng Zhi, for they regarded the title of Jinshi as already within their grasp.

These three were the candidates personally selected by Princess Taiping: Chang Hao, whose father Chang Yuankai was the General of the Left Feathered Forest Army and held command over the imperial guard, making him a significant aid to Princess Taiping's influence at court, was destined to be the top scorer; Lu Ze, a member of the noble Lu family—one of the five great clans—was the nephew of Lu Zangyong, a trusted confidant of Princess Taiping, and thus was set to be the second highest; as for Feng Zhi, though he was of humble origins, he was a celebrated talent in Chang’an, and Princess Taiping hoped to draw him into her circle as a sign of her generosity, assigning him to the third place.

To celebrate in advance, Chang Hao invited Lu Ze and Feng Zhi to his residence and openly held a banquet in anticipation of their imminent success.

“Come, brothers, let us drink to the full and toast to our certain triumph!” Chang Hao raised his cup, brimming with confidence. As the son of a high official, Chang Hao was every bit the playboy—neither excelling in literature nor in military affairs. His father had once intended to bring him into the army, believing that with his influence, Chang Hao’s military career would be smooth. Yet the hardships were too much for him; even with a backdoor appointment as a captain, he could not endure and soon fled back home. Helpless, Chang Yuankai allowed his son to pursue the civil path, hoping that the title of Jinshi would enrich his résumé and ease his official career.

Chang Hao had just turned twenty that year. Born into power, his thoughts revolved solely around how to stand out and become the center of attention; he was immature in mind. Achieving the Jinshi degree would fulfill all his desires. He daydreamed about the grand Qujiang banquet that would follow, receiving the homage of scholars from across the realm—his heart soared with anticipation.

Lu Ze and Feng Zhi, however, secretly looked down on him. In their eyes, Chang Hao was nothing but a nouveau riche, ignorant and arrogant, relying solely on a father whose status was gained more by connections than by merit, yet still daring to order them about. Still, they concealed their disdain behind polite faces.

Lu Ze raised his cup and said, “Success is inevitable. The only question is whether we will be awarded the degree with distinction or merely the title, and who among us will be top, second, or third. Alas, it’s all because of His Majesty’s new anonymous marking system—it leaves me so uneasy…”

Feng Zhi glanced at Lu Ze, understanding his underlying meaning, and agreed, “You’re absolutely right, Brother Lu. I once boasted that I would surely obtain distinction, bringing honor to my family. But with this anonymous system, it’s rather embarrassing. If He Zhizhang’s judgment is lacking and we fail to make the list or are wrongly ranked, that would be most unfortunate indeed.”

Chang Hao waved dismissively, unconcerned. “You two worry too much! We had the exam questions beforehand—how could we possibly fail? The only issue is the rankings… But it doesn’t matter. We’re brothers; what does it matter who is first or second?” He pretended to be magnanimous.

Had the anonymous system not been introduced, his top ranking would have been assured. The new system had disrupted Princess Taiping’s plans. Yet she was not to be outdone. Though Li Longji’s anonymous marking was a clever move, Princess Taiping countered by obtaining the examination content in advance.

Thus, Chang Hao, Lu Ze, and Feng Zhi all had the exam questions ahead of time. With the answers in hand, achieving success was, to Chang Hao, a foregone conclusion. But since there were three recipients of the leaked content, the question of who would take the top spot became uncertain. Chang Hao, once the guaranteed top scorer, now faced competition and naturally resented Li Longji for it.

Lu Ze and Feng Zhi, on the other hand, welcomed the uncertainty. After all, who wouldn’t prefer to be top scorer? The only concern was Chang Hao’s volatile temper; if either of them took his place, they might provoke his wrath. Given Chang Yuankai’s standing with Princess Taiping, they would gain nothing by antagonizing him. Thus, they probed him with their words, hoping to prepare him for any outcome.

Upon hearing Chang Hao’s response, Lu Ze immediately chimed in, “Brother Chang speaks wisely. Whatever the results, Brother Feng and I will follow your lead.”

Feng Zhi, though insincere, echoed, “Brother Lu is absolutely right.”

Chang Hao was delighted; he relished being flattered and called for more wine.

After a few cups, Feng Zhi asked, “I wonder when the results will be announced?”

Chang Hao replied without hesitation, “The official list will be posted tomorrow, but the results will be out tonight. Don’t worry, Brother Feng—I’m as anxious as you are. I’ve already given instructions. As soon as there’s news, we’ll hear it here first. Just enjoy the wine.”

Customarily, after the chief examiner determined the results, they were submitted to the Ministry of Rites, which then delivered them to the Secretariat for the Emperor’s final approval, after which the rankings would be publicly announced.

Currently, the Secretariat was controlled by Princess Taiping’s confidants, so as soon as the results were transmitted, Chang Hao would be informed.

Around midnight, news arrived from the Secretariat regarding the top three candidates in the imperial examination!

First place: Pei Min!

Second place: Lu Ze!

Third place: Feng Zhi!

Chang Hao’s name was nowhere to be found!

“How is this possible!” Chang Hao's face turned livid. He was not even on the list…

Lu Ze was stunned for a long moment before exclaiming, “I remember now—this Pei Min is an honored guest of He Zhizhang, and upon arriving in Chang’an, he stayed at He’s residence.”

A scandal—this must be a scandal.

Intoxicated, Chang Hao hurled his wine cup to the floor and shouted, “A petty official abusing his power for personal gain—outrageous!”