Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 500 Gu Qianfan

However, what no one knew was that among the list marked with red ink, there was a person named Gu Qianfan.

This person has a connection with the dignified and imposing Elder Xiao, who is dressed in a scarlet robe and jade belt.

……

Inside the imperial palace, night had fallen.

In the rear hall, candlesticks were held high, and the bright candlelight illuminated the hall as if it were daytime, yet it was still gentle.

The air was filled with a faint scent of ambergris, which was calming and soothing.

Emperor Renzong, dressed in casual clothes, was bent over behind his sandalwood desk, reviewing memorials that seemed to never end.

He was advanced in years, with a thin face and a hint of weariness in his eyes, but his gaze remained gentle and focused. Occasionally, he would furrow his brow in deep thought, revealing a composed demeanor born of his dedication to the country.

A bowl of ginseng soup sat on the table, its warmth waning.

The palace servants standing inside the hall all held their breath and walked very quietly, afraid of disturbing the emperor's peace of mind. Only the occasional crackling of the candlelight made the hall even more tranquil.

"Your Majesty." Grand Eunuch Cui, the chief attendant of the Imperial Household Department, approached silently, his voice low and full of respect, "It's getting late, you should rest."

"In addition... the Chief of the Imperial City's Thunder Division is requesting an audience, saying he has important matters to report."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Renzong paused slightly in his writing, raised his head, and showed a perfectly timed look of doubt: "Lei Jing? During the imperial examinations, instead of purging the scoundrels in the capital, what was he doing entering the palace in the dead of night?"

His voice was gentle, yet it possessed an inherent authority.

"This old servant is unaware. Lord Lei only said that it concerns the examination hall and he dared not delay," Eunuch Cui replied, bowing.

Emperor Renzong pondered for a moment, then placed the vermilion brush on the jade brush mountain and gently rubbed his temples: "Summon him in."

"Yes." Eunuch Cui straightened up and announced loudly, "His Majesty has decreed that Lei Jing of the Imperial City Guard be summoned to the palace—"

A moment later, Lei Jing, the Imperial City Envoy, bowed his head and walked quickly and steadily into the hall, curtly bowing: "Your subject Lei Jing pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities." Emperor Renzong raised his hand in a gesture of support, his gaze falling on Lei Jing. "What is the matter that is so urgent?"

Lei Jing stood up, still slightly bowing, his demeanor respectful yet capable: "Your Majesty, during the imperial examinations, the Imperial City Guard, as usual, monitored the capital region, paying particular attention to all movements related to the examination halls, to prevent anyone from engaging in favoritism, spying on the exam questions, or attempting to disrupt the competition. Today, the grading of the papers has been completed, and the rankings are roughly determined. I have come to report the findings of my monitoring."

"Oh? Is there anything unusual?" The emperor leaned forward slightly, showing concern. The talent selection ceremony was the foundation of the nation, and he could not afford to be careless.

"Thanks to the Emperor's good fortune, this year's imperial examination went smoothly, and no large-scale cheating or disturbances were found." Lei Jingxian set the tone, then changed his tone slightly, becoming somewhat subtle, "However... in the Ju Kui Hall, the examiners inevitably had some disagreements on the selection of essays, especially regarding the selection of the top-ranked candidates."

"It seems that Grand Secretary Qian and Grand Secretary Xiao each have their own preferences."

Upon hearing this, the emperor smiled knowingly: "Qian Muzhi is mature and prudent, while Xiao Qinyan is ambitious and enterprising. It's normal for them to have different opinions. As long as it's done with the public good, there's no harm in the debate. Do you know what they're arguing about?"

"I have heard that it was a paper discussing strategies for the northern frontier, and another essay on classical texts by a talented scholar from Henan Province. In the end, Prime Minister Qian selected the paper that discussed strategies as the top scholar," Lei Jing reported truthfully. The emperor was already aware of this matter—the eunuchs in the examination hall had already recorded it, and the Imperial City Guard also had the responsibility of supervision; both lines of investigation were running in parallel to ensure the fairness of the selection of talents.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Lei Jing added in a tone that seemed casual but was actually carefully prepared: "Oh, there's one more thing, which is... quite a coincidence."

"What is it?" The emperor picked up the ginseng tea and took a sip.

"Among the candidates in this year's imperial examinations, there is one named Gu Qianfan." Lei Jing raised his eyes slightly, carefully observing the emperor's expression. "Upon investigation, this young man's real name is... actually Xiao Fan. He is the only son of Grand Secretary Xiao and his ex-wife, Madam Gu."

The emperor's hand, holding the teacup, paused in mid-air, a genuine surprise flashing across his face: "Xiao Qinyan's son? I've never heard him mention him before. How are his grades? Does anyone in the Ju Kui Hall know his identity?"

"Your Majesty, according to my investigation, the anonymous copying of the papers was never opened until the rankings were finalized, and the examiners were unaware of the candidates' names and hometowns. It seems that Minister Xiao... also remained completely silent throughout the process, offering no hints or interference whatsoever." Lei Jing's tone was very certain, and he continued, "As for the results, this young man ranked among the top in the second tier. His understanding of the classics and his essays on policy were both excellent, especially his theories on criminal law and governance. His judgments were insightful and mature, certainly not a fluke. The Imperial City Guard secretly investigated his past; this young man had a grudge against Minister Xiao in his early years, and even changed his surname to his mother's, leaving home to live alone and burying himself in his studies. This time, he took the exam based on his genuine talent and learning."

"Changed his surname on his own? Had a falling out with his father?" The emperor put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and unconsciously tapped the armrest with his fingers. His eyes revealed a complex expression, a mixture of curiosity, amusement, and deep thought. "This is indeed... interesting. A man like Xiao Qinyan has such a stubborn and talented son. He passed the imperial examination, but his surname is Gu, not Xiao."

Lei Jing lowered his head, concealing the glint of shrewdness in his eyes. He knew the emperor was suspicious and valued balance. This report, seemingly revealing all of the Xiao family's secrets, actually paved the way for Xiao Qinyan—it showed that Xiao Qinyan hadn't shown favoritism, and might even have suffered losses due to avoiding suspicion, while also highlighting that his son was indeed talented and not relying on his father's influence. This undoubtedly preserved Xiao Qinyan's reputation and might even leave the emperor with an impression of "selflessness and altruism." As for the discord between father and son… even an upright official can't settle family disputes, which only made the matter seem more straightforward.

“It is indeed a strange thing,” Lei Jing agreed. “After the results are announced, there will probably be another topic of conversation in the capital city.”

The emperor remained silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly, as if sighing, yet also warning: "The waters in this capital city are getting deeper and deeper. Alright, I understand. Lei Jing, handle your duties carefully, you may leave."

"Your Majesty, I obey your decree. I take my leave." Lei Jing bowed respectfully and slowly withdrew from the main hall, leaving Emperor Renzong alone, lost in thought, facing the flickering candlelight.

After a moment of silence in the hall, the emperor suddenly sighed softly, his voice carrying a hint of weariness and感慨: "Grand Master, don't you think every family has its own troubles?"

The falling out between the father and son in the Xiao family reminded him of the previous incident involving the tiger father and dog son at the Yu family mansion, and it also stirred up worries about his own sons who were fighting openly and secretly for the position of Crown Prince, almost turning "human brains into dog brains".

Eunuch Cui stood with his hands at his sides, and upon hearing this, he bowed even lower. As the chief steward by the emperor's side, how could he not know the emperor's worries?

But he knew his place and dared not speak ill of the imperial family's affairs. He could only go along with the conversation and comfort him: "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, everything in this world ultimately cannot escape the word 'reason'. In any case, the falling out between father and son is still against filial piety and is probably unreasonable. I think... it is because Gu Qianfan is young and impetuous and has made more mistakes."

"Hehe, yes..." The Emperor glanced at the loyal old servant beside him and smiled meaningfully, "You old codger, all you know is how to say nice things to comfort me!"

However, the smile quickly faded from the emperor's face.

He hesitated for a moment, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the imperial desk. Although Eunuch Cui's words were meant to reassure him, they also revealed a layer of concern.

Xiao Qinyan is already a cabinet minister. If the drama of family discord and father-son feuds becomes too big, like the one that happened at Grand Secretary Yu's residence in the past, it will ultimately damage the dignity of the court and also be a blow to Xiao Qinyan's own prestige.

"However," the emperor said slowly, his tone returning to its usual benevolence and thoughtfulness, "even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, and it is not appropriate to only listen to one side of the story. You should send someone to investigate this matter carefully and see what secrets are hidden here."

"After all, Minister Xiao is also a member of the cabinet. If there are indeed any irreconcilable differences in his family, the court will be aware of it and avoid further trouble and unnecessary disturbances."

"Yes! This old servant obeys."

Eunuch Cui understood immediately, responded promptly, and quietly withdrew from the hall to arrange for personnel.