Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 153 Policy Consultation
After having a clear idea, Shen Tu Zhuo pondered for a long time, listed the key points he wanted to express, and expanded on each point, combining them with various situations he encountered while serving in the prefectures and counties to verify his understanding of the Gongyang Commentary.

As he finished writing, he couldn't help but hesitate.

Should we stop here, using the success of projects like the "Thousand Gold Canal" to evoke auspicious signs of a peaceful and prosperous era, and sincerely sing praises? Or should we criticize current malpractices, integrate classical studies more closely with the present world, and thus offer our own suggestions?

With the time limit for answering questions fast approaching, Shen Tu Zhuo gazed at the last wisp of incense smoke, took a deep breath of the Langguan fragrance lingering around his nose, and tried to keep his mind clear at this moment.

While stopping short of making a move is certainly safe, it can also appear mediocre in comparison.

Ultimately, the purpose of the imperial examination was to attract the emperor's attention. The most outstanding answer must be the one that best suits the emperor's wishes. So what does the emperor want to see?

During the reign of the late emperor, some people used the "theory of calamities and omens" as its core, constructing a grand Gongyang School of thought through Yin and Yang and the Five Elements to warn how to avoid disasters. Ultimately, they were ignored because they offended the late emperor. After years of war, the Great Xuan Dynasty is now at a critical moment of replenishing its treasury and strengthening its national power, and it attaches great importance to people's livelihood and trade. However, the relevant decrees have been slow to be implemented.

The most typical example right now is the selection of imperial merchants, which remains a mystery to this day. Rumors are rampant, with one day saying which merchants are ineligible, and the next saying which business is best for selection. It's impossible to tell what's true and what's false; otherwise, Master Tan wouldn't have been so easily fooled.

There are countless merchants across the land, and even if they are extorted, they dare not utter a sound, only eagerly hoping to gain the title of "Imperial Merchant" and turn their fortunes around. Little do they know that this decree has long violated the original intention of the imperial court, and in the end, it has become nothing more than a pretext for the powerful and wealthy to line their own pockets. Whether the national treasury is full is still unknown, but it is certain that it will cause hardship to the people and waste money.

Therefore, what His Majesty most wants to see is the classical evidence that can help him resolve his worries and difficulties.

Having figured this out, Shen Tu Zhuo finally put pen to paper to continue writing.

With a peaceful and prosperous era seemingly within reach, it was natural to sing praises. He then, based on the Gongyang School of thought, linked the supremacy of imperial power with the effectiveness of the implementation of various policies, elaborating in detail on the distortions that occurred after power was decentralized at each level. Finally, using the "selection of imperial merchants" as an example, he listed the potential drawbacks and corresponding methods to avoid them.

He knew that the answer sheet would be reviewed by the Grand Minister of State first, and that Qi Zhengchu was not only a political enemy who framed his father-in-law, but also the actual implementer of the "Imperial Merchant Selection" decree, but he did not shy away from it because of this.

This was a scheme made public, so Qi Zhengchu dared not touch him.

If he is lucky enough to guess exactly what His Majesty cares about, then his answer sheet will surely be well evaluated.
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After the imperial examination, the candidates recommended for the Mingjing examination left, but Shen Tuzhuo was left in a side hall. The Grand Master of Ceremonies specially arranged for him to stay overnight to await the next day's examination on policy and political affairs.

While it was said that he was staying overnight in the palace, which seemed to show that the examination candidate was highly regarded, he didn't receive any special treatment at all. He was only given a small room in a corner by a servant to keep watch at night. Of course, there were no eunuchs to serve him, and he wasn't even provided with tea, candles, or bedding.

Fortunately, Tan Huai Ke had given him some money beforehand, and Shen Tu Zhuo had spent a lot of money on a palace eunuch, which allowed him to have a meal of tea and snacks and two candles, so that he could get through the night.

Since he had no desire to sleep anyway, he simply lay down on the couch fully clothed and stared blankly. However, he couldn't bear to wrinkle his outer garment, so he carefully took it off and laid it out on the rack. When a breeze blew in, it would carry the faint fragrance of Langguan to his side.

Upon seeing Grand Minister Qi Zhengchu today, he couldn't quite describe the feelings he had.

This man was indeed the culprit who caused his father's reputation to be ruined and his son to be demoted to the frontier. However, he was young at the time and did not know what had happened in the court or what his father was insisting on. Even now, standing in front of Qi Zhengchu, he still could not see through this man's purpose. This extremely shrewd official could make him break out in a cold sweat and waver with just a casual shake of the divination tube.

In that instant, he wondered if he could really defeat someone like that.

Should I heed my mother's teachings and never set foot in the imperial court again in this life?
But now that things had come to this, he could not back down. When he lay in his brother's coffin, he had decided to confront the slander and humiliation that the Shentu family had suffered, to clear his father's name, and to avenge his brother.

Now that his elder brother has miraculously survived, he feels more confident and is therefore more willing to take risks when answering questions...

Suddenly a gust of wind came, accompanied by the sound of knocking on the door.

Shentu Zhuo got up and looked outside. He saw a figure who looked like a eunuch standing outside, holding a large, bulging bundle of things in his hands. He went to open the door and asked, "Did you find me some bedding?"

However, the person outside was not the eunuch he had just asked for help, but another unfamiliar face.

The eunuch handed over the bedding, saying indifferently, "Lord Qi was concerned that it might be inconvenient for Young Master Shentu to stay overnight in the palace, so he sent me to bring some soft bedding and a message for you." Shentu Zhuo frowned: "What message?"

The eunuch said, "Lord Qi said it's good to have the ambition to bring glory to your family in Andu, but I must advise you not to be too self-righteous and repeat the mistakes of the former Grand Herald."

Shen Tu Zhuo nodded: "Thank you for relaying the message. After hearing Lord Qi's advice, I feel much more at ease."

It seems that after several years, this lord has not changed and still does not want to let the Shentu family go. In this way, he knows what to do, which is exactly what he wants.

The next morning, another palace examination began.

Unlike the previous day, this assessment was conducted with His Majesty personally serving as the chief examiner.

The candidates participating in the policy consultation were all capable individuals recommended by various counties based on their actual merits. In addition to their outstanding moral character, they were also categorized by their talents, including those who were outstanding in writing and knowledgeable in politics ("Maocai"), those who were familiar with the law and skilled in judging cases ("Mingfa"), and those who were adept at overcoming difficulties and governing effectively ("Zhiju").

The examination questions were drafted by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and His Majesty personally selected three questions to be read aloud during the palace examination. The candidates then answered the questions on the bamboo slips on the spot.

Shen Tu Zhuo guessed the first two questions correctly and answered them smoothly, but the third question was somewhat unexpected.

The topic is: How to deal with the threat of crossbow cavalry in the present day.

Iron cavalry with crossbows?

Although it is closely related to the Hexi border, this is clearly a problem with the military system, isn't it? The people in the hall, even if they are not graduates of the Mingjing examination, are mostly Confucian disciples. None of them have ever served in the army or been on the battlefield. They have never even seen a crossbow or iron cavalry, let alone planned how to deal with it.

Even he himself only knew a little about the language of the crossbowmen and had met some crossbowmen. When it came to how to deal with these ferocious troops who had shattered the western kingdoms, he could only talk about some rudimentary methods of defense. He didn't dare to write them down on a bamboo slip, for fear of making a fool of himself in front of the real generals.

Shen Tu Zhuo pondered that this question should be answered by his elder brother. With his brother's strategy and battlefield experience, wouldn't it be easy for him to get those top evaluations?

Unfortunately, it's his turn to answer the question right now.

After racking his brains for a long time, and seeing that the time limit was running out, Shen Tu Zhuo rolled up his sleeves, preparing to write an answer by rote, but ink accidentally dripped onto the dark pattern on his sleeve, spreading and turning into a stain.

He was somewhat annoyed; this garment was hand-sewn by Tan Huaike and incense-scented, and he would have to wash it carefully when he got back. But looking at the peculiar embroidery on the cuffs, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

The embroidery pattern is a unique blessing shape of Mohe, and it also symbolizes the entry of Western customs and trade into the country.

Ti Nu wants to confront Da Xuan because of the prestige of its iron cavalry, but Da Xuan does not necessarily need to confront Ti Nu by force. Judging from His Majesty's actions in recent years, he is also strongly against using weapons in the western border.

No wonder they wanted to open up trade routes in the west, no wonder they went to such great lengths to select imperial merchants...

Therefore, this question is still about politics, specifically how to subdue the enemy without fighting.

Shen Tu Zhuo thought for a moment, then picked up his pen and wrote down—

Although the Ti Nu Iron Cavalry dominated the western border, it never unified the various kingdoms.

To sever their foundations and destroy their ambitions, we must consider both military strategy and business acumen...
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Next chapter: What kind of official position was this? They have absolutely no connection to each other.

I went out to play during the May Day holiday, so updates were slower. Sorry...