I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 113 The poem inscribed on the wall, the final letter: I exchange my life for Qingming Festival

The fifth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The forged "Record of Successful Candidates in the Spring Imperial Examination of the Fifth Year of the Wanli Reign" generated increasing public outcry, forcing the imperial court to take it seriously.

The Ministry of Rites approved it through the young Wanli Emperor and the cabinet.

Notices were posted at announcement points in places such as the Imperial Examination Hall, the Imperial College, the Shuntian Prefectural Government Office, and outside Chengtian Gate.

It was declared that this year's provincial examination fully followed the "Imperial Examination Regulations" promulgated in the seventeenth year of the Hongwu reign, and the metropolitan examination in March of next year would also follow this regulations. There was no unfairness at present, and the people were prohibited from spreading rumors.

However, the scholars and literati did not stop their discussions because of this notice.

Some people claim that a candidate who passed the provincial examination had bribed an official who might become an examiner for the metropolitan examination.

Some say that as soon as the imperial court selects the examiners, people will immediately send generous gifts, causing the examiners to sell their exam questions.

Some people also claim that the current system of locking the examination halls has become ineffective, and some examiners can leak questions by sending messages by carrier pigeon or digging tunnels. This method has been tried by some people in the Jiangnan region.

……

Everywhere there were voices questioning the imperial court.

This "fake list of successful candidates" has even reached Nanjing, causing the candidates there to discuss it.

It's no wonder the candidates had doubts; the prevailing social atmosphere was indeed quite unpleasant.

Anyone with money or connections would make private connections, not necessarily hoping to be on the list, but just to avoid falling behind.

You must have the social skills that others have.

at the same time.

Emperor Wanli issued a death order to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, demanding that they apprehend the person who forged the imperial examination record within five days.

Only by catching this person and severely punishing him can this matter be put to rest.

……

The seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, early morning.

Inside the Northern Garrison Command.

Cao Wei, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Commander of the Northern Garrison, paced back and forth with dark circles under his eyes, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

He barely slept all night.

On the wall in front, there are several fake copies of the "Record of Successful Candidates in the Spring Examination of the Fifth Year of Wanli" that were taken from the wall of the Confucian Temple.

If this fake list of successful candidates was printed in a book-printing workshop, even an illegal one, he could still trace the source and find the forger.

But nowadays, relying solely on handwriting is like finding a needle in a haystack.

The forger's calligraphy is so elegant and graceful that it's clear he put a lot of effort into imitating Zhao Mengfu's style.

There are no other clues.

yesterday.

Cao Wei had asked the instructors and teachers of the Imperial Academy to help him compare the handwriting of the candidates who would be taking the provincial examination this year, but to no avail.

If the other party is not a candidate taking the exam next spring, then it will be even harder to find one.

at this time.

A member of the Imperial Guard rushed over and said, "Commander, a scholar has discovered the forger's poem on the screen wall of Tiansheng Temple!"

After saying that, he handed a slip of paper to Cao Wei.

After reading it, Cao Wei glared and said, "He's rebelled! He's really rebelled! Once this man is caught, I will definitely tear him to pieces and send him to Tiansheng Temple!"

……

this moment.

On the west side of Jixian Street, there is Tiansheng Temple, which is only a few hundred meters away from the Confucian Temple.

Hundreds of scholars and gentlemen have already gathered around.

Tiansheng Temple offers affordable accommodations and is located close to the Imperial College and the Temple of Literature, making it a preferred place for many scholars and intellectuals to stay.

Scholars and literati gathered in front of the screen wall in the temple's front courtyard, gazing at a poem that had been written either last night or this morning, and discussing it animatedly.

This poem is untitled and consists of six lines.

The content is:
"Ten thousand strings of coins lock the Heavenly Gate; the Dragon Court is full of people selling inscriptions."

"A young man in a blue robe is bound by an eight-strand rope, while the son of the top scholar on the golden list is also a prince."

"Who says that passing the imperial examination is based on talent? You and I are but a speck of dust in the literary world."

Inscribing poems on walls was a way for scholars and literati to express their emotions.

The walls of temples, stone walls, post stations, palaces, and buildings can all be inscribed, often for remembrance, as gifts to friends, or to express homesickness.

However, no one dared to write such a critical poem on the screen wall that attacked the government and the imperial examination system.

This poem on the screen wall openly and frankly reveals the possible situation in this year's imperial examination: court officials accepting bribes to sell exam questions, and the sons of high-ranking officials ranking first on the list.

……

"This...this seems to be the handwriting of the person who forged the imperial examination record. Is he...is he insane? How could he dare to write such a poem?"

"Yes, that's him. His handwriting is similar to Zhao Mengfu's style. Could it be that he lives in Tiansheng Temple?"

"I guess this person must be a candidate who will take the imperial examination next year. He is willing to accuse the court of unfairness in the imperial examination in advance in order to ensure the fairness of the examination."

"His accusations are completely baseless; they are nothing but slander against the imperial court and fabrication of the examination records. If he is caught, he will surely be beheaded!"

……

At this time.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd said, "Gentlemen, this person is risking his head to keep denouncing the unfairness of the imperial examination. He may not benefit himself, but he will definitely benefit us candidates who want to pass the imperial examination based on our true talents!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone nodded.

The scholars are all intelligent people; they know that the greater the public opinion surrounding this matter, the fairer the imperial examination will be next spring.

Immediately, scholars and gentlemen went outside the temple to spread the contents of the poem.

After a while.

The Imperial Guards and soldiers from the Northern City Garrison surrounded the entire Tiansheng Temple.

Those who were in the temple last night were questioned and interrogated one by one.

pity.

Because of the cold weather in the twelfth lunar month, no one was on duty in the front courtyard of Tiansheng Temple from late at night to early morning, and no one knew who wrote the poem on the wall or when it was written.

Cao Wei ordered his men to compare the handwriting of the people in the temple, but they found nothing.

soon.

This poem inscribed on the wall quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital.

The line "The eight-legged rope binds the young scholar, while the top scholar on the golden list is a prince" resonated with many failed candidates.

more than this.

He claimed that he had been threatened and extorted for bribes by clerks and eunuchs: "If you don't pay the usual fees, I can't guarantee you'll pass the exam, but I can guarantee you'll definitely fail."

……

Followed by.

The poem then circulated within the Forbidden City, the Grand Secretariat, and various government offices in the capital.

Shen Nian's expression turned serious upon learning the news.

This person may have acted impulsively by creating a "fake list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations," but by also creating a "poem inscribed on the wall," he clearly intended to oppose the imperial court.

He's completely reckless!

……

It was near noon inside the Wenhua Hall.

The young Wanli Emperor saw this poem inscribed on the wall among the memorials submitted by several officials of the Censorate.

The officials in charge of the imperial examinations claimed that the "fake examination records" and "wall poems" had a very negative impact on the people, with rumors spreading everywhere. Many scholars believed that the current imperial examinations were a ladder to success for the children of the powerful and wealthy, while nine out of ten poor scholars failed.

He said with great indignation, "Does our imperial examination system really have so many flaws? Scholars and officials don't trust the court; they actually believe such rumors!" (Aside)

Before Shen Nian could reply, Feng Bao said, "Your Majesty, this must be some poor scholar who resents the court because he failed the imperial examination, and is therefore spreading rumors. As long as we can catch him and find out why he did this, this matter will naturally be quelled quickly!"

Shen Nian opened her mouth but did not speak.

The claims of fake examination records and wall-inscribed poems are indeed fabrications, as they did not actually occur.

However, the fact that it could generate such a huge public outcry and resonate with so many scholars indicates that the problem lies with the imperial court.

When Shen Nian participated in the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Longqing reign, he was harassed by some eunuchs and clerks in Nanjing who demanded customary fees.

If we don't give it to them, they might even make things difficult for us during the exam.

Back then, Shen Nian's father also contributed the usual amount.

In addition, many eunuchs and clerks in the officialdom used the name of the imperial court to deceive people by claiming that they could steal the exam questions, leading many scholars to believe that the imperial court would manipulate the imperial examinations and sell the questions to the sons of powerful and wealthy people.

Those who loved doing this most were the eunuchs in the palace.

now.

If Shen Nian were to speak to Feng Bao in front of him about eunuchs accumulating wealth through the imperial examinations without any evidence, Feng Bao would certainly be displeased. Therefore, Shen Nian chose to remain silent.

As for the fairness of the imperial examination system.

In Shen Nian's eyes, the current imperial examination system was still relatively fair; otherwise, he could not have passed the imperial examination and become a junior scholar without any power or influence.

However, if Zhang Siwei is the chief examiner this year.

If Zhang Sixiu and Lü Xingzhou's performance is decent, they have a very high chance of being ranked first-class.

After all, current exam questions are highly subjective.

The identities of these two individuals will indeed have a significant impact on their performance evaluations.

Emperor Wanli thought for a moment, then looked at Feng Bao and said, "Fabricating rumors, slandering the government, and inciting the people deserve to die. Go and urge the Embroidered Uniform Guard to arrest this person as soon as possible!"

"This servant understands!" Feng Bao said, bowing.

Slandering the government and inciting public opinion are both capital offenses, and may even implicate one's family.

This person went against the imperial court and incited many scholars to hate the court, so he was destined to die.

this moment.

Shen Nian was puzzled as to what this person was trying to do. If he was talking about the unfairness of the imperial examination, then this kind of reckless anonymous attack and slander of the government was the lowest of the low.

……

That afternoon.

The streets and alleys of the capital were almost entirely filled with imperial guards.

Anyone who spreads false records of successful candidates in the imperial examinations or poems inscribed on walls, even if they are a successful candidate in the provincial examinations, will be arrested and imprisoned for a thorough investigation.

Soldiers patrolled the Imperial College, the Examination Hall, the Temple of Literature, the Hanlin Academy, Duanmen Gate, and other places where scholars often gathered. If they found anyone suspicious, they would immediately interrogate them and compare their handwriting.

The Imperial Guards also offered a reward of three thousand taels of silver for the capture of this person who spread rumors and slandered the government.

……

It was the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, around midnight.

Very cold.

A silent, heavy snowfall blanketed the entire city of Beijing in the latter half of the night.

The heavy snow continued until dawn, reaching a depth of nearly three feet.

Soldiers from the Five City Garrison quickly cleared the snow to ensure that carriages could pass normally on main streets such as Chang'an Street, Qipan Street, Andingmen Street, and Chongwenmenli Street.

The officials went to their offices as usual.

At this time.

In the northeast of the Imperial City, inside the Jiaozhongfang neighborhood.

A gatekeeper from the Shuntian Prefecture School, holding a broom, opened the school gate.

Squeak! Squeak!
After the reddish-brown gate of the prefectural school opened, a letter suddenly fell out from the crack. The gatekeeper picked it up and saw five words written on the cover: Zhao Chengyan's last words.

"Who is Zhao Chengyan?" the doorman asked, puzzled.

At this time.

The gatekeeper saw Wang Songnian, the instructor of the prefectural school, walking over from a short distance away and quickly said, "Instructor Wang, I found a letter at the gate. It's a farewell letter. Please come and take a look!"

Upon hearing the words "final words," Wang Songnian's expression immediately turned serious.

In the past two years, no fewer than five students from the Shuntian Prefecture School have committed suicide because they had no hope of entering officialdom.

He took the letter and saw the five characters "Zhao Chengyan's Last Words" on the cover. He was not familiar with the name, but the font seemed somewhat familiar.

soon.

He opened the envelope, and when he saw the contents, he was utterly shocked.

Wang Songnian said to the gatekeeper, "Quickly! Go and call all the teachers and students in the backyard, and tell them to go to the Shuntian Prefecture Confucian Temple immediately! The person who wrote this letter is... the one who wrote the fake list of successful candidates and the poem on the wall."

"Ah?" This gatekeeper naturally knew about the fake examination record and the poem written on the wall. At that moment, the entire city's imperial guards were searching for this person.

Say it.

Wang Songnian then ran towards the Shuntianfu Confucian Temple.

The Shuntian Prefectural Confucian Temple is located on the east side of Andingmen Street, less than two hundred steps from the Shuntian Prefectural School. Because there is a large Confucian temple in Chongjiaofang, the Shuntian Prefectural Confucian Temple is rarely visited. It is usually the place where the Shuntian Prefectural School holds sacrificial ceremonies.

Wang Songnian ran quickly through the snow.

He pushed open the gate of the Shuntianfu Confucian Temple, walked around the screen wall, and was surprised to find an old man in a gray cloth robe hanging on the old locust tree in front of him, which was covered with snow.

At this moment, the old man's whole body was stiff, his hair and beard were covered with ice and snow, and in his chest was a letter, the same one: Zhao Chengyan's last words.

"Pfft!"

Wang Songnian knelt on the ground and slowly unfolded the farewell letter in his hand.

"Zhao Chengyan, a student of Shuntian Prefecture, tearfully wrote his last words to the nine gates of the palace."

"I was but a humble villager, my family destitute, yet I aspired to high office. Every time I heard the dawn drum, I would rise to wash and comb my hair, and light a bamboo lamp to continue my studies... However, I failed the imperial examinations eight times... When the officials reviewed the papers, they would first look at the recommendation letter and then examine the writing. The examiners treated the documents as bribes, selling official positions. Sons of powerful families would impersonate others to take the exams, monopolizing the academic honors..."

"Now I will inform the candidates in the capital of the list of successful candidates and the poems inscribed on the walls. Then I will petition the emperor with my corpse at the Confucian Temple in Shuntian Prefecture, crying out for the injustice of the imperial examination system. I humbly hope that the examination will be fair and just, and that the poor scholars will have a chance to shine. If the system is not reformed, I will become a vengeful ghost and beat the drum to appeal to the heavens!"

……

“This is the last writing of student Zhao Chengyan, written in blood and tears.”

To put it simply, the content of this letter is—

Zhao Chengyan, a scholar from Shuntian Prefecture who failed the provincial examination eight times, complained about the unfairness of the imperial examination system. Therefore, he chose to sacrifice himself by using a fake examination record, writing a poem on the wall, and finally remonstrating with his corpse. He cried out for the unfairness of the imperial examination system for all candidates and used his death to seek a fair opportunity for the imperial examination system for all people.

In his final letter, he emphasized three points: bribery, impersonation to take exams, and selling official documents for money.

These three points are precisely the things that are most likely to happen in the current imperial examination system. The last point is even permitted by the imperial court: the wealthy can buy a student status.

Corpse remonstrance.

It was his helplessness regarding his official career, his frustration with the injustice of the current imperial examination system, and also his most powerful form of resistance.

After reading Zhao Chengyan's last letter, Wang Songnian's eyes welled up with tears.

He also had some understanding of the current state of the imperial examination system.

From above, it appears to be a minor flaw, but from below, it is rife with injustice.

He murmured, "This...this...this is a deathbed protest against the injustice of the current imperial examination system! It's a deathbed protest to secure a fair opportunity for the people of the world in the imperial examinations! He is not a sinner, he is a hero!"

Wang Songnian looked up and said, "Brother Zhao, rest assured, I understand your thoughts. I will make sure that this last letter of yours is known throughout the world!"

at this time.

All the teachers and students of the Shuntian Prefecture School rushed over.

When they saw Zhao Chengyan hanging from the old locust tree, they were all stunned, and some even shouted.

Wang Songnian wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, handed the farewell letter in his hand to a teacher, and said, "Everyone, please take a look at this farewell letter!"

(End of this chapter)