Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 103 Returning to Fame in Three to Five Years
In the separate hall, Zhang Dai had already put down his pen and was sitting in his seat watching Xi Yu and Pei Dunfu repeatedly recite and savor the "Rhapsody on the Epang Palace".

Du Mu lived during the late Tang Dynasty, a time of political turmoil and regional separatism, where the rulers remained extravagant and indulged in building grand palaces. In response, he wrote this essay, using the past to satirize the present. His writing not only addresses the tyranny of the Qin Dynasty but also reflects a profound understanding of the Tang Dynasty's rise and fall. It is a rare and excellent work of historical commentary.

Even setting aside its core ideas, the poem itself is unparalleled in its magnificent language and artistic beauty. While it draws inspiration from previous masterpieces, it is also a synthesis of ideas, original and ingenious, reaching the pinnacle of beauty and artistry!
Although Shi Liu did not experience the historical background of the An Lushan Rebellion and the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty, the sudden demise of the Qin and Sui Dynasties are also thought-provoking stories. Therefore, he did not have any cognitive barriers when appreciating this "Rhapsody on the Epang Palace".

On the contrary, the literary style used in this poem amazed and impressed them at first sight, and when read aloud, the words flowed freely and were bold and exhilarating, which was very impressive!

"Such a magnificent work is truly unprecedented in this world! Its insightful and eloquent words, brimming with youthful vigor, begin with exquisite beauty and wonder, and end with poignant historical sorrow! It was Qin that destroyed Qin, and later generations, though they lament, fail to learn from this tragedy, thus causing future generations to lament again. Moved to tears, its arguments are endless!"

After reciting the poem, Xi Yu looked at Zhang Dai and exclaimed, "Yan Gong's writing is exquisite, meticulous, and vigorous. Zhang Lang, having received his instruction, may have some shortcomings in his writing, but his diction is even more extraordinary, and his majestic momentum is quite remarkable. It is fortunate for this hall to have written this poem here! I wish to leave this magnificent piece on the hall wall, but I still need Zhang Lang's approval."

He did not suspect that Zhang Yue had ghostwritten this piece to make his grandson famous, because Zhang Yue was already renowned for his literary talent and had a well-developed style. Having been in charge of official documents for many years, his writing style and techniques were considered exemplary, and all contemporary scholars of literature studied them meticulously. This particular poem, however, was clearly not in Zhang Yue's style.

At this moment, Zhang Jun also entered from outside. Hearing Xi Yu's praise, he was both delighted and envious. Before Zhang Dai could speak, he said, "My writing is not very good, but since Master Xi has praised it and promised to keep it in the wall, how could I refuse!"

As he spoke, he cupped his hands to Pei Dunfu and said, “This boy has been cultivated by his grandfather since childhood. He is arrogant and conceited, and I am unable to control him. I was afraid that he would be too impetuous and would stand out from the crowd. I wanted to train him for several years. So I did not approve of him taking the prefectural examination. I did not expect that I would still trouble Pei Gongcao to come here to entertain him.”

Pei Dunfu was naturally unaware of the Zhang family's internal affairs. He was still immersed in being amazed by Zhang Dai's talent, and upon hearing this, he quickly waved his hand and said, "Lord Zhang is too modest. Your son's talent is truly astonishing. As I hold this position, it is my duty to recommend talents. It is my honor to be able to test such a promising young man. How could I dare to say that I am troubling him!"

Zhang Dai also stood up from his seat and said to Zhang Jun, "Father loves his son dearly and is always worried that I will not act righteously or make mistakes in front of others. My grandfather said that although this love is deep, it may also hinder my growth, so he asked me to tell Father after I have taken the exam. Father is worried that my talent will be envied by others, but he cannot remain hidden for too long..."

Upon hearing this, Xi Yu laughed and said, "A person of exceptional talent is born before one's doorstep; who wouldn't cherish and appreciate him? It's only natural for Zhang Sheren to have such sentiments. However, we should also believe that not all people of the time possess extraordinary talent, but everyone has the capacity to tolerate others."

“What Master Xi said is wise. I have indeed been too concerned about this child and have been too strict with him.”

Hearing this, Zhang Jun felt very complicated. He sighed and then said with a bitter smile, "But sometimes, the depths of people's hearts are unfathomable. For example, today, this boy has caused quite a commotion here, even disturbing the provincial governor. The governor came to me to inquire, and I dared not refuse. If there is any punishment, my father and I will accept it humbly. However, I am truly uneasy that you two have been implicated in the questioning."

Hearing his father's words, Zhang Dai couldn't help but sigh inwardly that it was indeed rare to find someone utterly worthless in the world. Although Zhang Jun was a complete idiot, he did have the clever idea of ​​getting his teammates on board at crucial moments.

As expected, after hearing Zhang Jun's words, Pei Dunfu spoke first, saying, "Today's matter is also my duty. If Prime Minister Li is at fault, I cannot remain uninvolved. I should not be implicated by anyone and should go to the provincial capital to explain myself!"

"The disturbance caused by the candidates may be due to a misunderstanding, but it is not because of this. Zhang Lang is taking the exam; he should not disturb the selection process. Since you have inquired, I should answer truthfully and will go with you!"

Xi Yu also spoke up, saying that he knew that Wei Jian was behind this, and if Prime Minister Li Yuanhong judged it as unfair and caused the selection process to cause a commotion, then he would be blamed for it. Therefore, he had to go to the province to argue his case.

"If that's the case, then let's go together!"

Zhang Jun was overjoyed to see someone helping him share the blame. He worried that if they delayed any longer, the two might change their minds, so he immediately spoke up again.

"But there are still questions to be asked..."

Pei Dunfu hadn't forgotten the important matter, but before he could finish speaking, Zhang Jun waved his hand to interrupt him: "This matter is minor. The most important thing right now is to explain it to the Prime Minister and save the two of you from blame. The policy question can be addressed later!"

As Zhang Jun spoke, he pulled the two of them out. Zhang Dai followed behind, tidying up his stationery while inwardly cursing that being the son of this old bastard was the worst thing that could happen. He had to rent a small courtyard next to the Prince's mansion for less than a year and a half, and he still couldn't recover mentally.

Soon the group arrived at the Secretariat. Zhang Jun went in first to report, while the others waited outside.

Although Zhang Jun was muddle-headed about major matters, he was not without his own schemes. He first presented his son's new work, "The Rhapsody on the Epang Palace," and then extolled how the officials selected by the Ministry of Personnel were so impressed by the magnificent piece that they not only ceased questioning the past but also considered it an honor to witness the resounding success of the essay during their interviews. After listening to Zhang Jun's account, Li Yuanhong picked up the rhapsody again and read it once more, his face immediately showing astonishment.

He also understood why Pei Dunfu dared to withstand his pressure and continue the exam. If his previous poem had already impressed people, then this essay was simply stunning. It would surely become widely known soon.

If this person is dismissed, every time people discuss him, they will inevitably criticize the examiner for being unfair, which will have a huge negative impact on his reputation and even his career.

Realizing this, Li Yuanhong secretly regretted interfering in the matter rashly. As the prime minister, it was already a great honor for him to concern himself with such a trivial matter; if he were to make an unjust judgment, he would undoubtedly face even more criticism.

When Li Yuanhong heard Zhang Jun still insisting that he knew nothing about the matter before, he was immediately filled with anger. How could such a magnificent article be written in such a hurry? It must be a conspiracy between father and son to lure him into getting involved in a trivial matter, and then subject him to questioning by the literati!
Thinking of this, he told Zhang Jun to step aside, then summoned Pei Dunfu, without asking whether his actions were against the rules. He simply asked in a deep voice, "Has this boy answered the questions? Bring the exam paper here!"

"Not yet."

Upon hearing this, Pei Dunfu quickly shook his head and said that although he dared to stand up to the prime minister outside, he still dared not be too domineering or impolite in the Secretariat.

After hearing this, Li Yuanhong pondered for a moment, and then said, "Since this matter has been brought to the attention of the provincial authorities, it should not be easily dismissed. To quell the public outcry, I will now draft a question for him. This young man will answer it in another room and then come to me to deliver it."

Although displeased, after reading Zhang's poems and essays, Li Yuanhong had to admit that the boy was indeed talented. After all, his family had a strong scholarly tradition, making it difficult to dismiss him based solely on his poetry and prose.

However, policy questions are different. They are a comprehensive assessment of a person's talent, temperament, and insight. Moreover, everyone has different views on people and things, so it is definitely possible to find fault with them!
In fact, Li Yuanhong did not intend to make things difficult for a mere young man as a prime minister; he simply wanted to use this incident to remove Zhang Jun from the Secretariat.

After reading the "Ode to the Epang Palace," he even developed a fondness for the young man's talent, thinking that even if he failed the examination this time, he could still be recommended to the Imperial Academy in the future. With such talent, it would not be difficult for him to rise to prominence. However, if he rushed into the world now, he would inevitably be implicated in the turmoil of his family.

Upon hearing that Li Yuanhong intended to personally set the questions, Pei Dunfu's expression turned somewhat grim, but he couldn't object. This was because if the prime minister questioned the fairness of the election, he could request a re-examination.

He turned to look at Zhang Jun. This was clearly aimed at your son. Don't you object? However, Zhang Jun just stood there silently, worried that if he spoke, Li Yuanhong would scold him mercilessly like before.

There are usually five policy questions, but in order to get results quickly, Li Yuanhong only wrote down two, both of which were urgent matters at hand.

One issue is that officials have petitioned to establish military farms in Guanzhong to replace the lands of the officials who were dismissed from their posts in the capital. The other issue is that the grain transport is not going smoothly and the prefectures in Jiangnan have petitioned to use cloth as collateral for the construction of farms. Both issues are currently being discussed in the court and have not yet been resolved. Li Yuanhong does not believe that a mere young man can explain these issues clearly.

No matter how brilliant and eloquent the essays written in previous examinations may be, if they fail to answer the questions, there are still reasons to reject them!
"I'll become famous in three to five years!"

After Li Yuanhong finished writing down the two policy questions and sent them out, he thought to himself.

He was straightforward in his dealings and felt somewhat ashamed of his actions, but he was also worried that Zhang Shuo would not only replace him in power after returning to the court, but also start another personnel struggle that would bring the country to a standstill. He could only try his best to prevent such a possibility.

After Pei Dunfu received the policy questions proposed by Li Yuanhong, he was led by an official from the Secretariat to a side hall in the Secretariat to continue the examination.

Zhang Jun also quickly excused himself and left. He hurriedly came to Zhang Dai and said in a low voice, "The Grand Secretary's attitude is not good. He actually personally set the questions to test you. Don't force yourself to answer. Just tell him that you were exhausted from the previous exam and need to rest before taking the exam again!"

Zhang Dai nodded casually to brush it off, then walked into the side hall. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the ordeal of this mere provincial examination, which had even required the prime minister to personally set the questions. But if it were just policy questions without any additional essay questions, he wouldn't be afraid of the emperor setting the questions.

After he settled down, Pei Dunfu stepped forward and placed the questions Li Yuanhong had prepared on the table. Upon reading the questions, Zhang Dai was secretly delighted. This wasn't a challenge; it was clearly a guaranteed admission!

(End of this chapter)