Di Ming

Chapter 197 Taking the Exam While Sick
The poem says: The spring breeze in February is like scissors.

However, early February in Beijing was still bitterly cold, with lingering snow and ice. Charcoal carts, coal carts, and firewood carts were constantly passing through the streets and alleys, outnumbering manure carts, grain carts, and vegetable carts.

Even under the emperor's nose, life is hard for the poor. Once they run out of firewood and coal for heating, they live a miserable and wretched life.

For over six hundred years since the Liao Dynasty, the people of Beijing have feared nothing more than the shortage of coal.

In recent days, due to the shortage of firewood and coal and their soaring prices, many elderly and sick people who could not keep warm died in the cold of February before spring arrived.

Hundreds of coffins left the city through the Zuo'anmen and You'anmen gates of the outer city every day, with funeral processions one after another, white banners fluttering, paper money falling like snow, and the sounds of suona horns, wailing, and chanting of sutras never ceasing.

The lingering snow both inside and outside the city walls resembled mourning clothes, conveying a sense of universal grief.

Zhu Yin stood on the second floor of Yunxiang Tower, wearing a sable fur coat worth a hundred taels of silver, holding a gilded incense burner in his hand, gazing out the window at the endless funeral procession outside the city gate, his expression as calm as still water.

Inside this secluded room, two large stoves were burning brightly, yet it was not cold at all.

Zhu Yin was not cold physically, but his heart was somewhat cold.

The suffering of cold and hunger is everywhere. Once Caiwei monopolizes the coal supply north and south of the Grand Canal, the heating costs for Beijing's poor will decrease.

With no outsiders present, how could he show the slightest sign of illness?
Now the whole of Beijing knows that the child prodigy who won the provincial examination has fallen ill at Yunxiang Tower and is in serious health, so he is probably unable to take the exam.

Some say it's a cold, some say it's acclimatization issues, and some say it's a curse or a trap.

The latter explanation is also the most widely believed.

Another theory suggests that it was done by Zheng's maternal relatives. Some even claimed to have witnessed it firsthand and asserted with certainty that Zheng's maternal relatives sent someone to invite a Taoist priest from Xishan to curse the child prodigy, supposedly to subdue a tiger.

In short, unfavorable public opinion regarding the Zheng family's status as relatives of the emperor began to circulate widely.

Even court officials and scholars who usually refrained from discussing supernatural phenomena surprisingly echoed this view.

"The Ministry of Rites' examination is on the ninth day of the second month. Success or failure hinges on this," Zhu Yin murmured. "As long as I can enter the Hanlin Academy and accumulate three years of experience, I will have a chance to soar to great heights during the Ren-Chen War!"

Suddenly, Emperor Kangxi, holding a visiting card, said from outside the door, "Your Majesty, another scholar has come to pay his respects."

Zhu Yin immediately lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed), and in the blink of an eye, he looked sickly.

……

February 5th, Da Shi Yong Fang.

To facilitate early morning court sessions and official business, many officials in Beijing resided in Dashiyongfang and Nanxunfang, which are located along the left and right Chang'an Avenues.

Of the thirty-three wards in Beijing, these two are undoubtedly the most desirable. They are very close to the Imperial City, close to the bustling outer city, convenient for leaving the city, and bordered by the commercially vibrant Chang'an Avenue on both sides—they have all the advantages.

Shen Yiguan, who was reinstated as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel last year, now lives in his official residence in Dashiyongfang.

As the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel held a high position and wielded great power, his official residence was naturally bustling with activity. Carriages and horses came and went in an endless stream, and there weren't enough hitching posts in front of the gate.

The gatekeeper receives a huge stack of visiting cards every day, and he's so busy making money off them that his hands are sore from accepting tips.

However, as early as mid-last month, Shen Yiguan stopped receiving guests. He said that with the national talent selection ceremony approaching, it was only right to avoid suspicion. So, apart from going to the Ministry of Personnel for official business, occasionally attending court or entering the palace, the Vice Minister would close his doors to guests upon returning home.

As a result, the official residence became unusually quiet during this period. The gatekeeper was heartbroken, but Vice Minister Shen enjoyed a few rare days of leisure.

That evening, Shen Yiguan, returning home from his shift at the Ministry of Personnel, was reviewing the official gazette in the warm pavilion of the second hall when a doorman entered and knelt to report:
"Master, someone from the palace has arrived. They say they are Yin Yuanlu, a member of the Imperial Guard."

"Yin Yuanlu?" Shen Yiguan's expression hardened, and then he remembered who this person was.

Yin was a eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial, who was always responsible for delivering imperial edicts outside the palace. He was very close to Consort Zheng and ranked fourth in the Directorate of Ceremonial, after Tian Yi, Chen Ju, and Zhang Qin.

He had only met Eunuch Yin a few times and had no other contact with him.

Could this person have come to see me about the Ministry of Personnel's selection process?
Or perhaps… Shen Yiguan thought of a possibility and couldn’t help but frown. He got up to greet him personally.

The eunuchs have always been powerful, and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs holds the power to approve imperial edicts, often surpassing the government (cabinet). Although I am the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, I dare not neglect a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs.

As soon as Shen Yiguan stepped out of the ceremonial gate, a green sedan chair came into view. A group of servants, like stars surrounding the moon, attended to a high-ranking official in brocade robes as he slowly alighted from the sedan chair.

It was Eunuch Yin from the Directorate of Ceremonial.

When Yin Yuanlu, dressed in a magnificent robe with a dragon pattern, saw Shen Yiguan coming out to greet him, he smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Your Excellency, I pay my respects. I left the palace at dusk just to see Your Excellency. I apologize for disturbing you."

Yin Yuanlu was over forty years old, short and stocky, with a pale face and no beard, and a high-pitched voice. He looked like a eunuch, very different from Tian Yi.

Shen Yiguan quickly bowed and said, "I have not been able to greet you properly, please forgive me, Master Yin. Please come, Master Yin!"

He was older than Eunuch Yin and held the high-ranking position of Junior Minister, yet he referred to himself as a junior.

Yin Yuanlu nodded calmly, "Young Master, you're too kind, please!"

After the guests and hosts exchanged pleasantries, tea was served, and the servants immediately lit the lamps.

Shen Yiguan personally poured tea for Eunuch Yin, and said with a warm smile:
"I have long known that Lord Yin is a man of refined taste and lofty ideals, loyal to the country and a model for the inner court. His virtuous reputation is known both inside and outside the court, and I have always admired him. It is a pity that I have never had the opportunity to get close to him. Today, I am deeply honored that Lord Yin has graced me with his presence."

Eunuch Yin also said politely, "You flatter me, Your Excellency. I dare not accept such praise. Apart from my loyalty to His Majesty, how could I dare to claim to be more virtuous than you? On the contrary, I have long admired your reputation, Your Excellency, and both His Majesty and the Empress have praised you highly."

The "Niangniang" he mentioned was clearly not the Empress, nor Consort Wang, but Consort Zheng.

Seeing that the other party was not there to deliver an imperial decree, Shen Yiguan got straight to the point: "Lord Yin, what brings you here to instruct this junior? I am all ears to hear your teachings."

Yin Yuanlu smiled slightly and said, "I wouldn't dare. I'm not here with any official orders. I'm just asking a few questions on your behalf."

At this point, he lowered his head to drink his tea, giving Shen Yiguan something to think about.

When Shen Yiguan heard "ask a few questions on my behalf," his heart skipped a beat, but he smiled calmly and said, "Please speak, Master Yin."

Yin Yuanlu carefully considered his words before speaking: "I have heard that the child prodigy Zhu Zhihu is a disciple of the Junior Minister?"

Shen Yiguan, already aware of the situation, nodded and said, "Indeed, Zhu Yin is indeed my disciple."

Eunuch Yin said with admiration, “Truly, a great teacher produces a great student. Your student’s extraordinary talent is certainly due to his innate intelligence, but it is also inseparable from the teaching and guidance of the young master. A beautiful jade cannot become a useful object without a skilled craftsman.”

Shen Yiguan chuckled and said, "Not at all, just lucky."

Eunuch Yin then changed the subject, sighing, "It's a pity that perhaps he became famous too early and was cursed by fate. Your esteemed disciple has fallen ill at Yunxiang Tower. It is said that his condition is serious. Is that true?"

Shen Yiguan nodded sadly, "He is indeed quite ill, and I'm afraid he will have difficulty taking the exam. It's a pity that the exam is just around the corner, and I must avoid suspicion so I can't visit him. Alas, this child is going to suffer."

Eunuch Yin looked regretful and said earnestly, "Your Excellency is overly concerned. It is not necessarily a bad thing for a young person to encounter hardships. The tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind. It is not a good thing for a talented person to become famous too early. Too much affection is short-lived, and too much intelligence is short-lived."

"This illness might be fate. In my humble opinion, it would be better to wait two more years, and then take the imperial examination when you are eighteen. Wouldn't that be the safest course of action?"

Shen Yiguan sighed and said, "What Lord Yin said is absolutely right. I also advised him in the same way. As early as last year, I opposed his participation in the provincial examination, saying that it is not a good thing to become famous too early."

Eunuch Yin was taken aback, greatly surprised. "The Junior Censor already advised him? But he didn't listen?"

Shen Yiguan smiled bitterly, “How could I not have advised him? I was worried that he would be jinxed by fate, resented by his peers, and that it would harm his fortune. I advised him several times to postpone the exam for a few years. But he was young and impetuous and insisted on taking the exam. Although I am his mentor, I cannot stop him from taking the imperial examination. Interfering with the national talent selection ceremony would be putting personal interests before public duty.”

"Later, he passed the imperial examination with top honors. I was both happy and angry. I was happy that he had achieved something and made us proud, but I was also angry that he was so obsessed with fame. Because of this, I deliberately ignored him and didn't reply to his letters." Eunuch Yin remained silent, feeling as if he had punched a cotton ball.

He was sent here on a mission to ask Shen Yiguan to persuade Zhu Yin to take the imperial examination a few years later.

If Zhu Yin becomes a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) at the age of twelve, the eldest prince will be able to begin his studies without any further obstacles. Therefore, the next step will be to establish a crown prince!
Some in the court even suggested that Zhu Yin be made a study companion to the eldest prince.

But to everyone's surprise, Shen Yiguan had already advised Zhu Yin, but Zhu Yin wouldn't listen.

But Shen Yiguan continued, "He became the top scholar in the Southern Zhili province, and he is full of pride and confidence. Naturally, he wants to take the imperial examination again. If he passes again, he will be a Jinshi at the age of twelve. In the more than two hundred years since the imperial examinations were established in our dynasty, has there ever been such a case? Is this really a good thing?"

"So I wrote to him twice, earnestly advising him to postpone the imperial examination for a few years. He was still young, so why couldn't he wait a few years?"

Eunuch Yin nodded, his expression slightly bitter.

Shen Yiguan slammed his hand on the tea table, his anger barely concealed. "But this brat is still doing as he pleases. He actually came to Beijing to take the exam, saying he wanted to serve the court as soon as possible and benefit the people. Sigh, well, I'm too lazy to persuade him anymore."

"How are you now? You're sick! You didn't listen to the elders, and now you're suffering the consequences."

Eunuch Yin was speechless. He could no longer say what he had prepared to say to Shen Yiguan.

It turns out that Shen Yiguan had already advised Zhu Yin, so why did he need to say anything more?

Eunuch Yin thought for a moment, put down his teacup, and changed the subject, saying, "Does the Grand Chancellor still remember Xu Gao, the Minister of Works from back then?"

Shen Yiguan chuckled and said, "I remember. The Carpenter Minister, huh?"

Eunuch Yin asked in a low voice, "Xu Gao was originally a carpenter of humble origin. He gained the favor of Emperor Shizong by building the West Garden and rose directly from a mere craftsman to the Minister of Works, ranking among the Nine Ministers. Why is that?"

Shen Yiguan replied sarcastically, “It is because all the rain and dew are the emperor’s grace, and all titles and positions come from above. Therefore, a word can be precious or worthless. This is the emperor’s power and influence, which gives him life and death. How can a subject fathom it?”

Eunuch Yin nodded and said, "Your words, Young Master, are profound truths. It is evident that the life, death, honor, and disgrace of a subject are all determined by the Emperor's single thought. And the status of the hundreds of millions of subjects under Heaven, whether noble or lowly, is not determined by the Emperor's word?"

"If the Emperor likes it, it becomes valuable without being expensive. If the Emperor dislikes it, it becomes valuable without being expensive. Literature and learning are certainly important, but if one wants to enter officialdom, can one succeed by offending the Emperor?"

Shen Yiguan smiled slightly, “The first principle for us subjects is loyalty and filial piety. If we offend the Emperor, then we are in the wrong, and execution or exile is naturally a favor.”

The other party no longer concealed their threats against Zhu Yin. They wanted to use their teacher's words to warn Zhu Yin not to offend the palace.

If I were to back down now, I would be unworthy of being a teacher, both personally and in public.

Seeing that Shen Yiguan was meticulous and cunning, Eunuch Yin cursed him inwardly as slippery, but there was nothing he could do about it.

That old turtle from Ningbo is a real fox.

He knew that his method of suppressing Zhu Yin through Shen Yiguan was no longer feasible.

It was a wasted trip today.

He was unaware of the relationship between Tian Yi and Zhu Yin; otherwise, he would have definitely tried to persuade Tian Yi.

I hope Zhu Yin dies of illness or fails the imperial examination.

Eunuch Yin could only laugh it off, made a few half-hearted remarks, and then got up to take his leave.

Shen Yiguan saw Eunuch Yin off, then returned to the warm pavilion and sneered three times.

“Young Tiger, you were pretending to be sick at the inn, and your master was taking the fall for you.”

"You'd better try your best this time and pass the imperial examination!"

"All the court officials are watching you."

"Get famous as early as possible! The earlier the better!"

……

Early on the morning of the sixth day of the second lunar month, the Ministry of Rites submitted a secret memorial to the Grand Secretariat, presenting the list of candidates for chief examiners for the emperor's selection. The candidates for chief examiners included officials from the Hanlin Academy and the Spring Palace, while the candidates for co-examiners included officials from various ministries, academies, and temples.

On the seventh day of the second month, the emperor selected examiners and issued an edict appointing eighteen chief examiners, deputy chief examiners, and co-examiners. At the same time, the appointments were announced in proclamations and official gazettes.

Upon learning of the imperial edict, Zhu Yin felt a great sense of relief.

Xu Guodian will take the imperial examination at the Southern Palace!
The chief examiner was indeed Xu Guo! The deputy chief examiner was Zhao Nanxing!

The most important topic for the first round (the first uprising) is, of course, "Meng Xianzi said about integrity." The other topics will certainly be the same as in history.

On the same day, the chief examiner and twenty other examiners received the imperial decree at the Meridian Gate and were immediately locked in the Examination Hall, placed in a curtained room in the back courtyard, and cut off from all contact with the outside world.

On the eighth day of the second month, the emperor issued an edict to offer sacrifices to Confucius.

The Grand Secretary and the Minister of Rites led all the candidates in a grand procession to the Confucius Temple for the grand sacrificial ceremony.

Then, a ceremony was held to worship Kui Xing (the God of Literature), and the entire process was almost identical to that of the provincial examination.

The imperial examination of the 17th year of the Wanli reign (1689) officially began!

Zhu Yin went to the exam "ill." Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he dragged his "weak" body among the candidates, barely able to stand, which made him look particularly pitiful.

Many people thought that, taking the exam while sick in such cold weather, this prodigy might die in the examination hall.

However, in almost every year during the Imperial Examinations, someone would die. One more little devil wouldn't make a difference.

pity.

Even if you don't die in the examination hall, it will be very difficult to pass the exam.

It seems that auspicious omens will not appear, and it is impossible for a twelve-year-old to become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

In the chilly spring air, all the candidates entered the examination hall one by one after being searched. Just like in the provincial examination, they found their respective examination rooms according to their numbers and huddled inside pitifully.

As soon as everyone entered the cells, several gusts of biting wind blew in, and rain began to fall, making the weather even colder.

Once Zhu Yin entered his cell, he stopped pretending. Anyway, nobody was paying attention to him anymore.

The conditions at the Beijing Imperial Examination Hall were no better than those in Nanjing. Especially the cold.

But his heart was burning with passion and he was full of energy.

He had already prepared the main exam questions.

The exam questions will be released early tomorrow morning, and he can just start answering them.

This is the imperial examination! If you pass it, even if the emperor wants to punish you, he will have a convincing reason.

Once he obtains the title of Jinshi and becomes a member of the civil service, the difficulty and cost for the Zheng family relatives to deal with him will exceed their imagination!

(End of this chapter)