A Poor Man's Son-in-Law: He Picks Up the Daughter of a Duke's Mansion at the Start

The first day of the third month is the day of the palace examination.

Before dawn, Lu Qingyan got up. He changed into his brand-new indigo scholar's robe—sent by the government yesterday, made of the finest Hangzhou silk, with fine stitches that fit him perfectly. Zhang Zhiqing also arrived, wearing the same new robe, his fingers trembling with nervousness.

"Brother Lu, my hands are shaking." Zhang Zhiqing's voice was dry.

"It's normal." Lu Qingyan handed him a glass of warm water. "Drink some water and calm yourself down."

At the beginning of the morning, three hundred candidates, led by officials from the Ministry of Rites, entered the imperial city in procession. The vermilion palace walls stood tall, and the glazed tiles gleamed with a cold, hard luster in the morning light. The white marble steps ascended one by one, leading directly to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The hall was already properly arranged. Three hundred low tables were neatly arranged, each with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. The dragon throne sat high above, empty. Civil and military officials stood on both sides, completely silent.

Lu Qingyan took his seat according to his ranking, third in line, very close to the steps. He could clearly see the dragon carvings on the armrests of the dragon throne, each scale lifelike.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

A eunuch's shrill voice rang out. All the officials knelt down, and the tribute scholars followed suit. A bright yellow dragon robe swept past, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood.

"Rise."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air of authority. Lu Qingyan stood up, lowered his eyes, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the emperor was about thirty-five years old, with a thin face and sharp eyes.

Emperor Yonghe sat on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping over the three hundred candidates in the hall, and slowly said, "Today's palace examination will be conducted by me on the spot."

A subtle commotion arose within the hall. The questions for the palace examination had always been prepared in advance, but this day was an exception.

"The northern barbarians have repeatedly invaded our borders." The emperor rose and descended the imperial steps. "You are all scholars; you should know that 'every man has a responsibility for the rise and fall of the nation.' I ask you—if you were border generals, how would you defend against the enemy?"

He moved slowly through the hall, his bright yellow boots clicking softly on the gold bricks. He stopped at the first row and looked at the first scholar: "Speak."

The scholar, his face pale, stammered, "I...I believe we should strengthen the city's defenses and send more troops..."

"It's the same old story," the emperor interrupted him and continued walking. He asked a few more people, and the answers were all the same: farming, training troops, and building fortifications.

Lu Qingyan lowered his eyes, and could feel the emperor's footsteps getting closer and closer.

Finally, the bright yellow robe stopped in front of his desk.

"Third place, Lu Qingyan." The emperor looked at him. "You say."

Lu Qingyan rose and bowed, his voice steady: "Your Majesty, I believe that the way to defend against the enemy lies in 'strengthening the foundation' and 'winning hearts and minds'."

"Oh?" The emperor raised an eyebrow. "Explain in detail."

"Strengthening the foundation is not just about city defenses and military strength." Lu Qingyan raised his head, his gaze clear and upright. "The northern border is bitterly cold, and the people are impoverished. The barbarians raid southwards mostly out of necessity for survival. If we can promote agriculture and sericulture and facilitate trade on the border, making the people prosperous, then the border people will be at peace and will not become collaborators with the barbarians."

He paused, and seeing that the emperor was listening, continued, "The so-called 'winning hearts and minds' lies in dividing and weakening them. The various barbarian tribes are not a monolithic entity. We can win over the weaker tribes and strike at the stronger ones. Furthermore, we can send caravans to conduct cultural infiltration through trade in tea, silk, salt, and iron, gradually accustoming them to the etiquette of the Central Plains and weakening their fierce spirit."

The hall was so quiet you could hear someone breathing. Several old ministers exchanged glances; some nodded, others frowned.

The emperor looked at him, his gaze deepening: "What if the barbarians remain uncivilized and continue to invade?"

"Then let's fight," Lu Qingyan answered decisively. "But war isn't about killing people; it's about establishing our authority. Let's fight a fierce battle, so they won't dare look south for ten years. At the same time, we'll open border markets, allowing them to exchange furs and horses for grain and cloth—giving them a way out is better than forcing them to fight to the death."

After he finished speaking, he lowered his eyes again.

The emperor remained silent for a long time, then suddenly asked, "Do you know that most of the border generals are pro-war?"

"Your subject understands."

Why?

"Because military achievements are easy to obtain, while achievements in governing are difficult to demonstrate," Lu Qingyan said frankly. "Winning a battle can lead to promotion and a higher rank. However, governing a region may not yield results even after ten years. But I believe that long-term stability and security ultimately depend on good governance, not on fighting."

That was a bold statement. Several officials who looked like military generals frowned.

The emperor laughed.

It wasn't a loud laugh, but a slight upturn of the corners of his mouth. He turned and walked back to the steps, sitting down again. "Interesting."

He looked at the Minister of Rites: "Today's essay will be on this topic. All of you may present your essays, and submit your papers at noon."

The eunuchs distributed the examination papers. Lu Qingyan sat down, spread out the paper, and ground the ink.

His answer wasn't comprehensive, and some of his ideas were even unconventional. But since he had spoken, he was going to write it down completely.

He picked up the brush and began to write. The characters were neat and the strokes were vigorous.

He began by discussing the lives of people on the border, then moved on to trade and cultural exchange, before finally addressing military deterrence. Each paragraph was rich in classical allusions, yet remained closely grounded in reality. When he reached the section on "using commerce to weaken the military," he paused—this idea was too advanced and likely to attract criticism.

But he wrote it anyway. Since the emperor had asked, he had to tell the truth.

As he wrote the latter half, he felt a gaze upon him. Looking up, he saw that the emperor had stood up again and was slowly pacing, occasionally pausing briefly in front of a certain table.

When we got to his place, we stopped the longest.

Lu Qingyan kept his eyes straight ahead and continued writing. He could sense that the emperor was looking at his writing and observing his train of thought.

He finally finished writing. He put down his pen and stretched his aching wrists. When he looked up, the emperor had already sat back on his dragon throne and was whispering something to the eunuch beside him.

At noon, the books were collected.

Three hundred examination papers were collected and sent to the rear hall for review by the examiners. The candidates left the main hall and waited in a side hall.

Zhang Zhiqing leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Brother Lu, what you just said was too bold."

"Just telling the truth."

"Those military officers are looking at you differently now," Zhang Zhiqing said with a wry smile. "But the Emperor seems to admire you quite a bit?"

Lu Qingyan didn't reply. He was also gambling. He was gambling that the emperor wasn't a warmonger, and that the emperor wanted long-term stability.

In the side hall, the candidates gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves. Some were excited, others dejected. Lu Qingyan sat in a corner, resting with his eyes closed.

At the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), a eunuch delivered an imperial edict: The Emperor is to host a banquet.

The banquet was held in a side hall, and the dishes were exquisite, but no one dared to eat much. The emperor sat in the main seat, occasionally exchanging a few words with a few senior officials nearby, but his gaze would frequently sweep over the group of scholars who had come to offer their tribute.

After the banquet, the emperor rose, and everyone knelt again.

"I will personally review today's policy proposals," the Emperor said calmly. "The results will be announced in three days, determining the winners. All of you, go back and await the news."

"Respectfully seeing off His Majesty—"

It was late afternoon when I left the imperial city. The setting sun cast a golden glow on the palace walls.

Zhang Zhiqing breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Finally finished. Brother Lu, I feel that my answer was just so-so."

"Let's wait for the results," Lu Qingyan said.

The two walked to the palace gate and found the Yun family's carriage waiting by the roadside. The steward came forward and said, "Master Lu, the master invites you to his residence for dinner."

Lu Qingyan nodded and said to Zhang Zhiqing, "Brother Zhang, go back first. I'll come find you later."

The carriage headed towards the Duke's mansion. Inside, Lu Qingyan leaned against the carriage wall, recalling every scene from the palace that day.

The emperor's gaze, the generals' furrowed brows, and the words he himself had spoken...

Upon arriving at the Duke's residence, Yun Chengzong was already waiting in the study. Seeing him enter, he immediately asked, "How is His Highness?"

Lu Qingyan explained briefly.

After listening, Yun Chengzong remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "You've got guts."

"The student was simply stating the facts."

"According to the facts?" Yun Chengzong glanced at him. "There are few people in the court who dare to mention your idea of ​​'using commerce to weaken the army'."

Lu Qingyan remained silent.

"However..." Yun Chengzong softened his tone, "Since His Majesty has asked you to speak, he must be interested in hearing new voices. Your answer is good."

This was a rare compliment. Lu Qingyan bowed: "Thank you, Your Highness."

"The results will be announced in three days. Regardless of your ranking, the marriage will proceed as planned," Yun Chengzong said. "If the Emperor appreciates you, it will be a bonus. If not, the Duke's mansion will still guarantee your future."

This is a straightforward statement, both a promise and a warning.

Lu Qingyan nodded: "I understand."

After leaving the study, Yun Shuwei waited in the corridor. She was wearing a light pink dress today, which made her complexion look gentle. When she saw him come out, she took two steps forward, then stopped.

"How did the palace examination go?" she asked softly.

"It went smoothly." Lu Qingyan looked at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I..." Yun Shu lowered her head slightly, "I heard you were here, so I waited."

The two walked side by side in the corridor. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the pillars, casting dappled shadows.

"Lu Qingyan," Yun Shuwei suddenly said, "my father said that we'll set a date after the results are released."

"Um."

Are you nervous?

Lu Qingyan paused, looking at her slightly flushed cheeks: "A little."

Yun Shu looked up at him, her eyes bright: "I'm nervous too."

The two looked at each other and suddenly laughed.

In that instant, all the previous misunderstandings and barriers seemed to dissipate somewhat.

As she saw Lu Qingyan to the door, Yun Shuwei took out a sachet from her sleeve: "This is for you. It contains calming spices. Smell it when you're tired from the palace examination to refresh yourself."

The sachet is light blue, embroidered with several green bamboo stalks, the stitches are fine and dense.

Lu Qingyan accepted it: "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Yun Shu lowered her head slightly, her voice very soft. "Take care on your way."

As Lu Qingyan walked out of the Duke's mansion, he held the sachet that was still warm from her body and suddenly felt a soft spot in his heart.

When he returned to the courtyard, it was already completely dark. He lit a lamp and placed the sachet beside his pillow.

A faint herbal scent wafted through the air, bringing a sense of peace.