The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 84 The Spring Examination is Over
The blazing torches and bright lanterns lit up the area outside the examination hall brighter than the Lantern Festival, and the night sky was filled with stars again.

At this moment, the sky is full of bright stars and the underground is brightly lit, reflecting each other and presenting an auspicious sign.

There were many people standing densely outside the big archway, all looking towards the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall which had not yet been opened.

The elderly steward has also come. Today is the last day of the Spring Examination, and he is here to pick up Bai Hongzhi.

He took out a pocket watch from his bosom and took a look. The hand slowly pointed to the midnight of February 18th, the fourth year of Yongchang.

At this time, a cannon shot was heard in the Imperial Examination Hall, and then the dragon gate opened.

The dishevelled candidates swarmed out, each carrying their exam baskets.

In the crowd, Bai Hongzhi walked out of the dragon gate with a relaxed look. Listening to the complaints of some candidates, a disdainful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

When he reached the big archway, he stopped, glanced at the crowd, and then walked towards the elderly steward who was waving at him.

The old steward took the examination basket from his hand and handed it to the attendant behind him. Then he took out a pot of wine from his bosom and handed it to Bai Hongzhi: "Go get rid of your fatigue."

Bai Hongzhi took the wine pot with a smile, sipped from the spout for a long time, wiped his mouth, and said, "I'm going to have a good meal when I get home, then take a good bath and have a good sleep."

The old steward smiled and said, "It's ready. They are all Shaanxi delicacies."

Bai Hongzhi smiled and nodded. As he walked, he whispered, "Did something happen in the Third Prince's Mansion during the few days I was away?"

The old steward: “No.”

Bai Hongzhi stopped the wine jug that was about to reach his mouth and asked, "Did the Third Prince send anyone to the restaurant?"

Elderly steward: “No.”

Hearing this, Bai Hongzhi's face turned cold.

The old steward: "Master Sun?"

With a "humph", Bai Hongzhi strode forward.

Suddenly, a dark shadow jumped out and blocked their way.

The old steward was alert and shouted, "Who?"

Bai Hongzhi raised his hand. He recognized the man. He was the third prince's confidant.

The man walked up to Bai Hongzhi and whispered, "The Third Prince is here."

Bai Hongzhi was delighted: "Yes, where?"

That person: “Go back.”

Bai Hongzhi was stunned for a moment, then he stopped smiling and asked, "What happened?"

That person: "The emperor is here."

Bai Hongzhi was surprised: "The emperor is here?"

That person: "When you came out, they entered the tribute hall."

Bai Hongzhi's eyes lit up.

The man went on to say, "Your Highness said that the Emperor is very concerned about this spring examination and wants to select a group of talents from it. From now on, we won't meet for a while. It's good for both Your Highness and you." As he said that, he took out a token from his arms and handed it to Bai Hongzhi.

Bai Hongzhi took it with both hands and said seriously: "Please tell His Highness that I will definitely live up to His Highness' expectations."

The man: "Okay." He turned around and walked away.

The old steward looked at the token and said, "With this token, we will no longer be afraid of the government."

“It’s just the icing on the cake!”

Bai Hongzhi sneered and put the token in his arms, "Let's go home."

The "Zhi Gong Tang" means the best and the "Zhi Gong Tang" means the most fair. As an important place for selecting talents, fairness is of utmost importance. People hate cheating in the imperial examinations throughout the ages.

Therefore, the most important building in all the imperial examination halls across the country was named Zhigong Hall, to announce to the world that outstanding talents would be selected fairly and justly.

In the middle of the hall stands a tablet with the inscription "Great Sage, Teacher, King Wenxuan".

Red candles are burning high on the incense table, and smoke is curling around.

There was a huge desk placed there, and the chief examiner of the imperial examination stood solemnly in front of the desk.

The examiners from the 18 rooms lined up and took turns placing the collected examination papers on the big table. Soon, the big table was filled with examination papers.

The examiners stood solemnly on both sides of the hall.

The chief examiner coughed and spoke, "Next, we will supervise the transcribers in transcribing the test papers in separate rooms. After the transcription is completed, the real and transcribed papers must be carefully checked. After the verification is correct, the test papers will be stamped with their respective seals and then sent here to wait for the examiners to review them."

At this point, he slowly glanced at the examiners on both sides and said, "I know you've worked hard, and I'll submit a memorial to the emperor to ask for your credit. But I have something to say in advance. If I'm punished by the court, you won't get away with it. Here, I want to remind you that the talent selection ceremony must be fair and not biased. Do you understand?"

Before anyone could say anything, a few rounds of applause came from outside the door. Everyone looked over and was shocked.

Emperor Yongchang walked in clapping his hands, wearing a black fur coat and a bright yellow belt around his waist to indicate his identity.

Behind him followed Dai Quan and the commander of the imperial guards, Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding.

The chief examiner came over and knelt down with the other examiners: "Your Majesty, we respectfully pay our respects to you!"

Emperor Yongchang smiled and said, "Everyone, get up. Everyone, get up."

Everyone bowed their heads and stood up together.

Emperor Yongchang walked to the desk, picked up a sealed examination paper, glanced at it, and put it back without saying a word. Then he looked at the tablet in the middle and saw that it read "Great Sage, Teacher, King Wenxuan", so he just bowed with both hands. It didn't make sense for an emperor to kneel before a king.

Dai Quan, Shi Ding and others followed suit and bowed.

Emperor Yongchang turned around and looked at everyone with a smile: "I heard what you said just now. It's very well said. When selecting talents for the country, there must not be any selfishness or prejudice. You must do your best to select useful talents and talents with virtue for the court. Only those who are both talented and virtuous can become the pillars of the court!"

Everyone responded in unison: "Yes!"

Emperor Yongchang continued, "I know you have worked hard. I told the imperial chef yesterday and asked them to make a pot of rock sugar lotus seed soup. You all go and eat. I will keep it here for you."

At this time, Shi Ding helped take the chair brought by Dai Quan and placed it behind Emperor Yongchang.

Emperor Yongchang sat down.

Seeing that everyone was confused, Dai Quan gently reminded: "My lords, please come in."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The examiners all knelt down.

Emperor Yongchang waved his hand and said, "Go ahead."

"Yes."

The examiners bowed their heads again, then stood up and followed Dai Quan out.

Just as Dai Quan and the others walked out, a red-robed eunuch from the Imperial Household Department hurried in and whispered, "Your Majesty, this is the carriage from the Third Prince's mansion."

Emperor Yongchang slowly looked at him and asked, "The Third Prince is in the carriage?"

The eunuch paused and said, "Yes."

With a snort, Emperor Yongchang said, "He is a man who hides his head and shows his tail. He is really not worthy of being on the stage."

Shi Ding was secretly shocked. Emperor Yongchang's words basically abolished the third prince's right of succession.

The eunuch said: "The third prince's confidant met the Shaanxi scholar named Bai Hongzhi and gave him something similar to a token."

After hearing this, Emperor Yongchang glanced at the examination papers on the big case, thought for a moment, and said, "Go down."

"Yes." The eunuch bowed and walked out.

Emperor Yongchang closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

When the emperor invited guests, it would be disrespectful not to eat more, but we couldn't keep the emperor waiting for long, so everyone had to quickly drink a bowl and a half, and then hurried back to the court.

"Okay, no need to be polite."

Emperor Yongchang stood up and said with a smile: "You must select talents for me fairly and impartially."

Everyone responded in unison: "Yes!"

Dai Quan: "Your Majesty, it's already four o'clock in the morning. It's time to go back to the palace and rest. I have to meet with some old officials in the cabinet at noon."

Emperor Yongchang: "After I leave, please be more careful and diligent, and submit the list of admitted scholars as soon as possible!"

Everyone answered in unison, "Yes," and knelt down.

Dai Quan supported Emperor Yongchang and walked out.
(End of this chapter)