Chapter 130: The Wannian County Examination

As May began, the number of scholars gathering in Jingzhao Prefecture grew steadily. The imperial examination for the Jingzhao Prefecture is divided into two stages: the county examination and the prefectural examination. For the county stage, each of the twenty-two counties under the jurisdiction of Jingzhao—including Chang'an, Wannian, Xianyang, Jingyang, Sanyuan, and Lantian—conducts its own testing. Chang'an and Wannian each select twenty candidates, while the others select ten each to proceed to the prefectural examination held a few months later. Although they all fall under Jingzhao, Chang'an and Wannian are undoubtedly the most critical. For any scholar testing in these two counties, securing a top spot essentially guarantees success in the prefectural examination. As a result, the flow of people arriving in Chang'an and Wannian to register their residency documents and sign up for the exams was constant.

May 26th was the day for both the Chang'an and Wannian county examinations. Having learned some days earlier that Wang Wei would be testing in Chang'an, Du Shiyi had naturally chosen Wannian.

Early that morning, before the morning drums of the nine streets had even sounded, he rose, washed, and ate. All his supplies had been meticulously prepared the day before by Du Shiniang. After a final check, as Du Shiniang walked him to the main gate of the Cui residence, he saw that Yang Zongwan and several other stone carvers were already waiting there.

"Master Du."

Yang Zongwan hurried forward, wanting to say something, but his throat seemed to catch. After the inkstones carved by the group were exhibited and sold at a high price by Liu Jiaodong, owner of the Qianbao Pavilion, they had been commissioned to carve seven or eight more. Though they worked hard every day following Du Shiyi’s artistic guidance, they were incredibly energized. Back home, they had toiled day and night for meager pay, but now, for every inkstone they produced under his direction, they could earn five or six thousand coins—more than ten times their previous income. What moved them even more was that Du Shiyi had instructed them to carve their own seals and signatures onto the stones, granting them both fame and fortune. How could they not be moved to tears?

"Master Du, may your journey be filled with success, and may you achieve your goals with ease."

Yang Zongwan had spent the entire night agonizing over these words before adding in a rush, "The three of us have decided: we will carve a masterpiece of an inkstone to honor you for next year’s provincial examination! Chang'an is freezing in winter, but this Duan inkstone will allow you to grind ink just by breathing on it, and it will never freeze. It will surely be a great help to you!"

Seeing the other two stone carvers nodding silently behind Yang, Du Shiyi smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions! Now, while the momentum is good, I must trouble you to keep up the hard work!"

"It is no trouble at all. Rest assured, Master Du, we will give it our all!"

After bidding farewell to the trio with a smile, he noticed Du Shiniang standing with Qiu Niang and Zhuying, clearly trying to suppress the worry she didn't want him to see. He waved to her with a smile, then turned and strode out the door.

Since the Wannian County office, located in Xuanyang Ward, bordered the Pingkang Ward to the south, he did not bring any servants from the Cui household, taking only Tian Mo to walk alongside his horse. Outside the gate, the sky was still dark, yet there were already passersby. By the time they reached the south gate of Pingkang Ward, a crowd of scholars had gathered. Whether they had been staying in the various regional offices or carousing in the brothels of the North Qu, these scholars waiting for the morning drums to open the gates were all discussing the upcoming Jingzhao Prefecture examination.

"I thought this year would be easier, but setting aside that Wang Shisan from Taiyuan, where on earth did this Du Shijiu from Jingzhao pop out from?"

"Rumor has it this Du Shijiu is a virtuoso on the pipa and a master of composition; the pieces he has shared have shaken the capital. Furthermore, he personally blended the 'Caotang Ten Ideals' ink, which even the calligraphy masters of the Yan and Yin families praised incessantly. If his literary fame weren't enough, while some claim his talent has dried up, there are many of his poems circulating, and..." The complaining scholar paused, then added irritably, "And he is a disciple of the great recluse Lu of Mount Song. Lately, people have been copying the essays and historical critiques he wrote for his monthly exams while studying at Xuancheng Peak. They say the books he copied on Mount Song are as tall as a man!"

"Baseless gossip. How could a scion of a noble family be that diligent? Copying books? Could he endure the heat of summer and the cold of winter? Born into a noble house, he refuses to take the path of a government student, choosing instead to compete with us commoners through the local examination system. Even if he wants to make a name for himself, he shouldn't be so greedy!"

Hearing himself being discussed with such indignation, Du Shiyi felt a subtle sensation. He disregarded their accusations about him choosing the local examination route over the Imperial Academy; considering his family background, he wouldn't have been able to get into the Academy anyway. However, he was secretly startled to hear that his monthly exam papers from the Lu family’s cottage had leaked out. To his knowledge, those papers had only been circulated among the disciples at the cottage; they should not have been easily accessible to the public.

*Dong, dong, dong—*

The morning drums of the thoroughfares sounded, silencing the arguing scholars. As the ward gates slowly opened, Du Shiyi stepped back to let those in front pass. As Tian Mo led the horse through, he noticed the scholars heading toward the north gate of Xuanyang Ward and asked in a low, curious voice, "Were they talking about you, Master?"

"It doesn't matter. Let them say what they will."

Du Shiyi shook his head with a smile, but Tian Mo muttered, "You have always been diligent. When we were on Mount Song, Master Lu would often sigh and say you were nearly a bookworm. Even these past few months at the Cui residence, I’ve heard the stewards say you rarely left the library. Even though Lord Cui is in the Eastern Capital mourning, scholars still come to present their portfolios, yet you have barely gone out to do so at all!"

The honest boy meant well, but Du Shiyi had simply chosen a different path—was what he was doing any different from seeking patronage? Thinking this, Du Shiyi let out a long breath. Regardless, today was the first hurdle.

Xuanyang Ward borders Pingkang to the north, with the Qixia Gate Avenue to the west. Several regional offices were located within the ward, so many scholars aiming for the Wannian exam had moved there days ago to save time. Although the Wannian County office, which occupied nearly a quarter of the ward’s southeast corner, had not yet opened, hundreds of people—scholars and their servants—were already waiting.

Some arrived in groups, chatting, while others stood alone. Having spent his days devouring the Cui family’s library until his hands cramped from copying, Du Shiyi did not recognize a single soul. He simply waited by a wall. After some time, as the crowd grew louder and more chaotic, few noticed the county office gates opening and a minor official emerging.

"Silence!"

The voice was powerful, yet the surrounding crowd only quieted for a moment before the noise resumed. Du Shiyi saw the official turn back in frustration, understanding well why the scholars ignored him.

The Tang Dynasty’s examination system was still in its infancy; there were no specialized examiners, and questions were set based on the examiner's personal mood and political stance. This year’s examiner was merely a ninth-rank county lieutenant, and even the official in charge of the provincial exam was only a sixth-rank official from the Ministry of Rites. Many scholars taking the local exams came from long lines of officials and were arrogant; they didn't even respect the examiner, let alone a minor official.

Indeed, even though the noise continued, no one tried to stop it again until a bronze cymbal was struck, and the crowd gradually fell silent. A middle-aged man in green robes emerged with a stern expression. Recognizing him as the examiner, the scholars finally stopped their chatter and listened intently.

"I am Guo Quan, the Wannian County Lieutenant, and the examiner for this year’s county test. I assume you are all aware that I will also be presiding over the Jingzhao Prefecture examination." His voice was as plain as his features. He scanned the crowd, paused, and continued, "I will now call your names for entry. Those not involved, leave immediately. Do not block the county office!"

No sooner had he finished than a minor official began calling out in a rapid, urgent voice: "Liu Li, Liu the Twelfth, from Huichang!"

Though rare, it was possible for two people to share a name, so the custom was to include one's original home and rank. The scholar called was startled, and only after the official impatiently repeated the name did he snap out of his trance, hurry forward with his small bundle, and pass through after a cursory inspection.

Unlike the later Ming and Qing dynasties, where searches were invasive, the current inspection was a mere formality. Since the exam didn't focus on rigid styles, and the most difficult section—the *Tiejing* (scripture recitation)—could be bypassed by excelling in poetry, the third section on policy was far more important than the second section’s creative writing. Searching for hidden notes wasn't considered urgent.

When the official called out "Du Shiyi, Du the Nineteenth, of Jingzhao," the entire crowd turned to look for the man who had gained such sudden fame over the past few months. As Du Shiyi dismounted, took his bundle from Tian Mo, and walked calmly toward the gate, he felt countless gazes—and heard various whispers—following him.

When he reached the gate and bowed to Lieutenant Guo Quan, the two bailiffs checked his belongings with broad, insincere smiles before ushering him through. During this, he felt Guo Quan’s gaze lingering on him, though he couldn't tell if it was scrutiny or something else. Just as he took his checked bundle and prepared to enter, he heard Guo Quan’s voice from behind.

"This year, there will be no exemptions for the scripture test!"