Chapter 132: With Deep Preparation and Steady Progress, Why Fear Deceit?

Faced with Guo Quan’s unusually stern demeanor, although some of the candidates felt indignant, some resentful, some frustrated, and others anxious, in the end, they all had no choice but to rise and leave the examination hall. As for those who remained, the once densely packed, vast space was now sparsely occupied by just over thirty people—a stark contrast that sent chills down the spine. Especially for those who had taken the exam once or twice before, recalling that usually half or even two-thirds would remain after the first stage, their faces darkened and spirits sank deeply.

After clearing the hall, Guo Quan once again meticulously verified the identities of those who stayed for the second round. Confirming everything was in order, he did not remove the seats but waved for the distribution of the second set of papers. This time, the two clerks assigned to the task were much more relaxed. One of them even whispered with a smile as he handed the paper to Du Shiyi, “Mr. Du, you truly have great talent!”

Du Shiyi did not respond to the compliment, only offering a faint smile in return. When he unfolded the paper and saw it was completely blank, he looked up, waiting for Guo Quan to announce the topic. The others at the table reacted similarly. All eyes were fixed on Guo Quan, who remained calm and unhurried. Only when hurried footsteps sounded outside did he let out a soft sigh.

A man rushed in, bowed, and presented a bamboo tube with both hands. Guo Quan took it and, under the surprised gazes of all present, said with a half-smile, “Traditionally, essay topics are assigned by the officials in charge. While it is customary for the examiner to set the topic, sometimes it is directed by higher authorities. Today’s essay topic was personally drafted by Magistrate Yuan just now in the hall. Not even I was aware of it beforehand, so there is absolutely no suspicion of favoritism or corruption. Now, before all of you, I shall unveil the topic on the spot. The second session will last from this moment until the end of the day.”

He broke the seal on the bamboo tube and extracted a small scroll of yellow hemp paper. Upon scanning it, he visibly relaxed. For the first session’s topic, he had consulted Yuan Qianyao in advance, but this second topic was presented without prior notice. During the current session of the Jingzhao magistrate’s office, a request was made for the topic. Yuan Qianyao, a high-ranking official, had no choice but to set the topic on the spot due to the urgency of the Wan’nian county examination. This measure prevented any leakage of the exam content beforehand. The outcome would depend solely on the candidates’ abilities, and even if he faced temporary blame, it was better than being caught between two sides later. Compared to him, Yuan Qianyao’s topic was indeed exquisitely chosen.

Taking a deep breath, Guo Quan announced in a loud voice, “Today’s essay topic: The Clarification and Conformance of Rituals! The rhyme must include ‘That which a gentleman guards against,’ but the sequence of the rhymes is not limited.”

The Clarification and Conformance of Rituals!

Since the early Tang imperial examinations, the essay topics for county and prefectural tests, whether assigned by examiners or local officials, did not come from mere whimsy but were grounded in precedent. The topics might draw from ancient events or contemporary affairs. Today’s topic clearly derived from an ancient matter, and its foundation lay evidently in the classics and histories. Especially a theme like ‘Clarification and Conformance of Rituals,’ which appears simple but requires careful scrutiny to trace its source in the classical texts, was the most challenging by far—far surpassing the trivial or fanciful topics concocted by examiners in remote counties, such as ‘Bright Moon over the Tall Pavilion.’

While others frowned in deep thought, Du Shiyi had already recalled the origin of this topic. In the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, in the Duke Wen chapter, there is a passage: “In the eighth month of autumn on the day Dingmao, a grand ritual was held in the great temple to honor Duke Xi, an ancestral rite. At that time, Xia Fu Fuji was appointed as clan leader to honor Duke Xi and clearly stated, ‘I have observed that the new spirits are great; thus, the old spirits are considered lesser. The precedence of the great before the small is conformity. Honoring sages and saints is clarity. Clarity and conformity together constitute ritual.’”

What followed was a lengthy analysis and exposition, emphasizing not only ritual but also the discourse on the order of seniority between father and son. Such a topic could only have been assigned by someone well-versed in reading the entire Jingdu Zuo’s Spring and Autumn Annals. One must understand that this passage alone had sparked endless scholarly debates over the centuries, focusing on the seniority issue between Duke Min and Duke Xi, where the crux lay in ritual law. More importantly, it related to the seniority dispute between Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong of the current dynasty—a matter that Lu Hong had once mentioned to Du Shiyi, causing a great uproar in the court at the end of the fifth year of the Kaiyuan era. Perhaps Yuan Qianyao, setting the topic on the spot, had momentarily forgotten this sensitive point.

That said, as Du Shiyi mentally prepared his response, he inevitably pondered this age-old conundrum. After returning to Mount Song from Luoyang last year, Lu Hong had explained various essentials of essay and poetry examinations to him, including the importance of rhetoric and literary elegance, even citing numerous examples of essays and policy discourses from the early Tang imperial examinations. Among these, the two policy discourses from the first year of the Zhenguan reign by Shangguan Yi were particularly impressive.

That year’s exam had two policy questions: one on how to balance leniency and severity in trials, and the other on how to promote talented individuals without favoritism. These were clearly pointed questions. Yet the famous Chancellor Shangguan’s two lengthy essay responses were irrelevant and incoherent, although adorned with ornate phrasing and elegant rhetoric praising the emperor, which nonetheless earned him the rank of Jinshi. If policy discourses could be so loosely handled, then faced with today’s ‘Clarification and Conformance of Rituals’ topic, Du Shiyi naturally knew the best approach—not to settle the ancient debate once and for all, but to analyze it clearly and craft a refined, rhymed essay that fit the constraints. Naturally, having recognized the source, he was far ahead of those who could not even recall the origin.

Thus, on the draft paper provided, he casually listed the required rhymes and began to write thoughtfully. Not just him; compared to the first session’s topic, which had stumped most candidates, many had already started writing at this point. After all, an essay required at least three hundred characters, at most six hundred, with elegant diction and neat rhymes. If they did not begin now, they would never finish by the end of the day. For a time, the hall fell completely silent, save for the sounds of ink grinding, pen strokes, and the shifting of papers. Even Guo Quan, patrolling the room, had to soften his footsteps.

By noon, few dared to touch the prepared lunch; most remained buried in their work. At this moment, Du Shiyi, having nearly completed his draft, casually laid down his brush and paper, reached into a small, exquisite two-tiered box beside him, and took out a date cake. He ate it nonchalantly, washing it down with some buttermilk from his gourd. The freshly steamed fragrance of the date cake quickly spread, drawing curious glances from many. Some, equally famished, set aside their pens to eat and drink, while most turned back reluctantly, envying and resenting, and resumed their writing.

Just as Du Shiyi was focused on satisfying his hunger, a clerk appeared to rush in as if urgent. Rather than approaching Guo Quan directly, he took the aisle beside Du Shiyi. As he brushed past, he seemed to accidentally kick over a nearby inkstone, spilling half its ink onto Du Shiyi’s draft and the adjacent answer scroll, staining a large portion.

The sudden mishap immediately drew Guo Quan’s attention. He hurried over in three quick strides. The clerk’s face was pale with anxiety and his gaze evasive. Guo Quan knew well what had occurred. Both shocked and angry, he shouted sternly, “You who disrupt the examination hall, what punishment do you deserve?”

“Master Shaofu, I merely had urgent business to report and was careless just now…”

Seeing the candidates around turning to stare with barely concealed schadenfreude, imagining how this incident would spread and ruin their painstaking efforts, Guo Quan glared fiercely at the clerk, who had fallen to his knees, kowtowing frantically. Guo Quan, known for his good reputation and temper at the magistrate’s office, took a deep breath and enunciated each word sharply: “Guards, seize him and detain him immediately for disturbing the examination, according to the early regulations of our dynasty!”

The clerk never expected Guo Quan to order his arrest without hearing what urgent matter he wished to report. Terrified beyond measure, he struggled and shouted in protest as the guards came to drag him away, only silenced when Guo Quan impatiently ordered his mouth stopped. As he was dragged out, the silent Du Shiyi collected the stained draft, then stood deliberately and turned to look at him, a faint sneer curling his lips.

“Though Du Shiyi may be slow-witted, diligence can make up for shortcomings. Once an essay is written, it is etched into the heart. I’m sorry for your painstaking efforts and the carefully devised composition you so earnestly sought to ruin.”

Though furious, Guo Quan’s anger was tempered by the clerk’s hope that his sabotage might save him, only to hear Du Shiyi’s words that dashed all such hopes. The clerk’s face changed drastically, but having no chance to protest further, he kicked wildly as he was hauled out of the hall.

Once the figure disappeared, Du Shiyi turned calmly to Guo Quan, whose expression flickered uneasily, and bowed with composure. “Since the paper is soiled, Master Shaofu, please kindly issue a new answer sheet.”

Despite raising the passing standard for the first round, Guo Quan had prepared as many as 150 answer sheets for the second session. After a moment’s hesitation, he quickly ordered more papers brought forth. Following the recent incident, no one dared to tamper with anything. Even so, Guo Quan personally led Du Shiyi to a different seat, handed him the new paper, and stood by his side.

After this event, many candidates ignored their hunger, writing furiously until dusk, finally submitting their essays. Du Shiyi also handed in his paper with an air of calm as if nothing had happened, tidying his materials. Guo Quan, gathering all the papers, cast a sweeping glance over the candidates and said solemnly, “Next is the third session: policy discourse. Return early tomorrow morning to hear who stays and who leaves, and prepare well.”

Compared to the laments of the first session, and the unexpected results of the second, the third policy discourse session passed quietly. Since the second session did not eliminate as many as the first, only five of the thirty-seven candidates were disqualified for violating rhyme rules; the rest proceeded to the final stage. As Guo Quan personally collected all the policy discourse papers at dusk, he saw a collective sigh of relief from the candidates. His own heart, which had been tense, finally settled back to normal. At that moment, his eyes briefly flicked toward Du Shiyi, betraying no emotion on his face, though his mind was a tangle of complex feelings.

He had said earlier that after grading, if there were objections, Magistrate Yuan would re-examine. But with Yuan Qianyao’s stature and experience, how could he be outwitted repeatedly? When the final results were announced, offending people would be the least of his concerns.