Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 342 Palace Examination
Not long ago, after Pei Degu left the Privy Council to personally deliver documents to the Forbidden City.

Tian Kuang waited deliberately in the duty room for a while to make sure no one was paying attention to him before summoning the trusted confidant who had accompanied him to Chengmingzhai earlier.

Tian Kuang whispered, "Go to Song Xiang's residence immediately and inform him of Jia Yan's detention and the Privy Council's official document. Tell him that this matter involves Lu Beigu and that he should make plans as soon as possible."

The trusted confidant accepted the order and hurriedly left.

At this moment, Song Xiang was in his study instructing Lu Beigu on the final preparations for tomorrow's palace examination when he suddenly heard someone requesting an audience. He ordered someone to bring him in, and they talked in a side hall.

Tian Kuang's confidant recounted the whole story in detail, and Song Xiang listened with a solemn expression.

"You should go back first and convey my thanks to Minister Tian."

At this critical moment, Tian Kuang was willing to send someone to inform him, even if it was a deliberate delay to avoid being noticed. But in fact, it was a great risk. Song Xiang had to accept this favor.

Tian Kuang's phrase "make plans early" actually has two layers of meaning.

The first priority, of course, is to quickly find a way to save Lu Beigu.

The second approach is that if there's no other way, then cut ties decisively and avoid getting burned.

Song Xiang understood, of course, but he did not choose to give up on Lu Beigu.

Afterwards, Song Xiang returned to his study and briefly explained the matter to Lu Beigu.

"Your brother-in-law Jia Yan has been detained, and the Privy Council must send a document to the Forbidden City requesting the Kaifeng Prefecture to arrest you. At first, you were fortunate that Minister Tian temporarily detained you, but Minister Cheng signed the document. Now the document has been sent to the Forbidden City. Who have you offended that they would try to drive you to such a dead end?"

Lu Beigu was shocked and blurted out, "This must be Pei Degu and Jia Changchao framing me!"

Song Xiang nodded slightly, signaling him to calm down: "Tell me, how can you be sure it was them who did it?"

Lu Beigu then recounted the discovery of his father's manuscript in the hidden wall of the old house that day, and explained the collusion between Pei and Jia Changchao in the Rainbow Bridge collapse case.

To be honest, Lu Beigu was mentally prepared for the possibility of being framed by the enemy.

However, he had not yet entered officialdom and had no power, so even if he knew the truth, it was really difficult for him to fight back.

The enemy was well aware of his bright future, so they took drastic measures this time to eliminate him before he could enter officialdom.

After listening quietly, Song Xiang tapped his withered fingers lightly on the table: "As expected, Jia Changchao learned these methods from his teacher Lü Yijian. Lü Yijian used similar underhanded tricks back then."

Song Xiang briefly recounted how Lü Yijian framed him by using Fan Zhongyan's correspondence with the Western Xia, and how he fell into the trap and was demoted to Yangzhou.

“Lu Yijian had always disliked Fan Zhongyan. One day, in the Hall of State Affairs, he deliberately muttered to himself in front of me, saying something like, ‘How can a high-ranking official guarding the border communicate with a traitor?’ He also said, ‘If a memorial is written like this, who knows what he actually said to Li Yuanhao?’ I was young and impetuous at the time, and the next day I went to court and impeached Fan Zhongyan.”

Song Xiang gave a bitter smile: "Who knew that the Emperor didn't really believe it to begin with, but Lü Yijian stood up and said, 'It's wrong to write a letter in private, but it's absolutely wrong to say that Fan Zhongyan has disloyal intentions towards the Emperor.' In this way, I became a petty person who was jealous of talent and ability, and soon after, I was appointed as the prefect of Yangzhou."

Lu Beigu felt heavy-hearted upon hearing this. Everyone knew that the infighting in the court was treacherous, but the extent of its treachery could only be understood through personal experience, even for someone as outstanding as Song Xiang.

Song Xiang pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked at him, saying, "Your brother-in-law's matter may seem like a small thing, but the Privy Council attaches such importance to it because of the special circumstances of our dynasty. Since the Five Dynasties, it has been common for the Imperial Guards to rebel. Therefore, whenever it involves a rebellion by a junior officer of the Imperial Guards, whether it is true or false, the Privy Council must issue a document to immediately reach the Emperor's ears."

He paused, then analyzed the current situation for Lu Beigu: "Now that Han Qi is away and Jia Changchao is avoiding suspicion, the remaining two deputy privy councilors, regardless of their stance, dare not suppress this matter. After all, once the document is sent to the palace, any problems that arise will not concern them. But if the Privy Council does not report it, then it will be entirely their responsibility. If they are not careful, it is not impossible for them to lose their positions."

That makes a lot of sense. People prioritize their own safety. The imperial court isn't the martial arts world; who would risk their life for a friendship? They're all seasoned veterans; they wouldn't do what a hot-blooded young person would do.

No matter how good the relationship is, you can't help someone with something at the cost of taking responsibility yourself, unless you're like Mei Zhi, who is certain that taking on this responsibility will bring greater benefits in the future.

Moreover, to be honest, it's hard to say whether Tian Kuang and Song Xiang's friendship is really that strong now.

After all, personal relationships are very fragile in officialdom. There's a saying, "When people leave, the tea cools." If you're not in a key position and don't have power, no matter how good the relationship is, people will still look down on you.

Therefore, Tian Kuang, who is now closer to Fu Bi's faction, has already done more than enough for Song Xiang, who is currently unemployed.

"What should the student do?"

Lu Beigu had never encountered anything like this before, and even though he was usually calm, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Song Xiang waved his hand, his expression calming down: "No need to panic, panicking now will be useless. Let me ask you, estimate how long it has been since the document was delivered to the palace, taking into account the time that Minister Tian was delayed in order to avoid being noticed?"

"About half an hour."

Song Xiang stroked his beard and pondered: "If His Majesty approves the arrest immediately, the constables from Kaifeng Prefecture will arrive at your door soon, and the palace gates will be locked in half an hour. If there is any movement within half an hour, I will find a way to get you out of Kaifeng Prefecture before tomorrow morning; if there is no movement, it means that either the document has not yet been presented to His Majesty, or His Majesty has seen it but has not immediately approved it. Tomorrow is the palace examination, and as long as no one comes to arrest you tonight, you can take the exam normally tomorrow morning."

Lu Beigu felt somewhat relieved, but still looked a little worried.

Song Xiang, knowing his nervousness, patted him on the shoulder: "The Emperor greatly praised your essay 'On Heroes' for defeating the Xia envoy; he might not immediately believe such a far-fetched accusation. Besides, Princess Fukang is currently in charge of the palace; if she knew about this, perhaps..."

Song Xiang didn't finish his sentence, but his eyes revealed a deeper meaning.

Lu Beigu recalled his encounter with Princess Fukang at Chengmingzhai earlier that day, and a slight thought stirred in his heart.

“Students understand.”

He took a deep breath and regained his composure: "I will leave everything to your guidance, sir."

"Very good, this is the kind of student I, Song Gongxu, should have."

Song Xiang nodded in satisfaction: "You will stay at the manor tonight and not go anywhere, so as not to cause any trouble on the way back to the Imperial Academy. We must be careful about this, but don't worry. As I said before, if anyone comes to take it, I have my own way of dealing with it."

As the sun set, no one came to arrest Lu Beigu.

Song Xiang arranged a room for him to rest, but Lu Beigu tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. It was truly an unforgettable night for him.

As dusk settled, the Song residence was quiet, with only the distant sound of the night watchman's clapper echoing through the air.

"Let me cross this Dragon Gate, and Pei Degu, Jia Changchao, neither of you will escape!"

With this strong thought in mind, Lu Beigu finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep.

He hadn't slept long when he was woken up by a servant from the Song family.

It wasn't that someone came to arrest him; rather, it was time for him to participate in the imperial examination.

On the fifth day of the third month, before dawn.

The carriage rolled over the cobblestone road, heading towards the Forbidden City in the darkness before dawn.

Song Xiang protected him very well.

There was no court assembly today, so Song Xiang didn't need to go to the Secretariat at all. However, in order to ensure that Lu Beigu could participate in the palace examination without any problems, Song Xiang personally accompanied him to the Forbidden City.

"Don't worry." Song Xiang closed his eyes to rest. "The fact that no one came to collect it last night is the best news. Just do your best today and don't think about what happened before."

"Yes."

After Song Xiang gave a few more instructions, the carriage stopped outside Xuande Gate.

As dawn broke, the palace gates were already teeming with people. Over three hundred newly appointed scholars had gathered there, their colorful robes forming a continuous blur in the morning mist. Clearly, everyone was rushing to arrive early, afraid of being late. Lu Beigu, who had arrived a while earlier than the scheduled time, was considered one of the later arrivals.

"Look, Lu Shengyuan is here!"

Someone exclaimed, and countless eyes instantly focused on Lu Beigu, who was getting off Song Xiang's carriage.

There was envy, curiosity, and something else that was hard to explain.

Su Shi squeezed through the crowd and grabbed his arm: "You've finally arrived! We were just saying that if the provincial top scholar were absent, wouldn't the palace examination lose its luster?"

His voice was loud and clear, attracting the attention of several scholars around him.

Although it was just a casual remark, it was actually quite a jinx.
Zeng Gong nodded slightly, but his keen eyes noticed Lu Beigu's pale face: "Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Lu Beigu couldn't talk about what happened yesterday; he could only say that he was a little nervous.

After waiting quite a while, the palace gates slowly opened, and the announcement from the master of ceremonies pierced through the morning mist: "All candidates, please straighten your hats and stand at attention—"

The crowd immediately fell silent and lined up in order of their provincial examination rankings.

As the provincial governor, Lu Beigu naturally stood at the front, and he could even clearly see the imperial road extending from the palace gate.

He took a deep breath and straightened the slightly worn blue robe he had specially chosen. Since Ouyang Xiu had told him not to wear new clothes, old clothes could never be wrong.

"In the second year of Xuan Jiayou's reign, tributes came to the throne——"

The chanting resumed, and the crowd filed in.

After passing through the many palace gates, the examination tables had already been set up inside the Chongzheng Hall.

More than three hundred wooden desks were neatly arranged, each equipped with the Four Treasures of the Study, all of which were of the highest quality.

Then they began to wait.

It couldn't really be called a "show of force by the imperial power." The Song Dynasty treated scholars well, not leaving them to stand in the cold wind outside Xuande Gate, but simply having them sit inside the palace waiting for the start of the palace examination.

As for why the candidates for the palace examination were made to wait here so long in advance, it was naturally because something went wrong before. It can only be said that every seemingly strange rule has its reason.

At this moment, deep within the Forbidden City.

Emperor Zhao Zhen stood in the hall, being carefully helped by several palace maids to change into the formal attire required for the palace examination.

He stretched out his arms, letting two palace maids drape his robe over his body. The smooth brocade brushed against his inner garment, while two other palace maids knelt beside him, carefully fastening the gold buckle on his jade belt.

"Did Wu Jilong come by when I was resting yesterday?" Zhao Zhen asked seemingly casually.

Deng Xuanyan, who was standing next to him, felt a jolt in his heart.

The emperor had his own spies within the palace, and when he was fully conscious, he could not possibly be deceived.

After all, many palace servants witnessed what happened yesterday, and it's unknown who among them might report it to the Emperor.

Moreover, the official's words clearly indicated that he knew what had happened, so how could he possibly deny it?

Deng Xuanyan quickly replied, "Yes, he came."

"Ah."

Zhao Zhen neither confirmed nor denied the matter, making no comment on the documents Wu Jilong had submitted to the Privy Council the previous day. Instead, he said, "Now that I think about it, I still feel that the Tangut assassin incident a few days ago was dangerous. Tell me, how did Huirou become so bold? She actually found an excuse to leave the palace."

Deng Xuanyan quickly stepped forward and replied softly, "Your Highness, she only did so because she heard about the novelty of those 'glasses' and became curious."

Zhao Zhen let out a soft hum from his nose, which sounded like a light laugh, but also like helplessness.

"Curious? I'm afraid her real intention is something else entirely. When has she ever been so interested in these ingeniously crafted objects?"

He paused, then his tone suddenly took on a hint of mockery: "Girls grow up and leave home."

Upon hearing this, the palace servants inside the hall all lowered their heads and lowered their eyes, not daring to make the slightest sound, and even their breathing became soft.

Zhao Zhen waited for a moment, but received no response. He then stopped talking and smiled to himself.

He raised his hand, allowing the eunuch to straighten the heavy, inlaid gold crown for him and adjust its angle.

Just then, the soft tinkling of jade pendants came from outside the palace, accompanied by light footsteps.

Princess Fukang, Zhao Huirou, dressed in palace attire, appeared at the palace gate. She quickly walked into the palace and came to the Emperor's side.

Zhao Zhen glanced down at his daughter and saw that she had clearly dressed up specially for today, her jewelry sparkling and her clothes gorgeous, but there was a hint of nervousness hidden in her eyes. He understood what was going on.

He said nothing more, but simply reached out and gently slapped away his daughter's hand that was reaching out to help him up.

"I'm not that old yet."

Hearing the hidden meaning in her father's words, Zhao Huirou didn't dare to argue at all. She simply shook his arm and coaxed him, her voice softer than usual: "Of course Father is not old. His mind is clear and discerning. There is nothing in the world that can be hidden from Father."

Seeing that his daughter understood his meaning, Zhao Zhen's slight dissatisfaction vanished. It wasn't that he didn't know who the loyal ministers and who the treacherous ministers were, but for the emperor, it didn't matter. Appropriate infighting among his subordinates was necessary for the emperor to maintain his role as the "arbitrator."

He can elevate someone to great heights, or he can bring someone to utter ruin; it all depends on one's will.

As for Lu Beigu, since Lu Beigu had just saved his daughter and he had always had a good impression of him, Lu Beigu's "On Zhongda" suited his tastes and "On Heroes" had indeed defeated the Xia envoy and brought honor to the Song Dynasty. Therefore, he did not intend to order Lu Beigu's arrest because of this obvious framing.

But his decision not to do so does not mean that others can deceive him or make this decision for him.

Even if others have their own reasons for doing so.

Therefore, Zhao Zhen was determined to reprimand Deng Xuanyan and Zhao Huirou.

Although the Privy Council took this matter very seriously, it was actually just a minor issue. Therefore, he simply gave a verbal warning to those around him so that they wouldn't think he was unaware and wouldn't dare to deceive him again.

If such matters strain the relationships between the emperor and his subjects, or between father and daughter, then there is no need for it. Zhao Zhen still needs these people to help him control the palace and protect his safety.

After changing his clothes, Zhao Zhen's expression turned solemn, and his aura suddenly became majestic.

With Princess Fukang and Deng Xuanyan supporting him on either side, he walked slowly outwards. Palace attendants and eunuchs on both sides held their breath and bowed. The procession was solemn, and the ceremonial guards followed quietly as they headed towards the Chongzheng Hall, where the palace examination was to be held.

"Your Majesty has arrived——"

The eunuch's high-pitched, drawn-out chanting broke the silence in the hall.

Everyone, including Lu Beigu, immediately stood up and bowed their heads in respect.

The imperial examination is finally about to begin.

(End of this chapter)