The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 20

"To usher in an era of peace for all generations." Zheng Xie repeated this phrase, staring at him and said, "What a boastful tone. This is not something an ordinary person would say. Let it go for now, but be careful what you say elsewhere."

“Brother Zheng, let’s not talk about that. I see you’re quite interested in the food here. Do you have any suggestions?” Xu Tian asked instead.

"Please excuse my poor taste. What advice could I possibly offer? To be honest, I grew up in poverty and often didn't have enough to eat. That's how I developed a gluttonous habit. I've never skimped on food, and I'll come back often when I have the time."

"Brother Zheng is indeed straightforward and honest. Your last visit greatly enhanced the reputation of this shop. I admire you very much. Others struggle to even become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), yet you, despite your humble beginnings, became a top scholar. You have at least made your mark in history," Xu Tian flattered.

"You overestimate me. Getting first place was just luck. There are top scholars every year, and after a few years, almost no one will remember them." Zheng Xie shook his head with a smile.

"Otherwise, ordinary people might forget, but history books will never forget, nor will your family genealogy. The difficulty of becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) is such that even Du Fu and Meng Haoran could not achieve it, let alone the Zhuangyuan (the top scholar in the imperial examinations)."

Now that we're all alone, I'd like to ask Brother Zheng, is there any secret to this? Could you perhaps share it with me?

"Hehe, what tricks are there to speak of? If you're talking about insights, I do have a few, though they're nothing special. I'll share them with you so you can understand. If you intend to pursue the imperial examination path in the future, perhaps you can refer to them."

"Huh? I'm a Taoist priest, can I participate in the imperial examination?" Xu Tian was very surprised.

"Normally it's not possible, but it depends on the person and the situation. In officialdom, very few things are set in stone. As long as you have a recommendation from the prefecture, you can naturally participate in the imperial examination."

"Oh, I understand." The saying goes, "Where there's a policy, there's a countermeasure." This has been true throughout history. Local and central governments have never been entirely of one mind. So whether one can participate in the imperial examination depends on the local government's will.

Zheng Xie said, "Let's not talk about what happens outside the examination hall, as that varies from person to person and cannot be changed in a short time. Let's just talk about the written examination for the time being."

The difficulty in obtaining the Jinshi degree lies not only in literary talent—most candidates fortunate enough to participate in the written examinations are generally quite talented—but also in whether they can appeal to the tastes and temperament of the examiners.

“I completely agree with what you said, but the examiner’s personality is really hard to fathom unless you know him well beforehand.” Xu Tian nodded.

"It's best to know the examiners before the exam, but if you don't know them or don't know them well, you can only guess based on their words, actions, poems, and reputation," Zheng Xie explained.

“That would be extremely difficult and would require long-term attention. But I imagine the examiners wouldn’t be the same person every year, so wouldn’t that mean we have to keep an eye on everyone in the court who might be in charge of the imperial examinations?” Xu Tian said with some doubt.

"You're absolutely right, that's exactly it, so you need to be familiar with officialdom. However, while catering to their preferences is an important strategy, it's not enough. Poetry and prose are ultimately minor arts, and you can't be confined to minor arts without realizing it when taking the imperial examinations."

Being too self-centered often backfires and can sometimes be inappropriate. At the same time, it is even more important to have a broader perspective and genuine insights into the principles of governing a country and managing its people.

At the same time, empty talk must be avoided; striking the right balance is both crucial and challenging, and it also depends on the examiner and sometimes, luck. That's roughly it.

Xu Tian roughly understood what he meant: it was necessary to consider not only the writing skills, but also the theme and purpose of the article, as well as the temperament and personality of the examiner. If any aspect was lacking, it would be difficult to stand out.

"Thank you, I understand now. I have a few more questions. Brother Zheng works in the prefecture, so he must be quite familiar with the affairs of the world. I would like to ask about the recent situation in the northern provinces."

"It is said that a military governor wants to surrender his territory to the imperial court. Is it true or not?" Xu Tian inquired.

"It seems you also have information channels. Indeed, some military governors have already given up their positions and moved their families to Chang'an to await the court's arrangements and decisions."

Even former rebellious military governors have requested permission to send hostages to the capital. In short, the situation is now very favorable.

"What news is there in the capital, Chang'an, that's worth mentioning, of course, I mean anything unrelated to court secrets?" Xu Tian was usually bored and very interested in the national affairs happening outside.

"Well, there is a lot of information in Chang'an, but most of it is not worth the attention of ordinary people. However, there are some things worth mentioning. One is that the emperor is going to celebrate his birthday this year. During this period, he is in a great mood and is preparing to carry out large-scale construction projects, such as dredging the Dragon Head Pond and building a new palace."

Two people actually opposed and obstructed this at this time, and the result was predictable: they were demoted. So, it's true that timing is crucial for getting things done.

Xu Tian had heard about the emperor's upcoming birthday celebration before. However, hearing the news again now didn't make him very happy.

Whatever the reason, large-scale construction projects are always portrayed in history books as a sign of an emperor's decline and indulgence in pleasure. Besides, the world is still far from stable. It's not the right time yet.

Fortunately, it was just the construction of a palace, which is a common occurrence in history and doesn't really prove anything.

"Those two were really unlucky to be demoted as a result."

"It's alright, not too serious. They've only been demoted one rank. His Majesty is a wise and enlightened ruler; perhaps one day he'll be reinstated."

Another matter is that the Emperor commissioned Han Yu, the renowned scholar, to write an account of the pacification of Cai Prefecture, and a monument to commemorate this event will be erected. This has been ongoing for several months and should be completed soon; many people are paying close attention to this matter. Zheng Xie mentioned another matter.

"Oh, Han Gong's work is certainly extraordinary. This will surely become a legendary tale in the future," Xu Tian commented.

"Perhaps, everyone is watching with bated breath. I was recently ordered to record the events of the pacification of Cai and wrote a book called 'The Record of the Pacification of Cai in Liang State,' but it is ultimately limited to one corner and cannot be as comprehensive as Lord Han's account."

"Oh, Brother Zheng has also written a great work, Liang Guoping's Record of Cai Prefecture. The name sounds very good. If future generations want to know more about the details of General Li's snowy night entry into Cai Prefecture, they will probably have to read your article."

The two chatted for a while longer before Zheng Xie took his leave.

One day later, Xu Tian returned to Huazilou from the factory.

He walked to the shop entrance and saw a man carrying a bundle and holding a cloth banner staring intently at the food descriptions on the wall.

The man's attire seemed vaguely familiar to him. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a wandering doctor he had seen a few months ago outside the east gate of the city, the one who claimed to be a Taoist doctor from Mount Wutai. What was his name again? Oh, right, Zheng Zhu.

At this moment, the man also noticed that someone was watching him. He turned around, looked at Xu Tian, ​​and was slightly surprised at first, but then said in a lukewarm tone, "Who do we have here? It's you, you fake Taoist priest. What's your name again?"