The Tang Dynasty: Wu Zetian made me her imperial tutor

"Has this Lu Chuyu gone mad?"

Cui Jing and Lu Yuan exclaimed in surprise at the same time, nearly biting their tongues from the force they used.

He stared at the twenty bolts of raw silk, wishing he could rush over and hug them tightly and never let go.

Princess Taiping, the Empress Dowager's only biological daughter, was granted a fief of 1,200 households, exceeding the rank of a prince. With such a prestigious position, how could Lu Jun refuse?

They don't know what's good for them and they're wasting resources!

Feng Yan was also surprised at this moment. He was stunned for a moment before he reacted and looked at the boy in front of him again with doubt.

"Young Master Lu, as far as I know, your father has passed away, and you are left with only your old servant to take care of you. You must be all alone, without anyone to rely on."

Lu Jun nodded: "Old Feng is right. I am just a poor scholar."

Feng Yan then asked, "Do you know the princess's identity?"

Lu Jun replied, "Of course I know. Princess Taiping is favored by the Empress Dowager and is also His Majesty's younger sister. She enjoys unparalleled favor."

"Then why don't you accept it? Is it because of that Confucian scholar's 'refusing to accept charity' mentality? The princess has never looked down on you!"

"If you become a retainer of the princess, she will surely speak highly of you to the Empress Dowager, and achieving a high rank will be a piece of cake!"

"Don't think that just because you write a good essay, you'll definitely pass the high school entrance exam. You're oversimplifying things!"

Feng Yan frowned, stated his intentions bluntly, and his voice became even higher and sharper.

Lu Jun glanced behind her and lowered her voice: "The princess shouldn't have sent Feng Weng."

"Huh?" Feng Yan was surprised again.

"What do you mean?"

Lu Jun shook her head and remained silent, leading him towards the courtyard gate. After walking a dozen steps, she whispered:

"For this imperial examination, the Empress Dowager has gathered tens of thousands of candidates and will personally visit the Luoyang Palace to conduct the examinations. She intends to select the successful candidates herself and take them as her students."

"If she hears that someone has already won her over and is going to recommend her, the Empress Dowager will be displeased."

"Besides, one should not accept a reward without merit. Although I am poor, I cannot accept the princess's gift for nothing."

In Lu Jun's memory, Wu Zetian did indeed often discuss politics with Princess Taiping, but she forbade her to talk about it.

To prevent any ministers from trying to discern the emperor's intentions, she used this opportunity to win them over and cultivate her own power.

While you may pamper someone, you still need to be careful.

The princess's hasty dispatch today reveals both her spies and her ambitions, which is unwise.

She was only in her early twenties at the time, just beginning to get involved in politics, and was indeed still quite inexperienced compared to her later shrewdness.

Upon hearing these words, Feng Yan's brows immediately relaxed, and he nodded repeatedly: "That makes sense!"

He waved his hand, and two servants immediately took the raw silk and hurried out of the courtyard gate toward their own carriage.

"I will relay Lu Lang's words to the princess. Farewell." Feng Yan decisively crossed his hands in farewell.

Just as he was about to turn around, Lu Jun stopped him.

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Feng!"

"I know I am not a famous scholar or a virtuous man. The princess sent you here to emulate King Zhao of Yan who spent a thousand pieces of gold to buy bones, so as to leave a good reputation for appreciating talent."

"I have a plan that will not only win the princess's favor from the Empress Dowager, but also win the hearts of the poor scholars of the land."

"I wonder if the princess is interested?"

Lu Jun stood with a smile behind her back, her face still looking somewhat youthful, but her gaze was exceptionally deep.

Feng Yan looked at the boy for the third time, and each time he looked at him, it was as if he were seeing a stranger.

He took a half step closer and lowered his shrill voice: "Please speak plainly, Young Master Lu."

"In recent years, it has become fashionable for officials to seek favors in the imperial examinations. This practice benefits the wealthy and powerful, but blocks the path for poor scholars to advance."

"In the past, it would have been fine, since it was the Empress Dowager who recommended him. There are many talented people in high-ranking families who are not good at taking exams, so asking for a recommendation is a good opportunity."

"But the scale of this imperial examination is unprecedented, and it may not be matched even in the next thousand years."

"The Empress Dowager's intention was naturally to recruit scholars from humble backgrounds and gather heroes from all over the world to serve her."

"If the sons of high-ranking families still gain the upper hand, what difference will there be from before? Won't the Empress Dowager's goal be in vain?"

"If the princess is willing to share the Empress Dowager's burdens, she may enter the palace tonight to offer her suggestions..."

Feng Yan listened to Lu Jun's methodical analysis and her meticulous dissection of the Empress Dowager's profound meaning, and secretly admired her.

He listened very carefully, gradually slowing his breathing, as if afraid of disturbing the plan.

"The papers can be graded anonymously."

"Have the Examination and Merit Office seal the answer sheets, fold up the names of the candidates at the beginning of the sheets and seal them, and mark them with numbers."

"In this way, even if the examiners are instructed in advance, they will not be able to pick out the articles they want to protect."

"Although the sons of high-ranking families may feel resentful, the Empress Dowager has always intended to promote those from humble backgrounds, so there is no need to worry about it."

At this time, the imperial examination only accounted for a small part of the selection of officials, and the various systems were not as complete as in later generations.

Lu Jun's strategy was the "sealed and anonymous system" that became popular after the Song Dynasty.

Historically, this was first created by Empress Wu Zetian.

However, Lu Jun noticed that the papers were not sealed when they were collected today, and she also heard people discussing the matter of making requests. She guessed that the special examination had not been used yet, so she asked Princess Taiping to make the request.

Using anonymous grading was beneficial to both the Empress Dowager and Princess Taiping, and more importantly...

It's good for him.

Given the current situation, Shen Quanqi must have recommended himself to the Empress Dowager, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should be on the list.

The problem is that if Wu Sansi and his ilk are too powerful, they might take away my place in the top ranks.

Those who passed the special imperial examination were granted higher official ranks than those who passed the regular imperial examination, but if their ranking was lower, they would only be granted a degree and not be directly granted an official position.

Your own articles have a limited lifespan; if you use them again after a few years, their effectiveness will be greatly reduced.

We must fight for it!

Feng Yan's eyes lit up immediately: "Excellent plan! I'll report to the princess right away!"

He then clasped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Lu Jun: "Lu Lang did not accept the gift, but you made my trip worthwhile. I will remember this favor."

He turned and quickly left the courtyard.

Lu Jun strolled back to the dormitory and saw her two roommates standing guard at the door, their mouths still open.

"Brother Chu Yu, what are you thinking? You won't even accept the princess's gift?"

"Although the Li family has been stripped of its imperial status, the princess is the Empress Dowager's own daughter, which makes a huge difference!"

"If you don't want to be an official, why bother taking the imperial examination? If you want to be an official, what kind of logic is this?"

Lu Jun blinked and laughed, "Didn't you say the imperial family is now surnamed Wu? I listened to you, so why would I go and visit the Li family now?"

Cui Jing: "..."

Lu Yuan: "..."

That night, the two of them were as docile as cats, keeping their distance and not daring to breathe too loudly at Lu Jun.

She worried that if Lu Jun were to be executed by the Empress Dowager one day, she would expose her and implicate her entire family.

The next day, Lu Jun enrolled as usual and listened to the Imperial Academy professors lecture on the Zuo Zhuan (Commentary of Zuo) of the Spring and Autumn Annals.

To be honest, it wasn't very well told...

He basically followed the "Correct Meaning of the Five Classics" verbatim, without any of his own understanding, and could not be called a learned scholar at all.

The school could accommodate about a hundred people, but less than 30% of the students were seated there; it was very deserted.

Not only the Imperial Academy, but the situation was the same at the National Academy; the academic atmosphere at the entire Sungkyunkwan Academy was very poor.

These symptoms have been going on for several years.

In the first year of the Chuigong era, Chen Zi'ang submitted a memorial stating: "The Imperial Academy has been abandoned for many years. Its halls and buildings are deserted and almost deserted. Few people study poetry, books, rites, and music..."

He was also a graduate of the Imperial Academy and was deeply saddened by the situation, so he suggested that the Empress Dowager revitalize official schools.

The Empress Dowager appreciated it and declined the suggestion.

There are many reasons for the decline of Chengjun Academy, including the "Tiejing" examination method of the Mingjing examination and the rise of the Jinshi examination, which made studying the classics unnecessary.

Since the Empress Dowager assumed regency, the qualifications for the imperial examinations and the threshold for becoming an official have been lowered, making people more restless.

The most important reason was that the Empress Dowager did not want to raise a bunch of bookworms who would spend all their time studying Confucian classics.

Otherwise, if the world changes one day, these fools will use the words of the sage as weapons to oppose us.

The scholars she appointed were either princes or imperial sons-in-law, and the academic officials were not particularly prestigious; they were just ordinary workers.

It would be strange if the academic atmosphere were good.

"The people promoted by Wu Zetian are enough for thirty years. In the later years of the Kaiyuan era, there are fewer talents, so we still need to establish official schools..."

"But scholarship and officialdom are two different paths, so what we teach needs to be changed to be more practical..."

"Furthermore, if the cost of education is reduced, state schools, county schools, and even township schools can all cultivate talent..."

In Lu Jun's policy essay, the "National Policy Chapter" touches upon official schools, but he still feels there's more to say and some things need to be discussed in person.

To comprehensively improve the level of education, the most important thing is neither the degree of importance attached to it nor the alignment of ideas.

It's technology.

Technological innovation is essential to expanding the reach of knowledge dissemination.

Only by gaining the Empress Dowager's trust and seizing power can technological innovation be promoted and fundamental improvements made.

Lu Jun barely listened to a word of the lesson, spending most of her time pondering issues related to official schools and education.

After the afternoon classes ended and I returned to my dormitory, Feng Yan's shrill voice rang out again outside the door: "Is Lu Lang here?"

Lu Jun went out to greet him, and he smiled and clasped his hands: "Thanks to your guidance, Lu Lang, the princess made a suggestion when she entered the palace last night. The Empress Dowager praised her highly and specially ordered me to come and express my gratitude."

"Uncle Feng, you're too kind. Anonymity is also beneficial for me, and I must thank the princess as well," Lu Jun said truthfully.

It was expected that the Empress Dowager would accept the suggestion, and he was not surprised at all.

Feng Yan laughed heartily: "Lu Lang is an upright man!"

He reached into his robes and pulled out a warm, smooth mutton-fat jade pendant, about an inch and a half square and less than a finger's thickness.

"The princess knows you don't accept money or silk, so she asked me to give you this as a gift. Lu Lang's courtesy name is Chu Yu, which is very fitting."

"With this jade token, Lu Lang can enter the princess's residence directly without needing to present a visiting card; simply stating his name is sufficient."

Princess Taiping, after all, clearly said she wouldn't accept gifts, but still sent them indirectly.

She's determined to do what she wants to do; her temperament is indeed very similar to the Empress Dowager's. They truly are mother and daughter.

Lu Jun had no choice but to accept it: "Thank you, Princess."

Holding it in my hand and examining it closely, I found the jade to be extremely fine, almost as if it were seeping water, with what appeared to be wispy clouds slowly flowing within it.

The front of the jade plaque is carved with a phoenix with outstretched wings, its head slightly raised and its tail feathers curling like clouds. Several honeysuckle blossoms are scattered around it, and the carving is exquisite.

The back is plain and unadorned, with the words "Imperial Decree for the Residence of Princess Taiping in the Third Year of the Chuigong Era" engraved in the center.

Sure enough, it was the work of the Construction Bureau.

Seeing that he had accepted the jade token, Feng Yan smiled broadly and said, "In that case, I have not failed in my mission."

He then whispered, "If you encounter any difficulties, you can come to the Princess's residence to find me. I am the head steward of the Princess's residence."

It seems that Huming's suggestion not only earned the princess praise from the Empress Dowager, but he also received praise from the princess, showing his gratitude to Lu Jun.

Lu Jun thanked them repeatedly, bowed goodbye, and returned to her dormitory. She noticed that Cui Jing and Lu Yuan's eyes were sparkling.

"Brother Chu Yu, I have offended you greatly before. Please remember our friendship as classmates and offer your guidance..."

"Brother Chu Yu, do you have some free time? I'd like to treat you to a few drinks in the South Market, to savor the romance and beauty of nature..."

The two were flexible and adaptable, instantly changing their demeanor and showering each other with attention.

Romantic tales and such can be discussed in detail...

Just as Lu Jun was about to speak, an unfamiliar voice sounded from outside the door: "Is Young Master Lu here? I am a servant of Vice Minister Xia, and I have been ordered by my master to invite Young Master Lu to a tavern in the South Market for a chat."

"Vice Minister Xia!" Cui Jing and Lu Yuan's four ears perked up like rabbits.

Brother Chu Yu... no, my godfather is too unfathomable!