Shen Yuezhuang brought A Sang back to the Huo family home.
Soon, the much-talked-about fourth month of Rongxing First Year in the history books arrived!
On the third day, the three-day Palace Examination concluded. In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Emperor personally appointed the top three scholars from the first tier: the Top Scholar, the Second Scholar, and the Third Scholar, and hosted the Jade Forest Banquet for them.
Immediately afterward, the results of the month-old Preliminary Imperial Consort Selection Exam were announced.
The results were not ranked in order, only categorized as Grade A, B, C, or D.
When the results were read, Grand Preceptor Huo, acting as the chief examiner for the Palace Examination, was present.
He was a man with countless protégés and former students, and this was hardly his first Palace Examination. Yet, hearing a mere eunuch announce the results of a simple preliminary exam, he somehow managed to break out in a cold sweat!
Fortunately, that little brat Shen Yuezhuang, usually such a troublemaker, showed a sense of decorum when it mattered most. Her result was Grade A!
Also receiving Grade A were Pei Shangyu, He Dan, and Gu Qingzhi.
In the main hall, the Emperor ordered copies of these four candidates’ essays to be made and circulated among the examiners.
The first essay Grand Preceptor Huo saw was Gu Qingzhi’s. She was from Youzhou, and the topic was Yuyang. She had written a local customs and geography chronicle.
【Yuyang lies on the sunny side of the Yu River. In the past, it was a key pass for the Great Zhou Dynasty; later, it became a strategic military location. It is mostly plains with few steep peaks, and the people are simple and honest…】
Gu Qingzhi’s essay was rich in detail, covering geology, customs, and many insights into people’s livelihoods. Her writing style was plain and unadorned, showing a return to simplicity!
Grand Preceptor Huo undoubtedly liked this essay. As for He Dan’s and Pei Shangyu’s essays, their literary talent was well-known. Their prose was either brilliant or lively, and others were full of praise. But for Grand Preceptor Huo, in the end, neither was as refreshing as Gu Qingzhi’s.
Then, with a flutter of nervousness, Grand Preceptor Huo finally saw Shen Yuezhuang’s paper.
There were no “young heroes” or champions, no beauties or monarchs. Shen Yuezhuang had written a lengthy piece, most of which discussed the iron mines of Yuyang and how to use those mines to get more money for the Imperial Court.
Grand Preceptor Huo was also quite surprised.
This girl was an expert in the pleasures of daily life. It wasn’t strange that she could think of ways to make money. What was strange was that she even knew there were mines in Yuyang!
Grand Preceptor Huo quickly remembered. Three years ago, when Shen Yi was in charge of the Patrol Garrison, they had replaced a batch of their weapons and equipment. During that time, the Ministries of War and Works, along with a local magistrate from Yuyang, had practically lived at their mansion.
The Ministries of War and Works were there for the improvement and application of the weapons. The local magistrate from Yuyang was there because they had mines!
They had iron mines, and on a large scale. Their purpose in coming to the capital was twofold: first, to sell the iron, and second, to request an Imperial Edict to lower taxes, considering that Yuyang had just endured war and the people were impoverished.
Emperor Jiande was generous and merciful. He not only granted the request, but also uncovered a string of officials who had been imposing illegal surcharges!
Huo Rufang’s memory of that event was not very vivid. He wasn’t in the capital at the time, busy dealing with flood relief and resettling refugees in the south.
He only heard about it from others after he returned to the capital. Now, looking at Shen Yuezhuang’s essay, it all came back to him.
Huo Rufang cursed the little beast with affection. That little brat usually seemed so carefree and heartless, but rarely did she actually apply her mind and remember things!
Nearby, a voice tinged with skepticism and veiled sarcasm sounded.
“Miss Shen is truly… original, isn’t she?”
Wen Xuanming, the Minister of Revenue and one of the fellow examiners, stroked his beard, his face full of schadenfreude and a desire to see a joke.
Wen Xuanming and Grand Preceptor Huo had entered the government service in the same year.
Wen Xuanming came from a prominent family; Grand Preceptor Huo was a scholar of humble origin.
Grand Preceptor Huo was the Top Scholar of the Qianyuan 26th Year, and Wen Xuanming was the Third Scholar appointed in the same year.
Grand Preceptor Huo had married the Third Miss of the Pei family. And as luck would have it, that Third Miss had grown up as childhood sweethearts with Wen Xuanming, and the Wen family had even proposed marriage…
Wen Xuanming had been competing with Huo Rufang for half a lifetime, but he always seemed to be one step behind. Now, with Shen Yuezhuang, he finally had a chance to turn the tables. Of course, Wen Xuanming was eager to see the joke.
Hadn’t Huo Rufang always looked down on him for spending decades in the Ministry of Revenue, reeking of money?
He was a man of integrity! Well, his granddaughter’s essay for the Preliminary Exam was also entirely about how to make money!
Wen Xuanming held the essay high, scrutinizing it word for word in great detail, clucking his tongue repeatedly.
“Business taxes, transit and sales taxes alike… Miss Shen really knows her commercial taxes inside and out!”
“Agricultural taxes, tea taxes, iron taxes… Miss Shen truly is a natural-born money-maker!”
Every time he read a line, he would add an exaggerated and admiring comment.
Grand Preceptor Huo thought of what Shen Yuezhuang had told him, about arranging for her to go to the Ministry of Revenue. He silently tucked his hands into his sleeves, watching the Emperor’s gaze shift over. He even took an imperceptible half-step back.
Come on. There was no need to even bait the hook. This particular fish was already eager to bite!
The young Emperor looked at Wen Xuanming, his eyes deep and unfathomable. At some point, his thoughts had become hard to read.
“Lord Wen seems to greatly admire Miss Shen?”
Given Shen Yuezhuang’s deeply entrenched reputation as an airhead, before seeing her essay, many privately suspected that her Grade A result was mostly due to the Emperor’s old ties and the fact that Grand Preceptor Huo was present.
Wen Xuanming and Grand Preceptor Huo had been feuding for a lifetime. Everyone was waiting for him to be the first to raise an objection. But no one expected that this essay would actually strike a chord with Wen Xuanming!
Whether it was because he wanted to needle Huo Rufang or because this “money-making strategy” had some merit, Wen Xuanming bowed in return.
“Your Majesty, Miss Shen possesses great wisdom beneath a foolish exterior. This essay has unique insights. After all, the young have more ideas. Your humble servant is a block of wood and feels truly inadequate.”
Having spoken, he lowered his head to gauge Huo Rufang’s expression.
Weren’t you the one who prided yourself on your integrity? Weren’t you the one who treated money like dirt? Now, your own granddaughter is going on and on about nothing but making money!
The more he praised Shen Yuezhuang now, the more it would slap Huo Rufang in the face!
He expected to see Huo Rufang’s face contort in fury. But to his surprise, the look Huo Rufang gave him… seemed strangely like pity.
He was puzzling over this when he heard the Emperor laugh lightly from the throne.
Wen Xuanming instinctively sensed something was wrong and was about to change his tune, but the Emperor had already spoken with a leisurely tone.
“Lord Wen, it warms Our heart that you cherish talent so. In that case, from now on, Miss Shen shall serve in the Ministry of Revenue!”
Wen Xuanming: “!!!!!!!”
~~~
While the newly appointed scholars were on their way to the Jade Forest Banquet, a palace eunuch was already carrying a joyous red announcement, heading for the gates of the Yongding Marquis Manor!
Shen Yuezhuang was naturally not at the Yongding Marquis Manor. So, the procession made its way noisily and festively across half the street to the Huo Mansion.
This commotion was no less grand than the Top Scholar’s parade through the streets.
The chief eunuch was escorted by a contingent of the Imperial Guard. The leader held Shen Yuezhuang’s examination paper, stamped with the Imperial Seal and bearing the vermilion comment “Grade A,” as they arrived at the Huo Mansion. They then announced another Imperial Edict, ordering Shen Yuezhuang to report for duty at the Ministry of Revenue in two days!
Shen Yuezhuang was appointed Director of the Bureau of Budget, Rank 5b!
The fourth day of the fourth month was a day of great splendor: the Top Scholar, the Jade Forest Banquet, the appointment of female officials… and another event that shocked the capital. Grand Preceptor Pei’s granddaughter, the representative of the southern scholars, Pei Shangyu, had requested permission to leave the palace and also became a female official!
However, unlike Shen Yuezhuang’s widely publicized appointment, complete with an Imperial Guard escort and a eunuch announcing the Edict, Pei Shangyu was in the palace. The news spread like a firecracker muffled in the rain.
Initially, only those within the palace knew. Then, as the news slowly leaked out, the ripples of gossip followed Pei Shangyu’s carriage as it rolled out of the palace.
That day, Pei Shangyu took an inconspicuous carriage, picking up A Sang from the Huo Mansion. Then, before this news could cause a stir in the capital, the city received another piece of good news: the border troops had fought bravely, killing the enemy and recapturing Lincheng!
The news reached the capital on the fifth day of the fourth month, the very day Shen Yuezhuang was due to report for her first day of duty.
