Chapter 139: Metropolitan Examination Questions with Hidden Designs |
Within the Court of Judicial Review, Wang Chen was undergoing torment.
The Emperor hadn't urged them to quickly release Song Shi'an.
But he wasn't a fool—he clearly knew that both Song Shi'an and the Sixth Prince would be found innocent, and that they would surely gain power after their release. The Emperor obviously wanted Song Shi'an out before the imperial examinations.
Therefore, all of Song Shi'an's 'too numerous to record' crimes were being expeditiously closed.
Those aristocratic families had all been tried and dealt with as well.
The Zhang Wen family had even been given a sentence of complete family execution.
However, Song Shi'an's crimes were absurdly numerous.
For instance, the Langya case was still missing a critically important... no, two critically important signed confessions.
Zhu Qing and Qin Kuo—these two were the highest-ranking officers of the Forbidden Army.
"Officials from the Court of Judicial Review were dispatched long ago, but it's over two thousand li one way..." The Chief Justice was also in a difficult position. "Right now, we can't even be certain when they'll arrive."
Eight hundred li emergency courier—that required changing horses, changing riders, and relay points at over a dozen official post stations to achieve the feat of reaching Shuofeng from Sheng'an in three days and nights.
But how could officials from the Court of Judicial Review relay like that?
They couldn't just casually send some low-ranking soldier to conduct the interrogation.
In truth, to create a smooth path for Song Shi'an, they were already doing everything possible to accelerate the process.
In the past, cases like this would take at least two or three months.
"It'll probably take another five or six days to arrive. Even if they complete the interrogation in one day and send the confessions back via eight hundred li emergency courier, it'll still take at least ten days." The Chief Justice continued, "No matter what, we won't make it in time for the examination that begins in seven days."
"Making it in time is impossible." Wang Chen furrowed his brow, shaking his head continuously.
"Then should we close the case like this? Release him first, and when the confessions return, we'll complete the case files." The Chief Justice suggested.
"Is that any way to judge a case?" Wang Chen immediately refuted his words. "The verdict is already rendered, the person already released, and then we look at the confessions—wouldn't that make the Court of Judicial Review a mere formality?"
Indeed, such a thing was truly unprecedented.
Of course, they couldn't be blamed.
Who goes and sits in the Court of Judicial Review's prison while still having the leisure to take the jinshi examination?
No one had that kind of capacity.
"Then we won't use their confessions and will close the case directly." The Chief Justice suggested again.
"To purely facilitate his release, that would certainly work." Wang Chen rejected it once more. "But for a single 'military revolt,' if the interrogation subjects don't include the military's highest-ranking officers or civil officials, would that be reasonable?"
It would be like a massive terrorist attack.
Arresting a few drivers and then closing the case.
"This won't do, Wang-daren."
The Chief Justice, as a Rank 4 official, also participated in court sessions, so he thoroughly understood the Emperor's thoughts and the Prince of Wu's thoughts. "Now, we can't keep avoiding the issue."
"When have I ever avoided it?" After asking with some displeasure, Wang Chen said, "Haven't I been thinking of solutions?"
"Then what is your solution?"
The Chief Justice's attitude toward this acting Minister had become less respectful than before.
The Chief Justice was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review's chief secretary, not the Vice Minister's.
Now it was plainly obvious that Wang Chen could never be promoted, so this direct subordinate relationship between the two wouldn't last much longer.
What he hoped for was that before the new leader parachuted in, this acting leader could clean up the mess.
The workplace was like this too.
Before power transitions, accounts were best settled.
"On the day of the examination, apply to let Song Shi'an leave prison for one day to participate in the metropolitan examination." This was the solution Wang Chen had devised.
It was also currently the most reasonable approach.
It neither turned the Court of Judicial Review into a mere formality, ensuring procedural justice.
And it would allow Song Shi'an not to miss the examination.
"Then let's do that."
The Chief Justice felt it made sense.
"Wait." Wang Chen raised his hand. "What's the rush?"
"Only seven days remain until the examination—how can we not rush?"
"We're anxious, but the Prince of Wu is even more anxious."
With Wang Chen's words, the Chief Justice completely understood.
Honestly speaking, this leader wasn't bad.
The pejorative term "cowardly" and the commendatory term "cautious" were separated by a hair's breadth.
If the Court of Judicial Review proposed it, it would obviously smack of favoring Song Shi'an and creating conveniences for him, inevitably earning accusations of fawning and opportunism.
The Court of Judicial Review could flatter people, but could only flatter the Emperor.
However, if the Prince of Wu came, and the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review secretly gave him this suggestion, having him do this, and having the Prince of Wu personally petition the Emperor—the matter would be handled, and it would be equivalent to selling the Prince of Wu a favor. It could be called watertight.
But when would this Prince of Wu come?
"Wang-daren, Lord Ye has arrived."
At this moment, a subordinate official came to report.
"Lord Ye?" After a moment of surprise, Wang Chen revealed a smile. "Is it Lord Ye Changqing? Quickly, quickly invite him in."
This was truly speaking of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.
Since the Prince of Wu sent someone, things would be much easier.
This was precisely when the Prince of Wu should earn Song Shi'an's goodwill—why wouldn't he come earlier?
"Then this subordinate will take his leave first." Seeing the visitor, the Chief Justice prepared to depart.
"No need, stay."
Wang Chen very respectfully had him remain.
"Then this subordinate will obey the command."
The Chief Justice hadn't previously felt this Wang-daren had any problems, but after having him deputize as Minister of the Court of Judicial Review for these many days, he completely understood.
This person should not be befriended deeply.
When problems arose, he absolutely wouldn't shoulder the burden.
Like the other people in the court, for the sake of their own interests, their faction's interests, or advancement requirements, they were quite bold in voicing their support.
However, the more one spoke, the more likely one was to make mistakes.
Wang-daren's way of being an official truly had no problems.
Soon, Ye Changqing arrived.
Wang Chen took the initiative to step forward, smilingly greeting him, with the Chief Justice accompanying at the side.
After exchanging pleasantries and compliments, each sat down.
Wang Chen took the main seat, with Ye Changqing and the Chief Justice on his left and right.
"Wang-daren." Ye Changqing wasn't an idle person either, so he got straight to the point. "Regarding Song Shi'an's case, how do you intend to judge it?"
"It's roughly been determined, but how to judge it—I humbly await the Prince of Wu's instruction." Wang Chen said ingratiatingly.
"What was the Court of Judicial Review's original plan?" Ye Changqing asked.
"Everyone involved in the entire Langya affair, including the original officials from the Shuofeng area—over ninety people in total—were all demoted one rank and had their salaries suspended for one year. So for Song Shi'an, we can't be too lenient either." Wang Chen probed. "We were thinking Song Shi'an would be demoted from Rank 7 to Rank 9, with salary suspended for two years. What does Lord Ye think?"
Exactly double.
"If you feel it's appropriate, that's fine." Ye Changqing smiled in response.
A light touch, essentially.
Basically just going through the motions.
In situations like this where merits and faults both existed, the faults had to be determined and settled first before separately rewarding the merits.
With such a major incident occurring, being able to retain one's rank could be called miraculous.
"Then when can he leave prison?" Ye Changqing asked.
"That's precisely what's troubling me."
Wang Chen let out a sigh.
Ye Changqing showed puzzlement.
Then the Chief Justice at the side explained the situation to him.
After listening, Ye Changqing also had a headache. "If we really complete all the procedures, I'm afraid we won't make the examination in time."
"Young Lord Ye, this is already the fastest possible." Wang Chen explained. "Cases like this have never been handled so decisively before."
"Is there any way we can think of something?" Ye Changqing inquired.
"There is a solution, but it requires the Prince of Wu to step forward." Wang Chen lowered his voice.
"How?" Ye Changqing asked.
Leaning his body slightly forward, Wang Chen said, "Close the case as quickly as possible, and try to have Song Shi'an released from prison before the examination results are announced. And on the day of the examination, find a way to petition His Majesty to temporarily release Song Shi'an from prison for one day."
"Absolutely not."
Upon hearing this, Ye Changqing immediately refused. "This would have too great an impact on His Highness."
The Prince of Wu could use his momentum to pressure people and influence the judicial process and outcome.
But he couldn't blatantly break the rules.
How could an unconvicted prisoner from the Court of Judicial Review be allowed to leave and even participate in the metropolitan examination?
If the other several thousand juren scholars saw this, they would inevitably have complaints.
All of this would affect the Prince of Wu's reputation.
"Then I truly don't know what to do."
Wang Chen revealed a troubled expression.
If the Prince of Wu wouldn't shoulder the burden and expected him to shoulder it instead, that made no sense.
"In any case, this examination must be taken, and it must count."
After deep consideration, Ye Changqing had an idea. He looked at Wang Chen. "Wang-daren, what if we have Song Shi'an take the exam in prison?"
………
Within the Imperial Academy.
They began busying themselves with setting questions for the jinshi examination.
Because the current examination content in Great Yu wasn't test papers, but rather two examination topics for the two major subjects.
Lyrical composition and policy essays.
Incidentally, the xiucai examination was somewhat different—its content tested memorization of the Sage's writings, punctuation, content analysis, and assigned essays, among other things. It was more like modern test papers, with difficulty and competition far, far lower.
But when it came to the jinshi examination, it became much more brutal.
Great Yu basically had in-service examinations.
This meant you had to compete with several thousand ancient civil servants over who had superior literary talent and whose governance ideas were more ingenious.
Seven Grand Secretaries, plus the Prince of Jin—eight people in total were discussing the examination questions in the Evaluation Hall.
However, they weren't composing from scratch. Each Grand Secretary had to write a proposal beforehand, then collectively discuss whether it was feasible.
After discussion, they would produce what they considered suitable examination topics, which the Emperor would then finalize.
They only needed to confirm it three days before the examination.
The reason for such tight timing was also to ensure absolutely no leaking of questions.
In the morning, they first determined the lyrical composition topic.
The Prince of Jin looked one by one at the proposals written by each erudite and talented Grand Secretary.
As he looked, he sensed a kind of tacit understanding.
Raising his head, he found every Grand Secretary sitting calmly and peacefully.
At the end of the day, they were still the civil official faction.
At the end of the day, they were still the shrewdest people under heaven.
The Emperor indeed had the power to veto, but what if all seven people's proposals...
Were similar?
Unless the Emperor set the questions himself.
And everyone was just fulfilling their duties, beyond reproach.
"Minister Sun's idea is excellent."
The Prince of Jin revealed a smile and said, "The Chishui River has nourished the entire Liang Prefecture. And now with the Qi bandits moving south, it serves as our Great Yu's defensive line, resisting foreign enemies and protecting billions of common people. Using the theme of praising our Great Yu's rivers and waterways for the composition—very good, very excellent."
Everyone's thinking was unified, which was—
Custom-make the zhuangyuan position for Sun Qian.