Chapter 10, The Palace Examination (Part 1)

Gu Qin's expression darkened further, "I have heard about this person during the provincial examination on Chao'an North Road. If it were not for her title of 'Top Scholar' being bestowed by the Crown Prince, I would certainly have her disqualified in the Ministry of Rites examination!" He turned around, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked to the window, pushing it open. "If everyone in the world knows that such cunning can be employed, what will the future of female scholars in the imperial examination look like?"

With a slight tremor in my hand, upon hearing his laughter nearby, my heart became increasingly unsettled

Regretting the late arrival of spring, news of spring came last night

Gu Qin's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent, standing with his back to her, gazing out towards the distance in the courtyard.

Shen Zhili bowed his head and said, "Does the Prime Minister also know why the Crown Prince has requested the Emperor to issue an edict to the Hanlin Academy for a plaque for women? For many years, the female officials in the court have merely been ornamental figures, which is a far cry from the Emperor's original intention of promoting women's education and establishing a benevolent examination system! But what is the reason behind this? As an old minister who followed the Prince of Ping from the Eastern Capital, you must be more aware than I am. The old ministers of the Eastern Party in the court are now gaining power day by day; what are their thoughts on women entering the court to hold official positions? I fear the Prime Minister understands this best. The Emperor does not hold these old ministers accountable, and is it not because of the long-standing relationship with the Prince of Ping?"

The master originally intended not to meet any outsiders during these days, but upon seeing the name of Lord Shen, he made an exception. The servant spoke to her while walking, his voice filled with a smile

The man paused slightly, turned his head, and looked at her for a long time with his thin and clear face, his eyes bright and piercing. Finally, he averted his gaze and smiled, saying: "It has been quite a while since you last visited me. I didn't see you when your parents came to pay their respects to my wife last time. What brings you here today?"

He lowered his eyes, reached for a pen, adjusted it to a light peach color, and handed it to her. With his other hand, he pointed at the empty branches of the peach tree in the painting, smiling as he said: "A few more peach blossoms are still needed. Can Le Yan still paint peach blossoms?"

She smiled and said, "Given the temperament of your family's young master, it is indeed reasonable to close the door and not receive guests."

When Shen Zhili arrived at the front hall, he paused for a moment, thought for a while, and then raised his hand to push aside the beaded curtain of the door, stepping in lightly

Shen Zhili raised his gaze, the green tiles of the hall ceiling reflecting the sunlight, slightly dazzling his eyes. He could not help but lower his head, took two steps forward, then turned back to call out to the person, "I will speak a few words with the Xiangye and then leave; there is no need for tea."

The scroll on the table is long and spread out, depicting a scene rich in the colors of spring, with delicate willows by the pavilion, swallows flying and orioles singing, and the gentle waters flowing far away

Upon hearing this, Gu Qin's face immediately darkened: "How can one indulge in such excesses!"

The room was softly dim, with a long black lacquered wooden table standing against the wall. In front of the table stood a man, leaning slightly forward, holding a brush to apply ink.

She stood at the door, neither entering nor speaking, simply gazing at him

Seeing that he remained silent, she couldn't help but smile, "This Meng Tinghui, though exceptionally talented, is not pedantic. While he may act with cleverness, he is extremely measured in his conduct. If you ask me, among the female candidates going to the capital this time, I have yet to see anyone more likable than her. If this woman cannot enter the Hanlin Academy, who else can? Who else is worthy?"

The servant was momentarily taken aback, opening his mouth to speak, but saw that she had already turned around and quickly walked away

She met his gaze and felt a lump in her throat, taking a long time to respond: "Meng Tinghui is a smart person"

"Please remain calm, Your Excellency," Shen Zhili spoke softly, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I knew Your Excellency would have this disposition, which is why I came to recommend her. Otherwise, if Your Excellency serves as the chief examiner for this imperial examination, and if Meng Tinghui were to achieve the top score, Your Excellency would surely overshadow her accomplishments. If Meng Tinghui were only to pass as a 'Gongsheng', Your Excellency might even categorize her among those who failed the examination..."

Shen Zhili complied and fell silent, then walked over

A sudden shock coursed through her heart like a *picture* book, yet her face remained calm. "How could I forget what the Lord taught me personally back then?"

The area around Sanmen Alley in the southern part of the city is predominantly filled with the residences of court officials and noble families, with grand mansions featuring high walls and red gates standing side by side. However, the ancient residence is rather simple; were it not for the imperial red plaque hanging high above the outer gate, no one would have guessed that this was the residence of the current Chancellor.

Shen Zhili followed behind the servants of the ancient manor, walking slowly, his heart felt as if it were a soft, fluffy cloud in the sky, gently swirling and drifting up and down, left and right within his chest

He snorted coldly: "It is useless just to say that; we still have to see how she performs in the Ministry of Rites examination! Moreover, we must wait until after the palace examination to see whom the Emperor will appoint!"

The man heard a sound behind him but did not turn around; he simply spoke softly, "Is Le Yan here?"

The servant cheerfully rounded a corner and pointed to a small hall ahead, saying, "The Lord was just painting in the flower hall; you may enter by yourself, Sir Shen. I will go and bring some tea for you."

Gu Qin turned back, his gaze quite complex, "You come here to plead for her, yet I wonder if she will appreciate this favor you offer."

Indeed! The servant raised his eyebrows, "Ever since the decree from the Minister of Rites was issued allowing women to take the imperial examination, the threshold of the Minister's residence has nearly been trampled to pieces."

Shen Zhili lowered his gaze, looking at the broken grass beneath his feet: "In these past few days, there must be an exceptionally large number of female candidates coming to the residence to submit their applications, right"

Gu Qin set down the pen, reached out to take it, and without saying a word, unfolded it to read. However, his expression changed upon seeing the name at the bottom of the note, and he immediately threw the note into the corner of the table, exclaiming, "Nonsense." After pondering for a moment, he looked at her and furrowed his brow, saying, "What is your relationship with this person that you would go to the trouble of submitting a note for her"

Gently sketched the peach blossoms, yet did not lift the brush. Instead, with a sudden twist of the wrist, the brush tip fell onto the blank corner of the rice paper, and the numbers quickly formed.

Shen Zhili gazed at him with a calm demeanor and continued, "My lord, have you considered how this year's female Jinshi examination differs from previous years? Surely you understand the Crown Prince's intentions? The first female Jinshi who passes will be allowed to enter the Hanlin Academy. You, my lord, also rose to prominence from the Hanlin Academy. The deeper meaning here need not be elaborated further, does it? And what kind of place is the Hanlin Academy? It is a gathering of the elite, where old officials hold sway. If a woman, possessing only talent but lacking the wisdom to navigate the world, were to enter, what good outcome could there possibly be?"

Shen Zhili seemed to have anticipated his reaction. Unhurried and unperturbed, he picked up the note again and laid it before him: "Today at Yitai Building, I happened to encounter her. I particularly like these two short poems of hers, and I appreciate her demeanor, which is different from that of other female scholars."

A gentle breeze sweeps the path, the hidden trails are serene, the clouds in the sky are soft and silky, as if they are about to descend

The heart stirs in spring, emotions are futilely conveyed, only spring knows the matters of spring

She could not shift her gaze, staring at the smile lines at the corners of his mouth. After a long while, she finally relaxed her brow, took out the thin note from Meng Tinghui from her sleeve, and handed it over: "Here, I would like to recommend someone to the Xiangye."

He raised his hand to interrupt her: "Do not say more." After calming himself, he returned to the desk and said to her: "Come and see the painting I made."

She paused for a moment and then said: "The matter of the Emperor wanting to abdicate and transfer power to the Crown Prince is known to all the old ministers of the two houses. Once the Crown Prince ascends to the throne, will he still show the same respect and deference to those old ministers as he does now? This time, allowing female scholars to enter the Hanlin Academy is merely the first move in the Crown Prince's game. I understand this, the Prime Minister understands this, and the old ministers in the court understand this even more. If an ordinary well-educated woman enters the Hanlin Academy, what use is it? The political factions in the court have been scheming against each other, and how many have been sacrificed over the years?"

Shen Zhili stepped forward, bent down to pick up the scattered rice paper from the ground, and replied, "Hmm." He walked over and gently placed the paper on the table, then stood still without saying a word