Chapter Eight: The Written Examination

“Sir, dawn is near. You should rest for a while. In another hour and a half, you must go to the Imperial City to preside over the Lantern Festival Imperial Examination.”

At the end of Hundred Flowers Lane, in a grand residence, an elderly servant had just replaced a nearly spent candle. Watching the middle-aged man bent over his desk, he gently reminded him.

“Uncle Fu, you could have asked someone else to do this. You’re too old to stay up late with me,” the man raised his head, took the warm towel from Uncle Fu’s hands, and wiped his face.

“Thank you, sir. I’m old, but always want to do something. I’ve been busy most of my life—can’t sit idle.” Uncle Fu smiled kindly and quietly left.

Inside, books lined the shelves in neat rows, and the desk was piled high with documents. Before the man lay today’s exam paper from the Ministry of Justice’s preliminary test. The name written boldly atop it was—Li Fu.

“Senior brother, oh senior brother, it’s been fifteen years and you still can’t let go?” The man looked at the exam and sighed deeply, sensing the lingering spirit in every character.

………………………

The fifteenth day of the first month, Lantern Festival. Today, the Eastern Capital was far livelier than yesterday; thousands surged into the streets not only to celebrate but for the most important event—the annual Lantern Festival Imperial Examination.

In the early morning, a light rain fell over the capital, but the chill could not dampen the city’s roaring enthusiasm.

Carriages bearing the insignia of the Scholars’ Supervisory Office entered the Daming Palace through the Gate of Heavenly Order. After layers of inspection, they reached the destination for this year’s Lantern Festival Imperial Examination—the Hall of Radiant Light.

The Hall of Radiant Light consisted of a main palace and two subsidiary halls—the western Chao Yang Hall for the literary examination, the eastern Wu Qu Hall for the martial test, and the central main hall, reserved every three years for the imperial trial.

On the square before the Hall of Radiant Light, rows of Dragon Guard soldiers in scarlet armor stood in strict formation.

At the foot of the eighty-one steps leading to the sacred path, Scholar Supervisors waited, their faces emotionless.

“Scholars, please take your places according to the order of the literary and martial examinations. Those for the literary test, follow the Scholar Supervisors into the Chao Yang Hall. Martial candidates, follow Commander Xie to rest in the corridor beneath the Wu Qu Hall… Once the literary test concludes, the martial selection will begin.”

A dignitary from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward, loudly reading out the rules for this year’s Lantern Festival Imperial Examination.

From afar, Li Fu saw a brightly-lit main hall in the northeast corner of the Imperial City. Even at a distance, waves of heat seemed to radiate from it.

The Lantern Festival Imperial Examination was one of the most important ceremonies of Great Tang. After the exam, the Emperor would issue the Imperial List and announce the results to all. Every year, the top three winners would receive rewards from the royal family as encouragement.

But this was only one benefit. Most anticipated was the opportunity, after the Lantern Festival Imperial Examination, to choose among the six great academies in the Eastern Capital, with the chance to participate in the triennial imperial trial and embark on a career in government.

“This year’s Lantern Festival Imperial Examination will be judged by the Grand Chancellor and the Grand Protector. The top three will have the Emperor himself select sacred treasures from the royal vaults as rewards, to inspire all scholars to diligent study. May each of you display your talents.”

Just before the exam commenced, a eunuch hurried from the Daming Palace and whispered in the ear of the Minister of Rites. The minister’s face flashed with shock; clearly, this year’s royal rewards would be far richer than ever before, something even the Minister of Rites hadn’t anticipated.

As the announcement faded, the scholars at the hall exchanged surprised glances.

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In past Lantern Festival Imperial Examinations, the Ministry of Rites, in the Emperor’s name, distributed prizes to the top three. Never before had rewards been drawn directly from the royal treasury.

Many scholars flexed their fingers, eager to try their luck, their hopes pinned on the royal rewards.

“Literary candidates, please proceed.”

The Scholar Supervisors, recovering from their own surprise, reflected that the royal family had not participated in the Lantern Festival Imperial Examination since the era of the Holy Empress. Why was the Emperor personally interested this year?

At the command, the literary candidates followed the Scholar Supervisors into the Chao Yang Hall.

Passing by Yang Zi Xu, Li Fu exchanged a knowing glance; both understood the other’s intent.

“If you win a place, I’ll wait for you in the Wu Qu Hall.”

“Rest assured.”

…………………………

Inside the Chao Yang Hall, the scene was quite different from yesterday in the Ministry of Justice. Three rows of immense red drapes divided the hall into three sections.

In the first section, nearly a hundred chessboards were arranged, each attended by a Scholar Supervisor. Upon closer inspection, the boards were already set—not for a full game, but for endgames.

This round tested skill in chess.

“This year’s Lantern Festival Imperial Examination is simple: whoever clears the three challenges fastest and exits the hall is victorious. Each challenge must be completed within the time it takes three incense sticks to burn. Scholars, please begin.”

With the first incense lit, scholars began choosing their opponents.

After a brief burst of noise, the hall settled into the crisp sounds of chess pieces being placed.

This year’s exam was indeed very different. The first challenge alone stumped many. The endgames were set by the Scholar Supervisors themselves and were quite difficult. Fortunately, winning the game was not required; so long as the solution was within fifteen moves of the Supervisor, it counted as passing. In retrospect, this wasn’t too harsh.

Among the scholars were chess prodigies—some solved the endgames within five breaths, moving on immediately; others took half an incense stick or even a full stick to find the answer.

“Master, you have lost.”

On Li Fu’s chessboard, the Scholar Supervisor holding the black pieces looked at the board nearly filled with white, shook his head in resignation, but showed no displeasure—only admiration for the placement of the white stones.

“Excellent, excellent. I thought this game would drag on to the seventy-sixth move, but you broke it in sixty-four. Each placement hints at the art of war. Remarkable youth!” The Supervisor nodded in approval, smiling.

Li Fu respectfully bowed and proceeded to the next draped section.

In the second row, rows of octagonal lanterns hung, each face bearing a sentence or poem in seal script—a lantern riddle.

Beneath each lantern stood a scholar, responsible for revealing the answer.

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The rules were simple: all eight riddles on the lantern must be solved to pass.

Li Fu chose a lantern at random and bowed to the scholar before him.

“No need for formality, please proceed,” the scholar replied, expressionless.

Li Fu picked a lantern face. It read, “After the rain, the mountain looks as if asleep,” with a note beneath: “Guess a character.”

“After the rain, the mountain looks as if asleep—that is ‘snow.’ Sir, is my guess correct?” Li Fu smiled.

“Correct, the answer is ‘snow.’ Please look below.”

The scholar nodded, tearing away the colored paper to reveal the character “snow.”

Li Fu glanced around and found these riddles much harder than those at the Lantern Festival gatherings, but not troublesome for him.

“‘Few have talent, most do when older’—the answer is ‘moderation.’”

……………………..

“Green on the left, red on the right, when they meet, a cool wind rises; green loves timely rain, red fears water. The answer is ‘autumn.’”

…………………….

Soon, Li Fu had solved seven riddles, but lingered over the last for half an incense stick.

“Wen Jun tending the wine shop, Zi Ya fishing by the stream.”

These are two events recorded in the ‘Spring and Autumn Annals of Luxuriant Dew.’ Later generations have annotated them four times, resulting in two interpretations: one seeks commonality, the other feigns profundity. Li Fu remembered once asking his teacher which annotation was correct. The teacher never answered, only scoffing and saying, “seeking fame and acclaim.” Li Fu hadn’t understood at the time, nor did the teacher ever explain.

Li Fu pondered, then answered, “seeking fame and acclaim.”

The scholar looked startled, his gaze at Li Fu tinged with surprise. He tore away the paper, revealing the answer—“seeking fame and acclaim.”

“You are truly astute. The recent annotation of ‘Spring and Autumn Annals of Luxuriant Dew’ was personally revised by the Grand Chancellor last year; the sample hasn’t even been released yet. I never thought you would solve this. Surely the next challenge will not trouble you either.”

A strange light shone in the scholar’s eyes.

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