Only after speaking with Xue Rushi did Jiang Wang understand one thing—the position of chief examiner for the Southern Frontier official examination had originally been Shi Mingcheng's for the taking.
Su Guanying and Shi Mingcheng—one a Court Consultant, the other commander of the Nine Legions—naturally presented a front of close cooperation to the outside, governing Xia with one heart. Internally, however, competition was inevitable. Both stood at the highest levels of the Great Qi court, traveling the same Official Path and each wielding political power.
Rumors that an official examination would be held in the Southern Frontier had been circulating all along. Yet no more specific details had emerged because the Southern Xia Governor-General and military governor could not agree.
Both Su Guanying and Shi Mingcheng had interests of their own. Though they shared the consensus of advancing the Southern Frontier official examination, they also had many disagreements, greatly delaying its progress.
The Southern Xia Governor-General's position carried a natural advantage.
Shi Mingcheng focused elsewhere. Rather than grasping every layer of the examination process as a whole, he was more inclined to control the position of chief examiner. Over the years, the two great figures had engaged in no small amount of covert sparring.
Yet today, with a casual gesture, Su Guanying had handed the position of chief examiner to Jiang Wang—a move that could be called a check against Shi Mingcheng.
If this caused Shi Mingcheng to develop friction with the Marquis of Wu'an, who was currently riding high on a wave of fame, so much the better.
And if Shi Mingcheng swallowed this affront, Su Guanying lost nothing. The military governor lost, while the Governor-General did not. He still won.
It could not exactly be said that Su Guanying was using Jiang Wang as a spear.
Taking charge