"Li Du came from a noble family, wrote elegant, romantic poetry, and was strikingly beautiful. In his early years, he served as a Secretariat Drafter, then entered the Department of State Affairs. His career was smooth all the way; he hardly ever held a difficult or dead-end post," Xu Chuo said. "He's much older than Lord Yuan. When Lord Yuan submitted his name seeking advancement, he even visited Li Du's residence, only to be mocked to his face before a crowd: 'Men with the bearing of dragons and phoenixes go unused, yet this fellow with a roe deer's head and a rat's eyes seeks office.'"
"..."
There were no carriages downstairs, so the two walked along the street. Xu Chuo smiled. "The imperial examinations are administered by the Ministry of Rites now, but the current system took shape in Li Du's hands. After becoming chancellor, he made sweeping changes to the rules for selecting officials through examinations. Broadly speaking, he called for less fixation on the classics and histories, and greater emphasis on candidates' practical abilities."
Pei Ye paused. "Isn't that... good?"
"It is. That's why 'public recommendation' matters so much now." Xu Chuo looked at him with a smile.
"..."
Xu Chuo sighed softly. "For a child from a poor family, mastering the Four Books and Five Classics through ten years of bitter study is already admirable. If they can write well and understand administration, they're more exceptional still... but tell me, where are they supposed to prove their 'practical abilities'?"
"..."
"For the great families, arranging an aide's position in some lord's residence or tagging along with an official on public business is as easy as eating and drinking. When examination time comes, their sons carry recommendations from all manner of official residences, while scholars from poor families