The Female Zhuangyuan
Xiao Ge was sitting quite far away, so Zhao Ruxi and the others couldn't hear his conversation with Duan Chen.
Not long after, Duan Chen returned. Everyone secretly sized him up and saw that his expression was normal. He didn't seem particularly happy or frustrated. Only his face, which was slightly rosier than usual, showed that he was both excited and nervous.
Seeing this, everyone felt that the emperor wasn't so scary after all, and their mood relaxed considerably.
Zhao Ruxi had met Xiao Ge before; Kang Shilin had told her many stories about his mischievous childhood, so she wasn't nervous.
Duan Chen returned, it was her turn to go over.
Follow the young eunuch, bow, stand up, and wait for the emperor's questions.
However, Zhao Ruxi stood there for quite a while, and Xiao Ge did not say a word.
She didn't understand why, but she still followed the rules and didn't look up, standing there obediently and quietly.
After a while, Xiao Ge's gentle voice came from the other side. "Zhao Zhiwei, I have read your article three times."
He paused here, seemingly considering his words: "In your article, you said that the existence of powerful clans is inevitable. Even if the existing powerful clans gradually decline, new powerful clans will still rise. After three generations, a family from humble origins will inevitably become a powerful family. Therefore, what the royal family needs to do is not to eliminate powerful clans, but to find ways to maintain a balance of power."
Zhao Ruxi's article did not raise this issue directly, but rather addressed it very subtly, and did not contain much about it. After all, it was a very sensitive issue. The Emperor felt a headache coming on, and the powerful families were filled with apprehension, but no one would bring it up openly.
As a noblewoman, it was not a good thing for Zhao Ruxi to touch on sensitive topics in her imperial examination essay. Therefore, she only touched on them briefly in her essay.
She knew that the top ten in the imperial examinations would have an audience with the emperor, and as the second-place finisher, she would receive more time for this interview than those ranked below her. If the emperor was interested in this matter, he would certainly ask her in-depth questions at this time to ascertain whether this was her own idea and what solutions she had.
She replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"So, what do you think is the best way to achieve checks and balances?"
"The hereditary system of official positions, the tax and service system, and the system of rewards and punishments under the penal code—emperors of successive dynasties imposed certain restrictions on powerful clans in these areas. If these restrictions were relaxed, land annexation would become rampant, the power of powerful clans would grow increasingly unchecked, and the interests of the court would be encroached upon; if the restrictions were too strict, it would cause discontent among powerful clans, leading to political instability. Whether to be lenient or strict depended on the degree of control the rulers had over the political situation. In other words, it was a matter of 'you retreat, I advance; you advance, I retreat.'"
Xiao Ge asked this question simply to see if the ideas in the article truly reflected Zhao Ruxi's own thoughts, or Peng Guoan and his ilk had deliberately instructed Zhao Ruxi to write it that way. How could a fifteen-year-old girl possibly have profound understanding and ideas about governing a country?
He hadn't expected Zhao Ruxi to give that answer.
Shocked, he fell into deep thought.
Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Eunuch Xie glanced at the clock in the room and called out, "Your Majesty."
Xiao Ge then woke up with a start.
There are still eight people behind them. Although the last few can be passed quickly, it still takes time. The time for the announcement ceremony is fast approaching, so there's no time to dawdle.
He set that question aside and asked what interested him most, "Zhao Zhiwei, who is your calligraphy teacher?" He hadn't heard that Qin Zhe had taken on another apprentice.
Zhao Ruxi shook his head. "I didn't formally become a student. I was just copying Master Mingcang's calligraphy. Later, I received some pointers from the County Princess of Qingyang, and suddenly I had an epiphany, and my calligraphy changed."
The newly appointed Jinshi (进士) were considered the emperor's students, so before assuming an official position, they could refer to themselves as his students in front of the emperor.
"Haha, you're indeed a clever girl. Your master will be very proud of you again," Xiao Ge laughed.
He then said, "Alright, you may go now. When you have time, write a piece of calligraphy for me, and I will treasure it in the palace."
Zhao Ruxi showed a look of surprise and said, "It is my honor that my calligraphy has caught His Majesty's eye." With that, she bowed and withdrew.
After Xiao Ge finished questioning the remaining eight people, the ten of them were led out by Lord Mo.
Until then, no one knew their ranking.
Not long after they retreated outside the palace gates, the appointed time arrived. The princes and ministers entered the main hall, and the musicians from the music troupe began to play. The fourth-place winner of the imperial examination, who had been summoned at some point, became the announcer and began to call out the names: "The top scholar, Zhao Ruxi."
Zhao Ruxi was startled, Duan Chen was also taken aback; both of them thought they had misheard.
This ceremony is the busiest time for the officials of the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple, and they are afraid that something will go wrong. At this time, Master Mo, who arranged for people to enter the ceremony, has obtained the final list, so there is no doubt at all. Master Mo stepped forward and said, "Zhao Zhiwei, hurry in, you are the number one scholar."
All the newly appointed scholars were in an uproar. Duan Chen was especially astonished.
Without further hesitation, Zhao Ruxi stepped forward and followed the officials from the Court of Court of Imperial Sacrifices into the main hall, where she stood in the first row of a certain column.
Because officials were announcing the news along the way, not only the scholars outside heard Zhao Ruxi's name as the top scholar, but also the officials who were lined up in the hall. Everyone looked at Zhao Ruxi standing in the first row with the same expression: they were all shocked and bewildered.
Zhao Ruxi immediately felt the intense gaze upon her.
"Second Duan Chen." The announcement then continued with the registration process.
The rankings remained largely unchanged from the provincial examination, except that the original sixth-place candidate, a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance and a booming voice, was selected by the emperor to be a proctor.
The triennial ceremony for announcing the successful candidates in the imperial examinations has its own well-established procedures. After everyone enters the main hall, the emperor comes out, sits on the dragon throne, and says some words of encouragement. The newly appointed scholars are then led out by officials from the Ministry of Rites.
This is the time for the morning court session.
Xiao Ge looked around and said bluntly, "You may all be thinking that I am a foolish man, appointing a woman as the top scholar. How can the men of the world bear this? I just want to ask, is a man's dignity and face gained by a woman yielding? Where is your magnanimity? Where is your composure?"
Seeing the hall fall silent, and the officials trembling with fear, he continued, "Zhao Zhiwei's writing and calligraphy are both superb; her selection as the champion is truly well-deserved. If the Great Jin, a great nation, cannot tolerate a woman of extraordinary talent, and if the supposedly fair and impartial imperial examinations must abandon their principles for women, then I grieve for the Great Jin, for myself, and for all of you!"
The main hall was deathly silent once more.
At this moment, Qi Xugu stepped forward and said loudly, "His Majesty is wise; the nation is fortunate indeed."