The chief examiner for the fu essay section was the current Grand Scholar Luo Yewen. He sat at the head position carefully reviewing the examination papers that the other examiners had rejected. These failed papers still needed a quick look. First to prevent any misjudgements. Second because showing this attitude would also make the examiners act more cautiously.
The slightly plump examiner who came to the desk presented the paper with both hands. Sir this student is slow witted. This paper probably still needs your personal judgement.
Other examiners heard this and could not help turning their heads to look.
Luo Yewen who raised his eyes to look gave an oh sound. He was also somewhat surprised.
As the saying goes writing has no absolute standard. It is hard to divide absolute superiority and inferiority. One can only judge based on levels of attainment.
Attainment is discussed using the concept of cheng. It means how full a bucket of water is. Used as a metaphor for learning ten cheng naturally means it is completely full.
The full number is ten and it is divided into four grades.
For a paper’s answers attainment below five cheng is rated inferior. Naturally it is then rejected.
Five or six out of ten is rated medium. Seven or eight out of ten is rated good. Nine or ten is excellent.
However in normal circumstances when examiners give a rating of excellent they usually give nine cheng. They always leave one part as room for improvement. They very rarely give full ten points satisfaction. Only if they encounter someone truly outstanding and giving it can win recognition from most people without attracting too much criticism will they not stint on giving it. Otherwise it is asking for trouble.
This was exactly where Luo Yewen felt puzzled. With so many grades that could be divided it felt as if ambiguous places could go a bit higher or lower. The examiner had this authority so why could he not make a decision? He immediately paused the rejected papers he was reviewing took the one handed over and examined it.
As he looked his brows suddenly furrowed then slowly relaxed again. Later they furrowed slightly once more. The expression in his eyes gave people a rather changeable feeling of uncertainty.
Seeing the end he seemed to have read it repeatedly several times. In the end he could not help staring at the last few sentences and muttering softly. The place where people gather is the country. When the people grieve the country declines. Those who protect the people are the true statesmen of the nation. His Majesty receives the mandate from Heaven! His Majesty receives the mandate from Heaven… His Majesty receives the mandate from Heaven…
Only then did he realise what was going on with this fu essay.
The breaking of the topic had no problem. How a statesman of the nation becomes one. Is it given by the emperor or created by heavenly mandate or achieved through one’s own efforts.
A normal answer would discuss the relationship between the statesman of the nation and these three.
After the examination compound was locked he had looked at so many answer papers. They were all this kind of normal discussion logic. Some said without a ruler there would be no statesman of the nation. Some said it was receiving the mandate from Heaven. Others balanced all three. Only the paper before him completely deviated from the topic.
To put it plainly this answerer thought that the statesman of the nation had no real relationship with any of the three.
This answerer throughout the whole essay did not discuss the relationship between the statesman of the nation and the three. Instead he passionately explained another issue. What exactly is a true statesman of the nation!
He went through ancient and modern times. One by one figures who had long passed came alive again in the words of the answer paper. One by one moving historical events seemed to float before the eyes making people’s hearts surge with emotion. In the end they converged into one sentence which was also the final paragraph on the examination paper. The place where people gather is the country. When the people grieve the country declines. Those who protect the people are the true statesmen of the nation!
Seeing this any examiner would think that the answerer believed a statesman of the nation is forged in the dedication of serving the country and the people without seeking personal gain. It was satirising that kind of refined egoism called effort. It denied any relation to heavenly mandate and even denied relation to the emperor.
Just because of this it would be strange if the examiner did not frown. But the problem was that at the very end a miraculous turn appeared. His Majesty receives the mandate from Heaven!
If this sentence were covered up the whole essay would mean something else.
If this sentence were added the whole essay would suddenly flip over and instantly reverse heaven and earth.
So even Luo Yewen could not help reading it repeatedly to confirm.
The place where people gather is the country. When the people grieve the country declines. Those who protect the people are the true statesmen of the nation!
Who is the true statesman of the nation? Then lightly and casually it pointed out one sentence. His Majesty receives the mandate from Heaven!
Thus the meaning of the entire answer paper was determined as follows. The answerer throughout denied the relationship between the statesman of the nation and the three. He told everyone what a true statesman of the nation is. If there truly is a statesman of the nation then only those who protect and bless the myriad people are the true ones. Who is qualified to protect the myriad people? His Majesty receives the mandate from Heaven!
If anyone truly carries the heavenly mandate then it can only be His Majesty!
The Grand Scholar who had finally come back to his senses from the paper could not help shaking his head for a while while holding the paper.
He discovered that this answerer had deviated from the topic in an outrageous way yet the deviation was also without problem!
It was the first time he had seen such a thing. Today his eyes had truly been opened wide.
Bang! Suddenly from the neighbouring marking room came the sound of a fierce slap on the table.
Someone also let out a strange cry. Good! What a fine one court enters the ruler’s hall and settles the fame before and after life. Good good good!
The examiners marking on this side were all startled. Including Luo Yewen they all looked at each other in dismay. It turned out someone next door was slapping the table and crying out in admiration.
Luo Yewen smiled and said. It seems Lord Li has encountered some fine poetry. Otherwise with his broad experience he would not lose composure like this.
The slightly plump examiner bowed slightly. Sir is perceptive. It must be so.
Luo Yewen took a deep breath. His gaze fell once more on the paper in his hand and he asked. How do you see this paper?
The slightly plump examiner said. I still ask Sir to give clear instruction.
Luo Yewen said. I am asking you. Speak freely.
The slightly plump examiner said. He dares to directly comment on His Majesty. This lowly official does not dare to comment recklessly. I ask Sir to decide!
Luo Yewen smiled. He had guessed it would be so. The examination question involved the emperor so the answerer would inevitably also involve it. But they all borrowed from the past to allude to the present. Directly saying the two words His Majesty was pointing straight and impartially at the current sage. Added to the fact that it was a remarkable essay the examiner who encountered it finding it hard to decide was understandable.
But precisely because of this Luo Yewen already had a good idea of what the slightly plump examiner was thinking in his heart. When encountering such a paper if one did not truly feel it was good one could simply reject it. There was no need to bring it for him to see. Clearly in his heart he was reluctant to part with it.
Shaking the paper in his hand Luo Yewen nodded in approval and said. Like the vicissitudes of the right path like the vastness of the great earth yet suddenly as if sitting on the clouds. What is even rarer is that in the metropolitan examination one could write such an article that flows in one breath. I have also seen this for the first time. The characters are graceful and delicate the literary talent soars the emotions surge and it is completed in one go. With such a disposition the other questions are probably not done badly either. This old man should naturally help to fulfil it!
The slightly plump examiner was just feeling surprised that the Grand Scholar had given such high evaluation when Luo Yewen had already spread the paper on the table. He directly picked up the vermilion marking brush skipping over the examiner below and personally wrote a bright red ten on the examination paper. He had actually given the capped highest score.
It involved the current sage. The examiners below rarely saw the sage and did not dare to decide. But Luo Yewen often met the sage and knew something of the sage’s thoughts. Just based on this suddenly appearing phrase of receives the mandate from Heaven this flattery was probably going to hit right into the heart of His Majesty. His Majesty probably wanted the people of the world to see it.
And the front part of this whole article was probably going to suit the taste of another group of people.
People are just like this. They always like to see what they like to see.
So not only was it a remarkable essay it was also a remarkable essay that pleased both sides. He had no reason not to help it succeed.
Of course before helping it succeed he also had some hesitation. A shadow flashed in his heart and he felt a bit suspicious. Could this essay be from the candidate arranged by the person who suggested the question? If so then he would deduct one point changing the ten into nine.
Serving as an official in court one must both survive and guard some original intentions. Often one has to make such compromises just like the remarkable essay before him that pleased both sides. It spoke freely to the end yet seemed to realise it was improper and still used a way of adding the finishing touch to create a sudden turn.
Later when he thought about it again he felt it was not so. If it was a candidate arranged by that person then it would not overturn that person’s set question. Only then did he feel at ease and give the rating of ten.
After personally marking it Luo Yewen picked up the paper and handed it to the slightly plump examiner. He waved his hand indicating it was to be done this way. The latter took the paper and withdrew returning to his own position to continue marking papers.
Several days later when all the examination papers had been completely marked and it was time to formally list the rankings for the metropolitan examination the four chief examiners from the four rooms finally met together in the courtyard.
Lords Luo Li Chu and Geng looked at each other and laughed heartily. Having finished the most tense marking the remaining matters became simple.
Lord Li asked. The top name from each room has probably come out right? How about we appreciate the fine writings together and first open the top names from each room?
Lord Luo pointed at him and laughed. A few days ago you slapped the table and cried out in admiration. The whole courtyard heard it. You must have gained something and cannot hold it in your heart right?
Everyone laughed together.
Laughing was laughing but the matter still had to be handled. Doing it according to what Lord Li said would not delay things and was not against the rules. Moreover everyone truly wanted to see the best.
Thus the four rooms once again cooperated according to the rules. All the examination papers were moved into a large hall. The things for registering and making records were also fully prepared. The personnel gathered together and each divided the work.
The four chief examiners gathered again. However they each took one paper and placed them together on one desk. Lord Li pointed at his own and said. Your writing is more there is too much to read in a short time. Come everyone first look at mine. Having said that he himself moved aside to make space for the three.
The other three lords immediately crowded together and leaned their heads towards the centre to look.
Oh Lord Li actually gave a poem a full ten.
Hehe do not talk about others. Look all four papers are full ten.
Unexpected. This metropolitan examination the four rooms actually did not leave any room and all gave papers with full marks. Rare!
Facing Heaven Pavilion… hmm a bit interesting…
One morning entering the ruler’s hall settling the fame before and after life… one morning entering the ruler’s hall settling the fame before and after life…
What a fine Facing Heaven Pavilion. The topic points to the two words achievement and fame to compose a poem yet uses short four lines to write out a whole life. Even after death it does not fall short yet it stays within the scope of the topic. Fine poem! Giving full ten is not excessive!
Hearing the three speak Lord Li stroked his beard shook his head and looked immensely pleased with himself.
Huh? Luo Yewen suddenly showed a shocked expression. He pointed at the four papers pieced together from all directions and said. Look at the handwriting. Are my eyes failing me? Why do I feel these four papers are from the same person’s hand?
As soon as these words came out the other three quickly looked carefully to identify the handwriting of the four papers. It was better not to look. The more they looked the more similar it seemed.
Not to mention them even the lower officials listening on the side could not help gathering over.
Lord Li could not help reaching out to pick up two papers. He placed the writing from both sides completely next to each other for comparison. While comparing he muttered. It is very similar. At least these two seem truly from the same person.