At this time, the entire Changnan education system was preparing for the new year's academy exams.
An imperial decree was issued: His Majesty wanted to reconstruct the Wenyuan Library and ordered all education intendants from Suzhou Prefecture to return to the capital to report on their duties and enter the Wenyuan Library to compile and edit books for the realm.
Among the many intendants recalled to the capital, only Song Yunfan was promoted to Compiler of the Wenyuan Library in the Hanlin Academy. All others retained their original positions.
Song Yunfan had no connections in the capital. How did the Emperor notice him? It must have been Lord Jiang's influence!
Song Yunfan was nearly dizzy with joy and surprise. He was the only one promoted! The only one! What did that mean?!
It meant the Emperor had noticed him!
As long as he did the work assigned by the Emperor well, wouldn't he surely gain important appointments?!
Clearly, others thought the same. Colleagues who hadn't gotten along with Song Yunfan before didn't dare to make trouble at this critical moment. Instead, they offered hypocritical or complicated congratulations: "Congratulations, Lord Song."
Having achieved what he wanted, Song Yunfan didn't bother with these colleagues now. After celebrating at a restaurant in Changnan, before leaving, he thought of Xu Huaiqian and Meng Fangxun. He specially picked two books with his own annotations and a handwritten letter to send to Qinglian Academy, asking the teachers to properly reward the two.
He told them he awaited them in the capital.
Although Xu Huaiqian's knowledge was still somewhat lacking, with his calligraphy skills, as long as he studied hard and diligently, he could definitely pass as a Metropolitan Graduate with Equivalent Status.
At this time, neither Song Yunfan nor Xu Huaiqian imagined that years later, Xu Huaiqian would pass the exams at a level none of them had expected, entirely through his own ability.
Jiang Hehai retired and returned home. Although he had left the court, his attention remained on the capital.
When news came that the Emperor was reconstructing the Wenyuan Library, he knew his effort for Song Yunfan had succeeded. But there was still no news about his student Sheng Zhiyuan.
He understood—the Emperor had only listened to his suggestion about rotating examiners. As for his student Sheng Zhiyuan, he was beyond help.
Fortunately, when Sheng Zhiyuan exchanged his own opportunity for Duan Youyan's future, he had considered this possibility. So when news of Song Yunfan's promotion came, he took it quite well and sincerely sent his congratulations.
All of this was unknown to the group studying at Qinglian Academy. All they knew was that they were about to study until they vomited.
"More memorization?!" Xu Huaiqian was in despair after just one class, hearing the teacher assign another entire book to memorize.
Even in high school, he never had to memorize a whole book after one class. Even for the civil service exam, the things to memorize weren't this much.
The ancient Juren exam was truly difficult.
"If just memorizing books makes you complain this much, what would you do if you had to write essays? With your knowledge that's all over the place, wouldn't you just die?" The envious Xiucai in the class had no fondness for Xu Huaiqian, this sickly, delicate person. Hearing him complain about simple memorization made them quite indignant.
Everyone had gone through this; why was it different for him?
Xu Huaiqian didn't think memorization was useless; he just felt memorizing so much was unnecessary.
He had been at the academy for over half a year. Every day, it was nothing but memorization, as if whoever memorized the most would pass the Juren exam.
If the exam tested within the scope of these books, rote memorization would be fine. But even the teachers and magistrates didn't know what would be on the next exam. Having them memorize more was just to give them more hope.
Xu Huaiqian felt it was a huge waste of time. There were so many books under heaven; he couldn't possibly memorize them all and then gamble that the provincial exam would include what he'd memorized.
The odds were too slim.
This method of provincial examination, Xu Huaiqian felt, was only suitable for those child prodigies with photographic memories, not for ordinary mortals like them.
If only the next provincial exam would test current affairs again.
Just as Xu Huaiqian was thinking this, the academy head and magistrates were also worrying about it.
With news of the Wenyuan Library's reconstruction came word that the Emperor emphasized current affairs over literature. Rebuilding the library was just to reassure the scholars of the realm.
The imperial exams would no longer use poetry, songs, or essays but would instead discuss the world through current affairs.
"His Majesty is going to force to death the scholars of the realm!" Magistrate Wu exclaimed upon hearing this, calling it unfair.
The students had studied literature for decades with great effort. Now, suddenly, they weren't testing literature but farming! How innocent these students were!
Magistrates from other counties also had headaches: "But the Emperor has already decreed it. The court ministers are helpless; what can we magistrates do?"
"The urgent matter is to think about how to clearly tell the students that from now on, they don't need to study literature but must start studying current affairs." Zuo Zhengjian, the head of Qingyun Academy, wasn't as agitated as they were.
After all, Qinglian Academy had never taught students to read dead books. Having them memorize more was just in case the exam scope was too broad. Not knowing how to guide them, they could only have them memorize and read more.
Now that the direction was set on current affairs, they would teach the students accordingly.
"Easier said than done. Do the teachers at the academy understand current affairs?" Magistrate Wu shook his head. "Those of us who passed the regular imperial exams only know how to write essays, poetry, and songs. Current affairs? Current affairs..."
Magistrate Wu couldn't even finish; he didn't understand it either!
Zuo Zhengjian felt a chill of realization—that was true. The academy teachers were all trained in literature; they could teach students to study and write essays, but asking them to analyze current affairs…
"I know a little, but only the basics." Seeing their difficulty, Magistrate Sheng had to step forward.
Since becoming magistrate of Pingxi County, he often went to the countryside to encourage farming, comfort the poor, and collect taxes, so he paid some attention to current affairs.
However, Pingxi County was too remote. It took months for his messengers to get news and bring back replies.
By then, the news was already outdated.
"His Majesty's emphasis on current affairs over literature started with the Huayin flood." Magistrate Sheng shared what he had heard: "Last year's provincial, metropolitan, and palace exams all tested on the Huayin flood, but not a single answer satisfied the Emperor. His Majesty had no choice but to reform the imperial exams."
Previously, officials from Suzhou Prefecture controlled the exams and favored literary talent, forcing all scholars to strive in that direction. Although thoughtful people like Magistrate Sheng sensed something was wrong, the arm couldn't twist the thigh—they had to adapt to the rules.
Magistrate Anning sighed: "But this across-the-board approach is too disheartening. Ten years of hard study become worthless. Even if I don't go mad, the students will."
Especially when Magistrate Anning thought of last year's top candidate from his county, Meng Fangxun. He could have relied on his literary talent, but now the exam shifted to a field he had never touched—from a respected scholar to an ignored one. Who could bear such a drop?
"Mad or not, there's no way around it." Zuo Zhengjian shook his head at them. " Each emperor has his own courtiers. The current Son of Heaven doesn't want literary scholars; he wants capable ministers. So we must cultivate capable ministers for him."
"Don't lose heart. No one expected current affairs to be tested before; no one worked in this direction. For the next exam, everyone will be at the same starting level. We might still have hope." If they didn't know, others didn't either, especially...
Here, Zuo Zhengjian felt a bit schadenfreude: "Especially Qixian Academy. I wonder if they can still smile after hearing this news?"
With this point from Zuo Zhengjian, the magistrates looked at each other and suddenly felt relieved.
Right, Qixian Academy must be even more anxious. All these years, they had been educating students according to the preferences of the chief examiners from Suzhou Prefecture. Now, with the sudden news that the Emperor devalued literature and emphasized current affairs, could their students accept it?
Thinking this way, changing from literary exams to current affairs didn't seem so hard to accept after all.
"Moreover, don't underestimate the students. If they can master essays, why can't they learn current affairs?" As academy head, Zuo Zhengjian had broader insight and quickly grasped the key. "We still have two and a half years. If we focus on this, aren't we afraid of falling behind others?"
After half a year of high-intensity study, the Xiucai in Class B had improved their literary skills. Even Xu Huaiqian, who used to write empty essays, had made progress. His writing was still plain, but no longer false and unrealistic; his poetry and songs had also improved.
They had been worried: although Xu Huaiqian improved quickly, he was still slow compared to others, especially as the workload increased. Could his health handle it?
But now, with current affairs tested—and the Emperor said those who excelled in current affairs could be exceptionally selected—he could give up other areas and focus solely on this.
In the afternoon, the academy head returned to the classroom and announced two messages.
First, he gave the books and handwritten letter from Song Yunfan to Meng Fangxun and Xu Huaiqian.
"Education Intendant Song thinks highly of you both. He hopes you will pass the Juren exam in the next imperial examination. He awaits you in the capital."
This was astonishing. A prefectural education intendant favored two Xiucai?
Meng Fangxun was understandable—he was the top candidate; being favored was expected.
But why was Xu Huaiqian, this sickly, last-place Xiucai, also favored?
As if reading the other Xiucai's minds, the academy head said bluntly: "The Education Intendant greatly admires your calligraphy. He hopes you won't neglect your handwriting these three years. The exam is important, but having a skill is also important."