The five civil service exams wouldn't finish until sunset at the earliest, and His Majesty the Emperor didn't have time to sit on the reviewing stand all day. After the examiners distributed the exam papers, the Emperor lingered for a while before leaving. Luo Weiran, accompanied by the imperial guards, followed closely behind, but without a doubt, the eunuch closest to the Emperor was always the one named Su Buwei.
Before the death of the original chief scribe, Wu Peisheng, no one had paid any attention to this eunuch named Su Buwei. Shortly after Wu Peisheng's death, he rose from an unknown eunuch to become the most powerful eunuch in the palace. Although nominally only a sixth-rank official, no one could deny that his sixth-rank robes were in no way inferior to the purple robes of the third and fourth-rank officials in the court.
The Emperor's close attendants often had a greater influence on the Emperor than high-ranking officials.
Most importantly, he understood the Emperor better than anyone else.
Luo Weiran walked behind, unconsciously observing the eunuch who even leaned slightly forward when he walked. Even he, as the commander of the Imperial Guard, hadn't paid much attention to this eunuch before. What made him somewhat helpless and wary was that he knew nothing about the eunuch's abilities.
But, since His Majesty had chosen him as the Grand Eunuch, it proved that this man was no ordinary incompetent fool. Luo Weiran hadn't been this wary of Wu Peisheng, because he knew Wu Peisheng. Even a rare seventh-rank talisman master posed no threat to someone like him. Su Buwei was different; his strength and background were unknown… perhaps only His Majesty the Emperor knew anything about this guy.
"Send Fang Jie directly to Changchun Garden. I have many matters to attend to."
The Emperor gave the order, and Su Buwei quickly agreed and sent a eunuch to deliver the decree. Upon hearing the name Fang Jie, Luo Weiran couldn't help but smirk. The young man, in his short time in Chang'an, had become a figure of great interest. His experiences were so extraordinary that it was hard to say whether he was unlucky or incredibly lucky. After all, for such a minor figure as him to be remembered by His Majesty from time to time was enough to make many people envious.
How many officials and nobles, aside from catching a glimpse of the Emperor from afar during court sessions, had no other opportunity to approach the Supreme Emperor? Even at the next court session held every six or nine days, His Majesty might not even glance at them, and might not even remember them at all.
Fang Jie, a scout from a border town, had been summoned twice to the Changchun Garden's yurt in such a short period of time, which was undoubtedly the envy of everyone.
The Emperor's carriage left the Martial Arts Academy discreetly, while the ministers and vice ministers returned to their respective departments. Several Grand Secretaries, however, remained, waiting for the five civil service examinations to conclude. As honorary professors of the Martial Arts Academy, they could not easily leave on such an important day. After the exams, they would also be grading the papers alongside the professors of the Martial Arts Academy.
When Fang Jie received the imperial decree, the emperor's carriage had already left the gates of the Martial Arts Academy. None of the onlookers still gathered outside the gates would have guessed that the seemingly ordinary carriage that had just left the academy carried the very emperor. And just then, His Majesty suddenly changed his mind.
"Let Fang Jie catch up. I'll meet him in the carriage."
Su Buwei paused, then thought for a moment before softly reminding him, "Isn't it a bit premature for him to board Your Majesty's carriage? After all, his current status is too low; such a great honor might not be of much benefit to him."
The Emperor smiled and said, "You always have such a sharp eye!"
Su Buwei lowered her head and smiled slightly, "This servant only spoke up because I noticed Your Majesty's slight fondness for that young man. He's just a lowly border soldier with little experience and no connections, and Chang'an is... far too big for him."
"Very well..."
The Emperor waved his hand and said, "Let it be as you say. Although Fang Jie comes from humble origins, he is the most interesting young man I've met in recent years. Compared to him, those young talents born with official titles..." "That seems a bit too impetuous. You just secretly went to see the little trap Prince Yi set up, and you were full of praise for it, weren't you? I'm about to wage war against the Northwest, and I'm afraid this will be the largest war since the founding of the Sui Dynasty… At this time, I must set an example, so that those from humble backgrounds can see that as long as they have talent, they can gain my favor. If they have hope in their hearts, they will work diligently and strive hard…"
The Emperor paused and continued, "Su Buwei, do you know Huai Qiugong's background?"
Su Buwei replied, "This servant knows. Old Master Huai came from a humble background but rose rapidly through the ranks. Now he is a veteran of three reigns, and he has the air of a leader among civil officials. Even the two Grand Secretaries, in terms of prestige, are probably slightly inferior to Old Master Huai."
The Emperor nodded and said, "Back then, my…" "My grandfather's implementation of the imperial examination system faced obstacles not only from aristocratic families but also from the distrust of those from humble backgrounds. Previously, the court selected officials from among the powerful families, and officials often recommended their descendants. This was certainly not a good thing for the court. If this continued, the government would be controlled by these intricately connected aristocratic families. Therefore, my grandfather resolved to implement the imperial examination system, selecting officials from among the common people…"
"But the people didn't seem to believe that the imperial examination could truly elevate someone of humble origins to prominence. So my grandfather decided to set an example, to show the people that the imperial examination was not a joke, nor a charade. Huai Qiugong was that lucky man; now, after three reigns, he remains that example."
The Emperor smiled faintly, his tone soft but confident: "My grandfather was able to set an example…" "A role model? Of course, I can be one too. Only when the people firmly believe that the court is fair and just can the foundation of the Sui Dynasty last for millennia. Such role models need to emerge regularly, not just once... Fang Jie is indeed still very young, and lacks experience and foundation, which is why I sent him to the Martial Arts Academy instead of the Wenyuan Pavilion or Shuhua Pavilion. What I fear is... that he'll enter the court too early and be betrayed and killed too soon."
...
...
The Emperor seemed to be in high spirits. After taking a sip of tea, he said to Su Buwei, "Let him enter the Martial Arts Academy, let him gain more experience and learn more. If Chang'an City is a great melting pot, eliminating those who cannot adapt to its temperature, then the Martial Arts Academy is another furnace within that furnace, not only training people but also protecting them."
Su Buwei nodded, not daring to interrupt.
The Emperor said, "He is still young. Although I like this little fellow, it's not to the point where I would promote him at all costs. As you said before, giving him too much glory at this time would only harm him. I want to train him. Three, five, even ten years later, I'll let him rise again. Twenty years from now, he will be the next Huai Qiugong in Chang'an. Huai Qiugong has lived long enough; he won't live for another twenty years. Before the people forget his example, the example I've set will once again be talked about with relish."
"Your Majesty's vision is far-sighted. This servant can't think that far ahead. This servant just feels that this young man is indeed endearing, so it's best to keep him under control. Rising too early will only lead to a painful fall."
"Haha."
The Emperor smiled and pointed at Su Buwei, saying, "If you weren't a eunuch, you could have entered the Imperial Secretariat."
Su Buwei quickly lowered her head and said, "This servant was merely guessing at your thoughts; how could I possibly deserve such praise from Your Majesty?"
"Su Buwei..."
The Emperor pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, "You have a keen eye for people and affairs, so let me ask you... what do you think of Luo Weiran and Hou Wenji? And what about Prince Yi...?"
"This servant... dares not offer any opinion."
Su Buwei was startled and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy: "Your Majesty, please forgive this servant! The Emperor Taizu strictly forbade the empress's palace from interfering in politics. Even if this servant had a hundred lives, I wouldn't dare to comment on high-ranking officials, much less His Highness the Prince."
"No need to be so cautious."
The Emperor waved his hand and said, "Just consider this a chat to relieve my boredom. This doesn't count as interfering in politics. I'm just asking what you think of them; speak freely."
"This servant..." ..."
Su Buwei hesitated for a long while before cautiously replying, "In this servant's view, Commander Luo and Commander Hou are both utterly loyal to Your Majesty. They are like Your Majesty's hands, wielding the sharpest knives—the Imperial Guard and the Intelligence Bureau. Wherever Your Majesty thinks, their knives point... As for Prince Yi, this servant truly knows nothing about him and dares not speak recklessly."
"I don't want to hear such polite words."
The Emperor glared at Su Buwei and asked, "I'll be more direct. In your opinion, between Luo Weiran and Hou Wenji, who is more loyal to me?"
Su Buwei raised her head to look at the Emperor, then quickly lowered it again, saying, "This servant feels that both of you are equally loyal to Your Majesty... It's just that perhaps you think about things differently, so you appear somewhat different. However, this has nothing to do with their loyalty to Your Majesty..." "Loyalty should be unrelated."
"You!"
The Emperor smiled helplessly. "I asked you to tell the truth, but you only offer empty words. I won't ask anymore. You don't even dare to comment on those two, so how dare you speak of Prince Yi?"
Su Buwei thought for a moment and said, "This servant doesn't need to have her own thoughts. Whatever Your Majesty thinks, this servant will think. Just like Commander Luo and Commander Hou, wherever Your Majesty points, this servant will go."
The Emperor paused slightly, then shook his head. "You are different from them. I can say these things to you, but I cannot say them to them. You should know that there aren't many people around me who can make me relax and chat freely..."
Su Buwei's eyes reddened, and she bowed deeply. "This servant thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."
Chang'an didn't have a rule against riding horses in the streets, but it didn't allow galloping. So, although Fang Jie was somewhat anxious, he didn't dare to be too ostentatious, and once he left the martial arts academy, he didn't need to deliberately put on a high profile. On the way to Changchun Garden, he kept his crimson horse at a trot, showing no sign of arrogance.
Fang Jie didn't want to be accused of any crime; Chang'an was simply too big for him. Who knew if a careless mistake would become a reason for his eternal damnation?
When they arrived at Changchun Garden, the sun was already slightly setting, and Fang Jie's stomach, which hadn't eaten lunch, was rumbling slightly. But Fang Jie had no time to satisfy his hunger. He followed the eunuch who had delivered the imperial decree directly into the royal garden. After entering, he handed the crimson horse to a guard. He followed closely behind the eunuch, maintaining a steady pace.
When they reached the outside of the yurt, the young eunuch stopped, turned around, and smiled at Fang Jie, saying, "This is as far as I can take you; I can't just go in inside."
"Thank you."
Fang Jie took out a silver note from his sleeve, intending to give it to the young eunuch, but the eunuch waved his hand and took a step back, saying, "I don't have the guts. I don't want to taste the sticks of the Imperial Clan. If you find me of any use, I'd like to be your friend. My name is Mu San; just remember my name."
Fang Jie couldn't help but admire him inwardly, thinking how cunning and resourceful this young eunuch was!
"I remember, Your name is Mu San, sir. You can also remember your friend's name is Fang Jie."
Fang Jie nodded, clasped his hands in thanks.
The young eunuch, Mu San, smiled, returned the greeting, and turned to leave. Watching his retreating figure, Fang Jie thought to himself that even a lowly eunuch possessed such magnanimity, insight, and skill; the waters of Chang'an were truly deep. He refused to accept his silver notes because he knew the benefit of taking a mere hundred taels of silver was far less than the benefit of being remembered by a nobody who had the potential to become a big shot. Who knows what the future holds? Who doesn't think about the future?
Mu San.
Fang Jie also remembered this name, a lowly eunuch who, like him, never forgot his ambition to climb the ranks. Such people are often useful.