Chapter 131: The Special Examination

The official residence in Guizhou was built nestled against the mountains and by the water; while not extravagant, it was exceptionally elegant. The small cottage of Huang Huan, the Guizhou Jiedu Panguan (Military Commissioner’s Adjutant), was no exception. In front of the cottage grew a scattering of bamboo and wildflowers, with a narrow cobblestone path winding through the bamboo grove. Passing a bamboo table, one could enter the cool interior of the house.

The interior was furnished with extreme simplicity, yet this simplicity possessed a certain grandeur. The structure was crafted entirely of bamboo, and upon entering, one was greeted by the refreshing fragrance of the wood. Hanging on the walls were rain capes and conical hats still dusted with dew.

Dusk had arrived. Through the cottage windows, one could see the hazy, distant mountains, veiled in a light mist, appearing ethereal and indistinct. Amidst the drifting clouds and smoke, they seemed to shift between near and far, like a few strokes of pale ink brushed against the blue horizon.

"Si Niang, go buy another two catties of wine." The light had already faded, but Huang Huan and Li Sanjian were still deep in animated conversation, so Huang Huan instructed his wife.

His wife acknowledged the request and went to prepare.

"Hanren, let me ask you: what is a ruler, and what is a subject?" Huang Huan then turned to Li Sanjian.

"A ruler is the master of all living things, the foundation of prosperity. A subject is a servant, one who stands beneath the ruler, acting as an assistant and aide. The ruler is the head, the subjects are the limbs; they support one another," Li Sanjian replied after a moment of stunned silence.

Li Sanjian had been in this world for nearly seven years and had read many books; how could he not know the definitions of ruler and subject? What he did not understand was why Huang Huan was asking this, or what it had to do with his current predicament. After all, Li Sanjian was still a commoner; at most, he was a member of the populace, not a subject in the official sense.

"The sky has no two suns, the earth has no two kings, the family has no two masters; there is no authority above the supreme," Huang Huan nodded. "A ruler must always consider the state, the preservation of the realm, and the stability of his dynasty. Hanren, do you understand?"

Li Sanjian shook his head. Huang Huan had only spoken half the truth; how was Li Sanjian to know his intent?

"A ruler is always wary of powerful ministers usurping authority," Huang Huan sighed. He waved his hand at Li Sanjian and said, "Come here."

Li Sanjian walked over to him, feeling puzzled.

Huang Huan dipped his finger into some wine and wrote four characters on the wooden table: "Divide and Rule."

"Do you understand now?" After asking, Huang Huan wiped the characters away with his sleeve.

Divide and rule? At this moment, Li Sanjian finally grasped Huang Huan's meaning.

What an emperor cares about most is his throne—whether his position is secure. Compared to that, everything else is secondary.

An emperor might permit his ministers to fight among themselves, to attack and slander one another, even to the point of bloodshed, and he would not care. Some emperors even encourage or condone such behavior. Only through infighting can ministers rely on the emperor to mediate, allowing him to sit securely on his throne, invincible. Only then can the state remain as stable as Mount Tai.

If the ministers were truly united, acting as a single, impenetrable wall, the emperor would instead feel fear and would desperately try to prevent such a situation.

This is the fundamental reason why party strife persists throughout history; it is because, behind the scenes, there is the support of the emperor.

Guided by Huang Huan, Li Sanjian finally understood the logic. He nodded and said, "Your words, Professor, are like a sudden awakening. I believe I understand, but... but what does this have to do with me?"

Li Sanjian had spent three years in Kaifeng, enduring three bitter winters, and his mind felt as though it had been frozen, unable to pivot quickly...

"Haha," Huang Huan chuckled. "Your failure in the examinations was merely due to the whims of the current high ministers. In the imperial court, the winds and clouds are unpredictable; who can guarantee that their position will last forever?"

"Your words, Professor, are worth their weight in gold. I am enlightened." Li Sanjian was overjoyed and rose quickly to offer a deep bow.

What Huang Huan said was absolutely correct, Li Sanjian thought. Although Huang Huan was stationed in the remote land of Lingnan, he possessed eyes that could see a thousand miles, perceiving the political landscape of the court with perfect clarity.

Zhang Dun had held the position of Chancellor for a long time. Even though he acted with extreme caution, walking as if on thin ice, how could the Emperor be at ease letting him hold power for so long?

Emperor Shenzong, Zhao Xu, had deeply respected and relied on Wang Anshi, yet he had still allowed Wang to rise and fall three times, occasionally reminding him of who the true master of the Song Dynasty was.

If Zhang Dun were to fall, or if the Yuanyou faction were to regain imperial favor, then Li Sanjian’s troubles would vanish. His "bright future" might be just around the corner.

Li Sanjian’s own writings were somewhat influenced by Su Shi, and he harbored sympathy for the Yuanyou faction.

But when would Zhang Dun leave? When would Li Sanjian see his fortunes turn? These were all unknowns. As he thought of this, his mood grew troubled once more.

"Professor Huang, there is something I have wanted to do for years, but I never had the opportunity. It concerns you. Now that I have returned to Guizhou, I ask that you grant me this request."

"What is it? Speak, Hanren." Huang Huan nodded.

"Years ago, I was a reckless, ignorant boy who had just entered the schoolhouse. Later, I came to Lingshan County in Qinzhou and studied at the county school under your guidance. I have never forgotten your kindness in nurturing me. Today, I wish to formally take you as my master. What is your opinion on this?" Li Sanjian paused, then spoke slowly.

Su Shi had once been Li Sanjian’s master, but Su Shi had already expelled him from the school. Were it not for this, Li Sanjian would never have dared to propose becoming Huang Huan’s disciple.

"A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime." While one can study under many masters, subsequent teachers can never replace the first one; they can only be treated with the respect due to a teacher.

If Su Shi had not expelled him, then no matter where Li Sanjian went, he would always be a disciple of Su Shi, and he would be required to identify himself as such.

But now that he had been expelled, Li Sanjian was effectively without a school or a master. While Huang Huan had been his professor at the county school, the relationship was merely that of teacher and student; since no formal apprenticeship ceremony had been performed, he could not claim to be from Huang Huan's school.

Huang Huan was a man of profound learning, no less so than Su Shi. Most importantly, Huang Huan had long shown him great concern and favor. Li Sanjian was well aware of this, and in his gratitude, he sincerely wished to become Huang Huan’s student to continue receiving his teachings.

"Silence!" Huang Huan shouted, his face turning red with anger as he pointed at Li Sanjian. "Have you forgotten the principle that a teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime? You have already bowed to Master Dongpo; how can you perform such an act again? There is no family with two masters, no authority above the supreme! Even if Master Dongpo has expelled you, you cannot commit such an act of betrayal!"

Huang Huan understood Li Sanjian’s situation and felt a sense of pity, but Su Shi was his first master. No matter what, Li Sanjian could not rashly take another as his master; this was the most fundamental rule of propriety in this world.

Li Sanjian stood there, stunned. It was Su Shi who had rejected him, so why was seeking another master considered an act of betrayal? He could not grasp the logic.

The social conventions of this world were still something Li Sanjian found difficult to fathom.

Li Sanjian stood rooted to the spot, caught in a dilemma, feeling deeply embarrassed.

After a long silence, Huang Huan felt a pang of pity and said gently, "Go back for now. The examinations are in five days; go and prepare."

...

"Brother Hanren, don't take it to heart. I suspect Professor Huang did it for your own good, thinking of your future," Zeng Gongming said, walking alongside Li Sanjian as they left the cottage. Seeing Li Sanjian’s despondent expression, he tried to console him.

"Hmm? What do you mean, Donglin?" Li Sanjian asked in surprise.

His attempt to show respect had been rebuffed, leaving him humiliated and harboring a hint of resentment toward Huang Huan. He regretted having spoken so rashly. If word of this got out, it would be a great disgrace.

"Sigh, what did you come back to Guizhou for?" Zeng Gongming sighed.

"To take the examinations, what else?" Li Sanjian replied.

"Exactly, the examinations. But do you know what official position Professor Huang currently holds?" Zeng Gongming countered.

"Isn't he the Guizhou Jiedu Panguan? I know that. What does that have to do with this?" Li Sanjian stopped walking and turned to look at Zeng Gongming.

"The provincial examinations for Guangnan West Circuit are being held in Guizhou and are hosted by the Guizhou government. The examiners are all selected by the local authorities. As the Jiedu Panguan, there is a high probability that Professor Huang will be an examiner. Do you understand now, Brother Hanren?" Zeng Gongming smiled slightly.

Li Sanjian was stunned, standing there speechless for a long moment.

With Zeng Gongming having said this much, how could he not understand?

The Song Dynasty had a system called the "Separate Examination" (Bietou Shi). This was a rule of recusal designed to limit the privileges of the children of officials and aristocrats. To ensure fairness and impartiality, the Song government mandated that the children of official families must take secondary examinations. If a student was the relative or disciple of the chief examiner, they had to be assigned to a different testing hall with different examiners.

In other words, if Li Sanjian had formally become Huang Huan’s disciple, not only would he have been unable to take the examinations in Guizhou, but Huang Huan would have been disqualified from serving as an examiner.

Li Sanjian had misinterpreted Huang Huan’s protective intent, and he felt a wave of crushing shame.

"Brother Hanren, why are you staring blankly? Come, come, let’s go drink," Zeng Gongming said, pulling on Li Sanjian’s sleeve, finding his distracted state quite amusing.

Drinking again? Li Sanjian sighed inwardly.