Chapter 647 - 238: Changsi
Chapter 647: Chapter 238: Changsi
As they chatted, the topic somehow drifted to how crowded Capital City had become recently. Many out-of-town scholars preparing for next year’s Imperial Examination had already arrived in the capital before the new year.
Speaking of this, Chen Wanqing voiced a question that had been on her mind for a while. "Those scholars shouldn’t all be from immensely wealthy families, right?"
Yet, it was a well-known fact that living in Capital City was far from easy. The students’ travel expenses were already substantial, and food, lodging, and socializing in Capital City required even more money. Could their families really afford to support them arriving so early?
Hearing this, Xu Changsi smiled and explained, "Wanqing, you didn’t grow up in Capital City, so it’s perfectly understandable that you might not know how these things work."
Xu Changsi then went on to explain to Chen Wanqing the various ways scholars made a living in Capital City.
Most of them would single out a court official and submit their visiting cards or essays, showing their willingness to study under that official’s patronage and be cultivated by him. In other words, they were presenting a pledge of loyalty in advance. Of course, this strategy was only viable for those with exceptional talent, brilliant aptitude, and a stellar reputation.
As for those whose academic prowess was slightly lacking, they didn’t have to worry about ending up on the streets just because their pockets were empty. This was because every province had its own Fan Club established in Capital City. Some of these Fan Clubs were funded by wealthy merchants from the scholars’ home provinces, simply to build good karma and connections. Others were secretly backed by court officials, created to gather allies and consolidate power based on regional ties.
Xu Changsi was a daughter of the Xu family, after all. Given the Xu family’s prestigious status, there had never been a shortage of scholars seeking their patronage. She had seen this sort of thing time and time again. Moreover, as the years passed and Your Majesty grew older, her grandfather’s position became increasingly secure. Thus, in the lead-up to the Imperial Examination, the number of students submitting visiting cards and essays to the Xu family also increased year by year.
"There are simply too many visiting cards and essays. Even the butler can’t keep up with collecting them all," Xu Changsi explained. "When the time comes, they just place two large baskets at the front door and let people drop their submissions inside."
Hearing this, Chen Wanqing’s initial confusion was cleared up, but it immediately sparked a new question. "Grandfather is already overwhelmed with official documents every day and barely has time to spend with the family. Does he actually read all those visiting cards and essays in the baskets?"
"He does," Xu Changsi replied. "But he doesn’t read all of them; he simply doesn’t have the time. The family retains advisors, private tutors, and the like, and my father will also look through them when he has a spare moment. If they spot something truly outstanding, they set it aside for Grandfather. If Grandfather is impressed, he’ll accept the student under his patronage."
However, such individuals were exceedingly rare. Over the past twenty years, Grandfather had taken in barely seven or eight disciples. It averaged out to less than one person every two years.
Speaking of this, Xu Changsi couldn’t help but smile. "I heard my father say that Grandfather specifically reviewed Zhao Jing’s essays."
Her father had brought it up in casual conversation at the time. He had praised Zhao Jing’s extraordinary literary talent. His essays were sharp, incisively critiquing current affairs with the shrewd, seasoned perspective of a veteran. His essays from the autumn examinations showed tremendous improvement compared to those he had written during the county examinations.
But that wasn’t the most crucial point. What mattered most was that Zhao Jing could adapt to the circumstances and cater to the chief examiner’s preferences while still staying true to his core principles, all without coming off as a sycophant. In other words, the man was born to be an official.
Her father had also sighed, noting that even if her third brother had missed reconnecting with their aunt this time around, there was nothing to fear. As long as Zhao Jing managed to make a name for himself, their family would inevitably be reunited with her.
Yet, the more her father and grandfather favored Zhao Jing, the more infuriated they were by De’an’s lack of ambition and competence. They called him a slick opportunist. His essays looked fine on the surface and could pass a cursory glance, but upon closer inspection, they were like a mass of rotten wood. One squeeze, and they would crumble into a handful of foul-smelling dung, utterly putrid and repulsive.
Of course, De’an was still her cousin, so to spare his pride, she kept these harsh critiques to herself.
This was exactly why her eldest brother had been tasked with taking the two of them to the Imperial College today. Firstly, it was to help them network with insightful men. Secondly, it was to force De’an to see reality for what it was. If he kept relying on sheer luck and refused to ground himself and put in the necessary hard work, he wouldn’t pass the next examination—or the one after that, for that matter.
Insightful scholars across the realm were as numerous as carp crossing a river, and the number of talented men eager to serve Your Majesty was simply countless. If he dared to grow arrogant just because he came from a good background, he would only be digging his own grave.
Xu Changsi was truly an excellent conversationalist. In stark contrast, Xu Changnian was far more restless. While the other two women talked, she couldn’t seem to sit still. It was as if there were nails hidden on her seat. She twisted to the left, then shifted to the right, looking visibly distressed and uncomfortable.
Eventually, out of consideration for Changnian, Xu Changsi had no choice but to wrap up the conversation early.