Chapter 131: The Difficulty of Reciting Scriptures with White Hair, Part One

"No redemption by poetry allowed!"

These four words struck like a thunderbolt, stunning everyone present. Du Shiyi, who was just about to enter the county office, paused for the briefest moment upon hearing this, but then continued to step over the threshold with his usual calm composure. Immediately behind him, a great clamor erupted. Although no one dared to openly challenge the decision, murmurs of complaint filled the air.

Amidst this chaos, Guo Quan remained cold and collected. "The examinations at Jingzhao Prefecture are the gathering place of the finest talents and are of the utmost importance. Every year, over twenty percent of those who pass the Jinshi exam come from the Jingzhao selections. If one is not even familiar with the classics, how can they claim to be the pillars of the state?"

He suddenly raised his voice. "This policy was ordered by the Jingzhao Governor, Lord Yuan. Anyone with objections may withdraw from the examination this year!"

So it was Yuan Qiyao! Du Shiyi had a moment of realization, followed by a wry smile at the mention of withdrawing. Although the "tie-jing" (recitation of classics) was difficult, it was not impossible to pass if the examiner's questions weren't overly devious; one generally only needed to answer six out of ten correctly to advance. To withdraw out of fear would be a massive stain on one’s reputation. Even if they were allowed to redeem their scores with poetry in the following year, who would be foolish enough to admit such cowardice?

As expected, when he followed a bailiff into the courtyard on the left, the candidates behind him filed in one after another, none choosing to withdraw despite Guo Quan's ultimatum. Yet, compared to the relaxed chatter seen outside earlier, the faces of those entering now were heavy and anxious. Especially as they filed into the vast, pillar-lined hall—the designated examination site—and sat upon their mats, the atmosphere was stifling. Silence reigned, broken only by the sound of deep, ragged breaths.

As Guo Quan had noted, the Jingzhao selection drew the cream of the crop. In remote prefectures, one might struggle to find even a handful of scholars, but here, over two hundred candidates sat on their mats across the vast hall. Du Shiyi’s seat was in the very center. Feeling the many eyes upon him, he did not wish to be a mere spectacle, so he calmly returned the gaze of those staring at him. Some hurriedly looked away, some glared in anger, some feigned disdain, while others offered smiles—some genuine, some sycophantic.

Soon, he spotted the only person he recognized among the candidates: Du Wenruo. Under Du Shiyi’s scrutiny, Du Wenruo offered a disdainful sneer before turning his head away. This exchange was clearly observed by Guo Quan, who stood at the head of the hall.

Having passed the Jinshi exam at thirty-three, followed by three years of waiting for an appointment and two as a county lieutenant, Guo Quan was a man of humble origins. Hosting the Wannian County examination seemed prestigious, but in reality, it was a hot potato. With no backing, he could not afford to offend the nobles and ministers, and he had to navigate various requests and favors with extreme care. Furthermore, the presence of the "Nineteenth Young Master of the Du Family of Jingzhao," who had specifically chosen to test at Wannian County, gave him a massive headache.

For days, he had received notes from noble houses demanding he fail the young man, while others he dared not offend insisted he be the top scholar. Caught in the middle, he had finally taken the gamble to approach Yuan Qiyao and secured approval for his plan.

He would simply make the examination as difficult as possible so that no one could argue with the results!

Glancing around, he spoke coldly: "Today is the first session: recitation of the classics. The second is poetry, and the third is policy essays. Each session determines who stays and who goes. The recitation will be based on the Nine Classics. Results will be graded on the spot; six out of ten are required to advance to the second session. If there are objections, I say again: Governor Yuan of Jingzhao will review all papers. If I have shown even a shred of favoritism, I will accept the appropriate punishment!"

The requirement of six out of ten caused a deathly silence to fall over the hall. However, given Guo Quan’s firm stance, no one dared to cause a scene. As the identical scrolls were distributed, many could be heard gulping nervously. When Du Shiyi received his, he looked up and saw Guo Quan staring directly at him. He paused, then pensively unfurled the paper.

*Considering Guo Quan's hesitation, the sudden ban on poetry redemption, and the requirement of six out of ten, this examiner must be under immense pressure,* he thought.

After reading through the ten questions, Du Shiyi did not rush to answer. He scanned the room. As expected, over half the candidates were gritting their teeth; others looked distressed or were furrowing their brows in deep thought. Only a handful appeared calm and confident. Du Wenruo, who had been sneering earlier, was now glaring at his paper as if he wanted to devour it.

Once he had observed everyone, Du Shiyi rolled his paper, secured it with a paperweight, ground his ink, and began to write.

Guo Quan, watching from above, felt little joy despite his outward composure. The questions were obscure fragments from the classics—not because examiners were intentionally malicious, but because well-known passages were too easy to memorize. Even though the recitation had been part of the Jinshi exam for only thirty years, the pool of "obscure" questions was drying up, making them increasingly difficult to draft.

He himself had failed the recitation stage for three years when he took the exams. He truly did not want to make things difficult for others, but Du Shiyi was rumored to be excellent at poetry. Increasing the difficulty of this stage was his way of satisfying the two powerful factions.

*But if Du Shiyi actually manages to pass this...*

He glanced over and saw Du Shiyi in the center of the hall, writing rapidly with a focused expression, his brush moving without a single hesitation. Startled, Guo Quan feigned a patrol and walked behind Du Shiyi’s desk. He gasped internally.

He knew his own questions best; Du Shiyi was already on the final one! He had arranged the questions from easiest to hardest, with the final two designed to be impossible. He hadn't expected anyone to know them, yet Du Shiyi was reciting them perfectly—and that was a passage from the *Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals* with the beginning and end stripped away!

Each question required only three characters. Du Shiyi finished in an instant. After checking his answers against his memory of the original texts, he breathed a sigh of relief.

With his current level of knowledge, he could easily pass the Mingjing (Classics) exam, but the Mingjing category was not as highly regarded as the Jinshi, and it required seven years of waiting for an appointment. To achieve anything as a member of a fallen noble family, the Jinshi path was the only way!

Seeing Du Shiyi finish and check his work, Guo Quan knew the outcome was sealed.

The time allowed for the recitation was determined by the examiner. While some prefectures allowed a full day, the Wannian County exam allowed only two hours. When the cymbals rang, signaling the end, many faces turned ashen. Guo Quan graded the papers on the spot; the pile of failed papers grew like a small mountain, while those he kept on his desk were few. Within less than an hour, he motioned to his clerk, who began to read the names of those who had passed.

"Kang Chengzong of Jingzhao. Six out of ten."
"Qi Tinglan of Jingzhao. Six out of ten."

After a few more names, the clerk picked up a paper and stared in utter disbelief. He swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he read: "Du Shiyi of Jingzhao. Ten out of ten."

The hall fell into a deathly hush. Every year, there might be one or two geniuses who could breeze through the recitation, but to encounter one today! If he were that good, why didn't he take the Mingjing exam, which was easier in every other aspect?

Du Wenruo was the most incredulous of all. Though Du Shiyi had a reputation for talent, he had believed it was a thing of the past. It was impossible for someone to have transformed so thoroughly after only three years on Mount Song. When his own score of six out of ten was announced, he felt no joy, only a bitter mix of emotions.

When it was finalized that only thirty-seven candidates remained, a failed candidate shouted, "I saw the Nineteenth Young Master of the Du family finish all ten questions in less than a quarter of an hour, and he got them all right! How could it be that easy!"

Seeing others ready to join the protest, Guo Quan’s face turned livid. "If you have grievances regarding the poetry or policy essays, feel free to speak. But if you have issues with the recitation results, go home and read the Nine Classics! Guards, clear the hall! Anyone who continues to disturb the peace will be reported, and you will be barred from all county examinations under the jurisdiction of Jingzhao Prefecture forever!"