[Cathy]
In the last episode, we learned all about how people in Chinese history cheated during the Spring exam or the imperial metropolitan exams. Fan Xian now at least wants to try to make it fair for the students that have come all this way to change their fortunes but to also contribute to the world.
He received the blessing of the Emperor to start doing actual investigations into those who participated in cheating in the exams in the past and that is what this episode and next are focused on. He visits Guo You Zhi, the former minister of Rites, in prison. He’s been moved to the Overwatch Council’s prison which has better living conditions and also makes it easier for Fan Xian to release him from said prison. It’s a short interaction between Fan Xian, Guo You Zhi and Guo Bao Kun, but Guo You Zhi provides more valuable information on how to go about investigating the cheating. They first must find plaintiffs, or those students who were taken advantage of or whose names were swapped out. Only if they bring forward a case, can Fan Xian move forward with additional investigations.
Soon after, Fan Xian is summoned to Chancellor Lin’s property. And wow, once again, I must say, I am impressed by how great of a father-in-law Lin Ruo Fu is. Not only did Lin Ruo Fu provide men to help fan xian during the exam, he now offers himself up as the first target of investigation of those who cheated during the exam.
[Karen]
Chancellor Lin is able to see that Fan Xian is being pushed to this position by the Emperor. THe Emperor WANTS Fan Xian to investigate people, most likely Lin Ruo Fu, in order to demote him or exile him from court. Lin Ruo Fu sees through these tactics and thinks its better to be proactive and help Fan Xian on the way down so as to better control the narrative and help protect Fan Xian.
But, before we dive into the corruption investigations, we must turn back to the students who are anxiously waiting for the results. Poor Wang Qi Nian had to rewrite the entire list by hand to accurately reflect Yang Wan Li’s name but, it’s well worth it. At long last, with all of the hopeful students gathered together, the list of names of those who passed the exam is publicly announced. For once, it is actually fair. And we see some folks absolutely ecstatic with their results, while others lament their bad luck. Some old men make it while other old men do not. In the group of 3 men, Shi Chan Li, Yang Wan Li, Hou Ji Chang, and also this dude Cheng Jia Lin who never actually shows up on screen, the latter 3 all make it. Only Shi Chan Li fails to pass. He is understandably upset, but there’s not much that can be done because this was as fair of an exam as possible.
The 3 men minus Cheng Jia Lin who is given every possible excuse to not show up on screen, pay a visit to Fan Xian. After all, everyone now knows that they are acquaintances and are students of Fan Xian. Fan Xian doesn’t necessarily oppose and gives Yang Wan Li and Hou JI Chang envelopes with words of wisdom as they become officials. Very simply, it just says, be a good person, be a good official. Very direct BUT, as Yang Wan Li points out. Being a good person is in front of a good official. Fan Xian wants them to be good people first.
[Cathy]
Now with the positive news out of the way, we have to turn to the negative news to keep the plot moving. Fan Xian tells Shi Chan Li about the entire massacre on his village. Understandably, he is utterly heartbroken at the news and in a daze, is escorted home. At the same time, He Zong Wei, the conniving man who was willing to call Fan Xian his father to get a spot in the imperial exam, he arrives with a young widow, dressed for mourning. Fan Xian needed a plaintiff to kick off the investigations? Well here she is. The widow was I guess found by He Zong Wei and her late husband was one of those students whose identities were stolen during the exams. The man wanted to seek justice for himself but was killed. The widow now wants to continue to seek justice for her late husband.
The official they claim killed her husband? Chancellor Lin.
Fan Xian immediately heads to see the Chancellor. He wants to know directly from Lin Ruo Fu whether or not he was the one who ordered the murder of said man. The Chancellor rather adamantly states that he did not make such an order but he is not involved in the minutia. Lin Ruo Fu already prepared a list of names of the officials who were in charge of the exams last year for Fan Xian to start investigating. The more important question is, why is it that the Emperor JUST gave Fan Xian the task of investigating corruption and cheating, and a murder case seeks Fan Xian out on this exact topic. It is just too coincidental to be an accident. After that realization, the Chancellor burns the list of names. They probably aren’t enough to withstand the investigation.
[Karen]
Not long after, we see the Chancellor proven right. Mr Yuan Hong Dao, the Chancellor’s advisor, is seen hanging out on the second floor of a restaurant drinking tea. When the widow trundles past in the carriage Yan Bing Yuan provided her on their way to various ministries, Yuan Hong Dao publicly tries to assassinate the woman. He loudly exclaims how dare she try to frame the Chancellor before running off from failing to kill her. With this act, if people didn’t think Lin Ruo Fu was involved, now they have no choice but to believe this story because Yuan Hong Dao is such a close advisor to the Chancellor.
News travels fast to the Chancellor and Fan Xian and the Chancellor is rather surprised to learn that Yuan Hong Dao is a spy with other allegiances. After all, they did work together for many, many years. We see Yuan Hong Dao make his escape in a booked carriage and his destination? Xin Yang. That is where the Princess Royal was exiled. Evidently, Yuan Hong Dao works for her.
At this point, Fan Xian and Lin Ruo Fu have no other option but to head to the palace to meet the Emperor. But Lin Ruo Fu doesn’t seem too perturbed. Instead, he is instructing Fan Xian to not say anything opposite him in the meeting.
[Cathy]
The moment Fan Xian and Lin Ruo Fu enter the Emperor’s study, that is when a great show is put on display and it’s so fun to watch. The Emperor warmly but loudly welcomes the pair and expounds upon Lin Ruo Fu’s achievements. However, when Lin Ruo Fu is given a chair, he immediately kicks it away. Feigning surprise, he states that it’s because he’s aging now. The Emperor and Lin Ruo Fu share a back and forth that is filled with underlying subtext. Lin Ruo Fu keeps on emphasizing death, but why?
When the Emperor himself sits and changes the topic to why Lin Ruo Fu is here today, Lin Ruo Fu surprises Fan Xian by dropping to his knees and asks to resign his post as Chancellor, claiming that he is getting too old and that he has too many ailments right now. The Emperor requests for Fan Xian to check whether or not Lin Ruo Fu is indeed sick. Poor Fan Xian, he is still not experienced enough to know what’s happening. He’s getting pointed glares from both of these men and he has no idea how to respond so he just muddles with a non descript answer.
Lin Ruo Fu and the Emperor continue their back and forth. Lin Ruo Fuo uses various tactics to explain why he should be allowed to resign his position as chancellor and head home. Notice how skillful he is though. He does not shy away from stating that he IS the most important member at court and it will take time for the Emperor to find a suitable replacement. The Emperor accepts Lin Ruo Fu’s resignation and Fan Xian and Lin Ruo Fu leave. This resignation is what the Emperor wants but even he knows that there was a trap set by Lin Ruo Fu in that exchange.
[Karen]
On the way out, Lin Ruo Fu explains to Fan Xian that everything that happened in the Spring exam with the supposed cheating, was all just a scheme to remove him from the Chancellor position. It is a masterful stroke of significant scheming. The 2nd prince thought he was the one playing chess, but he was actually just the Emperor’s chess piece himself. Fan Xian became the lead examiner which in turn will lead to Lin Ruo Fu’s downfall. As for that murder case? It was all fake. There was no murder case. Nothing more than a ploy to enact this final step in the game. Indeed, the moment Lin Ruo Fu resigns his post, Eunuch Hou rides on horseback to meet Yan Bing Yun and company. He Zong Wei is igiven a government post via imperial edict right then and there and then he and the widow pull back their complaint. Yan Bing Yun is surprised and somewhat disgusted by this sudden shift in tone, but there’s nothing to be done.
The episode closes with a touching scene. Lin Ruo Fu sits down with his oldest son Da Bao and instructs him on how to behave. He entrusts Da Bao to Fan Xian and Wan’Er but needs to prepare him if ever they cannot care for Da Bao. Say what you will, Lin Ruo Fu has been a very caring father to his children.
With that, we see just how powerful and manipulative the Emperor has been. He is the master at leverage other powers against each other. In this fight, Lin Ruo Fu has lost.
—
[Cathy]
For today’s 2 episodes, there’s not a lot of history or pop culture as they were mainly plot driven.
So let’s conclude our discussion of the spring exams with the posting of results from these exams. In the world of Joy of Life, it looks like the spring exam occurs on an annual basis, whereas during different periods of time in Chinese history, the exams occurred more or less frequently, depending on the dynasty, with one every 3 years being more common.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, from the 14th century all the way up to the early 20th century, The Metropolitan Exam or Hui Shi or Spring Exam was held on the 9th to the 15th day of the second lunar month and administered by the ministry of rites. As I mentioned in the past 2 episodes, about 200–300 candidates were admitted as jinshi in each round of the metropolitan exam. They were admitted in what was called the 正榜 or Main List. They were considered Jin Shi. In addition to the main list, there was usually a secondary list (副榜). Those placed on the secondary list were not counted as jinshi, but they could be appointed as instructors in local government schools or other lower-ranking officials, or admitted into the Imperial Academy (Guozijian) as students with a government stipend.
Once the examinee found his name on the Main list, he had to report for the Palace exam which was held one month later after the metropolitan exam or the 15th day of the third lunar month. Its content consisted of one policy essay on current affairs. The questions would be drafted by senior Grand Secretaries in advance, and the emperor would select the final question. No candidates were eliminated in the palace exam; they were only ranked. In the drama, that’s why Fan Xian mentions to Hou Ji Chang and Yang Wan Li that they are, for all intents and purposes, court officials because the palace examination will not eliminate them.
The top three—zhuangyuan (1st), bangyan (2nd), and tan hua (3rd)—formed the First Tier 一甲 and were designated “jinshi with distinction” (进士及第). The Second Tier candidates which could be any number were classified as “jinshi by degree” (进士出身), and the Third Tier which could be any number as “same-degree jinshi” (同进士出身). In Chinese books and Chinese dramas, you’d often hear the term 两榜进士 or 2 List Jin Shi. That’s reserved only for the 3 men who formed the 1st Tier as in either Zhuang Yuan, Bang Yan, and Tan Hua.
After the exams, the palace would host an imperial banquet with the new Jinshi and palace exam officials. After the banquet, the new Jin Shi proceeded to receive official appointments.
The three First-Tier jinshi were typically assigned prestigious positions such as editors in the Hanlin Academy. Other jinshi were subject to an additional selection process after which, combined with their palace exam ranking, they received official postings. Outstanding candidates could also enter the Hanlin Academy.
[Karen]
As for the 3 men of Shi Chan Li, Hou Ji Chang, and Yang Wan Li paying their respects to Fan Xian and asking him to be their Zuo Shi or translated directly, Seat Master, also has historical roots.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Zuoshi was the honorific title that jinshi used for the chief examiners of the provincial or metropolitan examinations. The term derives from the Tang dynasty concept of zuozhu 座主 (“patron in the examination hall”).
Within the exam system, candidates established a teacher–student relationship with the Zuo Shi through rituals such as presenting calling cards or performing formal expressions of gratitude.The senior member always had the option to decline. These Zuo Shi were essentially mentors for these young examinees or officials and served as the basis of political factions. This relationship was crucial in the development of political networks and factions of both mentee and mentor.
In an effort to curb political factions, the Song dynasty once prohibited newly admitted scholars from calling the chief examiner “patron” or “teacher,” and forbade them from referring to themselves as “disciples.” The creation of the palace exam further emphasized the idea that all officials were “disciples of the Son of Heaven” rather than the followers of individual examiners.
In the Ming and Qing periods, a Zuo Shi could even change a candidate’s name as a gesture of personal mentorship. This network of relationships profoundly shaped the formation of the imperial bureaucratic class and the political structure of traditional China.
And lastly, in episode 22, we once again see master Feng Man Tian 冯满天 perform the 阮. We discussed the instrument in detail during our episode 13 recap so be sure to check that out.
–
[Cathy]
Lastly, let’s conclude with book differences which there are quite a few.
As I mentioned in the last episode, Fan Xian’s role as a whistleblower for the exams is not widely known. Guo You Zhi, at this point is still in the Crown Prince’s camp and he’s been stripped of his role. However, Fan Xian still allowed 3 of the Crown Prince’s men on the Main List so the Crown Prince wasn’t particularly unhappy with Fan Xian. He only suspected but had not firm evidence. In the book, as with the drama, Fan Xian does accept being the mentor for Yang Wan Li and crew. In the drama, Fan Xian accepts that the Emperor wants him to be a lonely official so as not to be persuaded into any faction. In the book, Fan Xian is much more ambitious and openly tells his father Fan Jian that he wants to be a powerful official. He’s still figuring out how he’ll achieve this. As for the fallout from the exams, in the book, rumors quickly begin flying after the release of the results that Fan Xian had a hand in stomping out some of the corruption in this year’s exam. This creates many enemies for Fan Xian in the aristocracy and officials but makes him a hero in the eyes of the examinees. Fan Xian is brought in for questioning at the Ministry of Justice. He comes to realize that he was unprepared with the knowledge the Minister of Justice and an Imperial Censor had, namely that he purposefully did not strip Yang Wan Li of his examinee title for being caught with a cheat sheet. The Minister orders Fan Xian to be canned, but after 2 canes, Fan Xian has had enough and fights back. At this time, the members of the Overwatch Council including Yan Ruo Hai comes to rescue him, which they succeed because they finally reveal to the world that Fan Xian’s other role is that of the Deputy Director. This means he is above questioning and investigation from the 3 bureaus and 6 ministries. In the book, Lin Ruo Fu does not get implicated and is not forced from his position as Chancellor.