Chapter 33: Never in My Life Have I Heard Such a Request!

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[Early March, the 73rd year of the Chongzhen reign of the Great Ming, 1700 A.D., the Gengchen year of the lunar calendar. Zhou Liang, a scholar from Mizhi County, Shaanxi, has captured the title of "Huiyuan" at the Metropolitan Examination!]

[In an instant, the celebrities of the capital turned their gazes toward you, their eyes filled with anticipation and astonishment...]

[Anticipation, because once a scholar passes the Metropolitan Examination, they are guaranteed to earn the title of "Jinshi" (Presented Scholar)!]

[This is based on an old tradition: there is no such thing as failing the Palace Examination. As long as one attends, one becomes a Jinshi. The Palace Examination does not function as a selection or elimination process; it is merely a ritual signifying that the candidate has passed the Emperor's personal selection.]

[As for why such an old custom exists, it stems from a Song Dynasty anecdote...]

[In the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Palace Examination still had an elimination function. Those who failed were dismissed. Once, a candidate named Zhang Yuan was cut, losing his chance to become a Jinshi.]

[The failed candidate, Zhang Yuan, was so enraged that he believed the imperial court looked down upon his talent. In a fit of fury, he "logged off" from the Song Dynasty and defected to the enemy state of Western Xia!]

[Later, he was highly valued by the Western Xia Emperor, Li Yuanhao, and helped bring great prosperity to Western Xia. To seek revenge against the Song, Zhang Yuan pushed for war, eventually annihilating tens of thousands of elite Song troops in the "Battle of Haoshuichuan," leading to a devastating defeat for the Song...]

[Ever since then, the Song Dynasty dared not eliminate candidates during the Palace Examination. As long as one entered the palace, everyone became a Jinshi. Subsequent dynasties—the Jin, Yuan, and Ming—all learned this lesson, and it became an established custom.]

[Given this, the top-ranked scholar of the Metropolitan Examination, the "Huiyuan," is essentially the "Zhuangyuan" (Top Scholar) of the Palace Examination. Thus, everyone is looking forward to the moment you are crowned the top scholar!]

[As for the astonishment mixed with that anticipation, it is because of your ancestral home...]

[Northern Shaanxi is a place that the entire Great Ming holds in deep taboo, for it once birthed the two greatest rebel leaders: "Li Zicheng, the Yongchang Emperor of Great Shun," and "Zhang Xianzhong, the Great Shun Emperor of Great Xi!"]

[Beyond these two emperors, the region spawned a multitude of rebels, both large and small—Gao Yingxiang, Old Huihui, and the like...]

[According to some mystics, Northern Shaanxi is a "Dragon Vein," specifically a vein that opposes the Great Ming, which is why it churns out so many rebels.]

[Regarding this, although the Ming court has never issued an official edict, the taboo and suppression of Northern Shaanxi are obvious. The Divine Emperor once even went on a frenzied slaughter there, truly leaving nine out of ten houses empty!]

[Therefore, you, a "would-be top scholar" from Northern Shaanxi, have become the subject of much gossip—especially since you are from Mizhi County, the hometown of the "Chuang" rebels. It is highly taboo. People cannot help but speculate: Will His Majesty truly allow a fellow countryman of a rebel to become the top scholar? What if His Majesty, still harboring hatred, decides to discard you regardless of the old traditions?]

[This is not just idle speculation; His Majesty is truly narrow-minded...]

[However, you do not care. Amidst the private discussions of others, you sit alone in the dormitory arranged by the Ministry of Rites, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Palace Examination.]

[Whether you pass or fail, it matters not. You only wish to take this rare opportunity to see with your own eyes the Divine Emperor who, through his own efforts, has beaten the world's timeline into a black-and-blue pulp...]

[...]

[Late March, the 73rd year of the Chongzhen reign. The Palace Examination begins!]

[Over three hundred candidates who passed the Metropolitan Examination walk slowly into the "Baohe Hall" with a mix of excitement and trepidation.]

[Once inside, under the arrangement of the Ministry of Rites, everyone sits in their designated seats and waits silently for that man...]

[Before long, a figure clad in bright yellow dragon robes walks into the hall, carefully served by eunuchs, and sits firmly upon the dragon throne.]

[At this moment, all candidates lower their heads, not daring to offend him with even a single glance...]

[Suddenly, a sharp, shrill voice from a eunuch announces: "Since you have passed the Ministry of Rites' examination, today is the Palace Examination. The Emperor will set the topic, and you shall write accordingly... Once the Ministry of Rites reviews the papers, you shall be granted your rank."]

["Listen carefully, the Emperor says..."]

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["'In the past, Zou Ji remonstrated with King Wei of Qi, leading the King to open wide the channels for criticism. Subjects and commoners who pointed out his faults to his face received the highest reward; those who submitted written remonstrances received the middle reward; and those who criticized him in the marketplace and let it reach his ears received the lowest reward... Ultimately, the State of Qi achieved great order, causing the states of Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei to all pay homage to Qi. This is what is called winning a war in the imperial court!'"]

["'Today, your topic is: Remonstrance!'"]

["'The Emperor wishes to emulate King Wei of Qi and open wide the channels for criticism. If you can use your essays to point out the flaws of the Emperor, you shall be granted the rank of Jinshi!'"]

[As soon as the topic is announced, everyone, including you, is stunned...]

*Huh?!*

With this essay prompt, not only were the candidates in the examination hall dumbfounded, but even Zhou Liang widened his eyes, a giant question mark forming in his mind:

"What does this mean???"

No... is this Chongzhen fellow serious?

Ever since the imperial examinations began, it has been clear to Zhou Liang:

This Chongzhen is a madman who cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes. Anyone who offended him in the past was brutally retaliated against after he became a "god"!

Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, the Aisin Gioro clan, the million unruly citizens of the capital, the tax-resisting groups of Jiangnan, every member of the Luoyang Gourmet Association... not one of them escaped!

The principal offenders had to die, the accomplices had to die, and even unrelated bystanders who stood too close had to die!

Afterward, he enforced slave-mentality education across the entirety of the Great Ming. Only those who had been tamed were given the chance to become officials, turning the entire empire's bureaucracy into a collection of madmen who only knew how to shout about loyalty.

For such a Khorne-like entity to now claim he wants to humbly accept criticism and be a wise monarch like King Wei of Qi...

Honestly, Zhou Liang does not believe a single word of it!

Zhou Liang even boldly speculates:

"Accepting criticism is impossible... but using the pretext of 'remonstrance' to root out a new batch of disloyal subjects and further purify the ranks of the Jinshi—that is highly likely!"

This is most likely a sting operation!

If someone is truly foolish enough to write content that points out the state's errors or offers sharp critique, they will be eliminated on the spot.

As the saying goes: those who criticize in the marketplace and let it reach his ears get three to ten years in prison; those who submit written remonstrances get over ten years; those who point out his faults to his face get life imprisonment or immediate execution... Anyone who believes Chongzhen is truly accepting criticism is a complete idiot!

Therefore, as long as the candidates here have normal intelligence, it is unlikely they will actually write such dangerous things...

"But, since he has explicitly asked to point out current flaws, can the candidates really just write nothing and offer empty praise? Wouldn't that be off-topic?"

Zhou Liang cannot help but scratch his head:

If you write according to the prompt, you are likely being baited into a trap.

If you blindly heap praise, you will likely be judged as off-topic.

Either way, it’s a death trap...

"Wait... does it even matter if I go off-topic?"

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Zhou Liang suddenly realizes:

"Under the current old-system rules, the Palace Examination is essentially just a ceremonial event. No matter how you answer, it doesn't affect your placement on the Golden List..."

"The examination score only affects the ranking of the Jinshi; it’s not as if a poor performance means failing to make the list... So, even if I go off-topic, it doesn't matter. At worst, I just won't be the top scholar..."

Thinking this way, Zhou Liang gradually grasps the reality:

"Therefore, the best strategy is to intentionally go off-topic, continue to offer praise, act like a groveling worm, and never touch on political criticism..."

...

[It's a trap!]

[You all quickly come to the same conclusion: never truly offer remonstrance!]

[No matter how gentle or subtle your criticism, it is highly likely to touch upon the Divine Emperor's reverse scale, resulting in him biting you to death!]

[As for being off-topic? Let it be off-topic! You're guaranteed to be a Jinshi anyway!]

[Consequently, all the other candidates make the wisest choice, beginning to write essays filled with sycophantic gratitude...]

[Only you hesitate to put pen to paper.]

[You are struggling...]

[Hearing the word "remonstrance" spoken by the eunuch, the resentment you have bottled up for nearly thirty years finally surges forth!]

[Slaughter, brainwashing, dehumanization, tyranny, greed, decay... one by one, piece by piece, all the darkness and rot you have personally experienced over the years spontaneously flood your mind!]

[And all these tragedies stem from that unspeakable dominator on the dragon throne...]

[If he hadn't mentioned remonstrance, you might have continued to endure, writing the same shameless, sycophantic essays as the others... but, he asked for it!]

[Damn it! You asked for this!]

[Looking for criticism, are you? I've never seen such a request in my life!]

[Since you have sincerely asked, I will graciously tell you: you are a piece of trash!]

[Pointing out the state's flaws, writing sharp critiques, and storming the tower to your face starts today!!!]

[Ding! Your overflowing resentment can no longer be contained. You have decided to storm the tower and offer a harsh critique! Please write your essay! Show the style of a new-era critic!]

Zhou Liang: ???

...