Chapter Thirty-Eight: Mount Xianxia

As everyone knows, the military examination held by the prefectural government on Fujian Road is fiercely competitive, with only one candidate chosen out of a hundred—a truly brutal process. The scant number of successful candidates is not the only challenge; the region also produces prodigies and scholars in abundance.

Take, for instance, the Xinghua military district of Fujian Road. It is merely five li in size, yet in the eighth year of Shaoxing, fourteen men from there made the imperial examination honor roll. More astonishing still, the top two laureates—the Number One Scholar and the Second Laureate—were both from Xinghua: Huang Gongdu and Chen Junqing.

Emperor Gaozong of Song questioned them in the Golden Hall: "How could such a small place as Xinghua produce both the Number One Scholar and the Second Laureate? It is beyond my expectations." He then inquired about their hometown's local products.

Chen Junqing replied, "The soil is poor, so pines and cypresses are planted; the families are impoverished, so sons study diligently!"

The reason is simple: poverty drives the locals to dedicate themselves to learning, striving for advancement.

With Zhang Xu’s talent, he could easily outshine the entire county of Pucheng. Those who have met him—Chen Xiang, Zhang Heng, Zhang Youzhi—never fail to praise him, saying he is certain to achieve imperial honors in the future.

Yet, no one could guarantee that Zhang Xu would definitely pass the prefectural military exam of Fujian Road. If he did manage to carve out a path through the thousands of competitors, it would be nothing short of miraculous.

Even if he were lucky enough to pass the Fujian Road exam, what then? The provincial examination awaits—a hurdle known as the Ministry Exam, later called the Metropolitan Exam in Ming and Qing, with its top scorer referred to as the Provincial Laureate. This is the grand test for those who have cleared the regional exams; its difficulty is self-evident.

Finally, the Song Dynasty’s palace examination is another filter for candidates.

Zhang Yuan, Prime Minister of Western Xia, passed both the regional and provincial exams, only to fail at the palace examination. In his anger, he defected to Li Yuanhao and became a traitor.

If one fails the provincial or palace exam, he must return to Fujian Road and retake the regional exam.

To break through the "death group" twice is to be truly favored by the heavens, rivaling even Liu Xiu’s legendary fortune.

By comparison, the canal examination, established for scions of official families, offers much higher odds. Last year in Fujian Road, three out of ten candidates were chosen. Historically, it was not until the third year of Jiayou that the ratio became fifteen out of a hundred.

Zhang Xu’s reputation for talent spread throughout the clan. His uncle and father-in-law, Zhang Yu, lived in Pucheng for several years before he became an official.

Zhang Zai Jun’s fifth son, Zhang Renche, belonged to both families. Zhang Yu was Zhang Xu’s great-grandfather, and even in Zhang Yue’s generation, the kinship remained within five degrees.

Zhang Xu’s second aunt, childless for years after marriage, once considered adopting him. But after Zhang Yu passed the imperial exam and four years later his father, Zhang Quan, also succeeded, the two families gradually diverged in status. Moreover, Zhang Yu’s concubine bore him a son, and the plan was abandoned.

Later, the second aunt’s family moved to Suzhou, and the two sides saw less of each other. Yet, during his childhood stay, Zhang Xu was cherished as her own, and she always cared for him; Zhang Yu, hearing of Zhang Xu’s early scholarly aptitude, wished to have him enter his official registry in Suzhou.

Suzhou, while also a difficult place for imperial examinations, has buried many talents since ancient times. Still, the canal examination is easier than the prefectural military exam. With his second brother’s talent, passing in Suzhou was assured.

After Zhang Xu’s mother passed away, his second aunt traveled from Suzhou to Pucheng to mourn, raising the matter again, but Zhang’s father and Zhang Shi opposed it.

They believed that with Zhang Xu’s abilities, it was only a matter of time before he achieved imperial honors; whether through the canal or military exams, it made no difference.

At the time, Zhang Yue was too young to remember, but he recalled his second aunt leaving the family in tears, and his second brother remained silent throughout.

No one in the family paid much attention to the matter. Yet, because of it, Zhang’s father’s family developed a rift with the second aunt. Zhang Shi always told Zhang Yue that the second brother disliked the Yang family’s ambition and thus severed relations.

Had this not been brought up suddenly, Zhang Yue would have believed the break was his second brother’s decision.

Zhang Shi doted on the second brother, but cared only for his education, never meddling in other affairs.

Now, the second brother had changed his registration in Suzhou and was about to travel to the capital for the metropolitan exam...

"So, my... my second brother went to Suzhou to find my uncle and changed his registration?"

Zhang Heng frowned, "Uncle? You mean paternal uncle."

Zhang Yue smiled wryly; the family ties were indeed tangled.

"Thank you for informing me, but may I ask how you learned of this? My second brother surely wouldn’t write you a letter, would he?" Zhang Yue asked Zhang Heng.

---

Zhang Heng smiled, "You may not know, but I am from Hangzhou and have visited Suzhou many times. This news came from our clan uncle, Zhang Zhifu’s letter..."

"Zhifu? Is that a courtesy name?"

Zhang Heng nodded, "His courtesy name is Zhifu, given name Jie. He also lives in Suzhou."

If nothing unexpected occurs, this man is the same Zhang Zhifu later hailed as ‘the greatest in the west,’ whose military feats surpassed even Xia Song, Han Qi, and Fan Zhongyan—one of the ‘Two Zhangs.’

He presided over the Battle of Pingxia City in the northwest, the greatest victory the Northern Song ever had against Western Xia, occupying the once unreachable Hengshan and Tiandu Mountain.

After the Battle of Pingxia City, Western Xia was nearly annihilated, but the Liao dynasty stepped in, using war as leverage to prevent Song from destroying Xia. Thus, Song was forced to negotiate peace.

Jie means "dougong," a beam-supporting timber. Zhang Jie truly lived up to his name—a pillar of the state.

"Speaking of which, Zhang Zhifu is also within five degrees of kinship with you."

Zhang Yue smiled; the Zhang clan was vast, and though technically within five degrees, the relation was quite distant.

Yet, the Zhang family produced many eminent ministers and generals.

Pingxia City’s name itself is grand, enough to wash away the shame of Sanchuan Pass and Haoshui River. But now, the Song Dynasty still sends annual tributes to Western Xia and Liao for peace.

"What do you think, Third Brother?"

Zhang Yue replied bitterly, "If my elder brother knew where Second Brother was, he would break his legs."

The suffering Zhang Yue endured in his half year since crossing over seemed endless—all stemming from family discord. No matter what qualms Second Brother had with the family, he himself was innocent, caught in the crossfire.

"Indeed, Chuming’s escape from marriage was disgraceful, whatever his reasons..."

Zhang Yue thought, "Let me be the one to scold him, not you—though you are a fellow clansman."

"But, I have a question. Isn’t my second brother’s registration change to Suzhou for the exam considered fraudulent? Wouldn’t this provoke criticism?"

Zhang Heng smiled, "You are right, but this rule applies only to the prefectural military exam, not the canal exam. Any official within five degrees of kinship can recommend a candidate.

Your cousin Zhifu, for example, was given an official post as Assistant Supervisor of the Workshop Bureau through the protection of Uncle Xun.

Indeed, cousin Zhang Jie is already an official, thanks to the patronage of Zhang Dexiang.

Zhang Yue persisted, "But Uncle Xun is a high-ranking prime minister!"

Zhang Heng laughed, "You don’t understand the canal exam! Any official can nominate a retainer for it. Within five degrees, a family member can change registration and sit for the exam, as long as it isn’t too egregious. Your uncle and uncle’s family both have jinshi degrees. The state only investigates fraudulent registration in the prefectural military exam."

Zhang Yue thought, "No wonder the Song Dynasty is governed jointly by the emperor and scholar-officials. But ‘jointly’ means the common people are left out."

Being an official is evidently advantageous. For someone from a humble background like himself, rising is difficult; his only way out is to become a scholar’s attendant or follow Second Brother’s path.

"I see. Thank you for telling me, Hall Leader," said Zhang Yue.

Zhang Heng replied coolly, "I tell you only so you won’t be embarrassed when you see your second brother in the future. No need to thank me."

"Very well! Since you won’t accept my thanks, I’ll simply wish you well on your journey to the capital..."

Zhang Heng looked up with hands behind his back, "I’ve heard plenty of wishes for imperial honors..."

"May you stand alone atop the world, unrivaled!"

Zhang Heng smiled slightly—this was something new. Others only wished him success; this young man wished him the highest honor, the Number One Scholar.

---

The phrase "stand alone atop the world" is indeed novel. When Song Qi, the current Hanlin Academician, took his exam, his name was listed first, and he truly achieved the highest honor—a lucky omen.

"But what does it mean to ‘stand alone atop the world’?" wondered Zhang Heng. Wasn’t this phrase from the Yuan Dynasty? No, the Song must have used it, though perhaps not widely.

Zhang Yue explained, "I have heard that on the palace steps, there are carvings of the mythical ao fish. The newly appointed Number One Scholar must stand atop it to pay respects to the emperor. Thus, I wish you to stand alone atop the ao."

Zhang Heng laughed heartily, "You are indeed clever. Thank you for your auspicious words."

Zhang Yue smiled. Achieving the top scholar is no easy feat. He offered his wish as a jest; if it doesn’t come true, Zhang Heng can hardly blame him.

Zhang Heng departed, savoring Zhang Yue’s unique blessing.

A few days later, he set out with Lin Xi and other candidates.

With nothing left in the academy, Zhang Yue and Guo Lin returned home early.

Speaking of Hall Leader Zhang Heng, Guo Lin remarked, "Junior Brother, I think he is a good man."

"Why do you say so, Senior Brother?"

Guo Lin replied, "You were once dissatisfied that he recorded your name for copying books, feeling he was too harsh. But your handwriting truly was poor. If he had shown leniency and chosen you, some other diligent but impoverished candidate with better handwriting would have missed out. You might say he was unfair, but he showed no bias toward me; it was simply your handwriting at fault.

"And today, he had no need to explain your second brother’s affairs, but he did. In this matter, you owe him a debt."

Zhang Yue pondered Guo Lin’s words. Though he had been reluctant to accept them, in fairness, Guo Lin was right.

Walking beside Guo Lin, Zhang Yue nodded slowly, "Senior Brother, your advice is sound. I was in the wrong."

Guo Lin smiled, "Don’t take my words too much to heart. The ability to admit mistakes already sets you above most."

Zhang Yue thought secretly that Senior Brother overestimated him. Criticism he always accepts humbly—yet never changes.

Suddenly, Zhang Yue pointed to a mountain peak, "Senior Brother, we’ve never taken this path home before. The hour is still early; why not explore it together?"

"Excellent! If you have the interest, I will certainly accompany you!"

"Let’s race to the top. I’ll go first!" With that, Zhang Yue dashed ahead.

"Junior Brother, you’re cheating!" Guo Lin shook his head helplessly and hurried after him.

Climbing and weaving through the mountains, the brothers saw craggy rocks and towering pines.

At first, they competed to climb, but soon, the scenery captivated them and their pace slowed. Upon reaching the summit, a fierce wind blew, and clouds surged up from below.

It was truly a scene of "In the twilight, the sturdy pines stand tall; amidst drifting clouds, one remains composed!" Zhang Yue couldn’t help but muse, then joined Guo Lin in gazing northward.

In the dusk, the distant mountains were shrouded in a scarlet, breathtaking glow.

This was the crucial pass into Fujian—Xianxia Ridge.

Standing atop the peak, Zhang Yue shouted until his voice was hoarse, echoing through the vast emptiness.

"Senior Brother, one day I too will leave Fujian by this road, like Ziping and Second Brother!" Zhang Yue, breathless, gazed at the sea of red clouds and spoke to Guo Lin.