Chapter 25: The Legacy of the Family

Su Jinyi was horrified and stammered, "Grand... Grandfather, what are you saying? I... I only need to study diligently, read widely, and travel to observe the livelihoods of the people. Even if... even if I fail once or twice, as long as I remain diligent, one day I will surely be on the merit list!"

Although he was not a genius with a photographic memory, he was frequently praised for his talent. Furthermore, the children of their family were all taught to build a solid foundation, step by step, until they eventually achieved success in the imperial examinations.

How could it be... how could it be...

Even for a child as bright as he was, Su Jinyi was only ten. Upon hearing the full scope of Su Hua's words, he could not stop his entire body from trembling.

Staring intently at his grandson, whose face had turned deathly pale in an instant, Su Hua lowered his gaze to the essay laid out on the desk.

It was the essay Su Jinyi had drafted during the examination. The content cited classics and hit the crux of the issue; the calligraphy was bold and sweeping, possessing a youthful recklessness and impatience—a testament to the author’s absolute certainty that he would make the list.

Yet, the second examination question was indeed eye-catching.

As the helmsman of the family, he had no choice but to be cautious, no choice but to awaken this innocent child. Even as he spoke, Su Hua could hear the bitterness and hoarseness in his own voice, yet he forced himself to ask, "Do you know what exam fraud is?"

These seven words struck Su Jinyi like a thunderbolt, leaving his mind completely blank. His eyes filled with terror and unease as he looked at the grandfather he had always worshipped. "You... you are the leader of the Pure Stream faction! You are a clean official supported by the masses, one who has even been honored with the 'Umbrella of Ten Thousand People.' How could... no..."

At the mere thought of the word "fraud," Su Jinyi felt a pain radiating from deep within his very bones.

It felt as though the proud backbone he had always taken pride in was being shattered.

Observing Su Jinyi, who had lost all color in his face, Su Hua quickly stated firmly, "I am, of course, innocent. Otherwise, how could I have served two dynasties and entered the Cabinet?"

Hearing this, Su Jinyi let out a heavy sigh of relief and asked impatiently, "Then why did you ask about this?"

"To teach you the rules of officialdom." Su Hua looked at his grandson, whose eyes were bright and who remained upright even in his tears. Suppressing his heartache, he said in a deep voice, "One of the unwritten rules of the imperial examinations is that the personal preferences of the examiners are the primary focus of investigation for both candidates and their families."

Su Jinyi felt his heart pounding against his ribs, still breathing heavily to calm himself down, and pondered his grandfather's words. "Is... is there a problem with that? Before I took the exam, Father gave me detailed instructions about Magistrate Xie's background and life, so that I would not commit any taboos."

"Some people study the examiners' preferences, and likewise, others study how to manipulate the outcomes. For instance, your eldest and second brothers—our family can bet on two top scholars, but we would never let them compete in the same session." Su Hua watched Su Jinyi, who was trying his best to temper his emotions with reason, his eyes filled with appreciation as he guided him further. "Similarly, some will study the writing styles of specific candidates. Take Cui Qian-ting, for example. He certainly has some talent, yet he has failed the provincial examinations repeatedly and is still only a *xiucai*."

Hearing this specific case, Su Jinyi suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. He observed Su Hua's expression. Meeting the usual kind and gentle gaze, Su Jinyi swallowed nervously and responded in a soft voice, "Grandson... Grandson has only heard a few rumors, saying... saying it is because of the fear that military generals might be a future threat, and that they cannot tolerate the Cui family having a rising star who excels in both literature and martial arts. So he... he will never place high."

As for the reign of Emperor Mingde, under the overly legendary operations of Cui Zhen, Emperor Mingde likely gave some hints.

Hearing this, Su Hua fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. "If the Martial Emperor could not tolerate the Cui family, why would he bestow the royal scholar's robe upon the Marquis of Cui’en? And why would he thoroughly investigate the mutual guarantee system and improve the examination process for Daxing County? It is because some people utilize everyone's preconceived notions, using the excuse of 'guessing the Emperor's will' to suppress others in secret."

Suddenly hearing this secret, Su Jinyi's eyes widened like lanterns. "Grandfather, why are you so certain?"

"Because I have turned a blind eye to it." For a moment, Su Hua dared not look at Su Jinyi, his gaze falling back onto the essay.

This statement hit like a blade piercing the heart. Su Jinyi roared, "No, impossible! You are the leader of the Pure Stream! Your clean reputation is built on solid achievements, and you have often said you admire the military generals for guarding the borders. There... there is no need to be intolerant of Cui Qian-ting!"

He was so agitated that his voice cracked by the end.

In an instant, the sound echoing in the study was not the clear, crisp voice of a youth, but rather a hysterical, aged tone, like an overburdened old waterwheel creaking in a desperate struggle for survival.

Su Hua heard it and felt the pain in his heart, but he had to emphasize one point: "Military nobles have titles. Regardless of whether their descendants are talented, as long as they remain steady, they can at least secure three generations of wealth and become an aristocratic family. But what about scholarly families?"

Narrowing his eyes, Su Hua stared sharply at Su Jinyi, answering his own question: "We need descendants in every generation to pass the exams and enter government service to maintain our glory. If one generation fails to produce a talent, we will completely decline. After all, one cannot be an official forever. Even if you have the talent, the Great Ancestor decreed that one must retire at seventy."

"Once you are no longer an official, if there are no descendants in the court, no students in the court, and no marital ties in the court, it becomes a situation where the tea grows cold once the person leaves."

Word by word, Su Hua wished he could use himself and the blood and sweat of the Su family as proof.

Their Su family could currently be considered a scholarly family.

The first generation, his father Su Qin, was a poor, pathetic *xiucai* who failed repeatedly and never had the fate to become a *juren*.

The second generation, he, Su Hua, studied hard through wind and rain, only making the list at thirty-six to become a second-rank *jinshi*. Having encountered the Martial Emperor’s emphasis on practical matters, and because he had grown up in the fields and possessed some ability in farming, he was given heavy responsibilities. However, the prerequisite for being recommended to the Martial Emperor was that his second wife was the daughter of a master from the Dongwen Academy.

It was thanks to the daughter of a family with deep scholarly roots that the third generation of the Su family found their path to the examinations and officialdom so smooth. His eldest son was not even forty, yet he was already a third-rank Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

By the fourth generation, though Su Jinyi had not yet earned a title, his other five grandsons included three *jinshi* and two *juren*. The women they married were also from scholarly families, and the Su daughters were married into similar households.

Thus, even if the Su family no longer held office, their descendants and marital ties created a solid network, ensuring they always knew the movements of the court.

"Our Su family took four generations of diligent work over a hundred years to maintain this dignity. But the military nobles? Not to mention anything else, the Marquis of Cui’en holds two Iron Certificates of Merit. As long as he does not commit treason, even if Emperor Mingde dislikes him, he must remain cordial. Last year, when the capital was scorching, the Emperor decreed a retreat to the Summer Palace. The Marquis of Cui’en didn't want to go, and even the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Clan Court had to personally pay a visit to invite his whole family."

As Su Hua spoke, he couldn't help but raise his voice, expressing the resentment he had suppressed for years—a resentment shared by most: "Civil officials never receive such treatment. That is why I, too, have felt resentment in the past, and that is why I turned a blind eye."

"But the Cui family now only has this empty reputation!" Upon hearing this explanation, Su Jinyi looked fearful and shook his head like a rattle-drum. "Grandfather, you... you are not like this. You told me before that it is thanks to General Cui guarding the borders for the country, thanks to him holding the line and protecting the northern frontier, saving millions of people, that he is a hero."

"Is it not natural that he deserves to be honored in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and holds Iron Certificates of Merit? His son only received some empty titles, but if it weren't for Cui Zhen, how many people would have been displaced and had their families torn apart by the invading cavalry?"

"Compared to the people living in misery, is the difference between civil and military paths so important? Why don't you think about how many military generals have been accused by your lot of 'possessing too much power' or 'outshining the master'? Through the ages, how many have died under trumped-up charges?!"

"You are already a Grand Secretary; if you retire peacefully, won't you also be named a Grand Tutor?"

Hearing these childish, innocent, yet opinionated words, Su Hua's expression shifted many times, finally settling into a faint, loving smile. "That is indeed true. Therefore, this time, your grandfather does not want to get involved in those grudges, and even wants to comply with Emperor Mingde's wishes, making some slight adjustments."

"However, this move will likely shake the very foundations of our Su family."

Hearing this, Su Jinyi stiffened his neck and said proudly, "I don't believe it. As long as I have real substance, as long as our Su family descendants have talent, why fear for the future?"

"Then are you prepared to not have your maternal grandfather's love or willingness to help?"

Su Jinyi's face froze. "What does that have to do with my maternal grandfather? Didn't you say that scholarly families are secretly using the examinations to suppress dissent?"

Su Hua's weathered eyes suddenly flashed with ruthlessness. "Scholarly families pass down bloodlines and must worry about what to do if their children are untalented. But academies pass down power by encompassing generations of heaven-sent talents, controlling the descendants through the masters. They can silently link all civil officials in the court."

"For example, the Dongwen Academy."

As the words fell, Su Jinyi felt as if he were standing in an ice cellar, his body frozen until he lost all consciousness.

Because the Dongwen Academy was the most famous academy in the entire Great Zhou.

From the founding of the previous dynasty, they had never asked about a student's family background, looking only at whether they had the heart to learn and whether they were potential material. Almost every scholar felt honored to be admitted to Dongwen Academy.

Because once admitted, if the academy deemed you ready for the imperial examinations, eight or nine times out of ten, you would surely make the list.

His eldest brother was a student at Dongwen Academy before he became a top scholar, and he was even a direct disciple of the Dean.

He had always taken pride in this.

He had also dreamed of being admitted to Dongwen Academy.

But... he was not a fool. Listening to his grandfather, this... this academy was suspected of forming cliques and monopolizing the imperial examinations.

Watching Su Jinyi, whose vacant eyes were gradually regaining their light and sanity, showing expressions of anger, horror, and lingering fear, Su Hua felt for a moment that the family's future was promising.

Thus, he solemnly stated his speculation after seeing the test questions: "Emperor Mingde is likely going to take harsh measures to rectify this."

Political struggles actually begin with the selection process of the imperial examinations.

The so-called "North and South Lists" of the previous dynasty were meant to ensure fairness, but in reality, they were a struggle between two factions based on geography. In the current dynasty, the Great Ancestor confined all officials' children to take the exams in Daxing County, with imperial clansmen overseeing the process, trying their best to promote those from humble origins. But... even those from humble origins eventually become aristocratic families.

And compared to the previous dynasty's focus on the metropolitan examinations, the masterminds behind Dongwen Academy in the Great Zhou were much more vigilant and clever, cultivating many seventh-rank magistrates.

They directly controlled the entry threshold for the imperial examinations—the county examinations!

"Then of course they must be rectified! Talent should be the only criterion!" Su Jinyi wished he could use all his strength to emphasize loudly: "Otherwise, it would be better to revert to the Nine-Rank System!"

Looking at Su Jinyi, whose eyes were sharp and glowing with a pure, youthful sense of justice, Su Hua looked at the answer sheet once more and said aloud, "Go and kneel in the ancestral hall."

"As for other matters, we will discuss them thoroughly when your father and eldest brother return." Su Hua instructed, "Above all, do not let your mother know about our conversation today."

"Your mother is virtuous, but that does not mean your maternal grandfather, the Vice Dean of Dongwen Academy, is pure."

Hearing this blunt warning, Su Jinyi clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth, and replied, "Don't worry, I understand the principle of accepting small punishments but avoiding the larger ones! Whether it is my maternal grandfather or you, I do not wish to..."

Feeling the warmth of his tears flowing, Su Jinyi closed his eyes, then looked up with a burning gaze: "...engage in favoritism! The imperial examination is for selecting talent for the country! It is a sacred foundation of governance that cannot be violated!"

Su Hua did not look away, staring steadily at him. Su Jinyi looked like a sharp blade capable of defending the country, emitting a brilliant cold light. Su Hua smiled with relief, then returned to a blank expression. "Go kneel in the ancestral hall!"

Su Jinyi stared at Su Hua for a long time, finally let out a heavy, cold snort, turned around, and left.

Seeing this, Su Hua shook his head, picked up the calling card of a relative, and muttered, "I hope Lord Rong still has that crazy drive to dig up graves."

To give the Emperor a righteous cause, a legitimate reason, to conduct a thorough investigation.

At the same time, the Marquis of Cui’en, who was being hoped for, was currently spreading his arms to protect Cui Hu and Cui Cong, repeatedly emphasizing, "It’s really very difficult, if you don't believe me, ask Gao Feng!"

Gao Feng watched the family playing what looked like "the hawk catching the chicks," and filled with envy, lowered his head and said, "It is very difficult."

Cui Qian-ting heard this, turned to look at Gao Feng who had followed them into the Cui residence, and said, "Stay in the guest courtyard and prepare for the exam with peace of mind for these few days. Don't come out no matter what you hear."

He paused, his tone becoming more solemn, with a warning: "You only have one chance."

Gao Feng's face went pale.

The Marquis of Cui’en looked at the grieving beauty and felt a pang of heartache. "Gao Feng, although Cui Qian-ting’s mouth is a bit poisonous, he has a point. Changping is becoming more and more stubborn as she ages, and I can't say for sure what mood she’ll be in next year. You should go back and prepare well. If you make the list, you can continue to stay at the Cui residence. Our old Pei can at least give you some pointers on the other county examinations."

There are four county examinations in total, with the first being the main exam.

After making the list, one can directly participate in the prefectural examination; one can also take the subsequent primary, secondary, and final reviews. The difference is that candidates who continue to participate and rank among the top, especially the first place, can be awarded the title of *jiajiang*, without having to go all the way to the academy examination to obtain the *xiucai* title.

One must know that to obtain the *xiucai* title, one must pass three levels: the county exam, the prefectural exam, and the academy exam.

"Many thanks, Lord Rong." Gao Feng expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

"But I will say the ugly words first: don't think about being under Changping's protection while also clinging to your self-esteem." The Marquis of Cui’en put his hands on his hips, his face darkening. "Many poor sons-in-law have this mindset; the moment their father-in-law gets into trouble, they think about killing their wives. So, if you grow wings and dare to betray us, I will kill your entire Gao clan to the third degree, and even the Emperor wouldn't dare do anything to me!"

As soon as these words were spoken, a fierce murderous aura instantly permeated the surroundings.

Cui Xiu silently covered his mouth, looked up at the indifferent Cui Hu and Cui Cong, then secretly glanced at the even more indifferent Cui Qian-ting, and tried hard to build his psychological defenses: *Hmm, it's normal! Uncle is a super-ranked Duke! Uncle holds two Iron Certificates of Merit!*

*As long as he doesn't commit treason, killing someone or wiping out a clan... it's not a big deal.*

*Right?*

Struggling to maintain a look of worldly indifference, Cui Xiu looked at Gao Feng.

He saw that Gao Feng also appeared indifferent, but he was kneeling on the ground, saying with extreme sincerity, "I will strictly follow Lord Rong's teachings."

Cui Xiu: "............"

Lord Rong: "............"

Looking at Gao Feng, who seemed quite pious, the Marquis of Cui’en waved his hand. "Get up. Anyway, I don't care what you say, I only care about what you do next."

After that, he called Mother Yu and gestured for her to settle Gao Feng in the guest courtyard.

Watching Gao Feng's departing figure, the Marquis of Cui’en quickly grabbed the two serious candidates, intending to change the focus. "Now that it's just us family, let me tell you the original second question; I have done it before."

Cui Qian-ting sat down to drink tea and said coolly, "You even showed it off in front of me back then, when you had the Martial Emperor's imperial approval."

Hearing this suddenly, Cui Hu and Cui Cong were shocked.

Cui Xiu, having heard this before, was already quite accustomed to it and simply raised his hand to cover his mouth, lest he let out a scream of envy and jealousy!

The Marquis of Cui’en swept his gaze over the three shocked Cui sprouts, stopped his reminiscence of the past, and stated the Martial Emperor’s approach to solving the problem concisely: "'People' refers to the farmers. When the common people are well-fed and have land, only then is there propriety and law. Otherwise, why, in years of great drought, do refugees dare to risk everything to riot, or even trade children to eat? Do they not know that killing is against the law?"

Never expecting this approach to the question, Cui Xiu recalled his own draft essay and lowered his head in sorrow.

*I answered it wrong.*

*But... although the Martial Emperor was a bit biased, he really was a wise ruler in terms of governing the country, making one yearn for him.*

Cui Hu and Cui Cong felt the same way.

The brothers looked at the Marquis of Cui’en, then turned to look at Cui Qian-ting, their brows knitted into the shape of a river.

*Both being sons of Cui Zhen, why was the Martial Emperor... so partial to the Marquis of Cui’en?*

Completely unaware that he was being grumbled about, the Marquis of Cui’en suddenly put his hands on his hips. "Hu’er, your name is the answer itself. Think back to when the princes were fighting for the throne and the court was in chaos. The Emperor was getting old and had some old ailments, so your grandfather handed over his military power and simply stayed home to urge us to have children."

"On the day of your full month, the Martial Emperor personally came to congratulate you and bestowed the name 'Hu' upon you."

"The moment he said that, your grandfather's eyes lit up."

Cui Hu, who had been named, was confused. "Am I not a ritual vessel for ancestral sacrifices? You said this name was chosen to tell certain people about the primogeniture succession system."

The Marquis of Cui’en looked at his son, who was glancing at Cui Qian-ting, and also looked at Cui Qian-ting, answering proudly, "That is only one aspect. You are a ritual vessel for holding grain. Grain is a crop!"

He paused and burst into laughter. "You had the answer right beside you and didn't know it."

"Truly like father, I feel much better now."

Cui Qian-ting heard the wild laughter and crushed his teacup with a *crack*. "Marquis of Cui’en, it really is Cui Hu's blessing to have a father like you."

Hearing the crisp sound of the teacup hitting the ground, Cui Hu quickly signaled his father: "Having you really is my blessing."

Cui Xiu couldn't help it either. Relying on his youth and the fact that no one was paying attention to him, he secretly nodded.

*Having such an uncle really is a blessing, oh.*

*Even if he’s asked the original question, he doesn't write in the eight-legged format, but he is certainly active in checking the answers after the exam!!!*

The Marquis of Cui’en, smug and pleased with himself, met the solemn expressions of the juniors and weakly stopped his laughter, feeling aggrieved. "I have good points too. If I didn't have a broad mind, how could I tolerate you bunch of rascals?"

Cui Qian-ting used his fingertips to crush the shards into powder, the threat obvious: "If you don't want to be bedridden for a hundred days, you had better shut up now. Because your Emperor uncle’s good son set this question, likely wanting to use your 'people as the foundation' rhetoric to make it known to all under heaven, so that the world will praise him!"

Not daring to look at the falling powder, the Marquis of Cui’en reached back and touched his own neck, appearing extremely obedient. "This is called family heritage. Why is it that civil officials can have family heritage and keep it private, but I have to have the Martial Emperor's favor and have it shouted to the whole world? With my memory, isn't it only natural that I forgot this question?"

Hearing the usual shamelessness, Cui Qian-ting’s gaze swept over Cui Hu and Cui Cong, then lowered his head to look at Cui Xiu, his expression solemn. "With their answer sheets this year, I fear they won't make the list."

Especially Cui Hu, who finally encountered a question he knew.

He took his brush and wrote—

*The rapeseed flower is a treasure.*
*Stir-fry the greens, use as medicine, press oil to sell;*
*It fills the stomach, saves lives, and makes money;*
*Better than gold, the people are happy.*

Even if the examiner was a pragmatist, they could only tolerate a doggerel poem, but Cui Hu didn't even follow the basic rhyme scheme!

"How many people have taken the exam three or four times before making the list?" The Marquis of Cui’en protected his own. "Anyway, my Cui family lads are still young; let them take it slowly, no rush. Since Emperor Mingde has such grand ambitions, let him make his own plans. Why should I, the Marquis of Cui’en, be his blade?"

Cui Qian-ting frowned. "Aren't you afraid that if the Cui family doesn't follow the Emperor's will, it will truly fall?"

Hearing this, the Marquis of Cui’en stopped smiling and looked steadily at his beloved son and nephews. His expression grew more solemn, as if assuming the dignity of a family head. "If the Cui family falls, then it falls. You don't need to worry about restoring the glory of our ancestors. Think about those who obsess over glory and generations of wealth—they all become nearly insane, heartless madmen."

"For example, the scholarly families. At the end of the previous dynasty, that Emperor was muddled. How many damn scholars, for the sake of their own families, ignored the people's suffering and displacement, and resigned their offices to return home? They even spouted nonsense about 'If the state has the Way, then serve; if the state lacks the Way, then hide.' It’s just pure selfishness gilded with gold."

"Once the Great Ancestor drove out the bandits and conquered the empire, they all popped up again, spouting 'for the country and the people,' fighting to become officials."

Hearing these words, which were full of disgust for scholarly families, Cui Xiu covered his mouth again.

"So, you just need to live your own lives well; descendants will have their own worries." The Marquis of Cui’en smiled. "We shall enjoy our wealth for as long as we can. Anyway, this principle was taught by my grandfather, the founding Duke. My grandfather said that Cui Zhen has the heart to die in battle, so let him; so it follows that if I don't want to study, it's only fair."

As he spoke, the Marquis of Cui’en looked back and glared at Cui Qian-ting with some resentment. "Your father, Cui Zhen, was only a second generation! The Rongguo Mansion my grandfather created allows me to be a spendthrift."

Cui Qian-ting glanced at the Marquis of Cui’en, who was dancing with excitement and showing off, and slowly took out a handkerchief to wipe away the powder remaining on his fingertips.

The Marquis of Cui’en saw Cui Qian-ting’s murderous movements, as if he were strangling his neck, and took two steps back, finding a safe distance before speaking: "It was originally said by my grandfather! Your father didn't object, either, otherwise he would have grabbed me for training long ago!"

Studying in the Imperial Study was miserable. Daily morning reading at the Hour of the Tiger (3-5 AM), classes starting at the Hour of the Rabbit (5-7 AM), and going to the martial arts hall after class at noon. Only on major holidays were there breaks, totaling only ten days of vacation a year.

As a companion to the Crown Prince, he had even more miscellaneous courses. But he skipped class whenever he felt like it.

Cui Zhen had once been a martial arts instructor, kicking princes and grandsons into the river to learn to swim, coercing princes to catch chickens and slaughter pigs to practice courage and knife skills, stabbing princes with spears... In short, he trained the princes like his own sons, like soldiers, forcing the princes to master martial arts, yet he never forced the Marquis of Cui’en.

It was as if he had sent him to the Emperor uncle and didn't have this son anymore!

Never expecting the Marquis of Cui’en to dare resent his own father, Cui Qian-ting couldn't help but slam the table and stand up: "Father didn't force you to train because you howled every time! Howling like a wolf, hiding behind the Martial Emperor. You three were so noisy, how many people whispered behind your backs that you were a 'strict father and kind mother,' a happy family of three? How dare you resent Father for not being strict with you?"

The Marquis of Cui’en stared at the flaming Cui Qian-ting, dumbfounded. "'Strict father and kind mother'?"

Cui Hu and Cui Cong, suddenly hearing such explosive news, secretly took Cui Xiu’s hand and hid in the corner.

Cui Xiu: "???"

Cui Hu gestured at his lips: "They are going to fight again, arguing over who was favored more."

Cui Cong nodded: "Brother, behave, don't be afraid and don't cry."

Cui Xiu covered his mouth again and nodded obediently.

*Although it’s improper to listen!*

*But the Sage said... said one must... must be filial to parents.*

*So now...*

Cui Xiu couldn't help but prick up his ears and secretly listen.

After all, studying the Chief Examiner—the biggest Chief Examiner in the world—was also a basic requirement for a candidate.

Even if it was the former biggest Chief Examiner.