The Golden Board
"On my way back, I happened to cross paths with Nanny Dong, who had just seen the Second Young Lady off to her new home," Nanny Dong said. "According to her, on the way back, the Second Young Lady ran into Lady Yu of the Shoushan Earl's Estate. She pretended to be furious and complained that our Chunxing was so high-and-mighty she'd been scheming to become the Minister of Revenue's concubine, and that she'd even tried to steal relics left by the late Empress to use as her dowry. Then she added that once she returned to the Bai Estate, she meant to look into whether any of the maids or servants the household had sent over had ties to Chunxing — and that anyone connected to her could no longer be allowed to remain under the family's roof."
Nanny Dong finished and smiled again.
"It seems the Second Young Lady was taking precautions in case Chunxing pulled some strange stunt down the road and dragged the Eldest Young Lady into trouble. She's drawing a firm line between Chunxing and the Eldest Young Lady before anything can happen. Really, the Second Young Lady has gone to such lengths on your behalf."
Bai Jingyan answered with a faint smile.
"Chunxing will never become the Minister of Revenue's concubine."
Nanny Dong did not ask why. If the Eldest Young Lady said so, then it was so. Chunxing would truly never set foot in the Minister of Revenue's estate.
Nanny Dong thought of Chunxing's mother, who had shielded her daughter so fiercely just that day. What would she make of Chunxing if she learned that the girl had failed to marry into the Minister of Revenue's family — and had even lost her position as senior maid at a Commandery Princess's side? And what if she learned that no illustrious military household would ever employ Chunxing's family again? What face would Chunxing's mother show her daughter then?
Bai Jingyan had raised the matter before the Emperor that day, and had spoken of it before the Crown Prince and the Minister of Revenue, Cao Zhongxing, as well. Whatever scheme Li Mu and Cao Zhongxing meant to work through Chunxing, the girl was now a discarded chess piece.
In truth, Chunxing had never done anything that directly harmed Bai Jingyan. But Bai Jingyan could not gamble her entire family's safety on that fact. Knowing full well that Li Mu and Cao Zhongxing might use Chunxing to strike at her or at the Bai clan, she could not afford to let the girl go free.
It was just as when her grandfather, in a moment of leniency long ago, had spared Liu Chentuo. Liu Chentuo had gone on to try to take her ninth brother's life — and hers.
Mercy and benevolence, then, were privileges reserved only for those with absolute power, for true sages. She was now nothing more than an ant struggling in the churn of a chaotic age, powerless and small. She had no mercy to spare for others. If she had the heart for it, better to spend it watching over herself and her family.
The crisis named Chunxing was resolved — but if Li Mu and Cao Zhongxing truly meant to harm her, dealing with Chunxing alone would neither stop them nor make them bleed. Who could say what awaited her down the road?
Behind her stood the entire Bai family. If, after she left the capital, Li Mu and Cao Zhongxing plotted something — by then, her reach might not stretch far enough.
"Nanny Dong, send a few of Nuo Ping's most trusted men to the taverns where the examinees gather in the greatest numbers during the metropolitan examination," Bai Jingyan said, turning her head slowly toward Nanny Dong. "Have them find out whether any candidates of real talent — men with high standing among their fellow examinees — failed to pass."
"Find out, too, whether anyone vented grievances, or whether anyone sat an examination that exceeded his actual ability."
Every year at the spring examinations there were scholars dissatisfied with the results. And every year, someone cheated. Yet never once did anyone step forward with the courage to see justice done — never once did anyone expose the truth and cry out for fairness. On rare occasions in the past, someone had found the nerve, but every one of them had either vanished from this world in an "accident" or bent the knee before wealth and power.
For years, the great military households had slipped bribes to the chief examiners at every sitting. For a dragon to rise from a ditch — for a poor scholar to actually succeed — had become a rarity almost beyond hearing of.
Even in earlier years the old military families had paid their bribes and no one had ever moved to stop them. This year would only be worse, never better. The path to advancement for a poor family's sons would grow narrower with each passing season.
It was a little late, perhaps. But it was not yet too late.
If fraud was exposed at these examinations, the Left Prime Minister would be unable to shield the chief examiner, the Hanlin Academician Wen Zhenkang. To lose Wen Zhenkang — so adept at whispering the right words into the Emperor's ear — would be like losing an arm.
Bai Jingyan's eyes were deep as a well. Li Mu's arm had stretched all the way to her. Then she would teach him what it felt like to have that arm severed at the shoulder.
"And assign more men to quietly keep watch over the capital," she went on. "Among the noble and official families taking part in the palace examination, find out which ones have already bought up large quantities of red paper for wrapping silver notes, or fireworks — and which households are preparing banquets in advance."
She considered for a moment, then added, "Also, which families bought rice in bulk between the end of the metropolitan examination and the start of the palace one."
Since ancient times, a noble household whose son advanced to the palace examination stocked up on red paper and fireworks for the grand celebration to come.
The moment their candidate returned from the palace examination looking certain to place within the first tier, they would purchase vast stores of rice in advance, then on the day the results were posted, scatter coins and ladle out porridge in a festival of triumph. A high rank in the first tier called for a lavish celebration; a placement in the third tier merited only modest coin tossed about for show.
All these years, the great families had cheated in the examinations, but those without power had never dared to speak, and their superiors had never cared to restrain them. And so the practice had grown ever bolder — to the point that most households now laid in food and goods before the list was even posted. A family that scored well but failed to celebrate as lavishly as its neighbors risked earning itself a reputation for stinginess.
Which meant that simply by watching what goods the great clans bought, one could roughly guess who would place within the top ten.
Nanny Dong nodded.
"As you command."
The next day was the palace examination. After Bai Jinxiu and Jin Lang had departed, Lady Yu went to Fourth Madam Wang's prayer hall, and the two offered prayers together before the Buddha.
At supper the whole family gathered noisily around the table at the Grand Princess's residence. When Third Madam Li mentioned that Lady Yu had made an offering before the Grand Princess, Lady Yu explained that she was cramming her prayers in, out of a heart too anxious to wait.
By evening, even Lady Dong was bowing in supplication, begging that her son-in-law and Zhuangyuan Dong might both achieve fine results.
Lady Yu did not sleep a wink that night, and the next day sent someone to ask after Bai Jinxiu again and again. Only when Bai Jinxiu sent Cuibi back with word did she finally allow herself to breathe.
The palace examination had been far more comfortable than the previous rounds of testing. It was only to be expected, held as it was before the throne itself.
After setting the questions, the Emperor had settled onto the dragon seat on the high dais, sipping his tea — and then, watching the young men bent over their papers in the front of the great hall, he had quite suddenly felt the weight of his own years.
Perhaps his spirits had sunk without cause; at any rate, the Emperor could not even be bothered to descend and make a round of inspection. He waved a hand and bade the Crown Prince take his place.
Because Jin Lang was Bai Jingyan's brother-in-law, the Crown Prince lingered a moment by his side. He did not, of course, read closely what Jin Lang had written — he merely observed that Jin Lang's hand was elegant and immaculate.
Once the palace examination ended, Lady Yu sent someone again to ask how things stood. Jin Lang could not yet be certain of his exact placement, but he had given the best answers he knew — though, he added, with so much talent assembled this time, the rest would have to be left to heaven's will.
Bai Jingyan expected Jin Lang's rank would not be low.
Jin Lang was the very man the Emperor had singled out for praise as a model for the sons of noble houses. The chief examiners would have no choice but to uphold His Majesty's honor.
One more day, and then the day after, the Golden Board would be posted.
Early the following morning, while Bai Jingyan was drilling with her Red-Tasseled Spear in Qinghui Courtyard, Nanny Dong returned from the errands she had been given and presented her with two lists.
"Here are the names you asked to be looked into, my lady — examinees lodging in the various inns, men of genuine talent who failed and carry grievances over it. The names marked are those who have already left the capital; the unmarked ones are still here. By the looks of it, they mean to check the Golden Board, see who passed, and only then set out for home."
Nanny Dong unfolded the second list as she spoke.
"And this is what Nuo Ping personally investigated — what each household has been buying."
Bai Jingyan wiped the sweat from her face and neck with the handkerchief Chun Tao handed her, then gave the order to prepare water.
Chun Tao passed her mistress the tea, gone lukewarm, and hurried off to the kitchens to see to the water.
"Nuo Ping went at dawn today to the largest rice shop in the capital, but before he could so much as open his mouth, one of the shop workers recognized him and greeted him first. He'd assumed Nuo Ping had been sent by Lady Yu to buy rice. He said the Second Young Lady of our house was altogether too cautious in how she moved, apparently.
"Chancellor Yu's estate, Grand Tutor Jin's residence, Vice Minister Wu of the Ministry of Works, and General Zhang of the Fujun Great Army — the moment the palace examination ended, they bought up red paper, fireworks, and rice in great heaps, all planning to ladle out celebratory porridge the instant the results were posted.
"But our Second Young Lady held off and held off, and only sent for rice for cooking porridge at the last moment — and she bought barely half of what Chancellor Yu's or the Grand Tutor's household did! And when Nuo Ping came home, Lady Yu had heard of it, and asked him whether it was really true she'd sent him for more."
Every name entangled in this was that of a pillar of the court.
So Zhang Danyue's household had purchased in advance as well?
Bai Jingyan handed her teacup to Nanny Dong and took the list, checking it through. Zhang Danyue's eldest son was a boy of eleven — had he sat the palace examination? Zhang Danyue had never once said such a thing.
Seeing Bai Jingyan's gaze fix on the Fujun Great General's residence, Nanny Dong hurried to explain.
"The Great General's elder brother died young, and it seems his widowed sister-in-law came to the capital with her grown son to sit for the examination. They're staying at the general's residence now, and the general's nephew sat the palace examination too. Everyone else on the list who's still in the capital are sons of officials come up from the provinces — men who have either bought estates here or are lodging with uncles or maternal relatives."
Judging by the timing, the chief examiners had not yet finished debating the rankings with the Emperor.
Bai Jingyan passed the list of advance rice purchasers back to Nanny Dong.
"Have someone spread this list quietly. Along with the rumor that these households bribed the chief examiners — so they must all be men destined for the top ten.
"And send a few people out disguised as merchants and scholars to carry the story far and wide through the capital."
She tapped the first list as she continued.
"Make certain it reaches the ears of the scholars who failed — the faster, the better! Have Nuo Ping egg on the despairing ones, so that before the results are posted they strike the Dengwen Drum and appeal to the Emperor with their examination rosters."
Bai Jingyan spoke on, lost in thought.
"Once the Dengwen Drum sounds, the Emperor will have no choice but to hunt down the fraud. If the men on this list — the ones who bought up their goods before the results were even posted — truly all place within the top ten, the Emperor will grow all the more suspicious and dig into it himself. We shall see, then, whether these scholars will reach for their rosters for the sake of ten years of hardship... or whether they will kneel before power and wealth instead."
"Yes, my lady!"
Nanny Dong answered and hurried off to find Nuo Ping.
What the Eldest Young Lady was truly after, Nanny Dong did not trouble herself to wonder.
Once upon a time, Nanny Dong had always counseled Bai Jingyan to live out her days as an unremarkable daughter, safe and sound. But now the Bai family stood in the path of a calamity from heaven, and the Eldest Young Lady alone could raise the family from the ashes. More than that — she was the eldest sister, the eldest legitimate daughter. This burden was hers, and hers alone, to bear.