In the evening, in the capital residence.
After Sima Shu returned from Chongwen Guan outside the south gate, he had been thinking about this matter ever since.
After arriving home, Sima Shu discussed with his younger brother Sima Zhao about the school and Chongwen Guan.
Upon hearing Sima Shu's explanation about the upcoming examination at the University of Tai and the recruitment of a new batch of students in October, Sima Zhao's expression began to brighten up.
As the son of a prestigious official family like the Sima family in Handan, Sima Zhao naturally had a strong interest in becoming an official.
“Brother, do you think father will let me enter the Tai School this year?” Sima Zhao said: "If I can enter this year, I'll be just two years younger than Brother last year."
Sima Shi sized up his brother and said with a smile, "Enter the Tai School? It sounds easy, but it's not that simple. Although our father is a San Gong (one of the three highest officials), if you don't get into the first rank and end up in the second or third rank instead, it would be embarrassing."
Sima Zhao had a moment of confusion.
Sima Zhao, seventeen years old this year, faced his older brother whose knowledge, intelligence, and bearing far exceeded his own. Sima Zhao's heart had no bottom in confidence.
Sima Shu could only console his younger brother a little. Whether to enter the Tai School or not, in the end, it was still up to their father to decide.
Shortly afterwards, Sima Yi had just returned to the residence, and Sima Shu and Sima Zhao were already waiting at the door.
"Greetings to the father." The two bowed in succession.
Sima Yi also showed a trace of surprise on his face, which was an uncommon occurrence: "Ziyuan, Zishang, what do you two wish to discuss with me?"
Sima Shu said, "Father, today I went to Chongwen Guan together with Xiahou Taiyi. There are some things I don't understand and would like to ask for your guidance."
Sima Yi nodded: "Let's talk in the study then."
Seeing Sima Yi walking straight inside, Sima Shu followed immediately, and Sima Zhao hesitated for a moment before joining them.
Zhang Chunhua called out to the group in the courtyard, "Husband, are you going to the study? If there's something to discuss, it's not too late to eat first."
"How can you be so noisy?" Sima Yi glanced in the direction of Zhang Chunhua and whispered.
From Zhang Chunhua's perspective, she could only see her husband glance at her before turning his steps and leaving.
However, Sima Shu heard his older brother's complaint quite clearly from behind.
By the time they reached the study, a servant who had been waiting at the door had promptly opened it. After Sima Yi and Sima Shu entered, Sima Zhao stopped at a distance of nearly one catty from the door, with hesitation etched into his brow and eyes.
The father's study has always been a place only my elder brother can enter! Even though I'm this old, I've never been allowed in.
But when Sima Yi saw his second son in this way, he had a change of heart, and gestured for Sima Zhao to come in.
Sima Zhao's face remained unchanged, but joy had already blossomed in his heart.
Since Sima Zhao could remember, his father had been away at war with Cao Cao. After Sima Zhao grew older, his father had been constantly engaged in state affairs at the Secretariat.
As the second son of the family, he had always been neglected by his father. Even though being allowed to enter the study was just a 'small thing', it still made Sima Zhao extremely excited.
After they all sat down, Sima Yi began with the question, "How is Chongwen Guan now?"
Sima Shu replied, "Father, Gaotang Long spends his days in the palace studying classical texts, while Wu Zhi is always attending banquets. Chongwen Guan is left with only Yuqi Wang, but he doesn't manage much."
Actually, before asking his father for advice, Sima Shu had already undergone a round of internal debate in his heart.
The focal point of the dilemma was, in fact, He Yan's "rule-breaking operation" of securing official certificates for four people - Bi Jin, Deng Yang, and so on.
In Sima Shu's mind, there were two considerations:
The first consideration was that if the father, who was in charge of the Secretariat, knew about this, there would be consequences for the 'illegitimate' official Yan Kan from the Department of Personnel, as well as Wei Zhen. It was uncertain whether their positions could be retained.
The second consideration was that if viewed from Sima Shu's perspective, it had just taken him some time to make a name for himself in the circle of scholars in Luo. If he 'tipped off' the authorities and dragged He Yan et al. into the mess, no one would likely want to befriend him anymore.
Sima Shu did not want to lie to his father, but he had merely omitted certain details rather than telling the whole truth.
Upon hearing that almost every day in Chongwen Guan only Pu Wei was present, Sima Yi could not help but ask, "If only Pu Qi Wang is on duty every day, how long will it take him to complete the task assigned by the king?"
Sima Shu replied, "Father, the son did not see Pu Qi Wang. I heard that Pu Qi Wang also ignores everyone and refuses to manage affairs in Chongwen Guan."
"I heard from He Yan and He Pingshu that it's more accurate to say they are translating scriptures than actually compiling them. Now, Pu Qi Wang is leading the translation of the 'Book of Songs,' and He Pingshu is leading the translation of the 'Book of Changes.' After the 'Book of Songs' and the 'Book of Changes' are completed, it will be time for the remaining three classics."
"According to the current progress, it may be difficult to finish translating the five classics by the end of the year. Moreover, there are annotations that need to be done later on."
Sima Yi sighed lightly: "It takes a whole year to translate the scriptures, and Cao Cao and He Yan are both useless."
Sima Zhao, who was standing by, listened in amazement. That was Pu Qi Wang. The father not only called him by his name but also said he was a waste.
Sima Zhao was surprised, but Sima Shu beside him didn't think so. The father could be polite to many people, but he couldn't have the slightest respect for Cao Cao.
In the past when there was a struggle for the throne, Sima Yi and Chen Qun were on one side, while Ding Yi and Yang Xiu and others were on the other, their conflict was as fierce as water against fire. It was a life-and-death struggle. If they had lost back then, it wouldn't have been Ding Yi who would have been executed, but Sima Yi himself.
Sima Yi asked, "Are you friends with Taichu and He Yan?"
Sima Shu nodded, "Indeed. Xiahou Xian calls He Yan 'Pingshu brother,' so I have followed suit as well."
Sima Yi disdained, "This imposter. Ziyuan, do you know that the late Emperor most detested this person, He Yan. Even though the former Emperor made him a fake son, He Yan often boasted of his surname 'He.' He even dressed and adorned himself as if he were the late Emperor when the former Emperor was still alive."
"But since he didn't change his surname, some confusion of the hierarchy is to be expected. The Emperor still calls Qin Lang 'A Su', isn't that so?"
Sima Shu, who had heard many stories of the past from his father and was well-versed in the tales of that time, asked directly, "Father, even if translating the classics takes most of a year, the time for annotating the Five Classics might take three or five years."
"Father, do you think Chongwen Guan is a good place to be?"
"Ziyuan, what are you trying to imply?" Sima Yi squinted and asked.
Sima Shu explained, "Father, I heard this too. He Yan himself gets to choose four people for Chongwen Guan, and once they're in, they're immediately made scholars with a rank of six hundred stones!"
"Six hundred stones?" Sima Yi asked, "Who did He Yan choose?"
"Bi Jin, Deng Yang, Li Sheng, and Ding Mi."
Sima Yi slightly shook his head: "I have been at the Secretariat for a long time, and I am too far from the circles of these young people in Luo. I am not familiar with them."
"However, Ziyuan, you must stay away from this Ding Mi as much as possible."
Sima Shu, puzzled, asked, "What's the matter with this person?"
Sima Yi looked at his eldest son: "What surname does he have?"
Of course, his surname is Ding.
Sima Shu was just about to remember the character, and immediately recalled a story: "Could it be that Ding Mi and the Ding family have some history?"
"Humph, it's not just that they have a past," Sima Yi said. "Ding Yi is actually the elder brother of Ding Mi! He was once the counselor of Pu Qi Wang, and later, he and all the male members of his family were beheaded by order of the late Emperor. How dare you get close to such a person?"
Sima Shu inhaled coldly, "I see the look in Ding Mi's eyes today. How could it be that he has a faint cold tone. It seems like this is the reason."
Sima Yi saw this and said, "Cao Cao and Ding Mi are both people who had enmities with your father in the past. If they see you from their perspective, you are also just the son of an enemy! In the future, stay away from Chongwen Guan!"
"Just now, you said that the scholars in Chongwen Guan are all ranked as six hundred stones, who granted that?"
Sima Shu hesitated for a moment before saying, "According to what He Yan said, it was likely the King who granted it."
Sima Yi nodded, and then spoke with deep concern, "Nowadays, the so-called scholars in Luo are almost all led by He Yan. This I understand."
"If you want to make a name for yourself, that is fine. You can be friends with Xiahou Xuan and rise bit by bit in terms of knowledge and position. The rewards will naturally come."
"The position of a scholar in Chongwen Guan may seem like an easy way to make a name for oneself, but once one enters it, they will likely be trapped there for about ten or twenty years unless there are unexpected circumstances."
"There's no shortcut in the world except for the throne of the Emperor!" Sima Yi looked at his eldest son: "Ziyuan, do you understand?"
"Father, the son knows," Sima Shu nodded, "There's also another matter. I've heard that after a year of studying at the Taixue (Great Academy), students can pass an examination to become Taixuelang (Scholar of the Great Academy)."
Sima Yi nodded, "I have heard about this thing before. So, Ziyuan, do you want to use the Taixuelang position to enter the government?"
Sima Shu smiled and said, "It's not that I want to. I just want to ask the father about the differences between Taixuelang and scholars in Chongwen Guan."
Sima Yi smiled as well, "You must understand, Ziyuan, the Emperor ascended the throne early. Apart from a few people from the former Eastern Palace like Wei Zhen, Gaotang Long, and Mianqi Jian, there are no more descendants of royal blood."
"Since the Emperor is looking for some descendants of the royal line, I estimate that he wouldn't want someone like you from a prominent family like ours."
Sima Shu nodded and said, "The son understands."
Sima Zhao, who had been listening for a while, couldn't contain his excitement any longer and asked, "Father, I heard from my elder brother that the Great Academy will still recruit this year. Can I also enter the Great Academy?"
Sima Yi looked at his second son, and asked seemingly carelessly, "Why do you want to enter the Great Academy, Ziling?"
Sima Zhao, looking confident, said, "Of course, I want to make friends like my elder brother and make a name for myself in Luo. I will wait for the opportunity to serve in the government!"
Sima Yi looked at his second son and then at his eldest son. Aspirations for fame and office without true talent and learning would only bring trouble upon themselves.
While feeling the gap between the two sons, Sima Yi directly said without any hesitation, "Ziling's words are not right!"
"The Great Academy is the Great Academy, it is definitely a place for learning and understanding of scriptures! Since Ziling's words are not right, then you are not allowed to go to the Great Academy this year."
Sima Zhao was utterly stunned. (The chapter ends.)
