Zhang Zhixu was intercepted by Zhang Yuanchu on his way out of court.

“What did you mean by those words just now?” Zhang Yuanchu’s expression was not pleasant. “What is this about ‘the old system is riddled with ailments, and only new people can bring new vitality’? The imperial examinations are of the utmost importance — for years they have been presided over by those senior officials of the Chancellery, and there has never been a single problem. You have been in imperial favor for how many days, and you dare to speak such arrogant nonsense?”

Zhang Zhixu continued walking toward the palace gates without pausing. “His Majesty has already given his approval. What more is there to discuss, Father?”

“You are taking advantage of His Majesty’s trust to act with complete disregard!” he scolded in a low, furious voice. “The elders of this family have spent years building up everything we have, and with one sentence you would see it all destroyed. Behaving so thoughtlessly — who would dare entrust the weight of the family to you?”

In the past, when Zhang Zhixu was merely the chief official of the Office of Civil Works, the Zhang family elders had been perfectly comfortable letting him manage the family’s income and maintain contact between the various branches.

But now that he had been appointed to the Three Departments and stood high in imperial favor, they had developed many more doubts and reservations. They had transferred management of a great many of the shops to the sons and grandsons of the fourth branch, and at every festival and ancestral rite, they kept moving his seat further and further back.

Zhang Zhixu understood clearly that his current conduct no longer met their expectations of an heir, and of course that would draw some reprimand.

But he felt it was of no great consequence. As long as they did not go and cause trouble for Chen Baoxiang, all the rest could go as they wished.

So he let Zhang Yuanchu nag him all the way without a word.

At last, Zhang Yuanchu yielded, coming out with: “If young people must be used, then let the young people of the Gu, Wang, Xie, and Zhang families all have a turn.”

The four great clans — Wang, Xie, Gu, and Zhang — kept a close watch on the examination proceedings every year, bickering themselves nearly senseless over trivial matters like which family’s candidates placed one spot higher or lower than another’s.

Zhang Zhixu replied calmly, “Father, I only proposed the idea of replacing officials. I have no authority to decide who replaces them.”

“In today’s court, only you and Chen Baoxiang can speak directly before the Son of Heaven.” He was displeased. “If even you have no authority, then who does?”

Zhang Zhixu’s brow furrowed slightly.

Neither he nor Chen Baoxiang had any intention of seizing power or jockeying for influence, and yet the situation followed people like a shadow — now even in his own father’s eyes, they apparently held the power to single-handedly overshadow everything?

If people had come to speak to him, they would naturally also go to speak to Chen Baoxiang.

Two days before the Spring Examinations were to begin, more than twenty students under Chen Baoxiang’s patronage were suddenly turned away from an orientation visit to the examination venue on the grounds of “improper attire.”

She went, black-faced, to demand an explanation, and was laughingly escorted by several officials to a table for tea.

“Of course candidates should be allowed to familiarize themselves with the examination venue beforehand, but Official Chen — there are simply far too many candidates. If every last one is allowed inside and something goes wrong at the venue, none of us would be able to take responsibility.” Wang Qingfan, the Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel’s Merit Assessment Bureau, cupped his hands toward her with a smile. “That said, out of respect for you, we naturally want to accommodate you. Why not provide a name list of your candidates, and I will have my subordinates let them through one by one.”

Chen Baoxiang raised an eyebrow slightly. “What the official means is that, whereas before every candidate could visit the venue in advance, now people are only being admitted according to a name list?”

Wang Qingfan smiled. “What can you do — it was Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Justice who wanted to reform the system and bring in new people. Now there aren’t enough hands, and what’s at the front gets neglected at the back. This is the only way.”

Chen Baoxiang pressed her teacup in annoyance.

This could even be blamed on Zhang Zhixu? Every year those people sat at the top feeding at the trough, taking bribes, and eliminating anyone who opposed them. Leaving them in place this year would just be like scattering lice inside the sovereign’s bedding, wouldn’t it?

Zhang Zhixu had done nothing wrong. The lice themselves were what was wrong.

“Since others cannot go to the venue, then there is no need for my candidates to go either.”

“Now, now, Official Chen, that’s not quite right.” Wang Qingfan said meaningfully. “Others cannot go, but you can — that is precisely what would give you an edge over the rest.”

Just paying an advance visit to the examination venue — and that could give an edge?

Chen Baoxiang’s mind stirred. She let a similarly meaningful expression drift across her own face. “What exactly does the official mean?”

Wang Qingfan gestured for her to follow with a cupped-hands bow.

The two of them crossed into the examination venue, which was being arranged and swept clean. Wang Qingfan said nothing but simply pointed around at the surroundings.

Neat examination cells — a wooden plank table, a brick seat — clean and tidy at a glance.

But Chen Baoxiang had sharp eyes. She caught sight of the cracks between the bricks on the examination cell walls, and also the splits in the plank tables from years of use.

There was a saying among common people about such things — something along the lines of “heaven turns a blind eye” — meaning that if one could tuck cheat sheets into those gaps before the exam began, one’s chances of passing would naturally run ahead of everyone else’s.

Chen Baoxiang was curious. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll go report this to His Majesty?”

Wang Qingfan smiled faintly. “What would Official Chen have to report? Everything here is clean and proper — there is nothing to see.”

Of course examination cells would develop cracks from years of use. Of course the tables had not been replaced — the national treasury was under strain and no funds had been allocated. If the higher-ups truly wished to investigate, it would lead only to that.

Chen Baoxiang understood.

She smiled and asked, “If my candidates are permitted inside, what would the official require in return?”

“There’s no talk of requiring anything in return. I, Wang, simply wish to make your acquaintance — this is no one-off transaction to me.” Wang Qingfan suddenly heaved a long sigh, a trace of bitterness rising to his eyes. “To tell the truth, if I were not left with no choice, I would not want to meet you in this manner.”

Chen Baoxiang’s brow arched high.

The Wang clan had an even older presence in the capital than the Zhang family. Their ancestors had produced imperial consorts and imperial tutors too numerous to count. When Shangjing fell into chaos, the Zhang clan elders had led their people to flee the disaster; the Wang clan had flung its gates wide open and waited, with full confidence, for the new emperor to come and seek them out.

With that kind of heritage, and Wang Qingfan being the eldest son of the main branch on top of that — what could possibly have left him with no choice?

As though he had read her puzzlement, Wang Qingfan said, “My household recently received some fine tea transported from the Kingdom of Xixue. Would you do me the honor of sampling a cup?”

The Kingdom of Xixue — several tens of thousands of li from Shangjing. Anything transported from there was staggeringly expensive.

“Gladly.” She lowered her gaze and accepted.

Though she had already seen a great deal of the world, when she stepped through the gates of the Wang family’s great compound with Wang Qingfan, Chen Baoxiang was still momentarily struck with awe.

The layout was similar to the Zhang family’s — courtyards leading into one another — but the Wang family’s grounds were twice the size, built to a grander scale, and every furnishing and object throughout carried an ineffable air of aristocratic refinement, the evident accumulation of a dozen generations.

Wang Qingfan led her specifically to a guest reception tower.

The moment she stepped inside, Chen Baoxiang felt a jolt.

The furnishings within this room were completely at odds with the restrained and composed style of everything she had seen before.

The lanterns of Xiangzha Pavilion. The chairs of Xiangzha Pavilion. The decorative pieces of Xiangzha Pavilion. And tucked into an unassuming corner at the back stood the large jade carving known as “Immortal from Beyond the Heavens” — the very piece said to be Xiangzha Pavilion’s most prized treasure.

When Lin Manyue had finished carving it, she had asked how much it should sell for.

Chen Baoxiang had answered without even lifting her head: “Thirty thousand taels.”

The hammer in Xue Yuheng’s hand had clattered to the floor in fright at that.

“Thirty… how much?”

“You heard right — thirty thousand taels.” She had said with an air of amusement. “That price is high enough that no one will buy it, which is exactly what makes it worthy of being Xiangzha Pavilion’s most prized treasure.”

…

And now that most prized treasure stood quietly before her.