Before him, the scholars had to refer to themselves as his "students."
Given the authority of the imperial examination system, this bond between teacher and student was incredibly strong. When carried into the political arena, it formed a web of connections between patrons and protégés, influencing their careers and determining their political allegiances.
Had Gong Yuanxiu remained the presiding examiner for those present, some of the new scholars would inevitably have been drawn into the Empress Dowager's faction. But with his reputation now in ruins, all it would take was a little guidance from Xu Yanlin to turn these scholars into a reserve of talent for the Royalist Party.
That was right. The Xu family were loyal members of the Royalist Party.
The patriarch of the Xu family, Mr. Xu, was the current Vice Minister of the Cabinet. In the eyes of the Empress Dowager's faction, he was their most formidable obstacle.
