In the Northern Song, Marrying Sheng Minglan from the Start

In the seventh year of the Yuanyou era, during the palace examination at Jiyang Hall, Xu Xing gazes at the indistinct figure behind the curtain and makes a bold decision. He submits "A Critique of the New Policies," openly stating that Emperor Shenzong's reforms were "well-intentioned at heart, aimed at enriching the state and strengthening the military," but their failings lay in "unworthy officials and imperfect laws." At a time when the Old Party dominates and the New Party lies low, he openly strikes a dissenting note. In the end, Empress Dowager Gao personally demotes him to the very bottom of the third rank. On the day the results are posted, he catches sight of the name Sheng Changbai from the Sheng household and realizes that he has stepped into a complex and tangled world.