Chapter 36: Xiao Mo? This Man is Quite Interesting.
After Xiao Mo entered the examination cell, he waited for the official start of the exam.
The provincial examination in Qi was divided into three sessions.
The first session tested classical exegesis.
The Four Books usually had three questions.
Candidates were required to select and elaborate on sentences from "Great Learning," "Doctrine of the Mean," "Analects," and "Mencius."
The Five Classics corresponded to "Book of Poetry," "Book of Documents," "Book of Rites," "Book of Changes," and "Spring and Autumn Annals," with one question from each book, and candidates could choose four out of five.
Yes.
The history of Qi was somewhat similar to that of Huaxia on Blue Sea Star, also having a Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, and also featuring Confucius and Laozi.
However, these ancient sages were rumored to be Cultivators who had achieved Ascension Realm, having ascended to Soul Transformation.
This possibility was not non-existent.
Because this world allowed for cultivation.
Ancestors who founded a Dao might truly have reached an unimaginable Realm.
After the preliminary examination, there were no strict restrictions on the format of the eight-legged essay.
Candidates could express themselves freely.
Xiao Mo had little confidence in the first session of the examination.
He did not consider himself a Genius.
Although his teacher had some reputation, it was limited to a few surrounding towns.
They were not truly renowned teachers.
However, many successful candidates had received one-on-one tutoring from famous teachers in their prefectures or commanderies.
Therefore, for the first session, Xiao Mo only hoped not to fall behind.
The second session tested the writing of practical documents such as treatises, judgments, imperial edicts, proclamations, and memorials.
Treatise: One question, usually requiring candidates to express their views and arguments on a historical event, figure, or political/ethical proposition.
Judgment: Five questions, providing five simulated litigation cases or official document examples, requiring candidates to draft judgments based on the "Great Qi Law" and relevant rites.
Imperial edict, proclamation, and memorial each had one question.
Xiao Mo was quite confident about the second day's examination.
Xiao Mo could use divergent thinking based on various cases he had seen on Blue Sea Star; his perspective was higher than that of the scholars of this world, and his angles were also more novel.
The third session was on policy essays.
Policy essays usually had five questions.
The topics covered a very wide range.
They involved commenting on historical events, the gains and losses of historical figures, and summarizing historical experiences and lessons.
They also required analysis and policy recommendations for current national issues such as politics, economy, taxation, grain transport, military border defense, military system, social education, disaster relief, and culture.
The last question of the policy essay tested views on the feudal princes of Qi.
"The feudal princes of Qi… "
Looking at the question, Xiao Mo frowned.
Xiao Mo was not oblivious to current affairs.
He knew that the current Your Majesty's desire to reduce the power of the feudal lords was not a recent development, and the court officials also strongly advocated for it.
However, he did not expect that the chief examiner of Jiangnan Prefecture would openly include "feudal lords" in the exam, which must have been tacitly approved by Your Majesty.
This was truly a blatant challenge to the feudal lords…
Xiao Mo certainly had to support the reduction of feudal power, as this was politically correct.
But how to reduce their power?
After much thought.
Xiao Mo wrote three words on the examination paper— "Tui En Order."
At Chen hour on the fourth day, the bell rang, candidates stopped writing, and the examination papers were collected one after another.
Scholars exited the examination hall in an orderly fashion.
Some felt certain they would pass this imperial examination.
Some felt they had failed this time.
Others asked surrounding scholars for their opinions and views on various questions.
Among the crowd, Xiao Mo immediately saw a woman wearing a veil.
Her embroidered shoes stepped on the stone as she looked around, searching for someone's figure.
The moment the woman saw Xiao Mo, her beautiful eyes sparkled with joy and radiance: "Xiao Mo, over here, over here!"
Bai Ruxue jumped off the stone and ran towards Xiao Mo.
"Finished the exam?" Bai Ruxue asked.
"Yes, finished," Xiao Mo nodded, lightly patting Ruxue's head. "Let's go, time to go home."
"Yay! Time to go home!"
In the examination hall's grading pavilion.
The grading period for the provincial examination was a total of five days.
Each examination paper needed to be graded three times by officials.
According to Qi's latest rules, if three officials deemed a paper qualified in the three grading sessions, it could be selected as a successful candidate, and the character "record" (record) would be written.
If two officials deemed the paper qualified, it would be submitted to the chief examiner, who would make the final decision on whether to admit the candidate.
If only one official deemed it qualified, the candidate would have to try again three years later.
On the third day of grading, an official named Yang Zifang came across an examination paper.
The handwriting on this paper was good, the answers were clear, and the thinking even showed some novelty and breadth.
When he had read halfway, Yang Zifang felt that this scholar could probably pass.
But when he saw the answer to the last question, he suddenly stood up.
"Old Fang, stop, look at this paper first!" Yang Zifang said to his colleague beside him.
"What's wrong with this paper?" Fang Yue took the paper and looked at it. "The handwriting is good. Although the Four Books and Five Classics are a bit weak, the rest is acceptable, and the policy essay is even better. It can be admitted. Hmm??? "
When he saw the last question.
Fang Yue stood up like Yang Zifang, his eyes wide, reading it over and over again.
"Why are you two acting so strange? Let me see this paper."
"I'll take a look too."
The other officials in the room stopped grading their papers and walked towards the two.
When they saw the last question on this examination paper, they were all stunned, looking at it repeatedly.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Yang Zifang held the examination paper and quickly walked into the chief examiner's room.
"Scholar Zhang, here is an examination paper that requires your review."
Yang Zifang bowed to Zhang Qianzhi.
Zhang Qianzhi was a Hanlin Academician, in charge of the Hanlin Academy.
Although the position of Hanlin Academician was largely ceremonial, this Scholar Zhang was extremely renowned and held a very high seniority, deeply trusted by Your Majesty.
The current Prime Minister was a Disciple of Scholar Zhang.
This time, Zhang Qianzhi came to Jiangnan Prefectureto serve as the chief examiner primarily because he had nothing to do in the capital and wanted to travel.
"Just leave it," Scholar Zhang said indifferently. "I'll finish this one first."
"Scholar Zhang," Yang Zifang organized his words, "This examination paper has been reviewed by all five colleagues in the room, and they all believe it can pass."
"Oh?" Zhang Qianzhi looked up.
Only three graders were needed for an examination paper, but six examiners had looked at this one.
Moreover, after three examiners approved it, the paper did not need to be sent up, yet he brought it over.
"What's the problem with this paper?" Zhang Qianzhiasked.
"There is no problem at all, it's just that the candidate's final discussion on 'reducing the power of the feudal lords,' my subordinates all believe, requires your review, Scholar Zhang," Yang Zifang said respectfully.
"Bring it up."
"Yes, Scholar."
Zhang Qianzhi took the examination paper and read it from beginning to end, not directly looking at the final discussion.
But when he saw the final discussion, Zhang Qianzhinarrowed his brows.
Zhang Qianzhi directly tore off the masked name on the side of the paper. Yang Zifang gasped, only Old Zhang would dare to do such a thing…
"Xiao Mo."
"This man is quite interesting."