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Chapter 94 - 94: Entering the Secluded Bamboo Forest, The Young Man’s Flying Sword Is the First to Move (1)
Chapter 94 - 94: Entering the Secluded Bamboo Forest, The Young Man’s Flying Sword Is the First to Move (1)
Chapter 94: Entering the Secluded Bamboo Forest, The Young Man’s Flying Sword Is the First to Move (1)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The night sky gradually rose. The stars filled the sky, and the moonlight was like frost.
Lin’an Prefecture, Ministry of Rites Prefecture Office.
As the first round of the Spring Quarter Examination ended, the Ministry of Rites began to review the papers densely. The examination papers of the candidates in the Literary Department’s examination hall were transported to the Ministry of Rites.
After a few strict procedures, the papers were pasted and distributed to many examiners.
Cross-reviews were conducted. If there were objections, multiple examiners would evaluate to ensure that there were no misjudgments.
There were more than 3,000 papers, and every paper was filled with answers. Even if it was just marking, it would take a lot of time and effort.
Every examiner had been eating and living in the Ministry of Rites’ Prefecture Office these days.
The cold lamp shone brightly.
The officials began to read carefully because they were referring to the Provincial Scholars from all over the world. They were people who had gone through layers of screening before arriving in Lin’an, so their ability to write essays was naturally not questioned.
The Spring Quarter Examination was to select higher and outstanding talents from a group of tall people.
The rustling sound of pages flipping was like the sound of waves caused by the rubbing of bamboo leaves in the middle of the night.
The tables were arranged one by one. The examiners sat upright behind them, holding cinnabar and red ink in their hands to comment and score. They evaluated according to the candidates’ entry points for each question and how close they were to the answers.
The atmosphere was tense, but there was also a hint of harmony.
However, the only thing that made the examiners a little dissatisfied was the big question for this Spring Quarter Examination, which was related to the North Expedition.
It was too similar. Dozens of examinees made essays that were against the North Expedition. Their words vaguely revealed that they wanted to curry favor with Prime Minister Qin. Their attitude was too obvious and boring.
Of course, not all the candidates were against the North Expedition. There were also a few candidates who chose to support the North Expedition. However, the essay did not have any substantive arguments. Just based on their hot-bloodedness, they wanted to launch the North Expedition unreasonably. Therefore, the examiner only took a glance and did not give them any points.
There was no need for any suspense or refutation.
After reviewing for a long time, many examiners stretched and stood up to move. They emptied their minds and mental power that were filled with the candidates’ knowledge.
Suddenly, a few people saw an examiner sitting upright behind the table. His back was straight, his eyes were wide, and his gray beard seemed to be trembling slightly. He was completely immersed in the essay and could not extricate himself.
The examiner’s face was red, and his skin was turning red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
After a long time, he let out a loud and excited cheer, accompanied by a violent slap on the table.
For a moment, many examiners who had relaxed their mental power looked over in surprise, confusion, and speechlessness.
Wasn’t it just an examination candidate’s answer? Was there a need to be so excited?
“Good, well written. As officials of Great Zhao, how can we sit back and watch the Central Plains suffer the humiliation of the barbarians? We are the orthodox lineage of that Central Plains!”
Perhaps this invigilator also had an indignant young man’s emotions hidden in his body. At this moment, it exploded.
Praise and comments kept coming out of his mouth. His red face was almost filled with tears.
However, this article was really written to his liking, igniting the anger in his heart.
“Cross the river! Cross the river!”
The invigilator slapped the table and roared.
Many invigilators’ expressions changed. This was crazy!
The person in charge of everything this time was Prime Minister Qin. He was famous for opposing the North Expedition faction. This examiner actually dared to shout so loudly. Wasn’t he going against Prime Minister Qin?
However, a few examiners were also curious. They went over one after another and read this essay that made this colleague lose his composure and shout “Cross the river”.
The starlight was like an hourglass, and the moonlight was cold.
A moment later, the examiners put down their essays. All of them were agitated, and an indescribable feeling surged in their chests.
If they had not controlled their emotions, they would have slapped the table and shouted “Cross the river” like the first invigilator with a temperament!
The words “cross the river” were the last words of the resentful general at the frontier fortress.
It was just three words, but it was intense.
Now, they finally felt a little emotional when they read the word essay.
“How is it?”
“According to the answer, you can’t give him marks because it doesn’t mean anything. To me, I’m willing to give him full marks because this article has the momentum of a denunciation, and it has provoked the flames of ambition in my heart.”
The examiners discussed among themselves.
“Present it to Prime Minister Qin and let him comment.”
In the end, the examiners unanimously gave their decision.
In the hall of the Ministry of Rites’ Prefecture Office, there was a green lamp. The firelight was faint, illuminating the room as bright as day.
The night was thin and cold, accompanied by the moonlight and lights.
Prime Minister Qin Lishi sat upright on the main table and looked at the examinees’ paper questions presented by many examiners in front of him. He frowned slightly and observed.
His expression was normal, but there was a hint of sharpness in the depths of his eyes.
“You make it sound easy and simple, but it’s not that easy. Emperor Yuan Meng’s aura devours thousands of miles and he has been the number one in the world for 500 years. No one can shake his status. In the vast Great Zhao, no one can defeat him. If the North Expedition begins, who will be able to restrain Emperor Yuan Meng?”
“Although his speech is impassioned and majestic, it’s only on paper after all.”
Qin Lishi actually quite admired this essay, but admiring it was one thing. No matter how well the essay was written, it would not shake his thoughts of opposing the North Expedition. The current situation was so good that even the capital of the Yuan Meng Empire could not compare to the prosperity of Lin’an..