Call of the Heroes of Chaos in Another World

Chapter 2158 The Imperial Examination has arrived; the pre-war civil service examinations are producing a wealth of talented individuals.
February of the fourth year of the Yuanshi era.

At this point in time, the atmosphere within the cabinet was growing increasingly tense, as if a major battle was imminent and a storm was brewing.

Loads of grain have begun to be transported in batches via troop transport vehicles for preliminary deployment.

Within Tianjing, apart from a few cabinet members who knew the inside story, the rest of the public felt no sense of urgency before the great battle. On the contrary, the atmosphere was quite lively because the imperial examinations were approaching.

While the upcoming great battle is of utmost importance, the principles of governing the country and ensuring its stability must not be neglected, whether in terms of civil or military affairs!

The imperial examination system was designed to cultivate talent for the post-war period and preserve the cultural heritage of the Han Dynasty. Abolishing the imperial examination system because of a major war would be tantamount to cutting off one's own arm!
It was precisely because of this that, even though the planned great war was about to begin, the second imperial examination of the Han Dynasty was not delayed and was held as scheduled.

The major exams are expected to begin in April or May, with the exams starting in February and the results being released in March. There is plenty of time.

At the same time, the decision to launch a military campaign immediately after the imperial examinations was also intended to demonstrate to the world that despite the danger of war, the national talent selection ceremony would not be halted!
To unite the hearts and minds of the people and demonstrate the resolve of the imperial court!

Every February, the air is still chilly, but that cannot stop the surging heat in Tianjing City.

More than 20,000 scholars from all over the country, wrapped in cotton robes of varying thicknesses and carrying heavy book boxes, gathered in front of the majestic Gongyuan gate.

At the entrance of the examination hall, Minister of Rites Kuai Liang was the chief examiner, flanked by Liu Zhenhuan and Yang Biao on either side. The two examiners, one chief and one assistant, all looked down at the densely packed candidates below.

The imperial examinations were originally administered by the Ministry of Rites, but this particular examination was quite special. Therefore, Kuai Liang, the Minister of Rites, personally served as the chief examiner.

As for the remaining two examiners, Liu Zhenhuan and Yang Biao, one came from the Liu family, one of the six great families, and the other from the Yang family, one of the six great families. Both were renowned Confucian scholars and were now serving as officials in the Han Dynasty.

Wang Yu appointed Zhao Anling as the leader and, starting from the end of last year, began to popularize education in the local area, even implementing a three-year compulsory education system. This was in order to suppress the power of the aristocratic families.

However, the three examiners for this imperial examination all came from prominent families, two of which were top-tier families, which was another form of support from Wang Yu for these families.

There is no conflict between the two.

Previously, due to the cost of education and living, ordinary people found it difficult to compete in the imperial examinations against the children of aristocratic families who had been well-fed and clothed since childhood and could receive elite education.

While the three-year compulsory education system, as a basic form of education, is still insufficient to provide elite education for aristocratic families, it has significantly increased the number of ordinary people who can attend school. Moreover, if this policy continues, this number will reach unimaginable heights after several generations.

Once the base number increases, the probability of geniuses emerging will naturally increase as well.

Thus, in future imperial examinations, aristocratic families would no longer hold a monopoly.

Therefore, this is a suppression of the power of aristocratic families.

However, if aristocratic families decline excessively and lose their voice in the court, then the scholar-official class should rise completely.

Both aristocratic families and scholar-officials have their strengths and weaknesses. It is not a good thing for the imperial court if any one class becomes too powerful.

If anything is done in excess, even if it's meant to be a good thing, it may not end up being good in the end.

Undoubtedly, the candidates in this year's imperial examinations were extremely fortunate.

In the past, even if the number of candidates was high, the imperial examinations would only recruit a little over a hundred people each year. In some cases, it might only recruit a few dozen.

Those who passed the imperial examination were not just one in a hundred, but one in two or three hundred. In the most extreme cases, on average, only one in five hundred candidates would be admitted.

Moreover, this is only based on the number of people who participated in the metropolitan examination. It should be noted that those who were qualified to participate in the metropolitan examination had passed the preliminary examination and the provincial examination, one level at a time.

If we include the previous two levels, to put it bluntly, every one of them who could become a Jinshi was a rare talent, one in ten thousand.

But this time, for the sake of the upcoming major battle, if we win, we will take over a large amount of territory, which will require local officials to govern.

Therefore, this imperial examination is planned to recruit three to four hundred people.

Of course, the actual number of participants will depend on the quality of this imperial examination.

After all, if the quality of the students participating in the imperial examinations is good, it doesn't matter if more are admitted. But if the quality is poor, then it's impossible to force so many to be admitted.

In fact, the imperial examinations were held every three years, and each session recruited a few dozen people, at most a little over a hundred. Under normal circumstances, this was enough to meet the court's personnel needs.

After all, whether in ancient China on Earth or in this apocalyptic world, the imperial examination was not only the only way to select officials, but also one of the ways the imperial court recruited officials.

In addition to the imperial examination, there were various other ways to become an official, such as hereditary appointment, entry into the official system from outside the system, appointment based on military merit, recommendation, and appointment through recruitment.

The imperial examination was just the most mainstream method, but of course, being the most mainstream did not mean it produced the most officials.

The primary source of officials for the imperial court each year was not the imperial examination, but rather the hereditary appointments granted through imperial favor.

This refers to the path to officialdom through the official rank or achievements of one's father or grandfather. The descendants of high-ranking officials can directly enter officialdom and assume certain positions based on the official rank or achievements of their father or grandfather.

It is precisely because the system of selecting officials through hereditary privilege has existed since ancient times, as a complement to other systems of selecting officials, that people from all walks of life, from the highest-ranking officials to the common people, have been scrambling to get promoted and gain higher ranks.

Having a title and becoming a noble family truly guarantees wealth and status for one's descendants.

Becoming a noble family at least guarantees wealth and status for several generations. But merely holding an official position doesn't guarantee that the next generation will be qualified to continue in that role.

"Entering the ranks from outside the ranks" refers to the promotion of officials outside the ranks to official positions within the ranks after passing an examination.

However, this way of becoming an official is not easy. It may take decades to get such an opportunity while working as a low-level clerk.

Military merit was the key to being awarded an official position, and it was the best opportunity for a warrior to change his social class in a chaotic world.

As for recommendations, high-ranking officials or renowned scholars could also recommend talented individuals to the imperial court. Those recommended and passing the examinations could then obtain official positions.

The final step of receiving an official appointment through a merit-based system is quite expensive.

To put it simply, whenever there was a need for national infrastructure projects such as disaster relief, river repair, or city construction, the imperial court would proactively call on wealthy families to donate money and grain. In return, the court would provide a token compensation, which was essentially a minor official position.

The Imperial Examination Hall was heavily guarded, with soldiers in full armor and sharp weapons, their eyes scanning every scholar who entered the gate.

The guards conducted extremely strict searches to prevent smuggling. The scholars lined up in long queues and passed through one by one.

Some were found with cheat sheets hidden in their hair buns and were dragged away, their faces ashen. Others took a deep breath, carrying their writing implements and their hearts filled with anxiety, and stepped into the cell where their fate would be decided.

The cells were cramped, barely big enough for a table and a stool. The cold, blue brick walls were permeated with the smell of old ink and dust.

When the heavy wooden door of the examination cell was bolted shut from the outside with a "click," it seemed to shut out the entire world. All that remained was the blank examination paper in front of me, and the occasional fleeting figure of the proctor outside the window.

When the exam questions were distributed, the policy essay questions closely followed current affairs, asking about ways to govern the country and save the people, and also subtly touching on the upcoming war and post-war reconstruction. They even went into detail about how to govern a county or even a small town or township.

Scholars, some deep in thought, others writing furiously, poured out their life's learning in this small space, writing down their aspirations and answers.

The imperial examinations, however, required decades of hard work and study, and could not be completed in a single day; they required several days of continuous study.

When the last exam was over and the scholars filed out, they all looked haggard and their steps were unsteady, as if they had just recovered from a serious illness.

At this point, the candidates were relieved. Before the results were released, some wealthy businessmen or famous scholars would invite them to participate in private activities, especially those with a good reputation.

If any of these people pass the imperial examination, it's possible to cultivate relationships with them in advance.

In addition to private events, sometimes the government also organizes large-scale events for these candidates.

However, in contrast, the officials in charge of the imperial examinations had a real headache at this time. They had to make the examinations as fair and just as possible, and implement the systems of "anonymous grading" and "reputation verification".

Each imperial examination typically had tens of thousands of candidates, sometimes even hundreds of thousands. Given the usual practice of copying so many candidates' answer sheets, one can imagine the frustration they experienced during that period.

Time passed slowly, amidst this interplay of tension and relaxation.

Before we knew it, it was already mid-March.

"Have all the exam papers been reviewed?"

Inside the brightly lit imperial study, Wang Yu looked at the three officials in charge of the imperial examinations—Kuai Liang, Liu Huanzhen, and Yang Biao—standing to the side.

Wang Yu's voice carried a hint of weariness, as his desk was piled high with documents concerning the allocation of grain and fodder from various regions.

Minister of Rites Kuai Liang immediately bowed and presented a thick register with both hands, handing it to Zhao Gao, who was serving as the Grand Eunuch.

"Your Majesty, the final rankings of the three examination papers, after initial recommendations from the examiners and review by the chief examiner, have been jointly determined by Cai Bojie, the head of the Hanlin Academy, and your ministers. They are transcribed here for Your Majesty's perusal and final approval!"

After Zhao Gao bowed and took it, he placed it on Wang Yu's table, but Wang Yu did not open it immediately.

His fingertips tapped lightly on the smooth rosewood table, producing a soft, clear sound that was particularly distinct in the quiet study.

"Tell me."

Wang Yu raised his eyes, his gaze softening slightly, and said, "How did the scholars from various regions perform this time? In particular, how many scholars from the newly attached Henan, Qingbei, and Guangyin regions passed the imperial examinations?"

The one who answered was Liu Huanzhen, who was twice as senior as Wang Yu, belonging to the same generation as Xu Youruo, Bai Ruolan's mother. In a way, he was also related to Wang Yu by blood.

He was not only a famous Confucian scholar, but also a master of extraordinary skill.

Liu Huanzhen stepped forward, his voice steady: "Your Majesty is wise. In this imperial examination, due to Your Majesty's decree 'the whole country is one, and only the talented are selected,' scholars from all over the country have participated enthusiastically. The examination papers have been sealed and copied, and there is absolutely no bias. In terms of literature and classics, the talents from the heartland of the Four Rivers and Qinghai still have a solid foundation, and their answers are mostly solid and profound."

He then changed the subject, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of approval: "However, to our surprise, the scholars of Yan, though situated on the frontier and having endured much war, have written extensively on policies concerning border affairs, land reclamation, and the well-being of the people. These policies are incisive, insightful, and demonstrate considerable wisdom!"

"The scholars from Jianlan, Xiping and other places, though their writing style is somewhat simple, have unique and practical insights when discussing commerce, rice cultivation and foreign customs. In particular, their discussions on how to adapt to local conditions and consolidate new lands are refreshing!"

Minister of Rites Kuai Liang added: "Your Majesty, although the top rankings in this imperial examination are still mostly occupied by talents from the Four Rivers and Qing regions, more than fifty of the four hundred and eighteen successful candidates come from the northern border counties and lands outside Xiping, Jianlan, and Gucang! This shows that Your Majesty's policy of 'unifying the world' is beginning to show results!"

"Fifty!" Wang Yu repeated in a low voice, his fingers stopping tapping. This number was better than he had expected.

Although this number, on average, is far lower than the number of people in the ancient Cang Dao.

However, these two paths are fundamentally different from those in Gucang. With more than 50 people admitted, we can roughly guess the number of people from these two paths participating in this imperial examination.

Since so many people are willing to participate in the imperial examinations of their Great Han, it indirectly reflects the recognition that these two Daoist sects have of their Great Han.

Wang Yu then reached out and opened the heavy roster on the table.

"Zhang Shuo, Cai Ze, Wei Ran, Bai Juyi, Yang Xiu, Yang Wanli, Yang Shen, Liu Rushi, Fu Shanxiang..."

A quick glance reveals quite a few familiar names.

In particular, it was quite remarkable that a woman like Liu Rushi also passed the imperial examination, although she was only ranked last among the top three.

Then there's Fu Shanxiang, also a woman, but her ranking is much higher, placing her in the second tier.

However, the rankings on this list are not the final rankings.

After the results are announced, there is another imperial examination, in which the emperor will rank them again.

Generally speaking, the palace examination is just a ranking process, especially for the top few, who are not eliminated. Of course, if someone is found to be extremely unqualified during the palace examination, they will still be eliminated!
In addition, there are some who are not system characters but are quite famous in the local area, such as Liu Xiankai, Liu Chongjing, and Zhang Yang, as well as Zhuge Qian and Zhuge Qiu of the Five Heroes of Zhuge.

"Minister Liu, Minister Yang, the Liu and Yang families truly live up to their reputation as renowned families for generations, indeed producing many talented individuals!"

A quick glance revealed that Wang Yu had over twenty people with the surnames Liu and Yang. Moreover, most of them were ranked quite high.

Besides, although they are not from the same family as the two families, they are disciples of these two families, and the number of them is definitely more than that.

Liu Huanzhen and Yang Biao remained noncommittal about this. Their families had talented members, and they couldn't very well remove their names from the imperial examination list!

After all, all the people on the list from their two families—Yang Xiu, Yang Wanli, Liu Xiankai, Liu Chongjing, and even Liu Rushi, a woman—were truly talented.
"The results will be released tomorrow." Wang Yu closed the list, his voice returning to its usual calm.

"Tell these newly appointed scholars, according to the rankings you have proposed, that I have read their essays. Those well-written, I have noted. Those not well-written..."

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes, "Once you're appointed to an official post, go to the provinces and write even better 'articles' for me! Write them with concrete achievements!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" Minister of Rites Kuai Liang and two others replied in unison.

Wang Yu waved his hand, and the two men respectfully withdrew.

The imperial study fell silent once more, with only the flickering candlelight remaining.

Wang Yu's gaze returned to the military reports from various places, but the weight of that roster seemed to still linger in his palm.