My life is like walking on thin ice

Chapter 428: Only the talented can be promoted?

"One thousand three hundred and seventy-eight people..."

"Ah;"

"Ha ha……"

While muttering the number of people who passed the second round of the imperial examination, Liu Rong couldn't help but feel bitterness and self-mockery between his brows.

——When Liu Rong just made up his mind to hold the imperial examination to select talents for the country, he even had a headache about the thousands of grassroots official positions that might emerge after the imperial examination.

Because in Liu Rong's opinion at that time, the number of candidates for the Science and Technology Review was about 8,000, at least 7,000 passed the first round, and at least 5,000 passed the second round.

Even if most of these 5,000 people were eliminated in the third round, there would still be at least a thousand officials who could be used, and Liu Rong would need to find places for them in the existing bureaucratic system of the Han Dynasty.

It's all right now;

The second round has just ended, and there are only 1378 people left;

According to the most optimistic estimate, among these people, there are probably no more than one thousand people who are confident enough to take part in the three rounds of imperial examinations.

Taking into account the ratio of 'one-third at most passing in three rounds of imperial examinations' that Liu Rong had set long before the imperial examination began, after this examination, there will only be more than 300 but less than 400 people who can actually be appointed to the highest official position of 400 stones.

Among them, there would probably be hundreds of meritorious nobles, children of court officials, and orphans of heroes.

If we remove these people, there will be a dozen Mohists who must go to the Shaofu and hundreds of agricultural officials who can only go to the Xinda Nongshu Yamen.

Will there be only a hundred or so people left in the end?

It’s hard to say for Liu Rong.

It’s just that the placement of these hundred or so people, regardless of their quality, was so easy that Liu Rong felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

With more than a hundred people, they can all find a place to live in the northern part of Chang'an. They can just find a residential neighborhood and it may not even be full.

As for the positions - nowadays, any vacancy in the nine ministers' affiliated offices in the court can easily fill these people.

However, in this case, the influence of the imperial examination will be greatly damaged because of the number of people who ultimately pass the examination and the number of people who are ultimately appointed to official positions.

——The imperial examinations held all over the country, undoubtedly the 'national examination', only a hundred or so people were selected in the end?
What’s the point of taking exams in the future?

Rather than traveling all the way to Chang'an to take the exam, it would be easier to stay in your hometown and serve as a retainer for the powerful and wealthy...

"The admission ratio must be increased..."

With a long sigh of helplessness, Liu Rong's pen, which was suspended in the air, finally drew a big eight-cross on the white paper in front of him.

That was originally the last big question in the three rounds of imperial examinations that Liu Rong prepared for.

Title: Chickens and rabbits in the same cage, the score is as high as 20 points.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Rong started to scribble and revise again.

For questions that are not difficult, reduce the difficulty as much as possible. For questions that are too difficult, delete them directly and replace them with relatively simpler questions.

After revising for nearly half an hour, Liu Rong finally let out a long breath, picked up the piece of white paper in front of him that had been scribbled on, and blew on it gently.

After the ink was blown dry, Liu Rong handed the white paper to Kui Wu, who stood beside him like an iron tower.

"Take it and give it to the Prime Minister. After some proper polishing, it can be prepared for transcription."

Liu Rong gave an order and Kui Wu left.

A few days later, outside the Xuanshi Hall of Weiyang Palace, the originally empty large square was finally occupied by rows of neatly arranged desks and banquets in front of the desks...

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thump~
thump~
Boom~~~
From the bell room in the northeast corner of the Weiyang Palace, three palace bells rang.

Outside the North Palace, a military general stood on a tower, looking down at the candidates who were looking up outside the palace wall.

"In compliance with the order of His Majesty and the approval of the Empress Dowager, the three rounds of imperial examinations will be held this autumn!"

"At noon, candidates will enter the palace in an orderly manner from Sima Gate with their admission cards in hand!"

...

"There are 919 candidates taking the imperial examinations this time."

"All candidates who take the exam will have a 'seat number' on their admission card."

"After entering the palace, the palace servants and guards will lead you to your respective seats."

"——Seats may not be changed, candidates may not make noise, and may not argue!"

"Those who disobey orders will be beheaded!!!"

Ok.

The candidates have gotten used to it.

During each round of the imperial examination, the invigilators in each examination room would keep saying "military law will be enforced" and they would like to hang every candidate who looked around outside the examination hall to dry them in the sun.

The second round of imperial examinations was even worse - people were caned, whipped, and even imprisoned for speaking.

In the third round, the phrase "kill on the spot" didn't seem to be a big deal.

However, most people also know in their hearts that this is just using strict discipline to scare those troublemakers.

But in fact, this is obviously not necessary.

——The real troublemakers had long been screened out through a round of imperial examinations.

Even if there were some fish that slipped through the net, they would not be so unsure of the severity of the situation - daring to do such a thing under the feet of the emperor and in the imperial palace.

Those who could make it to these three rounds of imperial examinations, even if they were not talented in governing the country, were at least well-educated and serious scholars.

Although everyone doesn't know much about the rules in the palace and don't know the details, it won't cause any trouble.

Seeing that the candidates did not show any obvious reaction, the general could not help but nodded with satisfaction.

After explaining a few commonplace rules of the examination room - such as no cheating, no whispering, no looking around, etc., the general's figure disappeared on the tower.

As the figure on the tower disappeared, the examinees lowered their heads, looking towards the direction of Sima Gate intentionally or unintentionally, while taking deep breaths to calm themselves down as quickly as possible.

Enter the palace!

Putting aside some ambiguities of a mischievous nature - these two words are the lifelong pursuit of almost every literati of this era!

Just like in the new era of later generations, every young person has fantasized about becoming successful, getting promoted, and then having women around and living a luxurious life;
Every young intellectual of this era dreamed of being summoned by the emperor one day, entering the palace and having a conversation with him.

But dreams are just dreams after all;
Everyone knows in their hearts: If there is no great opportunity, or if you really have great talent, otherwise, this dream will ultimately just be a dream.

Today, everyone, without exception, is achieving, to some extent, dreams that were once out of reach.

——Although he was not summoned to the palace alone;
——Although he did not enter the palace to see the emperor;
But she finally entered the palace.

After all, I can catch a glimpse of the current emperor from afar.

Rounding off the equation, how is this not a dream come true?

Moreover, at this moment, the vast majority of candidates standing outside the Weiyang Palace were only in their early twenties and less than thirty years old;

At this age, one can achieve the achievement of 'the beggar version of entering the palace to meet the emperor'. In the future, it may not be impossible for him to truly 'enter the palace to meet the emperor', and discuss state affairs with the emperor and make decisions!

Even if today is truly the most glorious day in most people’s lives,
This entry into the palace is the only time in most people's lives that they enter the palace and see the emperor;
Even so, today's experience is still enough for everyone to cherish it.

Not everyone can enter the palace;

Not everyone can see the emperor.

Whether this is the beginning of a wonderful life or the final glory of a tragic life, this is a precious moment worth remembering forever...

thump~
thump~
Boom~~~
On the twenty-eighth day of the eighth month in the second year of the reign of the Emperor Rong Xin, the sun was blazing in the sky.

At noon - the three bells at noon finally announced the official start of this and also the last round of the first imperial examination in Chinese history: the palace examination.

The palace gate slowly opened, and immediately pairs of well-armored and imposing guards emerged. At noon, they trotted to the outside of the palace gate in neat steps, and formed an "eight" shape on the left and right.

Then, two burly men with silver seals on their waists, obviously military commanders of the 2,000-stone level, stood on either side of the doorway under Sima's gate, one on the left and one on the right.

The person on the left holds a file in one hand and a pen in the other, obviously taking notes.

The man on the right had his hand on the hilt of the sword, his eyes wide open with anger, undoubtedly trying to intimidate the villains.

It was in this solemn atmosphere that was incompatible with the imperial examination and the "literary test" that the candidates completed their registration at the palace gate one by one and entered the Weiyang Palace in an orderly manner.

Almost at the same time as the candidates stepped into the palace gate, a palace servant would come forward, silently take the admission bamboo card - that is, the admission ticket, take a look at it, and then lead the candidates to their seats according to the seat number.

Every seven or eight candidates, the guide will be replaced by armored guards.

Just like this, half an hour passed, and nearly a thousand candidates finally entered the Weiyang Palace. Led by palace servants and imperial guards, they came to the huge square outside the Xuanshi Hall and sat down in their respective seats.

Then, a group of officials in their forties or fifties, dressed in official robes - at least officials with a rank of 1,000 stones or above, came and checked the candidates' admission bamboo cards one by one.

After all the checks were completed, the examination room became inexplicably quiet for half an incense stick of time.

Just when the candidates thought they were waiting for the test questions to be released, figures kneeling down around the examination room focused everyone's attention on the lone figure standing in front of the Xuanshi Hall at the top of the 55-step long staircase on the east side of the examination room...

"Your Majesty, I welcome you!"

"I only wish that our emperor will live forever and enjoy eternal happiness~!"

The sonorous and powerful singing of "yes" made the candidates slightly stunned;
A moment later, the candidates also realized what was happening and fell to their knees.

"I, your humble student, would like to pay my respects to Your Majesty..."

"May our emperor live forever..."

At this moment, the word "fear" was written on the face of almost every candidate.

——It’s not that Liu Rong is so scary.

In fact, with dozens of long steps between them, the candidates could not see Liu Rong’s face clearly when they looked up at the blurry figure.

The reason why they didn't kneel down to greet him immediately was because they couldn't see clearly and were not sure who that figure was.

It was not until the invigilator, the imperial guards, and the palace servants knelt on the ground that everyone realized belatedly: On this occasion today, apart from the current Liu Rong, who else would dare to be so arrogant and stand outside the Xuanshi Hall, looking down from the long steps and overlooking the palace examination hall?

The reason why everyone was so frightened was, firstly, that they did not expect Liu Rong to actually appear - and to appear so directly.

Secondly, it is an instinctive fear of power, the surprise of those who are superior to oneself, those whose status is far higher than oneself, so that one cannot believe that "I actually saw a living so-and-so!"

And after a brief moment of shock and fear, there was naturally a burst of ecstasy.

——I saw it!

——Meet the current emperor!

——Although I didn’t see it clearly, at least I saw it!

The most important thing is: Liu Rong's appearance here is enough to add a layer of influential sacred halo to the imperial examination, which is ridiculed by the public as "not having much gold content".

Isn't it said that it has no gold content?

Isn't it said that 'with a mere 400 shi, even dogs are not even going to take the imperial examination'?

The current emperor will personally supervise the exam!
How to say!!

Blackie speaks!!!

Call again? ! !

Liu Rong had a rough idea of ​​the emotional changes of the candidates below.

However, he did not make any further movements. Instead, he gently raised his left hand as instructed before;

A moment later, the "oral order" that Liu Rong had given earlier was passed on by word of mouth by the guards on both sides of the imperial steps and reached the palace examination room below the imperial steps.

"Your Majesty greeted the examinees and said: I am well~"

...

"Your Majesty encouraged the candidates, saying: Every man has a share of responsibility for the success or failure of a country~"

...

"Your Majesty will reward all examinees with one pound of gold, one piece of cloth, one pen, one piece of ink, one inkstone, and one bundle of paper~"

...

……

After several consecutive shouts of "yes", the candidates knelt down and bowed again and again, repeatedly thanking the emperor for his great grace.

After all the candidates stood up, a figure holding a wooden box walked down the imperial steps. He stopped at the bottom of the steps, took out a beige silk cloth from the wooden box, spread out his hands, and read aloud.

"The edict said: In a town of ten households there must be a faithful person, and in a village of ten miles there must be a good person."

"There is also a folk proverb that says: He who conquers the world on horseback rules it from a distance, and he who conquers the world with swords secures it with letters."

"It has been more than fifty years since Emperor Taizu Gaozu founded the Han Dynasty with great difficulty;"

"The people are martial and vigorous, and all the people in the world use force to achieve everything."

"However, the number of scholars who study the classics is decreasing, and the number of capable officials is decreasing. Whenever I think of this, I feel sad and distressed..."

...

"Now, there are loyal and virtuous people like you who are willing to use their literary talents to serve our country, which makes me very happy."

"I hereby declare to the world: from this year onwards, the Han dynasty will hold an imperial examination every three years to recruit talented people for the service of the country."

"——Any household that is not a slave and has not committed theft, robbery, or murder can be issued a seal and summoned by the local county to enter Chang'an to take the exam."

"Anyone who passes the first round but misses the second round without a reason, or who passes the second round but misses the third round without a reason, will never be allowed to serve as an official!"

"Those who fail the second round of the imperial examination will be given 10,000 coins to cover their round-trip travel expenses."

"Those who fail the three rounds of imperial examinations can become clerks, with a rank of 100 stones, and serve as junior officials."

"Those who pass the three rounds but do not wish to serve as officials or clerks, and those who resign after serving as officials or clerks for less than three years, will never serve as officials again in their lifetime!"

"I want to tell the people of the world: the military is a battle between warriors, and the imperial examination is a contest between scholars. None of this is a joke..."

……

After the imperial edict was read, the entire examination room fell into complete silence.

The candidates were shocked, but at the same time they were glad that they had come to take the exam honestly. At the same time, they also observed a three-second silence for those idiots who dropped out of the second and third rounds of exams.

——The emperor of the Liu family has never been one with a broad mind.

This time, Liu Rong's little notebook had a big opening.

As for everyone present, it is not absolutely "safe" yet.

If you don't want to end up being a 'lifelong official', you have to take the exam honestly and then serve as an official after passing the exam...

(End of this chapter)