Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 912 Go ahead and play, who can outplay you?

Several large boxes of freshly written answer sheets were neatly stacked in the center of the hall, like silent mountains, making it hard to breathe. Li Zhi rubbed his throbbing temples, looked at the mountain of scrolls in front of him, and gave a wry smile: "Father's move has really found us a good job."

Xiao Wu quietly sorted through the preliminary categorized test papers. Upon hearing this, he said softly, "Master's intentions are profound. The open-book test examines the breadth of their knowledge, while the closed-book test examines their quick wit and accumulated knowledge. By comparing the two, the difference in ability is immediately apparent, and one can also glimpse into people's hearts."

Zhang Jianzhi picked up a document on people's livelihood, quickly glanced at it, and then frowned: "Your Highness, please take a look at this one. When this person opened the document, he was able to propose a policy of 'each household contributing funds and the poor contributing labor' when he was coordinating a matter. Although it was a bit naive, it was still quite practical. But when this person closed the document and faced the issue of canal workers' armed conflict, he only wrote 'Please ask the superiors to make a decision and send troops to suppress it.' It was empty and powerless, like two completely different people."

Li Zhi took the paper, glanced at the signature, and saw it belonged to a member of a minor clan in Guanzhong. He shook his head and set the paper aside, saying, "This is merely borrowing the wisdom of others to embellish the paper; it lacks any independent thought. The Crown Prince's Palace has no need for such yes-men."

At this moment, Xiao Wu picked up an exam paper, glanced at it, and burst out laughing. He laughed louder and louder, unable to stop.

Li Zhi curiously leaned forward to take a look, wanting to know what could have made his usually stern and unsmiling martial arts sister lose her composure like this.

This sight was quite something; even he couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably.

The contents of this exam paper were truly outrageous. The question about gang fights was written as follows: two groups should each select a leader, then select two protectors, three deacons, and four heavenly kings, then distribute weapons to them, and force them to fight every day. If they don't fight, they will be beheaded. They can also sell tickets to the surrounding area while they fight...

This answer is truly ingenious, showcasing the thinking of a top-tier maverick. Even those present didn't need to check who wrote it to have a pretty good idea.

As for the flood, the Minister of Revenue's catchphrase was "inhuman." The document said that all that was needed was to move the disaster-stricken farmers to higher ground, to Zhongnan Mountain, so that they could plant fruit trees and lay them down. This way, they would not be flooded again, and they could also fight off the wolves and tigers in the mountains. If someone went up the mountain and saw corpses, they would know where the wild animals were, thus serving as a warning for future generations.

Such a heinous act, I'm not kidding, will bring the Tang Dynasty to its knees within three years...

When it came to the question about bullying widows, the answer suggested assigning the widow to a retired soldier as a wife. If one wasn't enough, a rotation system could be used, with a different soldier every two days. This way, the widow would have protection, and the soldier would have a wife. If a child was born, no one should question it; the soldiers would take turns paying for its upbringing.

If an exam paper is bad, you can just throw it aside. But if an exam paper is this bad, then it's worth studying carefully.

After reading all the content, they opened the package and looked at the name. At that moment, they immediately discovered the secret: the person who answered the question was none other than their beloved second brother, Tuoba Shang.

The three of them exchanged a few smiles, noticing a mutual understanding in each other's eyes.

“Second Brother is indeed a genius.” Zhang Jianzhi shook his head and smiled bitterly: “If he were to become a local official, who knows how many more lives would be lost.”

After a long pause, Xiao Wu finally spoke: "He is the Crown Prince."

After saying that, the three of them immediately fell silent and continued working... because to continue the discussion would not only be disrespectful to their second brother, but would also be somewhat presumptuous.

As the grading process progressed, more and more answer sheets were categorized. Some open-book and closed-book answers were highly consistent and coherent, demonstrating genuine talent and learning; others, like the first one, were contradictory and inconsistent, and were classified as "questionable"; still others, such as Di Ying and Li Sheng, had closed-book answers that were even more outstanding than their open-book answers, demonstrating their exceptional abilities.

"Your Highness, please take a look at this." Xiao Wu handed over a large section of economics papers: "Her proposal to raise funds by 'issuing lottery tickets' is clever, but it is also a bit opportunistic. However, the detailed rules for the operation of the 'Ever-Normal Granary' are clear and well-organized. It takes into account the allocation of money and grain, warehouse management, transportation losses, and the handling of hoarding by unscrupulous merchants. Only someone who is well-versed in administrative affairs could do this."

Li Zhi looked at it and saw that it was signed Dugu Jiaye. He smiled slightly: "This girl, she has learned a lot of practical things from following... following Prince Su."

Zhang Jianzhi also brought over a large volume of war documents, his expression solemn: "Senior Brother's strategy for dealing with Tibet is a series of interconnected measures, employing diplomatic, military, and economic means. The analysis of the various factions within Tibet is incisive, demonstrating a grand vision and profound thinking. The closed volume is even more insightful than the open volume."

Li Chengqian's answer sheet was set aside separately, and its quality speaks for itself. However, since they were internal contestants, it wasn't used as a reference. But one thing was certain: apart from the prodigy Tuoba Shang, everyone else who had studied with Xia Lin must have had unique problem-solving approaches and directions.

Time slipped away amidst the rustling of turning pages and occasional whispers. Outside the window, the sky changed from deep black to inky blue, then began to peek through the faint light of dawn.

Li Zhi stood up, stretched his stiff neck, looked at the stacks of test papers that had been initially selected after a night of hard work, and breathed a sigh of relief: "The general outline is there."

Xiao Wu carefully placed the last categorized exam paper down, his eyes showing faint bluish-black discoloration: "A total of 137 people meet His Highness's previously set standards of 'pragmatism, intelligence, and responsibility.' Among them, 41 people have excellent answers to both open and closed-book exams. 56 people are still under investigation."

Zhang Jianzhi added, "The children of noble families and those from humble backgrounds each make up about half. Among them, several, such as Di Ying, Li Sheng, Pei Wan, and Dugu Jiaye, have indeed shown outstanding performance." Li Zhi walked to the window, gazing at the gradually brightening eastern sky, and pondered for a moment: "Father wants more than just a few study companions. The selection of study companions should prioritize quality over quantity. As usual, four will suffice, half from humble backgrounds and half from noble families, to ensure fairness. As for the remaining outstanding individuals…"

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Wu and Zhang Jianzhi: "Mother has approved my proposal to implement the policy of 'scholars going to the countryside.' Many talented individuals who emerged from this examination can take this opportunity to hone their skills. I plan to select sixty people and send them to various prefectures and counties to assume substantive positions or assist in government affairs. Let them truly go to the fields and villages, understand the hardships of the people, and accumulate practical experience."

Xiao Wu nodded in agreement: "This is a very good idea."

"As for the Crown Princess..." Li Zhi paused, then picked up another list from the table: "Eight people have been selected in the preliminary round to advance to the next round. The list is here. The final selection... still needs to be decided by Mother and Father."

The list prominently featured the names of eight people, including Cui Lin and Pei Wan. Xiao Wu had originally intended to include Wei Tong, but if she were included, it would be impossible to exclude her. However, Wei Tong had other plans and would definitely disobey orders.

Just then, the study door was gently pushed open, and Xia Lin walked in, carrying a food box in her hand: "Still busy? It's almost dawn, have something to eat to fill your stomach."

“Father.” Li Zhi hurriedly stepped forward.

Xia Lin waved his hand casually, his gaze sweeping over the neatly categorized answer sheets. A smirk appeared on his lips: "Well, kids, did you figure anything out?"

Li Zhi briefly reported on the discussions and preliminary results of the night.

As Xia Lin listened, she took a sip of her meat porridge. When she heard about the selection of four study companions, sixty people going to the countryside, and eight candidates for the Crown Princess, she nodded: "Not bad, not too ridiculous. The repetition of the questions is to give them a chance. Firstly, it lowers the difficulty, and secondly, it's to see if anyone actually has a brain, knows to go back and think about it, and knows that the answers should improve after two attempts. If someone writes nonsense in both the open and closed exams, or writes well in the open exam but is exposed in the closed exam, then that kind of person should get out of here as soon as possible."

He picked up Tuoba Shang's "masterpiece," glanced at it, scoffed, and threw it back on the table: "This bastard, it's really hard on him to take the exam."

He finished the flatbread in a few bites, patted the crumbs off his hands, and said, "Alright, as long as you all know what's going on, that's fine. You can decide on the specific list yourselves, and once you've decided, show it to your mother."

After Xia Lin finished speaking, she swayed away, leaving behind the aroma of pastries and the gradually brightening morning light.

Li Zhi, Zhang Jianzhi, and Xiao Wu exchanged glances, all seeing the weariness and excitement in each other's eyes.

“Jianzhi, Senior Sister, let’s rest for a while. We’ll finalize the list this afternoon and report it to Mother,” Li Zhi instructed.

The news spread quickly.

The Crown Prince will select four companions, half from humble backgrounds and half from noble families. There are also sixty spots for "scholars to go to the countryside"! Everyone with ambition understands that whether it is becoming a close advisor to the Crown Prince or being sent to the countryside for experience, this is a brand new path to the core of power.

The eight noble ladies who made it to the final selection of the Crown Princess became the focus of attention in Chang'an.

Of course, the fact that the Crown Prince bypassed the Emperor's decrees and the Three Departments and Six Ministries to directly select officials did indeed cause quite a stir, but it seems that no official at any level stood up to speak out. Not to mention the arguments that the Crown Prince harbored treacherous intentions. If it were any other emperor, he might have actually had to investigate, but Li Zhi was not only the eldest son of the legitimate wife, but also the only son of his third wife, and then there was the Grand Princess Dugu Jiaye.

But the problem is that Dugu Jiaye doesn't even have the surname Li...

No one dared to make a fuss about the crown prince in this regard, because that would be nothing short of alarmist.

However, bypassing the main palace to select officials is not what frightens others the most. What scares Li Zhi the most now is not the four companions of the Crown Prince, but the sixty people who have been promoted to travel to the countryside.

This approach is very similar to Emperor Jingtai of the Great Wei Dynasty's "Spring Seedling Plan." It was originally intended to counter Gao Shilian's monopolistic tactics. However, it should be noted that his Spring Seedling Plan did not only produce the monster Xia Lin, but also saw the full-scale development of the military, government, agriculture, and sericulture. Now, nearly 30% of the real power positions in the Great Wei Dynasty are held by people who participated in the Spring Seedling Plan.

These people are undoubtedly staunch royalists, and Li Zhi is now clearly doing the same thing, which is what is most frightening.

(End of this chapter)