A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

Before the first snow of the first year of the Xinwu era had even fallen, the area in front of the Imperial Examination Hall in the capital was already packed with people.

It was neither a ceremonial procession organized by the government nor the carriages of scions of noble families.

A dense, dark mass stretched from the entrance of the examination hall all the way to the end of the long street; at a rough glance, there were at least several thousand of them.

Most of these people wore patched old clothes, their shoes were worn down to the bottom, and their faces showed the fatigue and frost of a long journey, but their eyes were frighteningly bright.

It's like walking in the dark for too long and suddenly seeing the light.

In front of the examination hall, Fang Fuyao, dressed in white, stood on the stone steps, looking at the scene before her with no expression on her face, but her heart was far from calm.

She had anticipated that someone would come.

But she didn't expect so many people to come.

"Open the door!"

With a shout from an official of the Ministry of Rites, the heavy vermilion gates of the examination hall slowly opened.

The crowd stirred slightly, but no one dared to rush forward. They simply craned their necks, staring intently at the crack in the door, as if afraid it would suddenly slam shut.

Fang Fuyao walked down the stone steps and stood behind the long table for registration.

The moment she appeared, the previously noisy crowd instantly fell silent.

The White-Robed Imperial Advisor

This title is now more useful than any official seal in Xinwu.

"In the first year of the Xinwu reign, the imperial examinations were held to select officials."

Fang Fuyao's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly:

"All citizens of Xinwu, regardless of their background or wealth, may register."

"After registration, candidates will be admitted to the examination room according to their assigned number. The examination papers will be anonymized, sealed, and copied. Anyone found cheating will be executed."

"Anyone who dares to use their family background, wealth, or power to bribe the examiners will have their academic achievements revoked, their property confiscated, and be imprisoned once verified."

Her words were cold, offering not a single word of encouragement.

But as the group of scholars listened, their eyes gradually reddened.

Regardless of background.

The exam papers were anonymous.

His home was searched and he was imprisoned.

These three sentences were more precious to them than ten thousand taels of gold.

"Student...Student Zhao Si, from Yongzhou, pays his respects to the Imperial Preceptor!"

A boy who looked only sixteen or seventeen years old was the first to rush to the table. He was so excited that he knelt down with a thud, his forehead hitting the bluestone slab.

Behind him, a middle-aged man also knelt down, his voice trembling:

"My lord, we...we traveled for three months from Yongzhou to the capital, and we've run out of money. Last night we slept at the city gate. Please, my lord, give my son a chance to take the exam!"

Fang Fuyao didn't tell him to get up, but just glanced at the boy.

The boy was still wearing only a thin shirt, and his hands and feet were purple from the cold, but he was clutching an oilcloth bag tightly in his arms, inside which were several scrolls of books.

"Can you read?"

"Learn to read!"

The boy suddenly looked up, his eyes shining like fire: "The village teacher taught us, and the students have memorized the entire Analects!"

What subjects will be tested?

"The student...the student wants to take the mathematics exam!"

Fang Fuyao nodded: "Get up. Go over there to register your household registration and get your exam permit."

The boy was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. He kowtowed three times before his father pulled him up. He didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.

Once the first person was there, the crowd surged forward.

"Student Sun Dashi, from Hedong, wants to study engineering! I know how to forge iron and I know how to manage mines!"

"I am Li Youcai, a student from Huainan. My father is a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, and I want to study medicine!"

"student……"

Faces etched with the marks of time and the eyes filled with anticipation, tension, and even fear passed before Fang Fuyao.

The subjects they applied for were all sorts of different.

While there were orthodox studies in classics and policy essays, many more chose mathematics, engineering, medicine, and law.

These people, in the previous dynasty, didn't even have the right to enter the government office.

They were the sons of a blacksmith, the apprentices of a doctor, the poor scholars who wrote letters for others, and the tenant farmers who cultivated a few acres of meager land but still wanted their children to learn to read.

Now, Xinwu has given them a way.

A narrow log bridge, yet one that allows light to pass through.

The clerks behind Fang Fuyao were sweating profusely, their wrists aching from registering the documents, but no one dared to complain.

Because they knew that every name they wrote down could be the only hope for a family for generations.

At the end of the line, an elderly scholar with white hair, accompanied by his three grandsons, stood quietly in line.

Although his clothes were old, they were clean, and he stood up straight, making him stand out from the poor, fearful scholars around him.

Someone nearby recognized him and whispered among themselves.

"Isn't that... the great Confucian scholar from Jingzhou, Master Zheng? Why is he in line too?"

"Zheng Gong's scholarship was enough to make him a lecturer in the previous dynasty, so why did he..."

The old scholar heard this, but instead of getting angry, he laughed loudly.

His smile drew the attention of everyone around him.

"Please don't be surprised," the old scholar said, stroking his beard in a loud voice. "I'm here to register my grandson."

He pointed to the three teenagers beside him.

"My ancestors for five generations have been a family of farmers and scholars, yet not a single one of them has ever held an official position. It's not that they lacked knowledge, but rather that they lacked connections."

He looked in the direction of the examination hall, his eyes filled with emotion, bitterness, and barely suppressed excitement.

"The imperial examinations of the previous dynasty, ostensibly for selecting officials, were in reality a distribution of spoils among the powerful families. We commoners didn't even have the chance to sniff the aroma."

"Now that the new martial arts examination has begun, it doesn't care about background, only ability. I'll crawl if I have to to seize this opportunity!"

"I have no hope in this life, but I can't let my grandchildren miss out too! Let them take the exam! If they fail, it's their lack of ability, and I'll accept that! But if they don't even get a chance to try, I'll die with regrets!"

These words were spoken with such force that the entire room fell silent.

Immediately, a burst of suppressed cheers erupted from the crowd.

"Well said!"

"Zheng Gong has spoken our minds!"

In the crowd, an inconspicuous man in a short shirt silently memorized every word the old scholar said, then turned and squeezed out of the crowd, disappearing around the street corner.

……

Evening, Imperial Study.

The secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard was placed on Wei Zhao's desk, containing a verbatim record of what Mr. Zheng had said in front of the examination hall.

Wei Zhao looked at the sentence "Even if I have to crawl, I will crawl here," tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his face expressionless, but he felt more satisfied than if he had won a battle.

Su Qingyun walked in from the side hall, holding a thick stack of books in her hands, but her face showed some annoyance and worry.

"Your Majesty, this is the complete register of today's examination candidates."

She placed the booklet on the table. "A total of over 7,300 people from the capital and surrounding prefectures and counties have registered. Ninety percent of them are from poor families."

Wei Zhao hummed in agreement, not surprised at all.

"This is what I'm angry about."

Su Qingyun handed over an even thinner list:

"This was sent by the Embroidered Uniform Guard at my request. The Liu family of Jingzhou, the Du family of Yangzhou, the Yan family of Yizhou... none of the renowned families in Jiangnan have registered today."

She grew angrier as she spoke, and her voice turned cold.

"These people would rather smash their own rice bowl than share a bite with others. They are watching and waiting to see a joke. Or rather, they are waiting for Liu Ruhui to ruin the imperial examination so that the world can return to their hands."

Wei Zhao looked up at her and suddenly smiled.

Su Qingyun was taken aback by his laughter. "Your Majesty?"

"It's a good thing they're not coming."

Wei Zhao leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed: "This shows that they still have cards to play and still think they can win."

Su Qingyun, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately grasped the implied meaning. The anger on her face lessened slightly, replaced by a thoughtful expression: "Your Majesty means..."

"Let them think they can win." Wei Zhao's gaze fell back on the register of poor students, his eyes becoming deep and cold. "My imperial examinations are not an invitation to a banquet, but a grave-digging for them. Since they refuse to jump in on their own, I have no choice but to give them a hand."

He knew all too well what Liu Ruhui and his group were thinking.

arrogant.

Arrogance that runs deep in one's bones.

They didn't believe that an emperor from humble origins could hold onto the throne, much less that a group of poor scholars could replace them in governing the country.

So they are waiting.

Wait for an opportunity to sink Xinwu, this ship that has just set sail.

"Qingyun," Wei Zhao said.

"Your Majesty, I am here."

"Make a copy of all the names that registered in the first batch today, and archive them separately."

Wei Zhao tapped his finger on the thick volume, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable power.

"Especially those three grandsons of that old Mr. Zheng, mark them out for me."

Su Qingyun's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up abruptly.

Wei Zhao looked at her, a faint smile curving his lips, a smile that concealed a sharp edge.

"After the imperial examinations, these people will be my direct subordinates."

He didn't finish speaking, but Su Qingyun understood everything in his eyes.

Whoever tries to overturn the sedan chair will die.