Poet Immortal, Poet Sage, Duke of the State!

Qing Shuang Fang.

backyard.

Snapped!

Chen Chang'an held a blue brick in his hand and casually chopped it down with his palm.

With a crisp sound, the blue brick in my hand broke cleanly in two.

Chen Chang'an felt a great sense of accomplishment. He threw the two broken bricks on the ground and dusted off his hands.

Although he has been busy with business these days, he hasn't slacked off in his training for a single day.

Power is important, but one's own strength is equally important.

Chen Chang'an had mastered the Stone-Splitting Palm technique to perfection, and his palm power had greatly increased compared to a month ago.

At the same time, the internal energy within him also became much stronger.

Just then, a figure rushed in from outside, crossed the shop, and stood in front of Chen Chang'an, excitedly saying, "You'll never guess what happened at the morning court session!"

Before Chen Chang'an could ask any questions, Qing Shuang began to speak at length: "At the morning court session today, officials from the Grand Tutor's faction brought up the matter of Chen Wenyuan's promotion to Minister again. His Majesty was almost about to agree, but then an imperial censor stood up and said that the people in the capital were talking about the 'Chen Shimei Case,' saying that Chen Shimei was exactly the same as a certain official surnamed Chen..."

She couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Although he didn't say it explicitly, he was practically pointing his finger at Chen Wenyuan. Later, His Majesty decided in court to appoint Zhou Zhengming, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, as the Minister of Personnel..."

She then added, "I also heard that after the court session, Chen Wenyuan vomited blood and fainted on the street, and was carried back to his residence..."

Chen Chang'an listened with great interest.

All of this was not unexpected.

Because the play "The Case of Chen Shimei" was written for Chen Wenyuan.

It was also he who had Liu's men fan the flames, linking Chen Shimei and Chen Wenyuan together.

After leaving the Chen residence, he didn't want to bring up the past again, nor did he want to have any further involvement with Chen Wenyuan.

However, Chen Wenyuan obstructed His Majesty's appointment of officials, and this debt still needs to be settled with him.

If Chen Wenyuan won't let him become an official, then he himself can forget about getting promoted.

Qing Shuang stared at Chen Chang'an and asked, "Is this why you keep those actors? And what about that play you wrote...?"

Chen Chang'an nodded, which was taken as an admission.

Qing Shuang sat opposite him, her expression somewhat wistful, and said, "The methods of you scholars are truly ruthless; you can kill without shedding blood. I've witnessed it firsthand..."

Chen Chang'an smiled slightly. He had many tricks up his sleeve; this was nothing compared to what he had learned.

He didn't want to provoke the Chen family, but they were pushing him too far...

Footsteps sounded again at the door. Chen Chang'an turned around and saw Gong Yue walking over with a pile of books in her arms.

Princess Zhaoyue walked up to Chen Chang'an and Qing Shuang, placed a pile of books on the stone table, and said, "These are the provincial examination questions from the past twenty years. There are also policy essays and articles by the top three scholars of previous years, with the examiners' comments next to them. Take a look at them these days, so you'll have a better understanding when you take the provincial examination."

Chen Chang'an picked up a book and flipped through it. The book was a compilation of essays for the imperial examinations. The handwriting was neat and clean, and the key points on each page were circled in vermilion ink. The annotations were very detailed. It was practically a five-year college entrance examination simulation for the imperial examinations.

Chen Chang'an put down the book and said with a smile, "Thank you, Miss Gong Yue."

This is the difference between Gong Yue and Qing Shuang. Although Qing Shuang is also very loyal, she is always carefree and not as meticulous as Gong Yue. If it were Qing Shuang, she would never have thought of finding these materials for herself.

After the three of them had eaten together, Qing Shuang and Gong Yue went home, while Chen Chang'an stayed in the shop studying the imperial examination materials.

The imperial examinations in Daning were divided into three subjects.

Essays, poems, and policy essays.

The essay section tested knowledge of contemporary writing.

The imperial examinations in Da Ning were relatively flexible. In the last five imperial examinations, the essay section did not test rote memorization of classic texts. Instead, it presented several specific social realities and allowed candidates to freely express their ideas and write an essay of more than a thousand words.

For example, the title of an article from twenty years ago was: "Da Ning values ​​military prowess over literature. Most sons of military families enter officialdom through military merit, while the literary world is in decline, and there are few capable writers in the court. However, in governing the country and ensuring its stability, neither military nor literary skills should be neglected. Let us discuss this."

Candidates are required to analyze the merits and demerits of Da Ning's emphasis on military affairs over academics in light of the current national situation, and propose specific methods to revitalize education and achieve a balance between military and academic pursuits.

The topic twelve years ago was: "Soldiers on the frontier are fighting valiantly to defend their land, but the court is experiencing a decline in morale due to insufficient supplies. Discuss the way to maintain an army."

This question tests military funding and logistical support, requiring candidates to propose practical solutions from the perspectives of taxation, land reclamation, and trade routes.

Chen Chang'an flipped to the most recent exam paper.

"The imperial examination system was originally intended to select talented individuals for the nation. However, in recent years, many candidates have been unable to afford tutors due to poverty, resulting in the regret of overlooking outstanding talents. This paper discusses the difficulties faced by children from poor families in pursuing education and the government's policies for selecting talent."

This question addresses the issue of uneven distribution of educational resources, requiring test takers to analyze the plight of impoverished students and propose remedial measures that the government can take.

After reading these questions, Chen Chang'an had a general idea of ​​what to expect.

The essay section doesn't solely test literary talent; it assesses the candidate's understanding and reflection on current affairs, combining essay writing with policy analysis.

The subject of poetry is relatively simpler.

The examiners will provide ten topics, such as describing objects, landscapes, festivals, frontiers, etc. Candidates are free to choose their topics and express themselves freely.

Chen Chang'an glanced at it and then stopped paying attention.

Poetry is the simplest thing for him. Three hundred Tang poems, each one a masterpiece that has been passed down through the ages; bold and unrestrained lyrics, graceful and delicate lyrics, bring out Su Shi and Li Qingzhao, who in Da Ning can rival him?

The policy essay was the most important subject in the imperial examination, accounting for 60% of the total score.

The examiners will present three current affairs questions, covering topics such as border military affairs, local governance, canal transport and water conservancy, taxation and people's livelihood. Candidates will need to write three policy essays based on the questions.

Policy essays are similar to regular essays, but they do not require literary talent at all; they place more emphasis on the candidate's insight and ability to govern a country.

Essays and poems are Chen Chang'an's strengths; there's no need to worry, he can easily crush these ancient people.

The policy essay tests one's knowledge and experience more, which is also his strength as a modern person.

The only thing he needed to brush up on was his understanding of the current policies of the Da Ning court, such as the situation on the border, local taxes, and the routes of the Grand Canal, so as not to make a fool of himself due to a lack of understanding of the policies.

While Chen Chang'an was engrossed in studying the policy essay topic, in the inner quarters of the Chen residence...

Chen Wenyuan lay on the bed, his face pale and his lips chapped.

He opened his eyes and stared at the top of the tent, his gaze unfocused.

Having stood in the imperial court for so many years, he had heard all sorts of things, and he didn't take the minor criticisms from the common people to heart.

Ever since he married the daughter of the Grand Tutor, there have been many people, both in the imperial court and among the common people, who say that Chen Wenyuan is only good at living off women.

But this time is different.

The criticisms from the court and the people will gradually disappear with the passage of time.

But the play will live on, ten years later, twenty years later, even decades or centuries after his death...

As long as the play "The Case of Chen Shimei" is still performed, his name will be forever linked with that unfaithful man.

When later generations mention Chen Wenyuan, they won't remember how high an official position he held; they'll only remember him for currying favor with the Grand Tutor, abandoning his own son, and being an absolute villain...

He will be forever nailed to the pillar of historical shame...

At that moment, Chen Wenyuan suddenly felt a pang of regret...

If he hadn't listened to Zhao's instigation and hadn't kicked Chen Chang'an out of the house, he would still be that good-for-nothing young master of the Chen family, and none of this would have happened...

Standing before the bed, Zhao looked at the distraught Chen Wenyuan, her face contorted with rage, and her fists clenched tightly in her sleeves.

The position of Minister of Personnel, to which they had poured countless resources, had vanished, and their master's reputation was ruined. Her eyes were practically spitting fire as she gritted her teeth and said, "That bastard! It's all because of him that our master lost his position as Minister! I'm not finished with him!"