Hot flashes

Zhou Heng stood in the queue, listening to those words, his face expressionless.

Xiao Jue's gaze swept across the faces of those people one by one.

"Low experience?" he repeated. "When I ascended the throne, I also had little experience. Why don't you all say that?"

The expressions on those people's faces changed.

No one dared to speak.

Xiao Jue said, "Young? I am young too. Do you all think that I am not capable of shouldering this empire?"

Zhao Xun knelt down with a thud.

"Your subject dares not!"

The others followed suit and knelt down.

Xiao Jue looked at them but did not call out to them.

"You wouldn't dare?" he said. "I think you'd be more than brave."

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Xiao Jue waited a while before speaking.

"The matter of the imperial examination is settled. Zhou Heng will be the chief examiner, in charge of setting the questions, grading the papers, and admitting candidates. He will be responsible for all related matters."

He paused.

"Anyone who has objections, come and speak to me yourselves."

After saying that, he stood up and walked towards the back hall.

The officials knelt there, looking at each other in bewilderment.

After the court session ended, Zhou Heng was surrounded by people.

"Lord Zhou, have the exam questions been finalized?"

"Lord Zhou, how many people will be admitted this time?"

"Lord Zhou, my nephew..."

Zhou Heng dealt with each of them one by one and finally managed to escape.

The next afternoon, Zhou Heng's test questions were finalized.

He had several copies made and sent them to the Ministry of Rites.

The question is simple: In governing a country, what should come first? Let's discuss it in the context of current events.

They don't ask about social status, background, or how many classics one has read. They only ask about one's views on national affairs and what one can do for the world.

The people from the Ministry of Rites were stunned for a long time after seeing it.

Someone muttered quietly, "How...how should this be judged?"

The next day, notices were posted all over the streets and alleys of the capital.

"When the imperial examinations are held, no one is considered based on family background, only on talent and learning. All citizens of our dynasty are eligible to take the exams."

"Exam Question: In governing a country, what should come first? Discuss in light of current events."

"Chief Examiner: Zhou Heng."

A crowd gathered in front of the notice.

There were scholars, merchants, young people dressed in coarse cloth, and elderly people with white hair. They stood there, looking at the notice, looking at it again and again.

Someone asked, "Really, you don't consider social status?"

Someone nearby said, "It's written on the notice, how could it be false?"

The person then asked, "Then, can we take the exam too?"

The person next to him glanced at him, saw his shabby clothes, and smiled.

"The notice says that all citizens of our dynasty are eligible to take the exam. Are you one of them?"

The man paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

"Yes, yes! That's me!"

The person next to him patted him on the shoulder.

"Then you can take the test."

The news spread like wildfire, flying in all directions.

Three days later, the inns in the capital were full of people.

Before long, the temples outside the city were also full.

A few days later, some people started setting up sheds on the street to live in.

Scholars from all over flocked to the capital like a tidal wave. Some came by carriage, some by horse, and some on foot. Some wore silk, and some wore coarse cloth. Some were accompanied by servants, and some came alone.

They discussed the same topic in inns, teahouses, and on the streets.

"Have you heard? This time, social status is irrelevant."

"I've heard. I've also heard that the chief examiner is Lord Zhou Heng."

"Lord Zhou? Is that the one who runs a school in Jiangling?"

"It's him."

"Then this time it looks promising."

"How so?"

"Lord Zhou runs a school that doesn't charge tuition and even provides meals. How could someone like that set exam questions that favor the aristocratic families?"

The man thought for a moment and nodded.

That makes sense.

Meanwhile, a long queue formed in front of Zhou Heng's residence.

Gift-givers came in droves.

Zhou Heng instructed Chen Shen to stand guard at the door, refusing to see anyone or accept any items.

Chen Shen stood all day, and his legs went numb.

When he came back that evening, he complained to Zhou Heng.

"Those people are really... they'll come up with any trick. One of them tried to slip silver notes under the door, and they got caught red-handed."

Zhou Heng was reading a book and didn't even look up.

"Put it back in."

Chen Shen said, "It's been stuffed back. But they'll definitely have other tricks up their sleeves tomorrow."

Zhou Heng nodded.

He turned a page of the book and began to speak.

"Starting tomorrow, I will be living in the palace."

Chen Shen was taken aback.

Zhou Heng said, "Go tell the Ministry of Rites that His Majesty has granted permission for the emperor to stay in the palace before the exam, which would make it easier to set the questions and also prevent the questions from being leaked."

Chen Shen's eyes lit up.

"Young master, that's a brilliant move."

The news spread the next day.

"Lord Zhou has gone to live in the palace."

Why?

"They said it was specially permitted by His Majesty, for the convenience of setting the questions, and also to prevent the questions from being leaked."

"Exam questions leaked?"

"That's right. Think about it, if Lord Zhou lived outside, those people would send him gifts every day. What if someone used some underhanded tactics? If he lived in the palace, no one could get in, and the exam questions would be safe."

The man thought for a moment and nodded.

That makes sense.

In a corner of the teahouse, several young men dressed in coarse cloth exchanged glances after hearing this.

One of them whispered, "Do you think those scions of powerful families might have a way of getting their hands on the exam questions?"

Another said, "Take what? Lord Zhou is living in the palace now. No matter how far their reach is, can they extend it into the palace?"

The first one thought for a moment and nodded.

"Too."

He picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea was of poor quality, very astringent.

"This time," he said, "we might actually have a chance."