Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

Qin Chuan's voice was clear and powerful, ensuring that every word was imprinted in everyone's mind:

"Regardless of social status or school of thought, anyone who possesses a skill, understands the art of governing the country, is proficient in various crafts, has a deep understanding of the mysteries of astronomy and geography, or has the skill and compassion to save lives... can apply for the examination! The Empire will set up different subjects according to its needs, conduct open examinations, and select the best candidates!"

He raised his hand and pointed to the magnificent Xianyang Palace behind him:

"Those selected through the imperial examinations will serve in various departments, prefectures, and counties of the empire according to their abilities! Whether as officials, clerks, craftsmen, teachers, or doctors... the empire will open up a path for you to rise, allowing your knowledge to be truly put to use, so that you may be remembered in history and make contributions to the nation!"

Finally, he gave a specific timeframe:

"The first imperial examination will be held in Xianyang in six months! I, the Emperor, will personally serve as the chief examiner!"

"boom--!"

The entire square erupted in cheers!

If "letting a hundred schools of thought contend and a hundred flowers bloom" was like breaking free from shackles, then the "imperial examination system" was like paving a golden road!

A ladder to heaven that leads directly to the core of imperial power, realizes personal value, and glorifies one's school of thought!

The Confucian disciples gripped the bamboo slips in their hands with excitement.

To enter officialdom! To educate and enlighten the people! This was their lifelong pursuit!

Fu Nian and Yan Lu exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock and hope in each other's eyes.

Zhang Liang's gaze was deep, and the folding fan in his hand unconsciously tapped against his palm, as if he were rapidly calculating the far-reaching political impact behind this new policy.

Xiaomeng smiled slightly, knowing full well that this was a crucial move in her brother's grand strategy.

The Mohists wore the most complex expressions. Gao Jianli gripped the hilt of his Water-Cold Sword tightly, his eyes filled with worry. The Empire had offered a way out, but did this way out conceal the trap of assimilation?

Tian Yan's eyes were burning with desire. This imperial examination was the promotion channel that the lower-class disciples of the farming family dreamed of!

She could almost foresee the enormous centripetal force that would result within the farmhouse as a result.

The Legalist disciples who were secretly observing were deeply alarmed. The emperor's move was intended to break the hereditary system of nobility and the monopoly of different schools of thought, and to truly select officials based on their abilities! This went a step further than the Legalist principle of "the law does not favor the noble"!

In the Shu Mountain team, Yu Ziqi, with sharp eyes, whispered to Xiao Yu:

"See that? This is the vision of the sovereign! Our Shu Mountain secret techniques will surely have a place to be used! We must prepare well!"

However, Xiao Yu's thoughts were somewhat wandering at this moment.

When she heard "I myself will be the chief examiner," her heart skipped a beat! Six months later... Xianyang... the imperial examination... that meant she would have another chance to see him!

It's even possible that... we could demonstrate the skills of Mount Shu in front of him?

The thought made her cheeks flush slightly, and she only vaguely responded to her brother's words with a "hmm," but her eyes were bright as she stared at the tall figure on the high platform.

Those from minor sects and those with unique skills were so moved that they burst into tears.

Their knowledge and skills are no longer useless, and they no longer need to worry about their talents being obscured!

The empire's recognition and the official promotion channels were opportunities that their ancestors could never have imagined!

After the initial uproar came a torrent of excitement and discussion!

Many schools of thought that were previously observing, wavering, or even resistant have now fundamentally shaken their stance!

The empire's inclusiveness and the opportunities it offered far exceeded their boldest expectations!

"May the Empire live ten thousand years!"

It's unclear who was the first to shout it.

"May the Empire live ten thousand years!"

Immediately afterwards, a wave of cheers swept across the entire square, coming from the bottom of their hearts!

Qin Chuan stood on the high platform, his black royal robes fluttering in the wind.

He looked at the excited, hopeful faces below the stage, and at the unprecedented unity displayed by the various schools of thought because of his decree. His eyes were as deep as the sea.

Xiaomeng quietly took a step closer, her clear, cool voice carrying a hint of emotion that only he could understand:

“Brother, with this strategy, all the wisdom and talent in the world will be within our grasp.”

Qin Chuan tilted his head slightly, a knowing smile playing on his lips: "No, it's about being completely forged in the imperial furnace. The true golden age is only just beginning to be forged. The imperial examination six months from now will be the first touchstone."

His gaze swept across the crowd, catching the glint in the eyes of the Shu Mountain siblings. Yu Ziqi's eyes held ambition and aspirations, while Xiao Yu's...

The girl's overly bright eyes and slightly flushed cheeks stirred something within him, but he quickly understood, though his expression remained calm.

His gaze swept over Tian Yan's calm ambition, saw Zhang Liang's hidden calculations, and also noticed the complexity of Gao Jianli and other members of the Mohist school.

In Xianyang, hundreds of lights illuminated the empire's night sky.

A sweeping revolution in thought and talent, accompanied by Qin Chuan's resounding declaration, officially began.

The undercurrents are still surging, but at this moment, people's hearts have already turned towards Qin.

The feelings that were quietly stirring in the heart of the little princess from Mount Shu were like the most delicate flower buds on the branches in early spring, unnoticed by anyone, yet they had already quietly blossomed.

Chapter 80 Subduing the Geniuses, Pointing the Sword at the Universe

Six months flew by amidst an unprecedentedly high level of curiosity and restlessness in Xianyang.

The lights of the Hundred Schools Academy burned all night long, and the disciples of each school buried themselves in their studies and practiced their skills. The air was filled with tension and anticipation.

The empire's first imperial examination has officially begun!

The imperial examination venues were scattered throughout Xianyang, categorized into different types, creating a magnificent sight.

Inside the Confucian examination hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of ink. Candidates quoted classical texts and wielded their brushes to discuss the principles of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, as well as the way to govern an empire.

Fu Nian and Yan Lu personally oversaw the operation, while Zhang Liang observed from the shadows with a profound gaze.

The Taoist examination hall was much quieter, filled with discussions of Taoism, demonstrations of magic, and deductions of celestial phenomena—all incredibly profound. Although Xiaomeng did not personally supervise the examination, her aloof and dignified presence enveloped the entire hall.

The examination hall of the Mohist school was filled with the clanging sounds of mechanical contraptions. Master Ban watched with a complex expression as his disciples assembled intricate mechanisms and expounded on a new interpretation of the principles of universal love and non-aggression within the framework of the empire.

The farmhouse examination hall was the most lively, with participants identifying various herbs, improving farm tools, and planning water conservancy projects. Tian Yan had a sharp eye, while Situ Wanli and Zhu Jia were busy recording the practical achievements of the farm's talented individuals.

The Legalist examination hall was solemn and rigorous, focusing on legal provisions, case analysis, and the art of criminal law. Although Han Fei and Li Si did not appear, their students and examiners were meticulous in their examinations.

The examination halls for physicians, medical practitioners, artisans, and other craftsmen were incredibly diverse, showcasing practical talents needed by the empire, including those skilled in pulse diagnosis and acupuncture, alchemy and pharmaceuticals, and ingenious creation.

The Shushan lineage, on the other hand, set up a special "extraordinary skills" examination hall.

Xiao Yu nervously and excitedly directed the exotic flowers and plants she had brought, demonstrating her secret methods of controlling insects. She even had the black panther Xiao Hei cooperate in a simple reconnaissance demonstration, which drew gasps of amazement.

She kept glancing around, hoping to see a certain figure appear.

However, the most eye-catching and solemn examination hall in the entire imperial examination process was the military examination hall!

The core of the military strategy assessment is a giant sand table simulation personally designed by Qin Chuan!

The mountains, rivers, cities, and passes are vividly depicted, simulating the complex terrain of the empire and its surrounding areas.

Candidates must command different types of troops, allocate supplies, and employ tactics to compete on an unpredictable simulated battlefield.

The elite of military strategists gathered, among whom two stood out, overcoming all obstacles and advancing to the final showdown with undeniable strength.

Han Xin still had a carefree and unconventional appearance, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

His troop deployments were unconventional and full of ingenious strategies, often resulting in victories against stronger opponents and achieving the greatest results with minimal cost, leaving examiners and onlookers in awe.

His existence seemed to be born to interpret the "strategy of war".

Xiang Shaoyu, the former young master of the Xiang clan of Chu, stood tall and straight like a spear, his double pupils burning with an indomitable fighting spirit and a trace of complex emotions.

He participated in the imperial examination because Qin Chuan gave him an offer he couldn't refuse: as long as Xiang Shaoyu sincerely served the empire and made meritorious contributions, the empire would pardon the Xiang clan's past "anti-Qin" crimes!

For the sake of his people and the heavy responsibility on his shoulders, he set aside some of his pride and stepped into the imperial examination hall.

His battle tactics were bold and unrestrained, and his cavalry assault tactics, bearing the imprint of the Xiang clan of Chu, were awe-inspiring on the sand table, displaying the domineering spirit of "strength to uproot mountains and spirit to cover the world"!

The final showdown takes place on the core sand table of this military examination ground!

Han Xin and Xiang Yu, two unparalleled military strategists who should have staged an earth-shattering Chu-Han Contention in the torrent of history, had their destinies forcibly reversed due to the sudden emergence of Qin Chuan and its new policies.

Now, the only place to compete is on the sand table designed by Qin Chuan!

The news spread like wildfire!

Not only did military strategists flock to the examination hall, but also the leaders and elite disciples of other schools of thought, as well as imperial officials on patrol, all came upon hearing the news, crowding the examination hall to the point of being impassable.

Everyone wants to witness this epic battle!

On the sand table, the winds and clouds shift and change.

Han Xin and Xiang Shaoyu each held their own side.

Han Xin commanded with composure, and his army spread like mercury, penetrating every nook and cranny.

Feigning weakness to lure the enemy in, dividing forces to harass and attack, cutting off supply lines... all sorts of tactics were used at will, leading Xiang Shaoyu's massive main force step by step into a pre-planned encirclement, a desperate situation simulating the vicinity of the Yangtze River!

Xiang Shaoyu remained as brave as ever, leading his elite cavalry in charges left and right, nearly tearing apart Han Xin's encirclement several times.

He was like a trapped tiger, each of his attacks carrying a fierce and desperate momentum.

However, Han Xin's strategy was as intricate as a net, extremely resilient, and always managed to thwart his breakthroughs at crucial moments.

The situation on the sand table strangely overlapped with the trajectory that had not yet occurred, yet seemed to be engraved in the long river of fate!

Han Xin's encirclement tightened, and Xiang Shaoyu's "Chu army" was compressed into a small area by the river, resulting in low morale.

The final moment has arrived.

Han Xin launched his final psychological offensive, finding himself surrounded on all sides!

On the sand table, symbols representing the sorrowful songs of Chu were planted all around Xiang Shaoyu's remaining army.

In an instant, the entire examination room seemed to be filled with that bleak and desperate atmosphere!

As Xiang Shaoyu watched the flag symbolizing his last strength on the sand table being swallowed up by "Chu Song," a trace of sorrow and resentment flashed in his double pupils.

He shoved the chess piece representing his commander on the sand table and said in a deep voice, "We've lost!"

Then, he made a breathtaking move: he pushed the commander's chess piece into the blue area symbolizing the Wujiang River, and committed suicide by drowning himself in the river!

Unyielding to the death! The tyrant's end!

Even on the sand table, Xiang Shaoyu chose the ending that best suited his personality!

The entire examination room was completely silent; everyone was deeply moved by the tragic destiny depicted on the sand table.