Novel East
Chapter 160.1
On the day, more than 30,000 candidates flooded into the examination venue that had not been built long ago.
Among them, there were many people secretly sent by noble families.
They were extremely confident, believing that with their knowledge and talents, they would surely pass with flying colors and be appointed to official positions in the court.
That foolish emperor has tried to guard against us, but he still cant keep us out!
We have so many people taking part in the imperial examination, its impossible that not even one of us will pass!
Great Xia will ultimately fall into the hands of our noble family!
Hahahaha
They were confident, as if they had already secured the position of top scholar in the imperial examinations.
In fact, they indeed had reason to be confident.
Because their own talents were astonishingly great, and their potential was immense; otherwise, they wouldnt have received the investment from the noble family!
Once they had the opportunity to enter the court and become officials, with their abilities, they would certainly be able to climb the ranks quickly.
By that time, the entire Great Xia would secretly fall into their hands.
Glancing at the excited yet anxious lower-tier candidates around them, they saw them with disdain in their eyes.
No matter how hard you try, you are merely a foil to us!
About half an hour later, all the candidates had entered the examination hall, patiently waiting for the exam to begin.
The chief examiner, Li Linfu, checked the time and shouted loudly, Today is the day of our Great Xia imperial examination! Due to the large number of candidates, management is somewhat complex, so I hope every candidate will conscientiously abide by the examination discipline! You may only do what is allowed! Do not dare to do what is forbidden!
If a violation is discovered for the first time, we will issue a warning! However, if it occurs a second time, the offender will be expelled from the examination hall, and they will be barred from employment forever!
I hope all candidates will be conscientious and not make things difficult for us!
After finishing his speech, Li Linfu waved his hand, and immediately, a troop of soldiers rushed into the examination hall.
They stood on both sides of the hall, their sharp eyes intently watching the three candidates in front. Should there be any signs of cheating or disciplinary infractions, they would certainly be caught.
A chill went through the hearts of the candidates.
It seemed that the Great Xia dynasty took this examination very seriously, hence the strict invigilation.
Many candidates became nervous.
However, the young scions of the noble families were even more excited!
This is much better!
They have all undergone the rigorous training of noble families, so they are able to remain composed during exams, performing normally without being swayed by honor or disgrace.
However, the same cannot be said for the other candidates.
As a result, they stand an even greater chance of standing out!
I wonder how that foolish emperor would feel when he realized that his nation was infiltrated with so many people from noble families?
Haha, his expression will certainly be quite a sight to behold!
Just then, a piercing voice carried over: His Majesty has arrived!
Everyone stood up, bowed with hands clasped: We greet Your Majesty, long live the emperor!
Ministers, examinees, no need for such formalities!
Lin Beifan waved his hand, smiling, Today is the day of the Great Xia imperial examination. I warmly welcome all examinees who have traveled from afar to participate in this imperial examination! I sincerely hope that each of you will perform to the best of your abilities and achieve your name on the golden list!
Thank you, Your Majesty! everyone shouted in unison. ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฉ.๐๐ค๐ข
Alright, enough talk, I will now present the questions to you!
The examinees spirits were lifted, they were ready!
His Majesty is about to pose a question!
Thus, everyone pricked up their ears to listen attentively, not wanting to miss a single word.
Examinees, you should know that I have an intense disdain for the noble families! I have always believed that they are the nations parasites, selfish and greedy, only sucking the blood of the nation and the common people without giving anything back! Not only that, but they also control the channels for talent promotion, effectively blocking all scholars from advancing!
The examinees nodded in agreement upon hearing this.
Wasnt the reason they came here to take part in the imperial examination because their paths to advancement were blocked?
Despite studying and striving for official ranks, those offspring of noble families had access to vast libraries and guidance from renowned teachers. Having swum in the ocean of knowledge from a young age, they naturally excelled in the imperial examination, securing top positions and earning their names on the prestigious list.
And they, born into the lower class with empty homes, sometimes found it extremely difficult to even obtain a book.
Items like brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones represented a significant expense.
Not to mention if a renowned teacher became aware of them, it was already fortunate to find an instructor willing to teach.
In some of the smaller countries, those noble families directly controlled the imperial examination, deciding who would rise and who would fall, leaving you with no choice whatsoever.
Even if one managed to pass the exams and had the opportunity to serve in the government, climbing the ranks was fraught with difficulties.
This was because the noble families had connections spread throughout the court, and sometimes, their words carried more weight than the Emperors.
Why would they reserve official positions for others when they could keep them within their own people?
So in the end, you either join them, or youll spend your life in frustrated obscurity.
As for the ambitions in your heart, forget about them, just wash up and go to sleep!
Its precisely because the path to promotion was blocked by the noble families that they came to Great Xia to try their luck.
It is for this reason that I have issued an order forbidding any offspring of the noble families from participating in the Great Xia imperial examination! Even if they are outstanding, I do not want them! Lin Beifan declared loudly.
His Majesty is wise! The examinees wept with gratitude, feeling a greater sense of identification with Lin Beifan.
I have always believed that gold will shine! Among you, there must be the gold I am searching for, merely covered in dust for now! I hope that through this imperial examination, you can shine with your own light, illuminating all the provinces and regions!
Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty! the candidates exclaimed loudly.
Many of the candidates were as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood, exceptionally agitated.
Only the scholars sent by the noble families remained unimpressed.
Foolish emperor, no matter how much you boast, this years Great Xia imperial examination will still be dominated by our noble families.
No one can outperform us.
Having said so much, its time to present the question! The topic for this years imperial examination is related to the noble families!
Lin Beifan gave a slight smile, picked up the large writing brush, and with bold strokes, he wrote on the paper and then displayed it, saying,
The topic for this years Great Xia imperial examination isSuppress the noble families, strengthen the nations foundation!
The examinees were taken aback, shocked to see such a sensitive topic come up!
This was a direct challenge to the noble families!
Their majesties are so bold!!!
Only the scholars from the noble families, who had been smug just moments before, were now livid with anger, their faces darkened!
Goodness, the specificity of this question was too strong; it was extremely unfriendly towards them, practically a threat to their lives!
If they performed poorly on the test and failed to secure a government position, they would certainly face repercussions from the noble families backing them!
If you score too well, youll likewise be dealt with by the noble families behind the scenes!
How are we supposed to take the exam?
Scoundrel!
This foolish emperor, hes really done some harm!
Lin Beifan had already seen a few candidates whose faces had turned dark, and he chuckled, Alright, the test papers can be distributed now. You may start answering when the time comes!
Yes, Your Majesty! ๐ทโด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ช๐ผ๐ฝ.๐ธโด๐
The exam papers were distributed one after another.
Many candidates had already begun to ponder seriously on how to answer the questions.
Only those scholars from noble families had particularly unsightly expressions, equally troubled, not knowing how to begin their essays.
In their hearts, they cursed Lin Beifan thoroughly once again.
With the tolling of three bells, the imperial examination officially commenced.
Lin Beifan did not leave; instead, he stayed at the examination site to supervise alongside Li Linfu.
Minister Li, there should be quite a few scholars from noble families here, right?
Li Linfu bowed with his hands clasped together and said with a wry smile, Indeed, Your Majesty, your humble servant has also noticed! However, there are too many of them, and its impossible to weed them out one by one. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!
Ignorance is not a sin!
Lin Beifan said with a beaming smile, Just proceed with the normal examination! For these matters, I have my own arrangements.
Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty! Li Linfu bowed.
After watching for a while and recognizing the situation as uninteresting, Lin Beifan found it boring and left.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The imperial examination came to an end, and the candidates finally stepped out of the tense examination halls.
Meanwhile, the exam questions for this session of the imperial examination leaked out, causing a great shock among the people.
Suppress the noble families, strengthen the nations foundation?
The questions for this imperial examination are truly impressive!
Yes, they are so targeted, theyve completely offended the noble families!
Under the heavens, only that foolish emperor would dare to do such a thing, and you have to admire him for it!
Haha, I really want to see the faces of the noble families now!
Im also looking forward to it; it will definitely be quite a spectacle!
What were the expressions on the faces of the noble families?
They were now hideously contorted with ugliness!
They had never imagined that the foolish emperor, who had always been at odds with them, would set such questions in the imperial examination. He was clearly determined to resist them to the very end, to nail them to the pillar of shame once and for all.
Foolish emperor, from now on, the two of us cant exist at the same time!
***
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