Tang Dynasty: Consort Wu? Your Majesty, please address her as the Crown Prince's Consort.

Hearing Yao Guangxiao's words, Li Chengqian couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

The system arranged for Zhang Heng to appear in the imperial examination!

Even Li Chengqian couldn't help but feel worried for this year's candidates when he heard the news.

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian turned to Zhang Heng beside him and said:

"Ziping! Would you be willing to serve as an official in the Eastern Palace? This would save you the trouble of taking the imperial examinations!"

Upon hearing Li Chengqian's words, the latter couldn't help but be slightly taken aback, and then immediately shook his head.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness. I am willing to serve as an official in the Eastern Palace, but I wish to continue participating in the imperial examinations and enter the Eastern Palace as a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian was not particularly surprised.

What he just said might seem like a shortcut to officialdom to others, but for a genius like Zhang Heng, such a shortcut is something he wouldn't even bother with.

Moreover, entering officialdom through the imperial examination is the proper path. Only by becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) can one avoid being criticized in the future.

Therefore, Li Chengqian nodded in agreement with Zhang Heng's request.

"In that case, it will be as you wish. Where do you reside now?"

"Your Highness, my mother and I live in a small alley in the east of the city."

Upon hearing this answer, Li Chengqian immediately shook his head and said:

"It's too far. I'll have someone arrange a residence for you near the Eastern Palace. You can move here with your mother. Regardless of the outcome of the imperial examination, you can serve in my Eastern Palace!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Zhang Heng did not refuse Li Chengqian's request. Because of the system, even though this was the first time Li Chengqian and Zhang Heng had met, Zhang Heng's loyalty to Li Chengqian was one hundred percent.

Therefore, even if he participated in the imperial examination, no matter what his final ranking was, he could only be considered Li Chengqian's person.

As for whether Zhang Heng could do well in the exam, Li Chengqian was not worried at all.

Just kidding, the number one spot on the Millennium Dragon and Tiger List is no empty title.

At that moment, Yao Guangxiao couldn't help but ask:

"Your Highness! May I ask why you summoned this humble monk here?"

Upon hearing the old monk's question, Li Chengqian couldn't help but smile slightly.

He didn't answer immediately, but turned to Zhang Heng beside him and said:

"Ziping! If I were to entrust you with handling state affairs, wouldn't that interfere with your preparations for the imperial examinations?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Heng decisively shook his head.

"No! I've learned everything I need to learn; I'm just waiting for the imperial examination to begin!"

As he spoke, Zhang Heng also exuded a sense of confidence.

Upon hearing his answer, Li Chengqian's eyes lit up, and he looked at Zhang Heng as if he were looking at a chosen one.

Wow! What a fine beast... no... what a talented person!

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian immediately pointed to the mountain of memorials piled up beside them and said:

"This is today's memorial. You two help me review it, then write down specific solutions. Finally, I will decide whether to adopt them!"

Upon hearing this request, the two were slightly taken aback. Zhang Heng didn't see anything wrong with it, but Yao Guangxiao was completely dumbfounded.

Looking at the mountain of memorials, Yao Guangxiao was on the verge of tears.

"Your Highness! This humble monk is a Buddhist monk!"

"I know! I'm not blind!"

"But... how can a monk handle state affairs?"

"The laws of the Tang Dynasty didn't say that monks couldn't participate in state affairs!!"

After saying that, Li Chengqian waved his hand impatiently at him and said:

"Alright, alright! Stop wasting time. Time is tight and the task is heavy, let's get started. My Eastern Palace is mostly filled with military officers, and there are very few civil officials. So, old monk, you'll have to take over for now."

After the imperial examinations are over, I'll select some more people to come in, and then you'll be able to relax.

Don't worry! Do a good job! If you do a great job, I will approve!

Hearing Li Chengqian's words, Yao Guangxiao couldn't help but feel speechless, but he still reluctantly began to read the memorial.

While watching, he kept muttering and cursing:

"Damn it, all that text for such a trivial matter? Deduct my salary!"

"You bastards! They even reported that Widow Wang's chicken was missing from the house at the east end of the village! What are those useless people in the Secretariat doing? They can send such a memorial to the Emperor!"

……

In contrast to Yao Guangxiao, who was cursing and swearing, Zhang Heng was much quieter.

Perhaps it was muscle memory from his past life, but Zhang Heng handled memorials with remarkable ease.

For example, the brother-in-law of a county magistrate in a certain place oppressed the people, committing rape and plunder!

Zhang Heng's reply was...

The county magistrate's brother-in-law was to be executed immediately. The county magistrate was to be executed in the autumn and the local county magistrate was to be investigated for corruption and abuse of power. If he was found guilty, he was to be punished according to the law. If he was found not guilty, he was to be punished for failing to manage his subordinates and was to be fined half a year's salary!

Even Li Chengqian was somewhat surprised by this outcome.

Seeing such a refined and scholarly person act so decisively, Li Chengqian could only feel admiration for the outcome.

Sure enough, with the addition of Yao Guangxiao and Zhang Heng, the efficiency of processing memorials increased dramatically.

The memorials that were originally scheduled to be processed by sunset were actually finished an hour and a half ahead of schedule.

Moreover, Li Chengqian was very relaxed throughout the process; he basically only needed to look at the opinions given by Yao Guangxiao and Zhang Heng.

Most importantly, the suggestions given by Yao Guangxiao and Zhang Heng were mostly reasonable and could be used directly without needing his further additions.

This made Li Chengqian sigh with admiration. Indeed, only when the people below him are capable can he, as a leader, feel at ease!

……

Liangyi Hall!

"Your Majesty! His Highness the Crown Prince has sent back all the processed memorials!"

Ok?

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin, who was diligently reviewing memorials, couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

Huh? You've finished criticizing this unfilial son?

That fast? He's only finished half of it!

Looking at the neatly arranged memorials in front of him, Li Shimin couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

He casually picked up a book and couldn't help but nod in agreement with the proposed solutions, but he quickly realized something was wrong.

"This isn't that unfilial son's handwriting!"

As he pondered this, Li Shimin picked up another book, and when he saw its contents, a surge of anger rose within him.

"You unfilial son! How dare you entrust the matter of submitting memorials to others?!"

However, before he could fully erupt, Li Shimin discovered another problem: every memorial's proposed solution had a small "准" (approved) mark.

But the character "准" (zhun) was written in the handwriting of that rebellious son.

This……

Upon seeing this, Li Shimin was immediately stunned, as if he had been electrocuted.

With his intelligence, how could he not see what this rebellious son had done!

This is clearly a matter of having others review the memorials and provide solutions, while he only needs to decide whether to adopt those solutions!

Thinking of this, Li Shimin couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

That's a good idea. If I also find a few people to help me review the memorials, and those people only have the right to make suggestions but not the right to make decisions, then the power will still be in his hands, and he can relax a lot!