Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

Huang Chao walked through the crowd, not wanting to pay any attention to them.

Unfortunately, someone spotted him at a glance.

He immediately shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Hey, Brother Huang's out! Brother Huang's been taking the exam for twenty years, he's got the most experience. Come on, tell us what you wrote?"

The candidates on both sides immediately turned their attention to him.

They were all waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

After all, Huang Chao is quite well-known in the Shilin circle.

Huang Chao simply shook his head slightly:

"It's all just nonsense. You'll either fail the exam or become the top scholar."

Boom! The crowd burst into laughter.

What a boastful tone!

Of course, everyone automatically ignored the second half of the sentence.

"Brother Huang, don't be discouraged. You'll get used to it. Come back in three years."

Huang Chao did not offer any explanation and continued walking forward.

After walking a dozen steps, he suddenly turned back.

Thinking he was about to turn hostile, everyone stepped back.

But to his surprise, Huang Chao looked puzzled:

"By the way, did you provide meals for this exam?"

......

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

This time, the entire process from the start of the exam to the grading was incredibly fast.

There were 3,000 test takers, 10,000 fewer than at its peak, so the number of papers to be graded was not too large.

But the rules for grading papers were not relaxed at all.

All exam papers were copied and anonymously sealed, and the Imperial Guards guarded the examination hall in three layers, inside and out.

The examiner went into the marking room and never came out again.

They eat, drink, and relieve themselves all inside; even the outhouse is watched over to prevent anyone from using the excuse of needing to urinate to pass notes.

Shen Qingci had been sitting in the examination room for two whole days and two nights.

The mountain of exam papers that used to be piled up on my desk is now reduced to a thin stack.

These are all the candidates who will be able to enter the final examination in this round of the imperial examination.

Of these one hundred, she would choose one to be the head of the association.

"Lord Shen, please take a look at this."

An examiner walked up to Shen Qingci with a copy in his hand, his tone full of admiration.

"This policy essay is titled 'Policy for Enriching the People,' which advocates exempting agricultural implements from tax, promoting new-style waterwheels, and encouraging private land reclamation to increase production through tax reduction and replenish the national treasury."

"The writing is skillful and well-organized, and the use of classical allusions is superb. I believe this piece is worthy of being named the top scholar in the imperial examination."

Shen Qingci glanced at it and thought it was good too.

This student's knowledge and insights far surpass those of many renowned Confucian scholars in the imperial court.

Another examiner handed over a copy as well.

"This memorial, 'The Ever-Normal Granary Memorial,' advocates for the establishment of more ever-normal granaries throughout the country. In years of good harvest, grain should be stored in the granaries to prevent farmers from suffering losses due to low grain prices. In years of poor harvest, the granaries should be opened to release grain to prevent famine-stricken people from rebelling. The purpose of granaries is to stabilize grain prices and replenish the national treasury."

"The article is well-written and comprehensive. Although it is not as ornate as the 'Policy for Enriching the People,' it is more practical and mature."

Shen Qingci glanced at it twice and then put it aside.

It's pragmatic, but it all boils down to the same problem.

The national treasury was already empty; where would the money come from to buy grain during a bumper harvest?

The article was written in a very steady and methodical style, but that was also its downfall.

There is absolutely no ambition whatsoever.

In times of peace, someone might appreciate it, but you have to consider the national situation, right?

A nearby examiner quietly handed me a copy.

"Lord Shen, I dare not grade this exam paper..."

Shen Qingci took the exam paper, and after reading only the first line, her pupils suddenly contracted.

She grabbed the test paper, leaned forward, and read it from beginning to end in one breath, getting faster and faster as she read.

When she read the middle section, "The powerful and wealthy provide protection, their private relatives run rampant, the rich and powerful families merge hundreds of households into one, while the poor and common people register only one person out of a thousand," her breath clearly paused for a moment.

As she read on, she came to the line, "The master dared not trust his servant, and the servant dared not rely on his master; the foundation of the powerful collapsed without being attacked." She suddenly stood up.

Absolutely brilliant!

"Reading this volume is like drinking strong liquor, or being on a battlefield, where you can boldly and decisively cut out malignant tumors!"

"This scroll should be the one passed by the top scholar!"

Seeing how much she valued it, the other examiners immediately asked to have a copy to read.

After all, Shen Qingci's knowledge and status are undeniable, and this venomous woman praises him as if it were New Year's Day.

But once the exam paper was in his hands, it felt like a hot potato.

He glanced at it and immediately handed it to someone else.

This isn't an exam paper, it's practically a declaration of war!

"Who is this person? Please post a notice."

Shen Qingci was still lost in thought after reading the policy essay.

I took a sip of tea to calm my nerves.

The official in charge of sealing the scroll immediately cut open the sealing paper at the beginning of the scroll.

The name and place of origin of the contestant were revealed.

"The capital city, the Yellow Dynasty!"

puff!

Shen Qingci spat out all the water in her mouth.

"Who?"

......

The grading process was extremely efficient, and the results were posted at the examination hall the very next day.

The streets were packed with people, all standing on tiptoe to get a better look.

Of course, there were also government officials who would send off good news with gongs and drums, making a great fuss along the way.

The entire capital city was immersed in a frenzied celebration.

A considerable number of students from Luming Academy participated in this imperial examination.

Most people did not go to see the list in person.

Instead, they waited at the academy for good news.

"He passed! He passed! Young Master Zhang Ziqian ranked seventh in the second-class division of high school!"

"Young Master Li Henian, ranked fifteenth in the second class!"

"Young Master Chen Yuanfu, ranked thirty-second in the third class!"

Each time a name is called out, it represents an official of the future of the Great Yan Dynasty.

Especially Luming Academy, which achieved remarkable results under the high pressure and even the risk of beheading during this period.

It's truly a double celebration!

The gongs and drums were pounded loudly, and the academy had prepared firecrackers in advance, which were set off indiscriminately, with no one in charge.

"The excitement is all theirs..."

Huang Chao was quietly packing his luggage.

He had made up his mind; he was no longer staying at Luming Academy.

He's already at the age of fifty, and it's one thing to stay any longer and become a laughing stock, but the real problem is that he's out of money.

My luggage was simple: two old clothes, an inkstone, and a few well-worn books.

This is all the wealth he has now.

Another deafening cheer erupted outside the window; probably another classmate had won.

He sighed.

The door creaked open, and a classmate poked his head in.

stunned for a moment.

"Brother Huang, what are you doing?"

"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. The Great Yan is so vast, I'm going to travel around."

The classmate was at a loss for words.

I advise against it... there's really no point in continuing to study, everyone else in the same year is already a grandparent.

If I don't try to persuade them... it would seem heartless of us as classmates.

"Brother Huang's magnanimity is truly admirable. It is a valuable quality in a person to have self-awareness and be able to let go; this is also a kind of spiritual attainment."

Huang Chao ignored him.

Geniuses are destined to be solitary.

Shouldering their burdens, they stepped across the threshold.

The academy's corridors were packed with people, and the newly appointed scholars were surrounded by crowds, their faces beaming with smiles they could not suppress.

Huang Chao pretended not to see it and walked forward without looking to the side.

"Hey, isn't this Brother Huang? Are you getting dressed to go back to your hometown?"

His reluctance to get involved in scandals doesn't mean others will let him off the hook.

Bullying is everywhere.

"Don't rush, Brother Huang, the roll call hasn't finished yet. The top few are at the very end, maybe it'll be you."

The crowd burst into laughter and began to make a fuss.

"That's right, Brother Huang, please wait a little longer. The results of the provincial examination haven't been announced yet. Who in Luming Academy doesn't know that Brother Huang's writing is the best in the world?"