The day after the Gentlemen's Academy assessment, the most talked-about topic in Shengjing City was the strange exam questions.

Apart from political essays, which resembled imperial examination questions, everyone else wrote freely, figuring things out as they went.

However, the students didn't care much. They just felt that their elders had asked them to deal with His Majesty. If they could get a position as a disciple of the emperor, it would be a good thing for those illegitimate sons who were just wasting their time.

But by the afternoon, the topic had taken a wrong turn.

"Ah, I heard that His Majesty has asked everyone to take the Gentlemen's Academy exam in order to select a talent pool for the future Crown Prince. In the future, they will all surely rise to high positions and become close ministers of the Emperor."

"Who told you that?"

"Never mind that, just listen to my analysis. Look, the selection criteria are all sons of officials of the fourth rank or above, excluding commoners and those below the fourth rank. This is to consider both family background and education."

“There are countless talents among ordinary people.”

"So the imperial examination system was also implemented in parallel. This Gentleman's Academy is like the recommendation system of a thousand years ago, giving the sons of high-ranking officials more options. This can be proven by the strange exam questions."

"Hiss, what you said makes sense."

"Right, right? Ordinary commoners and talented scholars don't have that kind of insight into those exam questions. But the sons of high-ranking officials do. They may not be as good as commoners in the imperial examinations, but they are good in other aspects."

"So His Majesty is trying to win over the court officials?" the man asked in a low voice.

"Yes, you know, His Majesty's position... has many old faces in the court."

The two scholars looked at each other and smiled as if they had seen through the emperor's intentions.

Within half a day, this rumor spread throughout Shengjing.

Those indifferent young masters suddenly tensed up. Really? How come they didn't know?

Why didn't my own father say anything?

So they all immediately went home to ask their elders.

Ministers: Is that what His Majesty means? Hmm, could that really be what he means?

A minister secretly went to visit Li Xiao.

Li Xiao stroked his beard inscrutably, "It cannot be said, it cannot be said."

You can figure it out yourselves. Actually, I'm also pondering it, but I can't explain it.

This matter is strange. If His Majesty really wants to use this method to win over the former Yin people and the hearts of all the civil and military officials, it is not impossible.

It might even be a test of the loyalty of the ministers.

This was the reason why no one objected when the emperor brought it up.

The emperor was determined to cultivate his own people, and no one could openly oppose him.

What I can't understand is why it took the emperor twenty years to start cultivating people? Before that, he had only placed a few of his own people in positions of power.

Is this really to build a foundation for the future crown prince?

But then again, what about the Crown Prince? Who is worthy to be the Crown Prince? Where is the Crown Prince?

Then someone excitedly wrote to the emperor the next day urging him to select candidates for the imperial concubine selection, saying that if there were no candidates, they could have children immediately.

There's only been one Zhao Lin all these years; it must be because those concubines can't have children anymore.

Xiao Zhixing kept an eye on the direction of the rumors circulating in Shengjing, waiting to see what would happen.

Many interested people were also paying attention to this matter, trying to figure out what the emperor was thinking.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Yunqi simply said to Fulu, "It's pretty much the same. Let them pass on the word."

Tell the people below not to worry about it.

On the third day, it was said that the lists for Shengjing and Zhongzhou would soon be released, and the popularity of the matter rose to another level.

However, a new topic suddenly arose that morning.

"Hey, did the Feng family really say that? Openly mocking Prince Yuansheng?"

"Why would I lie to you? My brother likes to squat in the corner, and he heard it with his own ears. That Fifth Young Master Feng didn't hide anything, saying something like, 'So what if you become a prince? You're still a woman, aren't you? You'll marry and have children, and then you'll become a man's possession...'"

"His mouth is really sharp."

"That's right. They even said that His Majesty only selects men for talent. So what if she has outstanding achievements? She was still excluded. She couldn't even get a chance to enter the Gentlemen's Academy."

"Truly poisonous, truly poisonous. Young Master Feng, as expected of the Poison King of Shengjing, tsk tsk."

"However, what he said makes sense. Historically, where has a woman ever served as a minister? Although Prince Yuansheng is an exception, it's impossible to really allow a woman into the Gentleman's Courtyard, is it?"

"Hehe, shouldn't they be going to the harem?"

"Shut up, get out! How dare you say such a thing?"

This topic spread like wildfire throughout Shengjing in just two hours, and some with ill intentions directly brought up Feng Hui, linking him to Xiao Zhixing.

They openly accused Feng Hui of slandering Xiao Zhixing and mocking her for being destined to become a concubine, marrying and having children, even with her illustrious military achievements.

Of course, there were also those who shamelessly defended Xiao Zhixing by refuting Feng Hui's words, but the one above was more resounding.

Many people deliberately stirred up trouble, wanting to see Xiao Zhixing clash with Feng Hui again; they just loved watching the drama unfold.

These past two days, Xiao Zhixing was not in Shengjing. He went to the garrison of the Southern Jiangsu Army to visit everyone and also to practice with them.

Early in the morning, she planned to go back. "Everyone, train hard, and we'll fight the Northern Barbarians again next year."

Encouraging them, she instructed Shi Jiaowu and the others to practice diligently before riding back to the city with Bai Mei and Mo Mei.

The Southern Jiangsu Army was stationed in the west, so she entered from the western district and happened to pass through the western commercial center.

We rode slowly along the way, taking in the vibrant atmosphere of Shengjing.

"Hey, isn't that General Yuansheng?"

"It's her. Has she returned from outside the city?"

"Hehe, do you think she heard that rumor?"

"Shut up, your mouth will get you killed sooner or later."

Xiao Zhixing raised an eyebrow. Rumors? Why did you stop talking?

However, she didn't take it to heart and figured she could go back to her residence first and inquire later.

As she passed by Fuyuan Restaurant, she heard someone loudly mentioning her again, and she was very familiar with that arrogant, sarcastic voice.

"I'm not afraid even if I tell her. What can she do to me? Isn't she a woman? Won't she get married in the future?"

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