Miao Rui warned cautiously, "Your Highness, please don't do this yourself again."

Liu Tan smiled helplessly and said, "Okay, just help me."

Liu Tan wanted alkali only because of the alkali immersion method.

The alkali immersion method is used to quickly remove the peel because the alkaline solution can dissolve the middle layer of the peel.

If you want to remove the peel, you have to soak it for a longer time, but Liu Tan only wants to dissolve a part of it, so he plans to soak it for a few seconds, almost just pass it through and then take it out.

However, the concentration of the alkaline solution still needs a little experimentation.

Because he was under full supervision by Miao Rui and Bigo, Liu Tan could only stand aside and let others do the work. Fortunately, the operation was not complicated.

After wasting a lot of grapes, Liu Tan determined that the proportion of alkali in the alkaline solution should not exceed 4%. However, the concept of percentage had not yet appeared at that time. According to historical records, the earliest concept of percentage should have appeared in "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art".

This book is at least a hundred years old, so Liu Tan had to use very complicated language to explain to them how to take four out of a hundred. After he finished explaining, he was too tired to talk anymore.

Fortunately, he didn't need to say anything more in the following process.

When the test was conducted again, the grapes that had been treated with the alkaline immersion method dried significantly faster than those that had not been treated. At this rate, Liu Tan estimated that they would be able to proceed to the next step, shade drying, in about ten days.

Yes, raisins are not exposed to the sun from beginning to end. If they are completely dry without any moisture, no one can eat them.

It is easier to master the method only by drying it in the shade.

As for the time required for drying in the shade, we still need to continue experimenting.

Seeing that the production of raisins was going very smoothly, Liu Tan was obviously in a much better mood, so when the county governors came over again to take the exam, they were relieved to see Liu Tan's face.

The last time they saw Liu Tan for the first time, what caught their eyes was a murderous face like the King of Hell.

No matter how beautiful it is, it is hard to resist. When Liu Tan was invigilating, no one dared to take a second look at it.

Now Liu Tan was in a good mood, and his face became pleasing to the eye, especially when he sat there with his eyes slightly lowered, smiling at people. This made the county governors, who were originally very nervous, relax, and even couldn't help but take a few more glances. After all, who doesn't like to look at a beautiful woman?

Because of her beauty, the county governors' resentment was somewhat dissipated.

Some even thought that they could just join in the fun with the King of the North.

Anyway, the King of the North has been keeping them well fed and well-fed these days. Apart from the fact that their living quarters are not very good, he has not neglected them in any other way.

Liu Tan watched these people writing quickly below and found that high pressure was quite effective. No matter what they wrote in the end, it at least looked like they had really memorized it.

After the exam, Liu Tan graded the papers on the spot without giving these people a chance to go back.

The result of this marking can be described in four words: unsatisfactory.

Although there are still one or two poor students, but overall it's okay. At least I know a lot about the area under my jurisdiction and the population. As for the specialties and the like... forget it, I won't force it.

Anyway, Liu Tan will replace them sooner or later.

The reason why there is no replacement now is purely because Liu Tan has no one on his hands. He can't transfer all of them from Chang'an, right?

The few who came now all came on their own initiative. Who knows if there is anyone else who is willing to come?

He has to take the exam anyway, so if you can find suitable ones, just replace them one by one.

Liu Tan put down the test paper and took a look at it. From the expressions on their faces, the county governors knew that they must have passed this level.

Liu Tan began, "Everyone has worked very hard these past few days, and I'm very satisfied. However, there are still some areas that are lacking. Everyone knows that the Northern Territory has little arable land and low tax revenue. But we can't give up just because of this. Otherwise, I'll lose face in front of my father, and I'll be unhappy. If I'm unhappy... then everyone will be unhappy too."

The county governors were all horrified, as they could still vividly remember the unhappy look of the young prince five days ago. However, some people wondered if he could possibly go to other counties to hunt him down?

Liu Tan said, "So, when you return, each of you should write a document according to this format, listing all the areas of development within your territory. Then send someone to deliver it to me, and I will distribute the paper later."

Dear county governors: ?????

Why isn’t it over yet?

Everyone thought they could just deal with this wave of exams, but they didn’t expect there would be homework!

Facing the angry looks from the crowd, Liu Tan remained calm, as if he hadn't noticed, and continued, "That's the first thing. The second thing is that you've all gone through the exam. After you return, we'll hold another exam in the county. The exam regulations will be distributed then. Next summer, outstanding scholars from each county will come to the capital for another exam. Those who pass this exam will be directly appointed officials."

Liu Tan watched the governors' expressions change from dissatisfaction to surprise, then smiled and said, "To be honest, I have many vacancies here. I have a job opening for anyone who can pass the exam, so you must spread the word widely when you return. Even in remote areas, you must send people to notify them. I don't want any talented people to be lost in the countryside. Of course... if you have any useful children, you can take the exam too. Everything will be determined by their results."

The county governors' expressions changed from surprise to excitement. Liu Tan continued, "But there's one thing to note. The exam has strict anti-cheating measures, so you probably won't be able to help your children get in through the back door. Even if you could, they'd still have to come to the capital to take the exam again. If I find out someone cheated, don't blame me for punishing you as well."

The expressions on the county governors' faces softened slightly.

Liu Tan finally set the tone, saying, "In short, I don't care about a person's background when hiring them, but they must be truly talented. Remember this, Sang Qian, and read them the precautions."

Sang Qian immediately stood up and began to recite. In fact, the examination was just like that, going back and forth. There were two rounds of examinations in the county government, and these two rounds of examinations had to be completed within a month. The examination papers would be brought to each county by special envoys five days before the examination, and no one except the special envoys could touch the examination papers. At the same time, the special envoys and the county governors were both invigilators.

After the papers were collected, they were sealed immediately, and then the county magistrate would find someone to mark them. Because there were fixed answers for the first and second rounds, the markers did not need to have profound cultural knowledge, as long as they could read.

When marking the papers, the sealed area with the name on it naturally cannot be opened in order to maintain complete confidentiality.

Then after the first and second rounds of examinations are over, the scholars who pass the examinations can prepare to travel to the capital for the third round of examinations. The specific examination time is to be determined, but it will be announced before the end of the second round of examinations.

All that remains is that the candidates must be strictly searched before the exam and are not allowed to bring anything in except writing materials.

Because Liu Tan did not have to take exams for several days like in the Ming Dynasty, and students did not have to eat in the examination room. The papers were not difficult. After all, in those days, there were no basic books, so you couldn't force anything.

The county governors were stunned. They didn't find any loopholes in the whole process!

In fact, there must be loopholes in this exam. No matter how strict it is, there are always ways to cheat, let alone such a crude method now?

It’s just that no matter what something is, when it first appears, people generally don’t think of how to cheat first because they don’t have a deep understanding of it.

Of course, it was also possible that these county magistrates could invent a way to cheat, but that didn't matter. Didn't they say there was another exam? By then, if it came to him, it wouldn't work. If it was too obvious, Liu Tan would even review the test papers and confirm that cheating had occurred. The county magistrate would also be punished.

Liu Tan will make this clear to the county governors when the special envoy arrives.

Each county governor took a copy of these examination rules. They were already dizzy after just finishing the examination, and now they had to hold such a document. These county governors were really tortured both mentally and physically when they reported on their work this time.

Liu Tan took a look and thought that among these county governors, only Kou Zhengda would really do it seriously, and as for the others... it's hard to say.

Sang Qian probably understood the moral character of these county governors very well, and couldn't help asking, "Your Highness, if they refuse to promote the exam when they return, and then just let some country folk take the exam, what will happen if they are declared unqualified without any recommendation?"

This kind of non-violent non-cooperation has happened more than once or twice, and not everyone can see the benefits of taking exams.

At least if you pass the exam you can become an official, which is a good step for advancement even for the relatives of these county magistrates.

But the same thing goes, if they really had this vision, they would not have been serving as county governors in Bingzhou and Shuofang for so many years. Those who were capable would have been transferred long ago.

Liu Tan smiled and said, "Don't worry, they probably aren't that bold. And most importantly, they've experienced the test before, so they'd be willing to let others go through it again."

This is probably a typical "why am I the only one who is unlucky" thought.

Even these county governors want to put pressure on Liu Tan and may cause some trouble.

But it doesn't matter. Liu Tan has thought it through. Whichever county causes trouble will have its quota reduced, and that county will have no chance of taking the exam.

At first, the scholars might not notice anything, but when the people sent by other counties have passed the examination and become officials, they will always be able to tell a thing or two.

The biggest problem now is not these county magistrates, but what to do with the county magistrate of Xi'anyang?

If he kills someone, he will have to give the job to a county magistrate.

But the problem is that he doesn't have any suitable people on his hands, so where can he find a county magistrate?

Just as Liu Tan was pondering, Wei Buyi rushed in and said with a look of joy, "Your Highness, Your Highness, we've found the purple-red rock! Take a look, is this it?"