For Liu Hong, education is a fundamental matter concerning the entire country and nation, and he will not allow anyone to interfere.

After carefully reading the report on education development submitted by the cabinet, Liu Hong began to ponder it silently.

From the very beginning of Liu Hong's reign, he set a goal for himself: to reform and develop the country, to implement the imperial examination system, and to spread the glory of the Han Dynasty to every corner of the world.

Now, most of the reforms have been completed, the military power of the Han Dynasty has been fully grasped, and the popularization of education is progressing steadily.

In addition, the annual examinations over the years have become a recognized method of talent selection by the imperial court and scholars across the country, making the imperial examinations a natural outcome.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Hong took out paper and pen and began to write down some regulations and rules regarding the imperial examination.

For example, in the past, a student could only be assessed in other subjects after passing the written examination. The imperial court would then make corresponding appointments based on the results of those other subjects.

However, Liu Hong has now broken down this approach, making the article assessment a separate item instead of a mandatory one.

Those who write well can become officials, but they can only hold positions related to literature and education.

The remaining fields of study, such as industry, agriculture, medicine, construction, and water conservancy, will continue to be allocated according to the students' examination results, just as in the past.

Unlike the imperial examination system of later generations, which used the eight-legged essay to select officials, the imperial examination system established by Liu Hong was simply a standardization and formalization of the existing system of classified assessment, defining the imperial examination as the main means of selecting talents for the Han Dynasty.

As for the recommendation system, which coexisted with the assessment system, Liu Hong did not abolish it, but instead imposed restrictions. Officials at all levels could still recommend talents to the court, but those recommended had to study at three academies and could only be appointed after passing the examinations.

Of course, just as there are civil examinations, there must also be military examinations. In the Han Dynasty today, civil and military affairs go hand in hand. Civil officials and scholars hold high status both in the court and in the countryside, but military generals and martial arts practitioners also hold high status.

He didn't want the imperial examination system to turn the people of the Han Dynasty into bookworms who only read the classics.

For the military examination, it was relatively simple. Apart from physical fitness and military strategy, the most important thing was to have a good political ideology.

However, unlike the civil service examinations which selected candidates from among the common people, the military examinations should ideally be held among one's own people.

According to Liu Hong's plan, the first step is to build several military academies to educate the students for a period of time, and then conduct assessments and selections to ensure both quality and quantity and maintain the overall stability of the army.

With this in mind, Liu Hong ordered Zhang Rang to fetch a map of the Han Dynasty and began to delineate the construction site for the military academy.

Today, with the development of the maritime industry, the Han Dynasty's army has gradually developed into two forces: the army and the navy.

Although the Han Dynasty is currently primarily based on the army, it will need to be primarily based on the navy in the future.

Subsequently, Liu Hong selected three coastal cities—Donglai, Yinshan, and Rinan—as the construction sites for the Naval Academy, with each academy having a capacity of 10,000 students per term.

As for the Army Academy, after some deliberation, Liu Hong decided on three cities: Jincheng, Changsha, and Yanzhao (Baoding).

Then, Liu Hong turned and handed the regulations concerning the civil and military examinations to Zhang Rang, who was standing beside him: "Go, have the cabinet draft a detailed set of regulations, and then announce it to the world!"

"Here you go!!"

Zhang Rang respectfully accepted the two copies of the charter, then bowed and withdrew.

The cabinet ministers who received Liu Hong's order did not say much after seeing the emperor's regulations on civil and military examinations.

Once people got used to the assessment system and the existence of the Imperial Guard, they knew that these two things would be put on the agenda sooner or later, and that it would be irreversible.

After all, this matter involves the interests of scholars and warriors all over the world, and no one dares to disagree.

How to gain more benefits for themselves in these two matters is what they should be thinking about.

The cabinet couldn't interfere with military academies and military examinations, but for the imperial examinations, there had to be a corresponding organizing body and examiners, right?

After all, this is a major event affecting hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of students across the entire Han Dynasty, and the benefits involved are unimaginable.

Subsequently, after discussions among several cabinet ministers, the emperor agreed to the regulations for promoting civil and military examinations. At the same time, a resolution was added to establish an independent government office separate from the Six Ministries, specifically responsible for the examinations. This office would be nominally under the cabinet, with the six cabinet ministers taking turns serving as its chief official.

Liu Hong gave the cabinet's proposal serious consideration.

Although this would increase the cabinet's power, it would also maximize the court's control over local areas.

Having reigned as the Emperor of the Han Dynasty for so many years, Liu Hong had come to understand one thing: the stability of a regime never lies in its systems, but in the people who implement them.

No matter how efficient and perfect your own customized system is, in the end, it still depends on how the person ultimately implements it.

Some so-called systems, at most, only make those who want to break the rules more hesitant.

After careful consideration, Liu Hong named this office the Wenxuansi (文选司), and added a Royal Supervision Office above it, with special personnel sent by the inner palace to be responsible for distributing examination questions and maintaining the venue for the imperial examinations.

Soon, after some discussion and research with the cabinet, Liu Hong officially promulgated the decrees concerning the imperial examination and the establishment of military academies on August 1st.

It was decided that in March of the tenth year of Jianning, the imperial examination system would be officially implemented.

The news immediately caused a stir among students across the country, especially those from humble backgrounds, who were so excited they danced with joy.

Although some members of prominent families expressed their dissatisfaction with the imperial examination system, their discontent was insignificant compared to the vast number of students.

Furthermore, although the emperor formally implemented the imperial examination system, he did not abolish the recommendation system. Those sons of noble families could still enter officialdom through recommendation, only needing to study at the three academies.

At the same time, the Privy Council and the Imperial Guard also began to work on establishing officer academies for the Navy and the Army.

Meanwhile, in Rome, on the other side of the world, things were also in a flurry of activity.

Unlike the Han Dynasty, which was busy with construction and reforms, the nobles and officials of the various provinces in Rome were busy waving their gold coins and buying Han Dynasty silk, porcelain, tea and various other goods.