A gust of cold wind blew across the bare branches, and the withered yellow leaves slowly rotted and became nutrients for the roots. Unknowingly, Daqin had entered July, the early winter.
After three months of working day and night, the candidates set out for the capital Xianyang with a feeling of trepidation and anticipation.
Sishui County, Pei County.
A young man stood in front of the carriage. He looked elegant and steady, and his eyes, as calm as water, now showed a bit of sharpness.
"Father, Mother, I'm going back to the academy. Let's say goodbye now."
"Shan'er, remember to keep a low profile when you are outside, and don't provoke the powerful."
"My son, I only wish you a safe return."
The serious father and the kind mother, both of them have strands of silver in their black hair, and the wrinkles and furrows on their faces are the traces left by the years.
Cao Shen bowed deeply and after standing up, he looked deeply at his elderly parents and then got into the carriage with determination.
A few days later, Cao Shen, exhausted from the journey, finally arrived in Xianyang before the palace examination.
He gazed at the familiar scene outside the window, and his excited heart suddenly calmed down. He did not rush back to the academy, but went to a house in the inner city.
In the elegant courtyard of the Xiao residence, Xiao He had already prepared a table full of sumptuous dishes to welcome his good friend.
"Dongdongdong~"
"Brother Xiao, it's me."
"Hahaha, Brother Cao, I've been waiting for you for a long time!"
Xiao He took his friend's bag with a smile and welcomed him in. Han Xin and Zhang Liang in the courtyard also came forward to greet him.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, everyone sat down at the table one by one, sometimes clinking glasses, sometimes chatting and laughing, it was very lively.
After half a round of drinking, Han Xin burped, leaned back in his chair, and asked curiously in a very familiar manner.
"Brother Cao Shen, this is a critical moment. Why did you suddenly return home?"
"Parents at home are worried about you, so you should always comfort them and prevent them from worrying too much."
"Brother Cao is so filial!"
"And it's nice to have parents who care about you..."
Han Xin praised loudly, and then, perhaps because he was drunk, he muttered something to himself in an imperceptible way.
The boy, who was always cheerful and cheerful, now looked depressed with his head drooping, like a stray dog standing outside, alone in the rain.
The three people present were all sharp-minded and naturally noticed his sadness. Xiao He and Cao Shen patted his shoulders and comforted him silently.
Zhang Liang was somewhat at a loss. Even though he was extremely intelligent, how could a pampered young man ever comfort anyone?
So he could only clumsily change the subject.
"The palace examination will be held the day after tomorrow. I don't know what the questions will be."
"Anyway, our martial arts exams are nothing more than the same few things, archery, fighting..."
"I just hope I don't run into any big guys this time."
Han Xin raised his head, continued the conversation, and gulped down another glass of wine. A drunken blush instantly appeared on his handsome face.
Seeing that the boy's complexion had returned to normal, Xiao He's brows relaxed slightly. He took a sip of sake and continued to ease the atmosphere.
"The civil examination should be a policy question."
"Oh? Why do you say that, Brother Xiao?"
"The palace examination requires an audience with His Majesty, and time is limited. I don't think the examination process will be too complicated."
Cao Shen nodded thoughtfully, stroking the smooth wine glass. The slight drunkenness did not make his mind confused, but made him more alert.
"Well, Brother Xiao, what you said makes sense."
"If we only examine the policy questions, the difficulty has increased instead of decreased. I wonder if it was Your Majesty who set the questions."
Upon hearing this, Xiao He and Zhang Liang fell silent, their brows tightly furrowed, and a hint of worry appeared on their solemn faces.
Compared with legal documents, policy questions test students' ability to respond on the spot and their extensive knowledge reserves.
What's more, answering the questions under the emperor's nose is extremely stressful. Candidates with poor psychological quality may not be able to write a single word.
Gradually, the moon set in the west, the night grew dark, and only leftovers were left on the table.
Xiao He, Cao Shen and Zhang Liang did not drink much and were still conscious, but Han Xin was drunk and was holding a jar of wine in his hand.
"...Drink! I want to drink more...hiccup~"
"Brother Han, it's late, go and get some rest."
"No, no, I want to drink..."
Seeing that the drunk was clinging to the table tightly and looked unconscious, the three of them had to work together to carry him to the guest room.
Han Xin was half drunk and half awake, looking at the starry night sky. A drop of water fell from the corner of his red eyes, and he murmured a few words.
"Father, Mother, I will definitely make it in life, I will definitely..."
"I will bring honor to you two elders, and I will also make those who look down on me... stare blankly..."
On the third day, the candidates put on their most appropriate clothes and took their carriages to the palace gate early in the morning.
After passing through layers of strict inspection, they finally arrived at the solemn and dignified Zhangtai Palace.
They suppressed their excitement, pretended to be calm and sat in their seats, waiting for His Majesty's arrival.
As the candidates waited anxiously, a sharp shout rang out in the silent hall.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
“…”
All the candidates were shocked and hurriedly bowed their heads in respect, not daring to look directly into the emperor's face.
A steady and powerful sound of footsteps was heard, followed by a mature and majestic male voice echoing in my ears.
"Well, everyone, please stand up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Although they did not see the emperor's face, the powerful pressure from the emperor made people dare not breathe, and what's worse, cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.
Ying Zheng sat upright on the dragon throne, his black and gold dragon robe making him look even more noble and majestic. His expression was calm and indifferent, and the majestic aura around him made people submit to him.
He looked down at everyone condescendingly, his narrow and deep phoenix eyes were like deep pools, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry. After a while, he spoke lightly.
"The palace examination questions are drawn up by me."
"The title is - Daqin's Future Development Plan."
As soon as the words fell, everyone's heart skipped a beat, their faces changed drastically, and some people were so panicked that their hands were shaking slightly.
This question is indeed too broad and too profound. There is no standard answer and no other case references.
This is undoubtedly a big problem for them.
But no matter what, the palace examination continued as usual, and the palace servants distributed pens, ink, paper and inkstone in an orderly manner.
The candidates wiped the sweat from their palms, spread out the papers, and frowned in thought.
After a moment, someone started writing with confidence.
In the huge hall, one could hear a pin drop. Everyone was concentrating and focused, and the only sounds left were the slight rustling of papers and the rustling of pens and ink.
When half of the exam time had passed, Ying Zheng stood up and walked slowly down.
A candidate was thinking hard when he suddenly felt a shadow falling on his head. A strong sense of oppression came over him. His breathing stopped and his whole body trembled slightly.
Seeing this, Ying Zheng frowned, a hint of disappointment flashed across his brows, and then he walked to another candidate.
Cao Shen, who was full of inspiration, had no idea that the emperor, whom he revered and admired, was carefully reading his test paper with an expression of admiration.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
