Kyoto.
At this moment, inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the temporary inspectors who were specifically in charge of organizing the palace examination were already dressed in court robes and lined up on both sides.
Outside the hall, the newly appointed candidates, dressed in robes, hats, and boots, lined up in two rows according to their rankings in the imperial examinations: those with odd-numbered rankings were on the east side, and those with even-numbered rankings were on the west side.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites led the candidates to the front of the hall, where two groups stood facing north on either side of the steps.
Once everyone had taken their positions, the official from the Ministry of Rites' Court of State Ceremonial shouted, "Sound the whip!"
"Smack—"
The imperial guards cracked their whips, three resounding cracks echoing, and solemn silence fell before the palace.
With drums and music playing, officials from the Court of State Ceremonial requested the Emperor to ascend the throne.
The emperor, dressed in bright yellow, took his seat in the main hall. His gaze swept over the candidates, finally pausing slightly at the first candidate on the left—standing there was his nephew, Gu Zhixing.
The emperor narrowed his eyes, his gaze towards Gu Zhixing carrying a hint of complexity.
How could his uncle not know his nephew's true worth?
From childhood to adulthood, let alone settling down to read and write, he probably couldn't even sit still for the duration of an incense stick burning!
What else do they do all day besides cockfighting and dog racing?
Can he participate in the scientific expedition based on his own abilities?
They must have pulled some tricks!
The officials of the Great Yong Dynasty were so corrupt that a spoiled brat was allowed to walk into the palace examination!
But since it was the imperial examination, he couldn't directly reprimand the examiner.
He'll settle accounts with Gu Zhixing properly after today's match!
"Enter the palace——"
The scholars filed in, heads bowed, not daring to look directly at the emperor.
"kneel--"
After five bows and three kowtows, the ceremony was completed, and everyone stood facing east and west, waiting for the exam.
The emperor nodded slightly, and officials from the Ministry of Rites distributed the test questions.
After kneeling to receive the answer, the candidates took their seats and began answering the questions.
Gu Zhixing unfurled the scroll, his gaze falling upon the essay prompt—
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I, the Emperor, know that the Yellow River originates from Kunlun, flowing for thousands of miles to nourish the Central Plains. However, since last autumn's floods, more than thirty breaches have occurred in the dikes of Yu and Yan provinces, inundating countless fields and houses, and causing widespread displacement and suffering. Every time I read the disaster reports, I am unable to eat or sleep in peace..."
You students, learned in both ancient and modern times, may each express your views:
How can we strengthen dikes and prevent them from collapsing?
How to guide the water flow to ensure the smooth transport of grain?
How can we raise funds to alleviate the people's burden?
Its detailed strategies should be practical and avoid empty rhetoric. I will review it personally.
The gist of the question is that the Yellow River is our mother river, but it has been flooding frequently in recent years. In particular, last autumn, more than 30 dikes breached in Henan and Shandong provinces, flooding people's houses and fields, and leaving many people homeless. Every time I see the disaster reports, I can't eat or sleep well.
Flood control has been a difficult problem since ancient times. There are various opinions, but no definitive conclusion.
Today I'll test you scholars. Please provide a concrete solution based on practical experience:
How can we reinforce dikes to prevent them from breaching?
How can we guide the water flow to both prevent flooding and ensure the smooth flow of the canal?
Water management requires a lot of money. How can we raise funds without increasing the burden on the people?
Stop talking nonsense and come up with practical solutions. I will review the documents myself.
Gu Zhixing paused slightly, his eyes darkening.
He couldn't help but think of Shen Jintang's manuscripts, which contained her insights on the refugee situation in Yanzhou.
The refugees in Yanzhou were caused by the Yellow River floods and official corruption.
Floods...
Embezzlement...
Gu Zhixing's eyes lit up slightly.
The Yellow River floods have been a major problem for the imperial court since ancient times; it is a natural disaster!
But the most dangerous disasters are not natural disasters, but man-made ones!
How many officials are hoping for the Yellow River to breach its banks?
They failed to take precautions beforehand, falsely reported the disaster during the event, and then lined their own pockets afterward.
The less secure the dikes are, the fuller their pockets become.
These parasites wish the Yellow River would breach its banks every year!
Profiting from national disasters is the fundamental reason why the Yellow River has repeatedly failed to be controlled.
These corrupt officials are the root cause of the nation's decline.
Once Gu Zhixing had an idea, he laid out the paper and was about to write when he noticed a gaze coming from directly in front of him.
He looked up and caught a glimpse of the emperor staring at him with a complicated expression.
There was scrutiny, doubt, and even a hint of disappointment.
Gu Zhixing sighed, feeling somewhat helpless.
In the emperor's eyes, he was still that good-for-nothing playboy nephew, and the only reason he was standing here today was because of his status as a member of the imperial family.
That's all.
Gu Zhixing shook his head, banishing those chaotic thoughts from his mind, and focused on thinking about the problem.
After organizing his thoughts, he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write with flowing, dynamic strokes—
"Your Majesty, I reply: I have heard that governing a country is like controlling water; blocking is not as good as dredging, and dredging is not as good as guiding. The Yellow River's flooding is not a disaster of a single day, but a result of centuries of accumulated problems. The key to controlling the river lies first in dredging silt and reinforcing the dikes, and secondly in diverting floodwaters and guiding the flow..."
He then shifted his focus, directly addressing the problems within the bureaucracy—
"However, the funds for the river works have been repeatedly embezzled. This is not a natural disaster, but a man-made one! I implore Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the river works' accounts and severely punish all those who embezzle funds, regardless of their official rank! Furthermore, establish a Censorate specifically to oversee the river works' finances, so that corrupt officials will have nowhere to hide..."
He wrote faster and faster, each word sharp as a knife, revealing its full edge.
The emperor's initially casual gaze gradually sharpened, and he leaned forward slightly, staring intently at Gu Zhixing's examination paper, his eyes filled with growing astonishment.
This kid... he's quite the actor.
He wanted to see what this kid had written!
Let's see if he can pull off something under my nose!
The emperor couldn't help but stand up and walk down.
The students around Gu Zhixing were already nervous watching him write so fast, and now, when they caught a glimpse of the emperor coming down to inspect the place, they were even more flustered that their hands were trembling as they held their pens.
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