Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. The candidates stopped writing and breathed a sigh of relief.
Some of them showed satisfied smiles on their faces, while others looked a little lost.
But no matter what, they have tried their best, and now all they can do is wait for the results to be announced.
"The exam is finally over!" one candidate exclaimed. "It was so stressful it took my breath away."
"Yeah, but I think I did pretty well," another candidate said with a smile, "I hope I can get a good score."
The candidates walked out of the examination room one after another and exchanged their thoughts and feelings about the examination.
The little princess also stood up, with a gentle and encouraging smile on her face, watching these young people walk away.
For the next week, the city of Chang'an seemed to be shrouded in a special atmosphere.
Whether it is a teahouse on the street or a pub at the end of the alley, people are talking about the same thing - the palace examination of Mingda Academy.
Everyone is guessing who will be the top scorer in this exam, and the candidates spend every day in anxiety and anticipation.
"What do you think of this exam?" a candidate asked his companion nervously.
"I can't explain it. The questions are very new and unlike the ones we've learned before."
His companion frowned and replied, "But I tried my best. Now I can only leave it to fate."
This uncertainty filled the entire Chang'an city with tension and expectation.
People are waiting for the moment when the results are announced, wanting to see which lucky ones will stand out.
A week later, the day for the results announcement finally arrived.
Early in the morning, the streets of Chang'an City were crowded with people, who flocked to Mingda Academy, wanting to witness this historic moment with their own eyes.
The entrance to the academy was packed with people, who stood on tiptoe and stretched their necks, fearing that they would miss something.
The bell rang and the gate of the academy slowly opened.
A group of servants from the academy came out carrying a huge list. His face was filled with smiles, as if he also felt this exciting moment.
"Quick, quick, check the list!" People rushed forward, vying to see if their names were on the list.
However, when the results on the list were announced, everyone was stunned.
The list slowly unfolded, revealing the shocking results:
Without exception, the top 3,000 candidates all scored a perfect 100 points.
The more than 1,000 candidates who followed closely behind all scored 99 points.
Looking further, more than 2,000 candidates all scored 98 points in a row.
For this palace examination, Mingda Academy plans to recruit only 5,000 students.
But now, the scores of students ranked between 4,000 and 6,000 are so consistent, what should we do?
The candidates present looked at each other in confusion, and the air was filled with an indescribable tension.
They have worked hard for months for this exam, hoping to take this opportunity to change their destiny.
However, faced with this unexpected result, everyone was at a loss and confused.
"This...how is this possible?" One candidate said with eyes wide open and a trembling voice, obviously finding it difficult to accept this fact.
"We both scored 98 points? Do we need to retake the exam?" another candidate asked in confusion.
"This is unbelievable." Another candidate exclaimed, "Is it because the questions on this exam are too easy?"
"No, I don't think so." A candidate who looked quite calm shook his head and began to analyze.
“The exam covered a wide range of topics and included many innovative elements, making it difficult.
I guess this might be a deliberate arrangement by the college.”
"Special arrangement? What does that mean?" someone asked in confusion.
"The main purpose of our exam is to recruit students, not to select the best students."
The calm candidate explained, “Therefore, I think the college may have deliberately relaxed the grading standards to attract more students.
In future studies, they may assess our potential and qualities more comprehensively.”
After hearing this explanation, the candidates nodded in agreement.
They realized that although they had entered Mingda Academy, the rest of their learning journey would be filled with more challenges and tests.
Thus, the students who scored a perfect score of 100 and 99 were very happy and cheered.
The candidates who scored below 98 points were dejected and in a heavy mood.
However, the most uneasy ones were those candidates who just scored 98 points.
They were at a loss as to what fate would await them next.
At this moment, the solemn gate of Mingda Academy slowly opened from the inside, and the little princess in gorgeous dress walked out with a smile on her face and graceful manner.
Her appearance was like the warm sunshine in spring, instantly illuminating the entire venue and attracting the attention of everyone present.
Everyone bowed and saluted, shouting in unison: "Greetings to Her Royal Highness the Princess Protector of the Nation!"
The little princess raised her hand slightly, signaling everyone to stand up.
She cleared her throat and spoke in a clear and pleasant voice, "First of all, Your Highness would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the candidates who took part in this exam.
Your efforts and talents make us very proud and inject new hope into the future of Datang."
She looked around, her eyes passing over the faces of each candidate, as if trying to see through their inner expectations and nervousness.
Then, she continued, "Mingda Academy has always adhered to the concept of cultivating real talents and is committed to discovering and cultivating pillars of the Tang Dynasty.
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