The criteria for selecting candidates in the imperial examination were conduct, speech, writing, and judgment.
The so-called "body" refers to physical appearance, which ranks first among the four standards. This shows how important appearance is for the imperial examination.
A good appearance is better than a good essay. Sometimes, whether one can become a juren depends on one's writing and one's appearance. For example, in the palace examination, a candidate ranked first in his essay. But the emperor thought he was ugly, so he gave the first place to another candidate with a handsome appearance.
In feudal society, it was believed that appearance reflects the heart. If a person is good-looking, he must be talented. If he has shifty eyes, even if he has great abilities, people will inevitably suspect that he has ulterior motives.
There were even explicit regulations that those with short eyebrows and small eyes could not be officials and could only be clerks.
As for the pale-faced scholar, although he has the word "pale-faced" in his name, his skin is just white, but his facial features are not very good, even a little vulgar.
The right eye is a little defective, and the eye socket is slightly twisted, which is obviously a congenital defect.
"Amitabha."
Du Shi whispered a Buddhist name and said, "If you really want to serve the people, I can give you a good appearance."
Hearing this, the scholar was stunned for a moment, then he touched his head and said with a puzzled look on his face: "For a master like you, shouldn't you just go down the mountain and ask the old emperor to issue an edict? Let the people of the world stop judging people by their appearance, wouldn't that be better?"
"So what if I have a good-looking appearance? There are still ugly people in the world who suffer from disasters. I just took the opportunity to escape from the quagmire. You should be an extraordinary god, so that people in the world will not judge people by their appearance, right?"
There was a hint of approval in Du Shi's eyes. He thought that he was a promising person with some Buddha nature.
There are many talented people in the world, and there is no shortage of geniuses in the era, but there are very few who are concerned about the world and dare to be the first. Just like the Sword Sect a thousand years ago, they knew it was impossible but still did it.
Before he could explain, the people in the thatched hut came out.
The Taoist was dressed in green, with regular features, red lips and white teeth. He was not very handsome, but his ethereal temperament made people unable to take their eyes off him.
He said: "It is human nature to love beauty. The prejudice in people's hearts is like a mountain. Even if we have the ability to move mountains and chase the moon, it is difficult to move it."
This person is none other than Li Changsheng, the leader of the immortals in the world today and known as the living true immortal. Even a deity would have to bow to him.
Du Shi put the scholar down, raised his right hand in front of him, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Master Immortal."
Seeing the monk's respectful attitude, the scholar did not dare to act rashly, and hurriedly bowed and said, "I greet the immortal."
He was a mortal who didn't know about immortals. There were many legends about immortals among mortals, but these immortals didn't refer to any particular person. But he still understood some worldly ways. If such a powerful monk had to bow his head, then the Taoist in front of him must be even more powerful.
Li Changsheng nodded slightly and said in a calm voice: "With one decree from me, I can change the world in all directions, change the emperor, and make the people cut their hair, but I can't change people's hearts."
The scholar opened his mouth slightly, wanting to speak out his profound knowledge, but was afraid of offending the immortal. He hesitated for a long time, but soon he mustered up his courage.
Because when he looked at the Taoist priest, he did not feel any sense of oppression, unlike the monk next to him, nor like any big shot he had met.
As gentle and peaceful as the spring breeze, with no depth.
Ordinary people would feel that this is truly approachable, not only without a sense of distance, but even soothing. And those who practice cultivation would be even more awed, because the immortals' return to nature has reached a point that they cannot perceive.
Du Shi belongs to the former. He still remembers that he could feel a little bit of the immortal's aura when he first met him. He thought that after being promoted to the God Transformation Realm, he would be on equal footing with him, or at least at the same level.
But when he reached the stage of transformation, he only saw an even greater gap.
The scholar belonged to the latter group. He thought he was pleading for the world, and said solemnly, "How can we know if we don't try? Thousands of years ago, the Sword Sect saved the world from disaster, and there is peace today. Why can't we follow the example of our predecessors and create a new world for those with aspirations in the world?"
"If you really have that ability, your words can at least save the careers of many people."
Li Yi smiled and shook his head, then asked, "If I ask, how can you guarantee that you won't become the new privilege?"
"You just opened your mouth and cancelled the "body" in the "body, speech, book and judgment". How can that be considered a privilege? If we really want to talk about privileges, the children of the noble families are the ones who deserve it."
The scholar answered, his voice rising slightly, sounding a little excited.
He seemed to regard this conversation as an opportunity to change the world. Unfortunately, Li Changsheng would not be instigated by him, just like an adult would not care about the words and deeds of a child.
In Li Changsheng's eyes, the scholar is undoubtedly a child.
Speaking up can indeed ensure that such phenomena disappear. The separation of immortals and mortals does not mean that the mortals are completely left alone. Shangqing Palace still retains the right to supervise the mortal dynasty. Every three years, disciples will go down the mountain to inspect, visiting openly and visiting the people privately.
The standards of the two are different. On the surface, the emperor's virtue is extremely important, but privately, there is only one hard indicator: enough food and clothing. Unless there is a famine, generally speaking, as long as the taxes are not too heavy, there is no problem with having enough food.
"You are a deity with great merit, why don't you do one more good deed?"
Li Changsheng raised his head slightly and glanced at the waterfall, then replied in a flat voice: "When something is too heavy, it will generate huge inertia wherever it falls. Just like this waterfall, the flowing water is harmless, but the falling water weighs a thousand pounds. My words are heavier and heavier than this."
Although the scholar's words were naive, his nature was not bad. Moreover, only by standing high enough can one see things farther away. Position determines the way of thinking, and Li Changsheng is well aware of his own weight.
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