Ruan Fang was quite confident about taking the county exam for the first time. Mr. Fang and Mr. Wu had rich teaching experience, and most of the students had been enrolled for more than a year. Many of them were expected to pass the county exam this time.
The county examination was moved up by four months, catching the students off guard. There is still one month left before the county examination, so they need to make the most of their time to review.
The elderly gentlemen were very surprised to learn that the county examination had been moved up in time.
Under normal circumstances, the exam time will not be adjusted. Only when there is a major event in the imperial court or when the country faces unpredictable risks will the exam time be adjusted.
This is no longer their concern; the teachers' job is to encourage the students to prepare actively for the exams.
After finishing her work, Ruan Fang came to find Zhao Xian.
Li Xue happened to be there as well, so Ruan Fang told them the news that the county examination had been moved up, wanting to know how that happened.
Li Xue certainly knew the reason: the imperial court was probably worried about war next year and therefore moved up the county and prefectural examinations.
This is just my guess, and it may not be correct, so I dare not say it casually for fear of causing confusion and unnecessary trouble.
"I don't know what happened either. Perhaps it was due to the needs of the imperial court's policy. The exam date was adjusted. The academy doesn't need to worry about this. Just concentrate on preparing for the exam."
This county examination is extremely important for Wufang Academy; we must do well.
"Thank you, Princess. I know what to do. The three old gentlemen in the academy are already discussing countermeasures," Ruan Fang said.
With the county examination approaching, Zhao Xian was very concerned. He placed high hopes on Ouyang Nan, who was exceptionally intelligent. Mr. Fang had a very high opinion of him.
"Professor Ruan, how is Ouyang Nan doing? Will he pass the county examination?" Zhao Xian asked.
"Your Excellency Zhao can rest assured. This time, Wufang Academy will arrange fifty students to participate in the county examination. It is estimated that most of the students will pass. Ouyang Nan is the most intelligent student in the academy, and it is certain that he will pass the county examination."
Students who passed the county-level examination would then participate in the prefectural-level examination. It was highly likely that Ouyang Nan would pass both examinations.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian was very excited. According to his calculations, the prefectural examination should be held next spring. By then, Ouyang Nan would be less than ten years old and would be able to obtain the qualification of a child scholar.
After Ruan Fang left, Zhao Xian and Li Xue started chatting.
"Princess, the earlier dates for the county and prefectural examinations are likely related to the current situation and are probably a response from the imperial court."
"What the Lord of the Imperial Household says is absolutely right. It is highly likely that war will break out next year."
The three northern kingdoms are located in extremely cold regions, and for a considerable period of time each year, they are covered in ice and snow.
By the time the ice and snow melt and the climate warms, it will likely be around May or June of next year. If they launch a war, they will probably choose June.
“The princess’s analysis makes a lot of sense. I wonder what preparations the court has made for this?” Zhao Xian asked.
"A few months ago, I brought back this news from the front, which caused a great stir in the court, and the ministers debated it endlessly."
At first they discussed whether the news I brought back was reliable, then they debated whether to fight or make peace, and they argued like this for several months without reaching a conclusion.
Judging from the current situation, the pro-war faction in the imperial court has the upper hand.
First, the imperial court vigorously promoted new varieties of crops in order to solve the food crisis.
Ensuring a food supply will play a significant role in winning the war.
Secondly, there was education. The imperial court moved up the dates of the county and prefectural examinations because it was worried that the war would affect education.
As for other exams, they are held every three years and are not relevant to the current exams; otherwise, they would have been held earlier.
Once war breaks out, the Northern Dynasty will fall into chaos, and the court's main focus will be on dealing with foreign invasions.
For Lord Shaofu, now is the time to seize and develop military strength, both to protect himself and to protect the Great Northern Dynasty.
"It seems that we don't have much time left. We must seize the time to develop our own power. Once war breaks out, the country will be shattered, our land will be occupied, and the people will suffer."
The Great Northern Dynasty has enjoyed over a hundred years of relative peace, but this tranquility is about to be shattered. Zhao Xian couldn't help but sigh.
"Judging from the current situation, the three northern kingdoms have been preparing for many years, and the foreign kingdoms have already obtained the technology to make bows and crossbows. In terms of military strength and equipment, they have surpassed the Great Northern Dynasty."
However, they also had their shortcomings, namely that the Three Kingdoms were located in extremely cold regions with scarce resources, and could not withstand prolonged wars.
This determined that their strategy for invading the Central Plains would be a swift and decisive victory.
If our borders fall, invaders will have no choice but to advance unimpeded. In their quest for war supplies, they will commit arson, murder, and looting wherever they go, plunging our people into an abyss of disaster.
Seeing that Li Xue was somewhat pessimistic, Zhao Xian comforted her, saying:
"Princess, there is no need to worry. Even if foreign tribes invade and they have powerful bows and crossbows, we have ways to deal with them. You know, we also have bombs, which can be used in critical moments."
Li Xue knew that back in Yuanxi, in order to deal with Xiao Taiyuan's forces, they needed to make bombs, so Zhao Xian went to make them by himself.
Because making bombs is extremely dangerous, Zhao Xian was unwilling to let others take the risk.
One person making bombs can only produce a limited number, making large-scale use impossible.
Even having enough bombs might not solve the problem.
In Li Xue's view, bombs have both advantages and disadvantages. If a bomb is used improperly or a mistake is made, it could very well destroy her.
Fortunately, Li Guang already had his own army, and Zhao Xian could make some bombs for these soldiers to use.
Judging from the current situation, Li Guang has already received the true teachings of Guiguzi, which greatly increases his chances of winning on the battlefield.
Zhao Xian knew that after upgrading his market trading system, he had a wide range of powerful tools to choose from.
You can buy more powerful and safer bombs to equip your team.
If one is willing, one can equip one's team with firearms.
Imagine if such a force appeared on an ancient battlefield; it would be a terrifying presence.
Even if the enemy has thousands of troops, they are no match for this army.
However, Zhao Xian did not want to do that. He was a time traveler and could not use modern technology to change ancient history.
I will let nature take its course, and I will only use modern technology to protect myself if my life is threatened.
For Zhao Xian, who came from the modern era but whose soul transmigrated into the body of an ancient person, he did not have a strong sense of belonging to this era and always viewed society as an outsider.
In this era, there are no clear standards for what constitutes justice and what constitutes injustice.
He knows his role in this era and is clear about what he needs to do.
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