Seeing that his ministers remained silent, the emperor understood seven or eight parts of the matter. Building an official road connecting more than ten important towns was indeed a great thing that would benefit the country and its people, but such a large project would require a huge amount of money.
Once this project is launched, it means that the imperial court will be unable to accomplish anything else in the next few years, which is definitely not acceptable.
The emperor was in good spirits and very interested in the project. The ministers knew that the proposal was submitted by Li Guang, and they were afraid that if they raised any objections, they would displease the emperor.
Given this situation, the Ministry of Revenue should take the lead. With this in mind, everyone looked at Minister Ji of the Ministry of Revenue.
Seeing this, the Emperor also looked at the Minister of Revenue, and seeing him bow his head and remain silent, he asked:
“Minister Ji, you are the chief of the Northern Dynasty, so tell me your opinion.”
Knowing he couldn't avoid the question, Lord Ji raised his head and began to speak:
"Your Majesty, I have no objection to the construction of the official road. However, the national treasury is in dire need of funds and can only maintain normal expenditures. If the official road is constructed at this time, it will require a huge amount of funds, which I am powerless to do."
"Then, Lord Ji, could you calculate how much silver it would cost to repair this official road?" the emperor asked.
After considering for a while, Lord Ji said, "Not taking into account the cost of manpower, the cost of materials for road construction alone will be at least 20 million taels of silver."
The national treasury simply cannot provide such a massive amount of funds. To raise these funds, it would take at least five years for me.
The emperor nodded. It seemed that Lord Ji was indeed his right-hand man, as his predicted figures were almost identical to those provided by Li Guang.
"As for the cost of road construction, there is no need for Lord Ji to worry about it. Li Guang and Marquis Zhengyang will be responsible for raising the funds. I raised this matter in the morning court so that the ministers could discuss how to expedite the implementation of this project and start construction as soon as possible."
The emperor's words astonished everyone. To construct such a massive project without using funds from the national treasury demonstrated the immense power of Li Guang and the Marquis of Zhengyang.
Since there was no shortage of funds, things became much easier, and the ministers began to stir, with discussions taking place in the hall.
Seeing that the ministers had finished their discussion, the Emperor turned to Liu Andong, the Minister of Works, and said:
"Minister Liu, the funding for the construction of the official road has been secured. Now it's the Ministry of Works' turn. Please work hard and come up with a sound plan within three days to start the project as soon as possible."
"As you command, I will personally handle this matter."
Seeing that the time was almost up, the emperor adjourned the court. Although the Ministry of Works was in charge of the construction of the official road, the cooperation of various departments was needed to get the matter done well.
Three days later, Minister Liu of the Ministry of Works met with the Emperor and presented a detailed plan for the construction of the official road.
Li Guang was very pleased after receiving the plan and studied it in detail.
It seems the Ministry of Works does have capable people; this plan is very well-made, taking into account all aspects and providing corresponding solutions for potential problems during construction.
After finishing his business, Li Guang bid farewell to the emperor and returned to Shuixian Town. There, he discussed with Zhao Xian and began preparations for the construction of the official road.
The funds for building the official road were not paid in a lump sum. These funds were mainly used to purchase building materials. Because the payments were made in installments, it did not put any pressure on Zhao Xian.
Soon, the Ministry of Works sent technicians to begin surveying the route, making meticulous calculations, and selecting the best construction route.
The Ministry of Works mobilized a large force this time, but even so, the route survey still took three months. During this time, Li Guang mobilized 100,000 troops, who were already in place to participate in the road construction.
Other departments of the imperial court were not idle either. Through various efforts, a total of 200,000 laborers were mobilized, bringing the total number of people involved in road construction to 300,000.
To expedite road construction, the official road will be built in three sections according to the road construction plan provided by the Ministry of Works. This will maximize efficiency. Once the three sections are completed, they will be connected together, and the entire project will be essentially finished.
With 300,000 laborers participating in the road construction, the construction period will be greatly shortened, and the project will be completed in less than three years.
Time flies, and more than half a year has passed in a short time. The triennial imperial examination is about to be held.
Ouyang Nan has been living in the capital for three years. During these three years, apart from working at the Hanlin Academy, he has spent the rest of his time studying diligently.
During this period, Zhao Xian and Li Xue visited Beijing and showed great concern for his studies and life there.
Fang Dongliu, the renowned imperial tutor in the capital, has been staying in the capital recently to provide one-on-one tutoring to Ouyang Nan.
Mr. Fang was very knowledgeable and had done extensive research on the imperial examinations over the years. Ouyang Nan benefited greatly from his guidance.
The imperial examination was held in the main hall of the palace and was presided over by the emperor himself, which is why it attracted so much attention.
In ancient times, many students devoted themselves to the imperial examinations in pursuit of their beliefs and to realizing their life's value.
The palace examination was the highest level of the imperial examinations, an honor that countless students dreamed of. Passing this examination meant obtaining the status of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).
Becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) is extremely difficult. It involves going through layers of selection and several rigorous and demanding examinations. Only those outstanding talents have the opportunity to become Jinshi.
The Jinshi degree holders held a prestigious position and wielded considerable power, making them truly exceptional individuals.
The talents of the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) are evident to all. They not only have outstanding achievements in literature, but also have extensive talents in politics, military affairs, and diplomacy.
The official positions that a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) could hold were very wide-ranging, but it was not always smooth sailing. Only by performing outstandingly in the early stages of their service could they gain the appreciation and promotion of their superiors and thus obtain higher official positions.
In any case, the students who could participate in the palace examination were all the chosen ones. They had already acquired a certain amount of knowledge and talent, and took it upon themselves to "learn extensively, inquire carefully, think prudently, discern clearly, and practice diligently." They were hardworking and eager to learn, and read extensively.
Of course, to participate in the palace examination and stand out, one needs both ability and luck.
During this period, the capital city was very lively. As early as three months ago, students from all over the country had gathered in the capital.
Because the capital city was to hold multiple examinations, which would last for several days, the palace examination was the last one, scheduled for the fifteenth day of the month.
Although the palace examination only lasted one day, it still attracted much attention from the world.
On the day of the imperial examination, Ouyang Nan, like many other candidates, arrived at the examination hall. This was an examination personally presided over by the emperor.
When Ouyang Nan first met the emperor, he found that the emperor was very old, but he gave people a kind and gentle feeling.
At this point, the examiner announced the start of the exam, and after the exam papers were distributed, the candidates began to answer the questions.
In comparison, the palace examination was not as extreme as the provincial and metropolitan examinations, but the atmosphere was definitely the most tense.
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