As Yun Qi's voice fell silent.
Lu Ben was the first to step forward and loudly reported, "Your Majesty!"
"After three years of preparation, the candidates and scholars from every prefecture have completed their examinations. There are now eighty-five students qualified for the palace examination, who will participate in the palace examination personally designated by Your Majesty."
"Please make your decision, Your Majesty."
Lu Ben's voice echoed through the court.
Eighty-five people.
Looking across the entire Ming Dynasty, this was not actually a large number.
One in ten thousand could be said to have been chosen.
That these scholars had stood out among all the students of the realm proved both their learning and their abilities.
Having reached the palace examination, their future paths had essentially been decided. They could become officials.
And not only those who had risen above the rest. The top candidates from the prefectural examinations a few days earlier could also have the opportunity to become officials, though without the palace examination, their future achievements would be inferior to those who took part in it.
"The imperial examination system of this era."
"It tests essays as well, eight-legged essays."
"In the end, it merely selects clever people to become officials. As for how they will handle government affairs in the future, they will have to learn that on the job."
"Such examinations naturally cannot produce scientists, nor can they produce any true craftsmen."
"If I establish a nation in the future, there will be imperial examinations, but they must test all kinds of things, rather than only this sort of thing."
Hearing that eighty-five people had passed the examinations and would take part in the palace examination, Zhu Ying silently pondered this in his heart.
Being at court now was also allowing him to accumulate all