Xiao Mo? This person is somewhat interesting.

After Xiao Mo entered the examination cubicle, he waited for the official start of the exam.

The Provincial Examination in the Qi Kingdom was divided into three sessions.

The first session tested knowledge of the classics.

The Four Books usually had three questions.

Candidates were required to select passages from The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Analects, and Mencius for explanation.

The Five Classics each had one question, corresponding to The Book of Songs, The Book of Documents, The Book of Rites, The Book of Changes, and The Spring and Autumn Annals. Candidates could choose four out of the five.

Yes.

The history of the Qi Kingdom was actually similar to Huaxia on Blue Sea Star, also having a Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, and figures like Confucius and Laozi.

However, these legends of ancient sages were cultivators who had transcended the Ascension Realm, having already ascended to heaven and achieved Spirit Transmutation.

This possibility wasn't impossible.

Because this world allowed for cultivation.

Ancestors who founded a path like this might have truly reached unimaginable realms.

After the Imperial Examination for Children, the rigid format of the eight-legged essay was no longer strictly enforced.

Candidates could express themselves freely.

Xiao Mo wasn't very confident about the first session of the exam.

He didn't consider himself a genius.

Although his teachers were somewhat renowned, their fame was limited to only a few surrounding towns.

They weren't truly great masters.

Many successful candidates, however, had received one-on-one tutoring from renowned masters in their prefectures and commanderies.

Therefore, for the first session, Xiao Mo only hoped not to fall behind.

The second session tested the writing of applied prose such as "Lun," "Pan," "Zhao," "Gao," and "Biao."

"Lun": One question, usually requiring candidates to express their views and arguments on a historical event, figure, or political/ethical proposition.

"Pan": Five questions, presenting five simulated legal cases or official documents, requiring candidates to draft judgments based on the Great Qi Laws and relevant rites and regulations.

"Zhao," "Gao," and "Biao" each had one question.

Xiao Mo was quite confident about the second day's exam.

Xiao Mo could use his divergent thinking based on the various cases he had seen on Blue Sea Star; his perspective was somewhat higher than that of the scholars of this era, and his angles were more novel.

The third session was the "Ce Lun" (policy essay).

The "Ce Lun" usually had five questions.

The scope of the questions was very broad.

It involved commenting on historical events and figures, analyzing their gains and losses, and summarizing historical lessons.

It required proposing analyses and countermeasures for current national issues such as politics, economy, taxation, grain transport, military defense, military systems, social education, disaster relief, and culture.

The last question of the "Ce Lun" tested views on the vassal kings of the Qi Kingdom.

"The vassal kings of the Qi Kingdom..."

Looking at this question, Xiao Mo frowned.

Xiao Mo wasn't oblivious to external affairs.

He also knew that the current Emperor's desire to curb the power of the vassal kings wasn't a recent matter, and there were loud calls from court officials to do so.

However, he hadn't expected that the examiner from Jiangnan Province would put "vassal kings" on the exam paper. This must have been with the Emperor's tacit approval.

This was truly provoking the vassal kings...

Xiao Mo definitely had to support curbing their power; it was politically correct.

But how to curb their power?

After much thought.

Xiao Mo wrote three words on the test paper: "Edict of Spreading Grace."

On the fourth day, at Chen Shi (around 9-11 AM), the bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. Candidates stopped writing, and their papers were collected one after another.

The scholars filed out of the examination compound.

Some felt they would definitely pass this imperial examination.

Some felt they had failed miserably.

Others asked the surrounding scholars for their opinions and views on the various questions.

Xiao Mo, amidst the crowd, spotted a veiled woman at first glance.

Her embroidered shoes stepped on the stones as she looked up, searching for someone.

The moment the woman saw Xiao Mo, her beautiful eyes shone with countless rays of light and joy: "Xiao Mo, over here, over here!"

Bai Ruxue jumped off the rock and ran towards Xiao Mo.

"Finished?" Bai Ruxue asked.

"Mm, finished." Xiao Mo nodded, gently patting Bai Ruxue's head. "Let's go, we're going home."

"Hooray~ Going home~"

The Examination Hall's Grading Pavilion.

The grading for the Provincial Examination took a total of five days.

Each set of exam papers needed to be graded three times by officials.

According to the Qi Kingdom's latest rules, if three officials deemed a paper satisfactory during the three rounds of grading, the candidate could be selected as a Juren, and a "录" (lu, meaning recorded/accepted) would be written on it.

If two officials found the paper satisfactory, it would be submitted to the Chief Examiner, who would make the final review and decide whether to accept the candidate.

If only one official found it satisfactory, that candidate could only try again in three years.

On the third day of grading, an official named Yang Zifang came across a set of exam papers.

The calligraphy was good, the reasoning was clear, and the thinking was even novel and broad.

When he was halfway through, Yang Zifang felt that this scholar could probably pass.

But when he saw the answer to the last question, he suddenly stood up.

"Old Fang, stop for a moment, take a look at this paper first!" Yang Zifang said to his colleague beside him.

"What's wrong with this paper?" Fang Yue took the paper and looked at it. "The calligraphy is good. Although the Four Books and Five Classics are a bit weak, the rest is fine. The policy essay is even better. He can be accepted. Hmm???"

When he saw the last question.

Fang Yue stood up like Yang Zifang, his eyes wide open, reading and re-reading.

"Why are you two acting so strangely? Let me see this paper."

"Let me see too."

The other officials in the room stopped grading their papers and walked towards the two.

When they saw the last question on this paper, they were all stunned, reading it over and over again.

An incense stick later, Yang Zifang, holding this set of papers, hurried into the Chief Examiner's room.

"Director Zhang, here is a set of exam papers that requires your review."

Yang Zifang bowed to Zhang Qianzhi.

Zhang Qianzhi was a Hanlin Academician, in charge of the Hanlin Academy.

Although the position of Hanlin Academician was largely honorary, this Director Zhang was extremely renowned and held a very high status, deeply favored by His Majesty.

The Prime Ministers of the current court were all disciples of Director Zhang.

Zhang Qianzhi's visit to Jiangnan Province as the Chief Examiner this time was mainly because he had nothing to do in the capital and wanted to travel.

"Put it down," Director Zhang said calmly. "I'll finish this one first."

"Director Zhang," Yang Zifang organized his thoughts. "The five colleagues in the room have all reviewed this paper and believe it can be passed."

"Oh?" Zhang Qianzhi looked up.

The exam paper only needed to be graded by three people, but six examiners had looked at it.

Moreover, once three examiners passed it, the paper did not need to be sent up, yet he had still brought it here.

"What's the problem with this paper?" Zhang Qianzhi asked.

"There are no problems. It's just that this candidate's answer regarding '削藩' (xuē fán,削藩 - enfeoffment reduction) in the final round, we subordinates believe, requires your review, Director Zhang." Yang Zifang said respectfully.

"Bring it up."

"Yes, sir."

Zhang Qianzhi took the paper and read it from beginning to end, but did not immediately look at the final round.

However, when he reached the final round, Zhang Qianzhi's brow furrowed.

Zhang Qianzhi directly tore off the anonymity seal next to the paper. Yang Zifang gasped. Only Director Zhang dared to do this...

"Xiao Mo."

"This person is interesting."