Academy Examination

"Politics is the cultivation of our talent for governing a region. It covers the broadest scope, including local administration, adjudicating cases, developing agriculture and metallurgy, and increasing regional prosperity—all of these fall under politics."

"History, simply put, is the study and recording of the past, summarizing the wisdom, experience, and lessons of our predecessors."

"Rites, or Rites and Music, includes the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, as well as etiquette, institutions, and the management of places like private schools and academies. Works like Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy are directed by the Ministry of Rites."

"Military Strategy includes both the arrangement of troops and the practice of martial arts."

"Generally speaking, most people choose Politics and History because passing the County Exam gives one a high probability of becoming a civil official or clerk. I have chosen Politics and History."

"Next are History and Rites, which allow one to participate in the construction of local policies and the like, where one can also make a great name for oneself."

"Guan Chong has chosen History and Rites."

"As for Military Strategy..." A strange look flashed in Lu Xian's eyes, "Because it is divided into learning troop formations and practicing martial arts, very few people choose it."

"Why is that?" Chu Ming had guessed the reason, but he asked anyway.

"Brother Chu," Guan Chong interjected, "everyone who comes to the academy is a Student who has passed the Academy Exam. Ninety-nine percent of them hope to become officials or refined scholars who govern a region in the future. Why would they enjoy fighting and killing?"

Lu Xian added at this moment, "Choosing Military Strategy requires not only learning troop formations but also training at the Criminal Defense Division. Studying and martial arts are both extremely time-consuming; it is difficult to balance both. In the end, it is highly likely that one will fail at both literature and martial arts, ending up in a mediocre position."

Having said this, both looked at Chu Ming with anticipation: "Brother Chu, have you made your choice?"

Chu Ming lowered his gaze, lost in thought.

He had already finished the Military Strategy and Politics volumes of Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, and had read about half of the History volume. It would not be long before the entire content of all five volumes was etched into his mind.

To him, it made little difference which he chose, as long as he could enter the system of the Great Qin Dynasty and gain access to things ordinary people could not reach.

"Can I choose more?" After a moment of reflection, he looked up and asked.

"More?" Lu Xian's expression shifted slightly, "What do you mean, Brother Chu? You want to choose four volumes?"

"Is that allowed?" Chu Ming asked.

"...It's not that it's forbidden. You can choose as many as you like, but the County Exam only tests three subjects each time. Choosing more is meaningless and a waste of time," Lu Xian replied.

"Oh, it's because of the County Exam. Then it's fine." Chu Ming lowered his head again and continued eating slowly.

"Ah?" Lu Xian and Guan Chong were stunned, "What does Brother Chu mean by that?"

He still wanted to choose more?

The two guessed secretly in their hearts but did not ask further.

After eating for a while longer, Lu Xian continued to talk about the academy's assessments: "Brother Chu, the assessments are divided into monthly exams and the biannual promotion exams."

"The monthly exam, as the name implies, is held every month and serves as a verification of one's progress during that stage."

"The promotion exam is for moving from the Lower Academy to the Middle Academy, or from the Middle to the Upper Academy."

"Since Brother Chu has entered the Middle Academy, you should know the difference between the three, right?"

"Yes."

"That is why the biannual promotion exam is the most intense." Lu Xian suddenly lowered his voice, acting mysterious: "Besides, I have heard that the next promotion exam will not follow the old model. On top of the original exam, they are adding a 'Literary Duel'."

At this, Guan Chong curiously leaned in and pricked up his ears to listen.

"The number of spots in the three academies is fixed. If you want to move up, you must squeeze others out. In the past, the promotion exam was based on the final scores to determine who went to which academy."

"But the new Literary Duel is different. We Students can choose our own opponents."

"For example," Lu Xian looked at Guan Chong, "Guan Chong is currently in the Lower Academy. You could choose me or Brother Chu as your opponent. The duel tests one's mastery of Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, and the result will count as half of the reference score for promotion."

Guan Chong's eyes flickered: "If I have to choose, I'll choose the weak ones."

Who is weak? Naturally, those like Chu Ming and Lu Xian, who had just entered the academy—the weakest among this batch of new Students.

The way to judge strength is through the monthly exams.

"Exactly," Lu Xian said, suddenly a bit agitated, "If you think that way, others will too. To get promoted, the weak will definitely become targets."

"Like me or Brother Chu, having just entered, we certainly cannot compare to those old Students who have been studying in the academy for a year or two, or even longer."

"That's not right, Brother Lu. The exam is on Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, but this book hasn't been compiled by the Ministry of Rites for very long. Everyone is at the same starting line, right?" Guan Chong wondered.

Lu Xian shook his head: "Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy was indeed compiled recently, but the content within it was not. The book merely selects, re-edits, and binds together five volumes that already existed."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Chu Ming: "Brother Chu, although you and I are in the Middle Academy now, there are only five months left until the next promotion exam. This means we only have five months to stay in the Middle Academy; after that, there is a high probability we will fall into the Lower Academy."

In the Lower Academy, there are many Students who have stayed for one or even two years.

As for three years, that is very rare.

One can stay at Baiyuan Academy for a maximum of three years. During those three years, one can take the County Exam. Those who pass are sent to Xirong Prefecture to study for a year, where they can truly display their talents.

Those who fail either stay in Baiyuan County or are sent to lower-level towns to work as private tutors.

Those who are particularly poor basically lose their chance to ever eat the official rice of the Great Qin Dynasty.

"Oh." Chu Ming continued eating, unconcerned.

"Are you not worried, Brother Chu?" Lu Xian asked.

Worried?

Chu Ming paused, then calmly replied, "It is quite urgent."

But what he was anxious about was not the same thing as what Lu Xian was anxious about.

He was anxious to finish reading Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, anxious to earn money, anxious to deduce and optimize his cultivation techniques, anxious to enter Wenlan Study to read more books, and anxious to deal with the affairs of the Chu Family.

As for advancing to the academy... that should not be much of a problem.

Hearing this, Lu Xian felt a surge of joy.

Urgency was good; it made him feel much more balanced.

"Brother Chu, you arrived seven or eight days late and have missed quite a few lessons. In twenty days, we will have our first monthly examination for entry into the academy. If you need any help, feel free to come to me."

"Very well."

After eating, Chu Ming returned to Cloud-Perch Academy, where Ning Hao and Liang Yuan had also returned.

Liang Yuan had changed into a clean Confucian robe, and the ink on his face had been washed away, making him look even more like a scholar than Ning Hao.

"Did Junior Brother Chu go to eat?" Ning Hao and Liang Yuan were currently trimming an oil lamp, admiring the landscape painting whose ink had already dried, and asked casually.

Chu Ming lowered his head to look at the ink painting.

"Does Junior Brother Chu understand painting?" Liang Yuan asked.

"I don't understand it very well, but the brushwork of this painting is exquisite, the lines are fluid, the ink tones are distinct, the mountains have grandeur, and the water seems to ripple with life," Chu Ming said, his gaze fixed on the painting as he spoke with complete seriousness.

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Liang Yuan's eyes lit up instantly. "Does Junior Brother Chu also think this painting is quite good?"

"It is indeed excellent. May I ask which master's hand this came from?" Chu Ming continued.