Governing was not simply a matter of cooking a small fish.
Politics, military affairs, culture, technology, resources, the economy...
These were all matters of paramount importance.
As Lin Ke recalled and absorbed what he had learned, he wrote it all down.
While writing this essay, he did not even notice that the Heart of Reform within him was slowly beating.
Change. Reform.
If the problem was merely a scab on the skin, it could be addressed with "change" alone.
But if it required transformation from top to bottom, that was "reform."
Without his realizing it, Lin Ke's essay perfectly expressed the essence of reform.
The Heart of Reform beat slowly, causing the surrounding literary qi to change in response.
Fortunately, several important figures were still up above.
Naturally, they would not allow Lin Ke to affect anyone else, so they isolated him.
Yet their expressions betrayed their hidden astonishment.
They could not be the first to read Lin Ke's essay.
But these fluctuations in literary qi offered a glimpse of the leopard through a bamboo tube, enough to reveal something of the whole.
As he continued writing, the examiners even discovered that Lin Ke's body had begun to glow.
His spine shone brightest of all!
"A Noble Gentleman?!"
Even the Three Dukes could no longer maintain their composure.
The gentleman realm before the age of thirty?!
How little time had passed?!
Then, an hour later, the answers were complete.
"The Palace Examination is over."
The Grand Preceptor announced it loudly.
The next instant, Lin Ke's examination paper shot straight into the sky, breaking through this space, seeking to appear over the Divine Continent and stir up a great wave.
A great hand intercepted it halfway.
The Sage Emperor.
The Sage Emperor appeared in midair, holding Lin Ke's answer paper and