"Your Majesty, the Great Liang has now become a core nation, and the economies of the surrounding areas are all linked to ours. We can take advantage of this..."
"Your Majesty, the essence of law lies in the clear distinction between rewards and punishments. I believe..."
"..."
After the other scholars had shared their views, it was up to the emperor to determine their rankings, which was also the moment when the true winners and losers would be decided.
For a moment, everyone couldn't help but look at the Emperor, wanting to know who the Emperor considered the number one scholar.
"Rankings!"
Lin Yi scanned the crowd, already having a rough ranking in his mind; at least the top three had been decided.
He took the imperial brush from Zhao Gao's hand, sketched a few lines on the paper, and then wrote down his final ranking.
He casually handed it to Zhao Gao and said in a deep voice, "Pass it around and let the ministers see if they have any objections!"
The ministers were flattered and overwhelmed!
This is a matter of imperial decree, and now he's showing it to us all; that's giving us a huge favor.
After taking a closer look, the group couldn't help but nod silently. The ranking was indeed convincing; at least the top three had delivered a truly spectacular performance today.
The first place goes to Huang Longsi. His talent and cunning are both top-notch, making him a potential future prime minister. His first place is well-deserved.
Second place goes to the eccentric Zhang Zizai. His talent may seem somewhat rough, but his Central Nation Plan is a plan that the Great Liang is secretly implementing, proving its correctness.
His talent lies not in his writing, but in his unparalleled brilliance and his ability to apply his knowledge in practice; he should be ranked second.
The third place went to someone else.
Li Yuanlong was originally ranked first, fell out of the top three and was replaced by Zhang Fengfan, who ranked fourth. Zhang Fengfan's explanation of economics was quite innovative.
Zhang Fengfan actually mentioned using economic plunder to complete resource exchanges with other countries.
By exchanging ordinary goods for strategic resources from other countries, the balance of power would inevitably make Great Liang stronger. Moreover, his proposal to exert deeper economic leverage over the other side was refreshing.
Unfortunately, his plan was not very useful for the time being, since Great Liang directly used the method of occupation, and economic means seemed to be a bit slower.
As for the others, although they were also good, they were ultimately a bit lacking compared to the performance of these three today.
Moreover, the emperor approved of these three men's ideas, which was the most crucial thing. This was far more reliable than any talent, and it was their good fortune.
The group exchanged glances, Xun Yu stepped forward, saying in a deep voice, "Your Majesty is wise; this ranking is well-deserved, and I believe no one in the All Under Heaven will disagree!"
"Well, it's good that you all approve!"
A smile flashed in Lin Yi's eyes. This was just a formality after all. He had already decided on the top three, and there was no point in anyone objecting.
However, since the court officials have expressed their approval, this is indeed the best outcome.
He nodded slightly and smiled, "In that case, let's post the notices and announce it to the world. The top three scholars this time are Huang Longsi (状元), Zhang Zizai (状元), and Zhang Fengfan (探花)!"
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
The three people from Huang Longsi were immediately impressed and quickly stood up to express their gratitude.
Even the usually composed Huang Longsi couldn't help but feel excited at this moment. He had defeated so many equally outstanding students, and the sense of accomplishment was indescribable.
Zhang Zizai and Zhang Fengfan were overjoyed, because they could finally realize their dreams.
Looking at the three people bowing in worship, Lin Yi felt a sense of anticipation.
These three are not only exceptionally talented, but they also have their own unique ideas. Hopefully, they can bring sufficient benefits to Great Liang.
He said in a deep voice, "The three of you are all rare talents in this world, so I will give you important positions."
However, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. You need to hone your skills in basic positions before you can get on the right track.
Huang Longsi, you are the top scholar! I reward you with one hundred taels of gold and also give you an exceptional promotion opportunity. From now on, you will start as a county magistrate, and take this opportunity to hone your skills!
Money is a minor matter; Huang Longsi may not lack it. But it can show the world that studying and taking the imperial Imperial Examination can also earn money.
This will greatly increase their enthusiasm!
For Huang Longsi, the most important thing is probably not money, but this opportunity.
Hiss!
Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in astonishment. Not only had they been rewarded with such a large sum of money, but they had also been exceptionally promoted.
Now that the Great Liang is stable, it's no longer in a time of scarcity of officials. So, going directly from a commoner to a county magistrate who governs a region is no joke.
Don't underestimate this seemingly minor seventh-rank official position; it's a truly powerful post and the easiest to get promoted to.
Adding to the Emperor's implication, as long as Huang Longsi achieves even a small success, its members will rise rapidly in rank and likely soon enter the imperial court.
Huang Longsi felt a chill run down its spine!
He had read the Imperial Examination announcement beforehand; the top scholar would at most be given a minor official position of the ninth rank. He never expected the emperor to directly grant him a seventh-rank official position, which was definitely a preferential treatment.
His previously wavering resolve instantly hardened.
A scholar will die for one who understands him!
The Emperor values me so much that he has promoted me beyond the usual ranks, so what's wrong with selling my life to him?
Bang!
He knelt directly on the ground and solemnly said, " Huang Longsi thanks Your Majesty. Your Majesty, we will certainly use our knowledge to benefit this region and will never let you down!"
At this moment, he was no longer an outsider; he truly considered himself one of Lin Yi's people, so he knelt down directly.
"Bite!"
"Congratulations, host, for winning over Win People Over with Virtue and gaining the submission of the local sage Huang Longsi. As a reward, the first-ever top scholar in the imperial examination and Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Sun Fujia, is granted the title of Court of Judicial Review."
Huh?
The moment Lin Yi knelt down at Huang Longsi, a golden light flashed in his mind, instantly waking Lin Yi up and prompting him to check his system.
Upon seeing the results, I was immediately impressed.
Sun Fujia!
This person was from the Great Tang Dynasty. He may not be as famous as Wei Zheng or Fang Xuanling in history, but he was the first recorded top scholar in the imperial examination.
He himself held the official position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, which was the highest legal authority in the Great Tang, in charge of criminal case trials.
This official position is no simple matter, so Sun Fujia is definitely a talented person.
Moreover, he held this position under Li Shimin, making him an exceptionally talented individual. However, he alone wouldn't necessarily possess such remarkable brilliance.
It wasn't until he saw the reward at the end that he suddenly realized what was going on.
I initially thought Dali Court of Judicial Review was a person's name, but the system actually rewarded me with a department! That's amazing!
After reviewing the introduction of the Court of Judicial Review, I found that it is fundamentally different from the Court of Judicial Review of Ministry of Justice.
The Ministry of Justice was responsible for punishments, while the Court of Judicial Review held the power to adjudicate and sentence. Together with the Censorate's oversight, they formed a perfect system of checks and balances.