nashuaworldcup Chapter 632 Examination of Officials from 6 Countries 4
Chapter 632 Examination of Officials from 6 Countries 4
Inside the examination hall, the collected examination papers were piled up like a mountain. Wei Zhuang and Yao Jia stood before the table, looking at the mountain of papers, speechless.
Behind each of these exam papers lies the story of a former official awaiting his fate, the hopes of a family, and the lingering echoes of a lost homeland. Their handwriting will determine who finds their place in the new dynasty, who will be eliminated by the times, and who will become the bridge connecting the past and the future.
Five days after the assessment ended, the atmosphere inside the Ligongsi (Personnel and Merit Bureau) office was somber.
Yao Jia sat in the main seat, before whom lay a mountain of examination papers. To his left and right, more than ten scholars and clerks, well-versed in law, finance, and criminal matters, were bent over their desks reviewing the papers, sometimes adding annotations, sometimes frowning in deep thought. Outside the window, cicadas chirped noisily, but inside, only the rustling of pages turning could be heard.
"How is this scroll?" Yao Jia asked Lu Wei, who was in charge of the initial review.
Lu Wei presented an examination paper: "This person answered the practical policy essay questions with clear thinking and well-organized logic. On the issue of locust control and drought relief, he proposed three policies: 'work relief in lieu of relief, purchasing grain from other places, and persuading wealthy households to participate,' all of which are practical and feasible. On the issue of property disputes, he detailed the four steps of checking the deeds, visiting neighbors, examining injuries, and confronting the parties, which are in accordance with the law. On the issue of flood control, he accurately estimated the manpower and funds, and also included a new method for rammed earth dike construction. All three questions are excellent."
Yao Jia took it and examined it closely. The handwriting was vigorous and powerful, and the writing was concise and pragmatic, truly of superior quality: "Who is the examinee?"
“A former official from Chu, named Zhao Bo, formerly served as a county magistrate, aged sixty-two.”
"Sixty-two..." Yao Jia pondered, "He is advanced in years, but his talent is commendable. He is ranked first, pending a comprehensive evaluation after the three examinations."
"Here."
Another doctoral examiner submitted a completely different answer sheet: "This paper talks about benevolence and righteousness in vain. When faced with locusts and droughts, it says 'cultivating virtue will move Heaven'; when faced with disputes, it says 'education and persuasion to reconcile'; when faced with floods, it says 'the will of Heaven is hard to defy'. It does not offer any feasible solutions to any of the three questions, so it is classified as a C grade."
Yao Jia glanced at the candidate and saw that his name was Tian Wen, a scholar from the Jixia Academy in the State of Qi, known for his eloquence. He shook his head: "Those who talk the talk but don't walk the walk are useless in practice. Grade C is correct."
The marking process continued from dawn until late at night. Under the bright candlelight, the exam papers were categorized: less than 20% received an A grade, about 40% received a B grade, and nearly 40% received a C grade or a blank paper. This result was both expected and poignant.
Yao Jia rubbed his sore eyes and said to Lu Wei, "Seal the list of those in Class A and send it to the palace tonight. As for those in Class C... they shall be removed from the list according to the law, but the reasons must be written down and they shall be allowed to appeal."
"What about those in Class B?" Lu Wei asked.
“Enter the official training school, and take the exam after three months of training.” Yao Jia stood up and looked out at the deep night. “The princess said: Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; you can’t rush it. Among these people, there may be promising talents, but they need to be simmered slowly with a new fire.”
On the night the list was sent to Zhangtai Palace, Ying Wuyou was checking the procedures for the coronation ceremony in a side hall.
A eunuch quietly presented her with a confidential letter. She unfolded it and saw that it contained a summary of the assessment and a list of those who had achieved first-class honors, all written in Yao Jia's own handwriting. When her gaze swept over the name "Zhao Bo," she paused slightly.
"Does the princess recognize this person?" Lu Wei asked softly.
“I remember his answer sheet.” Ying Wuyou placed the list on the table. “His three strategies for locust control coincide with my own; his four steps for solving cases are rigorous and meticulous; his flood control budget is accurate to the stone. What is even more commendable is that the new method of rammed earth he attached is said to be a technique passed down through generations of craftsmen in Chu, which uses bamboo reinforcement to withstand major floods.”
Lu Wei hesitated: "Sixty-two years old... isn't that too old?"
"Jiang Shang met King Wen at eighty, and Baili Xi became prime minister of Qin at seventy." Ying Wuyou smiled slightly. "Talent and age are not necessarily contradictory. Moreover..."
She pointed to another name on the list, "Look at this one, only twenty-four years old, a former minor official of the Zhao state. In his proposal, he even mentioned 'using commerce to supplement agriculture'—suggesting that during years of famine, caravans be organized to transport local specialties in exchange for grain. Such insight, not being bound by the fundamentals of agriculture, is truly rare."
Lu Wei nodded: "It is indeed a new idea. However, at such a young age, experience is inevitably lacking."
“Therefore, we need a mix of experienced, middle-aged and young people, with experience and vigor complementing each other.” Ying Wuyou rolled up the list. “Tomorrow at the court meeting, Father will definitely ask about this matter. I need to draft a plan: how to appoint those in the first rank, how to train those in the second rank, and how to settle those in the third rank—especially those who have been dismissed, we need to give them a way out, so that they are not left to wander and breed resentment.”
"The princess has considered everything carefully," Lu Wei hesitated, "but the necessary funds and provisions..."
“The funds can be allocated from the Household Tax Bureau.” Ying Wuyou picked up his pen. “Or they can be ordered to reclaim wasteland and build roads, using work as a form of relief. In short: the country has just been pacified, and people’s hearts should be appeased rather than provoked, and they should be kept at peace rather than thrown into chaos.”
As expected, trouble arose during the court assembly the following day.
The announcement of the list caused an uproar in the court. Those former officials who came from noble families of the six states and held high positions in their home countries, but were now either not listed or ranked in the third category, all turned ashen-faced.
"I have objections!" Tian Chu, the former chief minister of Qi, stepped forward, his voice filled with indignation. "The examination is unfair! The questions listed are all trivial and mundane matters, completely neglecting the classics and principles of governance. Is this not putting the cart before the horse? Moreover, I have heard that there have been bribery and favors during the examination period. Lord Yao Jia should give an explanation!"
Yao Jia, his expression unchanged, stepped forward and bowed: "The 'trivial affairs' that Lord Tian spoke of are precisely what county officials deal with daily. Locust plagues, droughts, lawsuits, floods—which of these doesn't concern the suffering of the people? While it's necessary to understand the teachings of sages and worthies, what good is empty talk of benevolence and righteousness if one cannot alleviate the people's suffering? As for bribery and favors..."
His gaze swept over Tian Chu. "I have ordered the censor to investigate thoroughly. If there is any evidence, he will be severely punished according to the law."
Tian Chu was about to argue further, but the First Emperor raised his hand to stop him.
"Yao Jia," the First Emperor said calmly, "read Zhao Bo's answer sheet to all of you."
"Here."
Yao Jia took out the examination paper and read it aloud. When he read the passage about "building dikes with bamboo reinforcement and rammed earth, which can withstand ordinary floods and save 30% of materials," many military officers who were knowledgeable in engineering nodded slightly. When he read the steps of judging cases, such as "visiting neighbors and inquiring about old friends, verifying contracts and exchanging evidence," the Minister of Justice Li Si's eyes flashed with admiration. When he read the strategy of "persuading wealthy households to contribute to the grain supply by promising them the profits from salt and iron," the Minister of Grain stroked his beard and pondered.
After the reading was finished, the hall fell silent.
The First Emperor slowly spoke: "What do you all think of this answer sheet?"
Meng Tian spoke first: "Although I am not literate, this strategy is well-organized and hits the nail on the head. Governing an army is like governing a country; it also requires such pragmatic talent."
Li You continued, "His methods of judging cases are in line with the spirit of Qin law; his calculations are accurate and feasible. He is indeed a capable official."
The First Emperor nodded and turned his gaze to Tian Chu: "Minister Tian, you are well-versed in the Book of Poetry and the Book of Documents. Can you tell me: if your jurisdiction suffers from locust plagues and droughts year after year, what will you do? Will you fast and pray to Heaven, or will you, like Zhao Bo, raise grain, provide relief, and launch construction projects?"
Tian Chu's face flushed red and then turned pale, and she stammered, unable to speak.
"I know that many of you were skilled in poetry and prose, knowledgeable in the classics, and unparalleled in elegance when you served as officials in your homeland."
The First Emperor rose and descended the imperial steps, his voice echoing in the hall, "But when the world is unified, what I need is not refined scholars, but officials who can bring peace to the people. When locusts come, poetry cannot fill an empty stomach; when floods rage, classical texts cannot build dikes. What I need are people who can ensure the people are well-fed and clothed, whose grievances are redressed, and whose dikes are strong and unbreakable!"
He surveyed his ministers, his gaze sharp: "This assessment is precisely for this purpose. Those who pass will be appointed to positions based on their abilities, regardless of their background; those who fail may attend academies for further study and retake the exam in three months; if they are still deemed unsuitable, I will grant them the privilege of returning to their fields and provide them with a stipend for settling down—but if anyone harbors resentment as a result and conspires to cause trouble..."
The voice paused, and the temperature in the hall plummeted.
"My sword has not yet rusted."
After the court assembly, the news spread like wildfire throughout Xianyang.