Chapter 89 The Magical Imperial Exam Paper

Chapter 89: The Miraculous Imperial Examination Papers

"Excellent!"

"Let's hit them again!"

"..."

The Chouchi Qiang were inherently warlike. They had already seized an opportunity when Yao Xing was campaigning abroad, and their morale was soaring. The Celestial Screen had also declared that Yao Xing was no true sagacious ruler, and only Emperor Yong'an could unify the realm. By sheer serendipity, they had already aligned themselves with the correct side. Why not deliver another blow to Yao Xing?

Moreover, even if not for Emperor Yong'an, but simply to seize another opportunity for plunder before spring, to secure more resources, launching an attack was entirely justified!

"My King, how shall we conduct this raid?"

"Yes, we'll follow your lead!"

Yang Sheng was no reckless hothead. Before proposing another assault on Yao Xing, he had already formulated a plan.

He declared, "I have already sent word to Liang's Heavenly King, Lü Guang. Once he assents, we will join forces to breach the western defenses of the Guanzhong region!"

"Gentlemen, with allies providing cover, if we still fail to make headway, do not dare call yourselves Chouchi warriors!"

No sooner had Yang Sheng finished speaking than a thunderous cheer erupted before him.

A sudden realization dawned upon the Qiang people.

Indeed, the Celestial Screen had foretold that Liang, weakened by Lü Guang's death, would ultimately be destroyed by Qin. Under Fu Yan's coordination, Yang Sheng had allied with the remnants of the Lü clan to raid Qin's borders.

But now—Lü Guang was still alive!

Over sixty years old, Lü Guang likely sensed his end was near. Last year, he hastily established the State of Liang, proclaiming himself Heavenly King. Perhaps due to his enthronement, he seemed to experience a resurgence of vitality. From his recent actions, he still possessed the strength to contend with Qin. He might not willingly accept Yong'an's unification of the realm, but he certainly would not wish to repeat the Celestial Screen's prophecy, allowing his legacy to crumble under Yao Xing's assault.

An alliance at this moment was imperative.

For Yang Sheng, he didn't need Lü Guang to commit his full strength to defeat Yao Xing alongside him. He merely needed Liang's forces to provide support, to screen him, ensuring that Yao Xing's counterattack wouldn't first cripple his own side!

Yong'an was a thousand *li* away; nearby allies were his true reliance.

He was confident that Lü Guang, though advanced in years, still possessed an unyielding spirit. The man who once dared to carve out his own domain would surely dare to make Yao Xing's life miserable now!

But to Yang Sheng's surprise, what arrived first was not Lü Guang's letter of alliance, but the troops led by Lü Shao, the Crown Prince of Liang.

Now...

Yao Xing truly understood what it meant to have a splitting headache.

***

"One after another, do they all think I'm dead?!" Yao Xing roared in fury.

In the Qin court, all officials were silent, cowering in fear.

After the retreat from Luoyang, the King of Qin had initially intended to swiftly subdue a weaker neighbor to restore morale. However, compensating fallen soldiers and recuperating the wounded had consumed considerable time. In a blink, the Celestial Screen reappeared, plunging him into an even more difficult and desperate situation.

Over the past half-month, he had simultaneously ordered troop reinforcements for defense against unforeseen events, and promised the people of Guanzhong that he would act prudently, never undertaking grand construction projects that would burden the populace. He even opened granaries to resettle refugees from the two mountains. Just as he caught his breath, a barrage of bad news poured in!

Liu Yu had launched an attack from Luoyang, harassing Qin's eastern border. He led a small contingent to Hongnong before slowly withdrawing, taking with him a group of civilians who had not managed to escape with Prefect Tao Cu earlier.

Yang Sheng had marched from Wudu, breaking through Wu Pass and allying with Lü Guang in the northwest, forming a pincer movement.

He had already ordered a scorched-earth policy, denying the enemy any opportunity to seize provisions. Yet, due to the sudden alliance of these two forces, he suffered significant losses. His imperial uncle, Yao Shuode, had hastily rushed to the front lines to repel this sudden allied invasion.

But what infuriated Yao Xing the most was the battle report from the south.

From the Hanzhong direction, enemies were suspected of assaulting the pass.

It wasn't Yong'an's Jingzhou Army entering Hanzhong, intending to invade Guanzhong from the south, but Qiao Zong's Shu army, brazenly parading their forces, preparing to cause him trouble.

Whether they would actually engage in battle was beside the point; their sheer audacity was enough to make him incandescent with rage!

"Didn't these Di people of Shu declare independence precisely because they refused to obey Yong'an's orders? Why are they now willing to be her lackeys?!"

Or perhaps, they hadn't actually surrendered to Yong'an, but simply believed Yao Xing was easy to bully and wanted to carve out a piece of his territory? That would be even more infuriating!

Yao Chong stepped forward. "Your Majesty, there is no need to fret and harm your health. Advancing from Hanzhong into Guanzhong is arduous; unless they outnumber our forces several times over, success is impossible. If Your Majesty remains uneasy, allow me to guard the strategic Qinling passes. I will surely intercept this band of brigands for you."

"Indeed," another official echoed, "The shortsightedness of the Shu people is well-known. They also lack skilled commanders. Their arrogance stems solely from the natural defenses they possess. With the Grand Marshal leading the defense, they will surely be unable to advance a single step into Guanzhong."

Yao Xing's eyes darkened, and he spoke each word distinctly: "Hah. What I fear is not their entry into Guanzhong!"

It was the reactions of all parties under the influence of the Celestial Screen that filled him with a profound sense of powerlessness.

A defeat in Luoyang had cost him Prince of Jin Yao Xu, and a contingent of capable soldiers. Though devastating, it should not have reduced him to such a predicament. But the authenticity of the Celestial Screen had been proven time and again, and this seemingly casual pronouncement had instantly transformed his State of Qin into a leaking bucket.

Everyone wanted to strike it with a hammer, to see where the leaks truly were, and whether it could be completely shattered.

And he himself could not ignore those glaring weaknesses.

Even without his courtiers mentioning it, he could see that popular support was already leaking out through the cracks of these shortcomings.

He had clearly tried to plug them, but perhaps what he offered were merely small favors, retaining people for a moment, but unable to truly keep them.

He had once so confidently believed that the Celestial Screen's premature declaration of Yong'an's victory was turning this emperor, who ascended through unconventional means, into an enemy of the entire world—a ruler with the whole world against her.

But now, why had he become the one surrounded by enemies on all sides?

He suddenly, vaguely, recalled a phrase from the Celestial Screen:

"...Most of the time, Yao Xing is like a bouncing cactus—stinging anyone who comes near, especially his neighbors. There's no clear definition in his mind of whom to attack first or later."

Why! He had clearly changed his strategy, so why was the outcome still the same?

"Your Majesty!" Yao Chong's voice pulled him back to the present.

Yao Xing blurted out, "No, you cannot go."

Yao Chong was puzzled: "Even if the Shu people are incompetent, I will certainly act cautiously, and will never be like Prince of Jin..."

"That's not why I'm stopping you," Yao Xing interrupted him. "You cannot go because there is a more important position you must assume."

He addressed the assembled officials: "Gentlemen, I have an announcement concerning the fate of our state."

Yao Chong's expression changed, and he vaguely guessed what Yao Xing was about to say. He even forgot to address him as "Your Majesty," instead exclaiming, "Elder Brother, you mustn't!"

Yao Xing raised a hand, stopping Yao Chong from speaking. "There is no 'must' or 'must not.' With a formidable enemy at our gates, the greatest fear is internal strife."

Especially as the Celestial Screen had revealed, due to the choice of Qin's successor, even the court officials had unconsciously divided into three factions. Such a situation was utterly intolerable.

"You have all seen it—my eldest son, Yao Hong, is still young and lacks the courage to shoulder this great responsibility."

Without the Celestial Screen, he had not shown the capacity to take charge in a chaotic world, let alone under the influence of the Celestial Screen. There was no time for him to mature, receive training, and grow into an imperial talent.

When these words were spoken, the Qin courtiers did not misread the situation; Yao Hong actually seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

"My second son, Yao Bi... is ambitious and disrespectful to his siblings. He has already been imprisoned by me, and is even less fit to be the heir."

Only then did the assembled officials realize that Yao Bi had indeed been absent for the past few days; it turned out he had been imprisoned by the King of Qin. The Yao Xing on the Celestial Screen was oblivious to his own favoritism towards his second son, even leniently handling his treasonous acts, while the Yao Xing beneath it had understood the need for preemptive action.

"...As for my other sons, there is even less to say."

Yao Xing cast a deep gaze at Yao Chong: "In the current situation, the state cannot be without a ruler, nor can it endure a single day without an heir. I intend to appoint Grand Marshal Yao Chong as the heir. Should anything befall me, he shall succeed to the throne of Qin! My decision is final, and no further persuasion is needed."

"Brother Chong, are you willing to bear this heavy responsibility?"

This was certainly no easy task. In fact, it was a perilous responsibility. For Yao Xing's next words were: "If you are willing to accept, then I ask all present officials to assist the Imperial Brother Heir in overseeing the state."

"Your Majesty!"

"Answer me!"

Yao Chong gritted his teeth and responded, "If my elder brother places such a heavy trust in me, your younger brother will never let you down!"

"Good!" Yao Xing covered his mouth, coughing heavily twice. "You are already the Grand Marshal of Qin, and you are well-versed in handling state affairs; there is no need for me to have anyone instruct you further. Next, I want you to dispatch a state letter to Wei, making others believe that Qin, surrounded by enemies on all sides, has decided to humble itself and show goodwill to Wei, even willing to pay a greater price."

"But you—"

Yao Xing's gaze sharpened like thorns. "What, they know to first encircle and attack the weakest, but I don't know to first pick off a weakling to resolve the situation and open a path for us?"

He had nothing left to lose; on the contrary, he possessed a greater audacity for a desperate gamble than ever before!

***

Wang Shenai, far away in Jiankang, would not receive the battle reports from Guanzhong for some time.

Yao Xing's appointment of an heir and his military campaign would not be completed in haste.

For her, the immediate priorities were two: first, to utilize the surrendered Murong De to continue gathering intelligence on the remnants of the Yan state in the north and ascertain Tuoba Gui's movements; second, the imperial examinations that were soon to follow the investiture and land reform ceremonies.

With the court divided into six ministries, the Ministry of Rites had already established its examination hall using the former ancestral temple of the Jin Dynasty as its site for the spring examinations.

"Emperor Yong'an is truly an extraordinary person; she doesn't even fear criticism for this action."

"What criticism could there be?" retorted the scholar accompanying him. "Along our journey, what kind of voices have we heard? They say that Emperor Yong'an is indeed a true savior. Even before the Celestial Screen spoke of land tax reform, she had already announced it in Jiankang. On the contrary, the Celestial Screen seemed to reappear suddenly as corroboration, as if to prevent the ignorant masses from being misled into thinking Her Majesty's words were false. It's a pity we arrived a bit late and missed such a spectacle."

Hearing this, who wouldn't believe that Emperor Yong'an possessed divine qualities?

Although the fall of the Jin Dynasty was indeed recent, few of the ancestors enshrined in its ancestral temple were truly worthy of praise.

It was said that in Luoyang, some of their tombs had even been turned into weapons by the common people; only because the bones were not useful did they escape further desecration. Now in Jiankang, their spirit tablets had merely been removed entirely, smashed to pieces, and the ancestral temple's former site renovated into an examination hall.

These were minor matters!

"Ah, you misunderstood my meaning," the first speaker clicked his tongue. "I meant, isn't it inauspicious to use this place for selecting new officials?"

"Then your words are even more mistaken," interjected a voice from the side.

A young woman, dressed in the uniform of a personal guard, rode past on horseback, looking down at the two scholars. "What does 'inauspicious' mean? If the lingering spirits of these former dynastic remnants could still influence Her Majesty's selection of talent, then why didn't they show more capability and tamper with the Celestial Screen? Was it that they didn't want to, or couldn't?"

"An examination is an examination. If you still have the leisure to ponder such questions, I suggest you don't even bother taking it!"

"..." The scholar was instantly speechless, unsure what to say.

Only after the woman had ridden away did he regain his voice, inquiring from others who she was.

He then learned that the speaker was Xie Yuejing, who had recently collected the corpses of the traitor Xie Zhong and others. If ghosts truly existed, Xie Zhong and his ilk, unable to rest in peace, would surely come to haunt her. Yet, she was clearly thriving...

"No wonder she said that..."

"Enough. Didn't you hear her reminder?" his companion interrupted him. "It's time to focus on preparing for the exam."

"Don't worry, I'm ready for this exam."

He had considered everything thoroughly. Once he received the answer sheet, he would write in the practical manner favored by Emperor Yong'an. If required to analyze a specific region, he would choose the three southern prefectures, which were highly regarded by Her Majesty; at the very least, he could secure an official position.

He was not some frivolous, overconfident individual with grand ambitions but little practical ability.

But when he sat in the examination hall and received the answer sheet, he was utterly dumbfounded.

Wait a minute, was there something wrong with this exam paper?

"No looking around. Keep your eyes on your own answer sheet."

A cold warning from the examiner forced him to lower his gaze, but his mind reeled.

But this shouldn't be!

He couldn't help but groan inwardly.

Both the revelations from the Celestial Screen and Emperor Yong'an's previous "blank paper" selection method had convinced everyone that she was a minimalist. Minimalism combined with pragmatism—what kind of exam paper would that produce? The answer seemed self-evident.

So he never would have imagined that it would be such a lengthy, all-encompassing examination paper!

The duties of officials across all six ministries were almost entirely reflected in the questions on this paper, with even more tangential topics branching out. A mere glance made his head spin.

Not only that, but different questions were marked with different point values, indicating that the value of each question varied.

"...No!"

"If I try to answer every single question, it's impossible to finish within the allotted two hours, unless someone is truly a prodigy who can answer without thinking and write at lightning speed."

"That means I need to earn as many points as possible within the limited time."

According to this logic, he should prioritize the questions with high point values.

But when he flipped to the back and briefly scanned what the five-point questions were, he realized that with his own ability, some questions could only be answered vaguely, and he dared not assert their absolute correctness.

"Should I try to answer all the low-point questions, which might be what Her Majesty considers practical? Or should I complete all questions within a single category to better demonstrate my expertise? Or should I try my luck with the high-point questions..."

"Oh no, oh no!"

He couldn't help but clutch his head, falling into a terrible state of confusion.

At this moment, he truly couldn't spare a thought for the fact that this place had once been the ancestral temple of the Jin Dynasty...

***

"What an intriguing exam, don't you think?"

Wang Shenai remarked with interest to Liu Muzhi: "Under the Celestial Screen, even a capable person like you still has so much to handle. If one doesn't know how to choose and prioritize, the only outcomes are either working oneself to death or being overwhelmed by the enemy's adaptations."

"I need a group of officials who can immediately assume their duties, and also a group of clear-headed individuals."

The world was in ruins, awaiting reconstruction. If even the officials couldn't distinguish between urgency and importance, how could they possibly serve as leaders?