si-mexico Chapter 364: The Big Question
Chapter 364: The Big Question
The palace gate slowly opened and the guards entered one after another and stood solemnly on both sides of the gate. Then, with the sound of solemn and magnificent drums, the emperor's guard of honor walked in from the palace gate.
Emperor Qingning wore a bright yellow robe with a five-clawed golden dragon. His square face was calm and majestic without any anger. He was helped down from the sedan chair by Zhou Jushan. He walked steadily and looked energetic.
[@薛蔚 (Study Committee Member): The dog emperor is here to ask questions about politics and current affairs. If you don’t come, the palace examination will be over. @All members]
【@Vice-squad leader Zhou Jushan: I don’t know if they came or not, but I came anyway. 】
Behind Emperor Qingning, Zhou Jushan was wearing a tobacco hat, had a restrained gait, and was in very good spirits. It was obvious at first glance that he was a popular figure around the emperor.
Emperor Qingning entered the Golden Palace with his guard of honor in a grand procession, and then Xue Wei and others were summoned into the hall.
The process of the palace examination in Dasheng was slightly different from what Xue Wei and his classmates had learned in their history textbooks.
During the emperor's questioning session, the top winners of the imperial examinations from all over the country will meet the emperor and be personally examined and questioned by the emperor. This group of people consists of less than 30 people, and they are all the elites among the elites.
This part is equivalent to the emperor inspecting the top scorers in each province in advance and interviewing them. It not only tests their real talents and knowledge, but also examines the appearance, demeanor, and on-the-spot reaction of each candidate to leave an impression in his mind.
After all, the written answers are wonderful, but there are also many candidates who are so scared that their legs go weak and they can't stand steadily when they arrive at the scene.
After the emperor read out the questions, the provincial top scorers drew lots to decide the order in which they would be examined by the emperor.
After the drawing of lots, they had a quarter of an hour to think about the questions raised by the emperor.
A quarter of an hour later, they appeared before the Emperor in the order in which they had drawn lots.
In addition to these provincial champions who participated in the "interview", the remaining candidates taking part in the palace examination still stayed in the venue for writing policy essays. The examiners read out the questions asked by the emperor, and the candidates then wrote their answers on the examination papers and submitted them.
The answers Xue Wei drew were neither early nor late, and he was the eighteenth to be examined by Emperor Qingning.
The order of drawing lots is a great test of one's mentality. Candidates at the front may face multiple factors such as nervousness and lack of time to think, but candidates at the back of the list may not be lucky either.
Although they had more time to think, if the previous candidates had almost repeated the solutions to the problems, they would have nothing to say in response to the emperor. They could only give repetitive answers, which would hardly be original and would not win the emperor's favor.
In addition, the emperor may also ask follow-up questions to the candidates' answers.
After the drawing of lots, Emperor Qingning, sitting on the dragon throne, spread out the scroll in his hand and announced the topics of this palace examination.
Emperor Qingning spoke, revealing the imperial spirit that had accumulated over decades: "The northwest border has suffered from drought for years, food and fodder are scarce, arable land has degraded, and farmland yields are meager. The people's livelihood is difficult, the population is declining, and the northwest is gradually becoming desolate."
"On the other hand, the Bol grasslands on the northwest border are strong and expanding, and Khan Arundanzhuo is becoming more and more arrogant, and even cut off contact with our Dasheng this year."
He frowned slightly and asked, "What good strategies do you have to deal with the aggressive Boer and restore the glory of the northwest?"
Emperor Qingning's voice was full of energy. Only Zhou Jushan and a few ministers knew that Emperor Qingning was in such good spirits because of the medicine he took.
After Emperor Qingning asked this question, the faces of all the candidates present turned visibly ugly. This type of question had never been asked in the palace examinations in previous years as the scope of the question was too broad.
A big question includes many aspects. If you want to answer it, you can answer it from many angles. It is extremely difficult to think of a perfect plan within a quarter of an hour. You can only make choices and answer the aspects you are good at to win the favor of the emperor.
When Xue Wei heard the question read out by Emperor Qingning, his eyes slightly opened.
Not to mention how familiar he is with the northwestern border of Dasheng because he often chats with Master Yan. When he was studying at university in modern times, his family was transferred to the northwest region for poverty alleviation work, and he returned to the northwest during his winter and summer vacations.
Moreover, during each vacation in college, I participated in the "Three-Down-to-the-Countryside" activities, serving in remote areas of the northwest, and was exposed to various response policies.
What’s the difference between this and predicting the essay topic in the college entrance examination?
When Emperor Qingning asked this question, the class group suddenly became lively.
[@江麗麗: So we are going to see a group of people brainstorming how to deal with Master Yan? Interesting, interesting! ]
When Yan Chaoyue heard the name "Alennardanzhuo", he paused for a moment before realizing that this was his grassland name and almost died of laughter.
【@Yan Chaoyue (Grassland Khan): I didn’t expect that I would become successful and become a test question! Why do I feel a little bit happy when I hear a group of people playing tricks on me in front of me?】
【@周居善（大内总管）：You don’t even know how the ministers of Dasheng criticized you, saying that you don’t know etiquette, are arrogant and reckless, and also said that you are lucky to have that grassland Valkyrie. I almost died of laughter when I heard it.】
【@侯潇潇 (Princess of Jin): If these people who are so angry know that the grassland Valkyrie is the third daughter of the Xin family, will they vomit blood? After all, the third daughter was sent to the grassland to marry the dog emperor himself.】
Everyone in the group was having a blast, and Xue Wei didn't feel nervous at all at this moment.
As time passed, Xue Wei had already organized his answers in his mind and had a rough outline, without any panic.
Soon a quarter of an hour passed.
With a "dong" sound, the bell placed in front of the palace examination venue was struck, causing ringing in people's ears.
The candidates' hearts were shaken by the sound of the bell.
Although he had rehearsed it countless times in his mind, actually standing in the hall to accept the test from the emperor was a completely different experience. Sitting on the dragon throne was the Son of Heaven who held the highest power in the world.
Emperor Qingning swept his sharp gaze over His Highness.
There was a look of awe and trepidation on their faces.
Emperor Qingning was very satisfied, as what he wanted was absolute awe and respect for the imperial power.
Of course Xue Wei also had to show some respect, just pretending.
As a popular figure who saved the emperor, he had to be low-key and cautious and not be caught in any fault. After all, conjunctivitis has existed since ancient times.
After some knocking, the first candidate stepped forward to explain his response to Emperor Qingning.
"Your Majesty, the farmland in the five northwestern cities has degraded and the grain yield is low, all due to drought and water shortage. I think we can dig a canal to bring water from the Jing River to the five northwestern cities..."
His voice was a little shaky at first, but as he spoke his tone calmed down.
Digging a canal is a solution that can cure the problem, but it requires huge financial resources and the effects are slow to show.
After all, it was the first answer, so it was not bad for him to keep calm and answer fluently. Emperor Qingning's face showed no emotion, he asked a few more questions, and then announced the next candidate.
The following candidates either answered in a standard manner, or had a blank mind and stumbled, or even lost their manners in front of the hall...
When it was Xue Wei's turn, Emperor Qingning already had a look of fatigue between his brows.