The Succession Struggle in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 270 Recruitment in Another World Reappears in the Current Dynasty
Yang, the Imperial Academy Chancellor, squeezed through the courtyard full of students from the Imperial Academy, sweating profusely and panting, and said to Tu Chengyu:
"Your Highness, I have summoned all those who were willing to come from the Imperial Academy today. There are also some who went home and couldn't make it."

Upon hearing this, Tu Chengyu asked, "How many students came in total?"

Yang Jijiu said, "There should be around five hundred people."

With so many options, Tu Chengyu was somewhat perplexed.

He originally thought that there would only be one or two hundred students who could come, and he could just pick some from among them.

Unexpectedly, it attracted so many people, which meant his original plan to select people was no longer feasible.

We need to come up with a new way to assess them on a large scale.

Tu Chengyu frowned and thought for a while, and he actually came up with a suitable one, which was the form of questionnaires used during large-scale recruitment in his previous life.

They can simply list the questions they want to ask and then answer them collectively.

Thinking of this, Tu Chengyu said to Yang Jijiu:
"Does the Imperial College have an open space large enough to seat five hundred people at once?"

Without hesitation, Yang Jijiu replied, "Your Highness, there is enough room for all of us to sit in the square in front where we worship Confucius."

Tu Chengyu said, "It's good that there's a place. Here's what we'll do: you let these students go back and each of them take their own writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and each of them bring a stool to sit on while writing. They should gather at the square in front of the Confucius Temple, where I will personally examine them."

Although Yang Jijiu did not know what Tu Chengyu was up to, he still obediently went out to deliver the message.

After he went out, he shouted to convey Tu Chengyu's message, and the students rushed out of the courtyard in a swarm.

After most of the students had left, Yang Jijiu returned, and Tu Chengyu said to him:

"Prepare a set of writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone for me as well, and use the largest paper available."

As the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, his room was naturally always stocked with these things.

So as soon as Tu Chengyu gave the order, he took out what Tu Chengyu wanted from the bookcase.

After taking it out, he also helped Tu Chengyu unfold the paper, grind the ink, and prepare the brush.

Tu Chengyu had originally intended to write it himself, but upon seeing Yang Jijiu's words, he suddenly lost interest. So he said:
"Yang Jijiu, I will tell you to write it. Write large characters so that the students can see it clearly from a distance of one zhang."

Upon hearing this, Yang Jijiu nodded and said, "This humble official understands."

Next, Tu Chengyu selected some suitable questions from the recruitment process he had written in his previous life and had Yang Jijiu write them down.

Tu Chengyu wrote down all the usual options, such as age, hobbies, special skills, expected salary, and choice of official position.

Next, we need to address the specific issues that have been raised during this recruitment process.

For example, the first question is about one's views on disaster victims.

The second question is: how to ensure that disaster victims have enough to eat in Beijing.

Question 3: If disaster victims are bullied by powerful figures in the capital, would you risk offending them for the sake of the victims? (Answer truthfully; your answer will be what you do.)
...

Tu Chengyu wrote down many more questions like these.

Especially the third point, which Tu Chengyu wrote specifically to target certain people. This point will probably stop many timid, cowardly, and opportunistic people.

Of course, in addition to these, Tu Chengyu also wrote several arithmetic problems to test their arithmetic abilities.

These questions filled an entire large sheet of paper. After it was finished, Tu Chengyu took it, checked it, and nodded in satisfaction.

Then he said to Yang Jijiu, "Send someone to take this paper over and have all the students answer the questions on it."

Yang Jijiu personally took the paper and asked, "Your Highness, do you have any other requests?"

Tu Chengyu thought for a moment and said, "The answering time must be within half an hour. You can hand in your paper early, but you cannot exceed the time limit. Any paper that exceeds the time limit will not be accepted. Second, when answering, try to be concise and clear. Anyone who dares to show off their knowledge and writes a lot of useless nonsense for me will not be accepted. As for the rest, just follow the requirements of a normal exam."

After noting down Tu Chengyu's requirements, Yang Jijiu hurriedly headed to the square.

After he left, Tu Chengyu said to Lao Yao:

"Take two men with you to supervise their exams. If anyone violates the exam rules, write down their names and bring them back to me."

Old Yao received the order and left with two guards.

After they left, Tu Chengyu sat in Yang Jijiu's room and waited patiently.

After waiting for a while, about half an hour passed, and then Yang Jijiu sent over a teacher from the Imperial Academy.

"Your Highness, the exams have ended. I, Lord Yang, have come to report this to you."

"Okay," Tu Chengyu nodded. "You lead the way, and I'll go take a look."

Upon hearing this, the teacher stepped aside and led the way, while Tu Chengyu followed behind with the remaining guards.

Before long, they appeared in the main square of the Imperial College.

At this moment, the square was crowded with people.

Not only were those taking the exams present, but even those who weren't interested in the matter stood in groups around, pointing and watching the spectacle.

As soon as Tu Chengyu arrived, everyone's eyes turned to him, and the noise gradually subsided.

Tu Chengyu glanced at it casually for a moment, then followed them to the high platform in front of the Confucius Temple.

On the high platform at this moment, Yang Jijiu was leading several teachers to organize the students' exam papers.

Upon seeing Tu Chengyu approach, he hurriedly greeted him, saying, "Your Highness, all the exam papers have been collected. Would you like to take them with you, or leave them at the Imperial Academy?"

Tu Chengyu looked at the several high piles of exam papers and said, "No need for that, I'll grade them right now?"

"Now?" Yang Jijiu said in surprise, "Your Highness, there are five hundred answer sheets. I'm afraid we won't be able to finish reading them today."

"It's alright," Tu Chengyu said. "Whatever score we get is fine."

After finishing speaking, Tu Chengyu sat down behind the table on the high platform and said to Lao Yao:
"You stand to my right and wait for me to pass you the answer sheets. Then you can look at them again and see who has violated the rules."

"It's the prince."

Then Tu Chengyu said to Yang Jijiu, "Send a teacher over here to sit next to Guard Yao. Have the teacher register all the test papers that Guard Yao gives him by name."

Upon hearing this, Yang Jijiu immediately sent a teacher with a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to sit next to Lao Yao.

After saying this, Tu Chengyu then spoke to the guards behind him:
"You split into two groups. One group goes down and tells the students to step back and clear the space under the platform. The other group stands behind the teacher and waits for the teacher to register a name. Then you shout it out loud and tell the person who hears the name to gather in the open space under the platform."

(End of this chapter)