I clearly wanted to be a tyrant, but how did I become the greatest emperor of all time?

At this moment, he was worried.

After finally losing some money last month, the national fortune soared back in an instant!

Li Tian learned from his mistakes and reviewed the lessons learned.

The reason why I am always backstabbed by ministers is very simple!

There are no reliable ministers in the court!

There are no treacherous ministers in the court!

From the cabinet to the six ministries, they are all loyal ministers!

There is not a single treacherous minister!

The brothers-in-law and elder brothers-in-law, whom Li Tian had high hopes for, were the most vicious ones who stabbed me in the back!

What is the most important thing in Da Zhou!

Of course it’s talent!

Only by promoting some useful treacherous officials can the country's destiny be ruined faster!

Li Tian focused his attention on the Spring Examination.

After February, it is time for the imperial examination.

The imperial examination in the fourth year of the Great Zhou Dynasty is about to begin!

Li Tian is ready to go. This time, I must select some good talents!

Come and ruin the country's destiny for me!

In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the month and the entire court became busy.

The imperial examination was a very important matter for the imperial court.

The border is peaceful this year, and Goryeo and Japan have surrendered.

The country cleared up the chaos in river transportation and the treasury was filled with financial resources.

So this time the Prime Minister and Your Majesty requested this.

Request to hold the imperial examination in March to recruit talents for the Great Zhou!

Li Tian quickly replied: "Yes!"

The grand Spring Examination once again stirred up the court.

And Li Tian also began to prepare for the trial in February.

The day of settlement has arrived.

[This month's national fortune is being settled! 】

[Looking for grandiose achievements, being too soft-hearted, giving away weapons to foreign vassals, releasing the ruler and ministers of Goryeo, Great Zhou's national fortune: -10000 points! ]

[Placing the Goryeo rebellion and destroying the Japanese border, Great Zhou's national fortune: +20000 points! ]

[National fortune points at the beginning of this month: 7 points! ]

[National Fortune Points at the end of this month: 8 points! ]

[Tip: The "Record of Extinction" cannot be upgraded this month! ]

Nothing gained!

Li Tian wanted to cry but had no tears!

This whole month has been wasted!

Not only did I work in vain, but I also gained 1 national fortune points!

Li Tian patted his face.

Don't be discouraged!

We must work hard next month to severely ruin the country’s destiny!

Li Tian cheered up and threw himself into the cyclical battle to ruin the country's destiny!

……

In a blink of an eye.

All the scholars from the entire Great Zhou gathered in Kyoto.

They will take part in the imperial examination this spring.

If these scholars could pass the imperial examinations, they would be able to become elite bureaucrats of the Great Zhou.

The Ministry of Rites is also planning the test questions for this imperial examination.

The Ministry of Rites had submitted several topics, but the emperor was still not satisfied.

Moreover, Your Majesty attaches great importance to this imperial examination.

This also put a lot of pressure on the Ministry of Rites.

The Minister of Rites, Jiang De, was also a well-educated scholar. He came up with several questions in a row and his hair was almost falling out.

But His Majesty was still not satisfied.

Jiang De was under too much pressure in order to hand in a test paper that would satisfy His Majesty as soon as possible.

Jiang De simply took some wine and food and went to the home of his former boss Jia Renyi.

"Master Jia, please teach me what kind of topic His Majesty is satisfied with?"

Jiang De was also out of ideas.

Your Majesty rejected several topics in succession, and the Ministry of Rites really couldn't think of any other good topics.

Jia Renyi took a sip of wine and ate a bite of food.

After he finished eating, Jia Renyi spoke:

"The topic of the Ministry of Rites must also be in line with His Majesty's wishes."

"Yes, Lord Jia, but I am really stupid and can't guess what His Majesty is thinking."

The entire court knew that the emperor's mind was incredibly mysterious.

It’s not that Li Tian is moody.

On the contrary, Li Tian was very tolerant towards his ministers.

He also rarely interfered in the detailed policies of the court.

Li Tian’s thoughts are hard to fathom because he is standing too high!

Your Majesty can see things that others cannot see.

The chess pieces that Your Majesty casually places can always play a key role in invisible places.

And when Your Majesty has different opinions with the ministers, Your Majesty is always proved to be right in the end!

Over time, fewer and fewer ministers in the court dared to argue with the emperor.

Everyone began to guess what His Majesty was thinking and why he did this.

Jiang De was just a Confucian official and was not good at such things as understanding people's hearts.

Jia Renyi said:

"Your Majesty attaches great importance to the imperial examination, not just to recruit talented people!"

"Your Majesty wants to give the world's scholars a direction through the imperial examination."

Jiang De asked doubtfully, "Give the scholars of the world a direction?"

Jia Renyi nodded: "Your Majesty is a wise ruler who will go down in history books as an emperor!"

"What does the Holy Lord want most in his court? It must be a talented minister!"

"Otherwise, how can I understand your Majesty's thoughts?"

"So Lord Jiang, the test questions must be very meaningful, so that His Majesty will be satisfied!"

Jiang De was convinced and said repeatedly: "Thank you, Lord Jia, for your advice!"

Although Jia Renyi gave advice to the Minister of Rites, several of the topics he submitted were still rejected by the emperor.

The day of the imperial examination was approaching, and the test questions had not yet been decided. Jiang De was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Li Tian became angry when he saw the test questions submitted by the Ministry of Rites.

What is this “Yao and Shun”? What is this for? It would be fine if you prevented me from being a tyrant, but you also want me to be such a wise ruler?

Li Tian had no idea that in the eyes of his ministers, he was already considered a wise ruler.

No!

How can this kind of test questions select the people I need?

What I want is a treacherous person who can ruin the destiny of our country!

Never mind. These guys in the Ministry of Rites are unreliable.

I have to go there myself!

The imperial examinations of the Zhou Dynasty used two types of questions.

One is called "Tiejing" and the other is called "Celun."

"Tie Jing" is equivalent to fill-in-the-blank questions plus reading comprehension.

Pick out a passage from the Four Books and Five Classics, remove a few words, and let the scholars fill it in.

Then briefly summarize what the passage means.

This is a test of basic knowledge. Only scholars who have read the Four Books and Five Classics can enter the next round of testing.

"Celun" means expressing opinions on a topic, which is equivalent to the modern essay.

Initially, policy essays were not aimed at the imperial examinations.

This was a method used by ancient emperors to allow their ministers to discuss state affairs.

Gradually evolved into a type of imperial examination.

What Li Tian drafted was the topic of the policy essay.

“A review of the incompetent rulers throughout history”!

Li Tian looked at the test question and nodded with satisfaction.

Isn’t the purpose of policy papers to open up channels for discussion?

I want to ask all the scholars in the world how to be a tyrant!

When the Minister of Rites Jiang De saw this question, he almost fainted.

Your Majesty wants scholars to take stock of the incompetent rulers throughout history?

What do you want to do?

After the shock, Jiang De began to think.

According to Jia Renyi, Jiang De was trying to figure out the emperor's "deep meaning".

Your Majesty wants the scholars to warn him!

Your Majesty is so wise, yet he still asks scholars to share with him the painful lessons of how tyrants led to the destruction of their countries!

He is worthy of being an emperor through the ages!

Jiang De was so moved that he burst into tears.

Your Majesty is so perfect, yet he still remembers to reflect on himself at all times.

He even asked the scholars taking the imperial examinations to give advice and summarize past experiences.

What a spirit this is!