We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Based on the information on his exam card, Zhang Qian navigated through the maze-like exam hall and finally found [Section 32, Seat 16].

It was a quiet spot near the edge, not particularly noticeable.

He took his seat according to his assigned number, placed the examination basket containing his writing brush and ink at his feet, and glanced around briefly.

There weren't many people entering yet, and many seats were still empty, suggesting that the strict body search procedure had indeed slowed things down.

After all, there are tens of thousands of candidates today. Although the imperial city has opened more than one passage and has found many soldiers and constables to be responsible for searching people, it is impossible to search them all in a short time.

Zhang Qian simply closed his eyes, cleared his mind of all distractions, and began to silently recite the Analects in his heart.

He had long since memorized the words of the sage, but each time he recited them silently, he could taste new meanings in the familiar words, and his mind became more and more serene.

As dawn broke and the morning light completely dispelled the last traces of darkness, the seats around him were gradually filled.

Just then, a deafening roar of cheers suddenly erupted from afar, sweeping across the entire square like a tidal wave.

Zhang Qian slowly opened his eyes and looked up in the direction of the sound.

In the distance, atop the towering city walls of the imperial palace, a tall figure appeared out of nowhere, with a dragon flag fluttering gently in the morning breeze beside him.

It is His Majesty the Emperor himself who has come to the examination hall!

Without any command, tens of thousands of students in the square stood up in unison, like wheat fields swaying in the wind, and bowed to that distinguished figure.

Zhang Qian did the same, and his bow was very proper, filled with awe and gratitude.

Although he hadn't taken the exam yet, he always believed that His Majesty was his true mentor.

He saw that the figure seemed to press his hand down and say something.

But the distance was too great, and the sound dissipated in the wind; Zhang Qian couldn't hear a single word.

Even so, the mere fact that the emperor himself attended the ceremony was enough to excite all the students.

As the students sat down again, the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

The examiners in charge of this examination area began to stand up and silently patrolled the aisles between the seats, their eyes sweeping over each candidate.

Immediately afterwards, an official in robes walked to the front of the examination hall, and the examiners all bowed to him.

The examiner nodded slightly, then looked at the candidates, and with a deep, resonant voice, said:

"quiet!"

At the same time, officials from other areas also appeared, and the huge square fell silent instantly, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the corners of their clothes.

"In this special imperial examination, all must remember:"

No whispering, no looking around, no leaving your seat without permission, and no loud noise!

Anyone who disobeys will be immediately expelled from the examination room, regardless of the reason, and will never be hired!

Did you all hear that clearly?

"Yes!" came a cacophony of responses from below.

The examiner surveyed the room with an air of authority, and after confirming that no one had any objections, he nodded slightly, signaling the examiners to begin distributing the papers.

The examiners came down and distributed the pristine white exam papers to the students.

The exam paper felt slightly cool to the touch, and the texture of the paper surprised many people.

Upon closer inspection, the paper was exceptionally white and crisp, far whiter and smoother than the best paper they usually used.

What's even more astonishing is that the handwriting on the scroll doesn't seem to be handwritten; the size and spacing of each character are exactly the same, as if it were engraved with a precise mold.

This sense of order and discipline deeply impressed the candidates, making them take the examination even more seriously.

Most of the test takers were knowledgeable and knew what this meant.

Such technology demonstrates that the imperial court could mass-produce books, and the days when powerful families monopolized knowledge were over!

Zhang Qian had no time to marvel at the wonders of the paper and printing; his entire attention was captivated by the title at the beginning of the scroll.

The first test was naturally the section on copying scriptures, which required filling in the blanks in the scriptures.

The first question is from the opening of "The Great Learning":

The way of the university lies in ____, in ____, and in _____.

Li Che and several trusted ministers discussed the matter and concluded that the supplementary examination paper was more balanced in terms of both basic knowledge and flexibility of thinking.

Therefore, the backup copy of the examination paper was ultimately used in this examination.

This question is now a piece of cake for Zhang Qian. After more than a month of careful guidance from Lin Qingyuan, he has already memorized the Four Books.

He had just picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and was ready to answer directly...

"Wait a minute!"

The official's voice rang out again from the stage, interrupting many people's actions.

"Now we're distributing draft paper."

All students should first draft all their answers on scratch paper, and after confirming that they are correct, neatly copy them onto the exam paper.

This official reminds you that illegible handwriting and excessive corrections on your exam papers will negatively impact your evaluation scores.

Be careful! Be careful!

Zhang Qian felt a chill run down his spine and quickly stopped writing, secretly relieved.

Although his handwriting wasn't bad, he couldn't guarantee it would be flawless. Having draft paper to proofread beforehand would certainly make things much safer.

The instructors came down again and distributed draft paper.

The quality of this toilet paper was much more ordinary; it was slightly yellow and somewhat rough.

But the advantage is that there are plenty of them, a thick little stack for each person, enough to last.

Zhang Qian spread out the draft paper, took a deep breath, and then steadily began to write:

The Great Learning teaches us to manifest our bright virtue, to love the people, and to abide in perfect goodness.

After reviewing it twice to make sure it was correct, I carefully copied it onto the dazzlingly white exam paper.

The subsequent twenty-four questions were all drawn from the Four Books.

For Zhang Qian, who had already memorized the Four Books perfectly, there was naturally no major obstacle. He continued writing, answering each question one by one.

Meanwhile, most of the students in the examination hall, after understanding that this text was essentially a 'fill-in-the-blank' exercise, also began to write furiously.

A soft, rapid rustling sound of writing filled the room, like silkworms eating leaves.

These first twenty-five questions are designed to test the most basic learning foundation and have not stumped too many people.

Some candidates were even secretly pleased, thinking that His Majesty was nothing special, and that these basic questions could not possibly test the true talents of the people.

However, not everyone can have such a smooth experience.

Among the crowd, some people were already frowning and hesitant to write on their exam papers.

Not all self-proclaimed book lovers have actually put in the hard work to memorize the classics perfectly.

In the past, when there was no clear assessment pressure, the depth of one's knowledge depended entirely on self-discipline.

Some people claim to be well-read, but in reality, they have long since returned the contents of those books to the passage of time, possessing only the outward appearance of a scholar.

Those impoverished scions of noble families who had mocked Zhang Qian outside the recruitment hall were now sweating profusely.

One of them gripped his pen tightly, staring at the blank space after "be quick to act but cautious in speech," his face turning pale and then flushed.

Zhang Qian, however, wrote with divine inspiration, quickly penning the following: "A gentleman does not seek to be full when eating, nor comfortable when dwelling; he is diligent in his work and cautious in his speech; he seeks guidance from those who possess the Way and corrects himself accordingly. This can be called true learning."

He had no time to look at anything else; his gaze had already turned to the last twenty-five questions.

This part comes from the Five Classics, and its content is vast and complex; even he could not memorize it all.

After all, given his financial situation, even assembling a complete set of the Five Classics was a luxury.

However, Li Che clearly took this into account, and the twenty-five questions were all selected from the most widely circulated and classic sentences in the Five Classics.

For example, the first question:

[The deer cry out, "Yo-yo!" I have guests, "Yo-yo!"]

This comes from the poem "Deer Cry" in the Lesser Odes of the Book of Songs, and it is a line that almost everyone knows after starting elementary education.

If you can't even fill in this blank, then the so-called thorough reading of poetry and books is a joke. Not to mention that you don't have real talent, you at least haven't achieved "learning new things by reviewing the old".

This posed no challenge for Zhang Qian. He picked up his brush and wrote on the draft: "The deer cry 'youyou,' as they eat the wild apples. I have guests; let us play the zither and the sheng."

However, as the questions progressed, the difficulty gradually increased.

Some obscure passages and difficult sentences began to appear.

Although Zhang Qian could barely answer based on his past reading memory, he couldn't be sure that he was completely correct, and a sense of anxiety quietly spread through him.

However, there are many who suffer even more than him.

Even some students who usually pride themselves on their vast knowledge couldn't help but break out in a sweat at this moment.

They never imagined that the imperial examinations would require such a thorough understanding of the Five Classics.

Memorizing the whole thing? Isn't that thing just for looking at?

After reading it, who would still review it every day? Wouldn't it be better to use that time to hold poetry gatherings and indulge in a bit of refinement?

After a brief moment of panic, Zhang Qian squeezed his eyes shut and recalled Lin Qingyuan's usual admonitions, knowing that this was not the time to lose his composure.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

No longer dwelling on those few questions about the classics that he wasn't entirely confident about, he decisively turned his attention to the next part, the meaning of ink.

The section on the meaning of the text also includes a concise explanation at the beginning of the scroll, which examines the understanding and interpretation of the scriptures.

Zhang Qian knew that this part of the questions could no longer be answered by rote memorization or improvisation.

What's needed is genuine understanding and personal experience.

However, when his gaze fell on the first question on ink and paper, he was struck dumb, frozen in place, and his eyes welled up with tears.

The question was:

【What is the meaning of "While parents are alive, one should not travel far; if one must travel, one should have a fixed destination"?】

For most students, this question is practically a free point.

The standard explanation is already ingrained in my mind; it's simply a matter of stating the literal meaning and then elaborating on the importance of filial piety.

But at this moment, these nine short words, in Zhang Qian's eyes, carried immense weight, striking heavily against his heart.

He had just bid farewell to his aged father and, with his meager travel expenses, embarked on this long journey to the capital.

The words of the sage are like a clear mirror, reflecting his deepest struggles and guilt.

After years of studying, he felt most sorry for his father, who was becoming increasingly hunched over.

Although he often did odd jobs, he would go to the docks and markets in the early morning to find work and earn a few copper coins to supplement his family's income. At night, he would read and ponder by the dim light of a lamp.

Ultimately, however, he failed to serve his family and take on the main household chores like a true adult male.

Is this journey to a distant place, this unwavering pursuit of ideals, itself a form of filial impiety?

This question, like a nightmare, often surfaced in the quiet of the night.

His heart was churning violently, but his hand holding the pen gradually steadied.

He spread out the draft paper, but did not rush to write down those standard explanations.

Instead, he poured his bitterness, helplessness, and deep-seated determination into his writing, transforming them into lines of words imbued with heartfelt meaning and weight: