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

Zhang Qian dipped the inkstone in ink and began to write with flowing strokes on the scrap paper:

While one's parents are alive, one should not travel far; if one must travel, one should have a fixed destination.

This means that filial piety should be based on understanding one's parents' feelings and comforting their hearts.

While parents are healthy and well, children should not travel far away lightly, lest their parents yearn for them and suffer from deep worry.

However, if there is no other choice but to travel, whether for the sake of learning or future prospects, then one must clearly inform one's parents of the direction one is going and the cause one intends to undertake, so that they know one's whereabouts, have peace of mind, and do not become ill from worry.

This section is an explanation of the sage's original text. An ordinary test taker would already get full marks by writing this far.

Zhang Qian, however, was clearly not satisfied. After a moment's thought, he continued to write.

However, the so-called "traveling far away" is not necessarily unfilial.

In the past, Confucius traveled to various states to promote the way of benevolent governance.

Today's travels may be for reading widely, broadening one's horizons, or seeking an opportunity to realize one's ambitions. All of these are for the purpose of establishing oneself and making a name for oneself in the future, so that one's parents can enjoy a life of honor and comfort. This is truly the foundation of filial piety.

If one clings to one's hometown and does nothing of note, even if one regularly visits relatives morning and evening, one's family will be in dire straits, and how can one's parents feel at ease?

Therefore, the desire to travel far should coexist with filial piety.

When I travel, I must have a clear destination so that my family knows where I am headed; when I study, I must achieve success so that my family can enjoy my glory.

Only in this way can we repay the kindness of our parents in raising us, and live up to the teachings of the sages!

This passage is no longer an interpretation of the scriptures, but rather Zhang Qian's examination of his past life.

He transformed his guilt towards his father into the motivation to succeed, and linked the necessity of his journey to a higher level of filial piety.

This is not sophistry, but rather the most genuine sentiment expressed by a student from a poor family who is struggling between reality and ideals as he answers the exam questions.

After writing this, Zhang Qian let out a long sigh of relief, as if he had just poured out all the pent-up emotions in his heart onto the paper.

Then, carefully and meticulously copied the text from the draft onto the exam paper, word by word.

The following questions on the meaning of ink were all quite standard.

These types of questions test students' interpretation of the words of sages.

Questions such as "What does it mean for a gentleman to be cautious even when alone?" and "What does it mean that the people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important?"

These types of questions are not difficult for students; the main challenge lies in the depth of their understanding and the clarity of their explanation.

For Li Che, a modern man, he didn't care about the words of sages at all; what he cared about more was the ability of talented people to understand.

The same sentence can be interpreted in different ways. Others may only see the surface meaning, while some people can explain it in a simple and profound way, even incorporating their own experiences and understanding. Such people are naturally outstanding talents.

Zhang Qian wrote five questions in a row, feeling his thoughts flowing smoothly and gradually improving, almost forgetting that he was in the imperial examination hall where thousands of people gathered.

All the noise around him seemed to fade away, leaving only the principles he wrote and the depths of his mind.

However, at that moment, a 'thump' was heard not far away!

Zhang Qian's wrist trembled, and a drop of ink almost stained the draft.

He looked up in astonishment and saw a candidate diagonally in front of him slumped to the ground, chair and all, his body twitching slightly out of control.

"Silence! No looking around!"

The examiner in this examination area immediately spoke in a stern voice, and wherever his gaze swept across, all the students lowered their heads and dared not look again.

The other examiners quickly stepped forward to check and notified those outside the examination room.

Before long, a medical officer arrived in a hurry, carrying a medicine box.

He bent down to examine it carefully for a moment, then stood up and said, "It's nothing serious. It's just that I was thinking too much and my mind was tense, which caused my blood and qi to be temporarily disordered."

"Move him to a cool, well-ventilated place to calm his mind and he may recover without medication."

Upon hearing that the person had fainted due to excessive tension, the other candidates felt no mockery, but rather a sense of shared sorrow, like those who had suffered the same fate as their fellow test-takers.

The gathering of tens of thousands of students, under the direct gaze of imperial power, would naturally create immense pressure.

Before this, although these students were all somewhat down on their luck and far inferior to the scions of aristocratic families, they still maintained the pride of scholars and believed that they were simply unappreciated despite their talents.

The questions on the meaning of ink that followed the sutra completely shattered their illusions.

Zhang Qian simply sighed slightly, then composed himself and refocused his attention on the exam paper.

External interference cannot shake him in the slightest.

His gaze fell on the sixth question, a question about the meaning of ink: "If the county you govern has four distinct seasons, but the soil is barren due to years of farming, what crops should you persuade farmers to grow to improve soil fertility?"

After reading the question, Zhang Qian was slightly taken aback, almost thinking he had misread it.

What is the relationship between this question and the words of sages and the interpretation of scriptures?

Could it be that the wrong exam paper was printed?

But the thought only flashed through his mind before he immediately rejected it.

He heard that the exam papers were personally drafted by His Majesty and repeatedly verified by many important ministers and scholars, so how could there be such a mistake?

Therefore, the only explanation is that His Majesty intends to use this unprecedented topic to convey to the world his governing philosophy of valuing agriculture and sericulture and emphasizing practicality!

Having figured this out, Zhang Qian was not confused at all; on the contrary, he became excited, his eyes gleaming slightly.

Unlike most other students from relatively well-off backgrounds, they at least didn't have to work in the fields themselves.

Zhang Qian was a genuine farmer's son, a country bumpkin who didn't even qualify as "poor family".

At home, he worked in the fields with his father day and night, developing a deep-seated familiarity with the land and farming.

This question seemed to have been tailor-made for him.

Without hesitation, he immediately picked up his pen and wrote down his insights on the draft paper, his pen moving slightly hastily due to his excitement:

The county has four distinct seasons, a boon to agriculture.

However, years of cultivation have depleted the land's resources without providing nourishment, which is like draining a pond to catch all the fish.

The land is barren because of the continuous cropping of grains, which draws too much nutrients from the soil.

At this time, it is not advisable to force a bumper harvest of staple grains. Farmers should be advised to temporarily suspend the planting of millet and wheat, and instead plant beans and soybeans.

It belongs to the legume family. Its roots have nodules that can retain nutrients in the soil, so it does not compete with humans for nutrients, but instead nourishes the land.

Once the beans have matured, their roots, stems, leaves, and vines can be turned over and pressed into the soil, making excellent green manure.

If the land is allowed to rest for a year or two, its fertility will gradually recover, and when the staple crops are planted again, the harvest will surely be many times greater.

What Zhang Qian wrote down was not some profound doctrine, but rather the practical experience of farmers, the wisdom passed down from generation to generation in the fields.

After finishing the problem, Zhang Qian felt a sense of relief and increased confidence.

He immediately turned his attention to the next question, fueled by this fighting spirit.

However, even though he was mentally prepared, he was still stunned when he saw the question.

Zhang Qian instantly understood why the student had fainted due to the pressure.

The scroll read: "In your jurisdiction, both the granary and the armory have been attacked and are on fire simultaneously. With limited manpower, which would you choose to save first?"