On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The whole day passed quietly amidst the undercurrents and tranquility within the towering palace walls.

Lin Zhen was still very trustworthy and never left Murong Yan's side for a whole day.

The aftermath of the morning court session in Xuanzheng Hall at dawn was still lingering. After the ministers withdrew in fear or speculation, Lin Zhen accompanied Murong Yan as they walked in the wide and solemn palace corridors.

She was draped in a gorgeous phoenix robe, and her figure appeared slender yet extremely firm in the huge palace.

Lin Zhen lagged behind her by half a step. His figure was as steady as a mountain, and his deep gaze was like a silent barrier, protecting her while also invisibly releasing suffocating pressure.

All the ministers who came to report or ask for imperial decree felt a heavy pressure when they approached the phoenix carriage. No matter whether it was an urgent military report concerning important military affairs, a relief plan for local disasters, or even the minute details of autumn harvest taxes, their reports became extremely concise, cautious, and well-organized, and they did not dare to have the slightest intention of procrastination, ambiguity, or deception.

Although Lin Zhen rarely spoke and just listened quietly, his absolute sense of control permeated every wisp of air.

The warm afternoon sun shines through the carved window lattices, casting mottled light and shadows on the rosewood floor of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Murong Yan sat behind a huge rosewood imperial desk, reviewing memorials, and her red pen made dots and circles on the bright yellow memorials.

Lin Zhen was leaning casually on the brocade couch by the window, holding a military book in his hand, with a relaxed posture.

The hall is burning with top-grade Canaan incense, which is elegant and soothing.

Occasionally, Murong Yan would stop writing, unable to make a decision, and then look up at Lin Zhen.

Lin Zhen glanced at the memorial and pointed out the key points in a few words, either affirming or pointing out hidden dangers. His words were concise and to the point but went straight to the core.

Every time, a light of sudden enlightenment would flash across Murong Yan's beautiful phoenix eyes, and then the red pen would fall, which would be the final decision.

There was no questioning, no rebuttal, only tacit understanding and absolute reliance.

The golden glow of the setting sun gradually dyed the glazed tile roofs red, covering the solemn palace with a layer of warm gauze.

Dinner was not held in the formal palace banquet hall, but moved to a more secluded and elegant side hall.

The furnishings in the hall were still luxurious, the red candles on the red gold candlesticks danced with warm light, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

Exquisite imperial meals had already been laid out on the white marble round table.

Murong Yan personally picked up the silver chopsticks, picked up a piece of venison jerky that was cooked to a crystal clear, soft and attractive color, and placed it on the white jade plate in front of Lin Zhen very naturally.

"Husband, this is the venison we just got this morning. We simmered it for half a day with Huadiao wine and jujube honey. It's very flavorful. Try it."

Her voice was gentle, her movements were skillful, and she was considerate and gentle like a housewife, with none of the majesty she displayed in the court during the day.

Lin Zhen nodded with a smile and took it calmly.

"Yan'er is becoming more and more sensible. She is completely different from a few days ago when she was angry and sent the camel away." He looked at her softly, enjoying this rare homely warmth.

"What camel... I don't know..." Murong Yan smiled shyly, and then the two began to eat quietly. The atmosphere was warm and peaceful.

The candlelight danced, casting the figures of the two people gently on the screen.

Murong Yan chewed slowly, as if she had thought of something. She frowned slightly, breaking the warm silence:

"Husband," she put down the silver bamboo stick and looked at Lin Zhen with a hint of thought, "The Spring Examination is drawing near. Both the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Academy are busy preparing. In your opinion, is there anything else that requires special attention or additional information?"

Lin Zhen slowly chewed the venison that Murong Yan had brought him and nodded thoughtfully:

"I've been pondering this. Since it involves two different departments, the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Academy, I think it's quite simple. Let each of them preside over the examinations and issue their own set of policy papers. Candidates will need to answer both sets of papers according to their respective rules. Anyone who meets the requirements of both parties, regardless of their previous background, will be admitted."

Murong Yan nodded slightly, with a hint of approval in her eyes.

This method can indeed attract more talents.

However, Lin Zhen changed the subject, his eyes becoming deep and piercing with a hint of cold insight: "It's just that I've always had a knot in my heart, and it's about the Imperial Academy's Academic Affairs Office."

He raised his eyes and looked at Murong Yan sharply, "Yan'er, do you know what the biggest problem is with the officials trained by the Imperial Academy's Educational Affairs Office?"

"Oh?" Murong Yan elegantly picked up a small piece of steamed magnolia slices and put it into her mouth, chewing it slowly, with a hint of inquiry in her eyes: "What's the problem? Husband, please tell me."

She seemed to feel the same way.

Lin Zhen leaned forward slightly, his tone filled with undisguised criticism:

"Pedant! Inflexible! They're brimming with literary eloquence, gushing over the sages and wise men, yet once placed in the shoes of ordinary people, they reveal themselves to be utterly clueless and incompetent! They know nothing about the affairs of the fields. Lack of rain leads to drought, and crops fail. Besides writing poems lamenting the hardships of the people or burning incense to pray for divine mercy, do they know how to build water conservancy projects and divert irrigation canals? When a massive flood submerges half a county, they stand on the dike, beating their chests and sighing, but do they know how to evacuate the people, reinforce the dike, or plan flood discharges? When faced with even the most difficult cases, when gentry oppress the common people, or when clans clash, they cry out, 'The people are making trouble!' or 'People's hearts are not as they used to be,' but they fail to make impartial judgments."

Lin Zhen's tone was tinged with cold sarcasm. "The most tragic and infuriating thing is this! Once a huge mess is made, they can't handle it. It's brought to the attention of the emperor, ruining their reputation. What do these 'noble seeds' cultivated by the Imperial Academy love to do most? Not to exhaust themselves trying to remedy the situation or smooth things over! Instead, they run to the city gates or outside the government office, write a gorgeous suicide note filled with famous lines from "Li Sao", and then either hang themselves in the ancestral temple or jump into the river they can't defend!"

Lin Zhen became more and more angry as he spoke, and finally he slammed his palm on the table, making a dull sound!

The vibration made the dishes jump slightly and the candlelight sway!

"Ridiculous! Shameless! This is called a good official?! This is called leaving a name for eternity?!" Lin Zhen's voice was like frozen ice. "This is treating the lives and well-being of the people as a joke! This is throwing the responsibilities entrusted to you by the court to the wind! This is an act of sheer cowardice! Using the suffering of the people and your own incompetence to exchange for a seemingly tragic symbol in the history books! Shameless!"

Murong Yan was shocked by his powerful, angry and cold analysis.

She put down the jade chopsticks in her hand, and the gentle smile on her face had long disappeared, replaced by solemnity and deep thought.

She thought of the examples in the local reports of officials who spoke in high-sounding words but were empty, who were incompetent and could only resort to death as an excuse, and when thinking of Lin Zhen's words, she felt that every word was heartbreaking!

Lin Zhen calmed down his excitement a little, and the anger in his eyes subsided a little, but the cold scrutiny became clearer:

"Therefore, I suggest that all the scholars selected through the Imperial Academy's examination system for this spring exam, no matter how renowned their talent or how brilliant their essays, should not be given any official positions or sent out! They must first be allowed to study in the Imperial Academy!"

"Let Ling'er stop teaching them how to be officials and teach them how to cram! Cultivate them hard!"

Murong Yan asked, "What do you want to make up for?"

Lin Zhen counted on his fingers, "First, there are signs of a local drought. How can we survey water sources, dredge rivers, and promote drought-resistant crops? Second, a wildfire breaks out. How can we organize local militia, establish isolation zones, predict wind direction, and extinguish the fire quickly and effectively? Third, floodwaters are flooding villages. How can we plan evacuation routes, allocate rescue supplies, implement post-disaster epidemic prevention measures, and reorganize the fields after the water recedes? Fourth, local tyrants are oppressing the common people, and clans are fighting over water and land. How can we strike a balance? We must demonstrate the authority of the court's laws while avoiding exacerbating conflicts and guiding all forces to submit to the court's rule! Fifth..."

He spoke a long stream of words, then paused, his eyes gleaming as he continued, "Even the most basic things, such as mastering the abacus, understanding bookkeeping, and keeping a clear and accurate record of the grain and money flowing in and out of the warehouse! Tax payments must be kept under wraps! These are the most practical, fundamental skills that matter most to the people's livelihoods and well-being. They must all be cultivated!"

"In the academy, they should either learn some practical strategies from Chu Xiling and learn some skills to keep the people safe and control floods! Or they should prove that they can actually turn these nonsense and embellished articles into real solutions to real problems in practice! If they can demonstrate their talents in the academy, or if they truly have the determination to solve problems rather than commit suicide, then we can consider and transfer them to assistant positions such as county magistrates and chief clerks to hone their skills! This is how we should be responsible to the candidates, to the court, and even more so to the millions of ordinary people who rely on the government for their livelihoods!"

These words, with their clear analysis and direct criticism of the old problems, paint a clear, cold, yet extremely pragmatic picture of the future officialdom.

Murong Yan was silent for a long time.

Every point Lin Zhen said hit her heart hard.

She recalled the vague yet shocking descriptions of the disasters in the memorials, and the tragic scenes that were ultimately attributed to "natural disasters" or "man-made disasters" but were actually made worse by the incompetence of officials.

She nodded slowly and solemnly, and the last trace of doubt in her eyes disappeared.

"My husband, what you said is truly enlightening! Today's officials are arrogant and pretentious, but their methods are mostly mediocre. Those ignorant people keep calling them 'honest officials,' but in reality, the benefits they receive are minimal."

She sighed softly, "This road really needs a major overhaul!"

But when it came to the specific executor, Murong Yan's eyebrows slightly frowned again, with a hint of reserved doubt:

"But, my husband, do you think Chu Xiling can really be a good teacher? Can all her so-called mechanical and mechanical skills and unconventional tricks be used to train a good official who can truly govern the country and ensure the people's safety?"

She was obviously quite critical of Chu Xiling's unconventional talents and unconventional style, especially her admiration for Lin Zhen. She even spoke with a hint of disdain, "I think she can only tinker with some small gadgets."