Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

Time flies.

Before we knew it, the ninth year of the Wude era was drawing to a close.

However, the winter snow in Bingzhou this year was quite good, attracting many wealthy young men who had come to Bingzhou with their fathers to do business, who frequented various taverns and teahouses in the city.

Looking at the snow scene, I composed poems.

At the same time, there was also a group of scholars who did not have such leisure and refined tastes.

Yangcheng Palace, palace gate.

In just six months, Cheng Chumo's height had increased significantly, and his physique had become more robust due to the battles and hardships he had endured during this period.

He was wearing a suit of bright armor that he had been severely beaten by his father countless times for touching it carelessly.

He stood at the palace gate, feigning majesty.

"All candidates, I'm giving you one last chance. Anyone carrying cheat sheets or with markings on their body, clean yourself up right here in front of the palace gate!"

"Otherwise, once you enter the palace gates and participate in the official promotion assessment, if we, the inspecting military officers, catch you, we'll beat you so badly you won't recognize your own parents, not to mention that you'll be dismissed on the spot, and your three generations of direct relatives will be barred from holding official positions in the court!"

"I will only say this once: if you are willing to take the risk, feel free to come in and give it a try!"

The soldiers of the Crown Prince's six armies were all brave and fierce men selected by Li Chengqian, who had followed him in defeating the Eastern Turks. They were all capable of judging people.

That is impossible.

A pair of cold eyes merely glanced at the minor officials of the various counties and prefectures of Bingzhou.

That will reveal who among them has something to hide.

Among the crowd, some people quickly threw away items they shouldn't have brought into the trash can in front of the palace gate.

It only takes a moment.

Whether it was a piece of silk with cheat sheets written on it, or a cheat sheet as thin as a cicada's wing or as small as a mosquito's fly, all sorts of things instantly filled the trash can.

"Bring your registration documents to this general to collect your examination number plates. Someone will escort you to your examination room, and they will be your invigilators for this examination..."

Cheng Chumo felt great.

Because his family, the Cheng family, came from a military background, and his father was not a scholar-general at all, but rather had a bandit-like air about him.

As a result, the sons also suffered a lot of ridicule from the civil officials.

Now, they can openly flaunt their power and prestige in front of these future Tang Dynasty civil officials.

among the crowd.

The men, dressed in distinctly different attire from the somewhat impoverished officials around them, and the out-of-place members of the Wang family from Taiyuan and the Zheng family from Xingyang, exchanged glances.

In the dim light, it seemed as if electric light was converging between the two of them.

"Humph!"

Wang Qingyun, the eldest son of the Wang family of Taiyuan and the Sima of Bingzhou, has taken leave today.

Beside him stood Zheng Wuling, the eldest son of the Zheng family of Xingyang.

"Why isn't the Zheng family of Xingyang staying in Henan Province? Instead, they've come to Bingzhou to compete with the local scholars for official positions. Could it be that they can't stay in Henan Province anymore?"

Wang Qingyun gave a forced smile, his laughter cold and sarcastic.

Zheng Wuling appeared outwardly friendly but inwardly hostile; he smiled and bowed respectfully.

"The Zheng family of Xingyang follows His Highness the Crown Prince's lead. The officials of Bingzhou are incompetent, and as members of the Crown Prince's faction, we naturally come to support them as a whole clan. But Wang Sima... the Wang family seems a bit too few members?"

Wang Qingyun sneered: "Likewise!"

In Yangcheng Palace.

"Your Highness, for this year's year-end official promotion assessment, 11,000 people applied, and after the final review, 5,800 people with clean files have all come to take the exam."

Beside Li Chengqian, Kong Zhiyue, the eldest son of the Kong family of Qufu, bowed and reported.

Now, almost the entire Kong family has been dragged to Bingzhou by that old geezer Kong Yingda.

Apart from some old folks who are too old to move, the Kong family's old house is now home to some cats and dogs that these people keep for a while.

Even the women and children of the Kong family were all ordered by Kong Yingda to be sent to Bingzhou.

Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

"Of these people, how many come from aristocratic families?"

Kong Zhiyue: "About forty percent!"

Li Chengqian nodded again; this was already a very low level.

Just like the college entrance examination in my previous life.

In addition to selecting candidates based on their basic thinking and discernment abilities, Li Chengqian's examinations for these officials were similar to the national examinations of his previous life.

It involves categorizing and setting up specific exam questions in areas such as Tang law, accounting, agriculture, and civil administration.

The general direction of the exam questions was determined by Li Chengqian himself.

The academic management personnel, selected from the simulated world, drafted the curriculum outline.

Finally, Kong Yingda, Yu Shinan, and Li Gang served as the question setters, using real events that occurred in various places during the previous dynasty and the current Wude era as material.

The assessment evaluates the trainees' ability to handle emergency situations when serving as officials.

Li Chengqian was looking forward to the assessment of these officials, and Li Gang and others were naturally the same.

Outside Yangcheng Palace at this moment, it wasn't just the families, wives, and children of these officials who were filled with anticipation and tension.

It's important to know that in ancient times, once a person's status as an official was established, they were basically stuck with that position forever. To be promoted to an official, they had to participate in the imperial examinations.

In Taiyuan Prefecture, there was a restaurant called Heaven on Earth, ostensibly run by a local wealthy merchant, but actually controlled by Li Ke, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

A new type of dish, with excellent color, aroma, and taste, has been introduced.

This immediately made it a must-visit place for wealthy merchants who came to Taiyuan to negotiate business.

And it is precisely because of this that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was able to obtain a great deal of intelligence and information from all over the country through this location.

"The Bingzhou region has truly undergone a complete transformation!"

In a luxurious private room, under the influence of fine wine and delicious food, some people have gradually entered a state of high spirits.

"Hahaha, His Highness the Crown Prince is truly a wise and decisive person. When I first heard in Lingnan that a commercial tax was to be levied here, I was quite dismissive of it, thinking that the Crown Prince was too young to understand the implications."

"Unexpectedly, under His Highness the Crown Prince's rule, Bingzhou Road, despite collecting commercial taxes, has become a blessed land for us merchants!"

The crowd clinked glasses, and their faces showed signs of intoxication.

"Hehe, Brother Liu is absolutely right. In the past, when we merchants traveled the country, we not only encountered all kinds of exploitation, but if we were not careful, we would lose our lives and property and die far from home. However, Bingzhou is a place where the government is efficient and the people are harmonious. The official roads are so smooth and fast, and there are even government offices that specifically handle matters for us merchants."

"It's really strange and wonderful~"

Someone reached out and picked up a copy of today's "Datang Xinbao" from the table beside them, their eyes filled with admiration and excitement.

"If you ask me, this 'New Tang Dynasty Gazette' is the most precious treasure for us merchants. The head of the Teng family, who trades in animal hides in Lingzhou, wanted to switch to another business. Look, it was from this 'New Tang Dynasty Gazette' that he learned about the hide workshop that was going to be opened at Yanmen Pass in Bingzhou."

"He went there with all his possessions!"

As he spoke, the man shook his head and sighed, his expression filled with wistfulness and envy.

"The Teng family has caught the wave of His Highness the Crown Prince's new reform policies. The leather hats, boots, and gloves on the market now are all made in the Teng family's leather workshop, and they're making a fortune."

Everyone sighed and lamented again, and then they started chatting.

One person looked around and then suddenly lowered his voice.

"Gentlemen, I have a business opportunity that I'd like to pursue with a few colleagues. I wonder if any of you are interested?"

The merchant surnamed Cao was acting mysteriously, noticing everyone looking over.

Then he spoke again in a low voice: "You all know about what happened in Hedong Province, right?"

Upon hearing this, the Liu family merchant, who had just been marveling at the incredible luck of the Teng family in Lingzhou, naturally nodded in agreement.

"The Lu family of Fanyang, the Cui family of Qinghe, and the Li family of Zhaojun were all renowned families with centuries of history. I never imagined they would just disappear like that..."

Before he could finish speaking, the merchant surnamed Cao hurriedly waved his hand.

"No, no, no, how can I finish talking? You are all my longtime friends, and we have many business partnerships. I, Cao, will not hide anything from you."

He took a deep breath.

"Now that several families have fled to Goguryeo, they must have taken a lot of supplies with them during their escape, but what kind of place is Goguryeo?"

"There will definitely be a lot of shortages, and several companies will inevitably clash with local forces to some extent. This is a rare opportunity to make money..."

Everyone gasped.

However, what the group didn't know was that beneath the round table in front of them, a trumpet-shaped bronze object was quietly facing them.

Despite being separated by a table, the signal was still transmitted through a pipe to a secret room on this floor of the Heaven and Earth.

"Song Qi officer, something's up!"

One of the Imperial Guards responsible for eavesdropping immediately changed his expression and shouted.

next moment.

The junior officer in charge of the Imperial Guard stepped forward, and upon hearing the sounds of "conspiracy" coming from the pipe in front of him, he narrowed his eyes.

"Record everything. Also, notify Jiang Qiguan and the others that we have identified the target and let them make their own decision!"

......

A three-day assessment for the promotion of civil servants concluded with the final "civilian policy question."

Finally, after more than 5,000 officials, some nervous and some calm, walked out of Yangcheng Palace, the moment of reviewing the papers behind closed doors arrived.

Kong Yingda led his disciples, while Yu Shinan and Li Gang brought along several of their old friends.

Together with Li Chengqian's side, there were more than 300 political science teachers, led by Lu Kexin, the dean of the Imperial University's School of Political Science, who were drawn from the simulated world.

They began busily reviewing the answer sheets in Yangcheng Palace.

"Brother, of these people, how many do you think will be promoted to official positions?"

Li Tai asked curiously, and Li Chengqian pondered for a long time before sighing and shaking his head.

"It's difficult. The sons of the Zheng family of Xingyang and the Wang family of Taiyuan, apart from a few who have already obtained official positions, have mostly been studying at home in seclusion. Moreover, there are officials in their families serving under me, so they must know my temperament and what kind of articles I like."

"They not only possess knowledge, but also understand the emperor's wishes. There should be quite a few people from both families who can pass the examinations and officially obtain official positions."

"But those ordinary clerks are different. In my opinion, even if they do get promoted, at most only 30% will have a chance. The rest... might need another year."

Upon hearing this, Li Tai frowned immediately.

"In that case, wouldn't all the things we've done in Bingzhou ultimately benefit the Wang family of Taiyuan and the Zheng family of Xingyang for nothing?"

Li Chengqian let out a cold laugh.

He muttered to himself as he looked at his subordinates grading exam papers.

"Cheap? The salaries of officials in Bingzhou will be more than double those of those in other provinces, plus various holiday benefits. These things of mine are not so easy to obtain, and the power of the officials under my command is not so easy to grasp either..."

Changan.

Ganlu Temple.

Unlike the Yangcheng Palace, where exam papers are being graded.

At this moment, in the Ganlu Hall, Li Shimin and his group of famous ministers and generals were all gathered around an examination paper from Taiyuan Prefecture. Some were deep in thought, while others were talking to each other in hushed tones.

"In the spring of the fifth year of the Wude era, Shanzhou was struck by war and chaos. More than 120,000 refugees were evacuated from Hongnong County, Wenxiang County, and Hu County. The Emperor Emeritus ordered an emergency supply of grain from surrounding areas and Chang'an. However, it would take at least five days for the first batch of grain to arrive. If you were the magistrate of one of these counties, commanding more than 1,000 strong soldiers..."

"There are also 500 shi of grain in the granaries, and more than 10,000 disaster victims in the counties and townships under your jurisdiction. What decision do you have?"

Li Shimin frowned.

"This question is truly strange, yet inexplicably brilliant. It not only tests the candidates' understanding of the situation in various parts of our dynasty, but also assesses their abilities in accounting and governing the people."

"Five hundred shi of grain is neither a large nor a small amount; it's enough to sustain the disaster-stricken people in a county under my jurisdiction. If I were someone who wanted to maintain the status quo, I'd probably order the granaries to be opened and the grain distributed, and then lead my troops to keep the county stable..."

Before Li Shimin could finish speaking, Fang Xuanling, standing to the side, suddenly exclaimed in alarm with a solemn expression.

"wrong!"

Everyone turned to look.

But Fang Xuanling pointed a finger at the words "Spring of the fifth year of Wude", "Hongnong Prefecture", "Wenxiang County" and "Hu County" on the examination paper in front of him.

His pupils trembled slightly as he stared at Li Shimin, who looked puzzled.

"Your Majesty, in the spring of the fifth year of Wude, we were still fighting a great battle with Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande! Your Highness has chosen Hongnong County, a place we have conquered, to cause war disasters that we are unaware of."

"Putting this question on the table again is clearly setting a trap!"

"At that time, there was chaos and turmoil, and the remnants of Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande's defeated troops were still roaming around. If the candidate had followed His Majesty's advice and held a county, how could the fact that there was food and supplies in the county have been concealed at that time?"

"At that time, how will a thousand soldiers defend the county town?"

Du Ruhui, who was standing to the side, also reacted instantly and took a deep breath.

"This situation is still considered good. If that remnant general knew about the situation here, he might take the opportunity to gather the disaster victims and turn them into a rebel army..."

Instantly, everyone present was in an uproar.

Pei Ji stared in astonishment at the exam paper in front of him. This question was the last one on the exam paper, and it was marked with a "specific proposition".

This question is worth 50 points on its own. If you get 10 points, you will receive an additional 20% on the previous exam.

Those who score 20 points, or whose scores on the first part of the exam exceed half of the total score, will be promoted one level.

Those who score 30 points will be promoted two levels directly, regardless of their scores on the previous exam.

Those who score 40 points will be exceptionally admitted to the Taiyuan Prefecture New Policy Reform Office as officials.

Those who score fifty points will be admitted to the Yangcheng Palace to serve the Crown Prince.

"This question isn't meant to select capable officials at the lower levels; it's clearly the perfect question for the imperial examination!" Pei Ji gasped.

Suddenly, a thought struck me.

If His Highness the Crown Prince were to ascend the throne in the future—no, or even if he did not need to ascend the throne—he would be conducting the imperial examinations in Bingzhou, and these would be the types of examinations he would be involved in.

The descendants of the Pei clan of Hedong will likely need to adapt and learn as soon as possible.

Everyone looked on in astonishment.

Changsun Wuji, who had just returned to Chang'an from Henan Province two days ago, couldn't help but gleam in his eyes as he looked at the questions.

Hahaha!

If my two sons can study in such an institution, even if they are not very bright, they will not be too far behind.

Li Shimin frowned: "Xuanling, do you have a solution to this problem?"

Fang Xuanling pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

"Your Majesty, if I am not mistaken, to obtain a perfect score of fifty points, we need not only to solve the problem of hundreds of thousands of disaster victims, but also to contain the war in the three counties and consolidate the territory for our dynasty."

He gave a wry smile and sighed.

"Your Majesty, ask yourselves honestly, if we had really encountered such a situation back then, and met a county magistrate capable of such a feat, would he still be just a county magistrate today?"

"I fear that even I, the Left Minister, will have to abdicate and yield the position to a more capable person..."

"Your Highness sets this question, presumably to sift through the sands and perhaps find a truly outstanding person."

Li Shimin nodded slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

Suddenly, he let out a soft "hmm".

"This is merely a local official promotion examination in Bingzhou Province, which cannot yet be considered a formal imperial examination, and the candidates are only given two months to prepare. I have heard that my crown prince's Imperial University in Bingzhou Province, where he teaches new subjects, is about to be completed."

"At that time, wouldn't Bingzhou be a place teeming with outstanding people? And with such talent-selecting examination questions, coupled with promotions for officials..."

Li Shimin paused abruptly as he spoke.

He could almost picture his own crown prince standing arrogantly in front of him, laughing heartily as he uttered a sentence.

"All the talents in the world are now under my control!"

Li Er's expression changed instantly, and with a bang, he slammed his fist hard on the table.

"Minister of Rites Zhang Gongjin! Next year's imperial examination questions will be the same as these!"