sjar Chapter 925 A Test Paper Stained with Tears
Chapter 925 A Test Paper Stained with Tears
As night deepened, the candlelight in the Xuanzheng Hall had been changed several times.
Although the ministers were exhausted, they continued to write judgments without stopping.
During this period, several more exam papers with outstanding answers to the policy questions were selected and presented to Li Che.
Li Che carefully reviewed each piece and gave them ratings such as "above average" and "good," but none of them were as good as Lin Qingyuan's piece, which made him unhesitatingly give it a rating of "superior."
The other officials were in a similar situation. His Majesty had already provided the standards for judgment, so the essays did not rely on flowery language but rather on the viewpoints, and the answers were mostly conventional.
Actually, we can't blame these test takers. After all, the people grading the papers are officials and the emperor. People are naturally inclined to seek advantage and avoid harm, and those brave enough to stand up for the common people and criticize officials and the emperor are a minority.
Tao Qian was getting old and his energy was not as good as that of a young man. In addition, he had some presbyopia, so his reading speed was a little slower.
He rubbed his sore eyes and picked up the next test paper.
Upon first touch, my fingertips immediately felt a slightly unusual textured surface on the blank areas of the paper.
He leaned closer to the candlelight for a closer look, then touched it with his hand, confirming that it was the trace of dried water stains spreading out, causing the paper to wrinkle slightly.
"Hmm?" Tao Qian frowned slightly.
According to the rules of the examination hall, the exam paper must be neat and tidy.
Although the water stains in the blank space did not damage the writing and could not be considered a 'major stain', they still left a trace and constituted uncleanliness of the paper.
If strictly following the rules, even if the content of such papers is acceptable, they should be downgraded.
If one encounters a demanding superior, it wouldn't be unreasonable to directly sentence them to the lowest rank.
"Pity......"
Tao Qian sighed inwardly, intending to classify the paper as unqualified, and had already raised his wrist.
However, just as he was about to put the test paper down, his gaze inadvertently swept over the answers to the three logic questions at the beginning of the paper.
[Four branches], [facing downwards], [thirty-nine years old].
Tao Qian froze instantly, his pupils contracting slightly.
All correct?!
He actually answered all three tricky logic questions correctly!
In this imperial examination, logic questions were not directly included in the total score; they were only used as a reference to differentiate rankings when two candidates had identical scores in other areas.
However, its difficulty is obvious to all. Even those candidates who received a "top" rating in the policy questions rarely managed to answer all three questions correctly.
The fact that this person got full marks on the logic question proves at least that he is quick-witted and has a knack for thinking.
"Perhaps... this child simply smudged the paper by accident?"
Tao Qian's heart stirred, and he felt a fondness for talent, so he changed his mind.
In any case, it's better to examine how well this person writes their policy questions before drawing any conclusions.
He unfolded the paper again and turned his attention to the final section on policy questions.
Upon looking at him, his cloudy old eyes seemed to be drawn in by a magnet, and he could not look away.
At first, he was able to maintain a calm and composed demeanor while reviewing the documents.
But the more he read, the more rapid his breathing became, the brighter his dim old eyes grew, and even the hand holding the book began to tremble slightly.
The text is imbued with the earthy scent of the countryside, filled with tearful accusations and almost mournful cries, making no attempt to conceal its questioning of the bureaucratic system.
Each word seemed to carry immense weight, striking the heart of this old minister with tremendous force.
This is no longer a policy proposal; it is more like a blood-soaked petition pleading for the people!
When reading the passages filled with indignation and pain, Tao Qian could almost see the writer weeping as he wielded his brush.
The tear stains on the scroll were no longer smudges in his eyes, but rather the imprint of his sincere and genuine feelings.
"Snapped!"
Tao Qian could no longer contain his excitement. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly.
His movements were too abrupt, causing him to sway slightly and drawing concern from the surrounding ministers.
"Take it easy, Mr. Tao."
Huo Duanxiao and Zhuge Zhe quickly got up to help him.
But Tao Qian paid no heed, grabbed the tear-stained exam paper, and staggered toward the imperial steps.
Li Che was focused on a paper in his hand when he was startled by Tao Qian's commotion. He quickly asked with concern, "Master Tao, what's the matter that you're in such a hurry? Watch your step, or you might fall!"
Tao Qian, however, had already arrived before the imperial desk. Disregarding formalities, he held the examination paper high with both hands: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This essay...this essay you must read! This old minister...this old minister..."
Seeing his state, Li Che knew that an extraordinary piece of writing must be about to emerge.
He took the exam paper and immediately noticed something unusual about the paper.
As my gaze fell upon it, the first thing that caught my eye was the roll of paper stained with tears.
With just that one glance, Li Che's heart stirred, and a slight smile involuntarily appeared on the corner of his mouth.
It's him!
It was the answer sheet he had been waiting for!
"Don't be anxious, Master Tao, I'll take a look now." Li Che reassured the excited Tao Qian and took a deep breath.
With unprecedented anticipation, he began to read the policy question that had long been on his mind.
[His Majesty inquired about the essentials of the ruler, the people, and the noble families.]
I, a humble scholar, dare to speak boldly: of the three, the common people are the most numerous, the most suffering, and yet the most genuine!
Li Che took a deep breath, his face showing shock.
As expected of the person I've chosen, she didn't lay any groundwork and boldly stated her position directly.
The people come first!
Li Che glanced sideways at Tao Qian, having already made up his mind.
No wonder Professor Tao was so excited. He was a leading figure in agronomy and, besides himself, the most supportive of democracy in Daqing.
In a different era, they would be the vanguard of revolution.
Upon seeing such a bold opening, Mr. Tao was naturally overjoyed and gave it his full recommendation.
Li Che held his breath and looked down:
Throughout history, dynasties have risen and fallen like the changing seasons.
Only the common people, such as farmers in the fields, street vendors, and soldiers on the border, remained consistent.
What do they ask for? Nothing more than a full meal, warm clothes, shelter from the rain, and a way to survive.
Whoever can keep him alive, he will recognize as his ruler.
Therefore, I personally believe that over a thousand years, the world may not have a specific ruler, a specific official, or a specific noble family, but it cannot be without the ever-growing population of ordinary people!
The world truly belongs to the people!
When Li Che read this, he felt a sudden clarity in his mind.
This article is devoid of flowery language and is almost written in vernacular Chinese, yet its sincerity and deep emotions are palpable.
It was him, it was definitely that student!
Without the experience of living at the bottom of society, one could not write such down-to-earth and insightful words.
Since ancient times, tricks and routines have no effect; only sincerity wins people's hearts!