Another day and night passed, and after the papers were collected and put out on the morning of the 17th, Hu Guang and the four of them gathered together again. By now, the three exams had ended. Although they were very tired, they still had a chat.
I got in the mood for a chat.
Li Guan said with some joy: "Although His Majesty treats policy theory and classic meaning equally this time, the questions are ordinary and not difficult at all."
Jin Shan said: "Probably because this is the first year, and it was already the first month when the decree was issued, so there were no questions that everyone didn't understand."
"When I take the exam next time, I guess there won't be such a simple question."
Wang Gen also thought it was reasonable: "It's probably like this. If you fail to pass this subject, you should read the newspaper carefully in the past three years after returning home."
The three of them talked for a few more words. Wang Gen suddenly noticed that Hu Guang had not said a word. He was a little surprised and asked: "Brother Guang, why don't you speak?"
Hu Guang had been frowning and thinking about something just now. When he heard Wang Gen's words, he said: "Brother Jingzhi, Brother Harada, Brother Youzi, I always feel that something is wrong with this topic."
"When I was in the examination room, while I was composing according to the draft I had written before, my doubts grew more and more. I always felt that it was impossible for His Majesty to give such a simple question."
"Anmeng, out of the ten candidates, at least nine will be prepared for this question. The remaining one is unprepared. Basically, he has no hope for this imperial examination and is just here to see the world."
"In this way, there is not much difference in what everyone writes, and it becomes a competition for literary talent. Judging from what has happened in the two years since your Majesty took the throne, your Majesty does not want to be just resting on the foundation created by Emperor Taizu.
The monarch also wants to establish a great cause, so why would he come up with such a policy test question that tests literary talent? So I think your majesty must have some new ideas."
After listening to Hu Guang's words, they also felt that it made sense. Li Guan said: "Then how should I write this question so that it can attract His Majesty's eyes?"
Hu Guang shook his head and said, "I don't know. Let's wait a few days. After the results are released, all candidates' test papers will be made public. By then, you will know what Huiyuan's policy papers have written."
…
…
A few days later, the names of the top 100 names in the examination came to Yunxi, and all their papers were put into the palace, because Yunxi said that he wanted to take a look for himself.
However, after the paper entered the palace, Yunxi immediately threw the Jingyi paper aside. He didn't read a single word, but started from the first Huiyuan and carefully read their strategy paper.
Yunxi’s most standard answer to this policy discussion question is of course ‘building temples’. This is the best way to deal with the grassland peoples before the advent of the industrial age.
However, the Ming Dynasty, which was dominated by Confucianism, would not listen to such words. Even Yunxi himself could only wait until the time came to do it quietly instead of saying it publicly.
Likewise, Yunxi didn't give much hope that someone would be able to come up with such a countermeasure. But looking at their policy articles, those who could write some articles on methods that were at least effective in the short term based on the countermeasures used by past dynasties to deal with the grassland peoples were still
Worthy of attention.
Yunxi looked at the first Huiyuan paper and looked at the name first. 'Hu Guang? He was actually ranked as Huiyuan?'
Of course Yunxi knew that Hu Guang was one of the very famous ministers in the Yongle Dynasty in history and was very capable. However, before he entered the court, the classics, meanings and policies were actually considered by the examiners to be among the candidates this time.
The best of them all?
Yunxi immediately opened his paper and started reading.
"It writes about recruiting the Northern Yuan Emperor to surrender, conferring him the title of King Fan, doing business with them, asking them to send all their princes to the Imperial Academy in the capital to study, and at the same time dividing the various Mongolian tribes and causing them to have civil strife..."
"This is some insight. These are the methods that have been useful in the past dynasties. Especially asking them to send all their princes to the capital to study, I didn't expect it. Especially it was specifically written that the Mongols value their young sons, so they can't
They are only asked to send their eldest son, but all the princes must be sent here, which shows that they often study the records of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty." Yunxi said to himself.
Then Yunxi opened his Jingyi paper again and saw two hundred points and one ninety-seven points, which were also rare high scores. He said to himself: "In this case, if there is no more outstanding performance in the future,
As for the article, let Hu Guang be the initiator."
After that, Yunxi continued to look through these strategies one after another. They were basically all the same, and he wrote down some relatively effective methods that had been used in previous dynasties.
There are a few very radical people who propose that the army should still go northward and completely wipe out the Beiyuan Dynasty. The spirit of these people is worthy of recognition, but their methods are not so good. Yunxi thought about it and read their articles carefully.
It seems that everyone who likes him will be demoted; but the article does not seem like he likes people, and he will be ranked at the bottom of the list of candidates.
As for the few who proposed marriage, they were all dismissed. Yunxi even wrote down the names of several of them and decided not to hire them forever!
If the Ming Dynasty is being suppressed and beaten by the Mongols, these people's suggestions will be nothing more. But now it is clearly the Ming Dynasty that is suppressed by the Mongols. If you still make peace with them, wouldn't it be a shame? Yunxi will not tolerate such a shameful behavior.
We cannot tolerate these scoundrels either!
Yunxi looked through the policy papers one after another. When only the last five papers were left, he raised his head and shook his shoulders, then looked outside the window and saw that the sun had set in the west, not far away.
On the tower.
Yunxi looked west again. Although it was not clear, the moon had already come out.
"Time flies so fast. I took these one hundred test papers at noon, and it's almost dark before I finish reading them." Yunxi said to himself again.
Then he raised his voice and shouted: "Wang Xi!"
"Your Majesty, this servant is here." As soon as Yunxi finished speaking, Wang Xi opened the door and walked in, answering. Yunxi was alone in the room just now and ordered that no one could come in without him.
"Make me a pot of tea." Yunxi ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Xi exited the room again, and then came in with the best tea leaves to make tea.
While he was making tea, Yunxi opened the next test paper and read it.
Before opening the test paper, Yun He was still thinking: "Just take a look at the last few papers. Anyway, we can't escape those countermeasures, so we should eat quickly."
With this thought in mind, he casually opened the policy test paper that was ranked as the ninety-sixth tribute by the examiner. However, he only glanced at it and couldn't take his eyes away.