vstars Chapter 606 The Princes' Performance 2
Chapter 606 The Princes' Performance 2
The green-brimmed carriage quietly left the examination hall, unaware that it had already been observed by others.
Besides the fourth and fifth princes who were in charge of their own affairs, the sixth and seventh princes were in charge of logistics, which included all the supplies for the examination hall.
This is not difficult at all, since the suppliers are the ones we've used for years, and everyone is familiar with the process, so there won't be any problems.
Just be careful to check if there are any problems with the items you bring into the exam room; usually, it's just random checks.
Special attention should be paid to food and water to prevent problems from arising among the examinees and officials.
Although most of the candidates brought their own food, the examiners and soldiers did not.
Most of the food purchased ends up in the stomachs of these people.
Candidates who want to use it will need to pay extra money to buy it.
It wasn't cheap; a meal cost around two taels of silver.
The sixth and seventh brothers had never been involved in anything since childhood, but they had never lacked money either. This job would involve handling money to some extent, which would be a small test of their willpower.
Lao Ba followed the patrol battalion and did the most peripheral work, which could be said to be the least related to the imperial examination. However, he was happy to take on this task, since there were several capable generals in the patrol battalion.
The emperor felt that his son was more suited to be a general or commander than an emperor, but he still wanted to observe him further, since he himself had been on the battlefield before becoming emperor.
The ninth and tenth princes were still young, so the emperor gave them a job that seemed important but was actually of little use to them.
The examination papers for the imperial examination were guarded by a special person. The purpose of bringing these two children here was actually to let them observe how the officials did their work.
After all these years, everything has rules, regulations, and procedures in place, and these are not things that anyone can change at will.
There was almost nothing to do for the first three days, since the first batch of test papers wouldn't be stored until the evening of the third day.
The two men symbolically took one warehouse key each, while the other six keys were in the hands of the officials and soldiers.
This can be considered a joint guarding and coercion by the three parties.
To retrieve the exam paper, all eight keys must be present simultaneously; none can be missing.
This effectively tied the two restless princes to this place, testing their patience and sense of responsibility.
The emperor's arrangements for each child were meticulous and thoughtful, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were carefully considered.
Just as the emperor was secretly pleased with his arrangements, undercurrents were brewing in the examination hall.
A test of the princes' abilities and character is also a test of the power behind them.
Which faction can control everything? Which faction will remain inactive? Everything will unfold quietly under the emperor's very nose.
The emperor didn't care that one faction would finish their turn and another would take over; he only wanted to find the most suitable person to take over the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The imperial examination lasted only nine days, and the emperor had found the most efficient way to get to know his sons better.
Jiang Xiaoqi went to the palace to teach as usual, and also brought the latest progress of the Tongzhou Wharf.
"So much has been accomplished in just one month. It seems that many hands make light work. We made the right choice in hiring these craftsmen from the south. Qiu Feng deserves a huge credit!"
Jiang Xiaoqi smiled but remained silent. The idea that "many hands make light work" only applies if all the workers are diligent. If some of them slack off, the efficiency won't necessarily improve much.
"Yes, the craftsmen Qiu Feng brought in from the south are all skilled, and they were able to get into the swing of things right away. After the initial discomfort and adjustment issues, they're on track now."
"Qiu Cheng and Qiu Feng both deserve credit, but of course, the greatest credit belongs to you, sir. Without you, there would be no ocean-going ship project."
Jiang Xiaoqi, of course, did not take credit. "Your Highness has forgotten? This humble subject also has his own selfish motives. The stars and the sea, Your Highness must not leave me behind."
"To the stars and the sea, to set sail and travel far, I, Your Highness, will surely go with you, sir!"
After discussing the Tongzhou Wharf, the two turned their attention to the imperial examination.
"This time, five people from your clan are taking the exam, which is less than last time."
Jiang Xiaoqi didn't ask why the Second Prince knew so much, after all, even the closest relationships should have their own secrets.
The fact that the Second Prince had access to these information proves that he is not as isolated and helpless as Qiu Cheng and he thought. At least within the court, the Second Prince has some connections that he controls.
Perhaps it was a deliberate display of ability, or perhaps it was a show of force; in any case, Jiang Xiaoqi wouldn't delve into the details.
Intelligent people tend to be more thoughtful and less talkative.
"Yes, last time three generations of my family participated in the imperial examination together. It was a do-or-die attempt."
Many of the older generation thought they should give it one last try. If they failed, they would give up on the idea altogether and focus on nurturing the next generation in the Jiang clan school.
Those who came this time were all young men from the clan; the oldest was just of legal age, but their knowledge was quite solid.
Jiang Xiaoqi didn't think she was just peddling her own wares; she was simply being objective and truthful.
He had tested all of those people, including Jiang Hao, and while he couldn't say that all five of them would pass, at least three or four of them would be fine.
Even if you don't win, it's not a bad thing; you might just have been unlucky. You'll have a better chance of winning next time.
"Hahahaha, your family is truly producing outstanding talents! Is Xinghe Prefecture a place of exceptional people and abundant resources?"
Otherwise, why would so many talented young people emerge from there? There must be some mysterious feng shui explanation.
Jiang Xiaoqi was speechless. The fact that Xinghe Prefecture produced talented people probably had little to do with feng shui, but it might have something to do with the abundance of academies and clan schools.
A place that values education and is willing to invest human, material, and financial resources in talent development may not show immediate results, but over time it will widen the gap between itself and other places.
The saying "It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to cultivate a person" is actually an exaggeration. Twenty years is enough to cultivate a talent.
"Your Highness, if you have some free time in the future, you can visit Xinghe Prefecture. It is indeed worth a visit. However, I haven't been back for a long time."
Jiang Xiaoqi thought of the Fifth Prince's treasure map. He guessed that the Fifth Prince had probably already secretly sent someone to Xinghe Prefecture.
Fortunately, I had already disposed of that property before coming to Beijing, and I had also checked the cement in the secret passage; it was sealed tightly.
The craftsmen in that other world were very practical and used solid materials. Those cement walls, several meters thick, could only be breached by blasting them open with a large amount of gunpowder.
After the Third Prince's gunpowder incident, gunpowder is now a sensitive topic and a sensitive commodity. There's a concern that the Fifth Prince might defy the rules and commit a crime.
"Great! Let's go together sometime!"