After Xiao Mo entered his examination cell, he waited for the official start of the examination.

The Qi Kingdom's provincial examination was divided into three sessions.

The first session tested classical interpretation.

The Four Books usually had three questions.

Candidates were required to select passages from "The Great Learning," "The Doctrine of the Mean," "The Analects," and "Mencius" for interpretation.

The Five Classics corresponded to "The Book of Songs," "The Book of Documents," "The Book of Rites," "The Book of Changes," and "The Spring and Autumn Annals." Each book had one question, and candidates could choose four out of five.

Yes.

The history of the Qi Kingdom was actually quite similar to that of China on Blue Ocean Star, also having a Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, as well as Confucius and Laozi.

However, these legendary sages were rumored to be cultivators who had transcended the Ascension realm and already ascended to become gods.

This possibility wasn't impossible.

Because this world could indeed support cultivation.

Ancestors who founded entire schools of thought might have truly reached unimaginable realms.

After the child examination, there were no strict limitations on the eight-legged essay format.

Candidates could express themselves freely.

Xiao Mo wasn't confident about the first session.

He didn't consider himself a genius.

Although his teachers had some reputation, it was limited to within a few surrounding towns.

They weren't truly renowned masters.

Yet many candidates for the provincial examination had one-on-one tutoring from famous teachers in the prefecture.

So for the first session, Xiao Mo only hoped not to drag himself down.

The second session tested the writing of practical documents like essays, judgments, edicts, proclamations, and memorials.

Essays: One question, usually requiring candidates to express views and arguments on a historical event, figure, or political and ethical proposition.

Judgments: Five questions, providing five simulated litigation cases or official document examples, requiring candidates to draft verdicts based on the "Qi Kingdom Legal Code" and related ritual laws.

Edicts, proclamations, and memorials each had one question.

Xiao Mo was quite confident about the second day's examination.

Xiao Mo could use divergent thinking based on various cases he had seen on Blue Ocean Star, giving him a broader perspective than scholars of this world and more novel angles.

The third session was policy essays.

Policy essays usually had five questions.

The topics covered a very wide range.

Evaluating historical events and the merits and faults of historical figures, summarizing historical lessons.

Analyzing current problems facing the nation in politics, economics, taxation, grain transport, military border defense, military systems, social education, disaster relief, culture, and other realistic issues, and proposing analysis and policy recommendations.

The last question of the policy essay tested views on the Qi Kingdom's feudal princes and vassal kings.

"The feudal princes and vassal kings of Qi Kingdom..."

Looking at this topic, Xiao Mo frowned.

Xiao Mo wasn't someone who turned a deaf ear to affairs outside his window.

He also knew that His Majesty's desire to reduce the power of feudal lords wasn't something recent, and there were strong calls among court officials for reducing feudal power.

However, he hadn't expected that this time the chief examiner of Jiangnan Province would put "vassal kings" out in the open, which must have had His Majesty's tacit approval.

This was really brazenly challenging the vassal kings...

Xiao Mo definitely had to support reducing feudal power, this was politically correct but how to reduce feudal power...

After thinking for a long time, Xiao Mo wrote three characters on his test paper: "Grace Distribution Edict."

On the fourth day at the chen hour, bells rang, candidates stopped writing, and test papers were collected one after another.

Scholars filed out of the examination hall.

Some felt they would definitely pass this imperial examination.

Some felt they had done poorly this time.

Others asked surrounding scholars about their views and opinions on various questions.

In the crowd, Xiao Mo immediately spotted a veiled woman.

Her embroidered shoes stood on a stone as she looked up and around, searching for someone's figure.

The moment the woman saw Xiao Mo, her beautiful eyes showed countless sparkles of joy, "Xiao Mo, over here, over here!"

Bai Ruxue jumped down from the stone and ran toward Xiao Mo.

"Finished the exam?" Bai Ruxue asked.

"Yes, finished," Xiao Mo nodded and gently patted Bai Ruxue's head. "Let's go, time to go home."

"Yay! Going home!"

At the examination hall's grading pavilion.

The grading period for the provincial examination was five days in total.

Each test paper needed to be graded three times by officials.

According to the Qi Kingdom's latest rules, among the three gradings, if three officials deemed the paper qualified, the candidate could be selected as a provincial graduate, and they would write the character "accepted."

If two officials deemed the paper qualified, it would be passed up to the chief examiner, who would make the final review to decide whether to accept the candidate.

If only one official deemed it qualified, the candidate would have to try again in three years.

On the third day of grading, an official named Yang Zifang saw a test paper.

The handwriting was good, the answering approach was clear, and the thinking even showed some novel breadth.

When he had read halfway through, Yang Zifang felt this scholar could probably pass but when he saw the answer to the last question, he suddenly stood up.

"Old Fang, stop what you're doing and look at this test paper first!" Yang Zifang said to his colleague beside him.

"What's wrong with this paper?" Fang Yue took the paper and looked, "The handwriting is good. Although the Four Books and Five Classics are a bit weak, the later parts are written well, and the policy essay is even better. It can be accepted. Hm???"

When he saw the last question.

Fang Yue stood up just like Yang Zifang, eyes wide, reading it over and over.

"Why are you two acting so strangely? Let me see this paper."

"I want to look too."

The other officials in the room all stopped their current papers and walked over to the two men.

When they saw the last question on this test paper, they were all stunned and read it repeatedly.

After the time of one incense stick, Yang Zifang carried this test paper and hurried into the chief examiner's room.

"Lord Zhang, here is an examination paper that needs your review."

Yang Zifang bowed to Zhang Qianzhi.

Zhang Qianzhi was a Hanlin Academician, in charge of the Hanlin Academy.

Although the position of Hanlin Academician was largely ceremonial, this Lord Zhang had an excellent reputation and very high seniority, deeply trusted by His Majesty.

The current Prime Minister was Lord Zhang's disciple.

This time Zhang Qianzhi came to Jiangnan Province as chief examiner mainly because he had nothing to do in the capital and wanted to travel around.

"Just put it there," Lord Zhang said indifferently. "Let me finish reading this one first."

"Lord Zhang," Yang Zifang organized his words, "this test paper has been seen by all five colleagues in the same room, and all believe it can pass."

"Hm?" Zhang Qianzhi looked up.

Test papers only needed three people to grade them, yet six examiners had looked at it.

Moreover, after three examiners passed it, the paper shouldn't need to be sent up, yet he had still brought it over.

"What's the problem with this paper?" Zhang Qianzhi asked.

"There's no problem at all. It's just that this candidate's final discussion on 'reducing feudal power,' we subordinates all believe needs your review, Lord Zhang," Yang Zifang said respectfully.

"Bring it here."

"Yes, my lord."

Zhang Qianzhi took the paper and read it from beginning to end, not immediately looking at the final essay but when he saw the final essay, Zhang Qianzhi's brows furrowed.

Zhang Qianzhi directly tore off the name seal beside the paper. Yang Zifang gasped, only Old Zhang would dare do such a thing...

"Xiao Mo."

"This person is quite interesting."