I was a swordsman in ancient Japan

Takikawa felt that after seeing him, he won the first place in the literary examination, and then successfully let the old Nakamatsudaira Sadanobu know the scene of his character.

Thinking that he was very likely to get into the eyes of Matsudaira Sadanobu, Takikawa couldn't help but imagine how he would display his talents under the promotion and training of Matsudaira Sadanobu once he was appreciated by Matsudaira Sadanobu.

Takikawa has already begun to imagine how to revitalize the shogunate and govern the country after he is appreciated and promoted by Matsudaira Sadanobu.

He must first put forward to Matsudaira Sadanobu his previous proposals such as "vigorously revitalizing the samurai Tsunade", "at all costs to capture Ogata Yidaosai and behead him for public display".

Through the method of "revitalizing the samurai Tsunaji", we can sweep away the corrupt and depraved atmosphere of the samurai's life.

Takikawa firmly believed that as long as he followed his set of political ideas of "vigorously revitalizing the samurai Tsunaji" and "severely punishing thieves who violated Bushido", within a few years, the country's situation would be righted in one go.

The country, which was devastated by the Tianming famine three years ago, will recover under his governance, allowing the shogunate to regain the unparalleled power it had when Ieyasu was alive.

And I will live forever as a generation of famous ministers like Niwa Chohide and Maeda Genyi, for the admiration of hundreds of millions of people in future generations.

In this way, Takikawa was immersed in his ambitious fantasy.

Because he was too immersed in fantasy, a disgusting smile appeared on Takikawa's face

Hurry up to the time to hand in the paper!

Takikawa wished he could hand in the paper now.

Takikawa, who was quite confident in his answer, felt that he could vaguely see the appearance of the examiner who was surprised when he saw his test paper, and then hurried to see whose test paper it was.

Holding the pen whose ink was almost dry, Ogata stared at the examination paper on the table in front of him.

The scene of sacrificing himself to assassinate Matsudaira Gennai one year ago, and the scene of capturing the shogunate alone three months ago played back and forth in Ogata's mind.

It forced Ogata to revisit the two craziest things he has done so far.

"Do it when you know you can't do it" is one of the most famous words in Chinese history.

There have always been different interpretations.

One of the most widely spread and most accepted interpretations is: It’s not about pointing out that you know you can’t do it but you want to do it, but that you don’t ask if you can do it, but ask whether it should be done, no matter what the result is, but ask for a clear conscience.

I, the elders of the Kuranaga family, and Ichiro and the others decided to assassinate Matsudaira Gennai at that time, which should be regarded as "knowing that it can't be done", right?

While Ogata sent out this brief emotion in his heart, he unconsciously showed a faint smile on his face.

Ogata is not an idiot.

As the person involved, he knew better than anyone else how difficult it was to assassinate Matsudaira Gennai.

If the assassination fails, you die.

If the assassination is successful, he will also be charged with the crime of "killing the lord", and live a life of being wanted and hunted down by the shogunate.

Whether the assassination is successful or the assassination fails, it is not a good result.

But knowing that the assassination is extremely difficult, and there will be no good results regardless of success or failure, Ogata decided to abandon everything including life and swing the sword at Matsudaira Genuai.

Ogata believed that the elders of the Kuranaga family and Ichiro must have had the same state of mind as him at the time: facing the known tragedies, they were still going forward.

And Ogata's mood when he attacked Nijo Castle three months ago was similar to the mood he had when he decided to assassinate Matsudaira Gennai a year ago.

Knowing that this move is tantamount to completely offending the shogunate and Shiranui, he still has no hesitation.

Ogata carefully recalled his state of mind when he made up his mind to assassinate Matsudaira Gennai and attack Nijo Castle, dipped his pen in the ink, and slowly wrote on the examination paper

Ogata integrated his mood and determination at that time into the ink on the tip of the pen, turning it into words

When the sun rose to its highest point, the people in the government rang the big gong very punctually to inform everyone: it's time.

Ogata also played a game of extreme manipulation. When the big gong used to inform everyone that the time was up sounded, Ogata had just finished writing the last word.

After handing over the examination papers to the officer who entered the room to collect the papers, Ogata let out a sigh of relief.

“It was more tiring than expected”

Then he smiled wryly and sighed in a low voice.

It has been a long time since he concentrated his body and mind like this and leaned over to do the paper, which made Ogata a little unaccustomed to it. After finishing the paper, he just felt a little dizzy.

After kneading his right hand that was numb due to long hours of writing, Ogata took back the knife placed by his side, and quickly left the tea house where he was staying, and returned to the place where he, A Ding, Huluya and his party lived. Inside the hotel.

As soon as he got back to the hotel room, Ojai was immediately surrounded by A-cho and others, asking how the essay test was going.

"It's not bad." Ogata replied, "Most of the questions can be answered, only a few questions don't know right or wrong."

"The more difficult thing is that there are some accidents in this essay test"

Ogata briefed everyone about the sudden incident that there was an extra question on the examination paper.

After leaving the tea house, Ogata paid attention to the conversations of the people around him.

Therefore, Ogata found that everyone was very surprised that there was an extra question on the examination paper.

After leaving the tea house, most of the people discussed with their friends why the number and types of questions on the examination paper were different from what the government said before, or shared with their friends how they answered the "composition question" of.

"I basically played with that question casually." Ogata, who was sitting cross-legged on the tatami, said in a half-joking tone, "I don't know if my answer like that is considered a pass. I also don't know if the question is important or not."

"If only those who can answer that question can pass the essay test, it will be in big trouble"

"Well, have more confidence, Ogata-kun." Genichi, who was sitting in the corner of the room like a good-for-nothing as always, let out a "chichichi" smile while drinking, "this kind of thing related to writing articles The title depends on whether the examiners agree with what you have written."

"Maybe the guy who graded the paper really liked the answers you wrote, and then decided to judge you as the first place in the essay test."

"I don't dare to think about such things as the first name in the literary test." Ogata said angrily, "I never thought about getting the first name in the literary test from the beginning. My goal from the beginning was to go smoothly. Just pass the written test."

"Hehehe." Yuanyi let out a strange low laugh, "Ogata-kun, do you know what is the most profound truth I have realized after living for so many years?"

"That's what happens in life, which is always more exaggerated and unreasonable than the stories told by storytellers."

"So it's not impossible for your article to suit the taste of the examiners, and then the examiners decide to judge you as the first place in the essay test."

After finishing speaking, Yuanyi took another big gulp of wine into his mouth, and then burped a lot.

Looking at Genichi who was drinking leisurely, Ogata couldn't help complaining in his heart:

Having said that, I always feel that Minamoto-sama hasn’t done anything since he came to Edo. He just sits in the corner of the room and drinks wine every day.

That night

Edo, the residence of Matsudaira Jonobu, the room of Matsudaira Jonobu

"My lord, this is the final exam paper."

Matsudaira Sadanobu's surname Tachibana placed a large stack of examination papers on the tatami in front of him.

"En." Matsudaira Sadanobu, who was sitting not far from him, nodded lightly, "Tachibana, thank you for your hard work."

On the tatami between Matsudaira Sadanobu and Tachibana, there were piles of examination papers.

These examination papers are the examination papers of the participants who participated in the "Imperial Examination" this morning.

After all the examination papers were collected, Matsudaira Sadanobu immediately sent someone to start marking the papers.

Matsudaira Sadanobu sent a total of 10 people to correct these papers.

The scope of correction by these 10 people is limited to the first 100 fill-in-the-blank questions, and the latter "composition questions" are not corrected by them.

Because these "fill in the blank questions" are quite easy to correct, and the 10 examiners carefully selected by Matsudaira Sadanobu are all proficient in sinology.

So it only took one afternoon, and the 10 retesters digested all the test papers.

And these examination papers that have been corrected and filled in the blanks were all sent to the mansion of Matsudaira Jonobu tonight.

The reason why the 10 correctors only judged the fill-in-the-blank questions and did not comment on the latter "composition question" was because Matsudaira Sadanobu specifically requested that the last question of the examination paper be corrected by himself.

Matsudaira Sadanobu clasped his hands in front of his chest, and after scanning the piles of examination papers in front of him, with obvious disappointment on his face, he said softly:

"The number of people participating in the imperial trial is much less than expected."

According to official statistics, there were only 538 people participating in the "Imperial Trial Match".

This morning, there were only 508 people present for the essay test, and 30 people were absent.

That is to say, the total number of people who actually came to participate in the "Imperial Trial" is only a little over 500 people.

Much less than what Matsudaira Sadanobu expected.

When I heard that there were a large number of people from all over the world pouring into Edo, Matsudaira Sadanomoto was still very excited, thinking that many people would come to participate in this "gozen trial".

But who knows that until the registration deadline, the total number of people who signed up for the "Imperial Trial" was only a little over 500 people

Seeing the disappointment on Matsudaira Sadanobu's face, Tachibana hurriedly explained:

"The reason why many people go to Edo is purely to see the excitement of the imperial trial, not to participate in the imperial trial."

"There are also some people who originally wanted to participate in the imperial trial, but found that in addition to the martial arts competition, the imperial trial also has to compete in literature, so they gave up."

"There are also some people who gave up participating in the imperial trial due to other reasons."

As soon as Tachibana finished speaking, Matsudaira Sadanobu heaved a sigh of relief.

"Well, although the number is much smaller than expected, it is not unacceptable."

"I hope there will be more people who can successfully pass the essay test."

After finishing speaking, Matsudaira Sadanobu put the table case placed aside in front of him, and then spread the pen, ink and inkstone prepared earlier in the morning on the table case.

Tachibana, who was kneeling in front of Matsudaira Jonobu, looked at Matsudaira Jonobu who was fiddling with the table case, and asked softly while showing a wry smile:

"My lord, do you really want to read these examination papers one by one?"

After all, Tachibana couldn't help but glanced at the stacks of examination papers in front of him.

There are 508 people participating in the "Imperial Examination", which means that there are a total of 508 examination papers.

Sadanobu Matsudaira intends to personally correct the last question of the 508 exam papers. Just imagining the workload, Tachibana's scalp feels numb.

Sadanobu Matsudaira smiled until what Tachibana was worried about:

"For me, who has directed countless political affairs, this is nothing more than a trivial matter."

"And I read very fast."

"I only need one more day for this amount to read and correct all of them."

When he finished speaking, Matsudaira Sadanobu had just arranged the table case and all the objects on the table case.

"My lord, you may not know that many people who participated in the imperial examination today complained why the questions in the essay examination paper were different from what the government said before." Tachibana said at this time with a wry smile.

As for Matsudaira Sadanobu, after hearing Tachibana's words, he chuckled a few times:

"It seems that we have done a good job of keeping secrets. No one knows that there is such a question at the end of the examination paper."

"My lord, I still don't understand."

Tachibana's voice suddenly became much lower.

"Why did you suddenly add this extra question in the exam paper? Why did you keep it strictly confidential, prevent everyone from knowing that there was such a question before the essay test started, and why did you have to correct this question yourself?"

Tachibana is the nickname of Matsudaira Sadanobu.

Generally speaking, everyone would only choose their cronies as their surname.

And Matsudaira Sadanobu is no exception, Tachibana is one of his cronies.

As a confidant of Matsudaira Sadanobu, Tachibana naturally knows a lot of inside information.

For example, the examination paper of the essay test did have only the 100 fill-in-the-blank questions at the beginning, and there was no such "composition question".

It was Matsudaira Sadanobu who suddenly ordered to add more questions, and demanded strict confidentiality, and no outsiders were allowed to know that there were other questions in the test paper besides filling in the blanks.

After silently listening to the series of questions raised by Tachibana, Matsudaira Sadakami said in a calm tone:

"If everyone knows in advance that there are such types of questions, then everyone will prepare early."

"In this way, I will not achieve what I want."

"As for why you need to add more questions, and ask yourself this question"

After Matsudaira Sadanobu was silent for a while, the corner of his mouth was pulled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.

"There are many reasons."

"The main reason is probably to see if there are like-minded people."

After saying something that made Tachibana feel confused, Matsudaira Sadanobu waved at him.

"Okay, you go back first. I'm going to start grading papers, don't bother me."

Tachibana also wanted to ask what Matsudaira Sadanobu meant by that sentence just now.

But seeing that Matsudaira Jonobu had already begun to tactfully chase away people, it was inconvenient for Tachibana to say anything more, so he could only quickly answer "Yes" loudly, and then quickly exited Matsudaira Jonobu's room.