Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

The Cabinet.

The number of people in the Cabinet at this moment is less than before.

Li Yansong was looking down and reviewing official documents when he suddenly looked up at Zhang Dongxiang and said, "I suddenly remembered, shouldn't the results of the Spring Examination be out? When will the list be posted?"

Zhang Dongxiang was buried in the newspaper, reading it carefully. Hearing his question, he moved the newspaper away and said, "I heard Zheng Gong say last night that all the papers have been read, it should be in these two days, right? Why, can't you wait to see the candidates' articles?"

Li Yansong said with satisfaction, "Yes, the policies introduced by the imperial court before should also have a great effect. There are many more candidates this year than in previous years, so there must be many brilliant articles. Moreover, this year's policy essay is about the West, and I can't wait to see it."

"Recently, I have been reading those documents sent back from overseas. The national system and national conditions are very different from our Great Jing... Just talking about that Xiluo country, the core of the country is not in the capital but in the localities. The local lords and nobles govern themselves, which seems scattered but difficult to conquer. Even if the capital is conquered, it is difficult to conquer the country, but there is still a magical church existing."

"The candidates don't understand the inside story, and I don't know how deep their understanding of Western affairs is, how should they answer? Zhang Gong, Zhang Gong! I'm talking to you, what are you looking at, so engrossed?"

Li Yansong was talking eloquently. Only after he finished speaking did he realize that Zhang Dongxiang on the opposite side had already picked up the newspaper and was intently reading it, completely not hearing what he said.

After calling out twice, Zhang Dongxiang was awakened and said with shame, "I'm sorry, I was too engrossed."

"What are you looking at?" Li Yansong leaned over to look.

"It's written by Fang Zheng, Inception." Zhang Dongxiang licked his lips, still feeling unsatisfied, "One layer after another in the dream, the time is also different, quite imaginative! You say, what are these young people thinking in their heads... We really can't keep up."

"Who in the court can keep up with him... Recently, he has been writing stories and publishing them in newspapers every day, quite diligently. Inception... Is it good?" Li Yansong asked curiously.

Zhang Dongxiang stroked his chin and啧了一声: "I think... it's okay, but it's not as good as the last Snowpiercer and Murder on the Orient Express. The fighting in this one is not well written, a bunch of people shooting around with guns, extremely boring."

"Why does Fang Zheng write stories all day long? Even if it is to promote the train, he always creates some fighting, brawling, and premeditated murder content. What if the people are panicked after reading it? I don't like to read this!" Li Yansong muttered.

"Hey, no!" Zhang Dongxiang said, "Li Gong, you really should take a look. What is written inside are all about the Embroidered Uniform Guard cracking the conspiracy of thieves and capturing the enemy's head alive. I heard from the servants at home that after reading it, the people are in awe of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the villains dare not violate the ban."

"Aren't the people from the Military and Administrative Department angry? They did the civil service, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard took the credit."

"What can they do? The people can't see anything else except faces. The Embroidered Uniform Guard looks good and wears spirited clothes... The people from the Military and Administrative Department look like crooked melons and cracked dates, and they don't look like good people even if they are put together with the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Li Yansong smiled dumbly: "I think you are also looking at faces... Speaking of Fang Zheng, what about his previous proposal to establish a Doctor of Science and the drafted imperial decree? I will review it again and strive for perfection, so that there will be no mistakes."

Zhang Dongxiang thought for a while and said, "The memorial is here, did I submit the imperial decree yesterday?"

Li Yansong was stunned on the seat, his mind buzzing!

The next moment, he exclaimed, "You submitted it!? Why didn't you tell me after submitting it!?"

Zhang Dongxiang looked blank and spread his hands: "What to say, there's no problem! Didn't you personally check the imperial decree and even clip a note? I just submitted it casually."

"Isn't there any objection to this matter in the court, and does your majesty have no objection? What's the problem?"

Li Yansong suddenly stood up, slapped his thigh hard, and wailed, "No problem! There is no problem with the imperial decree, and there is no problem with the court! But there is a problem with the time! Think about what time it is now!"

Zhang Dongxiang blinked: "This... it's not a special time, and there's no festival!"

"The imperial examination! The imperial examination!" Li Yansong said with heartache, "Now how many students are coming to the capital to take the exam, newly established from the eighth rank official position, without taking the imperial examination. How many students will fail this year, have you ever thought about what these people will think when they see the list! At least they should wait until they go home before issuing it, what if there is a riot in the capital, how can it be dealt with!"

"No, no... I have to go to see your majesty, I hope the imperial decree has not been issued yet, otherwise something big will happen!"

After Li Yansong finished speaking, he ran out of the office in a hurry, leaving Zhang Dongxiang with a cold sweat on his forehead.

.....

Emperor Jing was looking at the documents from overseas in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, occasionally picking up a pen to make some annotations.

Although Great Jing has been sending ships to sea for some time, this is the first time that such a large number of overseas books have been sent back to the country.

It is necessary to study it carefully.

In fact, as an emperor who went out to fight in his early years, he would often feel bored even if he stayed in the palace.

Looking at these 'foreign books' about overseas customs, Emperor Jing felt a lot more relaxed and comfortable.

For an emperor, opening his eyes is a very interesting and rare thing for him.

The books he is reading now are excellent for relaxation.

Just as he was engrossed in reading, a noisy sound rang out outside the door.

"I have an urgent matter to see your majesty! Let me through!"

Emperor Jing frowned, the voice sounded a little familiar, and he instructed to his side: "Who is outside the hall, let him in."

Guo Tianyang immediately got up and went to the door, and immediately said in surprise: "Oh, Li Gong, why are you in such a hurry? Your Majesty is looking for you to come in."

Li Yansong rushed into the hall without saying a word, and went straight to the point: "Your Majesty! Has the imperial decree of our ministers on establishing the position of Doctor of Science been issued?"

Emperor Jing didn't react for a while, seeing his expression a little nervous, he said: "It was sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday, and it was taken to the city for posting this morning, is there any problem?"

Li Yansong immediately closed his eyes, and slammed his forehead: "Oh! Your Majesty... this, this is not good!"

"How is it not good?!" Emperor Jing stopped reading the book, his expression nervous.

"During the imperial examination, I am afraid it will make the people of the world unhappy! What should countless students who failed the exam this time think if they see this imperial list?" Li Yansong sighed repeatedly.

"The students of Dongjiao University will have learned something in two or three years! What's more, some can complete all their studies in one year and be selected for the Royal Academy of Sciences! What about those scholars? They have been studying hard for ten years, decades, only then is it possible to get to this point today, what should they think?"

"After struggling for half a lifetime, not to mention failing the exam. Those young people who have not read any books of sages have already entered the officialdom one step ahead! Who can stand this?"

Li Yansong rambled on and on, and Emperor Jing's face began to get worse and worse.

He also felt a great sense of foreboding!

He really didn't think about this matter. This situation had been discussed in the court before, but at that time the imperial examination had not yet started.

And this decree was delayed for two full months before a decision was made, and he approved it without thinking after receiving it.

It was sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs that day and issued to the people....

Now he has forgotten the imperial examination.