Chương 543: Reviewing Papers

"All exam papers shall be handed over to the Imperial Guards for escort!" Lu Bing's voice was authoritative and powerful, echoing throughout the examination hall.

The examiners nodded and handed the sealed box of exam papers to the Imperial Guards.

The Imperial Guards took the box and carefully lifted it up, as if it were some precious treasure.

"Set off!"

At Lu Bing's command, the Imperial Guards lined up in neat rows, carrying boxes of examination papers, and headed towards the palace.

The group was heavily guarded by Imperial Guards from all sides, armed with swords and spears, watching them intently.

Along the way, there were numerous sentry posts of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

There was a guard every three steps and a sentry every five steps; not even a fly could get past.

No one may approach within three zhang (approximately 10 meters) of the group.

Anyone who violates this rule will be executed without exception.

The entire journey was heavily guarded and the atmosphere was tense.

The people watched from a distance, discussing the matter animatedly.

"So this is the imperial examination paper?"

"I heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guards provided full escort to prevent any cheating. Anyone who dared to steal it would be courting death."

"Your Majesty has truly gone to great lengths. You've gone to such lengths for the sake of all the scholars in the land."

The Imperial Guards marched unimpeded and soon arrived at the palace.

The box of exam papers was sent directly to the Wenhua Hall.

The Wenhua Hall has been converted into a temporary examination hall, guarded by imperial guards at the entrance and sealed off the windows.

All personnel entering and leaving the premises were searched, and the fifty officials who were to review the documents had moved into the Wenhua Hall three days earlier.

They were not allowed to have any contact with the outside world, and all their food, clothing, and daily life were taken care of by special eunuchs.

Even every note they wrote had to be inspected by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The officials who reviewed the papers were all personally selected by Liu Ce.

They are all knowledgeable and upright individuals who have made significant achievements in their respective fields.

There were Confucian scholars, mathematical experts, veteran craftsmen from the Ministry of Works, agricultural experts, and doctors from hospitals.

Moreover, during the examination period, they were not allowed to leave the Wenhua Hall even for a moment, nor were they allowed to have any contact with the outside world.

All aspects of their daily life, including food and shelter, are handled by designated personnel.

They ate and slept in the Wenhua Hall, and even had someone follow them to the toilet.

After the exam papers are delivered, a designated person will first anonymize and transcribe the names and examination numbers on the papers...

Covering one's name with paper means covering it up so that no one can see it.

Transcription is the act of having someone rewrite something to prevent anyone from recognizing the handwriting.

......

Then, the exam papers are shuffled and randomly distributed to the examiners.

In this way, the examiners will not know whose paper they are grading.

This fundamentally eliminates the possibility of favoritism and corruption.

The examiners were bent over their desks, writing furiously as the exam papers passed from one hand to the other.

Some exam papers were so well-written that they were truly amazing...

Some exam papers were so incomprehensible that they were both laughable and frustrating...

Some exam papers have neat handwriting, which is pleasing to the eye...

Some exam papers had illegible handwriting, looking like scribbles...

"This exam paper is well written! It's well-organized and contains substantial content!" one of the examiners praised, holding the paper in his hand.

"This one won't do. It's full of empty words and doesn't make any sense. What 'universal harmony' or 'benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness'? Not a single useful word." Another examiner shook his head and threw the paper aside.

"This candidate got all the arithmetic questions right, and the solution is even simpler than what we use! He's a genius!" The math examiner was so excited he almost stood up.

"These engineering drawings are incredibly detailed, even better than the work of the veteran craftsmen in our ministry. The lines, the annotations, the structure—they're amazing!" The Ministry of Works' examiner held the drawings, looking at them from every angle, thoroughly admiring them.

"This agricultural science candidate wrote something truly substantial. How come I never thought of his suggestion about crop rotation and fallow?" The agricultural science examiner nodded repeatedly as he held the exam paper.

"This medical case analysis is precise in its medication use and clear in its logic; even I can't find any fault with it," the hospital doctor said, holding the test paper and praising it highly.

Liu Ce personally came to the Wenhua Hall and addressed the officials reviewing the examination papers:

"Gentlemen, this imperial examination concerns the future of the Han Dynasty. I hope that you will grade each paper carefully, adhering to the principles of fairness, impartiality, and transparency. Do not betray my trust, nor the expectations of the scholars of the land. I am right next door; please report any matters at any time."

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

The examiners answered in unison, their voices loud and clear.

Liu Ce nodded, then turned and left.

He knew that the next few days would determine the fate of countless people.

...

Ten days later, the results will be released.

Before dawn, the main street of Luoyang was already packed with people.

The crowd was so large and dense that there wasn't even room to put your feet down.

Candidates from all over the country, along with their relatives and friends, and countless onlookers, arrived early to await the release of the results.

Today, the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations will be displayed on the city wall at the South Gate.

The crowd buzzed with discussion, like a pot of porridge.

"Who do you think will be the top scorer this year?"

"Of course, it's those famous talented scholars."

"Not necessarily. I heard that in this subject-specific exam, there are top scorers in science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine. Maybe a craftsman will be the top scorer."

"Really? That's so amazing! A craftsman becoming the top scholar—I never even dared to dream of that before."

"I don't know if I'll pass the exam. I didn't sleep a wink last night, tossing and turning all night thinking about it."

"Don't be nervous, you'll definitely pass. If you don't, it's okay, you can always try again next year."

Guan Ning, Ma Ping, Zhang Chang, Li Erniu, and Hua Ling were also among the crowd.

Guan Ning stood at the front of the crowd, her face calm, but the fingers gripping the hem of her clothes turned slightly white.

Ma Ping squeezed into the crowd, standing on tiptoe, his neck stretched out like a giraffe.

Zhang Chang stood a little distance away, his palms sweaty, wiping them repeatedly on his clothes.

Li Erniu squatted by the roadside, hugging his knees, head down, not daring to look in the direction of the city wall.

Hua Ling stood out among a group of men, her expression calm, but her heart was pounding.

Their faces all wore expressions of tension and anticipation.

...

When the time came, the heavy palace gates slowly opened to the sound of horns.

The deep sound of horns echoed in the morning air.

First to emerge were two rows of palace guards carrying ceremonial weapons and marching in unison.

They were dressed in brand-new armor, holding banners, and looked majestic.

Following closely behind were dozens of Imperial Guards dressed in bright red brocade robes, exuding an imposing aura!

The bright red brocade robe stood out vividly in the morning light, like a sea of fire.

Leading the way was Lu Bing, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with a serious expression and piercing eyes.

Behind him were sixteen tall, imposing guards, each with broad shoulders and thick waists.

The most eye-catching feature was a huge, vermilion wooden scroll carried by sixteen exceptionally burly Imperial Guards in the center of the procession.