latelenovela Chapter 600 Preparing for the Imperial Examination
Chapter 600 Preparing for the Imperial Examination
The more he read, the more shocked he became.
The Qin state's ideology, its system, and its goals far exceeded his imagination. It wasn't just about unifying the world; it was about establishing an unprecedented new order—one based on the rule of law, efficiency, openness, and inclusiveness.
In this new order, people from all six kingdoms can find a place as long as they have the ability and make contributions.
This reminded him of the princess's words: "Merger is not destruction."
So, what should he write?
After three days of contemplation, Wei Ji finally picked up his pen. He decided to write about the State of Wei, its rise and fall, its lessons, and his hopes for the future.
The title is: "Wei Jian: Lessons from Eight Hundred Years of Rise and Fall".
"The ancestors of Wei were ministers of Jin. Marquis Wen of Wei implemented the reforms of Li Kui, strengthening the army and enriching the people, thus becoming the hegemon of the Central Plains. At that time, Wei had Wu Qi training elite troops and Ximen Bao governing Ye. The state of Wei was the most powerful in the world, and no other state dared to challenge it..."
He reminisced about the glory days of the State of Wei, a pioneer of reform, a land of outstanding talents, and the hegemon of the Central Plains.
"However, prosperity inevitably leads to decline. What are the reasons for this? It is said that the reforms were not thorough, and the old aristocracy launched a counterattack; it is said that land annexation caused hardship for the people; it is said that there was a brain drain, and Han Fei and Shang Yang, both from Wei, were not used by Wei, but instead became the strength of other states..."
He analyzed the reasons for the decline of the Wei state, each sentence hitting the nail on the head. Writing this, he felt a pang of pain in his heart. These were all facts, but to write them down and make them public required courage.
"Looking at the Qin state today, Shang Yang's reforms were thorough and resolute; he abolished the feudal system, implemented the prefecture-county system, and severed the foundation of the nobility; he opened up the fields, rewarded farming and warfare, and ensured the livelihood of the people; he established the imperial examination system to select the virtuous and capable, and placed talented people in their proper positions. This is what the Wei state wanted to do but could not..."
Wei Ji compared the states of Qin and Wei, pointing out the advantages of Qin's system. This was not flattery, but an objective analysis. Qin accomplished what Wei wanted to do but could not.
Finally, he wrote: "Wei is gone, but its lessons must not be forgotten. The world is about to be unified, and the people await governance. I hope that we can learn from Wei's mistakes and help the new dynasty avoid the same fate, thus ushering in an era of lasting peace."
It was late at night when I finished writing.
Wei Ji put down his pen and let out a long sigh. The candlelight flickered, casting his shadow on the wall, swaying uncertainly.
This article is both a reflection on the lost country and an expectation for the new dynasty. He neither glorifies the state of Wei nor belittles the state of Qin; he simply offers an objective analysis and sincere advice.
He didn't know what kind of reaction this article would elicit. Perhaps some would call him a traitor, perhaps others would praise his clear-headedness. But in any case, it was his own choice, his own voice.
The next day, he handed the article to Ying Gaoshan. After reading it, Ying Gaoshan remained silent for a long time.
“Wei Keqing, this article… is very good. But some of the points might be controversial.” He pointed to the section on “brain drain,” “These points are too blunt.”
“I know,” Wei Ji said calmly, “but the truth must be told. If you don’t even dare to tell the truth, what’s the point of being a guest minister?”
Ying Gaoshan looked at him and suddenly smiled: "Okay, I'll arrange for it to be published. Next issue of the newspaper, front page."
"front page?"
“Yes. Such an important article should of course be on the front page,” Ying Gaoshan said. “Jiayang once said that the truth has the most power. Wei Keqing, you made the right choice.”
Wei Ji's heart skipped a beat. The right choice... perhaps.
On February 20th, an imperial edict was issued from Xianyang Palace:
"By imperial decree of the King of Qin: In order to open the path to virtuous men throughout the land, the Qin Children's Examination shall be held starting on the fifteenth of the fourth month, lasting for three days. All citizens of Qin who are thirteen years of age or older may take the examination, and women are also permitted to participate, but only in the first level of the children's examination. Those who pass shall enter the official schools of the prefectures and counties, and both men and women may enroll to prepare for future examinations. This is the beginning of the selection of talents for the nation, and shall be a permanent system."
The imperial edict was posted at all the city gates, markets, and government offices in Xianyang. The people crowded around it, those who could read read it aloud, and those who couldn't listen intently.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted in uproar.
"Thirteen years old? My son is exactly thirteen this year!" A man in plain clothes excitedly grabbed the boy beside him. "Son, you have a chance!"
"These girls are really good at the exam! They're really good at it!" Several girls who came together exclaimed in whispers, their eyes shining. They wore coarse cloth dresses, but they were very clean, and their hair was neatly combed.
The old Confucian scholar Zheng Min's face turned ashen, and he slammed his bamboo cane on the ground: "Absurd! What does a thirteen-year-old child know about governing a country? For a woman to take the exam is like a hen crowing at dawn! This is the beginning of the collapse of rites and music!"
“Sir, you are mistaken.” A scholar in a blue robe turned around and bowed. He was about twenty years old, with a handsome face and bright eyes. “In the past, Gan Luo was twelve years old when he became an envoy and persuaded Zhang Tang to take five cities from the State of Zhao. Confucius said, ‘In education, there should be no discrimination.’ Now, Your Majesty has set a limit of thirteen years old, which is precisely to give opportunities to those who are precocious. For women to take the exam is a precedent that has never been set before in history.”
"But the imperial edict also states that women are only allowed to take the children's examination!" someone shouted.
“One must take things one step at a time.” The scholar in the blue robe spoke in a clear voice, cutting through the noise. “Three years ago, when the imperial examinations were first held, who would have dared to imagine that women could participate? Today they can take the preliminary examinations, and tomorrow they may be able to take the provincial examinations. Now that the Great Qin has unified the world, it should naturally have the magnanimity to embrace all under heaven.”
Zheng Min sneered: "Chen Lang, what do you know, you wandering scholar? Women should be good wives and mothers, why are you taking exams? You're disrupting the established order!"
It turned out that the scholar in the blue robe was named Chen Lang. He smiled slightly: "Old sir, the fundamental principles of morality are not dead, but alive. The Duke of Zhou established rites, and Confucius revised books, all for the purpose of stabilizing the country. Now, the Great Qin wants to pacify the entire world, so naturally, there must be a new atmosphere. Why can't talented women be employed?"
"You...you're just making excuses!"
The two argued endlessly, while the surrounding crowd listened with great interest. Just then, a small, thin figure quietly slipped away from the crowd. It was Wang Yueniang, just fourteen years old, whose father was a fur trader in the West Market of Xianyang. She squeezed through the crowd and ran home, the scroll of the *Classic of Poetry* she had secretly copied and clutched to her chest burning hot.
She's eligible to take the exam. She really is eligible.
When the imperial edict arrived at the Ministry of Personnel, Zhou Chang was checking maps of various prefectures and counties. He was a clerk in the Ministry of Personnel, responsible for the specific affairs of the imperial examinations. He was in his early forties, with a thin face and sharp eyes.
"Cao Yuan, the imperial edict has arrived." Chief Clerk Zhao Yan entered carrying the document on yellow silk, his expression complex. "The age limit has been lowered to thirteen, and the number of candidates in various regions will likely double. The number of women taking the exam... is unprecedented."
Zhou Chang received the imperial edict, read it carefully twice, and frowned slightly. Thirteen years old… this was a full three years earlier than the originally agreed sixteen. He immediately understood the profound meaning: the Qin Dynasty had suffered repeated defeats and urgently needed to cultivate a new generation of officials loyal to the Qin system. Starting their education at thirteen, and after several years of formal schooling, they could become officials by the time they reached adulthood.
However, the difficulty of implementation has also increased exponentially.
“The number of examination venues needs to be increased to three hundred.” Zhou Chang stood up and walked to the map, his finger sweeping across the various prefectures. “In the border prefectures of Longxi, Beidi, and Bashu, most thirteen-year-old children are still uneducated. Meanwhile, the literary tradition is strong in Qi and Chu, I’m afraid…”
"I'm afraid the Qi people won't participate at all." A clear female voice came from outside the door.