I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 437 Developing Entrance Examination Content

Inside the study of Chaohua Palace, Ying Wuyou, dressed in magnificent robes, stood with an elegant yet dignified air. Opposite her, Lü Zhi, her expression was respectful yet intelligent. However, Ying Wuyou shook her head, seemingly dissatisfied with Lü Zhi's answer. She continued, "Last year, the court distributed seeds to the people free of charge to promote wheat production. According to the law, this action by the court was certainly against regulations."

Upon hearing this, Empress Lü frowned slightly, clearly not having considered this aspect. She pondered for a moment, then said, "What the princess says is quite right; this matter indeed requires careful consideration."

Ying Wuyou asked, "Sister Lü, do you remember the 'Twelve Measures for Famine Relief' in the Rites of Zhou?"

Empress Lü was taken aback: "Distribute profits, reduce taxes, probation..."

“Exactly!” Ying Wuyou tapped the table lightly with her fingertips. “This question is not testing your memorization of laws, but your benevolent heart. What Qin needs is not cruel officials, but capable ministers who understand ‘leniency beyond the law.’” She suddenly picked up the ink brush on the table and added a small note in the blank space of the bamboo slip: “Scoring should be based on the disaster records of the candidate’s place of origin in the past three years.”

As Lü Zhi gazed at the flowing Qin seal script, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. This seemingly simple annotation was actually a way for the examiners to consult the tax registers of various prefectures and counties—the princess had turned the exam questions for assessing the students into a covert investigation into local governance.

"As for the intelligence test..." Ying Wuyou had already walked to the six-panel screen on the west wall, which depicted a map of the thirty-six prefectures of the Qin Dynasty. "How about having the Mohist disciples set up traps and locks in the examination hall, and giving extra points to those who solve them within the time limit?"

Empress Lü's eyes lit up, and she praised, "Your Highness's plan is brilliant! The Mohist mechanical arts are ingenious and complex. Candidates who can unlock the mechanisms within the time limit must be quick-witted and have strong hands-on skills, which is exactly the kind of talent the academy is looking for."

Ying Wuyou's lips curled up into a confident smile: "That's right. In this way, we can select intelligent people and add some fun to the academy."

The two then discussed details such as the difficulty and number of the puzzle locks, as well as the specific scoring criteria, striving to ensure fairness and impartiality. After the discussion was settled, Lü Zhi said with heartfelt admiration, "The princess has considered everything so thoroughly. This entrance examination will surely select a group of students with both virtue and talent, injecting new vitality into the future of Qin."

Ying Wuyou gazed resolutely into the distance and said, "The road to reform for the Great Qin is long and arduous, and these academies are our hope. Only by cultivating more outstanding talents can the Great Qin stand firm in this chaotic world." After saying this, the two looked at each other and smiled, as if they could see a bright future for the Great Qin.

Ying Wuyou entrusted most of the remaining matters to Lü Zhi. Lü Zhi was exceptionally intelligent, and since following Ying Wuyou, her thinking had gradually changed, so Ying Wuyou was quite at ease entrusting the work to her.

Meanwhile, beneath the surface of calm, undercurrents were surging in the Qin court of Xianyang. The old officials privately harbored resentment towards the King of Qin's personnel appointments. Although Wang Wan and Li Si no longer held significant power, they still had a following in the court. They were quite dissatisfied with the rise of many young men, believing it to be a suppression of their faction by the King of Qin.

In Wang Wan's residence, several senior officials gathered together, their faces somber. The candlelight flickered in Wang Wan's study, casting their shadows long and short. Outside the window, autumn rain pattered, dampening the bronze bells hanging from the eaves.

"Back then, the fifteen cities of Shangyu were stained red with our blood alongside Lord Wu'an!" an old minister suddenly slammed his fist on the table. "And now that brat Meng Tian is in charge of the Right Chancellor! What does he know?"

“The King of Qin is now heavily relying on those new nobles, completely disregarding the dignity of us old ministers. Although Wang Jue is the son of an adult, he is still too young. How can he shoulder such a heavy responsibility!” an old minister with white hair said worriedly.

"Yes, back then we followed the late king, risking our lives, but now we're left out in the cold," another old minister sighed.

Wang Wan's gaze slowly swept over the flushed faces of the crowd, as if he could see through their unease and embarrassment. His voice was as soft as if it were floating in the rain and mist, making people prick up their ears to listen.

"Have you all read the 'New Land Policy' presented by Zheng Guo carefully?" Wang Wan suddenly asked, a question that struck everyone like a heavy hammer.

For a moment, the once noisy court fell silent. Everyone looked at each other, unable to answer. They hadn't bothered to carefully study the new policy; after all, they were too busy with daily affairs to pay attention to such matters.

Seeing this, Wang Wan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile. He stood up and gently pushed open the intricately carved wooden window. Outside, the damp night breeze, carrying the rich fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, flowed into the court like a clear spring.

“Jue’er went to various places last month to check on the grain harvest.” Wang Wan’s voice drifted in the night wind. “He personally witnessed Zheng Guo leading officials to help the people harvest the grain.”

Upon hearing this, an old minister finally couldn't hold back any longer, stood up abruptly, and said sternly, "So, does the Prime Minister think that we old bones should give way to the young people?"

Wang Wan smiled bitterly and sighed, "Time waits for no one. I'm really getting old. The changes in Qin are so rapid that I can't keep up anymore. Perhaps retiring from the court is a relief for me."

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone stood up and retorted, "Prime Minister, how can you say such a thing? You are the pillar of the Great Qin Dynasty. Without you, how can the court function?"

However, Wang Wan did not give the man a chance to continue speaking. He waved his hand and interrupted, "I appreciate everyone's kindness, but my mind is made up. I really have no interest in court affairs now, and although my son Jue'er is young, he is very decisive and often sees things more clearly than I, his father."

Wang Wan paused, looked around, and then said, "If you really still remember my kindness, please help Jue'er more. He is still young and needs your support and guidance."

Upon hearing Wang Wan's words, the crowd exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to respond. They all understood that Wang Wan was implying their support for Wang Jue, but wouldn't that mean abandoning the old guard?

However, they also understood that without Wang Wan's support, their days in court would become increasingly difficult. After all, the clash between the old and new forces was never peaceful; one side was bound to lose. And now that Wang Wan's attitude was so clear, what should they, the old officials, do?

At this moment, Wang Jue suddenly pushed open the door and entered. Seeing everyone, he stepped forward, cupped his hands to the senior ministers, and said, "My lords, reform is not about discarding all old systems, but about taking the essence and discarding the dross. We should retain the useful parts of the old system, but those that hinder the development of Qin must be changed."