At the Golden Dragon Hall.
Morning light streamed through the tall palace doors, illuminating the black official hats of the assembled ministers and generals.
Li An stood among the ranks, clutching the memorial in his hands, his mood absolutely ecstatic.
Last cycle, he had lost miserably; this cycle, he was going to win gloriously!
Abolish the Eight-Legged Essay!
This wasn’t just any reform—it shook the foundation of the nation and could ruin careers!
Every scholar under the heavens had spent ten years enduring the cold and hardship of studying the Eight-Legged Essay.
Once abolished, wouldn’t they all jump up and scream?
The uproar, the instability across court and country…
The nation’s fortune would surely decline!
At the thought, Li An couldn’t help but smile, but he quickly masked it with a look of grave concern for the nation and its people.
Grand Marshal Sun Qian, standing among the generals, caught a glimpse of the barely contained expression flickering across Li An’s face and murmured to himself.
What’s with that look again?
Last time, during the border crisis, this guy had somehow scared the entire Northern Yan army from attacking.
And today… the same pattern.
First pride, then seriousness…
Hmph… he’s probably up to some trick again.
Sun Qian decided that no matter what happened today, he would remain neutral and observe first.
Prime Minister Wang Fu, meanwhile, stood at the head of the civil officials, eyes closed, appearing to meditate.
But his thoughts were also fixed on Li An.
This new top scholar had never been quiet since taking office.
Selling positions, the World Expo, the “pond of wine and forest of meat” scheme…
Every move had been earth-shattering.
And today he looked unusual again—what was he plotting this time?
“If there is business, present it early; if none, court is dismissed…”
The sharp voice of Eunuch Liu echoed through the hall like a rooster’s crow, instantly waking the dozing ministers.
Li An had been waiting for this moment, inhaling deeply.
Here it comes!
He strode out of the ranks first, holding the memorial with both hands, and loudly and solemnly declared:
“Minister Li An presents a memorial!”
Immediately, the hall fell completely silent.
All eyes turned to Li An.
As expected…
Reputation follows the person.
Many ministers who had seen Li An’s expressions before court all thought, “I knew this boy was going to cause trouble today.”
Emperor Zhao Ling’er sat on the dragon throne, looking through the beaded curtain at Li An, a hint of anticipation flashing in her satisfied eyes.
What surprise will he bring today?
Last time, his World Expo scheme had brought the Great Qi treasury over ten million taels.
Then he had his wine-and-meat extravaganza, boosting commerce and clearing stock in the capital, which the populace even took as an auspicious sign, greatly increasing popular support.
And now…
What earth-shattering idea would he come up with?
“What business do you have, minister?”
Zhao Ling’er’s voice was clear, yet carried the authority of a youthful emperor.
Li An spoke loudly:
“Your servant requests the abolition of the Eight-Legged Essay, replacing it with practical learning!”
The eight simple words struck like a bomb in the hall.
“What?!”
“Abolish the Eight-Legged Essay?!”
“This… this is madness!”
The civil officials looked at each other in disbelief; the generals were equally dumbfounded.
Minister of Revenue Qian Tong nearly lost his balance, clutching a colleague to steady himself.
Abolish the Eight-Legged Essay?
Damn it, this would sever the roots of the scholarly class and all students in the empire!
Prime Minister Wang Fu suddenly opened his eyes, looking at Li An with a mix of surprise and deep contemplation.
Abolish the Eight-Legged Essay…
What scheme is this boy plotting now?
Wang Fu decided to stay silent and watch how others reacted.
But many officials couldn’t remain calm.
Minister of Rites Zhou Zheng stood up first.
The old minister, over sixty, with white hair and beard, trembled in anger at Li An’s words, his beard quivering.
“Li An! You… you… you—”
He pointed at Li An, saying “you” three times without completing the sentence.
Too agitated!
Too furious!
Having studied Confucian classics his entire life, he had never heard such blasphemy.
“Speak plainly, Minister Zhou; no need to stammer,” Li An said with a harmless smile.
“If you have ideas on abolishing the Eight-Legged Essay, I’m all ears.”
“Ideas?”
Zhou Zheng almost passed out from rage.
“I’ve studied forty years through hardship, relying on the Eight-Legged Essay to achieve my rank!”
“The Eight-Legged Essay embodies the words of the sages, the irreplaceable method to select talent!”
“Passed down through every dynasty for over a thousand years!”
“And now… you dare abolish it?!”
“This insults civilization!”
“This is forgetting our ancestors!”
“This shakes the very foundation of the nation!”
By the end, Zhou Zheng’s voice was hoarse, tears streaming.
Other officials began to voice agreement:
“Yes! Insults civilization! Preposterous!”
“Li An, are you insane?”
“Can the words of the sages ever be abolished?”
“Li An, you yourself topped the Eight-Legged Essay exam! This is betrayal of our teachers and ancestors!”
Li An watched their outrage with satisfaction.
Yes, yes, exactly!
The angrier, the better!
Even better if they hit the pillars in fury—it’ll be even more entertaining!
He calmly cleared his throat and said:
“Minister Zhou, may I ask you a few questions?”
“What questions?”
Zhou Zheng glared, eyes red with anger.
“If the Northern Yan army attacks…”
Li An paused, then scanned the hall and asked loudly:
“Can any of you kill the enemy with the Eight-Legged Essay?”
“You—!!”
Zhou Zheng trembled with fury.
“This… this is absurd reasoning!”
“The army fights the enemy, what does the Eight-Legged Essay have to do with it?”
“Well said, Minister Zhou!”
Li An clapped his hands, producing a crisp sound.
“The army fights the enemy.”
“Then let me ask another…”
“Who builds the bridges and roads?”
“Who makes the weapons?”
“Who farms the fields?”
“Who mints the coins?”
“Who manages the rivers?”
Li An’s voice grew louder with each question.
Zhou Zheng was stunned, never expecting Li An to approach it from such a cunning angle.
“Of course… the artisans, the farmers…”
“Correct!”
Exactly the answer Li An wanted. He shouted, his voice echoing through the hall:
“The artisans! The farmers! Those craftsmen you all look down upon!”
“But what do we test in the Imperial Exam?”
“The Eight-Legged Essay!”
“Those flashy, empty articles!”
“Those hollow, quote-heavy phrases!”
He stepped forward, pointing at the ministers and generals:
“Let me be blunt…”
“How many of you can build a bridge?”
“How many can forge a good sword?”
“How many can grow a bountiful field?”
“How many can clear a river?”
The hall fell completely silent.
No one dared answer.
Because…
Li An was speaking the truth!
The officials, all successful scholars, were indeed excellent writers—but in practical matters…
Heh.
Li An smiled inwardly at their speechlessness.
As a time-traveler, he knew the benefits of abolishing the Eight-Legged Essay he had just described weren’t fiction.
History had already proven:
The Eight-Legged Essay stifled thought and hindered the selection of real talent.
Reforming the Imperial Exam would truly benefit the nation and the people.
But!
The key word here is “but.”
This kind of reform must be gradual!
It must coincide with advances in social productivity!
Wait until commerce and industry flourish, society evolves, and practical learning finds fertile ground…
Then gradual reform would succeed naturally.
But now?
This is a feudal society!
Every scholar under heaven has spent ten years studying the Eight-Legged Essay.
Every official in the court rose through it.
And now suddenly saying to abolish it…
It’s like telling all scholars their years of study were wasted!
Wouldn’t they riot?
Wouldn’t they rebel?
The scholarly class would shake the nation; the court and countryside would be in turmoil.
The pen of a scholar is sharper than a sword.
Under their criticism, the people would lose trust, and the state would descend into chaos!
This is truly shaking the foundation of the nation!
And this…
Is exactly Li An’s real intention.
At that moment…
An inspector from the Censorate stepped forward, red-faced, and angrily shouted at Li An:
“Li An! You are forgetting your ancestors!”
“The words of the sages, passed down for a thousand years, cannot be abolished!”
“You are shaking the very foundation of the nation!”
“Shaking the foundation of the nation?”
Li An sneered. He had heard these four words so many times today, his ears were numb.
“May I ask, what is the true foundation of the nation?”
“Those pedantic Confucian scholars?”
“Or the people who can actually get things done?”
“You… you are insulting the sages!”
The inspector was so angry, he nearly fainted.
“Insulting the sages?”
Li An shook his head, voice sincere:
“I hold the sages in respect. But I only wish to say, their words are indeed good.”
“However, testing the Eight-Legged Essay…”
He paused, looking around:
“…is not necessarily the only correct way to understand the sages.”
“I remember the sages also said…”
“‘To know what you know and know what you don’t know—that is knowledge.’”
“Ministers, do you know how to roast sweet potatoes?”
“Wh… what?”
The inspector froze, bewildered.
“Roast sweet potatoes? What do you mean?”
Other ministers were equally confused.
Roast sweet potatoes?
What does this have to do with the Eight-Legged Essay?
“I believe the Imperial Exam should test practical skills,” Li An said earnestly.
“For example…”
“How to roast sweet potatoes for front-line soldiers so they are crispy outside, tender inside, and delicious?”
“How to assist horse births, ensuring the mare’s safety and the foal’s health?”
“How to repair city walls, choosing the best stone and mixing the best mortar?”
“How to prevent grain warehouses from moisture, laying tiles and ensuring ventilation?”
The hall erupted in commotion again.
“Pft…!”
Someone couldn’t help but laugh.
“Hahaha! Roasted sweet potatoes?”
“This top scholar must be crazy!”
“An exam on roasted sweet potatoes? Ridiculous!”
“Hahaha!”
Laughter echoed throughout the hall.
Li An watched, feeling a surge of satisfaction.
Laugh all you want!
After laughing, you’ll start to scold!
After scolding, there will be chaos!
Then the scholars of the empire will rise in outrage…
The nation’s fortune will decline! Great Qi will fall!
Minister of Rites Zhou Zheng trembled with anger, nearly shaking apart.
He suddenly shouted:
“I… I will crash to my death on this Golden Hall today!”
“To remonstrate with the ruler! To stop this absurdity!”
He tried to rush at the pillar of the hall.
“Minister Zhou!”
Several ministers immediately grabbed him, holding him tightly.
“Minister Zhou, calm down! Calm down!”
“Let go of me! Let me go!”
Zhou Zheng struggled, tears streaming.
“This Li An wants to destroy a thousand years of Great Qi’s literary heritage!”
“Even if I die, I must stop him!”
“If this villain is not stopped, I will die without peace!”
Li An watched, inwardly admiring the spectacle.
Good!
Excellent!
The effect was perfect!
Even the “crash into the pillar” scene played out!
He could already imagine…
Once this spreads, scholars across the empire would be furious!
The scholarly world would tremble!
And if the young emperor truly approved his memorial, it would be unstoppable!
By then…
Hehehe…
At this moment…
The young emperor, Zhao Ling’er, was sitting on the dragon throne, looking through the beaded curtain at the scene before her, her mind deep in thought.
Li An…
Why would he propose abolishing the Eight-Legged Essay now?
He had just been appointed the Great Qi Special Envoy, responsible for foreign affairs.
This was precisely the time to act cautiously.
Yet he chose this moment to shake the very foundation of the imperial examinations…
What did this mean?
Zhao Ling’er thought of her own late father, the previous emperor.
When he was alive, he often lamented to her:
“Ling’er, the court is filled with mediocre men. The imperial examinations are fine, but those selected through the Eight-Legged Essay are mostly empty scholars. The truly capable people never make it to the court.”
“Alas, your father lacked the power to change this, and could only hope for future generations.”
Zhao Ling’er had always remembered her father’s words.
Now…
Li An had stepped forward!
Although his words were crude…
Talking about roasted sweet potatoes and delivering babies for horses…
Which was almost an insult to scholarship.
But…
There was undeniable truth in his crude speech!
If the imperial exams focused not on Eight-Legged Essays but on practical knowledge, they could select truly capable people…
Then how could Great Qi not prosper?
Watching Li An verbally spar with the scholars, Zhao Ling’er felt a surge of admiration.
What a man!
This was a true lone minister!
For the future of Great Qi, he did not hesitate to offend the entire court!
To offend scholars across the land!
Even to be called mad!
This kind of courage…
This kind of responsibility…
I… I truly have not misjudged him!
“Enough!”
Zhao Ling’er suddenly spoke, her voice icy and imbued with the unquestionable authority of an emperor.
The hall fell silent at once.
Everyone turned to look at the emperor on the throne.
The few ministers who had been holding Zhou Zheng also released their grip.
Zhou Zheng trembled as he turned, kneeling on the ground:
“Your Majesty… your humble servant begs Your Majesty’s discernment!”
“This absurd matter must not occur!”
“Minister Zhou…”
Zhao Ling’er interrupted him, her tone calm:
“You claim that the Eight-Legged Essay is the only way to select talent?”
“Yes!”
Zhou Zheng nodded vigorously, his voice hoarse:
“Your servant has no doubt! Throughout history, talent has always been selected this way, and the Eight-Legged Essay has never been abolished!”
“Then I ask you…”
Zhao Ling’er stood and walked to the side of the beaded curtain.
“Since the founding of our dynasty, how many great ministers have emerged?”
“How many of them governed through empty talk?”
Zhou Zheng was stunned, speechless.
Zhao Ling’er continued, her voice calm but powerful:
“I remember that during the founding of the dynasty, the ancestors were surrounded by practical people.”
“Those who could fight, fought; those who could farm, farmed; those who could trade, traded; those who could calculate, calculated.”
“There was no Eight-Legged Essay then.”
“And yet, the ancestors still conquered this vast land!”
“But later?”
“The people in court became more and more adept at writing essays…”
“Full of classical citations and eloquent rhetoric…”
“Yet the country grew weaker…”
“The enemies at the borders grew bolder…”
“The treasury grew emptier…”
“What does this show?”
Zhou Zheng gaped. Hearing these words from the emperor, he was filled with fear and could not respond.
Prime Minister Wang Fu, standing aside, also changed expression, a glint of insight appearing in his eyes.
Interesting…
The emperor actually supports Li An?
Although he didn’t know what Li An was plotting…
But if the Eight-Legged Essay were abolished…
And the imperial exams completely reformed…
Then…
Wang Fu felt a stir in his heart.
Over the years, he, the Grand Commandant, and the Imperial Uncle had used the exams to place many disciples and officials loyal to them.
These people were their foundation!
If the exams changed…
Those disciples would lose their advantage!
Who could manipulate the exams then?
Impossible!
This matter…
Must be stopped!
“Your Majesty!”
Wang Fu stepped forward and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.
“Minister Wang, speak.”
Zhao Ling’er looked at Wang Fu, her expression calm.
“Though Minister Li’s ideas are novel…”
Wang Fu spoke slowly, his tone steady:
“The imperial examinations are the foundation of the state, affecting the futures of millions of scholars.”
“A rash abolition of the Eight-Legged Essay could stir unrest across the land and disturb the scholarly community.”
“Your servant believes… this matter requires careful deliberation.”
“At the very least, it should involve wide consultation with scholars before making a decision.”
Hearing Wang Fu, Li An tensed.
Yo! Why isn’t this old fox cooperating today?
By rights, I should be his man now!
And he openly opposes my proposal?
“Minister Wang makes a reasonable point.”
Zhao Ling’er nodded.
Li An’s heart sank.
It’s over!
The emperor has been swayed!
My plan to ruin the country—could it fail?
But…
Zhao Ling’er’s tone shifted:
“But…”
“To deliberate… until when?”
“One year? Two years? Ten?”
“Great Qi faces internal strife and external threats; the Northern Yan eyes us hungrily.”
“In court, we have gathered so many scholars skilled only in empty rhetoric.”
“Truly capable people, as Minister Li said, are exceedingly rare.”
“If this continues, how long can Great Qi last?”
Zhao Ling’er’s voice grew ever more passionate.
“I believe…”
She looked at Li An and spoke resolutely:
“Minister Li is right!”
“What?!”
Wang Fu’s face changed.
Zhou Zheng nearly fainted.
The other ministers erupted in uproar.
“Your Majesty, think carefully!”
“Your Majesty, no!”
“This is the ancestral method; it cannot be lightly changed!”
“Your Majesty!!!”
Zhao Ling’er waved her hand, silencing their clamor.
“My decision is final!”
Her voice echoed through the hall.
“The reform of the imperial exams will be fully entrusted to Minister Li! We can temporarily add a special examination as a trial…”
“The next special exam will be implemented one month from now!”
“Minister Li will decide the details of the reform and the content of the exams!”
“I… fully support you!”
“Anyone who dares to obstruct this shall be treated as defying imperial edict!”
At these words, the court was further shaken.
“Your Majesty!!!”
The ministers knelt, crying out in protest.
Zhou Zheng wept, banging his head on the ground:
“Your Majesty! I beseech you with my life!”
“This absurd matter must not occur!”
“Your servant… your servant…”
He trailed off, fainting completely.
“Minister Zhou! Minister Zhou!”
Several ministers hurried forward to help him.
Chaos reigned in the hall.
Li An, however, stood calmly as if uninvolved, expressionless.
Yet inside, he was elated beyond measure.
It worked! It worked!
The young emperor actually approved!
And fully supports me!
All the national luck I increased last cycle—worth it!
This trust is enough for me!
Now!
Scholars across the land will be furious!
The scholarly world will be in chaos!
Great Qi will be in chaos!
National fortune will plummet!
“Your servant… thanks Your Majesty.”
Li An knelt and kowtowed thrice respectfully.
“I will not disappoint Your Majesty’s expectations!”
Zhao Ling’er looked at Li An, smiling.
Li An, Li An…
You are willing to offend all scholars for the sake of Great Qi.
I understand your effort…
You will not fight alone!
“Court is dismissed!”
Zhao Ling’er rose, giving no chance for further objection.
“The reform of the imperial exams is fully entrusted to Minister Li!”
“Anyone who dares to make things difficult, I will bear it for you!”
Saying this, she turned and left.
The ministers were left staring at each other, stunned and distraught.
…
At the Top Scholar’s Mansion,
Li An strode quickly back home.
Hongmei followed behind, equally excited.
“Master, this time… I think you really stirred up a hornet’s nest.”
“A hornet’s nest?”
Li An laughed heartily.
“I intend to stir up this hornet’s nest!”
“The bigger, the better!”
He impatiently closed the study door and checked the system panel.
“Has it dropped? Has it dropped?”
He stared at the panel, excited.
Ding!
【Detected host proposing imperial exam reform in court!】
【Abolish Eight-Legged Essay, switch to practical knowledge…】
【This action severely affects the interests of the scholarly elite…】
【Reactions of scholars across the land being calculated…】
Li An’s heart raced as he read the system prompt, full of anticipation.
Here it comes!
Finally!
Scholars will definitely riot!
The national fortune will plummet…
And I’ll make a fortune!
【Calculating…】
【Calculating…】
【Due to large impact, data volume is huge…】
【Results will display with delay】
【Expected to show full national fortune change tomorrow】
“Delayed?”
Li An was momentarily stunned.
“Why the delay?”
He stared at the system panel, puzzled.
But… it made sense.
This time, I really shook the imperial exams!
This affects scholars across the land!
Millions of students who have studied hard!
It’s normal for the data to be large!
After all… this may be the largest-scale event since the system launched!
“Just wait…”
Li An lay back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, a smile tugging at his lips.
“Tomorrow…”
“I’ll finally see the national fortune plummet!”
“This cycle…”
“Is secured!”
He was already imagining the beautiful negative numbers on the system panel.
Little did he know…
Outside the capital, the news was already spreading.
In taverns and teahouses, people were discussing:
“Did you hear? The court is reforming the imperial exams!”
“What? How?”
“They say they’re abolishing the Eight-Legged Essay and switching to practical knowledge!”
“Practical knowledge?”
“Useful stuff! Arithmetic, crafts, farming, that sort of thing!”
“Really? Then us farmers might have a chance to become officials?”
“Exactly! No more memorizing those boring essays!”
“This… this is great news!”
“Minister Li is truly a good official! Finally, someone speaks for us commoners!”
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