The princess was ordained by Heaven.

Chapter 185 Making trouble

The so-called examination hall was actually very simple.

The place was so simple that Dean Cen was worried that some of his students might cheat.

But Zheng Xun was confident: "I know the questions I set; they can't copy them."

Dean Cen was itching with curiosity. Since Zheng Xun wouldn't tell him, he would just ask other people who knew the exam questions.

But after going around to different places, he found that no one was willing to tell him the contents of the exam.

When asked, everyone says that his wife, Cen Wan, is also taking the exam, so they can't tell him.

Well, although they thought Cen Wan was just taking the test for fun, the principles still had to be followed.

Some even verbally abused him, accusing him of having ulterior motives and knowingly leading them astray, knowing the princess was present.

Actually, he didn't think that much about it...

He had no way to explain himself and could only slink back home.

In the past, the imperial examinations of the Dayong Dynasty would last for three days, and this time was no exception.

The categories tested in the first three days were the same as in the past, the only difference being that the questions were more difficult.

However, Zheng Xun extended the exam by two days and added nine more subjects.

After the exam, all the students looked pale and sickly.

Because the exams were so rushed, many students' families didn't have time to come.

Dean Cen was worried that the students' health would not be able to withstand it, so he asked many locals to take care of them.

But they weren't in a hurry to rest, because they were in a hurry to protest.

A group of students gathered at Zheng Xun's residence in the academy. Some of the weaker students were so frail that they were about to faint, but they refused to leave.

Upon receiving the news, Dean Cen rushed over and, seeing this scene, couldn't help but sigh, "Why bother?"

"Dean! You have no idea how unreasonable this question is!"

"Yes, yes, yes. The first two rounds of classical texts and policy essays were indeed difficult and tricky, but as long as you have a solid foundation, you can still answer some of them."

Dean Cen: ?

If the questions were usually too difficult, they would have complained a lot, but this time they seem not to care about the difficulty.

What exactly did the princess do...?

He soon found out the answer.

Zheng Xun shortened the time allotted for the previous categories and added twelve specialized subjects afterward.

These questions, which focus on specific subjects, are not difficult, but for this group of people who take reading as their mission, they involve their blind spots in knowledge.

"Dean! You must stand up for us!"

"Dean! Even if she's a princess, she can't be so unreasonable!"

"Hey, don't be so sure, maybe it's because she's a princess and doesn't know anything that she comes up with these ridiculous questions."

Dean Cen wiped the sweat from his forehead:

Only after their accusations were finished did the door to Zheng Xun's residence open.

Although she had a warm smile and wasn't particularly imposing in appearance, for some reason, the noisy students suddenly fell silent the moment they saw her.

"I know you all have many questions. Don't worry, ask one by one, and I will answer one by one."

The students whispered among themselves for a moment, and finally nominated three representatives.

The three young men were all quite handsome and had a refined and gentle demeanor, seemingly posing no threat whatsoever.

Zheng Xun's gaze was gentle: "What are your names?"

"He Qize".

"Zou Xi".

"Hu Weishan".

"I know you three. Among the students of Wuzhou Academy, you three are the most famous and always perform the best in every test, big or small."

He Qize said with a straight face, "Princess, you don't need to say such nice things..."

Zou Xi quickly interrupted her, saying, "Thank you for your understanding of our impetuousness, Princess. We are extremely grateful for your willingness to enlighten us."

"Alright, enough with the formalities. I know you're all complaining that the questions are too difficult, but," she stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the crowd indifferently, "you should also know that this isn't the normal time for the imperial examinations. The reason for holding this special examination is because the court is short of personnel."

Zheng Xun looked at them: "Do you know what this means?"

Hu Weishan said in a low voice, "This is an extremely rare opportunity."

"Everyone knows that entering the court at this time will allow many people to avoid many detours. In addition, this special imperial examination is only open to a select group of people. If the questions are not difficult enough, if the test is not challenging enough, how can we convince the public? How can we determine if you are the talents the court needs?"

Zheng Xun knew from the beginning that she would have to face the criticism this time.

This was a thankless task that everyone avoided, which is why the emperor and his ministers let her leave the capital.

But what she needs is to be questioned.

The more dissenting voices there are, the more people will submit to her once she has appeased them.

Sure enough, everyone fell silent after she said that.

They all knew they had gotten a great deal this time, but good deals aren't so easy to come by.

Difficulties are normal, aren't they?

He Qize then asked, "What about the nine major areas of specialization?"

“Nine major subject imbalances will not affect your normal grades.”

"What is the purpose of setting up this exam?"

"Since you took the exam, you should know what the nine major weaknesses are."

"Agriculture, military equipment, animal husbandry..."

After listening to them finish speaking, Zheng Xun said, "The significance lies in themselves."

In this era, all skills are passed down privately, and the quality of talent needed in each industry varies greatly.

However, Zheng Xun needed to prepare for war and also needed more talent to ensure the operation of the court and the lives of the people, so he selected specialized talents based on their abilities.

She knew, of course, that the people who would learn these things weren't at the academy, but time was too short, so she had to choose some to use first.

This selection will let the people know that specializing in one of the nine subjects can also be a way out, so that people will study it. When the imperial examination is held in three years, there will be even more people who come specifically for specializing in one of the nine subjects.

He Qize said excitedly, "But we have studied hard for more than ten years to get a chance to take the imperial examination. Specializing in one subject is just a shortcut, but some people can get the results of our hard work through these shortcuts. How unfair is that?"

Zheng Xun looked at him: "Unfair? You think it's simple to specialize in nine subjects at once?"

They thought that classical texts and policy essays were difficult, but in fact, the nine major areas of specialization were the most difficult.

Wuzhou Academy is one of the most prestigious academies in Dayong. Half of its students would easily pass the imperial examinations and become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations).

However, they were completely ignorant of the content tested in subjects they specialized in.

Therefore, Zheng Xun was also gambling on luck, hoping to find a treasure.

It would be best if we could find it, but it's perfectly normal if we can't.

The moment the exam ended, she learned their scores from the system. No more than five people in total passed the nine subject-specific exams, and this was only the preliminary test.

She knew that their opposition to the nine major specializations was actually out of fear of affecting their interests.

This is also why Zheng Xun suggested that this special course should only be open to a limited number of students.

Her real purpose was to bring her unbalanced academic performance to the public's attention.

If we don't want to encounter too much resistance, this matter cannot be carried out in a high-profile manner.