Volume 1 Princess Taiping Grows Up Chapter 70: Questions about the Palace Examination
The next morning, after practicing yoga with her two sisters, Li Yuechen had some breakfast and prepared to leave.
Today is the day I go to Master Liu Rengui's house for an examination. I must go early and come back early.
After returning to eat at noon, Xiao He came over and said, "Your Highness, ten palace maids are waiting outside the palace. Do you want to see them?"
"It's gone." Li Yuechen had to go to the production workshop today and didn't have the free time, so he took out a tray from under the table and put it on the table.
On the tray was a small porcelain bottle containing a moisturizing cream made from the glycerin extracted yesterday mixed with water and honey.
"Give this to them and ask them to apply it on their faces every night before going to bed. After a few days, tell me how they feel."
"Yes!" Xiao He agreed, thinking that His Highness might have come up with something new.
After solving the problems assigned by Li Yuechen, he got on the carriage and headed to Jixianfang again.
Today, I not only brought Fulai and Xiaohe, but also Shangguan Wan'er.
It is time for such a young child to go out of the palace and see the world. It is too boring to stay in the palace all day.
After the carriage arrived at Jixianfang, Shangguan Wan'er got off and looked around curiously.
There were walls all around and nothing to see, so her attention was quickly focused on the gate next to her.
"Is this your Highness's production workshop?" Shangguan Wan'er asked.
"Yes." Li Yuechen nodded, "Come on!"
When I entered the house, I saw the workers who were already busy. They were busy but not messy and their work was in good order.
Seeing Li Yuechen coming in, they all stood up and saluted respectfully: "Greetings, Princess!"
"No need to be polite." Li Yuechen waved his hand. "Let's get started quickly. You are not familiar with the place these days, so you can only work in the afternoon. After a few days, you will have to work for four hours every day."
“Yes!”
Compared with the 007 system of this era, Li Yuechen's four-hour work day is simply godly treatment, so everyone agreed with great enthusiasm.
After Shangguan Wan'er came in, she looked around, but did not run around. She just followed Li Yuechen quietly and watched her direct these people to work.
If someone forgot a step, she would not get angry but would just explain the steps to them in a friendly manner.
Instead, after she left, Fu Lai would rush over and yell, "Useless! You can't even remember these things. How can you be worthy of His Highness' kindness?"
Li Yuechen did not stop him, because she knew very well how management worked. Since she chose to play the good guy, there must be someone responsible for playing the bad guy.
Originally, she was thinking of designating someone to do this, but Fulai was so smart that he had already done it before she even said anything.
No wonder they say bosses like people who are tactful and capable. Putting aside the question of loyalty or treachery, the key point is that it is really comfortable to work with such people!
Although Li Yuechen is kind-hearted, she is not naive. In addition, she was born in the royal family and attended the government for many years. Even if she didn't do it intentionally, she also learned some emperor skills unconsciously.
Although she may not be aware of this problem...
After a busy afternoon, the second batch of soaps were put into the molds.
Chunmei also put the extracted glycerin into a porcelain bottle about ten centimeters high and handed it to Fulai.
Xiao He, who was standing next to him, looked at the setting sun and reminded him, "Your Highness, it's almost time to return to the palace."
"Um."
Li Yuechen nodded, turned to Chunmei and said, "I have been teaching you for two consecutive days. Tomorrow, you will try to do it by yourselves. I will just watch from the side."
"Yes!" Chunmei bowed and responded.
After getting on the carriage, Fulai and Xiaohe sat near the door, while Li Yuechen and Shangguan Wan'er sat inside.
Shangguan Wan'er actually has a very quiet personality. She basically watched from the side the entire afternoon today and didn't seem to be impatient at all.
After thinking about it, Li Yuechen asked, "How do you feel today?"
"It feels very interesting." Shangguan Wan'er replied, "I never knew before that oil and water can be made into this soap by stirring them constantly..."
"Uh, that's not water, it's lye..." Li Yuechen wanted to explain, but after thinking about it, he shook his head and said, "Forget it. I'm asking, do you feel bored?"
Shangguan Wan'er shook her head, hugged her legs and leaned against the car body and replied: "It's not much different from being in the palace, but it's quite interesting to watch His Highness teach them."
"Yeah." Li Yuechen smiled slightly, "Those two Kunlun slaves are really clumsy and interesting."
I mean it’s interesting to watch His Highness…Shangguan Wan’er added in her mind but didn’t say it out loud.
…
The next day, Shangguan Wan'er said there was no need to go and just wait for her to come back in the palace.
Li Yuechen nodded. Coincidentally, her two sisters also seemed to want to go out and take a look, so Li Yuechen took them there.
She didn't teach today, she just watched from the side and only reminded them when she found that they did something wrong.
The two sisters seemed a little excited about going out of the palace for the first time, and they were wandering around the house.
But after watching for a while, I felt it was boring and started chatting with Li Yuechen.
"Chen'er, what you mean is that the rotation speed of this 'stirring rod' can also be calculated?" Princess Xuancheng asked.
"Yeah." Li Yuechen nodded, "Maybe I can't wait, but someone will definitely be able to figure it out in the future!"
Princess Xuancheng thought for a moment and said, "Chen'er once said that anything that exists in this world can be counted. How about sunlight?"
"The same applies." Li Yuechen leaned against the wall. "The speed of light, one breath of 600,000 miles!"
"Six hundred thousand miles in one breath?" Princess Xuancheng had no idea how big a number was, but she was still curious. "How was this calculated?"
"I don't know how to explain it, but sister, just believe me." Li Yuechen said.
"Yes, I believe it." Xuancheng nodded.
Princess Yi Yang next to her looked up at the dazzling sunlight in the sky, then lowered her head with a smile.
…
Overall these people did a good job today and all the steps were memorized.
Two of them didn't remember it, but Chunmei reminded them immediately. Li Yuechen didn't say a word the whole time.
Looking at today's soap being put into the mold, Li Yuechen nodded. It seemed that he wouldn't have to come here for a few days.
In the next few days, Li Yuechen came over again to check on them without saying a word. They were able to complete the entire process without any mistakes.
Li Yuechen nodded to indicate that it was okay and that she would just follow this method in the future.
Before leaving, she waved and called Chunmei over: "Starting tomorrow, I will not come here all the time. Just store the glycerin produced every day. If there is anything you need, I will tell you."
“Yes!”
After finishing everything, Li Yuechen got on the carriage and returned to the palace. From tomorrow on, she would be able to resume her daily life.
Li Yuechen plans to wait a little longer for this batch of soaps. After a month, the effect will probably be better.
Her memory of the soap was already quite vague, so she could only go back and check the records she had written.
But this time Li Yuechen learned her lesson. Ever since the poem "Mercy of the Farmers" she wrote last time was discovered by Li Zhi, she knew that these things must not be seen.
So when Li Yuechen was sorting out his previous memories recently, many things were written in English.
During this period, the United States did not exist. As for the British Isles, it seems that there were a group of Anglo-Saxons?
It is even hard to say whether the prototype of English appeared.
So at the moment, in the whole world, only Li Yuechen can understand what he wrote.
And they would organize them carefully on daily basis to minimize the possibility of being discovered by Li Zhi.
After all, people of that era were superstitious. It would be bad if Li Zhi found out that she was writing these strange words that were completely incomprehensible and thought that she was possessed by something.
…
As time went by, Dongdu gradually became more lively.
The reason is that the imperial examination has begun. Currently, the imperial examination is under the charge of the Shangshu Province, which will take all candidates to a place that is like a prison to take the examination.
Just wait after the exam, the results will be announced after the spring ploughing in February. That should be the busiest time at the gate of the imperial city.
Those who passed the exam cheered and got to know each other, and then brought gifts to the Secretariat to visit the prime minister and the chief examiner, which was called "passing the hall."
As for those who failed the exam, they can either go back and prepare for the exam again next year, or go home to farm or do business.
There were many examination subjects in the Tang Dynasty. According to different types, they were roughly divided into Xiucai, Jinshi, Mingjing, Mingfa, Mingshu...
This is something Li Yuechen only found out later. It turns out that the "scholars" of this period were the highest level of candidates.
However, the examination for the scholar is extremely difficult. Not to mention passing it, there are only a few people who are qualified to take the exam every year, and most of the time there is even no one.
Therefore, the most popular position in the imperial examination was the Jinshi.
She didn't care much about the imperial examination. What she was more concerned about now was the spring plowing and it was almost time to sow.
After a year of maintenance, the soil quality of the small plot of land in Anfu Temple is already quite good. It is an exaggeration to say that you can squeeze out oil from it, but at least it is no different from the best farmland.
Li Yuechen was not clear about the specific process of sowing and transplanting rice seedlings, so he directly sent someone to the Ministry of Household Affairs to call in professional personnel to do the work.
The only trouble is that every time these people come, they must be followed by a large number of palace maids and eunuchs to monitor them.
Li Yuechen didn't care. She wasn't socially anxious, and the worst that could happen was just some trouble.
As for Shangguan Wan'er, she grew up in the Yunting Palace and was not afraid of strangers.
However, the two elder sisters, because they had never been exposed to the situation outside the palace since they were young, were embarrassed to go out every time when so many people suddenly came.
At first, these people were a little scared of Her Royal Highness the Princess with a ponytail, and they answered all the questions very cautiously.
After a while, I dared to answer in a normal tone.
After all, although these people are strictly speaking officials, they are essentially technical officials. Many of them don’t even know what the Minister of Revenue looks like, let alone the emperor.
It's normal to feel uncomfortable now that you're suddenly talking to the princess face to face.
Li Yuechen didn't care about these things, as long as they could do the job well.
Wu Zetian felt it was inappropriate to have so many outsiders coming in and out of the harem every day.
But Li Zhi said that this was for his daughter to study how to increase production, and if it really succeeded, this would not be a big deal.
Wu Zetian didn't say much, but just asked Zhang Chengxin to send someone to keep an eye on them.
…
During the time when Li Yuechen started to get busy, the results of the imperial examination were announced.
On the day the results were announced, the outside of the Imperial City was already crowded with onlookers. People who usually seldom crossed the Tianjin Bridge were waiting outside the Imperial City early today to watch the excitement.
Standing in the front row, people of varying ages, some clenched their fists nervously, some looked around, and some scratched their heads...
Li Yuechen, who was standing on the city wall and secretly watching with Shangguan Wan'er, could understand their behavior.
After all, this is an imperial examination. If you pass it, it would be like achieving a reversal in life.
After a while, the official in charge of announcing the results walked out of the imperial city's gate and came to the wall on the right side of the gate under the protection of several soldiers. Someone next to him took paste and began to apply it on the wall. The official opened the paper roll in his hand and began to post the results.
After he had pasted it, he turned around and announced loudly: "The emperor has ordered that those who pass the imperial examinations will be allowed to enter the palace to see the emperor!"
After saying that, he stepped back two steps to make way and stood aside. Only two soldiers stood guard at the side of the list to maintain order.
Those in the front walked forward to check.
After a while, a loud cheer rang out: "I won!"
I saw a young man who looked to be in his thirties in the crowd jump twice on the spot, then quickly walked up to the official who had just posted the notice and saluted.
The official returned the greeting and said, "Please be patient. When the other successful candidates arrive, follow me into the palace to see you."
From time to time, cheers would be heard from the crowd, but more often there were sighs of disappointment.
There were nearly thirty candidates who passed the imperial examination this year. Soon they all arrived. After paying their respects to the officials in charge of welcoming them, they entered the palace to meet the emperor.
Li Yuechen on the city wall asked Shangguan Wan'er to go back first, and he ran to the back of Qianyuan Hall and slipped in, wanting to see what the emperor would say to these people.
The emperor seldom met with Jinshi candidates, because even though they had passed the exam, they could not be granted official positions immediately. They still had to undergo a few years of training and waiting.
Of course, if you want to become an official immediately, it is not impossible. As long as you can pass the assessment of the Ministry of Personnel again, you can become an official immediately.
It’s a pity that the exam is so difficult that few people can pass it.
Coming behind the screen, Li Yuechen leaned against the wall as usual when listening to the news, with his arms crossed over his chest, intending to listen to what the emperor would ask.
When the Jinshi entered the hall, they first saluted the emperor and shouted "Long live the emperor" in unison.
Li Zhi raised his hand to avoid the formality. Paper and pens had already been prepared in the hall. The scholars sat down at the desk and picked up their pens to answer the emperor's questions.
From their slightly trembling hands, one could sense that they were still a little nervous.
The scholars below were waiting for the emperor's questions.
Li Zhi, sitting on the dragon throne, moved his eyes left and right, scanning everyone in the hall, and then looked at his little daughter behind the screen.
Li Zhi stopped the health ball in his hand and spoke slowly: "Today, I only have one question. If a woman has talent, can she join the army as a general or serve as an official in the court?"
