"Oh? I have heard it, and there is nothing laughable about it. I wonder what you find so amusing? Tell me."
The Empress suddenly became interested and asked.
"Your Majesty, our current top priority is the court's treasury. According to my humble observation, the Ministry of Revenue's annual income may not be optimistic."
"If the court has no money or grain, how can it reduce the people's taxes, and how can it maintain its armies to defend against enemies and protect the land? This is why I laugh."
The man with the small goatee replied, cupping his hands, and glancing dismissively at his fellow scholars around him.
"You speak nonsense! How can the court be without money or grain? You are simply..."
"Silence!" The Empress suddenly roared, channeling her energy.
She directly interrupted one of the successful candidates, then asked with interest, "Then, esteemed candidate, do you have a solution? What advice do you have for me?"
"Your Majesty, since ancient times, a lack of money and grain in the court has been a national crisis, a matter that must be prioritized. Only when the court's finances are abundant can all strategies be supported and implemented."
Afterward, the man with the small goatee explained what he believed were the urgent matters that the Yunyue Kingdom needed to address.
First, each border army should add twenty thousand militia youths. They would normally engage in farming to supply military provisions, and in times of war, they would assist in supporting the army's strategies.
Second, the court's income should be increased. The court should organize manpower to reclaim wasteland and turn it into fertile land, thereby increasing tax revenue from land. Merchants should be encouraged, their status elevated, to accelerate the flow of goods and exchange with neighboring countries, actively engaging in trade and diplomatic relations with surrounding nations.
Third, existing tax systems and collections should be strictly investigated, corruption thoroughly examined, and supervision transferred.
After he finished speaking, both the Empress and Chu Chen sensed that the man with the small goatee had not told the whole truth, or perhaps dared not tell the whole truth for fear of offending certain powerful officials.
"Your Majesty, all my suggestions are based on the policies implemented by Prime Minister Chu. I deeply agree and believe that by extending his policies to govern the country, we can turn the tide and enrich the nation."
The man with the small goatee subtly hinted at something with a knowing look.
Chu Chen smiled inwardly, and the Empress also smiled.
Both of them understood the underlying meaning of the man with the small goatee's words, which was reform, to bring about a radical change and a new era in the Yunyue Kingdom.
The Empress found this person to be somewhat talented and interesting. A gentle smile finally appeared on her face as she asked, "Your suggestions are quite flattering."
"What is your name?"
"Your Majesty, my surname is Zhu and my given name is Hui!"
Zhu Hui replied eagerly, overjoyed.
The other successful candidates looked at him with some envy. To be personally asked for his name by the current Empress meant that she had taken notice of him, and he had a good chance of becoming a Jinshi (successful candidate in the imperial examination) this time.
The Empress nodded, pointing at the dragon table where the old eunuch was writing.
Soon, the palace examination essays and all procedures for the three hundred successful candidates were completed. The Empress signaled the old eunuch to announce the results.
The latter quickly picked up the paper he had just written and shouted, "In this specially convened imperial examination, Fang Jinzhong is ranked first, Li Kaihuai is second, and Zhu Hui is third."
"The following twenty-seven people are the twenty-seven Jinshi!"
Then, the old eunuch handed the paper to a robust eunuch with a strong voice, who was responsible for reading out the list in order.
After he finished reading, the old eunuch also finished writing an imperial decree. After the Empress affixed her seal, he took over and shouted, "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees!"
"In the year 3242 of the Qingzhou Continent, our dynasty deeply feels a shortage of officials. We hereby grant a special imperial examination this year, selecting three hundred successful candidates from the Ministry of Governance, who will present their strategies before the Emperor!"
"Those who presented excellent arguments have greatly pleased me, and thus their ranks are determined by their strategies!"
"The Zhuangyuan is Fang Jinzhong! The Bangyan is Li Kaihuai! The Tanhua is Zhu Hui! Along with twenty-seven others, they are granted the status of Jinshi. The remaining successful candidates will be granted the status of Tong Jinshi!"
"The names and positions of each successful candidate will be used to fill future vacancies of less than three hundred people. No palace examination will be held to select officials!"
"Respect this decree!"
"Congratulations to all the scholars!"
"Congratulations, congratulations!"
When the imperial decree announcing the final results was read, the civil officials immediately began to offer their congratulations, and the atmosphere was joyous.
Chu Chen, as the Second Prime Minister, did not offer congratulations. Instead, he glanced at Zhu Hui, thinking that this fellow was talented.
He immediately activated his Insight skill to examine him.
[Name: Zhu Hui.]
[Gender: Male.]
[Age: 31.]
[Cultivation: Martial Disciple Realm.]
[Profession: None.]
[Talent: Purple-grade King of Annual Rolls, Purple-grade Diligent and Studious, Blue-grade Active Mind, Red-grade Capable Minister for Governing the World.]
Zhu Hui's status panel surprised Chu Chen.
"I thought this Zhu Hui was just a minor talent, but I didn't expect him to be a Capable Minister for Governing the World? If entrusted with great responsibility, wouldn't he be able to share the burdens of state affairs with me?"
Chu Chen rejoiced inwardly. Upon seeing the Red-grade talent "Capable Minister for Governing the World," he immediately thought of a suitable position for this person.
After the congratulations, the eunuch took out a pre-written imperial decree from his sleeve and shouted in a sharp voice, "Silence! How dare you make noise before His Majesty?"
Soon, the scene quieted down. Then, Chu Chen ordered the people, who were now considered reserve officials, to be taken away.
At this point, the old eunuch unfolded the imperial decree and shouted, "In the year 3242 of the Qingzhou Continent, the Second Prime Minister Chu Chen, for his hard work and great contributions, is hereby promoted to Prime Minister! He is granted the title of Baron. Respect this decree!"
"This minister, Chu Chen, thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"
Chu Chen bowed with joy, and only stood up to receive the imperial decree with both hands when it was brought to him.
This day was considered a significant event for the Yunyue Kingdom.
First, the specially convened imperial examination had concluded. Second, Chu Chen, beloved by the common people, had become the Prime Minister of the Yunyue Kingdom, which sent all the poor people across the nation into a frenzy of joy, as they knew what this meant.
As for the powerful noble families, they were somewhat displeased, but they could do nothing about Chu Chen in the imperial court.
For Chu Chen, this meant that he could begin his reforms soon.
As for Princess Xin Yue, well, it didn't mean much to her.
After the court session, Chu Chen, leading the members of the Chu faction, generously booked an entire restaurant and hosted a banquet for the officials of the Chu faction in the court.
The following evening, he hosted a banquet for officials of the third rank and above at the Prime Minister's mansion.
For three consecutive days, Chu Chen was busy hosting banquets and arranging officials for the Prime Minister's mansion. During this time, he did not enter a state of cultivation and was unaware that some subtle changes had quietly occurred in the world.
In the imperial palace, Princess Xin Yue was completely immersed in her cultivation. With the guidance of royal mentors and the resources provided by Chu Chen, in just half a year, she had cultivated to the Body Refining realm.
On the day Chu Chen was promoted to Prime Minister, as Princess Xin Yue sat cross-legged, circulating her cultivation technique to absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth, she noticed that the spiritual energy was three parts easier to absorb than usual.
"Huh? What's going on?" Princess Xin Yue opened her eyes, feeling confused and uneasy, and quickly asked her mentor.
On the same evening, cultivators throughout the Yunyue Kingdom, as well as martial artists and cultivators across the entire Qingzhou Continent in neighboring countries, who were cultivating that night, all sensed the abnormality of the spiritual energy. They felt uneasy, unsure whether the change was good or bad.