Chapter 423 Preparing for the Imperial Examination
“Then give Qingzhou Hou a warning.”

Xiao Han said calmly: “Let him behave himself.”

“I can help him rise up, but I can also destroy his family overnight.”

“Uncle Wang has always been ambitious, but he always lacks decisiveness at critical moments.”

Ning Xi said: “Although this kind of person is patient, he is inevitably timid. He only needs to be hit a little bit and he will shrink his head back like a turtle.”

“Madam, what you said is quite vivid.”

Xiao Han couldn’t help laughing.

“My dear, I have a bad idea.”

She said jokingly, “Why not let Dayuer go to Qingzhou?”

“Just do as you wish.”

He said, “I leave this matter entirely to you.”

“it is good.”

Ning Xi nodded.

The breeze is cool and the sky is dim. As autumn approaches, it becomes increasingly lonely. There is a growing chill in the air and the grass and trees are gradually turning yellow.

Xiao Han put his hands behind his back and looked into the distance at the ground beneath his feet. Although it was late autumn, he could feel a strong vitality from this world, but this vitality was not obvious for the time being.

In the Guanyu Lake behind him, a cool breeze echoed, causing ripples that spread endlessly. He raised his head and looked at the gray sky with a deep gaze, not knowing what he was thinking.

As autumn approached, the Xiliang Palace became increasingly busy, with a constant stream of carriages and horses coming in and out of the Military and Political Department every day.

The same was true of the Xiliang Prefecture government office, where fast horses delivering official documents could be seen coming and going at any time.

Xiliang, Youzhou, Jizhou and Yongzhou are Xiao Han’s bases. He does not need to worry about the political reforms in recent years. The reforms in Orange Island and Hexi Province have also been completed. With six states in hand, countless officials and soldiers, money and food have been transported to the five northern states.

Heavy snow has started to fall in the north, and we need to prepare cotton-padded clothes for the winter. All these matters, big and small, need to be dealt with urgently.

Today’s Xiliang, in terms of scale, is almost an orthodox dynasty configuration, with each department performing its own duties.

Although the Military Affairs Department and the Xiliang Yamen are not the Cabinet and the Six Ministries in name, the powers they actually exercise are no different from those of the two.

However, with the conquest of the five states of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the demand for personnel became increasingly greater. Although Xiao Han had been intentionally reserving talents over the years, he was still a little stretched.

After enjoying the cool breeze for a while, I returned to the main courtyard.

“Rui Xue, go to the Military Affairs Department and ask Mr. Guo if he has time. If he does, come tomorrow.”

“Also, have someone go to the academy to invite Master Xun and Palace Master Yuan to come.”

“it is good.”

Cao Ruixue didn’t ask why, but just walked down quickly to give instructions.

“My husband is going to hold an imperial examination?”

Miaoyu walked out from the back hall and pursed her lips and said, “I discussed this matter with Mr. Guo and Yuan Shao earlier.”

“Have you come up with a charter?”

He said, “Now that we have added five more states, we are a bit short of manpower. We must hold the imperial examination by next autumn at the latest.”

“In the past, the territory was small, so a call for talents was enough. Now your husband governs eleven states, not even counting the two barren lands of Bingzhou and Kuhanzhou in the Northern Wei Dynasty. We must use corvée and imperial examinations to search for talents from all over the world.”

“And we can’t just hold the imperial examination. Talent is not something that is born and nurtured. It is not something that can be achieved overnight. Those who do that are freaks.”

“We must also start training talents, including scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, so that Xiliang can become more and more prosperous.”

He spoke eloquently, “So I plan to discuss with Yuan Shao, Guo Tu and Master Xun and come up with a charter as soon as possible. This matter cannot be delayed.”

“It is not difficult to come up with the rules for the imperial examination, but my husband, there is a difficulty, that is, whether to recruit candidates from the five states in the northern border.”

She looked embarrassed: “It’s not right to admit them, and it’s not right not to admit them.” “And do you want to admit candidates from the Central Plains?”

“The imperial examinations will be held in the six states of Xiliang next year and the year after. People from the five states in the north and the Central Plains will be selected through the academy.”

Xiao Han thought for a moment and said, “After the decree is implemented in the five northern states, we will continue to implement the imperial examination system. I want talented people, not those who curry favor with the powerful.”

“Good Yu’er, do you have the accounts of the Xiliang Prefecture government treasury? See if there is any spare money that can be allocated.”

“Supporting the imperial examination is no problem.”

Miaoyu said: “But the cost of running a school is ten or a hundred times that of the imperial examination.”

“We have to squeeze in and squeeze out.”

He picked up the teacup and took a sip: “I will ask Ning Xi later. Our palace’s assets should have accumulated a lot of money over the years.”

In Ningxi Garden.

As the autumn wind blew, Lan’er and Cui’er were leading the servants to sweep the fallen leaves on the ground and trim the grass.

“Master, why did you come back so early today?”

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Seeing their mistress coming in, the two girls went up to her and asked with a smile.

“Go to the other courtyard.”

Ning Xi Garden is extremely large, even not inferior to Xiao Han’s hospital. There are more than ten villas in it, with all necessary facilities. After all, it is the princess’s courtyard.

The courtyard was elegant and there was a charcoal fire burning in the lobby, emitting warm air and keeping the cold wind out.

The beautiful woman was doing embroidery. The robe in her hands was almost finished and it would be finished in a few days.

“The princess has arrived.”

Two servants came into the yard and shouted at the door. The beautiful woman immediately put down the work in her hands, straightened her clothes, and then stood up.

Just at this time, Ning Xi had already walked to the door of the main hall.

“This servant has seen the princess.”

The beautiful woman bowed gracefully. Her face was one of the most beautiful in the world, and time had not left the slightest trace between her brows.

“No need to be so polite, sister.”

Ning Xi quickly stepped forward, helped her up, then dismissed the maid, and the two walked into the house side by side.

“Princess, have some tea.”

Dayuer went to make tea and brought it over, keeping a low profile. She had no backing, and she was able to enter the Xiliang Palace because of her beauty and the favor of that man.

Ever since she entered the Xiliang Palace, she has never done anything evil to anyone. She has been careful and cautious in everything, never fighting or competing, like a transparent person.

“I’ve been busy lately. It’s my fault that I didn’t come to accompany my sister this time.”

Ning Xi held her hand, with a hint of apology in her tone.

“Madam, you must not do this.”

“This slave girl cannot bear this.”

Dayuer showed a bit of panic on her face. In her early years in the Qingzhou Marquis’ Mansion, being a canary made her develop a cautious mentality.

Although he later entered the Xiliang Palace, neither Xiao Han nor Princess Ning Xi were too harsh on him, and his food, clothing and other expenses were allocated according to the plans of the masters of each courtyard.

There were many servants in the courtyard, but she had never been rude in front of Ning Xi. Even when facing the mistresses of other courtyards, she always regarded herself as a servant.

“The weather is getting colder, is there anything missing in your yard?”

Ning Xi took her hand and sat down, asking about her well-being, “If there is anything you need, just let me know.”

(End of this chapter)