Hearing this, Emperor Jingwu turned to look at him. "As I recall, you just said that all the successful candidates come from distinguished families. But in my eyes, compared to Top Scholar Song, you seem to be the one from a distinguished family, don't you?"
When the blue-robed scholar heard this, he was instantly filled with embarrassment.
Just as he was anxiously wondering how to respond to Emperor Jingwu, she had already shifted her gaze away from him.
Under everyone's attention, Emperor Jingwu walked straight through the scholars to the commoners who were watching on the sidelines.
Seeing Emperor Jingwu suddenly approaching them, the commoners were at first at a loss, their faces full of tension. Then, nervously, they began to kneel.
Emperor Jingwu, whose expression had been tense since appearing in the video, now showed a slight smile. Her voice was gentle as she told them not to be formal, saying she just wanted to ask them a few questions.
She approached an old woman with a slightly hunched back and asked, "Elderly madam, could you kindly tell me what your family's annual income is?"
The old woman looked both nervous and excited facing Emperor Jingwu. "Your Majesty, if business is good, our family can earn about eleven taels a year."
"How many children do you have? Have you considered sending them to a private school?"
The old woman shook her head frantically. "We dare not think about studying. It costs too much money! Our family only manages to have enough food and clothing for the year. We're already doing well now."
Hearing this, Emperor Jingwu took three taels of silver from her purse and gently placed them in the old woman's hand:
"Elderly madam, this is a consultation fee for you. Thank you for answering my question."
The old woman hadn't expected to receive three taels of silver just for answering a few questions. She hesitated, unsure whether to accept, looking conflicted.
Emperor Jingwu smiled slightly and said, "It's fine, just take it."
Everyone present naturally saw Emperor Jingwu's interaction with the old woman.
Emperor Jingwu turned around and looked at the scholars watching her. Her voice carried as she said:
"I have consulted the records. In both the previous dynasty and our Great Jing Dynasty, the average age of a successful candidate in the imperial examination is around thirty-two."
"From childhood to the age of thirty, besides those from distinguished families, how many ordinary families can afford to raise a successful candidate?"
"In my view, your belief that this spring examination was unfair is completely wrong!"
"Because it's not just this spring examination—over the many spring examinations in history, not a single one has been truly fair!"
"Why does every outstanding scholar from a humble background like Top Scholar Song attract so much attention? Isn't it because everyone knows that it is hard for a humble family to produce a noble son?"
"But just because something has always been this way, does that make it right? Is that a reason to accept it as it is?**
"Why does the court hold the imperial examination? Isn't it to recruit talents from across the land and gradually change this unfair world?"
Emperor Jingwu's words clearly convinced many. Many scholars lowered their heads in shame.
"I know you have studied hard for many years, and you must be anguished over failing the examination. But I swear to Heaven, I have personally reviewed all your examination papers for this spring examination. The final list of successful candidates was decided after discussion between me and Minister Li Zeyuan!"
Hearing this from Emperor Jingwu, the scholars felt even more convinced. However, at this moment, Yin Yi's voice suddenly rang out:
"Your Majesty, now that you have said this, could you kindly tell us about the content of one particular candidate's paper?"
Yin Yi was clearly unwilling to accept that his long-planned scheme had been foiled by Emperor Jingwu.
So he decided to take one last gamble, thinking that even if Emperor Jingwu had actually participated in grading, she couldn't possibly remember the content of so many candidates' papers.
If Emperor Jingwu made a mistake, no matter how much she had said, the scholars would surely become suspicious and wonder if it was all lies.
Yin Yi deliberately picked a young man who looked unremarkable and slightly plump.
Emperor Jingwu showed no fear of Yin Yi's choice.
She looked at the young man and asked, "What is your name?"
The young man hadn't expected to be chosen. His voice was a little nervous as he said:
"Your Majesty, my name is Yuan Yixi."
Hearing this name, Emperor Jingwu frowned slightly.
Yin Yi's eyes were fixed on Emperor Jingwu.
Seeing her reaction, he immediately thought he had caught her in a mistake. He hastily raised his voice:
"Your Majesty, what's wrong? Could it be that Yuan Yixi's answers were too mediocre for you to remember his paper? If you need, I can choose another candidate for you?"
Although Yin Yi's words seemed to be helping her find an excuse, they actually immediately aroused everyone's suspicions.
Just as Yin Yi had hoped, many people now showed doubt on their faces, wondering if Emperor Jingwu had actually not participated in grading at all and had just made up a story to deceive them.
[1 Quote from 'Huainanzi: Military Strategy'; 2 Quote origin: Lu Xun's 'Diary of a Madman']