We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Chapter 940 Imperial City Ranking (Part 2)

"A Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), ranked second by imperial decree... Zhang Han from Qingzhou!"

Qian Bin's voice echoed throughout the venue, but there was no response, and many people looked bewildered.

Zhang Han?

Who is this person? I've never heard of him before.

Not to mention the onlookers, the vast majority of students were frantically searching their minds.

I thought about it for a long time, but I still had no recollection of the name.

Those who ranked high in the imperial examination, such as Zhang Qian and Lin Qingyuan, as well as a few somewhat famous but impoverished scions of noble families, were all more or less known to everyone.

But the name 'Zhang Han' was completely unfamiliar to me.

Meanwhile, inside the Imperial City, in the side hall of Xuanzheng Hall.

Moon Jae-in stood beside Lee Cheol, watching the outside world through the slightly ajar window.

Upon hearing the name Zhang Han, Wen Zaiyin raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to ask softly:

"Your Majesty, when I was reviewing the papers, I noticed that you greatly admired Lin Qingyuan's essay, and I thought you would select him as the second-highest scorer."

Although the palace examination and the metropolitan examination are different, the palace examination places more emphasis on the emperor's subjective opinion, while the first and second place winners in the metropolitan examination are not necessarily the top scholars or the second-highest scorers.

However, Lin Qingyuan was exceptionally outstanding among the candidates, and his talent was appreciated by many important officials, even surpassing that of Zhang Qian.

Li Che gazed out the window, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Professor Wen, Lin Qingyuan's article is indeed excellent, with a grand vision, but you must have also seen Zhang Han's exam paper, right?"

Wen Zaiyin nodded and stroked his beard, saying, "I've read it. The whole thing is full of practical advice, without a single flowery word. In particular, it offers many insightful views on specific matters such as criminal law, accounting of money and grain, and circulation of official documents."

“That’s right.” Li Che turned around and explained, “This boy comes from a family of minor officials in Qingzhou. His father and grandfather were both officials in the government office. He has been exposed to these things since childhood and knows the ins and outs of these grassroots operations very well.”

"The strength of the policies proposed in his article lies in their specificity and feasibility, directly addressing the deep-seated problems in the operation of the bureaucracy. I gained a lot from reading it."

"The articles by Lin and Zhang, one focuses on the heavens and the other on the soil, and it is difficult to simply judge which is stronger or weaker."

He paused, his tone carrying a deeper meaning: "However, Elder Wen should know that clerks are the foundation for the court's decrees to reach the whole country, and they are also a force that I urgently need to win over and rectify."

“Zhang Han comes from a typical family of minor officials. The fact that he was chosen as the second-place scholar is of extraordinary significance.”

Upon hearing this, Wen Zaiyin's eyes flashed with understanding, and he bowed, saying, "Your Majesty's wisdom is profound; this old minister admires it."

He understood that the emperor was not only selecting talent, but also balancing the overall situation.

If the scholars from humble backgrounds are won over, the clerks can't ignore them either, as these people can be used to deal with powerful families.

Li Che's gaze returned to the window, a thought still lingering in his mind.

Lin Qingyuan was exceptionally talented, and behind him was the mysterious Yunmeng Mountain, whose background even Li Che couldn't grasp.

In this imperial examination, many disciples from Yunmeng Mountain achieved high scores, forming a force to be reckoned with.

The top scholar Zhang Qian also had a good relationship with the people of Yunmeng Mountain.

There is nothing wrong with this in itself; it is only natural that talented people attract each other.

However, if Lin Qingyuan were to win second place, this small group, centered around the disciples of Yunmeng Mountain and including the top scholar Zhang Qian, would have unparalleled influence among the newly appointed scholars.

At that time, it is inevitable that many of his colleagues will flock to him, creating a situation where he becomes too powerful to control.

As an emperor, he needed his subordinates to check and balance each other, rather than a monolithic group.

Of course, there is another reason that is not actually that important, but Li Che subconsciously feels is quite important:

The third-ranked scholar, the third-ranked scholar, since ancient times, the third-ranked scholar has always been handsome.

Lin Qingyuan, a figure dressed in white with an elegant demeanor, was more in line with his imagination of the title "Tanhua" (third-place scholar).

As for Zhang Han...

. . . . . .

Outside the imperial city, after a brief silence, the crowd finally came to their senses.

"The runner-up is here!" someone shouted excitedly.

The candidates looked in the direction of the sound and saw a figure suddenly stand up in the crowd, casting a shadow.

Upon seeing the person's appearance, everyone gasped and instinctively took a half-step back.

This...this is the second-place finisher?

This man was extremely tall and strong, almost a head taller than the average person, with broad shoulders and a thick back, standing there like an iron tower.

His skin was a bronze color from years of exposure to the wind and sun; his face was rugged, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a square jaw. His excited expression made him appear even more imposing.

He wore a faded blue cloth robe, but the clothes were so tight on him that they only accentuated his muscular build.

This look, this aura... Is this the runner-up? Or is he a butcher?

Everyone would believe it if he said he ate people alive!

Even the well-informed Qian Bin was visibly taken aback when he saw Zhang Han's true appearance, his gray eyebrows trembling slightly.

But he was, after all, a veteran minister who had served three dynasties, and he knew that one cannot judge a book by its cover.

She quickly regained her kind and gentle demeanor, nodding slightly in Zhang Han's direction as a sign of approval.

Without further delay, he continued:

"A top-ranking scholar in the imperial examination, designated third place...Lin Qingyuan of Yunmeng Mountain!"