The imperial examination was held once a day, and various subjects were conducted one after another amidst the busy schedule.

On the third day of the imperial examination, there was a law test. The first law subject was based on the questions set by the famous Confucian scholars of Taiyuan University based on Han law. 50% of the questions were about legal provisions, and the remaining 40% were about actual precedents, which set up punishments and executions.

Various types of imprisonment and punishment are involved in detail.

The final topic of the book of Laws was set by Liu Bei. The final topic is a seemingly simple problem of dividing porridge. The question is, there is a vat of porridge and one person is asked to divide the porridge. How to ensure that this person divides the porridge fairly and impartially.

In the examination room, when Yuan Shao and Cao Cao saw a question, they had different answers.

Yuan Shao replied, choose a person with fair character and high respect to hold a spoon and divide the porridge.

Cao Cao replied that he would have people supervise to ensure fairness.

Among them, judging from the answers, Yuan Shao seems to be more idealistic, while Cao Cao is more realistic and seems to understand human nature better.

But the answers given by Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, both of them thought they were correct, were just ordinary answers and were far from the real answers.

In this law subject, Cao Cao did not answer very well, because Cao Cao was not completely familiar with the criminal laws of the Han Dynasty. However, because Cao Cao had experience in political administration, he still understood some of the relevant laws. He was much better than Yuan Shao.

On the fourth day, I asked about water conservancy, asked about the key points of many river and stream weirs, asked about construction details, asked about manpower, cost, weather, geography, engineering skills, etc.

Since ancient times, craftsmen have been despised, and the same is true for the Han Dynasty.

Scholars who are well versed in the classics of various scholars and are full of knowledge, when asked about water conservancy, very few can answer.

However, this grand imperial examination event caused a sensation in the entire city of Luoyang. There were many people taking the examination, including many traders and laborers. Among them, there were many talents who were proficient in water conservancy. After this test, these rare talents immediately stood out.

In the subject of water conservancy, as the final question of this subject, because Liu Bei did not understand water conservancy, the final question was asked by a famous scholar from Taiyuan University, and the title was to inquire about the water veins and river networks around Luoyang. This question was not asked by water conservancy officials for many years.

Can't answer in detail.

On the fifth day, the volume on business and politics examines the theory of salt and iron, the prices of various commodities, and taxation. In this volume, a considerable part of the content in the "Book of Han" is examined to examine all kinds of goods.

The sixth day, agricultural affairs.

The seventh day, military strategy.

After taking exams on boring subjects such as water conservancy, business and politics for many days, the military strategy finally inspired the scholars.

A volume of military strategy still proceeds from easy to difficult, with progressive levels of difficulty.

The military strategy is opened, starting from the examination of Sun Tzu's Art of War, examining the content of Sun Tzu's Art of War, and then to Sun Bin's Art of War, Liu Tao, Sima's Art, Wu Qi's Art of War, and other military works.

Cao Cao was very good at military art, so he could answer the first part of the question as if it were flowing water.

For Cao Cao, these questions were ordinary and lackluster.

Yuan Shao was also in the examination room. Yuan Shao's answers were not as good as Cao Cao's. Although Yuan Shao also read Sun Tzu's Art of War and the Six Tao Sima Method, he only read it and did not study it in depth. He did not study it as much as Cao Cao did. Therefore, Yuan Shao answered many questions.

Can't answer.

Later, the second part of the Art of War volume began to involve reality.

The questions in the volume include questions about the names of various formations, various types of ordnance, famous battles from ancient times, details of military formations and generals at all levels, and also questions about the range of bows and crossbows, schedules of chariots and horses, and marching locations.

Consumption, cost of weapons, etc. involve all aspects of combat.

In this part of the test, Cao Cao began to have trouble answering. Cao Cao was not familiar with engineering skills, and it was difficult for him to understand the details of making various weapons.

After answering this part, Cao Cao slightly approved of Liu Xuande who asked the question. Cao Cao believed that the question Liu Bei asked involved all aspects of military affairs, no matter how big or small, and everything was involved. It can be seen that Liu Bei is a man who knows the military.

The first strategic encounter between Cao Cao and Liu Bei actually unfolded on the examination paper.

Liu Bei, who wrote the question, inadvertently showed his understanding of military strategy in the test questions, and Cao Cao could see the depth of Liu Bei's military strategy.

After basic military knowledge such as weapons, formations, ancient and modern battles, army formation, etc., the subsequent parts become more difficult.

Practical questions began to appear on the examination paper, with preset scenarios for the scholars to answer.

The question is, [When the enemy and we are fighting on the plains, is there any geographical advantage in the plains?]

The questions he asked were very level and insightful, and Cao Cao felt like he had met a confidant.

Cao Cao wrote in reply, "Above the plains, there are also geographical advantages. The direction of the wind is an advantage. Fight for the upper hand. Use a sharp bow and crossbow. The sun is an advantage. Turn away from the sun to avoid dazzling."

Then the second question was asked, "Why was the city lost in the offensive and defensive battle? Why was it not lost?"

Cao Cao thought briefly and wrote, "The success or failure of offense and defense depends on the strength of the troops, morale, people's hearts, and time..."

Question, "Is it enough to encourage bravery by giving generous rewards to men?"

Cao Cao did not hesitate to write and replied, "How can it not be done?"

Then, Cao Cao realized that this answer seemed too simplistic, so he analyzed the method of rewarding people generously.

There were more than ten practical questions in a row, each of which involved the most profound aspects. Cao Cao answered them very readily and couldn't stop.

After taking many exams, this was the subject that Cao Cao was most comfortable with.

Soon, it was time to reach the final question on the Art of War.

There are several final questions on The Art of War.

The first question is, [After reading the Art of War, is it enough to hold it vertically and horizontally?]

This question is copied from the original title of the Julu Imperial Examination Military Strategy volume.

After reading all the art of war, is it enough to hold it vertically and horizontally? (Not enough. Didn’t you see Zhao Kuo’s affairs?) Cao Cao thought to himself.

Cao Cao immediately pointed out the key to this question.

Then, the second question asked, "From the northern border of the Han Dynasty, across the grasslands from north to north, over the vastness, through the forest sea, across the glaciers, eight thousand miles, to the polar regions that have been frozen for thousands of years, where there are one hundred thousand people living in the polar regions."

Ask, how to take the land to expand the country's territory?]

When Cao Cao saw this topic, his mind was wandering, and his mind seemed to have traveled across the grassland, crossed the vastness, and traveled far and wide.

Suddenly coming back to his senses, Cao Cao couldn't help but frown. He couldn't help but wonder, is it really possible to go eight thousand miles to the north? Is there really such a polar country eight thousand miles away? Even if there is such a polar country, it can be frozen for thousands of miles.

How to farm and make a living in this land of 2019? Are there really people there?

Cao Cao fell into confusion. Confused and confused, Cao Cao suddenly thought, if there is no eight thousand miles to the north, then when you reach eight thousand miles, where will you be? Where?

A question made Cao Cao think about the depth of philosophy.

Is there any end to the earth? What will be at the end of the earth? Countless people have thought about it since ancient times, and Cao Cao became one of them.

As a final question, this question is extremely difficult.

As the title says, it takes eight thousand miles to travel from the northern border of the Han Dynasty to the north, across the grasslands, over the vastness, through forests and seas, and across glaciers. On the grasslands alone, the land is vast and boundless, and there are many barbarians in the way.

Cao Cao frowned. He pondered for a long time and wrote, "To expand eight thousand miles northward, it is necessary to clear the grassland and eliminate the unruly people. Then, we will mobilize the people of the country to eliminate the vastness, cut down the forest and sea, and go northward on the ice..."

Then there is the third final question.

The question is, [There are Da Yueshi, Guishuang, Anxi, and Da Qin in the west. If you lead your troops to the west and sweep away the countries, what can you do?]

…

Question: [The great Han Dynasty faces the sea to the east. Dare I ask, where is beyond the sea? 】

…

The final question is not for people to answer at all, it is purely difficult for people, and Cao Cao cannot answer it.
Chapter completed!