Liu Jing returned to his official room. He slowly opened a thick list of people who were ridiculed, with more than a hundred pages, and was densely filled with the names of candidates. While he was reading, he circled some names with his pen.

At this time, Xu Shu, Jiang Wan and Pang Tong also rushed over. Xu Shu did not interfere in the academy exam. As the highest minister of government affairs, he was only responsible for providing all necessary resources. However, in the second round of official exams, Xu Shu became the chief examiner.

"Please sit down!"

Liu Jing asked the three of them to sit down, and he handed the list of abandoned candidates to Jiang Wan, "This is a loophole. It is very likely that the candidates I need are also on the list of abandoned ones. This will harm the interests of Jingzhou. Do you understand what I mean?"

Jiang Wan took the roster and understood what Liu Jing meant. He exchanged a glance with Pang Tong, and immediately nodded and said, "Let's quickly sort it out and see if there is any way to remedy it."

"I hope I won't ask this kind of thing to me again. Some people who use my pen circle, such sensitive names, you have turned a blind eye to it!"

Liu Jing's tone was a little displeased, "The first person on the third page, Xun Zhi of Yingchuan, is obviously a member of the Xun family. You just invalidated it without giving any explanation. Isn't this just keeping the sincerity of the Xun family out? Do you really think I want the so-called fairness?"

In the end, Liu Jing's attitude became very strict, and he was very annoyed. He repeatedly emphasized that this exam was mainly to win over the hearts of the gentry in the world, hire their children, and build a bridge of contact with the gentry in the north. Unexpectedly, his repeated orders were regarded as a warning.

Jiang Wan also felt that Liu Jing was angry. He was a little panicked and quickly stood up and saluted: "I have reported to the governor of the state, there is a reason for the matter. Please listen to the explanation of the minister!"

"you say!"

"Reporting to the provincial governor, there are indeed many aristocratic families who come to take the exam. Some come in private identities, and some come in family representatives. It is difficult to distinguish. If the Xun family in Yingchuan has nine children in total, including the Xun family's direct descendants and distant relatives in the family, we cannot deliberately admit them because of his surname Xun. For example, Zhang Quan of Jinyang on the first page, and the provincial governor also drew a circle. Is his surname Zhang, who is the prominent family of the Zhang family in Jinyang? So when it is difficult to achieve both sides, we can only follow the rules."

This explanation eased Liu Jing's anger a little. He pondered for a moment and said, "Now I need an explanation, how do you plan to remedy it?"

Pang Tong said: "Perhaps we can give those who are excellent in the exam a chance to retake the exam, and for some sensitive names, we will also give them a chance to retake the exam."

Liu Jing was acceptable to this plan, and he said to the three people earnestly: "You must understand this. The so-called fair examination is just a gimmick. The real purpose of my holdings to openly recruit scholars is to establish connections with the northern aristocratic tribes. We must give priority to the admission of their children. Even the scholars in Jingzhou and Yizhou must be second to the children of the northern aristocratic tribes. As for fairness, it is not impossible, but it is not possible now. After we seize the world, I can agree to the fairness you want. Do you understand?"

The three of them stood up and saluted, "I understand!"

Liu Jing walked a few steps behind his hands, and then turned around to instruct the three of them: "There are still some details to grasp. Once the final list is released, some people will definitely see the clues. Discussion is inevitable, but this impact must be minimized. Therefore, after the academy list is released, we must find a way to drive the scholars home. When the final official exam is released, I hope that most of the people will leave. The scholars who stayed are all stakeholders who passed the academy exam, and even if they are discussed, it is okay. This is very important, and you must not be careless."

...........

Jiang Wan and Pang Tong left in a hurry, but Xu Shu stayed. He smiled and said, "I rarely see the Zhou Mu get angry! I actually met him today."

Liu Jing sighed and said, "I know Jiang Wan and Pang Tong both want fairness in their hearts, but from ancient times to the present, there is no fairness? I got angry because their scholars were too angry and had to remind them to wake up. If I didn't notice it, wouldn't it be a big deal."

Xu Shu smiled and said, "They want to balance, pay attention to both fairness and interests, so they can't help but think carefully about some details. However, since the provincial governor has made it so clear, I think they will not make similar mistakes again."

Liu Jing nodded and asked again: "What does Changshi think of Pang Tong as such? I mean talent."

Xu Shu pondered for a while and said, "I have been with Shi Yuan for many years. Back then, he was praised as Feng Chu and Kong Ming, and he was a talented person in Xiangyang. He was indeed very talented. Therefore, people in Xiangyang often say that if you get one person, you will win the world. However, Feng Chu has performed mediocrely over the years. Frankly speaking, it is disappointing."

"I have also heard many people say that he has a false reputation. Is this true?"

Xu Shu shook his head, "No! His performance is mediocre. I think it is related to Liu Bei's failure to use him well. From this public recruitment of scholars, he can see that his ability is very strong. From the registration of scholars' food and accommodation, to the arrangement of examination rooms, rulemaking, etc., he prepared such a complex and vast matter in just two months, especially for 100,000 people taking the exam, there was no trouble. This ability is not something that ordinary people can do, but Pang Tong's talent is not government affairs, but military affairs."

"But he did not perform well with Liu Bei, far inferior to Zhuge Liang."

"This is the problem!"

Xu Shu sighed, "This is called "Ji Sheng Long, He Sheng Feng, Pang Tong and Zhuge Liang are colleagues, so of course he will not be able to stand out. Moreover, Pang Tong is good at tactical changes, Zhuge Liang is good at long-term strategy, but in the face of the powerful Jiangxia, no matter how good the tactics are, it is meaningless. This makes Pang Tong have no chance to display his talents. In the later period, Pang Ji's surrender to Cao Cao seriously affected Liu Bei's trust in Pang Tong. In Wucheng, Liu Feng did not need him at all, which made him completely disappointed with Liu Bei."

Liu Jing walked a few steps behind his hands, then turned around and asked, "If I want to use him as the deputy military advisor, does the Chief Secretary think it's OK?"

Xu Shu pondered for a moment and said, "Pang Tong does have the talent of a military advisor, but he encountered too many setbacks in Liu Bei, and he is not very confident in himself. Moreover, he has not performed well. If he rashly uses him as a military advisor, it may make everyone dissatisfied. I suggest that the provincial governor can slow down and first appoint him as the military, participate in military planning, and promote him to deputy military advisor."

If you only evaluate it from the perspective of talent, Liu Jing's rating of Xu Shu was not very high, and he could only be considered to be middle-aged and superior. Without Xiao He and Zhang Liang's great talent, he could not be as wise as Zhuge Liang's.

But Liu Jing trusted Xu Shu very much. Xu Shu was down-to-earth in doing things, honest and upright, especially when he always evaluated people fairly and had no selfishness, so his attitude often determines a person's fate.

Liu Jing nodded, "What the Chief Secretary said is so true, that's what he decided."

At this time, Xu Shu remembered something again and said with a smile: "There is also Gong Kuai. I guess he is about to come back from Yizhou. How should the provincial governor use him?"

Kuai Gong was the new leader of Jingzhou, Kuai Yue. He came to Jingzhou twenty days ago to take office, so Liu Jing sent him to inspect the people's conditions. Kuai Yue went to Jiangxia and Nanjun, and then changed his way to Yizhou. In terms of time, he was about to come back.

Liu Jing smiled faintly: "Although Mr. Kuai has an old age with me, he abandoned Jingzhou and left at the most critical moment. This is his disloyalty to Jingzhou. Although I also know that he wants to come back, it is no longer possible. If he can maintain a good relationship with me and the court, then I may reuse the Kuai family's children."

Xu Shu didn't say anything more. He knew Liu Jing's will very well. Many things could be negotiated. If it was right, Liu Jing would also give in. However, when it came to matters in principle, Liu Jing would never give in at all. For Kuai Yue, the betrayal of the past was a principle, no matter how much Kuai Yue was kind to Liu Jing.

Unfortunately, Kuai Yue did not persist, but he did not leave at the beginning. With his great kindness to Liu Jing, he should be the number one person in Jingzhou except Liu Jing. Xu Shu couldn't help but sigh secretly.

．

．

．

．

．

．

．

．

With the attention of the crowd, the first round of academy exams was finally released, with 5,500 people on the list. Starting from the morning, there were crowds of people in Jingzhou Academy, and tens of thousands of scholars came from all directions. Everyone was looking for their names in the dense list. Fortunately, the list was announced according to their hometown, so it would be easier to find.

I kept seeing people jumping up and shouting happily, but more people left sadly. The reality is so cruel. One out of 20 people can only be admitted. For the Jingzhou government, the only thing that can be done is fairness. Even those with excellent grades in the eight thousand scrap papers have the opportunity to take the retake.

Xun Zhi is one of the make-up testers. His paste note fell off because he was not stuck firmly, but his grades were very excellent and he even entered the top ten, thus getting a chance to get a make-up test.

Xun Zhi's make-up exam ended yesterday. Like his two other friends, he received news that he passed the academy exam in the morning. Whether it was him, Cui Si, or Deng Hong, he did not have much surprises about passing the academy exam. He paid more attention to the next official exam, which was the purpose of their trip.

However, passing the academy exam can be considered as a qualification for the official exam. With this, we should also celebrate it well. However, the major taverns in Fancheng and Xiangyang were full, so the three of them asked the shopkeeper to cook a few dishes in the hostel, warm a pot of wine, and drink together around the fire.

"This make-up exam is really unexpected!"

Xun Zhi took a sip and sighed: "I heard from an examiner that there were more than 8,000 scrap papers this time, and I was one of them. I didn't have the chance to take the retake exam again, but due to Liu Zhoumu's anger, more than 300 people got another retake exam opportunity, and we all feel glad."

"Why is Liu Zhou Mu furious?" Deng Hong asked in confusion.

Xun Zhi shook his head, "I don't know, everyone is speculating. It's probably because Liu Zhoumu is afraid of talent loss!"

Choi Si sneered and said, "If I'm not wrong, these scholars who took the make-up exam are all children of aristocratic families!"

"How do you say this?" Xun Zhi and Deng Hong asked together.

At this moment, footsteps came from the yard, and the shopkeeper of the hostel whispered loudly in the yard: "Mr. Cui, there are customers looking for you!"

Choi Si was stunned and stood up and looked out the window. She saw a few standing in the yard. To be precise, there were several followers surrounded by a man in his thirties. Choi Si only felt that the man looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where he had seen him?

But when he was having a drink with his friends, someone came to visit him rashly, which made him feel a little embarrassed. Xun Zhi smiled and said, "Please invite the guests into the house! It's a bit rude to let others wait outside."

Choi Si nodded, opened the door and came out, bowed and smiled, "This gentleman is very familiar. Please forgive Choi Si for being rude. Do you really forget who the gentleman is?"

The man smiled slightly, "Please tell me!"
Chapter completed!