Summary of the previous chapter: Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun to invite Ma Xiaoquan to his residence, euphemistically calling it a "design competition". The ultimate goal of the design competition was to seek talents in water conservancy. After some screening, the talents were freshly released.
Among these talents, Ma Xiaoquan saw someone he knew, Yang Liang...
Yang Liang was a little nervous because he had a guilty conscience.
When Yang Liang and Ma Xiaoquan met, he had poisoned Ma Xiaoquan. Unfortunately, Yang Liang didn't know that Ma Xiaoquan was invulnerable to all poisons. Of course, Ma Xiaoquan didn't know that Yang Liang had poisoned him.
Ma Xiaoquan stepped forward and patted Yang Liang's shoulder. These few times made Yang Liang terrified.
"Huh? Brother Tianming, Yang Liang's words, why are you sweating profusely?"
Yang Liang secretly cursed himself for being embarrassed, and quickly wiped his sweat and said: "Although the Prime Minister selected me as a water conservancy talent, he will have to compete with me later. Haha, I am not talented at dawn, so I am inevitably a little nervous!"
Cao Cao heard the conversation between the two, walked over and laughed and said: "Well, as long as you have the skills, I will naturally not embarrass you."
Yang Liang took a step back, knelt on the ground and said respectfully: "Thank you, Prime Minister!"
Cao Cao waved his hand and said to Ma Xiaoquan: "Master Shangxian, will the design competition begin?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "Let's start!"
...
The design competition is divided into two stages. Since the official shortlist must be determined in one day, it can be said that the time is tight and the task is heavy.
The content of the competition is very simple. The first item is to draw a water conservancy design drawing within one hour, and also attach the design ideas and concepts.
"An hour?" The people who were selected in the primary election looked at each other, not expecting that the first test would be so difficult.
The person who presided over the design competition was a trusted official of Cao Cao. This official was proficient in water conservancy. Seeing the heavy expressions on everyone's faces, he explained with a smile: "You don't need to panic. The content of this first competition is mainly to assess everyone's ability to perform on the spot.
Everyone, if a flood occurs, do you still have to wait until everything is done before going to the scene?"
The presiding officer said something that made everyone blush, but fortunately, what he just said was just the presiding officer's assumption.
Ma Xiaoquan stepped forward and said: "Everyone, you are chosen by Xiao Cao... Oh no, it is fate. I think you all know how kindly Cao Cheng is to his subordinates, but...
..I would like to say something on behalf of Prime Minister Cao here...Today's competition requires you to show your true level. If there is plagiarism or cheating, I will burn all your clothes on the spot, and then
Hit with a stick...do you understand?" After saying that, Ma Xiaoquan deliberately lit the light red flame on his hand.
Everyone looked at the flames in Ma Xiaoquan's hand, swallowed hard, turned around and looked again, and found Prime Minister Cao nodding with a smile.
"I understand!"
"Okay!" Ma Xiaoquan clapped his hands, "Then the first competition content will officially begin now."
As soon as Ma Xiaoquan finished speaking, someone asked: "Master Shangxian, there must be a question for the competition. How can we compete if there is no question?"
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and said: "There is no question."
"Scared?" Everyone was shocked, but Master Shangxian said that if there is no question, then there really is no question.
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the imperial examination system had not yet been formed. If you wanted to become an official, the easiest way was to promote filial piety and integrity. Cao Cao invited Ma Xiaoquan to be the judge of the design competition, and selected talents through examinations. This was also the forerunner of the imperial examination system.
Ma Xiaoquan walked to Cao Cao and said, "Xiao Cao, what do you think of what I just said?"
Cao Cao was very satisfied and clapped his hands repeatedly: "Master Shangxian is really amazing. That's what I thought before, hehe..."
Ma Xiaoquan nodded and turned his attention to the group of water conservancy talents...
Among this group of people, Yang Liang is not considered the best in terms of water conservancy design ability, but he is specialized in the field. Yang Liang said when he submitted his name before that he is good at paddy field design.
Yang Liang came to Yecheng long before Cao Cao issued a call for talents in water conservancy.
The Yang family has a cousin in Yecheng. According to what the cousin told Yang Liang, they found out about the whereabouts of the patriarch, which seemed to be related to a man named Lu Xian.
After Yang Liang got the news, he immediately came to Yecheng without stopping. Unfortunately, after arriving in Yecheng, the news about the man named Lu Xian disappeared again.
The rush was in vain. Yang Liang must have been too embarrassed to go back to see the second clan leader. While he was aimlessly wandering, he suddenly remembered that Ma Xiaoquan's home was in Yecheng.
Originally, Yang Liang's intention was to go directly to the Ma Family Courtyard to find Ma Xiaoquan, but then Yang Liang thought about it and felt that going there suddenly might arouse Ma Xiaoquan's suspicion. At this moment, Cao Cao's order seeking talents was issued.
Yang Liang asked around and learned that Ma Xiaoquan had a good relationship with Cao Cao, so he made up his mind to apply for a job under Cao Cao first, and then find a way to get close to Ma Xiaoquan and give him a roundabout way.
...
Of course Ma Xiaoquan didn't know what Yang Liang was planning, but he was a little surprised to see Yang Liang again in Yecheng.
In the past, Ma Xiaoquan put down his words and let Yang Liang have time to come to him. In fact, it was just a courtesy. Now it seems that Yang Liang traveled thousands of miles from Jingzhou to Yecheng, definitely not to work as a water conservancy official under Cao Cao.
of.
Due to the ongoing design competition, Ma Xiaoquan did not go forward to ask Yang Liang directly, so Ma Xiaoquan and Cao Cao asked to borrow Yang Liang for a few days.
...
An hour later, each designer picked up his or her own design plan.
Since the time was relatively short and the individual abilities varied from high to low, the water conservancy officials in charge of reviewing the designed plans frowned after looking at a few of them.
Ma Xiaoquan stepped forward and looked at a few. Regardless of his professionalism, most of these plans were indeed very rough.
"Lord Immortal, look..."
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head, called a professional water conservancy official to his side, and ordered: "Take a look, and those that don't work will be eliminated directly!"
"yes!"
...
The first stage ended quickly. A total of 4 people were eliminated in this stage, but those who were eliminated will naturally be selected.
Because the plan he designed was practical, Yang Liang was awarded third place in the first competition by the professional water conservancy official.
However, this is only the first item.
"The second competition..." Ma Xiaoquan paused for a moment and looked at the few people left present. "This second competition tests your hands-on ability! Well, you designed the first one."
The plan, now I need you to use the materials and tools you have now to build a prototype of it...Okay, without further ado, let’s get started!”
Cao Cao had already ordered people to prepare hammers, hammers, saws and other tools. After giving an order, the selected people immediately came forward to pick out the tools.
Yang Liang picked some wood and tools, and carried a few buckets of water, and thought quietly according to the plan he had just designed.
Like Yang Liang, other people also began to meditate after selecting suitable materials and tools.
Ma Xiaoquan touched Cao Cao and signaled Cao Cao not to speak loudly for the time being. Cao Cao nodded lightly and agreed.
The time for the second competition is more relaxed than the first one, but it is only two hours.
After thinking for a moment, the people selected in the first round started their own work.
Yang Liang designed a paddy field diversion plan. Due to time constraints, the plan and drawings were relatively rough. After a short period of thinking, Yang Liang decided to temporarily remove some minor functions and focus on water diversion.
The other people were also using saws and digging holes. The quiet scene just now suddenly became noisy again.
Time moved forward bit by bit, and everyone's designs gradually took shape.
An hour and a half later, a young man stood up first and raised his hands to signal completion.
Several professional assessors walked over, looked at the man's design for a while, then asked a few more questions, and then gave a score, but they did not announce it.
Immediately afterwards, Yang Liang also stood up and raised his hands...
Seeing that someone had finished ahead of schedule, Cao Cao was very happy and said to Ma Xiaoquan: "Master Shangxian, does the man you know seem to have pretty good abilities?"
Ma Xiaoquan was also a little surprised. He didn't know that Yang Liang had such ability.
"Haha..." Ma Xiaoquan said truthfully, "We say we know each other, but in fact it's just a chance encounter. Xiao Cao, I have to make it clear first that if that person is on your list, you have to borrow it first.
I have a few days.”
Cao Cao chuckled: "Of course, hehe, Lord Shangxian also agreed to go to Huai River with me, hehe..."
Ma Xiaoquan rolled his eyes at Cao Cao and stopped talking.
...
"Two hours have come, everyone, stop what you are doing!"
Ma Xiaoquan gave this order. Although some people had not finished it yet, they had no choice but to stop reluctantly because it was already time.
After some verification, the final list of selected candidates came out immediately.
Yang Liang was successfully added to Cao Cao's list of water conservancy officials, and Cao Cao also announced the salaries of these water conservancy officials on the spot.
"One thousand stones..." After listening to Cao Cao's words, Yang Liang was a little surprised. You must know that although his family is relatively wealthy, each person does not have the treatment of one thousand stones per year. This Cao Cao
, what a generous act.
After announcing the treatment, Cao Cao hosted a banquet to entertain everyone.
During the banquet, several newly elected water conservancy officials frequently toasted to Cao Cao. Cao Cao responded with a smile, while Ma Xiaoquan, as an immortal who couldn't drink, quietly slipped out.
Raising his head and looking at the moon in the night sky, Ma Xiaoquan sighed deeply and said to himself: "It seems that the matter of the solar recorder will have to be delayed a little longer..."
Just when Ma Xiaoquan was about to sigh again, a deep male voice came from behind him: "Brother Ma, so you are here..."