Chapter 792: The Selection is Imminent
In the middle of November, the ninth year of Jinghe.
On the outskirts of Chang'an, the National Academy.
A heavy snowfall had just occurred, and the foothills of Qingshan Mountain were covered with a thick layer of snow, thus cutting off the mountain trail.
However, the entry and exit of students in the National Academy were not affected.
I saw a flying bus slowly descending in the snow and fog. The hot air it emitted melted the snow around it before it landed steadily in front of the gate of the National Academy.
Amid the rising layers of fog, the car door opened with a click, and the students returning from Chang'an filed out.
Wen Weilan was also among them.
"Wenwen, you are finally here."
Lin Shuying had been waiting at the door for a long time.
As soon as he saw Wen Weilan, he took the initiative to step forward.
Behind her was Wang Dongdong, carrying a bright red spear.
"Yeah." Wen Weilan nodded, his eyes falling on the spear on Wang Dongdong's back.
Wang Dongdong blushed: "Ahem, thank you... for this spear."
Wen Weilan said calmly: "No need to thank me, as long as you find it useful."
After all, this was the weapon that Liu Sheng asked her to pass on.
However, because she could not reveal the source of the gratitude, Wang Dongdong's gratitude fell on her, which made their relationship inexplicably awkward.
Lin Shuying glanced at Wang Dongdong and said with a half-smile, "She not only thinks it's useful, she simply can't put it down."
"He carried her with him day and night, even when eating and sleeping. He was just short of carrying her in his dreams. He danced with her in the corridor and was warned by the National Academy for 'disturbing the order of the academy by brandishing a sword or a gun in a non-drilling area'."
"But when I asked her to put it down, she refused..."
Wang Dongdong's face suddenly turned red, and he interrupted hurriedly: "Shuying!"
"I am preparing for battle at any time!" she said confidently, "You all know that the atmosphere in the National Academy is..."
After he finished speaking, the smile on Lin Shuying's face faded slightly, and his expression became a little more serious.
Wen Weilan keenly sensed the change in atmosphere and said, "You asked me to come back..."
"Let's not talk about it here yet."
Lin Shuying's eyes moved between the people coming and going in front of the National Academy. He shook his head slightly and gestured for them to go inside.
The three of them walked into the gate side by side, but Wang Dongdong looked back at the flying bus slowly rising into the air as he walked, and said with emotion:
"It's snowing so heavily, luckily we have Fei Tian Bass from Qingyun Pavilion..."
"Bus." Wen Weilan corrected.
"Yes, bus." Wang Dongdong muttered, "This word sounds weird, where does it come from?"
Wen Weilan smiled but said nothing.
Lin Shuying continued, "However, your Qingyun Pavilion is now in great glory."
"First, they launched a hearse suitable for family and personal travel, and then developed this convenient 'bus' suitable for short-distance round trips. I heard that in the near future, even a flying car suitable for long-distance travel will be launched. Traveling a thousand miles a day is not a dream. Is this true?"
Wen Weilan nodded slightly: "Yes, I have been traveling around the country of Tang with Minister Ling of the Ministry of Industry to discuss the construction of the flying station."
"No wonder I haven't seen you recently." Lin Shuying suddenly realized.
Wen Weilan: "It's true that I've been quite busy recently."
Lin Shuying smiled: "That's because Qingyun Pavilion has developed well. I heard that it has set up branches in major cities. Anyway, you are already an upper-class student, so there are not many classes for you to attend in the National Academy."
While the two were talking, Wang Dongdong's expression suddenly dimmed, and his voice became a little lower: "I don't know... whether Shengsheng knows this."
"She will know it naturally." Wen Weilan said firmly. Wang Dongdong was slightly startled, and then showed a bitter smile: "...Yes, she will know it."
However, the word "meeting" spoken by the two people carries completely different meanings.
Lin Shuying looked at Wang Dongdong with pity.
Wang Dongdong also looked at Wen Weilan with pity.
Wen Weilan had his back to him, so he didn't know.
Walking into the empty corridor, the atmosphere became even quieter with the rustling of snow, and Lin Shuying took the initiative to speak:
"Wenwen, I asked you to come here today because there is someone I want you to meet."
Wen Weilan turned around, curiosity flashing in his eyes: "Who is this person that is so urgent for you?"
"Over there." Lin Shuying raised his hand and pointed to the Mingjing Hall at the end of the corridor.
Mingjing Hall is a place specially used for club activities in the National Academy. It is equipped with long tables and benches and has a spacious layout that can accommodate hundreds of people.
At this moment, a timid voice was echoing in the hall. It was not very loud, but it could be vaguely heard by walking to the back door.
"We are about to take the civil service examination. As children from poor families, what is our future? Perhaps, we should seriously think about how to choose and how to create more value for ourselves, the Tang Dynasty, and the world..."
Under the expectant gaze of Wang Dongdong and Lin Shuying, Wen Weilan slowly looked inside through the rear window.
There were quite a few people sitting in the Mingjing Hall, and the one speaking at the front was a petite girl with rosy cheeks.
"Now the change is imminent. Because of Skynet, our lives are undergoing great changes, and we also know that there are some things we can no longer turn a blind eye to..."
Although her voice was timid, her words were clear and her tone had an inexplicable appeal that made people want to listen and believe.
After the words were spoken, the students in the hall began to talk in low voices.
The girl took a breath and continued, "Now, the Guangming Society established based on the Guangming Forum is our chance to fight for the future..."
Wen Weilan asked quietly, "Are these people from our Guangming Society?"
Lin Shuying and Wang Dongdong both nodded.
Wen Weilan understood clearly.
Most of these people were students from poor families, and as a student of the Honghu Program, she rarely interacted with them on a daily basis, so she was not very familiar with them.
Discussions gradually arose in the hall.
"The civil service examination is coming soon, but how can we, the children of poor families, compete with the children of wealthy families?"
"Yes, the good positions have already been reserved by them."
"The so-called civil service examination is different for everyone. For us, it is a test that determines life and death, but for those noble families, it is just a formality."
"It's just that these things are never put on the table."
Hearing these words, Wen Weilan, Wang Dongdong and Lin Shuying outside the window all felt a little uncomfortable.
Yet, it cannot be denied.
The so-called "official selection examination" they are discussing now is the most important assessment of the National Academy at present, and it is also the last hurdle for this year's students of the National Academy before they embark on an official career.
Originally, the regulations of the National Academy were extremely strict. Only students who had studied for a full month could obtain the qualification to be selected as officials, and then participate in the selection of government offices or temples and officially enter the officialdom.
But this year the situation is different.
The court was in urgent need of manpower, so it issued a new order requiring all students of the National Academy to take the exam in advance.
It is an open secret that for people from aristocratic families like Wen Weilan, Wang Dongdong and Lin Shuying, their families have already secretly arranged positions for them, and they will be able to take up the positions as soon as they go abroad to study in the academy.
Whether the position suits their wishes is another matter.
Everything is considered from the perspective of maximizing family interests.
In the middle of November, the ninth year of Jinghe.
On the outskirts of Chang'an, the National Academy.
A heavy snowfall had just occurred, and the foothills of Qingshan Mountain were covered with a thick layer of snow, thus cutting off the mountain trail.
However, the entry and exit of students in the National Academy were not affected.
I saw a flying bus slowly descending in the snow and fog. The hot air it emitted melted the snow around it before it landed steadily in front of the gate of the National Academy.
Amid the rising layers of fog, the car door opened with a click, and the students returning from Chang'an filed out.
Wen Weilan was also among them.
"Wenwen, you are finally here."
Lin Shuying had been waiting at the door for a long time.
As soon as he saw Wen Weilan, he took the initiative to step forward.
Behind her was Wang Dongdong, carrying a bright red spear.
"Yeah." Wen Weilan nodded, his eyes falling on the spear on Wang Dongdong's back.
Wang Dongdong blushed: "Ahem, thank you... for this spear."
Wen Weilan said calmly: "No need to thank me, as long as you find it useful."
After all, this was the weapon that Liu Sheng asked her to pass on.
However, because she could not reveal the source of the gratitude, Wang Dongdong's gratitude fell on her, which made their relationship inexplicably awkward.
Lin Shuying glanced at Wang Dongdong and said with a half-smile, "She not only thinks it's useful, she simply can't put it down."
"He carried her with him day and night, even when eating and sleeping. He was just short of carrying her in his dreams. He danced with her in the corridor and was warned by the National Academy for 'disturbing the order of the academy by brandishing a sword or a gun in a non-drilling area'."
"But when I asked her to put it down, she refused..."
Wang Dongdong's face suddenly turned red, and he interrupted hurriedly: "Shuying!"
"I am preparing for battle at any time!" she said confidently, "You all know that the atmosphere in the National Academy is..."
After he finished speaking, the smile on Lin Shuying's face faded slightly, and his expression became a little more serious.
Wen Weilan keenly sensed the change in atmosphere and said, "You asked me to come back..."
"Let's not talk about it here yet."
Lin Shuying's eyes moved between the people coming and going in front of the National Academy. He shook his head slightly and gestured for them to go inside.
The three of them walked into the gate side by side, but Wang Dongdong looked back at the flying bus slowly rising into the air as he walked, and said with emotion:
"It's snowing so heavily, luckily we have Fei Tian Bass from Qingyun Pavilion..."
"Bus." Wen Weilan corrected.
"Yes, bus." Wang Dongdong muttered, "This word sounds weird, where does it come from?"
Wen Weilan smiled but said nothing.
Lin Shuying continued, "However, your Qingyun Pavilion is now in great glory."
"First, they launched a hearse suitable for family and personal travel, and then developed this convenient 'bus' suitable for short-distance round trips. I heard that in the near future, even a flying car suitable for long-distance travel will be launched. Traveling a thousand miles a day is not a dream. Is this true?"
Wen Weilan nodded slightly: "Yes, I have been traveling around the country of Tang with Minister Ling of the Ministry of Industry to discuss the construction of the flying station."
"No wonder I haven't seen you recently." Lin Shuying suddenly realized.
Wen Weilan: "It's true that I've been quite busy recently."
Lin Shuying smiled: "That's because Qingyun Pavilion has developed well. I heard that it has set up branches in major cities. Anyway, you are already an upper-class student, so there are not many classes for you to attend in the National Academy."
While the two were talking, Wang Dongdong's expression suddenly dimmed, and his voice became a little lower: "I don't know... whether Shengsheng knows this."
"She will know it naturally." Wen Weilan said firmly. Wang Dongdong was slightly startled, and then showed a bitter smile: "...Yes, she will know it."
However, the word "meeting" spoken by the two people carries completely different meanings.
Lin Shuying looked at Wang Dongdong with pity.
Wang Dongdong also looked at Wen Weilan with pity.
Wen Weilan had his back to him, so he didn't know.
Walking into the empty corridor, the atmosphere became even quieter with the rustling of snow, and Lin Shuying took the initiative to speak:
"Wenwen, I asked you to come here today because there is someone I want you to meet."
Wen Weilan turned around, curiosity flashing in his eyes: "Who is this person that is so urgent for you?"
"Over there." Lin Shuying raised his hand and pointed to the Mingjing Hall at the end of the corridor.
Mingjing Hall is a place specially used for club activities in the National Academy. It is equipped with long tables and benches and has a spacious layout that can accommodate hundreds of people.
At this moment, a timid voice was echoing in the hall. It was not very loud, but it could be vaguely heard by walking to the back door.
"We are about to take the civil service examination. As children from poor families, what is our future? Perhaps, we should seriously think about how to choose and how to create more value for ourselves, the Tang Dynasty, and the world..."
Under the expectant gaze of Wang Dongdong and Lin Shuying, Wen Weilan slowly looked inside through the rear window.
There were quite a few people sitting in the Mingjing Hall, and the one speaking at the front was a petite girl with rosy cheeks.
"Now the change is imminent. Because of Skynet, our lives are undergoing great changes, and we also know that there are some things we can no longer turn a blind eye to..."
Although her voice was timid, her words were clear and her tone had an inexplicable appeal that made people want to listen and believe.
After the words were spoken, the students in the hall began to talk in low voices.
The girl took a breath and continued, "Now, the Guangming Society established based on the Guangming Forum is our chance to fight for the future..."
Wen Weilan asked quietly, "Are these people from our Guangming Society?"
Lin Shuying and Wang Dongdong both nodded.
Wen Weilan understood clearly.
Most of these people were students from poor families, and as a student of the Honghu Program, she rarely interacted with them on a daily basis, so she was not very familiar with them.
Discussions gradually arose in the hall.
"The civil service examination is coming soon, but how can we, the children of poor families, compete with the children of wealthy families?"
"Yes, the good positions have already been reserved by them."
"The so-called civil service examination is different for everyone. For us, it is a test that determines life and death, but for those noble families, it is just a formality."
"It's just that these things are never put on the table."
Hearing these words, Wen Weilan, Wang Dongdong and Lin Shuying outside the window all felt a little uncomfortable.
Yet, it cannot be denied.
The so-called "official selection examination" they are discussing now is the most important assessment of the National Academy at present, and it is also the last hurdle for this year's students of the National Academy before they embark on an official career.
Originally, the regulations of the National Academy were extremely strict. Only students who had studied for a full month could obtain the qualification to be selected as officials, and then participate in the selection of government offices or temples and officially enter the officialdom.
But this year the situation is different.
The court was in urgent need of manpower, so it issued a new order requiring all students of the National Academy to take the exam in advance.
It is an open secret that for people from aristocratic families like Wen Weilan, Wang Dongdong and Lin Shuying, their families have already secretly arranged positions for them, and they will be able to take up the positions as soon as they go abroad to study in the academy.
Whether the position suits their wishes is another matter.
Everything is considered from the perspective of maximizing family interests.
