When the County Magistrate slapped his forehead, he startled the attendant waiting on him.

It was in the predawn hours, when the sky had yet to lighten, a time when exhaustion weighed heaviest.

The personal attendant had been struggling to keep from dozing off, but the sharp sound chased all his sleepiness away.

Startled awake, the personal attendant quickly looked up and asked groggily, "Sir, are you exhausted? Should I bring you another bowl of strong tea?"

Mr. Cheng’s first instinct was to refuse, but when his attendant couldn’t suppress a yawn, he found himself yawning in response.

Once he yawned, his eyelids began to droop, heavy with sleep.

’I really am getting old. I’m not what I used to be. When I was young, I could pull two all-nighters and still be full of vigor. Not anymore. Now, staying up for just one night makes my chest feel tight and uncomfortable.’

The County Magistrate said, "Bring another bowl of strong tea. And while you’re at it, trim the candlewicks to brighten the room."

The personal attendant acknowledged the order and hurried off.

In the meantime, Mr. Cheng rose and paced around the room a couple of times.

His bones had gone stiff from sitting all night.

A moment later, the attendant returned. He handed Mr. Cheng the freshly brewed tea, then went to trim the candlewicks.

The candlelight brightened the room. Mr. Cheng took a few sips of the strong tea to ward off his exhaustion, then settled back into his seat to continue grading the examination papers.

But as he read on, he suddenly couldn’t resist slapping the table and exclaiming in praise.

The personal attendant, who had just been about to seize the chance for a quick nap, was left speechless.

’My heart just leaped into my throat!’

’If that happens one more time, I’m going to be scared to death!’

Not daring to try and sleep again, the attendant tiptoed out of the room.

’For one thing, the breeze would help me wake up properly. For another, Sir has been working all night; he ought to have something to eat. He can’t keep up this intense pace on an empty stomach.’

Just as the attendant stepped outside, Mr. Cheng once again slapped the table in amazement.

He was now reading the first essay written by Zhao Jing.

The essay was not only rigorously structured but also possessed a classical elegance that deeply appealed to him.

But it was the policies for enriching the populace mentioned at the end that truly left him speechless with admiration.

Zhao Jing proposed a total of three policies.

First, Qingshui County had an abundance of red pears. These pears were highly effective for treating coughs and were considered an excellent food for strengthening the spleen and nourishing the lungs during the winter.

Furthermore, according to his father, Mr. Zhao, these red pears grew almost exclusively within Qingshui County. While neighboring counties had them, the quantities were small. In the Prefecture, they were completely nonexistent.

To enrich the people, why not sell the red pears to the Prefecture and surrounding cities? With proper "advertising," he argued, it would be no surprise if demand outstripped supply.

If the cost and difficulty of transporting the fresh pears were too great, they could be boiled down into a paste. This would drastically reduce shipping costs.

Moreover, this process would create more jobs, helping the common folk increase their income.

Second, Qingshui County had many rolling mountain ranges. These mountains were covered in little more than trees and brushwood, effectively leaving them unused. Was this not a terrible waste?

Since Xiaoao Mountain was suitable for growing huangqi, what medicinal herbs might be suitable for the other mountains?

He proposed bringing in physicians to survey the mountains and run trial plantings of suitable herbs. If the trials proved successful, the efforts could be carefully managed and expanded.

Third, he had found a technical manual on animal husbandry among the old books his father had left him. The book detailed daily feeding quantities, animal care, castration, and postpartum care for livestock, offering various explanations and innovative ideas.

He admitted he couldn’t be certain of the book’s authenticity, but what was the harm in putting it to the test?

If it proved useful, they could scale up the breeding operations. Within a few years, why couldn’t every common household add a meat dish to their daily meals?

Reading this, Mr. Cheng’s heart pounded with excitement.

If he didn’t have so many more papers to grade, he would have summoned Zhao Jing immediately for a long, earnest discussion.

But that was just a fleeting thought; in reality, it was impossible.

There was a long-standing rule: examiners were strictly forbidden from meeting with any candidates during the examination period.

This applied not only to the candidates themselves but to anyone with vested interests, to prevent influencing the examiner’s personal biases and, ultimately, the candidate’s results.

Mr. Cheng was a seasoned county magistrate and an experienced examiner; he knew what he should and should not do.

A moment’s impatience can ruin a grand plan. In the end, Mr. Cheng suppressed his excitement and resumed grading the papers.

His mind, however, was entirely consumed by Zhao Jing’s paper.

Barring any surprises, Zhao Jing would be the top candidate of this examination.

He looked forward to hosting a banquet for his top scholar!

...

While Mr. Cheng’s emotions were in turmoil, elsewhere, the many scholars who had just finished copying their essays stood before their teachers or guarantors, feeling anxious and uncertain.

And among them, of course, was Zhao Jing.