Chapter 8: Fairness

In a quiet hall, Zhang Sheng and Sun Yu sat on the left and right. After taking their seats, Sun Yu handed over a jade-colored paper and a black jade box, saying: "This is the new regulation, and this is the Lixuan Powder."

The jade-colored paper was originally blank, but after falling into Zhang Sheng's hands, large swaths of dense small characters appeared, layered one after another, totaling dozens of layers. The regulations were thousands of words long, but it only took Zhang Sheng a few breaths to finish reading.

Just scanning it, Zhang Sheng said: "The change is so big, is this the work of the Dingxin Sect?"

Sun Yu picked up the teacup and took a sip, saying: "The Dingxin Sect already had the upper hand when you went down the mountain, younger brother. Over the years, a large number of young disciples have joined, and the momentum is getting bigger and bigger, and the Zhigu Sect is gradually unable to resist. This unified examination regulation was indeed written by the Dingxin Sect, and then the various high-ranking noble families mixed in a bit, and finally it became like this."

Zhang Sheng frowned: "Isn't this martial arts test specifically prepared for high-ranking noble families? They can pull up a team just by reporting their identity, while children from ordinary families can only be small pawns. Besides, where can ordinary children have the opportunity to learn military tactics, and even if they want to learn, where can they find famous teachers who are truly proficient in military tactics and have fought winning battles? Even if they can gather a team themselves, they will eventually be stepping stones for others."

"The martial arts test is indeed set for the gatekeepers; otherwise, the new regulations would not be promoted. The Dingxin Sect has far-reaching plans, and the new regulations are only the first step, so they need the support of the gatekeepers."

Zhang Sheng said slowly: "But the palace specifically issued these quotas, originally intending to recruit children of fortune, but now they have become the pockets of high-ranking noble families. What is the difference?"

Sun Yu sighed and said: "If younger brother achieves great Dao in the future, if you can't stand these things, it's not impossible to change them."

Sun Yu spoke tactfully, but Zhang Sheng naturally understood his meaning, sighing: "Forget it, I can't manage other people's affairs so much. Anyway, there is a quota specifically allocated to me by the Tianqing Hall for Yuan'er, so I will finish the exam early and go back to the mountain to restore my Dao power early, so as not to look at them and feel annoyed."

Sun Yu didn't say a word, just looked straight ahead, as if there was a Daoist preaching and a heavenly immortal showing wonders on the wall opposite.

Zhang Sheng's smile gradually disappeared, and he said sternly: "Why, does anyone dare to hit the idea of Yuan'er's quota?"

Sun Yu's expression was wooden, saying: "Younger brother, such a big event as the unified examination, countless people are staring at it, I'm afraid it cannot be favoritism."

"Favoritism? I reported to the palace gate a month ago that this quota was given by my Tianqing Hall's Grandmaster Xuanyue, and it had nothing to do with others, so how is it favoritism?"

Sun Yu gritted his teeth and said: "I'll tell you the truth! The palace originally issued two quotas for recruiting children of fortune. But there were too many people wanting to fight for the quotas, and they couldn't be divided, so some people stared at your Tianqing Hall's quota. Several noble families joined forces to pressure the palace, requiring all quotas to be competed for fairly according to grades, and not to be privately granted. According to the regulations, it should indeed be so, and the palace had no choice but to release all three quotas and record them fairly according to grades."

"The appetite is getting bigger and bigger, and they have even snatched it to my Tianqing Hall..." Sharp light gradually appeared in Zhang Sheng's eyes, and he said gloomily: "How many families are fighting for these three quotas?"

"As far as I know, there are five families whose disciples' strength and pre-exam preparation are about the same, and it's hard to distinguish between them."

Speaking of this, Zhang Sheng naturally understood. At least five high-ranking noble families were fighting for Taichu Palace's three quotas, each with their own means, and because they all had means, they had to exclude extra means to let the five families compete fairly.

Looking at Zhang Sheng's expression, Sun Yu hurriedly said: "True Person Fenhai also asked me to bring you eight words: Do not exceed the rules, follow the natural course."

Zhang Sheng was expressionless.

Sun Yu gritted his teeth and lowered his voice: "Your disciple is still young, and the next session will only be eleven years old. By then, we will find a way to get your disciple to a prefecture with a quota; others can find blood relatives, why can't we?"

"Also, this time you are back, several True Persons are very happy and specifically appointed you as one of the seven reviewers for this unified examination. With this position, the matter of the next session's disciples should be stable."

Saying this, Sun Yu handed over a jade plaque. The jade plaque was the size of a palm, carved with immortal mountains and auspicious beasts, and in the center were the two words 'Reviewer', with Dao power flowing between the strokes.

According to the unified examination regulations, the position of reviewer is crucial and can float the candidates' scores within a certain range. Therefore, the position of reviewer has its own obvious and hidden benefits. First of all, all candidates who pass the exam will regard several reviewers as half-teachers, and the families behind them will also come to make friends. This time, Feng Yuan Prefecture's fortune gathered, and the competition was unprecedentedly fierce, with famous families gathering, no less than the most famous large prefectures in the world. Therefore, the weight of this reviewer is ten times or a hundred times that of ordinary days.

After becoming a reviewer, the famous families fighting for quotas must owe Zhang Sheng a little favor, and then with proper operation, a quota will have a 60% or 70% chance of success.

Zhang Sheng knew that this could be considered compensation for the quota of Tianqing Hall.

Zhang Sheng's gaze gradually deepened, and he said slowly: "Yuan'er has fortune on his body, how can he be delayed for five years? If the fortune dissipates, then the Dao path will be cut off. The immortal path is difficult, only fighting for the morning and evening; this is the struggle of the Great Dao, and I, as a teacher, should naturally stand in front! Since those people have such big appetites, I will try their means!"

"Younger brother..." Sun Yu wanted to persuade, but was stopped by Zhang Sheng raising his hand.

Zhang Sheng stood up and paced, walking back and forth in the hall several times, then stood still, his clear gaze fixed on Sun Yu: "Is Senior Brother the supervisor of this unified examination?"

Sun Yu nodded: "It's just managing all the secular affairs."

"Does my Taichu Palace have other reviewers?"

"There is another one, Senior Brother Fufeng from the Heavenly Secret Hall. Senior Brother Fufeng has a refreshing temperament, although there is no interaction on weekdays, he should lean towards us when reviewing."

Zhang Sheng shook his head: "Not necessarily."

Sun Yu was stunned, and then understood. Fufeng Daoist is not the same as Zhang Sheng; he must have a tendency when serving as a reviewer, otherwise how could those gatekeepers let him sit in that position? Now little Wei Yuan wants to snatch food from the tiger's mouth, which is naturally opposed to Fufeng Daoist.

Zhang Sheng stretched out his hand and said: "First show me the list of students participating in this session."

Sun Yu was shocked and said: "This, this is not in accordance with the rules! I..."

Under Zhang Sheng's clear gaze, Sun Yu's face changed several times, and finally gritted his teeth and said gloomily: "Since we want fairness, we must be absolutely fair! They have long since permeated the rules into a sieve, so we don't need to be pedantic! Younger brother, wait a moment, I'll go get it!"

After a while, Sun Yu returned and handed a jade paper to Zhang Sheng, which listed the information of all candidates in this session in detail. Zhang Sheng took it and looked at it carefully.

The hall was silent.

Sun Yu poured himself a cup of tea, but his hand was shaking, splashing a few drops of tea. But when the cup reached his lips, it was finally as stable as an old dog.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 9 =====