There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 195

< The Legend of the Imperial Exam (1) >

In the past, the civil service exam was largely divided into the Small Exam and the Great Exam.

The Small Exam was further divided into two stages: the Preliminary Exam (初試), which was the first test, and the Review Exam (覆試), which was the second test. The Great Exam also had the same stages of Preliminary and Review Exams.

However, only the Great Exam had a special final stage called the Royal Exam (殿試) [a test personally administered by the King to determine the final rankings of successful candidates].

Lee Bang-won passed that responsibility on to me.

‘After all, the successful candidates are all decided in the second Review Exam, and the Royal Exam only determines the rankings….’

Thinking that way, it seems less burdensome than the Review Exam, where the problem itself determines whether you pass or fail.

However, that doesn’t mean I can underestimate it.

The honor of being the top scorer doesn’t go to two people.

‘The competition for rankings below that is fierce.’

Since the initial rank one starts with differs depending on this ranking, the examinees might be even more eager.

‘In modern terms, it’s like an exam that determines whether you start at Level 7 or Level 5 [referring to different levels within the civil service hierarchy].’

So, if I create a problem carelessly, I might face protests from angry examinees.

Even in modern times, the combat power of enraged examinees is beyond imagination.

“Ugh….”

Creating the problems themselves is too difficult from the start.

Setting aside adjusting the difficulty, I’m afraid I’ll be humiliated if I create a childish problem.

‘Even now, the officials are looking for something to nag about with their eyes wide open.’

Thinking that, I shouted,

“Are there any past Royal Exam questions? I should refer to them to create the problems.”

Joseon is still a newly established nation, just over 10 years since its founding, but it has held the civil service exams without fail during that time, so it should have accumulated some data.

I also intended to look at the past questions accumulated from the previous dynasty, Goryeo.

‘And I need to call the people who will assist me.’

Hwang Hee, Maeng Sa-seong, and Heo Jo.

They were all former civil service exam passers who had made it through the exams in their prime, so they would be of considerable help.

“What do you think?”

“Why would Your Majesty ask us humble servants about the task that you entrusted to His Highness?”

However, Hwang Hee only answered that way, yawning as if he was about to open his mouth wide.

‘This guy….’

I was just asking for some help in creating the Royal Exam questions, but he’s being so slippery.

‘But he still attended.’

Knowing what Hwang Hee had been doing the night before, I couldn’t hide my annoyance.

How can he call himself my right-hand man like this?

“I haven’t really gone around calling myself that, though….”

“I’m not passing the work on to you; I’m just asking for some assistance. Isn’t this something we can do for each other?”

I emphasized our close bond, but Hwang Hee didn’t seem impressed.

On the other hand, the true loyalists, Maeng Sa-seong and Heo Jo, spoke with bright eyes.

Heo Jo first gave a textbook answer.

“Usually, policy questions ask about the nation’s policies or current issues. However, the past kings didn’t only ask about current affairs but also asked questions about poetry or people’s emotions.”

In the end, it’s just a roundabout way of saying it’s a free topic.

It would be easier for me if they at least decided on the type of question.

“Then, should I ask about diplomatic issues with Ming China?”

‘What if I wrote something like, ‘How should Joseon establish relations with Ming China in the future?’ It would look impressive, wouldn’t it?’

However, this time, Maeng Sa-seong stopped me.

“However, Your Highness, the court prohibits questions that overlap with past exam topics, questions that infringe on Ming China, or questions that criticize the current situation. This is to prevent any trouble from arising.”

Of course, this was just a guideline. In fact, the Royal Exam questions were decided by the King, so I could ignore it… but the problem was that I was not the King, but the Crown Prince.

‘There’s nothing I’m allowed to do, but a lot I’m not allowed to do.’

I grumbled and brought up another topic.

“Then, how about asking how everyone evaluates the transportation of taxes via coastal navigation, which has been going on since before?”

“Well, everyone would say it’s a good thing. Isn’t that a question that’s not worth discussing?”

Indeed, now that the coastal navigation route has been opened and the number of ships and people sinking has decreased, who would oppose it?

“Ah, there might be comments protesting why Cheonghaejin [a maritime trade hub] is taking the lead and why Your Highness and the royal family are seeking profits from it when the country should be in charge of transporting taxes.”

“I’ll have to fail them if they say that.”

It couldn’t be helped to appease the landed relatives.

‘And Cheonghaejin is practically a public enterprise.’

They are conducting the Great Voyage with the stable profits earned here, so they might be unjustly attacked if this is attacked as corruption.

“Your Highness.”

Hwang Hee, unable to watch any longer, gave me a look.

“Finally, Governor Hwang is stepping up.”

He’s late.

I usually listened to Hwang Hee’s words quite a bit. Although he was corrupt, he often gave useful advice, befitting his status as a famous statesman in the original history.

That’s why I often nag him.

“Speak.”

“As Chief Heo has already said, it seems unnecessary to discuss policy issues in the Royal Exam. After all, the selected ones are all talented individuals with practical skills, are they not?”

“I suppose so.”

I nodded.

It was a natural statement since they were people who had passed the Small Exam and passed the difficult Preliminary and Review Exams of the Great Exam.

Hwang Hee continued.

“Your Highness has asked questions about policies and current issues, but if His Majesty’s thoughts are different, that would also be troublesome.”

Hwang Hee said.

“That’s true.”

I was in a position where I had to align my political steps with Lee Bang-won as much as possible, so there was no need to take such a risk.

‘Then my father shouldn’t have told me to create the Royal Exam questions in the first place.’

But isn’t our father, who makes contradictory demands like ‘Go over there, kneel, and stand with your hands up,’ the typical abusive boss?

Hwang Hee pointed out Lee Bang-won’s purpose.

“This is also His Majesty testing whether Your Highness can create useful problems.”

Hwang Hee said cautiously.

No, but this guy talks like he knows my father better than I do?

To my question, Hwang Hee smiled nonchalantly and said,

“How could that be? I am merely stating what I have inferred. His Majesty also believes that he must develop an eye for talent.”

“Hmm.”

Is that really it?

Well, creating appropriate problems, reviewing the answers, and assigning scores also requires the ability to distinguish between the genuine and the fake.

“Your Highness, you should consider all of this and create the problems. ······And when you’re done, please teach them to me as well. It’s difficult, but I’ll take on the task of reviewing them.”

At Hwang Hee’s brazen words, I said with a smirk,

“No way.”

“Why do you say that?”

I looked at Hwang Hee and opened my mouth.

“I heard that Woo Seung-beom, the grandson of Woo Hyun-bo, passed the Review Exam of the Great Exam this time.”

Lee Bang-won’s past alumni gathering, including Kim Han-ro, was the problem again.

‘This damn Woo Hyun-bo cartel.’

These people had a great sense of loyalty.

When it became known that I was in charge of the Royal Exam questions, they subtly asked Hwang Hee, who was close to me, to help their teacher’s grandson.

‘They shouldn’t have held the meeting at Yesangjeong [likely a place associated with past scandals or conflicts], of all places.’

Considering that Yesangjeong was originally his son-in-law’s house, it must have been painful, but it’s amazing that they still held the meeting there.

“Oh dear, has that already reached Your Highness’s ears? This is troublesome.”

Maeng Sa-seong and Heo Jo wore disgusted expressions, but Hwang Hee only burst into a hearty laugh.

“Why is Governor Hwang’s attitude so confident?”

Hwang Hee said with a kind expression.

“Your Highness, you must understand my position a little. When I helped get rid of Kim Han-ro last time, I almost ended up at odds with that faction, didn’t I?”

It meant that he had done it to resolve the situation after trying to save Maeng Sa-seong, who was involved with Kim Han-ro.

“You know that I usually try to get along well with everyone, right?”

‘Pretending to be a pushover.’

I clicked my tongue at Hwang Hee’s excuse.

At first glance, he seems like a spineless person who likes everything, but Hwang Hee is more calculating than anyone else.

‘Anyway, he’s eloquent.’

“Fortunately, Your Highness knew in advance, so I was not swayed by their solicitation. I am truly grateful, Your Highness.”

“Alright, alright.”

I waved my hand to dismiss Hwang Hee’s brazen words.

He didn’t mean any of it anyway.

‘But now it’s a real problem.’

What kind of problem should I create to satisfy Lee Bang-won and not be criticized by the officials?

‘In times like these, plagiarism is the way to go.’

I tried to remember the college entrance essay questions I had taken when I was in modern times.

While wandering through old memories, I came to a realization.

‘Oh, right, I went to college through the regular admission process.’

Even if I had taken the essay exam, it would have been a natural science essay, so it wouldn’t have meant much.

However, digging through old memories wasn’t entirely fruitless.

‘Huh?’

If I modify this well, I can use it.

===

Some time later.

The 33 Review Exam passers selected from all over Joseon entered the examination hall with tense expressions.

Their appointments had already been decided, but their ranks and future success would be determined by their performance on this Royal Exam, so it was only natural.

In reality, the complex political dynamics they would be swept up in after their appointments would have a greater impact than their Royal Exam scores, but for the examinees, only their exam scores mattered.

“Isn’t the Royal Exam question supposed to be written by the King (御製) [written by the Emperor himself]?”

“That’s right. But this time, His Highness the Crown Prince is creating it.”

“Oh dear, I studied His Majesty’s old exam answers to death. Is the country trying to get rid of people like me?”

People who had taken the Preliminary and Review Exams together and were familiar with each other, or people who already knew each other, whispered among themselves, but Eo Byeon-gap (魚變甲) from Haman silently listened to the words coming from around him.

‘The, the Crown Prince….’

Of course, he, who lived in Haman, had never seen the Crown Prince in person, but he had indirectly felt his presence many times.

In Haman, eccentric people who had returned to their hometowns were making a fuss, saying they were building roads and raising embankments with limestone.

The improved stove invented by the Crown Prince was also being widely distributed by these eccentric people, so it was only natural that he, known for his filial piety, sought out these eccentric people.

As a result, he had overheard stories about the Crown Prince from the eccentric people.

‘Basically, I don’t know what he’s thinking, but they said he’s scary when he’s angry.’

Eo Byeon-gap swallowed hard as he recalled their evaluation.

‘That’s useless information.’

It wasn’t information about the Crown Prince’s academic level or his favorite poems, but just that he was an unpredictable person.

‘Will the exam questions also be something unexpected like that?’

However, it was truly fortunate that Eo Byeon-gap was able to make such a guess.

Because the other people around him were chattering away without realizing this fact.

“Still, I heard that His Highness is not well-versed in academics, so won’t the questions be easier than in previous years?”

“That’s right. It doesn’t seem like the Crown Prince will discuss difficult scriptures. As long as it’s not a current affairs issue, it should be solvable.”

It was when people were whispering like that.

“His Majesty the King is here!”

The eunuch’s grating voice echoed, and soon Lee Bang-won walked in with dignity and sat on the throne.

“The ones gathered here are the thirty-three talented individuals who have remained until the end. I am immensely pleased to see you.”

“We are grateful for your grace, Your Majesty.”

The scholars who had gathered shouted in unison.

“As you know, this time the exam questions were devised and created by the Crown Prince, not me. It is merely a childish problem from a young child, so I hope you will not feel burdened and work hard to solve it.”

Lee Bang-won raised his hand.

“Begin.”

Then, a scroll with the exam questions written on it fell down.

Scholars, including Eo Byeon-gap, widened their eyes and read the exam questions.

– A person is riding a heavy horse down a narrow path. However, the horse becomes agitated along the way and the reins become unresponsive.

– Coincidentally, five people are walking in a line ahead. Fortunately, you have iron caltrops [small, spiked devices used to injure feet or hooves] in your hand, so if you lay them down, you can change the horse’s direction to another path where one person is walking. Both paths are cliffside roads with no place to avoid to the side, so answer what you would do in this situation.

“······.”

A silent stillness fell over the examination hall.

Eo Byeon-gap looked up at the sky and muttered.

“What kind of childish problem from a young child is this?”

It seems I did well to prepare myself.

< The Legend of the Imperial Exam (1) > End

ⓒ Pit Kong