Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Chapter 1183 Brainwashing Conference

The morning light was dazzling, and more and more people gathered around the field.

Many children ran around the field, singing impromptu rhymes as they ran: "Watching the fun, we absorb some academic spirit, so we'll all be successful next year!"

"He's quite capable!"

Jiang Zhiming, as the chief examiner of the re-examination, was fortunate enough to serve as the master of ceremonies at this award ceremony, while Shen Zheng, recommended by the examiners, took on the "important task" of presenting the awards.

On the awards stage, Jiang Zhiming looked at the crowd below the stage, even more excited than when he first arrived in Fuzhou Prefecture a month ago.

He glanced furtively at Shen Zheng beside him, straightened his sleeves, and announced loudly into the rising sun, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is now Chen Shi (7-9 AM). The Liu Yang Prefecture Second Entrance Examination Award Ceremony is officially beginning—"

"Clang—Clang—Clang—"

The guards struck the gong, and the crowd immediately fell silent.

Jiang Zhiming coughed lightly, took a deep breath, and his voice echoed throughout every corner in front of the Examination Hall: "Gentlemen, I was fortunate enough to serve as the chief examiner for the re-examination the other day, and today I am also fortunate enough to be the master of ceremonies for this awards ceremony. Here, I would like to thank Lord Shen for his trust, thank my colleagues in Liuyang Prefecture for their assistance, and thank all the candidates for their hard work. I have a few more words to say... Please wait a moment."

As he spoke, Jiang Zhiming began to reach into his sleeve.

"..." Shen Zheng, standing to the side, paused slightly and coughed softly.

Jiang Zhiming was still reaching into his sleeve, muttering to himself, "Hey, where's my cop...?"

"..." Shen Zheng took half a step closer to Jiang Zhiming and whispered, "If we can't find it, then so be it..."

Jiang Zhiming's hands moved even faster.

He hadn't slept a wink all night trying to write that note, how could he just let it go like this...?

The words on his note flattered Lord Shen, fawned over several prefectural school supervisors, and praised all the candidates in Liuyang Prefecture.

How can we just throw away such literary gems...?

All eyes turned to Jiang Zhiming as he searched for the note.

Just as Shen Zheng was about to lose her temper, Jiang Zhiming paused in his outstretched hand, as if he had found a treasure.

found it!

Then, everyone listened to him ramble on and on about a bunch of nonsense, until...

"Very well! That has been my honest opinion. Now, without further ado, I will get straight to the point. Please listen attentively to the order of the awards!"

"it is good!!"

"it is good!!!"

At this moment, everyone finally began to cheer and applaud sincerely.

Holding the list of candidates for the second round of examinations, Jiang Zhiming opened it to the first page and loudly announced the names: "Please note that candidates ranked twenty-first to fiftieth in the second round of examinations are Ye Juncai, Liang Jiaguang, Zhuang Zhi..."

Every time he called out a name, a candidate would come up on stage.

In just a short while, thirty candidates stood neatly on the stage, their expressions ranging from pride and joy to shyness.

The crowd below the stage looked on curiously. Some people who knew them cheered loudly for them, and some even started to "find a son-in-law from among the successful candidates."

"That young man looks healthy! That's how a scholar should be. He can't just study books to death; his body has to keep up too. He can't let his brain be held back! Young man, young man, yes, yes, that's you. Tell your uncle, have you got engaged yet?"

The candidate whose name was called on the stage blushed deeply and shook his head shyly.

"That's great!" The crowd below the stage became even more excited and hurriedly asked for names.

While watching the spectacle, Jiang Zhiming didn't forget the proper procedure: "Please, Lord Shen, present the awards to these talented scholars. Everyone, give a round of applause!"

The applause was thunderous, piercing the sky.

The guards followed closely behind Shen Zheng, carrying trays in both hands. The trays contained not only the silver prizes for the candidates, but also ink sticks and other items that each candidate could receive.

Shen Zheng handed out one reward after another.

Most of the students didn't dare look her in the eye and only dared to thank her in trembling voices.

After handing the last reward to the candidates, Shen Zheng smiled at them and said loudly, "Gentlemen, your ability to pass the county-level examination, the re-examination, and rank among the top fifty is enough to prove that you are not only 'potential talents' but also 'usable talents' for Liuyang Prefecture in the future. I look forward to seeing the day when you can stand on your own!"

Shen Zheng kept praising him, calling him a "potential talent" and a "useful talent," making the thirty students in the room breathe heavily.

They were no longer nervous, and they all raised their heads, almost shouting: "We will live up to Lord Shen's expectations and the government's cultivation, and become talents to serve Liuyang as soon as possible!"

"Good!!" The people's spirit was also stirred up by their shouts.

Jiang Zhiming secretly gave Shen Zheng a thumbs up. After asking the thirty candidates to leave, he called out the names of the eleventh to twentieth candidates.

The ten people who took the stage were even more proud than the thirty who had come before.

After they stood up straight, Shen Zheng distributed the rewards one by one and began to brainwash them: "A couple of days ago, I reviewed your answer sheets..."

The ten people held their breath, afraid that Shen Zheng would comment on their articles on the spot.

But this fear had barely begun when they heard Shen Zheng say again, "I must say, whether you are studying the classics or emphasizing policy essays, many of your viewpoints on the exam papers have impressed me greatly. Gentlemen, your potential is far greater than this, and I hope that one day in the future I will be able to see you standing on even higher peaks!"

The ten people were completely brainwashed and almost fell off the stage in unison, their minds filled with thoughts of "serving Liuyang Prefecture".

Next, the fourth through tenth place winners went on stage.

As soon as they received the reward from Shen Zheng, they began to anticipate how Shen Zheng would praise them.

As expected, Shen Zheng glanced at them and spoke: "You have proven your talent to me with your answers. I hope that you will not only be role models in scholarship, but also be examples of 'using learning to benefit the world.' I hope that you can shoulder the banner of benefiting the people and become pillars of society who can benefit all the people of the Great Zhou!"

"..." Jiang Zhiming was completely stunned.

Even in his wildest dreams, Jiang Zhiming would never connect the phrases "scholar" and "pillar of the nation who benefits all the people of the Great Zhou," yet Lord Shen could utter them so fluently and without batting an eye.

Impressed.

Jiang Zhiming was completely convinced.

After the seven candidates stepped down from the stage, the highlight of the awards ceremony began.

"Next, please welcome our third place winner, Nie Qingsong, to the stage to receive his award!"

Amid thunderous applause, Nie Qingsong bowed repeatedly as he went up on stage.

Starting from the third place, the candidates could get their families exempted from taxes. Shen Zheng took the "tax exemption document" that the government had already prepared from the tray and handed it over.

Nie Qingsong accepted the gift with both hands, and amidst cheers from the crowd, he bowed and took over Shen Zheng's lines.

"I, Nie Qingsong, thank the Prefectural Government for its cultivation." After saying this, he raised the "Tax Exemption Document" high and said to everyone below the stage, "Today, I ask you all to be my witnesses! From now on, whether I achieve academic success or not, I will do everything in my power to serve Liuyang Prefecture!"

Shen Zheng stared at the back of Nie Qingsong's head, with only two words in her mind—"getting the hang of it."