After praising the answers, Emperor Wu turned to Grand Secretary Fang. “I can tell how prudent and tenacious this kid is. I deliberately chose an uncommon extract from an annotation, but this kid still got it right.”
Grand Secretary Fang nodded inwardly. Xiao Wu was as hardworking as she was pretty. He had never met anyone more industrious.
Emperor Wu moved on to section three.
The multiple choice questions.
“Wait a minute!”
Emperor Wu cried out in surprise. “Candidates lose marks in this section all the time. They pick the wrong option, they don’t pick all the correct options, or they leave one correct option out. But this kid!!!”
Emperor Wu looked at Grand Secretary Fang in amazement. “This kid got everything right!”
Despite so many candidates taking the exam every year, Emperor Wu didn’t think he had met many people who got full marks on the first three sections.
Grand Secretary Fang gloated and said proudly, “Your Majesty, you’re only on section three. Please read on.”
Judging by Grand Secretary Fang’s attitude, could this kid get everything right in section four as well? No way. Section four was an essay question and everyone would lose marks here.
Emperor Wu read the answer attentively, trying to find the tiniest mistake.
The question required the candidate to analyze the theory and application of the “Cracking Ground” stance, then try to make innovations to it.
The answer was so well organized and logically solid in the analysis of its theory that one couldn’t find any excuse to deduct any marks. Moreover, Emperor Wu couldn’t bring himself to deduct any when the candidate had such nice handwriting.
As for the innovation part…
Emperor Wu’s eyes widened!
Wait!
The stance could actually be improved in such a way?! Destruction before construction?
This kid was so dauntless!
But he had to admit that after her improvement, the power of “Cracking Ground” indeed…
As a mage with the earth attribute himself, Emperor Wu knew better than anyone else how brilliant this innovation was!
“This…” Emperor Wu looked at Grand Secretary Fang in disbelief. “This really came from a kid?”
“Yes, a 13-year-old kid.” Grand Secretary Fang smiled.
He was laughing inwardly at Emperor Wu’s shocked face.
Grand Secretary Fang had been equally shocked when he read the girl’s answer for the first time and had taken a while to recover. And that was exactly what Emperor Wu was going through at the moment… Grand Secretary Fang felt so pleased.
Hence, he mentioned Feng Wu’s age on purpose.
“A 13-year-old?!” Emperor Wu smacked the table. “The kid is only 13? It can’t be!”
To make improvements to “Cracking Ground” required a lot of background information, and one had to be able to see the big picture to carry it out!
“The kid really is 13. Well, almost 14.” Crossing his hands behind his back, Grand Secretary Fang raised his chin and felt ennobled.
Emperor Wu was thrilled. “She is so talented… There’s no doubt about it… This is wonderful!”
Grand Secretary Fang nodded. That was right.
Emperor Wu mumbled, “How am I supposed to take any marks away? I have no reason to!”
Grand Secretary Fang nodded again. I agree with you, Your Majesty.
Driven by his excitement, Emperor Wu moved on to the final section.
The last two questions were on auxiliary skills and candidates often performed terribly here.
After all, not everyone paid much attention to these skills, and even if they wanted to, they had to have the potential first.
However…
To Emperor Wu’s disbelief!
