To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

Chapter 183 What are the Four Great Inventions? Is using the toilet comfortable?

The night wind swept through the hall, whistling loudly.

Zhang Fan's figure disappeared outside the palace gate, and the Zhangtai Palace returned to silence once more.

However, this silence lasted only a moment.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

A burst of laughter came from inside the hall!

Ying Zheng could no longer maintain his composure and burst out laughing.

He strode to the map, placed his hands on the table, and stared intently at the unfamiliar territory.

A flame burned in his eyes!

"What a Zhang Fan!"

"What a truly magnificent world!"

"Someone come here!"

Ying Zheng shouted in a deep voice.

A dark figure appeared silently in the hall like a ghost, kneeling on one knee; it was the commander of the Black Ice Platform.

"His Majesty!"

"Issue my secret order!"

Ying Zheng's eyes were as cold as iron.

"From this moment forward, protect the safety of Immortal Master Zhang Fan!"

"If he goes to Shangdang County, you will personally lead a team of elite Black Ice Guards to secretly protect him day and night!"

The commander of the Black Ice Guard felt a chill run down his spine. The highest-ranking guards!

That means that even if it means sacrificing a city, the safety of the target must be guaranteed.

"promise!"

The Black Ice Commander kowtowed deeply, his figure disappearing back into the darkness.

Ying Zheng then turned his gaze back to the world map.

"Jackals? An eternal threat?"

He muttered to himself, his gaze falling on that tiny island called "Eastern Japan".

"While I am alive, I will ensure that this scourge is eradicated from this world!"

……

After Zhang Fan left Zhangtai Palace.

Instead of returning directly to his own bedroom, he took a detour to the Institute of Natural History.

Although it was late at night, the entire Gewu Institute was bustling with activity.

Inside the workshop, the roaring fire in the furnace illuminated the artisans' faces, making them glow red!

The clanging and hammering sounds were incessant!

On the other side, a huge rotating stone mill was slowly turning with the help of several Mohist disciples, grinding grains into fine powder!

In the open space of the courtyard, there are also various oddly shaped parts and models.

Everyone here wore a look of fervent excitement and focus.

Upon seeing Zhang Fan, everyone stopped what they were doing and bowed respectfully.

"Immortal Master!"

Zhang Fan nodded in satisfaction, looking at these top technical talents of the Great Qin Dynasty, his heart filled with pride.

This is the foundation upon which the Great Qin will conquer the stars and the sea in the future!

Just now.

A disciple of the Mohist school suddenly rushed out from a separate workshop.

He held a stack of pale yellow things high in his hand, his expression extremely excited.

"Immortal Master! Immortal Master! It's done!"

"We built it!"

The disciple jogged over and presented the item in his hand to Zhang Fan as if it were a treasure.

Zhang Fan looked closely and saw that it was indeed hemp paper.

He was delighted; the efficiency of the Institute of Physics was indeed astonishing.

"Great job, you've worked hard!"

"It's not hard work! It's not hard work!"

The disciple blushed with excitement and lowered his voice.

"Master, this manual you gave me is simply a divine artifact!"

"After this thing was made, we tried it out, and it was so much more comfortable to use for urination than bamboo sticks or toilet sticks!"

"It's like night and day!"

"They're easy to tear and don't keep you warm at all!"

"Now, everyone in our entire physics department uses this to relieve themselves; each person has a stack, and everyone who uses it says it's great!"

"..."

The smile on Zhang Fan's face froze instantly.

He looked at the pure joy on the disciple's face, and then at the stack of hemp paper in his hand, which he defined as "toilet paper".

Zhang Fan's face immediately darkened.

Holy crap!

We poured our hearts and souls into creating one of the four great inventions that changed the course of human civilization!

You bunch of geniuses, the first thing you did was develop its toilet function?

It's been rolled out across the entire hospital?!

What a waste!

What a waste!

"Immortal Master? You... what's wrong?"

The disciple was somewhat puzzled as he looked at Zhang Fan's face, which had turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"This thing!"

Zhang Fan took a deep breath, pointed to the stack of hemp paper, and said helplessly.

"Starting immediately, confiscate all finished products within the premises!"

"Send every single one to my residence immediately!"

"what?"

The disciple was stunned.

"Immortal Master, why...?"

"Is it not soft enough? We can improve it..."

"Shut up!"

Zhang Fan interrupted him impatiently.

"Execute the order! Also, starting tomorrow, increase production and go all out!"

"This matter is classified as top secret; no one is allowed to divulge a single word of it!"

The disciple was filled with a thousand doubts!

But he still dared not ask any more questions and quickly bowed to accept the order:

"Yes, Your Highness! Your disciple obeys!"

Watching his disciple run off to relay the order, Zhang Fan rubbed his temples in exasperation.

Well, at least it proves that the paper is of decent quality!

Once you're back in your quarters, close the palace doors!

After confirming that no one was around!

Zhang Fancai finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

"Hahaha... What a bunch of geniuses!"

He laughed so hard he almost fell over, and tears were welling up in his eyes.

"However, the Institute of Physics's excellent performance has given me an idea..."

Zhang Fan's laughter gradually subsided.

"Before leaving Xianyang, let's help Lord Li Si... solve one more huge problem!"

……

The next day, at dawn.

Xianyang Palace, Qilin Hall.

The sky was not yet fully bright, and the faint light of the rising sun was just beginning to shine through the palace windows.

Inside the hall, however, tensions were already high, with swords drawn and the atmosphere extremely tense.

"Your Majesty! I believe that the imperial examinations should be based on Confucian classics!"

"The Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals—these are the great principles of the sages and the cornerstones of governing the country!"

Doctor Chunyu Yue had two huge dark circles under his eyes.

He clearly didn't sleep well last night, and is now giving a passionate speech.

"absurd!"

Another official, who came from a Legalist background, immediately stood up and loudly refuted him.

"A country should be governed by laws and regulations!"

"Our Great Qin Dynasty is founded on law, and the imperial examinations should naturally prioritize the Qin Law, the teachings of Shen Buhai, and Han Fei!"

"Otherwise, wouldn't that shake the very foundation of the nation?"

"Legalists are harsh, knowing only punishment and not how to educate!"

"If this is how officials are selected, wouldn't the imperial court be filled with harsh and ungrateful people?"

"You Confucianists are full of empty talk about benevolence and morality, but you're incredibly pedantic. Aren't people like Wu Liang and Luo Lang exactly the kind of 'talented individuals' you admire?"

"you……"

"Why are you barking like a dog?"

"I...I...I..."

"Am I your father?"

The entire Qilin Palace had been completely transformed into a bustling market.

Within the civil service, the content and scope of the imperial examinations split into several factions.

They were arguing incessantly!

Confucianism, Legalism, School of Diplomacy, Miscellaneous School...

Officials from all factions wanted to make their own doctrines the core of the examination!

In order to gain a dominant position in the future political landscape.

however.

Amidst this heated argument, they reached a bizarre consensus.

Whatever the exam covers, it must be a profound and difficult classic text.

So what if it was the imperial examination?

What good is meritocracy?

These aristocratic families, although they have lost the privilege of "recommendation"!

But another huge advantage remains firmly in their grasp—

The monopoly of knowledge!