Minister of Revenue Shen Shikang crossed out a piece of work that started off strong but ended poorly, dismissing it as nonsense. The handwriting wasn't particularly good, just average, and upon reviewing the content of the strategy questions, he initially found it decent. However, as he read further, it became increasingly chaotic, strikingly different from the promising beginning.
Stamping his seal on the back of the exam paper, he placed it aside, intending to review all of them before circulating them for further examination.
He then glanced at the next paper, his pupils contracting slightly. Shen Shikang looked towards Xia Qing, recalling that Chief Minister Xia had taken on a close disciple named Min Feng, who also participated in this Imperial Examination.
