In traditional times, the brainy Zhu might have distinguished himself in the Imperial Civil Service exams and gone on rapidly to become a top minister of the Emperor.

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Its institutions publish online compendia of the government's directives, the results of civil service exams (based, they claim, on merit, not factional allegiance), and send text messages to the lucky few cleared for travel to Egypt to update them on bus and crossing times.

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They seemed genuinely happy for their boss, who, as if she were not busy enough, helps them study for civil service promotion exams on her own time.

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