Chapter 244: Casting the Net Strategy

Chapter 244: Casting the Net Strategy

This person is practically at the bottom of the class, especially with handwriting that looks like it hasn’t been practiced at all.

It was solely his policy essays that pushed him to the level of passing the provincial examination.

"The top scorers from the provincial exams are definitely being scouted by many, and the price to recruit them would definitely be high."

"This kind of overlooked underdog is a real diamond in the rough."

Bei Jingchu’s eyes lit up with excitement.

Haoyue: Learning something new again!

Just as she was marveling at this, she was given a task: "You and Beiqin will each take a share of the people on this list and go recruit them."

"Like fishing with patience, only the willing will take the bait."

"It's all voluntary, no pressure."

Haoyue was full of confidence. "Your Highness, don’t worry, with your reputation, success is guaranteed."

Bei Jingchu hesitated before speaking. "You shouldn’t be too confident."

Haoyue thought the princess was being a bit too negative; after all, she was the Princess of Tianwu!

How could they fail to recruit anyone?

......

Qin Yuping, the top scorer from Pingzhou, came to the Capital City for the imperial examination, and naturally, many were eager to recruit him.

Some even wanted to arrange marriages, offering their daughters to him.

But none of the suitors were major players.

Though sufficient for him, in the grand scheme of Dayue, they were insignificant.

Qin Yuping didn’t refuse, but he didn’t agree either.

He knew that once he was tied to someone, he’d be stuck with them for life.

But going it alone was a dead end.

Unless a noble patron stepped in, he’d be stuck in low-level positions forever.

At first, he was a bit smug, waiting for a high-ranking official to come to him.

But after waiting forever, the highest-ranking person to show up was a fifth-grade official.

Qin Yuping was on the verge of giving up.

He thought he might as well pledge allegiance to that person; after all, he was just a provincial exam graduate.

Every year, there are so many top scorers; why would anyone powerful notice him?

Just as he was about to send his reply, he got an invite to meet at the Rain Pavilion.

The Rain Pavilion was a Tan family restaurant, open only to their VIPs.

In reality, it was a place for high officials and nobles to relax.

Among those who had invited him before, none had the privilege to enter the Rain Pavilion.

Qin Yuping held the invitation, unable to conceal his excitement.

A stroke of incredible luck was about to come his way!

He dressed in his finest, groomed himself, and waited for the right time to head to the meeting.

The staff at the Rain Pavilion stopped him first, and upon seeing the invitation, instead of taking him to an elegant private room upstairs, they led him into the backyard and into a side room.

His nerves tightened even more.

Was the person he was meeting really that important?

Upon entering the side room, he still couldn't see the person's face.

A silk screen stood before him.

Before the Qin family's decline, Qin Yuping had known better days.

He could see that the room was decked out in understated luxury.

The silk screen before him was exquisite Su embroidery, worth a thousand gold per inch.

He became even more deferential.

The guide left, leaving just the two of them in the room. The faint incense smoke helped ease his tense nerves.

Finally, the person across from him spoke: "Mr. Qin."

It was the voice of a young girl.

Qin Yuping was startled; there had been times before when families had sent their daughters to meet him.

It was to see if he'd make a good son-in-law.

Could this be another one of those...

But considering the family's status, he thought selling himself wasn't such a bad deal.

Haoyue couldn't read his thoughts; she could only read the princess's mind, or she'd have already slapped him silly.

"Mr. Qin, you're a top scholar, no doubt about your talent."

"But the imperial exams are every three years, and with so many prefectures in Dayue, how many top scholars do you think there are each time?"

"Don't let your talent make you arrogant."

"Only by sticking with the right person and the right path can your talent really shine."

With that one sentence, she hit the nail on the head, and Qin Yuping had to lower his proud head.

Haoyue had learned this persuasive tactic from the princess.

She'd heard it called something like 'Piyouei'?

It means first suppressing the other party, making them lose confidence, and then offering small favors, thus buying their loyalty at the smallest cost.

The princess had called it a sneaky trick back then, hadn't she?

Whatever, as long as it works.

After undermining the scholar's confidence, Haoyue finally revealed Bei Jingchu's name: "Princess Tianwu has a keen eye and recognizes your potential."

"You should know, there are many fine horses, but only one Bole—a legendary judge of horses."

"If you don’t act fast, plenty of others are eager to serve Her Highness."

Qin Yuping’s hand trembled, spilling tea from his cup.

Princess Tianwu...

The same demoness from the rumors—slaughtering loyal officials and enriching herself.

A devilishly cruel figure, even at such a young age.

Qin Yuping never expected the princess to seek him out.

At this moment, Haoyue stayed quiet, allowing him time to ponder.

Back when Qin Yuping first heard the rumors, he had deduced another layer of information.

Her bad reputation suggested she’d stepped on the toes of the civil ministers.

So siding with the princess meant going against the noble civil ministers.

Her ability to execute ministers showed she wielded immense power and enjoyed the emperor’s trust.

And now she was recruiting scholars, which meant she wanted to cultivate her own faction.

This was exhilarating—diving into royal intrigue could mean either fortune or disaster.

After careful thought, Qin Yuping made up his mind: he was all in!

In life, nothing worthwhile comes without risk.

If he wanted a mundane life, he could skip the exams altogether and just go back to farming.

He was thrilled—such a golden opportunity had fallen into his lap.

What a stroke of luck!

Feigning composure, he raised his cup toward the screen: "Since there’s no wine today, I’ll toast you with tea instead."

"I pledge my loyalty to Her Highness."

Behind the screen, only a shadow was visible. Haoyue seemed enigmatic, but under the table, she was rubbing her hands in excitement.

Whew~ Finally, someone who understands.

She pushed a small wooden box forward. "Your sincerity speaks volumes. This is a token of Her Highness’s favor."

Qin Yuping accepted the box, forearm-length and so heavy he nearly dropped it.

Clutching the box, he stepped out, brimming with hope for what lay ahead.

He always believed his talents would one day be recognized.

His abilities were destined to catch the eye of someone influential.

He just didn't know how the princess had picked him out from the vast sea of scholars.

What exactly was it about him that stood out?

Could it be his strikingly good looks?

At this moment, a fellow candidate from his hometown was brought over and greeted him: "Qin, were you invited here too?"

Qin Yuping: ...So, Princess Tianwu wasn't singling him out; she was just casting a wide net.

He went back to his rented thatched cottage feeling down.

Qin Yuping opened the wooden box, and the dazzling golden light inside nearly blinded him.

The elegant and refined gentleman was so shocked that he exclaimed: "Wow."

No fancy words could capture his feelings better than this one word.

His sense of being unappreciated vanished instantly.

Casting a wide net is great, really great.

If the princess hadn't cast a wide net, how could he have been picked out?