Chapter 61

Chapter 61

"Lord Lin? Lord Lin!"

Lin Ting snapped back to attention, finding Minister Wang staring at him with an inquisitive gaze.

Minister Wang gestured towards the carriage parked in the corner. "Lord Lin has been fixated on His Majesty's carriage. Is there something urgent you need to report?"

Lin Ting blinked, averted his gaze, and subtly patted his chest through his sleeve. "Oh, no, I'm fine." He hooked an arm around the curious Minister Wang's shoulders, guiding him away. "The time for entering the examination compound is almost here. Let's wait by the gate."

Minister Wang, suppressing his questions for the moment, followed Lord Lin to the examination compound gate.

Half an hour before the exam, the gates of the compound swung open. Two rows of imperial guards emerged, flanking the entrance, followed by a small team responsible for verifying candidates' eligibility.

The students, who had been waiting impatiently, immediately surged forward, eager to enter. Lin Ting, standing right at the entrance, was startled by the sudden rush and nearly got pushed against the wall before a few imperial guards came to his rescue.

He dared not step forward again, opting to wait prudently to the side.

Amidst the jostling crowd, he spotted Yang Gongming and Yan Ji. They, too, noticed him, exchanging distant nods as a greeting.

Once all the students had entered, Lin Ting and Minister Wang, as examiners for this Metropolitan Examination, also proceeded into the hall to supervise.

They entered last. As the gates slowly closed behind them, Lin Ting glanced back one last time—the plain, unassuming carriage remained in its spot.

The closing of the examination compound gates signified its sealing. From this moment, entry and exit were forbidden, not even a sparrow could fly in.

The examination lasted three days. During this period, candidates were confined to their assigned cells; all meals and activities were to be conducted within.

Meanwhile, Lin Ting and Minister Wang retired to the side rooms in the rear courtyard. The examination hall was guarded by imperial guards and City Patrol soldiers, so their presence was more symbolic than practical.

Over these three days, Lin Ting made his rounds through the examination hall morning, noon, and evening. The hall was packed, but fortunately, the cool weather prevented any unpleasant odors.

After each round, he would retreat to his quarters to rest, occasionally thinking of Pei Xingjian.

He wondered what the emperor was doing at this moment and whether his migraines had returned these past few days.

...

After three days, the candidates submitted their papers.

Each exam paper had its name covered with white paper before being stacked, filling three hefty trunks.

Only after the hall was thoroughly inspected and confirmed to be in order were the gates finally opened, allowing the students to leave.

Lin Ting, however, still had to lead the City Patrol in transporting the chests to the palace, where officials would grade the papers.

At this moment, Zhou Yue came to report, "Lord Lin, the City Patrol is ready. We can depart now."

Lin Ting and Minister Wang had already boarded their carriage. Hearing this, Lin Ting replied, "Good. Let’s set off now."

With the order given, the impressive escort detail moved along Zhengyang Street toward the palace gates.

To ensure safety, the procession progressed at a measured pace.

Lin Ting lifted the carriage curtain and saw commoners kneeling with their children along the roadside, likely seeking blessings of good fortune.

Once they passed through the palace gates, the City Patrol handed the chests over to the imperial guards, who would escort them the rest of the way to the Board of Revenue.

During the handover, Lin Ting couldn’t help but strain to see, scanning the crowd. Minister Wang, noticing this, asked curiously, "What is Lord Lin looking for?"

Lin Ting withdrew his gaze and shook his head. "Nothing." Pei Xingjian was probably still in the Hall of Chonghua reviewing petitions at this hour.

The path within the palace required them to proceed on foot, so Lin Ting and Minister Wang alighted from the carriage and followed the imperial guards.

As they approached the Board of Revenue’s entrance, Minister Wang suddenly jabbed him with an elbow. "Lord Lin, that—that’s—"

Lin Ting looked up in confusion and saw the ministry’s gates wide open, with a tall, dignified figure in black standing at the entrance. Flowering branches stretched over the wall, casting a gentle shadow over him, accentuating his noble bearing.

Lin Ting’s lips parted slightly, temporarily tongue-tied.

Minister Wang hurried forward and bowed. "This humble official greets Your Majesty." Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lord Lin still gaping openly at the emperor and discreetly tugged at his sleeve.

Pulled into a bow, Lin Ting lowered his gaze. "Your Majesty."

Pei Xingjian’s tone was calm. "Rise, both of you."

Lin Ting lifted his head and met that warm gaze again, his heart stuttering.

Minister Wang, still responsible for overseeing the storage of the exam scripts, entered the Board of Revenue first.

Lin Ting remained rooted to the spot, unmoving.

Pei Xingjian stepped forward, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "You’ve worked hard, Minister Lin."

He turned and walked ahead. After a brief pause, Lin Ting followed.

The two arrived at a private garden in the ministry’s rear courtyard. Suddenly, the figure in front stopped.

Lin Ting halted mid-step and found himself drawn into a tight embrace, the scent of sandalwood filling his senses.

His mind went blank as he stared dumbly at the head nestled against his shoulder, murmuring, "Your Majesty—"

A muffled vibration came from his shoulder. "Mm, Minister Lin."

Pei Xingjian held him tightly, pinning him in place. In his daze, Lin Ting could clearly feel the rapid heartbeat of the other man—so intense it made his own heart race.

Lin Ting tilted his head back slightly and whispered, "Your Majesty, I'm still in the same clothes."

The arms around him tightened further. "It matters not. I take no offense."

Lin Ting: "..." Could he at least go change first?

Never mind. Lin Ting relented. It had been a while since they’d seen each other, and… he had missed him too. He placed his hands lightly on Pei Xingjian’s back.

They remained like this for a long time before Pei Xingjian finally released him, his eyes shimmering with an unreadable emotion.

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Ting said, "Your Majesty, I’d like to go change first." He hadn’t changed in three days and felt positively grubby.

Pei Xingjian looked at him. "I’ve had the imperial kitchen prepare fresh pastries."

Lin Ting’s stomach chose that moment to protest with a quiet growl.

Pei Xingjian added, "Yesterday, Zhao Dehai found several outfits from my princely days. They should fit you perfectly."

Lin Ting felt like the emperor had planned this carefully.

Pei Xingjian pressed on temptingly, "The imperial kitchen said the pastries are best enjoyed warm."

"Let's go," Lin Ting immediately decided. "First, get some food."

Pei Xingjian smiled once more. "Alright."

Lin Ting followed Pei Xingjian to Xiangning Palace, took a comfortable bath, and changed into clean clothes. By the time he stepped out, an assortment of pastries had already been laid out on the round table in the courtyard.

Seeing him emerge, Pei Xingjian pushed the pastries forward. "Come."

Drawn in, Lin Ting sat down.

He ate until satisfied.

After eating, he returned to the Board of Revenue.

On the day the Metropolitan Exams concluded, the Board of Revenue organized and cataloged all the exam papers, and the evaluation process began that very night.

With time tight and the task heavy, there was no time to linger.

Before the grading commenced that evening, Pei Xingjian paid a special visit to the Board of Revenue.

After just a few hours apart, seeing Pei Xingjian again made Lin Ting truly understand the saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Pei Xingjian wore a navy blue outer robe, the candlelight lending solemnity. His voice was calm:

"This imperial examination is to select talent for Great Yong... Your efforts are appreciated."

Below followed the usual customary pleasantries—"Not at all," "It is an honor to serve Your Majesty"...

Finally, after seeing off the Emperor, everyone began the late-night grading.

As the Chief Examiner, Lin Ting had to be present daily during the grading. Thus, during this period, he was up before dawn and worked into the night. Each morning, upon entering the palace, he headed straight to the Board of Revenue, no longer stopping by Chonghua Hall for morning check-in.

Occasionally, when arguments erupted among the graders, Lin Ting had to mediate, ensuring the grading proceeded smoothly.

Pei Xingjian, concerned for him, often brought freshly made pastries from the imperial kitchen during lunch breaks to check on him. Seeing how exhausted he had become over the days, Pei Xingjian would fondly tousle his hair.

Grading was much more tedious than invigilating. As the days passed, fifteen days later, the Board of Revenue finally completed grading all the papers and determined the rankings.

At noon, Lin Ting brought the list to Chonghua Hall.

At this time, Pei Xingjian was still reviewing petitions. Lin Ting gave a soft knock on the door. "Your Majesty."

Two days had passed since their last meeting. Lin Ting had been so busy during those days that he lost all sense of time, unaware of day or night. Only now, as he finally came up for air, did he realize how much time had slipped by.

He entered with the list and handed it over. "This is the list of successful candidates compiled by the Board of Revenue."

Pei Xingjian took it, his gaze sweeping over Lin Ting's face. His fingers gently squeezed Lin Ting's fingers. "You've lost weight."

Lin Ting touched his own face. Really? Though Pei Xingjian had visited less frequently these past few days, he had still been having food delivered daily—chicken, duck, fish, pigeon, all prepared in different ways. Lin Ting had even thought he might have gained weight.

Pei Xingjian scanned the list. None of those who had bought exam answers or cheated made it onto the list. But when his eyes landed on one name, he paused and remarked indifferently, "Yang Gongming is in the top tier."

Lin Ting studied Pei Xingjian's expression. Was he never going to stop being jealous?

He leaned over and pointed at another name. "Prime Minister Yan's grandson also made it to the top tier."

Pei Xingjian didn't react to this deliberate change of topic. "Yan Que has indeed raised his grandson well."

Relieved that the Emperor no longer seemed concerned about Yang Gongming, Lin Ting let out a quiet breath.

After reviewing the list, Pei Xingjian returned it to him.

Lin Ting took it back. "Shall I have it published then?"

Pei Xingjian cautioned him, "Those who failed this time will surely have contingency plans. After the results are announced today, be extra careful."

Lin Ting pointed outside the hall. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Zhuo and Qingshan are both with me."

Before leaving, he casually snagged a box of glutinous rice cakes from the imperial kitchen, infused with osmanthus—just the scent alone was intoxicating.

That afternoon, the Board of Revenue posted the results on Zhengyang Street.

As Lin Ting passed by in his carriage after work, he saw the crowd jammed together around the announcement board. As the list was revealed, reactions varied—some cheered, some lamented, and some even knelt and wept, a vivid display of the spectrum of human emotions.

Lin Ting couldn't help but recall his own experience checking his test scores years ago.

Among the crowd, Yang Gongming cheered upon seeing his name in the top tier and fought his way out. Spotting a carriage parked by the roadside, he recognized Lord Lin seated inside.

Bursting with joy, Yang Gongming rushed over. "Lord Lin, I made it! I'm in the top tier!"

Lin Ting smiled. "Congratulations." He felt it necessary to remind Yang Gongming once more.

"Don't forget your earlier promise. Once you enter the court, serve the Emperor and the people well."

Yang Gongming assured him again.

Satisfied, Lin Ting nodded. "I have matters to attend to, so I'll be on my way. You should go prepare for the final imperial examination." Passing the imperial examination was only the first step; the final hurdle was the palace examination, where candidates would face the Emperor and be assigned official positions.

Meanwhile, among the crowd gathered before the announcement board, a scion of a noble family stared at the list in disbelief.

"How... how is this possible? The answers were written by several great scholars my father hired. How could I not have made it?"

Stumbling out of the crowd, he noticed the man who had just boasted about making the top tier standing before a carriage, speaking to someone inside.

He moved closer and suddenly recognized the person in the carriage—he had seen him during a visit to Nanxiang Temple. Studying the scholar's face, his eyes widened. Wasn't that the sickly youth from Nanxiang Temple?

Just then, a companion came looking for him. "Brother Qi, why did you leave? Don't worry, there's always next time."

The man pointed ahead. "The person in that carriage looks familiar."

His companion squinted for a moment. "That's the Chief Examiner for this Metropolitan Examination. You were probably asleep during the exam and didn't see him."

Chief Examiner?

The man sneered. "So it started this early." He nudged his companion. "What do you think would happen if the Emperor found out the Chief Examiner colluded with a candidate, leaking exam questions in advance?"

His companion looked shocked. "That can't be possible. The selection of Chief Examiners is extremely strict."

"Hmph. I heard this Chief Examiner was someone the Emperor brought in from who-knows-where. What credentials could he possibly have?"

Glaring at the carriage, he muttered, "Just you wait."