Chapter 174

Chapter 174

After navigating a winding corridor, the scholars finally beheld the Imperial Palace. It was just after the morning court session, and civil and military officials were exiting the main hall in a long procession.

The civil officials wore crimson robes, while the military officers were clad in stone-blue. The distinct red and blue, though contrasting, each possessed its own grandeur. The scholars watched intently as the officials slowly departed, their eyes brimming with admiration.

Even if they were to pass into the Hanlin Academy, it would take many years before they qualified to attend court sessions. During that time, many would be demoted or dismissed before even gaining the necessary seniority.

Once the court officials had left, the palace attendants guided the scholars onward. The palace examination was to be held in the main hall.

All 150 tribute scholars entered the hall, kneeling and kowtowing in fifteen rows of ten.

The palace examination was, of course, presided over by the Emperor himself. He began slowly, "We preside over this court to select scholars, observing the multitude of talented individuals before Us—all learned individuals and pillars of the nation. Our heart is greatly comforted."

His voice was not loud, yet in the silent hall, every word was clear to all. Upon hearing this, everyone felt a stir of emotion and slowly straightened their backs.

"Since ancient times, the rise and fall of a nation depend on its talent, and the abundance of talent relies on the fairness of selection and the diligence of cultivation. You have endured years of arduous study, tempering your understanding of classics and history. Today, you stand before the imperial presence, already outstanding among men."

The Emperor paused before continuing, "However, the purpose of these examination essays is not merely to showcase literary flair, but to focus on practical application and fundamental principles. We have observed the order and chaos throughout history, all of which hinged upon the integrity of scholars.

Since you have read the books of sages, you should aspire to assist the sovereign to become like Yao and Shun, extending blessings to the common people. As officials, be loyal and diligent in serving the state; as scholars, be principled and upright in heart. If one day you stand in the court, remember: worry before the world worries, rejoice after the world rejoices. Only then will you not betray Our fervent desire for talent."

"Yes—" The scholars were deeply stirred by these words.

As the time was almost right, the Emperor cleared his throat lightly and continued, "Today, We test you with policy essays not to observe your literary talent, but to assess your insight and capability. We hope you will uphold sincere hearts, express strategies for governing, and not fail your lifelong learning or the high expectations of the world. If you truly possess talent and knowledge, We will surely promote and employ you, allowing you to realize your aspirations and contribute to this prosperous era!"

The Emperor raised his hand, and the eunuch beside him announced in a drawn-out voice, "Begin the examination—the questions are bestowed!"

An incense stick, as thick as a finger, was lit at the front to measure the time. It would take exactly two hours to burn out, and when the incense extinguished, all writing must cease, and the papers would be collected.

The scholars returned to their seats to grind ink and analyze the topic. The palace examination lasted only two hours, and the topics varied each time. Most were based on current affairs. The topic for the previous palace examination had been "On the Malpractices of Salt Administration and the Ways of Adaptation."

At that time, the southern regions were plagued by the illicit salt trade. If strict controls were imposed, the people could not afford official salt. The candidate Wang Jun, who advocated for adaptive measures, achieved the top rank and now serves as Vice Minister of Revenue.

Writing a profound and meaningful essay in such a short time was no easy task.

This relied on the candidates' accumulated knowledge. Everyone prepared some essays in advance; if the topic matched their preparation, writing became simpler.

Currently, the most significant matter at court was the war with Northern Qiang and the Turks, so most had prepared essays on this topic. Indeed, when the questions were distributed, it was roughly as they had predicted, and everyone began writing intently.

Two hours was neither a long nor a short time. The Emperor could not sit waiting the entire time. After presenting the questions, he rose and went to the study at the back.

After reading the question, Chen Qingyan began grinding his ink while rapidly organizing his thoughts. Once his thoughts were ordered, he picked up his brush and started writing on draft paper.

As time passed, some candidates had already finished writing.

Chen Qingyan put down his final stroke, blew on the ink to dry it, and began reviewing his essay word by word. After ensuring there were no omissions or taboo characters, he transcribed it onto the official examination paper.

The paper used for the palace examination was not ordinary xuan paper but a stiff paper resembling a memorial to the throne. At the top, he wrote his native place and name for the Emperor's review, followed by the main content.

The transcription had to be neat and clear. A soiled or messy scroll was considered disrespectful, and regardless of content, it would result in failure.

Chen Qingyan was so absorbed in his writing that he even forgot to check the time. Fortunately, he finished the last character the moment the incense extinguished.

As the eunuch called "Pens down!", everyone set down their brushes and waited. After the eunuchs collected the scrolls, they lined up to exit and waited in the side hall. The results would be announced in about an hour.

Out of over a hundred scrolls, only the top ten would be reviewed by the Emperor. The others were evaluated by Hanlin Academy officials. Unless a scroll was exceptionally outstanding and presented to the Emperor, the rankings mostly followed the Metropolitan Examination results.

The Emperor first picked up the scroll of Huang Yuanzhou, the top-ranked candidate from the Metropolitan Exam. Overall, it was a well-written essay, but Emperor Wuping was not looking for a good essay—he wanted a useful one.

After reading it, he placed this scroll in the middle. Then he picked up Chen Qingyan's scroll.

This one, however, was quite interesting. It began by directly stating that the Xizhou situation could only be settled by war.

The more he read, the more he appreciated it. The content was sharp, hitting right at the key points. The final sentence read: "Not an inch of borderland shall be yielded. We seek not merit for the present but benefit for millennia!"

Excellent, truly excellent! After all, what emperor does not wish to leave a legacy for a thousand ages?

"What is this person's background? How have We never heard of him before?"

The eunuch standing beside him replied, "Your Majesty, this is Liang Liufang's disciple. Years ago, he was falsely accused of cheating, and it was You who granted him another chance to take the imperial examinations."

Amidst the busy state affairs, how could he remember such trivial matters? But upon hearing that he was Liang Liufang's disciple, he couldn't help but smile meaningfully.

Years ago, Emperor Wuping, valuing talent, had given Liang Boqing two chances to retake the imperial examinations. Unfortunately, that man was too stubborn and refused to come. Now, it seemed he had come to his senses and taught a fine disciple, not wasting his own talents.

Emperor Wuping was not a shortsighted ruler. If he were, he would not have considered reopening the tea and salt trade routes.

Prosperous times breed wise rulers; chaotic times produce great leaders. Now that the Wu Dynasty had passed through five generations under his rule, he was determined to emulate his ancestors and restore the dynasty's greatness!

Emperor Wuping set down the scroll and continued to the next. After reviewing the top ten scrolls, he personally selected the Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua. The other second and third-tier rankings were determined by Hanlin scholars.

By the end of the hour, the palace examination results were finally announced, with the court herald responsible for calling out the names.

Over a hundred tribute scholars stood nervously outside the main hall. After three whip cracks, the herald announced: "First Rank, First Place, Zhuangyuan: Chen Qingyan."

Second Place, Bangyan: Liu Junshan.

Third Place, Tanhua: Xu Wei.

...

Chen Qingyan could hardly believe his ears. Had the first name called really been his?

He turned to look behind him. Everyone was staring at him. In that instant, the world seemed to transform, and the sound of his pounding heartbeat echoed in his ears. He had passed!

He was the Zhuangyuan!

*

Meanwhile, Wang Ying was writing a rental agreement for someone.

Recently, more and more people had arrived in Jizhou Prefecture. Besides refugees from the western frontier, nobles and merchants from Suzhou and Liangzhou had also caught wind of the situation and fled early to the central plains for safety.

This morning, the tenants were a middle-aged couple with two children and an elderly person. They wanted to rent a courtyard on Zhenghe Street. With few people, such a standalone courtyard was just right.

Wang Ying first took them to look around. After they confirmed, they began discussing the rent.

Property prices in the prefecture were rising rapidly. What was once thirty taels of silver had increased several times to sixty-five taels. Even at this price, demand outstripped supply.

The couple did not bargain and directly paid for a year's rent. As businesspeople, they were not short on money. Of course, those without money could not even enter the prefecture.

Wang Ying accepted the silver and prepared two copies of the contract, specifying that subletting was not allowed during the rental period and that the main structure of the house must not be damaged, among other requirements.

Just after seeing them off, a faint chime sounded in his ears—the experimental field had reached level 7!

Wang Ying was stunned for a moment, then instantly realized: Chen Qingyan must have passed!

He quickly called Lin Sui to close up and head home!

"Sister-in-law, are we closing now? There are still some vegetables left unsold..."

"Not selling anymore! Something came up, need to head home."

"Ah, I'll pack up right away." Lin Sui didn't dare delay and quickly loaded the remaining vegetables into the basket, planning to have Tian Ju haul them home later.

After locking up the shop, the two hurried back home.

Once home, Wang Ying went straight to the bedroom, bolted the door, and entered the Experimental Field.

As soon as he stepped in, he was startled by a pop-up message: the Experimental Field had just gained 500,000 experience points, reaching well past level 7.

Why so much experience? Could it be that my husband really passed the imperial exams as the top scholar?

Suppressing his excitement, Wang Ying clicked to claim the level-up rewards.

Experimental Field Level: 7

Milestone Reward: Unlocked teleportation function. Three fixed-point teleports allowed to locations two people have visited.

Wang Ying’s eyes widened. This... this is incredible!

And it’s not blind teleportation either—just fix the location in your mind, and a preview of the surroundings appears. Confirm the teleportation only after checking.

Wang Ying tested it by setting the location to the old house in Chen Village. Instantly, it felt as if he were standing in the wilderness, right beside the flood-damaged buildings.

At the last second, Wang Ying canceled the teleportation. These chances are too precious to waste casually!

The regular rewards included accelerated growth, expanded storage, and an additional acre added to the Experimental Field.

Aside from the teleportation function, the rest felt rather mediocre. Still, his husband’s success in the exams made him happier than anything!

Unfortunately, he couldn’t share this joy with the family just yet. In the afternoon, he planned to buy some snacks downtown and take the family for an outing tomorrow. The weather was perfect—neither too hot nor too cold—ideal for a day out with the kids.

Stepping out of the room, he found the children playing a game of cops and robbers in the yard. Yuanbao and Qing Er were the officers, and Mutou was the robber. They were all running around, covered in sweat.

"Dad, Dad!" Yuanbao called out happily when he saw Wang Ying.

Though Qing Er couldn’t speak, she also came over cheerfully, nuzzling affectionately against Wang Ying’s leg.

"Look at you, all sweaty." Wang Ying took out a handkerchief to wipe their foreheads. "Later, Uncle and I will go buy some things. Tomorrow, we’ll take you all out to play."

"Yay!" Yuanbao jumped for joy, while Qing Er clapped her hands, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

Just then, Lin Sui arrived as well.

Wang Ying remarked, "These two really play well together."

"Yeah, Qing Er has become much livelier since she came to our home."

"Come with me to the market. Let’s buy some things for our outing with the kids tomorrow."

"Sure."

For the outing, they needed to buy a few hats. The children’s skin was delicate—just half a day in the sun could leave them peeling.

There were many types of hats in ancient times. Women and young males often wore veiled hats when going out, usually made of gauze or fine cloth, with a thin silk border to cover the face.

Men mostly wore conical bamboo hats—wide-brimmed hats woven from bamboo strips. Those better off might sew a black cloth border around the hat or even adorn it with jewels to show off their status.

While picking out hats, they suddenly heard commotion outside. The two looked out to see.

They saw a man running wildly and shouting, "The Northwest Army has been defeated! Marquis Wuping died in battle, Yumen Pass has fallen!—The Northwest Army has been defeated! Marquis Wuping died in battle, Yumen Pass has fallen!—"