Gate of God

Chapter 314: Four Symbols and Bagua

“Mislead?” Fang Zhengzhi glanced at Ping Yang with disdain. How could he have misled Yan Xiu when the examination was in such an open area.

However…

How could he fail?

Even though he did not know what were the key pointers to look out for in a policy paper in this world, he was confident about his “New Six Nations”.

“If what Wu Feng says is true, how is it possible that both of you didn’t receive the invite to meet with the Emperor?” Wen Dabao was confused.

“The meaning of the policy.” Yan Xiu said softly.

“The meaning?” Wen Dabao was confused. He had no idea what the question was, so he had no way of understanding what Yan Xiu meant.

However, at this point, the melodious music wafted out of the Intellectual Loft. It was intoxicating and calming.

“Let’s go inside first. How can we enjoy the music at the door?” Ping Yang did not seem bothered about whether Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu passed or failed.

Before Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu could say anything, she dragged them both into the loft.

Wen Dabao followed behind without any objection.

Once they were inside, Fang Zhengzhi realized that the ‘fireworks’ here were quite different from those he knew. There was no intoxicating lights here, only poetic and elegant art.

The inside of the loft felt like a circus tent. It was completely empty inside, with four staircases leading up to the second floor.

In the middle of the loft were dozens of tables filled with snacks and wine. There were scenic paintings all over the ceiling.

On the second floor were eight slightly raised platforms. There was a lady in a long dress on each platform, their faces covered by a white veil.

Each one of them had a different instrument.

On the third floor of the loft were four floating stages. They were in the directions of north, south, east, and west. There was a lady in a long dress on each stage.

Their dresses were in four different colors – green, red, gold, and white.

Fang Zhengzhi glanced at it. He had a feeling that the Intellectual Loft was set up rather uniquely. There were four staircases, eight stages in the middle, and four floating stages at the top.

“Four Symbols, Bagua!”

…

“Oh? Fang Zhengzhi is here!”

“And Yan Xiu… greetings Princess Ping Yang!”

Very quickly, all of the talents at the center table saw Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu. Then, when they saw Ping Yang between the two gentlemen, they all stood up.

The owner of the Intellectual Loft recognized Ping Yang instantly.

The moment Ping Yang was seen, a thirty year old lady in a white dress came to them.

“Your highness, do you want your usual seat?”

“Of course.” Ping Yang raised her head haughtily.

“Your highness, please hang on a moment. I will arrange for it right now.”

“Do it quickly.”

“Yes your highness.”

Before long, they were all led to a table in the middle of the loft. From this position, Fang Zhengzhi could see all of the art inside the Intellectual Loft.

PIng Yang looked at the seat, then blinked at Fang Zhengzhi. It was almost as if she was showing off her experience to Fang Zhengzhi.

“Not bad.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“Hahaha… of course it’s not bad.” Ping Yang smiled immediately when she heard this.

All of the other talents looked on scornfully. The talents who had just been chased out of the seat brooded by the side.

“They will always be failures!”

“We will see who has the last laugh when the results are announced tomorrow.”

“Young Master Wu, tell us more about your policy. It will also allow some others to understand their lack of abilities.”

“Hahaha…”

Very quickly, chuckles could be heard from around them.

“Today’s meeting should be about making friends and sharing knowledge. We should all make merry and enjoy the art. Let’s not talk about the policy paper.” Wu Feng waved all the other talents off, smiling as he did so.

“Young Master Wu, you are wrong there. The policy paper is the only component of the court theory examination. Anyone who can produce such stunning work is better than those who just memorize the Law of Dao!”

“Exactly. Young Master Wu already called this a gathering of intellectuals, why hold back?”

“Even though we also participated in the court examination, but we were not invited to meet with the Emperor. It is our good fortune to be seated next to Young Master Wu today. We hope that you will impart some knowledge to us.”

All of the talents pleaded with Wu Feng to discuss his paper with them.

Wu Feng looked rather conflicted even as he smirked. He knew that the policy paper discussions would take center stage today.

After making a show of rejecting them initially, Wu Feng decided to accede to their requests.

“Since all of you think so highly of me, I will just tell you all my two cents worth.” Wu Feng glanced at Fang Zhengzhi. “My policy paper is centered around honesty when dealing with the vassals.”

“Honesty when dealing with the vassal states?”

“Is that the statement found in the Law of Dao?”

The eyes of the talents brightened when they heard this.

“That is correct. The Emperor must ensure order and prosperity for the country. The officials must respect the wishes of the Emperor. Children must be filial to their parents and parents must be forgiving towards their kids. When dealing with other countries, honesty is the best policy.”

“I think that the Emperor values this very much. During the court examination, I noticed that the Emperor turned to look south. The uprising in the Southern Mountain Range must be on his mind. Yet, in the distance, there is also the problem of the demons. As officials, we cannot just solve the immediate problems, we must also prepare for the future.”

“Even though I do not know the details, the Southern Mountain Range have been our allies for centuries. They have also been a natural barrier against any invasion by the demons.”

“The Great Xia Dynasty has provided the Southern Mountain Range with support as well. We have helped them in the excavation and opening of roads. The Southern Mountain Range is bound to be grateful to us.”

“In order for a country to be powerful, we must be able to accept! In dealing with others, we must be honest and trust each other. Only then can we prosper together.”

“As such, I proposed that we needed to be sincere and honest in our dealings!”

Wu Feng’s voice was slightly raised when he got to this point. He sounded like he truly had a passion to save the world.

“By being sincere, we can gain their trust? Young Master Wu is wise!”

“It is no wonder you are third on the Rising Dragon Roll. Your talents are not easily matched. Your policy paper is much better than some of the books I have written.”

“Young Master Wu’s policy paper is unique. It is meaningful and draws on knowledge laid out in the classics. I think even Nangong Hao would be hard pressed to write a better paper.”

“That is true. Even though I used similar concepts in my paper, my ideas were not as lucidly laid out as Young Master Wu’s.”

All of the talents gasped in amazement when Wu Feng finished. Some others also sighed in disappointment.

“Naive.” Fang Zhengzhi’s mouth twitched in disdain.

The ideas laid out were all true. However, the key was in when and how to use those concepts.

There was no problem in trust and honesty.

To advocate trust between countries was not wrong either.

However, trust was not something that was easily achieved. They could not simply say they trust each other and go about leading their lives happily ever after.

All trust was still built upon the foundation of power. Only when both sides stood to gain would there be trust and cooperation.

Without the above foundations, trust was meaningless.

Wu Feng did not here what Fang Zhengzhi said. After he finished, he turned to look at Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.

Then, he quickly walked over to the group of them.

“Young Master Yan, Young Master Fang, Princess, I wonder what the three of you thought of that?” Wu Feng asked respectfully.

All of the talents chuckled when they saw this.

For a talent who had met the Emperor to ask for advice from two failed candidates was quite the sight to behold.

They all fell vindicated when they recalled Fang Zhengzhi’s arrogance during the theory examinations. This was compounded by the fact that Fang Zhengzhi had handed in his script early.

“Fang Zhengzhi, I bet you didn’t expect this to happen when you handed in your script early!”

Yan Xiu glanced at Wu Feng but did not reply. He opened up his Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan and fanned himself.

Then, he turned to look at the four dancing ladies on the third floor of the loft.

“Could you please not block me?”

“…”

All of the talents, who were waiting in anticipation, were stunned. They looked at each other in disbelief.

Could you please not block me?

Fang Zhengzhi also did not expect that someone as cold as Yan Xiu would say something so sarcastic. He wanted to give Yan Xiu a standing ovation.

After Ping Yang recovered from the initial shock, she burst out laughing, her hands clutching her belly as she did so.

“Hahahahaha…”

As for Wu Feng, he was completely stunned.

He looked at Yan Xiu’s icy expression. His face turned red as his eyes glimmered. His lips quivered, almost as if he wanted to say something. However, he remained silent.

Chapter 315: Multi talented

The atmosphere in the Intellectual Loft was slightly strange now. This was not something the owner wanted to see. The owner shot a glance at one of the ladies on the second floor.

In that instant, melodious music filled the air.

There was an ancient saying, the girl who plays the pipa covers half her face with the pipa shyly.

Fang Zhengzhi was feeling great. He looked at the shy expression on the girl playing the pipa, a wave of emotions building up inside him. It was no wonder this Intellectual Loft was the most famous one around.

Ping Yang quietened down after hearing the music begin.

Wu Feng has returned to his seat. However, his expression was dark, his fists clenched tightly.

“Young Master Wu, why bother with these people?”

“Exactly! They did not even get invited to meet the Emperor. They are bound to fail.”

“They are just jealous of you.”

All of the other talents comforted when they saw Wu Feng’s expression.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored them all. He turned to look at the decorations in the loft. It was designed with four symbols and the Bagua in mind. Furthermore, it seemed to be hiding something…

For a loft like this to be designed this intricately… this world was more complicated than he previously imagined.

…

Inside one of the rooms adorned with antiques…

There was a thick book on a redwood desk. There were a few letters next to the book, each one written in a different handwriting.

A lady in a black dress sat behind the table, opening each letter one by one. She read each one carefully, contemplating its contents before putting it down.

A bright light shone on the lady’s face. Her snow white skin and exquisite features were illuminated. There was a spot of red in the middle of her forehead, almost like a drop of blood in the snow.

“Master!” A servant in black bowed as she entered.

“What is the matter?”

“Master, Young Master Fang and Young Master Yan are in the Intellectual Loft.”

“Okay, I got it, proceed according to plan.”

“Yes!”

…

This gathering was not just to discuss the court examination. Each and every talent had a wish. They wanted to have a story that would last the ages.

They were powerful when they were sober, and they lusted when they were drunk.

How could they not have a story to tell?

The Intellectual Loft was the number one place for ‘fireworks’ in the entire eight mile street. This meant that they were truly special.

That was the only way that they could remain on top.

Anyone that could attract all the top talents of the capital did not just have the looks and the body.

They also needed extraordinary talents.

Furthermore, they had to be pure and classy.

The logic was simple. Any treasure that was easily accessible to others was not a treasure at all. Only those that one could only admire from a distance would be treasured.

Immortal Tune.

She had burst onto the scene three months ago. She was extremely classy.Even though she was not the most beautiful, she was the most gentle.

She was as gentle as water. She was also as clear as a spring.

Her name was also representative of her talents. Her music could intoxicate people. More importantly, she was multi-talented.

She knew her poetry, could improvise and finish up others’ sentences. Furthermore, she had fantastic penmanship.

Even though she was no match for the famous Yun Qingwu, she had an advantage because she could be seen.

Fang Zhengzhi was enjoying the music and dancing whilst snacking. All of a sudden, he realized that all the talents were on their feet, almost as if they were stabbed in the butt.

Then, a red silk cloth dangled from the roof of the loft.

“Is this a show?” Fang Zhengzhi guessed.

“No, Ms Immortal Tune is about to take to the stage. She is about to take to the stage.” Wen Dabao said excitedly.

“Immortal Tune?”

“The top girl in the entire district.” Ping Yang explained.

“Oh.” Fang Zhengzhi understood Wen Dabao’s excitement. Top girl? How good could she be?

Just as he was thinking about it, all the lights in the loft dimmed. The only lights remaining were those on the eight stages on the second floor.

Before long, there were red drums on each of the small stages.

“Drums?” Fang Zhengzhi was curious.

This world always valued strings… why would they use drums?

“Ms Immortal Tune!”

Just at this moment, all of the talents gasped, their eyes glistening.

Fang Zhengzhi was overwhelmed by curiosity. He looked up.

He saw a lady in a red dress float down from the roof of the loft. She hugged a black guqin…

She was like an immortal, a work of art.

“I heard that Immortal Tune is in the Divine Seal State. It seems that it is true.”

“She floats down from the sky, almost like an immortal on this earth. Beautiful, perfection…”

All of the talents were completely mesmerized by her beauty.

“Ding!” The strings on the guqin vibrated.

Music filled the room. The music was soothing, causing one to feel weak and fall back into one’s seat.

“I think Immortal Tune used music to enter Dao.” Yan Xiu mouthed.

“Music to enter Dao…” Fang Zhengzhi recalled that Yan Xiu told him Wu Feng was also similar. Yan Xiu was saying this to remind him and give him advance warning.

“Ding!” The strings were strummed once again.

A gust of wind…

Fang Zhengzhi looked at Immortal Tune as she continued to make music with her Guqin.

Just like the other girls, Immortal Tune wore a veil. However, her veil was red and translucent. Her features could be made out through the veil.

Her features were exquisite. Her eyebrows were thin, her pupils black and shining. It was almost as if there was ink flowing inside her pupils, exuding an aura of calm and gentleness.

Music filled the room.

Fang Zhengzhi picked up a nut. Just as he was about to bite down on it, the music stopped. Then, two red cloths danced in the air.

“Bong!”

Drums rang out on both sides.

All of the other talents were mesmerized by the music. They looked at the red silk in the air, fiery passion in their eyes.

The music was captivating.

The guqin and drums complemented each other beautifully. Immortal Tune danced in the air with the music.

Fang Zhengzhi finally understood why Immortal Tune was the most popular girl in the entire area.

Her musical talents were sufficient to fire up all the talents.

After a while, the music stopped and Immortal Tune landed on the ground.

“Ms Immortal Tune, tomorrow is the release of the court examination results. If you are willing to, perhaps one of us could sing and drink with you in your chamber.”

A voice rang out.

“Drink in her chamber?”

“Sing with them!”

All of the talents were fired up when they heard this. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be with Immortal Tune.

“Young Master Wu, you used music to enter Dao as well. You have the best shot!”

“Yes! Young Master Wu, please go ahead!”

“Both of you are incredibly talented! This will be a story for the ages.”

All the talents looked to Wu Feng.

Wu Feng smirked when he saw this.

“Greetings Immortal Tune. I am Wu Feng, ranked third on the Rising Dragon Roll. It is nice to meet you.” Wu Feng bowed and introduced himself “humbly”.

“Hello Young Master Wu.” Immortal Tune’s voice was intoxicating.

Ping Yang smiled when she saw this.

“Fang Zhengzhi, would you like to try?”

“Nope.” Fang Zhengzhi replied without hesitation. He was a history major. He could recite classics and compose poems, but when it came to music…

He didn’t know the keyboard, he didn’t know strings. As for drums… he was utterly clueless.

He only knew how to brag.

Back on Yun Qingwu’s ship, he had smoked his way through. If he had to play it himself, he would have been out of tune.

“Hahaha… I think you can’t! How about Yan Xiu?” Ping Yang laughed.

“I know a little, but I am no match for Wu Feng.” Yan Xiu shook his head.

Wen Dabao wanted to make a move. However, when he realized his opponent was going to be Wu Feng, he blushed and took a step back.

At this moment, Wu Feng’s ears twitched as he smirked. “Ms Immortal Tune is great at music and dancing. We also have a talented individual in our midst. He is the top scorer for the imperial examinations. If you perform a duet with him, it will be a story for the ages.”

Chapter 316: Don’t fall for it

As Wu Feng spoke, he turned to look at Fang Zhengzhi encouragingly.

All of the talents were stunned when they heard this. However, they recovered quickly. Even though it looked as though Wu Feng was giving up this golden opportunity to Fang Zhengzhi…

In actual fact…

It was a masterful stroke.

Wu Feng had been dissed by Yan Xiu just now. This was his chance to regain the upper hand.

There was no one under the age of 30 who dared to claim that they were more talented than Wu Feng in music.

The girl was right in front of him.

No matter how good Fang Zhengzhi was, he could not be better than Wu Feng. Getting the girl was just a matter of time.

Immortal Tune’s eyes showed no emotion after she heard Wu Feng’s words. Her eyes were icy and clear.

“Young Master Wu, I am not as talented as you make me out to be. Furthermore, I am of a lower status. How can I possibly be talked about in the same league as our imperial examination top scorer? However, if Young Master Fang is willing to indulge me, it will be my pleasure to perform a duet!”

“Hahaha… Immortal Tune, you are too humble. There are countless people who would jump at the opportunity to perform with you.” Wu Feng chuckled, then turned to Fang Zhengzhi. “Young Master Fang, I am sure you will not turn down Ms Immortal Tune?”

All of the talents immediately jumped in.

“Young Master Fang, this invitation by Ms Immortal Tune is a golden opportunity.”

“Exactly, exactly. We are not as reputable as you. We have no choice but to admire by the side.”

“Young Master Fang, you topped the imperial examinations. Now you have the opportunity to perform with Ms Immortal Tune. We are envious of you.”

All of the other talents showed expressions of jealousy.

Fang Zhengzhi’s mouth twitched. Damn it.

He knew exactly what the talents were thinking. However, he really did not know anything about music. There was no way he was going to fall into the trap.

He decided to ignore them.

He continued to sip tea and snack.

All of the talents hesitated, realizing that Fang Zhengzhi was still snacking on the nuts. They looked at each other. They all thought the same thing, Fang Zhengzhi probably doesn’t know music. That’s why he isn’t responding.

This was quite reasonable.

Fang Zhengzhi came from the villages. Even though he came into contact with the Law of Dao, music was a luxury he probably could not afford.

“Young Master Fang, do you not know how to make music?” One of the talents asked scornfully.

“Rubbish! Young Master Fang is a talent, how could he possibly not know music?”

“Exactly! Don’t talk rubbish!”

Two voices rebutted almost immediately.

However, right after, they smirked at Fang Zhengzhi.

Anyone in this world who did not know music or poetry was just a nerd.

Even though he could perform in the examinations, he would still be a laughing stock in social situations.

Immortal Tune gaze moved when she heard the discussion. She looked at Fang Zhengzhi.

Then, she curtsied to Wu Feng and began to walk towards Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.

Wen Dabao, who was brooding, brightened up when he saw Immortal Tune walking over. His jaw dropped.

“Ms Immortal Tune… hi… I… I am Wen Dabao.”

“Hello Young Master Wen.”

“Ms Immortal Tune, I am a regular here. I listen to all of your songs…”

“Wen Dabao, can you shut up?” Ping Yang looked at Wen Dabao dismissively.

“…” Wen Dabao covered his mouth in fear.

“Young Master Fang, I am Immortal Tune. May I ask what instrument you are adept at? I will get someone to prepare it for you.” Immortal Tune turned to look at Fang Zhengzhi.

“Piano. Do you have one here?” Fang Zhengzhi asked without raising his head.

“Piano?” Immortal Tune asked in confusion.

All of the other talents looked at each other, lost. They had never heard of a piano!

“Is he trying to make something up?”

All of the talents looked at each other doubtfully.

“The piano is a keyboard instrument that was invented in the ancient western world. It has 88 keys and three pedals. The one on the left is a softening pedal. It lowers the volume of the notes that are played. The one on the right is a damper pedal. It causes the notes that are played to sustain longer. The one in the middle is the sostenuto pedal. It allows the pianist to sustain certain notes whilst keeping the others unaffected.” Fang Zhengzhi explained.

“Western world?!”

“Did he just say western world?! Is he…”

“How can that be?”

All of the talents were stunned when they heard what Fang Zhengzhi said.

Yan Xiu’s expression changed as well. He looked at Fang Zhengzhi awkwardly, but did not say anything.

Immortal Tune was also shocked. However, she recovered quickly.

“Young Master Fang is really talented. You even know the Western… Immortal Tune is not as talented. I would love to hear you play the piano, but we do not have the instrument here. Do you play any others?”

“Violin. Do you have it here? It looks like this…” Fang Zhengzhi nodded understandingly. Then, he sketched a picture of a violin on a piece of paper.

“Is that also from the west?” Immortal Tune’s eyes glimmered when she saw the sketch.

“Yes.”

“I am truly sorry, but we do not have a violin.”

“Then what about a cello?”

“We don’t have that either.”

“You must have a guitar?”

“Erm… we don’t.”

Fang Zhengzhi did not say anything else. He waved exasperatingly. His intentions were obvious. It’s not that I don’t want to perform, but they don’t have the instruments for me.

All of the other talents were stunned.

Violin, cello, guitar…

What the hell were these?

They had not heard of these instruments before.

This guy was just trying to shift the blame away from himself!

Fang Zhengzhi did not care about what the others thought. After all, what he had asked for exists, it just wasn’t in this world.

All of the talents were furious. However, they could not say anything. After all, Fang Zhengzhi was able to describe the instruments in detail, even sketching out how they looked like.

Wu Feng did not expect that Fang Zhengzhi would be this shameless. He never expected that Fang Zhengzhi would name instruments that didn’t exist!

However…

No matter how shameless Fang Zhengzhi was, the fact was that he could not play the duet. All he had to do now was invite Immortal Tune to perform the duet with him.

Everything was still within his control.

“Ms Immortal Tune, since Young Master Fang is not going to play the duet, how about I play that duet with you?” Wu Feng bowed towards her.

He looked like a knight in shining armor.

“I heard that Young Master Wu has learnt the true art of playing the jade flute from the Clear Water Sage. I am sure that their duet will be a story for the ages.”

“I wonder which song Young Master Wu will choose?”

All of the other talents chimed in with their approval.

Wu Feng smiled and coughed lightly. “I heard that Ms Immortal Tune’s Pingsha is extraordinary. It would be my honor to complement you with my flute.”

Fang Zhengzhi had no intention of stopping Wu Feng. He had come here to enjoy the music. He did not care who was going to go off with Immortal Tune.

He looked at Immortal Tune.

Normally, Immortal Tune would take her leave at this moment.

However, she showed no intention of leaving.

“I am sorry for not being able to give you the instruments you wanted. How about I make it up to you by drinking a cup with you?” Immortal Tune gestured to Fang Zhengzhi.

Wu Feng, who was holding the jade flute, stood rooted to his spot.

He was ignored?

He was ranked third on the Rising Dragon Roll and the most talented musician of his generation! Furthermore, he had just met with the Emperor.

This meant that he should be in the top three of the theory examinations if there are no surprises.

That was clearly a much greater achievement than the top scorer for the imperial examinations!

However, it was a fact that he was ignored.

Immortal Tune did not even turn back to look at him.

All of the other talents were stunned as they looked at Immortal Tune in disbelief. Ever since Immortal Tune had started working here, she had never accompanied someone to drink.

Much less drink to make it up to someone!

More importantly…

She wasn’t at fault!

The instruments that he had asked for probably did not exist! Immortal Tune, don’t fall for his trap!

All of the talents wanted to vomit blood as they saw Immortal Tune raise her glass.

Chapter 317: I’m just here for the music!

Ping Yang looked at Fang Zhengzhi weirdly. She wondered to herself, Is this guy really so charismatic?

Yan Xiu found it weird as well, but he did not say anything.

When Wen Dabao looked at Fang Zhengzhi, his eyes were filled with admiration and jealousy. This man is the master!

Fang Zhengzhi was taken aback as well. He did not want to flirt with her. More importantly, he was neither rich nor powerful.

More importantly, he did not know how to play music.

What was Immortal Tune trying to do?

“Young Master Fang, drink up.” Immortal Tune raised her glass and gulped the wine down without waiting for Fang Zhengzhi.

Fang Zhengzhi looked at the glass in front of him. He thought about it, then drank up.

All of the other talents wanted to kill Fang Zhengzhi when they saw him hesitate. He already had the girl, yet he still wanted to feign innocence.

Wu Feng stood quietly in his original position.

Even though he was ignored, he still had to maintain his composure. He felt that even if Immortal Tune ignored him for now, she would come back to him in the end.

Yes…

She will.

“Young Master Fang, are you not going to invite me to sit down?” Immortal Tune asked.

“Plonk!” Wu Feng’s legs turned to jelly as he fell back into his seat. His face was completely red. He did not know what happened.

Where did he go wrong?

He was asked to meet the Emperor! Furthermore, he was higher ranked than Fang Zhengzhi on the Rising Dragon Roll. Most importantly, he was a talented musician.

He had all the advantages.

But he lost.

He had been completely schooled.

Hallucination, this must be a hallucination.

Wu Feng rubbed his eyes and looked at Immortal Tune. He saw that Immortal Tune was taking a seat at Fang Zhengzhi’s table. She even filled Fang Zhengzhi’s cup.

No way!

Wu Feng could not take it any longer.

He had been stymied at every turn. Each one was completely unexpected and illogical. The plan had been perfect. He had the initiative and the advantage, but the truth was cruel.

“Fang Zhengzhi, with so many talents and beauties here, would you engage me in a poetry competition in the spirit of this intellectual meet? You can choose the topic.” Wu Feng raged.

It was a pity that this was an intellectual meet and not a martial one. If not, he would challenge Fang Zhengzhi and destroy him.

“Poetry?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at Wu Feng.

“That’s right. You can choose the topic.” Wu Feng nodded confidently. He knew that Fang Zhengzhi would not compete with him in music. His only chance was to engage Fang Zhengzhi in an intellectual duel.

“Nope.” Fang Zhengzhi rejected him.

“Why? This is an intellectual meet!” Wu Feng could not understand. He was already giving Fang Zhengzhi the advantage, why would Fang Zhengzhi reject him?

“But I cam to listen to music.” Fang Zhengzhi chewed on a nut and replied flatly.

“You… how about we compete based on couplets? I saw your script before. If you’re not willing to compete in poetry, how about couplets?” Wu Feng grit his teeth.

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“I already told you before. I came to listen to music. Stop annoying me.” Fang Zhengzhi said dismissively.

“Hehehe…” Immortal Tune chuckled to herself, her hand covering her mouth.

Ping Yang’s laughter was much more maniacal.

“Hahaha!!” She did not even try to keep her volume down.

Even Yan Xiu cracked a smile. It was almost as if all the unhappiness flooded out of him in that instant.

Wen Dabao wanted to laugh too. However, he knew that he was not as good as Fang Zhengzhi. He could not afford to antagonize Wu Feng.

As such, he blushed.

He was trying to suppress his laughter.

Wu Feng’s expression darkened. It was even darker than charcoal.

“Since Young Master Fang is here to listen to music, I have composed a few new songs. I wonder if you are willing to walk with me?” Immortal Tune chuckled, then said.

The entire loft fell silent when they heard this.

All of the talents looked at Fang Zhengzhi in disbelief.

They could not understand where Fang Zhengzhi got his luck from. He did not strum any strings, hit any drum, blow into any flute. He did not even compose a poem.

Even so…

Immortal Tune invited him into her private chambers?

Could the world be any more unfair?!

Wu Feng had thought that he would be the lucky one tonight. After receiving the invite from the Emperor, he had thought that he would be going home with a pretty lady. Tomorrow, his victory would be confirmed.

He would enjoy himself to the fullest.

However… no matter how he tried…

He did not manage to succeed.

His ‘fun’ was stolen away by Fang Zhengzhi. More importantly, he did not even know how Fang Zhengzhi did it.

“Walk? To where?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at Immortal Tune with confusion.

“Her chambers! Immortal Tune is inviting you to her chambers!” Wen Dabao was almost about to jump out of his seat.

“Chambers? But… I just want to listen to music. I don’t want to sleep with her.” Fang Zhengzhi replied innocently.

“Plonk!”

All of the seated talents fell off their chairs and onto the ground. They glared at Fang Zhengzhi murderously.

Sleep with her?!

Would Immortal Tune even want to sleep with you?!

What was this guy thinking?

Ping Yang also burst out laughing. “Fang Zhengzhi, hahaha… I can’t believe how hilarious this is, hahaha…”

Yan Xiu was laughing too, but he was laughing bitterly.

Wen Dabao also wanted to laugh. However, he suppressed it, his body shivering. He whispered, “Official Fang, just because she invited you to her chambers doesn’t mean that she wants to sleep with you. Furthermore, she must agree to it.”

“Oh I see.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded slowly. That being said, in the ancient times, going into a lady’s chamber usually led to that.

Perhaps those stories were lying.

Or maybe they only recorded the stories of those who actually did it. Those who didn’t were left out.

“Hehehe… is this the first time Young Master Fang has come to listen to music?” Immortal Tune chuckled lightly.

“Mm, it is.” Fang Zhengzhi felt a little awkward saying that this was his first time even though that was a fact.

“I am honored. Young Master Fang, please follow me.” Immortal Tune extended her hand to Fang Zhengzhi after hearing the reply.

“Hahaha… go quickly.” Ping Yang chuckled.

“Don’t forget that the results will be announced tomorrow. I will wait for you at the entrance to the Imperial Decree Hall.” Yan Xiu reminded as he nodded.

“Official Fang, after you finished listening to the music, you must tell me about it. No one has heard Immortal Tune’s newest songs.” Wen Dabao looked at Fang Zhengzhi with jealousy.

Fang Zhengzhi looked at Ping Yang and Yan Xiu. He finally understood why having fun was considered a good thing here.

He was being asked out by a lady so openly. More importantly, even the princess was supporting him.

How could he resist?

…

Inside the antiquated room in the Intellectual Loft…

The lady in the black dress was still reading the letters in front of her. However, she had lost some of the concentration she had before.

After reading a dozen letters, she stopped.

Her eyes turned to look at the bright light as she bit her lip. Her expression revealed traces of anger as she contemplated something.

“Master!” Just at this moment, a servant in a black dress entered the room cautiously.

“How is it?” The lady in black asked anxiously.

“Immortal Tune has already invited Young Master Fang to her chambers.” The servant bowed and replied.

“Oh, what did he perform?” The lady in black heaved a sigh of relief.

“He didn’t perform any music.”

“No music? Then did he recite poetry?”

“Nope, he did not make music, neither did he compose a poem.”

“None of the above… did he come up with an outstanding couplet?” The lady in black asked doubtfully.

“Master, Fang Zhengzhi did not do anything. In actual fact, Young Master Fang did not seem to want her. In order to finish the mission, Immortal Tune had to take the initiative.” The servant replied.

“That shameless fellow didn’t try to win Immortal Tune over?” The lady in black was shocked.

“Exactly. Young Master Fang did not try to win her over. Furthermore, when Immortal Tune invited him to her chamber, he said…”

“What did he say?”

“He said that he was only here to listen to music. He had no intention to sleep with her.”

“What? Hahaha… that shameless fellow really said that?”

“Yes, I heard it loud and clear. Immortal Tune also found out that this is Young Master Fang’s first time out. He doesn’t know the rules here.”

“First time? Okay, I got it. You can leave now. Have Immortal Tune continue according to plan.” The lady in black ordered.

“Yes.” The servant left the room.

The lady in black picked up yet another letter from the table. She began to read it, this time with a smile on her face.

“First time out? Only listen to music and not sleep with the girl? Hahaha…”

Chapter 318: The annoucement

…

The chamber was the private place for the girls.

Fang Zhengzhi was not particularly interested in entering the chambers at night. However, he still entered.

To him, as long as one’s moral compass was strong…

There was not much difference between entering and not entering.

There was a saying. As long as one believed in buddha, even alcohol and meat could pass through one’s gut without being digested.

Fang Zhengzhi stepped into Immortal Tune’s chambers. He looked around and began to take in the decorations.

Usually, the way the chamber was decorated would reveal something about the girl’s character.

Immortal Tune’s chamber was extremely gentle and warm. Light incense filled the room, giving a calming effect.

The floor was carpeted, making it very comfortable to walk on.

As for color.

It was primarily light blue and green. The carpets were light blue and the green came from the plants on the windowsill.

“Young Master Fang, please have a seat.” Immortal Tune gestured to a chair in the middle of the room.

Fang Zhengzhi sat down without hesitation.

Even though there were some differences between this world and his previous world, their thinking was not that much different. The customer was still the most important person.

Leaving the seat in the chamber for the guest showed respect.

Immortal Tune poured a cup of tea for Fang Zhengzhi as he sat down and brought him a plate of nuts. Then, she bowed and placed the cup of tea in his hands.

Fang Zhengzhi did not move.

He did not feel comfortable being served by Immortal Tune this way. He felt that something was amiss.

He had never been here before.

He could possibly attribute the events of today to luck. However, he knew that everything happened for a reason.

He had done absolutely nothing.

He didn’t perform the duet, he didn’t compose any poems. He showed neither talent nor ability.

Yet, he was invited into the chambers. Furthermore, he was invited by the most popular girl. There could only be two possibilities.

One, he was incredibly handsome. Two, he looked like her father.

Fang Zhengzhi felt that neither was likely.

As such, the only remaining reason was…

He had no idea.

Fang Zhengzhi did not know, but, he wanted to know. As such, he began to observe Immortal Tune carefully.

“Young Master Fang, please have some tea.” Immortal Tune brought the cup of tea to Fang Zhengzhi.

“Thank you.” Fang Zhengzhi thanked her and took the cup of tea. However, he did not drink it immediately.

Immortal Tune did not wait for Fang Zhengzhi to drink it.

She turned and entered a room within the chamber. Within moments, she had changed into a different set of clothes.

She was not in a pale blue dress.

It was not as gaudy as her red dress, but it added a layer of gentleness to her. More importantly, Immortal Tune had removed her veil.

Her exquisite features were in the open for Fang Zhengzhi to see.

Immortal Tune’s features were beautiful and small. Everything about her was small, her nose, her mouth, even her face.

Yet, just looking at it was oddly calming.

Fang Zhengzhi had thought that he would have to remove the veil himself. However, Immortal Tune clearly was not going to give him the chance, removing the veil herself.

Then, everything proceeded according to plan.

Immortal Tune placed her guqin on the rosewood desk and began to perform.

A melodious tune filled the room. It felt just as comfortable as soaking in a hot spring. Coupled with the intoxicating incense, this was true enjoyment.

Fang Zhengzhi rarely listened to music and did not know much about it.

However, he had heard great musicians, including Yun Qingwu and Chi Guyan.

Yun Qingwu’s music was slightly more classy and open. It transported one’s spirits through mountains and oceans, making one feel oddly refreshed.

Chi Guyan’s music was more poetic. It made people feel like they were admiring various works of art. Everything from grass to creeks could be made beautiful by her music.

Immortal Tune’s music was different from both the others.

It was gentle.

It was as gentle as water and as warm as jade. Listening to it made one feel snug and comfortable.

Fang Zhengzhi was so captivated by the music he completely lost track of time.

All of a sudden, he felt thirsty.

He looked at the cold cup of tea in front of him.

Immortal Tune seemed to notice it. She immediately stopped playing and walked into an adjacent room. She came out with a fresh pot of tea.

She also changed into another outfit.

This one was green with embroidery of leaves. She had a matching green flower in her hair.

If she was like water previously, now, she felt like spring. Everything about her screamed nature and the warmth of spring.

“Young Master Fang, please have some tea.” Immortal Tune filled the cup and brought it to Fang Zhengzhi.

“Thank you.” Fang Zhengzhi took the cup and felt the warmth emanating for it. Yet, he did not drink the tea.

Then, his hand trembled a little.

A loose piece of silver fell into the slightly cold cup of tea.

Splash.

“Young Master Fang, you dropped a tael of silver.” Immortal Tune did not react when she saw the silver drop into the cup. She picked it up and brought it to Fang Zhengzhi.

“Thank you.” Fang Zhengzhi coughed lightly, then kept the silver.

Then, he placed the fresh cup of tea by his lip. He took a sniff, the aroma of the tea hitting his nose instantly. He gulped it down.

He swirled the tea around in his mouth.

“Good tea.”

“Thank you for the compliment. This tea was made by me. I used dried flowers to enhance the flavor.” Immortal Tune explained.

“Mm.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

He did not really know much about tea. He only knew if a tea was nice to drink or not. However, he now knew from Immortal Tune that this was a type of floral tea.

Immortal Tune went back to her original position.

“Young Master Fang, do you enjoy watching dances?”

“Whatever you want to perform.” Fang Zhengzhi actually enjoyed watching dances, but he could not possibly say that.

He had to show some class.

“Then I shall dance for you.” Immortal Tune smiled when she heard this. She immediately began to dance.

Fang Zhengzhi felt a wave of emotions build up as he watched Immortal Tune dance.

In order to be the top girl in this world.

Was quite difficult.

In order to be this good with instruments, one must have had at least a decade of practice. Furthermore, in order to dance this well, she must have put in a lot of effort.

The girls had to be beautiful and be able to sing, dance, make music…

It was probably even more difficult than being a superstar in his previous world. They had to be young. Once they were past their prime, they would not be wanted.

All of their talents would go to waste.

This was the harsh reality.

When they were in their prime, everyone would praise them and fight for them. However, when that was over, they would be shunned.

They were just like flowers, aromatic and beautiful when they bloomed, but just brown and forgotten when they wilted.

Fang Zhengzhi drank even more cups of tea as he watched the dance.

After Immortal Tune danced for some time, she stopped. Then, she re lit the incense before retreating to the adjacent room.

She must be going to change again?

Ever since he came in, she had wore red, blue, and green. He wondered what she would change to now.

Before long…

Another figure walked out from the room.

She wore a black dress and golden cloth shoes this time. Furthermore, she had a red dot on her forehead.

Her steps looked different.

her aura and demeanor had completely changed from the warmth of spring just now,. This time, she was incredibly charming.

Fang Zhengzhi was shocked when he saw the figure come out from the room. Isn’t this too drastic a change?

Did the clothes make that much of a difference?

Even if it did, where did she get the charm from?

Hang on!

Something was not quite right!

Fang Zhengzhi found something strange. The lady was not holding a pot of tea or any instruments.

She walked straight towards him.

Beaming radiantly as she did so.

Fang Zhengzhi felt that something was amiss. He wanted to see how what this lady looked like, but his vision was blurred.

It was almost as if his eyes were covered by a layer of mist.

More importantly, he felt all his strength and energy exit his body. He was completely immobilized.

“Damn it, I fell into the trap!”

Fang Zhengzhi was jolted. He wanted to resist, but his body wouldn’t respond to his will. All he could do was watch as the figure approached him.

More importantly…

He still couldn’t see what she looked like.

Damn it!

Was he going to lose his virginity tonight? He was only 15! Even if he was to lose his virginity, he did not want to be raped!

…

Dawn the next day.

It was late autumn and the temperature was dropping. The wind was strong, sending fallen leaves flying into the air. Birds flew around, pooping wherever they went.

One of the volleys hit Wu Feng on his head.

Wu Feng was still deep in thought. He left the Intellectual Loft extremely late. However, when he left, Fang Zhengzhi was still inside.

That meant that Fang Zhengzhi spent the night there.

Inviting someone into the chamber to listen to music and spending the night in the chamber were two very different things. Even though he did not think that Immortal Tune would sleep with Fang Zhengzhi…

But what if she did?

There was always a possibility. He was furious, so much so that he did not even realize the bird dropping on his head.

When he realized it.

He was even more infuriated.

How fast could a bird be? Normally, he would be able to dodge in time. Either way, the birds were out of reach by now.

“Damn it, wear pants when you go out!” Wu Feng hollered.

The birds turned back to look at Wu Feng. Its black eyes were filled with scorn, almost as if they were saying, “Who wears pants when they poop?”

Wu Feng did not understand their language.

But, he did see the bird turn back.

His eyesight was incredible. More amazingly, he immediately retrieved his jade flute and began to play.

“Chirp!”

This was just like the sound of the bird.

It was crisp and sharp.

The sound travelled through the air like an arrow.

There was a saying.

An injured bird would be terrified by the sound of the bow.

After a bird was injured, even the sound of the bow would be enough to shoot it down.

The bird in this case was not injured. In fact, it was quite proud of itself. Even so, it was still shot down. When the sound rang out, its wings froze in position.

“Woosh!”

The bird crashed into a branch and fell to the ground.

Wu Feng put down the flute, his eyes shining icily. Then, he took out a handkerchief and wiped the poop off his head before turning back to the hotel.

Today was the court examination results day.

He was expected to do extremely well in this examination. How could he go to the hall with bird poop on his head.

Many people were going towards the palace. Even though they could not enter the palace and hear the results…

The announcement could be heard from the vicinity of the palace.

Normally, the names of the candidates who passed would be announced three times. For the top three, the names would be relayed all the way from the Imperial Decree Hall to the outskirts of the city.

It was the greatest honor.

It was something every talent wanted.

The previous night was a sleepless one. All of the talents woke up early in the morning and prepared their best outfit for the occasion.

This was a grand event with many honored guests.

The disciples from most of the major families and well as some of the most influential people throughout the empire were eager to see the results…

Chapter 319: Let’s fail together

Years of studying…

They had gone through so many examinations before making it here. Some people had taken five or six editions to get to this point.

“Quickly quickly. The results are about to be announced. Let’s find a good position.”

“I wonder what the results will be like?”

“I heard that Wu Feng met with the Emperor. The other talents didn’t say much so I think Wu Feng will probably be in the top three.”

“I heard that Fang Zhengzhi didn’t get the decree. I think he is going to fail?”

“Even if he doesn’t fail, Nangong Hao is bound to top the examination.”

“That is true!”

All of the talents began to discuss their predictions for this edition of the court examinations. After all, it had captured the attention of everyone in the capital.

Nangong Hao was ranked second on the Rising Dragon Roll. He was the top talent in the Great Xia Dynasty four years ago. Then, there was Wu Feng, one of the core disciples of the Clear Water Sage.

Then there was Yan Xiu, someone who had demonstrated unprecedented abilities. Then there was Fang Zhengzhi, the top scorer in the imperial examinations.

Discussions engulfed the entire capital.

The entrance to the palace was packed with throngs of people. Everyone wanted to be the first to hear the news.

Two rows of guards in golden armor stood beside the Imperial Decree Hall. They all held gleaming spears, their expressions solemn.

All of the officials stood in the middle of the guards. Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping stood at the head of all the officials.

All of the candidates awaiting the results stood at a point 500m away from the entrance. All of them craned their necks.

Yan Xiu stood in the middle of all the other candidates. His expression was cold even as he scanned his surroundings.

Fang Zhengzhi did not return last night.

He was not too surprised by that. Perhaps Fang Zhengzhi was tired after listening to the music so he crashed at the loft.

But…

The time for the announcement of results had come… but Fang Zhengzhi was still nowhere to be seen.

Even though Yan Xiu found Fang Zhengzhi quite willful, but he knew Fang Zhengzhi would not make a mistake like this.

The announcement of results was too important an event to miss.

“Where the hell is he?” Yan Xiu looked at the entrance to the palace, anxiety building up in his eyes. However, before the results were announced, he could not leave.

He could only wait.

He could only wait for Fang Zhengzhi to arrive.

Wu Feng was quite happy. Even though there were a few setbacks along the way, they were insignificant. They did not dampen his spirit in the grand scheme of things.

Of course, he was most happy about the fact that…

Fang Zhengzhi was absent!!

This was fantastic news.

Wu Feng had always heard rumors that Fang Zhengzhi was very courageous. He would stand up to the other officials in court, even telling them off at times,

However, not coming to the announcement of the results was quite audacious.

A night of fun…

Go and have your fun!

“Fang Zhengzhi didn’t come? I wonder what he’s up to?”

“I heard that he went to the Intellectual Loft last night. Immortal Tune even invited him to her chambers. Maybe he didn’t get any rest last night so he can’t wake up? Hahaha…”

“I think he doesn’t dare to come?”

“Young Master Qin hit the nail on the head. Fang Zhengzhi did not meet with the Emperor, so I am sure he will fail this time. It is only normal that he would not come to the results announcement, but…”

“But what?”

“It is a pity that Ms Immortal Tune would have to bear with him.”

“Hahaha, but I don’t think Fang Zhengzhi is even at the Intellectual Loft, I think he already found somewhere to hide?”

“Hahaha…”

All of the other candidates also realized Fang Zhengzhi’s absence. As such, they began to discuss it animatedly.

Wu Feng was also smirking. He thought that Fang Zhengzhi was hiding. He would never believe that Fang Zhengzhi overslept.

The more he thought about it, the better he felt. He scanned the crowd and saw someone…

Nangong Hao.

Nangong Hao wore a white shirt. However, the blood on the shirt was gone. It was unclear whether it was washed off or if this was a new set.

It was slightly dusty, but it still shone in the light.

Nangong Hao’s eyes were bright like the sun. Yet, they also revealed an arrogant aura.

One could see the brightness in his eyes, but no one could get close to him. One could only admire him from a distance.

This was Nangong Hao to all the other talents.

Too talented.

He was a peerless talent. Even if Nangong Hao did not distance himself from others, he would never fit in.

Wu Feng wanted to know something.

He wanted to know if Nangong Hao met with the Emperor. It seemed like a foregone conclusion. There was no way Nangong Hao was going to fail.

Yet, he still wondered about it.

It was like a beggar in the rain. Even though he knew the streets would be virtually empty, he still held out his hands hopefully.

He wasn’t hoping that he did exceptionally well. He was hoping that Nangong Hao slipped up.

Fang Zhengzhi had failed because he handed in his script in advance. Nangong Hao had handed in his script at that time as well.

Would he suffer the same fate?

Wu Feng did not doubt Fang Zhengzhi and Nangong Hao’s abilities. However, how would the Emperor be able to tolerate being disrespected?

Wu Feng approached Nangong Hao.

“Young Master Nangong!” Wu Feng smiled as he bowed to Nangong Hao respectfully.

All of the other candidates stopped their discussions when they saw this.

Wu Feng was greeting Nangong Hao before the release of the results?

What was he trying to do?

Were they going to engage in pleasantries? Or was this the spark before the fire?

“Young master Wu.” Nangong Hao looked at Wu Feng and returned the gesture, bowing respectfully as well.

Even so, the candidates could feel an invisible, unscalable wall between these two top talents of the empire.

It felt very real.

Wu Feng’s lips twitched. He predicted that Nangong Hao would not ignore him, but the courtesy Nangong Hao accorded him was unexpected.

It was quite uncanny.

It felt like Nangong Hao was being respectful and belittling him at the same time.

This wave of emotions caused Wu Feng to be taken aback. Why shouldn’t Nangong Hao accord me that courtesy?

He was now ranked third on the Rising Dragon Roll.

He was only one rank away from Nangong Hao…

Why did he still feel this way?

Wu Feng felt that he should be on the same pedestal as Nangong Hao. After all, the difference of one rank was not that much. He wanted to calm himself down, but he couldn’t rid himself of that feeling.

As a result, despite his best efforts, he still did not manage to ask Nangong Hao if he met the Emperor.

He wanted to ask this question casually.

It was supposed to be like a casual question between friends. However, when he was facing Nangong Hao, he could not bring himself to ask the question.

“Young Master Wu wants to know if I met with the Emperor right?” Nangong Hao asked expressionlessly, almost as if he could read Wu Feng’s mind.

“Haha… I don’t think that question needs to be asked. Your talent basically guarantees you the top spot in this examination.” Wu Feng tried to laugh it off as he worked to maintain his composure.

Even so, he couldn’t help but stammer a little. When Nangong Hao asked that question, he felt as if he had been read like a book.

It was extremely uncomfortable.

“I did not.” Nangong Hao shook his head. His tone was extremely calm, almost like an icy lake.

His expression did not change.

No matter how strong the wind, the surface of the lake was still ice.

Even though Nangong Hao was calm, the candidates who heard this could not maintain their composure.

“Did I hear that wrongly? Nangong Hao… said he didn’t get the invite?!”

“How is this possible?”

All of the candidates could not believe their ears. Nangong Hao had topped the imperial examinations four years ago.

Four years later…

He cut through the capital like a knife through butter.

Yet he didn’t get the invite to meet with the Emperor?

It was atomic news.

To meet with the Emperor meant that one was in the top 10. Those who did not would make the list.

That was a fact that hadn’t changed in years.

Even though the top 30 would still be able to participate in the subsequent combat examinations, no one expected this to happen to Nangong Hao.

Could it be that the top talent of the Great Xia Dynasty four years ago…

Was not going to make the list?!

Chapter 320: Parchment with missing names

If Nangong Hao did not say this himself, no one would believe that he was not invited to meet with the Emperor. Even when he did…

No one believed he wouldn’t make the list.

So what happened?

Could it be…

All of the candidates thought of only one possibility. That was the only plausible reason. Nangong Hao had handed in his script early.

Was that the reason?

The candidates could not be sure. If the Emperor had seemed that someone who handed in their script early was disrespectful to him…

That did not seem very wise or fair.

All of the candidates looked at Nangong Hao with looks of doubt and sadness. Yet, Nangong Zhao himself showed no emotion.

It was almost as if him being on the list or not made no difference to him.

The candidates did not believe that Nangong Hao did not care. Even if Nangong Hao did not care, he had to live up to the expectations of his ancestors.

Top three.

That was the minimum for any Nangong Family member.

If they were not confident of making the top three, they would withdraw. Some of them would not even participate in the examinations.

The fact that Nangong Hao was here meant that he had the confidence to make the top three. Furthermore, Nangong Hao was expected to top both the theory and combat examinations.

Wu Feng was speechless as he looked at Nangong Hao.

Comfort?

He thought that it would be inappropriate to comfort Nangong Hao. Mockery and irony were out of the question as well.

As such, Wu Feng nodded and calmed himself down. Then, he returned to his original position.

He would not be able to take it if he stood next to Nangong Hao.

“Nangong Hao didn’t meet the Emperor? Hahaha, I am definitely going to top the theory examinations this time. It is mine, hahaha…” Wu Feng was incredibly excited. His face filled with color and he felt as though he was on a cloud.

Just at this moment, they saw a figure in the distance.

An elderly man walked over. He did not sit in a carriage, but, all of the Royal guards accorded him great respect as he passed.

No one stopped him along the way.

He cleared his throat lightly.

All of the candidates looked on solemnly. They knew who this was.

This was an aged man, but his eyes were still very cryptic. One could not make out what he was thinking.

However, the silver official robes that he wore made everyone afraid to show anything less than complete respect.

He was King Liqin.

Wu Feng’s haze froze. It was unusual for King Liqin to be here. After all, he rarely concerned himself with the affairs of the court.

So why would he come to the court examinations results announcement?

What was his motive?

“Your highness!” Wu Feng could not figure it out, but he still greeted King Liqin respectfully. His respect for King Liqin was true.

The reason was simple.

His master, the Clear Water Sage had given him only one instruction before he left for the capital.

“You can disrespect anyone in the capital bar King Liqin!”

This was an instruction, but it was also a warning.

“Your highness!” All of the other candidates recovered from their shock, greeting King Liqin with utmost respect.

“Mm, hello to you all.” King Liqin’s raspy voice rang out. Then, he smiled at all the candidates affectionately.

King Liqin’s greeting was casual, almost like a grandfather greeting his grandchildren. It was difficult to link this man to the father of the Emperor.

All of the officials stood at the entrance to the Imperial Decree Hall. It was almost time for the results to be announced, but there was no movement inside the hall.

They could only wait patiently.

However, when King Liqin appeared, they could not keep their composure any longer.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yuping’s eyes revealed traces of doubt. Why would King Liqin come here? He never concerned himself with the affairs of the court! This is abnormal!

The other officials had the same suspicions. However, King Liqin was heading right towards them, his steps a little haphazard.

Even though he looked like he was not very stable, one would realize upon closer inspection that he managed to maintain the same speed throughout.

“Your highness!” All of the officials bowed and greeted King Liqin respectfully.

“Mm, hello to all of you too.” King Liqin smiled at them but did not slow down.

Before long, King Liqin had passed through all of them and walked to the entrance of the Imperial Decree Hall.

At this point, the door to the Imperial Decree Hall was nudged open, leaving a space just enough for one person to pass through.

“King Liqin entered the hall?” All of the officials were slightly shocked. There was only one man inside the Imperial Decree Hall.

The Emperor.

They were doubtful, but they could not stop him.

Even the two rows of golden armored guards by the gates of the Imperial Decree Hall did not stop him.

King Liqin entered the Imperial Decree Hall as easily as he would enter his own house. It made people wonder if he was even here in the first place?

…

Inside the Imperial Decree Hall, it was much calmer than it was outside.

A light incense floated around inside the hall. There was a glowing red light in the incense pot, the light shining on a young man’s face.

That man was wearing a golden dragon robe. Only one man could wear such a robe.

Emperor Lin Mubai.

His eyebrows were scrunched together.

There was a golden parchment in front of him. This was the results slip for the court examinations. There were already names on it.

Once it was released, the results were set.

Wu Feng’s name was on it, with some comments next to his name.

However, the parchment did not have Fang Zhengzhi’s name. Neither did it have Yan Xiu or Nangong Hao’s name.

“You’re here!” Emperor Lin Mubai was calm when he saw King Liqin enter.

“Since the Emperor asked me to come, I came.” King Liqin stepped forward.

“It’s been tough on you.” Emperor Lin Mubai stood up from the desk and placed three joss sticks in front of King Liqin.

King Liqin took it.

Then, he kowtowed three times before taking seven steps forward and placing them in the golden holder.

“What does the Emperor need from me?” King Liqin stood back at his original position after finishing the ritual.

“I am thinking of sending troops to the Southern Mountain Range, what do you think?” Emperor Lin Mubai whispered.

“Do you want to invade them or pacify them?” King Liqin asked, his expression unchanging.

“What do you think of both?” Emperor Lin Mubai pressed.

“If you are invading them, the Southern Mountain Range is vast. The woods are thick and ruled by beasts. Who will lead the expedition?” King Liqin asked.

“What about Xing Hou?”

“Yuanguo is loyal. Letting him lead the army is not a problem. However, his battle has always been with the demons, so he is not familiar with the Southern Mountain Range. Furthermore, the Mountain Breaking Army is skilled in siege. They will suffer heavy losses engaging in guerilla warfare. Conquering them would take at least a decade, probably more!”

“So what if I went in peace?” Emperor Lin Mubai nodded and asked.

“The Emperor already has a good plan. I shall not comment further.” King Liqin looked towards the golden parchment.

“I have three scripts here from three different candidates. I would like you to take a look.” Emperor Lin Mubai nodded and placed the three scripts in King Liqin’s hand.

King Liqin took the scripts in his hand, his gaze scanning over the one at the top. Then, his eyes glimmered.

He quickly finished looking through that one.

He began to look through the second script.

This time, after a mere glance, his eyes cleared up, a bright light shining in his pupils.

After reading it twice, he picked up the third script.

The moment he picked it up, his eyes darkened significantly. However, this did not last long.

Before long, his eyes began to shine. The more he read, the brighter it became. His eyes began to widen, light rays shining out of them.

It was almost as if there was a rainbow coming out of his eyes.

Then, he picked up the second script once again and read the both of them over and over.

“Good!” After reading both scripts five times, King Liqin finally spoke. He only said one word, but his voice was not raspy. It was magnificent and deep, almost like a dragon which had awoken from its deep slumber.

Chapter 321: The time has come

At that moment, a powerful aura emanated from King Liqin. This aura was different from that of Emperor Lin Mubai.

If Lin Mubai’s Dragon Aura was like the sun…

King Liqin’s was thick and powerful. It was a supernatural aura that had been hibernating for decades.

It was difficult to imagine that such a frail body would be able to contain such a powerful aura.

Even Emperor Lin Mubai’s expression changed when he felt this aura. His eyes glimmered as he looked at his uncle.

The previous Emperor had eight siblings.

When he passed on, there was only one brother left. That was King Liqing, the man who had once led the armies of the Great Xia Dynasty.

“Uncle, are you already…” Emperor Lin Mubai asked in anticipation, his gaze towards King Liqin filled with respect.

As the Emperor…

He should have eliminated all threats to his throne.

Yet, he did not do so. He did not even think about it because the person in front of him was King Liqin.

King Liqin was the one who had conquered the lands for the empire.

“I’m on the verge of it, but I’m still missing an opportunity…” King Liqin’s aura changed all of a sudden, his eyes turning misty and his voice becoming raspy.

“Do you need my help?” Emperor Lin Mubai asked this question as a nephew. He looked to King Liqin as his elder.

“Not at the moment. I think you asked me here because of these scripts?” King Liqin shook his head as he passed the three scripts back to Emperor Lin Mubai.

“Yes, I wonder if you have any opinion on them?”

“The first one is a fine piece of work. He has backed up his arguments with evidence and his logic is sound. His analysis is thorough and clear. If not for the other two scripts, he would have topped the examination!” King Liqin explained.

“I agree with what you said, but, these last two…” Emperor Lin Mubai looked at the last two scripts conflictedly.

“Are equally good.”

“You think so too?”

“Yes.”

“That is why I am so conflicted. There can only be one top scorer for the court examinations. I must choose a winner.”

“If you really had to choose a winner, it would come down to how the ideas are worded. It would not be the ideas presented in the script. The second script is immaculate. Every word and sentence is flawless. Even I would be hard pressed to find anything to change.”

“That is exactly what I thought!”

“As for the third one, even though it has some hiccups at the start, it’s conclusion is superbly worded. The story of the demolition of the six countries is impeccable. When one reads this, it is easy to link it back to all the ideas he has laid out. It is extremely enlightening!” King Liqin added.

“So how do you think I should rank these two scripts?”

“As I have said before, these two scripts are actually on par with each other. If I had to pick one, I would choose the third script. However, I know you probably prefer the second one.” King Liqin replied.

“Previously, when I asked you such questions, you would always skirt around them. Why are you so straightforward today?” Emperor Lin Mubai asked.

“Haha, you have locked yourself here to mark the scripts. You have also called me in here to look at these three scripts. Isn’t this all for fairness? Since that is what you want, that is what I will give you.”

“I understand, thank you!”

“I will take my leave now.”

“Uncle…”

“Does the Emperor need something else from me?”

“If you manage to cross that barrier, can I request something from you?”

“The thing that you’re asking for… is very difficult.” King Liqin looked at Emperor Lin Mubai, his eyes cloudy as he shook his head.

“Even if you cross that barrier you can’t do it?” Emperor Lin Mubai was filled with disappointment.

This should not be an emotion the Emperor showed. But it was showing in a pure, unadulterated form.

“I don’t know.” King Liqin shook his head.

“I haven’t seen Yu Er in 10 years, five months and 23 days! Uncle! She left when Ping Yang was only three and a half years old. 10 years, we made a deal for 10 years. But it is five months and 23 days overdue…” Emperor Lin Mubai’s expression was pained.

“It has been so long. However, since you chose to be the Emperor, you should have been mentally prepared for this.” King Liqin sighed.

“I know, but..”

“I will do my best!”

“Thank you uncle!”

“I will take my leave first.”

…

The doors to the Imperial Decree Hall opened and King Liqin walked out. All of the officials looked on doubtfully.

Today was the release of the court examination results. King Liqin’s attendance was quite surprising.

And now, King Liqin exited alone. Normally, Emperor Lin Mubai would send King Liqin out personally.

But now…

There was no sign of activity inside the Imperial Decree Hall.

King Liqin entered and exited the hall alone. It was almost as if there was no one else inside.

All of the candidates waiting for the results were also equally shocked.

Why was King Liqin out again? Was he done with the discussion? What did he discuss? Did it have anything to do with the court examination?

Or…

Was it about something else?

Questions flew by in their minds but they had no answer.

Wu Feng wanted to glean some information off King Liqin’s expression. However, he was disappointed. King Liqin was too calm.

He was as calm as a lake.

As for his eyes.

It was cloudy. Wu Feng respected King Liqin, but he was also suspicious of him.

“Master told me not to disrespect King Liqin. But Master is one of the four sages. He is on par with the Emperor himself. Why did he warn me about King Liqin? Could it be that King Liqin is also a safe? I doubt it? One pavilion, four sages, 13 constabularies. That meant that there are only four sages. If King Liqin was already a sage, he should already have taken up one of the positions.”

Wu Feng did not really understand, but he still bowed respectfully.

King Liqin walked out slowly. He passed the officials and the candidates. Then he left through the gates.through the front gates.

Just as King Liqin

In the moment King Liqin left the crowd, a gong rang out.

“Bong…”

This sound reverberated throughout the entire palace for a considerable time.

The eyes of the officials and candidates brightened when they heard the gong. They became visibly excited.

This was the sound they were waiting for.

There was only one reason why the gong would sound. The announcement of results!

Wu Feng was visibly shaking from his excitement. Nangong Hao, Fang Zhengzhi, and Yan Xiu did not meet with the Emperor!

“All three of them didn’t!”

This was the best possible news to him!

When Wu Feng had come to participate in the court examinations, his aim was to take home the top spot. In fact, he believed that he had the ability to.

However…

When he heard Nangong Hao was going to participate, his confidence wavered for the first time.

As such, he challenged Qin Yan, ranked third on the Rising Dragon Roll. All he wanted to do was cement his own confidence.

He wanted to know where he stood now.

He defeated Qin Yan easily.

This allowed him to regain his confidence. However, at the theory examinations, he saw a true talent in Nangong Hao.

Nangong Hao was too bright, even Wu Feng struggled to open his eyes.

His confidence fell to rock bottom again.

He mentally prepared himself. If he couldn’t be first, he would be second… after all, Nangong Hao himself was second on the Rising Dragon Roll.

Taking second was not anything to be ashamed of.

Especially if one’s opponent was Nangong Hao.

However, today, he heard something else. Nangong Hao did not meet the Emperor. That would mean that he was out of the top 10.

How would Nangong Hao fight with him?

He defeated Nangong Hao…

He actually defeated Nangong Hao!

How could he not be excited?!

Wu Feng subconsciously glanced at Nangong Hao. He realized that Nangong Hao was just as calm as before, nothing able to affect him.

“Humph… keep acting!” Wu Feng thought to himself. When the results are announced, he won’t be able to keep his cool any longer.

Just as he was thinking about this, the doors to the Imperial Decree Hall opened, the incense from inside wafting out.

Then, Emperor Lin Mubai in the golden dragon robe walked out. He held a golden parchment in his hands.

“Long live the Emperor!”

All of the officials fell to their knees and kowtowed to the Emperor.

All of the candidates also fell to their knees, greeting the Emperor in the same way.

“Rise.” Emperor Lin Mubai raised his hands.

All of them recovered.

Then, servants carried a throne behind Emperor Lin Mubai and opened up a large golden umbrella.

Emperor Lin Mubai sat down and looked at the officials and candidates. He scanned them again and again…

Then his expression changed.

The reason was simple. One person was missing. However, Emperor Lin Mubai would not ask or say this out loud.

He looked at Left Prime Minister Yu Yuping.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping saw the gaze and immediately tried to deduce the Emperor’s intentions. What was the Emperor trying to tell him?

Was it because Fang Zhengzhi was absent?

Unlikely… he had heard that Fang Zhengzhi did not meet with the Emperor, meaning that he wasn’t in the top 10. It was unlikely that the Emperor would be concerned about Fang Zhengzhi.

So…

The reason was simple.

He wanted Yu Yiping to announce the results.

Historically, the Chief Imperial Messenger would be the one to announce the results. But now, the Chief Imperial Messenger was in jail.

Even though he was still alive, his death was basically a foregone conclusion.

The current temporary replacement was Su Qing.

He was just a rank four official and a temporary replacement. He had no clout in the courts and it would be inappropriate for him to announce the results.

As the head of all the officials and the right hand to the Emperor, it was only natural for him to be the one to announce the results.

He thought that he had got it.

He quickly stepped out from the group of officials and walked up to the Emperor. He stretched his arms out respectfully as he prepared to take the parchment from the Emperor.

Emperor Lin Mubai was stunned by this. He did not understand why Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was doing this.

What was he thinking?

Just as he was about to ask, he realized what was happening.

Prime Minister Yu wants to help me announce the results?

Emperor Lin Mubai did want an official to help announce the results. However, he was not expecting such initiative.

The lack of a Chief Imperial Messenger was indeed a problem.

But he still had the six ministers!

He had the Right Prime Minister! He had the Crown Prince!

Emperor Lin Mubai’s expression changed as he looked at Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping solemnly. In the end, he still handed the parchment over.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping felt a wave of excitement as he took the parchment in his hands.

Even though announcing the results was a small thing, it meant that the Emperor wanted him to take control of the Imperial Academy.

Even though the Imperial Academy’s main role of organizing the Dao Examinations seemed insignificant, it was the gathering place for all the talents. Such an important role must be guarded.

He was ecstatic.

“Ahem!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping cleared his throat as he prepared to announce the results.

Chapter 322: Release of the Court Examination Results (1)

However, there were pleasantries to be said before the announcement. This was no problem for Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping. He was a seasoned veteran in the courts.

Even though this was the first time he was announcing the results…

He had heard it umpteen times.

Firstly, he had to praise Emperor Lin Mubai on his achievements throughout the years and emphasize the value the Emperor put on the court examinations.

Left Prime Minister had the gift of the gap and he knew all of Emperor Lin Mubai’s exploits like the back of his hand.

He managed to recite all the achievements since Emperor Lin Mubai’s inauguration.

All of the other officials and candidates listened to the speech quietly.

After almost 15 minutes, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping stopped. After all, this was the court examination results release. The announcement was the main show today.

When he finished, he turned to look at Emperor Lin Mubai.

Emperor Lin Mubai nodded, his intentions clear. Good enough, please proceed.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping immediately understood the Emperor’s intentions. He began to unfurl the parchments, revealing the names.

The court examination results were announced differently from the imperial examination.

The imperial examination announced the second honor roll first, then the first honor roll, before revealing the names of the top three. For the court examinations, the results were announced from top to bottom.

Furthermore, there were only 10 names.

For the 11th to 30th ranked candidates, they would have to check out the full list placed at the entrance of the palace.

Left Prime MInister Yu Yiping looked at the parchment, the rock in his heart disappearing in that instant. His smile widened.

Because…

Fang Zhengzhi’s name was not on it.

At the very top of the parchment were two words, Wu Feng!

Fang Zhengzhi was not on the list!

“For this edition of the court examinations…” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping stopped in his tracks, his smile frozen.

He saw the word behind Wu Feng’s name.

Fourth!

How could this happen?

Wu Feng’s name was right at the top, yet he was fourth. The Emperor’s comments were written clearly at the side as well.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping could not figure out what was going on.

Normally, the results were announced from top to bottom. Could it be that the top three were behind?

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping looked at the last row on the parchment.

Even so…

There was no mention of the top three candidates. The last name on the parchment was ranked tenth.

What was the problem?

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s gaze froze. He could not find the top three candidates. This was something he did not expect.

But, could he ask about it now?

Of course not, so he could only look through the entire parchment.

Then, he realized that the parchment only contained the names of those ranked fourth to tenth. There was no mention of the top three.

There were only seven names on it.

“Seven names…” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping found the problem. There was still some blank space above Wu Feng’s name.

This space was for the top three candidates.

But why was it not written down?

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping did not dare to ask, but he looked back at Emperor Lin Mubai with a confused expression.

Emperor Lin Mubai knew what Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was thinking.

He was very exasperated as well.

The time for the announcement of results had come too soon. He had no time to write down their names and his comments.

Timing was crucial here.

It represented fate and luck.

If he missed the timing, it would not be a good omen for the empire. Furthermore, he was just about to engage the Southern Mountain Range.

As such, he decided to leave it blank rather than writing some words haphazardly.

This did not affect the announcement of the results.

Initially, he had planned to announce the top three candidates himself before handing the parchment to the Minister of Rites to announce the rest.

However, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping had stepped out.

Emperor Lin Mubai was stunned by his actions. However, if he did not pass the parchment over to him, it would be extremely embarrassing for Yu Yiping.

After some consideration, he decided to spare a thought for his Left Prime Minister.

Then, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping began to talk about him. As a result, he could only wait by the side. He had hoped that Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping would look at the parchment after the speech.

Then…

If Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was smart, he would return the parchment to the Emperor. That would have been a smooth transition.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping did glance at it.

But, he immediately began to announce the results…

This resulted in this embarrassing impasse. He could not continue announcing, but it was too late for Emperor Lin Mubai to stop him.

“Announce what you see!” Emperor Lin Mubai knew that if he didn’t speak, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping would stand there awkwardly.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was shocked when he heard this.

It was a simple instruction, however, the implications caused Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping to take a step back.

Announce what you see…

Really?

Anyone who would do that was an idiot.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping did not know why the top three were missing from the parchment, but he knew the rules of the announcement.

He racked his brains for a way to salvage the situation. Finally, his eyes glittered.

“Many people might not know the emphasis and special meaning this court examination holds. I shall only say one thing. The Emperor had spent the past three days in the Imperial Decree Hall, personally marking all the scripts. He did not leave at any time!” Yu Yiping emphasized the last sentence.

All of the officials knew that Emperor Lin Mubai had marked the scripts personally.

However, the candidates did not.

All of them became visibly excited. Even though the rules dictated that the Emperor must mark each script himself, they knew that he was busy with court affairs.

In previous examinations, it was an open secret that officials would vet the scripts before submitting the best to the Emperor.

Yu Yiping knew this as well, so he emphasized what happened during this examination without mentioning the previous ones.

It was a deliberate omission.

Then, he looked at all of the excited candidates, steeling himself before he turned and knelt towards Emperor Lin Mubai.

“Your highness, I know the rules of the court examination. However, your highness has always cared for the people, so I’ll make a request on behalf of the people today. I hope that you will change the rules slightly for this announcement!”

“Oh? What are you proposing?” Emperor Lin Mubai looked on doubtfully.

“I would like to propose that I will announce the rankings from fourth to tenth. Then, your highness can personally announce the top three candidates to show how much you value talent!” He had wanted the Emperor to announce the top three candidates first, but he had already begun the announcement.

Furthermore, the Emperor had already placed the parchment in his hands and ordered him to announce what he saw.

If he returned the parchment to the Emperor first before taking it back after…

The mistake would be too obvious.

Of course, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping also had selfish concerns. If he handed the parchment back now, his long speech would have been for nothing.

He would be utterly embarrassed.

All of the candidates and officials looked at each other in confusion when they heard this.

However, they all came to a consensus that this was Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s attempt at bootlicking.

“We hope that your highness will announce the top three candidates personally!” All of the officials replied almost immediately. Who would pass on such a great opportunity to bootlick?

Emperor Lin Mubai looked at all the officials and Yu Yiping, who was kneeling in front of him. He was extremely contented.

Even though Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping would announce the results first, the situation would be resolved without any awkwardness.

“Approved!” Emperor Lin Mubai nodded.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and the others began to thank him. The candidates were overjoyed to hear that the Emperor was going to personally announce the names of the top three candidates

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping heaved a sigh of relief.

He began announcing the names without hesitation.

“Ranked fourth for the examinations… Wu Feng!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s voice was confident and he said the name with conviction.

Even so…

All of the candidates were stunned when Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping announced this result? Fourth? How is that possible?!

Shouldn’t he be first?

Nangong Hao didn’t meet with the Emperor. Neither did Fang Zhengzhi not Yan Xiu. Who could possibly defeat Wu Feng? That was impossible.

Wu Feng stood rooted to the ground.

He felt as if he had just been struck by lightning.

He was extremely excited when he heard that the Emperor was going to announce the names of the top three candidates personally. He was going to be the recipient of this great honor.

Everything happened so quickly.

He didn’t even manage to react in time. The honor of his name being called out was not what he wanted.

Fourth?

Why was he fourth?!

Who were the top three?

Wu Feng desperately wanted to know.

Another thought flashed in his mind. Did Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping make the wrong announcement? He was first! The Left Prime Minister must have made a mistake!

That must be it!

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping must have read the names off from top to bottom. His name was first on the list… it… it must be a mistake!

“Wu Feng, come forward and show your thanks!” A voice rang out.

Wu Feng really didn’t want to move. This was not the result he wanted. He really wanted to ask what was happening. However, seeing as the Emperor himself was there, he could not bring himself to ask the question.

“Wu Feng!”

“I, Wu Feng, thank your highness!” Wu Feng shuffled forward and fell to his knees.

Even so, he kept screaming in his heart.

This is a mistake, it must be a mistake!

As Wu Feng fell to his knees, voices began to ring out around him.

“Ranked fourth, Wu Feng!”

“Ranked fourth, Wu Feng!”

“Ranked fourth…”

The voices formed a chain from the Imperial Decree Hall all the way to the main entrance.

When all of the talents at the gates heard Wu Feng’s name, they all got excited. The first name was Wu Feng.

Wu Feng had topped the court examination!

Fang Zhengzhi did not make the list!

Just as they were about to celebrate, they realized something was amiss. Fourth?

Some of the golden armored soldiers on well groomed stallions also took a double take. They were about to gallop off in their respective directions with the news.

Fourth position first?

Historically, only the top three candidates were given the honor of having their names spread to the surrounding cities. Since the announcement was for fourth, they didn’t have to go.

“Eunuch Li, did you get that right? Why is the first announcement for the fourth position?”

“The people in front said fourth, so I followed!” The man in a robe replied exasperatingly.

The golden armored guard’s lip twitched but he did not ask any other questions.

Wait.

All he could do was wait. He had to wait for the other names to be announced.

Wu Feng was also waiting. He was waiting for Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping to remedy the mistake. To his disappointment, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping did not.

He continued the announcement.

“Ranked fifth…”

“Ranked sixth…”

“Ranked seventh…”

“…”

“Ranked tenth…”

These announcements reverberated throughout the palace, eventually making their way out to the palace gates.

Chapter 323: Release of the Court Examination Results (2)

With each announcement, a candidate stepped out from the crowd and thanked the Emperor.

When the golden armored guards heard the announcements, they felt reassured.

They didn’t hear it wrongly!

The results were announced from fourth to tenth.

The top three had not been announced!

Even though they did not know what happened, their only job was to spread the news of who made the top three. Nothing else mattered to them.

They did not have to move for the time being.

The calmed down considerably.

However, Wu Feng could not find any calm. Standing next to these candidates having made the top 10 should have been glorious.

Yet, he could not bring himself to smile. He could feel the awkward gazes the other candidates were shooting in his direction.

“First… I was supposed to be first. What happened?” Wu Feng was unwilling to accept the fact that he was fourth. He kept hoping for Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping to correct the ‘mistake’.

However, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping finished announcing all the names without a hiccup. He rolled up the parchment and place it in Emperor Lin Mubai’s hands.

“Your highness, please announce the results for the top three!”

“Mm.” Emperor Lin Mubai nodded. Eunuch Wei immediately took the parchment from Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and placed it in the Emperor’s hands.

Emperor Lin Mubai took the parchment but did not open it immediately. He scanned the crowd once again, his gaze sharp.

“Where is Fang Zhengzhi?!”

This was what Emperor Lin Mubai was most concerned about.

He could announce the results right now, but what would happen after? Fang Zhengzhi was not around to thank him!

Could Fang Zhengzhi be hiding in the crowd?

Emperor Lin Mubai had to hope that this was the case. He did not dare believe that Fang Zhengzhi would be so audacious as to be absent on such a day.

If he really embarrasses me today, I will have his head!

Emperor Lin Mubai cursed to himself, then began his announcement. “During the course of reading the scripts, I came across many fresh ideas. The future of the Great Xia Dynasty is bright. However, there can only be three names. I made my decisions after much deliberations. Even if you’re not named, do not despair. Study hard and you can still try again next time!”

“Thank you, your highness!”

All of the candidates immediately thanked the Emperor for this advice.

Emperor Lin Mubai nodded once again. Then, he unfurled the parchment and looked over it. After a moment of hesitation, he announced, “The top scorers for the court theory examination… Nangong Hao and Fang Zhengzhi!”

His announcement was not immediately greeted by cheers. The entire crowd was silent as they stared at Emperor Lin Mubai.

After some hesitation, the silence was finally broken. However, there were no cheers. Everyone looked at each other in disbelief.

“Did I hear that correctly? Nangong Hao?!”

“I don’t think you heard that wrongly. I heard that too. But how can it be Nangong Hao? He didn’t meet with the Emperor?!”

“Maybe he lied to Wu Feng?”

All of the talents could not react when they heard Nangong Hao’s name. Nangong Hao had said that he didn’t meet with the Emperor.

So why was he the top scorer?

Even though this was something everyone had expected, they could not understand it, especially after recent developments.

Of course…

They were even more shocked to hear a second name after Nangong Hao’s. This was a name all the officials dreaded.

“Fang Zhengzhi?!”

“The top scorers are Nangong Hao AND Fang Zhengzhi?!”

Emperor Lin Mubai’s voice continued to reverberate in their minds

“What is that supposed to mean… Nangong Hao and Fang Zhengzhi?!”

“They are joint firsts?!”

“How can there be two people?!”

“Furthermore, how can the second person be Fang Zhengzhi? Fang Zhengzhi didn’t meet with the Emperor! This does not make any sense!”

No one could understand what was going on. Nangong Hao taking home first place was still acceptable.

Even if he did not meet with the Emperor.

After all, Nangong Hao had been the favorite to top the examinations. However, having Fang Zhengzhi tied for first was unusual.

How could two people who didn’t meet with the Emperor be first?

Tied for first?

This was something that had never happened before! There had been no tie for first in the court examinations in history!

Wu Feng’s eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.

What is going on?

His first position was stolen by Nangong Hao and Fang Zhengzhi? But neither of them met with the Emperor. Why? What was going on?

“Your highness, I…” Wu Feng’s jaw dropped as he stepped forward. Then, he saw the Emperor’s gaze.

It was a gaze that quelled all doubts.

It represented his power.

This caused Wu Feng’s leg to freeze in mid air. He did not dare step forward, neither could he continue speaking.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and the other officials were also in disbelief. They did not know how this could happen.

This was the court examination!

There was never a tie in the court examinations. The court examination was meant to find the top talent.

How can there be two ‘top talents’ in a single examination?

This was illogical. Furthermore, they could not bring themselves to believe that Fang Zhengzhi could be on par with Nangong Hao.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s lips twitched, but he did not speak.

All of the officials also looked at Emperor Lin Mubai doubtfully. Even those in charge of relaying the announcement were stunned.

They did not know if they should relay the message.

Emperor Lin Mubai knew what everyone was thinking by the looks on their faces. However, he was the Emperor.

Who would dare doubt the decision he made?

In actual fact, before King Liqin had given his opinion, he was leaning towards a particular decision. However, after hearing what King Liqin had to say, he changed his mind.

Fairness!

This was the most important value he stood by when marking all the scripts. He thought he had achieved it, but he hadn’t.

The rules stated that he must choose a winner!

However, these two scripts were equally immaculate. To choose a winner would not be fair. Since it was not fair, why should he do it?

Rules? He was the rules!

As to why he didn’t meet with Fang Zhengzhi and Nangong Hao? The reason was simple. Only three scripts had proposed to “fight”.

The top three were already decided.

Since he knew who he was going to place in the top three, why bother meeting them.

All he had to do was meet the fourth to tenth ranked candidates and find out more about what they proposed. That would allow him to rank them accordingly.

Emperor Lin Mubai was not lazy. After all, in order to personally look through all 200 scripts, he had neglected the affairs of the state for the past few days.

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi…

It didn’t matter if he met Fang Zhengzhi or not.

Emperor Lin Mubai knew that his decision would not be questioned. However, he still had to explain his decision. Furthermore, the explanation had to be a good one.

“My decision today may shock all of you, but this is something that is perfectly logical. It is said that there should always be a clear winner. Ever since I took the throne, I have seen countless scripts. I always thought that I would be able to judge one script as being superior. However, between Nangong Hao’s and Fang Zhengzhi’s, I could not pick a superior one!”

“I could not pick a superior one!”

This sentence reverberated throughout the Imperial Decree Hall.

All of the candidates and officials looked at each other.

This was an easily comprehensible statement. However, for this to be said by the Emperor had great ramifications.

For two scripts to be deemed as equal to the Emperor, how impeccable must they be?

This showed off the Emperor’s humility even whilst he praised Fang Zhengzhi and Nangong Hao for their impeccable work.

Wu Feng’s face was completely flushed.

He thought of the events back at the Intellectual Loft. At that time, he talked about his policy paper in front of Fang Zhengzhi.

Now…

He felt a stinging pain on his face.

“The Emperor is fair and wise!” One of the officials fell to his knees.

All of the other officials followed suit.

“The Emperor made a wise decision!”

No one dared to doubt the decision of the Emperor. He was the leader of the Great Xia Dynasty.

All the other candidates also fell to their knees.

The people in charge of relaying the information finally recovered.

“In first place, Nangong Hao and Fang Zhengzhi!”

“In first place, Nangong Hao and Fang Zhengzhi!”

“In first place…”

The news was quickly relayed to the entrance of the palace.

The crowd outside the palace was in uproar. Two people were tied for first? And it was Nangong Hao and Fang Zhengzhi?

Fang Zhengzhi!

He managed to tie with Nangong Hao?!

All of the shabbily dressed villagers whooped and cheered Fang Zhengzhi’s name. A few men dressed in black in the crowd looked at each other and left.

The golden armored guards sprang into action as they sped towards the gates. They kept hollering, “Ranked first for the court examinations, Nangong Hao and Fang Zhengzhi!”

Their voices reverberated throughout the entire capital.

Nangong Hao, who was dressed in a white shirt, stepped out from the crowd. He walked slowly and steadily.

Each and every step was regulated.

However, his mouth twitched in excitement. This was not excitement due to the result. He was excited that he found a worthy opponent.

Tie?

This edition of the court examination would be interesting.

“The commoner thanks the Emperor!” Nangong Hao stood in the middle of the door to the Imperial Decree Hall, bowing to the Emperor as he showed his gratitude.

“Commoner?” Emperor Lin Mubai sighed internally. However, he did not say anything as he looked at Nangong Hao.

Behind Nangong Hao was an empty space.

No one!

“Fang Zhengzhi is absent!” Emperor Lin Mubai’s gaze froze, an invisible aura of power exploding from his body.

All of the officials read Emperor Lin Mubai’s emotions instantly.

He was the Emperor.

He had already given Fang Zhengzhi the highest honor. But where was Fang Zhengzhi? Not only did he not express any gratitude, he was absent!

If Fang Zhengzhi had not made the list…

He would have just forgotten about it and pretended he did not know Fang Zhengzhi was absent.

But Fang Zhengzhi had made it!

He had topped the examination!

He could not ignore this!

“Where is Fang Zhengzhi, the Sword Envoy?” Emperor Lin Mubai’s gaze scanned across all the candidates, his tone calm but dangerous.

It was almost like an arrow sailing slowly through the air.

No one dared to answer.

All of the candidates looked at each other.

All of the officials also looked into the crowd of candidates. They could forgive Fang Zhengzhi for being late, but he was absent!

This showed a complete disregard for the Emperor.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping smirked. He saw that Fang Zhengzhi was absent and planned on punishing him after the announcement.

However…

He did not have to do it anymore.

Fang Zhengzhi had topped the examination!

He did not know if this was a good thing…

Or a disaster.

The Emperor was the highest in the land. Fang Zhengzhi would not be able to recover from this! No matter how magnanimous the Emperor is, he would not forgive such blatant disrespect!