At the same time, in the Purple Palace Hall.
"Your Majesty, please put on an extra layer of clothing. It's quite cold outside," Wu Qi attended to Emperor Yuanyou as he rose. The emperor glanced at the still pitch-black sky outside before stepping out of the hall.
Fifteen minutes later, Emperor Yuanyou stood atop the palace walls.
Today, his eldest son was taking the imperial examinations.
The previous rounds of the exams had not been held in the capital, so Emperor Yuanyou had not felt the same intensity as he did now. Gazing in the direction of the examination hall, his heart swelled with emotion.
What kind of results would Yu'er deliver this time?
"Your Majesty, many examinees must already be waiting outside the examination hall by now," Wu Qi, aware of the emperor's thoughts, suggested. "Shall we send the imperial guards to check?"
"No need."
Emperor Yuanyou rested his hand on the railing, his eyes glistening faintly. "He is taking the exams under the name Guo Feng. I shall simply wish him success from afar."
The emperor remained standing until the first light broke across the horizon. Only then did he wave at Wu Qi. "Let’s go. It’s time for the morning court session."
Fen'er, you always said you admired scholarly men, those whose elegance stems from their learning.
Look, isn’t our son just like that?
A faint smile curled on Emperor Yuanyou’s lips, and his steps carried a hint of pride.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Shen residence was entirely different.
Nian'an was puzzled by Shen Qingping’s unusual silence on the day of the imperial exams. Worried that he might be unwell, she tiptoed into his room.
Suddenly, she nearly let out a startled scream.
Why was the Third Master sitting bolt upright on his bed?
"Th-Third Master?"
"What time is it?" Shen Qingping turned his hollow gaze toward Nian'an. He couldn’t sleep, but unlike outside the capital, he was confined to the Shen residence, left with nothing but restless waiting.
"It’s past mao hour."
"Then His Highness must have already arrived at the examination hall."
Shen Qingping exhaled sharply and looked at Nian'an. "How straight I can hold my back for the rest of my life depends entirely on His Highness’s performance in these exams."
If the crown prince became the top scholar, no one would dare challenge him, a staunch supporter of the crown prince faction.
......
Just as Shen Qingping had anticipated, Song Yu slipped out of the Prince of Qin’s residence and quietly made his way to the Guo family’s estate. From there, he rode in a modest carriage to the examination hall.
By the time Song Yu arrived, a crowd had already gathered outside.
"Brother Guo!"
Zheng Fang, sharp-eyed, spotted the Guo family’s carriage first and hurried over. "Brother Guo, are you feeling better?"
As soon as Zheng Fang finished speaking, a face brimming with vitality came into view.
Zheng Fang froze. Hadn’t Brother Guo been poisoned? Had his ginseng been delivered to the wrong person?
"I’ve fully recovered. Thank you for the ginseng, Brother Zheng," Song Yu replied with a smile, showing no trace of illness from head to toe.
"That’s a relief."
Zheng Fang tugged at Song Yu’s sleeve. "You have no idea how arrogant those northern examinees have been lately, acting as if Chen Ye has already secured the top spot."
The south had its fair share of talent too!
Ling Ming and Feng Kuizhi also noticed Song Yu and warmly approached him. Seeing him in good health, they both sighed in relief.
"Are you Guo Feng?"
An unwelcome voice cut in. Song Yu looked up.
The speaker had a handsome face, but the calculating glint in his eyes made Song Yu instinctively uneasy.
"That’s me."
"I am Chen Ye." As Song Yu studied Chen Ye, the latter did the same, his expression gradually shifting the longer he looked.
"I heard Brother Guo fell ill?"
Why did he look perfectly healthy now?
Chen Ye’s heart pounded. Had his cousin’s plan failed?
"Not ill—poisoned," Song Yu replied cheerfully. "But I’m fine now. What, Brother Chen doesn’t want me to recover?"
Was there a problem with him getting better?
"Brother Guo, what kind of talk is that? I, too, wish for your swift recovery."
Since they were outside the examination hall, even their sharp exchanges had to be masked with polite smiles.
The gates of the examination hall creaked open. Song Yu ignored Chen Ye, allowing the guards to inspect his belongings and verify his identity.
"Cleared."
Hearing the guard’s confirmation, Song Yu nodded slightly and strode into the hall.
The moment he crossed the threshold, his entire body trembled with anticipation.
Thousands vying for a single chance—and he had made it this far.
......
"Number A-Thirteen."
Song Yu exhaled in relief at the guard’s announcement.
While the so-called "foul-numbered" cells didn’t affect performance, they were unpleasant.
A-Thirteen...
He repeated the number silently, then felt a sudden flutter in his chest. Ah Huan was thirteen this year, and his cell was number thirteen...
An auspicious sign!
In an instant, Song Yu was convinced that fortune would favor him in this round of exams.
Upon reaching his assigned cell, Song Yu carefully unpacked his examination basket. A gust of wind rattled the roof, making the flimsy structure sway.
Song Yu pursed his lips.
Once he conquered Dayue, he’d use their silver to renovate Daqi’s examination hall—sealing every crack and crevice!
Patrolling guards frequently glanced his way as they passed. After all, this former prodigal son had become a symbol of redemption for many.
Though, this "Young Master Guo" didn’t seem the least bit sick.
From their elevated positions, Shen Mingwen and Ye Shijie both focused on Song Yu. Seeing him composed and in good spirits, they quietly relaxed.
This year’s questions were as challenging as ever.
The problems set by Shen Mingwen and Ye Shijie were so difficult that even Qiu Ri feared being pelted with rotten eggs in the streets.
Since the official exam began the next day, Song Yu closed his eyes to rest. The icy wind howled through the cell, carrying the sound of coughing from neighboring examinees.
Falling ill now would be disastrous.
Wrapping himself tightly like a dumpling, Song Yu began silently reciting the Four Books and Five Classics.
Lost in memorization, time slipped away unnoticed.
As dusk fell, Song Yu extinguished his candle early and lay down. The first test—on the Four Books and Five Classics—was the most crucial of the three rounds. He couldn’t afford any mistakes.
Yet, in the dead of night, commotion startled him awake.
The examinee next to him was burning with fever. Several guards debated how to handle the situation.
"Since the exam hasn’t started, let’s send him out. Life matters more. He can try again in three years."
Song Yu clicked his tongue at the words.
Three years, then another three—when would the struggle end?
Shaking off the distraction, he drifted back to sleep, only to be roused at dawn by the clang of gongs as guards woke the examinees.
The first day of the imperial examinations had begun.
