Outside the Examination Hall.
Song Yu noticed everyone staring at him with burning intensity and instinctively touched his handsome face. What was going on?
Why did it seem like they wanted to devour him whole?
Hastening his steps, Song Yu quickly boarded the carriage from Guo Mansion. "Let's go."
Only after leaving the scrutinizing gazes behind did he finally relax. The carriage headed straight back to Guo Mansion, but before long, Song Yu sneaked back to the Qin Prince's Mansion.
"Earlier, they were all looking at me as if I were some rare treasure," he said while vigorously stuffing a large bite of meat into his mouth. Nothing beat the satisfaction of eating heartily.
"Father, today there was an auspicious omen."
Song Shihuan couldn't help but chuckle. "Just before you left the examination hall, nearly a hundred magpies suddenly circled above the Confucian Temple, chirping as if announcing good news."
Such an omen was most likely man-made.
Whoever was behind it... well, it seemed the benefits ultimately fell into Father's lap.
"An auspicious omen?" Song Yu swallowed his food. "So... the common people took me as the omen?"
Could he really have summoned nearly a hundred magpies to circle the Confucian Temple in such cold weather?
Obviously not.
Just as Song Yu finished his meal, a messenger arrived from the palace—Emperor Yuanyou wanted to see him.
"Why the rush?" Song Yu quickly freshened up and hurried to the palace with Song Shihuan.
That old man couldn’t even let him catch his breath.
......
Upon arriving at the Purple Palace Hall, Song Yu had barely stepped inside when Emperor Yuanyou rose to greet him personally at the entrance.
For a moment, Song Yu was taken aback—this was a treatment he had never received before.
"How do you feel? Were the exam questions difficult? Did you catch a cold?"
Three rapid-fire questions left Song Yu flattered.
"Your son is doing just fine. I just had a big meal at the Qin Prince's Mansion," Song Yu replied cheerfully. "As for the imperial examination, I’m confident I’ll come out on top. Just wait for the good news."
"Excellent!" Emperor Yuanyou was overjoyed, his worries completely dispelled.
Just then, Wu Qi entered.
The emperor’s smile dimmed slightly. "What have you found?"
"Your Majesty, it was orchestrated by Prince Qi’s subordinates, likely to pave the way for this year’s candidate from Shuofang Prefecture, Chen Ye."
Wu Qi inwardly rolled his eyes. Prince Qi still hadn’t learned his lesson.
"That’s the one who’s been hyped up as being as talented as my son?" Emperor Yuanyou grew so excited that his wording shifted to "my son."
Wu Qi nodded. "Your Majesty, should I—"
"No need."
The emperor’s tone shifted. "This auspicious omen couldn’t have come at a better time. Soon, the whole world will see Yu as the chosen one. Consider it Prince Qi’s small contribution to his elder brother."
Pfft—
Song Shihuan burst into laughter.
Poor Prince Qi—he’d practically handed his enemy a grand gift.
"Wu Qi, spread word of this auspicious omen far and wide."
Song Yu grinned. "In that case, I should find a way to thank Prince Qi."
Thanks for the free divine endorsement.
......
On the way back to the mansion, Song Yu sprawled limply in the carriage while Song Shihuan eagerly read through the exam paper he had rewritten.
Emperor Yuanyou had forced him to reproduce it on the spot, too impatient to wait.
By the time Song Yu finished, he felt utterly drained.
"Ah Huan, how did I do?" Song Yu suddenly opened his eyes.
"Exceptionally well."
Song Shihuan gave an objective assessment. "No wonder Father was so confident in front of His Majesty. With an exam paper like this, not taking first place would be unjust."
Song Yu chuckled, but then a thought struck him—something he needed to do, though he couldn’t quite recall what.
He pondered it the entire journey.
Finally, as the carriage stopped outside the Qin Prince's Mansion, he smacked his forehead. "Ah Huan, shouldn’t we deal with the person who poisoned me?"
"Gladly."
Song Shihuan tilted her head. "I’ve already planned it out for you. Father only needs to do one thing."
"What’s that?"
"Go beat the grievance drum outside the Court of Judicial Review."
Instantly, Song Yu recalled a scene from a play he’d once read:
A corrupt official had killed a commoner’s wife, and the grieving husband knelt before him, begging for justice.
The official sneered, "Who dares accuse this official?"
If he went to the Court of Judicial Review to demand justice, wouldn’t that force the chief minister to investigate his own kin?
How amusing.
Song Yu smirked. "I’ll go tomorrow."
......
After the imperial examination concluded, grading the papers took a month, so some candidates left the capital.
But many chose to stay.
The next morning, Song Yu departed from Guo Mansion and headed straight for the Court of Judicial Review. Upon arrival, he stepped out of the carriage.
Moments later, rapid drumbeats echoed through the air.
"Who are you? How dare you cause trouble here?"
"I am Guo Feng of Ji'an Prefecture, here to demand justice for the poisoning attempt on my life."
The guards, recognizing Guo Feng’s reputation, didn’t dare dismiss him outright and hurried inside to report.
The commotion quickly drew a crowd of commoners and scholars.
"Before the exam, someone poisoned the food in my mansion, giving me a severe headache. If not for my physician’s skill, I wouldn’t have even made it to the examination hall," Song Yu lamented earnestly. "Now that the exam is over, I demand an explanation."
"Isn’t this the chosen one from yesterday?"
"I’d heard about Guo Feng being poisoned, but Guo Mansion stayed silent. Turns out he was waiting until after the exam—what a thoughtful man."
The crowd and scholars rallied behind Song Yu’s plea—except for Chen Ye, whose face turned ashen.
"Brother Chen, who would poison Guo Feng at such a time?" a fellow candidate asked.
"I don’t know."
Chen Ye clenched his fists inside his sleeves. The chief minister would surely protect his cousin...
As the crowd swelled, Zhou Kun hastily invited Song Yu inside.
"Master Guo, given the time that has passed, investigating may prove difficult."
"No difficulty at all," Song Yu replied smoothly. "I kept samples of the poisoned food, and the servants remember everything clearly. I wouldn’t dream of inconveniencing you."
Zhou Kun’s heart skipped a beat.
This young man didn’t seem to be seeking justice—he was here to deliver an accusation.
Recalling Madam Chen’s earlier denial, Zhou Kun steadied himself.
"Master Guo, rest assured. This official will uncover the truth and deliver justice."
