"Young Master Guo, please rise."
Qiu Ri silently cursed himself. Looking at how composed Grand Tutor Shen and Lord Ye were, he felt like an inexperienced fool in comparison.
"Thank you, Lord Qiu."
Qiu Ri's heart trembled again.
For some reason, whenever Guo Feng opened his mouth, Qiu Ri felt an urge to kneel.
Why didn't Grand Tutor Shen and Lord Ye have this feeling?
If Song Yu knew what Qiu Ri was thinking, he would surely laugh out loud. Shen Mingwen saw him every day and was long accustomed to it. As for Ye Shijie, having been sidelined in the capital for so many years with little social interaction, how could he be particularly sharp?
"You ranked first in the provincial examination, and now first in the metropolitan examination, truly outstanding." Shen Mingwen said with a smile. "I hope the one parading through the streets as the top scholar in the future will be you."
Such undisguised words made Song Yu instinctively look at Shen Mingwen, meeting a pair of eyes full of hope.
"Thank you, Grand Tutor. This student will certainly... exert every effort."
Ye Shijie was inwardly annoyed that Shen Mingwen had stolen his line. He cleared his throat, "His Majesty places great importance on the imperial examinations and has strict requirements. You must not be careless; you must tread steadily even on this final step."
Pfft—
Shen Mingwen chuckled.
'His Majesty'? His Majesty is the father of the very person standing before you.
Although he knew Ye Shijie wasn't wrong, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Grand Tutor Shen, what are you laughing at?" Ye Shijie's face turned ashen.
"I didn't laugh."
"You certainly did laugh." Ye Shijie looked at Qiu Ri. "Lord Qiu, did Grand Tutor Shen laugh or not?"
"I... I was distracted just now." Qiu Ri's eyes darted about evasively.
"See, I didn't laugh."
Song Yu was already speechless, finally understanding where Shen the Third's mischievous streak came from.
Every debt has its debtor.
After Song Yu left, Shen Mingwen and Ye Shijie stared at each other, neither yielding.
"Grand Tutor Shen, your reputation spreads far and wide. You surely lack no students under your guidance," Ye Shijie said, getting straight to the point.
"I do lack them, very much so."
Shen Mingwen smiled at Ye Shijie. "And I specifically lack the one who just left."
"Guo Feng is my student," Ye Shijie stood his ground. "I have watched him progress all the way from the county-level examination."
"Fine, Guo Feng is your student."
Shen Mingwen began to play word games with Ye Shijie.
Hearing this, Ye Shijie's heart didn't settle at all. He was still pondering the meaning of Shen Mingwen's words even on his way back to his residence.
The old man Shen said the one who just left was the student he lacked, but then he conceded Guo Feng.
The one who just left... was Guo Feng, wasn't it?
...
After returning to his residence, Song Yu declined all invitations, stating he needed to concentrate on preparing for the palace examination.
People assumed that Shen Mingwen and the others had given him advice, so they stopped visiting to disturb him, though they still sent congratulatory gifts.
Xu Mansion.
"Young Miss, Young Master Guo has passed the metropolitan examination with top honors. Should we prepare a congratulatory gift to send?" a maidservant asked softly. After all, it was now known that almost all the powerful families in the capital had sent gifts to the Guo residence.
"He indeed passed with top honors."
Xu Yayu murmured, still holding Song Yu's examination paper. "To be able to write such policy essays truly complements the title of top graduate."
"Send one. Send it in the Xu family's name."
Xu Yayu lowered her eyes. She had said she would no longer pursue him, and she would keep her word.
For such a newly minted top graduate, the Xu family ought to send congratulations.
"What does Young Miss intend to send?"
"I heard he was poisoned and fell ill before. Although recovered, he still needs nourishment. Send some precious medicinal herbs." In a short time, Xu Yayu seemed like a changed person.
The Xu family had all gone to deal with the Japanese pirates, leaving her, a woman, alone in the capital guarding her grandmother's memorial tablet.
She could not bring disgrace to the Xu family.
"This servant will go right away."
Meanwhile, at Prince Qi's Mansion.
""
Prince Qi swore crudely, utterly discarding his image. He could even accept paving the way for others, but he could not accept doing so for Guo Feng.
"Why does heaven always enjoy making a fool of this prince?"
"Your Highness, please calm your anger. Should our Prince Qi's Mansion... also send something to offer congratulations?" a servant asked timidly, only to be kicked out of the room by Prince Qi.
"Having this prince send gifts to Guo Feng is absolutely impossible!"
The door slammed shut, Prince Qi burning with rage.
But gradually, Prince Qi's eyes suddenly lit up.
Given his imperial father's swift and severe methods, he must have discovered Prince Qi's hand in the 'auspicious omens' affair as well, yet his father had not punished him...
Did that mean... his father still cared for him after all?
Prince Qi's clear yet foolish eyes brightened.
"Get back in here."
Hearing Prince Qi's voice, the servant scrambled back inside. "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"This time Guo Feng became the top graduate, did Prince Qin's Mansion make any gesture?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, no."
Hearing the servant's words, Prince Qi was pleased. "My eldest brother is just stingy and calculative. Not sending congratulations at such a time, how can he expect others to serve him in the future?"
"Your Highness, you mean..."
"Prince Qin is petty, but this prince is not. This prince will send a gift!" Prince Qi had already forgotten his earlier statement about never sending one. "Not only will I send one, I will send one more valuable than all the others."
"Here, go take the sable fur from my treasury and send it to Guo Feng."
The servant's pupils contracted violently. "Your Highness, isn't that a bit too valuable? Back then, even Prince Qin wanted that sable fur of yours, and you didn't give it to him..."
"No matter. Take it to Guo Feng. You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child."
Prince Qi was invigorated. He would make one final effort!
To win over Guo Feng!
...
And at this moment, in Qin Prince's Mansion.
"Your Highness, the Guo residence is almost overflowing with congratulatory gifts."
Hearing Liuxi's words, Song Yu was so happy he couldn't close his mouth. "I bought the neighboring estate as well. If it doesn't fit, put them next door."
"I never expected passing as the top graduate would bring such benefits."
Song Yu's eyes shone with excitement.
"Your Highness, now the common people across the land are hoping you will become the top scholar in the palace examination," Shen Qingping said with a smile. "I'm afraid if the top scholar turns out to be someone else, many commoners will cry injustice on your behalf."
"That's the power of true ability."
Song Yu lifted his noble chin high.
With the people's hearts leaning his way, even his father would have to yield.
Seeing Song Yu's tail-up-to-the-sky demeanor, Song Shihuan winked at Shen Qingping.
[He's so full of himself.]
[I think so too.]
This silent exchange between master and disciple went unnoticed by Song Yu, who was now looking at Liuxi who had returned.
"What is it? Is the neighboring estate also full?"
"No, it's Prince Qi's Mansion. They sent a congratulatory gift, said to be a piece of sable fur."
Hearing Liuxi's words, Song Yu looked at the material held by the servant behind him.
"What a grand gesture."
"I asked him for it back then and he refused. Now it still ends up in my hands after all."
Song Yu placed his hands on his hips and laughed heartily at the sky.
