What?
Everyone present was petrified, the cold wind whistled, mercilessly slapping their faces.
Yu'er?
In the entire Great Qi, the only one who could be addressed so intimately by the Emperor was that damnable, reckless Prince Qin.
But the problem was... Prince Qin wasn't here today!
As they exchanged bewildered glances, everyone couldn't help but look at Prince Qi, casting him sympathetic looks. What a pitiful prince, even his name was mistaken by the Emperor.
Clearly, Prince Qi thought the same, his face turning ashen with humiliation and anger. Just as Prince Qi was about to step forward to endure the mockery of the civil and military officials, another figure moved.
Song Yu stood up, first straightened the imperial scholar's robe and cap he was wearing, then walked towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
One step, two steps...
Each step seemed to tread on the heartstrings of everyone present.
"Guo Feng, do not be disrespectful before the hall."
Ye Shijie risked being reprimanded and punished by Emperor Yuanyou to call out to Song Yu, his eyes filled with concern.
But the next second, Ye Shijie was stopped by Shen Mingwen.
Shen Mingwen shook his head at Ye Shijie, glanced at Mei Zhilin standing beside him, and completely set his mind at ease.
And so, Song Yu stepped into the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
No one else tried to stop him.
"Your son pays respects to Father Emperor."
Your son...
Pays respects...
Father Emperor?
Everyone knew these words individually, but strung together, they were utterly bewildered.
The Emperor actually had a secret son living outside the palace!
"Who are you? Why are you calling my father emperor 'Father Emperor'?"
Prince Qi was the first to jump out, his tone full of urgency. Dealing with Song Yu alone was headache enough for him, and now another top scholar brother had popped up. Was heaven trying to ruin him!
"Fourth Brother, do not be disrespectful to your eldest brother."
Emperor Yuanyou descended from the high platform, walked up to Song Yu, reached out, and patted his shoulder:
"I am proud of you."
Having said that, Emperor Yuanyou paid no heed to Prince Qi, who was still in a state of shock and hadn't recovered his senses. He took Song Yu's hand and walked out of the hall. Under the watchful eyes of all, only Song Yu could feel the damp warmth in Emperor Yuanyou's palm.
So Father Emperor... was also nervous...
"The Top Scholar is my legitimate eldest son, Prince Qin, Song Yu."
Emperor Yuanyou's voice echoed outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, resonating in everyone's mind like an ancient bell.
Rip—
Song Yu extended his right hand and slowly peeled off the mask on his face, revealing his original, peerlessly handsome features. His facial features greatly resembled Empress Yuan, while his demeanor and aura were strikingly similar to Emperor Yuanyou.
Occasionally, birds flew past, letting out clear, long cries.
Seeming like a reward for the victor.
Thus, the Top Scholar returned to his rightful place.
Everyone also realized an utterly absurd truth: from beginning to end, the one who took the imperial examinations was not the reformed wastrel Guo Feng, but Prince Qin, Song Yu.
"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"
Prince Qi stumbled outside the hall, staring fixedly at Song Yu's face.
Although Song Yu was only wearing the imperial scholar's attire, and Prince Qi was clad in magnificent and noble princely robes, somehow, Prince Qi's presence seemed diminished.
"You must have replaced Guo Feng's identity after he finished the palace examination, just to steal his title as Top Scholar! Song Yu, you are shameless!"
Prince Qi seemed hysterical. If Song Yu was Guo Feng, then what was he?
A clown jumping around everywhere?
Just as Emperor Yuanyou was about to speak, Song Yu smiled. "Fourth Brother, your eyesight isn't very good."
...
"In the second month of the year before last, I took the county-level examination in Yong'an County, Ji'an Prefecture. At that time, Guo Feng was gravely ill and entrusted me to investigate the cause of his wife's death."
"In the fourth month of the same year, I passed the prefectural examination, found the suicide note, and ascertained the cause of his wife's death. Subsequently, Guo Feng passed away from illness."
"In the fourth month of last year, I passed the academy examination."
"In the eighth month of the same year, I passed the provincial examination."
"In the second month of this year, I passed the metropolitan examination."
"Three days ago, I wrote my palace examination policy essay right here."
"Today, I stand here based on genuine talent and learning, with a clear conscience towards heaven above and earth below."
With each sentence Song Yu uttered, the light in Prince Qi's eyes dimmed further.
Yes, at every one of those time points, Song Yu, as Prince Qin, had not appeared in the public eye. So that's where he was... taking the imperial examinations.
"If you don't believe me, feel free to test my knowledge. Identity can be faked, but the learning in one's mind cannot."
Therefore, from start to finish, Song Yu had never worried about being questioned or denied when his identity was revealed to the world.
Thud—
A sound broke the nearly stagnant air around them. Shen Mingwen, who had been keeping an eye on Ye Shijie's condition, quickly beckoned to Mei Zhilin.
He had indeed fainted.
The pre-prepared pill was fed into Ye Shijie's mouth. In less than half the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Ye Shijie regained consciousness.
"It was you who took the examinations?"
Ye Shijie's eyes were red as he trembled and tottered over to Song Yu.
"It was me, Chief Examiner."
Hearing Song Yu's words, Ye Shijie felt a surge of old blood stuck in his throat. Forcing it down, he addressed Song Yu:
"A gentleman has no contentiousness."
"Strife arises from desire, but the heart of a gentleman is free from it."
Song Yu answered with great ease.
Ye Shijie couldn't help but take a few steps back, then spoke again:
"Do not worry about lacking a position; worry about what qualifies you to occupy it."
"A position is external and cannot be guaranteed; what qualifies one is internal and can be sought by oneself."
After speaking, Song Yu even smiled at Ye Shijie. "Testing my identity with a combined quotation question even at a time like this. Truly worthy of Lord Ye."
Ye Shijie's chest heaved with intense breathing. Suddenly, he looked towards Shen Mingwen in the crowd, who was hanging his head pretending ignorance, a strong light bursting forth in his eyes.
"It really is you."
He was certain the person before him was the Guo Feng who took the examinations!
The angle of interpretation and the approach to answering were exactly the same.
His position as the Emperor's teacher was within reach!
...
Seeing Ye Shijie acknowledge Song Yu's identity as the Top Scholar, everyone present finally awoke as if from a dream.
That Prince Qin, the ne'er-do-well who disliked studying, had actually transformed into the Top Scholar.
This was... the ideal candidate for Crown Prince.
Instantly, the gazes directed at Song Yu became filled with fervor.
Only Prince Qi stood there dejectedly, like a frost-bitten eggplant, his mind a muddle of unclear thoughts.
"Does anyone else have doubts about my identity?"
No one responded.
No one dared to respond.
Seeing this, Emperor Yuanyou let out a deep sigh of relief and spoke to the Minister of Ceremonies who had just drunk two large cups of water nearby. "You, announce the First Rank, First Place again."
For Emperor Yuanyou, there were many gentler ways to reveal Song Yu's identity to the world.
But Emperor Yuanyou was unwilling.
He wanted his son's name to resound at the proclamation ceremony. He wanted people discussing not Guo Feng, but the name Song Yu during the victory parade.
The Minister of Ceremonies immediately raised his head and shouted at the top of his voice:
"First Rank, First Place: Song Yu."
"First Rank, First Place: Song Yu."
"First Rank, First Place: Song Yu."
Calling a royal name directly for the first time, the Minister of Ceremonies nervously glanced at Emperor Yuanyou and Song Yu.
Phew, good, his life was safe.
