Song Jinzhao stood with his hands behind his back. "No need, I will deliver it personally this time. The twenty-fifth of the tenth month is the current Emperor's birthday. After the provincial examinations are over, we will head to the capital immediately. These potatoes will be our birthday gift."
Song Qiming furrowed his brows in thought. "The results of the provincial exam won't be released until the end of the eighth month. With the deadline being the twenty-fifth of the tenth month, isn't the schedule a bit too tight?"
They couldn't travel day and night without rest like the government's posthouse couriers. To rush from Anyang Prefecture to the capital in less than two months was simply cutting it too close.
Song Jinzhao replied, "We will set off as soon as the results are posted. We'll use a two-horse carriage. As long as we don't delay on the road, we should be able to make it."
Next year's second month would mark the spring imperial examination; once they left for the capital, they definitely wouldn't be returning this year.
The tension brought about by the provincial exam lingered over Anyang Prefecture for weeks. It wasn't until all three sessions of the exam were completely finished that the thousands of students were finally liberated.
Aside from those with weaker constitutions who had been physically broken by the grueling nine-day exam and were now bedridden in their inns, most people only rested for a single day before heading out into the city to attend literary gatherings and banquets to build their social networks.
Some went to teahouses, taverns, or even brothels to relieve the pent-up stress of their exam preparations.
A very small fraction even went to temples to pray to Buddha and cast fortunes, hoping to predict whether they would pass with flying colors.
It was commonly known as the last hurrah before the results were announced.
Meanwhile, on the morning of the second day after the exams ended, Song Qiming visited Mu Hongyue to discuss the questions and his answers for the three sessions, aiming to estimate his performance and whether he would pass.
Song Qiming wrote down all the exam questions and his corresponding answers on a piece of paper. "This is roughly it. The accuracy is above ninety percent."
Even though he had written it himself, the word count was massive. No matter how good Song Qiming's memory was, he couldn't replicate it flawlessly; there were bound to be a few words or sentences out of order.
Stroking his beard, Mu Hongyue read through the pages and revealed a gratified smile. After two months of interaction, he was extremely confident in Song Qiming's academic prowess.
But this was the provincial exam. To perform so flawlessly under such immense pressure truly proved that the younger generation was a force to be reckoned with.
"This is the first answer sheet I've seen, but I am certain it is absolutely the most perfect one. You haven't let Brother Ye down. He truly took in a brilliant disciple."
Joy blossomed in Song Qiming's heart. He bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your guidance over these past two months, Headmaster. Your student will never forget this kindness."
Mu Hongyue smiled, waving his hand and shaking his head. "I was entrusted with a task, and I merely fulfilled it faithfully. Whether you had these two months with me or not, you would have passed and become a Juren. The spring examination is next February. If you aren't in a hurry to go to the capital, you can continue to study here with me."
"Thank you, Headmaster. However, before my teacher left, he instructed me to find him in the capital. Therefore, your student plans to depart as soon as possible. I will set off right after the results are released."
Mu Hongyue raised his eyebrows in surprise. "In such a rush? Aren't you going to return to your hometown to visit first?"
Song Qiming replied, "The journey to the capital is long, and there is less than half a year until the spring exam. I want to push myself a bit further, so it's better to head to the capital early."
Mu Hongyue sighed and nodded. "That's true. Brother Ye is surely waiting for you."
Even with Ye Liangyu's mentorship, if Song Qiming couldn't achieve a high ranking, or worse, failed the exam, everything would be in vain.
It was just that this child was still so young and his path had been too smooth. It was hard to guarantee he wouldn't stumble in the future, and he wondered if Brother Ye would be able to protect him.
As he was leaving the Mu residence, a servant led a few people walking towards him.
He Feixuan, Wang Xu, Wang Rui, Ji Youming, Hu Fengye... more than half of the Upper House students had arrived, and even two of the top students from the Inner House were there.
"I thought we had arrived early enough, but I didn't expect Qiming to be leaving already." A polite smile touched the corners of He Feixuan's lips. He was deeply intrigued by this fellow student who had nearly caught up to him in the academy's final assessment.
If given another two months, Song Qiming might have genuinely surpassed him.
What made it even more pressuring was that the boy was only thirteen years old, while he himself was already past twenty. The age gap was significant.
When it came to genius, anyone would feel a sense of inadequacy in front of Song Qiming!
