The political climate in the capital was volatile, with rumors and gossip swirling and unsettling people’s minds. Yet Yan Shaoxuan remained single-minded, devoting himself entirely to his studies.

Only when he occasionally thought of a certain young man thousands of miles away would his mind wander for a moment, but he was quickly able to refocus.

The palace examination served only to rank those who had passed the provincial examination and determine their class; no one would fail. Yan Shaoxuan’s entry into officialdom was a foregone conclusion, yet he dared not let his guard down in the slightest.

His efforts on this occasion were not only to pursue the ambition he had set for himself since childhood, but also to ensure he could keep the one he loved firmly sheltered under his wing.

With Yan Xiaoyu’s exceptional talents, the Yuye Pavilion would not stop here; it was only a matter of time before it attracted envy. Without the support of those in power, it might well invite disaster.

Yan Shaoxuan never wanted Yan Xiaoyu to go through the humiliation of being coveted for his striking beauty—or being shamed and driven out of the shop he had rented—ever again. Ever since returning from Magistrate Zhong’s office that day, he had been seething inside, desperate to become stronger.

Consequently, during the Imperial Examinations, Yan Shaoxuan was far less composed than he had been during the provincial exams.

During the provincial exams, he had been able to do his best, leave the rest to fate, and not be troubled by the outcome. For the imperial exams, however, he even sought out Ji Wenyan to inquire about the situation in the court and speculate on the candidates for chief and deputy examiners, as well as the literary styles they favored.

After all that effort, fortunately, the results turned out well.

In the palace examination, the emperor personally sets the questions, and his will is unpredictable. Moreover, since Magistrate Ji had only met with the emperor on a handful of occasions, he did not understand the emperor’s temperament. Therefore, Ji Wenyan could offer no assistance during the palace examination; it was entirely up to Yan Shaoxuan himself.

Although rumors circulated that even the top-ranked new jinshi in this examination would be assigned to a local post, these were, after all, just rumors. Even if true, the assignment of a first-class jinshi differed from that of second- or third-class jinshi.

Yan Shaoxuan was determined to give it his all in this palace examination.

On the day of the palace examination, the candidates, led by Yan Shaoxuan, were waiting outside the palace as early as the beginning of the Yin hour.

At dawn, palace attendants led them through the grand gates and into the Hall of Heavenly Veneration. There were over three hundred examinees in total, who were directed by officials from the Ministry of Rites to form two groups, facing north and standing on either side of the hall’s raised platform.

Once all the examinees and the civil and military officials of the court had taken their places, the Emperor arrived. Palace attendants cracked their whips, and the examinees and court officials knelt and bowed in salute. After the ceremony concluded, the examination began.

The weather was favorable that day—the wind was gentle, and the sun was shining—so the examinees took the exam outdoors. If it had rained, they would have moved to the corridors on either side of the hall to answer the questions.

The candidates were seated according to their scores on the provincial examinations. As the top scorer, Yan Shaoxuan sat in the foremost seat, the position closest to the Emperor.

However, as His Majesty stood on the steps, the examinees were not permitted to look up directly at him, lest they offend the imperial majesty. Consequently, even by the end of the entire examination, Yan Shaoxuan had not been able to get a clear look at the emperor’s face.

The palace examination consisted solely of essay questions, each about 200 to 300 characters long and addressing one or two issues. When the essay topics were distributed, Yan Shaoxuan had a sudden insight.

“The upright are the people’s role models; the corrupt are the people’s enemies. The Taizu unified the Chinese and non-Chinese peoples, and now I share this era of peace and prosperity with the people. My only concern is that if the wrong people are appointed to office, they will bring calamity upon my people…”

This essay question addressed strategies for selecting the virtuous and governing the people, clearly drawing from the corruption and bribery case involving Magistrate Zhong and his associates.

Had the topic been any other, Yan Shaoxuan would have needed to give it careful thought, but this particular essay question struck a chord deep within him.

During his time in Weishi County, he had countless times questioned himself: If he were a county magistrate, how would he govern his jurisdiction? If he were Magistrate Zhong’s superior, how would he manage his subordinates to prevent officials like Magistrate Zhong from harming the people? If he were an emperor, how would he select the virtuous and capable, purge the corrupt and promote the upright, so that the Great Chu would enjoy smooth governance and social harmony, and the people could live in peace and prosperity…

After a moment’s reflection, Yan Shaoxuan began to write. His thoughts flowed like a gushing spring, and he completed the piece almost in one sitting.

During this time, he caught a glimpse of the bright yellow hem of a garment lingering beside him, but he remained focused on the exam paper in front of him, his expression showing not the slightest flicker of emotion.

At the second quarter of the You hour, a palace attendant struck the drum, signaling the end of the exam.

Yan Shaoxuan and the other examinees were escorted out of the palace by the palace attendants. Jiang Xiaowu had hired a horse-drawn carriage to wait outside; after picking up Yan Shaoxuan, he drove them back to their lodgings.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

At Wenhua Hall.

The Emperor, with his cap properly in place and a stern, dignified expression, sat upright in a rosewood chair, reviewing the examination papers. Not far from the desk, several officials knelt—they were the paper graders for this palace examination. 

The palace examination papers were first reviewed by the examiners, who evaluated the 300 submissions and divided them into three grades. Only first-grade papers were permitted to be presented to the emperor.

The first-class essays were further divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers, with four essays in each tier, for a total of twelve.

The Emperor first selected the four top-tier papers and personally marked them with his imperial brush. If he could not select the top three candidates from these four, he would then proceed to review the four papers from the middle and lower tiers in turn.

To ensure fairness, the page on every exam paper containing the candidate’s name and place of origin was sealed, so the examiners could not see it. Generally, the Emperor would personally unseal them after determining the rankings.

With the papers still sealed, after he had reviewed the four top-tier examination papers in order, he asked casually, “On what basis was the ranking determined?”

The examiners felt a sudden jolt of anxiety. Kneeling before him, they explained the criteria used when determining the rankings, adding, “If there are any inaccuracies, we humbly request Your Majesty’s guidance.” The Emperor glanced at them, his expression calm, and handed the exam papers to the eunuch beside him. “Open them and take a look.”

In literature, there is no “first place”; in martial arts, there is no “second place.” In fact, among the essays of the three top-ranked candidates who had advanced to the palace examination, there was no absolute distinction between superior and inferior.

Seeing that Emperor Shunhe showed no sign of disagreement, the examiners all relented. A eunuch unsealed the four examination scrolls and respectfully presented them to the emperor.

Emperor Shunhe picked up two of the scrolls, glanced at them, and raised an eyebrow: “Jiang Guangji of Xiangjiang Prefecture as the top scholar, and Yan Shaoxuan of Peiyang Prefecture as the third-place scholar—you’re all quite good at selecting candidates.” 

Xiangjiang Prefecture was the hometown of Ning Chengfeng, a powerful court official. After rising to prominence, Ning Chengfeng gave back to his hometown by establishing schools in Xiangjiang Prefecture, where he nurtured numerous talents—many of whom have since become the backbone of the Great Chu. 

Emperor Shunhe held Ning Chengfeng in the highest regard, and by extension, looked favorably upon those from Xiangjiang Prefecture as well.

Upon hearing that the top scholar they had selected was from Xiangjiang Prefecture, several of the examiners breathed a sigh of relief.

Sure enough, Emperor Shunhe spoke in a gentle tone: “Xiangjiang Prefecture has always produced talented individuals. It seems Jiang Guangji is well-suited to bear the title of top scholar. Yan Shaoxuan was the top scorer in the Imperial Examinations and is a man of outstanding character; the title of third-place scholar is well-deserved for him.” 

As soon as he finished speaking, the weight on the examiners’ hearts was completely lifted, and the atmosphere in the hall eased considerably.

Just as the chief examiner was about to add a few words of agreement to finalize the rankings of the first class, Emperor Shunhe changed the tone of his voice: “However—”

“I actually find Yan Shaoxuan’s insights to be superior,” Emperor Shunhe said, examining the exam paper in his hand with a contented expression. “Yan Shaoxuan has already passed the provincial and imperial exams in first place twice in a row. If he wins first place in the palace examination, he’ll have achieved the ‘Three Successes’ distinction—which would certainly make for a fine story if word got out.”

With the Emperor favoring Yan Shaoxuan, who among the others would dare utter a single word of criticism?

Several examiners, seeing that Emperor Shunhe was in a good mood, even dared to offer a few flattering remarks.

“Your Majesty is truly wise! Yan Shaoxuan has achieved the ‘Three Successes’ in succession—he is a talent rarely seen. Such a talent taking the imperial examinations must surely have been moved by Your Majesty’s diligence in governing, compassion for the people, respect for the virtuous, and respect for the learned—and has come specifically to serve Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty’s keen eye for talent is a blessing for the state and a boon for the people of our Great Chu!”

“……”

With the rankings of the palace examination settled, the examiners left the palace together. After the eunuch who had led the way departed, the group lowered their voices and began to whisper among themselves.

“It seems the Emperor favors Yan Shaoxuan?”

“This top scholar possesses extraordinary insight and exceptional intelligence. Though not yet twenty, he has already achieved the ‘Triple First Place’ distinction. Who wouldn’t admire such a man? When he won first place in the provincial examinations, many tried to recruit him—both openly and covertly—but unfortunately, he had no such intentions and simply ignored them. Such an upright and principled scholar is precisely the kind the Emperor favors.”

“‘Fearing that a dragon in the clouds and rain is not meant to remain in a pond’—it seems the court is about to produce another remarkable figure!”

Yan Shaoxuan’s joy at winning first place in the imperial examinations had not yet faded when news of his winning the top honor in the palace examinations reached Weishi County. Yan Xiaoyu and the others were so thrilled they didn’t know what to do with themselves. 

To celebrate the occasion, Yuye Pavilion served a plate of “Zhuangyuan cakes” to every diner for three consecutive days, along with various discount promotions, creating a lively atmosphere among the patrons.

The villagers were overjoyed as well; each of them wished they could come to the Yuye Pavilion in person to offer their congratulations.

Fearing they might cause trouble for Yan Shaocheng and the others, they didn’t come in person, but they had Niu Fugui, Yu Sanlang, and others deliver their gifts. For several days in a row, Yan Xiaoyu dreamed of Yan Shaoxuan winning the top prize, his heart brimming with joy.

He’d heard that after the results were announced, the top scholar would ride through the streets on horseback wearing red robes, and many commoners would come out to watch. Yan Shaoxuan was handsome; riding through the streets would surely make him look exceptionally dashing. Just thinking about it made Yan Xiaoyu’s heart race—it was a pity he wouldn’t be able to see it with his own eyes.

Still, the good news had already arrived, so Yan Shaoxuan’s return couldn’t be too far off. As for the parade, he could have Yan Erlang tell him all about it in person when the time came.

According to past custom, the top three candidates in the imperial examination would remain in the capital to take up official posts. Once the initial excitement had subsided, Yan Xiaoyu’s family, along with Yan Shaocheng, began discussing their future plans.

On their way to the capital, Yan Shaoxuan had already discussed this matter with Yan Xiaoyu.

Needless to say, Yan Xiaoyu would naturally accompany Yan Shaoxuan to the capital. With their wedding just around the corner, it would be highly inappropriate for them to be separated immediately after the ceremony—and Yan Shaoxuan wasn’t keen on that either.

Before leaving, he had hinted several times, hoping that Yan Xiaoyu would stay by his side after he passed the imperial examinations. To tease him, Yan Xiaoyu didn’t give a direct answer, though he was willing in his heart.

However, Yan Shaocheng, Yan Xiaoyue, and Yan Xingmao and his wife had yet to decide what to do.

Each of them had their own reservations: Yan Xingmao and He Qiuhua couldn’t bear to leave their family’s farmland behind, feared leaving their hometown, and worried they wouldn’t be able to adapt to life in the capital; Yan Xiaoyue couldn’t bear to leave her parents; and Yan Shaocheng couldn’t bear to leave his wife… 

But Yan Xiaoyu still hoped the whole family could stay together and accompany Yan Shaoxuan to the capital.

Yan Shaocheng and Yan Xiaoyue were easy to persuade, but Yan Xingmao and his wife remained undecided, unable to let go of either option.

Taking advantage of their current joy, Yan Xiaoyu used some clever persuasion and finally managed to convince them. Once the excitement had subsided, Yan Xiaoyu sought out Yan Shaocheng to discuss the matter, saying he wanted to pass the tofu recipe on to the villagers.

Currently, Yu Sanlang and the others still had to buy tofu from Yan Xingmao to make their own. There were only two tofu shops in town; once Yan Xingmao left, Yu Sanlang and the others would have no choice but to buy tofu from the Qian family—something Yan Xiaoyu was absolutely determined to prevent.

He had never forgotten the grudge against the Qian family.