He looked up at the sky, only to feel his eyes a bit sore. Clearly, he was the legitimate son, but his father, the Emperor, delayed in establishing a Crown Prince and showed such favoritism towards his elder brother. If he were not honest and forthright, those people who believed the Emperor disfavored him would have long since chewed him up and swallowed him down.
The Second Prince resud his honest appearance as he headed towards the carriage outside. This was his daily task, which he had mastered to perfection.
After the Princes left, the Emperor looked at the morial in his hand but hadn’t read a single word. The eldest was always smart; he would have to clean up the ss he made himself.
Then he thought of the second son and couldn’t help but sigh.
"De’an! Go and bring the examination papers of Gu Chengyu from past years for my review." The Emperor recalled Gu Chengyu, whom the Second Prince had recomnded, and had a thought in his mind — had Gu Chengyu already chosen a faction before even entering the court?
However, regardless of any relationship he had with the second son, if he had talents that could be used by the court, the Emperor wouldn’t hold any prejudice. After all, it’s very possible for soone he heavily utilizes to beco a Pure Minister. In the court, who is truly a Pure Minister?
"Yes!" Although De’an was illiterate, he rembered that an official had previously delivered Gu Chengyu’s examination papers, which the Emperor had casually put aside.
"Your Majesty, are these the ones?" De’an ca over holding several sealed examination papers.
The Emperor nodded, "Hmm! Your mory isn’t bad at all."
The Emperor’s casual praise made De’an’s heart skip a beat.
"How could my mory compare to Your Majesty’s? If you hadn’t ntioned it, how could I have rembered?"
Having served as the Emperor’s personal attendant for decades, even back when the Emperor was the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, De’an knew him very well. The Emperor never accepted growing old; he believed that if he could cultivate the Elixir of Immortality and consu the elixir, he could preserve the vast kingdom.
Although De’an thought it was absurd, the Emperor seldom consud it himself; generally, it was given to the dicine man to take for the Daoist to observe its effects.
The Emperor responded casually, bringing De’an’s wandering thoughts back. Admitting to having a good mory would just suggest aging, and he certainly didn’t dare to acknowledge that!
Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; De’an served the Emperor each day with trepidation.
Outside the door, Xiao Quanzi couldn’t help but feel emotional; the Grand Steward, who usually swaggered before them, had to nod and bow before the Emperor, fearing displeasing him.
The Emperor threw the morial back onto the pile, deciding that out of sight was out of mind.
Seeing that the Emperor intended to look at the examination papers, De’an promptly stepped forward to help unseal them.
Upon seeing the handwriting on the paper, the Emperor couldn’t help but praise, "The handwriting is quite good, though still a bit immature."
The paper in his hand was Gu Chengyu’s examination for the county exam, which didn’t interest the Emperor much. He glanced over it briefly, then unsealed other papers, finally setting aside Gu Chengyu’s essay and classical questions separately.
He thought this candidate’s essays and classical questions were particularly outstanding. As for poetry, it couldn’t shake the nation’s foundation; it rely embellished! Even though Gu Chengyu’s poetry was also astonishing to him.
Gu Chengyu’s handwriting undoubtedly improved, and by the ti of the tropolitan examination, it had developed much character. As the Emperor reviewed, he nodded in approval.
De’an watched the Emperor’s expression and understood that he was very pleased with Gu Chengyu’s examination paper. He should also pay close attention; perhaps this was another rising star.
Just as the Emperor was looking at the last paper, Xiao Quanzi made eye contact with De’an.
The Emperor, seeing Xiao Quanzi beckoning to De’an, put down the paper, "Is there sothing?"
Xiao Quanzi paused, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Assistant Reader Tong requests an audience."
"Let him in!" The Emperor thought for a mont and knew that the ranking results of the tropolitan examination had arrived. Yesterday at court, ministers said that many candidates uncovered by the Dali Temple had poor moral conduct, and even if they passed as an Advanced Scholar, they were unworthy to be officials.
The Emperor also knew the tricks involved, and as long as it wasn’t excessive, he turned a blind eye. A few people still fell within his tolerable range.
Therefore, he casually appointed Assistant Reader Tong Zhouyi to handle the matter since he was originally one of the examiners.
Outside the Imperial Study Room, Tong Zhouyi waited nervously. In fact, this was a thankless task. Others in the Hanlin Academy gloated before him; if the ranking for the tropolitan examination changed, and the Emperor beca enraged, he would be first to bear the brunt of it.
What’s more, even the first place had changed; if the Emperor had no objections, that would be fine. If he did, it would spell trouble for him. Only outside the Imperial Study Room did his mind suddenly clear. Xia Qing’s promise, he would need to survive to take it!
Until De’an invited him in did he co back to his senses.
"Minister Tong Zhouyi wishes the Emperor well."
"Minister Tong, no need for formalities. Is this tropolitan examination ranking finalized?" The Emperor, seeing the unusual expression on Tong Zhouyi’s face, felt slightly puzzled.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been finalized!" Tong Zhouyi handed the list to the approaching De’an, his hands a bit shaky.
He took a deep breath; Xia Qing was right in saying that he was timid. However, soone as timid as he had committed such a bold act.
The Emperor opened the roster and found that the first place had changed, replaced by soone originally ranked second, nad Min Feng.
He looked up at Tong Zhouyi, his face ashen; these people had boldly sched to the point of even changing the first place.
"I recall the first place was supposed to be Gu Chengyu; why has it beco Min Feng?" The Emperor, suppressing his anger, questioned Tong Zhouyi.
Here it ca; Tong Zhouyi had expected the Emperor to ask and had prepared a response in advance.
"Your Majesty! This Gu Chengyu you ntioned is reported to have questionable moral conduct!"
"Oh? Questionable moral conduct? I recall the experintal field back then was implented by him and Vice Minister of Ministry of Industry Jiang Mingyuan, benefiting the people’s livelihood. How could his moral conduct be questionable?"
Hearing the Emperor’s words, Tong Zhouyi’s heart sank. It seed the Emperor had a strong impression of Gu Chengyu and took him seriously; otherwise, he wouldn’t have this attitude.
He broke a slight sweat on his forehead, "Your Majesty! He visited a brothel last night. It’s said he fought over a woman with so rchants, and in the end, redeed the woman to bring her ho, a grave insult to decency."
Hearing this, the Emperor frowned, "Are you saying he visited a brothel and redeed a prostitute to bring her ho?"
The Dayan Dynasty was very strict about officials visiting brothels; it was absolutely forbidden. However, Gu Chengyu was not yet an official, and youthful indiscretions were sowhat normal; the matter, though unsavory when talked about, was understandable.
Moreover, many of the sons of the ministers went to brothels too, didn’t they? The Emperor thought the officials were making a fuss out of nothing, thinking that because he never left the palace gates, he wouldn’t know what happened outside; didn’t those people just have their eyes on the first place position?
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