After Gu Chengyu and his companions left, a doctor ca to the study carrying his dicine box.
The doctor felt the pulse with a furrowed brow and remained silent. After a long while, he finally sighed.
"Prince, I rember telling you before that those pills should not be taken excessively. If you persist in your ways, I’m afraid even I will be powerless in the end." The doctor withdrew his hand from Prince Jing’s wrist, clearly displeased.
Any doctor would be infuriated to see a patient neglecting their own health. Those pills are very harmful, and even a healthy person cannot endure taking them too often. Each dose weakens the body, and not even an antidote can help.
Upon hearing this, Prince Jing glanced at the blooming flowers outside the window, then turned back to the doctor and said, "Elder Lin, rest assured, this is the last ti. Please prepare the dicine for !"
"I hope you keep your promise, Prince. Once the five-year term ends, I can regain my freedom. If you continue to disregard your health, there will be no one to treat you after I’m gone."
The doctor spoke these words with a proud air, confident in his own skills. When the ti cos, he will leave. If Prince Jing’s body deteriorates from the pills, even he will be powerless.
"I always keep my word, Elder Lin, rest assured."
"Prince! Your dicine is ready." Xiao Chengzi entered the study, causing Prince Jing to quickly close his mouth. The doctor packed up his dicine box without a word or bow and left the study.
"Prince, you are too kind-hearted. That doctor was quite rude, yet he showed such disrespect before you." Xiao Chengzi grumbled to Prince Jing while placing the dicine bowl down.
Prince Jing smiled and, without further ado, picked up the dicine bowl from the table, drinking it all in one gulp, and then wiped his mouth with a cloth.
"People with skills always have so temper; there’s no need to mind it."
Xiao Chengzi watched with joy as Prince Jing finished the dicine and then rembered sothing.
"Prince, Miss Xi..."
Prince Jing waved his hand, "I know already. There was no movent from the garden, so I had long figured that Xi’er did not succeed. Gu Chengyu is indeed difficult to deal with, not in vain have I invested so much effort in him."
Xiao Chengzi thought his prince valued Gu Chengyu too much. To him, Gu Chengyu was rely a talented young man but nothing as cunning as his master suggested.
Seeing Xiao Chengzi’s thoughts, Prince Jing picked up the handwritten "Green Jade Case" from the table and pondered it carefully.
"Do you think Hu Maoshen alone could obtain a confession from Guo Shi?" He had already set soone to monitor Guo Shi, originally planning to watch the drama unfold from the sidelines. If the third prince got implicated, it would naturally reduce one candidate. However, Guo Shi was rescued later, and he didn’t interfere, as dealing with the eldest prince was far more challenging than with the third.
Xiao Chengzi was surprised, "Prince, do you an that was Gu Chengyu’s doing?"
He found it hard to believe; Gu Chengyu was not a court official, so how could he know about what happened in Taihe Palace?
April 21st, Imperial Examination.
Gu Chengyu and Ye Zhiqiu had washed and dressed by 3:30 AM, then took a carriage to the Imperial Palace.
Ye Zhiqiu was sowhat restless. Looking at Gu Chengyu, who was resting with his eyes closed, he couldn’t help but ask, "Chengyu! Aren’t you nervous at all?"
This ti, Sun Xian was absent from the examination, leaving only him and Gu Chengyu to reach the end together.
Gu Chengyu knew Ye Zhiqiu was nervous, so he comforted him, "You did well in the previous examinations, showing progress in the re-examination. This ti, there’s nothing to worry about for the Imperial Examination. Relax, as long as you don’t underperform, your spot in the second class should be guaranteed."
Ye Zhiqiu, upon arriving in the Capital, had been buried in his studies, earning the admiration of the teachers at the academy. In the past, there were areas he couldn’t grasp well while studying in private schools, but now at the academy, he could incorporate the teacher’s knowledge and progress rapidly.
Mr. Wen had always had high hopes for Ye Zhiqiu, and regrettably, Ye Zhiqiu’s talents were limited by circumstances. He had advised Ye Zhiqiu to seek higher learning and knowledgeable ntors to fully develop his potential.
As for Gu Chengyu, his situation was different from Ye Zhiqiu. Mr. Wen believed that Gu Chengyu could sotis learn without a teacher, and with skilled guidance, there was nothing to worry about at all.
After being comforted by Gu Chengyu’s few words, Ye Zhiqiu felt much more at ease than before. One doesn’t fail the Imperial Examination unless the writing is utterly nonsensical; otherwise, a place within the Advanced Scholars is a certainty.
However, given Ye Zhiqiu’s high ranking in the previous examinations and re-examinations, he understood that as long as he perford at his usual level, getting into the second class should be achievable.
Having thought things through, Ye Zhiqiu cald down. When it involves future prospects, no one can escape concern. Eventually crossing many hurdles, they finally reached the last one. After this, they would beco officials in the Dayan Dynasty.
Inside the Royal Palace, carriages were prohibited, so Gu Chengyu and his companions had to disembark at the palace gates. Seeing the long stretch of road ahead, Gu Chengyu’s eyes were filled with determination; this was the final examination, and he was about to enter the court.
It took them a little less than the ti it takes for half an incense stick to burn to reach Baohe Hall. As they walked, Gu Chengyu ntally criticized the waste of ti. When walking in the palace, even the ministers’ sedan chairs were only allowed up to the inner city, making the rest of the journey a walk.
Gu Chengyu followed the officials ahead into Baohe Hall and was then guided by Honglu Temple officials to stand alongside the Danbi. Based on the examination rankings, odd-numbered ranked individuals were stationed on the east, and even-numbered on the west. Being the champion of the exams, Gu Chengyu naturally stood on the east side.
The examination topic was decreed by the Emperor, previously placed by the topic bearer and the Cabinet officials on the yellow desk in the east part of the hall.
"The Emperor arrives!"
As the piercing, androgynous voice of the eunuch echoed, music played and whips cracked outside the hall, and all officials along with the new scholars perford three kneelings and nine bows to the Emperor.
Gu Chengyu knelt down and kowtowed along with the crowd, not daring to raise his head to look at the Emperor’s face. After all, everyone had their heads lowered; wouldn’t he appear very out of place if he was the only one looking up?
After the rituals, the Emperor returned to the palace. During the examination, the Emperor would not stay to watch, though he might happen by out of interest.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites began distributing the topics, which scholars received while kneeling, then entered the hall. Gu Chengyu found his examination desk and sat in front of it.
Gu Chengyu didn’t rush to open the exam papers; he first ground the ink, keeping the exam paper far from the ink to prevent stains. This was his habit before every exam—he wouldn’t start writing until the ink was finely ground.
Focused, Gu Chengyu ignored other candidates who started writing hastily. Only after ensuring the ink was smooth and without obstruction did he stop.
He opened the exam paper on the desk, filled in his na, age, birthplace, and three generations of resus on the first page, and only then began reading the questions.
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