Chapter 722 - 717: Palace Examination

In the third year of Yong’an, on the fifth day of July.

Before a large mansion in the east of Xiangyang City.

Even before the hour arrived, many people were already standing outside the main gate; all of them were candidates who had passed the previous imperial examination.

Some of them showed excitement on their faces, others nervously rubbed their hands, some had expressionless faces, while others appeared very composed.

Around the mansion, armored warriors holding long spears were almost everywhere, scanning the surroundings with stern faces. The alleyways and streets around were all sealed off, preventing any idlers from entering. Only candidates with verified identities were allowed through.

This mansion was the place where this year’s palace examination was to be held.

The palace exam was different from the previous provincial or metropolitan exams. If it were still held in a simple exam house, it would seem somewhat shabby and might give the impression that King Wei did not highly regard the advanced scholars, so Chen Mo had Wei Linchun requisition a rich merchant’s residence to hold the palace exam.

Though it was said to be requisitioned, the merchant bore no dissatisfaction. Instead, upon hearing that his house would host the palace exam, he was very excited and intended to give Chen Mo money.

To this merchant, it was akin to consecrating a Dharma artifact; having this mansion stepped on by so many "Wenqu Stars," it would surely be brimming with talent. Once his children lived in this talent-surrounded house, they would certainly be astoundingly brilliant.

Even if he did not live there afterward, he could sell it for a high price.

The merchant was clever indeed.

Chen Mo didn’t take his money, nor did he pay him.

The palace exam was set to take place at the third quarter of the hour, and as time gradually approached, more and more people gathered in front of the mansion.

They neither whispered to each other nor caused any noise but murmured quietly by themselves. If one listened closely, one would find them softly reciting the words of the sages.

One person among them was an exception.

He was Guo Ning.

Ever since he saw Dai Tu outside the Prince Wei’s Mansion that day, he had been waiting outside, wanting to chat with Dai Tu and comfort him.

After all, among the three hundred or so names on the list of advanced scholars, he didn’t see Dai Tu’s name and figured that the latter might have failed.

When Dai Tu left the Prince Wei’s Mansion, he got directly into a carriage, thwarting Guo Ning’s plan to reconnect. Thus, he inquired from the guards of the Prince Wei’s Mansion and learned the carriage belonged to General Zhang River, Inspector General of the Ministry of Works.

And Zhang River was the first to follow King Wei and was highly esteemed in the military.

So Guo Ning asked the guards where General Zhang lived.

The guards, knowing Guo Ning was the Imperial Examination Champion and had been received by the Prince, did not hide anything.

Upon learning Zhang River’s residence, Guo Ning intended to visit Dai Tu personally.

But upon arrival, Zhang River’s servants informed him there was no such person as Dai Tu.

Guo Ning thought he couldn’t have been mistaken and made a brief inquiry. The servants of Zhang Residence, upon knowing Guo Ning’s status, promptly informed him that the person who had accompanied their master to Prince Wei’s Mansion was their son-in-law, named "Guo Xian."

"Guo Xian, son-in-law?"

Though Guo Ning found the matter very strange, he wasn’t just a bookworm who pursued matters relentlessly; he didn’t insist on proving their son-in-law resembled a friend of his and left with his doubts.

Later, at the banquet hosted by Qin Shi and the poetry gathering in Yao Yue Building, nearly all the candidates who had passed the previous exams participated, but Guo Ning did not find "Guo Xian."

It was an important day for the palace exam, and Guo Ning didn’t believe Guo Xian would skip it.

He wanted to see if this Guo Xian was the Dai Tu he knew, or if he had truly been mistaken that day.

...

Speaking of Dai Tu (Guo Xian).

In a mansion that Chen Mo had given to Zhang River.

Nowadays, the real estate prices in Xiangyang were sky-high, and with Zhang River’s salary, he naturally couldn’t afford a house there. After learning from past mistakes, he dared not be greedy again.

Zhang River originally planned to rent a courtyard.

But seeing Zhang River being an old follower, Chen Mo couldn’t stand his "poverty," so he gave him a mansion as an early wedding gift for his daughter.

In Dai Tu’s room.

His fiancée, Zhang Zhu, was arranging Dai Tu’s attire and softly said, "Guo Lang, you must strive hard for this palace exam. Although father said that even if you don’t pass, King Wei will still officiate our marriage, that’s ultimately father using his connections."

"If Guo Lang achieves a high rank this time, you’ll be a genuine disciple of King Wei, bringing honor to father’s face. Then father can also procure a good position for you in front of King Wei."

Dai Tu looked at the beauty leaning in his arms, feeling the softness of her delicate body, the fragrance of rouge enveloping him, he couldn’t help but embrace her slender waist, and his thoughts drifted far away.

He thought about his wife at home.

The reason he married her back then was that he had hit a rough patch, and his family couldn’t afford his studies, while her family was relatively well-off.

After getting married, she used her dowry to support him in his studies, supplement the household, and redeem ancestral lands.

Though not beautiful, she treated him extremely well. She took care of all the household chores, so he didn’t have to worry.

He wasn’t someone who didn’t appreciate kindness; at the time, he also decided to spend his life with her.

People say that affection between husband and wife is like wine; the longer it lasts, the more mellow it becomes. But the longer he was with her, the more unfamiliar they became.

She paid less and less attention to dressing up, often looking disheveled and sometimes wiping her wet hands on her clothes.

When he was studying, she wouldn’t knock before entering, just pushing the door open unannounced.

Over trivial matters, she would bicker with neighbors like a shrew.

She started speaking more and more boldly.

Every time he embraced her, the first thing he’d smell was her sweat.

Even her name—Huang Zhaodi—sounded so rustic.

He no longer had any affection for her.

For Dai Tu, they were just getting by together.

Not like Zhang Zhu.

She is young and beautiful.

She speaks softly and delicately, knowledgeable and perceptive.

When she smiles, she covers her mouth with a handkerchief and never speaks carelessly.

She is fragrant every day.

She also has a good father.

And that sallow-faced woman’s father is just a businessman without status, only capable of bringing him shame.

If it were the previous dynasty, if he had married a merchant’s daughter, he wouldn’t even qualify for the imperial examinations.

"Guo Lang, what’s wrong? You’re holding so tight, I can barely breathe." Just as Dai Tu was lost in thought, Zhang Zhu softly said.

"Sorry." Dai Tu loosened his hold slightly but still embraced Zhang Zhu, saying, "For this imperial examination, I will certainly do my best and not disappoint Father-in-law."

"Guo Lang, I believe in you." Zhang Zhu slightly stood on her tiptoes, quickly pecked Dai Tu on the corner of his mouth, then, with a blushing face, buried her head in Dai Tu’s chest and softly said, "After we’re married, I want to give Guo Lang several big, fat sons, to flourish the Guo Family."

"Mm."

Dai Tu stroked the beautiful hair of the lady in his arms, cherishing everything he had, and wouldn’t allow anyone to destroy it.

"Guo Lang, it’s ticklish, your beard is so long, it’s prickly." Zhang Zhu said coquettishly.

"Sorr... sorry." Dai Tu released her.

"We will soon be family; don’t always say sorry, it seems distant. Besides, I don’t dislike it, I’m just acting a bit coy."

Dai Tu’s heart stirred slightly.

After meeting Dai Ling last time, not long after, he had the moles on his face and neck removed and sought a doctor to get some medicine to promote the growth of his beard, to distinguish himself from his past.

He even thought of scarring his face but decided against it.

He was afraid Zhang Zhu would find him unattractive, and it would affect his official career.

So he could only make some subtle changes.

With a flutter of emotion, he planned to indulge in some intimacy with Zhang Zhu. But at this moment, Zhang River’s voice came from outside the room: "Are you ready? The imperial examination is about to begin."

When she heard her father, Zhang Zhu’s head buzzed, and she quickly released "Guo Xian," her face turning crimson.

They were yet to marry, and until now, their earlier behavior was the most intimate and bold action.

"Alright."

Dai Tu responded, then, holding Zhang Zhu’s hand, softly said, "I will not disappoint you either."

Riding in Zhang River’s carriage, Dai Tu headed to the location for the imperial examination.

By this time, the candidates had already begun entering the examination hall.

Guo Ning didn’t see "Guo Xian," so he had to go in first.

It was a vast hall.

In the hall, long desks were arranged about half a zhang apart.

As the top scorer in the metropolitan exam, Guo Ning’s seat was the first one in the first row.

After Guo Ning took his seat, Dai Tu finally arrived at the examination hall.

He ranked 47th among the advanced scholars, sitting quite a distance from Guo Ning.

"This official is Wei Linchun, the Prefect of Linzhou. While the examination hasn’t begun, this official will first go over some precautions. Whispering is prohibited, no looking around, no... if violated, it will be treated as cheating, and you will be expelled from the exam hall. Severe violators will be banned from taking the imperial examinations for life. I hope all candidates bear this in mind, lest your efforts end in vain." From the top, Wei Linchun spoke.

The imperial examination began, and outside the hall, the copper gong was struck three times.

With the first strike, the exam papers and questions for the imperial examination were distributed.

At the second strike.

"King Wei is here." Outside the hall, a resounding voice announced.

Inside the hall, upon hearing the voice, Wei Linchun solemnly said, "All candidates, stand."

At the moment when Chen Mo, dressed in a python robe, entered the hall, a wave of salutes greeted his ears: "Greetings to King Wei."

"Please be seated."

Chen Mo waved his hand, walking past the center to sit at the top of the hall.

Seeing Chen Mo arrive, Wei Linchun respectfully bowed and then withdrew.

Simultaneously, the third strike of the copper gong resounded.

The candidates withdrew their gaze from Chen Mo and focused entirely on the examination papers before them.

The imperial examination lasted four hours.

To the candidates, four hours might pass quickly, but for Chen Mo, it was very long and tedious.

On the table in front of Chen Mo lay a book, the examination questions, and extra exam papers for this imperial examination.

Though Chen Mo had seen these questions long before, having nothing else to do, he picked them up to look again.

The exam paper was astonishingly long, with three to four meters of blank white paper.

The writing brushes, inksticks, paper, and inkstones were provided by the examination hall, and candidates were not allowed to bring their own.

The questions were few, merely a dozen or so, predominantly policy arguments.

For instance, one asked, with one having a private A Grade Crossbow and a first grade pike, different weights, how should they be dealt with according to the law.

Another question was about those who should receive exemptions but didn’t, those who shouldn’t but did, and minor laborers, what punishment do they deserve?

A prisoner facing the death penalty without family support would be permitted to serve a warrant upon request. If pardoned during amnesty, should they be exempted from the death penalty?