Chapter 500: Joining the Organization

In the blink of an eye, Da Wang had already exchanged names with the youth, who claimed the surname Tao and hailed from the East Sea Tao clan.

Exactly, I'm borrowing Xiao Atan's identity.

"I brought my old servant and guards north; how about you? Everything going well? I heard the imperial court has blocked the road at Gaoping."

"We passed through Gaoping and saw the imperial court's people; they said they were just studying and didn't really stop us, maybe because we're few and don't look like we're moving away for good."

The youth surnamed Fang is called Yiguang, fifteen years old, from Hongnong Commandery; the stiff old man is his grandfather.

Da Wang immediately chatted warmly with them; his smile was bright, he was enthusiastic and lively. Although the old man glanced at him askance, he didn't stop his grandson from talking with Da Wang. After all, Da Wang's dress and speech were just like theirs.

Being three years younger than Da Wang is hardly a generation gap; the real Tao family's Xiao Atan could make friends at five, let alone Fang Yiguang.

Da Wang took the lead in criticizing himself for a while, relying on their shared 'enemy,' and before long he and the Fang grandparents and grandchild were on friendly terms; he frankly said he came for the imperial examination.

"Isn't the imperial examination open to those twelve and older? I turned thirteen after the New Year, so I might as well give it a try. Besides, Xie Yuan—Mr. Xie—is here; I heard he personally sets the questions, so I, this young master, want to see what it's like. Anyway, trying it can't hurt."

Fang the old man didn't like hearing that and let out a cold snort.

Fang Yiguang lowered his voice, embarrassed: "It's not aimed at you; my grandfather and his friends strongly oppose the imperial examination. They came together to the northern border… to oppose it."

Da Wang's big eyes lit up instantly: "How do you oppose? By signing a joint petition or marching?"

Fang Yiguang: …"You're quite professional."

Da Wang: "Well, although I'm taking the imperial examination, I'm just the youngest son; I don't represent my family's stance—I'm just here to broaden my horizons."

Fang Yiguang nodded to show he understood; he, too, actually—his mission with his grandfather here isn't the same.

Upon inquiry, they really had contacted many people, organized and premeditated; Da Wang was delighted, "Oh hey, coming to see the excitement and getting a pleasant surprise?!"

Originally this guy had come just to chat with those who opposed him, but now it's fine—Zhao Bao watched his master effortlessly join the anti‑imperial‑examination group without breaking a sweat.

Da Wang really got into the role, secretly exchanging contact info: "I'm staying at the Rising Peace Inn; where are you staying? If you have any action, send someone to the Rising Peace Inn to leave a message for me. I won't be there every day, but I'll be going to the seaside these two days; still, I'll let the innkeeper know."

The more people opposing the imperial examination, the better; Da Wang wanted to join, and since Fang the old man didn't stop him, they all agreed—then the Fang grandparents and grandchild left.

After they left, Da Wang carefully observed the crowds around the Gluttony Beast Tower, really seeing quite a few well‑dressed scholar‑officials, yet many were unfamiliar.

The scholar‑officials of Youzhou are just those; he'd already seen many of them, and indeed a lot of strangers had shown up.

Da Wang couldn't tell whether they were there to take the imperial examination or if Fang the old man's crew was just causing trouble. This made him even more excited about infiltrating the enemy's interior.

After circling the Gluttony Beast Tower, he found the Grand Steward moving a batch of processed crispy little fish jerky—finished military rations—into the storehouse. He then followed in, using his own token to join the tour.

Entering through the back gate and examining the second door, Da Wang concluded that besides insider theft, outsiders shouldn't be able to steal anything here.

The heavy door of unknown metal actually had a dial‑type mechanical combination lock, and then the NPC told him the code would change…

After touring, each level had an NPC keeping things orderly. The basement two levels were frozen, the upper levels kept at constant temperature—though all that was just for show; in fact nothing in the tower spoils, because it has its own separate time law.

Da Wang instantly came up with the great plan of storing spring‑summer fruits and vegetables inside, then pulling them out in winter to harvest chives out of season.

One layer was temporarily empty; while he wandered the second level, the supervising NPC told him this layer stored the produce of the Field Basis, Garden Basis, and Pasture Basis, and only he and Venerable Harmony Light could open it—Da Wang felt completely at ease.

The third level and above belong to military supplies; only the NPCs on each level and Zhu Ti have the authority to open them.

Da Wang curiously entered and toured the towering high‑cabinets, endless numbered labels on neat shelves, and thought the national treasury overseen by the Grand Minister of Agriculture was pathetically weak by comparison!

Such a bottomless pit standing here successfully sparked Da Wang's collecting mania; he kind of understood the little squirrel, wishing this place could someday be filled up!

By the way, in the morning the court officials were diligently at work when suddenly an edict came from behind, ordering everyone to prepare; Da Wang has to go to the Bright Sacrifice Hall for sacrifice tomorrow.

Only then did everyone realize—had Da Wang returned?

They hurried to check, and were told Da Wang had gone out again.

Xie Yuan didn't know what expression to make—was it the heated floor of the Prince's mansion, right?!

When Da Wang came back from watching the excitement, it was only natural that several bigwigs would corner him squarely.

The Chancellor, the Grand Tutor, Xie Yuan, and Dong Fu.

Dong Fu had no objection to his not being at home; he was just here to confirm the schedule for the sacrifice, since there are many kinds of rites and he needed to know how many people to station.

The Grand Tutor's attitude differed from the others'; he kept saying Da Wang had grown thin, that the prince's face had no flesh left. Xie Yuan twitched the corner of his mouth—wasn't this voluntary on his part?

Actually, Xie Yuan simply couldn't understand why Da Wang had suddenly become so fixated on the sacrifice; before, at home, he'd just casually brushed it off, but this time he'd missed everything and now felt compelled to make up for it.

How could he know that Da Wang had been cursing Heaven and the Bai Li ancestors all along the way?

This guy would curse when he saw displaced commoners, curse when he saw starving people on the road, curse when he saw the parched earth and thought next year's harvest would be insufficient—having cursed his way back, he might feel guilty, so he feels he must make up for it.

Anyway, he wants to perform the sacrifice, and nobody present has a reason to object. Maybe if someone goes out for a bit of training and becomes well‑behaved, they'll try to be a good person… no, a good Da Wang!

Grand Tutor Xu now holds the post of Grand Minister of Rites and also serves as the Prince's Grand Tutor; although the Prince's Grand Tutor hardly teaches Da Wang to read nowadays, his studies are mostly overseen by Xie Yuan. Da Wang must perform the ancestral sacrifice on the fifth day of the first lunar month, and this matter is under Xu's charge.

On the fifth day of the first lunar month, everything was ready; Grand Tutor Xu made his final entry into the Bright Sacrifice Hall to double‑check, then took an extra look—and discovered an additional statue in the main hall!

For the Grand Sacrifice Ceremony's main hall to suddenly gain a statue out of the blue is absurd; since the creation of heaven and earth he's never seen such a thing, nor even heard of it!

In the Bright Sacrifice Hall, besides the ancestral tablets, there is only the Northern Border Destiny Tablet—so where did all these statues suddenly come from?!

Upon inquiry, the officer in charge of rites wanted to speak but held back, and Grand Tutor Xu suddenly felt a hint of familiarity?

"... This isn't a trivial matter; ordinary people like you wouldn't consent to placing it here. Who put it? Your Highness?"

That rites official glanced at him, then immediately lowered his head, all timid, "Your servant, your servant objected…"—to no avail.

Grand Tutor Xu:...