Chapter 62: The Palace Examination Results Announced

Seven days later, in the morning, as the first light of dawn appeared, a few melodious bell tolls rang out.

Led by officials from the Court of State Ceremonial, the many new successful Imperial Examination candidates stepped into the plaza of the Huangji Gate.

The three walking at the very front were the First Rank top scholar Zhu Guozuo, the second-place Li Tingji, and the third-place Liu Yingqiu.

Behind the three of them, several candidates who had arrived from the Second Rank were also in high spirits, heads held high and chests puffed out.

Though the front of the Second Rank was not as dazzling as the First Rank, they still possessed the qualifications to be selected as Hanlin bachelors.

Hanlin bachelor meant being appointed to the Hanlin Academy to first study the precedents of past dynasties; once the assessment period was complete, they could serve as advisors to the Emperor.

Because the Cabinet Ministers of the Great Ming had an unwritten convention—one could not enter the Cabinet without being from the Hanlin Academy.

Therefore, Hanlin bachelor had another nickname.

Prime Minister-in-Waiting!

Zhang Yunxiu walked in the crowd, with Shen Yongmao right in front of him.

Shen Yongmao was the twenty-first of the Second Rank, which meant twenty-fourth in the entire country; this result was exceptionally proud.

Zhang Yunxiu was at the end of the Second Rank, ranked sixty-fifth in the Second Rank.

Although the two were sons of Cabinet Ministers, the spotlight today clearly did not belong to them, so they just went with the flow, muddled through, and finished this performance.

As the salute cannons and drum music began, all the scholars stopped their steps and bowed respectfully toward the Huangji Hall.

The Wanli Emperor walked out to meet everyone's kowtows, speaking at length with words of encouragement.

Subsequently, the three of the First Rank stepped forward a few paces, and the Emperor personally bestowed rewards and encouraged them one by one. The three shouted "Long live," expressing their gratitude to the Emperor, while the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial had someone record it.

Such tedious formalities, if it were any other day, might have made everyone restless.

But on this solemn and sacred occasion today, although the scholars felt as itchy as if scratched by a cat inside, their surfaces remained as calm as a lake.

By the time the rituals were completed, the sun had already sunk to the west.

The red light filling the sky spilled down, illuminating these candidates as if they were immortals from heaven.

The Emperor waved his hand and disappeared from everyone's sight.

Seeing the Emperor withdraw, Zhang Yunxiu let out a long sigh and complained to Shen Yongmao beside him: "Sigh, it's finally over."

"Brother Zhang is quite carefree. To be on the Golden List happens only once in a lifetime; everyone else is full of vigor, yet you look as if you are in prison." Shen Yongmao smiled and teased.

"I am full of vigor too, it's just that these tedious formalities are too wearing." Zhang Yunxiu shook his head with a smile and strode toward the palace gate.

Shen Yongmao caught up and asked with a smile: "Does Brother Zhang have any plans for tonight?"

You bastard, you aren't going to drag me to a brothel again, are you?

Zhang Yunxiu looked at Shen Yongmao strangely and declined: "I have some matters at home, so it is inconvenient to stay long."

"Then what about the day after tomorrow?"

"I have things then too!"

"The day after that?"

"It seems... it seems I have things then as well."

Zhang Yunxiu gave an awkward smile, but Shen Yongmao's face darkened as he said: "Then on which day are you free, Brother Zhang? You pick a time. Since we are of the same year, we will be officials in the same court in the future, so we must support each other."

As the saying goes, one does not hit a smiling face.

Shen Yongmao was also the son of a Cabinet Minister, so Zhang Yunxiu could not afford to offend him too deeply. He pondered for a moment before saying: "To be honest with Brother Shen, I have been so busy lately that my feet haven't touched the ground. Wait until the end of the year; at the end of the year, I will definitely get drunk with you for three days!"

"Good, then it's a deal!" Shen Yongmao agreed firmly.

Afterwards, the two followed the flow of people and walked out of the palace gate. The next day, the Emperor held a banquet for the new candidates, which also signaled that the Palace Examination had completely ended.

The Imperial Examination of the eleventh year of Wanli thus settled down.

It was the fifth month, and the city of Beijing in early summer had not yet become sweltering, but it had become like oil boiling over a fire because of the Imperial Examination and the selection of a husband for the Princess.

Every small household in Beijing was eyeing this piece of fat meat.

Marrying the Princess meant one could no longer participate in the Imperial Examination.

But for them, being able to obtain the status of an Imperial relative was far better than that illusory Imperial Examination.

Zhang Jing, who was in charge of this selection, was receiving so much money that his hands were soft, and his threshold was almost being trampled flat.

At this moment, in a small hall of Zhang Jing's mansion, Zhang Jing was seen wearing a bean-green silk robe, his eyes slightly closed, lying on a recliner with a very leisurely expression.

A pair of white, sparse eyebrows twitched up and down with his breathing.

Recently, he had been in high spirits; firstly, that old ghost Feng Bao claimed to be ill, and he obtained this task of selection.

Secondly, many people in the Inner Palace saw that Feng Bao was old and actually began to curry favor with him.

Although it was only a sliver, it was enough to comfort him for a long time.

"Hmph, old thing, let's see how much longer you can stay in that position!" Thinking of this, Zhang Jing's brow ridge twitched, and he cursed viciously.

Before he could continue his reverie, a burst of hurried footsteps came from the doorway. Zhang Jing slowly opened his eyes and saw a middle-aged man walk in.

It was Zhang Jing's steward, Wang Ning.

Seeing Zhang Jing, Wang Ning bowed first, then took a palm-sized account book from his bosom and pointed to it, saying: "Master, this is the list of commoners participating in the preliminary selection. For all those who have spent silver, I have marked them on it."

Zhang Jing took it, scanned it, closed the account book, and smiled: "Well done. After these people who spent silver pass the first round, let them continue to spend silver in the second round. Whoever gives the most is the Imperial Son-in-law!"

"Master is wise." Wang Ning gave a sinister smile and gave Zhang Jing a thumbs-up.

Zhang Jing waved his hand and said unhurriedly: "What's so wise about this? How many princesses has Feng Bao selected? Which time did he not use this method? In the past, we could only watch."

"I only hope this great Eunuch can let us drink two mouthfuls of meat broth."

"Now it's different. I have become the one eating the meat, and as for Feng Bao, I won't even let him drink the soup!"

When he finished speaking, a cold light shot from Zhang Jing's eyes, and his voice was filled with venom and malice.

"Master is favored by the Emperor's heart; that old thing Feng Bao will be finished sooner or later!" Wang Ning nodded, half-sincere and half-flattering, "Once that old thing is gone, you will be the Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Inner Prime Minister of our Great Ming!"

Hearing the words "Inner Prime Minister," a flush of red could not help but appear on Zhang Jing's pale face.

In the two capitals of North and South, there were tens of thousands of eunuchs, but only one Inner Prime Minister.

Which eunuch who has suffered a blade to enter the palace does not desire to ascend to that position of being below one person and above ten thousand? A wave of heat surged in Zhang Jing's heart, but suddenly he thought of another figure.

The Drafting Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Zhang Cheng.

This person has deep-rooted foundations in the palace, and in terms of seniority, he is even above himself.

He has tried several times to pull this person over to his side, but the result was that this fellow turned a blind eye, sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight, preparing to watch him and Feng Bao fight until one of them dies.

He fears that if he defeats Feng Bao, this person will come out first to reap the ready-made rewards.

Depressed for a moment, he thought again of his relationship with Zhang Siwei.

Since Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao are both in the twilight of their years, as long as Zhang Siwei ascends to the position of Senior Grand Secretary, with the two of them working from the inside and the outside, what is there to fear from that Zhang Cheng? Thinking of this, Zhang Jing felt clear-minded and called out to Wang Ning, saying: "Go, call Xiuniang for me; this house intends to dote on her well tonight."

"Understood." Wang Ning gave a lecherous smile, acknowledged the order, and left.

(End of this chapter)