Chapter 370: Give My Sister a Smile

"Am I to serve as chief examiner?"

Chen Yan was stunned himself.

How on earth could such an absurd statement be uttered?

Let a nineteen‑year‑old youth be the chief examiner?

Is this even appropriate?

Among the examinees, there are probably plenty old enough to be his father, right?

"What, you don't want to?" Li Shimin said with a stern face.

"His Majesty, this isn't a matter of whether I'm willing," Chen Yan began, then stopped, "It's that at my age I can't command respect; I'd likely cause trouble, it's not worth it."

Li Shimin hesitated for a moment upon hearing that, but his stance remained unchanged, "Why can't you command respect?"

"In less than a year you've governed Weinan County into perfect order, flourishing, even matching the court's scholars like Wang Gui in citing classics, not to mention rumors outside that you're the white‑tiger envoy—on what grounds do you claim you can't command respect?"

"And that's true?!" Chen Yan was utterly shocked.

"Zi Anxiong, didn't you know?" Li Chengqian reminded, "Since the New Year's Day grand assembly ended, the news has spread, and rumors already claim you're the sacred beast envoy."

"The common folk largely accept it, since they saw you bring the white tiger and the national jade seal with their own eyes; it can't be a fake."

WTF!

Chen Yan was completely numb.

He hadn't taken a carriage at first, but walked all the way to the Imperial Palace with Xiao Yanzi, intending to let the people of the world see, so that later they wouldn't claim the white tiger and the national jade seal were rumors.

He didn't expect such a ridiculous 'bullshit envoy' rumor to spread!

"Alright!" Li Shimin interrupted, "We'll discuss this later; right now the most important matter is the Imperial Examination."

"Cheng Qian, Tai Er, do you both think Zi An could serve as chief examiner?"

"I, your son, think Zi Anxiong is suitable," Li Chengqian, who had already been on the same page as Li Shimin, had no reason to object now.

Of course, I agree.

Li Tai recalled Sizi's assignment, nodded heavily and said, "I, your son, also think the Marquis of Weinan is fit to be chief examiner!"

"No!" Chen Yan immediately retorted.

"Why not?" Li Shimin became angry.

This kid, why can't he see what's right?

Serving as chief examiner for the Imperial Examination is a position countless people beg for but never obtain; why are you still so unwilling?

"His Majesty, please don't rush; let me slowly… ahem! explain!" Chen Yan, in his haste, almost misspoke.

Seeing the others' knowing, teasing looks, he helplessly said, "No matter how you look at it, I'm not the best candidate."

"To guarantee the authority of the Imperial Examination, the chief examiner must be a sufficiently heavyweight figure."

"Honestly, I think even the Crown Prince falls short for this role, let alone me."

"His Majesty, I truly can't!"

Even the Crown Prince falls short?

The three of them, after hearing that, could only feel like laughing, thinking Chen Yan had run out of tricks and was now babbling.

Who is the Crown Prince?

He's the nation's heir!

Truly one person below the emperor and above ten thousand, from the standpoint of rites, political status and power, the Crown Prince's rank even surpasses that of the Empress.

If even the Crown Prince isn't fit to be chief examiner, then perhaps only Emperor Li Shimin himself qualifies in this world…

Hm?

Suddenly, the three were startled, and in a daze they understood something.

"Zi An… what do you mean?" Li Shimin's eyes shone brightly as he gripped Chen Yan's hand tightly, all showing his excitement.

"Yes, exactly!" Chen Yan said with a smile, "His Majesty doesn't think it should be so?"

"The Son of Heaven personally attending the examination hall as the final chief examiner—what could be more inspiring, more a testament to the Tang Dynasty's emphasis on the Imperial Examination and scholars?"

"Hahaha—good! Good! Good!" Li Shimin laughed heartily, as if a prior fog had lifted, revealing clarity.

"You're right; for this chief examiner, it's better that I, the Emperor, take the role myself."

"You truly aren't qualified."

Chen Yan: "......"

At this moment, Li Tai recalled something and said, "Since the Marquis of Weinan said the Imperial Examination is the second step targeting aristocratic families, and also mentioned having the Father Emperor personally attend the hall, he must have some insights on improving the examination system, right?"

"Otherwise, a less-than-perfect examination system, even with the Father Emperor presiding, would still have limited effect."

When that was said, Li Shimin and his son Li Chengqian simultaneously turned their heads, their eyes brimming with expectation.

Chen Yan sighed, smiled, "Isn't this exactly why I entered the palace…?"

"I've said before, there are too many matters; they can't be cleared up in a moment."

"Alright, alright, Zi An, I've thought you were capable since you were little; speak quickly, quickly!!"

At this moment, over on the other side, Empress Changsun and her party were gathered around the Princess of Heng Shan Commandery, chatting and laughing.

The little fellow, surrounded by a group of women, looked around with wide curious eyes, not scared at all, and instantly captured the hearts of Gao Yang and Li Lizhi.

The Crown Princess stroked her belly gently, "The little fellow is truly endearing; I wish my future child were this cute as well."

Empress Changsun said, "All children are like that; you and Cheng Qian are both striking in appearance, so the child you bear will surely be no less."

Gao Yang's eyes flickered, and in a gentle voice he said, "Mother Empress, I'd like to hold the imperial sister; please grant me permission."

Empress Changsun was startled, then readily agreed, "Of course it's fine. Come, Mother Empress will teach you how to hold a child; you'll soon be a mother, these are things you must learn..."

While Empress Changsun was showing Gao Yang how to hold a child, Sizi, propping his chin and idly watching the women, suddenly noticed something seemed to have fallen out of Gao Yang's sleeve.

She ran over curiously, picked it up, looked, and found it was a folded piece of paper.

"Sister, you dropped something!"

Sizi, being sensible, didn't open it, raised her little hand and called out.

Gao Yang held his younger sister, gave a faint glance, and smiled, "It's okay, Sizi, it's not anything important; just set it aside for now."

"Oh~ then may I have a look?" Sizi asked politely.

"If you want to look, just look, what's the big deal." Gao Yang said without turning his head, teasing the Princess of Heng Shan Commandery.

Sizi opened it excitedly, saw a few lines of writing, but many characters she didn't recognize, so she ran to Empress Changsun and said, "Mom, I don't recognize the characters above, could you teach me?"

Empress Changsun didn't pay much attention, readily agreed, cradled Sizi in her arms, pointed at the characters, and instinctively read them aloud.

"Clouds imagine garments, flowers imagine beauty, spring breeze......"

Before the line of poetry was finished, Empress Changsun suddenly halted; Li Lizhi, who had been smiling while watching Gao Yang tease the infant, along with the Crown Princess and the Princess of Yue, all simultaneously held their breath and focused, their attention wholly drawn by that brief line of poetry.

"Spring breeze...... brushes the rail, dewy blossoms thick!"

"If not seen atop the Mountain of Many Jades, it would meet under the moon on the Jade Terrace!"

Empress Changsun's voice trembled slightly, reciting each word, and the astonishment in her eyes could not be concealed.

"Zhao Tang, this......"

"Oh!" Gao Yang, as if just noticing, gave a casual glance, then shifted his gaze to his sister, feigning nonchalance: "Chen Yan just scribbled a poem for me; Mother Empress, no need to worry."

"Come, sister, give big sister a smile."

"......"