Chapter 597: Now, the Attack and Defense Have Switched

The next day, before the first light of dawn rose, the sky was faintly brightening.

Chen Yan and numerous civil and military officials, dressed neatly, stood outside the Tai Chi Palace.

Today's court session differed from the usual, because yesterday the Imperial Examination results were posted, and the many selected scholars would today meet Li Shimin together with the civil and military officials.

Li Shimin would publicly announce the rankings.

Such a ceremony was called the "Chuanlu Grand Ceremony" in the Ming and Qing eras, regarded as a very important event after the Imperial Examination; nowadays there is a similar ceremony.

Many officials stood rigidly, awaiting Li Shimin's summons to the throne hall.

Only Chen Yan and his companions appeared somewhat relaxed, chatting idly with Changsun Wujie and Wei Zheng, and occasionally glancing at the many scholars gathered on the other side.

"I actually have some impression of those two brothers; during the exam, I thought their mindset was good—facing so many eyes, they showed no sign of panic, answering calmly," Wei Zheng said with some emotion:

"But what I didn't expect was that the two brothers actually took the top Jinshi spot, crushing all the scholars of the world; even now I still find it unbelievable."

Chen Yan felt a bit embarrassed.

He really wanted to say that facing eunuchs, Ministry of Personnel officials, and the Imperial Guard watching wasn't anything.

After all, those two brothers had previously been threatened daily by Cheng Chu Mo and his men, knives pressed to their throats, ready to act at the slightest disagreement.

Compared to that, the pressure of the Imperial Examination was nothing!

"Hey, hey!"

At that moment, to Chen Yan's surprise, Cheng Yaojin, who had already been reinstated to his former post, suddenly came over and pulled him aside.

Chen Yan didn't refuse, staring at him with a half‑smile, "Cheng Laohei… what are you doing? Pulling and tugging in front of the Tai Chi Palace—what decorum is that?"

Cheng Yaojin's face darkened, his voice hinting at a threat: "Kid, don't overstep. I hold several compromising pieces on you; if you don't want Li Lizhi and Gao Yang to find out, you'd better show me some respect."

"Heh heh!" Chen Yan was unfazed, because he had roughly guessed Cheng Yaojin's purpose today.

Now, the two have completely reversed their offensive and defensive positions!

"Stop pulling these nonsense; it's fine you have my compromising pieces, but you act as if you're some great thing, as if I don't have any information in my hand."

"I'll tell you this: if you dare complain to Gao Yang and the others, I guarantee that Aunt Cui will be able to scratch you to death that very night."

Cheng Yaojin: "......"

Damn it, this kid really stood up.

He muttered under his breath, his tone softening, "Good big nephew, what are you saying?"

"Uncle Cheng, are you that kind of person? I hope you're still not good enough, how could you fan the flames and cause disharmony in your family?"

"You agree, right?"

Chen Yan stifled a laugh, "Yes, yes, yes, you're right."

After speaking, he paused, helplessly saying, "Alright, Uncle Cheng, say whatever you want, but stop pulling these things with me, okay?"

"Do you still think I'm that little brat who, when I was a child, you tossed around like a sparrow, utterly unable to resist?"

"Stop threatening me, ha~"

"Who let you bully me when we were kids, calling you 'Laohei' a couple of times, you just have to endure it."

Cheng Yaojin twitched the corner of his mouth, not wanting to bring up the topic further, and said plainly, "Kid, I'm impressed, truly impressed."

"I don't know about the thing you mentioned last time about sending Chu Liang to the Imperial Examination..."

Chen Yan just knew it was like that, unsurprised, teasing, "What now? You didn't believe me, right? Last time you were still hesitating."

"Now it seems you're eager to have me train Chu Liang?"

"How the hell can they be the same?" Cheng Yaojin subconsciously raised his voice, then immediately realized it was too conspicuous.

Many people had already looked over, so he lowered his voice: "Now who doesn't know, you spent less than a year to forcefully train two fallen‑household boys into a top scholar!"

"That mother is a top scholar!"

"I, Old Cheng, don't aspire to be a top scholar; if you can, within ten years, get Chu Liang to pass the Jinshi… then, after I die, I can stand tall before my ancestors!"

Chen Yan rolled his eyes after hearing that, "It sounds as if Chu Liang can't pass, yet you can't stand tall before the Cheng family ancestors either."

"That's different…" Cheng Yaojin rushed, "You know the Cheng family is a big clan of warriors, only good with swords and spears; something like the Imperial Examination… I wouldn't even dare imagine my ancestral tomb smoking."

"Don't think we disdain those pretentious civil officials, but who doesn't wish their child to achieve in that field?"

"From now on, you don't have to fight on the battlefield with real swords and guns, betting your life for a chance to rise."

"Zi An, you have to understand Uncle Cheng."

In the final sentence, Cheng Yaojin grasped Chen Yan's hand, his attitude exceedingly sincere, like an old father thinking of his child.

But knowing Cheng Yaojin's nature, Chen Yan outright rejected it, saying irritably, "I think you're just trying to have me train Chu Liang and then go brag to Qin Bo Bo and the others."

"You hurry up and stop it, stop talking about 'for the child.'"

Exposed, Cheng Yaojin showed no embarrassment, quickly saying, "It's just a side note, you get it, right?"

"Isn't the main purpose still hoping Chu Liang has a good future?"

"Otherwise why would we all think about letting the second son marry the Princess?"

"Ah!" Chen Yan, truly helpless, "Stop this act with me; I've already mentioned to you that this matter has already been arranged."

"You, put your heart in your belly, prepare well for this year's war; as for Chu Liang, am I less concerned than you?"

"If you'd said that earlier, it would have been done," Cheng Yaojin said, smiling broadly.

"There is one thing he really didn't talk nonsense about."

"The Imperial Examination!"

Even if the Cheng family's ancestral tombs smoked… no, even if the ancestral tombs exploded, he wouldn't dare imagine it.

Cheng Yaojin slapped Chen Yan's back with a big hand, satisfied, "Good big nephew, you truly are my good big nephew, not in vain that I treated you well before!"

"Chu Liang is left to you; let him go to your place tomorrow, from now on everything is up to you to handle; no matter how you teach, I won't interfere!"

"Heh..." Chen Yan sneered, "Then you're being too kind to me; remember, my reputation as a wandering playboy was spread by you!"

"And you still say you're sorry to brothers, sorry for the sister‑in‑law's dying request, that you taught me into this state, wailing."

Cheng Yaojin: "......"

"...... Big nephew, let the past stay in the past, we're so good together, why bring up those unpleasant memories?"

"So I call you Big Old Black, any problem?"

"...... Fine, as long as you're happy."

"......"