Chapter 67: Prefectural Examination

"Who exactly holds the Imperial Jade Seal, and where is the Thousand Shadows Thief Saint? These riddles remain to be unraveled. Perhaps someday, your descendants may yet witness the truth."

After leaving such an open-ended conclusion to spark imagination, Guo Dongyang took a break; the seasoned tea patrons who ought to tip did so, while those so captivated they had forgotten to drink quickly downed a few cups.

Those who had drunk too much tea seized this opportunity to visit the latrine and relieve themselves.

At an inconspicuous tea table below, Zhu Huai grew increasingly uneasy as he listened, wondering why he felt a chill creeping over him before the storyteller had even begun speaking of ghosts and monsters.

It was not that Zhu Huai was overthinking; the truth was simply that Guo Dongyang did not know enough, nor had he explained things clearly enough.

Looking around the entire teahouse, if anyone knew clearly where the jade seal was, it would likely only be the people at this table who possessed some inside knowledge.

Having grown up in the Prince's Manor since childhood, Zhu Huai had heard certain tales and knew that Emperor Longping had once tasked his father with seeking the jade seal.

This detail differed somewhat from the versions circulating among the common folk.

Common rumor spoke only of the Prince of Changting seeking the Imperial Jade Seal, never mentioning on whose orders he acted.

The final result was that the Prince of Changting found nothing, yet no one knew the truth of the matter.

As for Xu Qing, he also knew a few things; for instance, when he performed rites to deliver Chen Liuer of the Thousand Shadows Sect, he learned a secret from her: Pan Qianying was a high-ranking Eunuch in the palace, the very one who had followed the Emperor daily, and the Thousand Shadows Sect was founded by him before his castration.

Although the current sect master of the Thousand Shadows Sect was no longer Pan Qianying, the organization secretly served as his eyes and ears, capable of carrying out many deeds he could not perform openly.

Since this Thousand Shadows Thief Saint retired to the palace in his old age, one must ask: where then could the Imperial Jade Seal possibly be?

Emperor Longping could not have been unaware of the identity of the great Eunuch beside him.

His actions clearly indicated he was harboring malicious intent, waiting until his belly was full of such poison before splashing it onto whomever he chose.

Zhu Huai evidently knew some of this as well; after all, the Prince of Changting was no fool, so if he suddenly gave up halfway through investigating the jade seal, what other reason could there be?

Was it not that by following the vine, he had touched the knife that cuts the melon?

The little fat boy pulled out a small handkerchief to wipe the fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead, unsure whether it was due to the teahouse being too crowded and hot, or because the storyteller's tale was too frightening.

"Why are you sweating so much?"

"The tea is too hot!"

"Then why are your hands shaking?"

"The teacup is scalding!"

Looking at the little fat boy who seemed afflicted by a sudden illness, Xu Qing wore an expression of suspicion.

The Eight Great Jianghu Sects were merely a light appetizer to whet the appetite; the ghost stories had not even begun yet, so why was he already shivering uncontrollably?

As they spoke, two men entered the teahouse entrance; judging by their demeanor, they were old acquaintances, and though both wore casual clothing, their every gesture exuded a sense of natural propriety and ease.

At this moment, the teahouse was filled with guests, and only Xu Qing's small table had empty seats.

The two old men were quite polite, making their way through the crowd with repeated apologies and thanks; upon reaching Xu Qing and Zhu Huai, they first bowed with clasped fists before asking to share the seat.

Xu Qing saw no issue with this, but Zhu Huai watched the two men with extreme vigilance, subtly shifting his body inward.

"Why are you squeezing toward me?" Xu Qing wondered what had gotten into the little fat boy today, making him so troublesome.

Zhu Huai replied with a grave expression, "I suspect these two old men are not good people; the tutors my family hired for me in the past looked exactly like them."

Hearing this, Xu Qing immediately became interested.

Storytellers often say that the two most widespread arts of physiognomy in this world are judging horses and judging men; those who judge horses are common, but those with the insight to recognize talent and employ it accordingly are exceedingly rare.

When Guo Dongyang had hitched a ride with Xu Qing, he once told him that over the past few decades in the Yong Dynasty, the one most skilled in the art of recognizing people was undoubtedly Emperor Longping in his youth.

Removing treacherous ministers, discarding mediocre talents, establishing civil and military governance, reorganizing the troops, and delegating authority to fully utilize the Prince of Changting...

Merely the boldness to entrust all military power under heaven to a single person, and subsequently having that person willingly surrender command, was sufficient to demonstrate how sharp Emperor Longping's vision had been in his youth.

Besides Emperor Longping, who excelled at recognizing and employing people, there was another figure renowned for judging horses: the current Crown Prince.

When the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor was still alive, he left an admonition stating that while the talent for judging horses is precious within a limited scope, it is hardly useful when viewed against the backdrop of the entire world.

It was from that time onward that the Crown Prince, who loved archery and horsemanship, ceased judging horses.

"Brother Zhu's words sound like those of someone who can recognize talent," Xu Qing said with a smile. "In that case, why don't you tell me what kind of person I am?"

"You?"

Zhu Huai chuckled happily, "You are a reclusive master!"

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

"Once, a young Daoist Priest traveled to my home; though he wore nothing but coarse cloth garments, he dared to associate with my father as an equal." Zhu Huai scrutinized Xu Qing with his small eyes and said, "Your bearing is identical to his; you seem unaware of distinctions in status and hierarchy. Such a person is either a swindler or a reclusive master who transcends worldly grains, indifferent to nobility or baseness..."

Xu Qing paused for a moment upon hearing this, then re-examined the playfully unconventional heir apparent before him: "I am no master; you flatter me. At best, I am merely a common folk wishing to live a steady and peaceful life."

"A hidden master, I understand!"

Zhu Huai picked up the thread with lightning speed.

You understand nothing! Xu Qing rolled his eyes, and just as he was about to argue, a sharp crack sounded from a distant table; Guo Dongyang had struck his gavel, preparing to resume his tale.

The chaotic murmurs in the hall gradually subsided as Guo Dongyang set down his gavel and began with some casual chatter.

One moment he was speaking of the prosperity and customs of Jingcheng, and the next, following his own lead, he shifted to the equally prosperous Jiangnan region.

He said that during festivals and temple fairs in the six circuits of Jiangnan, a "Foot Competition" was held; this was essentially a beauty contest, but since people of that era were relatively reserved and unwilling to expose themselves even for such contests, what was to be done?

The locals devised a compromise: female contestants would sit in an open area or remain inside carriages, veiled so that their faces could not be seen.

Someone might ask, how can it be called a beauty contest if faces are unseen? This merely shows the ignorance of outsiders; the Foot Competition is also known as the 'Lotus Foot Gathering,' and the standard for judging beauty naturally relates to the 'feet.'

At that time, the contestants would reveal their lotus feet clad in shoes and socks; embroidered with lotus leaves, flower butterflies, and various other patterns, these exquisite small shoes were offered for admiration and critique—sights one could not witness in Jinmen...

In the teahouse, Zhu Huai listened with eyes shining brightly, feeling that if he did not travel to Jiangnan in this lifetime, his life would have been lived in vain!

His previous claim of having lived in vain stemmed from a few days ago at the Shuhuang Pavilion, when he expressed a desire to spend a night with Miss Zhang Wan.

Now that he had visited the Shuhuang Pavilion, he had turned his gaze to wreak havoc elsewhere.

After finishing his casual chatter and seeing that the audience was fully engaged, Guo Dongyang prepared to delve into the story he intended to tell today.

"Speak it lightly, listen it lightly,

Beneath bean trellis and melon frame, rain falls like silk.

Surely weary of speaking human words,

They love to hear ghosts chanting poems by autumn graves."

"Honored guests, I have recently acquired a fine tale titled 'Corpse Transformation'..."

Guo Dongyang slammed the surprise gavel on the table, surveyed the room, and silence fell over the entire hall.

"It is said that in a previous dynasty, there was a place called Yangxin County, where an old man who ran an inn lived in Cai Dian Village."

Zhu Huai, who should have been visiting a painted pleasure boat for tea and entertainment, instead stayed with Xu Qing to listen to the storytelling for half the day.

As night fell, Guo Dongyang came over to greet Xu Qing; the two old men sharing their table were evidently acquaintances of Guo Dongyang as well, and the few of them were gathered together exchanging pleasantries.

Listening to their casual conversation, Xu Qing learned that the two old men were actually proctoring examiners responsible for grading the Prefectural Examination papers, while Guo Dongyang was a stipend student who had taken the same Prefectural Examination alongside them in the past.

Xu Qing clicked his tongue in amazement; here was a stipend student with a clean background and sponsors for nomination, yet he chose not to continue with the imperial examinations to enter the court, instead wandering and humbling himself to tell stories in various teahouses and taverns—was this not also a form of reclusive mastery?

A spring rain had just fallen over Jinmen Fucheng; now the air in the city was heavy with moisture, and as night fell, the thick rising mist resembled ghost soldiers clearing the way, as if the underworld itself had manifested.

Some tea patrons who had just heard the story of Corpse Transformation would occasionally twist their heads to look behind them as they walked, fearing that a zombie might suddenly leap out.

Zhu Huai stretched his neck to look around, finding that he could not clearly see anyone's face beyond five paces.

The little fat boy was terrified; refusing to return home alone, he insisted on dragging Xu Qing along to escort him.

He claimed he feared encountering the zombies from the Corpse Transformation story.

Xu Qing still remembered his promise to Guo Dongyang to write story scripts; how could he have spare time to accompany a grown man on a night walk?

"Find your own guards; I have matters to attend to, so stop pulling at my clothes."

"I snuck out; how could I have guards? Good brother, just escort me, and later I will have the chefs in my manor prepare delicious food for you..."

"You are the heir apparent; how could you be without guards when going out? Even if you snuck out, they would still follow you; what do you have to fear!"

Ever since breaking through to the Iron Armored Corpse realm, Xu Qing's five senses had surpassed those of mundane martial artists, and he had long detected someone tailing them nearby.

"Is that so? Do you really think they could detect me slipping out of the Prince's Manor?"

Zhu Huai scanned his surroundings, his face full of suspicion.

"Why don't you try shouting?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Huai's eyes lit up; he then grabbed Xu Qing's hand, placed it against his own neck, and let out a shriek that shattered the street's tranquility.

"Murder! This heir apparent is surely about to die! Is there no one to come to my rescue..."

Xu Qing's face instantly darkened; I told you to shout, not to shout like that!

Nevertheless, the effect was truly remarkable; after Zhu Huai's single cry, four or five figures dashed out from the teahouse, the alley entrance, and the rooftops.

Watching this group converge with hostile glares,

Zhu Huai immediately composed his expression, released Xu Qing's cold hand, and commanded, "This is a friend of this heir apparent; just now I was testing you all..."

Watching Zhu Huai put on such an act, Xu Qing thought to himself that it would be better to stay far away from this little fat boy in the future; the other party was far too dishonest and might invite disaster one day.

In the teahouse's private room, the Shopkeeper had specially added several lanterns and candles.

Inside the private room, Guo Dongyang, despite his advanced age, was still staying up late by candlelight conversing with Xu Qing.

For the most part, Xu Qing spoke while Guo Dongyang took notes.

Draft after draft of story scripts emerged; well-versed in classics and history, Xu Qing narrated each tale without the slightest hesitation, pausing only when Guo Dongyang, writing furiously, called for a break, allowing Xu Qing to review the drafts briefly.

As expected of a stipend student, even though he wrote rapidly, the manuscript remained exceptionally neat.

Xu Qing reviewed the drafts for a while, his mind drifting.

Viewed individually, these stories evoked no particular sensation, but when linked together and flipped through as a collection, they conveyed a sense of inclusiveness, as if walking through the mortal world and comprehending the myriad states of existence.

Perhaps in years to come, he who recites tales of corpses and delivers countless wandering souls might also write his own 'Tales of Corpses.'

The night passed without further incident.

The next morning, Wu Yaoxing led a fine horse to the teahouse.

This was a precious steed bestowed yesterday by the Crown Prince; at this moment, Wu Zhiyuan was riding high on success, wishing the prefectural examination would end quickly so he could ride this thousand-li horse to Jingcheng for the autumn examinations, living up to the Crown Prince's expectations.

Wu Wencai's talent was slightly inferior; though he did not receive a precious steed, he still gained favor and was gifted several valuable items.

The two dragged Xu Qing to a teahouse to celebrate; upon hearing this, Guo Dongyang merely shook his head without speaking.

Unable to stand Guo Dongyang's deliberate pretense, Xu Qing questioned him directly in front of the Wu brothers.

Guo Dongyang sighed lightly and said, "Twins following the dragon—what a fine tale? Yet the current Crown Prince is already aged; even if he intends to build momentum, it will likely remain a castle in the air, dissolving into bubbles on the wind at any moment."

"In struggles within the imperial family, which one has not ended in rivers of blood? With the current situation still unclear, rather than dwelling on such matters, it is better to focus on securing a degree through the examinations and quietly await the right time."

Guo Dongyang was shrewd from age and possessed vast knowledge; whether regarding the vital regions around the capital or remote commanderies and counties, he understood the livelihood and circumstances everywhere, so his vision was naturally far-reaching.

"The waters in Jingcheng run very deep; this old man advises you to focus on the imperial examinations and avoid involving yourselves in any conflicts."

The Wu brothers were not fools; they vaguely guessed the unspoken meaning behind Guo Dongyang's words.

This elderly gentleman likely knew certain things but could not state them openly, so he could only offer them this much guidance.

Wu Zhiyuan rose and bowed in gratitude, with Wu Wencai following suit.

Only Xu Qing, who had chosen to lie flat, remained perfectly calm throughout.

Once the prefectural examination concluded and he obtained the Licentiate degree, he would return to Linhe to continue managing his funeral parlor, cultivating his Corpse Immortal in his spare time and visiting the pleasure quarters when bored.

As for becoming an official, it was not worth a single hair of any corpse in his parlor.

The Wu brothers did not attend the final literary gathering hosted by the Jade Shadow Pavilion; having already achieved their goal of making their names known through their outstanding performances on the previous two days.

Now, having received guidance from Guo Dongyang, they no longer let success go to their heads, instead turning to quiet study and focusing on preparing for the exams.

Early the next morning, the prefectural examination officially began.

Xu Qing and the Wu brothers went together to the Prefect's government office; after submitting their examination permits, they followed the examiners' directions to their respective cubicles to await the test papers.

Unlike the county examination, the prefectural examination required three consecutive days of testing, with one session per day.

The first day tested classic recitation, the second day tested miscellaneous compositions, and the final day tested policy essays.

Simply put, it assessed one's ability in memorization, literary composition, and expressing views on governance and current affairs.

Although Xu Qing understood the classics and essays, he had no confidence in writing a qualified policy essay; after all, such things sometimes required guessing the superior's intent, and no one knew the standard answer before the papers were even set.

For two days, eating, drinking, sitting, and sleeping all took place within the examination hall; by the third day, during the policy essay session, Xu Qing noticed three additional figures among the proctoring examiners.

One was the current Crown Prince, another was the Crown Prince's attendant who had delivered messages at the literary gathering.

The third was an elderly man with a fair, hairless face and a yin, soft demeanor.

Xu Qing silently completed his answers; once all three sessions concluded, everyone submitted their papers in turn and exited the examination hall.

Combined into one

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(End of Chapter)