Chapter 998

Xue Shao handed the bundle to Pan Yun and entered the venue with only the lucky money.

Feng Hongde made a literary exam so lively that the testing ground was open to the public, with only ropes stretched to separate it.

Many wanted to become Feng Hongde's son-in-law, and many signed up, but not every applicant could pass—they had to clear the preliminary screening.

The preliminary screening was based on looks and height.

This eliminated many people.

Feng Hongde used this first round to weed out many he didn't like, including some who met the appearance and height standards.

Xue Shao had learned from Huang Quan that most of these were local gentry sons.

In Huang Quan's words: "Those gentry families send their legitimate second sons—or even illegitimate ones—to become sons-in-law, waiting until Feng Hongde dies to return to their ancestral line, reaping both fame and profit. At his age, how many more years can Feng Hongde live? When he's gone, Feng's family will have only a lone daughter—won't they then control everything?"

Huang Quan was also a local; though his family wasn't wealthy, they were a modest landowner.

So he knew he'd be rejected—even though he'd once been tempted, he never took the initiative.

Because he was tactful, he introduced several outstanding men from outside the region to Feng Hongde, who greatly liked him—not only letting him eat at the side mansion but also giving him payment.

Because Xue Shao was the highest quality, Feng Hongde was delighted: he gave him ten taels of silver as a reward and took him around to meet the county magistrate and the school instructor.

This made Huang Quan grow even closer to Xue Shao, seeing him as his benefactor.

So today, for the literary exam, he specifically took leave to come and cheer for Xue Shao.

Many other students from the county school had also taken leave to come; they all gathered behind the rope, craning their necks to watch those scratching their heads in distress.

Some simply found it amusing, but others lurked in the crowd, silently winking and signaling to those inside the exam hall.

Feng Hongde sat at the head, looking down from above—how could any move escape him?

He sneered inwardly, noting down those secretly cheating—how could such morally corrupt men become his son-in-law?

Then, glancing at Xue Shao, already seated, elegant, composed, and confident, he couldn't help stroking his beard—no wonder he'd chosen this man.

He turned to his steward: "Has the Young Lady arrived?"

"She's here, waiting behind the screen."

Behind Feng Hongde stood a massive screen, on which the exam questions were hung; they would be unveiled the moment everyone was seated, and all candidates would write their answers directly on paper.

Feng Hongde had already privately decided on Xue Shao, but this was his daughter's marriage—he had to let her see him.

At this moment, Feng's daughter sat behind the screen; her senior maid peeked out, then returned excitedly: "Young Lady, Xue Ju-ren has arrived—quick, take a look!"

Feng's daughter was listless, twisting her handkerchief: "Father has already seen him—why must I look too?"

"Young Lady, Xue Ju-ren is very handsome."

"So what if he's handsome? He's just a frail scholar—will he protect me, or will I have to protect him?" Feng's daughter bit her lip: "Why can't Father pick someone from the military for me?"

The senior maid knew her mistress preferred martial men like her father and disliked scholars, but she also understood her master's concerns: "Young Lady, choosing a scholar is easier to control—if the son-in-law were also in the military, you'd be at a disadvantage in fights."

"Then why call it a martial contest for a spouse instead of a literary one?"

The maid felt awkward: "It's just a name—and now there are both martial and literary exams, aren't there?"

Under the maid's urging, Feng's daughter reluctantly rose and peered out from behind the screen: "Which one is he?"

The maid pointed excitedly: "That one, that one—the best-looking, in plain clothes, back straight, best aura, most composed."

Without the maid needing to point again, Feng's daughter had already seen him at a glance.

Xue Shao stood out sharply among the crowd of furrowed brows and scratching heads.

Since Feng Hongde had announced it as a martial contest for a spouse, most applicants had little cultural knowledge but could at least discuss martial skills.

Among them were military officers and martial artists; though a few scholars and foolish sons of landowners were present, their literary talent was mediocre and their martial skill unremarkable.

Thus, Xue Shao's calmness during the literary exam was glaringly obvious.

The young man seated beside Xue Shao couldn't help turning to look at him—looked, then looked again.

The more he looked, the more his brow furrowed.

Pan Yun, mingling in the crowd, listened to the gossip and watched the clumsy cheating, unable to suppress a grin.

As soon as the drum sounded, the questions on the screen unfurled and dropped: the questions were comprehensive, including multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, short-answer, and an essay.

It was entirely modeled after the county exam standards, though the questions were more straightforward and tricky.

Besides cultural questions like "chickens and rabbits in the same cage," there were ones like: "Feng's daughter has set her heart on a set of pearl jewelry but lacks the money—she plans to sell a hundred mu of land in Chengnan to buy it. As her future husband, what would you do?"

Even Pan Yun couldn't help stroking her chin in thought—what answer did Feng Hongde want?

If family development was the priority, then refusal was natural;

If Feng's daughter's wishes were paramount, then her intent was paramount.

As Pan Yun pondered, she noticed the young man beside Xue Shao repeatedly stealing glances at her—she frowned slightly.

Was he trying to cheat?

Watching him, her expression grew serious; she sensed they'd gone too far—this man… why did he look familiar?

Pan Yun stared hard, straining to recall; since breaking through the First Marquis, her memory was flawless, and soon she unearthed a matching face from deep within her mind.

On a swaying ocean vessel, his face had flashed past.

Pan Yun's teeth ached—he'd once joined them in hunting down sea pirates, but thankfully he wasn't among those who went to Japan with them.

What had Xue Shao's status been on that ship?

Oh—he was also a down-on-his-luck Ju-ren wandering the martial world—but…

After returning from Japan, Xue Shao's identity was no longer secret; over the past two years, anyone not hiding in the depths of Shenshan would have heard of him.

Pan Yun rubbed her forehead, grabbed Pan Xiaohei on her shoulder, and whispered: "Put him to sleep before he speaks."

Pan Xiaohei: "... Why don't you do it yourself?"

Pan Yun: "Don't hurt him—go ahead, use your body, I'll handle it."

Pan Xiaohei reluctantly agreed, leapt from her arms, and slipped into the exam hall in a few swift moves.

The young man finally remembered where he'd seen Xue Shao—he gasped in shock, suddenly standing up—wasn't this the scholar always trailing behind Daoist Pan?

His name is Xue Shao, but I heard his identity is fake too — he's an official of the imperial court, and a good friend of Daoist Master Pan.

The young man was consumed by jealousy. Daoist Master Pan had become the National Preceptor, so he should have risen with her — why was he still here competing with them to be a son-in-law?

Right, later they said his identity was what again?

Just as the young man was about to remember, a cool breeze seemed to brush past the back of his neck; his vision went black, and with a thud he collapsed to the ground.

(End of Chapter)