Chapter 132: Top Scholar's Honor, the Emperor's Personal Command

In the early summer of the fifth month, the weather was slightly sweltering; Chen Mo, dressed in thin clothing, sat leisurely in the pavilion within the courtyard.

Zhao Yu accompanied him by his side, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the gate of the residence.

Today was the day the palace examination results were posted; whether one achieved the rank of Presented Scholar, the status of Presented Scholar, or the status of Third-Class Presented Scholar, would be decided today.

While it was true that one would not be eliminated once they entered the palace examination, the results would determine one's starting point and future development.

If one achieved the rank of Jinshi, the starting point was a Fifth Rank Official, and the top-ranked Martial Zhuangyuan was even a Right Fifth Rank.

The status of Presented Scholar was one grade lower, and the status of Third-Class Presented Scholar was one grade lower still.

"Don't worry, your husband is surely the Martial Zhuangyuan appointed this session," Chen Mo said with a laugh, seeing her constantly looking out.

The palace examination had already concluded; aside from the Policy Essay, Chen Mo had taken the top spot in everything else.

In reality, even before the results were posted, many people had already determined that Chen Mo was undoubtedly this session's Martial Zhuangyuan.

"I am just waiting to see when the person reporting the results arrives, so I can be the wife of the Top Scholar," Zhao Yu said with a charming smile, leaning into Chen Mo's Huai.

She had never once thought that Chen Mo would not be this session's Martial Zhuangyuan, because she believed in Chen Mo and knew he would certainly not boast in front of her.

The two did not wait long before a burst of noisy Gong and Drum sounds came from afar; someone was beating a gong to come and report the good news.

"Congratulations to Chen County Baron for placing first in the palace examination and becoming this session's Martial Zhuangyuan!" Two Palace Attendants from the palace arrived in a hurry to report the good news; clearly, this news had been transmitted directly from the palace.

Behind them were the commoners who had followed the Gong and Drum to watch the excitement; ordinary commoners naturally could not enter the Inner City on normal days.

But who would dare to block this team reporting the good news? Otherwise, would they not be offending Chen Mo?

"Someone, scatter the joy money," Chen Mo called out, and immediately two servants brought over a wooden box.

Inside, it was filled with silver beans, one after another, each weighing one qian.

Scattering joy money after placing high in the Imperial Examination was a tradition in Great Gan, especially for someone like Chen Mo who had placed as the Top Scholar; unless the family was truly destitute, they would all scatter silver beans, not copper coins.

"Many thanks to the two colleagues for reporting the good news; take this money to buy tea," Chen Mo took out some silver notes and handed them to the two Palace Attendants who had come to report the news.

"Haha, thank you for the reward, Top Scholar," the two accepted the silver notes, both smiling quite happily.

They had hurried over to report the good news not just for this joy money, but mainly to use this opportunity to meet Chen Mo and become familiar with him.

After all, anyone could see that the Emperor would certainly make heavy use of a Top Scholar who was in the Postnatal Realm, and Chen Mo would surely rise rapidly in the future.

The servants in the house scattered silver beans everywhere, drawing many commoners to scramble to pick them up.

Fortunately, this was the Inner City, so even though silver beans were being scattered, no one dared to loot them.

After the commoners who came to offer congratulations dispersed, many officials and nobles came to the door to congratulate Chen Mo on achieving the honor of Top Scholar.

The gifts these people sent were not particularly precious; it could only be said that they had prepared a congratulatory gift out of etiquette.

They had no intention of winning Chen Mo over, nor did they have any thoughts of asking Chen Mo to do favors for them.

For now, it counted as getting familiar; they handed over a name card, and if they really needed his help in the future, they would then visit again with generous gifts.

Therefore, Chen Mo smiled and accepted these gifts, thanking everyone one by one.

From the time the list was posted at the hour of the Dragon, officials came one after another to offer congratulations, continuing until after the hour of the Horse before no one else came.

There was no telling how many congratulatory gifts had been sent, all categorized and sent to the storeroom to be kept for future use.

"You must be tired," Chen Mo said with a hint of heartache, pulling Zhao Yu in and rubbing her shoulders for her.

With so many guests coming to visit and offer congratulations, Chen Mo had to entertain the guests, and Zhao Yu had even more things to busy herself with.

Arranging for maids and servants to serve tea and snacks, having people send the gifts to the storeroom, and then tallying the gift lists one by one.

Although there was a steward, she did not feel at ease leaving it to others; she had to watch over it herself.

Moreover, she was the mistress of this house, and these matters should naturally be handled by her.

"As long as I can help you, I am happy no matter how tired I am," Zhao Yu smiled very happily, nestling into Chen Mo's Huai.

She knew that the things she was busy with now were truly insignificant compared to what Chen Mo had done for her.

But between a husband and wife, there is no distinction between one another, and it is difficult to talk about who has sacrificed more for whom.

As long as both people think of each other, that is enough.

"You sit and rest for a while; we will eat in a moment."

Chen Mo let her sit on the chair to rest, then heard someone shouting loudly, "Conveying the Emperor's oral decree!"

Hearing this, he hurried toward the outside of the house; the old eunuch he had seen before said with a smile, "Conveying the Emperor's oral decree: this session's Top Scholar, Chen Mo, is to enter the palace immediately to see the Emperor."

"This humble official accepts the decree," Chen Mo bowed and saluted, then turned to tell Zhao Yu, "I am going into the palace first; if you are hungry, eat first, no need to wait for me."

After speaking, he left with the old eunuch who had come to convey the oral decree.

"May I ask, Senior, why the Emperor is suddenly summoning me at this time?"

Chen Mo's voice was very low, and he calmly handed over a few small-denomination silver notes.

That old eunuch could not help but reveal a smile, inwardly quite satisfied with Chen Mo's attitude.

As a close minister to the Emperor, he was not truly that short of silver; he mainly liked this attitude of Chen Mo's, who had never looked down on him because he was a eunuch.

Those disciples from aristocratic families would inadvertently reveal faint disdain when facing people like him.

Only someone like Chen Mo, who had struggled up from the bottom, knew that it was not easy for anyone, and if they weren't truly unable to survive, who would be willing to be a eunuch? So his attitude toward him had always been normal.

"After the Imperial Examination results are posted, the Emperor summoning the top three is a long-standing rule, but since the Emperor is only summoning you into the palace now, there should be something he wants to instruct you on beforehand."

Having said this, his pace slowed down, and he inadvertently took the silver notes from Chen Mo's hand, then continued, "As far as I know, it should be related to the enemy country and the Demonic Path of Luantian Valley."

After speaking, he said no more and quickened his pace, walking toward the Palace City.

Regarding matters of the enemy country and the Demonic Path, Chen Mo had also learned a lot during this time.

The enemy country mentioned in Great Gan was not the Alien Races beyond the borders, but referred to North Li, which was established by the imperial clan of the previous dynasty that had remained outside, occupying the Nine Provinces of the world.

To this day, they still call themselves Great Li, but Great Gan has always referred to them as North Li.

The overall national strength of North Li was not as great as Great Gan's, but they did not have to deal with Alien Races, so they could invest more power into defending against Great Gan.

Since the day the two countries were established, they had fought countless large and small battles; the blood shed by countless soldiers at the border had stained the soil of the border into an endless dark red.

However, to this day, the two countries were only temporarily at a truce; who knew what day war would break out again.

As for Luantian Valley, it is an extremely special place where everything is chaotic and disorderly, impossible to fathom with common logic.

Those without sufficient strength or special means simply cannot step foot inside.

The Imperial Court's armies cannot enter, and sending only a small number of experts makes it very difficult to thoroughly purge the Demonic Path scoundrels hiding within.

Moreover, it is not as if there are no experts among those Demonic Path scoundrels; they are merely lying dormant in Luantian Valley for the time being, and as soon as the timing is right, they will emerge once again to stir up the Wind.

To Great Gan, the Demonic Path is like the vermin in a sewer; they are too good at hiding, which is why they have never been completely cleaned out.

Chen Mo estimated that since the Emperor was attacked this time, he will inevitably move to suppress the Demonic Path and then campaign against the Alien Races.

Following that old eunuch all the way into the Palace City, Chen Mo arrived once again before the side hall he had visited before.

"Chen County Baron, please enter," the Palace Attendant in the palace said, stopping his steps.

Chen Mo did not hesitate and stepped into the hall.

Today, an exceptionally large amount of incense was lit in this palace, smelling so strong it even made one feel a bit cloyed.

The current Emperor was sitting at his desk in casual attire handling official business; hearing the sound of Chen Mo entering, he still did not stop the movements of his hands.

Chen Mo was not in the slightest hurry and remained silently waiting to the side.

Only when Zhao Huaili finished processing the Imperial Court documents did he bow and say, "Your humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

"Beloved subject, rise," Zhao Huaili lit the lamp gently, a look of appreciation appearing in his eyes.

Although he had not looked up just now, he had still perceived every movement of Chen Mo very clearly.

Chen Mo is young enough, has strength, has talent, and more importantly, is neither arrogant nor impetuous.

This point is the most important; only then can he feel at ease entrusting some important matters to him.

Otherwise, if one only has strength but no brains, and cannot settle their heart to do things, then at most they are just a fierce general for fighting, not fit to be a commander-in-chief.

"Beloved subject has now attained the honor of top scholar, and in the future, you will surely become a pillar of my Great Gan," he said slowly with a smile on his face.

"This subject relies entirely on Your Majesty's cultivation," Chen Mo replied immediately.

"I have a matter I wish for you to do; this matter carries ten thousand dangers. Is my beloved subject willing to do it?"

The reason Zhao Huaili summoned Chen Mo today was precisely to arrange important matters for him.

And at tomorrow's morning court, these already arranged matters would be announced.

"This humble subject is a subject of Great Gan; if Your Majesty has an order, this subject dares not refuse and will naturally do his utmost to repay Your Majesty."

Chen Mo's expression was serious as he spoke in a deep voice.

He said this with sincerity; if nothing else, the current Emperor truly gives rewards when they are promised.

As for the matters he entrusts, as long as it does not affect his own life and safety, Chen Mo will do his best to handle them well.

"Good, good, good!" Zhao Huaili laughed loudly, appearing very satisfied with his attitude.

"My Great Gan and Beili have not had a war for several years, yet recently the Demonic Path and Alien Races have colluded to cause widespread trouble within the borders of my Great Gan.

I wish to first suppress the Demonic Path, then campaign against the Alien Races. But such actions will inevitably not be hidden from Beili; if they mobilize troops to move south and start a war with my Great Gan again,

then even if my Great Gan can cope, my desire to suppress the Demonic Path and campaign against the Alien Races will surely be subject to many constraints."

Zhao Huaili sighed softly and slowly described the matters the Imperial Court was to undertake next.

There was no need to hide these things; they would be announced at the morning court in a few days anyway.

Suppressing the Demonic Path and pacifying the Alien Races—both matters must be arranged for people to do, and these people must be made to know that a tiger's whiskers are not to be touched just because one wants to.

"I wish for you to be an envoy, to go on a mission to Beili to negotiate peace.

Along this journey, there will surely be Demonic Path and Alien Race experts blocking the way, and within Beili, there may also be those who wish to sabotage this peace negotiation.

This journey is full of unknown hardships and obstacles; is my beloved subject willing to go?"

Zhao Huaili stood up and gazed at Chen Mo, asking.

"This humble subject is willing to go," Chen Mo did not hesitate and answered decisively, then immediately said, "It is just that this humble subject has one more matter he does not understand and hopes Your Majesty can provide an answer."

(End of this chapter)