Chapter 185 Mission 016

Winning the first prize in the imperial examination is something that makes people envious and jealous, but it is a great event worth celebrating for the person involved!

Compared with the calm and composed Xiao Yan, Li Jushi was particularly proud, as if he was the one who won the first prize. However, in Li Jushi's words, it was more glorious and happy for his disciple to win the first prize than for him as a teacher to win the first prize. After all, not everyone can teach a disciple who wins the first prize, and there is a great possibility that he will be the first disciple in this dynasty to win the honor of the three major prizes.

And his expression of happiness is to go to his old friends to play chess every day, pretending to mention their students unintentionally, and then say very proudly that his students have just won the first prize...

Xiao Yan was speechless when he heard about Li Jushi's recent behavior from Mrs. Li. His cheap teacher was not kicked out by those old adults even though he was so boastful. It seems that the teacher has a good relationship with those old adults.

However, Xiao Yan was not without any feelings after winning the first place in the imperial examination. In this ancient social world where he could not use his super strength, he had to gain power to improve his social status. He was only a first place winner. Although he had a bright future, he had not yet officially entered the officialdom. However, living in Li's mansion, he could already feel that the servants treated him more respectfully, and Mrs. Li was more caring and enthusiastic towards him.

As a first place winner, Xiao Yan had a great reputation among the candidates of this year. Perhaps some candidates of the same subject were jealous of him for winning two first place prizes in a row, but on the surface, everyone came to congratulate him with proper etiquette and thoughtfulness. After all, in this society that emphasizes the relationship between the same subject, as candidates of the same subject, they would be natural allies of interests in the officialdom in the future, even if they had no relationship or acquaintance before.

There were many children of wealthy families among the candidates of this year. In order to expand their network, these people often held banquets, and Xiao Yan, as a first place winner, was naturally invited. Faced with such an invitation, Xiao Yan wanted to refuse, but he had to go, or because of the so-called relationship between the same year.

In fact, Xiao Ying didn't quite understand the ancient behavior of students taking the same exam sticking together. After all, he grew up in modern society and developed a life philosophy. Later, he traveled through the ancient world but never participated in the imperial examination.

In his opinion, the behavior of the imperial examination candidates was just as incredible as the students from all over the world who took the college entrance examination in the same year sticking together to help each other. People who had never met before were classified as a party just because they took the college entrance examination in the same year after being admitted to the same university. It was really a joke.

Not only that, the candidates of this year also regarded the chief examiner of this year as their teacher. Just like modern college entrance examination candidates treat the invigilator as a mentor, Xiao Ying really couldn't understand it, but in this ancient society, the relationship between the same year and the teacher was a very solid community of interests.

Although he didn't understand this kind of relationship, which seemed a bit ridiculous to him, it didn't prevent Xiao Ying from adapting to and using it.

On the third day after the release of the gold list, Xiao Ying, the champion, led the other candidates to visit the Zhang Mansion to meet the chief examiner, Mr. Zhang. After all, Mr. Zhang was their teacher, and this visit and gift giving were also unspoken rules. This was the second time Xiao Ying met Mr. Zhang. The first time was when he and the other candidates looked at each other from a distance in the examination room, but this time they met up close.

This confidant of the current emperor is very handsome. Even though he is now nearly fifty years old and can call himself an old man, he is still a handsome man. Especially his elegant temperament makes people feel that he must be a man of great learning.

Xiao Ying is the champion, so he is qualified to be met by Mr. Zhang alone. Mr. Zhang did not look at the gift Xiao Ying sent, but his attitude towards him was very kind, and his words were full of praise. He also pointed out that the article he wrote about the maritime ban was particularly brilliant.

In front of Lord Zhang, Xiao Ying behaved neither servile nor overbearing. In the face of praise, he modestly said that he still needed to work harder. Everyone can pretend to be humble, but whether it can be pretended to be true is a test of acting skills. How could Xiao Ying's acting skills be poor?

So Lord Zhang, who thought he had a good eye for people, admired the humble, studious and talented Huiyuan in front of him very much. With a move in his heart, he revealed more things about the court.

Xiao Ying remained calm on the surface, but he did have a good impression of Lord Zhang in his heart. Some things in the court are not secrets, but you have to have connections and relationships to get to that level to know. Although Mr. Li has been retired for many years and his connections are still there, they are always different. Moreover, the news in the court depends on who leaked it. Lord Zhang is the emperor's confidant, and the news he revealed must imply the emperor's inclination and position. This is the benefit of invisibility.

After paying respects to Master Zhang, Xiao Ying was busy attending various banquets held by other candidates to make connections, but he did not forget to prepare for the palace examination in private.

Although the palace examination did not select candidates but only ranked them, he had already obtained the first place and the second place. It would be a pity and shame if he failed to get the first place because of the negligence in the last round.

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Before the palace examination began, eunuchs came to teach the candidates etiquette. Among these candidates, those who were from noble families and officials knew these, but those who were from poor families or landlords with no background needed to be taught etiquette temporarily to avoid losing manners when meeting the emperor in the palace examination.

As a person who had experienced it, Mr. Li had thought of this long ago and taught Xiao Ying everything that needed to be paid attention to in the palace examination.

However, Xiao Ying still had to practice with other candidates how to shout "Long live" three times in unison.

As a powerful man who can turn the tide, Xiao Ying obviously would not be willing to kowtow to an ordinary emperor. He could only use small magic tricks such as sleight of hand to fool him.

Standing in the crowd and watching others practice how to kneel and shout "Long live", Xiao Ying sighed softly in his heart. Before he fulfilled his wish of being a male supporting role, he had to stay in this hierarchical court. Xiao Ying, who had long been accustomed to standing at the top, now had to become an ordinary person again because of the suppression of this world and the requirements of the task, and slowly climbed to the center of power. He felt a little uncomfortable in his heart.

Feeling that his mood was a little uneasy, Xiao Ying hurriedly recited the formula of practicing the exercises, and soon his emotions calmed down.

The palace examination finally officially began. Xiao Ying stood at the first place and followed the eunuch who led the way into the majestic Golden Palace.

Looking at the magnificent Golden Palace, the candidates were very excited, and even Xiao Ying couldn't help but sigh in his heart: In the morning, I was a farmer, and in the evening, I ascended the emperor's hall. The only way for poor children to advance is to study hard.

Tables, chairs, and pens and ink had been prepared in advance in the hall.

Xiao Ying found his seat. As the champion, he was naturally the first. Sitting in his seat for the palace examination, looking at the candidates on both sides, if he ignored the surrounding environment and the clothes of the people, he really felt like he was back in the modern examination room.

The candidates had just sat down when they heard a sharp voice: "The emperor has arrived!"

The candidates, who had not even sat down yet, immediately knelt neatly at the door of the hall. Xiao Ying sat on the chair leisurely, but in the eyes of others, he was kneeling to the emperor like everyone else.

Xiao Ying turned around while sitting on the chair and looked at the emperor who walked in from the door. The emperor looked ordinary, but still majestic and imposing. He was not wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, but a dark robe embroidered with a golden dragon. There was also a handsome young man wearing a bright yellow prince's robe next to the emperor. Xiao Ying immediately knew that this was the current eldest prince.

Looking at this royal father and son, Xiao Ying stroked his chin and wondered how beautiful the queen must be to give birth to a handsome prince with an ordinary-looking emperor? However, it is rumored that the emperor does not like a gentle and weak prince, but judging from the fact that the emperor brought the prince with him to the palace examination today, the relationship between the father and son should not be as bad as when the prince was abolished in the original book.

Xiao Ying just glanced at the prince who could not suppress his group of brothers and didn't care. This kind of prince with a weak character and a bunch of ruthless brothers is destined to be unable to sit firmly on the throne. And Xiao Ying had already decided to choose the final winner, the fourth prince, when he was on good terms with Jiang Li. This prince will step down sadly soon.

The emperor was a man of vigorous and decisive temperament. He didn't say much nonsense and directly announced the start of the palace examination. The questions of the palace examination were handed to the candidates one by one.

The imperial examination was held once every three years. This time, it was not a special examination. The emperor was busy with many things and could not stay here all day to accompany the candidates. So Xiao Ying felt that the emperor just looked at him a few more times, who was likely to be the winner of the three major honors, and then left the hall.

Although the chief examiner of the palace examination was nominally the emperor, and the candidates were nominally the emperor's disciples. But in fact, the examiners who really supervised them were the examiners.

After the palace examination, the examiners read all the examinees' papers, and then ranked them, waiting for the emperor's final review.

Generally speaking, the emperor only looked at the top ten papers, and only the top three papers were carefully read, and even only the first place paper would be carefully read. The rankings arranged by the examiners were basically unchanged. The emperor could only slightly adjust the rankings of the top ten papers according to his own wishes.

Xiao Ying's consciousness was attached to his paper, and he easily knew his score in advance - the first place. It was exactly as he expected, because he felt that the big questions on his paper were basically application questions, and he was best at answering questions in connection with reality.

However, when the emperor held his test paper in his hand and looked at it for a long time without putting it down, Xiao Ying's heart also became slightly uneasy.