The old eunuch standing sideways at the palace gate extended his hand in invitation again. He then turned and walked forward to lead the way at the front. He gestured with his hand from time to time.
Yu Qing did not know the layout inside the imperial palace. The people who had trained him on the rules could not have told him the palace terrain. At this moment he simply followed the old eunuch. The speed of movement was also set by the old eunuch.
As the leader at the front Yu Qing saw the spectacular sights within the palace city. His eyes subconsciously looked around. The bright guards holding knives and spears seemed normal. However those figures that appeared and disappeared or stared from the shadows made his heart secretly tense.
Rumour had it that the inner palace was full of experts and many great archers were stationed there. Yu Qing thought that with his own cultivation if anything went wrong he probably would not even have the slightest chance to escape.
He had come to do something guilty after all. At this time he felt the tension of having fallen into a tiger’s den. He secretly told himself that nothing must go wrong.
What he feared most was that plans could not keep up with changes. That would truly be fatal.
The old eunuch did not take the group of tribute scholars running around everywhere. He did not lead them deep into the palace either. He went straight towards the tall hall directly opposite.
After crossing the square the group carefully climbed the steps from one side of the imperial staircase. They passed the jade platform, stepped over the high threshold and entered a grand and solemn hall. They did not dare make any sound throughout the whole process.
Tables and chairs were already set up inside the hall. The space was limited so the tables were short ones that were just adequate.
At the very front there was a separate long desk. Due to the limited space it had been placed right in front of the steps below the imperial throne.
“Take positions for the palace examination!” The old eunuch who had led everyone into the hall called out to the group.
Examiners were already present inside the hall. The four leading ones were none other than the four chief examiners from the metropolitan examination.
Seeing that all the candidates looked at a loss and did not know where to sit Grand Academician Luo Yewen said loudly, “The metropolitan examination rankings do not count for the palace examination. Your final rankings will be decided again by His Majesty after the palace examination. For the palace examination there is no ranking for seating. Each of you find an empty seat and sit down!”
Thus Yu Qing like everyone else flew around like a headless fly. He found a gap and was about to squeeze in when his wrist was suddenly gripped tightly.
He looked back and saw the old eunuch who had led the way holding his wrist with a smiling face. “The top scorer who entered the sovereign’s hall in one go and fulfilled his fame in life and after death, come, come, come with this old servant. You will sit at the front.” He pointed to the table at the very front.
Sit at the front? The guilty Yu Qing did not dare. He feared that sitting in front would make it inconvenient to do anything later. He immediately resisted and said, “Thank you for your kindness, eunuch. I am fine sitting here. It would be better for a handsome looking one to sit at the front. It would look better and show more dignity for the court.”
“What kind of talk is that? If the palace examination picked the good looking ones then what would be the point of testing?” The old eunuch said with a helpless smile. He continued pulling Yu Qing forward. “Top scorer, His Majesty greatly admires your essays. When His Majesty arrives later he may want to converse with you before the throne. Sitting in front makes answering convenient. If we let you sit at the back and His Majesty cannot see the person clearly then we servants would be blamed for lacking discernment.”
“Ah!” Yu Qing was truly shocked. He still had to answer before the emperor? His heart instantly rose to his throat. He realised that what he feared had come.
Somewhat dazed he was led to the chief seat. The old eunuch pressed him down into the separate frontmost position. Before releasing his hand he gently stroked the back of it. “This old servant truly likes the top scorer’s poems very much. When I have time one day I must ask the top scorer for a poem. I hope the top scorer will grant it.”
Yu Qing got goosebumps all over from his touch and had the urge to punch him. Besides he could not write any poems for others. He could only force a smile and brush it off. “We will talk about it later.”
Only then did the old eunuch leave him.
For a moment the specially treated Yu Qing became the centre of attention again. Many candidates cast envious looks at him. For any candidate to receive such special treatment would be enough to boast about to their descendants in the future.
The four chief examiners from the metropolitan examination including Luo Yewen could not help lingering in front of Yu Qing a couple more times to take a look.
Although he had come from their examination they were seeing his true appearance for the first time now.
Yu Qing who felt as if sitting on pins and needles took a deep breath. No matter what his position was finally settled.
He turned his head and looked left and right at the candidates who were still taking their seats one after another. He tugged at his left sleeve to reveal the bracelet on his wrist. The bracelet was a temporary substitute. The key was the small bell hanging on it.
He quickly pulled out the cotton stuffed inside the bell. Then taking the opportunity of raising his hand to shake it he braced himself and rang the bell.
“Jingle, jingle…”
The sound was not loud but the effect was good enough for most people in the hall to hear it to some extent.
Many people thought they had misheard but it was correct. The bell sound appeared and stopped intermittently. There really was a bell ringing in the hall.
Everyone looked left and right. They finally found the source of the sound and many exchanged glances.
The four chief examiners supervising the exam and several eunuchs quickly walked over to Yu Qing. They saw the bell sound coming from his wrist as he placed his brush, ink, paper and inkstone on the table.
Grand Academician Luo immediately pointed and questioned, “What is the meaning of this?”
Yu Qing removed the bracelet from his wrist. He took the chance to shake it hard a few more times and asked back, “Does the lord mean this?”
Grand Academician Luo said, “What do you think?”
Yu Qing replied, “In answer to the lord this was given by a servant in the residence when I left home this morning. They said it brings inspiration and good fortune.” He shook it hard again to ring the bell. “The ‘bell’ of inspiration and good fortune. They asked me to wear it on my body. I thought it sounded quite auspicious so I put it on.”
At this moment the familiar voice of his junior martial uncle came to his ear. “All right, stop shaking it. I know your position now.”
Yu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
The few people who had gathered around exchanged glances. Grand Academician Chu said again, “The meaning is good but it is not appropriate here. This is the palace examination venue. You cannot disturb others from answering.”
Yu Qing quickly apologised. “Yes, this student understands.” With that he placed the bell at a corner of the table to show that he would not touch it to make noise again until the exam was over.
Only then did everyone disperse.
Xu Fei who had been staring straight at this side felt very speechless. Having travelled together all this way he found that this Brother Shihueng caused the most trouble. Things happened wherever he went. Even the palace examination was not peaceful.
Of course he himself was also very nervous. He worried that scoring too poorly would arouse suspicion even though his uncle said that passing the metropolitan examination meant it would be fine.
The examination hall after everyone was seated fell into solemn silence. Everyone was waiting. The sound of the water clock in one corner of the hall dripped steadily.
The several chief examiners occasionally went to the water clock themselves to check the time.
Yu Qing listened attentively. He faintly heard the conversation between the chief examiners and the eunuchs present. “The time is almost here. Why has His Majesty not arrived yet?”
Just as someone was sent inside the palace to urge him three eunuchs came hurrying over at a small run. The leading eunuch held a roll of paper in his hands and presented it to the chief examiners. “Four lords, the exam questions personally written by His Majesty have arrived. When the time comes just start the exam.”
The several grand academicians asked in surprise, “Where is His Majesty? Is His Majesty not coming?”
The leading eunuch lowered his voice. “To be more spirited for today’s palace examination His Majesty took an extra dose of elixir this morning. Just now his nose suddenly bled nonstop and he is receiving treatment. It is not suitable for him to appear before the candidates. To avoid delaying the palace examination His Majesty endured his discomfort and personally wrote the questions for us to deliver. He also asked us to tell the lords that he leaves this place in your hands.”
“This…” The four grand academicians looked at each other speechlessly. They very much wanted to say what kind of situation this was.
However things had come to this and there was no other way. They could only take the exam paper together and read the question.
Yu Qing whose hearing was better than ordinary people had already overheard their whispered conversation clearly. He could not help secretly rejoicing. The palace questioning before the emperor that he was nervous about had disappeared. He truly felt relieved as if he had recovered half his little life!
With the emperor not coming and facing a group of people who could not decide everything he felt much more confident in his mindset.
Shortly after a eunuch publicly unrolled the exam question personally drafted by the emperor. There were only four characters on it: Ode to Sun, Moon and Stars.
Grand Academician Li pointed at the question and said, “This is today’s palace examination topic. You are given one hour to answer. Timing starts now!”
The candidates stared at the question and immediately understood. It was another fu essay.
The eunuch was about to hold the question and walk back and forth a few more times to let all candidates see it clearly when Yu Qing suddenly said loudly, “Lord, this student has read too many books. My eyesight is tired and blurry and I cannot see the question clearly. Many candidates here are like me. Could you please read the question aloud a few times for us to remember it?”
He really forced himself to do this. There was no choice. His junior martial uncle could not see the content written on paper. It was not appropriate for him to read it aloud himself. He could only adapt and come up with this makeshift plan.
Xu Fei present could not help looking at Yu Qing a few more times. He found that this Brother Shihueng really caused a lot of trouble. He somewhat suspected whether this Brother Shihueng usually read many books. Anyway he had never seen him read. Secondly this Brother Shihueng’s eyes were bright and sharp. He saw things more clearly than anyone in ancient tombs and wild lands and at least had better eyesight than him. How could his eyes fail so soon after arriving in the capital? How hard must he have studied during his time in the capital to tire his eyes in such a short time?
The several chief examiners exchanged glances. They could understand this. Indeed many candidates had damaged their eyesight from reading too much.
It was not an excessive request. After discussion the chief examiners had the eunuch holding the question do one more thing. As he carried the question past the candidates he raised his shrill voice and called out loudly, “Ode to Sun, Moon and Stars… Ode to Sun, Moon and Stars… Ode to Sun, Moon and Stars…”
The candidates all lowered their heads and took up their brushes to record the question on their exam papers.
Yu Qing heard his junior martial uncle’s voice by his ear. “The question is known.”
Upon hearing this he then picked up his brush to record the question.
In a quiet small courtyard not far from the imperial palace.
Zhou Xinyuan who stood alone in the courtyard slowly opened his eyes. He suddenly stepped sideways and slowly stamped down with one foot. When he moved away there were already two clear deep footprints under his feet. They were the directional positioning marks he had left.
There was no choice. To accurately transmit sound to the fixed point when using the ‘Thousand Li Voice Transmission’ technique he had to remember Yu Qing’s precise position. Otherwise he might transmit to the wrong person and that would be a big joke.
Leaving the courtyard he went straight to the study. He pushed the door open and saw Mister Ming sitting behind the desk casually holding a book and reading.
Zhou Xinyuan walked directly to the side of the desk. He picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, wrote the four characters ‘Ode to Sun, Moon and Stars’ on a piece of paper, moved it in front of him and said, “This is the exam question for this palace examination. Only one hour is given for answering. I hope Mister will be quick!”
Mister Ming glanced at it and snorted, “If it really is the question then you truly have great abilities.”
“It should not be wrong.” Zhou Xinyuan looked at the question. “The palace examination question that attracts everyone’s attention is just these few characters? What does this test?”
Mister Ming sighed, “What else could it be? What else can one write about the sun, moon and stars? It is nothing more than hoping someone will compare him to the sun and compare the subjects to the stars. Then the sun, moon and stars each follow their own paths.” He shook his head, directly reached for the brush, pondered briefly while dipping it in ink, then put pen to paper and wrote rapidly.