Chapter 85

[ T/N :Ommmgggg… D.Bubble…. Thank you so much for the coffee… This is the last mass release for this novel… Anyway, I will be picking up some nice novels that are in dropped status, as suggested by D.Bubble and posted it in my Kofi page… so if you are interested in reading them,please visit my page next week as I will do a massive stock pilling first before doing a mass release….hehe…so once again,thank you so much for reading my translation work.. I will also pickup a new novel next week and do a mass release on my other work, which is ‘ Oops! I Mistook the Target of My Strategy. Now What?’]

The three days of the first round of the imperial examination seemed like a moment to the candidates, but for their families waiting outside, it felt like an eternity. Fortunately, the weather cleared up after the first day, easing the impatience of the crowd.

After the three days passed, the candidates were given a day off to rest before the second and third rounds. They were allowed to take their personal belongings, but all the writing materials were left behind to be checked again later.

Shopkeeper Li quickly freshened up with the water flask he carried, adjusted his clothes, and wrapped a mat around his waist before strolling to the entrance of the examination hall.

As it was nearing the end of the first round, the guards were no longer as strict, especially since many of the candidates coming out were slightly older, like Li. It was difficult to stop them, and any collision would only cause more trouble.

Li estimated that Jian Yujue would come out soon, so he tiptoed and looked around the entrance. The candidates who came out of the examination hall had a mix of joy and worry, but their weary expressions remained unchanged.

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Gzvbswtb vblu bye prldv sdzu vball eyup kdpkel, pkvvkdt kd vbl byzz yzz eyu yde byhkdt sdzu pvlyxle cwdp qsa xlyzp eke dsv es ydu qyhsap vs vblka yrrlyaydnlp. Ekvb vbkp kd xkde, Nk rzyddle vs cwu y nbknjld yde xyjl y pswr vs alrzldkpb Zwfwl’p ldlatu.

Nspv kd bkp vbswtbvp, Nk dsvknle Kkyd Zwfwl tayewyzzu yrrlyakdt yv vbl ldvaydnl sq vbl lmyxkdyvksd byzz. Tl zssjle fwpv yp bl eke obld bl ldvlale, olyakdt y czwl ascl, okvb y qyka yde bydepsxl qynl vbyv pbsole ds pktdp sq qyvktwl, obknb pvsse swv yxsdt vbl lmbywpvle pnbszyap.

Kkyd Zwfwl yrrasynble okvb y tldvzl pxkzl yde dyvwayzzu vssj vbl xyv Nk oyp nyaaukdt sd bkp cynj.

“Bdnzl Nk.”

Fllkdt bkp ayekydv zssj, Nk qlzv alzklhle yde nypwyzzu ypjle, “Zwfwl, eke yduvbkdt wdwpwyz byrrld?”

Mbkdjkdt ycswv vbl xkdsa sqqknkyz yde vbl lmyxkdlap, yp olzz yp vbl byzq-ale yde byzq-czynj vyzkpxyd kd bkp rsnjlv, Kkyd Zwfwl pxkzle yde alrzkle, “Lsvbkdt sq dsvl.”

Nk’p blyav oyp qkdyzzu yv lypl. Rv oyp fwpv bkp kxytkdyvksd awddkdt okze. Gqvla yzz, obyv byrrldle vs bkx yzz vbspl ulyap yts nswzed’v rsppkczu byrrld vs Zwfwl.

“Zwfwl, usw pvkzz zssj kd tsse prkakvp,” Nk pyke yp vblu oyzjle.

“Matters related to learning don’t make me feel tired.”

“Hahaha.”

The two of them reached the street corner, and Li burst into laughter, feeling an indescribable sense of relief. “Come on, I’ll go to the market, and you go home and rest.”

…

Li could only take a five-day leave, as he couldn’t keep the old bookshop closed indefinitely. So he couldn’t accompany Jian Yujue for the second and third rounds. Fortunately, Yujue’s calm demeanor allowed Li to let go of his worries.

During the breaks between the three rounds, Jian Yujue rested at the bookshop as he did during the first round. However, on the day before the third round, Shangguan Yan suddenly arrived at the bookshop.

Jian Yujue looked at the several boxes of books carried by Shangguan Yan’s servants and asked, “What’s this?”

“Isn’t your shop accepting old books?” Shangguan Yan pointed to the boxes behind him with his folding fan.

Li approached with a smile. “Yes, Lord Shangguan. Let me go and check them for you. We’ll settle the bill later. You can chat with Yujue.”

After saying that, Shopkeeper Li led his servants towards the door, leaving only Jian Yujue and Shangguan Yan in the shop.

“After the third round, I will return to Jiangnan. This time, I’m taking the opportunity to bid you farewell in advance,” Shangguan Yan said, looking up at Jian Yujue, for the first time without his usual teasing smile.

“Don’t you want to wait for the announcement of the results?”

Shangguan Yan smiled and didn’t answer, “I need to go back and take care of some matters.”

Seeing his expression, Jian Yujue thought that perhaps Shangguan Yan didn’t perform well in the previous two rounds. Initially, he detested Shangguan Yan, but later he felt that they were somewhat alike. However, Shangguan Yan was from a wealthy family, so how could they be similar? Jian Yujue couldn’t figure it out himself.

He pondered, “Shangguan Yan, in fact, three years is not that long.”

Shangguan Yan laughed heartily at his words. “Jian Yujue, you really don’t know how to comfort someone’s heart.” He then changed his expression, saying, “No matter what happens afterward, remember to wait for a few days. What should come will come.”

“What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t mean anything. Just remember it.”

Shangguan Yan didn’t say much. When Shopkeeper Li came over with the calculated amount of money, Shangguan Yan accepted it without refusing, turned around, and left cheerfully, as if he had come solely to sell those old books.

When the spring examinations finally came to an end, just as Shangguan Yan had said, Jian Yujue boarded a carriage heading back to Jiangnan as soon as the third round was over.

Inside the carriage, the close attendant, who had been holding it in for quite some time, couldn’t help but ask, “Young Master, why did you help that poor scholar? When the family finds out, they will surely punish you by making you kneel in the ancestral hall!”

Shangguan Yan raised the window veil with his fan and looked at the passing scenery outside.

Although Shangguan Yan was indeed the direct heir of the Shangguan family, the head of the family was not his biological father.

Twenty years ago, Shangguan Yan’s father, who was the head of the Shangguan family at the time, died in a boating accident. His mother, upon hearing the news, had a difficult childbirth and also passed away. As a result, he was given his status as the legitimate son and the position of family head by his biological uncle, Shangguan Feng. Since then, he has become the second son of the Shangguan family.

He wanted to reclaim everything that belonged to him, which was why he was so eager for success when he saw Jian Yujue. It was a powerful bargaining chip for him to regain his position in the Shangguan family.

As for why he helped Jian Yujue…

Suddenly, the image of a young man with a gentle appearance but with a stubborn and independent nature appeared in Shangguan Yan’s mind. He muttered to himself in a low voice, “Without parents, without friends. Jian Yujue: There are more than just the two of us in this world, but perhaps only you and I, never needing anyone’s pity.”

“Young Master, what did you say?”

Shangguan Yan turned his head back, smiled indifferently, and said, “It’s not like I’ve never kneeled in the ancestral hall before. Wouldn’t it be better if Yunniang pities me and brings me some delicious food?”

The attendant sighed and helplessly turned his head, saying, “Alright, as you wish.”

After the conclusion of the spring examinations but before the announcement of the results, the examinees remained in the capital, and the entire Ying Tian Prefecture suddenly became lively. However, this liveliness was not for Jian Yujue. After all, it was the time for spring farming. Although Madam Jian was getting old, she still had one or two plots of land behind the house. Therefore, on the day after the exams, Jian Yujue bid farewell to Shopkeeper Li and rode a mule cart back to Qingzhou.

On the tenth day after his departure, five days before the announcement, something happened at the Gongyuan’s storage room.

It was probably due to the dry weather that a fire broke out in the middle of the night, burning a small batch of answer sheets. Fortunately, this batch was already marked as unsuccessful, while those with good answers that had the potential to become tribute scholars had been stored in another room. The Ministry of Rites searched for a while but didn’t find anything suspicious, so they had to give up.

Although it had some impact on the review of the subsequent examinees, it was not possible to repeat the exams just because of the answer sheets of those who failed. Especially the Minister of Rites, Lu Wenguang, firmly disagreed with a re-examination. The conclusion seemed imminent, and there was no need to take risks again.

The fire incident was suppressed, and although there were some doubts, they eventually faded away. Until the day of the announcement, no further issues arose.

On the day of the announcement, the public bulletin board in front of the gate of the capital’s prefectural government was crowded with people. Shopkeeper Li managed to squeeze in with Jian Yujue and finally saw the yellow announcement paper.

Shopkeeper Li held his breath and looked from bottom to top. When he didn’t find anything, his smile became even more pronounced. However, when he saw the name of the top scorer, his heart suddenly turned cold, and his smile froze on the spot.

“Yujue, you… you…”

A warm sensation spread from Shopkeeper Li’s shoulder as he turned his head, only to see Jian Yujue’s slender, pale hand and his indifferent expression. “Uncle Li, I have let you down. I am not there.”

“No, it’s not…” Shopkeeper Li shook his head with tears in his eyes, grabbing Jian Yujue’s hand desperately. “No, Yujue, there must be something wrong. Tell me if you encountered anything strange, like if the examiner stayed with you for a long time or anything like that.”

Jian Yujue raised his gaze, puzzled. “Uncle Li, how do you know?”

Shopkeeper Li didn’t say a word, feeling unsteady on his feet. The voices of people nearby fell into their ears.

“Oh, I heard the top scorer is the son of the Minister of Rites.”

“Like father, like son. I remember the Minister of Rites was also the top scorer back in the day.”

“What do you know? After the palace examination, he only made it to the same rank as a Jinshi. Who doesn’t speculate about his past? I bet his son is the same.” The speaker’s implication was clear, but the other two fell silent.

Jian Yujue looked at Shopkeeper Li, whose face had turned pale. “Uncle Li, do you know the Minister of Rites?”

“Um…” Shopkeeper Li looked up, tears filling his eyes. “I know now. It’s my fault. You shouldn’t have entered the Imperial College. They wouldn’t have thought of scheming against you. I know it. That answer sheet from Lu Guanlin must be yours!” It was just like when they exchanged answer sheets with Lu Wenguang back then.

Jian Yujue didn’t show any surprise on his face at the words. His eyes remained calm as water, and as a person who valued cleanliness, he raised the corner of his sleeve and wiped away the tears at the corner of Shopkeeper Li’s eye. “Imperial College was my own decision, and I have learned a lot. Besides, Uncle Li, you are just speculating.”

“Yujue, this is not speculation. With Lu Guanlin, how could he possibly become the top scorer!”

“Uncle Li, there’s nothing in this world that is impossible. Anyone who participates in the provincial examination has the chance to become the top scorer.” When Jian Yujue withdrew his hand, a firm determination flickered in his eyes.

“But at least I will apply for a review.”

Shopkeeper Li looked up at the young man in front of him, holding back his sobs. He almost forgot that beneath Jian Yujue’s gentle and compliant surface, there was stubbornness and obstinacy. He had his pride and confidence.

“But what if we can’t find anything in the end?”

Jian Yujue helped Shopkeeper Li up and stooped down to pat the dust off his robe. “Then we’ll take the exam again in three years.”

“At least I have no regrets.”

***

In the grand mansion of the Minister of Rites, Lu Wenguang, a group of people who came to congratulate him had just been sent away.

Only Lu Guanlin and Lu Wenguang remained in the main hall. Lu Wenguang had a smile on his face, but Lu Guanlin didn’t seem entirely happy.

“Father, what do we do now that he has become the top scorer? It’s so obvious how capable Jian Yujue is.”

He knew his own abilities, and it wasn’t just him who knew. Even his fellow students at the Imperial Academy were aware. If he achieved the top score, wouldn’t he be the subject of gossip behind his back?

“Why worry? Being the top scorer is a good thing. I’m quite satisfied.”

Lu Guanlin worriedly said, “But what about the palace examination, father? What do we do?”

“Don’t worry, I have it all arranged. Just keep moving forward.”

Lu Guanlin remembered the first time he met Jian Yujue—the calm yet angry look in his eyes. Suddenly, a thought struck him. “Father, what if he reports to the authorities and requests a review?”

In the Mingyin Dynasty’s provincial examination, if there were objections to the results, a review could be requested. The examiners would then cross-check the answers with the examinee.

“I won’t give him the chance for a review. If he’s unwilling, I’ll grant him a fifth-rank official position three years later.” Lu Wenguang also felt regretful. Unfortunately, the answer sheet with the name ‘Jian Yujue’ that was burned didn’t include his son’s answers. It was currently guarded by the attendants at the Bowen Pavilion, and he couldn’t destroy it.

“Father, you don’t understand him. Jian Yujue won’t agree to that!”

“That’s even simpler. He’ll never have a chance to enter the court as an official in his lifetime.”

Lu Guanlin sneered. That scholar surnamed Li, in the end, had lost even his status as a jinshi due to his suppression. He was a child of a poor family, so what gave him the audacity to fight against them, the noble families?

***

Shopkeeper Li stood at the entrance of the government office, watching Jian Yujue, who was knocking on the drum of injustice. He had wanted to advise him all along but never spoke up.

The path he had walked, the path that took a detour, was refusing Lu Wenguang’s conditions and persistently requesting a review. He had lost his status as a jinshi and had fallen from grace, eventually becoming a shopkeeper.

If it weren’t for that conversation under the moonlight, he might have tried to persuade Jian Yujue, but now he couldn’t find the words.

Jian Yujue handed the petition paper to the Yamen runner, and soon the runner returned with a message, telling them to go back and wait.

Shopkeeper Li knew instantly that nothing had changed over the years. Candidates from humble backgrounds were always treated like this, with no choice but to drift along like floating duckweed.

“Yujue, let’s go back.”

“Mm, okay.”

On the way back to the shop, Jian Yujue remembered what Shangguan Yan had said. He had mentioned waiting for a few days. Could it be related to this?

***

Just two days after the announcement of the exam results, a major incident occurred regarding the examination papers that were kept in the Gongyuan Bowen Pavillion’s storage room.

Normally, the exam papers need to be cross-checked with the registration information of the candidates and their corresponding answer sheets. However, due to the fire incident, many answer sheets of the unsuccessful candidates were burned, making it difficult to match them accurately.

But the problem arose from the stack of answer sheets that were not burned.

Initially, the batch of top scorers’ answer sheets were unsealed first, and there were no issues at that time. The results were announced as usual. However, among the unsealed answer sheets of the unsuccessful candidates, three strange answer sheets were discovered.

The serial numbers of two sheets were impossible to determine, and one of them had the candidate’s name as Lu Guanlin. The other two answer sheets belonged to Jian Yujue.

In other words, in this exam, four individuals filled in the same name, indicating a suspicious case of substitution. Normally, by comparing the registered candidates with their answer sheets, it would be possible to identify the missing serial numbers. However, due to the fire incident, everything was difficult to verify. It all seemed like a planned scheme, and the most crucial part was that one of them turned out to be the top scorer, while the Qingzhou provincial top scorer, who had actually failed, had two poorly answered sheets. The whole situation was truly bizarre.

Somehow, this news spread like wildfire, and the Ministry of Rites couldn’t suppress it. The Emperor himself heard of it from the mouth of the censor and was furious. He ordered the Ministry of Rites not to be involved in the investigation, and to avoid suspicion, he appointed Qin Yan, the supervisor of the Eastern Bureau, to investigate the case thoroughly.

Jian Yujue had only just heard of this news at the old bookstore when Zhou Zheng from the Eastern Bureau was sent over.

Zhou Zheng politely said to Jian Yujue, “Scholar Jian, regarding your participation in this exam, please come with me.”

Shopkeeper Li felt afraid when he saw the official uniforms and stepped in front of Jian Yujue. “Sir, has something happened? Yujue hasn’t done anything, and he didn’t even make it onto the list.”

Zhou Zheng, seeing the old shopkeeper’s concern, turned to dismiss his subordinates and whispered, “Old man, don’t worry. It’s just a routine inquiry. Perhaps there might be another turning point.”

Jian Yujue nodded gently to reassure the anxious Shopkeeper Li, and walked towards Zhou Zheng.

“I’ll go with you.”