Above the Great Dao
Chapter 680 - 305: "When spring arrives, if I do not speak first, which insect dares to make a sound?

Chapter 680: Chapter 305: "When spring arrives, if I do not speak first, which insect dares to make a sound?

Then he mentioned his unclear entanglements with certain married women, and even implicated other court officials.

Yan Guzhi felt a chill in his heart; these Hanlin Scholars were supported by the Xia Family, and it was clear the Xia brothers had long been prepared. To evade guilt, they accused first, intending to pin the blame on him.

The two brothers were First Grade officials, while he was a Second Grade official. Clearly, the Xia Family would never abandon two First Grade officials, but the Yan Family could afford to abandon him, a Second Grade official.

Ironically, he had been trying all these days to save others, and now he feared he would be discarded.

Indeed, the announcement from the cabinet in the court halted his position as Minister of Rites, with Vice Minister of Rites Yang Shaqing temporarily assuming the role, to manage the aftermath of the Spring Examination.

Yang Shaqing took over as Minister of Rites with a vigorous approach, quickly announcing the Spring Examination Golden List and setting the rankings for those who passed the Imperial Examination.

The Young Lord was the top scorer, followed by the recruitment of three hundred Advanced Scholars, who were to remain in the capital awaiting orders.

Other Scholars could return to their hometowns, or receive other appointments.

Yang Shaqing then ordered the three hundred Advanced Scholars to attend the imperial examination at Zhongji Palace on May 20th.

The Fuzheng Pavilion was filled with great joy.

"The Young Lord is destined, as if aided by divine forces this time."

Secretary Cao cried with joy, saying, "The Young Lord’s two major rivals, Chen Shi and Zhang You, have fallen into the underworld, their lives unknown. In this imperial examination, the Young Lord will surely seize the top!"

All the officials at Fuzheng Pavilion including the senior scholars, sacrificial wine officer, and the secretary were extremely delighted, and even Shui Xuanzhi couldn’t help but smile, saying: "I actually feel it would be better to leave one or two opponents, for a spectacular match. If the Young Lord wins, it will make him famous across the world."

Officials from all over the Western Capital also flocked to Xiexiu Hall to visit the Young Lord, from high-ranking Five Armies Commanders to the Vice Ministers and assistants of the Six Ministries, as well as officials from the Dali Temple, Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple, Ministry of Communication, and Honglu Temple, all came to pay their respects.

Qin Su intended to block these people by saying the Young Lord needed to focus on cultivation, but Shui Xuanzhi shook his head, saying: "The top scorer is already decided. Now is the time for the Young Lord to meet these officials to stabilize people’s hearts."

Therefore, the Young Lord met with officials from all sides.

Shui Xuanzhi added: "Create momentum before the imperial examination."

The people of Fuzheng Pavilion then released the Young Lord’s essays from the Imperial Examination, hired some scholars to analyze each sentence thoroughly, referencing classics to produce comprehensive thousand-word essays and repeatedly proved their points.

Many of these scholars and Scholars were mostly without money or power. Even with a few pennies, they would be glad to come. Even if it were cow dung, it could be blown into a flower, let alone these essays, which were already excellent, written by minor clerks at the Ministry of Rites.

Fuzheng Pavilion also bought some monks and Taoists from the Monk Record Office and Daoist Record Bureau to promote the Young Lord’s virtues in the Western Capital, sharing stories of rewarding good and punishing evil, his various legendary experiences, and even different accounts of omens at his birth.

Some said that golden lotuses sprung from the earth when the Young Lord was born. Others claimed that his mother dreamed of the Purple Star streaking across the sky, entering her belly before his birth. Still others said a red light surrounded him for three days at birth, not dissipating. They said he was protected by the True God at birth, blessed by the Outer Heaven True God, and so on.

Then they had a household leader from the Households challenge the Young Lord, only to be righteously defeated by him. The leader humbly admitted defeat and knelt before the Young Lord, thanking him for his guidance.

They also had generals from the Capital Commanding Department, Guard Commanding Department, Capital Guard Commanding Department, Five Armies Commander’s Mansion, Divine Mechanism Camp, and Divine Pivot Camp challenge the Young Lord. Each of those defeated or given a bit of advice expressed gratitude, sparing no words of praise.

There were also many rumors that the Young Lord was not the son of Minister of War Ren Xiao, but an adopted son. That the Young Lord’s surname was not Ren, but Zhu, and he was a descendant of the True King—a legitimate prince.

It was said that the Young Lord’s journey to the capital was in fact the fortune of the West Bull New Continent, calling upon a True King to lead the people out of misfortune.

Soon, an old man on the street saying that the Purple Qi came from the east because the True King was in the world.

Outside the Western Capital, there were foxes crying in the night: "The top scorer rises, and Great Ming prospers!"

Many people heard it.

In just a few days, the Young Lord became famous throughout Beijing, known by everyone. The whole of the Western Capital was abuzz with discussions.

On May 20th, the imperial examination began.

Both inside and outside Zhongji Palace, heavy guards were stationed; soldiers of the Divine Mechanism Camp were equipped with Bowl-Mouth Guns, the Divine Pivot Camp laid out formations, and the Five Armies were stationed outside.

In attendance were the Hanlin Academy, the Imperial College, the Six Ministries, the Cabinet, the Three Dukes, the Three Solitariums, the Crown Prince’s three tutors, and many other high officials. The cabinet set the literary examination questions, followed by martial tests.

The grand examination lasted three days.

In the Literary Examination, the Young Lord’s essays were so radiant, each word like a pearl, it appeared in the sky as brilliant as stars, capturing the attention of the Western Capital’s citizens as they looked up and recited them. Upon hearing that the phenomenon was caused by the Young Lord’s essays, they were overwhelmed with excitement.

On the third day, the Martial Examination took place, and many Advanced Scholars surrendered, not daring to compete with the Young Lord.

As for the runner-up and third place, as well as other second-grade and third-grade ranks, they were essentially decided during the Advanced Scholars’ Martial Examination; it was merely a formality.

Cabinet Chief Minister Zhang Fuzheng took a deep breath, stood up, and said in a deep voice: "The imperial examination is concluded, today’s top in the martial test is..."

"Who says the martial test is over?"

A loud voice erupted, startling the assembled high officials of the Western Capital, who all turned to look. The terrain of Zhongji Palace was quite elevated, and from high above, they saw Righteous Qi spanning a hundred miles, coming from afar, stretching all the way to the Western Capital, and at the end of that Righteous Qi was a young man walking towards Zhongji Palace.

Behind him were many young Scholars, both men and women, all filled with spirit, the air of vitality connecting with the Heaven and Earth Righteous Qi.

Hundreds of Scholars moved down the long street, flanked by Western Capital citizens, casting curious and startled glances their way.

The people were utterly shocked; these people, thought to be surely dead, trapped in the underworld for a month, had returned alive!

Once, the plight of the Scholars trapped in the underworld tugged at people’s hearts, and later they were replaced by a cat, but how could these who were thought dead arise alive?

The imposing presence of the Scholars, as more than three hundred walked, united, gave the impression of an army of thousands approaching the capital.

Their steps echoed with a formation, exuding an eerie killing intent.

The soldiers of the Five Armies stationed in the Inner City were incited by the imposing aura, instinctively showing their talismanic weapons, prepared for battle.

Soldiers from the Divine Mechanism Camp instinctively lifted their Bowl-Mouth Guns, aiming at these Scholars.

Jin Hongying, furious, kicked over a soldier and punched another, shouting: "Why are you raising guns? Did I tell you to raise guns? Those are Scholars! Are you rebelling? Put them down, everyone put them down!"

Divine Mechanism Camp soldiers lowered their guns.

Several officers from the Five Armies turned their heads, looking towards Five Armies Commanders Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying, but both commanders were in Zhongji Palace, giving no instructions.

Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying’s expressions shifted uncertainly. At that moment, if they ordered the slaughter of these Scholars, it would indeed remove a great threat for the Young Lord.

But to order the killing of Scholars, and more than three hundred at that, they wouldn’t keep their own heads!

The two brothers remained motionless, even though Shui Xuanzhi kept glancing at them, they pretended not to see.

Chen Shi led the Scholar army straight through, entering the gate under everyone’s watchful eyes; the Heaven and Earth Righteous Qi hung like the sun and moon in the sky, giving a sense that the righteous qi between heaven and earth would last forever.

The long-standing gloom over the Inner City seemed to have been swept away!

Chen Shi, with three hundred and fifty Scholars, ascended the steps of Zhongji Palace, moving upward step by step.

"Student Chen Shi!"

Before Zhongji Palace, the civil and military officials of the Western Capital looked towards the stone steps, only to hear a firm and powerful voice resonating from below, not loud, yet echoing clearly throughout the entire Western Capital.

"A month ago, we faced great calamity, falling with fellow Scholars into the underworld, traversing mountains and dangers, battling Ghost Gods, vanquishing Ghost Monks, eradicating evil, and fighting relentlessly for miles. After enduring all hardships, today we return to the capital to partake in the imperial examination!"

Chen Shi’s face came into the view of the officials, followed by his upper body, his entire form, and then the faces of each Scholar, youthful and vibrant.

Chen Shi’s gaze passed over the civil and military officials, landing squarely on the Young Lord kneeling at the steps of Zhongji Palace, his voice echoed like clashing metal, filled with an unmistakable killing intent.

"Who dares claim top scorer if they have not bested me?"

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