bookrandom Chapter 623 The Number One Scholar
Chapter 623 The Number One Scholar
Lin Zhen and Wushe both looked in the direction of the sound.
Li Jie was seen with her arms around her chest, needless to say her amazing size.
She leaned against the broken window frame, her beautiful face showing a hint of undisguised mockery and a sharp insight.
She turned to Lin Zhen and fired directly, "Ha! Enjoying a good life? What good life? Master Lin, you're really making a big deal out of this! You're talking so nicely about leaving with a clean slate and living an upright life... I think you want to tie us two old losers back to the palace and use them to guard your house, right? After all, one is an old eunuch with the 'Two Yang Finger' and the other is the former leader of the Heavenly Dao Sect. Even though they're old, they're still more than capable of scaring off the scoundrels, right? It saves you the trouble of hiring a master, right?"
Li Jie's words directly exposed Lin Zhen's little idea of "taking advantage of the situation to benefit himself".
Lin Zhen's face flushed at what she said. He touched his nose and chuckled awkwardly, "Ahem... Mother-in-law, what you said is so hurtful! Guarding the house is certainly useful, but the most important thing is... don't you want to go back and see your little grandson? The little guy is growing up so fast, so delicate and beautiful, just like you, mother-in-law! He's so lucky to have you by his side to teach him so carefully!"
He tried to persuade them with family affection.
Li Jie remained unmoved. Her face, which resembled Qingxia, still wore a sneer, but her eyes were sharp, as if they could see through people's hearts.
"Oh! You're so smooth-talking! You want to control us and use us to your advantage, but you refuse to say it directly, and instead beat around the bush and find some high-sounding excuses! You, my son-in-law, are as cunning as a sieve. You're so annoying!"
She bluntly expressed her "disdain" for Lin Zhen, but the corners of her mouth twitched upwards ever so slightly. Beneath that hint of coldness, there was no real anger, but rather a kind of indulgence and helplessness towards the younger generation's petty calculations.
After saying that, she no longer paid attention to the embarrassed Lin Zhen, and her eyes fell on Wushe who was still kneeling on the ground.
Her eyes softened countless times in an instant when she saw Wushe's distraught look.
"Get up, old man." Li Jie's voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable strength.
She reached out her hand, not with words, but with her actions, gently pulling at Wushe's dusty sleeve. Her movements were gentle, with a kind of intimacy and heartache that was unique to an old couple.
"The ground is cold. Even at my age, I still have to worry about others."
Wushe's whole body trembled.
It was as if he was awakened by Li Jie's pull.
He knelt not because he was dismissed from his post, but because he was disrespectful to the emperor and empress.
At this moment, his old life has gone, and Lijie is his final home and comfort.
He woke up as if from a dream, and the last bit of confusion in his eyes completely dissipated, leaving only turbid tears and endless attachment to Lijie.
He did not stand up immediately, but remained kneeling and made an unexpected move.
He kowtowed three times slowly and deeply in the direction where Murong Yan disappeared, which was also the direction of the imperial palace. He kowtowed very heavily and respectfully.
"boom!"
"boom!"
"boom!"
Each time his forehead clashed with the stone, there was a dull but distinct sound. No words, no excuses, only three solemn kowtows.
Every kowtow feels like a solemn farewell.
Bid farewell to his decades-long career in the palace.
Farewell to the three emperors he had accompanied.
Say goodbye to the days and nights when living with you is like living with a tiger.
Say goodbye to the eunuch's chair that symbolizes power but also brings endless shackles.
These three kowtows are not begging for mercy, but expressing gratitude.
Thank you for the monarch's forgiveness, thank you for the compassion hidden under the severity, and thank you for this belated relief and freedom.
After these three kowtows, Wushe's body seemed to relax completely, and the invisible weight that he had carried on his shoulders for his entire life quietly dissipated.
He supported himself on the ground and stood up staggeringly. He brushed off the dust and grass on his knees and sleeves, then naturally and gently held Li Jie's hand that was still holding his sleeve.
The hand was slightly cold, but it brought him unprecedented peace of mind.
He turned to look at Lin Zhen. The fear, sadness and despair on his face had long disappeared, replaced by a kind of calmness and relief after experiencing all the vicissitudes of life. He even forced out an extremely ugly but extremely real smile.
"This old servant... I have no words to thank the Crown Prince and Your Majesty for your help."
Lin Zhen looked at him tightly holding Li Jie's hand, looked at his eyes that had taken off all disguises, leaving only fatigue and true ease, and smiled: "Okay, let's go home."
......
The hustle and bustle of the summer exam has settled, but the air in the capital is still filled with a new kind of restlessness and anticipation.
Those who passed the imperial examination were full of confidence, while those who failed were dejected. The eyes of the entire empire were focused on the soon-to-be-crowned top scorer.
The lights in the Zichen Hall were bright.
On the imperial desk, piles of red scrolls have been classified into different categories.
Murong Yan sat upright on the phoenix chair, shedding the majesty she had in the court. There was a trace of fatigue between her brows from reviewing memorials, but she looked more focused.
She held a pen dipped in cinnabar and was concentrating on studying the last test paper that was personally held up by the Minister of Rites and placed at the top.
The handwriting on this test paper is clear, steep and powerful, like a solitary peak, and the force can be seen through the back of the paper.
The article has a unique approach and lofty arguments. It quotes from classics but is not bound by ancient methods. Its criticisms of current ills are to the point. What is even more rare is that there is a spirit of enterprising, pragmatic and innovative spirit between the lines. It stands out among the many answers that are either gorgeously piled up or stale and conservative.
Murong Yan raised the corners of her lips slightly, and a hint of admiration flashed in her eyes.
She picked up the red pen and wrote three powerful characters at the beginning of the test paper:
"First Class, First Class."
Then, in the blank space below, he dipped his brush into thick ink and wrote a name that could change the trajectory of a young man's life:
Xiao Hanzhou
The dust settles when the pen falls.
The new top scholar is born!
"Xuan Xiao Hanzhou comes to see you!" Murong Yan put down the red pen and spoke in a clear voice.
A moment later, a young man in a brand new blue imperial scholar's robe walked into the hall with his head lowered, led by a eunuch.
He was as tall and straight as a pine tree, and walked steadily. Although he bowed his head to show respect, he did not show any humility or cowardice.
He walked to the foot of the imperial steps, lifted his robe and knelt down, his voice clear and calm:
"Newly minted Jinshi Xiao Hanzhou pays homage to His Majesty! Long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty!"
"Stand up." Murong Yan's eyes fell on Xiao Hanzhou.
He raised his head, revealing a young and angular face.
He has sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, a healthy wheat-colored complexion, and eyes that are clear and bright, like a mountain spring. He carries the unique integrity of a scholar, but also reveals a perseverance and calmness that is different from that of ordinary scholars.
This demeanor made Murong Yan nod secretly in her heart.