Diqin Designer

Chapter 195: The Emperor of Qin will summon
People like Fan Zeng don't want to kneel, but given the current situation, if they don't kneel, it would be difficult for them to get out.

Just as Fan Zeng and his companions were hesitating, the Qin official holding the gong came to their rescue: "Are you worried that the names you used on the answers were fake?"

The Qin official cleverly transformed their hesitation about not wanting to kneel down and shout "Long live the emperor!" with the Qin people into their worry about having written false names on the answer sheet.

But this is indeed a problem. As Fan Zeng had thought before, these people used pseudonyms, and it would not be easy for them to meet Emperor Qin and Li Nian.

Originally he felt that he was noble and did not want to reveal his name, so he accepted the gift from the Qin Emperor and left a false name on the answer sheet. Now his cleverness has backfired.

It would be fine if I didn't meet the Emperor Qin, but I had to go if Li Nianzhi invited me.

Because what Li Nian did would have far-reaching impact, they also wanted to see what kind of characters and teaching materials to compile.

Moreover, many of them came from the Hundred Schools of Thought, and they had all the more reasons to go, but now they were embarrassed by a pseudonym.

The Qin official said again: "Don't worry about this matter, your Majesty and the young master will not take it seriously."

This made many people look ashamed. They used pseudonyms for reference. Qin Huang and Li Nian knew it, but they were generous and didn't care. They intended to let them go.

Someone immediately saluted in the direction of the Qin Emperor's Palace: "Thank you, His Majesty the Emperor!"

Others who used pseudonyms for reference also followed suit. Although they had not yet met Emperor Qin and Li Nian, they all had some good feelings towards them.

The incident was not a big deal, but it showed that the Emperor Qin was not as violent as rumored. Instead, he was quite a sage and wise ruler.

Perhaps they had misjudged the Qin Emperor before?

Seeing this scene, Fan Zeng wondered whether this was a deliberate trick by Qin Huang and Li Nian: knowing that these people would use pseudonyms, they deliberately showed magnanimity to win people's hearts.

Fan Zeng was overthinking this. How could Ying Zheng and Li Nian be so predictable?
I never thought about doing anything with this matter. I just found that many people used pseudonyms in the Xianyang examination, even the leader Chu Mo used a pseudonym, which would affect the subsequent arrangements, so I decided not to pursue those who used pseudonyms.

If the case is really investigated and all those who used fake names are arrested and punished, I am afraid that more than half of the more than 3,000 candidates who took the exam will have to go to jail.

The Qin official holding the gong looked at those who had not yet bowed and thanked, such as Fan Zeng, and said, "As for all the great sages, please bring your own reference documents and follow me to the palace to meet His Majesty."

Today they are responsible for both announcing the results and bringing the successful candidates into the palace for an audience with the emperor.

Knowing that the Emperor Qin would invite them after the results were announced today, most of the candidates had already bathed and prepared their reference credentials in advance. Fan Zeng was no exception. Although he hated Qin, he also believed that the Emperor Qin was the king and the ruler of the world, and he should be polite when meeting him.

This is also a characteristic of this era. Even though I hate you and wish your country would be destroyed immediately, I will still treat you with courtesy and give you a certain amount of respect.

Fan Zeng and others followed these Qin officials and went to the Qin Imperial Palace under the escort of a team of Qin soldiers. Behind them were the envious eyes of those who were not on the list: They are going to see the Qin Emperor now, but we can only stay here. Forget it, let's see where the gap is between us and these people.

Some people took out their test papers from their pockets and started comparing them with the standard answers posted on the wooden board to see where they had made mistakes. Are there really answers to those math and science questions?

This time, not only the rankings of major lists were released, but at Li Nian's suggestion, the standard answers for the Xianyang exam were also posted.

Seeing that some people had started to check their answers, other candidates who were not on the list also took out their test papers and checked them. The more they checked, the more they felt that there was no trick in the ranking list and that their loss was not unfair.

At the same time, they admired those who were on the list, especially those who were in the top ten of each list, whose talents were indeed far above theirs. On the other hand, under the leadership of Qin Li, Fan Zeng and others arrived at the palace, and after an inspection, they were allowed to enter the palace.

Looking at the buildings in front of him, Fan Zeng felt mixed emotions.

This place is where the six kingdoms have wanted to reach for many years. Unfortunately, all six kingdoms are now destroyed, but this palace still stands here.

Today, he came, but not as a representative of Chu, nor did he bring any troops with him. Instead, he came here as a candidate for the Xianyang examination.

Fan Zeng didn't know what he could do about the upcoming meeting with the Emperor of Qin. It was impossible to assassinate the Emperor, but he was also somewhat reluctant to accept the Emperor's gift...

With mixed feelings, Fan Zeng entered the Qin Emperor's Palace. The person responsible for leading them turned out to be a eunuch in the palace. They were not immediately taken to meet the Qin Emperor, but were led to a palace.

Many eunuchs had been waiting here for a long time. Fan Zeng saw that each of them was holding a tray with a set of clothes on it, which was obviously prepared for them.

An eunuch who did not carry the tray and seemed to have some status explained to them with a smile: "This is specially bestowed by His Majesty to the great sages. According to the ranking on the list, everyone can get one."

"Please change your clothes here before you come to see His Majesty!
"The original clothes of the great sages will be kept here temporarily and can be taken later."

The eunuch added: "Your Majesty said that if you do not want to change your clothes, you can do so!"

This was a favor of bestowing clothes. Accepting these clothes was equivalent to accepting the Qin Emperor's gift. How could they have the nerve to criticize and oppose Qin in the future? They also had to save their dignity.

Therefore, most people did not take their clothes to change immediately, but some people did not care much.

A thin middle-aged man wearing a coarse linen shirt with several patches on it said with a smile: "I have already received your majesty's grace, so what's the harm in having one more shirt? Please do as you please, I will change first."

Zhuang?

Is this person Zhuang Huang, who ranks first on the comprehensive list?
The thin middle-aged man immediately attracted everyone's attention. He said, "I was lucky enough to be ranked first on the comprehensive list. Where are my clothes?"

Seeing someone step forward on his own initiative, and the one who topped the comprehensive list, the eunuch who spoke smiled and said, "Mr. Zhuang, please follow me. Your clothes are here."

Almost everyone here is smart. There is something behind the eunuch's words, and this clothes may be a little special.

After the thin middle-aged man followed the eunuch to change clothes, another person stood up. He was someone Fan Zeng knew. He was the one who sat on his right in the examination room and was suspected to be Chu Mo's disciple.

The man said directly: "I took the exam under the name 'Yang Mo' and was at the top of the list of both the science and the study of things. Where is my clothes?"

Anyway, the pseudonym problem has been exposed, and it is impossible for him not to meet Li Nian, so Chu Mo simply admitted that he used the pseudonym "Yang Mo".

This again attracted a lot of attention, and Fan Zeng felt an indescribable sadness in his heart. The leader of Chu Mo also came to Qin and accepted the gift from the Qin Emperor.

Chu Mo should have been on Chu's side, but now he has to fly to someone else, and that "someone else" is Chu's enemy.

(End of this chapter)