Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 382 You absolutely mustn't say you're my disciples, I'm afraid of losing face.

The next day at noon, the warm spring sun hung in the sky, making the streets of Chang'an feel pleasantly warm.

Outside the examination hall next to the Ministry of Personnel, all kinds of carriages were already crowded together. The servants beside the carriages stood on tiptoe to look at the entrance of the examination hall and whispered to each other from time to time. They were all there to pick up the scholars who had participated in the spring examination and take them home.

Wen He sat in her unassuming blue cloth carriage, lifting the curtain to look at the lively scene, and a sense of familiarity suddenly welled up in her heart.

In my previous life, when the college entrance exam ended, the school gate was just like this: parents crowded the roadside, holding water and snacks, waiting for their children to come out.

However, he walked straight away after leaving the school gate.

Because no one was there waiting for him.

He gently shook his head, suppressing the thought, picked up his book and continued reading, patiently waiting.

"Squeak."

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the heavy vermilion gates of the examination hall slowly opened, and several examiners in official robes came out first.

Then, a group of scholars, dragging their weary steps, slowly made their way out.

Most of them had sallow complexions, dark circles under their eyes, disheveled hair, and ink and dust stains on their robes, looking like a group of people just released from prison, with no trace of their usual refined demeanor.

Wen He could see clearly that those scholars from high-ranking families were in a particularly sorry state.

They usually live in luxury, in exquisite mansions, and sleep on soft pillows and brocade quilts. But now, after spending three days in the examination hall, they can only eat dry and hard wheat cakes, drink well water with an earthy taste, and even sleep curled up on a makeshift wooden bed. How can they endure this suffering?
A scholar dressed in a silk robe had just stepped out of the gate when his legs buckled and he almost fell. Fortunately, his servant caught him. He muttered, "I'll never take the exam again." Then, his parents, who had come to pick him up, beat him up, which drew snickers from the people around them.

“Young master, you tried that wooden bed at the examination hall before, and you said it was so hard it hurt your bones and you couldn’t sleep at all.”

Qi San, standing to the side, couldn't help but speak, recalling what had happened before.

"These scholars have to stay inside for three days, and they also have to write policy essays and interpret the classics. It must be quite tiring."

Wen He nodded.

To experience the plight of the scholars, he spent half a day in the examination room of the examination hall. The wooden bed was just a few planks pieced together and covered with a thin layer of straw. Lying on it, you could clearly feel the grain of the planks. Not to mention sleeping soundly, even sitting for a long time made your back ache.

Not to mention that during these three days, the scholars had to eat, drink, and relieve themselves in cramped cells, and could only use a small amount of water for washing. It was already difficult for them to endure it.

Just then, Qi San suddenly pointed to the front of the crowd and said, "Young master, Meng Zhou and the other two are coming out!"

Wen He looked up and, sure enough, saw three familiar figures in the crowd.

Meng Zhou carried a cloth bag on his back and walked at the front, his steps somewhat unsteady.

Zhao Lei followed beside him, rubbing his eyes, looking like he hadn't woken up yet.

Wu Sheng walked at the back, his face showing some fatigue, but also a hint of anticipation.

The three men were standing at the door, talking with several familiar scholars, probably discussing the exam questions. But after only a few words, they were too tired, so they bowed to each other and prepared to leave.

Wen He put down the book in her hand and said to Qi San, "Go and call them over and have them get on the carriage."

"Hey!"

Qi San responded and quickly walked over, saying a few words to the three of them.

Upon hearing this, Meng Zhou and the others immediately looked in the direction of the carriage. When they saw Wen He, their faces lit up with joy, and they quickly walked over.

Despite being exhausted, the three of them instinctively straightened their robes, walked to the carriage, and bowed, saying, "Students greet you, Master."

"Get in the car, everyone. We can talk about it when we get back."

Wen He lifted the curtain, gesturing for them to come up.

The three men respectfully replied "Yes" and climbed into the carriage one by one.

The carriage wasn't very spacious, and the three of them squeezed together, yet they still sat upright with their hands on their knees, looking very proper.

Wen He looked at the dark circles under their eyes and their slightly trembling fingers, and felt a little sorry for them, but she didn't say anything. She just told the driver to set off towards the Wen residence.

The carriage moved slowly, and the carriage was quiet.

She probably couldn't hold on any longer, and not long after, Wen He heard faint breathing sounds beside her.

He turned his head and saw Zhao Lei leaning against the carriage wall, his eyes closed and his brows slightly furrowed.

Meng Zhou leaned against Zhao Lei, his head nodding, clearly about to fall asleep.

Only Wu Sheng was still holding on, but his eyelids were drooping and he almost dropped the paper and pen in his hand.

Looking at their exhausted appearance, Wen He sighed softly and signaled the driver to slow down the carriage and keep it as steady as possible so as not to wake them.

They traveled in silence, and the carriage soon arrived at the entrance of the Wen residence.

Qi San was about to get out of the car to call the three people when Wen He stopped him with a look and whispered.

"Stop calling them, let them sleep. Go to the manor and call a few strong and healthy servants to gently carry the three of them to the backyard and let them rest well without disturbing anyone else."

"Yes, young master."

Qi San agreed and tiptoed into the mansion. Not long after, several servants followed Qi San out, carefully climbed into the carriage, and carried Meng Zhou and the others down one by one.

The three of them were fast asleep, and when they were picked up, they only whimpered twice and did not wake up.

Wen He got off the carriage and stood at the gate of the mansion. She watched the servants carry the three of them into the backyard before she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Brother!"

Just then, a clear, crisp cry rang out.

Wen He turned her head and saw Wenrou leading the three little ones, Li Tai, Li Ke, and Li You, running out of the mansion.

"Brother, who were those people just now? Why were they carried inside?"

Wenrou ran to Wenhe's side, tilted her little face up and asked, her eyes full of doubt.

"It was Meng Zhou and the others who were exhausted from participating in the imperial examinations and fell asleep, so the servants carried them in to rest."

Wen He smiled and patted Wenrou's head, then looked at Li Tai and the other two.

What are you doing here? Are you heading out?

Li Tai shook the candied hawthorn in his hand and said with a smile.

“Mr. Wen, it was my mother who sent us into the palace.”

"Enter the palace?"

Wen He raised an eyebrow, then yawned, a hint of drowsiness on her face.

He stayed up late last night working on the hot air balloon support design and is now quite tired, so he has no interest in going to the palace.

However, he still reminded Wenrou to be gentle.

"Be good after you enter the palace, don't be naughty. There are many rules in the palace, so don't cause trouble for the Empress."

"Know it!"

She chuckled gently and stuck out her tongue at Wen He.

"Xiao Rou wouldn't be naughty!"

After saying that, she took Li Ke's hand and said, "Alright, alright, let's go quickly, brother, go back to sleep."

"Ahem, um, let go of my hand." Wen He suddenly frowned.

Li Ke stiffly pulled his hand away.

She pouted slightly.

"Men and women shouldn't touch each other. You little girl, if you're going to leave, why are you holding onto other people? Don't hold other boys' hands in the future, not even those three, understand?"

Looking at Wen He, she was nagging like an old woman.

Wenrou really wanted to cover her ears.

"Okay, okay, brother, stop nagging. Let's go."

The little girl grew impatient and quickly walked outside.

Li Tai and Li You gave Li Ke a meaningful look.

The latter remained expressionless, as if nothing had happened, and bowed to Wen He.

"Goodbye, sir!"

Wen He waved his hand.

"Go, be careful on the road."

Watching Wenrou and the figures of Li Tai, Li Ke, and Li You disappear at the gate of the mansion, Wen He turned around and walked into the mansion.

He suddenly felt weak all over, and even standing up made him sway. He didn't care about anything else and went straight to his courtyard, wanting to go back to his room and get a good night's sleep.

But he didn't sleep well; he had a nightmare.

Wenrou got married.

The little blond guy in my dream looked familiar.

It's just that I can't see it clearly.

Just as he was about to see who it was, he suddenly woke up.

"Phew... it was just a dream."

Wen He wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. The sunlight outside the window had already shone into the room through the window frame, making the floor bright. She had obviously been sleeping for more than two hours.

He rubbed his throbbing temples, recalling the gentle scene of his wedding in his dream, and couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly.

"Why would I dream about Xiaorou getting married? The way I'm worrying about her makes me look like an old woman doting on her younger sister. I'm really getting more and more like a child."

After a while, the oppressive feeling from the dream gradually dissipated. Wen He threw off the covers and got out of bed. As soon as she pushed open the door, the maid and A Dong who were guarding the door hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.

"Young master, are you awake? Would you like some food? The kitchen has some of your favorite meat soup, it's still warm."

Wen He waved his hand and first asked about the situation of Meng Zhou and the others.

"Adong, how are Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng? Have they woken up?"

"Young master, the three of them woke up half an hour ago."

Adong replied with a smile.

"The housekeeper specially arranged for them to have some light porridge and a few refreshing side dishes. The three of them ate quite a bit, but said they still felt tired and went back to their rooms to rest. They estimated they wouldn't be fully awake until evening."

"Okay, let them rest well and don't disturb them."

Wen He nodded and then gave her detailed instructions.

"If they wake up, have the kitchen prepare more nourishing soups to help them recover. They probably haven't eaten or slept well during these three days of the imperial examinations."

"Yes, I understand. I'll go tell the steward right away."

Adong agreed, bowed, and withdrew.

Wen He stood in the courtyard for a moment. The spring breeze, carrying a touch of warmth, blew away the lingering drowsiness.

He stretched lazily and then walked outside.

"Go and summon Qi San, and arrange for five Xuanjia Guards to accompany me to the Ministry of Works."

Half an hour later, Wen He's carriage left the Wen residence and headed towards the Ministry of Works.

It was nearly late afternoon, but Chang'an Street was still bustling with activity. The cries of vendors, the rumble of carriages and horses, and the laughter of pedestrians mingled together, creating a vibrant scene.

But as soon as you get close to the Ministry of Works, the atmosphere becomes noticeably different.

The gate was bustling with artisans dressed in coarse work clothes and clerks carrying blueprints and documents, each with a look of anxiety on their face and hurried steps, not even having time to stop and catch their breath.

"Of the six ministries, the Ministry of Works is probably the busiest right now."

Wen He looked at the bustling scene outside through the gap in the carriage curtain, and felt a little emotional.

The Ministry of Works may seem to only be in charge of "construction," but in reality it concerns the national economy and people's livelihood.

From the farmers' tools and houses to the imperial court's weapons and water conservancy, everything was subject to the Ministry of Works' management.

As the Minister of Works, Yan Lide had a mountain of affairs to deal with every day. It was already a great effort for him to take the time to help prepare the craftsmen and materials for building hot air balloons.

The carriage quickly stopped at the entrance of the Ministry of Works. The sharp-eyed gatekeeper recognized Wen He's carriage at a glance, and hurriedly put down his work to greet him, bowing respectfully.

"This humble servant greets the magistrate of Gaoyang County!"

Wen He got off the carriage, straightened his robes, nodded and asked.

Is Minister Yan in the yamen at the moment?

The servant looked somewhat troubled and quickly replied.

"Returning to the county seat, Minister Yan is receiving guests in the main hall. The guest is the Duke of Dai. I heard that the Duke of Dai came about military affairs at the front and has been talking inside for almost an hour. How about this? I will take you to the side hall to rest and serve you some hot tea. After Minister Yan sees his guest off, I will invite you over."

Just as Wen He was about to nod in agreement, a slightly hoarse but powerful voice suddenly came from behind him, clearly calling out his name.

"Jiaying?"

Wen He paused for a moment, then turned around and saw Yan Lide accompanying an elderly man in a light blue round-necked robe as he walked out of the main hall.

The old man was about sixty years old. Although his hair and beard were already white, he was still vigorous and upright. Even in his ordinary clothes, he could not hide the majesty of someone who had been through many battles. Who else could he be but Li Jing?
"So it's the Duke of Dai!"

Wen He quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a respectful tone.

"This humble official greets the Duke of Dai."

Li Jing stepped forward, reached out to help Wen He up, looked him over carefully, and a smile appeared on his face.

"It's been a long time since we last met."

"Jiaying, what brings you here again today?" Yan Lide asked with a smile.

Wen He said awkwardly, half-jokingly.

"Brother Lide, what are you saying? Do you mean I can't come to the Ministry of Works to see you if I have nothing to do? Or are you saying that you don't welcome me?"

Yan Lide glared at him irritably, but a smile played on his lips.

"You're always so glib. If you had nothing to do, even if I invited you myself, you probably wouldn't come. But you've been running to the Ministry of Works for two days in a row. There must be something urgent. Stop beating around the bush and just tell me."

Seeing that Yan Lide had seen through her thoughts, Wen He stopped joking, put away her smile, and said seriously.

“It is indeed urgent. After I left the East Palace yesterday, I made a bet with Lord Yu… that is, Yu Zuo Shuzi, that is, to make the ‘object’ I told you about before as soon as possible. So I came today to finalize the details of the craftsmen and materials with you, and see if we can send the people and things to my house outside the city as soon as possible.”

He didn't elaborate on what he was going to build—a hot air balloon—nor did he mention the specifics of the bet, only vaguely referring to the word "object."

Yan Lide was extremely astute, and upon hearing this, he understood most of it and immediately nodded in agreement.

"I see. Then we really need to hurry. Don't worry, I've already prepared the craftsmen and materials for you. Just send someone over first thing tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Wen He felt relieved, but then she felt uneasy and quickly asked.

"Brother Lide, if you transfer so many skilled craftsmen to me, won't the Ministry of Works be short-handed? After all, the Ministry of Works is already extremely busy with both the production of military equipment and the management of water conservancy. If the transfer of craftsmen from my side delays the important matters, that would be bad."

"You're quite thoughtful, still thinking about the Ministry of Works' manpower."

Yan Lide smiled and waved his hand, then turned to look at Li Jing beside him.

"But don't worry, the Ministry of Works is not short of people now, thanks to the Duke of Dai."

Upon hearing this, Wen He looked at Li Jing with curiosity, her eyes full of doubt.

Seeing this, Yan Lide smiled and explained, "This morning at court, I mentioned to His Majesty the shortage of craftsmen in the Ministry of Works. I said that we have to rush to produce military equipment and deal with water conservancy projects, and we are really short-handed. After hearing this, the Duke of Dai suggested to His Majesty that we recruit soldiers with skills from the army. Many soldiers were craftsmen before they joined the army, and quite a few of them know how to blacksmith, carpenter, and weaver. We can temporarily lend them to the Ministry of Works and let them return to the army after this busy period is over."

"His Majesty agreed immediately and issued an edict ordering the Ministry of War to cooperate. Sure enough, in just one morning, the Ministry of War sent over a roster of more than three hundred people, all skilled craftsmen. The Ministry of Works suddenly had plenty of manpower. Transferring a dozen or so people to you won't be a problem at all."

Wen He then understood and quickly turned to Li Jing, bowing and thanking him: "So that's how it is. Thank you, Duke Dai, for helping the Ministry of Works out of this predicament. Thank you for your help. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to transfer the craftsmen smoothly."

There's no need for such formalities between us.

Li Jing smiled and helped him up, then changed the subject, his eyes showing a hint of curiosity.

"Speaking of which, the bet you made with Yu Shinan yesterday has already spread throughout the court. Many people are talking about it, saying that you are going to create a 'world-shaking' object, but no one knows what you are going to create. I am also very curious. Why don't you tell me what kind of treasure it is that would make you bet with Yu Shinan?"

Upon hearing this, Wen He was taken aback.

He thought his bet with Yu Shinan was just a private agreement, but he never expected it to spread throughout the imperial court.

But then he thought about it again and felt surprised. Yu Shinan was a meticulous person. If he knew that the bet had spread, he would have explained it clearly. But now everyone only knew about the bet and did not know what he was going to do. Obviously, Yu Shinan deliberately concealed it.

He pondered for a moment, then instantly understood the key point.

Yu Shinan must have felt that he might not be able to build a hot air balloon. If he were to reveal his plan to "build flying objects" now, and later found out that he couldn't build one, he would not only be ridiculed by the court officials, but might also be impeached.

Although Yu Shinan had made a bet with him, he did not want to see himself end up like that, so he deliberately concealed the specific details of the bet, only letting people know that the two had made a bet, but not what the bet was about.

Having figured this out, Wen He couldn't help but feel a bit more favorably disposed towards Yu Shinan.

This old man looks old-fashioned, but he's a really good person.

He looked at Li Jing's curious eyes, then at Yan Lide's probing gaze, and said somewhat awkwardly,

"Duke of Dai, Brother Lide, it's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, but I'm not entirely confident that I can make it. The principle behind this device isn't complicated, but no one has ever made it before. If something goes wrong, it will become a laughing stock. I thought I'd wait until it's made before telling you. If I tell you now, but it doesn't work out in the end, it will only disappoint you both."

Seeing his sincerity, Li Jing didn't press him further, and waved his hand with a smile.

"Alright, alright, I won't ask anymore. But I believe in your abilities. Since you dared to make a bet with Yu Shinan, you must have some confidence. I'll wait and see. You will surely give me and the entire court a big surprise."

Wen He felt a little embarrassed by what was said and gave an awkward smile.

At this moment, Yan Lide looked at the sky and said to Li Jing, "Duke of Dai, there are still some things we discussed that haven't been finalized. Why don't we go back to the main hall and discuss them in detail?"

Li Jing nodded in agreement, then turned to Wen He and said,

"Jiaying, Minister Yan and I have official business to discuss, so we won't keep you company any longer. If you encounter any difficulties or need any help, please feel free to come to me."

"Thank you, Duke Dai." Wen He bowed in thanks. Afterwards, Wen He bid farewell to Yan Lide and then turned and left with Qi San and the Xuanjia Guards.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Wen He got up to wash and then called Zhang Wenxiao.

Wenhe entrusted him with the task of receiving the craftsmen and materials from the Ministry of Works.

For the next few days, he spent almost all his time at his residence outside Chang'an.

During the day, I worked with the craftsmen to study the blueprints for the hot air balloon, guided the carpenters to assemble the wooden frame, and discussed with the brocade weavers how to sew the Shu brocade into a tight, airtight airbag.

At night, they would revise the design under the lamp, calculating the weight-bearing capacity of the airbags and the amount of heat used, keeping them extremely busy.

Even when busy, Wen He would always make time to return to Chang'an. Firstly, he was worried that Wen Rou would miss him; the little girl had been close to him since childhood, and if she didn't see him for several days, she would definitely pout and throw a tantrum. Secondly, he wanted to check on Meng Zhou and the others. The imperial examinations had just ended, and the three were still waiting for the results. Wen He was afraid they would be anxious, so he could go back and comfort them.

Every time he returned to the Wen residence, Wenrou would rush up and grab his sleeve, chattering away with questions.

Wen He would always smile and ruffle her hair, saying that he was busy with official business and would take her to play outside the city when he was done, which made Wen Rou look forward to it.

While Wen He was busy building hot air balloons, the atmosphere in Chang'an City before the results of the imperial examinations were announced was becoming increasingly tense.

The busiest person, besides Ma Zhou who was in charge of coordinating the grading of papers, was Li Shimin.

This was the first time he had held an imperial examination since ascending the throne. It concerned the reputation of the Tang Dynasty in attracting talent, as well as the future talent pool of the court, so he could not afford to take it lightly.

He personally reviewed all the exam papers for the Jinshi, Xiucai, and Mingjing examinations, sometimes even staying up all night to grade them, forgetting to eat.

Late that night, the warm pavilion in the Taiji Hall was still brightly lit.

Li Shimin sat at his desk, a thick stack of answer sheets piled up in front of him. He rubbed his sore eyes and looked down at the late-night snack that Gao Yue had just brought up.

A bowl of steaming hot mutton soup, with two small dishes of side dishes on the side.

"Why is it mutton soup again today?"

Li Shimin frowned, his tone tinged with helplessness.

Although he likes to eat mutton, he has been eating mutton every meal for the past few days, from lamb chops to mutton soup, with different dishes. Even the best food gets a bit greasy, not to mention that mutton is considered a precious ingredient at this time. Eating it every day is really too extravagant.

Gao Yue quickly stepped forward to explain, her tone tinged with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"Your Majesty, two more sheep died in Gaoyang County today. He kept one for the craftsmen to nourish themselves, and sent the other to the palace."

"This guy..."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

"I really don't know if he's building a flying machine or running a slaughterhouse. Ever since he started messing around with that thing, there's never been a shortage of mutton in the palace. Next time, I'll ask him how many sheep he's killed in the crash."

Despite saying that, Li Shimin felt no blame at all; on the contrary, he was quite curious about Wen He's progress.

He picked up the mutton soup and took a few sips. The warmth slid down his throat, dispelling some of his fatigue.

He put down the soup bowl, picked up a test paper from the table, and after reading only a few lines, his eyes were immediately drawn to it, and his previously weary eyes lit up instantly.

"hiss……"

Li Shimin took a deep breath, ran his fingers back and forth across the scroll, and nodded repeatedly.

"Excellent, excellent! This person has a profound understanding of the Book of Rites and the Book of Documents. His insights combine the words of the sages without being limited to old theories. He also mentions the governing philosophy of 'putting the people first,' which coincides with my thoughts. His writing is fair and steady, without any ostentation. This essay, which ranks sixteenth in the Mingjing examination, is a rare and excellent answer sheet."

He carefully reviewed the answer sheet again to make sure nothing was missed before speaking to Gao Yue.

"Take this answer sheet to Ma Zhou and tell him that this candidate can be considered as a candidate for the top scorer in this year's Mingjing examination. Ask him to check it carefully again. If there are no other answer sheets that are more outstanding, then the top scorer position can be awarded to him."

Gao Yue was startled upon hearing this.

His Majesty values ​​this answer sheet so highly, even designating it as a candidate for the top spot, which shows that this person truly possesses genuine talent and learning.

Without hesitation, he quickly stepped forward and carefully accepted the copied answer sheet, afraid of accidentally damaging it.

Just as Gao Yue was about to bow and retreat, Li Shimin suddenly called out to him.

"By the way, when you go to Ma Zhou's place, ask him what the name of the candidate who wrote this answer sheet is and where he is from. This person has a thorough understanding of the classics and his own insights. If he enters the court to serve as an official in the future, he can become my compiler or enter the Hongwen Academy."

Gao Yue was even more shocked and couldn't help but look up at Li Shimin.

The compilers were responsible for organizing and revising classics and historical records, while the court historians recorded the emperor's words and actions. Although these two positions were not high-ranking, they were important posts close to the central government and required genuine talent and learning.

His Majesty actually arranged a position for a candidate whose results had not yet been announced, which shows how much he appreciates him.

"promise!"

Gao Yue suppressed her surprise, respectfully responded, and quickly retreated with the answer sheet in her hands.

About half an hour later, Gao Yue hurriedly returned to the Taiji Hall. He first calmed his rapid breathing at the entrance of the hall, then carefully straightened his robes to make sure there was nothing improper before tiptoeing inside.

Upon entering the main hall, he bowed in greeting.

"Your Majesty, I have returned."

"Ah."

Li Shimin put down the answer sheet in his hand, looked up at him, and spoke with a hint of expectation in his voice.

"Did you get their name?"

"Your Majesty, I have found out."

Gao Yue quickly replied.

"The candidate who submitted this answer sheet is a native of Shouzhou in Huainan Circuit, named Wu Sheng. Vice Minister Ma also said that Wu Sheng's answer sheet is indeed the most outstanding among the Mingjing examination papers. In addition to this one, his policy essay is also well written. If he is ranked first, it will surely convince everyone."

"The other officials who jointly reviewed the documents said the same thing."

"Wu Sheng?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin tapped his fingers lightly on the table, nodded slightly, and then asked another question.

Do you know what this person looks like? Is there a description in the household registration?

"Your Majesty, the household registration records state that Wu Sheng is handsome, tall, and without any obvious defects; he is a good-looking young man."

Gao Yue answered truthfully. Li Shimin nodded and picked up the other two answer sheets on the table.

"These two candidates, who ranked ninth and twenty-second in the Mingjing examination, can be classified as second-class and third-class, respectively. Therefore, Wu Sheng will be listed..."

He was halfway through his sentence when Li Shimin's eyes suddenly widened, as if he had remembered something, and his tone was somewhat incredulous: "Wait, what did you say his name was? Wu Sheng?"

Gao Yue was startled by His Majesty's sudden reaction and quickly replied respectfully.

"Your Majesty, it is indeed Wu Sheng, Wu of Eastern Wu and Sheng of Changsheng. Minister Ma has specifically confirmed that it is correct."

Li Shimin's facial muscles twitched a few times. He put down the answer sheet in his hand, leaned forward slightly, and his eyes were full of surprise and amusement.

"Among Wen He's three apprentices, is one named Wu Sheng?"

Gao Yue then understood why His Majesty was so shocked.
"It seems so."

Gao Yue was also surprised.

He still remembered His Majesty's evaluation of Wen He's three students; it seemed that the comments were not very high.

Oh right, I remember now, His Majesty seemed to have commented on this Wu Sheng before.

“Wu Sheng’s knowledge of the classics is also mediocre. If he were to pass the exam, he would probably only rank last. He would be more suited to be a minor official.”

But just now, His Majesty said that Wu Sheng could become a court attendant or enter the Hongwen Academy in the future.

this is not……

Upon realizing this, Gao Yue quickly lowered his head even further, not daring to look at Li Shimin's expression.

It must have turned red.

After a long while, Li Shimin finally let out a long sigh.

"That's it, that's all."

……

The next day, just as dawn broke, before the craftsmen in the houses outside the city had even gotten up, Wen He led the docile little colt out the door.

Today is the day the results of the spring imperial examinations are announced. Although he has confidence in Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng.

After all, he had personally supervised the three students' studies for the past month, repeatedly refining their arithmetic skills in the Mingsuan subject and their understanding of the classics in the Mingjing subject.

But as a teacher, I still had to go to the examination hall in person to wait and support them.

They rode at breakneck speed and arrived at the Wen residence, where preparations were already underway.

The steward, Zhou Fu, was directing the servants to move things when he saw Wen He return and hurriedly went to greet him.

"Young master, you're finally back! The three young masters Meng Zhou are all ready and waiting for you in the carriage."

Wen He nodded and was about to walk towards the carriage when she heard a series of crisp footsteps, accompanied by gentle chattering sounds.

"Brother! Wait for us! We want to see the results too!"

Turning around, I saw Wenrou wearing a light yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and two cute little braids, leading the three little guys, Li Tai, Li Ke, and Li You, running quickly over.

Li Tai's chubby face was full of excitement as he grinned and said...

"Mr. Wen, why don't you take us to join the fun? I heard it was quite a spectacle when the results were announced, with some people crying and others laughing!"

Li You also quickly stepped forward, his little face full of flattery.

"Sir, we'll just watch from a distance!"

Only Li Ke stood to the side, his expression calm, as if he didn't care about anything, but the curiosity in his eyes was unmistakable.

Wen He couldn't help but smile as she looked at the four children's expectant faces.

"Sure, it'll be more fun with more people."

"Great!"

Wenrou cheered with Li Tai and Li You, and Li Ke also secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

The group split into two carriages and headed towards the examination hall. As soon as they arrived near the examination hall, they heard a great commotion.

The streets were packed with scholars and their families who had come to wait, as well as many onlookers. Vendors selling tea and snacks weaved through the crowd, making it as lively as a festival.

Wen He got off the carriage and immediately saw a large crowd gathered under the high wall at the entrance of the examination hall, all eagerly waiting for the officials to post the results.

"Sir, look, it's Fang Xingzhou!"

As soon as Meng Zhou got out of the car, he pointed into the crowd.

Wen He looked in the direction he pointed and saw Fang Xingzhou wearing a blue robe, standing in front of the crowd, with two servants beside him, looking arrogant.

Perhaps sensing Wen He's gaze, Fang Xingzhou turned his head and looked over, his face instantly darkening, but he did not look away.

In his view, although Wen He was a native of Gaoyang County, he had no authority over the results of the imperial examinations.

As long as he can rank in the top three in the Mingjing examination and become an official in the court, Wen He will be unable to do anything to him as long as he doesn't make any mistakes.

Wen He was too lazy to argue with him, so she just patted Meng Zhou on the shoulder to tell him not to get distracted.

Not long after, several bailiffs in official robes carried out several large yellow papers. The crowd immediately quieted down, and everyone's eyes were focused on the list in the bailiffs' hands.

"It's the list of candidates from the Ming Suan Ke department!"

Someone exclaimed in surprise, and the crowd instantly erupted in excitement.

The officials posted the list on the high wall, and as soon as they stepped back, the scholars swarmed forward, tiptoeing to find their names on the list.

"I passed! I ranked fifteenth in the Ming Suan Ke (a type of imperial examination), I've brought honor to my ancestors!"

A scholar dressed in a coarse cloth robe jumped up excitedly, throwing his folding fan to the ground.

"Mother! I passed! I can become an official in the future!"

A scholar next to him, however, was deathly pale, his hands trembling as he searched repeatedly on the list, muttering to himself.

"How could it not be there? How could my name not be there? I answered perfectly..."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, and she squatted on the ground, wailing loudly, which made everyone around her sigh.

Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei also squeezed to the front of the crowd, their eyes fixed on the list, their fingers tracing down the names one by one, their expressions growing increasingly tense.

Wen He stood behind and could see that Meng Zhou's hands were trembling slightly, and Zhao Lei's forehead was covered in sweat.

"did not find……"

Meng Zhou's voice trembled as he turned to look at Wen He, his eyes filled with fear.

“Sir, my name isn’t listed…” Zhao Lei shook his head as well, his face pale.

"I couldn't find it either... Did we fail the exam?"

Just as the two were about to burst into tears, Li You, who had been watching the commotion from the front, suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the very top of the list and shouting loudly.

"Your names are at the front! Meng Zhou is second in the Ming Suan Ke! Zhao Lei is third! You are at the very front!"

Wen He felt relieved and quickly squeezed forward to take a look.

At the very top of the Ming Suan Ke list.

The second-class and third-class are Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei, respectively. Their handwriting is clear and correct!
He was taken aback for a moment.

Wait a minute, is there something wrong with his method?

That unexpected surprise came out of nowhere and took first place from his student.

He wanted to see who it was.

Wen He looked toward the name of the top scorer.

Then he was taken aback.

Li Chunfeng!
Why is this guy with the ox-nose (a type of nose) participating in the Ming Suan Ke imperial examination?

There's no record of this in history!

Wen He subconsciously looked around, trying to find someone excitedly cheering, but all around were people who had passed the exam crying tears of joy or people who had failed and were dejected.

I didn't see anyone call out "Li Chunfeng's" name. Could it be that this future "master of mathematics" didn't come today?
While Wen He was still pondering, Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei were already too excited to speak.

The two were stunned for a moment, then squeezed to the front of the list to check repeatedly until they saw the names "Meng Zhou" and "Zhao Lei" clearly. Then they turned around abruptly and ran towards Wen He.

But as soon as they ran up to Wen He, seeing his "serious" expression, their smiles froze instantly.

He knelt down with a "plop".

"Master! It is my fault for being useless!"

Wen He, who had just come to her senses, was startled.

what's wrong?

Meng Zhou said in a tearful voice, tears streaming down his face.

"I must have been careless during the exam. I didn't get the top spot and only got second place. I've embarrassed you, Master!"

Zhao Lei also cried: "I only got third place, not even a second-place grade. I have no face to face my teacher's teachings!"

This stunned everyone around.

The previously noisy crowd instantly fell silent, and all eyes were focused on Wen He and the two kneeling figures.

The smiles on the faces of the scholars who had just been cheering for failing the lowest level of the Ming Suan Ke exam vanished instantly, leaving them feeling as uncomfortable as if they had swallowed a fly.

If people who only get second or third place say they're ashamed, then those of us who get the lowest grade don't even have the right to cry.

Fang Xingzhou stood in the crowd, his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably, his eyes fixed on the names of Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei on the list, filled with disbelief.

How could these two possibly rank in the top three of the Ming Suan subject?
how can that be!

He remembered the bet he had made with Wen He and felt a pang of panic. But then he thought that the Ming Suan Ke was only one of the results. The list of the Ming Jing Ke had not yet been released. With Wu Sheng's limited knowledge, it was impossible for him to be in the top three. As long as he could win the Ming Jing Ke, the bet would not be lost!

Wen He looked at his two disciples kneeling on the ground crying, suppressed his laughter, and deliberately scolded them with a stern face.

"You lot! I've told you all before that you need to be careful when doing problems, you can't be careless! How simple are the problems in the Ming Suan subject? If you get one problem wrong, you could fall behind hundreds or thousands of people! You must have been distracted during the exam, otherwise how could you only get second or third place?"

He paused, then sighed helplessly.

"Alright, alright, the exams are over. There's no point in saying anything more. I'm just a kind-hearted teacher. Even if you embarrassed yourselves and only got second or third place, I can't kick you out of the classroom, can I?"

The scholars around him twitched at the corners of their mouths as they listened.
Those who rank in the top three of the Ming Suan Ke (a type of mathematics exam) can enter the Taiji Hall to meet His Majesty. Is that considered shameful?

Those who failed the exam, shouldn't they just find a crack in the ground to crawl into?

Wen He wasn't finished yet, she added.

"In the future, if anyone asks you what ranking you got in the imperial examination, you must never say that you are my disciples, because your master is afraid of losing face!"

Upon hearing this, the people around him turned ashen-faced.

Several scholars who had just failed the Ming Suan Ke exam lowered their heads silently, losing all desire to celebrate.

Just then, several more officials came out of the examination hall, carrying another list. Someone shouted.

"It's the list of candidates for the Mingjing examination! The list of candidates for the Mingjing examination is out!"

The previously silent crowd instantly erupted in excitement, with everyone's attention shifting to the new rankings.

Fang Xingzhou took a deep breath, suppressed his unease, and quickly squeezed to the front.

He was very confident in his Mingjing exam results and was sure he would be in the top three! The constables posted the list of Mingjing exam results, and Fang Xingzhou's eyes immediately locked onto the words "Top Scholar" at the very top.

But when he saw the name below "Top Scholar," he froze, his eyes widening, muttering, "Impossible...this is impossible!"

Below the "Top Scholar of the Imperial Examination" were two words written in bold letters: "Wu Sheng"!
"Sir!"

Just as Fang Xingzhou was in a daze, a loud cry rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Wu Sheng squeeze out of the crowd, holding a piece of paper in his hand. He knelt down in front of Wen He with a "plop," his face flushed with excitement and tears streaming down his face.

"Sir! I...I passed! I topped the list of candidates for the Mingjing examination! I did not disgrace you!"

Wen He then dropped her "serious" expression and smiled as she helped Wu Sheng up.

"Good! Good! You didn't embarrass yourself!"

Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei were just about to stand up and congratulate Wu Sheng.

The smile on his face froze instantly, and he continued to kneel on the ground.

Wenrou looked at Li Ke with a puzzled expression and asked innocently.

Is being second or third shameful?

Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei were immediately on the verge of tears.

Little nun, you can't be so hurtful.

(End of this chapter)