The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The following day, at Lintai.

Before the lingering echoes of the morning bell had faded among the red walls and green tiles, the "Ascending Cloud List," representing the path to success and a bright future, descended slowly from the outer wall of the highest Mingzhang Pavilion like a giant scroll of flowing clouds.

"I wonder who will be at the top of the list this year?"

"I'm so nervous and excited!"

"The questions were too difficult this time, I don't even know how I did..."

"It absolutely has to pass!"

Countless students had already gathered below the list, their heads thronging and whispers filling the air.

His eyes anxiously swept over each character, searching for his own name, his heart pounding with the rise and fall of his ranking.

However, when the top spot, symbolizing supreme glory, came into view, all sounds, movements, and even breathing strangely froze at that moment.

"Am I... seeing things?"

Someone muttered to themselves and rubbed their eyes.

At the top of the list, where only one person could stand alone, two names were engraved side by side.

Outlined with gold powder, the brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, shining brightly in the rising sun.

"Two people are tied for first place? This is the first time since the establishment of Lintai Pavilion..."

"Could it be Young Master Shen Xian and Miss Shen Yan? They are both exceptionally talented siblings; if they are truly ranked equally, it wouldn't be surprising..."

"But look at the faces of the people around us... why do they all look like they've seen a ghost in broad daylight?"

Whispers of doubt spread quickly, until more and more people's attention finally focused on those two names—

Pei Yanchuan.

Snow in Tangxi.

In an instant, all was silent.

The wind whistled through the brass bells under the eaves, producing a hollow, soft sound.

Time seemed to freeze, and countless students' faces were filled with extreme astonishment, confusion, and disbelief, as if they had witnessed stones blooming and iron trees sprouting buds.

"Pei Yanchuan...who is this?"

"A poor family's son? That Pei Yanchuan who always sits quietly in the corner?"

"Isn't he that little follower who's always getting bullied?"

"And...Tang Xixue?! That Princess Mirror? Isn't she...?"

"Isn't she just a clueless bum who can't even recite the entire Analects?!"

The doubts were like ice water thrown into boiling oil, exploding instantly with a hissing sound, accompanied by feelings of anxiety and disbelief.

"Ridiculous! There must be a mistake!"

"Who knows... did she copy Pei Yanchuan's work? Or did she coerce or bribe someone to write it for her?"

"Is it alright if the Imperial Preceptor is in charge of the exam? Who would dare to take the exam for someone else?"

"Yeah! There's no way to cheat."

Amidst the chaos and clamor, a calm voice rang out from the periphery of the crowd, not loud, but clearly drowning out the noise:

"To ensure fairness, the answer sheets of the top two students have been posted separately on the side of the list for all students to review and supervise."

Everyone turned their heads sharply and saw two plain screens set up to the side of the list. On the snow-wave Xuan paper, the ink was still clearly visible, which were the complete examination papers of Pei Yanchuan and Tang Xixue.

The handwriting is quite different, one is vigorous and upright, the other is elegant and sharp, but both are neat and orderly.

Shen Xian, who had originally intended to walk away and dismiss it as absurd, froze in place.

Shen Yan, standing beside him, secretly clenched her cuffs with her slender fingers, her well-maintained nails digging slightly into her palms, and the gentle smile on her face became somewhat stiff.

She had already learned of the annulment of the engagement yesterday and was feeling quite relieved, but she never expected to face such a dramatic turn of events today.

"Brother," Shen Yan's voice was still gentle, but it carried a hint of tension that was barely perceptible, "why don't we...go and take a look too?"

The crowd spontaneously parted to make way for the two exceptionally talented individuals.

Shen Xian approached the plain screen step by step, his gaze sweeping over every line of words and every deduction on the paper as if he were inspecting a territory.

The more he looked, the calmer his expression became. His previous doubts and anger were gradually replaced by a more complex solemnity.

The two exam papers have the same question format, but the solutions and the emphasis on citations are not entirely the same. However, they are equally ingenious, and even in some tricky parts, they demonstrate cleverness and insight that surpass the standard answers. Pei Yanchuan's policy essay has a broad scope, and his data deduction is as solid as a rock.

Tangxi Xue's argument, on the other hand, has a unique perspective, sharp words, and gets straight to the heart of the matter, revealing the truth in the details.

His gaze eventually fell on the red annotations and seal at the end of the answer sheet.

On Pei Yanchuan's scroll, there is the signature clear and sharp handwriting of the Imperial Preceptor He Lichen, like bamboo branches, with a very simple "Jia Shang" and a small, unique plum blossom seal.

And on the scroll of Tangxi Snow... there was actually an imperial edict in vermilion ink!

The powerful and profound brushstrokes, along with the bright red "Imperial Seal" beside it, made his pupils shrink slightly.

His Majesty personally reviewed her paper and gave it the highest praise.

All hopes and doubts crumbled before these two impeccable answers and these two weighty seals.

Shen Xian stood quietly for a long time before exhaling very softly, the breath turning into a faint white mist in the cool air.

He turned to face the crowd, who still looked at him with curiosity and defiance, and his voice rang out calmly:

"It is because I, Shen, am not as learned as he is."

He paused, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Tang Xixue's exam paper, a ripple passing through the depths of his eyes.

"Princess Mirror...you are truly a woman of great talent. Today, I, Shen, finally understand what it means to be a master who doesn't reveal their abilities."

He was so angry he laughed.

When I used to pester him, I was the kind of pretty but useless person he hated the most.

She only broke off the relationship with him now, and immediately amazed everyone.

He seriously doubted whether she had deliberately hidden her talents before.

How could there be such a wicked woman?

Shen Yan stood behind him, listening to her brother admit that he was not as good as the girl who had once clung to him and was secretly looked down upon by him and the entire circle.

The smile on her face finally faded completely, leaving only deeper pinch marks on her fingertips hidden in her sleeve.

She had thought that the clouds would part and the moon would shine brightly after the annulment of the engagement, but unexpectedly, another, even more dazzling light belonging to Tang Xixue suddenly descended, leaving her somewhat at a loss.

The previously clamorous doubts and ridicule around us suddenly ceased as if an invisible hand had gripped our throats.

All that remained was the rustling sound of the wind blowing the list and the plain screen, and countless gazes sweeping back and forth over those two names hanging high in the clouds, filled with complex shock.

"This...this is impossible to criticize!"

"Princess Mirror's handwriting...is it really this elegant and spirited?"

The other person moved even closer, almost holding their breath, to examine the flowing lines and rhythm of the brushstrokes.

"It's not just about style; look closely at the structure, the flow, the composition... you can vaguely see the vigor and elegance of His Majesty's brushwork!"

A student from a family with a long tradition of calligraphy studies couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.

"Indeed... I've heard that when Her Highness was young, His Majesty personally taught her calligraphy and painting, guiding her step by step. Her brushwork and spirit are indeed difficult for others to imitate even a fraction of."

"Now that you mention it, I seem to remember that when we were young, in the calligraphy classes at Lintai, she was always the first model the teacher would pick out for everyone to use as a reference. That talent made us all feel inferior back then..."

"Hiss... Now that you mention it, I seem to recall some vague memories. Back then, whenever she was in an evaluation, the top spot always seemed to be a foregone conclusion..."

"Explain in detail."

"So, she was faking it all along? Perhaps she was afraid that being too outstanding would embarrass Young Master Shen?"

"Now that she's dumped Young Master Shen, she's stopped pretending? She's come clean?"

"..."