After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Chapter 422 Sweeping Away the Heroes

With a creak, Ning Nan pushed open the carved vermilion wooden door.

When the belated Master Ning looked inside, he saw the students of Bailu Academy sitting together. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, they all turned their heads and looked at him.

As Ning Nan closed the door, he smiled and said to them:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm late! I'll punish myself with a drink..."

Master Ning paused, then smiled and continued,

"……Tea."

Instead of drinking, the punishment was tea... The room fell silent... The awkward little joke didn't elicit even a single laugh... Since no one else laughed, Master Ning's expression inevitably became somewhat embarrassed.

Among the students in the private room, some looked at him with worry, some with embarrassment, and some, like Qing Zude, were looking at him with what seemed like schadenfreude.

Even Gongsun's disciple, who always respected her teachers, didn't respond to his little joke at this moment. She was pouting and looking at him with her eyes a little red.

"What's wrong?"

Ning Nan shook his slightly sore neck, and as he walked towards the seat next to the female disciple, he smiled and said...

"The results have been posted outside... but there are too many people, we definitely won't be able to squeeze in... but I'm sure someone will come to share the good news soon... no rush, no rush."

He leisurely strolled to the seat to the left of the female disciple and sat down calmly.

To his right was a female disciple with somewhat anxious phoenix eyes looking at him.

On the left is Li Yanting, a somewhat silent but studious young man.

The people at the table fell silent... Not only were they silent, but they were also looking at him with all sorts of gazes... Ning Nan couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

He swallowed hard, flipped over a teacup, poured himself a cup of tea, and was about to ask what was going on when...

"Let's go home," the bookworm sighed, his eyes fixed on the table.

His sigh was met with a collective sigh of relief from everyone at the table.

Ning Nan raised an eyebrow, still wondering who the reading seed was talking to, when the female disciple tugged at his sleeve.

"Master," she said with worried eyes, "why don't you go home? I'll take you home..."

Ning Nan was taken aback, only then realizing that Li Yanting's words were actually directed at him; not only the bookworm, but also the female disciple was calling him home.

Ning Nan frowned, looking somewhat puzzled.

At this moment, Qing Zude suddenly chuckled and said leisurely, "No rush! Is it so easy to become a Juren? If Brother Bai Xuan doesn't pass the Juren exam, wouldn't everything be fine?!"

Upon hearing this, not only Gongsun Heng, but also Qian Huang and the others turned their heads and glared at him angrily. Qing Zude's face stiffened, and his smile immediately turned somewhat awkward.

Gongsun Heng snorted, pursed her lips, turned her head, and looked at Ning Nan again, saying, "Master..."

Just as she was about to recount what had just happened at Heming Tower, a deafening chorus of shouts suddenly erupted from downstairs:

"This year's provincial examination! — Second place—Li Youzhi!"

A shout from at least five people echoed throughout the Crane Cry Tower!

Humhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

A great commotion erupted inside the Crane Cry Tower!

"Congratulations, Brother Li!..."

"Congratulations, Brother Youzhi!..."

"Truly a top student from Mingli Academy!"

"Hahaha, Ya Kui!..."

"Master Li—please reward me—"

"Hahahaha, thank you all for calling out the names! A reward indeed! A reward indeed! This is a reward from Li..."

……

Singing, footsteps, cheers, words of thanks… all sorts of sounds came rushing in…

Crane Cry Tower suddenly became a hundred times more lively!

After hearing a few words, Ning Nan immediately understood. It turned out that Li Youzhi, who was the first to announce the name, was actually in Heming Tower and had even won second place. That was quite remarkable...

The so-called "second-place winner" refers to the sixth-place finisher in the provincial examination.

When the results of the provincial examination were announced, the first place was called Jieyuan, the second place was called Yayuan, and the third to fifth place were called Jingkui, collectively known as the Five Jingkui.

To show respect for the top five, the names are announced starting with the sixth-place finisher, Ya Kui, and continuing until the last place.

After all the names have been called, the Five Classics Masters will be unveiled at the end.

In other words, for a very confident person, hearing their own name in the initial call of names means losing the chance to win the Five Classics Top Scholar title... Ning Nan didn't care about the ranking, as long as he could pass the exam, he was hoping to hear his own name as soon as possible.

The sudden announcement of the name caused everyone in the private room to tense up.

Even Li Yanting couldn't help but prick up his ears at this moment... He reached into his pocket and touched the ten taels of silver he had earned from writing the article. If someone came to report good news, he would generously give away the ten taels of silver as a reward.

Qing Zude's face trembled, and he even ran over and opened the door, just in case he missed the good news.

Gongsun Heng, who hadn't participated in the imperial examinations but had come to watch the excitement, took advantage of the lull to tug at Ning Nan's sleeve and whispered to her master:

"Master...that...that dead Tartar is in the private room on the other side...they, they..."

Gongsun Heng gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with resentment, and said...

"They're plotting how to deal with you!..."

"To deal with me?" Ning Nan was taken aback.

Gongsun Heng gave a heavy "hmm" and told Ning Nan everything they had overheard and confirmed after going out to investigate...

"To avenge Magistrate Lou, who ranked me last but was banished from the capital?" Ning Nan's expression turned somewhat astonished upon hearing this.

Gongsun Heng hummed in agreement again, and said with concern:

"Master, they said before... that if you passed the imperial examination, they would make things difficult for you to see if you were up to the task... but as they talked, these people went crazy... saying that even if you didn't pass the imperial examination, they would still come looking for you... saying that you even ranked ninth in the provincial examination... um... even ranked ninth in the provincial examination..."

Gongsun Heng repeated herself several times, her fair face flushed red with anger, so angry that she didn't even want to repeat what they said...

"Master,"

The female disciple's phoenix eyes were almost brimming with tears of anxiety.

"Let's go... Or, or you could stay at the Gongsun family's house for a few days... My grandfather is about to become the Minister of Rites... If they dare to provoke you, you can punish them for the serious crime of insubordination..."

Ning Nan glanced at the female disciple who was pacing anxiously, and his expression froze for a moment.

His expression immediately relaxed, and he picked up the teapot, poured her a bowl of tea, and said with a smile:

"It's alright, it's alright...no rush, no rush...it's all minor...minor...they...well...let them come...there's no escaping them..."

……

The first floor of Heming Tower...

The announcement of the results of the provincial examinations is still ongoing...

The servants, having copied down the rankings, ran around shouting that whoever was the first to hand the red invitation to the corresponding master would be the first to receive a reward...

……

"Thirty-ninth place—Master Lin Ju of the Lin family!"

……

"Rank 47 – Master Gong Wensong of the Gong Family!"

……

"Fifty-second place—Master Qian Huang of the Qian family!"

……

"Number eighty-third – Master Jin Huailun of the Jin family…"

"Huh???? Is that Jin Huailun?!"

Inside the private room.

The young man sitting next to Qin Yun suddenly stood up, causing the bowls and plates on the round table to shake. He shouted at the top of his lungs.

Thump, thump, thump! Jin Huailun hurriedly stepped out of the private room, grabbed the railing, and shouted down, "Is that Jin Huailun?!"

All the students of the Imperial Academy stood up in unison, their faces flushed red, and followed behind him, craning their necks to look down.

Those who brought the good news were equally forthcoming.

He quickly ran upstairs, calling out with a grin, "Master!"

He showed him the name copied on the red slip of paper. "Snap!" Jin Huailun took it and looked closely. He saw that the name on it was exactly the same as his own.

His face turned from white to red, then from red to purple, and he was overjoyed!

He turned around, grabbed the arm of a classmate from the Imperial Academy next to him, his face contorted with joy, and exclaimed repeatedly:

"I won! I won! I won!... I won! I won! I won..."

He shouted loudly while straining his ten fingers intensely.

My fingers were digging into the flesh of my classmate's arm, and the bones were creaking.

"Ouch! Ouch!..." the classmate cried out in pain, "He's having hysteria...! That guy surnamed Jin is having hysteria!"

The students of the Imperial Academy rushed forward to try to pull Jin Huailun away, but Jin Huailun still grabbed his classmate's arm and laughed and shouted.

"Snapped!"

Without hesitation, the Grand Secretary's grandson, Qin Yun, who had rushed over, slapped Jin Huailun across the face!

……

After a long while, when the shopkeeper's servant brought over a golden basin and hot water to wash the face of the newly appointed scholar, Jin Huailun slowly awoke from his ecstasy, his face still somewhat swollen on one side...

……

"Ninety-eighth place! — Master Shen, Uncle Qi of the Shen family!..."

……

Inside the private room.

At the head of the round table.

"call……"

Hongfeng let out a soft breath, his feelings were mixed, a little happy, but mostly apprehensive.

According to the three renowned Han Chinese scholars, he was certain to pass the imperial examination this year.

The provincial examination admits one hundred people in total, and now that ninety-eighths haven't been selected yet, his name... Hongfeng sighed, his eyes slightly unfocused... should be among the top five scholars...

"Top Scholar of the Five Classics... Top Scholar of the Five Classics... Top Scholar in the Provincial Examination..."

Hongfeng closed his eyes and whispered a few words.

Qin Yun, who had just revived Jin Huailun, smiled at Hong Feng and said:

"Seventh Young Master, please do not worry. Once the last two names are called, the list of the Five Classics Champions will be revealed, and then the entire city of Nanjing will hear your name..."

Lu Jing, standing to the side, felt a pang of bitterness. He had waited for a long time but had not heard his name called, and knew that he would not pass the imperial examination this time.

At this moment, however, he forced a smile and flattered her:

"Indeed, Your Highness is truly talented. You have only been in the Southern Dynasty for a few months, yet you have already won the title of the Five Classics Champion. This is a remarkable achievement, and you will surely be famous throughout the north and south tomorrow..."

He was always quick-witted and reserved in his speech. The prince wanted to become the top scholar in the provincial examination, so as to achieve the feat of passing the imperial examination four times in a row.

However, winning the title of Jieyuan still depends on fate to some extent. If he wins, but the prince doesn't, he might be angry with him. So Lu Jing only conservatively said "top scholar in the Five Classics".

The others in the private room who hadn't taken the exam also offered some flattering remarks, saying, "If Your Highness truly achieves the highest honors in all four categories, your fame will surely last for eternity..."

Even those who took the exam but failed, at this moment, suppressed their sorrow and displayed the demeanor of a talented scholar, forcing a smile and saying, "Congratulations, Seventh Young Master! May you win first place..."

Before the dust had settled, even with immense hope in his heart, Hongfeng could only manage a forced smile and remained silent...

Just then,

A voice calling out names came from upstairs...

"Ninety-ninth place...Master Hong Feng of the Hong family..."

The sound continued, one after another...

"Boom!"

Hongfeng's face froze, his expression hardened, as if a thunderbolt had struck his mind. When he participated in the imperial examination in the Southern Dynasty, he only used his given name, not his surname. After listening to the announcement of names several times, it was as if he could hear nothing at all in an instant, and the world suddenly became completely silent...

……

The roll call downstairs is still going on...

"Number one hundred – Qing Mansion – Master Qing Zude~~~"

"May you gentlemen enjoy long and prosperous lives... and may your families be renowned for generations to come..."

……

After a while...

……

"Ladies and gentlemen! Ladies and gentlemen! Ladies and gentlemen~~~"

……

"The list of winners for the Five Classics Examination has been released!"

……

"Here it comes, cough cough cough! Here it comes!"