After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 43
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- Chapter 43 - Competing for the Top Scholar
In the afternoon, Zhou Xun originally planned to rest in the hall, but since he had decided to participate in the next year’s spring imperial examination, he needed to start preparing as early as possible.
Regardless of his past or whom he knew, now that he intended to take the examination openly and honorably, he was just an ordinary scholar.
It had been two years since the last spring examination. During these two years, Zhou Xun was entangled in messy affairs at the prince’s residence, to the point where he didn’t even care about his life, let alone studying. Those two years had taken a tremendous toll on his mind and body. Mentally, he often had nightmares, and his soul and consciousness were on the brink of collapse; physically, multiple suicide attempts and deep-seated worries had left him exhausted, barely hanging on to life out of sheer stubbornness. At his worst, he was as thin as a withered tree, his skin so pale that the blue veins in his wrists were clearly visible. Even the imperial doctors could only shake their heads and say he wouldn’t live long.
After being taken into the palace by the Emperor, his health improved significantly. The Emperor had him drink a cup of milk every day, take nourishing medicines, spend more time outdoors in the sun, and go for walks. As his inner turmoil gradually eased, he not only slept better, but even his pale skin began to regain its luster.
However, the provincial examination lasted several days, with candidates confined in small cells where they could only eat the cold food they brought with them. Over the years, many elderly or weak candidates fainted and were carried out of the examination hall. Zhou Xun had once taken the exam while gravely ill, and it was the same for him. Given his current physical condition, he wouldn’t be able to endure the exam’s duration.
But physical health could be slowly nursed back, and there was no rushing it. For now, what he could focus on was picking up the knowledge he had neglected and preparing for the provincial examination anew.
Despite wasting two years at the prince’s residence, Zhou Xun seemed at a disadvantage regarding the spring examination. However, before entering the prince’s residence, Zhou Xun had always been very diligent in his basic studies. As a concubine’s son, he knew the value of knowledge and would memorize things ten times over if others read them a few times. So, despite the two-year gap, he hadn’t forgotten what he had learned.
But even that wasn’t enough. The academy exam selected the best from the students, the provincial exam selected the best from the provincial talents, and the metropolitan exam selected from the provincial degree holders—the cream of the crop. Those who could participate in the metropolitan exam were all top talents from their provinces, the best among the best, crossing a single-log bridge amidst thousands of troops.
Even so, getting into the second rank of the metropolitan exam wasn’t particularly difficult for Zhou Xun. When he participated in the autumn examination, he was very young, but his displayed talent had already impressed the examiners. With a year’s review, passing as an ordinary successful candidate wouldn’t be hard.
But he wanted more than that.
He aimed to be the top scholar.
Among all the candidates from across the country, from septuagenarians who had taken the exam numerous times to young and ambitious youths, from all the noble and common families gathered in the capital…
He aimed to be the best candidate!
To pass the imperial exam, be in the first rank, present to the Emperor, and become the top scholar!
Zhou Cai had also been a top scholar, but it was said that this was because the Emperor recognized him during the imperial exam and said, “It’s you?” and thus chose him out of old acquaintance rather than for the better answers of another candidate.
Zhou Xun knew his relationship with the Emperor was extraordinary, but this didn’t ease his mind. Instead, it put more pressure on him, making him more determined to be meticulous and flawless.
He wouldn’t rely on old ties to gain the title of top scholar. He wanted everyone present to be convinced and respectful, which was the path he sought after his rebirth.
This was undoubtedly a difficult task. Even the most proud and talented geniuses wouldn’t dare claim they could achieve this. But Zhou Xun not only aspired to it, he also clearly understood that despite seeming at a disadvantage, he had an uncommon advantage.
That was his experience this past month in the imperial library, assisting the Emperor in reviewing memorials.
The Great Jing’s metropolitan exam emphasized policy discussions over poetry and prose, and required candidates to discuss certain classical texts in the context of actual policies. As the saying goes, “Theory from books is always shallow; one must personally practice to truly understand.” Without investigation, one has no right to speak. Many candidates, raised in the ivory towers of academies, didn’t understand the realities of society or actual policies, making their essays mere castles in the air, filled with grand but empty rhetoric.
This past month, however, Zhou Xun had gained true knowledge through practice. Although he was a layman, he had gained a deeper understanding of the court of Great Jing, its national strength, policies, and future directions. The Emperor’s unprecedented interest in Daliang, Northern Wei, and the Western Regions also allowed him to understand a larger world outside of Great Jing, giving him a broader perspective.
This was a kind of practice that others rarely obtained.
Therefore, after setting his goal, Zhou Xun quickly planned his activities for the next year. Whether it was waging war against other countries, governing his own, or taking exams, information was the most important.
He remembered two years ago when he first came to the capital and temporarily stayed at the prince’s residence, he learned of a place in the capital called “Moyuan.” Moyuan wasn’t just a garden, but an area composed of dozens of streets where scholars, poets, and famous candidates often gathered. It had teahouses, wine houses for discussions, stalls selling paintings, chess houses, and many bookstores. Besides finding good books, one could also find exam-related materials in these bookstores.
Having made up his mind, Zhou Xun took his token and left the palace. The token that Xiao Li had urgently delivered to him was very beautiful, a piece of exquisite jade carved with a phoenix, emitting a cool glow.
He didn’t want to make a fuss about going out on his own, so he only brought one guard along. When he arrived near Moyuan, he would wander around by himself. The sedan chair would wait a few streets away to pick him up and take him back to the palace when he was done.
Zhou Xun didn’t intend to draw attention on this outing, so Xiao Li had specially arranged for the most inconspicuous sedan chair for him. Once he left the palace and entered the crowd, he would look just like an ordinary scholar.
…Of course, perhaps his appearance wasn’t so ordinary either.
Living in the palace long-term wasn’t a viable option. Zhou Xun decided that a few months before the exam, and after the Emperor was proficient enough in reviewing memorials without his help, he would report to the Emperor and move out to live in a small courtyard.
There were many such short-term rentals near Moyuan, providing lodging for candidates from other regions. Regardless of the era, there was always a market for something akin to “school district housing.”
Sitting in the gently swaying sedan chair, holding his token, Zhou Xun thought about the future. With a goal and purpose in life, his demeanor was no longer as gloomy as when he first entered the palace. Instead, he was more relaxed yet focused.
This was his first time leaving the palace since the assassination attempt during the palace banquet.
When the sedan chair reached the Donghua Gate, the guard outside called out for an inspection. Zhou Xun lifted the curtain with one hand and showed his token, his voice cool and clear, “Thank you, sir.”
The guard hadn’t intended to make things difficult for them. After all, everyone knew about Zhou Gongzi of the Yangxin Hall. Seeing Zhou Xun personally lift the curtain and show him such respect, the guard smiled broadly, “Zhou Gongzi, if you’re leaving the palace, just say the word. There’s no need to show your token.”
Zhou Xun shook his head, “Rules are rules. Since I’m leaving the palace, I must follow the entry and exit regulations. Although the Emperor said I could come and go freely, I’ll still adhere to the rules to avoid making things difficult for you.”
His words were calm, without any hint of flattery, but they struck a chord with the guard, making him feel very comfortable.
Most guards in the palace were upright and skilled, with respectable family backgrounds, as they often appeared before the Emperor. The guard at the Donghua Gate also had a family member in the court, and he was serving as a guard to gain experience and build his resume.
However, the officials coming and going in the palace varied in their attitudes. Some showed him respect, while others treated him like a mere servant. Especially those who could freely enter and exit the palace, they came and went as they pleased, but when anything went wrong in the palace, it was the guards who got scolded and punished. The Emperor’s favorites had the freedom to come and go, but it was the little people like the guards who suffered.
The previous Lord Zhou had already caused the guards much grief. When Lord Zhou knelt at the Donghua Gate, the guard had intentionally delayed things a bit—not exactly as revenge, but to make him uncomfortable for a while. When Zhou Gongzi arrived, the guard had worried he would be the same, appearing kind and considerate but causing trouble for others. To his surprise, Zhou Gongzi not only refrained from arrogance but also considered the guards’ difficulties.
This contrast made the guard’s opinion of Zhou Xun soar. He thought he might share this story with friends over drinks, making it a casual conversation piece.
After inspecting the token and registering it, the guard returned it to Zhou Xun. Zhou Xun took back the token, intending to lower the curtain, but his gaze caught sight of someone.
That person was also looking at him.
—Zhou Cai.
Zhou Cai was staring at his sedan chair. Zhou Xun clearly saw a flash of venom in his eyes, quickly masked by a gentle smile.
In the past, Zhou Xun might have been startled by such an expression, worried about what he had done wrong and what schemes or terrors awaited him… But now.
He wasn’t afraid of Zhou Cai’s schemes, nor did he fear a direct confrontation.
Seeing Zhou Cai walking towards him, Zhou Xun originally intended to lower the curtain and leave—
—he detested this man and didn’t want to say a single word to him.
But he ultimately stopped. He was also curious about what Zhou Cai thought he still had to say to him.
Moreover, Zhou Cai wouldn’t come to the Donghua Gate for no reason; something must have happened with the Zhou family.
“Lord Zhou,” Zhou Cai hadn’t yet spoken when Zhou Xun’s cold voice came from the sedan chair, “how is the Zhou family doing these days?”
Zhou Cai: ……