Chapter 30 A Scheming Mind

I'm really not happy; one person has stolen all the limelight.

Even the most flamboyant and arrogant person has to lower their guard in front of Ye Jianshan, especially since he is the youngest person present.

How could Ye Jianshan not know how conspicuous he was?

His identity has not yet been officially revealed, but those people dare not disrespect him.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness."

As the banquet began, Ye Jianshan led the way in expressing his gratitude, and the others followed suit.

The Crown Prince, with his hands behind his back, spoke first: "After decades of hard study, it has not been easy for anyone to get to this point. However, the completion of the provincial examination does not mean the end. There will be the palace examination in half a month. Lord Sun and Lord Yu Liang will introduce the process and precautions of the palace examination to everyone later."

Now it's time to remember the part.

Informing the examiners of the procedures for the palace examination was also one of their duties.

Therefore, it is necessary to visit the examiner in person.

Now comes the important part.

Ye Jianshan sat down obediently and listened attentively. He had met Lord Yu Liang before, but they had never spoken. They met at the examination hall. He was familiar with Lord Sun, as he was the tutor that his grandfather had hired for him in the palace.

As expected, Lord Sun nodded to Ye Jianshan before speaking, and then began his introduction.

Ye Jianshan nodded in greeting after seeing this.

The two people's subtle actions did not escape the notice of others.

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat; it seemed that Lord Sun knew Ye Huiyuan.

Cui Jianbing was also surprised that Lord Sun would take the initiative to greet Ye Jianshan. His grandfather had told him that he was the most aloof person. His grandfather had previously planned to send him to become an apprentice, but Lord Sun had refused.

Lord Sun explained in great detail, and even gave examples of the preparations he made before the palace examination, to provide them with some reference.

After hearing this, the candidates all benefited greatly, no longer feeling completely lost, and gained some confidence.

As soon as Lord Sun began to speak, Ye Jianshan picked up his pen and began to write it down at lightning speed.

Although he has a photographic memory, he's not a computer. A bad pen is worse than a good memory, so he still has to remember what he needs to remember.

Even after Lord Sun finished speaking, Ye Jianshan had not yet put down his pen.

This prompted the people behind to peek out to see what Ye Jianshan had written.

Even the crown prince came down to take a look out of curiosity.

Ye Jianshan just stopped writing when the prince arrived.

Ye Jianshan looked up and was startled to see someone standing in front of him.

The Crown Prince picked up what he had written and recorded almost everything that Lord Sun had said in brief notes: "Not bad, you wrote quite quickly."

When Ye Jianshan took notes, he wrote in running script. Although it was not as neat as regular script, it was still pleasing to the eye.

"Lord Sun, please come and see if Ye Huiyuan has forgotten anything. These are all the points you mentioned that you should pay attention to."

Lord Sun was surprised that the young prince took his words so seriously and even wrote them down. He quickly came over to take a look and said in surprise, "Indeed, everything I said was correct, without any omissions. I didn't expect that His Highness the young prince... uh, Ye Huiyuan, would have the habit of taking notes."

Most people would just listen and forget about it, but this made Lord Sun feel flattered and regretful that he hadn't said enough before. He now wished he could impart everything he knew to the young prince so that he could perform exceptionally well in the palace examination.

Of course, without performing exceptionally well, he has already secured his place as the top scholar.

Lord Sun was so excited that he even mentioned the young prince. Although he changed his words, the atmosphere remained silent.

Not only is he not as noble as the young prince, but he's also not as clever. He just stands there with his mouth wide open, listening without even moving his pen much.

They also remembered, but not as much as Ye Jianshan.

Of course, they only hurriedly ground their inkstone and started writing when they noticed Ye Jianshan had already begun to write.

Cui Jianbing, standing nearby, frantically used a brush to create a dark cloud effect on the Xuan paper.

Seeing Ye Jianshan being praised again, he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

We can't compare, we can't compare to anything.

With Ye Jianshan around, everyone else became mere background figures.

Moreover, you can't say that he stands out because of his status; he's a genuine "King of Rolls."

They should have realized long ago that Ye Jianshan was a ruthless person. After all, what normal person would come to the bustling capital and lock themselves in their courtyard to study for months? Nobody would believe it if you told them.

Few people can do that, but Ye Jianshan did.

Moreover, he is a gifted writer, and many people were praying for Ye Jianshan to fail in the days leading up to his results.

They hoped he would lose face, but unexpectedly, they were the ones who were embarrassed in the end. Ye Jianshan's article was publicly posted outside the examination hall, allowing everyone to discuss it openly.

They can't guarantee that what they write won't be criticized if it's posted online.

Although Ye Jianshan's articles also contain criticisms, those are normal discussions based on differing opinions.

His literary talent had already won over everyone.

"You flatter me. It's just a student's habit. I've been used to taking notes since I was a child."

Ye Jianshan was surprised that this was something that would shock everyone so much, and he touched his neck somewhat embarrassedly.

The Crown Prince found it rather strange that Shan'er had become shy; he had never seen Ye Jianshan shy before.

I didn't expect to get shy after being praised by Lord Sun.

Next, it was Lord Yu Liang's turn to speak. Before he even opened his mouth, there was a rustling sound of pages being turned.

Lord Yu: ...

This setup is just like the emperor's. Whenever the emperor speaks, the recorder next to him starts writing down what the emperor said and did throughout the day.

He composed himself, gave a brief overview of the examination, and praised and congratulated the three hundred people who passed.

There was no need to write a summary. Ye Jianshan put down his pen and listened attentively as Lord Yu praised how amazing this year's candidates were.

Of course, Ye Jianshan was mentioned in particular, since he had a chance to win the title of Six Scholars.

"I hope Ye Huiyuan will perform well in the palace examination and achieve his goal. I also hope that all candidates will give full play to their strengths and submit a satisfactory answer to the Emperor in the palace examination. I wish you all the best."

"Thank you, sir."

Everyone expressed their gratitude in unison.

After thanking them, the others noticed that Ye Jianshan hadn't written anything this time, and were speechless.

They still haven't grasped the essence, which makes them seem foolish; memorizing these things is useless.

All of this information is known.

After the examiners finished speaking, the banquet officially began, and some small games, typical of literary gatherings, were played to liven up the atmosphere.

Although Ye Jianshan didn't play much, he didn't spoil the fun and actively participated.

Ye Jianshan could recite any game of poetry, from the "Flying Flower Order" to the "Rhyming Couplets," and he never lost a single one.

Now everyone was truly convinced of his abilities.

I thought Ye Jianshan was a rigid bookworm, since he hadn't participated in any of the previous literary or poetry gatherings.

Although he was of noble birth and had outstanding literary talent, he was still seen as an ignorant bumpkin.

You should know that it's rumored outside that the Ye family, where Ye Jianshan grew up, made a living by slaughtering pigs.

Perhaps Ye Jianshan also slaughters pigs, which is completely different from the image of Ye Jianshan that everyone imagines.

As a result, Ye Jianshan's young master demeanor completely opened everyone's eyes after the banquet.

Their dining etiquette was more standard than theirs.

Needless to say, his speech and manner of speaking were so refined that people would believe he grew up in the palace.

Who exactly is spreading rumors that Ye Jianshan is an ignorant bumpkin?

He knows more than they do.

They accepted their defeat wholeheartedly.

Cui Jianbing was even more upset, as he couldn't beat Ye Jianshan in the literary games, which he was best at.

What kind of monster is Ye Jianshan?

"It's quite surprising that Ye Huiyuan has such a cheerful personality."

Cui Jianbing said with a smile.

Ye Jianshan didn't expect him to say that. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Maybe I haven't had the chance to get along with everyone before. I'm quite lively. You can ask Brother Luo and Brother Yang if you don't believe me."

Luo Shaohui and Yang Shuqing had spent time with Ye Jianshan at the Qingyang Guild Hall and had always treated him like a younger brother. Now, when they heard Ye Jianshan mention the two of them, they came over to explain for Ye Jianshan: "Jianshan has a very good personality. He even treated us to hot pot at the Qingyang Guild Hall before. He personally prepared the hot pot broth."

As they spoke, Luo Shaohui and Yang Shuqing both felt a bit hungry, as they hadn't eaten this for some time.

Ever since Ye Jianshan's identity was revealed, the atmosphere at Qingyang Guild Hall has become quite delicate.

There was a mix of joy and fear of being happy, coupled with the anxiety of not being able to eat well during this period.

"Hot pot? You should try Ye Huiyuan's cooking sometime."

Cui Jianbing tried to get close to him.

Ye Jianshan enjoys lively gatherings, and he'll definitely have many opportunities to meet with these people in the future, so there's no need to refuse. He simply said, "Okay, I'll treat you all to a get-together after the palace examination."

The others were overjoyed, not expecting that this would be their business. They were just wondering how to get closer to Ye Jianshan when this opportunity came.

Cui Jianbing seized the opportunity: "How about tomorrow?"

Ye Jianshan refused: "No, I need to go into seclusion tonight to prepare for the palace examination."

He had been in seclusion before, but today he had to go out to thank the examiner, otherwise Ye Jianshan would already be sitting in the study studying.

Everyone else was speechless and just wanted to yell, "Stop messing around, okay?"

You got first place and you're still being so difficult. How are they supposed to survive?

Seeing the commotion, the crown prince came over and overheard their conversation. He asked with some curiosity, "Are you having hot pot at home tonight?"

He wanted to try it, and as he spoke, he glanced at Luo Shaohui and Yang Shuqing. Shan'er had a very good relationship with these two, and had even cooked for them himself. He didn't even receive that kind of treatment.

Luo Shaohui and Yang Shuqing lowered their heads immediately when the Crown Prince looked at them.

Why could I sense a hint of jealousy in the Crown Prince's eyes?

Upon hearing the Crown Prince's words, Ye Jianshan knew his intentions. After thinking for a moment, he nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go back and have the kitchen start making the soup. I'll call you when it's ready."

"Okay, I'll go help out this afternoon since I'm free."

"No need then, I can manage on my own."

Cooking is an easy task for Ye Jianshan; it's just a matter of preparing the base sauce, which is very simple.

The crown prince was a little disappointed, but he didn't give up: "It's alright, I'll learn it and try to do it after I've learned it."

Ye Jianshan: ...

As a prince, why don't you just tell the imperial chef what you want to eat?

The imperial chef's cooking is much better than his. He's gained weight these past few days. He doesn't cook the whole thing; he just prepares the base sauce. The ingredients are all prepared by the kitchen staff.

Previously, the manager of the Qingyang Guild Hall had someone prepare it for us.

Ye Jianshan refused again.

The crown prince was still not satisfied.

The two of them started chatting like old friends.

Everyone else was stunned. Was this the Crown Prince?

Who said the Crown Prince was world-weary? Isn't he quite energetic? Everyone's vying to cook.

Luo Shaohui and Yang Shuqing: ...

Your Highness really doesn't need to be so insistent. Ye Jianshan's cooking skills are just so-so, not even comparable to the dishes at this banquet. It's just that it's more meaningful that he personally went to the kitchen to cook them.

As a result, it seemed that the Crown Prince was quite envious.

Moreover, everyone is numb. Even after all this, they still won't admit it?

This puts people who don't know how to address them in a difficult position.

Is his name Ye Huiyuan, the young imperial grandson, or the imperial crown prince?

Cui Jianbing was speechless. His suggestion had turned into a casual conversation between the Crown Prince and Ye Jianshan.

A wise man keeps away from the kitchen. This Ye Jianshan is indeed from the countryside. He has led the Crown Prince astray, and he even scrambles to go to the kitchen. It's really outrageous.

What annoyed him even more was that Ye Jianshan had once again put him down. He suggested that they get together tomorrow, but Ye Jianshan immediately said that he was going into seclusion to study hard.

That makes it sound like he only knows how to play around.

That's really cunning.

Cui Jianbing was so angry he almost ground his teeth to powder; his methods were truly ingenious.

He felt inferior; he couldn't compete, he really couldn't.

Just as the crown prince and his son were arguing, a high-pitched eunuch's voice rang out.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The Emperor did indeed arrive.

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Author's Note: First update, second update before midnight [Please][Please]