Gu Zhixing knelt on the gold brick, his forehead gently pressed against the cool, coiled dragon relief.

Inside the hall, the fragrance of agarwood rose gently, lingering among the gilded pillars and adding a touch of tranquility to the solemn and dignified space.

Soon, he heard the sound of neatly rustling clothes behind him. The subtle sound was particularly clear in the empty hall. He felt a slight unease and knew that Shen Jintang was leading the second and third-class tribute students into the hall to pay their respects.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live the Emperor!"

Shen Jintang's voice rang out first, clear and crisp like a spring striking a stone, standing out prominently in the solemn hall.

The voice carried a calm and composed quality that made Gu Zhixing glance at it slightly.

Shen Jintang's wide sleeves flowed like clouds, her figure tall and slender. She performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows with the grace of flowing water. Every movement was so elegant and solemn, as if she had practiced it countless times, yet it was as natural as if it were made by heaven.

Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on her crimson official robes. The shadows swayed slightly with her movements, yet remained perfectly still on the waistband of her robe, which gleamed with a warm luster in the sunlight, further highlighting her dignified and elegant demeanor.

For some reason, he always felt that Shen Jintang's manner of bowing was much more pleasing to the eye than that of others.

"Rise."

The emperor's voice came from the nine-tiered jade platform. It was deep and powerful, as if it were a decree from the heavens, which filled everyone in the hall with awe.

But when Gu Zhixing looked up, he met the smiling eyes on the throne, the look in which the emperor was looking at him was full of satisfaction.

His maternal uncle, the current emperor, now had a gentle, everyday look in his eyes, a stark contrast to the sternness he displayed when dealing with the top two scholars. His gaze seemed to hold a hint of doting affection and a touch of expectation, which warmed Gu Zhixing's heart but also made him a little nervous.

"According to custom, the top three scholars should be admitted to the Hanlin Academy." The emperor picked up his vermilion brush and lightly touched the yellow silk register, leaving a bright mark on the register.

This small mark set the course for these newly promoted talents in the imperial court.

"Lin Jinming was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and Zhou Wenhuan was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy..."

The emperor's voice echoed in the hall, each word sounding so solemn.

However, when the pen hovered above Gu Zhixing's name, the emperor paused slightly. He raised his head, looked at Gu Zhixing with gentle eyes, and asked in a very calm manner, "What official position do you want to hold?"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell into a deathly silence. The officials were all startled, and their previously even breathing became disordered.

Throughout history, the fate of every candidate has been predetermined; how could they possibly choose for themselves in the palace?

In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Gu Zhixing, their gazes filled with surprise, curiosity, and even a little envy.

Clearly, the emperor's attitude towards Gu Zhixing was quite extraordinary. This special treatment and the unusual questioning all indicated that Gu Zhixing was different from others.

"Cough cough..."

A low cough broke the brief silence in the hall.

The Imperial Tutor, well past seventy, bowed slightly, his face serious. He coughed a few times in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over the Emperor almost imperceptibly.

This was a habit they had developed over many years, intended to remind the emperor to be mindful of certain words and actions.

Even if one favors their nephew, one should not indulge him in this way in front of the entire court.

The emperor's gaze shifted from the tutor's slightly furrowed brows, a slight chill running through him. Those coughs seemed to strike a chord in his heart, making him instantly realize that his behavior just now had been somewhat inappropriate.

The Imperial Tutor's reminder, like his usual gentle yet firm teachings, forced him to confront whether his actions were appropriate.

However, when he looked at Gu Zhixing kneeling in the center of the hall again, a surge of warmth welled up in his heart, making it hard for him to regret his actions.

Gu Zhixing grew up under his care since he was a child, like a seedling he planted himself, watching him grow little by little.

But when this child was young, he was extremely mischievous, full of tricks, and only knew how to play. He couldn't concentrate on studying at all.

At that time, the palace guards were often tricked by him, and even the serious tutors were both amused and exasperated by him.

Even so, the emperor never really got angry with him. On the contrary, he thought the child was lively and clever, with a spirit of never giving up.

However, no one expected that such a mischievous child would achieve such success, even ranking third in the imperial examination.

Thinking of this, the emperor couldn't help but shake his head slightly, a doting smile appearing on his lips.

To be honest, Gu Zhixing's ranking as the third-highest scholar was somewhat unfair.

He clearly remembered that on the day of the imperial examination, when Gu Zhixing presented his answer sheet, his handwriting was elegant and graceful, and his essay was powerful and insightful, showing the potential to be the top scholar.

If it weren't for some ministers in the court worrying that he was too young and might become arrogant in the future, and also considering that he was their nephew and might cause controversy, they would have ranked him third.

In terms of talent and learning, Gu Zhixing was in no way inferior to the top two scholars in the imperial examination.

Such a remarkable achievement would surely be praised by elders in other families as well.

Take Ye Qingzhou, the youngest son of General Ye Weilin, for example. He only passed the imperial examination and became a tribute student, but Ye Weilin was so happy that he could see his back teeth every three days.

But his nephew is a top scholar, a man of great talent and promising future. As an elder in the family, what harm is there in indulging him a little?

The emperor thought to himself that his actions were merely to make up for his nephew's grievance of becoming the third-ranked scholar and to give him a chance to choose freely.

"Think it over carefully." The emperor coughed softly, his gaze falling gently on Gu Zhixing, his tone filled with a hint of doting and expectation.

As long as the rank is below the third grade, he can choose any official position he wants.

All eyes in the hall instantly focused on Gu Zhixing, filled with envy and jealousy. Their gazes intertwined, as if waiting for him to make a shocking choice. In an instant, the atmosphere in the hall became increasingly heavy.

Gu Zhixing had his head down, his eyes lowered, and his long eyelashes like feathers, as if he was seriously thinking about something.

His fingers gently caressed the gold brick beneath him, the cool touch traveling from his fingertips to his heart, gradually clearing his previously chaotic thoughts.

Time passed slowly, and the hall was silent except for the occasional creaking of the wind outside, which seemed to add a touch of rhythm to the tense atmosphere.

Just as everyone was getting impatient and even starting to whisper among themselves, a clear and firm voice suddenly rang out in the hall: "Your subject requests to be transferred to the Court of Judicial Review."