An hour later, the sound of gongs and drums came from Weiyang Lake.

Fu Xiaoguan turned around and saw a houseboat coming on Weiyang Lake, with vague human figures visible on the boat.

"That's the official ship that came to post the notice. The people on it are mainly officials from the Imperial College, as well as teachers from the Jixia Academy and eunuchs from the palace."

"What are you doing here, father-in-law?"

"Announce the decree. The top ten will go to the palace to take part in the palace examination. The top three will be the top three."

"oh."

As the official ship docked, the Lantingji Square was crowded with people. Fu Xiaoguan felt uncomfortable with the crowds, so he simply took Yu Wenyun and others to the corridor.

"What kind of official position will be given to those who pass the imperial examination?" asked Fu Xiaoguan.

"It's not that easy. Every year, the Yu Dynasty selects 300 Jinshi (imperial scholar) candidates, but a vacancy isn't always available immediately. It might take two or three years, or even longer. So, they usually return to their hometowns and wait for notification from the court. Of course, some Jinshi with some wealth will stay in Shangjing, mainly to build connections so that they can fill a vacancy as soon as possible. It's usually a ninth-rank county magistrate."

So... that's how the so-called "cliques" came about. In order to quickly secure a position, they would choose who to join. If they weren't affiliated with any power, it would be incredibly difficult to secure a position.

Fu Xiaoguan thought about it and decided that this could not be blamed on these students. The purpose of these people studying was to become officials. After ten years of hard study, they finally passed the imperial examination and became Jinshi, but there was no official position for them in your court - this went against their original intention of studying, so of course they had no choice but to find a way out.

This is a huge disadvantage, but Fu Xiaoguan didn't think too much about it because it has nothing to do with him.

Amid the loud sound of gongs and drums, two rows of guards led the way, followed by officials and instructors from the Imperial College and the Jixia Academy, then several eunuchs in red robes, and finally two more rows of guards.

The scale is grand and the occasion is unprecedented.

When the team that posted the notice arrived in front of Lanting Pavilion, Shangguan Wenxiu, the chief academic officer of the Imperial College, stepped onto the built high platform. Countless students surrounded him. Shangguan Wenxiu put his hands in the air and the place soon became quiet.

"In the Autumn Examination of the eighth year of the Xuanli reign, 5,348 candidates participated, and 300 were selected as Jinshi (Jinshi). They were ranked according to their combined scores in poetry, classics, and policy essays. This official wishes the successful candidates well. For those who failed, this official hopes that they will continue to work hard and take the exam again next year. Now, this official announces that the results of the Autumn Examination of the eighth year of the Xuanli reign have been officially announced!"

As Shangguan Wenxiu finished speaking, the crowd was in an uproar, and a golden list was hung on the Lanting Pavilion.

Afterwards, except for the guards who maintained order, all other officials and eunuchs entered the Lanting Pavilion.

The eunuch announced that they would have to wait for another hour, and this hour was for the students to see the list.

There were sounds of uproar, crying and sighing in the crowd.

Zhang Wenhan squeezed in desperately. He looked at the gold list nervously. His name was not on the first row of ten people, but Fang Wenxing and An Liuyue were.

His name was not on the second row of thirty people. Zhou Tianyou was in that row.

Then the third line, the fourth line... he finally found his name at the end of the eighth line!

Zhang Wenhan, two hundred and twenty!

Got it!

I passed the imperial examination!

Zhang Wenhan was ecstatic. He carefully confirmed again and found that he had really won!

He looked up to the sky and cried bitterly, sometimes laughing loudly, looking like a madman.

There are many people in the same state as him, and Fang Wenxin and others are no exception.

Top ten, top ten!

This allows you to meet the emperor and have the chance to get into the top three in the palace examination!

An autumn examination brings so much joy and so much sorrow.

Fu Xiaoguan watched quietly, neither happy nor sad. Then, feeling bored, he simply suggested to Yu Wenjun that they go upstairs to the Sifang Building for tea.

Of course Yu Wenjun was willing, and she didn't like the noisy place, so the group left Lantingji.

Fu Xiaoguan didn't know who was on the list, and he didn't care about it. He didn't know many people in the capital, and although he had a drink with Yan Xiwen and others, he didn't think they were really friends.

Naive, it's just a show.

Moreover, Yan Xiwen still hasn't given up on Dong Shulan and even asked his father to propose marriage. This guy... is a piece of shit!

Yan Xiwen was listed as the first on Fu Xiaoguan's hatred list. In fact, he felt quite wronged. He had never mentioned Dong Shulan since the last time they drank together. He didn't even know that his father Yan Shidao had found Dong Kangping.

At this moment, Yan Xiwen was with Fang Wenxing and others, congratulating them, and had no idea that Fu Xiaoguan had been there.

After an hour, an old eunuch in red came out.

"Students, listen up!"

A large group of people knelt down.

"The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, summons you: The civil service examinations are now complete. I am deeply pleased by the students' swift intellect and profound knowledge. Those who have passed the examinations must remain neither arrogant nor impatient, and serve me diligently from now on. Those who failed the examinations must not despise themselves, but must strive for continued success and take the exam again next year. The top ten students in this autumn's examination are ordered to appear before the Emperor immediately: Shi Yiming, Xue Donglin, Qin Huanyu, Yan Linqiu, Fang Wenxing, Xi Shuang, Fei Qian, An Liuyue, Zhuo Liuyun, and Huang Sheng."

Normally, this decree would have concluded, and the students were about to shout "Long live the emperor!" Unexpectedly, the eunuch read out another line: "Furthermore, Fu Xiaoguan of Linjiang is a poet of superb quality, his words have entered the realm of sacred learning. His "Water Melody Song" has been recorded in the first row of the Thousand Stele Stones. His disaster relief proposals are thought-provoking and very much to my liking. Therefore, I have specially summoned Fu Xiaoguan to come to the palace to meet with the emperor. I decree this!"

What is going on?

The students kneeling below looked at each other in bewilderment. His Majesty had issued a special decree for this man. All the students and ladies knew the name Fu Xiaoguan, but they had never expected that this guy could receive such a divine favor!

The students were speechless, kneeling on the ground and whispering to each other, all asking the same question: why? Then the eunuch who announced the decree was embarrassed. "I have already announced the decree, why don't you all thank me?"

Didn't they hear clearly?

"Ahem, fellow students, I decree this!"

Oh, it’s approved. Please put Fu Xiaoguan’s request aside for now.

Then all the students shouted "Long live the emperor" and then stood up.

"Brother Xiwen, what's going on with this Fu Xiaoguan?" The person asking was Shi Yiming, the number one on the gold list.

"I don't know either. The imperial edict did say that the disaster relief proposals it wrote were thought-provoking and very much in line with your majesty's wishes. I guess that's what your majesty posted here a few days ago, right?"

Shi Yiming nodded thoughtfully, and walked towards Lanting Pavilion with Fang Wenxing and other students in the top ten.

"Where is Mr. Fu?" Shangguan Wenxiu asked anxiously.

He really wanted to meet Fu Xiaoguan. He wanted to see what this talented young man looked like.

"Yes, where is Fu Xiaoguan?" The eunuch who announced the imperial edict was also very confused. The top ten on the gold list were all in, but Fu Xiaoguan was the only one missing. How could he report to His Majesty?

"He's not a candidate for this exam, so I'm afraid he's not here."

"Where is he then?"

"I don't know either. Send someone to look for it!"