Chapter 27 The entire audience was shocked. That article... wasn't written by Young Master Lu...

While the tense and exciting voting was still taking place outside, the inner room was as quiet as a stagnant pool.

After the students handed in their exam papers, the examiners led them to another quiet room, where they sat at separate tables according to the random numbers on their papers.

After counting the number of participants, the examination officer left, instructing that "no one may leave before the voting ends."

The moment the door closed, the tense silence inside was instantly broken.

"How did you solve that problem about 'treating all people as brothers and all things as companions'?" someone couldn't help but whisper, probing the others' solutions.

"Don't even mention it!" The student next to me said dejectedly, burying his face in his hands. "Last night I crammed at the last minute, memorizing more than ten model essays, but I couldn't apply any of them! In the end, I could only scribble a few lines to make up the numbers, just hoping not to hand in a blank paper."

Some people were puzzled: "What exactly is the purpose of the adults setting such a question? Even if there is a famine in the years of famine, what does it have to do with us scholars?"

Some people often lament: "I wanted to take this opportunity to show off my poetic talent, but who knew that the topic was related to the famine, and it seemed to be a test of policy and practical skills, which is really not my forte... This is a great calamity for the country, so what kind of romantic poems can I write?"

“Brother Lu,” a student who was familiar with Lu Chengzhou called out from afar, as if he had remembered something, “You must have written this article exceptionally well, right?”

Lu Chengzhou nodded slightly, his expression suggesting complete confidence: "I have written a brief policy essay."

The student immediately applauded, clapping his hands and saying, "Amazing! This is exactly what Brother Lu excels at!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Ming, who was standing to the side, curled his lips into a smile like a fox: "That's really unfortunate. I've written a long poem. I'm sure it's nothing compared to the magnificent writing of the great talent Lu."

He drew out the last syllable of his sentence, his sarcasm evident, clearly a provocation.

"Hmph." Unexpectedly, Lu Chengzhou was not angry. He only glanced at him contemptuously. "You're just being glib and empty-headed. I won't bother with you."

That posture clearly showed that he was extremely confident in his own writing and disdained to argue with it.

Sitting in the corner, Lin Lan subconsciously rubbed her fingertips together.

She had used too much force while writing, and her fingertips were still trembling slightly.

When she first received the exam paper and saw the questions she had never seen before, she was completely flustered.

Policy research is complex and difficult. She has only recently started and has never studied it carefully, so she did not start from this aspect from the beginning.

She sat at the table, racking her brains for a long time, before finally grasping a few sparks of inspiration. With genuine feelings in her heart and what she had seen and felt in the countryside, she wrote furiously, completing the entire article almost in one go.

It wasn't until she reached the end of the article and glanced up to see that the water clock was almost empty that she suddenly realized how tight the time was. She wrote the last few lines quickly, afraid that she wouldn't be able to finish and that the article would become a tattered mess.

The moment she put down her pen, the examination officer's instruction to collect the papers rang out.

"Stop writing, put your hands down, and leave the paper on the desk."

She handed in the paper and opened her hand, only to realize with a start that her palms were covered in cold sweat, while her fingertips were icy cold.

At this moment, listening to the chatter around her, the unease she had been hiding resurfaced.

Her article was not a policy essay.

Will this... go off-topic?

Lin Lan looked up, wanting to see Wen Qingshi's expression.

Her gaze passed over several rows of tables and chairs and landed in front of her.

Wen Qingshi remained completely unmoved, his back straight as a pine tree, as if all the noise around him could not enter his ears or mind.

Lin Lan suddenly calmed down.

Who says a good article has to be a policy essay?

She refused to believe that her heartfelt words would easily be defeated by these people's outdated conventions.

----

The voting line stretched like a long dragon, with people waiting and still speculating enthusiastically about the authors of the articles.

An old tutor stroked his beard and sighed, "Looking at that third policy essay, I find it to be well-structured, combining legal principles with practical application. What's even more remarkable is the compassion that shines through its lines. It truly shows that the people are cared for and that the common folk are in the eye of the beholder!"

"Sir, you must share my view!" exclaimed a fellow student. "With this essay, all other policy proposals pale in comparison. In my opinion, this is the true mark of a champion!"

Someone immediately chimed in: "Among the candidates, none other than Young Master Lu Chengzhou possesses such vision and writing skill, right?"

The old tutor nodded slowly: "Indeed. Compared to previous years, his writing has lost some of its harshness and gained much more tact and clarity. It's almost as if you could write it without needing to add or delete a single word. His progress is truly rapid; the younger generation is indeed formidable!"

“I really love the poem on number six,” a simply dressed woman said softly, her face slightly embarrassed. “I can’t read, so I’ll trouble the officer next to me to read it to me. Other articles may sound good, but there’s always a layer between them and me; they can be heard but not felt. But when I heard that poem, I don’t know why, tears just started falling on their own…”

"I read it too, and that poem is indeed deeply moving..." someone else chimed in.

"The one with the best poetic talent in this round should be Young Master Gu Ming?"

An elderly man shook his head: "Sigh, this old man doesn't know anything about Young Master Lu or Young Master Gu. I see that several of their stories are very well written, it's really hard to choose. Anyway, I didn't place any bets on anyone, so I just picked the one that moved me the most."

Amidst the discussions, someone finally uttered a heartfelt sigh.

"This literary gathering was truly a gathering of outstanding talents, and it broadened our horizons considerably!"

Wen Yu stood in line number three, her gaze sweeping over the other lines.

As expected, the longest vote was cast for number three, followed by number six.

The comments section was also buzzing with analysis:

[I'm sure everyone agrees that Qing Shi is number three, right? No one but Qing Shi could have written an article like that.]

Has anyone found Lanmei's article? I'm so anxious!

[I doubt it's in the policy essay section; she doesn't seem to be good at that. I guess... it's another genre?]

I've read the other articles too. One was particularly sincere and touching, and another was very fresh and lively. I'm so conflicted—which one is she?

[I wanted to ask A-Yue again, but...sigh, this question is still too difficult for him. Anyway, as long as the two of us girls are determined, we must win!]

[This topic is quite interesting. Some wrote poems, some wrote policy essays, and some even wrote narrative essays. It really showcases everyone's skills and strengths.]

I'm so nervous...

"Gentlemen, please calm down!" The examination officer collected all the tickets, struck a gong, and silenced the noise.

"All ballot boxes will be sealed immediately in public and will not be opened until the votes are counted!"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the examination officer sealed the ballot box, affixed his official seal, and invited several respected voters to come forward to inspect it and sign their guarantee.

The entire process is open and transparent, eliminating any possibility of underhanded manipulation.

Next, a row of guards came out and escorted the ballot box to the center of Lu Garden.

The platform there had already been erected, with fifteen positions set up on it according to a number.

The ballot boxes were carried up one by one by the guards and placed in their respective positions.

Another group of people rushed over and erected a huge wooden board, which was covered with snow-white Xuan paper.

The examination officer pointed to the board and announced, "The votes will be counted shortly, and the results will be posted here in real time!"

The audience members nodded in agreement.

Although the process had nothing to do with them, the examiners explained each step in detail, which made them feel respected.

Next, a dozen or so chairs were brought onto the stage and arranged in order, waiting for the students to take their seats.

Directly in front, there were several larger judges' seats.

"The vote counting is about to begin—" the examiner announced loudly after checking the time.

Just then, a minor official rushed over and whispered a few words to him.

The examiner nodded, turned to the crowd, and raised his voice: "I apologize, everyone, His Majesty the Prefect is currently preoccupied with official duties and has not yet arrived at Lu Garden. He is on his way."

"The next segment will be temporarily presided over by Magistrate Lu."

Lord Prefect? ​​That must be Lord Su.

Then this Magistrate Lu...

Wen Yu pondered for a moment. The Assistant Prefect was the Prefect's deputy. Since the Prefect couldn't come, the Assistant Prefect should indeed temporarily take his place.

But, surnamed Lu? She subconsciously associated it with someone.

Before the thought had even formed in his mind, an official with a stern and serious face, a slightly overweight figure, who looked exactly like an older, plump version of "Lu Chengzhou," had already strode up the high platform.

His gaze swept across the room like lightning, and his voice, deep and resonant, exuded official authority: "Silence!"

His sharp shout, like a gavel, instantly silenced the entire hall.

"You are all fortunate to have this opportunity to enter the Luyuan Literary Society today, thanks to the grace of Lord Su. How dare you make a ruckus here! What kind of behavior is this! It is an insult to literature and a defilement of this sacred place!"

He immediately launched into a stern reprimand, which silenced everyone, who shrank back in fear.

Wen Yuxin understood and silently brought up the character panel.

[Lu Hongguang, 48 years old, male, Assistant Magistrate of Luzhou Prefecture, father of Lu Chengzhou...]

Sure enough, it was that guy's biological father.

These two, father and son, are truly cut from the same cloth, both arrogant.

----

After a reprimand, Lu Hongguang saw that everyone in the audience was holding their breath and bowing their heads like quails. Satisfied, he turned and sat down comfortably on the judges' panel.

The other invited officials and scholars, seeing him seated, then carefully took their seats on either side of him, their postures quite reserved.

Lu Hongguang picked up the stack of copied exam papers on the table and slowly flipped through them one by one.

The entire garden was completely silent, except for the soft rustling of paper turning.

All eyes were fixed on his stern face.

He observed very carefully, sometimes frowning slightly, sometimes nodding slightly.

After a long while, he finally put down the last exam paper, and his tense expression relaxed a little, even... seemed somewhat satisfied?

He raised his hand, his voice regaining its usual authoritative composure: "Hmm, acceptable. Summon them out."

In fact, Lu Hongguang had long harbored resentment towards Su Lin's actions in altering the rules of the literary gathering.

In his eyes, selecting ignorant villagers from the countryside to participate in the literary gathering, and having those peddlers and uneducated people judge the quality of the articles, was simply the most ridiculous thing in the world.

People from all walks of life are utterly disrespectful and cannot possibly tarnish the culture of China.

However, Su Lin insisted on his own way. Rank is higher and one can crush another. Although he was dissatisfied, he had no choice but to obey.

He had just finished reading through the candidates' essays with a belly full of anger, but he did find a few works that were quite ingenious.

In particular, he was quite amazed by the third policy essay, which was rigorous in its principles, insightful in its views, and grand in its scope. He figured it must have been written by his son, Lu Chengzhou, and his pent-up dissatisfaction dissipated somewhat.

However, some of the articles were so bad that he couldn't bear to read them.

At that time, he would have to mention to Su Lin that the writings of these ignorant people were simply not worthy of serious consideration.

"Please enter the examination room, all candidates—" The examination officer, having received his order, hurriedly ran to the side door to announce it.

The students who had been waiting outside immediately straightened their clothes and filed in one after another. When they reached the stage, they bowed to the judges.

Among the group of students in blue robes, Lu Hongguang looked only at his son.

He looked at Lu Chengzhou, and surprisingly, a look of almost approval appeared on his face. He nodded slightly and said, "This article is well written."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for the audience nearby to hear clearly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Chengzhou was almost overwhelmed with gratitude!

Despite years of hard work, his father almost never gave him any positive praise.

No matter how well he performed, even if he ranked in the top three at the literary conference, he would always be met with his father's serious expression, saying "there are still shortcomings" and "be wary of arrogance and impetuosity."

Did the sun rise in the west today?

He suppressed his overwhelming joy, bowed deeply, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "Your child is dull-witted, and it is all thanks to Father's careful guidance on a daily basis!"

Lu Hongguang was clearly not used to such emotional expression, so his praise stopped there. He immediately put on a stern face and said, "Hmm. It's good that you know. You should avoid arrogance and impetuosity and focus on your studies. That is the right way."

"Yes, I will follow Father's teachings!" Lu Chengzhou's voice was loud, and his chest puffed out unconsciously.

The audience below the stage looked at this unexpected scene of "filial piety and parental love" and couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances, with whispers starting to rise between them.

"That's strange... Aren't the exam papers anonymous? How does Lord Lu know which one was written by Young Master Lu?"

“What’s so difficult about that? No one knows a son better than his father. Young Master Lu is exceptionally talented and has a unique writing style. How could Lord Lu not recognize his own son’s writing?”

"So, that universally acknowledged best policy essay, number three, was indeed written by Young Master Lu?"

"That must be it..."

The examination officer stepped forward at the opportune moment and announced loudly, "Please take your seats according to your assigned numbers!"

Lu Hongguang nodded slightly, his gaze following Lu Chengzhou with satisfaction as he waited for him to walk to the number three seat he had been hoping for.

However, Lu Chengzhou walked over.

He skipped seat number three and went straight to a seat in the back row, where he sat down calmly.

The hint of relief on Lu Hongguang's face froze instantly.

He looked down in disbelief, repeatedly examining the third exam paper in his hand that he admired so much, then suddenly looked up and stared intently at seat number three over there.

There sat a handsome young man in a blue robe, whose demeanor was calm and composed, yet who was completely unfamiliar to him!

How could this be?

Was that magnificent article not written by Zhou'er?

Who...who is that?

Shocked, Lu Hongguang nearly lost his composure.

At the same time, a huge uproar broke out in the audience. People could not suppress their shock and whispered among themselves.

"Wait? Who's that person in seat number three?"

"That article... wasn't written by Young Master Lu? My God, how is that possible!"

"Not even Gu Ming, is he a 'dark horse'?"

"I've never seen this before..."

In an instant, almost all eyes in the room focused on the young man sitting calmly in seat number three.

-----------------------

Author's Note: I had some trouble writing these last few chapters, so the update is a bit late. Sorry! [pleading emoji]

A side note:

[Sprinkling flowers] I'd like to recommend my friend's novel, "Don't Lie in Front of the Demon Lord," a sweet fantasy novel with a pure-hearted female warrior and a male protagonist who conquers himself. Book ID: 9981736.