Time flies, and soon it had been a year since Yan Xu entered the capital.
During that year, he brought about many changes to the Da Yuan court.
The emperor still disliked his personality and his reforms, but the children admired him—not just one person, but everyone.
So whenever he was about to explode from Yan Xu's bluntness, he could only endure it when he thought of how excited the children were when they mentioned Yan Xu.
Later, he finally found a way to coexist with Yan Xu.
Whenever Yan Xu upset him, he would make an enemy of Yan Xu.
In the imperial court, he disliked more than just Yan Xu. As the Minister of Personnel, Yan Xu was in charge of the promotion of officials, and his reforms also harmed the interests of many people. It wouldn't be too easy to make enemies of him.
It was only at this point that the emperor discovered that Yan Xu, who had entered the capital alone, was not fighting alone in the court. He actually had allies, and quite a few of them!
In the imperial court, the noble families, aristocratic families, and commoners were originally clearly distinct, but Yan Xu's arrival added another faction to the court—the "pure stream."
He was surrounded by upright scholars and officials, including nobles, aristocratic families, and people from humble backgrounds.
The emergence of the Qingliu faction undoubtedly greatly weakened the power of aristocratic families and nobles in the court, making the situation in the court more complicated, but it was a good thing for the imperial power.
That year, three people from the Wenhua Hall had to take three separate exams.
In April, Yun Shu took the prefectural examination.
As long as he passes the prefectural examination, he can become a student of the lowest level.
It was probably the good results in the county examination that gave Yun Shu so much confidence. He wasn't worried at all about the prefectural examination. He ate and drank as usual, and gradually gained back the weight he had gained on his own.
Given his mindset and condition, Ye Jingchen felt that his chances of passing the prefectural examination were slim.
Although he excels in policy essays and current affairs assessments, he is really not good at poetry and prose assessments.
However, he already had a title to inherit, and the imperial examination was just a way to gain prestige. This prestige wasn't essential, so Ye Jingchen didn't want to put pressure on him.
Anyway, his talent is innate; no one can take it away or envy it.
In August, Gu Beichen will participate in the academy examination.
Once he passed the provincial examination, he became a scholar.
He has nothing to worry about in the provincial examination; barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will undoubtedly be the top scorer.
This year also coincides with the triennial provincial examination, and Wu Zemin will participate in the provincial examination in August.
With his abilities, passing the imperial examination will be no problem; he will be the youngest scholar to ever pass the examination in Dayuan.
After the provincial examination, there will be the spring examination in March of the following year, which is also known as the metropolitan examination.
At that time, Wu Zemin's advantages as the Crown Prince's study companion will become apparent.
Over the years, the emperor has favored the crown prince, and apart from Xie Chang'an, the other three of the crown prince's study companions have become familiar to him. Given the emperor's personality and the importance he places on the crown prince, Wu Zemin's performance in the palace examination will definitely not be bad.
The results of the palace examination were secondary; the key was the official appointment that followed. Whether he was appointed as an editor in the Hanlin Academy or sent to a prosperous region to build up his political achievements, a smooth road awaited him.
This world is inherently unfair. The end of an ordinary person's life of struggle is merely the starting point for the children of the powerful and wealthy. If these children of the powerful and wealthy are also particularly ambitious and hardworking, then their future is naturally limitless.
Before the prefectural examination, Yun Shu was full of vigor and high spirits. When Ye Jingchen and Xie Chang'an went to see him off, he patted his chest and guaranteed that he would definitely become a student and rank among the top.
However, after three consecutive days of exams, he lost confidence.
When the results of the prefectural examination came out, he did pass the preliminary examination, but he was at the very bottom of the list.
A twelve-year-old student who has passed the imperial examinations is already quite remarkable among the sons of noble families in the capital, but that depends on who he is compared to.
Gu Beichen and Wu Zemin were both students who passed the imperial examinations at the age of twelve, and they were both the top scorers in the county and prefectural examinations. Compared to them, Yun Shu, who was at the bottom of the class, seemed very ironic.
After the results came out, he was immediately beaten by his father with a feather duster.
"Hoping your son will become a dragon is not the way to do it. You have no self-awareness at all. I am a poor student. It is good enough that I can pass the preliminary examination. What does it have to do with me being the top scholar? If I can be the top scholar, it would be because my ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke!" Yun Shu was not ashamed of being among the last few in the exam. She was just resentful about the beating she received.
However, the thing that bothered him soon changed to something else.
"I am already a student of the lowest level, so what right do those guys who don't even dare to take the county-level exam have to laugh at me?"
"You even asked me why I didn't get the top score in the imperial examination? Getting the top score isn't like rice in a field, where crop after crop grows. It's not that easy!!"
"My dad is so useless. He gets ridiculed by others outside, doesn't he know how to fight back? Why does he take it out on me at home? Did he ever top the imperial examinations back then?!"
His resentment lasted from the time the prefectural examination results came out until August.
The provincial examination will be held first in August.
On the ninth day of the eighth lunar month, the first day of the provincial examination began.
Gu Beichen and Yun Shu could openly escort Wu Zemin into the examination hall, while Ye Jingchen and Xie Chang'an could only watch from afar.
There's no other reason than that among all the students, young and old, Wu Zemin, this fifteen-year-old boy, stood out too much.
Not to mention that Wu Zemin himself was a prominent figure among the younger generation of nobles in the capital, and many people were paying attention to his performance in the provincial examination.
"Why didn't you go with Bei Chen and Yun Shu to see Ze Ming off? Instead, you're sneaking around with me." Ye Jingchen teased Xie Chang'an.
"Because I can't stand being seen by others," Xie Chang'an said expressionlessly.
As the young heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, holding all the mansion's resources in the capital, Xie Chang'an indeed became increasingly unsavory as he grew older.
When he was young, no one paid attention to him, so everything he did was very convenient. But as he grows up, more and more attention will inevitably be focused on him, so it's best to appear in public as little as possible.
"It's okay, just bear with it for a few more years, it'll be fine once you're an adult," Ye Jingchen said to him seriously, suppressing a laugh.
"Do you intend to replace that person after you come of age?" Xie Chang'an asked irritably.
Ye Jingchen's actions do not suggest that he intends to take over that position.
He's ashamed to be seen in public because of circumstances, but the Crown Prince beside him, who makes himself look like he's ashamed to be seen in public, is simply insane!
"How could that be? Even if I'm of age, I'm still so young. How can my immature shoulders bear the burden of a country? My father is in his prime and likes to sit in that position. I'm so filial, so naturally I should let him sit there more!" Ye Jingchen said cheerfully.
007, working year-round without a break, even a dog wouldn't want to be an emperor!
Xie Chang'an was so angry at his cheerful expression that he gritted his teeth.
Over the years, the emperor has never let go of his suspicions about the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, testing it time and time again. Both he and his father are fed up with it.
If it weren't for the pressure from his ancestors and grandfather, he would have encouraged his father to just let this guy be crowned emperor!
Only when this guy takes that position can the sword that always hangs over the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion disappear!
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