Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Stealing the Spotlight
Not getting any comfort from his teacher, He Ping turned to look for his godmother.
Seeing He Ping crying so hard, Mrs. Jiang felt so distressed that tears were about to fall. She kept saying that the people above her were blind and couldn't tell good from evil. She almost scolded the emperor for being blind!
After sobbing for a while, He Ping said aggrievedly that it would be better to select him as the third place.
Xiaoman: "Third place in the imperial examination. You're second and you're still crying and making a fuss. How can you be third?"
"Well, the handsome scholars in those storybooks are either the top or the third place winners. Who's ever heard of the second place winner being the protagonist? Every time there's a parade, people only look at the top and third place winners. Who cares about the second place winner?"
He Ping sighed to the heavens, "I'm so outstanding, so outstanding that even the heavens are jealous of me. No, I can't give up. I have to think of a way to steal the limelight from both the top and second place winners."
Seeing him gritting his teeth, Xiaoman swallowed the words she had prepared and rolled her eyes at him silently.
Tomorrow is the ceremony to announce the results of the palace examination, and then the new scholars will be paraded through the streets on horseback. There are still many things to prepare.
He Ping had also vented his anger. He picked up the pile of goodies given by Mrs. Jiang and said tearfully, "Godmother, sister, I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow at the Imperial Street. Don't forget to distribute the articles I copied."
In fact, he didn't need to spread the word; their essays had already been circulated through various channels after the palace examination. Some teahouses and restaurants even posted the top three essays in their lobbies, inviting students from all walks of life to appreciate and comment on them.
The top three in the palace examination are naturally the best essays, but everyone has their own preferences and everyone has their own number one in their minds.
Especially after hearing that the runner-up was a disciple of the imperial tutor Mr. Lin Ting.
"This article is bold, unrestrained, and detached. It makes people feel like the clear wind and bright moon, and the clouds have dispersed after the rain. In my opinion, Mr. He's article is better."
A middle-aged scholar praised him, then twirled his beard and sighed, "It's a pity that Mr. Lin Ting is too famous, so we have to avoid suspicion."
Some people were dissatisfied, saying, "Mr. He's writing is good, and Mr. Li's is not bad either! The language is gorgeous, the ideas are ingenious, and the quotations from classics are effortless. This first place is well deserved."
"No, no, the champion's essay is too ornate, and seems to show off his literary talent. Mr. He's is better. It is natural and fluent, and can be appreciated by both the elite and the masses."
"This isn't a grand opera, so why should it appeal to both the elite and the masses? Mr. He's writing is too casual, and the words used are too ordinary. If such a plain article can win the top prize, then my little grandson can have a try too."
"I heard that Li Lin is only seventeen years old, but his writing style is so mature at such a young age. His future must be limitless."
"Seventeen years old? He's the youngest number one scholar in our dynasty!"
"Not just in our dynasty, I'm afraid it's the first time in history."
"No wonder they chose him..."
"Hey, what do you mean? Just because He Ping is Mr. Lin Ting's disciple, you rush to flatter him. Where is the integrity of a scholar?"
"Come on, you're just saying Li Lin's writing is good just because he's from the Suzhou Li family."
The arguing in the front hall grew louder. In the private room upstairs, Liu Jinshu gently closed the window, turned around and said with a smile, "There is no first in literature, and no second in martial arts. They can argue to the death, but they won't achieve anything. Ultimately, the emperor has the final say."
A hint of sadness flashed across Li Lin's face. "I read He Ping's article. It's really good."
Liu Jinshu was surprised. "You don't think the emperor chose you as the first because you are young, do you?"
Li Lin: "It's not because of my age. There are younger tribute students than me. I think... the Lin couple are very famous. The two Lin families behind them, one in the north and one in the south, are both aristocratic families with hundreds of years of history. If they produce another top scholar, or even a top scholar who wins the first place three times in a row, the momentum will be too great."
Liu Jinshu shook his head slightly. "He Ping's surname is He, not Lin. Even if Mr. Lin Ting supports him with all his strength, the Lin family may not buy into it."
"Brother Liu, are you going to say that I am the top scholar based on my real talent and knowledge?"
"No, He Ping's skills are indeed better than yours."
Li Lin: ...Although it is the truth, it still hurts my heart.
Liu Jinshu couldn't help but smile and asked him, "How many years has it been since a southern scholar won the top spot in the imperial examination?"
Li Lin was stunned. His mind raced, and he quickly realized the key point. "After the North-South List Case, no southern scholar has ever won the top spot. The highest rank is third place, and that's you, Brother Liu!"
Liu Jinshu's eyes flickered slightly, and his voice became extremely low. "If this continues, not only will the southern gentry be disheartened, but it will also arouse public outrage."
Li Lin murmured, "He Ping is from the north. Just because he's from the north, he missed out on the top spot? This is too—"
He bit his lips in time and didn't say the rest.
Liu Jinshu turned the sweet white porcelain teacup in his hand and also fell silent.
He was thinking about He Ping. He found the essay He Ping wrote for the Autumn Examination overnight and read it. Comparing it with the top scorer in that subject, he thought He Ping was better than him, even better than himself.
If it was for the so-called "three consecutive top honors", He Ping would not have had to postpone his participation in the Spring Examination for three years.
Three years ago, the current emperor deposed his nephew and ascended the throne. In order to stabilize the political situation, most of the regulations were carried out in accordance with the rules of the previous emperor, of course including the imperial examination system.
In fact, the situation at that time was more favorable to He Ping, but he chose to avoid it.
Is it really a lack of confidence, or is it intentional?
If it was intentional, then He Ping was too terrible. He actually dared to gamble with his own fame and fortune on the emperor's mind.
He used his identity as Mr. Lin Ting's disciple to draw people's attention to the point that "Your Majesty's junior brother should avoid suspicion." Even a smart person like Li Lin did not expect that this was a legacy issue of the North-South List case.
The emperor must be very pleased that the rules of the previous emperor were changed so quietly.
Such a person cannot be used by the Liu family.
Liu Jinshu suddenly thought that if Xiaoman was still his fiancée, He Ping would definitely become a helper to the Liu family.
Really...Alas!
Xiaoman didn't realize that she had become the object of other people's sighs again. In order to get a good seat in Yuqian Street the next day, she didn't sleep much all night and got up at dawn to call Mrs. Jiang.
Madam Jiang yawned and said, "Let some maids and servants go ahead and take their seats. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"There will be so many people that we won't be able to squeeze in!" Xiaoman was busy helping her mother wash and dress. After breakfast, they went straight to Yuqian Street.
When we arrived, the sun had just risen above the treetops. Quite a few people were already standing on Yuqian Street, and the shops and teahouses on both sides had already taken down their doors and started calling out for business.
Mrs. Jiang said, "I suggest we book a private room in the teahouse. It's quiet and peaceful, and we can see clearly, and we don't have to get up early. Ping boy must have asked us to stand in the front. I wonder what tricks he has up his sleeve."
Xiaoman smiled and said, "I can't guess anyway. Let's wait and see. On such an important day, he can't give his mother a 'scare'."
As the sun rose higher, more and more people came to the streets.
Just when they were getting impatient, they heard three cannon shots, the Meridian Gate opened wide, trumpets blew, drums and music played loudly, and ten Jinyiwei in flying fish uniforms rode in front, followed by dozens of imperial guards holding up the colorful flag and escorting the new number one scholar out of the main gate of the Meridian Gate slowly.
"Where is Ping? Why can't I see him?" Mrs. Jiang looked hard towards the palace gate.
"Side door! He came out from the side door." Xiaoman pointed to her mother with sharp eyes, "There it is! It turns out that only the top scholar can come out from the central imperial road, while the other scholars can only go through the side door."
She could even imagine He Ping rolling his eyes at the top scholar's back.
The horse-riding parade had begun! The crowd erupted in excitement, with those at the back pushing forward while those at the front tried to get a closer look, all wanting to catch a glimpse of the talented scholars. Countless fresh flowers and silk ornaments rained down on the handsome new scholars.
People soon discovered that the young number one scholar did not look very happy, but the number two scholar behind him held his head high and was in high spirits, as if he was the first. And the number three scholar behind him... he was a short and fat guy in his late 40s, so forget it, no matter whether he was happy or not.
"He's coming!" Xiaoman jumped and danced excitedly, waving her arms vigorously, fearing that He Ping on horseback couldn't see her.
He Ping suddenly dismounted, walked up to Mrs. Jiang, knelt on one knee, and called her mother.
He dismounted with a graceful and relaxed posture, his clothes fluttering as he walked, steady yet elegant, quite like an immortal. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and an upright posture. Needless to say, he immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Madame Chiang became the focus of people's attention.
Last year, the divorce case caused a huge uproar, and Mrs. Jiang became famous in Jinling City. Many people regarded her as a joke and despised her as an unfaithful woman. Rumors were prevalent in the streets and alleys.
Mrs. Jiang seemed not to care, but in fact she seldom went out afterwards. Even though He Ping deliberately asked the officials to deliver the good news of winning the first prize to the Jiang family, she still did not go out during the New Year holidays, and did not even go to the Pingyang Marquis Mansion.
Everyone knew that no matter how much Xiao Jiang and the prince helped her, they could only do so in secret. If they visited her openly, they would only put her in a difficult position.
Now, in front of hundreds of newly-minted scholars, civil and military officials, and the people of the city, He Ping's kneeling and calling out immediately shocked the crowd and made them gasp.
He wasn't just any runner-up; he was the disciple trained with all his heart by Mr. Lin Ting, his only direct disciple. I heard the emperor highly regarded him and had him stay overnight to talk.
If you want to gossip again in the future, you have to think twice.
Mrs. Jiang hurriedly helped him up, but she just looked at him crying, choking with sobs and unable to utter a word.
He Ping smiled, and jumped onto the horse neatly, showing off his slender waist and long legs. As expected, it caused another round of screams.
Xiaoman couldn't help laughing: This guy really stole all the limelight!
The scholars on parade continued to move forward, and Xiaoman's eyes wandered aimlessly, waiting for fewer people to watch before going home.
Unexpectedly, a pair of familiar eyes came into her sight.
Chen Lingan!
She was surprised and happy and was about to call him.
The raised hand stopped in mid-air and slowly fell down.
What kind of eyes were those? Envy, desire, loneliness, disillusionment, guilt... She had never seen so many emotions in a pair of eyes.
He was hidden in the crowd, wearing a dark blue robe, and looked like an ordinary scholar.
Perhaps the path he embarked on ten years ago was never the path he wanted to take.
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