Tong Su took a moment to find the background information of this world and glanced at it. Six years later, Xu Yincheng did indeed pass the imperial examination—but it was because his calligraphy was not very good that his score in the provincial examination was lowered.
Now, he has to submit a letter written in the official script. Although his handwriting is not extremely beautiful, it is still above average. It seems that he will have a much easier time passing the exam now than in the original story.
In the original story, Xu Yincheng did indeed become a righteous official recorded in history and remembered by all people many years later. Due to the fierce power struggles in the court, he spent most of his life in exile. Although he never managed to climb to the top of the power structure, he did many good deeds for the people.
Tong Su flipped through the pages, realizing that the original storyline and the world she was experiencing now were quite different:
In the original storyline, Jin Wenting did not survive. He died in the mountains of Yunyang County two years ago. The Prince of Heng was greatly affected and lost interest in politics. Meanwhile, the Prince of Wei and others rebelled and quickly overthrew Emperor Xinglong from the throne.
In last year's palace intrigue, Prince Heng, a son of a concubine who had already sided with Prince Wei, attempted to assassinate Prince Heng and seriously injured Emperor Xinglong. After Prince Wei forced Emperor Xinglong to write an abdication edict, Emperor Xinglong died of depression not long afterward.
King Wei was cruel and hypocritical; he was completely unfit to be emperor. After he ascended the throne, the Great Yan Dynasty declined rapidly.
With the loss of the war god Jin Wenting guarding the border, the Great Yan was no longer able to fight against the Northern Rong and Hu peoples. Not many years later, nomadic tribes invaded and completely destroyed the Great Yan.
Lice infest armor, and countless people die.
White bones lie exposed in the wilderness, and for a thousand miles no rooster crows.
Of the people who survived, only one in a hundred remained; the thought of it breaks one's heart.
666 said nervously, "Miss, don't overthink it. You saved the prince, history has changed, and everything is moving in a positive direction."
Tong Su pursed her lips: "It's not enough—those people are obsessed with political infighting and wish they could wipe out the Regent's army. But the more successful they are, the less force they will have to resist when the Northern Rong invade in the future."
"Then what are you going to do? You're still just a student of the lowest level, you can't participate in things in the capital..."
Xu Yincheng said, "Have you thought it through? Do you know that after the palace examination, unless you are among the top three in the first list, all the successful candidates in the second list must first enter the Hanlin Academy to serve as officials?"
"I know."
"The Hanlin Academy is entirely in the hands of the upright officials! If they want to trip you up, they can say you're too young and can't win people's hearts, and suppress your career. Even if you have the Prince Regent's son backing you up, you can't fight against them!"
"Suppress my career prospects?" Tong Su suddenly raised her head, her eyes blazing, her expression arrogant. "Then I'll go and take the exam to be among the top three!"
Xu Yincheng was stunned: "You—"
She said, "Didn't they say I'm too young to be respected? If they don't respect me as a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), how about the top three?! Whether it's the top scholar, the second-place scholar, or the third-place scholar, as long as I pass the exam fairly and squarely, who would dare to trip me up?"
She said, "The Qingliu faction only looks down on those who lack talent. If I am in the top three, we will be the same kind of people, and they will no longer oppose me. The powerful families and clans are strong, but as long as I am in the top three, they will have to consider public opinion and will not dare to openly suppress me!"
Top three
Those were the top three! Does she even know what she's talking about?!
Xu Yincheng was startled by her. He was certain that he could pass the imperial examination because although the metropolitan examination was only held once every three years, more than two hundred people were admitted each time, but only three people were in the top three in three years!
How could she be so confident that she would definitely make it into the top three?!
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