Chapter 163: The First Assessment, the Question Given by the Emperor
The Shangliu Banquet was about to begin, and the envoys from Langjiang were ready to leave for Dayu in two days. Xiao Qinggu also found an opportunity to explain to Baili Pu the reason why she wanted to be crowned king and participate in politics.
Although Baili Pu was skeptical, he still did his best to complete what he was supposed to do. Xiao Qingji and Xiao Tong were strangely quiet. Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu kept an eye on Xiao Qinggu's assessment while also keeping an eye on the East Palace and the Princess's Mansion.
After nearly a month of training with Bailipu, although Xiao Qinggu's life was not very comfortable, he benefited a lot.
Time flies, and Xiao Qinggu's first test is coming soon. The Langjiang envoy will also arrive in Kyoto smoothly tomorrow.
Xiao Qinggu was extremely nervous because for this first assessment, Bailipu had invited Emperor Chengming.
Not only Emperor Chengming, but also people from the Ministry of Rites, the Hanlin Academy, the Princess and Prince Qi came.
After a simple ceremony, Baili Pu invited Emperor Chengming and the eldest princess to move to the front hall for tea and cakes. He asked Xiao Qinggu to start the closed-book exam in the backyard after half an incense stick, and the people from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy would be invigilators.
Before leaving, Xiao Qinggu looked in the direction of Xiao Qingxu.
Shang Yuwan stood beside Xiao Qingxu, winked at Xiao Qinggu and smiled softly. Ji Suxian stood on the other side of Xiao Qingxu, looked at Xiao Qinggu and nodded, and Xiao Qingxu looked at her with a gentle gaze.
Xiao Qinggu instantly felt a surge of energy in his heart, and went to the backyard with his head held high.
Because Luzhou City was hit by a flood, Emperor Chengming postponed the palace examination until April 25th to accommodate the candidates there. The results were announced on April 27th, and Xiao Qinggu had already gone through all the questions from this year's exam eight or nine times by the 28th.
Facing the test questions set by Baili Pu and those from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy, Xiao Qinggu still had some confidence.
With the encouragement of Shang Yuwan, Xiao Qingxu and others, Xiao Qinggu was no longer afraid of the Ministry of Rites or the Hanlin Academy. If you want to see it, then see it. Who can tear her apart?
Half an incense stick later, Xiao Qinggu, with the dark circles under his eyes, stared wide-eyed and read the question carefully. He wrote as if possessed by God, and his pen never stopped.
Master Zhang of the Ministry of Rites leaned towards Master Li of the Hanlin Academy and whispered, "Is Imperial Censor Baili trying to stop us or help us? I think His Highness is writing quite smoothly."
Baili Pu asked them to help with making test questions and supervising the exam. Half of the questions were written by themselves, and the other half were questions from this year's imperial examination. From the four rounds of examinations from the Tongshi to the Palace Examination, they had combined the questions into a complete set of questions in various ways. Baili Pu also added a lot of "material" into it himself. Logically speaking, Xiao Qinggu, a princess who had traveled among the people for many years, shouldn't be able to write so smoothly?
Lord Li looked at him silently.
"......" Lord Zhang knew that he had gotten himself into trouble, so he kept silent.
Lord Li looked at Xiao Qinggu, who was concentrating, with a serious look, without even blinking.
He thought to himself that if the Censorate had not intervened, the emperor might have directly made the princess a king.
He would rather risk the wrath of the world to be so partial. The rumors in Dayu have increased dramatically. The emperor acts like this. Could it be that the princess has some other use?
Or is the East Palace really going to change its owner?
Thinking of this, Lord Li immediately thought of the Langjiang Kingdom, which was in constant civil strife, and frowned subconsciously.
Xiao Qinggu finished the whole set of questions within the specified time. Just at this moment, Eunuch Kang came with a piece of rice paper in his hand.
After showing it to the people from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy, he hurriedly turned and walked towards Xiao Qinggu.
When Xiao Qinggu saw that the people from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy had changed their expressions, he had a bad feeling in his heart.
"Father-in-law, this..."
Eunuch Kang interrupted her directly, "Your Highness, the Emperor has a question that he needs your help to solve."
Judging from the tone, it doesn’t seem to be an easy problem to solve.
A servant tactfully stepped forward to take the answer sheet, placed it on a tray and handed it to Mr. Zhang from the Hanlin Academy.
Lord Li took a quick look, and a hint of undisguised surprise and joy flashed in his eyes, but soon, those surprises were replaced by regret.
Xiao Qinggu looked at his expression and became more and more nervous, but she had to take the rice paper with the theme set by Emperor Chengming himself.
Eunuch Kang turned around and walked over to sit next to Lord Zhang and the others, because Emperor Chengming had ordered him to personally watch Xiao Qinggu finish answering the question.
Xiao Qinggu looked at Eunuch Kang and saw that he had an indifferent expression and could not tell any useful information from him, so he could only carefully open the rolled-up rice paper.
When the title came into view, Xiao Qinggu almost thought he was seeing things. He straightened up and took a closer look. Suddenly, cold sweat began to form on his forehead. In a moment, sweat dripped onto the rice paper.
Eunuch Kang sighed inwardly, but his expression remained calm. He raised his hand and called a servant.
"Go get more paper for Her Highness. His Majesty has said that if Censor Baili finishes her answers within the specified time, she'll be considered finished for this assessment, but whether she passes or fails is another matter. As for the questions His Majesty has set on the rice paper, no matter how long Her Highness takes, as long as she can answer them and finish them, there's no time limit."
"Anyone who dares to rush will be punished with a beating."
After all, Eunuch Kang was an old man serving beside a real dragon, so he inevitably had the dragon's aura on him, and his words unconsciously carried a sense of majesty without even being angry.
How could anyone from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy dare to say "no"? Naturally, they all agreed.
Xiao Qinggu was silent for a moment, and finally spoke with some trepidation: "Eunuch, please allow me to ask, does this question affect the success or failure of the test?"
"Don't worry, Your Highness. This question is not within the scope of the assessment."
"That's good, that's good..."
Today is April 30th, and tomorrow will be May. Although it is a warm season, Xiao Qinggu's back is covered with cold sweat and his forehead is sweating uncontrollably.
[Was it right or wrong to exterminate the Shang family? Who was right? Who was wrong?]
The line of words on the rice paper pierced Xiao Qinggu's eyes like a sharp knife, making her want to tear the paper into pieces.
Could she answer this question? Did she dare to answer it? If she answered incorrectly, she would fail the test. All the late nights Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu had secretly helped her and stayed up with her would be in vain! All their previous efforts would be in vain!
If you answer incorrectly, the lives of Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu may be endangered! !
What if I get the answer right...how can I answer this kind of question correctly? ! ! ! !
Xiao Qinggu's eyes were bloodshot and her pupils were sore, but she still stared at the question intently. She was filled with fear and confusion, her face was pale, the tip of the pen in her hand began to tremble, and her throat seemed to be grasped by an invisible hand, making her breathless.
The time of an incense stick passed in a flash. Xiao Qinggu kept holding the pen, dipping the ink again and again, and each time it dripped onto the paper. She forgot how many sheets of rice paper she had changed.
On the other side, the front hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Ji Suxian lowered her head to avoid Xiao Tong noticing her hateful look.
She put her hands behind her back, intertwining her fingers, and thought to herself: What a tricky old woman! Bailipu clearly didn't invite her to the princess's mansion, but she insisted on coming! Sure enough, she's here to trip me up!
Xiao Qingxu drank his tea silently, without saying a word. Shang Yuwan stood beside him, eyes lowered, in silence.
Baili Pu sat beside Xiao Qingxu, not moving at all.
Emperor Chengming sat on the main seat with a faint smile on his face.
"Hey, why aren't you talking?" Xiao Tong smiled and broke the dead silence in the front hall. "Are you all blaming me for meddling in other people's business?"
Baili Pu was silent for a moment, thinking that he was the chief examiner for the crown prince examination, so he was the first to stand up and reply, "Your Highness, the Princess is too kind."
Xiao Tong smiled and hummed, "That's good. I thought that Imperial Censor Baili had a prejudice against me."
These words were so harsh that even Shang Yuwan, who was always able to pretend, twitched his eyebrows.
Baili Pu was furious, but considering that Xiao Qinggu was still answering questions in the backyard, he didn't want to make a scene and could only swallow his anger.
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