On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the results of the autumn imperial examinations were announced.
The students waited anxiously outside the Dragon and Tiger Wall early in the morning for the results to be posted.
The street was packed with people; looking around, one could see both joy and sorrow.
Chi Yan arrived a little late; all the good seats were already taken, and it was crowded everywhere, making it difficult to squeeze in. He decided not to try and squeeze in, and looked to the side:
"Looks like we're too late. Shall we find a place to sit for a while?"
Shen Tangning looked on with curiosity and shook her head: "No need. Other places are probably overcrowded too. We can wait for a while."
Chi Yan didn't force her, but intentionally or unintentionally protected her behind him to prevent others from crowding her. He cleared his throat and pretended to be calm: "Actually, I can come by myself. There's no need for you to make a special trip."
If his ranking is not ideal, he won't even have time to adjust. What if Shen Tangning starts arguing with him in the street?
“It’s alright.” Shen Tangning’s eyes curved into a smile. “I’ve only ever heard about the grand occasion of the day the results were posted. Thanks to my husband, this is the first time I’ve ever seen it. It looks quite lively.”
She observed her surroundings, where everyone was eagerly anticipating her results. She had just passed by and heard that some people had even hired others to come early to queue up, just to be the first to know their ranking.
Although she felt it was unnecessary, she could understand it. Ten years of hard work had led to this day, and it was normal for the students to be so excited.
In contrast, Chi Yan didn't seem very anxious, which surprised Shen Tangning: "Isn't my husband nervous?"
Chi Yan's eyes flickered. He was naturally nervous, but if he showed any weakness, wouldn't he become a laughing stock for Shen Tangning?
"Well, the outcome is already decided, so I might as well relax." He coughed nervously, speaking with great conviction.
Seeing him looking around, Shen Tangning smiled and said, "My husband is right."
At the same time, the gates of the examination hall opened, and the candidates immediately became noisy, craning their necks to look. They saw the Minister of Rites holding the yellow list, with guards clearing the way for him.
Upon arriving at the Dragon and Tiger Wall, the Minister of Rites posted several yellow notices on the wall, causing the surrounding people to hold their breath and dare not breathe loudly.
Caught up in the atmosphere, Shen Tangning's heart skipped a beat. She looked up at Chi Yan and saw him staring intently at the commotion, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.
Looking like this, you still say you're not nervous?
A fleeting smile crossed her lips.
After Minister of Rites Zhang Wanbang left, the crowd could no longer contain themselves and swarmed forward to look at the list.
Four sheets of yellow paper were erected on the wall, with the names of the candidates written in thick ink. Those whose names were on the list had passed the exam; those who did not see their names after searching the entire list had failed.
Immediately, someone excitedly danced around, shouting, "I won! I won! Haha!"
Some people looked dejected, looked at the document repeatedly in disbelief, and then turned away in a daze.
Shen Tangning and Chi Yan were standing too far away to see the situation clearly, so they decided to wait until the crowd had dispersed before going closer to take a look.
But some busybodies shouted, "Let me see who will be in the top three!"
Those outside were extremely anxious, and upon hearing this, they hurriedly said, "Quickly, read it aloud and see if my name is on it!"
To maintain suspense, the person read from bottom to top:
"Jing Kui, Tang Xu!"
The crowd began to whisper among themselves: "Tang Xu? How could it be him?"
"When did he become so knowledgeable? He must have hit the jackpot!"
Chi Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise upon hearing the name.
If it weren't for what happened before, he probably would have been happy for Tang Xu and thought he was just lucky. But now it seems that the other party was clearly hiding his true abilities!
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