253. Cui Xian, Chief Examiner of the Provincial Examination (Page 1/2)
Has the Imperial Instructor suddenly fallen ill?!
The words of the students from the prefectural school were like water splashing on a hot oil pan, instantly creating a huge uproar.
"The chief examiner has fallen ill?! What hope is there for the provincial examination?!"
The jubilation in the garden came to an abrupt end.
The governor Cen Hongchang, who was nearly shattered by the phrase "sharing the same moon across a thousand miles," finally came to his senses.
But I wish I could shatter right there again.
Oh my god.
How could such a deadly thing happen!
Zhou Xiang, Yu Chu, and other high-ranking officials from Henan all turned pale.
Old Cui was putting food into her bowl when she was suddenly startled, and her chopsticks fell to the ground with a clatter.
Even the onlookers on the outskirts started to stir.
What's even more troublesome is...
The news that the chief examiner had fallen ill was announced in front of hundreds of drunken scholars.
Something's about to go wrong!
Cen Hongchang suddenly shuddered and was about to speak.
However, it was too late.
After a moment of silence.
The scholars were in complete uproar.
A middle-aged, down-on-his-luck scholar stood up angrily, his eyes red: "I've studied hard for three years, waiting for this exam! Heaven has forsaken me!"
Another scholar gritted his teeth and shouted, "The headmaster just gave me the key, and I was seventy percent sure this time. How could this happen?"
An elderly scholar, his homesickness stirred by the poem "Prelude to Water Melody," recalled the bitter disappointment of failing the imperial examinations for decades, and sobbed, "I am not reconciled! I didn't even go home for the Mid-Autumn Festival because I was preparing for the provincial examinations!"
Cries of grief and indignation rose from all sides.
Immediately afterwards.
Naturally, the whispers quickly turned into loud questioning.
Why did it have to happen now of all times? Why not earlier or later?
"Could it be... that because the headmaster revealed the secret key to the eight-legged essay, cutting off some people's source of income, someone is trying to cheat and disrupt the process?!"
"Hiss! Fellow students, we've definitely been set up!"
The conspiracy theory became more and more believable as it spread.
In a short while.
The joyous atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet has subsided, and the festivities have faded.
Hundreds of scholars were restless and the situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control.
Cen Hongchang hurriedly reassured everyone in a loud voice, "Please calm down, everyone! The imperial court has its own laws and regulations..."
The more he spoke, the more indignant the crowd became.
Panic spread like wildfire.
Old Cen was left there to "output like crazy" on his own.
But everyone just reads his message and doesn't reply; who cares about the nonsense he spouts?
Chaos!
The imperial examination system of the Great Liang Dynasty is doomed!
Seeing that their few words had caused a stir, the students from the academy shrank back and disappeared into the crowd, no longer daring to utter a sound.
Amidst widespread panic.
Cui Xian returned to the main table and sat down, glancing almost imperceptibly at Yu Chu, the Henan provincial education commissioner, sitting next to him.
That one glance sent a chill down Yu Xuezheng's spine.
A sudden realization dawned on me!
I understand now!
He suddenly understood and cursed himself for being so stupid: So this kid had been going around in circles, hosting banquets and writing lyrics.
They spent half a day putting on a show that was unprecedented and groundbreaking.
They were eyeing the position of chief examiner for the provincial examination!
So this kid's previous frequent use of 'silent treatment' was deliberately targeting me, hoping I would give him a way out!
After all, it couldn't be more reasonable for the Henan provincial education commissioner to take the lead in proposing the new provincial examination examiners.
Goodness.
You're only 14 years old, a mere student, and haven't even taken the prefectural examination yet.
He actually dared to preside over the provincial examination!
Such insatiable greed is truly like a snake trying to swallow an elephant; how could I, an official, tolerate your reckless behavior!
Cui Xian glanced at him sideways again.
The academic official shuddered, gritted his teeth, and abruptly stood up amidst the bewildered crowd. His voice was slightly shrill from nervousness:
"Silence! Everyone, please be quiet!"
Wait until the noise subsides.
He bowed deeply towards Cui Xian, his tone extremely earnest: "At this critical time, the imperial examination is crucial to the literary fortune of the province and the future of thousands of scholars."
"We must not allow chaos, and we must not delay!"
"The most urgent task is to select a person with sufficient virtue and talent to win the respect of the masses and prestige to take charge in this critical moment and preside over the overall situation!"
Yu Chu surveyed the entire room.
His gaze lingered briefly on the faces of Cen Hongchang and Zhou Xiang.
Then he raised his voice, his words startling: "In my opinion, having surveyed all of Henan, there is only one person!"
"His talent and learning have already astonished heaven and earth, his moral character has always been a model for scholars, and he has won the heartfelt support of countless students in Henan. This person—"
"No one but Headmaster Cui is suitable!"
"We should all elect Headmaster Cui to temporarily assume the position of chief examiner in order to reassure the people and rectify the atmosphere!"
(This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading) 253. Cui Xian, Chief Examiner of the Provincial Examination (Page 2/2)
Upon hearing this, the entire garden fell silent.
Old Cui, who was bending over and picking up chopsticks, stood up excitedly, but bumped her head on the corner of the table with a "bang".
Good heavens!
What the hell did you say?!
The Cui family members, Pei Jian, Su Qi, Wu Qinglan, and their group all stared wide-eyed.
Cen Hongchang and Zhou Xiang looked at Yu Chu in disbelief, their eyes filled with shock and anger.
I even wanted to shout: There's a mole inside! Stop the deal!
Unfortunately, it can't be stopped at all.
Yu Chu's words had barely finished when...
Cui Xian immediately stood up, waving his hands repeatedly, his handsome young face filled with fear: "No! Absolutely not!"
"Xian is young and inexperienced; his academic achievements will only reach the level of a child scholar!"
"If my ignorance causes a blunder in the talent selection ceremony, wouldn't that jeopardize your bright futures?"
"This crime cannot be atoned for by death!"
Cen Hongchang and Zhou Xiang: "..."
We are all foxes who have been around for a thousand years.
What are you pretending for!
Unfortunately, Cui Xian was more skilled and also had the Emperor exerting pressure on him from behind.
This has led two high-ranking officials, well-versed in the ways of officialdom, to finally realize what's going on—
All of this kid's recent actions were for this very moment!
What a deep scheme!
Just then.
Pei Jian, Li Heyu, Su Qi, and others, who had also come to their senses, seemed unable to contain their grief and indignation and abruptly left their seats.
They dispersed, tears streaming down their faces in the crowd, shouting in unison.
"Gentlemen! The poem 'Prelude to Water Melody' that you just recited fully demonstrates the extraordinary talent and noble character of the Master!"
"The headmaster has given us the key, truly paving the way for us! At this critical juncture of life and death, if we don't trust the headmaster, who else can we trust?"
"Please, Headmaster, preside over the provincial examination, uphold the literary tradition of Henan, and cleanse the examination halls of corruption!"
In the midst of panic.
A single straw is worth more than a thousand words.
These words were like a spark falling into a barren wasteland.
It calmed the restless emotions of countless scholars.
yes!
Headmaster!
We also have our headmaster, a trustworthy pillar of strength!
With him around, he will surely be able to uphold the banner of fairness in the imperial examinations for us!
Leading us forward with determination!
"Please, Headmaster, preside over the examination!"
"Only the headmaster can put our minds at ease!"
The overwhelming calls for help converged into an irresistible torrent.
It swept through the courtyard.
Countless eyes, filled with both admiration and fervent longing, turned toward the main table—
That thin, frail, yet resilient figure.
Cui Xian looked troubled and continued to decline, saying, "I am young and lack virtue, and I fear my abilities are insufficient, which would only be a burden to you all..."
Upon hearing these heartfelt words, the scholars were deeply moved and their petitions were deafening.
Cui Xian sighed softly, his gaze seemingly casual, then swept over Yu Chu, the Henan Provincial Education Commissioner, once more.
Yu Xuezheng had cursed him a thousand times in his heart.
I'm so disgusted and sickening.
However, he had no choice but to feign utmost sincerity and, with a heavy heart, speak to the Provincial Governor and the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner once again:
"Lord Fang, Provincial Governor! In times of emergency, expediency is the best policy!"
"The provincial examination is imminent, and it is highly unlikely that a new imperial decree will be issued within ten days."
"Although Headmaster Cui is young, his talent and reputation are astonishing, he is favored by the Emperor, and he is the hope of the people!"
That's how things have come to this.
Cen Hongchang and Zhou Xiang's expressions both cracked.
Even Ye Huaifeng, Liu Chong, and other Henan officials were shocked.
Dude, you're really good at flattering people.
Yu Chu glanced at Cui Xian.
Cui Xian looked ashamed and said, "I won't talk about it, I won't talk about it."
Yu Chu: "..."
Clearly, this means the praise wasn't quite right yet.
Keep praising!
Keep the rhythm going!
Yu Chu took a deep breath, his teeth almost grinding to powder: "At this critical moment, the integrity of the examination must not be lost, and the pure source of literature must not be corrupted!"
"The chief examiner's serious illness is truly a dereliction of duty on our part as officials, and we are ashamed before the scholars."
"At this moment, the only option is to respectfully request the headmaster to temporarily assume his duties!"
"Afterwards, we jointly submitted a memorial to the imperial court, explaining the situation in detail. This was the best course of action to quell the chaos and preserve the overall situation!"
"Now, we can only rely on our headmaster to accept this critical mission, for the sake of the scholars of Henan, and for the literary fortunes of the Central Plains—"
"To turn the tide and get to the root of the problem!"
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