HPDBC Chapter 49 Entering the Capital; Main Quest Triggered!
Chapter 49 Entering the Capital; Main Quest Triggered!
Although it's not the modern era with internet statistics, the examination papers should not be mistaken.
A horrifyingly blank examination paper, but it overwhelmed all the scholars in the city...
There's only one possibility:
Someone pulled strings for him and opened a backdoor!
Gu Lan recalled the scene where Dou Fu handed him the number plate. The more he thought about it, the more it felt wrong. He hadn't even looked at the iron plate, so how did he know it was number 295?
Thinking about it now, it was clearly prearranged!
"Damn it... I thought you were just helping me participate, why did you directly give me the Top Scholar!" Gu Lan shook his head, a black line forming on his forehead.
Without a doubt, this time's accidental Top Scholar was definitely orchestrated by that mysterious high-ranking official in the capital. He did take care of Gu Lan. If it were Fan Jin, he would have given that person a permanent shrine, offering prayers every day!
But Gu Lan didn't want that. If he gained the title of Top Scholar, and he didn't go to the capital for the imperial examination, it wouldn't take long before the female Emperor sent an envoy to comfort him!
As a distinguished Top Scholar, not wanting to become an official in the Great Jing Empire? Wanting to play around instead?
By then, he would surely become even more "world-renowned"!
"Hey! Could it be true that I have to follow the saying of Daoist Yunlong?" Gu Lan thought of the day when the old Daoist calculated with a serious face, feeling uncertain.
At the same time, Gu Lan became more curious about the identity of that mysterious official in the capital!
What kind of position could influence the fame of a Top Scholar in a state city?
In this era, where imperial examinations prevailed, cheating wasn't just about disqualifying the participant; it meant confiscating their property and banishing them!
The person behind this must be at least of the third rank... Well, perhaps even someone from the Imperial College or the Hanlin Academy.
Damn it!
If I do go to the capital, I will definitely find this troublemaker who meant well and give him a good beating... Gu Lan vowed.
At this moment, Mu Yuyan entered with a bowl of lotus seed porridge, a gentle smile on her face. She sat beside Gu Lan, her snow-white jade hand lightly stirring the porridge with a spoon and bringing it to his lips.
"Congratulations, my lord, for being the Top Scholar. You will become an official in the future."
"Um..."
Gu Lan nodded helplessly, sipping the porridge she fed him.
The porridge was sweet, and the lady was sweet, but this inexplicable success in the imperial examination felt a bit awkward...
"Is my lord unhappy?" Mu Yuyan raised her eyebrows, her eyes clear as water, suppressing a smile as she asked.
"Haha... How can one lower their brow and bend their waist for the powerful? It makes me unable to be happy." Gu Lan held her ice-cold, soft hand, earnestly saying, "I don't want to become an official; I just want to stay with my lady for the rest of my life..."
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Fool, only by becoming an official can we truly stay together for a lifetime! Mu Yuyan thought to herself.
Huh?
Having been a dormant fish in Langzhou for so long, he never expected that the exam would be the main quest he triggered himself! It took a year to trigger, and the system dad probably couldn't hold back his excitement...
Gu Lan thought with astonishment.
Seeing him agree, Mu Yuyan raised her crescent-shaped eyes, smiled, and said, "Okay, my lord, take a break for now. I'll let you know once I've chosen."
...
At this moment, in the capital!
In a grand Residence, in a four-cornered pavilion beside a stream in a bamboo forest.
Three people were discussing the recent major events in the Jing Nation in hushed voices.
The maids kept their distance, lowering their heads, not daring to look or listen, displaying a very respectful demeanor.
Though they were maids, the quality of their clothing surpassed that of ordinary young ladies, indicating the high status of the Residence's owner.
The three individuals in the pavilion consisted of two elderly men seated as guests and a middle-aged man in the main seat.
One of the elders had a kind and benevolent face with gentle eyebrows and eyes, while the other, wearing a linen robe, exuded a compelling righteousness between his brows.
The middle-aged man had a rugged appearance, and a saber was placed behind him, suggesting a military background.
"Minister Su, such a significant event occurred in Langzhou, and there are rumors of the appearance of the Great Yu royal family... Has His Majesty, who has been in the deep palace for a long time, not expressed any opinions on this matter?"
The middle-aged man asked the kindly Grand Tutor intentionally emphasizing the phrase "has been in the deep palace," and furrowed his brows deeply.
"Hehe, if His Majesty doesn't speak, we, as ministers, shouldn't inquire," the old Grand Tutor replied with a narrowed smile.
"We, as ministers, may not inquire, but don't you ask? You are her mentor, and you have the right to inquire!" The middle-aged man was somewhat angry.
This time, the old Grand Tutor glanced at him, simply smiled, and remained silent.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man took a deep breath, his eyes filled with some dissatisfaction.
He slowly spoke, "Back then, we followed the late emperor and finally stabilized the Jing Nation, leading to her current status."
"But she enjoys herself in the deep palace all day, indifferent to worldly affairs!"
"If we hadn't..."
The middle-aged man stared, lost in his own words. The old man in the linen robe opened his eyes at this moment and timely interjected, "General Wu, be cautious in your words!"
"There is a distinction between ruler and subject. We only need to do our own duties well, not let the scoundrels take advantage of the chaos and disrupt the court order. Isn't that right?"
When he mentioned "scoundrels," the old man in the linen robe also deliberately emphasized it.
The middle-aged man, known as General Wu, looked stunned for a moment, then turned to him angrily, "Prime Minister, when the monarch behaves like this... As the head of the officials, if you don't advise, are you willing to keep managing the court for her, allowing her to indulge in her recklessness?"
He was fed up with the tasks of cleaning up and handling the mess! In his view, the Prime Minister must be tired of it too!
However, after a moment, Prime Minister, also known as Sima Qin, lifted the teacup, took a slow sip, and smiled calmly at him, "I am willing."