This trip to the ferry crossing had yielded a rich harvest. Pei Qian had actually found, amid bundles of cheaply sold books, a batch of secret palace archives of metropolitan examination papers—genuine, unique originals of examination essays. They compiled the palace examination writings of nearly a hundred Top Scholars from one country. Every Top Scholar exam paper bore vivid vermilion characters, imperial annotations from successive emperors: "First Class, First Place." Besides the main policy essay, the end also listed the titles and names of the examiners. Though the Dragon Qi was faint and much had dissipated, the scholarly aura was dense. This was a genuine bargain picked up by sheer luck.
Chen Ping'an flipped through several of the oldest and newest palace examination papers, casually committing a string of official titles and names to memory.
Beside the shop, a gaunt old man in a Confucian robe stared in stunned disbelief. Perhaps Chen Ping'an's luck had shaken him badly. After hesitating for a long while, he finally asked Chen Ping'an whether he could resell those exam papers to him.
Chen Ping'an shook his head with a smile. "Old sir, I'm afraid I can't oblige."
The old man laughed freely. "A gentleman does not seize what another favors. I was presumptuous."
Besides, he did not have much money in his pocket. He had come to this mountain ferry crossing merely to clear his mind. How could he possibly have the confidence to bargain with these Mountain Immortal Masters? He had three Immortal Money coins—one Snowflake Coin, one Lesser Heat Coin, and one Grain Rain Coin—all rewards from the new Emperor, which he intended to pass down as family heirlooms.
Xiao Mo sent a Mind Message. "Young Master, that old gentleman seemed especially concerned about the more recent examination papers. When he saw