His Name Had Long Been Known

The Imperial City stretched high into the distance, shrouded in moonlight, dim and hazy like a silver tiger crouching upon the earth.

Thud, thud, thud.

The hinges turned, and the great gates swung wide.

Heaven and earth lay vast before them, open at a single glance.

Eunuch Li stepped back three paces, flicked out his whisk, and bowed in invitation.

"Lord Liang, please."

The pitch-black gateway stretched beyond sight, like a fierce tiger opening its jaws.

Liang Qu was shaken. Just as he was about to lift his foot and step inside, his peripheral vision caught Eunuch Li and Lan Jicai shifting toward the small gate to the side.

"Mr. Lan, Eunuch Li, you two aren't going in?"

Eunuch Li stopped and turned back.

"Lord Liang, the Noon Gate has five entrances. You are taking its central main gate; we cannot enter it.

"There are only four kinds of people in this world who may pass through the Noon Gate's main entrance. The first is the Sacred Emperor; the second is the Sacred Empress during wedding ceremonies; the third is the top three of the Imperial Examination and Martial Examination during the Imperial Examination Announcement Ceremony.

"Beyond that, all princes, dukes, and nobles enter and leave the palace through the western side gate; civil and military officials of the third rank and above use the eastern side gate. If one is below the third rank, one must use the left or right side gate."

"I am not among the top three of either the Imperial Examination or Martial Examination!"

Liang Qu grew wary.

He had heard the tale of Panther Head Lin Chong stumbling into White Tiger Hall with a blade since childhood. He could not muddle-headedly lose his head!

"Thus, you belong to the fourth kind. In the past,