Huang Lu stood beside Chu Ming, staring straight ahead with eyes that seemed to focus on nothing. No one could tell what he was looking at.
But the next instant, his eyes shifted abruptly, as if he had realized something extraordinary.
"Right, right, it has to be that! It has to be! Brother Chu took my father's medicine and became enlightened! Enlightened! The medicine... cassia seeds... goji berries..."
He muttered under his breath, his voice growing softer and softer, as if he were afraid someone might hear.
His outburst had caught the attention of all the boys.
Chu Ming, the top scorer in the Academy Examination, had become enlightened after taking medicine from Huang Lu's father?!
There wasn't much to go on, but it was a crucial clue!
Although this year's Academy Exam was over, there was always next year.
Quite a few of the boys present were under sixteen and could take the Academy Exam again next year.
Even Lu Xian and the other two, after a moment of surprise and disbelief, were drawn in by the medicinal herbs Huang Lu had mentioned.
They would rather believe Chu Ming had become enlightened after taking medicine from Physician Huang than admit he had worked harder than them or had better natural talent from the start.
Guan Chong gently patted Chi Lin's shoulder and gave him an encouraging look, as if to say, "We'll fight again next year."
Only then did Chi Lin come back to himself. His clenched fists slowly relaxed.
That was right. They could always try again next year. Lu Xian and Guan Chong were leaving after this year's exam, so next year, who would be his competition?
"Brother Chi, what about the banquet at Green Bamboo Pavilion tonight...?" Guan Chong added in a lowered voice.
"!" Chi Lin's fists clenched tight again in an instant.
I throw a banquet to celebrate with you, and to celebrate that Chu Ming guy, is that it?!
A helpless look flashed through Chu Ming's eyes. Huang Lu's thought process really was something else. He could connect anything to medicinal herbs.
On the platform, Lu Hong looked at Chu Ming's composure, then at the expressions of Lu Xian and the other two, and sighed inwardly.
Not only had he answered the questions well, but the boy named Chu Ming was also steadier in controlling his emotions.
Even after learning he had placed first in the Academy Exam, he hadn't shown much excitement, as if he didn't particularly care about coming in first.
Lu Hong recalled how Feng Yuan had specifically asked about Chu Ming before the exam, and an idea suddenly occurred to him.
Could this boy named Chu Ming actually be connected to Lord Feng?
As he pondered, Feng Yuan entered the outer hall with two attendants. Lu Hong hurried over to greet him. "Lord Feng."
Feng Yuan nodded indifferently. "Have the results been announced?"
"Yes."
"Then prepare for the memory test."
"Yes."
Below the platform, the boys had been quietly discussing things. But when they saw Feng Yuan and the others enter, then heard Mr. Lu Hong respectfully address him as "Lord," they all fell silent and stared in surprise.
At that moment, Lu Hong stood on the platform holding a stack of papers with excerpts from Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy copied onto them. In a respectful tone, he said, "Everyone, quiet down. This is Lord Feng, the Registrar of Baiyuan County."
The Registrar of Baiyuan County?!
The boys all froze, then their faces flushed red with excitement.
They had actually come into such close contact with the Registrar of Baiyuan County—a high-ranking official of Principal Eighth Rank!
Lu Xian excitedly looked toward his father, while Guan Chong and Chi Lin exchanged animated glances.
It went without saying: they couldn't pass up a chance to show off their talents.
The Registrar?
Chu Ming lifted his head slightly. A flicker of surprise crossed the depths of his eyes, then vanished at once.
Judging by the official ranks of his previous life, it was hard to say exactly what position a Registrar of Principal Eighth Rank in this world corresponded to. In terms of power, though, it was roughly equivalent to the second- or third-in-command at the county level, which was quite impressive.
Still, he had met people of even higher standing, so he wasn't particularly moved.
But Huang Lu beside him started trembling again, making the desk shake.
Fortunately, Huang Lu had learned from experience this time. He moved away from the desk, tiptoed over to stand beside Chu Ming, and excitedly looked toward the platform.
Feng Yuan took a few steps forward and calmly swept his gaze over the boys. It first paused on Lu Xian and the other two, exciting them so much they nearly lost their composure.
Then his gaze swept toward the back and settled on Chu Ming, lingering even longer than it had on Lu Xian and the others.
The Registrar is looking at Chu Ming?!
The boys in front didn't dare turn around, but they could all guess what was happening.
Lu Xian's face tensed. If he had come in first, the official would be paying attention to him...
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Chu Ming, Huang Lu was trembling with excitement.
The Registrar is looking at me! The Registrar is looking at me!
Chu Ming remained calm. He met Feng Yuan's gaze, then immediately looked away.
It wasn't fear. It was simply improper to look an official in the eye for too long. That was the rigid hierarchy of this world.
He didn't want to invite trouble for no reason.
Fortunately, the Registrar's gaze lingered only briefly before moving away.
Feng Yuan looked at Lu Hong and gave a slight nod, signaling him to begin the memory test.
Lu Hong understood and raised the stack of papers. "Everyone should know that this year's Academy Exam is different from previous years. The top three can not only study at Baiyuan Academy, but also receive a copy of Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy."
"Therefore, to ensure fairness, Lord Feng has added an extra test."
An extra test?
The boys' expressions shifted. The fear of exams, which they had finally managed to put behind them, surged back in an instant.
They had already finished the exam and were waiting for their results, their whole bodies relaxed. Some were even about to hold a banquet to celebrate. Being told they had to take another test was certainly hard to accept.
But soon, they realized something.
The Academy Exam wasn't over?!
That meant the scores and rankings they had just received weren't final!
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Lu Xian, Chi Lin, and the third boy's eyes suddenly lit up.
It wasn't over?
Then they still had a chance to fight for first place!
They still had a chance to get back into the top three!
It was safe to say they were the most excited boys there.
Most of the others looked crestfallen. They clearly didn't want to take another test, because they knew that at their level, taking it ten more times would only mean ten more humiliations.
A few boys, like Lu Xian and Chi Lin, regained hope. Among them was the tall Wu Chun.
He hadn't thought about first place or the top three, nor about earning a first-, second-, or third-class grade. He just wanted to get a middle or upper fourth-class grade and avoid coming in last.
He turned to look at Huang Lu, whose expression was vacant, as if he still hadn't grasped what it meant that the Academy Exam wasn't over.
Damn it, how did I end up ranked behind a guy with a screw loose?!
Wu Chun clenched his fists and secretly swore that this time he would score better than Huang Lu.
He looked toward the platform with a burning gaze, hoping the exam would start soon.
Chu Ming furrowed his brow slightly, but it relaxed almost as soon as it appeared.
He had experienced plenty of last-minute changes in his previous life and could accept them, but it still left a bad taste in his mouth.
"The additional test consists of excerpts from Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, personally selected by the Registrar. You'll have one hour to memorize them, after which you'll write them out from memory. Your score will be based on how much you remember."
Memorize excerpts from Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy?
Some of the boys were delighted, while others were worried.
They weren't being tested on the three books of poetry, but on the newly introduced Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy. It all came down to memory.
Lu Xian's eyes gleamed.
The additional test was a contest of memory? Wasn't that right in his wheelhouse?
Concern appeared on Guan Chong's face. He had earned second place through diligent study and hard work, but when it came to memory...
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