Reform Destiny (Seek Follow-up Reads)

[Literary Brilliance (Red): Latent Fate of Literary Qu, learning letters brings quick-witted mastery; in dreams, a wondrous brush blooms flowers; once the brush falls, the writing needs no revision; seven sheets can be composed while leaning against a horse.]

[Reform (Red): Cast out the old and bring forth the new, sweep away the accumulated abuses of successive ages, and easily win the favor of the ruler.]

The two Fate Attributes leapt vividly into Xu Xing's mind.

The first red Fate Attribute, [Literary Brilliance], was one thing. Xu Xing could tell that the upgraded [Literary Brilliance] Fate Attribute was meant to enhance his literary inspiration when studying and writing.

Compared with before, it had gained the two descriptions "a wondrous brush that blooms flowers" and "seven sheets while leaning against a horse."

The white Fate Attribute [Literary Brilliance] had already benefited him greatly in this prefectural examination.

Had it not been for that, with his previously mediocre talent, taking first place in the prefectural examination and becoming the prefectural top scholar would never have been easy.

Though behind his becoming the prefectural top scholar... lay many of his own considerations, calculations, and efforts to cater to the imperial will.

But—

Quite clearly, if the eight-legged essay he wrote had not been sufficiently brilliant and elegant, the examiners would not have selected his paper as the best.

The great poets and lyricists of every age often found it difficult to pass the examinations, but that did not mean the civil officials who emerged through the imperial examinations were inferior in talent and inspiration to those frustrated literary giants...

They had merely run on different tracks. After becoming officials, the civil servants only appeared to fade into the masses.

"The Book of Changes: Miscellaneous Hexagrams says: 'Reform means casting off the old; the cauldron means taking up the new.'"

"The red Fate Attribute [Reform]..."

Xu Xing savored the description of the red Fate Attribute [Reform].

If nothing unexpected had happened, the reason he had condensed the [Reform] Fate Attribute was likely because he had catered to the imperial will, causing Jingzhao Prefecture's high officials to view him as part of the Reform faction.

That made sense. He came from Taste Classics Academy, and by origin, he could not be separated from the Reform faction.

The eight-legged essay he had written in the examination hall could likewise be regarded as a token of allegiance for "joining" Reform.

Jingzhao Prefecture's high officials needed this political performance.

To curry favor with the "Reform faction" that held power at court...

"But this works out perfectly..."

"In the real world, I need to join Four Brightness Mountain. With the [Reform] Fate Attribute, it will be just right for helping me act, and it can also make Mourning Heaven King look upon me with greater favor."

Xu Xing sighed with emotion.

He had still been worrying over how to make Mourning Heaven King begin to trust him.

Unexpectedly, the newly condensed [Reform] Fate Attribute had given him a sufficiently pleasant surprise. So long as he helped Four Brightness Mountain cast out the old and bring forth the new, sweeping away accumulated abuses, he would more easily earn Mourning Heaven King's regard.

This Fate Attribute had arrived at exactly the right time.

"Congratulations, Brother Xu..."

"Now that Xu Xing has taken first place in the prefectural examination, in a few months, we will have to address Brother Xu as Scholar Xu."

After the results were posted, Chen Jian'an invited several fellow students from Taste Classics Academy to Far Embrace Inn to congratulate Xu Xing.

Candidates who passed the prefectural examination gained a status that was not quite an official scholarly rank—student candidate.

A student candidate could only use that status to skip the county and prefectural examinations and gain direct eligibility for the academy examination. They did not receive stipends of grain or silver, nor social privileges such as exemption from corvée labor.

Candidates who passed the academy examination, also called the circuit examination, automatically obtained the scholarly rank of xiucai.

Xu Xing was the prefectural top scholar.

By convention, after entering the academy examination, the educational commissioner presiding over it would, for the prefect's sake, not reject the examination paper of a prefecture's top scholar.

Once he rejected the paper of a prefectural top scholar favored by the prefect, it would mean the prefect and educational commissioner had torn off all pretenses. It would be a denial of the prefect's achievements in education and culture over the past several years under his administration.

It could be said that Xu Xing was now already a provisional xiucai.

What was more... because Jingzhao Prefecture was the provincial capital and the most prosperous place in Qin Province, becoming Jingzhao Prefecture's top scholar also meant he had an excellent chance of competing for first place in the academy examination.

Though the academy examination was nominally the next-level examination after the prefectural examination, student candidates who had passed in other prefectures were not necessarily more capable than candidates in the provincial capital who had failed the prefectural examination. The disparity in educational resources was exceedingly obvious.

"Pure luck..."

"Nothing but luck."

A smile appeared on Xu Xing's face as he clasped his hands and returned the greetings of every person who came to congratulate him.

After exchanging a few simple words, he personally hosted a banquet for these fellow student scholars at the inn.

Though these fellow students had not attained the same glory as his first-place finish, quite a few of them had still earned student candidate status. This included the sickly-looking Li Mingda, whose trip to the prefectural examination had not been in vain; he had just barely placed at the bottom of the list.

"To fall below Sun Shan" meant ranking even lower than Sun Shan, who was the very last person on the list.

"To be listed with Sun Shan" meant one's name was at the bottom of the rankings.

A short while later, at Far Embrace Inn.

After the fellow student scholars finished celebrating in the private room, they departed one after another.

"Brother Xu..."

"Let me cover the expense. I'll go downstairs and settle the bill."

Chen Jian'an rose first and patted Xu Xing on the shoulder, speaking with righteous generosity.

He knew Xu Xing's family circumstances well. Born into hardship, Xu Xing had little money on hand. Though he had received some support from merchants while studying at the academy, being short of funds was a common occurrence.

"Much obliged."

Xu Xing hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

With his experience, he saw through Chen Jian'an's little scheme at a glance. Chen Jian'an had called so many fellow students over to congratulate him; as the host, he could hardly let them come empty-handed only to give gifts for nothing. He had to treat them to a meal.

And hosting them... with the wealth Xu Xing had revealed, it would be difficult for him to sustain it.

"Just as expected of a merchant's son."

After Chen Jian'an left the private room, Xu Xing shook his head and thought to himself.

Still, Xu Xing had no interest in exposing Chen Jian'an's intentions.

When he had been poor and insignificant at the academy, Chen Jian'an had helped him often. This man might be deeply calculating, but judge the heart, not the deeds—there were no truly good people in this world. Xu Xing himself was even more calculating than Chen Jian'an.

Once he had the means in the future, helping the Chen family and Chen Jian'an in return for this kindness would be enough.

There was no need to dwell on it too deeply.

However.

Chen Jian'an had barely taken a few steps out of the private room when the inn's old shopkeeper stopped him.

"For Top Examinee Xu to be willing to stay at Far Embrace Inn is Far Embrace Inn's honor."

"As for today's meal, we ask Top Examinee Xu to do us the favor of allowing our inn to waive the bill..."

Behind the old shopkeeper, a handsome young man slowly emerged from the stairway and cupped his hands toward Xu Xing as he spoke.

The handsome young man's clothes looked plain and unremarkable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one could see that the fabric used in their tailoring was fine and delicate, far from ordinary.

"I am Wu Huaiyuan."

"The young master of Wu Clan Trading Company..."

The handsome young man revealed his identity.

"Young Master Wu?"

Chen Jian'an raised his brows, greatly surprised.

"No wonder..."

He shrugged.

Speaking of Wu Clan Trading Company, it was renowned throughout Qin Province. Leaving aside everything else, the mere fact that the head of the company was a woman was enough to make people talk endlessly.

And that woman had built her fortune into the greatest in Qin Province...

"Zhou Ying's son?"

Hearing this, Xu Xing could not help but give Wu Huaiyuan a few more appraising looks.

In Qin Province, one could not speak of the late Qing dynasty without mentioning Zhou Ying, the female richest person. After the Empress Dowager fled to Chang'an, Zhou Ying had donated one hundred thousand taels of silver, becoming the Empress Dowager's goddaughter and receiving the title of First-Rank Madam by imperial decree...

Of course, the Empress Dowager had not yet fled west at this time.

But Zhou Ying was already a household name throughout Qin Province...