Fortune Flourishes Like a Tree

The Imperial Palace resounded with a deafening roar.

Each of those ministers exuded an Official Qi, rising from afar, ethereal as mist, Qi Manifestation.

The Dragon Qi that lingered over the Imperial City was vast and enduring, seemingly unchanging through the ages. Yet, at this moment, it appeared as if it had just awakened from a deep slumber, subtly stirring. A powerful and profound intent emanated from it, hidden yet not revealed, but was sensed by Qiu Yan from afar.

In addition, Qiu Yan also vaguely sensed that around the Dragon Qi, the People's Wishes were rising and falling, like clouds in the sky, slowly accumulating.

"This situation is somewhat similar to the scene before a storm."

Qiu Yan's train of thought was quickly interrupted by a sudden silence around him.

The sounds that had filled the air and reverberated in all directions just moments before suddenly vanished, and the music and rituals ceased.

Emperor Li Kun looked down from his high position, his gaze sweeping over the more than three hundred scholars who had passed the imperial examinations, and he nodded slightly.

The procedure for this Grand Ceremony of Proclaiming Results the results of the imperial examinations did not require any special instructions; it was a rule passed down from our ancestors. After the music and ceremony ended, an attendant would come with the list of names and wait before the emperor.

Then the Ministry of Rites stepped forward and read out the imperial edict.

Qiu Yan's eyes flickered slightly as he noticed that after the Minister stepped forward, his Fortune suddenly surged and became even stronger. By the time he unfolded the imperial edict, his Fortune had already reached its peak!

That Fortune manifests as Official Qi, condensing into a seal that carries a wisp of Dragon Qi!

"I see. When officials of the dynasty ascend to the throne by imperial decree, it's as if the emperor has granted them the authority to join the Dragon Qi system, thus securing their positions and ultimately influencing the fates of others. Speaking of which, the Ministry of Rites in my previous life was equivalent to the Minister of Education and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. With the head of state in charge and such a figure leading the way, the dynasty's emphasis on the Imperial Examinations is evident."

Just as Qiu Yan was pondering, the Ministry of Rites began to read aloud. The officials present were all familiar with the contents of the edict, which clearly stated the division into three grades and specified the three levels of distinction: those who passed the imperial examination, those who were admitted to the imperial examination, and those who were admitted to the imperial examination.

At this point, the positions of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) were definitively determined.

After the reading was completed, Qiu Yan could clearly feel the Dragon Qi roaring, but this time it wasn't directed at him alone. Instead, it was like a tidal wave, rising and falling continuously, crashing down on the more than three hundred people who had passed the Golden List, slowly seeping into them.

The fates of the three hundred people changed slightly in the next moment.

Through the connection of Order, Qiu Yan discovered that along with the Dragon Qi came profound and vast Fortune. Like fine needles pulling silk threads, these fortunes pierced through his body and the bodies of the other scholars, weaving through their flesh and blood, and finally connecting with their Divine Soul and Golden Core.

Immediately afterwards, a trace of energy appeared in his soul and dantian.

With a shift in his Divine Soul, the Golden Core spun around, and that aura slowly became clear, seemingly connected yet not quite, like a nascent form, possessing a subtle and gradual power that was adjusting the Fortune of his Fleshly Body.

Fortune, prosperity, and longevity all change accordingly.

"The Dynastic Fortune is on my side? In that case, the Fortune of my Fleshly Body is surging even more, and even my destiny is changing. The future is bright..."

This Grand Ceremony of Proclaiming Results the names of the candidates was destined to be a great experience for Qiu Yan. While he was still pondering the subtle changes, the announcer had already begun calling out the names!

The names were announced in order of rank. Qiu Yan was called first, ranking first in the first class, and was awarded the title of Jinshi, commonly known as the Zhuangyuan!

The moment the name was announced, the nascent Fortune within Qiu Yan's body seemed to be stimulated, rapidly changing and then growing quickly, like a seed breaking through the soil, integrating all of Qiu Yan's Fortune to form a sapling, awakening memories in his heart, and reminding him of the scene of his previous life studying hard.

Qiu Yan watched coldly from the sidelines, without intervening.

Then, the Fortune Tree burst forth from the body!

Call!

The clouds of People's Wishes accumulated at the edge of the Dragon Qi shook, and the People's Wishes fell like raindrops onto Qiu Yan, making the Fortune Tree more vibrant and vigorous, with tender green leaves faintly emerging, unfolding to bear the rain and dew.

In an instant, a feeling of being revered by the world rose from the bottom of Qiu Yan's heart, and images appeared before his eyes, namely the country and the people of the world.

This feeling was fleeting, giving one a sense of illusion, but with Qiu Yan's composure, how could he be deceived?

"Heavenly grace and rain? This must be what is meant by grace. Human Path has a dragon, and the emperor is the dragon's head, guiding the Order of the world. This is the framework of Human Path of the Grand Confucian. It has advantages and disadvantages, but in any case, it is impossible to shatter and rebuild it all at once. That would inevitably lead to chaos. That is why people throughout history have explored Order and wanted to proceed step by step."

As Qiu Yan contemplated the growth and changes of the Fortune Tree, he seemed lost in thought.

"Now, my will is attached to the Origin Source of Military School Order, allowing me to understand and explore the direction of Human Path, which gives me new choices for the future. What I need to do next is to familiarize myself with the Human Path situation and start from small things to continuously expand my influence..."

He hesitated for a moment, then bowed respectfully.

Li Kun looked at Qiu Yan and nodded slightly. He ultimately chose Qiu Yan as the top scholar, which was out of his own heart. Although he knew that if he shared the Dynastic Fortune with Qiu Yan, Qiu Yan might use it to improve his cultivation, after witnessing the Dragon Qi Manifestation that day, this Supreme Realm human emperor had a new idea.

"Throughout history, wise rulers have always been able to manage capable ministers. I should take this as a lesson and not run away from it. In the hundreds of years of the Imperial Examinations, Qiu Yan is only the fifth person to achieve the highest honors in Triple Examination Laureate examination. Such a person..."

Noticing the emperor's gaze, some ministers showed unusual expressions. Not to mention the chief ministers in the front row, they were all in control of their minds and did not show their emotions. Even if they had something on their mind, they would not show it in front of the ministers.

Meanwhile, at a slightly later position in the group, Pan Xiang and Tian Youqing stood, their expressions differing as they looked at Qiu Yan's figure.

These two were affected by the cheating scandal; one was reprimanded and the other was ordered to reflect on his actions in seclusion. However, they wouldn't miss such a grand event as the Grand Ceremony of Proclaiming Results, so they still came to participate.

The ministers' positions were, of course, carefully chosen. In terms of seniority and official rank, the members of the New Party had not been in court for long, their seniority was still shallow, and their official rank was not high, yet they held real power. This undoubtedly created a situation that aroused jealousy, and it was not surprising that they were called opportunists.

Because of their positions, Tian Youqing and Pan Xiang could clearly see Qiu Yan's expression. They noticed that from beginning to end, Qiu Yan showed no joy on his face or excitement in his eyes, as if the title of top scholar could not sway his mind, nor did he care about it.

"This person is indeed dangerous!"

At this point, both men became wary, but for different reasons.

Tian Youqing had already become sworn enemies with Qiu Yan because of his previous actions. He thought that revealing Qiu Yan's Divine Ability powers would ruin his future, but unexpectedly, Qiu Yan was still chosen as the top scholar. He was inevitably apprehensive and felt that he no longer accurately grasped the emperor's thoughts.

Seeing Qiu Yan's composure now, and knowing that he is a formidable enemy in the future, one must naturally be on high alert.

As for Pan Xiang, he had a different idea.

He took the opportunity to push the cheating aside, intending to scheme against Tian Youqing. In the end, he did gain some benefits, but he also caught the emperor's attention and was reprimanded a few times. He pretended to be trembling with fear, but was secretly pleased. However, he thought that Qiu Yan was unaware of these things, so he did not consider Qiu Yan an enemy.

To be honest, this wasn't the first time he had met Qiu Yan. At their First Meeting, Qiu Yan was practically worthless. Although he had popular support, he was limited to a small corner of the country and couldn't be compared to a high-ranking official like himself.

Unexpectedly, not long after, the two met again in front of the Golden Hall. Pan Xiang returned with merit and his official position was secure, but he had not followed the proper path of the Imperial Examinations and did not have the qualifications of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), which would cause many problems.

In comparison, Qiu Yan not only ranked among the three hundred successful candidates, but also topped the list, winning the title of Zhuangyuan! In terms of seniority alone, he was no less than Pan Xiang, and after a few years in officialdom, he might surpass him!

This aroused a spark of jealousy in Pan Xiang.

The thoughts in their hearts were reflected in their eyes, and the changes in their gazes caused them to look at Qiu Yan. Qiu Yan should have sensed their gazes, but since it was the Imperial Palace, their Divine Ability were dissipated, and even their Life Cultivation senses were weakened to the extreme.

However, the slight animosity between the two men led to a struggle that subtly aligned with the Military School Order. Tracing back to the source, this conflict reached Qiu Yan's heart and became known to him.

"Being prepared is always wise. It's astonishing that someone so close to me You Di towards me, yet I can know everything about them through the pull of Order. These two are likely the ones who plotted against me recently. I just wonder if they are also from the Hanlin Academy."

Qiu Yan did not turn his head to look, but he recognized Pan Xiang. As for Tian Youqing, it would take time to calculate and investigate.

On the other side, after Qiu Yan's name was announced, the announcer kept calling out names one after another. The second place went to Ye Yun. This talented scholar from Southern Ridges had extraordinary Fortune. After passing the imperial examination, his Fortune continued to rise!

This was also the emperor's method of balancing things out. He selected Qiu Yan, but considering that Qiu Yan was inclined towards the New Law, he chose the conservative Ye Yun as the runner-up. Of course, there were many entanglements involved.

However, for those who knew about Ye Yun's fate, this result was not unexpected.

However, many people are unfamiliar with Li Le, who won the third-highest rank in the imperial examination.

Li Le's essay was the very one that Li Kun had praised during the grading process, saying that he used a surprise tactic and was aware of the danger involved.

As soon as their names were uttered, Dragon Qi descended, enveloping the two and nourishing their Fortune.

As each name was announced, the Fortune surged like ocean waves, a sight that piqued Qiu Yan's curiosity, who vaguely sensed a deeper meaning within it.

However, for now he can only passively endure it and cannot delve into it. He must wait until he reaches a higher level before he can begin.

After all the reports were submitted, there was another round of thanks. The newly appointed scholars, guided by parasols and music, left the hall and mounted their horses to take their places.

They're going on a public parade.

Once outside the palace gates and across the river bridge, one can see a throng of people, with commoners, merchants, and people from all walks of life lining the streets to watch.

Leading the procession was Qiu Yan, a tall man on horseback, dressed in a red robe, beaming with joy, making him unforgettable. As his horse's hooves came off the bridge, the People's Wishes roared, rushing towards them like a whirlwind!

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