A Strategy to Secure the Nation, Five Peals from the Literary Palace [Bonus chapter for the most innocent big shot]

The Southern Yu Examination Hall.

After Xu Qingxiao set down his brush.

An extraordinary change suddenly occurred.

It was the wind.

A gale swept in, scattering the few white clouds in the sky.

Sheets of white paper rustled in the wind.

Soon, many people's papers were blown away. The scholars immediately rose to retrieve them, feeling rather frightened.

If the essays they had painstakingly written were damaged, they would truly be in trouble.

"What's going on?"

Zhao Yuan stood and looked up at the sky. There were no evil spirits, so why had a gale suddenly arisen?

The next instant.

A startled cry rang out.

"My lord, look! On Xu Qingxiao's desk!"

Someone pointed toward Xu Qingxiao and shouted in astonishment.

In an instant, not only the three invigilators but also the examinees sitting opposite turned their eyes toward Xu Qingxiao.

There, upon his desk.

The white paper bearing the Nation-Pacifying Strategy shone with an extraordinarily dazzling light.

A blazing white radiance shot skyward, piercing straight into the clouds.

Everyone froze.

The examinees cried out, thinking it was some immortal spell, with no idea what had happened.

The three examiners were equally stunned. They watched the scene with disbelief in their eyes.

Not just them-everyone throughout the examination grounds saw that beam of light piercing the clouds.

Except for one person.

Chen Xinghe.

At that moment, Chen Xinghe had entered a state of complete absorption. He wrote his essay, his ears deaf to everything outside his window.

"What is that?"

"Why is there a rainbow beam?"

"What happened?"

"That's the first-class examination area."

"The first-class area? Isn't Xu Qingxiao-Xu Wangu-there? Could this be a manifestation brought about by Xu Wangu?"

"Possibly. It really is possible."

"Good heavens, I heard long ago that Xu Qingxiao composed Man Jiang Hong at a banquet, drawing literary qi into his body and advancing to the ninth rank. Has he written another peerless essay at today's Prefectural Examination?"

"It must be Brother Xu! Xu Wangu brought about this manifestation. It must be him, it must!"

All the examinees erupted into excitement. Some speculated, not knowing what had happened; others understood and stared, dumbstruck.

The most excited of all was Li Xin. Clenching his fists, he spoke with tremendous excitement.

"Silence!"

"Anyone making a disturbance will be disqualified from the Prefectural Examination."

The examiners all spoke up. They were excited themselves, but still maintained order in the examination grounds. Once everyone quieted down, they wanted to hurry to the first-class area and see what had happened for themselves.

Yet no one could leave the examination grounds without permission, including them. They could only clench their fists in anxious impatience.

And as the brilliant rainbow shot skyward.

Inside the Prefectural Lord's Residence.

Li Guangxin, who was reviewing reports on prefectural affairs, suddenly sensed an inexplicable power.

He rose and walked out of the hall, immediately spotting the brilliant rainbow to the southeast.

Almost instantly, shock filled his eyes.

"A white rainbow piercing the sun."

"This is a white rainbow piercing the sun."

"A manifestation of heaven and earth."

Li Guangxin froze. As the Prefectural Lord of Great Wei's Southern Yu Prefecture, he held immense authority and oversaw the livelihoods of an entire prefecture. With his extensive experience, what storms had he not weathered?

Yet today's sight left him utterly astonished.

"It's the Examination Hall! The Examination Hall!"

Li Guangxin moved almost instantly, becoming a blur as he raced toward the Examination Hall with windlike speed.

A white rainbow piercing the sun was an auspicious omen, a manifestation of heaven and earth. If such a thing happened within his jurisdiction, it would count as an enormous achievement for him as well.

It was not only those in the Prefectural Lord's Residence.

Throughout Southern Yu Prefecture, millions of commoners witnessed this miracle with their own eyes.

Some even knelt and cried that an immortal had manifested. Elderly people exclaimed in astonishment, then joyfully proclaimed that heaven had sent an auspicious omen and Southern Yu Prefecture would enjoy favorable winds and timely rains.

Outside Southern Yu Prefecture.

On the official road.

Three carriages traveled slowly along, carrying three masters. They were returning from subduing demons, and several days of that work had left them tired. They were resting inside their carriages.

But just then, as the brilliant rainbow appeared, the three masters seemed to sense something and instantly awoke.

They lifted the carriage curtains and saw the brilliant rainbow piercing the clouds before their servants could speak.

"A white rainbow piercing the sun! Such a manifestation! What happened in Southern Yu Prefecture? Why has such an auspicious omen appeared? Quick, quick, quick! Into the prefectural city!"

Master Liu was astonished. Once he recovered, he immediately ordered his driver to hurry.

"A white rainbow piercing the sun-and it's in the direction of the Prefectural Examination Hall. Master Liu, Master Chen, that's the direction of the examination hall! Could someone have written a peerless essay and brought about a manifestation of heaven and earth?"

Master Qi's eyes widened. He had keenly noticed that the white rainbow seemed to be in the direction of the Prefectural Examination Hall.

"It is in that direction, but not necessarily inside the Examination Hall. Let's hurry over. We'll know when we get there."

Master Chen spoke.

The three masters were still reasonably composed. If they could have controlled their breathing as well, their composure would have been perfect.

Inside Southern Yu Prefecture's Examination Hall.

The brilliant rainbow soared straight into the clouds.

The manifestation left everyone dumbstruck, Xu Qingxiao included.

He thought his essay was quite good. At least he had expressed everything he wanted to say.

But he had never expected it to summon such a manifestation.

Did it have to be this exaggerated?

Wasn't this halo a little too big?

Soon, however, Xu Qingxiao recovered.

A policy essay began by establishing its central idea, telling everyone what it intended to discuss. Then it explained how serious the problem was, followed by a solution.

Whether an essay was good or bad came down to two things: whether its central idea was good, and whether its proposed solution was good.

Objectively speaking, Xu Qingxiao believed his central idea was excellent, because it sharply exposed Great Wei's current problem.

And it was a fatal problem, involving not just the emperor but the nation and its people, from imperial nobles above to ordinary commoners below. Thus, his central idea was excellent.

And was the solution good?

Of course it was excellent.

The concept of the Great Wei money house could be called revolutionary. Moreover, under Confucian supervision, it would be a mighty instrument for benefiting the nation.

Did it have any shortcomings?

Of course, but those shortcomings had nothing whatsoever to do with the money house itself. They depended on how the emperor used it.

Used well, it would benefit the nation and its people.

Used poorly, it would harm the nation and its people.

But that did not diminish the significance of the Great Wei money house.

This money house could be called a divine instrument safeguarding the nation, worth more than thousands of troops and horses.

Taking everything together.

Was this essay good?

Yes.

So good, in fact, that it was beyond reproach.

Such a work was generally called a peerless essay, or a policy treatise for the ages.

Yet at that very moment.

In Great Wei's Capital.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Within the magnificent Literary Palace in the eastern district of the Imperial Capital, five clear, deafening bell peals rang out.

They startled the entire capital of Great Wei.

"It's the Sacred Bell! The Sacred Bell has rung five times of its own accord! A peerless essay-someone has written a peerless essay!"

A Grand Confucian's voice rang out, brimming with excitement.

"Five peals from the Sacred Bell signify a peerless work that benefits the nation and its people. Who has written this peerless essay?"

Another Grand Confucian's voice rang out, filled with astonishment.

"Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! After five years, another peerless essay has appeared in Great Wei! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Heaven has blessed Great Wei! Heaven has blessed Great Wei!"

Voice after voice resounded throughout the Imperial Capital.

They prompted countless guesses. A peerless essay might establish a principle that suppressed evil, or present a policy for the nation and its people. Whichever it was, it was good news for Great Wei.

Within Great Wei's Imperial Capital.

Another voice rang out.

"Your Majesty, the Star Heaven Institute has sent word that a manifestation of heaven and earth has appeared in Southern Yu Prefecture: a white rainbow piercing the sun."

"Here in the Capital City, the Sacred Bell in the Great Wei Literary Palace has rung five times, signifying the emergence of a peerless essay."

The melodious voice sounded, and soon a calm voice followed.

"Investigate who it was."

"Have the Star Heaven Institute investigate further. Was the person who brought about this manifestation a scholar or a warrior?"

The voice fell silent.

A breathtakingly beautiful figure left the palace.

Meanwhile, righteous Haoran qi soared from the Great Wei Literary Palace into the heavens, moving too fast for the naked eye to follow.

Ten thousand li away.

In Southern Yu Prefecture's capital.

While everyone was still reeling in shock.

A sight that astonished them even further appeared.

An immense torrent of righteous Haoran qi, like a great river, poured down upon Xu Qingxiao.

All that dense righteous Haoran qi surged into his body and flowed into his literary pool.

As the dense righteous Haoran qi entered his body, it transformed into streams of purple qi.

Within the time it took an incense stick to burn.

The Prefectural Lord, the three masters, and numerous Confucian scholars had all gathered outside the Prefectural Examination Hall.

An examination was underway inside, so they could not enter. This was Great Wei law. No matter how important the matter, they absolutely could not violate it, or they would be guilty of a grave crime.

"This is saintly qi."

Master Liu pointed at the righteous Haoran qi, his body trembling involuntarily as he spoke.

"It came from the west, from Great Wei's capital."

"The capital? Then it must be the Literary Palace. A white rainbow piercing the sun-only a peerless essay can summon such a manifestation. With this astonishing blessing of righteous Haoran qi as well, unless something unexpected has happened, surely only Xu Qingxiao, that great talent, could accomplish this."

Master Qi and Master Chen spoke in turn. Their deductions were precise. Though their words sounded calm, a thousand waves had already risen in their hearts.

"First an unsurpassed lyric for the ages, then a peerless essay. Xu Qingxiao, Xu Wangu-he truly has not been given the wrong nickname! I must nurture him carefully, so that our Great Wei may gain another sage!"

Master Liu spoke. Of course, he used "sage" figuratively: a Second Sage was a sage, a half-saint was a sage, and naturally, a true sage was also a sage.

But the moment Master Liu finished speaking, Master Qi and Master Chen protested.

"Master Liu, didn't you say you wouldn't compete?"

"Exactly, Master Liu! Didn't you agree not to compete? How can you call yourself a gentleman when you go back on your word?"

The two were displeased. They had agreed not to compete, yet now that Xu Qingxiao had displayed such immense talent, he wanted to renege? Was he still a gentleman?

Master Liu, however, glanced at the two of them, then slowly spoke.

"Such a great talent must be carefully nurtured, even if I bear a shameful reputation for it. I shall write to inform my teacher now. Since you both think I am no gentleman, I shall play the scoundrel this once."

Master Liu could not be bothered with them.

If he was no gentleman, so be it.

With such a great talent before me, should I simply pass him up? I'm not an idiot.

"Fine! Since Master Liu is so shameless, I'll cast aside my shame too! Brother Qi, help me pin this old fool down. Don't let him write that letter!"

Master Chen roared, calling Master Qi over and immediately taking action to prevent Master Liu from writing.

"Masters, there are people all around. Please don't act this way and demean yourselves."

Seeing this, Li Guangxin immediately spoke up from the side, trying to persuade them kindly. After all, everyone was watching. Were they not afraid of becoming a laughingstock?

"You're merely a warrior. What right do you have to meddle in the affairs of scholars like us? This has nothing to do with you. Go stand aside and watch."

"Exactly! How does a mere warrior deserve to discuss the literary Dao?"

Master Qi and Master Chen were genuinely furious. They went straight to blows, regardless of who was watching. No matter what, they absolutely could not let Master Liu write that letter. If he did, Xu Qingxiao would have nothing whatsoever to do with them.

As for Li Guangxin, his well-intentioned attempts to persuade them had earned him a round of abuse. He immediately stepped aside, wearing a sheepish smile while inwardly gritting his teeth.

Xin'er, pass this exam for your father. Once you become a Grand Confucian, make these three old bastards suffer until they're dead!

Li Guangxin could bide his time. As the saying went, a gentleman could wait ten years to take his revenge.

Meanwhile, inside the Prefectural Examination Hall.

As the Literary Pool filled to the brim.

Xu Qingxiao officially entered the Eighth Rank.

The Eighth Rank of the Confucian Dao.

[Self-Cultivation Realm]

In the Class A examination room.

The silence was terrifying.

The three examiners were utterly speechless as well.

A twenty-year-old Eighth Rank Confucian scholar.

Such a thing had seldom been seen throughout history.

And Xu Qingxiao had only been studying for exactly one month.

No, wait. Twenty-nine days.

He had advanced to the Eighth Rank in twenty-nine days.

If he were given another few years, wouldn't he soar into the heavens?

Stillness.

Stillness.

Stillness.

Deathly silence.

Looking at the silent crowd.

Xu Qingxiao, having advanced in rank, once again kept quiet.

Lest he make the situation even more awkward.