The crowd inside Orchid Pavilion Tower continued to grow.
The first through third floors were almost completely full.
At that moment, all thirteen people assigned to the Jia Character Area had arrived.
A faint smile appeared on Jiang Xiaobai's face.
He had spotted two familiar faces: Guo Zhan and Zhong Yu.
One had placed Second Place, the other Third Place. He had seen both at the Imperial Court.
Their presence surprised him, though it also made sense.
Having ranked among the top three in the Imperial Civil Service Examination, their abilities needed no explanation. He simply had not expected them to come and stick their oars in too.
Were they planning to crush him completely in front of everyone?
At that thought, Jiang Xiaobai glanced at them again.
Their eyes also flicked toward him from time to time, neither looking particularly friendly.
Jiang Xiaobai still could not be bothered to care. Plenty of people here today disliked him anyway.
Two more made no difference, and two fewer would not either.
"Heir Apparent, those two... do you know them?"
Standing behind Jiang Xiaobai, Zhang Xinnian had also noticed Guo Zhan's and Zhong Yu's hostile expressions.
But he did not recall the Heir Apparent having any quarrel with either of them.
"Yes. One placed Second Place, and the other Third Place!"
Jiang Xiaobai answered.
"Oh, no wonder they're looking at you so unfriendly."
Understanding immediately dawned on Zhang Xinnian.
"That's only natural."
Jiang Xiaobai smiled. "If I were them, I wouldn't like me either."
After all, he had bought his position as Top Graduate.
What really rubbed salt into the wound was that this bought-and-paid-for Top Graduate had then been personally appointed by His Majesty to investigate the Examination Scandal.
Anyone in their shoes would probably feel sore about it.
"Then perhaps