At the first gray light of dawn, the ministers began gathering outside the imperial palace.
This court assembly was rather important. Even some elderly ministers with honorary official and noble ranks had been invited.
When Zhong Hui's carriage arrived, the ministers who had been smiling and exchanging pleasantries abruptly stopped talking.
Their expressions grew somewhat awkward.
Zhong Hui's carriage stopped to one side. He was the only person permitted to ride a carriage straight to the palace gates. He emerged from it, poking his head out and sweeping his gaze around.
Within moments, he had located his target in the crowd.
Then Zhong Hui lifted his head and walked over with exaggerated strides.
There, Zhang Hua and Lu Kang were talking quietly about something. Neither was surprised to notice Zhong Hui approaching them.
"Greetings, Minister over the Masses."
The two bowed lightly in greeting.
Zhong Hui did not return the courtesy. He merely stared at Zhang Hua, an inscrutable smile on his face.
"I heard your disciple was going to take this year's spring examination. Why has he suddenly decided not to?"
Zhang Hua said calmly, "I simply felt he was still too young. I was unwilling to pull up seedlings to help them grow merely for the sake of winning fame."
Zhong Hui snorted coldly and scolded him. "Thinking of running away at the slightest difficulty-can someone like that accomplish great things?! If the teacher lacks virtue, his disciple will struggle to amount to anything!"
Zhang Hua pressed his lips together but offered no further rebuttal.
Feeling that he had won, Zhong Hui left in triumph.
Only then did Lu Kang smile and say, "It's a good thing not to let him participate. That disciple of yours is clever. There's no need to rush him into the limelight. Carve