Chapter 56: First Place in the Main Event

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Lin Mo thought that if his father learned that the Hui ink he had treasured for so many years had been used to draw on a turtle, he would surely be heartbroken.

Seeing the turtle reminded him of the white turtle his father had long been searching for in secret. Sadly, despite the expenditure of immense manpower and resources, they had found nothing.

Since both the Prefect of Nanning Commandery and the Inspector of Youzhou were men of Chief Councillor An, Lin Zhengkang had arranged for the king crab to be transported separately. It bypassed Youzhou and went directly to neighboring Qingzhou, where he presented it to Inspector Xu Qingfeng. Xu had once been Lin Zhengkang’s classmate. Though they were not particularly close, neither had they ever had any unpleasant dealings. This time, Lin Zhengkang had taken the initiative to do him a favor.

As the Gu family had guests that day, one of whom was the county magistrate’s son, Zhen Mi’er and the others brought out nearly all the finest food in the household. They slaughtered an old hen, cut off a piece of cured pork, took out several sausages, and sent Gu Qingsong to the market to buy a goose, two catties of beef, two catties of spare ribs, a fish, and assorted fruits and vegetables.

The table was laden with dishes, each one excellent in color, aroma, and flavor. Zhang Ziheng ate with unceasing praise. Lin Mo prided himself on having tasted many delicacies, yet even he was astonished by the food served at the Gu family table. Compared with the dishes at Spring Breeze Pavilion in the county seat, they were in no way inferior—and might even have surpassed them.

The meal ended with host and guests thoroughly delighted. Zhang Ziheng and Lin Mo arranged to return the next day to view the results with Gu Tingzhi. After bidding farewell to everyone in the Gu family, they left the Gu residence together.

Zhang Ziheng was still staying at the same Prosperity Inn as before. Though the inn was somewhat dilapidated, its rooms were relatively inexpensive. The county examination consisted of five successive sessions, and all the scholars from Yun’an County had gathered in the city. Inns throughout the city were in such demand that rooms were nearly impossible to find. Some people even had to sleep in woodsheds or stables. Had Zhang Ziheng not become acquainted with the innkeeper during his previous stay, he might not have been able to reserve this room at all.

He asked a young attendant to bring him a basin of water. After washing briefly, he hurriedly took out the books required for the next examination and carefully reviewed the key sections.

After Lin Mo returned home, Quan Feng, who had been waiting at the main gate, hurried forward to greet him.

“Young Master, Madam said that you should go see her once you returned.”

Lin Mo nodded and went straight to Jifu Hall, where he bowed to Feng Shurong, seated at the head.

“Mother, did you send for me because something has happened?”

Feng Shurong had a maid bring him a bowl of bird’s-nest soup before asking, “How did today’s examination go?”

“Quite well.”

In truth, Feng Shurong had asked only as a formality. Her son was exceptionally learned, and a mere county examination posed no difficulty for him.

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“The Gu residence you visited today—is it the home of Gu Tingzhi, who has come first in every major examination?”

“Mother, it is indeed their home. They were also the ones who sold us the king crab.”

Feng Shurong nodded with a smile. “Your father says that Gu Tingzhi is certain to achieve great things in the future. Your father has also dealt with the Gu family’s second son. He is an upright man. A family that can raise a younger generation like this must have an excellent household tradition. You should keep in close contact with them. Having a good friend will also be a great help to your official career in the future.”

Lin Mo nodded. “You are right, Mother.”

The results would be posted the next day, and the second session of the county examination would begin the day after that. Feng Shurong did not dare delay him for long. After watching him finish a bowl of bird’s-nest soup, she sent him back to his room to review his lessons.

Lin Zhengkang had spent the day marking examination papers alongside several other examiners and would probably not return for some time. Feng Shurong instructed her personal maid, Green Bamboo, to pack some food from the kitchen, then personally sent it to the county office.

At the Gu residence, Zhen Mi’er was carefully teaching Gu Tingzhi how to tie up his hair.

Her husband was extraordinarily gifted when it came to studying. Even after injuring his brain, he could still remember anything after seeing it only once. Yet when it came to something as simple as tying his hair, he was astonishingly clumsy. He could never manage it properly: either a lock was left hanging here, or a great lump stuck up there. After being taught more than ten times, he finally managed to tie it up, but the hair cord sat so crookedly that it was painful to look at.

Zhen Mi’er had no choice but to let the matter rest.

The next day, before the hour of the Monkey had even arrived, Lin Mo and Zhang Ziheng both reached the Gu residence. Gu Tingzhi and Gu Qingbai were also ready. Along with Quan Feng, the five of them set out for the examination grounds, while the others remained at home to await their news.

The results had already been posted, and the sound of cannon fire rang out. The area before the examination hall was packed several layers deep. The group could not squeeze through at all. After asking Gu Tingzhi and Zhang Ziheng for their seat numbers, Quan Feng used every ounce of strength he had and relied on his nimble frame to force his way to the very front.

By habit, he first looked toward the second place. This was the experience he had gained from checking the results for his young master over all these years. Sure enough, his young master had once again claimed the second position, his seat number hanging there firmly. Quan Feng shouted toward the crowd outside, “Young Master, you came in second!”

The spectators followed his gaze, eager to catch a glimpse of the scholar who had placed second. Before they could even determine which of the young men he was, the servant delivered another thunderclap.

“Third Young Master Gu, you came in first!”

First place in the main list—that was the very top!

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A series of sharp gasps rose from the crowd. No one had expected the top-ranked candidate to be standing among them. Everyone turned to look at the four young men at the back. All four were handsome, graceful, and distinguished, each possessing his own appeal. No one could tell which two had taken first and second place.

Quan Feng followed the seat numbers down the list until he found Zhang Ziheng’s. Delighted, he called out, “Young Master Zhang, you also made it into the county’s top ten! You came in ninth!”

Everyone had already heard about the first- and second-place candidates, so ninth place no longer astonished them. They could only sigh that birds of a feather flock together. Talented people naturally gathered with other talented people; none of them could be too mediocre.

Zhang Ziheng let out a breath of relief. He had performed normally this time—neither exceptionally well nor disastrously. Making it into the county’s top ten was an unexpected pleasure.

The first session of the county examination admitted only fifty candidates: twenty in the inner circle and thirty in the outer. Once a candidate entered the top twenty, so long as nothing unexpected happened in the remaining four sessions, passing the county examination was virtually assured.

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone was still stunned, Quan Feng hurried out of the crowd. Lin Mo instructed him to return to the Lin residence with the good news, while he himself went back to the Gu residence with Gu Tingzhi and the others.

After the group had gone some distance and disappeared around the bend at the end of the alley, no one noticed that, at the spot where Quan Feng had just been standing, a plainly dressed young man remained rooted to the ground. His face was livid, his eyes dark and brooding. He stared fixedly at his own seat number in third place, his face filled with resentment and defeat.

When they returned to the Gu residence, Zhen Mi’er and the others were utterly incredulous upon learning that Gu Tingzhi had come first.

If Gu Tingzhi had not injured his brain, first place would have been entirely expected, and they would not have been particularly surprised. But his situation was unusual now. He could not even remember what he had written on the examination paper. How could he possibly have come first?

According to precedent, the candidate who took first place in the main list did not need to sit the remaining four sessions of the county examination. He only had to wait in peace for the prefectural and academy examinations in April.

The emotional rise and fall was simply too great. Everyone in the Gu family felt that their hearts could barely endure it.

Since Lin Mo and Zhang Ziheng still had to sit the second examination session the next day, they wanted to return and review their lessons. Thus, they did not stay for dinner.

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