Chapter Thirty-Five: Ye Wuji Can Secure First Place

Every era requires a benchmark. Every dynasty seeks to cultivate a prodigy to bolster its cultural reputation. Ye Wuji had been crafted into the foremost talent of Jinling—a title that carried more than a hint of riding the coattails of the "Four Great Talents of Jiangnan."

Although Ye Wuji found the rigorous study schedule grueling, he ultimately agreed, yielding to his son’s fervent hopes for him to achieve greatness.

The day of the monthly examination was significant. The Zhao family and Zhao Youyou suspended their business for the day, making a pilgrimage to every Taoist temple, Buddhist monastery, City God temple, and Earth God shrine in Jinling. They even burned incense at the temple of the Child-Giving Guanyin and offered prayers to the Kitchen God at home.

Butcher Zhao prepared a feast, inviting the Ye father and son along with the old village head. Ye Xiren, however, remained at the Jinling Academy to grade papers and did not return to Wulong Lane.

Butcher Zhao poured wine for Ye Wuji and the village head. "My virtuous brother, how did the monthly exam feel?"

"I don’t mean to boast, but I’ve been through countless battles when it comes to exams," Ye Wuji said, clinking glasses with the two men. "I may not have experience in passing the imperial examinations, but when it comes to avoiding every single correct answer, I am the ultimate authority."

Butcher Zhao and the village head exchanged glances and burst into laughter. "If you can still crack jokes, it means you must have done alright."

Only Ye Xiu knew that his father was telling the truth, and he couldn't help but ask, "Father, what was the topic?"

"The topic was you—" Ye Wuji started, but quickly changed his tone. "The examiner is cunning; it was a 'hidden-character' prompt. We won't get the final results for three days."

"Everyone outside is saying that you are the greatest talent in Jinling, the most likely candidate to place in the top three during the Autumn Examination," Butcher Zhao said, feeling more and more convinced of his own sharp judgment as he looked at the father and son. "Come, let us drink until we fall tonight!"

At Jinling Academy, the lights burned bright. With the Autumn Examination approaching, the monthly exam had become the top priority—a chance to check the students' progress, solidify their foundations, and predict potential test questions. Wang Yuanhui, Ye Xiren, and Liu Hanqing sat at the center, with professors and masters ranged on either side. Because this was a major examination year, many *xiucai* scholars had joined, necessitating Ye Xiren’s assistance. Having served as the chief examiner for three consecutive imperial examinations, his expertise was invaluable.

"Yuanhui, Hanqing, this essay is quite good; the writer is a seasoned hand," Ye Xiren said, picking up a paper with a look of admiration. "The perspective is broad, though the literary style lacks polish. If cultivated properly, he will surely be a talent in the future."

Hearing his praise, Wang Yuanhui and Liu Hanqing leaned in. After reading it, Wang Yuanhui joked, "If your memorial to the throne had been written like this, you wouldn't have been exiled."

"I spent many years as a censor, always considering myself a man of integrity, unable to tolerate even a grain of sand in my eyes," Ye Xiren sighed heavily. "But recently, I’ve come to realize something. If I were in Ye Tianxiang's position, I wouldn't know how to fill an empty national treasury, let alone find funds for the Empress Dowager’s garden or her birthday celebrations, or secure a million taels of military pay for the frontier. The imperial court can exist without 'men of integrity,' but it absolutely cannot do without a man like Ye Tianxiang."

"Though you two were political enemies, no one understands him better than you," Wang Yuanhui said. He picked up another paper and immediately flew into a rage. "This is preposterous! He actually slanders the Sage! The child is beyond teaching, truly beyond teaching!"

Liu Hanqing leaned over, equally incensed. "A disgrace to the literati! A complete mockery of scholarship!"

Only Ye Xiren wore an intrigued expression, offering no comment.

The exam prompt, carefully crafted by Wang Yuanhui, was a string of numbers: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. It was derived from the *Analects*: "At thirty, I stood firm; at forty, I had no doubts; at fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven; at sixty, my ears were attuned; at seventy, I could follow my heart's desires."

The examinee had written that the Sage was a six-foot-tall, muscular giant. His sword was named "Reason," and the bulging muscles on his back formed the character for "Virtue." Based on current affairs, he spun a wildly different narrative:

Facing thirty men, he could finish them off and remain standing; facing forty, he would have no doubts and choose to strike first. If fifty men appeared, victory was inevitable—it was destiny. If sixty men whispered sweet nothings in his ear, he might calm down and stop fighting; but if seventy men showed up... well, finally, he could kill to his heart's content.

"Why learn the Six Arts of a gentleman?" the essay continued. "If you don't strike hard when fighting, you won't establish authority. It doesn't matter if you offend me; I’ll find out the way to your house in the morning, and I’ll go kill you at night."

"Huo Qiji?" Ye Xiren picked up a red brush and circled the name. He looked at Wang Yuanhui and Liu Hanqing. "I want to have a chat with this man."

The two men were puzzled by Ye Xiren's interest, but they nodded, promising to arrange it the next day. Soon, with the review process complete, the rankings for the monthly exam were settled.

There were 120 candidates at the Jinling Academy. Aside from Huo Qiji, whose paper was voided, only five failed. However, the grading standards were set at the level of the provincial exam, meaning those five would likely have no trouble passing the *xiucai* level.

"Gentlemen, has the first place been decided?" Wang Yuanhui asked.

Master Qian brought over a paper and handed it to Wang Yuanhui. "Ye Wuji’s paper is clean and orderly, and the content is exemplary. He is worthy of first place."

Wang Yuanhui was stunned. He knew Ye Xiren's past academic performance better than anyone. After careful examination, he wore a satisfied smile and passed the paper to Ye Xiren and Liu Hanqing. Both men gave it a thumbs-up.

"Ye Wuji is a man of character. If he hadn't been so resistant to the eight-legged essay, he would have earned his *jinshi* title long ago," Liu Hanqing said, growing more impressed the longer he read. "His calligraphy is steady and calm, and he followed the eight-legged format perfectly. Rare, truly rare!"

Just then, Xie Dashen arrived. Everyone stood to pay their respects, as he was the chief examiner for the upcoming Autumn Examination in Jinling.

"Sir, please take a seat," Liu Hanqing said, offering his chair to Xie Dashen.

Xie Dashen did not decline. Once seated, he looked around. "Gentlemen, how did the Jinling candidates fare?"

"After a detailed review," Wang Yuanhui said, bowing, "Ye Wuji deserves the first-place ranking."

"Oh?" Xie Dashen frowned, deeply skeptical. He took the paper and scrutinized it word by word, determined to find a flaw. Yet, from beginning to end, he could find nothing wrong.

Xie Dashen’s heart sank. Rumors of the poem *Linjiang Xian* and the title of "Foremost Talent of Jinling" were everywhere. He had dismissed them as exaggerations, as he had known Ye Wuji to be a different sort of man. But after seeing this exam paper, he was bewildered. If this were the real Autumn Examination, Ye Wuji would certainly place in the top three.

However, the relationship between him and Ye Wuji was now incredibly delicate. He had been the one to call off the engagement. If he were to change his tune after the man achieved high honors... what would become of Xie Dashen’s dignity?