Chapter 22: The Exam Begins, the Black-Clad Gentleman

In the city of Lieyang, within the School of Learning,

This is the location of the provincial examination hall,

In the past, this place was not open and rather desolate.

But only today,

It is bustling and exceptionally lively.

Scholars from all sixteen provinces of the Qianyuan Empire have gathered here,

Desiring to pass the exam and achieve great success.

At this moment, there are heavy guards surrounding the area,

Examiners and relevant personnel stand at the entrance, conducting checks and guiding the candidates according to the procedures.

"There are so many people!"

At the end of the crowd,

There is a young man dressed in a casual blue robe, sitting under the shade of a tree. His temperament is somewhat carefree, resembling a wanderer.

This contrasts sharply with the other scholars who have anxious and serious expressions, rushing forward.

It is Bai Yu.

In his previous life, he had experienced the college entrance examination.

But at this moment, the scene before him is even more grand, complex, and chaotic than in his previous life.

Five to six thousand people are congested here,

Unlike in his previous life, where most were young and full of youthful vigor.

At this moment, the majority gathered here are middle-aged people in their thirties and forties, with some elderly individuals. Young people are rare.

The exams of the Qianyuan Dynasty are very difficult!

Not everyone has the same level of thinking as Bai Yu, who stands on the shoulders of giants, nor is everyone as intelligent as him.

To come here at such a young age,

For ordinary people,

Many may spend their entire lives without having the opportunity to stand in this examination hall.

And a month later, the waves will sift through the sand,

Among these people, about eight or nine out of ten will enter the next round of palace examination.

The level of cruelty is no less than that of the previous imperial examination.

However, whether or not everyone will think they are among the eliminated eight or nine, they will all think they are among the remaining one.

They recite the classics and poems, looking up at the sky and striving to remember their knowledge.

At the same time, they engage in crude and vulgar activities, crowding and squeezing their competitors around them.

There are even a few old men who are already struggling to breathe, being tormented enough.

It is as if a noisy market has completely lost the elegance of scholars.

Those who arrive early can occupy the best seats, adjust their state of mind, leave an impression on the examiners, and even answer the questions with an open book...

In short, it is definitely better to enter early than late.

No wonder these people are pushing and shoving desperately.

Even with soldiers maintaining order, it is of little use.

They can only ensure the tranquility at the entrance.

Compared to others, Bai Yu seems somewhat out of place.

He waits quietly at the end, not competing or fighting, waiting for the rushing crowd to pass.

Seemingly interested, he gazes at someone.

And as he looks at others,

Similarly,

There are people looking at him.

A handsome young man, outstanding temperament, unique and independent, naturally attracting people's attention.

"You, sir, are you here to take the exam?"

And at this moment, a warm voice sounded in his ear.

At some point, a young man dressed in black, with a decent temperament, approached him and greeted him.

Bai Yu raised an eyebrow,

Regaining his senses, he looked at the unexpected guest beside him, giving him a once-over.

This person has soft facial features, not too tall, a small frame, a slender waist, and fair skin.

The scorching sun blazed down, but he wore a black robe tightly around his body.

Two servants followed closely behind him.

They appeared to have distinguished identities.

And Bai Yu's keen senses told him

that not far away, there were several agile and skilled guards hidden.

After a simple assessment,

he nodded slightly and said, "Yes!"

"You, at such a young age, coming to the capital for the examination, truly a gifted individual!"

The young man in black robes was quite eloquent, praising him incessantly.

Bai Yu smiled and said, "It's nothing special, no need to envy me!"

The young man in black robes: ...

This person is so immodest, it's hard to deal with him.

He asked again, "Why are you so calm? Why don't you go forward and compete with others?"

Bai Yu countered, "Didn't you also not go?"

The man shook his head, "I am not a scholar, nor a candidate, so there's no need for me to compete."

"Then why did you come? To watch monkey shows?"

"Uh..."

This person, why does he speak so provocatively!

To compare the imperial examination to watching monkey shows?

It's a bit too disrespectful!

Fortunately, the young man in black robes had a good temper and kindly reminded Bai Yu, "How can it be compared to monkey shows? Time is precious, every detail in the examination hall can determine success or failure. Competing is the only way forward! The imperial examination is held once every three years, and every generation's top scholar has always entered early, honing their skills and taking the lead."

Bai Yu smiled confidently, "That's because they are just small fish! Small fish need to compete in order to swim to the front! Whales and sharks roam the rivers and seas, would they care about a few small fish fighting over shrimp food? Let them all go ahead of me, so what?"

The young man in black robes trembled at his words,

and when he looked at the person next to him again,

I feel a chilling wind blowing, and the momentum is rising steadily.

This person is inherently arrogant and self-confident.

Bai Yu pointed to the people fighting in front, and disdainfully curled his lips: "Are scholars competing like this? Isn't this just a monkey show?"

"You people are here to watch this kind of monkey show, aren't you?"

"What? Do you want me to be a monkey?"

Bai Yu looked at him with interest, his gaze intense and his pupils deep: "With your tone, you must be of a much higher class than me... Let me guess, who are you?"

It was as if he could strip away the clothes, see through the flesh, and peer into the heart.

The man in black suddenly froze.

He felt as if he would be completely seen through if he continued to be looked at.

"Uh... Haha, brother, you're joking!"

"May I ask for your name, brother?"

She chuckled and bowed to Bai Yu, changing the subject.

"Bai Yu, from Liuzhou."

This was not a secret, and Bai Yu did not hide her name.

"What about you?"

"Uh... I'm called Xilan, from Kyoto."

Bai Yu shook her head: "If you're caught lying, you'll lose favorability."

"It's boring to chat if you have to hide your identity."

He waved his hand lightly and said to the man in black who was staring wide-eyed: "Your Highness, next time we meet, why not be more open?"

He stood up and brushed off the dust from his body.

"Oh, by the way!"

Just as he was about to leave,

He seemed to have remembered something, looked at the other person's chest, and then pointed to his own chest: "Don't be so harsh on it! It will hurt..."

Great discounts for reading during the Dragon Boat Festival! Top up 100 and get 500 VIP points!

Grab the top-up now (promotion period: June 22nd to June 24th)

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like