Even if His Majesty favored him greatly, he would decisively not choose him as the top scholar.
It wasn’t that the gambling houses looked down on him, but rather that everyone was not a Fool and naturally wouldn’t knowingly do the impossible.
Just like himself!
Though he had participated in the palace examination, the idea of His Majesty choosing him as the top scholar was absolutely impossible, even considering the thick layers of scrutiny from others.
Compared to Xue Qian, he was the one who absolutely could not beco the top scholar.
Su Ke saw this very clearly.
And everyone else saw it even clearer! Thus, as the nas of those who passed the Retest kept reappearing, Su Ke’s na was never ntioned.
Just as Su Ke was rightfully shelling peanuts and tossing them into his mouth while seated, soone finally brought up his na.
"All this talk, yet nobody ntioned the one remaining candidate from the Beneficent Examination during the Spring Imperial Civil Service Examination. If he made it to the Retest, it shows he has so skill."
A new Jinshi Scholar, his face still showing traces of illness, squeezed into the crowd and shared his opinion.
As soon as he finished speaking, soone laughed with a gossipy expression, "This colleague knows only one side but is ignorant of the other," he said, concealing his mouth with his hand, yet speaking loud enough for all to hear.
"Oh? Could there be so Insider story?" the first man asked with a bow.
"What Insider story? Isn’t it just said that this Uncle-in-law was not admitted during the Spring Imperial Civil Service Examination? It was his ntor who happened to be present, approached the Chief Examiner to argue the case, which then involved His Majesty. It was discovered that his dossier was unexpectedly missing, and His Majesty graciously declared to combine his dossier with those of two others, issuing a so-called ’Beneficent Examination’ list. Only after that, he managed to attend the Retest and the palace examination. Even then, he ranked eighth in the palace examination; everyone can imagine how much weight that carries!"
The man who shook his head and laughed spoke as if he had witnessed it himself.
The crowd imdiately cast countless astonished gazes at Su Ke, sizing him up from head to toe. Everyone had their own Hidden calculations.
"Who knew there was such an Insider story? In these tis, if you haven’t been well born, you better have a beautiful sister. Then, maybe you’ll get lucky, and soone will fancy her, and you too might rise like a phoenix—how wonderful..."
...
Err...
Su Ke touched his nose. Are they talking about ?
He looked around and t several eyes filled with the eagerness of watching a drama unfold.
He didn’t care about these people relentlessly trampling on him, but instead wore an indifferent expression.
This person bringing up his Uncle-in-law status was simply trying to eliminate competition. If the top scholar position wasn’t ant for him, so be it, but if it was his, he reckoned there would be quite the spectacle to watch...
Su Ke remained silent, but to the crowd, it seed as though he had resigned himself to his fate.
However, Xue Qian couldn’t help but intervene, leaping forward. "Hey! You all have too much ti on your hands, huh?"
Xue Qian was the first to erge from the crowd: "There are so many Uncle-in-laws in Shengjing City, and so many sisters married into the Imperial Family. Why do you only cling to him? I haven’t even ntioned, why do all of you officials’ offspring co to participate in the Imperial Examination? Can’t you protect one another? Wouldn’t your sisters be able to marry into the Imperial Family or into officials’ hos? By that logic, don’t you also have an Insider story?"
After speaking, he turned his gaze to Feng Jiu and another new scholar nad Cui.
Feng Jiu’s sister was Imperial Concubine Feng in the palace, and Feng Jiu himself also bore the title of Uncle-in-law; this other scholar nad Cui had two sisters, one of whom had entered the palace as a minor concubine while the other had beco Secondary Consort to Prince Wei.
Prince Wei and His Majesty were about the sa age and remarkably resembled each other in appearance.
On the sixth day, Prince Wei accompanied His Majesty to offer Incense at Huangjue Temple, and the officials accompanying them marveled at the two’s nearly identical faces and figures. It was unexpected that two half-brothers could look so similar.
Compared to Su Ke, both Feng Jiu and the other scholar nad Cui had family statuses not any lighter than Su Ke’s.
In one sentence, he shifted the trouble elsewhere, causing everyone’s expressions to change.
Eyes quickly settled on the new scholar who had initially brought up the subject.
The man hurriedly shrank back into the crowd, not daring to show his face again.
But in his heart, he felt greatly wronged. I was just making a casual remark; all these words were said by you all! I didn’t add a single word.
Is it my fault?
"Nevermind! After all, Su Brother, you are not the only person of distinction here. Besides, the Su Family are bona fide farrs, so you relax. The Imperial Court has not explicitly decreed that those with daughters in the palace cannot take the Imperial Examination."
Xue Qian reassured him repeatedly, "Moreover, aren’t the results still not out? We can discuss it then when everything is settled. If you ask , as long as there’s hope, anything is possible!"
He spoke fervently, but Su Ke remained composed, utterly unfazed.
He casually waved his hand: "There’s no need for everyone to worry about ; getting to where I am today has already fulfilled my wishes. As for extra gains, if fortune cos, I consider it a blessing; if not, I resign it to fate, with no hard feelings!"
"Excellent! An admirable attitude of ’if fortune cos, consider it a blessing; if not, resign it to fate’!"
These words even earned repeated praise from the normally silent Feng Jiu, who approached and saluted him: "Zi Ke Brother’s open-mindedness truly serves as a model for all of us! Feng Jiu is humbled by his example, truly ashad," he said, saluting Su Ke in return.
Su Ke hurriedly returned the salute, modestly protesting.
The two shared a smile and felt a sense of kindred spirit.
While Feng Jiu appeared to be open-minded, those sitting aside didn’t see it that way.
Keep pretending! We’ll see how long you can keep it up!
When the palace examination results co out, and you plumt from first to the third class, you’ll wish you could cry but won’t be able to.
Feng Jiu’s salute stirred a strong reaction among the new scholars.
His initial third-place performance in the Retest still made him the favored candidate, and his na was continuously discussed. Whether he would secure the place of second or third top scholar was yet to be determined.
As for Li Wen Li, he was said to be gifted with an eidetic mory since childhood, a genius among geniuses. Coupled with the stimulating dossiers others had seen, he beca the highly debated inevitable choice for the top scholar.
Although the rankings of the top ten remained uncertain, plenty of Insider information had seeped out. Among these more than four hundred new scholars, many ca from distinguished backgrounds or were related to courtiers in complex ways, and many had indirectly learned so gossipy news ahead of ti.
Who wouldn’t want the position of top scholar? But everyone knew the top scholar would certainly be one of those limited few, hence the fervent discussions.
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