"Let me see, let me see!"
The examiner who'd once praised Zhao Xunan's literary talent as "towering" was none other than the Left Censor of the Sichuan-Liang Provincial Administration, a fourth-rank official. His eyes lit up at the mention of the praise, and he lunged for the paper, his grip so fierce Zhao Xunan's heart raced. If he tears this, the exam's ruined!
Three heads clustered over the script, arguing softly—a rare sight in the silent exam hall. Their murmur soon drew the attention of the imperial examiner sent by the court: Zhou Li, a fifth-rank official from the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Bureau. Though low in rank, his proximity to the ministry's vice ministers gave him outsized influence. The court had dispatched him to Sichuan-Liang as a mark of respect.
"What's all the commotion, gentlemen?" Zhou Li asked, frowning as he approached.
The examiners bowed hastily, thrusting Zhao Xunan's paper forward. Qian Boyong, voice hoarse, blurted, "Lord, he finished in under a day—no blank spaces!"
Zhou Li's eyes widened. He scanned the script, his gaze sharpening at the delicate, flower-like calligraphy. "Ah—could this be the 'latrine-lucky lad' from before?"
"Exactly, my lord. Read on!"
Four heads bent closer, dissecting the work. Zhao Xunan's face twitched—"Latrine-lucky"? What a vulgar nickname!
An hour passed. The exam hall, usually deathly quiet, buzzed with curiosity as candidates craned their necks.
"In over two decades of service, I've never seen such erudition," Zhou Li murmured.
The second exam was a hodgepodge of subjects—history, classics, arithmetic. No one, Zhou Li knew, had ever aced it all. Yet here was Zhao Xunan, answering every question flawlessly.
"Scholar," Zhou Li said, stepping closer, "might I know your name?"
Qian Boyong warned, "Lord, questioning candidates mid-exam could cause unrest!"
"Nonsense. These three can vouch for me—I couldn't contain my curiosity."
Zhao Xunan rose, clasping his hands. "Zhao Xunan, a scholar from Qingliang Prefecture, greets Your Lordship."
"Qingliang's top talent—no wonder you stand out!" The local examiners nodded, recalling Zhao Xunan's earlier fame: his Spring River Flower Moon Night and Zhao Lang Returns on Start of Summer had swept the province.
Zhou Li's gaze held more than admiration. A man the court favors—truly extraordinary.
"Only the propositional poem remains. Why linger?" Qian Boyong glanced at the blank sheet, frowning.
Zhao Xunan bit back a retort—If not for your noise, I'd be done!
Zhou Li caught his thought, raising an eyebrow. "Already have a draft?"
"Indeed."
Zhou Li took up an inkstone, grinding it himself. "Write. Let us see if Qingliang's 'top talent' is as exceptional as they say."
"Understood!"
Sitting rigidly, Zhao Xunan grasped a bamboo brush, dipping it in ink. His hand flew across the page, penning Ascending the Tower of Youzhou:
"Before, no ancients; behind, no successors.
Gazing at heaven's endless expanse, I weep alone."
"Brilliant!" Fang Wenjie exclaimed.
"Rarely seen brilliance!" Qian Boyong and the others chimed in.
Six words—"ancients," "successors," "heaven"—nailed the prompt. To craft such depth in moments… Unprecedented.
"Even if your policy essay falters, you'll rank high," Zhou Li said, patting Zhao Xunan's shoulder before leading the examiners away.
While others were still scrambling, Zhao Xunan had finished all three days' exams—and spectacularly. A thought dawned on the four officials: A literary star is rising in Great Qin.
On the 14th of August, as the second exam ended, cheers and sighs filled the hall. Zhao Xunan emerged to find many candidates lingering, watching him. The examiner called him a 'top talent'—this was a sure thing!
That night, back at their lodgings, Zhao Ping'er bounced on her heels, clapping. "Master's a top talent now—this is set in stone!"
But the next morning, reality struck. At roll call, Zhao Xunan's name was called for the same decrepit cubicle—number 587, by the latrine. He groaned, plugging his nose with a sleeve. Same as last time.
The exam paper, however, was new: Discuss the Nations.
"Heaven above—can you explain? Is this still the world I knew after rebirth?" Zhao Xunan stared at the blue sky through the roof's hole, sighing. After much thought, he began writing: Six Kingdoms Discourse.
"The Six Kingdoms fell not from poor strategy, but from bribing the Court.
Bribing the Court drained their strength—thus, their downfall…"
Zhao Xunan wrote furiously, switching from delicate calligraphy to precise clerical script. So absorbed was he that he didn't notice Zhou Li and the examiners lingering, watching, silent as ghosts.
By dusk, the essay stretched to tens of thousands of characters, taking six hours. When Zhao Xunan lifted his brush, all five men exhaled in unison.
"Lord… why are you here?" Zhao Xunan asked, startled.
Zhou Li clapped his shoulder, grinning. "In decades, I've never seen such mastery."
Qian Boyong added, "Erudition beyond measure!"
Fang Wenjie and the fourth examiner chimed in, "Your talent outshines eight of ten in the world—'eightfold genius' isn't an exaggeration!"
Before Zhao Xunan could react, a green-robed clerk rushed over. "The imperial examiner sends word: your policy essay is sealed and will be sent to Yujing by fast horse tonight. You may leave immediately."
"Leave? But the exam—"
"Nonsense. This is an honor," the clerk said, leaning in. "The examiner promises: you'll rank among the top three."
Zhao Xunan's eyes widened. Top three? Joy surged, but so did unease. Why send my essay to Yujing?
Later, as Zhao Xunan left the hall, the examiners watched.
"Sending it to Yujing with guards—is that excessive?" Fang Wenjie asked.
Zhou Li smiled. "Would you risk a document that could topple kingdoms?"
The others paled. Six Kingdoms Discourse wasn't just brilliant—it was dangerous. In enemy hands, it could unravel Great Qin's borders.
"Once, I thought Phoenix (the Imperial Preceptor) was unfit for the future Empress," Fang Wenjie mused. "But after seeing Zhao Xunan… perhaps I was wrong."
"How so?"
"A celestial path is for Phoenix alone. But Zhao Xunan's work could benefit millions, securing our borders for millennia. His contributions surpass even Phoenix's."
Zhou Li nodded. "Thus, we send it to Yujing. Phoenix must never see it."
When Zhao Xunan returned, Zhao Ping'er nearly fainted with joy. "Master's a top talent—you're set!"
But Zhao Xunan's smile faded. The essay's in Yujing. Phoenix could use it against me.
For days, he fretted, losing focus. Only when he splashed water on his face one morning did he snap out of it. What am I doing? I've already entered the immortal path—second realm, no less. Even if I don't pass, what's the harm?
With Fuyao Manual, Record of Seekings, and the divine weapon Tian Gui in hand, plus countless untapped "three heavy, six light, eighteen fates," who could rival him?
"Master, why are you grinning like a fool?" Zhao Ping'er asked, handing him a towel.
Zhao Xunan laughed, splashing her with cold water. "Wake up, silly girl!"
The ice jolted her, but she grinned too. He's back to normal.