Chapter 305
Chapter 305
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: [Number]
Chapter Title: The Dramatic Return to the Hall Examination
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Granny Sha wanted to hug him, but her hands passed straight through Tianyu's body, grasping at empty air. Of course—her son had died long ago.
The tiny body gradually grew ice-cold.
She wept as if her heart would shatter, trying every method she knew, but she could not bring him back to life. What had returned this time was her son's soul.
She channeled a bit of her magic power to embrace her son's soul. It was just as before—a small child.
Granny Sha burst into sobs as she clutched him tightly to her chest.
"Tianyu, Mother has thought of you every single day these past thirty years. I've been searching for you nonstop. I scoured the entire underworld, but I could never find you!"
Grief overwhelmed her, and all the injustices and torments she had endured over those thirty years poured out in that instant.
Chen Shi quietly slipped out of the room, leaving mother and son alone. This was a time for them to share their long-parted sorrows.
He turned around and saw Chen Tang standing just outside.
Chen Tang, uncharacteristically, wore a smile.
"You brought these scholars back alive from the underworld. It must have been grueling, and incredibly dangerous."
Chen Shi shook his head.
"Not grueling at all. We didn't run into any dangers."
Chen Tang frowned slightly. He recalled the perils and hardships he and Granny Sha had faced while searching for Chen Shi, and he sensed there had to be some misunderstanding here.
Chen Shi must have grown up, not wanting his old father to worry. That was what he figured.
"With Tianyu back, Granny has one less burden on her heart. Her whole life of toil has really been about finding her son."
Chen Tang said softly,
"But Tianyu is dead already. What they've recovered is just a ghost soul. I wonder how she'll handle it."
He cited precedents from lore.
"In the Huaxia Divine Continent, there's the practice of sculpting a golden body. We could make one for Tianyu, letting him manifest as a saint and draw incense worship from the people to ascend the divine path. Or we could use lotus root and leaves to remake a lotus body—that's another option. Puppet arts or automaton crafting could build him a fleshly form. Or we could use the methods your grandfather passed down, creating a body through talismans."
Chen Shi said,
"We could also have him reincarnate, or let him possess the body of a recently deceased child—借屍還魂. Granny Sha is a master of these arts. If we can think of so many ways, she'll come up with even more."
Chen Tang nodded.
The father and son walked outward together. Chen Tang said,
"I'll brew the medicine first. You rest a bit. After such extremes of grief and joy, Granny's primal soul must be damaged. I'll prepare the remedies in advance..."
From behind him, Chen Shi called out,
"Dad, if I want to kill the Young Master and claim the top scholar title, will you support me?"
Chen Tang's body trembled faintly. He stopped in his tracks and broke into a smile. A profound joy welled up in his heart, moistening his eyes.
He turned around, his gaze warm and gentle. He laughed.
"You're my son. Of course I support you."
Even if you tear the heavens asunder, I'll stand by you!
He murmured to himself in his heart.
West Capital.
On the twentieth day after the upheaval, Minister of Rites Yan Guozhi had no choice but to call off the search for the scholars who had fallen into the underworld.
Three officials from the Shanglin Garden Preserve had died from exhaustion, yet they still hadn't located the scholars.
The White-Clothed Female Immortal incident had trapped 644 scholars in the underworld. Soon, only 427 remained alive. By the time Yan Guozhi abandoned the search, another 76 had perished, leaving 351.
But twenty days had passed. Those 351 were surely as good as dead. They couldn't keep searching.
Yan Guozhi had the Ministry of Rites spread the word: After twenty days of intense rescue efforts, they had saved a cat named He Wei from the underworld. Rumor had it this cat belonged to the Five Armies Battalion and had wandered into the Immortal Bridge blessed land on the day of the martial examinations, only to end up in the underworld.
To rescue this innocent little cat, the Ministry of Rites had sacrificed sixteen junior clerks and one supervisor. At last, they had snatched little He Wei from the jaws of the underworld's ghosts and gods.
From then on, everyone in the capital knew about this cat named He Wei. As for those 644 trapped scholars—who even knew their names? They were just numbers, after all.
Yan Guozhi settled the matter and vowed inwardly: This disaster had to be pinned on the Five Armies Governors. He would clear his own name completely. He absolutely could not let those two Xia family bastards drag him down with their filth. Of course, on the surface, the Ministry of Rites would keep up the pretense of searching, to fend off attacks from the puritan scholars.
But the events of the following days taught Yan Guozhi the true meaning of treacherous hearts.
In court assembly, he was impeached by the Xia brothers—Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying. They accused the Ministry of Rites, under his oversight of the great examinations, of failing to plan ahead or watch for dangers. This negligence had caused the deaths of so many scholars and Five Armies soldiers, nearly endangering the whole West Capital.
The Five Armies' prized Immortal Bridge blessed land was lost too—and the Ministry of Rites was to blame!
"You bastards are full of shit!"
Yan Guozhi shook with rage. He argued fiercely in court, roaring that the Xia brothers had selfish motives. They had tampered with the Immortal Bridge's landscape positioning, causing it to spiral out of control and crash into Perching霞 Temple's Ghost God Domain. That was what had unleashed this catastrophe.
Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying sneered and demanded evidence. Naturally, he had none.
Then a pack of Hanlin Academy puritans piled on, blasting the Ministry of Rites for its sloppy handling that cost lives—killing countless spring examination scholars. The minister was incompetent, their rescue efforts feeble. Enraged, Yan Guozhi cursed them outright.
"These past days, only my Ministry of Rites has busted our asses saving people. Where the hell were you lot when we were doing it?"
The puritans dropped the rescue complaints and switched to smearing his character. They dragged up how he'd taken so many young concubines that their jealous catfights had led to deaths.
They claimed he kept numerous outer mistresses, and how his principal wife and concubines had led servants to beat some of those mistresses to death.
Then they brought up his scandals with certain married women, implicating other court officials as well.
Yan Guozhi's heart turned to ice. These Hanlin scholars were in the Xia family's pocket. Clearly, the brothers had prepared in advance—striking first to dodge blame and frame him instead.
The two were first-rank grandees; he was only second-rank. The Xia family would never abandon two first-rankers, but his own Yan family might well sacrifice a mere second-ranker like him.
Pathetic. All this time he'd racked his brains to save people, and now he was the one being thrown under the carriage.
Sure enough, the cabinet announced in court that he, Minister of Rites Yan Guozhi, was suspended pending investigation. Rites Ministry Left Vice Minister Yang Shaoqing would temporarily assume the role of minister and handle the spring examinations' aftermath.
Yang Shaoqing, acting as Minister of Rites, moved with thunderous speed. He promptly issued the spring examination gold list, setting the rankings for those who had passed the metropolitan exam.
The Young Master took the huijuan position. Next came three hundred jinshi, retained in the capital awaiting orders. The remaining scholars could return home or receive other postings.
Yang Shaoqing then issued another decree: The three hundred jinshi were to undergo the palace examination at Zhongji Hall on the twentieth of May.
Fuzheng Pavilion erupted in jubilation.
"The Young Master bears the mandate of heaven. He has divine assistance this time."
Secretary Cao wept with joy.
"The Young Master's two greatest rivals—Chen Shi and Zhang You—are trapped in the underworld, their fates unknown. In this palace exam, the Young Master is bound to take first place!"
The langzhong officials, libationers, and chief clerks of Fuzheng Pavilion were overjoyed beyond measure. Even Shui Xuanzhi couldn't help smiling.
"Actually, I think leaving one or two rivals would be better. An epic clash, with the Young Master emerging victorious—that would make his name echo through the world."
Officials from across West Capital flooded Xiexiu Pavilion to pay respects to the Young Master—from grandees like the Five Armies Governors down to vice ministers and lesser officials from the Six Ministries, the Court of Judicial Review, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Court of Imperial Cuisine, the Communications Bureau, the Court of State Ceremonial, and more.
Qin Su planned to fend them off, claiming the Young Master was in cultivation retreat. Shui Xuanzhi shook his head.
"The top scholar spot is already his. This is the time for the Young Master to meet these officials and steady their loyalties."
And so, the Young Master received the visitors from all sides.
Shui Xuanzhi added,
"Before the palace exam, we build momentum first."
The Fuzheng Pavilion crew promptly released the Young Master's metropolitan exam essays. They bribed scholars to dissect them word for word, citing classics with every line—churning out thousand-word treatises that argued the pieces exhaustively, over and over.
Most xiucai and juren were penniless and powerless. Toss them a few coins, and they came eagerly. They could hype cow dung into a flower—what more for these outstanding essays penned by Rites clerks?
Fuzheng Pavilion also bought off monks from the Monk Registry Office and daoists from the Daoist Registry Office to preach the Young Master's virtues across West Capital—tales of rewarding good and punishing evil, legendary exploits. Even his birth omens had three or five versions.
Some said golden lotuses surged from the earth at his birth. Others, that before his birth, his mother dreamed of the Ziwei Star streaking from the sky into her womb. Still others claimed crimson lights swirled around him for three days straight. He was born under the protection of true gods, blessed by deities from beyond the heavens—and so on.
Then they had qianhu from the Thousand-Officer Offices challenge the Young Master, only to be defeated squarely. The qianhu graciously conceded, kowtowing publicly in thanks for the Young Master's guidance.
They had generals from the Guard Command Envoys, Capital Guard Commands, Palace Guards Commands, Five Armies Governorate, Divine Mechanism Battalion, Divine Pivot Battalion—all sorts—challenge him. Each was defeated, or received a pointer or two; they wept in gratitude, thanking the Young Master for sparing their lives.
Rumors swirled that the Young Master wasn't the biological son of War Ministry Minister Ren Chao but an adopted one. He didn't bear the Ren surname at all—his true family name was Zhu. He was a descendant of the True King, with pure imperial blood.
The Young Master's journey to the capital was actually the Western Ox New Continent's surge of great fortune, calling forth a True King to lead its people out of calamity.
Fortune-tellers on the streets declared purple qi rising from the east—a True King lived among them. Foxes outside the city howled at midnight: "Top Scholar rises, Great Ming prospers!" Many swore they heard it.
In mere days, the Young Master's fame filled the capital. No one didn't know, no one hadn't heard. All of West Capital buzzed with talk.
On the twentieth of May, the palace examination began.
Zhongji Hall, inside and out, bristled with heavy guards. Divine Mechanism Battalion troops loaded bowl-mouthed muskets. Divine Pivot Battalion laid arrays. Five Armies Battalion held the perimeter.
Hanlin Academy, Imperial Academy, Six Ministries, Cabinet, Three Dukes, Three Isolates, Crown Prince's Three Tutors, Three Young Tutors—a host of grandees assembled. The Cabinet posed the literary questions, followed by the martial trials.
The great exam spanned three days.
In the literary exam, the Young Master's essay shone brilliantly. Radiant lights filled the sky, his words like gleaming jewels floating amid the stars, dazzling as the night firmament. The people of West Capital craned their necks to gaze and recite aloud. When they learned it was the Young Master's work causing the phenomenon, excitement swept through them.
On the third day, the martial exam: The throng of jinshi all bowed in submission, none daring to compete against the Young Master.
As for runner-up, third place, and the second- and third-class honors—they had been decided amid the jinshi martial trials already. This was mere formality.
Cabinet Chief Minister Zhang Fuzheng drew a long breath and rose.
"Palace examination concluded. Today's martial first place goes to..."
"Who says the martial exam is over?"
A resounding voice boomed out, startling the capital's assembled grandees. They all turned toward the sound. Zhongji Hall stood high, giving them a commanding view. They saw a rainbow of righteous qi arcing across heaven and earth, stretching from afar—over a hundred li unbroken—straight to West Capital. At the far end of that righteous qi strode a youth toward Zhongji Hall.
Behind him came young scholars, men and women, all brimming with vigor and spirit. Their qi pierced the heavens, linking seamlessly to the righteous qi spanning sky and earth.
Hundreds of scholars marched down the long avenues. Citizens lining the streets stared in stunned curiosity.
The people were utterly shocked. These souls, fated to die in the underworld after a full month trapped there—somehow they lived!
Once, these underworld-trapped scholars had gripped the public's hearts. Later, a cat had overshadowed them. But how could these doomed men have emerged alive? The scholars' momentum was titanic. As the more than three hundred advanced, united in purpose, they evoked the pressure of a thousand armies bearing down on the capital.
Their footfalls subtly formed an array, radiating a bone-chilling killing aura.
The Five Armies Battalion soldiers guarding the inner city faced them. Stirred by the killing intent, they instinctively drew their talisman soldiers, arraying for battle.
Even the Divine Mechanism Battalion troops raised their bowl-mouthed muskets, taking aim at the scholars.
Jin Hongying flew into a rage. She kicked over one soldier, then punched another flying.
"Raise your guns for what? Did I tell you to? Those are scholars! You trying to rebel? Lower them—all of you, lower them now!"
The Divine Mechanism troops lowered their guns.
Several Five Armies baosi whipped around, looking to Governors Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying. But the two governors were inside Zhongji Hall—they received no orders.
Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying's faces flickered uncertainly. At this moment, a single command could slaughter these scholars, clearing every obstacle for the Young Master.
But ordering the death of scholars—over three hundred of them? Their own heads would roll for that!
The brothers stood stock-still. Even as Shui Xuanzhi shot them urgent glances, they pretended not to notice.
Chen Shi led his army of scholars straight in, entering the Meridian Gate under every eye. The righteous qi blazed like sun and moon in the sky, evoking a sense of eternal righteousness enduring between heaven and earth.
The inner city's long-clinging gloom seemed swept clean in an instant!
Chen Shi and his 351 scholars climbed the steps of Zhongji Hall, ascending step by step.
"Student Chen Shi!"
Before Zhongji Hall, the capital's civil and military officials stared down the stone stairs. From below came a resounding voice—neither loud nor soft, yet it carried clearly across the entire city, inside and out.
"A month ago, we met with great calamity. With my fellow scholars, I fell into the underworld—traversing mountains and perils, battling ghosts and gods, slaying ghost monks, purging demonic miasma, fighting across ten thousand li. After trials untold, we return today to the capital for the palace exam!"
Chen Shi's face came into the officials' view, then his upper body, his full figure—followed by face after face of the scholars: young, vibrant with youthful fire.
Chen Shi's gaze swept past the ranks of officials, landing on the Young Master kneeling below the hall. His voice thundered like clashing metal, killing intent barely contained.
"Without facing me in battle, who dares claim the top scholar title?"