Ze Tian Ji Chapter 130

Chapter 130 – The Literary Test Begins

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

The youth was somewhat thin, but absolutely not weak. A great deal of strength seemed to be concealed beneath his thin clothes.

This youth squinted his eyes as he looked east towards the rising sun. There was yearning in these eyes, and also fear and an unwillingness to get close, so this youth was deliberately displaying a cold indifference, similar to Chen Changsheng’s attitude towards the bustling human world.

The sun gradually rose, breaking through the thin layer of clouds on the horizon and finally appearing before everyone’s eyes.

Everyone was still watching Chen Changsheng and chatting amongst themselves. “I hear that he hasn’t even succeeded at Purification; for what reason does he think he can get first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?”

Gou Hanshi slightly raised his brows, finding that the Chen Changsheng today was somewhat different from the one on the Divine Avenue that day, but he could not see just what about him was different.

Mao Qiuyu would naturally not line up with the ordinary teachers and students. Seated on the viewing platform within the Li Palace, he gazed at the distant Chen Changsheng and thought in surprise, he actually succeeded at Purification, but why does it feel a little strange?

Just when Chen Changsheng was going to ask if Tang Thirty-Six recognized that solitary youth standing with Star Seizer Academy’s group, Priest Xin walked over.

“You have to win,” Priest Xin sincerely said, patting him on the shoulder.

Chen Changsheng was somewhat puzzled. In all of Priest Xin’s previous visits to the Orthodox Academy, he had never said such words and had only ever worked to alleviate Chen Changsheng’s pressure, so why was he saying such things now, right as the Grand Examination was about to begin?

“I bet all my property on you winning,” Priest Xin explained. “If you don’t win first rank of the first banner today, remember to go to the Luo River tomorrow to bury me.”

In the present situation, if Chen Changsheng was unable to take first rank of the first banner, the one most affected would not be the Orthodox Academy, but the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education which backed the Orthodox Academy. If the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education could not endure, then Priest Xin would naturally have no future prospects. This being the case, his betting all his property on Chen Changsheng’s success was very reasonable.

Chen Changsheng didn’t know what to say, but Tang Thirty-Six said, “No wonder the odds changed so much last night.”

The Wenshui Tangs had never been willing to fall behind when it came to moneymaking activities. Although they might say that they did not care about the trifling sums that could be made from betting on the Grand Examination, they had still been watching very closely.

Priest Xin replied, “How can just my meager property be enough to affect the betting odds?”

They all gazed at the Li Palace’s viewing platform, at the Orthodox Academy’s greatest patron.

There, Archbishop Mei Lisha slightly squinted his eyes. It was impossible to tell whether he was asleep or awake, and it was impossible to know just how much money he had bet on Chen Changsheng.

Similarly, no one knew how much money Mo Yu sitting next to him had bet on Chen Changsheng.

Yes, Lady Mo Yu believed that Chen Changsheng could take first rank of the first banner, even though she had no basis for it, only the inexplicable feeling that he could.

……

……

The Grand Examination was divided into a literary test, a martial test, and one-on-one matches. There was no set order, as it was decided specifically for each year. This year, the first test conducted for the Grand Examination was the literary test. Five days ago, when the rules were first released, many people believed that the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had done this for the Orthodox Academy’s sake. To be more precise, they had done it out of consideration for Chen Changsheng.

The literary test was being carried out in the Li Palace’s Hall of Shining Words. There was still some time before the exam began, so Priest Xin whispered to the three youths of the Orthodox Academy, using the time to introduce their competitors. Although this information had been delivered to the Orthodox Academy several days ago, only now could the names be matched with the people.

Tang Thirty-Six grew increasingly grave and stern as the presentation went on while Chen Changsheng remained his taciturn self. There were far too many powerful foes in this year’s Grand Examination, and there were even a few experts that had used a different identity to apply, perhaps at this very moment concealed in the ranks of some sect. All of these people had made the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng their current goal, so one could imagine the pressure that these three youths had to endure.

Just then, the crowd grew slightly restless, many people standing on their tiptoes and peering into the distance. Chen Changsheng and the rest turned their heads in the same direction and saw a carriage emerging from the depths of the Li Palace, slowly being driven along the straight Divine Avenue. Ten-some maids silently followed the carriage and Guardian Li walked in front of the carriage.

Under the gazes of countless people, this carriage passed through the stone pillars to arrive on the plaza, stopping at the Orthodox Academy’s position.

Luoluo descended from the carriage and deferentially bowed to Chen Changsheng, “I have seen Teacher.”

The crowd exploded into an uproar and the students prepared to participate in the Grand Examination fell into turmoil, especially those who had only recently come to the capital. They had only heard the rumors, but now they realized that this rumor was true. Princess Luoluo truly had acknowledged that youth called Chen Changsheng as her teacher!

Since this youth really was the princess’s teacher, he surely had genuine talent. Many people thought this way, but to take first rank of the first banner? That was still impossible.

The young scholars of Scholartree Manor looked in the direction of the Orthodox Academy with cold expressions.

Zhuang Huanyu kept his gaze looking forward as if he did not notice, but his trembling sleeves said otherwise.

Across from the Orthodox Academy’s spot, Gou Hanshi and his group bowed to Luoluo.

Chen Changsheng reminded Luoluo, and Luoluo turned around to slightly nod at them, thus returning their bow.

“You came to cheer us on? Has His Holiness agreed?” Chen Changsheng asked with concern.

“Teacher, I am a student of the Orthodox Academy. Of course I have to represent the Orthodox Academy in participating in the Grand Examination.”

Luoluo pondered her response, then added, “His Holiness has also agreed.”

As the two conversed, they made no attempts to lower their voices. Luoluo’s clear and young voice drifted about the plaza in front of the Li Palace, falling on everybody’s ears.

The plaza once more erupted with noise!

Zhuang Huanyu could no longer restrain himself and turned to look.

The young students of Scholartree Manor slightly frowned, apparently rather displeased.

Everyone who intended to take part in the Grand Examination was shocked by this news and completely unwilling to accept it.

Only Gou Hanshi and the other three disciples of Mount Li maintained their calm expressions, seemingly unaffected.

Many people were perplexed, or perhaps dissatisfied, but the first who dared to bring up an objection was still that most pedantic and most wooden Su Moyu of the Li Palace Academy. “If Your Highness participates, how can anyone else compete?”

The archbishop opened his eyes, tightened his Divine Robe against the cold wind, and indifferently commented, “Her Highness is only participating, but will not be ranked.”

Everyone was stupefied at these words. At this moment, they finally understood that if Princess Luoluo insisted on relying on her status as a student of the Orthodox Academy to participate in the Grand Examination, what justification did they or their schools or sects have to stop her? Now that it was also mentioned that the princess would not take up a place on the three banners, what argument did they have left?

With nothing left to say, time slowly passed. With a melodious ring of a bell from deep within the Li Palace, the Grand Examination formally began.

Several hundred young men and women stood in front of the Hall of Shining Words, the morning breeze blowing at their clothes and the rising sun shining upon their youthful faces.

Their elders from the academies and sects had already departed, and they were left to fend for themselves. The word ‘nervous’ could be clearly seen written all over the faces of many of these youths.

On the Orthodox Academy’s side, only Xuanyuan Po was very nervous. When he was taking the entrance exam for Star Seizer Academy, his weakness had already been exposed. In these past few months, Chen Changsheng had made him study quite a few books, but when he thought about all those dense inky words he was about to be faced with, he found it a little hard to breathe.

Tang Thirty-Six dispensed some advice. “Time is the most important. Answer what you can answer and don’t think about what you can’t answer. The three tests come one after another, so the martial test will begin as soon as the literary test ends. No matter how good your grades on the literary test are, if you can’t pass the martial test, you won’t be able to compete in the matches, and ultimately you won’t get a grade at all.”

Xuanyuan Po nodded his head, realizing that this was the only way. Chen Changsheng knew that Tang Thirty-Six was also warning him to not waste too much time on the literary test. Whether or not he could pass the martial test was the most concerning question. As for what grade he got on the literary test, nobody was concerned, a fact that could be seen in the gazes of all the people standing in front of the Hall of Shining Words.

Many people were still looking at Chen Changsheng, but there was no doubt or scorn this time, only a faint envy or a complex sort of admiration.

After the match in the Ivy Festival of the Orthodox Academy against the Mount Li Sword Sect and the proof that was added with the assessment of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets during the changing of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, people ceased to doubt Chen Changsheng’s abilities in the aspect of knowledge. People realized to their shock that after Gou Hanshi, another monster who was well-versed in the Daoist Canon had appeared in this generation of youths.

No one believed that Chen Changsheng would be able to take first rank of the first banner, but everyone had to admit that during the literary test, he was absolutely qualified to challenge Gou Hanshi and take the best rank. The only odds ranking released by the great gambling houses for the literary test was proof that these assessments struck true. Chen Changsheng’s odds were only behind Gou Hanshi’s, ranked second.

With a second toll of the bell, the examinees entered the testing area.

The Hall of Shining Words was massive, its several dozen doors opening simultaneously. Under the hawkish gazes of the Orthodoxy’s priests and the officials of the Department for Purging Officials, several hundred youths streamed like fish in single file through the doors. No one knew which one of these fish might become dragons, which might end up in the fishing basket of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and which would end up being plucked away by hawks and falcons.

A noise-dampening array activated, and the Hall of Shining Words had heavy curtains hanging down from its galleries to keep out the wind. Only clear light could enter the hall. Wind, rain, and miscellaneous sounds were kept out.

The area inside the hall was incredibly spacious. Several hundred tables were arranged upon it, but it still did not seem cramped. There was room to spare, with each table spaced very far from the others. Even after one’s eyesight was improved through Purification, it was still very difficult to peep at another table without making too much noise, and there were also twenty-some priests of Ethereal Opening and above constantly patrolling to further ward off any cheating.

After the priest passed out the tests, the examinees began to open them to read through the questions. The simultaneous rustling of paper sounded like a great rain coming down.

Some people, such as Tianhai Shengxue, did not open the exam book but instead began to grind ink to calm their minds.

Some people, such as Luoluo, were bored to death. At any rate, her grades did not count, so she naturally couldn’t be bothered to expend her mind on working these problems. After a while, a priest walked to her table, respectfully bowed, then whispered a few words to her. She then rose and left with this priest, most likely going to a side hall to rest.

Some people, such as that thinly-dressed youth who Chen Changsheng had been keeping an eye on this entire time, decided to close their eyes in rest.

There were some people who did what they wanted. If they wanted to take a few glances through the exam book, they would. If they wanted to grind ink, they would grind it. If they wanted to look at someone they found interesting, they would look. If they wanted to close their eyes in rest, they would shut their eyes. If they felt thirsty, they would raise their hand and ask a professor for some tea. If they felt drowsy, they would rub their eyes. They treated today just like every other day. An example of this sort of person was Chen Changsheng or Gou Hanshi.

Only an unintentional calm was true calm. Only then did it represent self-confidence.

With the third toll of the bell, the examinees began to write.

Chen Changsheng raised his brush but did not bring it down to the paper. Instead, he gazed at the black words in silence for a few moments.

To go from Xining’s old temple to the bustling capital, to go from a young and obscure Daoist to an object of everyone’s attention, he had needed ten months.

He brought his brush down and began to move it across the exam book.

Nearby, Gou Hanshi also began to answer questions.