Chapter 518.2: Excitement, Dark Horse

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Excitement, Dark Horse (2)

Qi Yuan's metropolitan exam was shorter than the provincial exam, in total just lasting three days, although it was still very exhausting. However, the current season was pretty good, the climate just right. Moreover, they'd already lived through the three rounds, nine days of 'purgatory'. In comparison, it shouldn't be anything. As such, in the metropolitan exam, the people that withdrew midway were relatively fewer. Of course, it's not like there were none. After all, the metropolitan exam was a level higher, so the mental pressure was greater. In any case, every year, there were people withdrawing midway with all kinds of reasons.

After taking a trip through purgatory, when coming out, no matter how good the body was, one more or less would all be a bit withered.

Regardless whether happy or sullen, regardless whether it's preparing to challenge again the coming year, or completely giving up, at this time, it was better to go take a long nap, planning the rest after fully resting.

All the test papers have already gone through name sealing for anonymity, and there were specific people transcribing a copy. What is reviewed is the transcribed copy of the test paper. After ranking, it is then compared with the original test paper. This step is primarily still for the sake of seeing the tester's handwriting. Based on the good and bad of the handwriting, the ranking will be further adjusted, although the changes won't be very big. Of course, if the handwriting is truly too unbearable, then perhaps will get directly eliminated. However, this kind of situation similarly wasn't too likely to appear. After all, if the handwriting is bad, then would've already gotten eliminated previously, so how was it possible to reach this step.

As for the possibility of the copy being wrong, it also wasn't likely. After all, once an error appeared, after discovering, the person responsible for transcribing will undoubtedly receive serious punishment.

By the time the ranking announcement is posted, all the exam candidates certainly will have all recovered fully.

Jing Wan although wasn't nervous inside, towards the final results, she was still relatively concerned about and also wanted to see her three brothers' final rankings. Although, even if it's the metropolitan exam, after following for a period of time, it will also get forgotten. It was enough to just pass the exam. The ranking, in a certain sense, didn't have any meaning. Even if the final top scorer, one may not necessarily be able to smoothly rise to the top, and even if just a common successful candidate, one may not necessarily be unable to soar high. However, probably because she was influenced by the exam-oriented education of her past life, after every exam, who didn't want to see the ranking. Even though, the ranking this time might just be forgotten completely before the next exam.

What kind of status did Jing Wan have? She naturally didn't need to personally go see. In fact, because of her husband, as long as she wanted, learning the ranking in advance was also nothing more than just a word from her. However, Jing Wan didn't do this kind of thing.

While Jing Wan was idly cracking the melon seeds, Eunuch Mu diligently came to report the good news.

Speaking of which, as a highly experienced lackey, this kind of rewarding task, he naturally personally took to it, even though the one that went out to see the announcement wasn't him.

Clearly that young of a face, yet got wrinkled by lackey Mu's grin, the praises pouring out like a waterfall. From the sounds of it, it was practically like as if the three Luo family brothers were some rare and peerless treasure.

Jing Wan nonchalantly had the peeled melon seed placed in her mouth. Cracking melon seeds, it was still more fun to crack on one's own. Chewing the melon seed, "Mu An, more or less is enough, get to the main point."

Eunuch Mu's expression turned serious, swiftly reporting the three Luo family brothers' ranking. It was very good, surprisingly all within the top thirty. Before Jing Wan had married, she'd heard her grandfather evaluate her three brothers' learning. The three of them were more or less the same. According to her grandfather, this time, they certainly can pass, just according to the circumstances at the time, the ranking will probably be around the hundreds. If the luck is a little worse, then during the court exam, they might just fall to the third class. Seeing the actual rankings now, either they ruthlessly grinded these last two years, or the overall difficulty this time was lower. Jing Wan naturally further leaned towards the former.

Having such an incredible individual like Jiang Wan Li, one naturally can't let the others drag him down, no?

"Pass down the order, this wangfei is happy, so everyone in the entire manor will be rewarded three months of salary. The person that got ordered by you to run the errand, give them three extra months. Remember, it'll be coming from your share." Jing Wan said.

Eunuch Mu immediately became dejected, "Yes, wangfei." Afterwards, he listlessly went to handle.

Jing Wan couldn't help but laugh. Although Eunuch Mu was like a lackey, but in Jing Wan's eyes, his flattery often times was actually just for the sake of amusing her. It goes without saying, as the only eunuch serving the living Enma, would he really be...........en, how to put it, this silly?

TN: All

All say the servant take after the master. Rather than say that Eunuch Mu's true personality was like this, Jing Wan felt that he inherently should be more like those eunuchs of a certain dynasty of her past life that wielded power. In front of the master, they can be like a puppy, but towards the outside, they were vicious and merciless, decisive in killing, willfully toying with power. Of course, Eunuch Mu certainly won't be able to reach this level. After all, in Qi Yuan, eunuchs were just purely servants, at most just able to assist the master in handling some simple matters. To dare attempt to dip one's finger in politics, one won't even know how one died. What Jing Wan was referring to was his temperament and ability. Although she has never seen the other party being proper before.

If his true nature really was as such, then it was definitely impossible for him to stay by a certain someone's side.

The next day, the court exam carried out. Last time, Li Hong Yuan even went, but this time, he didn't intend to budge in the slightest.

In any case, the court exam was the same every time. Just, the people every year was different. Once or twice, perhaps it was novel, but as the time increased, it was just completely boring. Actually, Jing Wan was quite curious, but she also knew that it wasn't a place she can go. In the future, there will certainly be an opportunity.

Although she can't go to the court exam site, towards the top three scorer's street parade, she was still somewhat interested in. Although she'd already experienced before three years ago, because her status was different now, her state of mind seemingly also somewhat changed.

The final ranking list reached Jing Wan's hand in advance. Without any surprise, Jiang Wan Li was the top scorer. As for the Eyes of Notice (second place) and Flower Snatcher (third place), Jing Wan completely didn't have any impression. One has to know, the various guesses people made outside, she also somewhat followed. It was obvious, these two both weren't popular candidates. This was a dark horse rising?

Shortly after, Jing Wan very quickly received these two people's information. This was just the greatest benefit of having a bunch of capable subordinates. After Jing Wan looked through the information, she only just sighed inside.

The Flower Snatcher, there was nothing to say. Aside from looking at a person's learning, the appearance was also judged. That's why, being twenty some wasn't that strange. Just, the Eye of Notice was actually almost fifty years old. Starting from his youth, he just continuously took the exam. Reasonably speaking, this kind of person, in the eyes of the scholars, should be considered the 'stupid' type. Even if passing the exam in the end, the ranking won't be that good, but this time, there was actually an old Eye of Notice. This was 'great talent developing late', or the outcome of suddenly erupting?

Jing Wan didn't really understand this kind of mentality. Exactly was it believing that this was the only path, or carrying certain obsessions?

T/N: There's two dynasties I can think of that involve eunuchs rising in power and interfering in politics, late Tang dynasty and Ming Dynasty. Late Tang dynasty was a bit more serious as the imperial family were pretty much just decorations at that point, having very little power. At the time, the eunuchs even had an army under their control. However, late Tang was particularly chaotic not just because of the eunuchs. There was also the many jiedushi (regional military governors) that overpowered the imperial family.

There were many cases where the emperor got conspired against by the eunuchs during the late Tang dynasty. For example, Emperor Shunzong (13th emperor of Tang) was forced to abdicate the throne under the eunuchs' pressure, and it's even speculated that he was later murdered by the eunuchs that arranged his son's succession. His son, Emperor Xianzong (14th emperor of Tang) was later allegedly poisoned to death by the eunuch Chen Hongzhi. There was also Emperor Jingzong (16th emperor of Tang) who was pretty much a puppet emperor of the eunuchs who had control over the imperial army. He was later assassinated at 17, two years into his reign. Additionally there was also the Sweet Dew Incident, where Emperor Wenzong (17th emperor of Tang—he was Emperor Jingzong's younger brother) plotted with the chancellor Li Xun to eliminate the eunuchs, but their plan failed and Li Xun along with his associates were all slaughtered in a counterattack. After the incident the eunuchs had complete control over the government for some time.

The Ming dynasty although wasn't as chaotic as the late Tang dynasty, there was similarly a period where the eunuchs controlled the government. Originally the first emperor of Ming had banned eunuchs from interfering in politics, but the third emperor of Ming, Emperor Yongle, due to seizing the throne with the eunuch's assistance, viewed them as his trusted aide allowing them to be involved in politics, even establishing the East Yard (东厂), an organization that handled special assignments and were directly under the emperor. Later into the Ming dynasty, the eunuchs also had control over the Brocade Clad Guards, which led to further political corruption.

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