Chapter 321: The time has come
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
At that moment, a powerful aura emanated from King Liqin. This aura was different from that of Emperor Lin Mubai.
If Lin Mubai’s Dragon Aura was like the sun...
King Liqin’s was thick and powerful. It was a supernatural aura that had been hibernating for decades.
It was difficult to imagine that such a frail body would be able to contain such a powerful aura.
Even Emperor Lin Mubai’s expression changed when he felt this aura. His eyes glimmered as he looked at his uncle.
The previous Emperor had eight siblings.
When he passed on, there was only one brother left. That was King Liqing, the man who had once led the armies of the Great Xia Dynasty.
"Uncle, are you already..." Emperor Lin Mubai asked in anticipation, his gaze towards King Liqin filled with respect.
As the Emperor...
He should have eliminated all threats to his throne.
Yet, he did not do so. He did not even think about it because the person in front of him was King Liqin.
King Liqin was the one who had conquered the lands for the empire.
"I’m on the verge of it, but I’m still missing an opportunity..." King Liqin’s aura changed all of a sudden, his eyes turning misty and his voice becoming raspy.
"Do you need my help?" Emperor Lin Mubai asked this question as a nephew. He looked to King Liqin as his elder.
"Not at the moment. I think you asked me here because of these scripts?" King Liqin shook his head as he passed the three scripts back to Emperor Lin Mubai.
"Yes, I wonder if you have any opinion on them?"
"The first one is a fine piece of work. He has backed up his arguments with evidence and his logic is sound. His analysis is thorough and clear. If not for the other two scripts, he would have topped the examination!" King Liqin explained.
"I agree with what you said, but, these last two..." Emperor Lin Mubai looked at the last two scripts conflictedly.
"Are equally good."
"You think so too?"
"Yes."
"That is why I am so conflicted. There can only be one top scorer for the court examinations. I must choose a winner."
"If you really had to choose a winner, it would come down to how the ideas are worded. It would not be the ideas presented in the script. The second script is immaculate. Every word and sentence is flawless. Even I would be hard pressed to find anything to change."
"That is exactly what I thought!"
"As for the third one, even though it has some hiccups at the start, it’s conclusion is superbly worded. The story of the demolition of the six countries is impeccable. When one reads this, it is easy to link it back to all the ideas he has laid out. It is extremely enlightening!" King Liqin added.
"So how do you think I should rank these two scripts?"
"As I have said before, these two scripts are actually on par with each other. If I had to pick one, I would choose the third script. However, I know you probably prefer the second one." King Liqin replied.
"Previously, when I asked you such questions, you would always skirt around them. Why are you so straightforward today?" Emperor Lin Mubai asked.
"Haha, you have locked yourself here to mark the scripts. You have also called me in here to look at these three scripts. Isn’t this all for fairness? Since that is what you want, that is what I will give you."
"I understand, thank you!"
"I will take my leave now."
"Uncle..."
"Does the Emperor need something else from me?"
"If you manage to cross that barrier, can I request something from you?"
"The thing that you’re asking for... is very difficult." King Liqin looked at Emperor Lin Mubai, his eyes cloudy as he shook his head.
"Even if you cross that barrier you can’t do it?" Emperor Lin Mubai was filled with disappointment.
This should not be an emotion the Emperor showed. But it was showing in a pure, unadulterated form.
"I don’t know." King Liqin shook his head.
"I haven’t seen Yu Er in 10 years, five months and 23 days! Uncle! She left when Ping Yang was only three and a half years old. 10 years, we made a deal for 10 years. But it is five months and 23 days overdue..." Emperor Lin Mubai’s expression was pained.
"It has been so long. However, since you chose to be the Emperor, you should have been mentally prepared for this." King Liqin sighed.
"I know, but.."
"I will do my best!"
"Thank you uncle!"
"I will take my leave first."
...
The doors to the Imperial Decree Hall opened and King Liqin walked out. All of the officials looked on doubtfully.
Today was the release of the court examination results. King Liqin’s attendance was quite surprising.
And now, King Liqin exited alone. Normally, Emperor Lin Mubai would send King Liqin out personally.
But now...
There was no sign of activity inside the Imperial Decree Hall.
King Liqin entered and exited the hall alone. It was almost as if there was no one else inside.
All of the candidates waiting for the results were also equally shocked.
Why was King Liqin out again? Was he done with the discussion? What did he discuss? Did it have anything to do with the court examination?
Or...
Was it about something else?
Questions flew by in their minds but they had no answer.
Wu Feng wanted to glean some information off King Liqin’s expression. However, he was disappointed. King Liqin was too calm.
He was as calm as a lake.
As for his eyes.
It was cloudy. Wu Feng respected King Liqin, but he was also suspicious of him.
"Master told me not to disrespect King Liqin. But Master is one of the four sages. He is on par with the Emperor himself. Why did he warn me about King Liqin? Could it be that King Liqin is also a safe? I doubt it? One pavilion, four sages, 13 constabularies. That meant that there are only four sages. If King Liqin was already a sage, he should already have taken up one of the positions."
Wu Feng did not really understand, but he still bowed respectfully.
King Liqin walked out slowly. He passed the officials and the candidates. Then he left through the gates.through the front gates.
Just as King Liqin
In the moment King Liqin left the crowd, a gong rang out.
"Bong..."
This sound reverberated throughout the entire palace for a considerable time.
The eyes of the officials and candidates brightened when they heard the gong. They became visibly excited.
This was the sound they were waiting for.
There was only one reason why the gong would sound. The announcement of results!
Wu Feng was visibly shaking from his excitement. Nangong Hao, Fang Zhengzhi, and Yan Xiu did not meet with the Emperor!
"All three of them didn’t!"
This was the best possible news to him!
When Wu Feng had come to participate in the court examinations, his aim was to take home the top spot. In fact, he believed that he had the ability to.
However...
When he heard Nangong Hao was going to participate, his confidence wavered for the first time.
As such, he challenged Qin Yan, ranked third on the Rising Dragon Roll. All he wanted to do was cement his own confidence.
He wanted to know where he stood now.
He defeated Qin Yan easily.
This allowed him to regain his confidence. However, at the theory examinations, he saw a true talent in Nangong Hao.
Nangong Hao was too bright, even Wu Feng struggled to open his eyes.
His confidence fell to rock bottom again.
He mentally prepared himself. If he couldn’t be first, he would be second... after all, Nangong Hao himself was second on the Rising Dragon Roll.
Taking second was not anything to be ashamed of.
Especially if one’s opponent was Nangong Hao.
However, today, he heard something else. Nangong Hao did not meet the Emperor. That would mean that he was out of the top 10.
How would Nangong Hao fight with him?
He defeated Nangong Hao...
He actually defeated Nangong Hao!
How could he not be excited?!
Wu Feng subconsciously glanced at Nangong Hao. He realized that Nangong Hao was just as calm as before, nothing able to affect him.
"Humph... keep acting!" Wu Feng thought to himself. When the results are announced, he won’t be able to keep his cool any longer.
Just as he was thinking about this, the doors to the Imperial Decree Hall opened, the incense from inside wafting out.
Then, Emperor Lin Mubai in the golden dragon robe walked out. He held a golden parchment in his hands.
"Long live the Emperor!"
All of the officials fell to their knees and kowtowed to the Emperor.
All of the candidates also fell to their knees, greeting the Emperor in the same way.
"Rise." Emperor Lin Mubai raised his hands.
All of them recovered.
Then, servants carried a throne behind Emperor Lin Mubai and opened up a large golden umbrella.
Emperor Lin Mubai sat down and looked at the officials and candidates. He scanned them again and again...
Then his expression changed.
The reason was simple. One person was missing. However, Emperor Lin Mubai would not ask or say this out loud.
He looked at Left Prime Minister Yu Yuping.
Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping saw the gaze and immediately tried to deduce the Emperor’s intentions. What was the Emperor trying to tell him?
Was it because Fang Zhengzhi was absent?
Unlikely... he had heard that Fang Zhengzhi did not meet with the Emperor, meaning that he wasn’t in the top 10. It was unlikely that the Emperor would be concerned about Fang Zhengzhi.
So...
The reason was simple.
He wanted Yu Yiping to announce the results.
Historically, the Chief Imperial Messenger would be the one to announce the results. But now, the Chief Imperial Messenger was in jail.
Even though he was still alive, his death was basically a foregone conclusion.
The current temporary replacement was Su Qing.
He was just a rank four official and a temporary replacement. He had no clout in the courts and it would be inappropriate for him to announce the results.
As the head of all the officials and the right hand to the Emperor, it was only natural for him to be the one to announce the results.
He thought that he had got it.
He quickly stepped out from the group of officials and walked up to the Emperor. He stretched his arms out respectfully as he prepared to take the parchment from the Emperor.
Emperor Lin Mubai was stunned by this. He did not understand why Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was doing this.
What was he thinking?
Just as he was about to ask, he realized what was happening.
Prime Minister Yu wants to help me announce the results?
Emperor Lin Mubai did want an official to help announce the results. However, he was not expecting such initiative.
The lack of a Chief Imperial Messenger was indeed a problem.
But he still had the six ministers!
He had the Right Prime Minister! He had the Crown Prince!
Emperor Lin Mubai’s expression changed as he looked at Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping solemnly. In the end, he still handed the parchment over.
Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping felt a wave of excitement as he took the parchment in his hands.
Even though announcing the results was a small thing, it meant that the Emperor wanted him to take control of the Imperial Academy.
Even though the Imperial Academy’s main role of organizing the Dao Examinations seemed insignificant, it was the gathering place for all the talents. Such an important role must be guarded.
He was ecstatic.
"Ahem!" Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping cleared his throat as he prepared to announce the results.