BXBX NOVEL Chapter 176: Quality over Quantity
"There is a way but it only allows you to examine one person’s script. Would you be willing?" Chi Guyan asked.
"Of course I will! I’m only afraid that..."
"Afraid that you can’t tell the difference between right and wrong?"
"Sister Yan, you are teasing me again..."
"Then don’t you just need someone to look at it for you?"
"Who?"
"I believe... His Majesty should be interested in that shameless fellow’s script."
"Father?!" Ping Yang was briefly stunned. After that, her glassy eyes immediately shimmer, "I understand now. Sister Yan wants me to find my father. If Father gained some interest in that fellow’s script, he would definitely order the people at the Imperial Academy to send it over?"
"Ping Yang is indeed smart. Enlightened with only a little guidance."
"Hahaha... Naturally. I shall go find my father now!" After finishing the sentence, Ping Yang disappeared in a blink of an eye, skipping and hopping as she went out of the courtyard.
Chi Guyan looked on at Ping Yang’s fading figure, then turned towards the direction of the palace, "If I’m not wrong, Your Majesty also needed a reason to have a look at Fang Zhengzhi’s script right?"
...
Inside the palace, within the study room.
The Sacred Lord, Lin Mubai, dawned his Golden Dragon Robe and sat in his Dragon Throne. In his hands, he was flipping through an academic memorial but his eyes were looking out the window.
At this moment, the doors were pushed opened by someone from the outside.
Such an impudent action was worthy of a beheading.
Instead, the Sacred Lord’s eyes suddenly lit up.
"Only Chi Guyan knows the way to my heart!"
The Sacred Lord did not even need to turn his head to know that it was definitely Ping Yang who was approaching. Only she could barge into the room with such gall.
"Ping Yang, you came? Come sit beside me," the Sacred Lord showed an amiable smile.
"Father!" Ping Yang lightly skipped to the side of Lin Mubai.
"What brings you to me?"
"Did Father heard of the incredible rumor? It is currently making waves everywhere in the capital."
"Oh? What could cause such a big uproar? Even my Ping Yang was disturbed?"
"I wasn’t really disturbed by it. I’m just curious. I’ve heard that Fajg Zhengzhi actually finished all six sets of the examination script. I was thinking...he definitely deceiving us!"
"Oh really?" The Sacred Lord gave a small smile and resumed reading the academic memorial within his hands.
"Is Father not curious to have a look at what kind of cheap method that the scum, who was merely pining for fame, used?" Ping Yang saw that the Sacred Lord seemed to be disinterested. In the instant, she was anxious.
"The conducting structure for the Theory Examinations of the Imperial Examinations was headed by Han Changfeng as the Chief Examiner. Even I found find it hard to interfere with this," the Sacred Lord seemed to be out on the spot by Ping Yang.
"What is a mere Han Changfeng? I shall go the Imperial Academy now and order him to obediently hand over Fang Zhengzhi’s script to us. He dares to defy my orders? Hmph!" After her outburst, she jumped up.
"This...this is not very nice?" The Sacred Lord was about to stop her but Ping Yang did not even bother with him and was already gone with the wind.
"She really does come and go like the wind. This personality definitely took after her mother..."
...
Within Yan Capital, low and high ranking officials were holding academic conferences within their residences.
Among them, the conference at the Left Prime Minister’s Residence was the most respected and grand. Countless of the Imperial Examinations candidates entered its halls, hoping to be guided towards enlightenment by the Left Prime Minister.
The Left Prime Minister, Yu Yiping, personally welcomed them into the main courtyard, where he sat at the head of the conference. His smile perpetually painted with a slight smile while he discussed with the candidates as he savored his tea.
After a thorough discussion of the questions, naturally, the candidates began to probe the Left Prime Minister on his predictions of which families would clinch the top three positions.
The prediction of the three positions had always been a hot topic in these conferences.
This indicated the official’s judgment of the current political climate. The candidates also used this to gauge whether they had followed the right people or would they have to reconsider a place that could bring forth their potentials.
After all, the choice had to be mutually beneficial.
Yu Yip was naturally prepared for this, therefore, he did not even show a trace of panic.
"In this round of the Imperial Examinations, the were several outstanding individuals. Close to home, we have Xing Qingsui from the Stabilisation Constabulary and Su Clan’s Su Donglin. Further away, we have Nangong Mu from the Nangong Clan. If I’m not wrong, the top three in this Imperial Examinations would be between these three."
"Comparing this three, Su Donglin’s reputation is the biggest and also the most likely person to clinch the top spot. However, in my opinion, the Roll Champion would instead give taken by Nangong Mu!"
After Yu Yiping finished, he gently lifted his teacup and took a small sip.
"Nangong Mu? Isn’t he Nangong Hao’s younger brother?"
"Prime Minister Yu’s analysis made sense. Nangong Hao is already the Great Xia Empire’s greatest talent. Nangong Mu is Nangong Hao’s blood-related younger brother. Their age difference is only two years. After taking the title of Roll Champion at the Capital Examinations two years ago, because of Chi Guyan, he abruptly pulled out of the Imperial Examinations. This time round’s Imperial Examination, he is sure to clinch the top spot."
"However, this round’s Imperial Examination had Fang Zhengzhi... He answered all six sets of the examination script. Wondering what is Prime Minister Yu’s views on this?" One of the candidates could no longer hold back after hearing this.
When the other candidates heard this, they too showed the look of anticipation.
Yu Yiping seemed like he was expecting this question. With his smile showing no signs of diminishing, he slowly put down his cup. After that, he calmly stated, "Although Fang Zhengzhi was the Double Roll Champion in both the county and provincial examinations, both cannot be compared to the Imperial Examinations. Since the establishment of the Great Xia Dynasty, no one had ever finished all six sets of the examination script in four hours. This person did something like this only belies the suspicion that he is simply stealing fame and reputation."
"I’m have always believed when it comes to such things, quality is required more than quantity. The more you do, the more mistakes you make. Even if the highest scoring set is used as a gauge, he would just as easily drop to the lower-class rolls!"
"The most he could hope for is only the second-class roll!"
As Yu Yiping approached the end, his tone was incomparably firm.
"I see!"
"I have greatly benefited from listening to Prime Minister Yu’s speech!"
"Low-lives that spread lies and deceit to garner undeserved fame do not last long. After the release of results three days later, I would like to see whether Fang Zhengzhi would still have the face to participate in the Combat Examinations?"
"By that time, he might just gain the reputation of being the laughing stock, hahaha...."
When the candidates heard this, they could not hold in their laughter too. This was not saying that they were near-sighted but in their hearts, they simply could not believe that Fang Zhengzhi could do finish everything and still maintain accuracy.
Just as the Left Prime Minister had said.
Quality over quantity. Who could argue with such logic?
How would it be possible?!
...
Fang Zhengzhi did not know about the discussions that surrounded him happening all over Yan Capital. After the end of the examinations, he and Yan Xiu rode out of Yan Capital...
Five kilometers outside of Yan Capital, there was a quaint and serene villa. Within the villa was a huge lake dubbed the "Five Kilometers Red".
The name came from the five kilometers of red shores.
It was described as five kilometers of red shore because along the lake, scarlet red rocks lined the shores. Whether it was the sandbanks or rocks along the shoreline, everything was painted a fiery red.
Rumour was that the Five Kilometers Lake was the site of the most devastating and brutal battle between the Demon Army and the Human Alliance.
The whole lake was dyed red, even the rocks by the shores were not spared.
After millennials, this red still did not fade.
The purpose of Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu’s visit was obviously not to commemorate the heroes of the past. They were here to appreciate the view and of course, one more thing. To use the lake as a mirror to solve Yan Xiu’s Mirror Projection mystery.
The villa did not have many guests here. Yan Xiu originally wanted to book the whole place but he was stopped by Fang Zhengzhi, "There are not many people here anyway. Here is quite quiet."
...
While Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu were enjoying their vacation at the lakeside villa, the Imperial Academy was plagued by a devastating peril the likes of which they had never seen for the past hundred years.
Ping Yang was coming.
With the attitude of an unruly bandit, she kicked aside the guards at the gates of the Imperial Academy. She, just a single individual, viewed the hundreds of guards at the Imperial Academy as ants.
She opened a bloody path towards the heavily guarded Script Grading Hall of the Imperial Academy with gale force speed.
Nearly a hundred Imperial Messengers who were buried in the scripts all raised their heads in unison.
Seated a fair distance away, at a large study desk was Han Changfeng. In that moment, his face immediately changed. The ink brush that was just dipped in jet-black ink was dropped onto the floor with a "Pa" due to alarm.