Without money, what is the point of being a traitor?

Chapter 600 Imperial Naming
The next day was the day the imperial examinations were held in the Golden Hall.

Although this was a special year for the imperial examinations, and the ceremony was kept as simple as possible, this final event was still held in a very formal manner.

On one hand, there were repeated orders from the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, and on the other hand, there was the Emperor himself saying, "That's what I think too."

Tang Gao, Huang Chu, and Cai Ang got up early in the morning and changed into the official robes and caps issued by the Ministry of Rites for Jinshi degree holders.

Although they didn't know their ranking yet, they were already somewhat excited and nervous because they had some guesses in their minds.

The excitement lies in the possibility that one might actually become the top scholar in the imperial examination, then enter the Hanlin Academy, then the Wenyuan Pavilion, marry a beautiful and wealthy woman, and reach the pinnacle of life.

The anxiety stems from the fact that the other two brothers might think the same way.

Tang Gao has failed the exam multiple times and has been boasting in his hometown for a long time that he will definitely become the top scholar next time.

The realization of this goal is now within reach, and one can only imagine the excitement I feel.

He couldn't help but say to the two of them, "Back at Chongwu Water Station, we both thought we had no chance of passing this imperial examination and would have to waste another three years. We never expected Commander Pei to be so kind, not only sending us to the capital but also rushing to the Ministry of Rites to register our names at the last minute, and even..."

Tang Gao paused for a moment. He still knew what to avoid. Even though there were only three of them here, he dared not say anything that could be fatal.

Fortunately, the other two understood the implied meaning, so there was no need to spell things out.

Thinking about the bright future that was about to be revealed, even Huang Chu, who was usually not very talkative, became talkative.

Huang Chu couldn't help but say, "Back then, when we were discussing heroes over wine on the post boat, Commander Pei casually pointed out that the three of us were the top three in this year's imperial examination. At the time, I thought it was absurd, but I never expected that today I would realize how unpredictable Commander Pei's methods are."

The three of them sighed and lamented together once again.

Speaking of what happened on the ship, Cai Ang thought for a moment and suddenly said, "Do my two brothers still remember when Commander Pei gave each of us a green bamboo stick?"

The two were taken aback, and both subconsciously thought of today's situation.

Thinking back to the jokes of Yi Jia, the format of each person receiving a green bamboo slip, and the reality that the three of them would eventually have to determine a winner, all three of them had some vague guesses about what was written on the green bamboo slips.

Could the message on that green bamboo stick be something that should appear today?
Since the three of them were talking in Tang Gao's room, Tang Gao got up and went to his bag to look for the green bamboo slip.

When I touched it, I found that the wax seal seemed to be damaged and the binding rope was not so neat.

He didn't think much of it, assuming it was due to the bumpy ride and the fact that he hadn't taken good care of it.

Tang Gao turned his head slightly and saw that the two people were not staring at them. He then used the moonlight to gently move the rope at the broken part of the wax seal and saw that the character "甲" was faintly written on the green bamboo stick.

Tang Gao was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "Just as I thought."

These three bamboo slips indeed contained Pei Qianhu's predictions of the three men's rankings.

Tang Gao never expected that Pei Qianhu's favorite was actually himself, the oldest among them.

In an instant, Tang Gao's previous anxiety vanished, replaced by excitement at the prospect of becoming the top scholar.

Passing the imperial examination is certainly a cause for celebration, but how many top scholars have there been in history?
Tang Gao twisted the bamboo stick, trying his best to restore the rope binding to its original state, and then took the bamboo stick back to his seat.

He couldn't help but proudly wave the green bamboo stick in his hand at the two of them and said with a smile, "This green bamboo stick was taken from the green bamboo umbrella that Commander Pei was holding when we first met. It has extraordinary significance."

"Commander Pei once said that we should each draw one, and then open them when we meet again, so as to add a fun story for everyone."

"I think we should take this green bamboo slip to the commander after the announcement of the results, and then we can open it together in person. That would be a wonderful story."

The two found it amusing, so they both went back to their rooms to retrieve their own green bamboo slips.

The bamboo skewer was only a little over two fingers long, and all three of them carefully hid it in their sleeves.

After chatting for a while, the monks from Longhua Temple knocked on the door to remind them that it was time to leave.

So the three of them boarded the carriage lent by Longhua Temple and headed to the Meridian Gate early in the morning to meet up.

When they arrived at the Meridian Gate, a large, chaotic crowd had already gathered.

Tang Gao and his two companions had something to hide, so they didn't dare to go out and meet with the other candidates these past two days.

After all, if someone were to ask how you wrote your essay for the palace examination, Tang Gao's flattering remarks about Yang Tinghe would inevitably be looked down upon.

If the final ranking is good, that's fine, but if the ranking is bad, then the whole club will have failed for nothing.

Now that they had arrived at the Meridian Gate, the three of them, thinking that they must be the most talked-about people today, couldn't help but take the initiative to make friends with their fellow students.

Unexpectedly, after the three excitedly announced their names, they were not met with a friendly response, but rather with scrutinizing gazes.

Many of the candidates who had been making a lot of noise and discussing things gradually quieted down after Tang Gao and the other two introduced themselves.

The three of them were stunned, somewhat puzzled.

They wanted to ask them something, but then they saw someone waving at them from afar.

The three looked closely and saw that it was a candidate whom Commander Pei valued highly, whose name seemed to be Tian Fu.

They hurried to the land tax office.

Seeing that there were no other people he recognized with Tian Fu, Tang Gao asked in confusion, "Why aren't the other classmates here?"

The other classmates Tang Gao mentioned naturally referred to those Shandong examinees who had drunk with him back then.

Tian Fu smiled and said, "It's too conspicuous for so many people to stick together. We haven't been officially appointed yet. If we encounter someone who doesn't like us, wouldn't we be asking for trouble?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Gao and the others felt enlightened.

They looked at each other, feeling a little uneasy. If the three of them really had a chance of ranking first, it seemed a bit conspicuous for them to be grouped together like this.

Tian Fu chatted with them for a few minutes, and then officials from the Ministry of Rites came over to maintain order.

The area in front of the Meridian Gate immediately became orderly.

The newly appointed scholars all wore uniform dark blue robes and black gauze hats. Although they did not have rank badges on their chests, it signified that they had officially entered the "scholar" class.

According to the rules, these bestowed garments could only be worn after the official announcement of the imperial edict.

But as mentioned before, it was too late to ask, and the process couldn't be delayed, so the Ministry of Rites simply distributed them all at once.

Of course, this excludes those in the top tier.

Just as the imperial court had to unseal the seals of the first-rank officials again when filling out the imperial edicts, the bestowed robes for the first-rank officials were also distributed on the spot.

The newly appointed Ceremonial Attendant, Jia Yong, was still in charge of maintaining order and guiding people at the scene.

Jia Yong was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the ninth year of the Hongzhi reign (1494), ranking ninety-fourth in the second class, second to last.

What should have been a minor setback turned into a dramatic turn of events when he was selected as a probationary official in the Hanlin Academy. He successfully passed the selection process and, three years later, was able to remain in the Hanlin Academy after the final assessment.

Unfortunately, his background was rather shallow, and a couple of years ago he was sent to the Ministry of Rites to serve as the Assistant Director of Sacrificial Rites. This time, the Director of Ceremonial Affairs, Liu Pang, voluntarily gave up his position, which gave him the opportunity to rise in rank.

Seeing that all the officials had entered the court to offer their congratulations, he quickly led the newly appointed scholars inside.

Upon arriving at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the newly appointed scholars knelt on both sides of the imperial road outside the hall, according to their rankings in the provincial examination, awaiting the announcement of their names. This grand ceremony itself served as a way to intimidate the newcomers, and the scholars, awed by the emperor's authority, obediently knelt below, not daring to utter a sound.

At this moment, Jia Yong, who had been quietly observing the movements in the Fengtian Hall, called out to the crowd in a low voice, "The court greetings are over, it's time to call out names. When you hear the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies call out names, step forward and follow me to the hall to report."

The newly appointed scholars all became nervous.

They all bowed their heads outside the palace, unable to see the person who controlled their fate, nor could they hear the voice that decided their destiny.

At this moment, the officials guarding outside the hall shouted loudly.

"Tang Gao, the first-place winner of the first class!"

The newly appointed scholars were in an uproar when they heard this from afar.

Tang Gao was so happy he almost jumped up, but his whole body was stiff and he couldn't move.

Jia Yong had already followed the gazes of the other Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and knew who the top scholar of this year was. Seeing that Tang Gao did not make any move, he quickly whispered and scolded, "Why don't you come with me to the palace to express your gratitude?"

Tang Gao finally calmed down from his ecstasy.

Just then, the chant reached the ranks of the senior students, and an even louder, unison shout rang out, "First place, first place, Tang Gao—"

Many of the newly appointed scholars recalled the rumors they had heard before, and many whispered among themselves, "What makes him so special?"

Seeing that the order was getting chaotic, Jia Yong immediately scolded, "Quiet down, or you'll be punished by the censor!"

After saying that, he urged Tang Gao, "Let's go, top scholar."

He then led the way, guiding Tang Gao up to the palace.

After Jia Yong left with Tang Gao, another official from the Ministry of Rites came and took his place.

Perhaps Tang Gao had already finished expressing his gratitude on the imperial steps when the official in charge of announcing the news relayed the second name announced by the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies.

"First place, second place, Huang Chu!"

After seeing Tang Gao become the top scholar, Huang Chu and Cai Ang, who were filled with envy, were already mentally prepared.

Upon hearing the announcer's chant, Huang Chu immediately stood up before the other officials could chant three times.

Then, amidst the shouts of "First place, second place, Huang Chu—", they followed the Ministry of Rites official toward the main hall.

Seeing that the official in charge of the Ministry of Rites had not yet come to take over,

The newly appointed scholars below grew increasingly noisy, with many angrily exclaiming to each other, "How dare they?"

These newly appointed scholars were the ones who had the most fun these past two days.

Having finished the palace examination, all that's left is to obtain official rank and become an official; naturally, there's no need to put any more pressure on yourself.

Even if one doesn't dare to indulge in philandering, surely there's nothing wrong with socializing and entertaining guests?

Therefore, they had also heard about the recent uproar in the markets about the corrupt Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) interfering with the imperial examinations.

However, after inquiring about Tang Gao and others' rankings in the imperial examination, these people simply laughed it off.

After all, they were also among those who passed the imperial examination, so their attitude towards Tang Gao and the other two was relatively peaceful, unlike those who failed the examination who were resentful.

Many people even think that it might just be something made up by those who failed the exam out of jealousy.

However, when the guy suspected of cheating in the imperial examination actually won the top score, or even the second-highest score, these people were enraged.

Could the rumors circulating in the streets be true?
Did Tang Gao and the other two really collude with the treacherous Jinyiwei to interfere in this imperial examination?

Some of the more ambitious men clenched their fists, while others, stirring up trouble, said sarcastically, "Could this year's third-place scholar be Cai Ang?"

Sensing that something was amiss, Cai Ang panicked.

He looked around and found only angry eyes.

At this moment, the new head of the Ministry of Rites arrived. Seeing the newly appointed scholars whispering amongst themselves, he immediately reprimanded them, "You will all be officials in the future. What kind of behavior is this?"

"Don't provoke the censors and implicate me."

At this moment, after the second-place finisher had expressed his gratitude, the announcer shouted again, "First place, third place, Cai Ang!"

Now, the newly appointed scholars could no longer contain their anger, and their curses were incessant, even the official in charge of the Ministry of Rites could not stop them.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Cai Ang dared not stay any longer. He hurriedly got up and rushed towards the main hall.

Seeing this, the official in charge of the Ministry of Rites thought to himself, "That's right, what business do I have if I leave?"

So he quickly followed.

Seeing Cai Ang flee in disarray and the Ministry of Rites official slink away, the newly appointed scholars became even more emboldened.

Many of these people had powerful connections, and someone immediately suggested, "Why don't we make a bigger scene, attract the censors, and then expose this matter?"

There was also a prudent old fox who said in a low voice, "How foolish. We have official titles and ranks, the only thing we're losing is our position. This kind of thing should be left to others."

Before the censor in charge of impeaching court etiquette arrived, the eunuchs who had been paying attention to the area reported to the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs on duty that the newly appointed scholars seemed to be causing a disturbance.

Having already received instructions, the court eunuch Yu Xi immediately entered the hall and whispered, "Your Majesty, the newly appointed scholars outside the hall are making a ruckus and behaving improperly. I don't know how to deal with them."

Zhu Houzhao certainly knew why those people were making a fuss.

A few days ago, when Zhu Houzhao heard that the candidates who had failed the imperial examinations were all concerned about the rumors that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was interfering in the examinations, he immediately made a decision.

The goal is to use this imperial examination scandal to completely divert the attention of the court and the public, and incidentally drag the imperial court into the mess, so that they have no interest in getting involved in other matters.

He secretly sent people to stir up trouble and add fuel to the fire these past two days, wasn't it all for today?
Thinking of his backup plans, Zhu Houzhao said calmly, "Since this is a special imperial examination, I should grant him extra favors in addition to the existing ones."

"Let them off this time. After the announcement of the results, let them go to the Ministry of Rites to learn the rules."

After speaking, he asked the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, "What should we do next?"

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies replied, "Next, the three members of the first rank should be bestowed with scarlet robes and gold belts. The Minister of Rites will then adorn the three members with gold flowers."

"Then the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, together with the newly appointed scholars, escorted the yellow notice to the left gate of Chang'an, where it was posted and made public."

"Afterwards, the top scholar rode a white horse with a golden saddle, with the second and third scholars standing on either side. The prefect of Shuntian Prefecture personally held the whip and led the horses, parading around the capital to show off."

As Zhu Houzhao listened, a sense of excitement stirred within him; he wanted to see a grand spectacle.

He knew what he wanted, so he forcibly suppressed his excitement and glanced at Zhang Rui, the director of the Eastern Depot.

Zhang Rui noticed Zhu Houzhao's gaze and nodded slightly.

Zhu Houzhao's gaze fell on Tang Gao and the other two kneeling before the Emperor. His eyes first showed a hint of pity, but then he said as usual, "Let's begin."

(End of this chapter)