Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 453 Top Three 3
Before everyone's thoughts could even reach the heavens, Emperor Longwu, seated on the dragon throne at the end of the imperial road, spoke.

"This is the first imperial examination since the founding of our Dragon Kingdom! It is also the beginning of our Dragon Kingdom's legacy for generations to come!"

Now, what everyone is most concerned about is the result of this imperial examination.

"Then I will not waste any more time here." Zhu Zhanhe, sitting on the highest dragon throne, naturally saw the turbulent thoughts of his ministers below, and immediately spoke, his deep and resonant voice echoing across the square outside the Fengtian Hall.

"Little Xizi~, you come and announce the results of the civil and military examinations for all the officials and students~!" Emperor Longwu didn't care what the officials present thought and directly addressed Little Xizi.

"This servant obeys the decree!" After hearing Emperor Longwu's words, Xiao Xizi did not hesitate to take the memorial in her hands and step forward two steps to the edge of the imperial road again.

Many officials, as well as scholars from the Imperial Academy and the Military Academy, were surprised to hear Emperor Longwu order a eunuch to announce the results of the palace examination. Normally, the results were announced by officials from the Ministry of Rites to show solemnity.

I've never heard of the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace announcing the results of the palace examination before!

However, Xiao Xizi didn't care what others thought. Since the Emperor had ordered him to read it aloud, he would just obediently listen to the Emperor! As for whether others were willing or not, or what opinions they had, they could only keep them to themselves!
"Ahem~!" Xiao Xizi stepped forward and arrived at the edge of the steps of the imperial road. He coughed lightly twice to draw everyone's attention to himself.

"Zhang Tingfang, a student of the first class in the civil service examination of the fourth year of Longwu, was awarded the title of Jinshi. He was from Anzhou Province, Liuzhou Prefecture, Qingliu County, and attended the Imperial Academy. He was a student of the first year of Longwu!" Xiao Xizi's voice was very sharp, but it sounded so clear and crisp outside the silent Fengtian Hall, where only breathing could be heard.

Clearly, Xiao Xizi's voice had reached the students of the Imperial Academy below the imperial road.

Immediately, a student from the Imperial Academy stepped forward from the crowd of students, respectfully approached the middle of the imperial path, and knelt directly at the bottom of the lowest step. He bowed respectfully to the majestic Emperor Longwu above the imperial path.

"Your subject, Zhang Tingfang, a student of the Imperial Academy and a graduate of the Longwu class, kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's grace!" A voice filled with excitement, even trembling slightly, came from the young scholar's mouth.

At this moment, the court officials on the imperial road silently turned to look at the young scholar kneeling below. They knew that this was the first top scholar to be appointed since the founding of the Dragon Kingdom, a figure worthy of being recorded in history!
Meanwhile, countless scholars in the Imperial Academy and the Military Academy were also looking longingly at their classmates kneeling before the imperial road, their eyes filled with envy!
However, things obviously won't end so simply!

Immediately afterwards, Xiao Xizi spoke again.

"The Emperor has decreed!"

Legend has it that Zhang Tingfang was the top scholar in the imperial examination, granted the title of Jinshi, and was from Anzhou Province, Liuzhou Prefecture, Qingliu County. He was a student of the first class of Longwu Academy.

"Ascend the Imperial Road to meet the Emperor!" Zhang Tingfang, kneeling there with a face full of excitement, did not receive a message from Emperor Longwu telling him to get up. Instead, he suddenly heard the Grand Steward's angelic voice ring out again.

Before Zhang Tingfang could even react, two young eunuchs suddenly appeared out of nowhere. In their hands, they carefully carried a large red cloth with a big red flower tied in the center. "Scholar, please hold onto the 'Scholar Flower' and don't let go!" The two eunuchs, having clearly reached Zhang Tingfang's side, looked at the stunned man and kindly offered this reminder.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tingfang stood there blankly, subconsciously reaching out to gently touch the bright red flower woven from red cloth in front of her.

Immediately afterwards, two eunuchs gently lifted the red cloth by its ends. Zhang Tingfang, momentarily flustered, quickly raised her hand to steady herself on the bright red scholar's flower and stood up.

She hadn't even thanked him before getting up! In that instant, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her mind, and Zhang Tingfang felt like her head was about to explode!
"Scholar, watch your step when you ascend the imperial path." Before Zhang Tingfang could react in his astonishment, two eunuchs whispered another instruction to him before slowly unfurling the red cloth by pulling on both ends.

In the blink of an eye, two eunuchs had already taken the two ends of the red cloth and stood on the steps on both sides of the imperial road. Zhang Tingfang, who was holding the Zhuangyuan Flower, was facing the complete dragon pattern carved from marble in the very center of the imperial road!

Zhang Tingfang recognized the imperial road in front of him, which was carved with dragon patterns. It was the Dragon Road! A Dragon Road that only the emperor could walk on when he ascended the throne!
"Gulp!" Zhang Tingfang swallowed hard. But before he could recover from his confusion, he was horrified to discover that the scholar's flower he was holding was actually moving towards the imperial path!

Zhang Tingfang looked around in a panic, only to find that the little eunuchs holding the ends of the red cloth on both sides were slowly walking up the steps of the imperial road, past the ministers on both sides of the road!

Immediately, Zhang Tingfang disregarded the complicated gazes of the surrounding ministers and could only continue to support the top scholar in front of him, following closely behind the little eunuch's steps, and stepped onto the most prestigious dragon path in the middle of the imperial road!
As Zhang Tingfang stepped onto the Dragon Path, he felt his body trembling with excitement! He had never heard of any subject being allowed to walk on the Dragon Path, a path reserved for the emperor's ascension to the throne!
At this moment, Zhang Tingfang felt as if the majestic dragon carved on the Dragon Path was staring intently at him. He didn't even dare to look up at the Dragon Emperor at the end of the Imperial Path.

Perhaps, after traversing this Dragon Path, I'll be executed by the Imperial Guards at the West Gate! Will I be the first top scholar in the Dragon Kingdom to die for stepping onto the Dragon Path?!

At this moment, Zhang Tingfang, who was walking on the Dragon Path, was filled with all sorts of thoughts. He had even considered the possibility that he might die!
"Minister Zhang~??" In a daze, Zhang Tingfang heard someone calling him. Suddenly looking up, Zhang Tingfang realized that he had unknowingly walked the majestic Dragon Path and stood before the Dragon Emperor at its end!
At this moment, Emperor Longwu was staring at him with a smile through his crown!

It's over, I'm doomed! At this moment, Zhang Tingfang knew that he had violated the emperor's rules and was absolutely guilty of a capital offense that could not be questioned!
"Your subject, Zhang Tingfang, pays respects to Your Majesty!"
"I deserve to die!" Looking at the smiling face of Emperor Longwu before him, Zhang Tingfang immediately knelt down and shouted. At that moment, Zhang Tingfang knew he was going to die! So he didn't resist, but knelt on the ground, awaiting Emperor Longwu's judgment!

However, Zhang Tingfang did not receive the Dragon Emperor's overwhelming wrath.

Zhang Tingfang, who had been kneeling on the ground awaiting Emperor Longwu's execution, suddenly felt his arms being lifted up! For a moment, Zhang Tingfang felt his legs go weak! Were the Imperial Guards coming to take him away?!

However, the next moment, Zhang Tingfang, who had been resigned to his fate, noticed something amiss. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the two eunuchs who had just pulled him up the dragon path with the red cloth were now meticulously wrapping the red cloth around his body!

Looking down again, Zhang Tingfang saw that the big red flower she had been holding had been tied to her chest!

"I'm not dead?!?" Looking at the big red flower on her chest, the first thing that flashed through Zhang Tingfang's mind was that she might not have to die!

(End of this chapter)