Di Ming

Chapter 175 Famous Throughout Jiangdong!

I have passed the imperial examination! A true man does not fail his lifelong ambition!
Hao Yunlai was overjoyed, clapping his hands in celebration, and wished he could burst into laughter three times in public to express his delight.

Sure enough, his luck turned around! Not only did he pass the imperial examination, but he also ranked fifth in the examination!
He was a scholar of the I Ching, and passing the imperial examination meant that he was first in his class on the I Ching!

God has eyes! Hahaha!
Today, I, Hao Yunlai, will soar to the heavens, and my wife will also be able to avenge her great wrong.

Wealth, glory, and success!
The banner erected at the entrance before the exam will not fall down!

As Meng heard the approaching sound of gongs and drums, she couldn't help but shed a tear of joy through her remaining single eye.

Thank God, my husband finally passed the imperial examination!

Hao Yunlai's father-in-law was also moved to tears.

As expected, his son-in-law passed the imperial examination and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination). He himself was just an old Tongsheng (a student who couldn't even pass the county-level imperial examination), so his son-in-law had fulfilled his wish.

Everyone cheered and congratulated him: "Wow, Brother Huaji is a top scholar! Congratulations!"

"In my opinion, Brother Huaji is exceptionally talented. He could easily become the top scholar in the provincial examination, let alone the first-place scholar!"

"To have passed the imperial examination with flying colors, congratulations!"

"Brother Huaji, you're sure to be number one in Nanyong! You'll most likely win the imperial examination next spring!"

Just as the celebrations were taking place, the messengers arrived at the door to deliver the good news. The lead messenger held a golden flower sticker (an admission notice), another person held a large red silk flower, and two others were playing gongs and drums.

Behind him was a large crowd of onlookers.

Among the common people, one man looked grim. He saw the procession heading towards the Hao family's residence and immediately turned and ran towards a large mansion several miles away.

Hurry and report to the young master, Hao Yunlai has actually passed the imperial examination!
At the entrance of the Hao family's house, firecrackers that had been prepared in advance were immediately hung up and set off with a crackling sound.

Several constables shouted, "Lord Hao! Which one of you is Lord Hao? Good news! Good news!"

Hao Yunlai stepped forward and said, "Gentlemen, you have worked hard. I am Hao Yunlai!"

Upon seeing this, the four constables immediately knelt down and respectfully reported:
"This humble servant greets Master Hao! I have good news to report! The results of the imperial examinations were released early this morning, and Master Hao has achieved the fifth-highest rank among the candidates! The official document is here; please take a look!"

After speaking, he raised the golden flower sticker high with both hands.

A poor scholar suddenly became a master!

Hao Yunlai, beaming with delight, accepted the invitation, repeatedly saying, "Please rise! Please rise! My lady, please give me the gift!"

Another constable quickly stood up and stepped forward to hang a large red silk flower on Hao Yunlai's chest.

Meng hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief containing two taels of loose silver borrowed from her family and handed it to the constable, saying:
"Gentlemen, you've all made the journey. This small token is merely a token of our appreciation for the tea; it's far too little, I'm ashamed..."

"Madam, you're too kind!" The four constables accepted the silver. Although they felt it was too little, they knew the Hao family was poor, so they could only put on smiles and thank them.

"Brother, you passed!" Hao Yundao and Hao Yunji, who had been helping with cooking and tending the fire inside the house, also put down their work and ran out.

The two were overjoyed, but before they could even celebrate, they saw a familiar face.

President!

Why is the president here too?
Ning Caiwei also saw the two employees and immediately gave them a wink.

Both siblings were very clever and immediately understood the president's meaning, so they did not go forward to pay their respects.

Hao Yunlai asked the constable, "Who else has passed the imperial examination?"

One of the constables said, "The results were released this morning. The last-ranked person was listed first, and each one was sent out to deliver the good news. Master Hao was fifth, so he was the fifth-to-last to be listed. When we came to deliver the good news, only the fourth-ranked person had been listed. The top three have not yet been announced."

"The top three results were announced last because the examiners needed to consult with the imperial inspector to make the final decision on the top three scholars. We couldn't wait for the top three to be announced, so we came to report the good news first. I suppose the results have already been released by now."

Another official named many successful candidates, but none of them were present.

In reality, not many of those present participated in the provincial examination.

Ning Caiwei couldn't help but ask, "Is Zhu Yin's name on it?"

"Zhu Yin?" One of the constables was taken aback. "Is that the child prodigy from Nanyong? I don't think so."

“Definitely not.” Another constable said with certainty, “Zhu Yin is not among the 132 people whose names have already been posted.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei felt a chill in their hearts.

Missed!

Although Zhu Yin was mentally prepared for failure, he was still somewhat disappointed and dejected at this moment.

Another three years to go. And even after three years, there's no guarantee of success!
Zhu Yin gritted his teeth inwardly. If he failed the next exam as well, he might as well not take it at all and go overseas instead.

But what can such a small population do overseas? Become pirates? Establish a kingdom overseas and rule over the natives?

This is not the late Ming Dynasty, but the early Wanli period, which is much stronger than the Chongzhen era. Following Zheng Zhilong's path is definitely not the best strategy.

Ning Caiwei sighed inwardly. Since the young tiger hadn't passed the imperial examination, their business strategy couldn't expand aggressively.

Instead, it should contract.

If a young tiger can't become an official, she won't be able to make a big splash in the business world.

Forget it. If things really don't work out, I'll just go overseas. That way, I'll always have a backup plan.

The little tiger has done its best.

But she also knew that once she gave up her business in the Ming Dynasty, she wouldn't be able to do much overseas either.

With such a small Han Chinese population overseas, they're destined to cause little trouble. At most, they might occupy an island, enslave a group of natives, and establish themselves as kings.

When everyone heard that Zhu Yin's name was not mentioned, they couldn't help but look at each other and laugh.

What did I say? It definitely didn't work!
It's expected.

Hao Yunlai chuckled and said, "That's not necessarily true. The top three haven't been announced yet, have they? Our prodigy might be in the top three."

Everyone chuckled and said, "That makes sense. Don't be discouraged, Young Tiger. You might just be in the top three."

That was obviously sarcastic.

No one believed that Zhu Yin could rank in the top three.

Impossible.

Let alone them, even Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei themselves didn't believe they could rank in the top three.

Zhu Yin was a confident person, but he didn't think he could achieve such a high ranking. He concluded that he had failed the exam.

Meng was a kind-hearted person, and upon hearing everyone mocking Zhu Yin, she couldn't help but say:

"Uncles, Uncle Zhu is still young. Even if he doesn't pass this year, he will surely pass next year. My husband only passed on his second attempt."

Upon hearing this, everyone was startled and bowed to Zhu Yin in apology.

We must not offend Zhu Yin; youths are the most dangerous to bully!
While the scholars congratulated Hao Yunlai, their hearts were filled with mixed emotions: jealousy, envy, bitterness, and disappointment.

However, on their faces, they all wore expressions of pride and joy.

Hao Yunlai has already passed the provincial examination. Even if he fails the imperial examination in the future, he can still become an official.

Once you pass the imperial examination, your file will be entered into the Ministry of Personnel, and you will become a member of the imperial court.

You can only make friends, not offend.

Zhu Yin also cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "Congratulations, Brother Hao, on passing the imperial examination with top honors. I wish you success in the imperial examinations next year."

To be honest, even Zhu Yin was a little envious.

A Jin-level scholar, a Yin-level scholar.

Although he felt he had done very well on the exam, he didn't dare say he would pass; he was still uncertain.

If you fail this time, you'll have to wait another three years.

Hao Yunlai, at this point, was already a semi-official, having achieved a leap in social class and become part of the ruling class.

If he didn't pass the exam, his social status would be far inferior to Hao Yunlai's, and having money would be useless.

Whether it was Tian Yi, Shen Yiguan, or Hai Rui, although they were all high-ranking officials with great power, they were ultimately relying on others' influence.

It wasn't his own power.

His status in the Ming Dynasty was that of a student of the Imperial Academy. Once he lost his backers like Tian Yi, he would be a piece of easy prey.

Therefore, he could only offer perfunctory congratulations, without breaking off relations.

Ning Caiwei quickly had someone deliver the gift she had prepared beforehand: a sealed package of one hundred taels of silver.

She was more thoughtful than Zhu Yin.

If Xiao Laohu fails the exam, while Hao Yunlai passes the imperial examination next year, then their identities will be that of commoners and officials.

Once Hao Yunlai becomes an official, it will be easy for him to cause trouble for the Zhu family.

Of course, you can't afford to offend this kind of person.

If the young tiger keeps failing the exams, can his uncle and teacher protect the Zhu family forever? Years later, his powerful backer passed away, and by then Hao Yunlai might have become an important official in the court!
"Brother Hao, this is a small gift from me, a mere hundred taels of silver. It's nothing but a token of my appreciation. Please accept it." Zhu Yin took the silver prepared by Ning Caiwei and handed it to Hao Yunlai.

Hao Yunlai accepted the silver without hesitation and chuckled:
"Child Tiger, I am truly flattered and humbled that you, the child prodigy of Nanyong and the head of the Xuan Society, have sent me a congratulatory gift."

Although the tone was sarcastic, one can't hit someone who's smiling.

He thought to himself: Zhu Zhihu, Zhu Zhihu, do you regret looking down on me before? Do you realize you were blind to my abilities?
Fine, seeing how eagerly you came to give me this gift, a hundred taels of silver at that, you've given me plenty of face, so I won't hold it against you anymore.

Do it yourself.

Seeing Zhu Yin present his congratulatory gifts, everyone felt contempt for his opportunism, while also taking out their own gifts.

In the blink of an eye, they received a congratulatory gift of several hundred taels of silver, which was equivalent to the total income of an ordinary family for more than ten years!
The Hao family became rich in no time.

Hao Yunlai was overjoyed to see the silver and immediately ordered a banquet to be prepared, inviting everyone to take their seats. Because Zhu Yin had presented the most gifts, he was also invited to the head seat.

But before the banquet even began, a scholar surnamed Bo whispered to Hao Yunlai:
"Brother Huaji, please let me speak with you in private. I have something important to tell you."

This man is the son of a cloth merchant and also possesses immense wealth. The congratulatory gift he sent today is second only to that of Zhu Yin.

Hao Yunlai nodded, got up and left, leading him to the vegetable garden, and said:
"Brother Bo, what urgent matter do you have to discuss? Please speak frankly."

Bo Sheng looked around and said seriously:

"Then I will speak frankly, and I hope my brother will be magnanimous and forgiving. Brother Huaji has now passed the imperial examination, and his status is different. Although your wife is virtuous, she is blind in one eye. If she is granted an imperial title in the future, wouldn't that be an eyesore and cause gossip?"

"In officialdom, social interactions also require the ladies to greet and see off guests. My sister-in-law is blind, so won't she be looked down upon by these ladies in the future? Even my brother won't look good in official circles."

Hao Yunlai's smile faded, and his expression became somewhat indifferent, but he did not interrupt Bo Sheng.

Bo Sheng continued, "I know that Brother Huaji is a man of great loyalty and affection, and that he and his wife are a loving and devoted couple. But Brother Huaji is only twenty years old, in the prime of his life. How can you wrong yourself? It is common for someone to divorce his wife and remarry after passing the imperial examination. Besides, his wife is ill and has no children."

"To be honest, I have a younger sister, who is sixteen years old. She is well-educated, beautiful, and the jewel of the Bo family. She is only five years younger than Brother Huaji. Although she is not a good match for Brother Huaji, she would not be a disgrace to him as his second wife..."

Actually, his sister was already engaged. But so what? He could simply break off the engagement.

Hao Yunlai never expected that Bo Sheng's so-called important message was actually to tell him to divorce his wife and marry his sister!
“Brother Bo,” Hao Yunlai couldn’t help but interrupt him, “I know you mean well, but this matter should never be mentioned again. Yu Niang and I have been husband and wife through thick and thin, and I must not betray her. I would not divorce my wife for wealth and status. A wife who has shared hardship should not be abandoned.”

“Your sister is a lady from a respectable family, how could she possibly remarry? If Brother Bo brings this up again, I will not dare to see her again.”

Although Hao Yunlai was angry, his words were not angry at all.

Bo Sheng was taken aback, not expecting Hao Yunlai to refuse. He could only sigh awkwardly and say with a wry smile, "My brother is truly righteous, I am no match for him, I am ashamed. Well then, it's a pity my sister is not fortunate enough."

The two returned to their banquet, and before they had even drunk two cups of wine, another scholar whispered to Hao Yunlai, "Brother Huaji, I have something important to tell you. Please come and listen."

Hao Yunlai was quite helpless and whispered, "Could it be that he has a younger sister to marry?"

The scholar's expression hardened, and he immediately replied, "Indeed, my brother is truly a man of brilliant strategy! My sister..."

Hao Yunlai shook his head, "Absolutely not, this matter must not be mentioned again."

.........

Just as the official was on his way to deliver the good news to the Hao family, the area in front of the Imperial Examination Hall archway in the city was already packed with people.

The square was packed with people who had come to see the list, and the noise was deafening.

Besides scholars and their families, many ordinary people also came to see the list.

Those who pass the exam are overjoyed, while those who fail are devastated.

Of the 5,000 people who took the exam, only 135 were ultimately admitted; the vast majority were merely there to accompany the prince in his studies.

Amidst the crowd, Zhuang Shu stood anxiously on a stool, holding onto a maid's shoulder, and looked up at the list.

"Feng Menglong... Feng Menglong..." she murmured the name, her autumn eyes sweeping over each name, her heart sinking.

No. She looked at it again carefully, feeling increasingly disheartened and weak-kneed.

still none.

Apart from the top three who have not yet been announced, all 132 people have been announced.

The name Feng Menglong is not mentioned. Nor is the name Zhu Yin mentioned.

Zhuang Shu was on the verge of tears.

Feng Sheng failed the exam! He failed! Waaah…

But we got engaged two days ago, and the betrothal gifts were just received.

After finishing his exam, Feng Menglong felt excellent and full of confidence. He wrote his exam essay, and the teachers who read it said he was very likely to pass.

Once the article circulated, many people applauded it. Luo, the most skilled fortune teller in Shangyuan County, met Feng Menglong and said that he was destined to be blessed by an extraordinary benefactor and had the potential to rise to the highest official rank.

Feng Menglong immediately became a hot commodity, and several families, hearing of his arrival, all wanted to send someone to propose marriage.

Why not wait until the results are released? Because if you're a step behind, someone else will beat you to it.

I really can't wait.

Fortunately, Zhuang Shu's aunt was related to the Feng family, giving them an advantage. The Zhuang family acted quickly and arranged a marriage between them.

Thus, Zhuang Shu became Feng Menglong's betrothed. They agreed to marry three years later.

To everyone's surprise, Zhuang Shu did not see Feng Menglong's name!
Didn't they say his essay would pass the exam? Didn't he think he did very well? Didn't Master Luo say he had a great benefactor in his life and might rise to the highest official rank?
How did I fail the exam?
The top three haven't been announced yet, but Zhuang Shu doesn't think Feng Menglong can get into the top three. After all, Feng is only fifteen years old.

So even though the top three hadn't been announced, Zhuang Shu knew that Feng Sheng had failed the exam.

"Fourth Mistress..." the maid said weakly, looking at her mistress who was brimming with tears, "How about... breaking off the engagement? Anyway, the engagement was just finalized, and the news hasn't spread yet..."

"What kind of maggots are you chewing on, you brat!" Zhuang Shu cursed, taking her anger out on the maid. "You're spouting nonsense! What kind of person do you take me for! Going back on your engagement is not a sign of female virtue or wifely conduct! Since we're engaged, I can only accept my fate. I have to accept my loss!"

"Hmph, a woman's fate is whatever she may be, whether she marries a chicken or a dog! My brother-in-law is a scholar who passed the imperial examination, and he'll be taking the metropolitan examination next year, but Feng Sheng actually failed. My sister, don't you think you'll laugh your head off in front of me!"

The maid shrank back and said ingratiatingly, "Madam, don't be angry. Although the Feng family's son-in-law didn't pass this time, didn't that little tiger also fail? It's a draw."

But these words backfired. Zhuang Shu, wiping away her tears, cursed again:
"What do you mean, a draw? You're just stirring up trouble again! That little tiger is, after all, an old friend of the Zhuang family. If he passes the exam, it'll be thanks to the Zhuang family's help, and I'll have some glory and another powerful backer. Am I so narrow-minded that I'd actually wish for him to fail?"

"But the little tiger was a disappointment; as expected, it didn't win either!"

At this point, they suddenly heard many people outside the carriage saying:
"As expected, Zhu Yin's name wasn't on the list. He really didn't pass!"

"What did I say? What Nanyong prodigy? No chance!"

"Hmph, the 'prodigy of Nanyong' is just a joke. Apart from those bumpkins in the Xuan Society, who would take it seriously? I know Zhu Zhihu very well; he's just a boast."

"Ha! If he really makes the list, wouldn't that surpass Yang Tinghe? Does Zhu Yin have that ability?"

"Hahaha! Gentlemen, the day before yesterday I placed a bet of three hundred taels of silver at Hongyun Tower, betting that Zhu Yin would fail the exam. Although the odds were low, I still managed to make several dozen taels of silver."

"So-called child prodigies are nothing but self-proclaimed geniuses. If they were truly child prodigies, they would be on the list this time."

Among the crowd looking at the list, many scholars mocked Zhu Yin. Among them were prominent members of aristocratic families such as Dong Shi, Xu Jinyuan, and Wang Shu, who had already been expelled from the government.

If it weren't for Wang Ruifang's influence, they would have been able to take the exam and probably passed.

How despicable and hateful!

But seeing that Zhu Yin failed the imperial examination, they felt much relieved.

Previously, they were jealous of Zhu Yin's reputation as a child prodigy and wished for his downfall. But Zhu Yin remained healthy and lively.

Now that he's failed the exam, let's see how smug that kid is now.

Zhuang Shu felt very uncomfortable after hearing these words.

Although she herself gave up on Zhu Yin, she still felt very uncomfortable hearing these people make such a fuss about him.

Feng Sheng failed the exam, Little Tiger failed the exam, so how could you possibly pass? You're even less capable!

Many members of the Propaganda Society were also displeased upon hearing the discussions.

But Zhu Yin was indeed not on the list, and they couldn't really refute that.

Among the crowd were Kangxi and other spies from Tiger Fang, who looked at the list with great regret.

Alas, my lord has failed the exam this time.

At this time, in addition to many scholars and common people watching, many officials also put aside their official duties to look at the list.

An official shook his head and said, "His reputation is undeserved. As expected, Zhu Yin's name is not mentioned. In the more than two hundred years of our dynasty, no one has been able to surpass Yang Wenzhong."

Another official stroked his beard and nodded: "Zhu Yin's teacher is Shen Yiguan. Although he has a famous teacher, he is still young, so it is only natural that he did not pass the undergraduate course."

Another official laughed and said, "If he passes the imperial examination, it would be a wonderful and auspicious occasion for an eleven-year-old scholar to become a successful candidate. It's a pity that he ultimately lacks real talent and learning, and only makes people laugh at him."

One of the middle-aged gentry, who looked like an official, looked gloomy and a cold smile appeared on his lips when he heard the name Zhu Yin.

Did you fail the exam? That's good.

This man was none other than Zhang Yixian, the former Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commissioner and head of the Zhang family.

Although he didn't know that the pirates were related to the Zhu family, he did know that the Zhu family was the Zhang family's enemy.

As Zhang Yixian was pondering, suddenly a series of gongs sounded inside the examination hall, and firecrackers went off again. Then a voice shouted:

"The top three results are out!"

Immediately afterwards, a group of clerks in red robes came out of the examination hall, carrying lists in their hands.

All eyes turned to that direction. In an instant, the crowd fell silent.

The clerks went up to the list platform and posted the third-place name first.

Third place winner: Chen Youxue!
"He won!" A cheer erupted from the crowd. "My son won!"

The crowd immediately stirred again.

But soon things quieted down again, because the clerks posted the second place.

Asia Yuan, Zhu Guozhen!

"The runner-up?" Many people were a little surprised. "We thought Zhu Guozhen would be the top scholar, but he turned out to be the runner-up!"

"Who is the top scholar? Is it an upset?"

"This year's provincial examination in Yingtian should be quite fair; even if there are some upsets, it's acceptable. But who will be the top scholar?"

Even Zhuang Shu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the archway again.

The last list has finally been posted.

Upon seeing the name, everyone was stunned, as if petrified.

The name displayed at the highest position, with the largest characters, clearly bore two words: Zhu Yin!

It's Zhu Yin!
The Prodigy of Nanyong!

"Zhu Yin!" Many people exclaimed in surprise, their faces filled with astonishment. "He—is—the—top—examiner?!"

How could this be? Is there some mistake?
An eleven-year-old top scholar in the imperial examination?

"Little Tiger is the top scholar?" Zhuang Shu was overjoyed at first, but then she remembered that she was already engaged to Feng Menglong, and her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

Not only did the little tiger not fail the exam, but he also became the top scholar!
The top scholar!
Zhuang Shu could hardly believe it, but after blinking, she realized she wasn't mistaken. It was definitely Zhu Yin's name written there; she wasn't dreaming!

Zhuang Shu felt a tightness in her chest and her body felt weak.

She wanted to cry, but couldn't. She wanted to laugh, but couldn't either.

once…

Little Tiger!! Didn't you say you failed the test?! You call this failing the test?!

Were you testing me on purpose? You little liar!

Waaaaah… Zhuang Shu was on the verge of tears, feeling utterly devastated.

"The top scholar!" Kangxi and the members of the Xuan Society were overjoyed. "He actually became the top scholar!"

Dong Shi and the others stared at the list in disbelief, their faces turning ashen.

How is this possible? Is this cheating?! Zhu Yin is only eleven years old, what qualifications does he have to be the top scholar in the provincial examination? This doesn't make sense!
I disagree! There must be a mistake!
After a brief moment of surprise, the officials looked at each other, their expressions quite interesting.

An eleven-year-old who was the top scholar in the provincial examination, and the top scholar in Southern Zhili!

This is not just surpassing Yang Wenzhong, but far surpassing him!

They didn't consider it cheating. An eleven-year-old top scholar was too astonishing; if he didn't possess genuine talent and learning, who would dare appoint him as the top scholar? Wouldn't they be afraid of being criticized?

Since the examiners were not afraid of criticism, it was enough to prove that Zhu Yin deserved to be the top scholar!

Zhang Yixian stared blankly at the name "Zhu Yin" on the list, and couldn't help but sigh, his expression extremely bitter.

The Zhang family's revenge must end. The Zhang family can no longer afford to offend a top scholar.

Among the crowd, a man looked at the list with a gloomy expression, then left the crowd to go back and report.

Many people were devastated, as if they had lost their parents. This was because they had placed bets on the "Lucky Draw" lottery and lost.

A few people were ecstatic; they had won the bet! A ninefold profit! They'd made a fortune!

With a "boom," the entire crowd erupted in cheers.

The Ming Dynasty produced an eleven-year-old who achieved the highest rank in the provincial examinations.

That's incredible.

The news spread like wildfire throughout Nanjing, and then, centered on Nanjing, it spread to the surrounding areas.

Zhu Yin's name also spread beyond Nanjing.

Famous throughout Jiangdong!

Zhu Yin, a young prodigy from Jiangnan!

.........

The Hao family had already enjoyed several rounds of drinks and dishes. Everyone was eager to join in, and the atmosphere was lively.

However, Hao Yunlai always controlled his alcohol intake.

Today, he has an important task to complete, and he must not get drunk.

Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei didn't drink much either.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and lively conversation, a scholar from Nanyong suddenly arrived at Hao Yunlai's house and shouted loudly:
"Brother Huaji! The top three are out!"

What? Everyone stood up and looked at the scholar.

"Brother Liu, who is the top scholar in the provincial examination?"

The scholar was startled when he suddenly saw Zhu Yin. He hadn't expected that the now-famous Zhu Jieyuan would be drinking at Hao Yunlai's house.

He stammered, "The...the top scholar, that's...Zhu Yin! That's Brother Zhihu!"

He pointed at Zhu Yin, "This is the top scholar! The top scholar at the age of eleven! Brother Zhihu, you are already famous throughout Jiangdong!"

"What?!" Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Old Liu, even if you're mocking the little tiger, you don't have to be so blunt and harsh.

That's incredibly disrespectful; isn't this just severing ties?

"I am the top scholar?" Zhu Yin was a little dazed when he heard this. He could tell that Liu Sheng was not making fun of him or joking.

Ning Caiwei was also skeptical. Could the little tiger really be the top scholar?

Hao Yunlai didn't laugh. He glanced at Liu Sheng's expression and suddenly stepped forward. "Brother Liu, tell me seriously, who are the top three?"

Liu Sheng took a deep breath and said seriously:
"Third place: Chen Youxue, the top scholar in the imperial examinations; second place: Zhu Guozhen, the runner-up; and third place: Zhu Yin, the top scholar in the provincial examinations! I know you don't believe it, but it's the truth!"

"The top two scholars in the provincial examination and the second-best in the provincial examination are already known as the 'Twin Zhus'! Would I joke about something like this!"

Only then did everyone realize that Liu Sheng was not joking.

That means Zhu Yin was the top scholar in the provincial examination!
No wonder! No wonder Zhu Yin's name wasn't mentioned before; it turns out he was in the top three!
With a "whoosh," everyone's eyes turned to Zhu Yin, their expressions filled with disbelief.

Zhu Yin, the top scholar in the provincial examination!
P.S.: A long chapter of 7,000 words. Yesterday's wasn't a delay, but necessary setup. When did I intentionally pad it out? Please don't withhold your monthly votes, I'm so sad. I'm sure some readers will think the "top scholar" title is too outrageous, but it's just a novel, don't take it too seriously. Thank you, goodnight!

(End of this chapter)