I'm coming clean: I'm the reincarnation of the God of Literature.

Three days after Zhang Yan was dragged away, the final verdict of the prefectural examination was announced.

The area in front of the county government office was once again crowded with people.

This time, no one gambled, no one made a fuss, and everyone waited quietly.

"Here it comes!"

Someone shouted.

A clerk in a green robe strode to the notice board, holding a scroll of documents wrapped in red silk.

"By order of Princess Yong'an, the investigation into the cheating scandal in the prefectural examination has been completed, and the results are now being re-evaluated!"

The clerk unfolded the document and cleared his throat.

"Gu Ci, the top scholar in the prefectural examination!"

The crowd erupted in deafening cheers.

"Hahaha! I knew it!"

"Gu the Prodigy is the best in the world!"

"That's more like it!"

The clerk continued reading: "The original top scholar, Zhao Wenxiu, has been found guilty of cheating. He is stripped of his academic honors and exiled to the frontier!"

"Li Yungong, Qian Siyuan, and Zhou Jingxing have all been found to have committed cheating; their academic titles have been revoked, and they will never be employed again!"

Each time a name was called out, a cheer erupted from the audience.

After the clerk finished reading, he posted the document on the notice board.

The crowd surged forward, pushing and shoving to see the list.

The first two characters on the list are "Gu Ci".

There was also a line of smaller characters next to it: "At the age of eight, he achieved first-class honors in all three subjects of poetry, prose, and policy essays, making him the youngest scholar since the founding of the Great Feng Dynasty."

In the Gu family courtyard, Gu Ang was already waiting at the gate.

Hearing cheers coming from afar, he turned and ran into the yard.

"Ci'er! Ci'er! The results are in!"

Gu Ci was teaching his younger sister to write when he looked up.

Gu Ang rushed to him, picked him up, and spun him around three times.

"The top case! You're the top case!"

Gu Qingqing clapped her hands from the side: "Brother is the best!"

Lin ran out of the kitchen, still wearing her apron, and tears streamed down her face.

Gu Mingzhe stood at the door, looking at the three children in the yard.

He wanted to say something, but in the end he could only manage to stammer, "Okay, okay."

By evening, the whole of Qinghe County was talking about Gu Ci.

An eight-year-old scholar who passed the imperial examination.

This is the first time in the two hundred years since the founding of the Great Feng Dynasty.

A new notice was posted on the bulletin board in front of the county government office.

The notice reads: "Gu Ci, the top candidate in the Qinghe County examination, has been re-evaluated and ranked first in the prefectural examination. This is hereby announced."

Below were more than a dozen official seals densely packed together.

There were students from the prefectural school, the county school, and the Yong'an Princess's residence.

The next morning, the threshold of the Gu family's house was almost worn down by footsteps.

The villagers lined up to deliver things inside.

Eggs, cloth, rice, noodles, and someone even brought a live sheep.

Gu Mingzhe and the Lin family couldn't stop them at all.

"Brother, this is unacceptable!"

"Of course! Ci'er has really given our village chief an inch!"

"Mother, keep this fabric; make a new dress for the child!"

Gu Ci stood in the courtyard, looking at these warm-hearted villagers, and felt very warm inside.

In the afternoon, Wangjianglou sent someone to invite them.

The Prince of Yong'an wanted to see him.

Gu Ci changed into a clean blue robe and followed the person into the city.

On the third floor of Wangjiang Tower, in the same private room.

The princess sat by the window, holding a cup of tea in her hand.

Seeing Gu Ci enter, she put down her teacup.

"congratulations."

Gu Ci bowed and said, "Thank you, Princess."

"sit."

Gu Ci sat down on the chair to the side.

The princess looked at him and remained silent for a long time.

Gu Ci was not in a hurry and waited quietly.

After a while, the princess spoke.

"The provincial examination is in March. How do you plan to prepare?"

Studying at home.

"In Qinghe County?"

"Yes."

The princess shook her head: "Qinghe County has too few books; there aren't enough for you to read."

She stood up and walked up to Gu Ci.

"I have a villa in the provincial capital with a collection of ten thousand books. If you go there to study, three months will be enough."

Gu Ci was stunned for a moment.

provincial capital.

That's the most bustling place in the whole state.

"Ci'er is still too young, going to the provincial capital..."

"You are no ordinary child," the princess interrupted him. "Since Heaven has given you this talent, you should go to a greater place."

She turned and walked back to her seat, took a letter out of her sleeve, and handed it to Gu Ci.

"This is a letter I wrote to the provincial capital. Take it. When you arrive in the provincial capital, someone will arrange your accommodation and a place to study."

Gu Ci took the letter and held it in his hand.

He knew that accepting the letter was tantamount to accepting the princess's invitation.

This also means that he has officially sided with the princess.

Gu Ci looked up at the princess.

"How can I repay the princess for her kindness?"

The princess smiled and said, "Study hard and become the top scholar in the imperial examination. That would be the best way to repay you."

Gu Ci stood up and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your guidance, Princess."

The princess waved her hand: "Go, go home and pack your things. We'll set off in five days."

Gu Ci bid farewell and left.

As he walked out of Wangjiang Tower, clutching the letter, he felt a mix of emotions.

provincial capital.

That was a place he had never been before.

That's also where he's going.

When he got home, Gu Ang was reciting his lessons in the yard.

Seeing Gu Ci return, they immediately stopped.

"Ci'er, what did the princess say?"

"She told me to go to the provincial capital to study."

"The provincial capital?!" Gu Ang's eyes widened. "How far is that?"

"Seven days by water."

Gu Ang fell silent.

After a while, he said, "I'll go with you."

"elder brother……"

"Don't try to persuade me," Gu Ang interrupted him. "The people in the provincial capital are complicated, and I don't trust you to go alone."

Looking at his brother's determined expression, Gu Ci finally nodded.

"it is good."

That evening, the family sat around the table for dinner.

Gu Mingzhe put down his chopsticks and looked at his two sons.

"You're going to the provincial capital, but your father can't stay put."

He took out a letter of appointment from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"Assistant Teacher at County School, Official Appointment Letter"

Lin's eyes reddened: "My lord..."

Gu Mingzhe waved his hand: "Don't cry, don't cry, this is a good thing."

He looked at Gu Ci and Gu Ang: "You two are going to the provincial capital to make your way in the world. Your father has to be successful too, and I can't let you down."

Gu Ci felt a lump in her throat.

He knew how difficult his father had been all these years.

He repeatedly failed the imperial examinations and was looked down upon, which fueled his resentment.

Now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The next day, Wang Chengen sent someone to invite Gu Ci to the county government office.

When they arrived at the county government office, Wang Qingya was sitting in the flower hall, her eyes red.

Seeing Gu Ci enter, she immediately stood up.

"Brother Gu..."

"Refined and elegant".

Wang Qingya bit her lip, tears streaming down her face.

"You're going to the provincial capital..."

"Um."

"Then... what about me?"

Wang Chengen came out of the inner room and coughed.

"Ya'er, don't cry."

He looked at Gu Ci: "Mr. Gu, this girl has been bothering me for three days now that she knows you're going to the provincial capital."

"After thinking about it, I realized that there is a Jingshu Academy in the provincial capital that specializes in teaching women to read and is famous throughout the entire Dafeng region."

"I plan to send her there, which will broaden her horizons."

Wang Qingya's eyes lit up: "Really?!"

"But you have to promise me you'll study hard and not think about playing all the time."

"I agree!" Wang Qingya nodded vigorously.

She turned to look at Gu Ci, her little face full of smiles.

"Brother Gu, I can go to the provincial capital too!"

Seeing her happy expression, Gu Ci smiled as well.

"it is good."

Five days later, at the Qinghe County Wharf.

Before dawn, the dock was already packed with people.

Almost all the people from Qinghe County came.

The village chief led the villagers of Qingshan Village, carrying large and small bags of things onto the boat.

"Ci'er, this is a token of the villagers' goodwill; please accept it!"

"These eggs are from my family; you can eat them on the way!"

"Mother Ci'er, please don't find this fabric unsuitable for making clothes for the child!"

Lin cried uncontrollably and couldn't even speak.

Gu Mingzhe stood beside her, patting her back.

"Don't cry, it's a good thing the children are going to the provincial capital."

Wang Chengen, dressed in official robes, stood by the dock with the county yamen's clerks and minor officials.

Teachers from the county school, such as Instructor Zhao and Scholar Sun, also came.

"Young Master Gu, study hard in the provincial capital and don't let Qinghe County down."

"You are the pride of Qinghe County!"

Gu Ci returned the greetings one by one.

The dock was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and firecrackers.

Someone shouted at the top of their lungs, "Gu the Prodigy! Gu the Prodigy!"

The crowd joined in the shouting.

"Prodigy Gu!"

"Mr. Gu!"

The sound was deafening.

Gu Ci stood at the bow of the boat, looking at the people seeing him off.

An indescribable feeling welled up inside me.

These people were his fellow villagers.

That is also his root.

Gu Ang walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Ci'er, it's time to go."

Gu Ci nodded.

He turned around and bowed deeply to the people on the shore.

"Thank you, fellow villagers, thank you, gentlemen."

"Three years from now, I will return to Qinghe to share the good news with you all!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the shore.

The ship slowly left the dock.

Gu Ci stood at the bow of the boat, watching the crowd on the shore grow smaller and smaller.

Lin was in the crowd, waving her hands and crying so hard she couldn't stand up.

Gu Mingzhe supported her, his face also streaked with tears.

Gu Qingqing rode on her father's shoulders, waving her little hand: "Goodbye, brother! Goodbye, brother!"

The boat sailed further and further away.

The figures on the shore gradually became blurred.

Gu Ci turned around and looked at the wide river in front of him.

provincial capital.

he came!