The rebellious grandson of Emperor Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty: Please, Your Majesty, be called Cro

Knowing that the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Confucius, would be rewarding the newly appointed scholars who had passed the imperial examinations in the outer courtyard of the Confucius Temple, and also imparting knowledge to the students of the Imperial Academy, the twenty-seven-year-old Wang Xuance was walking towards the Confucius Temple with a group of successful candidates and students from the Imperial Academy.

Suddenly, a cheerful call came from behind, piercing through the whispers of the surrounding students: "Brother Wang!"

Wang Xuance was slightly taken aback, and slowly turned his head. He saw a person standing under the corridor, dressed in a plain long robe, with clear and bright eyes. It was Lu Erlang, who had always been close to him.

He quickly composed himself, curtsied, and spoke in a respectful yet familiar tone: "...Second Brother."

Lu Zhaolin strode forward, reached out and pulled away Lu Zhaolin's bowing hand, raised his eyebrows in feigned displeasure, but his tone was full of intimacy: "Brother Xuan Ce, why are you so absent-minded? Knowing that you have passed the imperial examination, I was so happy that I couldn't sleep all night and waited here for you for a long time."

"I didn't expect that my brother would be so reserved and distant when he saw me."

Having said that, he winked and joked, "What's wrong? Is it because the Sanlejiang wine in Pingkangfang is so expensive that Brother Wang is unwilling to share a drink with me to celebrate your success in the imperial examination?"

Wang Xuance was amused by him, and a smile appeared in his eyes. His previous seriousness vanished, and he cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Second Brother is joking."

"Although the Sanle wine is expensive, since Erlang is willing to share a drink with me, even though I am poor, I am still willing to give this token of my appreciation."

"After meeting the chief priest and hearing the sermon today, I will go with Erlang to Pingkangfang for a good drink and drink until we are completely drunk."

The two deliberately lagged behind the crowd, walking side by side towards the Confucius Temple. Along the way, they saw students dressed in traditional Chinese robes, some whispering about Confucius's teachings, others hoping for their future.

Lu Erlang slowed his pace, his gaze sweeping over the students who had already walked far ahead, and sighed softly, "Brother, I have always known that you are skilled in both literature and martial arts. As long as you pass the preliminary examination in the academy, you will surely pass the imperial examination without a doubt."

"It's a pity that you were held back for several years by this short examination in the prison. When I learned that you had passed the short examination, I knew that you would definitely pass with flying colors."

"Fortunately, although the case of deposing the crown prince in April caused a great upheaval, it did not affect the imperial examinations. Otherwise, with your talent, you had finally passed the preliminary examinations. If you had missed this exam, it would have been a great pity."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuance's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said calmly, "It is indeed fortunate. Hehe, although the court has experienced turmoil, it has not abandoned education and still selects people based on their talents. This is why we students have not wasted our years of hard work."

Lu Erlang patted him on the shoulder, his tone full of excitement and expectation: "Now that you've paid your respects to Chancellor Kong, you'll be entering the Ministry of Personnel for selection, right?"

"I have always known that you are no ordinary scholar. With your abilities, you will surely be selected for a good post in the future!"

"Brother, you've always had lofty ambitions, determined to leave your mark on history. Now that you've passed the selection process, you'll surely be able to fully display your talents, won't you?"

"What I'm worried about is the selection process." To Lu Erlang's surprise, Wang Xuance shook his head, his face full of worry.

"I've heard that the Ministry of Personnel has very few vacancies these days, and few of the newly appointed officials who passed the imperial examinations are able to pass the selection process. It's said that someone who passed the mathematics exam during the Wude era is still a minor official in some county!"

"Even those who passed the selection process were often assigned to serve as officials in remote and pestilential areas in the southwest, such as Jiaozhou and Rongzhou."

"If I go to the southwest, I fear I may never return. But my elderly mother is still in Guanzhong..."

"How could that be?" Lu Erlang asked, somewhat surprised. "A cousin of mine passed the imperial examination a year ago and was selected by the Ministry of Personnel to serve as a county magistrate in a certain place in the Central Plains."

"I haven't heard of any being sent to Jiaozhou or Rongzhou."

Wang Xuance smiled bitterly. Lu Erlang was from the Lu clan of Fanyang, while he was just a commoner from a humble family...

In the Tang Dynasty, the distinction between the aristocratic and the common people was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth. For a scion of a high-ranking family like Lu Erlang, if he wished to become an official, he could easily take the imperial examinations for the Mingjing and Jinshi degrees. Once selected, he could be assigned to fertile regions like Guanzhong and the Central Plains. He could even be recommended for higher positions.

As for commoners like him, they could only take exams in minor subjects such as law, calligraphy, and mathematics. Even if they passed the exams, they would at most be sent to remote counties, which was tantamount to exile. Some could not even become officials and could only become clerks.

Even so, it's not something you can just take whenever you want. Getting a chance to pass the prison's preliminary exam can take years.

In the Tang Dynasty, the difficulties that commoners faced in rising to prominence were something that a high-born scion like Lu Erlang could never understand.

Perhaps sensing the bitterness on Wang Xuance's face, Lu Erlang stopped mentioning the selection process. Instead, he changed the subject, saying, "We have done our best; let fate decide."

"There's been a new poem circulating in Chang'an recently; I wonder if you've heard of it, Brother Wang."

As he spoke, his eyes lit up, and he lowered his voice: "A few days ago, in the Hibiscus Garden, the son of the deposed crown prince recited poetry, astonishing everyone present..."

"You poetry fanatic!" Wang Xuance's expression changed, and he quickly looked around.

Seeing that no one was listening, he breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "That mad prince Li Xiang is reciting nothing but rebellious poems!"

"Aren't you afraid of being punished?"

"What crime has the poem committed?" Lu Erlang straightened up. "That imperial grandson is also from the Li family, and he is still young. He is just feeling resentful."

"Come, Brother Wang, let's appreciate this poem together. 'When autumn comes on the ninth day of the ninth month'... Even just considering the chrysanthemum, this poem is an excellent work."

"That grandson of the emperor is indeed a talented man..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Xuance abruptly tugged at his sleeve, abruptly interrupting him.

Lu Zhaolin looked up in astonishment and saw a handsome young man emerge from behind the pillars.

The young man was handsome with exquisite features, but his eyes and brows carried a hint of nonchalance, giving him a carefree and unconventional appearance.

He was closely followed by a burly guard with a sword at his waist, who stayed by his side at all times, but for some reason, his expression seemed somewhat helpless.

The young man spotted Wang Xuance and Lu Zhaolin at a glance, his eyes lighting up instantly. He strode forward, speaking casually yet familiarly: "Brothers, may I ask for directions?"

"Do you know how to get to the Chancellor's office?"

"The office of the chief priest?" Wang Xuance and Lu Zhaolin exchanged a glance, both looking completely bewildered, not understanding this strange term at all.

"Young master, are you going to pay your respects to the Chancellor of Confucius? The Chancellor is currently in the outer courtyard of the Confucius Temple, waiting for us new students and students from the prison to come and receive his teachings."

"Hey, so the old scholar just happened to be summoning you for a lecture? What a coincidence!"

The young man immediately slapped his thigh, his face lighting up with joy. The guard behind him, with his sword, froze for a moment, and hurriedly stepped forward to say something, but the young man deftly dodged him, clearly used to it.

The guards whispered a few words anxiously, their words indistinct, but their faces showed utter helplessness. Wang Xuance and Lu Zhaolin exchanged glances, their confusion growing.

A moment later, the young man turned around, smiling at the two men. His tone was humble yet carried an air of undeniable authority: "In that case, I would be grateful if you two gentlemen could show me the way."

Wang Xuance hesitated for a moment, then frowned and asked, "May I ask what business you have with the Imperial Academy Master, young master?"

"My elders at home have a few private words of advice for me, but it would also be a good opportunity to hear the teachings of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy," the young man replied with a chuckle.

The two men sized up the young man before them. He was still quite young and did not appear to be a registered student of the Imperial Academy, yet he was accompanied by a bodyguard with a sword at his side. He possessed an extraordinary air and was clearly from a prominent family. Upon hearing that an elder in his family had entrusted him with something, they assumed that he was a long-time friend of the Chancellor Kong and their doubts were somewhat alleviated.

"If that's the case, then come with us," the two said.

Completely unaware that he had brought a terrifying devil to the Imperial Academy.