After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Upon hearing Eunuch Huang's call, most people seemed to suddenly realize something, and their expressions changed abruptly.

If... the red fish was just thrown into the fish basket, then the fish left in the brocade bag now... should be the black fish!

At this moment, the officials who hadn't kowtowed and were just watching the spectacle seemed to realize this as well. Their expressions changed instantly, and a playful smile appeared on their lips.

Yang Huaisi's forehead was red and swollen, but his eyes lit up. He slowly took out a brocade pouch from his bosom, pulled out a black coin from it, held it up, and said with a smile, "You all are just like me... not bothered by such trivial matters. Today... I consider myself to be joining you all in this grand event."

Everyone forced a smile and said, "Master Yang is indeed a man of great integrity."

He was able to produce a black piece, meaning he had just placed a natural red piece.

Xu Zhan's face turned pale, his hand resting on his chest. The brocade pouch under his clothes suddenly became very hot, and he didn't know whether to take it or not.

Huang Gonggong raised his eyelids and continued to laugh: "Heh, Xu Gong, is Huang Mo trying to say that the chess pieces His Highness Prince Xin bestowed upon everyone are actually chess pieces carved from extraordinary Lantian jade?"

"Today, everyone has shown great righteousness, turning hostility into friendship, and rescuing that young man from Prince Xin's clutches. I, Huang, admire you to the core... He won the game against you all, yet you are his saviors... Ah... In this way, this Mid-Autumn Festival chess match should indeed be passed down as a beautiful story... Hmm... Master Xu... this chess piece..."

Huang Gonggong nodded and chuckled, "Master Xu might as well take this home and treasure it, so that he can pass on his righteousness to future generations and teach them to emulate him... After all, one should be magnanimous."

Xu Zhan's eyes relaxed, and his whole body seemed to relax and feel refreshed as if he had been drenched in sweat. He immediately said "Eh eh" a few times, "What Eunuch Huang said is absolutely right." The others who had been holding their breath also relaxed.

After someone knelt down and said, "His Highness Prince Xin truly possesses the virtues of a benevolent ruler," the crowd immediately followed suit, bowing with excited expressions, saying, "Prince Xin is wise and mighty," "Prince Xin understands us, which is why such a wonderful story has been created," "Ning Baixuan is a genius of the world," "He must be saved, he must be saved..."

...Now that they've become Ning Baixuan's benefactors, past grievances are naturally settled. On the contrary, it's Ning Baixuan who should seek revenge. Anyone who holds a grudge about today's events and tries to cause trouble for Ning Baixuan... might just become the only black piece among the thirty-odd pieces today.

……

……

Ning Nan stood in the middle of the arena, staring dumbfounded at the fish basket the little eunuch held up in front of him. It was mostly filled with black fish, with only a small portion being red.

The old eunuch said sternly, "Ning Baixuan! Take a good look at how kind and virtuous all the civil and military officials of our Great Liang were when you first entered the courtyard! Apart from one official who cast the black ball to teach you a small lesson, all the other officials cast the red ball! You must remember that all the officials who entered the courtyard were your saviors. Never be arrogant and disrespectful again in the future, and never offend others for no reason!"

Ning Nan composed himself, then, following the other party's completely distorted account, he uttered a series of flowery words: "Thank you, Prince Xin; thank you, all the officials who entered the courtyard..."

...That's good. Often, if the other party is your benefactor, they won't make things difficult for you. It's like how salespeople in later generations often ask you to do them a small favor first if they want to sell you something. Once you become their benefactor, they'll ask you to do a bigger favor. If you don't help, the previous favor will be gone, and you'll feel morally pressured, like you haven't been a good person to the end.

Since these people have saved my life, they probably won't make things difficult for me in the future... Otherwise, they're just trying to get something in return, and they're hypocrites.

Ning Nan breathed a sigh of relief and obediently thanked him.

Then, the old eunuch at the head of the table said that Li Xing's chess skills were superb, comparable to the prodigy of the Northern Dynasty, and he was to be given a jade rabbit as a gift; Li Sanzhuang brought Li Xing to the banquet, which was a meritorious service in recommending talents for the country, and he was to be given a hundred gold pieces.

After understanding the old eunuch's words, the two spineless village bastards immediately beamed with joy and kowtowed in gratitude.

The courtiers also stood up and toasted together, praising King Xin for his "clear distinction between rewards and punishments," his "sage-like wisdom," his "compassion for his subjects and concern for the world," and his "selection of virtuous and capable officials," and so on.

Ning Nan felt helpless, but he could only join the others in offering a few flattering remarks.

Two eunuchs placed seats for them at the far right.

It was quite far from Prince Xin, probably more than fifty zhang away.

He sat down with a displeased look on his face. Li Xing held up a box of jade rabbits of various shapes and showed them to him like a treasure. Ning Nan pursed his lips and said perfunctorily, "They're beautiful, they're beautiful."

San Zhuang stared blankly at the box of gold, swallowed hard, and then handed it to Ning Nan, saying with a worried expression, "Brother, you should keep the money." He said with a bitter face that he didn't have a wife and didn't know how to manage money. He didn't want to lose it, so it was safer to leave it with his brother and sister-in-law. He would ask his sister-in-law to help him buy a house and find a wife later...

The chessboard with nineteen lines was removed.

Nalan Ruo and Gongsun Shanzhang have decided the winner.

Nalan Ruo naturally won.

However, it was not completed.

Although Master Gongsun resigned, he requested that Prince Xin keep the chessboard so he could take it back to Bailu Academy and ponder it further, hoping to find a solution. Prince Xin naturally agreed.

The chessboard was removed from the playing area.

Nalan Ruo returned to his seat in the Northern Dynasty delegation, and Gongsun Shanchang was also welcomed to the seat of the Southern Dynasty officials.

Immediately, the pleasant sounds of string and wind instruments began.

A group of dancers dressed in red or green took to the stage, their long sleeves fluttering, their voices melodious, and the grand and graceful "Dance of the Moon" began to play.

The scene became extremely lively.

Li Xing was dumbfounded, while San Zhuang stared blankly at one beautiful dancer after another, who looked like fairies.

As the singing and dancing continued...

The ministers, nobles, and princes stood up one by one to toast Prince Xin, saying "May you have a peaceful Mid-Autumn Festival." When it was his turn to toast as a commoner at the end of the table, he had to introduce himself, but he really had nothing to say, so he simply said, "This humble commoner is from Ningnan, and my name is Bai Xuan. I wish Your Highness a peaceful Mid-Autumn Festival." Fortunately, no one laughed at him. The old eunuch spoke on behalf of Prince Xin and even encouraged him a few times.

Next, the foreign envoys began to offer their toasts.

People from about a dozen countries, including Russia, Korea, Siam, Annam, and Japan, stood up. Even people from Java came... Javanese people have dark complexions, sturdy builds, and long black curly hair.

During the toast, the Korean envoy spoke fluent and elegant Chinese, using many classical allusions, which won him great applause from the civil officials.

The other envoys spoke Chinese in a rather stiff and formal manner, but their smiles were radiant. Those who did not speak Chinese at all were spoken by interpreters.

For example, the young Russian ambassador, Nikolai Rostov, with his broad frame, blond hair, and grey eyes, did not speak Chinese. He spoke only in Russian with a smile, and his speech was very fast, like firecrackers popping. The interpreter next to him translated it into Chinese for him.

The interpreter was wearing a melon-shaped hat, which they had brought from the Northern Dynasty.

The man was Han Chinese, with a beaming smile and a melodious voice. His translation of Rakshasa was quite impressive, though he stumbled a few times in the middle.

Rakshasa are from the West, and their language is rather unrestrained. Presumably, they translated some inappropriate words into more polite ones with allusions... Ning Nan didn't understand Rakshasa very well, but when he heard the interpreter say something like "A saint is born, and all the world rejoices," he roughly guessed that this Rakshasa person probably treated the Mid-Autumn Festival like Christmas and was wishing King Xin a "Merry Christmas."

Finally, Da Chun of the Northern Dynasty rose with a smile, offered a toast, and then said with a smile, "Your Highness must already know that today our dynasty wishes to present Your Highness with a great gift."

Zhu Cuiwei said calmly, "Indeed, thank you for your kind envoy for escorting me all this way."

Da Chun smiled and shook his head, saying, "Your Highness is too kind."

He gave a greeting.

Not long after.

A Northern Dynasty soldier dressed in apricot-yellow armor with red trim slowly walked up from the drill ground. The soldier had a resolute face and was carrying a musket on his back.

Upon seeing this scene, the officials of the Southern Dynasty widened their eyes and felt a chill run down their spines.

Without the Prince of Xin needing to speak, a dozen or so burly generals dressed in full red armor, wielding long poles and swords, came forward from the rear corridor, lined up in a row, and blocked the Prince of Xin's beaded curtain, their chilling aura palpable.

Da Chun took a few steps into the arena, pointed to the muskets on the backs of the Northern Dynasty soldiers, and laughed:

"Your Highness, this is the congratulatory gift from our dynasty... The latest firearms made by our craftsmen never miss, and can pierce armor even at a range of fifty feet..." Da Chun's eyes twitched slightly as he smiled, "...and can pierce your dynasty's heavy armor."

...As Dachun spoke, Rostov of the Russian delegation on the left smiled and stared at the gun behind the North Korean soldier.