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

Inside the main hall of Heming Tower.

A figure dressed in white swayed from side to side, reeking of alcohol, and pointed at a figure wearing a melon-shaped hat in front of him, his finger trembling.

He was originally exceptionally handsome, but now his face was contorted, and he sneered:

"You Tartar! You, a mere second-to-last place finisher in the provincial examination, how dare you speak so arrogantly before me, the esteemed third-place scholar!..."

talking.

He snatched a wine bowl from a square table.

With a forceful push of his right hand, he slammed it down!

"Snapped!"

The wine bowl is shattered into four pieces!

"Oh dear! Oh dear!" The long-bearded manager of Heminglou was so anxious that tears were about to fall from his eyes.

"Wu Tan Hua! Wu Tan Hua! You're drunk...you're drunk..."

He stamped his foot in frustration, but dared not step forward.

Just as he ordered a waiter to step forward, Wu Tanhua smashed the waiter's head with a wine bowl, causing blood to flow freely!

If it weren't for his quick thinking and speed, he probably would have had his head pierced by a shard of porcelain from the crazed Wu Tanhua!

Around the lobby.

Surrounded by scholars wearing square headscarves, everyone stared intently at the suddenly mad Wu Tanhua, their expressions filled with excitement.

The second floor was also crowded with scholars watching the play, and the private rooms were all empty.

Some people were even secretly cheering, "Great!"

In the face of such a grand occasion, let alone drinking and eating, there's probably nothing else that can capture their attention except for the upcoming announcement of the results.

Seeing that this best day for doing business had been ruined by this third-place scholar, the shopkeeper was both anxious and angry. He had already sent someone to report to the authorities and to inform the Wu family.

He did send someone to the examination hall across the street, paid some money, and asked the constables who were supposed to maintain order to come and manage the situation.

But when they saw that there were both Tartars and the top scholar from the Wu family in the capital, they naturally wouldn't get involved. They simply said that their responsibility was to prevent people from disrupting the examination hall.

"You should report this to the authorities, report it to the authorities..."

The shopkeeper was completely at a loss and could only watch helplessly as Wu Tanhua went on a drunken rampage, hoping that he would sober up soon.

Upstairs and downstairs, the scholars had different expressions. Some were gloating, some looked at them with pity, some sighed, and some were indignant and wanted to go downstairs and give the Tartars a good scolding!

For a moment, whispers and murmurs filled the room.

"Wu Tanhua has gone mad..."

"That's right...it's said that the Emperor favored Wu Tanhua..."

"Hehehe..."

"I don't know, I don't know..."

"Those Tartars were drinking their wine, and Wu, the third-ranked scholar, happened to be there too, seemingly accompanying his classmates as they waited for the results to be announced... Suddenly, Wu went mad..."

"He smashed the Tartar's wine bowl! He even tried to hit the Tartar... but was kicked away by the Tartar's guard..."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, but dared not utter certain sensitive words for fear of causing trouble.

However, some of Wu Shangmei's words stirred their emotions.

Most of the people participated in the current imperial examination. Even those who did not participate had simply failed the provincial examination and were therefore ineligible to take it.

They had naturally heard about the rumors that the Tartars had stirred up in the capital.

Of course, I had some ideas in my mind, but I dared not say them out loud, not even to my close friends in the same department.

At most, he would say, "You must work hard this year, and absolutely not let those Tartars steal the limelight from the talented scholar of our Great Liang!"

I dared not say anything more, lest the Imperial Guards overhear me and I inadvertently cause a great disaster.

Seeing Wu Tanhua loudly reveal some of their secret thoughts, they couldn't help but feel a little smug.

If it weren't for the fact that the Tartar was accompanied by a dozen or so fierce-looking men in black jackets, they probably would have already been unable to contain themselves and would have been cheering loudly for Wu Tanhua!

First floor lobby.

Wu Shangmei's face was flushed, and the veins in her neck were bulging. She continued to shout and curse.

One moment they're cursing the "Tartars," the next they're cursing the person who might be the top scholar in this year's imperial examination. I don't know what kind of grudge they hold.

Wu Shangmei cursed Ning Baixuan the most.

What are these "last place in the county exam," "disgracing Master Gongsun's name," "You're not worthy to be Master Gongsun's disciple," "She broke the Moon Laurel Chess Game, why should she help you make demands," "You're not worthy to be her master"... And what are these "what a load of bull, a mere provincial graduate," "a worm who got lucky," "I should be the provincial graduate... I should be the top scholar!"...

Fortunately, when cursing Ning Baixuan, Wu Shangmei would always interject with a couple of curses about the "Tartars," which made everyone cheer with satisfaction.

Hongfeng, dressed in a black and red striped mandarin jacket, stood behind a square table with a livid face, staring at Wu Shangmei, who was still cursing loudly.

Dressed in scholar's attire and wearing a melon-shaped hat, Lu Jing stood pale-faced beside Hong Feng.

Lu Jing glanced at the Prince every now and then. Seeing the Prince's appearance, he knew that the Prince was probably furious, but was still weighing the pros and cons—whether or not to kill the Southern Dynasty's third-place scholar in public!

Around the two, a dozen or so men in black jackets, their eyes sharp as lightning, twitched. They had just been about to make a move, but the prince had stopped them by raising his hand.

At this moment, they only need the prince to give the order, and they will swarm forward and break the man's limbs and neck.

At this time.

"Hoo..." Prince seemed to have finished weighing his options and let out a deep breath.

He glanced at Lu Jing with a complicated expression: "Lu Jing, you've been in the Southern Dynasty for so long, tell me the truth, is it really true that I am so disliked by the people of the South?"

Lu Jing's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly clasped his hands in denial:

"Absolutely not! Your Highness is exceptionally intelligent and unparalleled in chess. Despite being of noble birth, you are deeply principled and kind-hearted. Even His Majesty and the Prince often praise you as one of the most outstanding members of the royal family. Your Highness, please do not think such a thing!"

Hongfeng's eyes regained their composure, but he sighed deeply, "Alas... it's a pity that I, the young prince, have long resided in the inner palace and have never possessed any talent for adaptability. Now, I am a guest in the Southern Dynasty, and my time here is still short... Lu Jing—"

He looked at Lu Jing, whose face was as handsome as jade, and said:

"Faced with this situation, even Xiao Wang doesn't know how to act in a way that would preserve the prestige of our dynasty?"

Lu Jing's expression froze for a moment, but he instantly understood what the Prince meant. He raised an eyebrow, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said:

"Your Highness is a man of great benevolence and righteousness; such a unreasonable and sophistry is beyond your control. I, Lu Jing, volunteer; Your Highness, please entrust me with the task!"

Hongfeng looked reluctant, his expression showing some struggle. After a while, he nodded with difficulty.

Lu Jing sighed inwardly, but his eyes sharpened as he glanced at the leader in the black jacket, who naturally understood.

Wu Shangmei pointed a finger and cursed, "Just a mere Tartar..."

It was at this moment.

A dark shadow flashed before my eyes.

An arm as strong as iron hung down.

next moment.

Wu Shangmei's outstretched right hand was grabbed by the man's five fingers. Wu Shangmei's right wrist felt as if it had been held in place by something made of iron. Her cursing stopped abruptly, and a chill suddenly ran through her body. She was instantly unable to move at all!

The man in the black vest glanced coldly at Wu Shangmei's drunken eyes.

He sneered and twisted it forcefully.

"Click!"

Wu Shangmei's wrist was visibly twisted at a terrifying angle, and a crisp sound rang out as his right wrist snapped! Intense pain shot from his wrist straight to the top of his head!

"Aaaaaaahh ...

A heart-wrenching scream suddenly echoed inside the building!

Wu Shangmei knelt on the ground, her face contorted in pain, and screamed!

"Aaaaaaah!!!!!"

"Hiss!" A collective gasp suddenly rang out in the room. Everyone felt a chill run down their spines when they saw the man in the black jacket suddenly make such a vicious move!

Lu Jing coldly said, "Break his teeth!"

"Snapped!"

The man in the black jacket slapped her across the face!

Wu Shangmei twisted her head to the left, her handsome left cheek swelling up high. Instantly, she spat out a mouthful of blood and five or six teeth, her face contorted, screaming "Ah ah..."

"stop!"

"stop!"

"How dare you!"

Seeing the Tartars make their move, everyone in the restaurant was immediately alarmed and shouted for them to stop...

……

"BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"

It was at this moment.

Amidst the densely packed crowd outside the examination hall, a deafening sound of footsteps and shouts erupted!

next moment.

"Great Liang Dynasty ~ Tianqi ~ 12th year ~ Dingmao year ~ Special Examination ~ Metropolitan Examination... 62nd place..."

The chanting continued endlessly, spreading outwards from the entrance of the examination hall like ripples...

Jiangnan Examination Hall...

This year's imperial examination...

The results are finally out!

……

……

It was not yet night.

The sky was tinged with a deep, dark blue-green hue.

A strong, yellow horse pulled a carriage, making a "choo-choo-choo" sound as it hurried into Gongyuan Street.