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

A lantern was hanging on the side of the carriage.

The dim yellow light danced on Yan and Wang's faces, and their pupils narrowed slightly.

Yan Yuqing, with a full head of white hair, frowned and asked in surprise:

"The son-in-law won eight games in a row?"

The scout knelt outside the carriage curtain, his voice excited:

"Exactly! The first round was the Northern Dynasty's Beile pouring wine. After the Beile poured the wine and the son-in-law checked it to make sure it wasn't poisoned, he picked up the wine and drank it all in one gulp! The Beile immediately lost a thousand taels."

"After the son-in-law won, he had the prince continue pouring wine..."

The scout spoke with the excitement of someone who had won a battle, recounting in detail how his son-in-law had won eight games in a row.

In some rounds, the son-in-law chose to drink the poison after testing it, and in others, he chose not to.

The son-in-law made the right choice, because even the Tartar dared not drink the wine he poured.

A hint of doubt appeared on the face of the chief eunuch of the Imperial Censorate.

He couldn't help but exchange a glance with Yan Yuqing, and both of them were somewhat startled.

Although their words were speculations, they also implied a tacit understanding that they were trying to preemptively make amends for the son-in-law.

Although they didn't know the son-in-law's true intentions, this attempt to make amends meant that the son-in-law had shot himself in the foot, losing a lot of money to the Northern Tartars.

They could also spread rumors that the son-in-law was "teaching the Tartar saints the great path of benevolence," thus turning the situation around and preventing damage to the son-in-law's reputation as a talented man.

But to everyone's surprise... the son-in-law actually won so many games?!

Wang Bing frowned, wondering if his son-in-law had some way of distinguishing the difference.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea, reasoning that if it were true, the Northern Dynasty's princes would certainly have noticed it...

Inside the carriage, the old Imperial Guard and the shrewd middle-aged eunuch each had some doubts.

After a moment of surprise, Zhu Cuiwei's eyes gleamed slightly.

But I was also puzzled, wondering how the young doctor had managed to do it.

However, the thought of the man's injured hand made him frown, unsure whether he should send someone to tell him to go home quickly.

……

……

Inside the Crane Cry Tower.

Hongfeng stared wide-eyed at a basin of hot water on the square table, the surface of which was steaming.

A small wooden frame is placed in hot water.

On the wooden shelf sat a porcelain bowl containing a bowl of warmed rice wine.

Across the square table, the young man in the moon-colored robe once again took out the thin glass rod that shimmered with red and green light.

At the end of the thin glass rod is a small ball the size of a quail egg.

Hong Fengfeng's handsome face twitched, and his eyes turned fierce.

"I'll say it again, how could Benbayar poison someone?"

The man in the moonlit robe opposite him paid no heed, inserting the glass rod into the mist and probing it into the bowl of wine.

In less than three breaths, he took out the glass rod, glanced at it, and said with a smile, "Indeed, it's non-toxic."

Then, he glanced at Hongfeng, his eyes shifting for a moment, grunted, reached out and took out a cup of yellow wine, swallowed hard, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Hiss!" A collective gasp filled the air around them!

Hong Feng's expression also changed, and he gritted his teeth.

After his eyes darted around a few times, he pulled out a Hengyuan Manor silver note from his pocket and slapped it on the table.

Just then, a voice calling out names came from outside.

"...Master Yang Gu of the Yang family...ranked fourth in the imperial examination!"

Inside the Crane Cry Tower, gasps of surprise suddenly erupted from the first and second floors.

"fourth?"

"Yang Gu? Fourth?"

"Last year's top scholar! Oh dear, look... he's lying there..."

"Tsk tsk tsk, a perfectly good fourth place in the imperial examination... ruined by the Tartars..."

"That's right, I wonder if they're still alive..."

On one side of the hall, the students of Bailu Academy heard that their senior brother Yang had achieved fourth place in the imperial examination, and their faces showed a mixture of grief and joy.

"Come here! Collect your reward!"

Qian Huang immediately stood up and called the messenger to come and collect the reward.

After washing the lower half of Senior Brother Yang's face with well water for half a day and also pouring a lot of well water into his stomach to save his burning throat, the doctor applied medicine to Senior Brother Yang. By then, he had already fainted from the pain.

"His life has been saved, but whether he'll be able to speak again is another question."

The doctor shook his head, stroked his beard, and sighed.

Li Yanting and the others had red eyes and felt a deep sense of sorrow.

Gongsun Heng was so remorseful that her face turned pale, and she squatted down next to her senior brother Yang, at a loss for what to do.

Li Yanting took off his long robe and covered Yang Gu with it. On the way to fetch Yang Gu, the Yang family members comforted Gongsun in a clear voice:

"Senior Sister, please don't blame yourself. The fault lies with Lu Jing. This man is vicious and ruthless. He did such a cruel thing to Senior Brother Yang in an attempt to intimidate the scholars of our Great Liang. He has only himself to blame, and he is in a much worse situation than Senior Brother Yang now."

Gongsun sniffed and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

At this time.

A commotion erupted outside, followed by another round of shouts of praise!

"Congratulations to Master Li Yanting of the Li family... for achieving the highest honors in the imperial examination... may your descendants enjoy lasting wealth and honor... and for ranking third in the provincial examination!"

Several messengers rushed in, shouting in drawn-out voices.

Upon hearing that Li Yanting had achieved third place in the imperial examination, Qian Huang, Min Qi, Qing Zude, and several others all looked at him with envy and offered their congratulations.

The other candidates from Bailu Academy who were participating in the imperial examinations were filled with mixed feelings.

Although the second-place winner and the top scholar have not yet been announced, everyone naturally knows that they have almost certainly failed this year's examination.

But since he was already a successful candidate in the imperial examinations and could barely be considered an official, he wasn't that resentful.

The resentment in their hearts is always much less than that of a scholar who has repeatedly failed the imperial examinations.

Gongsun Heng was also very happy for her junior brother, who was older than her but joined the sect later than her. She quickly forced a smile and congratulated him:

Congratulations, Junior Brother Li!

Li Yanting's expression also turned to surprise. Although he had been taking care of Senior Brother Yang, he had also been paying attention to the chanting of names.

When I heard that only sixty-two students would be admitted this year, I felt a little heavy-hearted.

As the names were announced one by one, neither his nor his senior brothers Qian and Huang's names were among them. His heart sank to the bottom.

And just then, Ning the Demon Lord... um... Brother-in-law Ning... was gambling with that Northern Dynasty prince, so his mind was completely drawn to them.

I never imagined that I would actually come in third place in the high school entrance exam!

Suddenly, Li Yanting was speechless.

At this moment, when the others learned that he was actually Master Li, who ranked third in this year's imperial examination, they all rushed up, their faces beaming with smiles, and offered their congratulations.

Some bowed and announced their names, some asked for matchmakers, and some handed over their visiting cards. The constant calls of "Master Li," "Scholar Li," and "Brother Li" made his head spin.

For a moment, his throat went dry, and he didn't want to do anything but rush to the outside of the Ning residence, exhale a deep breath, and then shout at the top of his lungs towards his fiancée, Qinghuan, inside the high walls:

"Hey! Qinghuan! Your husband, Li Yanting, has passed the imperial examination!..."

……

Of the students who had previously gathered at Heming Tower, only four or five had passed the imperial examinations.

The fact that they had both placed third and fourth immediately drew everyone's attention, and the building was filled with discussions and congratulations. Everyone wanted to befriend the top three in the imperial examination.

In front of the square table in the center of the lobby.

Ning Nan also turned his head and saw that Li Jiacun's top student had ranked third in the imperial examination and was surrounded by people. He couldn't help but feel happy for him and grinned, chuckling twice.

But even now, he still hasn't heard his own name called, and his heart sinks a little.

My right hand, wrapped in gauze after the medicine was applied, felt a little numb. My fingers trembled, and I silently took a breath.

Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow, thinking that he had to finish the matter at hand first... After all, he had at least passed the imperial examination and could at least become an official, right?

With that thought, he cleared his mind, turned around, and smiled at the fat sheep opposite him:

"Oh, what's wrong? Seventh Young Master, are you still going to gamble? Aren't you going to pour some wine?"