Le charme d'une femme puissante se répand à travers le monde

Chapitre 19

Clouds Drunk and the Moon Slightly Sleeping (Revised Edition) Volume One: When We Met, We Were All Joyful at the Palace Examination

Chapter word count: 3145 Last updated: 08-12-20 15:53

Palace Examination

Before I knew it, the provincial examination day arrived, but I still hadn't gone to the examination hall. From each of the twenty states of Longyao Kingdom, ten candidates were sent, totaling two hundred people. The examination was divided into literature and history, national history, law, and policy essays, held over two days in four sessions, morning and afternoon. A total of eight hundred papers were piled up in front of me, stacks several meters high. I had seven days to grade them all and determine the top twenty candidates, because on the eighth day, the list had to be submitted to that talkative, handsome dragon-fox at the morning court. The ninth day, the eleventh day of the provincial examination, was the day of the palace examination.

For the past week, aside from attending court, I've spent every day poring over exam papers. To be honest, I don't know if the Dragon Fox was too lazy or too trusting of me, but he never bothered to check on the twenty shortlisted candidates, just waiting for the results. Luckily, I had the foresight to keep something in reserve, so apart from the policy essay, the other three exam papers weren't very long, and grading them wasn't slow. I compiled a statistical table of the results so that the top twenty could be selected based on their total scores.

For the policy essay exam, any paper with even slightly messy handwriting or a slightly dirty page will have 20 points deducted. In this era without computers, everything will rely on official documents in the future. If someone can't even write neatly or keep their paper clean, won't I suffer in the future? Fortunately, such people are very few and far between.

After countless sleepless nights, I finally finished the list on the afternoon of the seventh day. I slept soundly that night, and the next morning at court, I eagerly presented the list, which I had worked on for days and carefully considered, to Dragon Fox. I breathed a long sigh of relief: God, Jesus, Mary, finally I'm done. Now it's up to you, Dragon Fox, hehe. But Dragon Fox didn't even glance at the list, only sending a message: "The palace examination is tomorrow. Minister Yun, you decide what to do. All of you will participate and take a good look at the first imperial examination of my Dragon Yao Kingdom and the talents selected."

I was furious, desperately reminding myself that this was the Qianqing Hall and it was morning court time, which helped me restrain myself from rushing forward and kicking the dragon fox off the dragon throne. Watching the dragon fox's smug grin, I secretly vowed: "You stinky fox, if I don't teach you a lesson tomorrow, I'm not Lin Qianqian, hmph!"

Ding ding ding, the day of the palace examination has finally arrived!

After the morning court session ended, all the civil and military officials moved to the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Once the dragon and fox spirits took their seats on the dragon throne at the head of the hall, the officials followed suit. The order was the same as in the morning court, except that everyone was seated now, while everyone had stood. There were low tables and soft couches on both sides. I sat at the head of the left row, facing Er Linzi across the hall.

Seeing that the dragon fox nodded slightly, I clapped my hands twice, and the eunuch outside the door shouted in a shrill voice: "Candidates, enter the hall."

It was nearing the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the weather was still quite hot. The examinees had been waiting outside the hall for nearly an hour. Fortunately, apart from their faces being slightly flushed, no one seemed to have fainted or anything.

It was nearing the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the weather was still quite hot. The examinees had been waiting outside the hall for nearly an hour. At this moment, the twenty people entered the hall one by one with their heads bowed, not daring to raise their heads. Then they knelt down together and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" three times.

"Get up, all of you." The dragon fox's voice was lazy, then he looked at me and said, "The rest is up to Minister Yun."

I will endure the wrath of Heaven.

I slowly rose and walked to the lower left of the dragon fox, where a eunuch brought a soft couch and placed it behind me. I glanced at it with surprise, too embarrassed to sit down, and instead addressed the crowd standing in the hall in a deep voice: "Those who participated in the palace examination today are all talents selected from among the best in our Longyao Kingdom. By the grace of His Majesty, you are able to stand in this Hall of Supreme Harmony to see the Emperor's face and receive his personal guidance and inspection. Therefore, regardless of whether you pass the examination or not, and regardless of whether you serve in the court or remain in the government, your status is not only that of the first batch of scholars in the Longyao Kingdom's imperial examination, but also that of role models for countless future generations, and even more so, that of the Emperor's disciples! Disciples of the Emperor, do you all understand clearly how to ensure that this honor is not tarnished?"

Everyone was startled, then knelt down again, kowtowing to express their gratitude for the divine grace, their voices filled with intense emotion.

I scanned the twenty people standing bowing in the hall again. Besides Shen An, Mu Zui, and Lu Chengli, whom I'd met at the Talent Pavilion, and two others who were present but whose names I didn't know, the only one I recognized was that brat Gu Mozhi. Thinking of his policy essays, I realized this kid was quite talented. Then, recalling the first time I saw him, his drunkenly flirting with Hong'er, I secretly swore in my heart: Gu Xiaosan, if you ever do anything shameful again and ruin the reputation of the imperial examination candidates, I'll announce to the world that you're a womanizer, and you'll never be able to show your face in public again! Humph!

These people, from the moment they entered the hall, stood with their heads bowed, not daring to raise their heads rashly. The emperor's countenance was not to be offended, his majesty not to be provoked; emperors possessed absolute power and authority, and never tolerated the slightest disrespect. In the court, even high-ranking officials dared not look directly at the emperor, and even when the emperor asked a question, they could only answer with their heads bowed. In comparison, my fleeting glance on my first day at court seemed exceptionally bold, insightful, and extraordinary, hehe.

"Today's palace examination is divided into three parts. The first part is the written examination. Each of you must compose a poem on the spot. The one who receives the poem must recite it on the spot. The time limit is one incense stick. When the incense burns out, it is time to stop answering the questions." I turned to the fox and bowed slightly, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare to ask you to give me a question."

Fox, you told me yesterday to figure it out myself, but you didn't say I had to set the questions or anything. I've already thought it all out. Today, not only will you set the questions, but you'll also... Hehe, the more I think about it, the smuger I get, and my lips are cramping from trying to hold back a laugh.

"My dear minister," a flash of surprise crossed the fox's eyes, then he narrowed his long, narrow phoenix eyes knowingly, and smiled with unusual radiance, his voice exceptionally gentle, "I didn't expect that my first question today would be for me. Heh, it's rare for someone to give me a question. Since it's your wish, then I'll grant it."

After speaking, the fox's laughter grew even more lewd. "Alas, it's a pity that with his filthy appearance, no one except me dared to look him in the eye. Otherwise, those ministers would be utterly astonished to see their usually sacred and unapproachable emperor behaving like this." The fox laughed as he surveyed the group of people with their heads bowed, then turned his gaze to the palace gates.

Not far from the palace gate, there was a pond of lotus flowers, now withered and faded, nearing Mid-Autumn Festival. Sure enough, the fox smiled back at me and lazily asked, "What do you think of the lotus flowers, my dear minister?"

Tch, you fox, you have no creativity. I knew this would happen the second before your eyes even touched the lotus. I'm so smart that I can finally understand the loneliness of Dugu Qiubai at the top. Life has lost all its fun!

"The lotus rises from the mud yet remains unstained, washed by clear ripples yet not seductive, its stem straight and hollow, neither creeping nor branching, its fragrance growing stronger as it spreads, standing tall and serene, to be admired from afar but not to be profaned—truly a gentleman among flowers." I rambled on idly, only to realize that nearly a hundred pairs of eyes in the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony were staring at me, their expressions varied. Amazed, appreciative, surprised, thoughtful, incredulous, delighted… especially those of the candidates who had seen me in the Pavilion of Talents that day, particularly that student Mu Zui; the fervor in his eyes made me tremble. Sigh, I'm still a little unaccustomed to being so openly worshipped.

"Prime Minister Yun is truly the foremost talent of our dynasty." "Prime Minister Yun's literary talent is well-deserved." Before long, whispered flattery echoed throughout the hall, gradually growing louder. Everyone noticed that Fox was smiling but silent, and the flattery in his words became increasingly obvious.

My face flushed slightly, truly because I felt guilty, but in the eyes of others, it probably appeared as a sign of humility, and the praise poured in even more heavily, as if they wouldn't stop until they flattered me to death. I could only cough lightly and take the initiative to change the subject: "Your Majesty, is today's literary examination on the topic of lotus flowers?"

"After what you just said, who would dare to compose a poem about lotus flowers in front of you? Never mind, let's change it. Let's use love as the theme." The fox smiled at me, a hint of doting in his eyes, then shook his head slightly and said calmly, "Today is the palace examination. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is not like the Hall of Pure Purity. Don't be too formal. How can you compose a poem with your head down?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked up at the dragon throne again. Those who were seeing the emperor's face for the first time were all somewhat lost in thought. Even some ministers, who usually only dared to speak with their heads bowed, were taken aback by the fox's unusually amiable demeanor. Ah, fox, you truly are a devil incarnate.

Incense was lit, and one by one, people stepped forward to recite poems. Before a single stick of incense had burned out, all twenty examinees in the hall had already composed poems in response. I listened carefully, and among them, the poems of Chen An and Mu Zui were the most outstanding; the former was graceful and the latter bold and unrestrained, each with its own merits. Looking at the expressions of Fox, Er Linzi, and Gu Wenxiu, their thoughts were probably similar to mine.

"Why don't you compose a poem, my dear minister? Your reputation is renowned throughout the land, and your literary talent is outstanding. Today, let all my ministers witness it. How about that pond of withered lotus leaves?" The fox's eyes gleamed with cunning.

You cunning fox! I was planning to ask you to compose a poem, but before I could even speak, you've already tried to frame me. "Withered lotus, withered lotus," you think you can stump me? Fine, today I'll just plagiarize one to give you a good laugh.

"The lotus leaves have withered, no longer able to hold up the rain; the chrysanthemums have faded, yet their branches still defy the frost. Remember, the best time of year is when oranges are yellow and tangerines are green." I deliberately recited this poem slowly and deliberately, to create the illusion that I was reciting it on the spot. I admit I'm really dark and shameless, but honestly, I don't have the ability to compose a poem on the spot, 55555

Clouds Drunk and the Moon Slightly Sleeping (Revised Edition) Volume One: When We Met, We Were All Joyful - Imperial Edict

Chapter word count: 2734 Update time: 08-12-20 15:53

Imperial Edict

A series of crisp claps rang out in the quiet Hall of Supreme Harmony, finally bringing the dazed crowd back to their senses. I slowly looked to my right, and sure enough, it was Erlinzi clapping his hands. Moreover, he seemed unusually excited and had somehow stood up. I broke out in a cold sweat!

"Yun Xiang's knowledge, wisdom, character, magnanimity, and integrity are not only admired by Qing Lin, but are probably unheard of and unseen in the entire Six Kingdoms. It is truly a great fortune for our Longyao Kingdom to have such a prime minister!" Er Linzi's eyes were exceptionally clear and intense as he stared at me, making me feel like I was on cloud nine.

Uh, Erlinzi, this is ridiculous. Going too far makes it no fun. You talk about my knowledge, that's undeniable. Our Chinese culture spans five thousand years and nine thousand miles; even if I only grasped a tiny fraction, it'd be enough to impress you. As for my intelligence, I'm quite confident in that, especially when comparing myself to you. My character? Well, so-so. My magnanimity? Well, talking about magnanimity to a lady isn't very polite, but I'll be magnanimous and let it slide since you're unaware. Integrity? Integrity is what? Is it edible? Seriously, you don't think that just because I recited a couple of lines of poetry, I'm truly "well-read and naturally elegant," do you? You don't really think I'm like a proud chrysanthemum, standing tall even when crippled, do you? Let me tell you, I cherish my life!

"Your Majesty, since everyone is here today and Prime Minister Yun is so poetic, why not ask him to compose another poem to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival? The Mid-Autumn Festival is less than ten days away." Er Linzi gave me a deep look, then turned to ask the Dragon Fox for permission.

Huh? Hey Erlinzi, are you out of your mind or possessed today? You're still going on and on? Or are you suddenly itching for a beating and hoping I'll be happy to help you? Or maybe you've suddenly developed some guts and dare to make fun of me?

I glared at the fox with all my might, opening my eyes as wide as I could so it could clearly see my dark, shiny pupils moving rapidly from side to side, hoping it would understand that I meant "NO"! No, no, the fox doesn't understand English; what I meant was no way!

Just before my eyes started to cramp from blinking, the fox finally blinked his beautiful eyes at me a few times, and then said to everyone in a very lazy tone, "Yes, it's almost Mid-Autumn Festival again, so why don't you compose a poem, my dear minister?"

Damn it, you dragon fox, you clearly understood what I meant, yet you still act like an ingrate! Did a dog steal your conscience? 5555, why am I so unlucky? One by one, they're all thinking about how to torment me.

With a pained expression, I casually recited: "When will the moon be clear and bright? I raise my cup to ask the heavens. I wonder what year it is tonight in the celestial palace. I long to ride the wind and return, yet I fear the jade towers and crystal palaces are too cold at such heights. I dance with my shadow, how can it compare to being in the mortal world? The moon turns through the red pavilion, shines low through the painted windows, illuminating my sleeplessness. There should be no resentment, yet why is the moon always full when we are apart? People have sorrow and joy, separation and reunion; the moon has its phases of waxing and waning, and such things have always been imperfect. I only wish that we may all live long and share the beauty of the moon, even from afar."

Erlinzi, you asked me to compose a poem, so I'll recite a ci poem for you instead. How about that? Never heard of it before, huh? Stunned? In our backyard, this is an old, well-known story, so you should understand how ignorant you are without me having to explain. Let's see if you dare to make fun of me again next time, hmph.

The following two parts examine the twenty men's views on officialdom, their analysis of the current world situation, and their thoughts and suggestions on the politics of the Longyao Kingdom. These twenty men are truly the elite of the elite, the most talented among the talented, each possessing unique analyses and insights. In particular, Gu Mozhi's insights on criminal law, Lu Chengli's on water conservancy, Shen An's on sacrificial rituals, and Mu Zui's on the official system are the most unique and profound. Watching them confidently and respectfully express their thoughts, I knew then that they were the ones—the ideal talents for the Six Ministries in my mind. Given time and experience, they will undoubtedly become the indestructible pillars of the Longyao Kingdom.