Chapter 415: Chapter 408: I’m Just Obsessed With Good Looks 50
Xiao Yuan followed the entourage of Prince Su to the front of the exam hall.
At this time, the exam hall was about to close its doors.
Xiao Yuan stepped forward, wanting to enter, but the Government Official at the door stopped him.
Upon seeing this, the attendant of Prince Su hurriedly took out a note from Prince Su and found the chief examiner of this session.
Once the chief examiner saw that it was someone sent by Prince Su, how could he not let him in?
After all, the exam hall had not yet closed, so letting someone in did not violate the rules, thus it was only natural to do him this convenience.
The attendant personally escorted Xiao Yuan into the examination area and took the opportunity to make another request to the chief examiner before leaving.
Xiao Yuan was then taken to receive his exam slip.
Being the last to enter the examination area and the last to receive his exam number, he ended up getting a rather good examination cell.
While guiding Xiao Yuan to his examination cell, the government officer quietly asked him, "What is your relationship with the person who just brought you here?"
Xiao Yuan answered casually, "He’s an attendant of my friend. My friend knows that I have talent and that I’m certain to become the top scorer this time. Fearful that I’d miss the exam, he sent someone to accompany me. He even mentioned that he’s waiting for me to become the top scorer."
The government officer was taken aback upon hearing this and committed these words to memory.
After Xiao Yuan was settled and the examination papers were distributed, that government officer went to find the chief examiner.
"Sir."
The government officer whispered to the chief examiner, "The person who came just now has a very close relationship with Prince Su. The prince is even waiting for him to become the top scorer."
With just this sentence, the chief examiner felt somewhat apprehensive.
This chief examiner, Hong Enshou by name, was a very tactful man. The Second Prince and the Third Prince had fiercely contested for the position of chief examiner for the Imperial Examination, but in the end, it fell to Hong Enshou, who was not aligned with either side.
While Hong Enshou may seem like a royalist who never gets involved in the princes’ fights, he actually has a good relationship with Prince Su. Prince Su had saved his life during a border pacification mission, and afterwards, Hong Enshou had done many things to aid Prince Su.
Hearing about Xiao Yuan’s special tie with Prince Su, and that Prince Su intended for him to be the top scorer, Hong Enshou thought about how to secure the top prize for him.
If it were about getting Xiao Yuan to be the top scorer of the college examination, Hong Enshou felt somewhat confident—as long as Xiao Yuan’s written essays were not too poor and his scholarship was decent, he could bend the rules privately and bestow the title of top scorer upon Xiao Yuan. But regarding the top scorer of the Imperial Examination...
As Hong Enshou pondered, he asked the government officer, "What is Xiao Yuan’s background, and which home does he belong to?"
The government officer thought for a moment and then selected Xiao Yuan’s information, "Xiao Yuan hails from the Qingyuan people; his family has been in business for generations and is extremely wealthy. He does possess some scholarly talent and is very intelligent. During the county examination, prefecture exam, and college examination, he consistently ranked top of the list, achieving the Little Trivium. This time in the rural examination, he was the top scorer."
Upon hearing this, Hong Enshou clapped his hands decisively, now with an idea.
"Alright, you may go."
After the government officer left, Hong Enshou laughed to himself, "No wonder the prince regards him so highly; it all makes sense now."
Hong Enshou understood Prince Su very well and knew that the prince also harbored ambitions.
It’s just that Prince Su was smarter than both the Second Prince and the Third Prince. He had been playing the loyal and filial card, winning favor with the current emperor, while also pretending to be sick, thus earning the reverence of the Second and Third Princes without them suspecting him.
But privately, Prince Su was also making preparations.
However, Prince Su and the Ninth Prince both lacked familial support, and they did not know how to amass wealth, rendering their lives somewhat impoverished, with many of their plans hindered by a lack of funds.
On the other hand, the Xiao Family from Qingyuan was said to have strong business acumen, with generations of family heads being very good at making money.
The current head of the Xiao Family was even more skilled at earning money than his ancestors.
It could be said that securing the support of the Xiao Family was akin to acquiring a purse of money.
Moreover, Xiao Yuan does have the ability and scholarship.
Prince Su is thinking of supporting a top scorer.
Hong Enshou thought that Xiao Yuan had already achieved the four yuan and if he could help Xiao Yuan to become the top scorer in the Imperial Examination this time, perhaps the Holy Emperor, for the sake of a good reputation, would have to appoint Xiao Yuan as the top scorer.
Hong Enshou, who had been a government officer for many years, understood the Holy Emperor’s mind very well and felt that there was an eighty to ninety percent chance that Xiao Yuan could become the top scorer.
Thinking this way, Hong Enshou paid even more attention to Xiao Yuan.
To ensure that Xiao Yuan could take the exam well, he really did open a lot of back doors for him.
On the day itself, Hong Enshou arranged for a constable to quietly deliver a warm blanket to Xiao Yuan, while the other scholars had only hard dry food to eat and cool water to drink.
For Xiao Yuan, however, Hong Enshou unexpectedly sent someone to bring him hot soup along with freshly made pancakes plus two side dishes.
Of course, the deputy examiners were also watching this.
The deputy examiners did not understand why Hong Enshou was giving Xiao Yuan such preferential treatment.
Hong Enshou then played the Prince Su card, simply saying that Xiao Yuan was someone Prince Su specifically asked to be taken care of.
Once he said this, the deputy examiners naturally had no objections.
It’s not like they were helping Xiao Yuan cheat in the exam or leaking the questions, it was just making life a bit more convenient for him, which wasn’t a big deal and not worth offending Prince Su over.
The officials in the Capital all knew that Prince Su was greatly favored by the Holy Emperor, and although he seemed low-key, if he was really provoked, he could make you suffer bitterly.
These examiners were not rigid and inflexible; small favors here and there were easily granted if possible.
Other scholars in the exam cells were suffering, not eating or sleeping well, and shivering from the cold at night.
But Xiao Yuan was living in absolute comfort.
His mattress and blanket had been changed; the musty and damp old blankets were all removed and replaced with clean, fresh, and warm new ones.
Certainly, there was no worry about food and drink either.
Every meal he had was hot and different, with several dishes plus a soup, and though staying in the exam cell was a bit stifling, he didn’t suffer too much, at least much better than during the rural examination.
After several days of exams, when the other scholars came out, they all looked pale and were staggering, but Xiao Yuan emerged with a ruddy complexion and walked with strength.
Mr. Xiao was shocked to see him like this when he came to pick up Xiao Yuan.
"Yuanyuan, did you just sleep in the exam hall for several days?"
Xiao Yuan, upon boarding the carriage, took a sip of hot tea first: "No, I’ve been answering questions and writing articles the whole time. Dad, I did particularly well this time, all the questions had been tackled before, and even that article, Ningning had asked me to write before, she had also written similar ones. Anyway, I feel certain to pass this time."
Mr. Xiao laughed upon hearing this: "Really? If you truly succeed, our family’s ancestral grave might start emitting green smoke. Your mother and I, even after we’re in the ground meeting our ancestors, I’ll have something to boast about."
When they arrived home, Xiao Yuan ran to find Anning.
"Ningning, you were absolutely right, the Imperial Examination treats you much better than the rural examination. This time I slept well, ate well, and took the exam comfortably."
Anning: ...
Mrs. Xiao: ...
Mr. Xiao: "What’s going on?"
Mr. Xiao still remembered that on the third day of the examination, some scholars were carried out of the exam hall, and others nearly died from sudden sickness. How could it be that for Xiao Yuan everything went so smoothly with good sleep and good food.
"During the examination, the food was excellent; every day there was a different menu with meat pancakes, buns, noodles, and various dishes. I didn’t even touch the dry food you packed for me."
Xiao Yuan happily boasted to Mr. Xiao: "I ate well, so my brain was sharper. Anyway, I answered very well. Dad, just wait to be the top scorer’s father."