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Yunfei School sent Xu Guannan to participate in the competition. He sat in the first seat on the left of the first row.

Handsome and dignified, sitting upright and composed, his demeanor was calm and graceful. His strong scholarly aura attracted frequent side glances and admiration.

The Imperial College, on the other hand, sent Jiang Zhanglin.

Unlike Xu Guannan, who came from a poor family, Jiang Zhanglin was the direct grandson of the number one aristocratic family in the capital, the Jiang family, born into immense privilege.

Jiang Zhanglin’s grandfather, the former Grand Tutor, was the Emperor’s teacher. The Emperor had wanted him to tutor the young Crown Prince, but due to his declining health in recent years, he couldn’t take on the responsibility and was now resting at home. His status was highly esteemed, and he personally took care of Jiang Zhanglin’s upbringing, involving himself in every aspect of his life.

Jiang Zhanglin was that kind of child who was always at the forefront of his time. Exceptionally smart, he passed the child prodigy exams at seven, became a scholar at ten, and passed the provincial exams at thirteen. After several years of travel, he returned to enter the Imperial College, preparing for the highest imperial examination.

He sat in the first seat on the right of the first row.

The arrangement of these seats was quite deliberate, intended to balance the power, relationships, and views of all parties. Essentially, the first row with two seats was specially designed for these two.

Both Xu Guannan and Jiang Zhanglin were famous in the Dating Dynasty for their talents and had always been equally matched, earning them the nickname “The Twin Marvels,” and both were considered potential top scholars.

They were also the focus of the Emperor’s attention.

Eunuch Li Fei, holding a rolled-up sheet of paper, hurried over and announced loudly, “His Majesty has assigned the topic: Managing Drought!”

The severe drought in the first half of the year had almost led to the Dating Dynasty’s collapse. Although the crisis was resolved, it served as a warning. The question was how to handle such droughts in the future.

The topic was straightforward; it was now up to the students to demonstrate their abilities.

The time limit was set for one and a half hours.

The Emperor, standing among the crowd, observed the two contestants he had high hopes for.

Xu Guannan and Jiang Zhanglin, unfazed, confidently picked up their papers and dipped their brushes in ink, exuding confidence throughout.

Chu Qingzhi, holding the young Crown Prince’s hand, stood in a corner. Suddenly, a cultured-looking middle-aged man approached her for a chat, “May I ask whom Miss Chu favors more?”

Chu Qingzhi turned to look at the man and asked in return, “And whom do you, Sir, favor more?”

The middle-aged man pondered for a moment before replying, “Both are equally talented, and their writings are exceptional. It’s hard to say who is better.”

Chu Qingzhi said, “Then let’s see whose solution is more practical, or who proposes a method that is better for the people. Isn’t serving the country and the people the essence of being an official?”

The man nodded in agreement after a moment’s thought, “Your words are wise.”

Chu Qingzhi, still leading the young Crown Prince, then headed to the Go competition area.

There were 100 students who had signed up for the Go competition. There were 50 tables set up here, and a chessboard was placed on each table. It was already prepared.

Opponents were determined by drawing lots.

Chu Xuyuan drew number twenty-three and was already seated at table twenty-three. Upon seeing Chu Qingzhi, he came over to greet her, “Fifth sister.”

“I came to see how you’re doing. Think carefully before you make your moves during the competition, no need to rush.”

“I know, fifth sister,” Chu Xuyuan returned to his seat.

Another number twenty-three appeared, taking a seat opposite Chu Xuyuan. He seemed about the same age as Chu Xuyuan but carried a bit of arrogance in his demeanor.

After sizing up Chu Xuyuan, he spoke with a sense of superiority, “I’m Lin Jixian. Nice to meet you.”

Chu Xuyuan returned the greeting, “Chu Xuyuan. Nice to meet you.”

Lin Jixian glanced in Chu Qingzhi’s direction, and his arrogance instantly disappeared when he saw Chu Qingzhi holding the young Crown Prince, turning humble, “Is the person you were speaking with your elder sister?”

Chu Xuyuan nodded, “Yes, my fifth sister.” He thought to himself, “People in the capital are really snobbish, changing faces faster than the weather in June.” Lin Jixian asked curiously, “Why is your fifth sister holding the Crown Prince?” Chu Xuyuan didn’t really want to answer Lin Jixian’s question about the Crown Prince, so he vaguely responded, “The Crown Prince likes my fifth sister, so she’s holding him.”

Before Lin Jixian could say more, the sound of a gong resonated, followed by the voice of a teacher, “The Go competition begins now. The time limit is one hour.”

After the teacher spoke, the competition area fell silent, with only the sound of Go pieces hitting the board.

Chu Qingzhi watched for a while and then took the young Crown Prince to see Chu Xuyao.

Chu Xuyao was participating in a Guqin competition, located at the farthest distance from the policy essay competition. The contestants took turns playing a specified melody, with judges scoring their performance to determine the ranking.

Sixty-five participants were there, drawing lots to determine their order of performance.

Chu Xuyao drew number fifteen and was waiting in line.

There were three judges, all famous Guqin masters from the capital, including one female judge, whom Chu Qingzhi was seeing for the first time, arousing her curiosity.

A nearby student, recognizing Chu Qingzhi, explained, “She is a master from the Capital’s Guqin Pavilion. Not only does she craft Guqin, but she also plays exceptionally well, considered the best in the capital.”

Impressed, Chu Qingzhi took another look at her.

Suddenly, the young Crown Prince pointed nearby and said in a soft voice, “Sister, let’s go watch the horse riding?”

Next to them was the horseback archery competition. Compared to the more scholarly pursuits, Chu Qingzhi preferred the thrill and excitement. “Okay, let’s go see the horses.”

Chu Qingzhi led the Crown Prince to the horseback archery competition area.

The area was separated by walls, but the sounds carried over, which had attracted the young Crown Prince.

He watched the horses galloping across the field, clapping his hands excitedly and bouncing around. “The horses run so fast, they ‘whoosh’ away in an instant.”

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, it’s so interesting to watch…”

Suddenly, the Crown Prince looked up at Chu Qingzhi with sparkling eyes full of longing, “Sister, I want to ride a horse too.”

There was no harm in riding a horse. “Do you really want to ride?”

The Crown Prince nodded emphatically, “Yes, I really, really do.”

“Then I’ll take you to ride one.” Chu Qingzhi led the young Crown Prince towards the stables, intending to fulfill his wish.

Chu Qingzhi was now recognizable wherever she went. A stable boy, seeing her with the Crown Prince, immediately came over attentively, “Miss Chu, the competition is over there; you can’t see it from here.”

“We’re not here to watch the competition, we’ve come to ride a horse.”

“Shall I find a gentle one for you?”

“Thank you.”

The stable boy quickly brought over a docile mare with the saddle already in place. “Miss, please.”

Chu Qingzhi placed the Crown Prince in the saddle and then mounted behind him, holding him securely with one hand. “We’ll just walk around here, okay?” “Okay.” The Crown Prince excitedly grabbed the reins, not showing any fear. “Giddy-up! Giddy-up!”

Chu Qingzhi thought to herself that the little guy was quite easy to please.. “Are you scared?”