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Tang Jinghong examined the two policy essays again. The viewpoints, arguments, and eloquence were roughly the same, making it hard to distinguish between them in terms of superiority.

“Your Majesty, how does Jiang Zhanglin, a renowned nobleman, know about agriculture?” Tang Jinghong asked.

The Emperor smiled, “Do you know what Jiang Zhanglin did during his travels?”

“What did he do?”

“He went to work in the fields for two years, living in a village and concealing his identity.” The Emperor remarked, “People like him are rare in all of the Daling Dynasty.”

Tang Jinghong strongly agreed, “So, how does Your Majesty plan to score them?”

This question made the Emperor vexed again. He glanced at the two essays in Tang Jinghong’s hands and said, “1 was asking you because 1 don’t know how to score them, and now you’re asking me!”

Tang Jinghong found it difficult too and handed the essays back to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, perhaps think it over again. 1 find both essays quite good.”

The Emperor was speechless.

He called over Mu Chongli, Cao Changkun, and several other highly capable ministers for their opinions, but in the end, everyone left the decision to the Emperor.

The Emperor was so angry that he chased everyone out. They agreed to share his burden, but in the end, he still had to make the decision himself.

In the afternoon.

Forty-nine participants were eliminated in the morning, leaving fifty-one, including Chu Xuyuan and Lin Jixian, for the afternoon competition.

During the draw, with one extra participant, someone got a bye and waited for the next round.

Chu Qingzhi and Chu Xuyao accompanied Chu Xuyuan to the competition, while the rest of the family stayed home to prepare for Chu Qingyue’s wedding, which was drawing near.

“Seventh brother, 1 wish you success,” said Chu Xuyao.

“I’ll try not to lose,” Chu Xuyuan replied.

Chu Xuyuan and Lin Jixian sat opposite each other again.

“How about it, are you ready?” Lin Jixian asked, looking intently at Chu Xuyuan.

“Bring it on,” Chu Xuyuan said confidently.

The two engaged in another intense game on the Go board.

As the game began, a guard approached Chu Qingzhi, “Miss Chu, we’ve caught three people who match the description you gave. Could you please identify them?”

“Three?” Chu Qingzhi frowned slightly and followed, “Let’s go.”

The captured suspects were tied up in a room near the stables, waiting for Chu Qingzhi’s identification before being sent to the authorities for judgment.

When the four guards at the door saw Chu Qingzhi coming over, one of them hurriedly pushed open the door. “Miss Chu, please.”

As Chu Qingzhi entered the room, she saw two young men and one middle-aged man, all bound and sitting on the floor.

Chu Qingzhi scrutinized them and asked, “Who hired the child?”

The middle-aged man, with lips bitten bloody, couldn’t hold back his anger, “I did. Do with me as you please.”

Chu Qingzhi’s gaze turned cold, “Why target the Crown Prince?”

The man glared at Chu Qingzhi and said with indignation, “The Emperor of the Daling Dynasty arrested my master unjustly. Why shouldn’t 1 seek revenge by killing the Crown Prince!”

Chu Qingzhi frowned, “Your master?”

The middle-aged man’s eyes were red as he said, “My master is the best doctor in Mobei Kingdom. He’s usually the kindest and can’t even bear to step on an ant. However, he was captured by the people from the Ministry of Justice on the second day after he came to the Daling Dynasty. They said that he killed the Third Prince. How could he kill the Third Prince? My master has never participated in the power struggles!”

Chu Qingzhi realized, “If you think your master is wronged, then you should find a way to clear his name. By hiring someone to kill the Crown Prince, aren’t you confirming the accusation of murder?”

When the middle-aged man heard this, he immediately felt like he was about to collapse. His master was already in an abyss. He did not expect that his actions had pushed his master into an even deeper abyss.

“Miss, 1 was wrong. Please spare my master,” he pleaded.

“The Daling Dynasty has probably sent a letter to the Mobei Kingdom by now. The matter will be handled by your king. If you were smart, you should have gone back to the Mobei Kingdom to sort things out. But now, it’s too late,” Chu Qingzhi said and left the room, instructing the guard, “Proceed according to the law.”

The guard saluted, “Yes, Miss Chu.”

The room filled with the middle-aged man’s wailing cries.

Go Competition Area.

As the game progressed, the empty spaces on the board grew fewer.

Lin Jixian’s expression turned more serious, “Chu Xuyuan, who taught you to play like this?”

Chu Xuyuan, reaching for a black piece, placed it on the board, turning the game around again, “No matter how you ask, I won’t tell you.”

Lin Jixian was furious, but the more the other party refused to tell him, the more he wanted to know. “Tell me, and I’ll reward you.”

Chu Xuyuan demanded an exorbitant price. “One thousand taels.”

Lin Jixian gasped, “Do you realize what you’re saying?”

Chu Xuyuan nonchalantly replied, “Yes. If you give me one thousand taels, 1’11 tell you who taught me.”

Lin Jixian gave up, “Fine, you win. I won’t ask anymore.”

Chu Xuyuan shrugged, “As you wish. It doesn’t matter to me.”

Lin Jixian took a deep breath, trying to remain calm and focus on the game, determined not to lose to Chu Xuyuan.

Tang Jinghong, finding some free time, came to watch Chu Xuyuan’s game.

After seeing that there were very few participants in the competition area, he secretly praised the little guy. The little guy was not bad and persisted until the end.

The atmosphere in the competition area was tense with only five games left.

Tang Jinghong approached Chu Qingzhi, “Qingzhi, shall we go back together later?”

Chu Qingzhi turned her head. “Sure. When can you leave?”

“After Xuyao’s game ends, and the Emperor should be returning to the palace too,” Tang Jinghong replied and mentioned, “Today, Jiang Zhanglin and Xu Guannan’s policy essays stumped many people.”

Chu Qingzhi asked with some interest, “What happened?”

“Their essays were equally good, making it difficult to determine who was better,” Tang Jinghong explained with a hint of amusement at the troubled faces of the judges.

“How was it resolved?” Chu Qingzhi asked, curious as to how Jiang Zhanglin could match Xu Guannan.

“The Emperor gave them both an A-Upper,” Tang Jinghong informed her.

“Speaking of which, there’s a Spring Imperial Examination next year. If the imperial examination also ends in a tie, wouldn’t there be two top scholars?”

“Next year’s Spring Imperial Examination will only have Xu Guannan as a candidate. Jiang Zhanglin won’t be participating.”

“Why is that?”

“Jiang Zhanglin is only seventeen years old now. Being renowned at such a young age might not be a good thing. The Emperor wants him to gain more experience first.”

Tang Jinghong continued, “Actually, Xu Guannan was supposed to take the imperial examination last time, but the headmaster of Yunfei School decided to delay it, letting him take it next year. Unless there’s an unexpected event, he’s likely to be the top scholar.”

In fact, it’s more common for people in their twenties to take the imperial exams. Teenage candidates are quite rare.

Chu Qingzhi had a good impression of Xu Guannan, “Then 1 wish him success in attaining the top honor.”

“Me too.”

As the two chatted, the Go competition was drawing to a close. Once again, it was Chu Xuyuan and Lin Jixian in the final match, attracting an increasing number of spectators to the game..