Chapter 319: Let’s fail together
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Years of studying...
They had gone through so many examinations before making it here. Some people had taken five or six editions to get to this point.
"Quickly quickly. The results are about to be announced. Let’s find a good position."
"I wonder what the results will be like?"
"I heard that Wu Feng met with the Emperor. The other talents didn’t say much so I think Wu Feng will probably be in the top three."
"I heard that Fang Zhengzhi didn’t get the decree. I think he is going to fail?"
"Even if he doesn’t fail, Nangong Hao is bound to top the examination."
"That is true!"
All of the talents began to discuss their predictions for this edition of the court examinations. After all, it had captured the attention of everyone in the capital.
Nangong Hao was ranked second on the Rising Dragon Roll. He was the top talent in the Great Xia Dynasty four years ago. Then, there was Wu Feng, one of the core disciples of the Clear Water Sage.
Then there was Yan Xiu, someone who had demonstrated unprecedented abilities. Then there was Fang Zhengzhi, the top scorer in the imperial examinations.
Discussions engulfed the entire capital.
The entrance to the palace was packed with throngs of people. Everyone wanted to be the first to hear the news.
Two rows of guards in golden armor stood beside the Imperial Decree Hall. They all held gleaming spears, their expressions solemn.
All of the officials stood in the middle of the guards. Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping stood at the head of all the officials.
All of the candidates awaiting the results stood at a point 500m away from the entrance. All of them craned their necks.
Yan Xiu stood in the middle of all the other candidates. His expression was cold even as he scanned his surroundings.
Fang Zhengzhi did not return last night.
He was not too surprised by that. Perhaps Fang Zhengzhi was tired after listening to the music so he crashed at the loft.
But...
The time for the announcement of results had come... but Fang Zhengzhi was still nowhere to be seen.
Even though Yan Xiu found Fang Zhengzhi quite willful, but he knew Fang Zhengzhi would not make a mistake like this.
The announcement of results was too important an event to miss.
"Where the hell is he?" Yan Xiu looked at the entrance to the palace, anxiety building up in his eyes. However, before the results were announced, he could not leave.
He could only wait.
He could only wait for Fang Zhengzhi to arrive.
Wu Feng was quite happy. Even though there were a few setbacks along the way, they were insignificant. They did not dampen his spirit in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, he was most happy about the fact that...
Fang Zhengzhi was absent!!
This was fantastic news.
Wu Feng had always heard rumors that Fang Zhengzhi was very courageous. He would stand up to the other officials in court, even telling them off at times,
However, not coming to the announcement of the results was quite audacious.
A night of fun...
Go and have your fun!
"Fang Zhengzhi didn’t come? I wonder what he’s up to?"
"I heard that he went to the Intellectual Loft last night. Immortal Tune even invited him to her chambers. Maybe he didn’t get any rest last night so he can’t wake up? Hahaha..."
"I think he doesn’t dare to come?"
"Young Master Qin hit the nail on the head. Fang Zhengzhi did not meet with the Emperor, so I am sure he will fail this time. It is only normal that he would not come to the results announcement, but..."
"But what?"
"It is a pity that Ms Immortal Tune would have to bear with him."
"Hahaha, but I don’t think Fang Zhengzhi is even at the Intellectual Loft, I think he already found somewhere to hide?"
"Hahaha..."
All of the other candidates also realized Fang Zhengzhi’s absence. As such, they began to discuss it animatedly.
Wu Feng was also smirking. He thought that Fang Zhengzhi was hiding. He would never believe that Fang Zhengzhi overslept.
The more he thought about it, the better he felt. He scanned the crowd and saw someone...
Nangong Hao.
Nangong Hao wore a white shirt. However, the blood on the shirt was gone. It was unclear whether it was washed off or if this was a new set.
It was slightly dusty, but it still shone in the light.
Nangong Hao’s eyes were bright like the sun. Yet, they also revealed an arrogant aura.
One could see the brightness in his eyes, but no one could get close to him. One could only admire him from a distance.
This was Nangong Hao to all the other talents.
Too talented.
He was a peerless talent. Even if Nangong Hao did not distance himself from others, he would never fit in.
Wu Feng wanted to know something.
He wanted to know if Nangong Hao met with the Emperor. It seemed like a foregone conclusion. There was no way Nangong Hao was going to fail.
Yet, he still wondered about it.
It was like a beggar in the rain. Even though he knew the streets would be virtually empty, he still held out his hands hopefully.
He wasn’t hoping that he did exceptionally well. He was hoping that Nangong Hao slipped up.
Fang Zhengzhi had failed because he handed in his script in advance. Nangong Hao had handed in his script at that time as well.
Would he suffer the same fate?
Wu Feng did not doubt Fang Zhengzhi and Nangong Hao’s abilities. However, how would the Emperor be able to tolerate being disrespected?
Wu Feng approached Nangong Hao.
"Young Master Nangong!" Wu Feng smiled as he bowed to Nangong Hao respectfully.
All of the other candidates stopped their discussions when they saw this.
Wu Feng was greeting Nangong Hao before the release of the results?
What was he trying to do?
Were they going to engage in pleasantries? Or was this the spark before the fire?
"Young master Wu." Nangong Hao looked at Wu Feng and returned the gesture, bowing respectfully as well.
Even so, the candidates could feel an invisible, unscalable wall between these two top talents of the empire.
It felt very real.
Wu Feng’s lips twitched. He predicted that Nangong Hao would not ignore him, but the courtesy Nangong Hao accorded him was unexpected.
It was quite uncanny.
It felt like Nangong Hao was being respectful and belittling him at the same time.
This wave of emotions caused Wu Feng to be taken aback. Why shouldn’t Nangong Hao accord me that courtesy?
He was now ranked third on the Rising Dragon Roll.
He was only one rank away from Nangong Hao...
Why did he still feel this way?
Wu Feng felt that he should be on the same pedestal as Nangong Hao. After all, the difference of one rank was not that much. He wanted to calm himself down, but he couldn’t rid himself of that feeling.
As a result, despite his best efforts, he still did not manage to ask Nangong Hao if he met the Emperor.
He wanted to ask this question casually.
It was supposed to be like a casual question between friends. However, when he was facing Nangong Hao, he could not bring himself to ask the question.
"Young Master Wu wants to know if I met with the Emperor right?" Nangong Hao asked expressionlessly, almost as if he could read Wu Feng’s mind.
"Haha... I don’t think that question needs to be asked. Your talent basically guarantees you the top spot in this examination." Wu Feng tried to laugh it off as he worked to maintain his composure.
Even so, he couldn’t help but stammer a little. When Nangong Hao asked that question, he felt as if he had been read like a book.
It was extremely uncomfortable.
"I did not." Nangong Hao shook his head. His tone was extremely calm, almost like an icy lake.
His expression did not change.
No matter how strong the wind, the surface of the lake was still ice.
Even though Nangong Hao was calm, the candidates who heard this could not maintain their composure.
"Did I hear that wrongly? Nangong Hao... said he didn’t get the invite?!"
"How is this possible?"
All of the candidates could not believe their ears. Nangong Hao had topped the imperial examinations four years ago.
Four years later...
He cut through the capital like a knife through butter.
Yet he didn’t get the invite to meet with the Emperor?
It was atomic news.
To meet with the Emperor meant that one was in the top 10. Those who did not would make the list.
That was a fact that hadn’t changed in years.
Even though the top 30 would still be able to participate in the subsequent combat examinations, no one expected this to happen to Nangong Hao.
Could it be that the top talent of the Great Xia Dynasty four years ago...
Was not going to make the list?!