Palace Examination
Returning to the academy and starting her teaching career, Lily Evans found her body—long used to laziness at home—finally stretching out and coming alive.
After class, although a bit tired, Lily felt cheerful and relaxed.
Lily rode her carriage back to the city, and along the way, she overheard the citizens of the capital animatedly discussing the Palace Examination.
She remembered Alexander Hayes mentioning that today was the day the Palace Examination results would be announced. She wondered which students would be personally selected by Emperor Leonard the Enlightened.
Naturally, all sorts of betting pools and gambling tables had popped up across the capital, with everyone eager to place their wagers.
Curious, Lily asked her driver to stop at a roadside teahouse. Even there, names were hung at the entrance, and people with rolled-up sleeves and flushed faces hurried to make last-minute bets.
"If you ask me, this year's Champion will definitely come from Phoenix Academy!"
"Nonsense! Phoenix Academy may be new, but how can it compare to the long-established Southland Academy? I bet the Champion will be from Southland!"
"You’re both wrong. Neither of those academies can match the strength of Valor Academy here in the capital!"
...
The crowd buzzed with speculation about the Palace Examination results, and even Lily's curiosity was piqued.
As Dean of Phoenix Academy, Lily realized she had paid too little attention to her students. Those who had traveled from afar to take the exam in the capital had barely been greeted by her, leaving her feeling quite guilty and unworthy of her position.
Lily glanced up at the teahouse signs—each listed a student’s hometown, academy, and name for betting. Phoenix Academy had the most candidates, followed by Southland Academy, with Valor Academy having the fewest.
But Valor Academy always sent fewer candidates, so that didn’t mean its quality was inferior.
The rest were scattered students from lesser-known academies.
The rest were scattered students from lesser-known academies.
Overall, Phoenix Academy, Southland Academy, and Valor Academy dominated the scene, gathering most of the top scholars.
Lily focused her gaze. The student with the most bets was listed as: Qingtian City, Phoenix Academy, Zhang Heng.
"From Qingtian City, Phoenix Academy’s Zhang Heng..." Lily frowned, feeling the name was familiar, though she couldn’t recall who it was.
Meanwhile, in the grand hall, the candidates had handed in their exam papers and were waiting for Emperor Jin Ming to announce the top three scholars: Champion, Second Place, and Third Place.
The students waited outside for the results, knowing this moment would determine their futures. Many were restless, peeking outside, and those from wealthier families discreetly bribed junior eunuchs for updates.
Among them was a plainly dressed boy, the youngest present, yet the calmest.
He wasn’t exceptionally handsome, but had a deep, reserved demeanor. He sat quietly, seemingly unconcerned with the outcome, in stark contrast to the nervous, sweating students around him.
“Aren’t you nervous, Brother Zhang?” asked a slightly older, plump scholar nearby.
Zhang smiled faintly, lowering his gaze to his teacup. “Once the papers are handed in, the results are already set. Knowing sooner or later makes little difference.”