The next day was the day the exam results were posted.
Ian Song showed no sign of nervousness or anxiety, waiting patiently.
When it was nearly eleven o'clock—
The messenger finally arrived: he had passed, not as first place, but as second.
For now, he could not yet be called a jinshi (Metropolitan Graduate), since only after passing the palace exam would he officially earn that status.
Even though it was only second place,
it was still an extraordinary achievement. Quite a few people came to congratulate Ian Song, and even the Imperial Academy Chancellor summoned him that evening to offer encouragement.
The palace exam would be held seven days later.
As long as you didn't hand in a blank paper, you would be granted the status of jinshi (Metropolitan Graduate).
The top-ranked jinshi would be selected by the supervising ministers and then presented to the emperor for final confirmation.
Marquis Leonard of Puyang was an impatient man. On the day the results were posted, after getting advice from Ian Song, he invited three other idle marquises to his residence for a banquet.
All the wine served to them was poured into glass goblets.
These three marquises were all quite wealthy. When they saw such exquisite goblets, they instantly loved them and each asked Leonard where he had gotten them.
Leonard didn’t tell the truth. Instead, he bragged that he’d spent a fortune importing them from overseas, and claimed he had only ten sets in total.
Hearing that Leonard’s residence had ten sets of glass goblets,
all three marquises shamelessly insisted on buying a set for themselves.
The goblets were simply too beautiful—perfect for impressing distinguished guests.
In the end, although Leonard was reluctant, each marquis paid thirty thousand taels per set and took one home.
After sending the three marquises off, Leonard couldn’t help but lock himself in his room and burst out laughing.
Just three sets had brought him sixty-six thousand taels in profit. If he sold all ten, that would be over two hundred thousand taels—more than his marquisate’s entire annual income.
To put it in perspective, his marquisate’s annual income was only about a hundred and twenty or thirty thousand taels.
No wonder Ian Song said the bookstore was just a minor side business—if he could sell over a hundred sets a year, he’d make millions in silver.
The three marquises who bought the goblets were show-offs. The very next day, each invited a group of lords to their mansions for a banquet.
When these lords saw the exquisite, high-class goblets, how could they not be tempted? As soon as they learned the goblets came from Leonard’s residence, they rushed over and snatched up the remaining seven sets.
This earned Marquis Leonard another two hundred and twenty thousand taels—he was nearly ecstatic.
The lords who didn’t manage to buy a set refused to leave.
Only after Leonard repeatedly promised to personally deliver new goblets to their homes once the next batch arrived did they reluctantly leave.
After sending off the lords, Leonard immediately sent someone to contact Ian Song in secret, bringing eighty thousand taels of silver with him.
Leonard’s steward waited until nine that night before Ian Song finally returned.
Ian had been visiting Zachary Cai to inform him that he had placed second in the exam.
In fact, Zachary Cai had already known the result before Ian told him—but it was a matter of respect.
As soon as Ian Song arrived, Leonard’s steward couldn’t help but lower his voice: "Young Master Song, the goblets you provided sell incredibly well. All ten sets have been sold. The marquis wants me to buy another fifty sets!"
"By the way, Young Master Song, here’s the payment for the previous ten sets!" The steward stuffed a stack of silver notes into Ian’s hands.
"Steward, come inside and speak!"
Half an hour later, the steward left in high spirits, taking fifty-one sets of goblets with him, full of praise for Ian Song’s arrangements.
Leonard was eager to send the goblets to the lords’ residences immediately, but the steward stopped him and repeated Ian Song’s advice about moderation.
Though Leonard was impatient, he agreed that Ian’s suggestion made sense, so he held off on sending out the goblets.
Just then—
The steward opened a wooden box. Inside lay eight goblets, each entwined with a lifelike dragon.
"My heavens, these goblets are simply—simply priceless treasures!"
"Marquis, Young Master Song’s suggestion is that you present this set of goblets to the Emperor of Valeguard as tribute!" the steward said.
Leonard looked extremely reluctant—this set of goblets could easily fetch a hundred thousand taels, and someone would surely buy them.
"Marquis, you’re currently just a retired noble. If your tribute pleases the emperor and he grants you an official post, that’s worth far more!" the steward reminded him again.
Leonard slapped his forehead in delight. "Steward, you really are clever!"
The steward replied, "Marquis, it was Young Master Song who told me to say this. Once you have an official post, those civil officials won’t dare look down on you anymore."
"Good point! Get ready—I’ll go present the tribute to the emperor right away!" Leonard said excitedly.
The Emperor of Valeguard was just over thirty years old. In theory, he should have been in his prime, but his body was already ruined by indulgence in wine and women.
When Leonard requested an audience, the emperor had him brought in.
"Marquis of Puyang, what brings you here to see me?" the emperor asked casually.
"Your Majesty, I have come to present a treasure!"
Hearing this, the Emperor of Valeguard fixed his gaze on the ornate box in Leonard’s arms and said sternly, "Bring it here!"
Leonard hurried forward and presented the box with both hands. The emperor opened it, and eight exquisite goblets, each entwined with dragon patterns, appeared before his eyes.
The emperor picked up a goblet and admired it, then laughed heartily: "Excellent! These crystal goblets are masterpieces—truly superb!" Turning to Leonard, he smiled and said, "Marquis of Puyang, I am very pleased with your gift. Tell me, what reward do you desire?"
Leonard replied, "Your Majesty, I ask for nothing. These goblets are adorned with divine dragons—they’re treasures fit for the emperor alone. I am merely presenting them on behalf of another; I dare not claim credit."
Leonard’s words delighted the emperor, who laughed, "You certainly know how to speak. Still, I’m not stingy—someone, fetch a thousand taels of gold from the inner treasury as a reward for the Marquis of Puyang!"
Receiving only gold and silver as a reward, Leonard couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed, though he didn’t show it—he still had his share of self-control.
But the very next day—
A eunuch arrived at Leonard’s mansion to deliver the imperial edict: Leonard was appointed Right Commander of the Capital Garrison.
The Capital Garrison was the most elite force in Valeguard—thirty thousand strong. As Right Commander, Leonard ranked just below the Left Commander, holding a third-rank general’s post. This was truly an overnight rise to power.
To celebrate, Leonard threw a grand banquet and invited all the lords. He also invited Ian Song, but Ian declined, sending a congratulatory gift instead—he planned to pursue a civil official’s path, so it was best not to associate too closely with military officers.