"Someone! Summon Ying Xinghai!" Emperor Changsheng, heart aching at the thought of Xu Huaiqian's predicted short lifespan, ordered. "Send him to Jieyuan Xu's residence to check his pulse and see what is truly wrong with his health!"
It was only a prediction. It didn't mean he couldn't live past thirty!
The skills of a local doctor were no match for a royal physician's expertise.
Ying Xinghai was the physician Emperor Changsheng found most capable. Though not the head of the Imperial Hospital, his skills were undoubtedly superior. Sending him to examine Xu Huaiqian would set his mind at ease.
It had to be said, the Emperor and Chen Liejiu were thinking along the same lines.
And so, Xu Huaiqian, who had just finished the exams and was staying indoors at home, not daring to go out, received a visit from Official Ying on a non-treatment day, startling the entire Chen household.
"Official Ying, why are you here?" Chen Liejiu was the most alarmed. A doctor visiting outside the scheduled time—had something gone wrong with Xu Huaiqian's health?
"Do not be alarmed," Official Ying said, seeing their panicked expressions. He gestured for calm. "His Majesty sent me to check Jieyuan Xu's pulse. I am just following procedure and will leave shortly."
"His Majesty?!"
Now, not just the Chen family, but even Xu Huaiqian was shocked. How had the Emperor noticed him, and even sent a royal physician to treat him?
"I don't know what's going on either," Ying Xinghai was also somewhat exasperated. "I was still on duty at the Imperial Hospital when His Majesty summoned me to check on your health. Give me your wrist."
However, with the Emperor's order, he no longer had to worry about coming to the Chen residence to treat Xu Huaiqian in the future. After all, the Imperial Hospital had its own rules. If they could treat anyone freely, with this person and that person begging for help, they wouldn't need to be on duty at the palace; they could just treat people at home.
Xu Huaiqian obediently offered his wrist and looked at Chen Liejiu, thinking he might have done something else to draw the Emperor's attention.
Chen Liejiu shook his head. If he had that kind of ability, he would have appealed to the Emperor directly from the start, instead of freezing on the street, making a scene, and pleading with Official Ying.
But Official Ying's visit indirectly confirmed his initial thought was right: Ying Xinghai, whom the Emperor remembered, must have exceptional medical skills. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn't have thought of him repeatedly. This allowed him to feel reassured about entrusting Xu Huaiqian's treatment to him.
While Chen Liejiu was reassured, Xu Huaiqian grew anxious.
There's no story without coincidence.
He had never had contact with the Emperor. How did the Emperor know he was sick?
The only possibility was that he had coughed a little blood onto his policy and current affairs exam papers. Could it be that the Emperor saw the bloodstains and then sent Official Ying to treat him?!
Which raised the question: How did the Emperor see his exam papers?
As everyone knew, to ensure fairness, Metropolitan Exam papers were anonymized and transcribed. Graders only saw the transcribed copies. The originals were only consulted during reviews. That's why Xu Huaiqian hadn't been worried about the bloodstains. With his genuine talent, he believed the chief examiners would pass him based on the transcript.
Even if his original paper was somewhat soiled, deciding to pass or fail shouldn't require consulting the Emperor, right?
The only explanation was that his answers were so outstanding that the Emperor noticed, requested the original, saw the bloodstains, and then sent Official Ying to treat him.
Otherwise, Xu Huaiqian couldn't understand why the Emperor, instead of being angry that an unknown, powerless Juren had soiled his paper, would send a physician.
Thinking this, Xu Huaiqian's heart sank.
Could he be the top graduate?!
Yes! The only paper the Emperor would notice and request the original of would be the top graduate's paper!
Help! No!
If he were designated the top graduate, there was a high probability he would become the Zhuangyuan , top candidate in the Palace Exams!
A Triple First!
No emperor could resist such an auspicious rarity because it was so incredibly rare!
There had been very few Triple Firsts throughout history. Emperor Changsheng certainly wouldn't be able to resist either.
But Xu Huaiqian didn't want it.
He had no desire to be the Zhuangyuan.
Throughout history, the Zhuangyuan was considered the most learned scholar. What kind of scholar was he? At best, he was just strong in policy questions and current affairs. His skills were extremely lopsided.
If he went to the Hanlin Academy afterward, his colleagues might ask him about things he didn't know today and tomorrow. Occasionally, someone might get inspired and ask him, the Triple First Zhuangyuan, to compose poetry or rhapsodies to compare with previous Zhuangyuan. If he, with his severely lopsided skills, couldn't answer or compose, wouldn't it be utterly embarrassing?!
Therefore, Xu Huaiqian never wanted to be the Zhuangyuan from the start. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." The Zhuangyuan was prestigious, but it couldn't compare to the Tanhua , third-place finisher, who was perceived to have advanced based on looks!
He had inquired: the least popular position in the Hanlin Academy was the Tanhua. Because everyone else got in on genuine merit, only the Tanhua was seen as getting in by his face. So, the Tanhua usually had a relatively leisurely time in the Hanlin Academy. Xu Huaiqian thought that was perfect! It suited him best! Good pay, less work, still held prestige, and crucially, it was a title that made people immediately think he was exceptionally handsome!
Just thinking about it felt wonderful.
But now, the Emperor's actions had thrown Xu Huaiqian into depression. Because no matter how he thought about it, he felt the Emperor would absolutely not refuse a Triple First Zhuangyuan.
***
While Xu Huaiqian was depressed, Shen Wennian from the Jiangnan Shen family was also.
As a scion of a powerful family, their intelligence network was extensive. They knew that after the Emperor left the examination bureau, he had summoned a royal physician for Xu Huaiqian.
Although it wasn't clear why seeing the exam papers led to sending a physician, the Emperor's action clearly signaled one thing: the top graduate of this session was very likely to be Xu Huaiqian!
The thought made Shen Wennian's heart turn cold. He believed his own answers in this session's exams weren't inferior to Xu Huaiqian's?
Apart from policy and current affairs, where he might be slightly less strong, in poetry, he was absolutely far superior to Xu Huaiqian!
That poem was the result of a day's contemplation and a final flash of inspiration. When he wrote it, even he was struck by its brilliance. Marvelous!
With that poem, he was confident he could surpass all other Juren in this year's exams.
Due to his family connections, he knew the scholarly abilities of all the candidates clearly. Apart from Xu Huaiqian, no one else was his match.
And Xu Huaiqian was only strong in policy and current affairs; he had no significant achievements in poetry.
As long as his poetry could far surpass Xu Huaiqian's, pitting his own greatest strength against Xu Huaiqian's two strong subjects, he might not lose.
But now, the Emperor's attitude left him baffled. Could it be that Xu Huaiqian also produced an exceptionally brilliant poem?
Or were his policy and current affairs answers so good that they completely overshadowed his Shen Wennian's poetry?
How exceptional would those answers have to be for him to be ignored entirely?
Or was it that the Emperor wanted to bestow the auspicious title of "Triple First" upon Xu Huaiqian?!
Shen Wennian, considering that Xu Huaiqian was last year's top Provincial Graduate Jieyuan and possessed considerable scholarly talent himself, realized it was highly possible that he could be awarded the top Metropolitan Graduate and then the top Palace Graduate , achieving the rare "Triple First." For the first time, the young master from a powerful family, who had never known true worry, furrowed his brow.
Regardless of their depression, the day for releasing the Metropolitan Exam results arrived as scheduled.
Shen Wennian was so anxiety he didn't even want to go see the results. It didn't matter if he didn't go; his servant was already waiting eagerly at the posting site.
Almost the moment the list went up, the servant spotted his master's name at the very top.
Given his master's abilities, even on a bad day, he wouldn't be at the bottom. So, the servant had been staring fixedly at the top spot. Seeing his master's name confirmed, he rushed back to the Shen residence without a moment's hesitation.
"Young Master! Great news! Great news!"
Hearing his servant's celebratory shouts, Shen Wennian thought he was just announcing that he had passed the exams. He rolled over, pulling the quilt over his ears to block the sound.
Passing the exams was a given with his talent! What he wanted was the top rank! The top graduate !
"Young Master! Top Graduate! Top Graduate! You are the top graduate!"
The servant entered the room and saw his master, who never slept in, who practiced diligently through summer's heat and winter's cold, still in bed. He knew his master was still brooding and quickly delivered the good news.
"Stop teasing me!" Although the quilt was over his head, his servant's voice was particularly loud. Even with his ears covered, he could vaguely hear the words "top graduate."
"Ah, Young Master!" Seeing his master still refusing to believe it, the servant pulled the quilt away, removed his hands from his ears, and exclaimed joyfully, "Young Master, stop hiding! You are the top graduate! The real, genuine top graduate!"
His loud voice nearly deafened Shen Wennian. Shen Wennian was stunned for a long moment before his hearing recovered slightly. Dazedly, he asked, "You said I'm the top graduate?!"
"Of course!" the servant said proudly. "I looked at the list three times! I made sure it was your esteemed name before I came back to report the good news!"
As he spoke, he moved around the room, fetching the clothes Shen Wennian usually wore. "Hurry, Young Master, don't just lie there! Get dressed! The officials bringing the official announcement will be at our door soon, and you need to go out to receive them!"
Seeing this, Shen Wennian finally snapped back to reality. It seemed true! He had really surpassed Xu Huaiqian and become this session's top graduate!
Shen Wennian was overjoyed. So, the Emperor wasn't just obsessed with grand achievements! And Xu Huaiqian wasn't invincible! If he could beat him once, he could beat him again! In the upcoming Palace Exams, he would surely claim the top honor and reclaim the Zhuangyuan title that was rightfully his!