The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

Just as the two were whispering to each other, several candidates who were on the list of candidates for the Spring Examination arrived one after another.

As soon as they arrived, they noticed with sharp eyes that their papers were posted at the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall. Their faces changed and they understood the reason. After all, they were some of the most knowledgeable people of their generation, so they were naturally confident about their papers and were not afraid to ask others to circulate and judge them.

Therefore, his expression only changed slightly, and then he returned to normal in an instant, and went forward to greet the candidates or examiners he knew.

The examiners' attitude towards these people was much more moderate - after all, they all had real talents and knowledge. After passing today's test and entering the palace examination, no matter what their ranking was, these people would definitely become officials in the court in the future and become colleagues with themselves and others. Even if there might be some political disagreements in the future, there was no need to be anxious and angry about them.

The arrival of these candidates caused a brief commotion in the crowd.

Soon, someone shouted, "Why hasn't Lin Huiyuan arrived yet?"

"Could it be that she really..."

Huang Ming was immediately delighted when he saw this, and pulled Yuan Juren who was standing beside him: "Look, I said that the little girl must be very scared and didn't dare to come!"

Mr. Yuan, who was more educated, glanced at his cousin-in-law and said in a deep voice, "That's not necessarily true. Most young...talented people like this are arrogant because of their talent. She has Empress Xie's support. She came last and asked everyone to wait for her. It's not necessarily true that she wanted to suppress everyone's morale."

"But even if the last one comes, what can she change? Can being the main player turn her from a girl into a boy?" Huang Ming said with disdain, "In my opinion, the Lins are afraid and are timid before the battle. We are sure to win this time!"

Seeing that Yuan Juren's expression did not become happy, Huang Ming said with some dissatisfaction: "Cousin, do you not believe what I say?"

"You probably don't know that when I was a child, my cousin's husband was not in good health. My parents invited a doctor to treat me. After I was cured, the old man said that I would have difficulty in having children in the future... Even my mother said that I should adopt a child from my brother's family in the future, but I refused to accept my fate and said that I would definitely have children. Look at me now. I have two sons with Liu. I was right!"

He waved the fan proudly. Mr. Yuan felt a little disgusted with the cold wind. He took a step to the side to avoid it and turned his face away with an expression that showed he could not tolerate someone's stupidity, but was secretly a little proud.

Just as all the candidates took turns to look at the papers at the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall and had to admit that Lin Qiao's essay was indeed the best one, the "cheating" rumor was disproven.

The only way for someone to attack her is to go back to the original question.

The body of a woman.

However, the Imperial Examination Hall and several examiners made it clear that: we will only respond to the slander of cheating, as for the rest... we don't care. If you have the guts, go to the Golden Palace and make trouble. Let's see how many of your nine clans you can spare from the death of His Majesty, humph!

There were some who refused to give up and still held up flags, trying to encourage their companions to storm the Imperial Examination Hall together, hoping that some blood would be shed or something, so as to make the matter bigger and force the higher-ups to intervene. However... looking at the cold light flashing on the tips of the swords of the Jinwu Guards who had secretly surrounded the square while everyone was appreciating the papers, it was clear that there were more people who valued their lives.

As a result, those troublemakers who had been placed among the candidates early on could no longer stir up trouble.

It was not until the emperor had seen enough of the candidates who were complaining about cheating in the Imperial Examination but were embarrassed by the results that he stepped out from the back and came to the front of the stage.

This time he was traveling incognito - well, probably not incognito, but in casual clothes. Wearing a dragon-shaped casual robe, followed by several eunuchs and guards, the emperor walked to the front line of the melon-eating crowd in a casual manner.

He had no intention of concealing his identity. As soon as he appeared on the stage, everyone recognized him. They immediately knelt down and shouted "Long live the emperor". Even a few failed candidates who had joined in the riot fainted - now everyone knew why they had failed the exams time and time again. It was because their psychological quality was really too poor.

The emperor glanced at him with disdain and raised his eyelids: "Stand up."

Yuan Juren and Huang Ming, who were kneeling in the crowd, also trembled.

The former was excitement. He had always considered himself a buried talent. Now that a living emperor was passing by him, how could he not feel the urge to jump to the front and show off everything he had learned?

At this moment, Mr. Yuan was like the white-haired palace maids or concubines in the poems of some down-and-out literati who died of old age in the harem and kept burning with tears by candlelight every night until dawn. They were both happy and fearful in their hope that they would be favored by the emperor.

The "resentful women" in those lingering and sad words are actually self-comparisons of unsuccessful literati. Since ancient times, officials in the Central Plains have loved to compare themselves and the king to a husband and wife relationship, with love and resentment coming and going, and it was so sour and damp that it was moldy. As a self-proclaimed sage with unappreciated talent, Yuan Juren was naturally no exception.

If he had not been afraid of the mighty man in silver armor shining with cold light beside the emperor, he would have pounced on him and knelt at the corner of the emperor's black uniform, turned over on his belly like the most well-behaved family dog, and swept the floor with his tail wagging wildly back and forth.

In complete contrast to Mr. Yuan, Huang Ming was shaking all over because he was afraid.

As a grandson spoiled by the whole family, he may not understand other things, but he knows too well what it feels like when a parent is determined to favor someone. It is like a solid wall of steel that protects the treasure inside. Not only can it protect the treasure inside without any leakage, but it can also crush into pieces anyone outside who dares to have improper thoughts about the treasure.

At this moment, there was only one thing on Huang Ming's confused mind, that is, what if the emperor came to support Lin Qiao?

He doted on Empress Xie so much that he was willing to tolerate her child with her ex-husband. He was so generous, not to mention the Empress's cousin, or even more harmless cousin... What if, what if...

Huang Ming instinctively did not dare to think further and subconsciously pulled Yuan Juren's sleeve, but was ruthlessly thrown away by the latter who had already fallen into a frenzy.

The emperor, escorted by the Imperial Guards and eunuchs, walked to the signs posted at the Imperial Examination Hall and took a look around. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he asked Li Zong, who was standing beside him, "I almost forgot to ask you. The palace examination will be in three days. Why are you not at home preparing for the exam? Instead, you are gathered here?"