The noisy sound of footsteps, gongs and drums, accompanied by panting voices, still contained a familiar call.
"Found it, found it, I knew the kids must have come to see the rankings." Zhang Qiquan rolled up his sleeves and wiped his sweat frantically.
Behind him were several ecstatic clerks, also covered in sweat and hurrying anxiously.
However, when they saw Xu Mo, the expressions of the clerks became obsequious and congratulatory, and they came up one by one, beating gongs and drums, while another shouted, "Good news, good news!"
Those who could bring good news were basically guaranteed to be in the top three.
Jiang Sheng breathed a long sigh of relief and decided not to look at the remaining names.
She was somewhat relieved that she had looked from the back to the front, because in her mind, there was no way Xu Mo could fail the exam.
The only difference was whether he placed in the top three or top five.
Now that the herald had arrived, the top three could not run away.
Little Jiang Sheng smiled, twisting her head, but her eyes instinctively glanced at the list, only to see Xu Mo's name firmly in the first place.
She was shocked beyond measure, then turned her head back just in time to hear the herald speak.
"Congratulations First Scholar Xu, congratulations First Scholar Xu, first place in the provincial examination, this is truly a head start for you." The clerk offered auspicious words, "In the future when you achieve great success, do not forget about us."
Xu Mo was still a little stunned.
Zheng Ruqian reacted quickly, reaching into his sleeve to take out five taels of silver and placing it in the herald's hand.
The herald put down the documents and red paper and left happily.
Next to them, Jiang Sheng was stunned again, as in the past they had only given one or two taels of silver, but this time it had become five taels.
Zheng Ruqian seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, without even turning his head to reassure her, "For my elder brother's performance in the provincial exam, five taels is also worthwhile."
Jiang Sheng pursed her lips, then turned her gaze back to the two characters "Xu Mo" on the signboard.
According to convention, the top three were not posted on the list, so the name appearing in first place should have been the fourth place finisher, but the herald had said Xu Mo was the First Scholar.
First Scholar meant first place.
Jiang Sheng felt like her little brain was about to be stirred into mush.
Fortunately Xu Mo also noticed the crux of the problem. He looked left and right, and as expected, in the corner at the entrance of the Examination Hall, he saw the smiling Prefect of Anshui smiling.
Bringing his younger siblings with him, First Scholar Xu respectfully paid his respects and stood up to ask, "Dare I ask, sir, is it not the rule of the Dayu Dynasty that the top three are not posted on the board?"
He Chengzhang stroked his short, thick beard and said, "This is not the rule of the Dayu Dynasty, it is the rule of Anshui Prefecture."
Xu Mo was stunned again.
He Chengzhang was in a good mood, clasping his hands behind his back and laughing, "The Dayu Dynasty has always posted the name of the first place finisher, it's just that since many exam takers were not locals, the custom of announcing results within a thousand miles arose."
That is to say, it was not only the first place finisher who received an announcement, but all successful exam takers received one.
"As for Anshui Prefecture's custom of not posting the top three, it was just an arbitrary change made by the previous prefect, an old fool. Now that I have become the Prefect of Anshui, I will of course change this nonsensical rule."
"The top scorer, the First Scholar, should appear at the top of the list, should be looked up to by the public, should enjoy the admiring glances."
There was more that He Chengzhang did not say aloud.
But it was enough to resolve the siblings' doubts.
The bright and refined youth once again bowed with clasped hands to the Prefect of Anshui in thanks before slowly withdrawing.
Unexpectedly, the Prefect's wife, dressed as a man, popped out from behind him and exclaimed, "Sir, I still feel like you didn't finish your words. The previous prefect doesn't seem like the kind of villain who would arbitrarily change the rules, there must be some origins to this."
As the saying goes, the pillowmate knows best.
Recalling his own experiences with the exams, He Chengzhang's voice lowered somewhat, "As one of the top three, especially the top scorer, one must always face sinister attacks, jealousy and malice, ambitious entrapment."
It was only after tragic events occurred that the previous Prefect of Anshui reluctantly changed the rules, solely to protect the top scorer.
"Then why did you change this rule, sir, no longer protecting the top scorer?" the Prefect's wife did not understand.
He Chengzhang looked up at the sky, "What's the use of endless protection? The provincial exam is just the beginning, there is the capital exam and the palace exam to come, and in the future there will be many more knives and swords to face."
If one was afraid of such sinister attacks, then it would be better not to be an official and just go home and farm the land.
"Besides, being First Scholar also brings more than just bad things." He Chengzhang said this with a meaningful smile.
At the same time.
On the carriage at the House with Orchids and Flowers.
The siblings were getting into the carriage one by one, with Zhang Qiquan driving the carriage back home.
Suddenly a student pointed at Xu Mo, who was just getting onto the shafts, and shouted loudly, "It's him, he's the First Scholar, First Scholar Xu Mo!"
Xu Mo was startled, and the leg he had raised didn't know whether to go up or down.
After thinking for a moment, the scholar's gentility still made him put his leg down and bow with clasped hands to the student.
Before he could come up with some polite words, a group of people surged up behind the student.
They were dressed in gold and silver, rich and prestigious, looking Xu Mo up and down. When they saw his handsome appearance, tall stature, bright clarity and graceful elegance, they all stared with wide eyes, scrambling and shoving each other.
Like dogs who had been starved for ten days suddenly seeing fresh, steaming shit.
Jiang Sheng didn't even have time to sneer.
A middle-aged woman immediately shrieked, "First Scholar, how old are you this year? Are you engaged to be married?"
The man next to her was unwilling to fall behind, "Our Wu family's young miss, the legitimate primary wife, proficient in zither, chess, books and painting, just turned eighteen this year, she's fated to be matched with you, First Scholar!"
"Our Liu family's girl is an only daughter, sir if you're interested in taking this fated bride, the family fortune will be left to you!" Another fat woman pushed her way to the front.
If it wasn't for Zhang Qiquan blocking them, they probably would have torn Xu Mo to shreds by now.
The studious youth was encountering this kind of scene for the first time since Slanted Sun County, but at that time he was too young to attract attention and was able to slip away unnoticed.
Now as time flowed on, he had fallen into this situation once again, and had become the inescapable center of attention.
All the way from taking the county-level exam as a “white body” to the prefectural exam as a “child student”, finally becoming a xiucai degree holder, and now a juren degree holder, the usually unruffled Xu Mo at this moment stood tremblingly in front of the carriage, his face pale and terror flowing in his eyes.
Fortunately, a few small hands stretched out from the carriage and gripped his arm tightly.
Borrowing their pulling force, he nimbly jumped onto the carriage shaft, then dove into the carriage.
Someone called out "Uncle Zhang".
Zhang Qiquan hurriedly leaned over the shaft, slapped the old horse's butt, before finally struggling free from the crowd in a sorry state.
After much difficulty evading the people and returning home,
Xu Mo had just jumped down from the carriage and didn't even have time to catch his breath when he saw the luxurious carriage parked at the gate of the House with Orchids and Flowers.
His eyes brightened and he pushed open the gate of the House with Orchids and Flowers.
As expected, standing inside was a delicate and refined youth, smiling gently, "Congratulations, it's been a while, Brother Xu."
