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“Congratulations to Zhuangyuan Song and Bangyan Chen,” Tang Zhichuan smiled.
“You flatter us, Lord Tang,” Song Jingyun bowed in response. “The Emperor’s ways are different from ordinary people. If we are to serve and work by his side, we must be extremely vigilant. In the future, we will have to rely on Lord Tang and the other lords greatly.”
“Zhuangyuan Song is too modest,” Tang Zhichuan said. “In the future, Zhuangyuan Song only needs to do his duty, serve the Emperor, and be loyal to the court.”
“Lord Tang’s words are very true,” Song Jingyun smiled. “However, while serving with loyalty and doing one’s duty, there are different methods and approaches. I am but a person of limited knowledge and experience, and since I am new here, I will need to discuss how things should be done with Lord Tang and the other lords.”
The meaning behind his words was clear without needing to be spoken.
Tang Zhichuan nodded approvingly, “This official has indeed not misjudged you. Now that the Emperor has issued an edict, this official and the other lords must act according to his will. You two need not feel alarmed or constrained, just follow the established procedures for now. The rest will be handled privately by this official and the other lords, and we will keep you informed.”
“Remember, do not go against the Emperor’s words, do not take risks,” Tang Zhichuan reminded again.
“A mind that can navigate complexities is not inherently negative. A clever person’s intentions are not necessarily evil,” Song Jingyun replied. “Please rest assured, Lord.”
Chen Shuming was not as quick-witted as Song Jingyun, but after listening for a while, he also grasped the key points and quickly expressed his stance, “I will also act with caution and prudence.”
Seeing that both Song Jingyun and Chen Shuming were so perceptive, Tang Zhichuan felt even more reassured and nodded heavily again, “You two should go back and finish your respective essays first.”
“Yes,” Song Jingyun and Chen Shuming bowed and followed Tang Zhichuan back to the side hall.
The candidates in the side hall were still diligently writing their essays, most of them focused, while some were distracted, their eyes occasionally glancing towards the direction of the main hall.
In theory, today is the palace examination, sponsored by the Emperor, to select the top three and confirm whether each candidate can become a Jinshi (successful candidate in the imperial examination) and their ranking.
However, after the Emperor arrived at the Zhongyuan Palace, there was no movement for a long time, and he did not summon all the candidates to the main hall.
Not summoning anyone was one thing, but then he specifically called for Song Jingyun and Chen Shuming…
Could it be that these two have already been ranked by the Emperor and given official positions?
Can they still enter the top three?
While some were lost in thought, Song Jingyun and Chen Shuming calmly returned to the side hall and took their seats.
The two sat properly and continued to write the essays they had not finished earlier.
Many people, seeing this, stretched their necks to take a look.
Upon seeing that Song Jingyun and Chen Shuming both looked the same as before, without any abnormalities, the onlookers withdrew their inquisitive gazes. They couldn’t help but mutter to themselves.
Their calm demeanor suggested that nothing they had feared had happened.
As for why the two had left earlier…
It was probably for some other reason.
The crowd’s expressions varied, but they did not forget the most important task at hand. They dipped their brushes in ink, ensuring they were well saturated, and continued to write their essays seriously.
Soon, the designated end time arrived, and the examination papers were collected in order.
The Emperor did not involve himself in this matter, so Tang Zhichuan and the others began to review the essays submitted by the candidates, making corresponding evaluations one by one.