Chapter 2: The Return of the White Moonlight 2

The chief eunuch nearby personally checked Minister Zhao’s breath. He knew that just a moment ago, Zhao was only breathing out, not in, and even the greatest immortal couldn’t save him. But how did this new top scholar feed him a pill and suddenly he could breathe again?!

Lin Lang noticed his thoughts and thought to himself that this was a pill he exchanged for a full 100 energy points! He didn’t have much energy left, and if it weren’t for the fact that this task was related to his and his little chubby boy’s lives, he wouldn’t have been willing to use it—

However, he also understood the principle of “a treasured possession invites trouble.” If someone with ill intentions found out about such a miraculous medicine, it would undoubtedly bring disaster to him and his little chubby boy.

He smiled apologetically and explained, “This pill was given to me by a wandering Taoist. It’s the last one I have. It can help someone catch their breath when they’re on the brink of death, but if they’re truly gone, not even the greatest immortal can save them—”

The chief eunuch had been standing far away earlier and hadn’t gotten a clear look at Lin Lang. He only felt that Lin Lang was as elegant as a tree and as bright as the autumn moon, truly a gentleman like jade. But compared to the former Young Master Ning, he probably couldn’t match up.

As he got closer and suddenly saw Lin Lang’s appearance clearly, he was stunned. Even though he had been in the palace for many years and had seen many beauties, he had never seen anyone as good-looking as this new top scholar.

Being a rough man, he couldn’t think of any fancy adjectives. He just felt that this new top scholar had white teeth, red lips, and features as if painted, all of which were pleasing to the eye. Even compared to the former Young Master Ning, he was probably on par.

In his private opinion, he even felt that Lin Lang might surpass Ning by a bit. This bit wasn’t in any other aspect but in the unique charm that Lin Lang possessed, like the mature aroma of ripe autumn fruit. In comparison, Young Master Ning seemed a bit green.

However, he certainly wouldn’t dare say this in front of the emperor. Having been by the emperor’s side for many years, he was well aware of the emperor’s feelings for Young Master Ning. If he dared to say such a thing, he feared he would lose his head on the spot.

While the chief eunuch was lost in thought, the emperor on the throne impatiently said, “Wang Dahai, why are you still standing there dumbfounded?! Since Censor Zhao hasn’t stopped breathing, why haven’t you ordered someone to take him away? Why leave him here to be an eyesore?!”

Wang Gonggong immediately snapped back to reality, quickly responded, and had the young palace attendants take Minister Zhao to a side hall and called for the imperial physician to attend to him.

Seeing that Minister Zhao’s life was no longer in danger, Lin Lang lifted his robe, knelt solemnly on the ground, and said, “This humble commoner, though fortunate to be appointed as the top scholar by Your Majesty, has no achievements or hard work to speak of and truly does not deserve a fifth-rank official position.”

Being appointed as a fifth-rank official right after becoming the top scholar was like putting a target on his back! Moreover, to complete the task of supporting the emperor, he naturally had to prevent the emperor from making such obviously capricious and foolish decisions.

The emperor’s face turned a bit unpleasant as he stared directly at Lin Lang for a long time, his voice cold and stern, “Do you think you have the right to refuse something I give?”

Lin Lang remained unmoved, bowing his head even lower, revealing a stretch of snow-white neck, and said again, “I hope Your Majesty will retract the order—”

All the civil and military officials in the hall buried their heads deeply. After the previous example of Censor Zhao, no one dared to make a sound.

Only the emperor saw that snow-white curve, and he couldn’t help but be a bit dazed, thinking of his Zimo, who was also like this—seemingly gentle and restrained, but in reality, incredibly stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, he wouldn’t change it easily, even if it meant getting hurt.

But this Lin Lang was not his Zimo. In the past, he had always indulged Zimo, but what was Lin Lang to him, daring to directly defy him!

Suppressing his anger, he said, “Do you know what the crime is for defying an imperial decree?”

The civil and military officials couldn’t help but shiver. Ever since the death of Young Master Ning three years ago, the emperor had become unpredictable. Every time they attended court, they trembled with fear, knowing that nine out of ten times, the emperor would be displeased. Those who offended him would be punished with at least dozens of strokes, and at worst, lose their heads. Attending court had become a high-risk activity, and every day before leaving home, they had to make arrangements for their affairs, and every night when they returned home, they were grateful that their heads were still attached.

Now that the emperor had said this, it was clear he was truly angry. At the very least, someone would be punished, lose their career, or even their life. They hadn’t expected that just a moment ago, the emperor had favored this top scholar, wanting to appoint him as a fifth-rank Hanlin scholar, and the next moment, he was ready to deal with him. Their sympathy for this new top scholar might not be entirely genuine, but the sense of shared fate was very real.

However, what they didn’t expect was that Lin Lang didn’t feel any fear at all. Perhaps it was because the emperor had always been harmless in front of him. Even though the emperor’s temperament had changed drastically, Lin Lang subconsciously still saw him as the little kid who used to follow him around calling him brother, and he didn’t believe the emperor would truly harm him.

He stiffened his neck, showing a fearless expression, and said, “I hope Your Majesty will retract the order! This humble commoner is willing to accept punishment!”

The civil and military officials couldn’t help but gasp, thinking that this top scholar was truly fearless, not knowing how terrifying the emperor could be! How dare he say such things! Did he not care for his life anymore?!

The emperor, suppressing his anger, was almost amused by it, furrowing his brows and sneering, “Fine, fine, since the top scholar refuses a toast only to drink a forfeit, someone, take the top scholar—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Lin Lang suddenly looked up at him, with eyes full of defiance and a stubborn expression that wouldn’t turn back even if he hit a wall, and that face, all of it was clear to see.

The emperor suddenly choked, his breathing becoming heavy. In that instant, he felt as if his Zimo had returned—his appearance was already seven or eight parts similar, and with that expression, it was almost indistinguishable.

Wang Gonggong also saw Lin Lang’s demeanor, as firm as pine and as pure as snow, and was initially filled with regret. But with a slight shift of his gaze, he noticed the emperor’s dazed expression.

His mind raced, and he instantly understood that the emperor probably felt that this top scholar resembled Young Master Ning and was reluctant to let go.

As a qualified servant, he knew when to offer his master a way out. He bowed slightly and whispered, “Your Majesty, the top scholar is a great talent, a pillar of our Cangxuan. Perhaps, considering his youth and inexperience, you could forgive him this once?”

With someone offering a way out, the emperor pretended to cough to cover up and said, “Hmm, how old is the top scholar this year?”

The chief examiner of this imperial examination, the Minister of Rites, stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, Lin the top scholar is twenty-one this year—”

Wang Gonggong, standing by, said joyfully, “Your Majesty, Lin the top scholar is exactly the same age as Young Master Ning was—”

The emperor gave him a cold look, clearly saying, “Why are you talking so much?!”

Wang Gonggong quickly bowed his head and pretended to be a quail.

The scene fell silent again. Normally, this would at least warrant a beating, but now, the emperor, thinking of how similar Lin Lang was to his Zimo, felt that punishing Lin Lang would be like punishing his Zimo, which was absolutely unacceptable!

In the past, he wouldn’t dare touch a single finger of Zimo, nor say a harsh word. In his heart, Zimo was like the moon in the sky, only to be admired from afar, not touched. But ever since Zimo was gone, he even felt that the past was actually quite good, at least he could still see him. Now, he felt like a lonely traveler in the dark, feeling as if everything had lost its meaning.

If his Zimo was moonlight, then Lin Lang was merely a firefly in the night. How could a firefly dare to compete with the sun and moon?! But for this lonely traveler in the dark, even a single firefly was the only lifeline, the only way to remember the shadow of a lost loved one—

That stretch of snow-white curve calmed his anger a bit, and in a cool voice, he said, “Wang Dahai, what do you think should be done with this new top scholar?”

Wang Dahai shivered, showing a smile that was more like a grimace, and said cautiously, “Your Majesty, this humble servant is a eunuch, how dare I meddle in state affairs?—”

The emperor clearly wasn’t buying it, saying coldly, “Oh?! Weren’t you just talking a lot?! Now that I’m asking you to speak, you’ve turned mute?!”

Wang Gonggong visibly trembled and said cautiously, “Then, then perhaps let Lin the top scholar ride a horse through the streets?”

The emperor looked at him with a face full of confusion, clearly saying, “What kind of lousy idea is that?! Is that even a punishment?!”

Wang Gonggong was also in a difficult position. As someone who had been immersed in the palace for many years, he could clearly see the emperor’s intentions. It was that punishing too harshly wouldn’t do, but not punishing at all wouldn’t satisfy the emperor’s pride, especially since the emperor had already spoken, and there was no way to just let it go lightly.

He forced an explanation, “Your Majesty, three years ago, when Young Master Ning became the top scholar, he felt that riding a horse through the streets was too conspicuous, like being watched like a monkey, so it wasn’t held.”

“This humble servant thought that scholars probably have the same temperament, and might find the spectacle of riding a horse with a big red flower through the streets, being watched by all the people of the capital, quite embarrassing, unlike this humble servant who would consider it a great honor.”

The emperor touched his chin, seemingly pondering, “Makes sense, let’s do it that way! After the court session, let the top three ride horses through the streets, and then follow the usual procedures.”

Wang Gonggong’s old face bloomed like a chrysanthemum as he said, “The emperor is wise!”

The civil and military officials were dumbfounded. What happened to the emperor’s anger always leading to bloodshed?! What happened to the emperor’s anger leading to a million corpses?! They had been trembling with fear for so long, only to see this?! The emperor didn’t care much for the lives of his ministers, but when it came to this new top scholar, he couldn’t bear it?!

Initially, when the emperor wanted to appoint Lin Lang as a top scholar, they were already quite dissatisfied. It took most people years of hard work to become a fifth-rank official, and many might never reach that rank in their lifetime. Why should Lin Lang, just because of his good looks, be directly appointed as a fifth-rank official?!

Later, when Lin Lang fed Censor Zhao a life-saving pill and defied the emperor’s anger by refusing the appointment as a fifth-rank Hanlin scholar, their opinion of Lin Lang changed instantly, and they admired him greatly.

But now, seeing the emperor treating him differently because of his appearance, they felt a bit sour, though they knew it was all because of Young Master Ning, and they didn’t know who to be sour about.

But in the end, it was settled. The emperor, impatiently signaling, had the eunuch continue reading, “Second place, Fan Zhong, appointed as a seventh-rank official in the Ministry of Personnel—”

“Third place, Lu Ji, appointed as a seventh-rank editor in the Hanlin Academy—”

······

After all the more than a hundred successful candidates were assigned positions, it was nearing noon. The officials dispersed.

A young palace attendant hurriedly led Lin Lang, Fan Zhong, and Lu Ji, the top three, to prepare for the horse-riding procession through the streets.

Fan Zhong and Lu Ji: What happened to punishing the top scholar, and why are we being dragged along too?! Is this a reward or collateral damage?—