Chapter 683: Chapter 250: Palace Examination

After Zhao Jing’s figure left the study and exited the courtyard, the door gently clicked shut. The heavy silence filling the room dissipated slightly.

Only then did the grimness in Xu Shiniang’s eyes gradually fade, replaced by a complex, indiscernible glimmer of anticipation. He turned his head to look at Xu Yanlin, who was sitting to the side and had witnessed the entire exchange.

"You saw everything just now," Xu Shiniang said. "I reprimanded him and suppressed him today, but I was never denying his talent, much less his spirit. I was only targeting his eagerness for quick success and his somewhat short-sighted, narrow perspective."

Xu Yanlin was slightly taken aback, wondering why his father would suddenly bring this up.

Ignoring his son’s expression, Xu Shiniang continued in a profound tone, "If a young man has no ambition, he lacks drive. Without drive, he achieves nothing. He wholeheartedly wants the Six Firsts, wants to leave his mark on history, and wants to secure a place in the court. This mindset is called ambition; it’s a refusal to fall behind and a desire to shoulder great responsibilities. With this energy, he won’t sink into depravity, he won’t slack off, and he won’t waste his extraordinary talent in mediocrity.

"What your grandfather and I fear is never his desire to compete or win, but rather that he might take crooked paths, break the bottom line, and ruin his foundation in order to win. Today, we smoothed out his edges and reined in his hostility so he would understand that ambition must be matched with virtue, sharpness tempered with discretion, and talent guided by the right path. Only then can this ambition truly help him reach the top in the future, rather than bringing ruin upon himself."

Xu Shiniang let out a soft sigh, his tone growing more certain. "As long as he guards his heart and walks the right path, his ambition today will be the confidence that supports him for the rest of his life."

Pausing here, his tone shifted as he asked Xu Yanlin, "Do you know what you lack compared to Zhao Jing?"

Xu Yanlin swallowed hard, his voice slightly hoarse. "Exactly this ambition."

Xu Shiniang nodded. "As the eldest legitimate son, you’ve had smooth sailing since childhood. We paved the road beneath your feet, set your direction, shielded you from the storms, and smoothed out your setbacks. You are obedient and sensible, taking every step solidly. However, you’re used to being arranged for and staying within safe boundaries. You’ve never truly fought for your own life, nor have you ever gone all out to compete. A person without ambition can defend a city, but the court isn’t a gentle stream—it’s an endless, raging river. If you can’t lead the family upward or steer the helm through stormy seas, how will you break through when surrounded by predators?

"This is what your grandfather values most. Yanlin, you lose precisely because you are too much of a gentleman and too passive."

The day of the Palace Examination arrived quickly.

It was worth noting that outsiders only knew of the Palace Examination, unaware that it was preceded by a re-examination and a rigorous review of test papers. The re-examination was straightforward. The assessment results were divided into three grades: those in the first and second grades were allowed to participate in the Palace Examination, while those in the third grade or who failed were barred. This was primarily to strictly prevent cheating or substitute test-takers in the Imperial Examination, keeping unqualified Advanced Scholars out of the Palace Examination.

As for the paper review, it referred to the cross-checking of the Advanced Scholars’ red and black ink exam papers from the Imperial Examination. This included checking whether the writing was coherent, if the format complied with regulations, whether the names of respected figures that were considered a taboo were indeed avoided, and if the handwriting matched that of the re-examination.

Because Zhao Jing had the Xu family as his backing, no one was blind enough to make things difficult for him. He smoothly passed both the re-examination and the paper review, making it to the Palace Examination.

On the day of the Palace Examination, before dawn broke, the Imperial City and its surroundings were already brightly lit.

The newly minted Advanced Scholars, all dressed in green robes, lined up according to their rankings. Led by officials from the Ministry of Rites, they entered the Imperial City in a single file. Their footsteps fell upon the bluestone floor in absolute silence. The only sound was the rustling of fabric rubbing together, making the entire Imperial Palace seem even more profound and solemn.

After undergoing body searches and identity verification, they stepped into Taihe Palace. Inside the hall, candles blazed brightly, and incense smoke curled upward. The empty throne sat at the front, and an overwhelming aura of the Royal Family’s majesty washed over them. The scholars didn’t dare to look around. After standing at their pre-assigned seats, they held their breath and lowered their eyes, afraid to show even a hint of disrespect.

After a moment, the cracking of the ceremonial whip echoed three times from outside the hall. The sound was so powerful that it felt as if the entire Imperial Palace were trembling along with it. A eunuch’s shrill voice carried in from afar.

"The Emperor has arrived—"

Hearing this, Zhao Jing focused his mind, his eyes staring straight at the small patch of ground beneath his feet. His posture was upright, his face solemn, and his expression perfectly respectful and dignified.

The Emperor’s imperial procession approached from a distance, slowly drawing near. Zhao Jing concentrated, holding his breath as he stood quietly with his hands by his sides.

Perhaps it was an illusion, or perhaps he was being overly sensitive, but the bright yellow court boots embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons seemed to pause for a brief moment right in front of him before continuing their slow ascent toward the throne.

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