The Xia Emperor nodded hesitantly. “Probably...”

To prevent the examiners from leaking the questions, he had come up with the questions himself. The problem was that when he had set the questions, he hadn’t thought he would need to answer them.

Nevertheless, he had ascended the throne through genuine ability. His scholarly attainments stood out even among generations of Xia emperors. There was no doubt that he could answer the questions.

“If you know the answers, then write them down!” Jiang Ping’an glared. Among the three of us, you’re the only one with any learning. What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for me to write them for you?

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy felt that her philosophy of governance was sound.

As the ruler of a nation, why do I need to know everything? My role is to establish policies and direct the overall strategy, such as defeating Lass Yun.

As for trivial matters like the imperial examination, I should just leave those to my subordinates.

“Oh, right, you need to mimic this handwriting.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy produced some notes that Man Gu had written and instructed the Xia Emperor to imitate his handwriting. She was meticulous and left no loose ends.

One shouldn’t be fooled by Man Gu’s burly appearance. Although he looked capable of eating three Xia emperors in a single meal, as a Confucian cultivator, his handwriting was exceptionally refined. Within those orderly strokes was a sense of majestic grandeur.

The Xia Emperor. “...”

Confronted with both his old ancestor and direct superior, the Xia Emperor had no choice but to put aside his court documents for the time being and answer the questions on Man Gu’s behalf.

When the Xia Emperor set the questions, he already had a rough idea of how to answer them. It took him only a little thought to write out the answers.

As Jiang Ping’an and the Everlasting Immortal Fairy waited by the side for the answers, they began chatting.

Jiang Ping’an slapped his thigh, wholeheartedly agreeing with the Everlasting Immortal Fairy. “I’ve always said that the ‘Supreme Nine-Five Sovereign’ refers to the Nine-Layers Immortal, who invented the game of Five in a Row. But those officials of Great Yu were uncultured; they insisted it referred to the emperor. That’s why I didn’t even pass the provincial-level examination.”

He felt as though a long-standing injustice had finally been redressed. See? An ancient immortal really knows so much more.

“I’ve long believed that there were five immortals in ancient times. The chessboard represents heaven and earth; connect five pieces in a line, and you win. What does that mean? It means there were five ancient immortals, and when those five immortals act as one, anything can be accomplished!

“Tsk, no one believed me back then. They said I was ignorant and jealous of the wise forebears.”

Jiang Ping’an felt that the late Great Yu era was truly beyond saving. It forced a proper scholar like myself into becoming a founding emperor.

The Xia Emperor listened to the two’s conversation as he wrote the answers. Old Ancestor, if you’re so cultured, why don’t you come over and answer the questions yourself? Do you even understand the questions?

“Are you speaking ill of me, you brat?” Jiang Ping’an eyed the Xia Emperor suspiciously.

“How would I dare?” the Xia Emperor responded with an appeasing smile. He handed the completed examination paper to Jiang Ping’an. “Old Ancestor, please take a look.”

Jiang Ping’an glanced at the paper and realized he couldn’t make sense of what the Xia Emperor had written. He patted his high-achieving grandson on the shoulder. “Hai, what’s there to look at? I trust you!”

Jiang Ping’an handed the examination paper to the Everlasting Immortal Fairy. “Fellow Daoist Everlasting, does this count as passing the examination?”

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy also failed to understand what the Xia Emperor had written. His level is far inferior to Xiao Yangzi’s. If Xiao Yangzi had written it, I would certainly have understood it.

However, she couldn’t display her confusion. She had to pretend that the Xia Emperor had written something excellent.

“Of course! You are now the Provost[1] of the Imperial Guozijian Academy!”

Jiang Ping’an broke into a broad smile. The Provost of the Imperial Guozijian Academy was the highest official of the highest educational institution. It was a position that could only be held by someone of extraordinary talent.

Although he could have granted himself the title in the Great Xia, nothing compared to having his learning acknowledged by the foremost of the Five Ancient Immortals.

“Fellow Daoist Everlasting, we shall chat again another time when we are free.” Jiang Ping’an knew that the Everlasting Immortal Fairy was busy and didn’t hold her back.

When the Everlasting Immortal Fairy returned to the Imperial Examination Hall carrying the examination paper with a perfect score, Lu Yang and Man Gu were still occupied with the tribulation. Man Gu had been struck beyond recognition by the lightning, but he was still alive, his vitality strong enough for him to hold on.

She placed the examination paper down and darted back into Lu Yang’s mental space.

“Immortal Fairy, what have you been up to?” Lu Yang was baffled. She had been gone for half a day, and he wasn’t used to the absence of her incessant chatter in his mental space.

“Naturally, I went to protect that Man boy. I met Jiang Ping’an while I was at it. Let me tell you, Jiang Ping’an’s level of education is roughly comparable to mine. I appointed him as the Provost of the Imperial Guozijian Academy.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy gestured animatedly.

Even without Xiao Yangzi’s help, I managed to appoint a minister. I’m truly remarkable.

She looked at Lu Yang expectantly.

Lu Yang had no idea what to say. Immortal Fairy, what do you want me to say? From what I see, the Great Dou Dynasty will be doomed sooner or later. Fortunately, I’m on Big Senior Sister’s side. If the Great Dou Dynasty collapses, I can always seek refuge with her, together with the Immortal Fairy.

“You’re amazing, Immortal Fairy!” Lu Yang read the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s expression correctly and gave her a thumbs-up, complimenting her sincerely.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy beamed. “Of course. Don’t you know who this immortal is?”

Although I can praise myself, nothing compares to being praised by a loyal minister like Xiao Yangzi.

Lu Yang endured the lightning tribulation in the imperial city for three full days, stealing the spotlight.

Of course, his primary purpose was to help Man Gu temper his body with the heavenly lightning. The longer the tempering, the better the result. Stealing the spotlight was simply inevitable.

“Junior Brother Man, I’ll be going then. Oh, you’ve passed out.”

Lu Yang noticed his power beginning to dissipate. This signified that even with Man Gu’s summoning power sustaining him, this clone could only last for three days.

He had no choice but to leave.

Before departing, Lu Yang timed the moment the heavenly tribulation would disperse. Standing like a towering titan, he pointed at the tribulation arrogantly and barked a single word.

“Disperse!”

The word “disperse” reverberated through the entire imperial city deafeningly. The heavenly tribulation was also affected by this power. The dark clouds turned white, and the heavenly tribulation disappeared.

The sweet dew that descended from the heavens healed the unconscious Man Gu. After Lu Yang and the Everlasting Immortal Fairy left, he groggily came to and stared at the completed examination paper, thoroughly bewildered.

“Do I have a habit of sleepwalking?”

~~~

“Your Majesty, this is the huiyuan, the top-scoring candidate in this metropolitan-level imperial examination.” The chief examiner presented the Xia Emperor with a tidy examination paper.

With a glance, the Xia Emperor recognized that it was the one he had written himself, and his spirits lifted considerably.

As I thought, my abilities haven’t declined.

“My dear Minister Chu, what is your assessment of this examination paper?”

The chief examiner cupped his hands and answered truthfully, “Your Majesty, this candidate’s abilities are average. He deliberately engages in mystification, speaking in a vague and obscure manner that is hard to grasp. It’s merely a matter of luck that he could become the huiyuan.”

Crack.

The Xia Emperor’s veins bulged as he quietly snapped his brush in two. With a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, he asked, “Luck?”

“Due to the sudden tribulation that occurred during the metropolitan-level examination, he was the only candidate who managed to complete the entire paper. The rest submitted blank papers.

“Under these circumstances, even if this candidate’s answers were utterly a mess, he would still receive marks for submitting a completed paper, allowing him to become the huiyuan.”

The Xia Emperor maintained his smile, not letting it belie his thoughts. “Is that so? This emperor finds the responses commendable. It is greatly to my liking.

“How about this? This candidate shall be the zhuangyuan, the top scorer of the palace-level imperial examination. I will come up with another set of questions, and the remaining candidates will sit for a second imperial examination three days from now.”

~~~

“Ah? I’ve become the zhuangyuan?”

Man Gu was reminiscing about the flavors of home at the One More Time Barbeque Shop when he learned he had been named the zhuangyuan.

“Are the ancestors’ blessings this effective?”

1. For those familiar with Chinese novels and dramas, the original Chinese term is jijiu. ☜