Chapter 402: Letters from Afar

Chapter 402

Xu Mo entered the small courtyard.

Apart from the people attending the long banquet, everyone else sat in the courtyard, staring intently and excitedly at the study. As the wooden door slowly pushed open, Xu Mo, wearing a blue robe and scholar's hat, stood tall and dignified like jade.

Unlike the bookish aura of the green fasteners, the scholar's robes and hats added a touch of nobility. He truly looked like a humble top scholar, unparalleled in the world.

From Jiang Sheng to Wen Zhiyun, from Fang Heng to Zheng Ruqian, they all looked over with reddened eyes.

Only they themselves knew how much hardship they had endured and how many difficulties they had encountered before arriving at today.

Those once seemingly insurmountable obstacles, looking back now, were just fleeting clouds and gentle breezes. Sometimes when they thought about it, without those hardships, there would be no present them.

Truly resolute people are brave enough to grow in the mud and climb amidst adversity. Marching forward in the face of storms and rains, every fall will become the power to rise up again, and every pain will become the courage to persist.

Life is undefeated, blooming eternal flowers.

Xu Mo also didn't expect that when he walked out, he would be met with total silence.

His younger siblings, his aunts and uncles were all looking over with moist eyes, some sentimental, some relieved, some approving, and some regretful.

Why was it... missing just one person?

From achieving first place in the imperial examinations to now, doubts had constantly plagued Xu Mo. He was determined to seek an audience with the Fifth Prince during the conferral ceremony to see with his own eyes whether that was really his little fifth brother from home.

"Let's go, it's almost time to enter the palace." Xu Mo returned to his senses and broke the silence in the courtyard.

The youths who had been sniffling just now immediately became mischievous, clamoring for their eldest brother to bring back some good stuff from the imperial palace.

Some wanted to taste the pastries from the imperial kitchens, some were curious about the emperor's appearance, and some even wanted to dig up a gold floor tile.

Previously they didn't dare to joke around since the memorials to the throne and palace examinations were too solemn. Now that they could finally relax, they couldn't wait to go in and see for themselves what the imperial palace was like.

Xu Mo was torn between laughter and exasperation. Steady knocks sounded from outside.

Jiang San gave a shout and got up to open the door, welcoming in a tall figure.

"Dad!" Jiang Sheng immediately threw herself into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

Jiang Jizu smoothly took out two packs of pastries from his robe, watching as she opened them before laughing and saying, "Of course I’m here to congratulate the top scholar."

The imperial court was wary of prominent families but promoted new talents.

Jiang Sheng was both the younger sister of a new talent and the legitimate daughter of a prominent family, so to avoid any impropriety, the Jiang family had not openly celebrated, even reducing the frequency of visits to see their daughter.

They watched as Xu Mo stretched out his hand and lifted the clasp. Faint light shone into view. The smooth, lustrous pearl was captivating.

So this was the legendary night glowing pearl.

No one knew how much wealth the Wang family had spent to find it and how many trials they had overcome to send it here.

That frail, perceptive youth could never obtain in his lifetime what his friend had helped realize on his behalf.

Xu Mo silently closed the clasp and solemnly handed it to Fang Heng for safekeeping.

When the carriage arrived at the palace gates, the students who had endured the night dew during the palace exam all changed into azure scholar's robes and went from waiting to entering one by one, from humble trepidation to confident composure.

They conversed with each other, walked alone, entered in groups, bowed in reverence, and looked around.

When they saw top scholar Xu Mo, some lit up and hurried over to socialize.

Others scoffed disdainfully and turned to follow the second place scholar.

The intertwining complexities of the official world were already faintly discernible in this moment.

Xu Mo remained unperturbed. He recalled Jiang Jizu mentioning that the top three scholars this time were all new talents, while only the fourth place scholar Fang Yuan was from a prominent family, which had thwarted the imperial court. It showed the emperor's deep hatred and intolerance for prominent families forming factions and cabals.

He returned the greetings of scholars trying to befriend him, but politely declined their offer to accompany him. He only waited until Qi Huai'an arrived to say farewell to his family before entering the imperial palace alone.

Second place scholar Sun Xiaosheng had already gone in, followed by over a dozen scholars trying to curry favor.

The top scholar was relatively aloof with only two friends accompanying him.

Would the fourth place scholar Fang Yuan, who had stumbled badly, appear at the conferral ceremony?

Harboring doubts, they entered Taihe Hall to find Fang Yuan already wearing azure scholar's robes and standing steadily in front.

He had an easy and tranquil expression without the slightest frustration, as if the earlier events had never happened, or as if he had already found a solution.

Either way, this young master Fang's city was profoundly deep and chilling.

"Brother Xu, be careful of petty villains and their dirty tricks," Qi Huai'an softly urged, afraid his good friend would suffer a loss.

Xu Mo smiled and used his eyes to reassure him, walking alone to the front.

Status was determined by achievements. The top three scholars undoubtedly stood at the very front, the second tier in the middle, and the third tier behind them.

Top scholar, second, fourth, lined up side by side in order.

Xu Mo had just come to a stop when the tranquil Fang Yuan turned his head and revealed a kindly smile.