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墨書 Inktalez
A faint sound at the door did not escape their ears. The two exchanged a glance, instantly understanding each other's meaning.
It turned out that someone was eavesdropping in the shadows. Initially, they had not paid much attention, thinking that in such a strange place, they were being so low-key that no one would notice them.
But the problem was? They had just arrived and within half an hour, such an incident occurred. Was someone already tailing them as soon as they entered the city?
Who could it be? Yang Yichen had no idea. For now, they could only remain still and pretend that nothing had happened.
"Go ahead and rest well. Later, I will write a letter to the lady and the young miss; you can find someone to deliver it," he said.
"Yes, young master." Anan slowly retreated.
The door creaked open, and out of the corner of Anan's eye, he caught sight of a suspicious figure lurking by the neighboring door. Suddenly, he understood.
Leaving nonchalantly, Anan returned to his room. He pondered over the recent events; his young master rarely interacted with people from the capital. Who had such great ability?
At the same time, Yang Yichen sat at his desk in white attire, slowly reviewing his studies. His flowing black hair and chiseled features, along with his high nose bridge, made him look exceptionally handsome as he focused intently on his reading.
As time passed, Yang Yichen went out to purchase necessities but usually stayed inside the inn. The variables were too great; even with confidence, he needed to ensure success on this occasion.
Meanwhile, those responsible for monitoring Yang Yichen reported back every night about his movements: "My lord, Yang Yichen has not left his room. I have been watching continuously for twelve hours; aside from taking care of personal matters, he has remained inside."
"We have one person guarding each side and still found no abnormalities."
"Mm!" Dugu Hao's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. "Indeed not simple."
Who could achieve such a level of caution? It seemed that the other party had already discovered their presence: "Alright, you no longer need to monitor him!" Perhaps for these few days, he was just toying with them like monkeys.
In the capital, everything appeared calm and peaceful, with the nation thriving and its people secure, yet beneath the surface, turbulent currents swirled, reminiscent of the stillness before a storm.
The busy students, engaged in lively discussions and eager to make friends, were completely oblivious to the underlying tensions.
Indeed, individuals like Yang Yichen, who possessed keen senses, unique insights, and sharp perspectives, were rare. Otherwise, Dugu Hao would not have gone out of his way to send someone.
The two had already crossed paths before, and neither was willing to concede in their covert rivalry. Who would ultimately prevail over whom?
Finally, the day of the Imperial Examination arrived. The additional examination date was set for early March; by then, the weather had warmed enough for the students to shed their heavy winter coats and prepare for a significant challenge.
At this point, Yang Yichen remained secluded, indifferent to the world outside his window, wholly focused on studying the classics.
At least that was how others perceived him.
Compared to the County Examination and Provincial Examination, the difficulty of the Imperial Examination increased significantly. Naturally, its rigor was on an entirely different level since it was a national examination.
On exam day, the crowd outside the examination hall was immense. To prevent cheating incidents, all writing materials were provided directly by the authorities to ensure no one tampered with their pens.
Additionally, everyone entering the examination hall had to go through a separate room where they were required to remove all their clothing for inspection to check for any cheating materials. If any were found, they would be expelled on the spot and barred from taking exams for three years.
Yang Yichen stood in this line. However, compared to some of the anxious individuals beside him, he remained quite calm. In such an examination setting, thinking for oneself was far more efficient than copying.
Once inside the examination hall, each candidate only needed to wear their own clothes; they did not have to bring any writing materials or even worry about meals.
The examination hall provided standardized supplies to minimize the chances of cheating.
Yang Yichen watched as a nervous middle-aged man was dragged out like a soft noodle, thrown to the ground by the officials without any hesitation.
The man, covered in dirt and tears streaming down his face, pleaded, "Officials, I was wrong. I won't dare to do it again. Please let me in!"
Having traveled a long distance to participate in the Imperial Examination, he found his lifelong reputation shattered when he failed to take the exam.
The man collapsed on the ground, tears flowing, completely losing any semblance of masculinity.
This example of failure made several men in line behind him break into cold sweats, trembling with fear, wishing they could strip off their clothes and retreat immediately.
If they were caught, it would be a serious problem, and things would only get worse.
"Yang Yichen, come in!" A deep voice called from inside, and Yang Yichen stepped forward.
Following the instructions given, Yang Yichen went through a series of checks that went relatively smoothly.
As time passed second by second, the line in front of the examination hall gradually shortened—ten people, five people, three people, two people, one person.
Finally, the last person passed through, and the examination hall door slowly closed. The dull sound sent a shiver down his spine.
So this is what an examination hall looks like? Two rows of officials guarded the entrance, indicating its level of confidentiality.
Yang Yichen felt confident and determined as he straightened his back and sat at the desk. Calmly accepting the exam paper handed to him by the examiner, he first skimmed through it for an overview before reading it carefully. He analyzed the key points and difficulties within it to determine his approach to answering.
Step by step, as morning passed by, this was his habit during exams. In his view, only by understanding the questions could he answer them better.
At the same time, in the Wen Family residence, Mrs. Wen anxiously paced back and forth. The letter confirming her son's safe arrival in the capital had already arrived, which put her at ease. However, today was the day of the Imperial Examination, and she couldn't help but wonder if the questions would be easy, if her son would be able to answer them, and if he would succeed.
A series of questions flooded her mind, making her restless. "Oh dear, if I had known, I should have gone with him. Look at how anxious I am now; I can't focus on anything."
A few days ago, Liu Qingxi had been right there with her, listening to her worries and sharing her own thoughts. But now, Liu Qingxi was busy with numerous invitations from families in town to design houses, leaving her overwhelmed.
After all those promises made before the New Year, they had enjoyed the comforts provided by Chenxi Tavern over the winter, which had made them all eager for more.
If this were to be discovered, it could lead to serious trouble; escalating the situation would be even worse.
"Yang Yichen, come in!" A deep voice called from inside. Yang Yichen stepped in.
Following the other party's instructions, Yang Yichen went through a series of checks that went relatively smoothly.
Time passed second by second as the line in front of the examination hall gradually shortened—ten people left, then five, three, two, and finally one.
At last, the last person passed through, and the examination hall doors slowly closed. The dull buzzing sound sent a shiver down her spine.
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