Ming Shu couldn’t help rubbing her eyes, wanting to look more carefully, but the students who had been bowing were now rising at Third Prince Zhao Jingran’s command to dispense with formalities.
Ming Shu’s view was blocked, and she could no longer see the people in front clearly, so she had to give up. In this world, some people looked identical, let alone those who merely shared some similarities – it wasn’t so strange. After thinking about it, she let it go.
With Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan leading, followed by the Academy Master and several great scholars, they led a grand procession into the academy.
Ming Shu followed Teacher He’s wife closely behind the students. After passing through the gates, the group didn’t rest but went straight to pay respects at the academy’s Confucian Temple.
With incense, candles, and offerings prepared, after Zhao and Lu performed three bows with incense, the examination candidates entered in succession, three in a row to pay respects. Lu Chang was among them, followed by the academy’s other students.
After all students had completed the ceremonial respects, everyone gathered in the courtyard outside the temple to listen to the Third Prince and Minister of State’s teachings.
With the spring examinations approaching, they spoke mainly words of encouragement to the students. The Third Prince spoke passionately, stirring the students’ blood, while Minister of State Lu Wenhan’s words turned that passionate energy into gentle, considerate guidance.
Ming Shu observed from the periphery throughout, her curiosity about Lu Wenhan’s appearance far exceeding other matters. Unfortunately, his position was backlit, and she stood somewhat far away, still unable to see clearly.
After the speeches, the group didn’t disperse. Xu Yan led Zhao and Lu to Chongming Hall.
Chongming Hall was Songling Academy’s largest lecture hall, typically used for large-scale lectures. The hall displayed the inscription “Establish the heart for Heaven and Earth, establish destiny for the people, continue the lost teachings of past sages, create peace for ten thousand generations.” The hall had no doors and faced a courtyard that could hold hundreds. Now the prince and Minister of State sat in the great hall, drinking tea and conversing with the Academy Master and others, while all students stood in the courtyard.
Ming Shu and others followed Teacher He’s wife into the back hall, each busy with their tasks – some boiling water and preparing tea, others readying writing materials, organizing students’ papers… everyone was occupied, working in an orderly manner.
Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan weren’t here just to sit and chat over tea with the Academy Master. After the pleasantries, they would examine the candidates’ abilities. The papers prepared in the back hall were policy essays and seven-character quatrains written by the candidates in recent days. After being evaluated by the academy’s scholars, ten of the best works were selected to be presented to the prince and Minister of State today. Additionally, other students each submitted a seven-character quatrain, also selected for excellence.
Of Songling Academy’s twenty-one examination candidates, only eight papers were chosen.
The papers Ming Shu now held on her tray were the selected policy essays and quatrains, though each was rolled and tied with red string, making it impossible to tell whose works they were. Ming Shu stood at the partition between the back hall and the main hall, waiting to be called. Seeing her eyes darting over the papers, Teacher He’s wife came over with a smile and whispered in her ear: “Little Ming Shu, want to know if your brother’s work is among these?”
Ming Shu nodded vigorously, and Teacher He’s wife pointed to one of the two papers on top, saying, “There. Right at the top.”
“Thank you, Teacher’s wife!” Ming Shu felt relieved.
Though she had confidence in her brother, getting confirmation still made her happy.
“They’re calling for you, hurry!” Teacher He’s wife smiled again, gently pushing her back.
The call to present the papers had come from the front, and Ming Shu took a deep breath, bowing as she carried the tray into the main hall. She couldn’t approach the prince and Minister of State directly, only standing at the side of the main hall with the tray while attendants came to take the papers, inspect them, open them, and present them to Zhao and Lu. However, standing in the main hall, even if just at a side angle, she could see Lu Chang standing in the courtyard.
The candidates stood three in a row, with Lu Chang in the front row. Though all wore the same colored clothes, Lu Chang somehow stood out several degrees more conspicuous than others.
She secretly curved her lips. Lu Chang noticed and sent her a look. The siblings’ gazes met in mid-air, wordless yet perfectly in sync. After exchanging glances with him for a moment, her gaze shifted to the person beside him.
Well, Lu Chang wasn’t the only conspicuous one – like cranes among chickens, there were two cranes.
Song Qingzhao also stood in the front row, in the center position, like an elegant jade tree, particularly dazzling. Seeming to sense her gaze, his eyes turned slightly and saw Ming Shu. Ming Shu raised her eyebrows and made a face at him. Song Qingzhao somehow wanted to laugh, quickly looking away while suppressing his sudden urge to smile.
No one in the hall noticed this small exchange of glances. The attendant had already opened the first scroll and announced: “Bianjing candidate, Song Qingzhao.”
Song Qingzhao composed himself and stepped forward, bowing silently.
This scroll was presented first to Zhao Jingran. After some polite decline between Zhao and Lu, Zhao Jingran still read first. The attendant took the second scroll and announced: “Jiangning candidate, Lu Chang.”
Lu Chang also stepped forward.
This scroll was presented to Lu Wenhan.
Zhao Jingran had already read more than half, commenting as he read: “Qingzhao truly deserves his reputation as Bianjing’s greatest young talent; his writing is indeed excellent.”
Song Qingzhao quickly bowed and modestly said: “Your Highness overpraises me. My meager talents are due to the academy teachers’ guidance.”
“You’re still so modest! Come speak with me, no need to be formal,” Zhao Jingran smiled.
From his tone, Ming Shu could tell he and Song Qingzhao were already acquainted. As the eldest grandson of a Duke’s family, having connections with the royal family wasn’t surprising.
Song Qingzhao stood beside the Third Prince under the envious gazes of his fellow students. Zhao Jingran continued reading his writings and poems, praising them as he read. When he reached particularly brilliant passages, he couldn’t help leaning over to show the scroll to Lu Wenhan, wanting to share the excellent work. However, Lu Wenhan had just finished reading Lu Chang’s entire scroll with intense focus and suddenly slapped the table in acclaim: “Excellent writing!”
Zhao Jingran was startled: “I rarely see Minister Lu praise someone so highly, this writing…”
“Your Highness, please take a look,” Lu Wenhan then passed the paper to Zhao Jingran.
The students below watched as Zhao and Lu put their heads together to read, pointing at the text and discussing in low voices, not knowing what they were saying. Only Lu Chang stood naturally composed, his face undisturbed, as if the work being scrutinized wasn’t from his hand.
Song Qingzhao slightly lowered his head, silent.
After a while, Zhao and Lu finished reading Lu Chang’s work, and Lu Wenhan raised his head: “Which one is Lu Chang? Step forward.”
Lu Chang stepped forward several paces, standing in the center of the main hall, right in front of Lu Wenhan, and cupped his hands: “Student Lu Chang greets Minister Lu.”
His neither servile nor arrogant manner made Lu Wenhan nod, but just as he was about to speak, he saw Lu Chang’s gradually rising face and froze.
“Minister Lu?” Seeing his distraction, Zhao Jingran gently reminded him.
Lu Wenhan recovered, staring at Lu Chang’s face as he asked: “Jiangning’s top candidate Lu Chang, how old are you?”
Unrelated to the writing, Lu Chang answered normally: “Student has just come of age.”
Coming of age meant twenty years old.
Lu Wenhan asked again: “Who else is in your family?”
This question was even stranger. Lu Chang’s brows slightly furrowed: “At home are my mother and a younger sister.”
“How old is your sister?”
Ming Shu heard the question about herself and was also completely puzzled. She looked up just as Lu Chang glanced her way, and Lu Wenhan followed Lu Chang’s gaze, immediately seeing her.
“My sister is eighteen,” Lu Chang replied.
“And your father?”
“My father passed away from illness when I was young.”
“May I ask what your father’s name was…”
“My father was Lu Yuanchuan.”
As soon as Lu Chang’s voice fell, the attendant beside them suddenly rebuked: “How dare you!”
“It’s fine,” Lu Wenhan quickly raised his hand to dismiss the attendant.
Zhao Jingran explained: “Yuanchuan is Minister Lu’s courtesy name.”
Now Lu Chang’s brows were completely furrowed, and Zhao Jingran also found it strange, so he asked Lu Wenhan: “Minister Lu, is there something wrong with this student?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just saw his writing used sophisticated wording, concise yet penetrating and was surprised by his youth. Out of curiosity, I asked a few questions, and unexpectedly found some connection.” Lu Wenhan’s expression remained relaxed and calm as he spoke, laughing heartily, though his gaze moved from Lu Chang to Ming Shu standing quietly at the side.
Though Ming Shu was dressed as a page boy, the outfit was worn by both males and females, chosen for convenience and uniformity with other academy staff rather than to disguise as a male, so she was recognizable as a girl.
She felt puzzled by Lu Wenhan’s gaze – how had this examination somehow turned to focus on her family?
Lu Wenhan quickly withdrew his gaze and resumed discussing the writings with Zhao Jingran.
Both Lu Chang and Song Qingzhao’s writings were excellent, and when two equally outstanding papers fall into the examiners’ hands, they inevitably get compared to determine superiority. Regarding the policy essays, under the same topic, though Song Qingzhao’s writing was passionate and flowing with classical references, it couldn’t avoid the shortcomings that came with his age and status, still carrying traces of youthful naivety about worldly affairs. Lu Chang was different. At the same age, his insights were far broader than Song Qingzhao’s, and though his writing used simple words, each word was grounded and penetrating, far from the empty talk.
Lu Wenhan’s table-slapping praise came precisely from this – for a student of this age to have such insight was truly rare.
In terms of policy essays, Lu Chang was undoubtedly superior, but regarding poetry, both their poems were excellent works, perfect in parallelism and rhyme. However, in terms of grandeur and masterful word usage, Song Qingzhao’s seven-character quatrain was better than Lu Chang’s.
With each winning in one aspect, it appeared to be a tie on the surface, but the Da’an Dynasty’s selection of officials emphasized practicality, focusing more on candidates’ practical abilities. Thus, the imperial examinations concentrated on testing whether students truly could assist in governance, leaning more toward policy essays.
Therefore, overall, Lu Chang was slightly superior to Song Qingzhao.
After Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan finished reading the papers and giving their comments, they passed the two works around. Song Qingzhao first received Lu Chang’s paper, and after reading it word by word, line by line, any remaining discontent in his heart completely vanished, though a youthful competitive spirit arose in its place.
“Brother Lu’s writing, I willingly acknowledge defeat,” Song Qingzhao bowed to him.
Lu Chang returned the bow, merely saying softly: “You’re too kind.”
Ming Shu watched from afar, thinking that one truly lived up to being her brother, and the other deserved to make her heart race.
After Lu Chang and Song Qingzhao’s papers, the attendant continued presenting other students’ works, but with Lu and Song’s gems preceding them, though there were other good writings, they still seemed slightly lacking in maturity.
After Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan finished commenting on all the writings, Zhao Jingran ordered the attendant to distribute rewards. Unsurprisingly, Lu Chang and Song Qingzhao received the first rewards.
“Pillars of the state,” Zhao Jingran continued, “I greatly anticipate both your performances in the spring examinations and palace examinations.”
As he spoke, he stood up, in a very good mood, and said loudly: “We’ve been talking for so long, everyone must be tired. Come, let’s go enjoy the spring scenery.”
The Academy Master immediately stepped forward to lead the Third Prince out of Chongming Hall. Zhao Jingran called Song Qingzhao: “Qingzhao, come walk with me.”
Meanwhile, Lu Wenhan followed, looking at Lu Chang and saying gently: “You come walk with me.”
The group filed out of Chongming Hall. The Academy Master led the way, following the pre-arranged route to show the Third Prince and others around the academy.
The hundred-year-old academy had produced many famous people and left countless precious calligraphy works and stories. At each stop, the Academy Master introduced the place. Zhao Jingran was in high spirits today, so the group walked slowly. When they reached Huantao Pavilion since this pavilion had been where a great scholar of thirty years ago had studied while in Bianjing, containing many of his calligraphy works, it was a must-see location at Songling Academy. Thus, the group stopped outside Huantao Pavilion.
“Strange? Why are all the doors and windows closed?” Teacher He’s wife muttered.
The Third Prince’s tour route had been arranged early, with all pavilion doors and windows along the route opened beforehand. Everything had been fine during the morning inspection, so why were they all closed now?
“Ming Shu, go take a look and open all the doors and windows,” Teacher He’s wife said, glancing at the Third Prince who was listening to the Academy Master’s introduction of the surroundings, taking advantage of this moment to quickly send Ming Shu to open them.
Ming Shu hurried over, and when she reached Huantao Pavilion, for some reason, she first knocked twice on the door.
There was no response from inside.
Ming Shu laughed at herself – these places had been cleared earlier, how could anyone be inside?
As she thought this, she reached out to push open the door.
As soon as she opened it, her pupils constricted.
A person was lying face down on the table directly opposite the door.
Her heart suddenly suspended, and she slowly stepped into the pavilion.
Outside, the Third Prince and Lu Wenhan had reached Huantao Pavilion amid their conversation. The Academy Master was just making a “please” gesture to invite them in to view the pavilion when the half-open main door was suddenly thrown wide, and Ming Shu stood in the center of the doorway.
Her expression was cold, her voice forcefully controlled to remain calm.
“Your Highness, Minister Lu, Academy Master Xu… Yang Zishu is dead inside.”
As she spoke, she stepped aside, revealing the person lying face down on the table.
Everyone was shocked.
A murder had occurred at Songling Academy.