The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Beat You Up

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After Xiao Liulang entered the examination hall, Gu Jiao left, carrying the basket on her back.

She was going to the market to sell the wild mushrooms and dried wood ear fungus in the basket, and also do something else.

Divine Academy’s reputation had spread far and wide, and plenty of people came to take the exam. There were locals, and there were also foreigners like Xiao Liulang.

Each referee held a recommendation letter from a village school, county school, or prefectural school, and they entered the corresponding examination hall.

Because their levels were different, Xiao Liulang and Gu Dashun were assigned to different examination halls.

Xiao Liulang was in the last row.

Divine Academy prided itself on its high level of education, and most of those who came to attempt the admission exam were at least scholar-officiates. It was not easy to pass the exam to become a scholar-officiate these days, so it was already commendable for Gu Dashun to have become one before the age of 20.

Xiao Liulang was only 17 years old, and the youngest among all the examinees.

He was also the most handsome.

Alas, he was a cripple. _{freēwēbηovel.c૦m}

All the other examinees looked over with curious gazes, but their gazes did not linger, and they soon turned their attention to filling in their papers.

In the morning, they would be tried on poetry; in the afternoon, on the classics.

Most of the examinees who could come here were erudite and well-learned; it was not difficult for them to compose some poems on the spot. However, the classics in the afternoon were a different story.

Topics for the classics exam were all derived from the original Four Books and Five Classics, and examinees were strictly to compose their answers in the eight-segment essay format.

The eight-segment essay was composed of eight sections: introduction, supplementation, preliminary exposition, initial argument, central argument, latter argument, final argument, and conclusion. It did not allow for figures of speech, had to be written in the tone of the sages, and quotations could only come from the Cheng or Zhu schools. The restrictions were severe.

In addition, the topics this time were very difficult. After a day, practically all of the examinees’ faces had turned green.

When Xiao Liulang came out, his classmate had been waiting outside the examination hall for almost an hour.

“Liulang! Here!” He waved at Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang went over on his walking stick.

His classmate said, “I heard a lot of people complaining that the classics this year is tricky. Sigh, just your luck. The topics this time were personally set by the dean. If nothing had happened to you back then and you were able to take the exam with me, then it wouldn’t have been so difficult… It’s all that evil woman’s fault!”

Xiao Liulang glanced at him, his furrows deepening.

His classmate continued, “By the way, has she been bullying you these past few days? I was so worried that you wouldn’t be able to come today.”

Indeed… I almost couldn’t make it.

Xiao Liulang paused.

Suddenly, as though sensing something, he raised his head to look ahead.

At this moment, the exam had just ended; the street at the entrance of the academy was packed with throngs of people.

A slender figure with a small basket on her back stood against the wall with her arms crossed, looking a little nonchalant.

From time to time, people would walk past her while giving her all sorts of looks because of her face; however, she was unfazed by them. She was not angry, ashamed, or embarrassed.

Soon, her classmate spotted Gu Jiao as well, and frowned. “Ah! Why is she here? Don’t tell me she’s here to cause trouble for you! Tell me honestly, did you have to escape from your home today?”

Actually, Xiao Liulang was not sure if Gu Jiao was here to look for him. He only knew that she was leaning there, clearly waiting for someone…

Due to the sheer number of examinees coming out from the academy, Gu Jiao’s attention was eventually drawn towards them.

Gu Jiao turned her head and looked over. In the sea of people, she spotted the handsome young man with a single glance.

She smiled and walked towards Xiao Liulang.

“Are the exams over?” she said.

“Yes.” Xiao Liulang nodded. “Have you been waiting for a long time?”

“No.” Gu Jiao tugged at her ear.