Chapter 21

In the spring examination and the supplementary examination, the scores of the literary candidates are accumulated, and as long as they exceed the minimum talent requirement stipulated in the *Tongsheng Grand Ceremony*, they are qualified. According to the experience of Hong County over the years, selecting one hundred out of a thousand to become first-level Tongsheng is normal. This year, there might be a bit more, but it is estimated not to exceed two hundred, with an elimination rate of eighty to ninety percent.

For martial artists, the goal is to stimulate the martial soul within their bodies, supplemented by the rigid regulations in the *Basic Guidelines for Martial Learners*. Out of a thousand candidates, about three to four hundred can obtain the title of first-level learner, with an elimination rate of sixty to seventy percent.

For the first-level apprentice craftsmen, the examination requires demonstrating a special skill. As long as they meet the requirements for first-level apprentices as stipulated in *Lu Gong Ji Yao* or *Mo Jing*, they are qualified. This profession has the lowest elimination rate, around fifty percent, because this society can do without literati, but it absolutely cannot lack skilled craftsmen. Craftsmen are everywhere in the daily lives of the common people and in the various weapons used in military conflicts, and their numbers are naturally the largest.

Yue Heng followed Lu Changyuan and Huang Shihong into the examination hall.

He was now deliberately low-key. After the news of the special recruitment supplementary examination was passed to Zui Xian Building, he thought about it for a whole night, and the heavy fog in front of him was finally completely blown away, allowing him to see the entire situation clearly.

Only Wen Xinyue, who was still in the dark, did not understand the situation. From the moment she picked him up in the morning, she had not given him a good face, and her unwilling and reluctant attitude was obvious even to a fool that she had to approach him.

But Yue Heng did not give the little girl a bad face. Women, especially beautiful women, have some power.

Moreover, they were all in the same carriage, so close together. Yue Heng saw that the woman was wearing martial attire, and her figure... tsk tsk, there was nothing to say, touching it would definitely feel very curvy.

Her waist, tsk tsk, there was nothing to say, absolutely no excess fat, pinching it could even reduce one's lifespan by three years.

Although she was still wrapped in a beast fur coat for warmth, occasionally during the gaps when she bent over and stood up, Yue Heng could still see her short martial attire, her round and white legs, and the unique fragrance of a young girl...

Tsk tsk, why get angry with a beautiful woman?

After entering the gate of the county academy, the candidates of different professions had to gather separately. Yue Heng, Lu Changyuan, and Huang Shihong stood and temporarily bid farewell to Wen Xinyue.

"Wen Miss, I am very grateful for your hospitality these few days. You invited me for tea yesterday and sent me in a carriage today. You are truly a good person! If we happen to meet again in the supplementary examination, please don't be too formal, and continue to help me..." Yue Heng said with a smile, but his words were extremely formal, making Lu Changyuan and Huang Shihong both laugh and cry.

Wen Xinyue was furious. How could there be such a shameless person?

But she could not disobey her father's command. She gritted her teeth and said, "Sure!"

Ah?

She didn't refuse such a request?

Even Lu Changyuan and Huang Shihong felt something was amiss. Could there really be such a good thing in the world?

Yue Heng did not expect this answer either. His mind raced, and he decided to add fuel to the fire. He said with a smile, "That's great. I heard that the examination allows free team formation, and there are no restrictions on professions. If Wen Miss doesn't mind, could you take me, this weak and burdensome person, from the beginning?"

Wen Xinyue almost went crazy. What a shameless person!

What about your literary pride?

What about your resilience and integrity?

To make such an obvious request to freeload, you can actually say it in front of other companions. I really don't know what your face is made of!

You really let others slander and bully you, and you just endure and avoid them!

"Yue Brother... Isn't it inappropriate to make such a request to a woman?"

"Wen Miss, Yue Brother is just joking, don't take it seriously! Ha ha, Yue Brother, I didn't say anything wrong, right?"

"No, no, no, my sincerity is as clear as the sky. I sincerely hope that Wen Miss can team up with me and take me. I have little confidence in the supplementary examination! Besides, I have already made a bold statement in front of the top ten candidates in Hong County's spring examination, that I will strive to be the top Tongsheng this year. If I can't surpass Ji Cong, Kuang Qing, or Kuang Yun, or even Bai Ming, wouldn't I be disgracing Wen Miss?"

"In front of the top ten in Hong County... you, a supplementary candidate, are going to compete for the top Tongsheng... Yue Brother, you are really..." Lu Changyuan and Huang Shihong's eyes almost fell out. Is this guy for real?

"Shut up!"

Wen Xinyue was annoyed. A red light flashed, and the long, snake-like demonic red whip coiled around her arm. Her almond eyes glared, and the whip pointed afar. Her armed and ready posture made everyone stare in amazement.

It turns out that when a female martial artist gets angry, she looks so beautiful...

Wait, no, hey, I hate it the most when people point at me, but why can't I hate her?

Yue Heng looked at Wen Xinyue with a smile, not backing down at all. He watched with interest as she took off her beast fur coat, revealing her tight martial attire. In his mind, he began to sketch a picture—spur short boots, black fishnet stockings, tight leather jacket, wavy long hair, the beauty licking her red lips, one hand waving the demonic red whip, the other holding a candlestick...

Suddenly, applause broke the silence, interrupting Yue Heng's gaze with Wen Xinyue. He was a bit annoyed; the picture of the queen arriving was not yet complete!

"Really seeing Yue Brother here! Tsk tsk, Yue Brother is a special recruit, which is truly admirable. I wonder what kind of literary talent Yue Brother has that the academy would make such an exception?"

The group was not small, led by the second and third place winners of the spring examination, Kuang Qing and Kuang Yun, followed by Shi Gongzi, Song Gongzi, and other top ten candidates from Hong County. Yue Heng noticed that Bai Ming and Ji Cong were not among them, and he looked down on them even more.

Kuang Qing said he admired Yue Heng, but his face was mostly mocking. The others also sneered, clearly looking down on Yue Heng.

"Literary talent, I don't know how much I have, but crushing you guys is no problem! Because besides lacking literary talent, you also lack intelligence. Where is your master, Bai Ming? Where is the top candidate of Hong County's spring examination, Ji Cong? The main people who have a grudge against me are not here, yet you irrelevant people, lowly servants, jump out to seek trouble. Ha ha, think about it!"

Yue Heng retorted, his eyes sweeping over everyone's faces. Besides anger, he also saw some puzzled and regretful expressions. Without a doubt, he had successfully planted this thorn in some people's hearts.

"Relevant people?"

"Lowly servants?"

"Calling us, the top ten in Hong County, lowly servants?"

Everyone was furious. Kuang Qing was enraged. He was about to continue arguing, but seeing the soldiers and examiners approaching, he held his breath and left a threat, "Yue Heng, you're asking for it! See you in the supplementary examination!"

"Better not see me!"

Yue Heng replied with a smile, giving them the middle finger, which they didn't understand.

He looked at Wen Xinyue again, and a poem suddenly came to his mind. He blurted out, "Two zhang whip, graceful and heroic, dawn's first light shines on the academy. The children of Zhongyuan have great aspirations, not fond of makeup, but of simplicity. Wen Miss, I also send you a poem, titled *Female Martial Artist*. See you in the supplementary examination!"

This impromptu poem not only surprised Kuang Qing and Kuang Yun, who had not yet walked far, but also made the passing examiners look at him with curiosity.

Wen Xinyue was stunned, repeating the poem several times, her face turning red.

Praising her in public, even if she didn't care about others' opinions, she couldn't resist such embarrassment. Seeing many people looking at them, she huffed, glared at Yue Heng, and blushed as she ran into the group of martial candidates.

Lu Changyuan clasped his hands and praised, "This poem truly describes Wen Miss, and it fits the occasion. Yue Brother, to be able to compose such a poem on the spot, you are truly talented!"

Huang Shihong also praised, "I didn't expect Yue Brother to be such a lover of women. But if not loving makeup is considered a great aspiration, then there are too many women in the world waiting for Yue Brother to cherish..."

Yue Heng really suddenly remembered this poem. The original poem was written by the chairman for a female soldier's photo, where "two zhang whip" was originally "five chi spear," and "academy" was originally "drill ground."

As for the last line, the most classic "not fond of makeup, but of simplicity," he changed it to "not fond of makeup, but of simplicity" because he had too little time to think, and had to change it for the poem's rhythm and rhyme, which was a bit helpless.

Kuang Qing and Kuang Yun's faces changed dramatically. They had just mocked Yue Heng for lacking talent, but he immediately recited a poem. Ignoring the flaws in the poem, just the spontaneity and ease were far beyond their abilities.

If this poem were in the spring examination, it would definitely make the top thousand, and even the top hundred. It seems that Yue Heng really has talent, and his special recruitment is genuine, not as Bai Ming said.

Thinking about what Yue Heng said earlier, they became even more serious.

"Kuang Brother, it seems this person is not without talent... Could we really have been deceived by Bai Ming?"

"Hmph! So what if he has talent? We are the top ten. How can he be stronger than us? Seeing how he flatters Xiaoyue is really disgusting! If I see him in the supplementary examination, I will make him pay!"

"Exactly! This person is full of venom, has no respect for teachers, and is cowardly, hiding behind a woman. He is a true villain!"

"I will definitely help Kuang Brother!"

Their eyes were filled with jealousy, and they left with a flick of their sleeves.

A passing examiner overheard the poem, stopped, and whispered, "Someone is composing a poem on the spot? Sounds interesting!"

"The first three lines are fine, but the last line 'not fond of makeup, but of simplicity' needs to be revised."

"Everyone knows that Wen Miss is a martial artist, 'not fond of makeup' is understandable, but 'simplicity' here seems a bit forced. 'Sweat' would be better."

"'Sweat' is also a bit inappropriate. To highlight the previous line's great aspirations, a strong contrast is needed. Women valuing literature and martial arts are normal, and female craftsmen and spirit masters are common. Whether they love makeup or not is not a significant suppression, and it needs to be reconsidered."

Seeing the examiners' interest, Yue Heng quickly signaled to Lu Changyuan. The three of them slipped into the group of literary candidates and disappeared, leaving the curious examiners disappointed.

At this moment, County Magistrate Qi and Vice County Magistrate Cai were overseeing the academy, giving the final pep talk before the supplementary examination in front of many academy examiners, martial school officials, and craftsmen association members from Hong County.

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