Chapter 15

As the sundial gradually marked noon, sunlight shone into the hall, landing on a copper seal, which gleamed. Ye Qing instantly frowned.

Others might not notice, but a soul that had once practiced the Way was very sensitive. He felt the copper seal's aura of suppression grow stronger under the noon sun.

The copper seal was specifically used to suppress the destiny and fortune of the students, whether it was their innate or acquired destiny. All kinds of fortune were suppressed within this courtyard.

Ye Qing experienced this feeling. Although he couldn't see it, the faint scholarly aura he usually sensed had completely disappeared, clearly suppressed.

This was said to be "fair," but every matter has its pros and cons. At other times, it was fine, but at noon, the suppressive aura would intensify. At this time, writing an essay would not only suppress one's fortune but also bring bad luck.

Of course, only the noble families knew this secretly, while ordinary scholars were completely unaware. Ye Qing was about to rest, so he put down his pen, calmed his mind, and relaxed. The exam would not be collected until the lamps were lit, so there was still plenty of time.

The hall was vast, but one could still see a patch of sky in the distance and a wall covered with withered vines, evoking the taste of autumn. Ye Qing's heart unconsciously calmed down!

Seeing that the time had arrived, the three examiners stood up and announced, "It is now noon. We will provide you with food and a rest period. You must not make noise. You are all students of the county, bearing the earnest hopes of your families and clans. You must not cheat and ruin yourselves."

In fact, over hundreds of thousands of years, there were always some who cheated, but they were caught and expelled by the examiners. After so many years, cheating in the exam hall had become a common knowledge. Although there were still some who took the risk, the proportion was very small, thanks to the fairness brought by the Way.

Now, this was mainly to avoid the suppressive aura at noon.

The students, upon hearing this, all agreed. Many stopped writing, but some continued to think and even write.

For these, the examiners could only say they were courting disaster, with no way to save them.

One of the examiners bowed to the county magistrate and saluted the other examiners, "Two of you will supervise the exam hall. I will check if the food is complete."

The other two examiners nodded in agreement.

The examiner went out and saw that the kitchen had already prepared baskets of baked cakes and some clear water, which was the free lunch.

It wasn't that the government was stingy; it was that meat and fish could easily cause stomach discomfort. If someone suddenly fell ill, should they leave the exam hall or stay?

There were no restrictions in the hall, but how to prevent cheating?

Thus, a tradition was formed: the midday meal in the exam hall consisted of baked cakes and clear water.

At this time, everyone was hungry. Seeing the simple baked cakes, which were made with vegetable oil, eggs, and flour, and smelled delicious, they all took large bites.

The examiners checked for any omissions, and finding none, were satisfied.

Taking advantage of the remaining time, Ye Qing carefully observed the exam hall. The county magistrate, who sat below the large seal, glanced at it and then moved his gaze.

This was a tiring job. The county magistrate had to sit from morning until the lamps were lit, with only three bathroom breaks allowed. Though he looked like a puppet, he was actually maintaining the order and restrictions in the hall.

But this was the price, and many would seek it eagerly.

After a while, the baked cakes were eaten, and the clear water was drunk. Feeling the sunlight shift, the suppressive aura weakened, no longer disrupting one's fortune. He then picked up the last scroll.

The last scroll was actually a stack of white paper with a black title. Although Ye Qing had seen it before, he read the questions again carefully. After a while, he felt very confident.

The questions, though somewhat obscure, were still within the scope of the child examination and not too out of line. For him, there was no difficulty.

The only thing was to think carefully and choose which specific article from his memory to use.

In his memory, there were about three thousand famous works that had not yet been revealed, ranging in quality, some even being shocking to the world.

But this was a different time, and Ye Qing was not foolish enough to reveal a world-shaking work in a child examination. If he were to present the three top-ranked works (Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua) that once stunned the imperial court, the only outcome would be immediate reporting to the capital and then to the Daoist court.

With just one night, the Daoists sent by the Heavenly Court would descend, and he would be "sliced" for study, with his body and mind thoroughly analyzed.

What status and cultivation corresponded to what article was the truly mature principle.

For the current child examination, the understanding of classics did not require sharpness but rather stability and conformity to the world's orthodoxy. Otherwise, even if it was refreshing, it would leave a biased impression on the examiners.

Ye Qing pondered the questions for a while: "Let's aim for something above average and achieve a good quality."

According to this criterion, after a moment's thought, he had two or three articles in mind. After a bit more thinking, one article was selected.

This was a famous piece from the county examination (for scholars), elegant and ornate, but slightly lacking in Daoist essence (for scholars). However, it was enough to catch the eye of the county examiners, and using it here was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

After reading it several times, Ye Qing copied it onto the draft paper, which was the initial draft.

Or rather, it was someone else's article.

Below, Ye Qing, with his knowledge and Daoist intent, rearranged the sentences, adjusted the structure, and added or deleted words, refining the meaning.

After writing, he checked for any taboo words, and after confirming there were none, he looked it over.

The entire article was written in a dignified yet graceful style, like dragons and snakes, with a sense of clouds and mist. In his previous life, someone had commented that the handwriting alone was worthy of a scholar.

Of course, the content and reasoning of the article were more important. The article was clear and elegant, rich in meaning, and more refined and pure than the original, surpassing it by a notch!

After making all these revisions, Ye Qing calmed himself, finely ground the ink, took out a brush, dipped it in the ink, and began to write the final version on the exam paper.

As he wrote, Ye Qing fell into a deep state of concentration, as if the world had faded away, leaving only him, his brush, and the paper.

This state could not be hidden from others. At first, the county magistrate and those present were indifferent, but as Ye Qing wrote, the paper began to glow, the light condensing and floating in the air, though not visible to the naked eye, everyone was still shocked and looked at each other.

Though the scholarly aura was weak and usually insignificant, under the suppressive seal, everyone knew what this meant!

The sun moved west, and time passed unnoticed. The hall was silent, with only the sound of breathing and the brush on paper...

When he wrote the last sentence, "Majestic and enlightened, it is called sage," Ye Qing put down his brush, finishing the exam.

After writing, he carefully reviewed it again and placed the scroll on the table to dry. At this time, some students had finished quickly and were leaving the hall. Ye Qing then walked up and handed in his exam paper.

"Finished?" the examiner asked as he took it.

Ye Qing bowed and replied, "Yes, sir, I have finished."

The examiner glanced through it, his eyes brightening, and put the scroll away, waving his hand, "Hmm, you may leave."

It was close to dusk. Under the setting sun, Ye Qing left the hall, a faint golden glow enveloping him. With the three scrolls completed, the first Daoist fruit was about to be formed, and Ye Qing smiled.

After a few steps, he couldn't help but look back, seeing the copper seal still hanging.

In the exam hall, no extra items were allowed. He wondered which was more powerful, the suppressive copper seal or the current fortune cup.

"Though it's a county-level suppressive copper seal, it has authority. In terms of material and authority, the fortune cup probably can't compare. Not bringing it was a wise decision; if discovered, it would mean the end of the exam opportunity!" Ye Qing thought to himself, passing through the solemn guards and returning to the street.

Using magical artifacts to cheat, if discovered, meant a lifetime ban from exams!

After this thought, he stopped at the gate and saw Qianqian waiting for him, considering his fatigue from the exam, she had rented a covered ox cart.

Of course, others did the same, making the open space in front of the exam hall full of ox carts, with anxious faces waiting.

Some even had white-haired elders waiting, clearly for their sons or grandsons.

In the golden light of the sunset, as soon as Ye Qing appeared, the girl noticed him and hurriedly came forward, trying to suppress her anxiety, and asked with a joyful expression, "Young master, are you done?"

When she smiled, her beauty made Ye Qing momentarily speechless, until her joy faded.

Yes, at such a young age, she was already so perceptive and sensitive!

One person attaining the Dao, and all the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. This time, I must pass the examination and make you listed in the heavenly registry, giving you the qualification to practice the Way.

As for becoming a female Daoist, Ye Qing hadn't even considered it. Though the Red Emperor allowed women to register, the path was even more difficult.

"Ah..." But at this moment, Ye Qing didn't think much about it. He looked at the crowd nearby and put on a worried face. Indeed, Qianqian's face became even more distressed, her brows furrowed.

Only after getting into the ox cart and sitting in the dark carriage did Ye Qing lower his head and smile, "It's done!"

"What's done?" Qianqian was still confused.

"It means I did very well," Ye Qing said teasingly, watching the change in her expression.

Qianqian's expression changed from distress to surprise, then to suspicion, and finally to embarrassment, "Hmph, after all my worry, you tease me! Is it fun for you?"

"Yes, yes, Miss Qianqian, I was wrong... By the way, is the cup still there?"

"Hmph, I threw it away!"

Their laughter and apologies continued on the way.

Arriving at the Zhang family inn, getting off the ox cart, and reaching his room, Ye Qing's smile faded. Qianqian obediently turned around, and from somewhere on her person, she took out the copper cup and handed it to Ye Qing.

The copper cup, which contained fortune, even if not visible, could be felt for its faint vibrations. As soon as he took it, it emitted a force, rushing into his body and quickly merging with him.

A great man, with all his abilities, now had to rely on an external object, which made Ye Qing feel a deep sense of sorrow and melancholy.