Su Mansion!
The young servant by Su Qingwen’s side was looking out from the main gate!
From afar, he saw the imperial carriage approaching the Su Mansion!
The servant was overjoyed and hurried to Su Qingwen, saying excitedly, "Young Master, the imperial carriage is coming to our Su Mansion. It must be here to deliver good news to you!"
Su Qingwen’s expression was tense, and he felt a little excited.
"Let's go to the front hall!"
As soon as they arrived at the front hall, Fang Jing and his party also arrived!
Everyone in the Su Mansion had gathered!
The entire family had been waiting for this moment!
Seeing that the imperial decree in Fang Jing's hand was yellow!
Su Tai and Su Qingwen exchanged glances, their eyes full of joy! But they maintained their composure on the surface!
A yellow imperial decree meant it announced the top scholar!
In their Great Zhou Kingdom, since its founding! Imperial decrees announcing those who achieved the top scholar position were always deep yellow. It was just that the color of this imperial decree today was slightly lighter!
As long as it was the top scholar, the shade of yellow didn't matter!
"Eunuch Fang!" Su Tai said with a foxy smile.
Fang Jing smiled politely. "Lord Right Chancellor, Young Master Su, kneel to receive the decree!"
Everyone in the Su Mansion knelt down!
Fang Jing wasted no time and directly read the decree: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: In the special imperial examination of our Great Zhou Kingdom, the scholar Su Qingwen of the Su Mansion has achieved the title of Ding Yuan and graduated with distinction. This is hereby proclaimed to the world for nationwide celebration. Respect this!钦此!"
Ding Yuan?
Why not the top scholar?
Su Tai turned his gaze, looking at Su Qingwen beside him with a confused expression!
Su Qingwen was also baffled at this moment!
His answers in the imperial examination were practically perfect! How could he be Ding Yuan?
If he was Ding Yuan, who was the top scholar?
Seeing the Su father and son still frozen in place, Fang Jing urged, "Young Master Su, you must be too happy to remember to receive the decree!"
"This humble one thanks His Majesty for his grace!" Su Qingwen took the imperial decree! He felt very unwilling!
Su Tai also looked at the imperial decree with a puzzled expression!
Then he asked, "Eunuch Fang, since ancient times, the imperial decree for the top scholar has been made of yellow brocade. This decree is made of brocade and is also yellow, so why is it Ding Yuan?"
"In the past, our Great Zhou Kingdom had a top scholar, a second-place winner, and a third-place winner for the top three! This year, why is there an additional Ding Yuan? Although Ding Yuan is second only to the top scholar, it is not the top scholar position after all. What does His Majesty mean by this?"
Fang Jing smiled and said, "Lord Right Chancellor, the Emperor's will is unfathomable, do you understand? Whatever His Majesty says is what it is! Young Master Su obtaining the Ding Yuan title is also a matter of bringing glory to your Su family!"
"As for the color of this imperial decree, the decree for this year's top scholar is brown-yellow. Ding Yuan is second only to the top scholar, so it is light yellow. Lord Right Chancellor, do you understand now? This indicates that His Majesty still favors you!"
Su Tai was inwardly displeased, but he maintained his shrewd smile on the surface.
"Hahahaha, His Majesty is thoughtful..." Su Tai took a silver ingot from his sleeve and placed it in Fang Jing's hand. "This is for Eunuch Fang as a celebration gift. Eunuch Fang has worked hard today!"
"May I know who the top scholar is?" Su Tai asked casually, feigning curiosity!
Fang Jing looked at the silver ingot in his hand, but sneered inwardly! This small amount of silver was far from what the Qin family had offered.
He did not expect the renowned Lord Right Chancellor to be so stingy; he was not as generous as Minister Qin!
"Lord Right Chancellor, Young Master Su Ding Yuan, this humble servant still has to deliver the good news to the second-place winner and the third-place winner! I have no time for idle chat now!" Fang Jing turned and left!
Watching Fang Jing swagger away, Su Tai's true nature was revealed!
After Fang Jing disappeared, Su Tai immediately threw the imperial decree from Su Qingwen's hand to the ground and stomped on it fiercely twice!
"Father, no!" Su Qingwen, though unwilling, was still Ding Yuan, which was a rank higher than the second and third-place winners.
Looking at Su Tai trampling his imperial decree on the ground, he felt a pang of heartache! This was the fruit of his labor!
Three years of imperial examinations, working diligently and conscientiously every day, finally earned him the title of Ding Yuan!
Seeing Su Qingwen still looking regretful, Su Tai became furious and slapped him!
"To think I worked so hard to get the exam questions, and you couldn't even get the top scholar. What use are you?" Su Tai slapped Su Qingwen across the face again!
"Father, your son has already tried his best. Didn't Eunuch Fang just say it? Ding Yuan is second only to the top scholar, and there are still the second and third-place winners below me! This shows that your son is not too bad!"
Su Tai roared, "Pedantic! Do you know what official position the student who achieved the top scholar position this year will receive?"
Su Qingwen, holding his swollen face, asked curiously, "What official position?"
Su Tai said furiously, "Three days before the imperial examination, His Majesty promised before all the civil and military officials that whoever the top scholar was this year would directly be appointed as a Junior Minister of the second rank and a Grand Academician of the first rank."
Hearing this, Su Qingwen's body trembled!
His mind went blank!
This official position... was a position that ordinary officials could not reach in a lifetime, and he never expected... that His Majesty would make such a promise this year.
Even though his father was appointed as the current Right Chancellor, it was only after more than twenty years of clandestine planning that he achieved his current status!
"What about Ding Yuan?" Su Qingwen asked blankly.
Su Tai sighed and shook his head. "His Majesty only made a promise for the top scholar, not for the position of Ding Yuan!"
"The top scholar this year has such prestige, so Ding Yuan should not be too bad. Father... we still have a chance!" Su Qingwen comforted himself.
Su Tai held his forehead and said helplessly, "Let's hope so! When we meet His Majesty in the palace tomorrow, we will know who the top scholar is!"
"I want to see who stole my son's top scholar position!" Su Tai clenched his fists, veins bulging on his temples!
His eyes were also terrifying, on the verge of exploding at any moment!
After leaving the mansion, Fang Jing proceeded to the Zheng Mansion, Ouyang Lin Yuan, and the Wei Mansion in turn!
The second-place winner was obtained by Zheng Haonan!
The Zheng family was very satisfied with this result and knew to be content!
On this day, the Zheng Mansion also held a grand banquet to celebrate Zheng Haonan's achievement of the second-place winner!
Next, there were two third-place winners this year!
The first was Ouyang Siqing!
Ouyang Siqing was exceptionally talented, and it was reasonable for him to win the title of third-place winner!
As for the second third-place winner... Fang Jing was on his way!
Wei Mansion!
Dozens of people from the Wei family had all gathered in the front hall, waiting for Fang Jing to read the imperial decree!
The Wei family had two young masters!
Both young masters participated in the imperial examination this year!
Everyone wanted to know who this imperial decree was for!
Wei Chenggong, along with the mother and son of the elder branch, and the mother and son of the second branch, all knelt on the ground awaiting Fang Jing to read the decree!
Whether Wei Maoran or Wei Xiaochang achieved high honors, Wei Chenggong was happy!
On the contrary, Madam Liu of the elder branch had a cold expression, her gaze wishing she could bore a hole through Madam Fang of the second branch!
Madam Fang ignored Liu Shi's provocation, simply offering a polite smile!
Recently, the master had been visiting her room every night for pleasure, and her voice was very pleasant to hear. Liu Shi, whose courtyard was nearby, naturally disliked her!