On the display board were numerous small wooden plaques, bearing the names of everyone in black brush strokes.
However, at this moment, all the names were at the very bottom. The current format was a two-person combat system, with the person who reached the pinnacle of the pyramid being the top scholar.
Nian Jiaojiao quickly spotted her name. Her first opponent was a middle-aged woman named Tang Rui.
But according to the order of appearance, their group would only come out in the middle, so she sat down and began to quietly watch the show.
It was also a good opportunity to observe how others fought using poetry.
The first match: Lou Lan vs. Zhang Lei.
If the princes were present, they would recognize Lou Lan as the Jinshi whom the Tenth Prince had complained was "dark."
Lou Lan's weapon was a scroll, while Zhang Lei used bamboo slips. Both held their brushes and cautiously eyed each other.
Nian Jiaojiao frowned.
Why weren't they starting?
She felt a pang of nostalgia for her broadsword.
Yes, she should have brought her broadsword; it was much more direct…
She lowered her head and touched the fan in her embrace, annoyed that she had brought the wrong artifact.
The fan in her embrace was not the peach wood fan that Senior Sister Lei had gifted her, but rather the "Object Manipulation Realm" artifact she had obtained from the Black Lotus Sect's treasury – the Sandalwood Bone Fan.
Besides being of a higher grade, this fan felt heavier in the hand and carried a faint, unique woody fragrance.
Even with the fan tucked away in her embrace, she could faintly smell its aroma.
Just as Nian Jiaojiao was lost in thought, Zhang Lei made the first move.
She raised her brush and wrote:
Wind howls, leaves scatter.
A gust of wind swept towards Lou Lan.
Nian Jiaojiao, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow.
Using "wind" as an attack, she liked that too…
Lou Lan, on the other hand, her form-fitting clothes seemed to conceal powerful muscles. Her legs possessed great explosive power. With a single powerful push from her legs, she leaped more than ten meters into the air, evading the attack.
Although Nian Jiaojiao had already determined that both of them were in the Object Manipulation Realm, she favored Lou Lan in her heart.
This young lady was quite cool…
Just as she was cheering Lou Lan on internally, Lou Lan recited from her scroll:
"A foot of clear light, like a hook, its edge etched with ancient feuds."
Instantly, countless small blades were hurled towards Zhang Lei.
Clearly, Lou Lan had experienced many battles. Her poetic verses carried more "aggression" and were more suited for combat.
Her timing was also perfect. She only began manipulating the objects after dodging behind her opponent, catching her by surprise.
As Nian Jiaojiao had predicted, the poetry duel between the two ended in less than three rounds. Zhang Lei was defeated, and Lou Lan advanced, her plaque moving up one position.
…
When it was Nian Jiaojiao's turn, adhering to the principle of a swift victory, she quickly resolved the battle with the line, "Ten years of honing a sword, its frosty edge yet untested."
After all, even if she had used other ordinary verses, for someone at the peak of Object Manipulation and halfway to the Object Control Realm, it was a drastic advantage.
Because her victory was so effortless, the scholars who had advanced and those yet to compete cast wary and probing glances her way.
At this point, the Right Prime Minister on the platform couldn't help but sigh:
"Well said, 'Ten years of honing a sword, its frosty edge yet untested.' Although it doesn't describe the sharpness of the sword, I can feel an extraordinary killing intent!"
General Situ nodded in agreement:
"Indeed, she's a good prospect. I feel from this verse that she has talent for military service."
The Left Prime Minister immediately let out a "pfft" and chuckled.
She looked at General Situ and taunted:
"You military woman, what do you know of poetry? This Jinshi clearly follows the path of a civil official. From her verse, I see resilience and unyielding spirit, which is the very essence of our civil officials!"
General Situ immediately retorted:
"I don't know if there's resilience and unyielding spirit in this verse, but I certainly don't see it in you."
"You! You old shrew!"
The Left Prime Minister's face turned red as she cursed.
General Situ, who spent her days amidst the military, was not one to back down from an insult.
Seeing the other party initiate the coarse language, she immediately perked up. Starting with the first generation ancestors of the Left Prime Minister, she unleashed a torrent of insults, her language so brutal and unsightly that the other civil officials retreated three feet.
Meanwhile, the other military generals cheered her on with laughter, their gazes towards General Situ filled with "admiration."
Just as the Left Prime Minister was about to spit blood from anger, the Empress finally spoke from above.
"Situ, this is the Grand Hall, the hall for the Jinshi imperial examinations. Where do you think you are?"
General Situ replied aggrievedly:
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Huang started it."
The Empress was not to be swayed by such an excuse. She sternly looked at the two of them and said:
"We are selecting future pillars of the Great Yue's court, and you are setting a fine example."
General Situ and Prime Minister Huang looked down. Indeed, everyone was looking up, their faces a picture of bewilderment.
Even from a distance, everyone could hear bits and pieces of General Situ's loud voice.
At this moment, General Situ immediately bowed her head in submission and apologized to the Empress, while Prime Minister Huang also bowed her head to accept the punishment.
The Empress finally uttered, "We'll discuss this after the imperial examinations," and said no more.
General Situ and Prime Minister Huang became much more subdued during the subsequent matches. They watched the duels properly, no longer daring to bicker incessantly.
As for Nian Jiaojiao, the instigator of this, she continued to watch the matches with great interest, completely unaware that a single line of her poetry had sparked a verbal feud among important court officials.