Zhao Xing originally planned to finish the exam and rush off to eat, but since Chen Shijie had said so, he could only stand by and wait.
The examiners were grading the papers separately, each responsible for a portion, and then they would cross-review them.
In total, there were just over five hundred papers, which wasn't too many.
But there could be no mistakes.
Xue Wenzhong was the first to see the question, "There is wind in the south of the city, violent and rampant."
Seeing that Zhao Xing had not fallen into the trap of the question and had scored full marks, the tension in his heart eased by half.
"The method of True Lord Cao Xi, he has memorized it well. Indeed, most of his techniques are passed down from True Lords."
Then he saw the question, "The earth is cold, spring wood is not used, summer sun steams, locusts flourish."
After reading Zhao Xing's answer, Xue Wenzhong's heart completely relaxed.
His expression shifted from gloomy to bright, even revealing a smile.
"I misjudged him. To answer this question perfectly, his understanding of the five elements and four seasons is already quite profound. The other questions are simply a piece of cake."
The old Agricultural Affairs Bureau official felt quite gratified. With his mood lifted, his demeanor also relaxed.
He no longer worried that Zhao Xing would become arrogant due to his grades.
Gao Linong, Tang Wanchun, and Pang Yuan were looking at the part where Zhao Xing had transcribed the classics.
He got all the easy questions right, without a single mistake.
Having extensive knowledge and a strong memory was nothing special; the key was Zhao Xing's speed. Thirty papers, working late into the night, and he made no mistakes—truly remarkable.
"Marvelous marvelous marvelous!" Chen Shijie suddenly exclaimed three times.
This startled the other examiners.
Chen Shijie's voice was so loud that it was likely heard by the candidates outside.
Indeed, some candidates heard it; they weren't deaf.
Some even saw Zhao Xing submit his paper and walk into the hall.
However, the candidates who heard it were puzzled. How marvelous could Zhao Xing's answers be for the chief examiner to sound like a cat?
"The five elements are not more precious than earth; earth resides in the center and governs the four directions, commanding all without contending with fire for fame."
What Chen Shijie was looking at was Zhao Xing's final answer.
The reason he was so happy was purely because Chen Shijie was a 'land advantage faction.'
Zhao Xing's answer undoubtedly suited his taste.
Moreover, this statement perfectly aligned with the ideology of the land advantage faction. Anyone from that faction would surely appreciate it.
Because it further elevated the earth element, even bestowing it the title of governing the four directions. Although it had a hint of flattery, one must consider how it was flattered.
Zhao Xing's answer hit the mark; it was not nonsensical flattery but rather scratched Chen Shijie's itch!
"Ahem, I seem to have lost my composure." Chen Shijie, noticing the astonished gazes of everyone, quickly realized something was amiss and could only awkwardly laugh to cover it up. "It's nothing; everyone, please take a look at this answer sheet and be sure to review it impartially."
"Are you still trying to cover it up? Your mouth is harder to suppress than a waterwheel. With the chief examiner's attitude so obvious, how can we review it impartially?" Gao Linong thought to himself, feeling that this chief examiner was truly unreliable.
He did not take this answer sheet because he did not want to compromise his conscience by giving Zhao Xing a high score, even if Chen Shijie had expressed his stance. Gao Linong's character was still a bit straightforward.
The others were different; they immediately took the answer sheet and began to examine it seriously.
"Hmm? Truly marvelous!" Tang Wanchun praised after seeing it. Although he was not from the land advantage faction, objectively speaking, such an answer could indeed warrant a high score.
Pang Yuan and the other reviewers felt the same way. Without considering Chen Shijie's attitude, Zhao Xing's answer to this last question indeed provided a refreshing perspective and was well-reasoned, not fabricated.
When they exchanged papers for cross-reviewing, the other officials also recognized Zhao Xing's brilliance.
"Returning to the heavenly time, supplementing the spring season, a little summer season? Bing fire adjusts the yin, Ding fire continues the yang. This answer is even more complete than what I had thought before."
"The south of the city uses the earth vein to create mountains, the mountains block the wind, and in the east of the city, canals are built to divert water around the city, creating the Return to Origin Waterwheel. Isn't this exactly what True Lord Cao Xi once did?"
"This question I posed was precisely based on True Lord Cao Xi and the ancient city. I didn't expect him to see through it at a glance."
Seeing so many colleagues start to praise, Gao Linong couldn't help but take a closer look.
After a moment, he looked at Zhao Xing with a complex expression.
How could this person not be my student? Yet he was discovered by the old Agricultural Affairs Bureau official!
"Hmph, at least his handwriting is poor!" Gao Linong thought sourly. "Right, his handwriting in the top rank must be the worst!"
Without a doubt, the examiners unanimously gave Zhao Xing the top rank.
Even Gao Linong did not go against his conscience to give him a middle rank, as the examiners' scoring comments also had to be recorded and submitted.
Giving a middle rank for poor handwriting would leave a biased impression on the higher-ups. Poor handwriting was not a big deal in this era.
Once one formally entered the ranks, the vital Qi was sufficient to precisely control oneself, making writing akin to woodblock printing. Thus, this was merely a trivial matter and could never be used as a reason to eliminate a candidate.
Normally, the top rank would not be announced so quickly, but due to the unanimous opinions, Zhao Xing, being the first to submit his paper, received the first top rank rating.
Others still had to continue the exam, and the examiners could not keep him there for questioning. Zhao Xing cupped his hands and silently left the examination hall.
The next day, candidates submitted their papers one after another, and the exam results for over five hundred officials were released that afternoon.
Zhao Xing again received the top rank. Due to the higher difficulty of this theoretical exam, besides him, only two others achieved the top rank.
They were Ding Shan and Liang Bai.
Ding Shan was somewhat familiar to everyone; he was the oldest official in the Huai Liu Academy, always assisting Xue Wenzhong with handling documents and records.
His talent in spellcraft was average, and achieving the top rank was purely due to his age and the number of questions he had tackled.
Liang Bai was receiving the top rank for the first time. In this theoretical exam, proficiency in spellcraft was not considered; it was purely based on theoretical knowledge, so it was normal for someone with average cultivation to achieve the top rank.
In addition, there were nine others on the top rank list, including Li Chengfeng, Wen Nanxing, and Xiao Ze.
Zong Shichang received a second rank; this was not his strong suit.
"He actually got the top rank again. His spellcraft is exquisite, and now he is so proficient in theory as well? Could it be that this person is truly fit for an official position?" Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze were determined to surpass Zhao Xing in this exam.
However, when the results came out, they were immediately disappointed.
How could he have gotten the top rank again?
"It must be that the old Agricultural Affairs Bureau official is favoring him, giving this beloved student hints or perhaps even providing special assistance in advance," Huang Tao said resentfully.
"Huang brother, if you can't do well in the exam, can’t you stand to see others do well?" someone retorted.
"Exactly, the questions weren't only set by the old Agricultural Affairs Bureau official; your teacher could see them too."
Madam Cai had cooked so many meals, and it wasn't in vain; more and more people around began to speak up for Zhao Xing.
"You lost to Zhao brother before; there's no need to hold a grudge, right? You were the one who challenged and encroached on his territory first."
"Huang brother, stop deceiving yourself; it's meaningless."
"..." Huang Tao felt a sharp sting in his heart, but seeing more and more people around speaking up for Zhao Xing, he no longer dared to argue strongly. Otherwise, it would be himself who would be embarrassed, so he left in a huff.
(End of Chapter)