The Marquis' Wife

Get the Xie title again

But the examination examiner's smile froze after Prefect Zhong clapped happily.

"Good! Finally the Fu exam in our city has examinees with brilliant answer papers!!". Prefect Zhong stared at the reaction of the examination examiners and saw the shocked expression of one of them, his eyes glistening sharply.

The other examination examiners were puzzled because the brilliant answer paper that Prefect Zhong said came from class B instead of class A. Is A better than B? But they stood together and bowed a little. "Good Prefect Zhong".

They jointly discussed the policy idea written on the class A answer paper and made a ranking based on the examinee's answer to discuss it again with Prefect Zhong. Supposedly Prefect Zhong said that after reading the A grade answer paper! Not class B.

Is it possible that Prefect Zhong did not like the policy they were discussing? Most of the examinees put forward policy ideas about the status of scholars who want to be further improved because they are a great potential in government and others apply the idea to the farmers tax levies that are reduced because overburdening and a small minority of others make policy advice on business taxes that they think are still lacking compared to farmers, he said, although their idea is quite brilliant, they do not write how and how to apply it to reality.

The examination examiners again thought and shook their heads, Prefect Zhong is not such a governor, since his rule, he said, he had attached great importance to farmers and made policies that could benefit farmers such as allowing tax payments for farmers who did not want forced labor because only people made a living in the family or repairing toolsfarming tools owned by farmers in order to be used for maximum results.

So it is impossible if Prefect Zhong says a brilliant idea for a class B answer paper because the average of class B suggests about business tax policy.

Prefect Zhong looked at the reaction of the examination examiners and asked. "Feng Shanming, are you dissatisfied with the evaluation I gave this answer paper?".

Feng Shanming clenched his teeth then stood up and cupped his hands bowed low. "Of course not a prefect. But it's just that, me and the other colleagues have already ranked it from a class A answer paper. There are some more brilliant answers..".

"You know what if we compare the answers?" Cut Prefect Zhong.

The other exam examiners thought and agreed. Prefect Zhong then read Lu Xiang's reply calmly to the end and was satisfied to see the surprised expression of his employees.

"What do you think? What answer do you want to recommend better than this answer paper?". The idea of a peasant tax cut is brilliant if it is carried out at a time when the kingdom has not experienced a truce with other kingdoms but now is not the time to implement the idea. He was very confident that Lu Xiang's idea would have a major effect on Murong's kingdom.

"That's a very brilliant idea Prefect!! If this idea can be realized into reality then not only farmers can enjoy the benefits but also the residents who live near the dam".

The dam was destroyed and causing flooding was already a common disaster that occurred from time to time. Not that no one wants to think of a solution to the problem but scholars are more concerned about matters related to scholars than farmers so even though they want to think of a solution but do not have farming experience so the ideas they share cannot be used.

"Yes. People will thank you if the idea is applied. The idea has many benefits in the lives of farmers and residents living near the dam".

"Who is the examinee who wrote the great idea that Prefect Zhong? Why don't we know?".

For a moment the mood became quiet. Feng Shanming increasingly clenched his teeth and tried not to act suspicious.

"Hehe, it just so happens that the person who wrote this idea was a scholar who got an Xie degree".

All the eyes of the examination examiner were wide. How could Xie Hsien's answer paper be at the very bottom of class B instead of class A?!.

They looked at each other looking through the eyes of who had cheated, as well as Feng Shanming but he did not realize that in the eyes of Prefect Zhong, he was just a clown playing a charade.

"Who was the last one among you to draw up an answer paper before giving it to me?".

Feng Shanming immediately got up and bowed in apology. "I'm Prefect. Maybe I was banged up and misplaced that answer paper in class B, please punish me for this mistake".

Prefect Zhong was silent for a moment then waved his hand telling Feng Shanming to sit down. "It's okay, please be more careful in the future. Sit back".

"Thank you Prefect". Feng Shanming breathed a sigh of relief, no one knew that he was cheating.

Although Prefect Zhong knew that Feng Shanming was cheating and did not want Lu Xiang to be the head of the ranking but he did not know the motive and purpose of his employees. He had to look for evidence and could not directly accuse Feng Shanming based on his words alone.

Discussions resumed, all agreeing that Lu Xiang was entitled to become the first champion in the fu-shih exam and regain the Xie title and discuss about the next rank.

After all the rankings are occupied by the participants who are in accordance with their abilities. Prefect Zhong also allowed his employees to return home.

"Let's see if all the examiners have girls discussing marriage or relatives taking this year's exam".

"Good Prefect". Shao Yin who was the secretary of Prefect Zhong nodded.

In Murong Kingdom has a rule that employees who are appointed as state examination examiners should not have relatives who will take the exam in that year. Be it a child, nephew, cousin, uncle or son-in-law. This rule is applied so as not to occur any nepotism.

"I'm stubborn for not being sure if I graduated or not". Shao Yunan waited anxiously, the third exam session he wrote a policy idea about improving the status of a scholar because he was proud to be a scholar, according to him the scholar is an important figure in running the government so it deserves higher status.

"Me too" Chen Xirang muttered little. He was among those who came up with the idea of a business tax.

"Lu Xiang's. I'm sure you'll graduate". Said Chen Xirang enviously, even if Lu Xiang did not write any ideas yet he would definitely pass because he was Xie Hsien, at least for the fu-shih exam.

"Yes. I'm also sure that Lu Xiang will get the Xie title back" Overwrite Miao Sheng. He slowly accepted the fact that he was no smarter than his brother-in-law.

"I took your words as Miao Sheng's prayer" Lu Xiang smiled faintly.

"Yunlei, how many rankings do you think you'll get?".

Zhang Yunlei who was just sitting quietly came to a realization then thought seriously but he shrugged his shoulders making the friend who hoped for an answer from him become annoyed.

"Come on, you have to answer!" Shao Yunan.

"I don't know. Maybe the top 50?".

"Don't you better not answer that". Said Chen Xirang and Shao Yunan together.

"The rankings are out!! The rankings are out!!".

The shouting made scholars stop their activities and stare out of focus, waiting for the waiter they sent or the person they put the exam number back to report the news they wanted to hear.

"I graduated, I graduated!"

"Why doesn't my number exist?".

"There's no way I don't pass the exam, I'll check again".

Various screams of joy, sadness and suspicion heard from the tea shop next door made the scholars who were in other teahouses become panicked and anxious.

"Master! Grand master! You graduated as Xie Fu. Great master you graduated as Xie Fu!!".

Lu Cai cried out hysterically after seeing the number 125 that became his master's exam number written at the very top among the other exam numbers.

Lu Xiang smiled widely. He received congratulations from his friends and other scholars calmly and impatiently wanted to go to the dock to return to Cheng city but he tried to suppress his longing for Adelia and was still waiting for information friend rankings.

The stunned Miao Sheng then took a deep breath trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling when he heard Lu Xiang become Xie Fu and smiled while congratulating his brother-in-law.

The scholars no longer swarmed Lu Xiang as their fate was not yet clear. One by one the servants returned with happy and sad news for their master.

It was Chen Xirang, Miao Sheng, Zhang Yunlei and Li Jin who graduated to become Fu scholars in the group that Zhao Fan brought with him. Chen Xirang dropped to rank 29, Miao Sheng rose to rank 14 while Zhang Yunlei was still at rank 3 as well as Li Jin rose from rank 31 to rank 20.

Shao Yunan stared at the nelangsa ahead and sat helplessly. Although he himself has prepared mentally to accept failure but the reality is like destroying his future. Lu Xiang, Zhang Yunlei and the others tried to comfort Shao Yunan so as not to despair.

"You can still take the exam next year Yunan, don't despair".

"We're sure next year you'll graduate top-ranked if you try hard. Nothing is impossible if you try to reach for Yunan".

"Yes Yunan. You're so young, make this an experience and motivation to go further".

"Failure is the beginning of the great success of Yunan. Be excited and do not despair, great success is in front of you. You just have to try to get it".

Shao Yunan cried loudly, even though what his friend said was true but at this moment he just wanted to cry out loud all the feeling of tightness in his chest, no matter what elegant attitude a scholar should have.