Chapter 157 – It’ll End At This Point (2/2)

Madam Xu was speechless, feeling the onset of a headache, if that brat really was to obtain first place upon the First Banner, what should they do?

She looked at the chair and empty tea table in the drawing room, thinking back to the scene in last year’s Spring, when she had first met Chen Chang Sheng.

That Taoist youth was reserved and very sanitary.

He hadn’t taken a single sip of tea.

Madam Fu felt a sudden palpitation, thinking of a certain possibility.

At a room in the Eastern wing, Shuang’er, who had just received the news, was also startled to the extreme.

She thought back to the scene where she had first met Chen Chang Sheng in the back garden.

She couldn’t imagine, that reserved Taoist youth, who had come from the countryside, that trash who couldn’t cultivate, he had actually entered the top 8 in the Grand Examination’s duelling phase.

According to his rumoured performance at the Ivy League gathering, his results in the academic phase were definitely going to be superb, didn’t this mean he was only a step away from entering the Grand Examination’s First Banner?

That’s right, Chen Chang Sheng only needed to win another around, entering the last four, in combination with his results for the academic phase, he had an extremely high probability of entering the First Banner.

The problem was, could he continue advancing? Or was he only going to make it this far?

There was a small side hall deep within the Imperial Palace, it was extremely cold and lonely, as if it were an isolation palace.

The Black Goat stared at the Chinese olives that were hanging on a tree by the stone steps, remaining indecisive for a long time over whether to eat them or not.

It could clearly remember, that the fruits that youth had fed it in the Hundred Herb Garden previously, were reasonably tasty. It just couldn’t determine as to whether if it was the fruit’s own flavour, or was it because the fruit had that youth’s lingering scent.

Nanny Ning silently walked across its side, saying in a low voice: “Young master Sheng Xue conceded.”

The Divine Empress held a piece of scented wood; its edge was currently burning, atop its wisps of scented smoke, a medicinal pill was suspended in mid-air.

Her fingers slowly shifted the scented wood, the smoke lightly turned in direction, prompting the medicinal pill to slowly spin.

Hearing those words, her fingers stopped, causing the medicinal pill to hang motionless in the air.

Her expression slightly changed, then she came to an understanding, emotionally saying: “A child of Tian Hai is finally showing promise.”

This was something positive, yet also not so positive.

The more promise descendants of the Tian Hai clan had, the harder it was for her to completely let go, the harder it was for the Zhou Dynasty to free itself of that problem.

But she finally felt a little gratified.

Nanny Ning hesitated for a moment before continuing: “Orthodox Academy’s Chen Chang Sheng has entered the last 8.”

The Divine Empress’ brow slowly rose.

Nanny Ning felt rather nervous, she was fond of that child, Chen Chang Sheng, but she was worried about the Divine Empress being displeased.

The Divine Empress didn’t say anything.

In the next moment, she appeared within the pitch black underground.

She lightly flicked her sleeve, the thousands of Luminous Pearls in the dome above, lit up.

The cold white rays fell upon the frost covered floor, illuminating everything.

A young girl, garbed in black, with a frosty face was lying prone weakly.

The Divine Empress lightly flicked her finger and that medicinal pill fell by that young girl’s body.

“Chen Chang Sheng has yet to be eliminated, your blood seems to retain a little purpose.”

That young girl garbed in black, raised her head with much difficulty, stared at the Divine Empress, without any signs of fear, only loathing, and said: “And what type of damnable medicine is this?”

The Divine Empress replied with a calm expression: “Motherwort ointment.”

The black-garbed girl knew that a fearsome human such as the Divine Empress would have countless methods to punish her if need be, and wouldn’t bother messing with a medicinal pill, she swallowed the medicine without any hesitation.

“Can Chen Chang Sheng obtain first place upon the First Banner?” she looked at the Divine Empress and asked with some curiosity.

“It’ll end at this point,” the Divine Empress replied coolly.

In the next moment, she arrived beside the abandoned well at New North Bridge, her hands were held behind her back as she gazed at the myriad of stars in the night sky above.

She remained silent for a long period of time, unknown as to what she was pondering.