Chapter 77 (1/2)
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TL: Proud Novelist
Chapter 77: Inside the academy
Ning Que pulled Sang Sang and squeezed out from the crowd, but did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood at the corner of the pavement by the academy and watched the lively crowd at the notice wall. A streak of regret welled up in him as he felt that his act just now was meaningless. His horsemans.h.i.+p and archery performances were his only saving grace. Right now, he felt very tense. He was unsure as to whether his scores would actually let him pa.s.s.
The entrance exam of the academy had brought talented youths from all corners of the world together. If not for the scene that he had created during the riding test, his ordinary attire wouldn't have spurred any attention. Therefore the moment he had left the crowd, n.o.body paid attention to him. The candidates were busy paying attention to their results, especially those who were quite famous even before the entrance exam.
For example w.a.n.g Yin and Zhong Da Jun. w.a.n.g Ying was personally brought by an academy teacher from the rural area. Although he is just fourteen years old, his lyric prose on the ceremonial subject had created quite a stir in Chang'an City few weeks ago. Not to mention Zhong Da Jun that came from a famous university in the Yang Guan Country. Zhong Da Jun was famous throughout the lands when w.a.n.g Ying was still an infant. His ability to write the South Tang Poetry was astonis.h.i.+ng. However, the majority of the crowd was looking at the most promising candidate, the third son of the Xie Family from the Nan Jin Dynasty.
The Xie Family had an extraordinary lineage., For thousands of years, the family handed down their literature and poetry. The third son, Xie Cheng Yun possessed extraordinary intellect. He began to write at the age of three and composed poetry by the age of five. The elders of the Xie family hired many talented teachers from a variety of countries to guide him through his studies. As he grew up, he made friends with many famous poets, raising his reputation to its current height.
Xie Cheng Yun had the ability to stand up to his reputation. He was just eighteen years old but he had already placed third in the Nan Jin imperial examination. However, after seeing his results, he rejected his admittance and headed all the way to the Tang Dynasty to be admitted to this college.
While the admission criteria for the Tang Dynasty's college was harsh, it didn't stop Xie Cheng Yun who had ranked third in the Nan Jin examination from entering. In fact it would be bizarre for him to fail. n.o.body wondered whether he would pa.s.s, they were more interested in what his rank was after the test.
Xie Cheng Yun, Zhong Da Jun and w.a.n.g Ying stood under the wall, clasping their hands behind their back, reading the list of names. The black robed Zhong Da Jun knew that it was impossible for him to get first place, as his scores in the riding and archery tests were just mediocre. w.a.n.g Ying's innocent face was inevitably lined with tension, in contrast, the white robed Xie Cheng Yun had a confident smile on his handsome face.
There were several young men and women who possessed extraordinary family backgrounds in Chang An City who stood behind these three young men. Among them were the red robed girl and the girl named Wu Cai. They were laughing softly. A few open minded girls were even obviously pointing and looking at Xie Cheng Yun with admiration.
The crowd consciously opened up a piece of empty s.p.a.ce around these youths, afraid of disturbing or knocking into them. The laws of the Tang Dynasty are harsh, but the difference between the cla.s.ses were not seriously enforced on, it is just that the youths standing under the wall came from families of high status and also had made a name for themselves, therefore everyone kept their distance from afar.
Whispering voice of praise continuously being heard under the screen wall. Every time the names of the trio were spotted would bring up some whispering, along with gazes of admiration on the three young men's backs.
w.a.n.g Ying of Linchuan Prefecture would shyly bow with clasped hands to greet the candidates. He could only get a third cla.s.s in the archery due to his disadvantage in the age and body size. The rest of the results were all first cla.s.s results, especially his music. It was heard that he got a very good commendation from the old academy instructors on his musical test on playing of the zither.
Zhong Dajun of Yang Pa.s.s raised his chin slightly, returning their gestures of respect with clasped hands, looking quite high and mighty. However the people of the Tang Dynasty were always very cool, as long as you are qualified to be arrogant, they would not hold back their praises. Other than getting second cla.s.s for shooting, he got first cla.s.s for the other four, especially getting first cla.s.s upper for calligraphy. This much excellency certainly deserves praise.
The loudest claps and the most pa.s.sionate stares, are most certainly given to the third son of the Xie family of the Nan Jin Nation, Xie Chengyun, having all six subjects graded at first cla.s.s, especially having first cla.s.s upper for the ceremonial subject and calligraphy, this kind of perfect result can be even put into the top few of the past ten years of the academy's entrance exams.
Xie Chengyun clasped his hands and bowed to those surrounding him, smiling to everyone as a gesture. The red sunset s.h.i.+ned on the youth's white clothes, on his handsome face and humble smile. The girl in the feathered cloak and female companions clapped nonstop, feeling very excited, as if it were their honour to do it.
Far away on the pavement, Ning Que and Sangsang stood shoulder by shoulder, looking at the bustling scene from afar, Ning Que could not help but scoff, ”I don't understand what is this for, is it because the third son is more beautiful than the rest?”
This is just a common phrase in Wei City, for example if some soldier drank two more bowls than his companions, they would joke about it, what for, are you more beautiful than others? Ning Que's simple taunt brought Sangsang who was by his side to look up and say, ”They do look beautiful.” With stars dazzling in her leaf-shaped eyes.
Ning Que was rather speechless, looking down at the outer surface of the shoe, as if there were ants climbing on them.
Below the screen wall, a candidate exclaimed, “Six first cla.s.ses, two of which are first cla.s.s upper, this should be the best results ever obtained at the entrance exam for this academy. It should be regarded as the best academy admission test scores over the past decade. The famous third son of Xie family is so astounished.”
Some candidates who failed displeasingly retorted, ”Who said this is the best results in ten years? Five years ago a candidate from Xiling Prefecture obtained six first cla.s.ses upper, every teacher came out to see him, because that was the best results obtained at the academy in a hundred years!”
As soon as these words came out, everyone became quiet, the three of them turned their sight towards the origin of the voice. Obtaining six first cla.s.ses upper? This sounds too mind-boggling, getting the best result in a hundred years, that unnamed candidate from Xiling Prefecture must be a genius who can certainly beat everyone!
”Why haven't we heard of that candidate from Xiling?” The person earlier felt unsatisfied and retorted back.
The candidate looked at him tauntingly and continued, ”That candidate from Xiling was not given any tests after the entrance exam, but was taken by the princ.i.p.al to the second floor. He should be studying in the second floor these five years, how can we mere mortals get this kind of news?”