167 The Imperial Examinations (2/2)
As Fang Yuan saw the print, he became a little fearful.
”He has piqued the interest of a dream master….”
Fang Yuan released a little of his magical energy and thought to himself. ”His potential is great. He is more than capable to be a spiritual knight or an alchemy master, but he is just a few steps away from becoming a dream master. However, he does not seem like he is not looking for disciples, but rather, has an evil intent!”
Spiritual knights can have spiritual servants. Similarly, a dream master can have servants, especially through the usage of this type spiritual prints.
As Fang Yuan looked at Xiao Mu, Fang Yuan pitied him.
Xiao Mu's face was pale. He had panda eyes and eye bags, and it seems like he had not been sleeping well.
”So you are Brother Yang!”
Xiao Mu greeted him and continued, ”I admire your good looks and I want to be friends with you….”
”Friend?”
Fang Yuan chuckled and said, ”My focus now is to score well for this examinations and I would prefer to study without any disturbance. If you still have the intentions to make friends, mind if I suggest to gather with a few other friends once the examinations are over!”
”I'm sorry!”
Xiao Mu blushed and bowed apologetically. He wanted to know where Fang Yuan stayed.
However, Fang Yuan gave an unhappy expression and left.
”Hey Brother Fang….wait for me!”
Xiao Mu tried to catch up with him but was too physically weak to do so. After passing a street, he lost sight of Fang Yuan and gave a hopeless look.
Suddenly, he appeared to be in pain and started to touch his own neck. He then went to a small alley and his breathing became heavier and heavier.
”Phew….Phew…..”
His face became distorted and veins were now visible on his face. While panting, he exclaimed. ”No…..Stop torturing me already…..That man! You felt it for yourself, that man! He will be able to satisfy your needs. Look for him, and leave me alone!”
His eyes became bloodshot. The most mysterious thing was that a green-headed ghost face appeared on what used to be his clear neck, like a tattoo!
...….
”That guy is a big problem for me!”
As Fang Yuan returned to the hotel, he recalled the weird feeling he had gotten from Xiao Mu and tensed up.
If it was any other person, he would have beaten the person till he was unconscious and entered his dream to find out more. However, Xiao Mu had a dream master's print, and he might have the resistance against dream masters. Hence, if Fang Yuan recklessly entered Xiao Mu's dream, he might walk straight into a trap and be fighting against the dream master who was behind this.
Only an idiot would look for trouble by making a new enemy.
Plus, he was here for the imperial examinations, and not this.
”This man is trouble and is going to be in the same examination room as me. Even if I can avoid him now, it will still be difficult for me to avoid him after the examination…..Alright, I shall entertain him after the examination!”
Fang Yuan yawned and opened his book.
The focus of the examinations was on real-world situations. Since he had 6 years of knowledge from Yang Fan and his own prior experience, he wasn't afraid of this examination.
The only thing he had to take note of was the notes and research beyond the examples of Da Qian. For that, he would have to revise one more time.
...…..
Time passed quickly and it was the day of the examinations.
To be an official, one had to start off as a clerk first, and there were many levels for clerks. The highest level would be the supervisor, followed by an orderly, and lastly the service worker. There was a hierarchy to it.
Once one scored well in the examinations, one could directly take up the role of a supervisor.If everything goes well, one would be promoted to become an official of the government. By then, one would have the backing of the government and would be considered the same level as the politicians. With this protection and backing, it was indeed good to be an official of the government. This was why many scholars had come for this imperial examinations.
At the break of dawn, many scholars were already waiting outside the examination hall. Some were carrying lanterns and their writing materials. The richer ones had their servants by their side.
Fang Yuan easily found Xiao Mu with his sharp eyes.
Xiao Mu was in the middle of a crowd and was acting suspiciously. He kept looking around and seemed like he was looking for something.
'What a greedy person!'
Fang Yuan gave a cold laugh.
At that moment, Xiao Mu saw Fang Yuan and gave a happy face. He wanted to come over and to talk to him.
”Dong! Dong!”
Suddenly, along with the sounding of the gong, the door to the examination hall was opened. Two rows of soldiers then came out in an orderly fashion. ”It's time. All scholars please enter the hall! Prohibited items are not allowed in this hall. Whoever gets caught will be given 50 strokes of the cane and banished far away from the city!”
”Whoosh!”
The many scholars filled up the entire hall in just a short period of time.
The seats were already allocated long ago, but these scholars still rushed into the hall as though they would lose out if they were the last to enter.
Among the crowd, Xiao Mu was pushed forcefully by the crowd into the examination hall as he smiled helplessly at Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan thought to himself that whoever was friends with him would be unlucky for the rest of their life.
”There will be a physical check. All reading materials or anything related to the content of the examination is not allowed!”
At the entrance, there was a proper procedure for the physical check. However, the scholars were not checked by humans. Instead, the Eye Beasts were checking them like a demonic magic mirror. All scholars were instructed to pass by them and anyone who had evil intentions would be identified easily. Those identified would suffer all types of punishments, and it would be too late to regret.
”This is just a county level examinations and yet spiritual knights are deployed here to overlook the examinations?”
Fang Yuan became a little frightened.