CH 40.2

Chapter 40.2 Chip?

He reassured Huo Caiyu and then turned his attention to another matter. “So, would you be willing to take on the role of Regent Prince?”

With the Ministry of Personnel back in his hands, and the recent purge of corrupt officials by the Ministry of Revenue through the Single Whip Policy, coupled with the support of the Grand Marshal’s faction and the neutral party, Li Jinyu felt confident in his position.

However, Huo Caiyu’s expression remained somber, and he asked Li Jinyu with concern, “Why does Your Majesty wants to appoint this official as the Regent Prince?” 

Huo Caiyu knew all too well the dangers of being a Regent, as history has shown that most of those who held the position eventually succumbed to the temptation of power and became embroiled in a deadly power struggle with the monarch they served.

Was Li Jinyu not worried that he too might succumb to the same temptation and plot to overthrow him?

Or perhaps His Majesty’s health had deteriorated to the point where he had no choice but to name a Regent?

If Li Jinyu had known what was going through Huo Caiyu’s mind, he would have grabbed him by the arm and shouted, “Hurry up and try to take the throne! I can’t wait any longer!”

But at this moment, Li Jinyu’s thoughts mirrored those of Huo Caiyu. After experiencing supreme power, how could Huo Caiyu not be tempted to seize the throne for himself?

Li Jinyu beamed with joy as he heard Huo Caiyu’s silent approval, “Excellent! After the palace exam is over, Zhen shall appoint you as the Regent.”

Huo Caiyu kept his lips pursed, nodding in silence.

He would go home tomorrow to ask his mother about His Majesty’s health.

…

Li Jinyu, who had personally assumed the role of chief examiner for the palace exam, announced the top scorer of the examination in Taihe Hall.

Despite his initial hesitation about meeting strangers, Li Jinyu’s joy grew as he watched the first candidate enter the hall. Wasn’t he the scholar who was recommended by those individuals he had met outside the county yamen in Qingshui Prefecture?

In that moment, Li Jinyu recalled the time when he was mistaken for jumping into the moat and the scholar came to his rescue.

As the candidates filed into the hall, Li Jinyu couldn’t help but notice that the same scholar was now the top scorer in the provincial exam.

A sense of admiration welled up in Li Jinyu’s heart, along with a hidden pride that he had somehow played a role in the scholar’s success.

Look at him, the “fruit” of my investment! 

Huo Caiyu noticed Li Jinyu’s smug expression and understood his thoughts intuitively, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

How adorable His Majesty was.

Li Jinyu had initially been eager to witness the scholar’s reaction upon meeting him. However, due to the rules of the examination, the scholar did not lift his head to see the Emperor, and thus did not recognize Li Jinyu.

As the imperial examination commenced, the vast hall fell silent, filled only with the sound of brushes scratching on paper.

Li Jinyu sat on the high dragon throne and watched for a while, feeling a bit bored.

He didn’t want to get too close to strangers or disturb the candidates during their exams, so he couldn’t just wander around among them and could only force himself to sit here.

To maintain the peace of the Taihe Hall, he didn’t even bring any nuts or melon seeds to eat…

Huo Caiyu, attending to His Majesty, noticed his growing boredom and quickly devised a solution.

He grabbed a sheet of silk paper, drew a series of straight lines, and dipped his brush in ink before presenting it to Li Jinyu.

Li Jinyu was stunned for a moment before he realized that Huo Caiyu wanted to play Gomoku with him.

The previous night, Li Jinyu couldn’t fall asleep and had played a game of Go with Huo Caiyu. But since he didn’t know how to play Go, he used a Go board and pieces to play the game of Gomoku.

But now there were no pieces, what should they use to play?

Li Jinyu looked at Huo Caiyu and suddenly realized what Huo Caiyu meant.

They would use ink dots directly as pieces.

However, doing so would put a lot of pressure on his memory.

Suddenly, a spark of inspiration lit up in Li Jinyu’s mind, and he picked up a nearby golden-red royal pen. He marked his piece on the intricate Go board that Huo Caiyu had drawn and then pushed the silk paper towards him, eager to start the game.

Huo Caiyu took the brush with a smile and continued painting.

Across the hall, Prime Minister Ye sat with a sour expression, his eyes darting back and forth between the two men engaged in a heated match of Gomoku within the solemn confines of Taihe Hall. His anger boiled within him, nearly contorting his nose in fury.

He was busy calculating how to make a comeback in the imperial examination, and these two people were just playing Gomoku!

Rascals! He was so bored sitting here invigilating!

………

In accordance with the imperial examination rules, candidates were permitted to submit their papers and leave at any time without any time constraints. In most cases, the examinees were eager to finish their exams and dared not delay even for a moment, lest the Emperor suspect them of lacking knowledge.

Shortly after, an examinee submitted his paper.

As if it were a cue, other candidates finished their exams one after another. Li Jinyu observed that the scholar from Qingshui Prefecture performed neither outstandingly nor poorly, rather he was just average.

In a short while, the Taihe Hall was left with only one examinee.

This candidate either seemed to be stuck or too nervous, for he had only completed about a third of his paper while everyone else had already finished. His face was covered in sweat, his pen trembling, and he dared not write any further.

Since he was the only one left, every move he made attracted an extraordinary amount of attention.

A snort escaped Prime Minister Ye as he observed the last candidate struggling to answer the question. This person is probably mentally overwhelmed.

Clearing his throat, he turned to Li Jinyu and made a request, “If this candidate really can’t answer the question, don’t force him.”

The candidate dared not raise his head, feeling the weight of the room’s silence upon him. He did not know who spoke, but recognized that the voice came from one of the top officials of the court. His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his hand shook so much that he nearly dropped his pen. Stammering, he attempted to speak, “Th-this humble… this humble one…”

Li Jinyu, who had just finished playing several games of Gomoku with Huo Caiyu, curiously observed the last candidate’s plight. His attention was drawn by the man’s trembling and shaking due to nervousness.

Seeing the candidate’s struggle, Li Jinyu felt a sudden pang of empathy and pain. He remembered a time when he too was frightened by every little thing, and any external attention made him want to hide himself completely in a pile of wood shavings.

Li Jinyu and Prime Minister Ye shared the same idea. If the candidate was truly too nervous to answer, why force him to suffer in the Taihe Hall?

However, as they observed the candidate, even though he was sweating profusely, he held onto his brush with determination and courage, while protecting his exam paper with the other hand.

Li Jinyu’s sympathy abruptly turned into admiration. This person was braver than he used to be. Despite being nervous and frightened, he still wanted to answer the exam seriously, and never thought of escaping.

Li Jinyu refrained from offering advice and turned to the Prime Minister with a smile, “There is no time limit for the palace exam. As long as one person has not put down their brush, the palace exam cannot be considered over.”

Earlier, Huo Caiyu had wanted to challenge the Prime Minister’s stance, but was concerned that His Majesty might grow bored and wish to leave. Thus, he refrained from speaking up.

More importantly, he trusted His Majesty.

Hearing Li Jinyu’s words, Huo Caiyu felt a sense of pride and warmth. His Majesty was indeed a true ruler who loved his people like his own children.

Li Jinyu and the Prime Minister spoke with their backs to Huo Caiyu, and did not see his expression, but the Prime Minister saw the expressions of the two rascals in front of him, feeling a sharp ache in his eyes, and was so infuriated that he wished to unsheathe his claws.

You two were playing Gomoku so affectionately, and didn’t bring me along to play. I’m so bored here by myself!

Nonetheless, Prime Minister Ye knew that no matter how much he insisted, his argument would be rejected because Li Jinyu’s point was reasonable. Hence, he clenched his teeth and refrained from speaking further.

As the dispute above took place, the candidate below listened to it and realized that he would not be expelled. The sense of gratitude overwhelmed him, and he was almost in tears. He was unsure of who to thank, and could only thank everyone around him one by one, “Many thanks, Your Majesty. Many thanks, Prime Minister. Many thanks, Master Huo…”

The young voice from earlier spoke up once more, “Just focus on answering the question. There are still some time to review other candidates’ answers, so take your time.”

Was His Majesty speaking up for him?

His eyes were slightly sour, and he could hardly see the exam paper in front of him.

Who told him that the current Emperor was cruel and tyrannical?

He had always been a nervous and timid person, easily intimidated by others. When he was alone, he could concentrate and do well, but in front of others, he would freeze up and stutter. The previous exams were held in a small, enclosed room where he felt at ease, but the palace exam was a different story.

Just a moment ago, he had been on the brink of despair, doubting whether he was even qualified to take the imperial examination and wasting a precious spot. But then, the Emperor had spoken up for him and encouraged him to write well…

He wiped away his tears with his sleeve, sniffed, and suddenly felt much less nervous. He regained his composure and continued to write, determined to give his best effort.