CHAPTER 586: CHAPTER 489: GAME 2, THE WILL OF HEAVEN_3

"I don’t deserve it."

Xiao Dazi politely received the scroll and delivered it up the steps, handing it to his godfather.

Emperor Liang spent noticeably more time looking at this scroll than the previous one.

Prince Jin held his breath nervously.

What did Qi’er draw?

Could it be a topic even harder than animal husbandry?

Prince Jin had misunderstood the nature of this competition from the start.

He thought it was an exam to crown the champion scholar, combining both literary and martial skills. Little did he know, with the officials setting the questions, the topics were wildly varied. Not drawing a topic like "breaking a stone on the chest" was already considered legitimate.

After all, many of those setting the questions were not particularly serious-minded Military Generals, like Duke Jiang.

Emperor Liang’s expression was indescribable: "This question is void."

Mr. Zimu was disappointed.

Revenge on that brat is indeed difficult.

Prince Ming laughed, "Oh dear, it seems heaven doesn’t particularly favor this nephew of mine. They say the Qilin also doesn’t comply with divine will and isn’t favored by the heavens."

Lu Qi never entertained the thought of winning without competing.

Everything was Zhang Qufeng acting on his own accord.

Prince Jin said, "Sixth Brother, watch your words."

Prince Ming, getting a bit carried away, was just about to say more but was stopped by Lu Zhaoyan.

With one disqualified question, the two continued to alternate drawing topics.

This time, Lu Qi went first.

Lu Qi chose the scroll on the far left of the first layer.

Eunuch Yu read aloud to the audience: "The Four Books."

Prince Jin let out a long sigh of relief, smiling as he relaxed.

It was actually the Four Books.

This is Qi’er’s strong suit.

Lu Linyuan, that good-for-nothing, was bound to lose!

Next was Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan drew the scroll closest to him.

Xiao Dazi handed the scroll to Eunuch Yu.

Eunuch Yu intended to show it to Emperor Liang, but the Emperor said, "Read."

"Yes."

Eunuch Yu unfolded the scroll and began reading aloud, "Horseback Archery."

Lu Qi’s expression also relaxed a bit.

Whether the Four Books or Horseback Archery, both were his strengths.

Though he wandered among the common folk, he was not raised as one of them.

Since he could remember, his mother told him: "Your father is a remarkable man, surely with a significant background. You are his son, and noble blood runs through you. You are not one of those lowly commoners; do not associate with them or become one of them."

"One day, you shall return to your father’s side."

His mother sent him to private school, sent him to academies to learn the six arts, to be educated and reasonable, to uphold the rules like a noble’s son.

This is also why he lost to Lu Yuan in the farming test.

He had long understood Lu Yuan’s past.

Though of extraordinary background, Lu Yuan had sadly wandered among the common folk from a young age, once a beggar, slept on the streets, and later worked as a stableboy for many years after entering the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

His win over him in farming was not surprising.

But moving forward, Lu Yuan absolutely wouldn’t win again.

In the Prime Minister’s Mansion, he lived a life akin to that of a servant, sometimes a stableboy, sometimes an Attendant Student, and later sent to the Crown Prince Mansion to enchant the Crown Prince. He only had means to cause court chaos, not the knowledge to rule the land.

He would prove to everyone that he was the real Guardian Qilin, the one truly qualified to ascend the dragon throne and inherit the Da Liang realm.

Unlike the farming test, the Four Books exam was not impromptu questioning but pre-printed exam papers prepared by scholars from the Hanlin Academy and Five Classics Doctors.

Eunuch Yu arranged for Palace Attendants to set up two tables and two mats, each with brush, ink, paper, and ink stone.

He brought out sealed exam papers, carefully examined by several elders to ensure they had not been tampered with before distributing them to the tables of the two highnesses.

Emperor Liang granted mats to the ministers as well.

Everyone sat on the floor, preparing to observe the Four Books examination.

Among them were those who had attended imperial examinations in neighboring countries, and at this moment, it felt as though they were back in the examination hall, reminiscent of invigilating in the Imperial Examination Hall.

Lu Qi instinctively wanted to call someone to grind ink, but swallowed the words and ground the ink himself, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began answering.

Curious ministers stood up, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of Lu Qi’s handwriting.

"The Commandery Prince’s handwriting is so full of character!"

"Indeed, it has much of the Grand Tutor’s style. The Grand Tutor has taught well."

"It’s the Commandery Prince’s exceptional talent; I only embellished it."

Everyone chimed in with praise for Lu Qi.

Meanwhile, as for Lu Yuan,

He kept staring at the exam paper, never lifting his brush.

Everyone shook their heads; earlier his prowess in farming was impressive, thought he was a talent, but turns out he could only farm and hadn’t read books.

"How can an illiterate emperor govern the world?"

Prince Ming anxiously asked, "Second Brother, could it be your son doesn’t know how?"