CHAPTER 177: CHAPTER 11: ONCE AGAIN RANKED 1

For this announcement, the examinees were noticeably more anxious than the previous three times.

Early in the morning, Gu Chengyu was dragged to the announcement area by He Shunian and the others, waiting for the constable to come and post the list.

"We came too early; the constable probably isn’t even up yet!" Gu Chengyu yawned as he spoke to the people beside him.

"It’s not too early! Look at all these people waiting here; we’re already late!" Sun Xian helplessly dragged Gu Chengyu a few steps forward, fearing that they might get pushed to the back when the list is posted.

"If I pass this time, there’s only one more trial! Please, Buddha, bless us!" At this moment, some examinees were already clasping their hands in prayer to the heavens.

No one knows how long they waited; until Gu Chengyu was about to fall asleep, the constable who posted the list finally arrived.

After finishing the exam, one tends to relax and feel sleepy.

"They’re here! They’re here!" Seeing the constables approaching, someone shouted and ran toward the spot.

Gu Chengyu was pulled by Sun Xian into the throng. Gu Chengyu, being small, darted left and right and managed to squeeze to the front.

Gu Chengyu glanced at the sun-dial on the red paper, noticing his seat number was still at the top, Tian character seventh spot.

After quickly scanning it, he found that only about thirty people were admitted this time. It seemed the next oral exam was just for ranking. After all, those who made it this far were all strong candidates, and the oral exam was just a formality, meant to leave a deeper impression on the chief examiner.

In the fifth position was Ye Zhiqiu’s seat number, which was within Gu Chengyu’s expectations. Moving on, he found Sun Xian in the eighteenth place and He Shunian in the twenty-eighth, which was already very low, being the fifth from the last.

But he didn’t see Gu Wanhua’s seat number. Gu Chengyi glanced down and was shocked!

He actually saw the last seat number was Gu Wanhua’s. This luck was incredible! He always just barely made it, one has to admire him! Luck was also a kind of strength, after all, just yesterday, Gu Wanhua cried for over half an hour, saying he was definitely not going to pass this time.

Alright! This was strength! It proved that Gu Wanhua worried too much! His foundation was still solid.

"Ah? I passed? I really passed? Really!? Grandpa! I really passed!" For Gu Wanhua, nothing surpassed this moment. Even the wedding night wasn’t as joyous!

He thought he wouldn’t pass, but unexpectedly he did, even though it was in the last position, he still passed.

Uncle Gu was grinning ear to ear; it seemed three years of watching Hua study had paid off. Moreover, a man becomes sensible only when married. Last year he just had a son, and since then Hua had matured a lot. It seems being a father is what makes a real man, a man who can support the family!

After seeing what he wanted to see, Gu Chengyu squeezed out of the crowd.

Mr. Gu came up quickly, asking, "How’d it go? How’d it go? Did you pass?"

"Yes, I passed! Dad! We all passed!" Gu Chengyu replied to Mr. Gu with a smile.

"Really? Passed? Even Hua passed?" Mr. Gu was somewhat surprised, as Hua was crying with tears and snot yesterday.

"Yes, passed, Dad!"

"Ah! The Gu Family is really on the rise now!" Mr. Gu was a bit excited, although he knew they passed, he forgot to ask which rank.

"What great luck! I really passed! Honestly, I had no confidence this time!" An examinee cheerfully shouted to another.

His hair was disheveled, not even knowing where his hair tie had fallen, and he even lost a shoe, but he didn’t care, wanting only to share his joy with others.

"Indeed! Although I figured out the source of the essay question, my writing was just mediocre, yet I still passed, though my ranking is a bit low." Another examinee was also relieved, filled with countless emotions.

"Huh? I clearly wrote the poem, why is my seat number not on it? How can that be?" An examinee dressed in blue shouted out incredulously upon not finding his seat number.

"Didn’t you say you had no confidence in your answers to one of the policy questions? Perhaps that’s where you lost marks?" A nearby examinee, possibly a familiar acquaintance, remarked, having heard him mention it before.

"But it was just that one question; even with a bad answer, I shouldn’t have failed! This examination is definitely unfair. How can someone so young win first place every time? One wonders if there’s something fishy going on." With that, he glanced resentfully at Gu Chengyu.

"Keep it down! Can you say that? Are you not afraid? Let’s go back!" This examinee, apparently quite close to the one in blue, upon hearing him speak so recklessly, quickly pulled him back.

However, their comments caught people’s attention, and they weren’t alone in their thoughts. Many others shared the same suspicions. Those who failed were particularly angry, while some who passed were envious of the first place. And of course, there were those just there for the spectacle.

Some scholars had much to say but dared not voice it due to authority.

"Chengyu! They are going too far, your ranking is based on your merit. They’re just envious! To think they accuse you of cheating? Hmph! Such petty people."

Ye Zhiqiu was indignant upon witnessing this. Gu Chengyu’s performance was evident to all in the private school; even, at times, Ye Zhiqiu had to admire him and envied his talent, although Ye Zhiqiu himself was no underachiever.

The murmurs were not explicit, but the suspicion in their eyes was telling of their thoughts. Gu Chengyu glanced around; these were people blinded by jealousy, venting themselves with baseless words.

Could he have conspired with the chief examiner to cheat? Such claims weren’t worth paying attention to; they’d disappear on their own within hours. This concerned the honor of the court’s officials; accusing the examination of unfairness was slandering the officials.

"Senior, no need to be angry. Once tomorrow’s exams are over, the exam papers will be posted. As the first in the four exams, my papers will certainly be displayed, and the rumors will self-destruct."

Gu Chengyu knew that being first, County Magistrate Lu might have given him some advantage, but it was also because of his strong ability. If poor examination papers were posted, no one would accept it!

"Why make things difficult for a young one like me? Whether the grades are good or bad will be known the day after next when the exam papers are posted, then I will accept everyone’s judgment. For now, let’s prepare for the last exam. Here I preemptively wish all the brothers the best outcome!"

A bit of explanation was necessary to avoid appearing guilty, but he couldn’t go around making enemies, moreover, facts speak louder than words!

"Then, I look forward to reading the junior’s masterpiece!" Not to mention anything else, the blue-dressed examinee didn’t believe Gu Chengyu’s poetry would be that good.

"Senior flatters me! We’ll take our leave now!" Gu Chengyu had no interest in wordplay; there was still an exam to take! Although the last oral exam would be simpler, he still had to prepare well.