This was cheating! And it was cheating in broad daylight! The evidence was conclusive. If such an evil practice wasn't eradicated, would this examination venue still be an official examination venue?
The invigilator's expression turned cold. Just as he was about to reach out and take down the script, he realised that Fang Zhengzhi had already begun writing.
…
King Wu asked Tai Gong, "What are the main points of the Way of War?"
Tai Gong replied, "Those who were good at war in ancient times were not able to fight in the heavens, nor could they fight on the ground. Success and failure were all determined by the power of the gods. Those who obtained it would prosper, those who lost it would perish.
"Between the two armies, the armoured soldiers leave the formation. Even if the soldiers wander about, they think that there is a change. Those who are covered in thick grass, therefore they flee …"
…
Fang Zhengzhi wrote very quickly, without a single pause. It was as if there was a copy of the Law of Dao in front of him. Every stroke was like a flower. In an instant, the 27th chapter of the Six Secret Arts, "Surprise Army", was finished by him.
The invigilator's hand that was already reaching for Fang Zhengzhi's script stopped in mid-air. His lips moved, but he felt as if he had swallowed a fly. The words that were already at the tip of his tongue were forcefully swallowed back down.
How was this possible?
Originally, he was almost certain that Fang Zhengzhi had done it on purpose. But, why was it like this? Just based on a single sentence that didn't fit in with the other three sentences, he wrote the entire text from memory?
No matter how he thought about it, it was completely impossible …
"What exactly is wrong?" The invigilator looked at the 27th chapter that Fang Zhengzhi had written from memory, and confirmed that not a single word was wrong.
Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had written everything from memory in front of him. Naturally, he couldn't be suspected of plagiarism. Then, what exactly was the problem?
The invigilator's brows furrowed, but he still couldn't understand.
"Invigilator, is there anything else?"
Fang Zhengzhi had already finished writing from memory. The feeling of finishing the entire script felt great. When he raised his head and saw that the invigilator was still standing in front of him, the edges of his mouth curved into a smile.
"No … nothing!" The invigilator wanted to say something, but in the end, he shook his head helplessly and left.
Fang Zhengzhi looked at the invigilator who was leaving, then looked at the examinees around him and smiled. Actually, to cheat, one had to pay attention to the method.
…
"Dong!" The gong finally sounded, signifying the end of the theory examination.
Countless scholars covered their faces and started crying when the gong sounded. This time, the River of Trust Capital's examination papers were too difficult. Many people's examination papers already had more than half of them blank.
This also meant that they would definitely fail in this capital examination.
When he left the examination venue, Fang Zhengzhi didn't see Li Zhuangshi again. Instead, he saw Yan Xiu, whose face was as cold as ice, at the entrance of the examination venue.
Fang Zhengzhi could not be blamed. After all, Yan Xiu stood out too much in the crowd.
A huge wave of scholars emerged from the cocoons. However, they strangely avoided Yan Xiu, causing a strange vacuum to appear in a two-meter radius around him.
Yan Xiu stood in the crowd like a crane in a flock of chickens.
"How is it?" Yan Xiu asked.
"Not bad." Fang Zhengzhi replied.
"What about the Book of Changes?" Yan Xiu continued to ask.
"No problem." Fang Zhengzhi said confidently.
Yan Xiu was silent. He looked up at the sky and seemed to be thinking about something. After a while, he looked back at Fang Zhengzhi.
"Combat examination, I will be roll champion!" Yan Xiu's tone was filled with certainty at this moment.
"I think I will be." Fang Zhengzhi was equally sure.
Yan Xiu's lips moved, as if he wanted to argue. But in the end, he didn't say anything. Instead, he opened the Golden Bone Silver Thread Fan in his hand.
Revealing a magnificent mountain river illustration inside. A ray of light flashed faintly. It was unknown whether it was because of the sunlight, or the light from the paper fan …
Fang Zhengzhi's gaze stopped on that mountain river illustration. A strange feeling arose in his heart. This mountain river illustration seemed to be too realistic.
"Does this fan have a name?" Fang Zhengzhi was somewhat curious.
"Yes, it is called Mountain River, Heaven and Earth!" Yan Xiu lightly shook the Golden Bone Silver Thread Fan in his hand.
"Mountain River, Heaven and Earth?" Fang Zhengzhi nodded and didn't ask any further.
…
One of the greatest benefits of walking alongside Yan Xiu was that Yan Xiu's body had a natural repulsive force. Anything and everyone passing by would make a detour.
This allowed Fang Zhengzhi to save a lot of trouble.
For example, even though the little fatty who was taking the examination with him had always been following behind him, but, he didn't come forward to greet Fang Zhengzhi.
The two of them walked slowly. Under the gaze of the passersby, they walked all the way to the pavilion of the Serene Ink Pond.
Because the number of people participating in this capital examination far exceeded the previous ones, hence, the release date of the theory examination results was set to be three days later.
…
Within the capital office, invigilators were marking the examination papers in an orderly manner.
The name of every examination paper was sealed. After the invigilators had checked it, the examination papers would be placed on a long table.
Imperial Messenger Qin, who wore a black official robe, sat on the long table at this moment. Around him, there were a few other imperial messengers who also had the word "Imperial" printed on their official robes, marking the examination papers together with him.
After the long table, there was a mahogany main table.
An old man with a few strands of silver hair, who looked to be around fifty years old, sat there. His eyes were slightly closed, and his face seemed extremely rosy. He also wore an official robe, but what was different from the other imperial messengers was that.
His official robe was white.
On the white official robe, there was a picture of a bird drawn with silver threads. It was extremely lifelike.
"Wonderful, extremely wonderful!" An imperial messenger wearing a black official robe looked at the examination paper in his hands. With an excited expression, he quickly came in front of the old man.
"Elder Han, the style of writing on this paper is incisive, and the meaning is indeed profound!" The imperial messenger opened the examination paper and presented it to the old man wearing the white official robe with both hands.
The old man called Elder Han, who wore the white official robe, also opened his eyes at this moment. A faint light flashed across his eyes, then disappeared without a trace in an instant.
Then, Elder Han received the examination paper. His gaze swept across the examination paper, then lightly placed the examination paper in front of the imperial messenger.
When the imperial messenger saw this, he instantly picked up the examination paper again, turned around and returned to the long table. Without saying another word, he only wrote "Bei Jia" beside the examination paper.
The other imperial messengers looked at the imperial messenger who returned to the long table, and nodded slightly. Then, they began to seriously examine the examination paper again.
Before long, Imperial Messenger Qin also stood up.
With a examination paper in his hands, he lightly walked in front of Elder Han.
"Elder Han, please read!"
Elder Han opened his eyes once again and received the examination paper from Imperial Messenger Qin. His gaze swept across it, and his originally slightly squinted eyes widened. His lips opened and closed slightly, as if he was softly reading the answers on it.
After a full quarter of an hour, Elder Han then lightly placed the examination paper down.
Then, with a swipe of his hand, the seal on the name list was completely erased, revealing a string of examinee information.
In the next moment, Elder Han's brows furrowed, furrowed very tightly …
…
During these three days, the scholars in the River of Trust Capital naturally wouldn't sit alone in the inn and wait. Instead, they appeared at the riverside of the River of Trust, as if they had arranged to meet.
Because, there was a person who captivated their dreams and dreams here.
At the riverside of the River of Trust that flowed through the River of Trust Capital, Yun Qingwu's pleasure boat was quietly anchored, blending into the surrounding scenery. Coupled with the green willows hanging down from the riverside, it was as beautiful as a fairyland in a painting.
Countless scholars surrounded the pleasure boat and waited, all for the chance to catch a glimpse of Yun Qingwu's figure. There were even some scholars who took out their treasured poems, paintings, pearls and jades, hoping to admire them with Yun Qingwu.
But, Yun Qingwu didn't even show her face once, as if Yun Qingwu simply didn't exist in that pleasure boat …
Fang Zhengzhi's time in these three days was about the same as Yun Qingwu's. He similarly didn't appear on the streets of the River of Trust Capital, and only leisurely read books in the loft, or drank tea with Yan Xiu and ate some snacks.
Three days later.
In front of the capital office of the River of Trust Capital, countless scholars had long been waiting in front of the roll stone. Anxiety and anxiousness were written all over their faces. After all, there was only one theory examination in this capital examination.
If you pass, you live. If you don't, you die!
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