Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 88. Reputation Reached! Students from the North Join Forces!

Day two.

A new policy essay appeared at the gate of the Imperial College in the capital.

The signature is none other than Chu Tiance, the current third-ranked scholar!

Those students who questioned Chu Tian Ce yesterday because of Xie Yuan's article now felt ashamed.

They said just yesterday that Chu Tianze's talent was inferior to that mysterious person's.

But just one night later, Chu Tianze slapped them in the face with a stunning article.

One student couldn't help but exclaim, "How shameful! Brother Chu is a man of great talent; we are far inferior to him!"

"Yes, it's truly astonishing! We've all studied diligently for decades, so how come we are so far behind Brother Chu?"

“Brother Yanzhang, don’t underestimate yourself. You are also a talented scholar who has passed the imperial examination! But there are always people in this world who are exceptionally talented and gifted. I think Brother Chu is one of them.”

"Brother Zhengping, please don't flatter me. Alas, Brother Chu's talent is so great that it leaves us in despair!"

"His Majesty has a discerning eye, choosing such a talented man as Brother Chu for the Princess..."

When the students reached this point, they all stopped talking, looked at each other, and their expressions were full of regret.

"Brother Chu has become a prince consort, so there's nowhere for his talents to be displayed."

“Brother Yanzhang is right. We scholars who have passed the imperial examination will be assigned to posts outside the capital in a few months. I’m afraid Brother Chu will be stuck with a sinecure and wasting his life.”

Once the two started this conversation, the group of talented men behind them joined in a heated discussion.

The marriage between Jiang Yueli and Chu Tianze, in particular, made many students from the north feel uncomfortable.

One person said, "If it were only Brother Chu's two essays on the provincial and palace examinations, we wouldn't be so indignant. But now that we've seen this article, we realize how vast the world is, and how some people's talents are born to be admired."

"Yes! Chu Tiance comes from the North, where the climate is harsh and the imperial examinations are already difficult. In the triennial imperial examinations, the number of candidates selected from the South is three times that of the candidates from the North."

"Everyone says that the literary spirit of the North is waning and that it is impossible for another literary master to emerge! But now that we see Brother Chu, doesn't that prove that the literary spirit of the North is flourishing?"

"Our northern lands have finally produced a leading figure in the literary world. How can he be allowed to bury his life because of becoming a prince consort?"

The scholar named Yan Zhang became more and more excited as he spoke.

The scene stirred up a range of emotions among the students from the north.

Seeing this, Yan Zhang continued, "As all the students from the North know, the three chief examiners and deputy examiners of this examination are all from the South."

“Since the beginning of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the imperial examinations have been held several times, but the number of examiners from the north is very small.”

"Now that Chu Tiance has emerged out of nowhere, his talent is unparalleled in the world. If he were to become an official, he would surely be a prime minister!"

"The number of people recruited through the imperial examinations has always been greater in the south than in the north, and the same applies to the number of officials."

"If we want the literary spirit of the North to flourish, and for the sake of our descendants, we must produce a literary master from the North!"

Yan Zhang's words drew frequent echoes from the crowd.

Northern students have long suffered from the unfairness of the imperial examination system!

Officialdom has always valued forming cliques, and the prevalence of hometown cliques has been impossible to eradicate throughout history.

The South is prosperous, with good educational conditions, which leads to the emergence of more talented individuals.

When Southerners began to control the court, it triggered a chain reaction.

In terms of student admissions, there will be a greater bias towards the south.

This cycle continued, and more and more people from the south entered the imperial court, while northern students had to work much harder than southerners to get ahead.

Yan Zhang's words struck a nerve with the students in the north.

The group gathered in small groups to discuss the matter, completely forgetting about the brilliant strategy and focusing instead on Chu Tiance's position as the emperor's son-in-law.

Chu Tianze, hiding in the street corner, saw this scene and a slight smile appeared on his lips!

In the afternoon, Yan Zhang, who had spoken so eloquently at the gate of the Imperial Academy, knocked on the door of Chu Tian Ce's house.

Chu Tianze personally welcomed him in, and both of them had joy on their faces.

"Brother Yanzhang, we owe you a great debt of gratitude today!" Chu Tianze cupped his hands in thanks.

Li Yanzhang waved his hand and said, "Brother Chu, there's no need for such formalities. Your talent is something that we scholars from the North can only admire!"

"To this day, there is not a single high-ranking official from the North in the Great Zhou court."

"Back then, Prime Minister Ning wanted to recommend Xie Pengju as the Right Prime Minister, but before the Emperor could issue the decree, Xie's entire family was executed for treason."

"Lord Xie was the pride of the students in the North. When he was still alive, the imperial examination was not so unfair."

"Alas, the people of the North suffer because they lack a leader."

"Now that we see Brother Chu's great talent, the students of the North are all willing to regard you as their literary master. We only hope that Brother Chu can make a difference in the Great Zhou court and secure a future for us students of the North."

Upon hearing this, Chu Tianze was deeply moved.

But he forced himself to suppress his excitement and remained unusually calm.

"I am unworthy of Brother Yanzhang's kindness and the students of the North. Although I would like to do something for the students of the North, unfortunately..."

When the topic of his engagement to Princess Jiang Yueli came up, Chu Tianze looked worried.

Li Yanzhang replied, "Brother Chu, don't worry about this!"

"With Brother Chu's talent, you could have easily been the top scholar, but His Majesty, for the sake of the Princess, insisted on making you the third-ranked scholar."

"Many officials in the northern court are dissatisfied with this! How difficult it is for our northern region to produce a literary master! How could His Majesty be so heartless?"

"Brother Chu, rest assured, I have joined forces with students from the North and officials in the court to submit a petition to His Majesty, asking him to rescind his decision."

"When Lord Xie Pengju was in trouble back then, we people from the North were helpless. Now that Brother Chu is in trouble, if the students of the North do not step in, it will be too late to regret it."

Chu Tianze showed gratitude and bowed deeply to Li Yanzhang.

The mutual appreciation between these literary figures was evident in their words.

After Li Yanzhang left, Hu Youniang came out from the inner room, looking somewhat surprised.

"Young Master Chu, weren't we debating an essay? How did things escalate to this point?"

"These students from the north are actually willing to petition the Emperor on your behalf?"

As a spirit, Hu Youniang was unaware of the intricate web of relationships within the imperial court.

They also do not understand the cruelty of the ancient North-South conflict.

Chu Tiance's theft of Xie Yuan's talent gave hope to the students in the north.

They were willing to venerate him as the literary patriarch, solely for the sake of the literary lineage of the North for the next hundred years!

Chu Tianze said with an arrogant expression, "You Niang, you don't understand. These people say they are doing this for me, but in reality, they are thinking about their descendants."

"If you appoint me as the literary patriarch of the North, I will surely become prime minister within ten years!"

"At that time, the benefits will be shared by the thousands of students in the North, including the descendants of those who petitioned on my behalf."

"It's nothing more than an exchange of interests; they see it better than anyone else."

Hu Youniang's heart skipped a beat, and she glanced up at Chu Tianze.

She felt that she couldn't quite understand Chu Lang!

When did Chu Lang's thoughts become so profound?

This literary contest initially started as a debate over policy proposals.

Chu Tianze was anxious because he was eager to respond to the provocation. Hu Youniang thought it was just the temper between scholars.

Unexpectedly, Chu Tianze made such a big move in his response to the provocation.

He also implicated the marriage agreement with the eldest princess, and incited thousands of students in the north to speak out on his behalf.

This method is truly terrifying!

When she first met Chu Tianze on her way to the imperial examination, he was shy and timid, with a simple mind.

There's absolutely no trace of his strategic planning today!

Could it be that I saw it wrong?

Hu Youniang was filled with trepidation, but Chu Tianze took her hand.

He said tenderly, "You Niang, you are my lucky star, my perfect match!"

"I did all this to stay with you! Li Yanzhang and the others wrote to the Emperor on my behalf. This is a very important matter. Even if the Emperor is angry, he cannot punish them."

"Now, my talent is renowned throughout the land, and I am even more admired by the students of the North. If His Majesty were to kill me, it would surely cause a mutiny among the students."

As Chu Tianze spoke, he slowly embraced Hu Youniang.

"I can finally be with you forever."

Hu Youniang was deeply moved, her emotions fluctuating so much that she became unsteady on her feet.

She silently calculated the time; three days had passed since she swallowed the previous heart.

After only three days, he's already losing his balance?

This method of eating human hearts and livers is becoming less and less effective!

She had to find a way as soon as possible, either to go to the library or directly to Zhou Wei, and snatch the dagger back.

The two embraced, each lost in their own thoughts.

Amidst the enchanting spring scenery, there's a hint of eeriness!