Chapter 170: Spirit Refinement Text Examination,
Mountain and River Painting, This Lad’s Primordial Spirit Is Actually So Powerful?! (1)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Great Zhao Calendar Year 512, 6th of March, late spring.
Today was the Hall Examination of the Imperial Examination for the Spring
Quarter Examination of Great Zhao. It was the grandest day in the entire Great Zhao. The hard work of countless Provincial Scholars who rushed to Lin’an for the examination would end today.
The densely packed carriages drove on the long street and stopped when they approached Jing Street.
The scholars who had ascended List A and B alighted from the carriage and walked all the way to the continuous palace in the depths of Jing Street.
The palace in Lin’an Prefecture occupied an extremely vast area. It leaned against the majestic Phoenix Mountain and looked towards the north with a special meaning.
500 years ago, Great Zhao moved south and finally moved the capital to Lin’an. They did not build a magnificent palace in Lin’an. At that time, they only built a
simple palace to deal with the court affairs.
The civil and military officials were all from the Great Zhao Imperial Family. They still had the hope that one day, they could cross the river and return to the Central Plains and return to the capital in the north.
However, as time passed, more and more palaces were built at the foot of Phoenix Mountain. Structures were built, and towering and majestic palaces appeared at the foot of the mountain. They continued to expand and occupy more and more land, representing the dignity of the imperial family.
The expanding Imperial City was like the haze that swallowed everyone’s ambition to go north and restore the Central Plains.
Gradually, returning to the Central Plains became a slogan that was shouted from time to time.
The increasingly extravagant Lin’an gradually eroded the spirits of the ministers and the imperial family.
The current Lin’an Imperial City occupied an extremely large area. Across Jing
Street, many scholars did not dare to speak loudly. In Jing Street, there were many residences of high-ranking officials and nobles. Any mansion here might have generals and nobles living there.
Everyone walked forward and arrived in front of the majestic Imperial City covered in red walls and glazed tiles.
A towering inner city gate tower lay at the end of Jing Street. Its eaves were tilted, and golden tiles flickered, reflecting the spring sun.
Below the city were armored guards with sabers at their waists. Their Qi Blood was hazy.
There were also soldiers standing on the city gate tower with sabers in their hands. Their auras were majestic and their gazes were as sharp as an eagle’s. No one dared to look straight at them, and they were intimidating.
They blocked the way in front and investigated every List A and B scholar who had entered the Heavenly Profound Gate. This was a routine move.
At this moment, through the Heavenly Profound Gate, there was a long and narrow imperial road. The imperial road was paved with white jade. Inside was the White Jade Vermilion Steps. At the two sides of the steps were sculptures of auspicious beasts carved by a craftsman with extremely high craftsmanship. It was as if the auspicious beasts were about to come to life and roar.
Above the White Jade Vermilion Steps was the Heavenly Profound Palace. It had a golden roof and red walls. Glazed golden tiles were laid diagonally on both sides. In front and behind the Heavenly Profound Palace, a royal path that stretched for dozens of kilometers passed through the palace and went straight to the top of Phoenix Mountain. One could look north from here.
The current Emperor of the Great Zhao Dynasty was sitting on the Emperor’s throne in the Heavenly Profound Palace. He towered over the three dukes and nine ministers, the civil and military officials, and listened to the world.
At this moment, auspicious clouds bloomed in front of the Heavenly Profound Palace. Figures in court clothes walked up the palace with their heads held high.
The Heavenly Profound Palace was incomparably magnificent. As the location of the Hall Examination today, many List B scholars who were not fated to participate in the Hall Examination might only have this one chance in their lives to see the magnificent Heavenly Profound Palace.
The officials had already filed in.
Prime Minister Qin Lishi, Deputy Prime Minister Ouyang Xiangru, and other important civil officials also included Li You’an, Martial Chief Di Cang, and other generals and officials. There were Dukes, Marquises, and many other nobles with different titles, but they had noble statuses.
There were also the Eldest Prince, the Second Prince, and other benefactors standing.
Clearly, they all had different solemn emotions towards the Spring Quarter Examination’s Imperial Hall Examination.
Suddenly, the purple-robed eunuch who was standing beside the Emperor of Zhao, swept his gaze over and looked outside the Heavenly Profound Palace.
A trembling figure holding a dragon-headed walking stick slowly ascended the hall. It was none other than the Lin Residence’s Matriarch.
Beside the Matriarch, Madam Hua was dressed in luxurious clothes as she quietly stepped into the hall.
In addition, Madam Ye and the other madams of the Ye Residence stepped into the Heavenly Profound Palace.
The gazes of the civil and military officials changed slightly. When these
people stepped foot, they all knew that today’s Hall Examination would definitely be very different from previous years.
Many people’s gazes swept over and landed on Eunuch Tong, who was beside Emperor Zhao. It could be seen that there was a spear, a saber, and a bow beside Eunuch Tong.
A majestic aura filled the air. The three treasures were all extraordinary items. Clearly, they were the rewards for this Hall Examination.
Most people’s gazes landed on the golden saber. The saber landed quietly. No one was controlling it, but they could feel the pressure and terrifying sharpness emanating from it.
This saber was a second-grade saber, Storm Calming. It was one of the treasures in the royal treasure vault and had once been bestowed to the eldest son of the Lin family. Later on, the Eldest Son of Lin died in battle and this saber fell into the Yuan Meng Army. After a few battles, it went back to Great Zhao and was finally stored in the treasure vault.
Now, there was naturally a reason why they took it out as a reward.
Many officials whispered and muttered. They looked at the golden saber with complicated expressions.
Everyone knew that apart from Prime Minister Qin Lishi trying his best to manipulate this Hall Examination, it was also because of Emperor Zhao’s emotions and his desire to announce the complete decline of the once peak-level Lin Residence today..
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