Ministry of Personnel.
Li Nuo’s examination certificate had already been processed, and when the time came, he simply needed to pay attention to which Examination Hall he was in to directly participate in the spring exam.
Inside the warm room.
Lord Father-in-law seemed to be thinking of something, his gaze profound as he looked into the empty space, he held his teacup for a long time, yet never took a sip.
Although the years had left some traces on his face, they had also added a few touches of steadiness, a charm belonging to middle-aged men that was lethal to women of all ages.
As a young man, he must have been the dream lover of countless women.
No wonder Lady Mother-in-law, a prodigy of the Martial Path, had chased him in those days.
Li Nuo was silent for a moment before speaking, "I’ve heard Housekeeper Wu mention some things about Lady Mother-in-law..."
Song Jiaren was slightly startled, her eyes turning towards him.
Song Zhe, too, came out of his memories, took a light sip of tea, and asked, "You know everything?"
Li Nuo nodded and said, "Back then..."
It seemed Song Zhe knew what he was going to say, waved his hand, and said, "That matter is not your fault. There are many reasons why Jiaren’s mother and I separated, you needn’t blame yourself."
Li Nuo had thought that since the matter started because of him, he had a responsibility to find a way to reconcile them.
But it seemed that things from those years were not as simple as he had thought.
Lord Father-in-law clearly did not want to bring up the matter, so Li Nuo did not continue to speak on it.
A moment later, he and his wife left the Ministry of Personnel.
When passing by Jade Sound Pavilion, Song Jiaren entered through the back door.
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In the backyard of the Jade Sound Pavilion, there was a small garden where many cold-resistant flowers bloomed, even in winter.
After the improvements by the Agricultural School, many flowers bloomed all year round.
Phoenix had brought her here a few times during the learning process of floriculture.
This area was not open to the public, and as they were selecting flowers, Li Nuo went through a small door to the front hall.
Jade Sound Pavilion had many guests today, mostly dressed as young scholars, some sitting at their seats, others standing under the verses on the wall, admiring and critically discussing them.
"Chang’an certainly lives up to its reputation; even the poems of the demi-monde are better written than those in our smaller places."
"True, I thought I was a master of brothel verses, but coming to Chang’an, I realized there’s always someone better, and always a higher mountain beyond."
"It’s not just the brothel verses. Yesterday, I bought a poetry collection on the street, thinking it was just an ordinary one. But upon opening it, I found every piece to be exquisite; there is actually someone in this world who can write about women to such a degree..."
"And this ’Phoenix Seeking His Mate’ is so well done, using the beauty of women to express what many dare not say!"
...
Phoenix truly had a knack for business, writing those verses on the walls and turning Jade Sound Pavilion into a must-visit spot, attracting many literati and scholars.
Li Nuo glanced at the customer situation in Jade Sound Pavilion and was about to return to the backyard when he suddenly heard a voice from beside him.
"Young sir, it’s you!"
A young man dressed in green clothes left his seat and approached Li Nuo, cupping his hands in greeting and saying, "Thank you for your help last time, I have not yet had a chance to express my gratitude..."
Li Nuo took a close look and quickly remembered.
This was the young man who had spoken recklessly about His Majesty in the Jade Sound Pavilion last time, was reported, and almost got thrown into jail.
Seeing Li Nuo, the young man appeared very pleased and, pulling on his sleeve, said, "Young sir, please sit down. I haven’t properly thanked you last time, please give me a chance to thank you today..."
Li Nuo was pulled to sit at a table.
Besides this young man, three others were seated around the table, dressed like students, their clear eyes betraying their naivety.
It seemed they were all students who had traveled from afar to Chang’an for the examination.
The young man poured two cups of tea, lifted one, and said, "I toast to you, sir, in gratitude for your assistance in the last encounter."
Li Nuo replied, "No need to drink tea over it, it was a trivial effort not worth mentioning."
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He was always extra cautious with anything that he ingested.
Young people didn’t mind and smiled, "Brother, you must be from Chang’an, I see you seem to know those government officers."
Li Nuo said, "I happen to have some acquaintance with the Chang’an County Magistrate."
Speaking of the Chang’an County Magistrate, the young man said, "We just arrived in Chang’an and heard that this Chang’an County Magistrate is a good official, treating the nobles with neither servility nor overbearingness, treating their children impartially, catching thieves, and punishing the hooligans, he has done a lot for the common people..."
Li Nuo pulled at the corner of his mouth.
Old Pei really should kowtow to him.
The deeds were his, but all the fame went to Pei.
However, he is a court-appointed official, and he has a natural advantage in these matters.
Another person said, "Unfortunately, in Daxia’s court, there are too few good officials like County Magistrate Pei, most of them are mediocre and incompetent, there are even villains close to the court, dominating the politics..."
"And His Majesty, as an Emperor, doesn’t govern the country with full effort, but instead pursues immortality, what difference is there from the foolish rulers in history..."
"Now the situation on the continent is unclear, small countries have insidious intentions, and the big ones are covetously watching, Daxia still appears as a scene where the Emperor is foolish and his ministers are corrupt, it’s really worrying..."
"If we could rank high and enter official service, we must change these chaotic situations!"
...
Several young scholars became more and more excited as they spoke, their youthful faces filled with longing.
They didn’t notice that some guests at the neighboring table quietly moved their tables and chairs, distancing themselves a bit.
The young man looked at Li Nuo and asked, "Brother, are you also participating in the Imperial Examination this year?"
Li Nuo nodded.
The young man cupped his fists and said, "Then I wish brother a high rank on the gold list."
Li Nuo reciprocated the gesture and said, "I also wish you a good ranking."
One person at the table looked at the young man and said, "Among us, only Zheng Zhi has hope of becoming an Advanced Scholar. Although your Horse Riding and Shooting are weaker, you have an extraordinary talent, with an unforgettable memory; if you review a book several times, you can remember eighty to ninety percent of it... You could possibly become a top scholar in Ritual Department or in the Book Department."
Li Nuo was about to leave, but stopped in his tracks when he heard this.
He looked at the young scholar and asked, "Brother, you have an unforgettable memory?"
The young scholar called Zheng Zhi modestly said, "Unforgettable is an exaggeration, but when it comes to memorizing books, I am indeed faster than most. If I look at a book several times, I can retain eighty to ninety percent..."
Having an unforgettable memory is a distinct advantage in the Imperial Examination.
Not to mention the Ritual Department, which is just about pure memorization. As long as one memorizes the Five Rites back to front, obtaining the title of top scholar in Ritual Department is like taking something out of one’s pocket.
The Book Department tests Calligraphy, painting, Law, and Composition.
Examinations in Law for the Imperial Examination also involve memorization. As long as one memorizes the Law Code and has normal thinking and judgment abilities, one is unlikely to make any mistakes.
Compositions, though not wholly based on memorization, can still benefit from it by about eighty percent. Many questions ask students to extract a sentence or a passage from the classics and expand upon it.
To give a good answer, you first need to understand the original sentence’s meaning.
This is currently a weakness for Li Nuo, even though he had captured many criminals, his weakness in Composition has not been remedied, which might not seem like a talent in terms of the Law Code.
But an unforgettable memory definitely counts as one.
Even if the ability fails, theoretically, the content memorized while it was effective should not fade.
Li Nuo looked at the young scholar and inquired, "I feel a kindred spirit with Brother Zheng. May I know where you are staying? I would like to invite you for tea sometime."
Zheng Zhi smiled and said, "I’m staying at the Yuelai Inn, awaiting your visit at any time."
It was only after the enthusiastic brother had left that he remembered that the man hadn’t told him his name last time, and he had forgotten to ask.
Well, that would be a topic for next time they had tea.
As his wife was learning to be a talented lady with the Phoenix, Li Nuo did not disturb her and strolled to the Chang’an County Government.
In the back hall of the County Magistrate’s Office, Pei Zhe saw Li Nuo and his heart skipped a beat. He cautiously said, "I haven’t seen you for a long time, sir. Do you have business with this official?"
Li Nuo said, "There is something I need Lord Pei’s help with."
Pei Zhe became even more apprehensive and asked, "Wha... What is it?"
Li Nuo said, "Send someone to the Yuelai Inn to arrest a scholar named Zheng Zhi. This person has slandered His Majesty and insulted court-appointed officials repeatedly. You arrest him, detain him for half a day, and counsel him well. Tell him to be cautious with his words in public. If those words were heard by the Imperial Guard, he would be in serious trouble..."