The examination on the second day.
The teacher took everyone to an open field. Since he had instructed the students yesterday to wear casual attire for convenient riding and shooting, everyone cooperatively wore light clothing.
On the open field, there was a stable filled with many horses. The horses were not tall, rather small, all saddled.
It was evident that these were prepared for the students~
They had to queue up in turns to pick a horse. As long as they could sit on the horse and have it walk around the field, they would pass.
Those who passed could go to the teacher to receive a piece of paper, which would have the passer’s name written on it. The paper had five spots for stamps, one stamp per pass. With all five filled, they could participate in the examination tomorrow, which seemed manageable.
At the command, the students queued in batches to select their horses.
Ye Zhi and others nervously stood in line.
"Huanhuan, Changzhou, can you ride?"
Tan Huanhuan boastfully declared, "Of course, I’ve specially learned this, it will be a piece of cake."
She proudly glanced at Ji Changzhou with a hum: "Right, Changzhou?"
"Yes, Huanhuan is skillful in riding."
Ye Zhi asked again, "And you?"
Ji Changzhou smiled slightly, "My riding skills are decent."
"That’s good."
Ancient people were humble, especially ancient men, and ’decent’ should mean quite impressive.
She turned to Shen Chen and said, "Follow me later, I’ll help you find a gentle horse. Be patient with the horse, hold onto the saddle tight, and don’t be nervous."
Her tone was gentle, treating him very much like a little brother in her care.
Shen Chen nodded slightly, "Mm."
"Young lady, I am Xue Ling, might I know how to address you?"
At some point, a young gentleman in line ahead turned back, noticing their conversation, wishing to make an acquaintance.
He had a proper nose, straightforward features, not as handsome as Shen Chen, Ji Changzhou, Li Du, or Li Changnian, but he looked pleasingly talented, able to talk and laugh in any situation.
The address of ’young lady’ he called out included both Ye Zhi and Tan Huanhuan, and they exchanged puzzled glances.
Big brother, which one do you want to know...
"I wish to know both of you."
Seeing him so courteous, the young girls didn’t think much and introduced themselves.
"My name is Ye Zhi."
"I am Tan Huanhuan."
The two little girls didn’t say much more.
Ye Zhi suddenly felt alarmed; Xue Ling? Could it be the Xue Ling from the Crown Prince Faction...
Xue Ling, with ill intentions, later became the strategist for Crown Prince Li Changnian, scheming against important ministers, with ruthless means, murdering without remorse, even sparing no newborn infants.
What impressed Ye Zhi deeply was that once in a corruption case that almost implicated Li Changnian, he destroyed evidence by drugging the courtyard well of that official’s house with sleeping powder, setting fire at midnight, extinguishing over a hundred lives in their sleep.
With elders above and youngsters below, what fault did innocent children bear?
Ultimately, his end came when Shen Chen, then a Right Minister, imprisoned him in the Imperial Prison and executed him by slow slicing.
Indeed, at that time, Shen Chen, revered as the Right Minister, was second only to one, towering over many, wielding control over the Investigation Factory, whose ruthless and sinister actions instilled fear among the court officials and struck terror in the populace.
However, the Daqing Dynasty then required such a presence to suppress those harboring untoward thoughts.
Yet, it also granted him immense power, but those are tales for another day.
Thinking to here, Ye Zhi silently shifted behind Shen Chen, gripping his sleeve, peeking half her head out, horrifiedly staring at the man across from them.
Indeed, she was afraid...
Little Xue Ling looked bewildered; was he really that scary?
The other three were equally baffled.