Nightfall Chapter 77

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TL: Proud Novelist

Chapter 77: Inside the academy

Ning Que pulled Sang Sang and squeezed out from the crowd, but did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood at the corner of the pavement by the academy and watched the lively crowd at the notice wall. A streak of regret welled up in him as he felt that his act just now was meaningless. His horsemanship and archery performances were his only saving grace. Right now, he felt very tense. He was unsure as to whether his scores would actually let him pass. 

The entrance exam of the academy had brought talented youths from all corners of the world together. If not for the scene that he had created during the riding test, his ordinary attire wouldn't have spurred any attention. Therefore the moment he had left the crowd, nobody paid attention to him. The candidates were busy paying attention to their results, especially those who were quite famous even before the entrance exam.

For example Wang Yin and Zhong Da Jun. Wang Ying was personally brought by an academy teacher from the rural area. Although he is just fourteen years old, his lyric prose on the ceremonial subject had created quite a stir in Chang'an City few weeks ago. Not to mention Zhong Da Jun that came from a famous university in the Yang Guan Country. Zhong Da Jun was famous throughout the lands when Wang Ying was still an infant. His ability to write the South Tang Poetry was astonishing. However, the majority of the crowd was looking at the most promising candidate, the third son of the Xie Family from the Nan Jin Dynasty.

The Xie Family had an extraordinary lineage., For thousands of years, the family handed down their literature and poetry. The third son, Xie Cheng Yun possessed extraordinary intellect. He began to write at the age of three and composed poetry by the age of five. The elders of the Xie family hired many talented teachers from a variety of countries to guide him through his studies. As he grew up, he made friends with many famous poets, raising his reputation to its current height.

Xie Cheng Yun had the ability to stand up to his reputation. He was just eighteen years old but he had already placed third in the Nan Jin imperial examination. However, after seeing his results, he rejected his admittance and headed all the way to the Tang Dynasty to be admitted to this college.

While the admission criteria for the Tang Dynasty's college was harsh, it didn't stop Xie Cheng Yun who had ranked third in the Nan Jin examination from entering. In fact it would be bizarre for him to fail. Nobody wondered whether he would pass, they were more interested in what his rank was after the test.

Xie Cheng Yun, Zhong Da Jun and Wang Ying stood under the wall, clasping their hands behind their back, reading the list of names. The black robed Zhong Da Jun knew that it was impossible for him to get first place, as his scores in the riding and archery tests were just mediocre. Wang Ying's innocent face was inevitably lined with tension, in contrast, the white robed Xie Cheng Yun had a confident smile on his handsome face.

There were several young men and women who possessed extraordinary family backgrounds in Chang An City who stood behind these three young men. Among them were the red robed girl and the girl named Wu Cai. They were laughing softly. A few open minded girls were even obviously pointing and looking at Xie Cheng Yun with admiration.

The crowd consciously opened up a piece of empty space around these youths, afraid of disturbing or knocking into them. The laws of the Tang Dynasty are harsh, but the difference between the classes were not seriously enforced on, it is just that the youths standing under the wall came from families of high status and also had made a name for themselves, therefore everyone kept their distance from afar.

Whispering voice of praise continuously being heard under the screen wall.  Every time the names of the trio were spotted would bring up some whispering, along with gazes of admiration on the three young men's backs.

Wang Ying of Linchuan Prefecture would shyly bow with clasped hands to greet the candidates. He could only get a third class in the archery due to his disadvantage in the age and body size. The rest of the results were all first class results, especially his music.  It was heard that he got a very good commendation from the old academy instructors on his musical test on playing of the zither.

Zhong Dajun of Yang Pass raised his chin slightly, returning their gestures of respect with clasped hands, looking quite high and mighty. However the people of the Tang Dynasty were always very cool, as long as you are qualified to be arrogant, they would not hold back their praises. Other than getting second class for shooting, he got first class for the other four, especially getting first class upper for calligraphy. This much excellency certainly deserves praise.

The loudest claps and the most passionate stares, are most certainly given to the third son of the Xie family of the Nan Jin Nation, Xie Chengyun, having all six subjects graded at first class, especially having first class upper for the ceremonial subject and calligraphy, this kind of perfect result can be even put into the top few of the past ten years of the academy's entrance exams.

Xie Chengyun clasped his hands and bowed to those surrounding him, smiling to everyone as a gesture. The red sunset shined on the youth's white clothes, on his handsome face and humble smile. The girl in the feathered cloak and female companions clapped nonstop, feeling very excited, as if it were their honour to do it.

Far away on the pavement, Ning Que and Sangsang stood shoulder by shoulder, looking at the bustling scene from afar, Ning Que could not help but scoff, "I don't understand what is this for, is it because the third son is more beautiful than the rest?"

This is just a common phrase in Wei City, for example if some soldier drank two more bowls than his companions, they would joke about it, what for, are you more beautiful than others? Ning Que's simple taunt brought Sangsang who was by his side to look up and say, "They do look beautiful." With stars dazzling in her leaf-shaped eyes.

Ning Que was rather speechless, looking down at the outer surface of the shoe, as if there were ants climbing on them.

Below the screen wall, a candidate exclaimed, “Six first classes, two of which are first class upper, this should be the best results ever obtained at the entrance exam for this academy. It should be regarded as the best academy admission test scores over the past decade. The famous third son of Xie family is so astounished.”

Some candidates who failed displeasingly retorted, "Who said this is the best results in ten years? Five years ago a candidate from Xiling Prefecture obtained six first classes upper, every teacher came out to see him, because that was the best results obtained at the academy in a hundred years!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone became quiet, the three of them turned their sight towards the origin of the voice. Obtaining six first classes upper? This sounds too mind-boggling, getting the best result in a hundred years, that unnamed candidate from Xiling Prefecture must be a genius who can certainly beat everyone!

"Why haven't we heard of that candidate from Xiling?" The person earlier felt unsatisfied and retorted back.

The candidate looked at him tauntingly and continued, "That candidate from Xiling was not given any tests after the entrance exam, but was taken by the principal to the second floor. He should be studying in the second floor these five years, how can we mere mortals get this kind of news?"

Everyone under the wall gave an exclamation, and couldn't guess who was the unnamed candidate from Xiling, getting the best results in a hundred years, then without taking a day of classes and entering the second floor directly instead!

Hearing the candidate about Xi ling being be able to access to the second floor, the third son from Nan Jin Dynasty raised his eyebrows higher. His pupils were now in a dignified color. He was famous and arrogant after get ranked three in the Nan Jin examination in the last year. The result was unacceptable by himself. Therefore, he chose to prove himself in the academy admission test again. His ultimate goal was of course to enter into the extremely mysterious second floor of the academy. He was not expected that he was still slower than this guy.

The girl next to the girl in the feathered cloak is named Jin Wucai, and she is the youngest daughter of the high professor of the Tang Dynasty. From young she had a sweet personality and loved poetry and books, and had long heard about the third son of the Nan Jin Nation, she also have met up and spoke to him during the poetry gatherings in Chang’an City, and felt that he had the talent that was befitting of his name. When she saw him having a gloomy expression, she smiled and said, “You have six first classes, among that is two A+, it is quite rare, at least there is no one higher for this time.”

Using the same reasoning, for this entrance exam, Zhong Dajun of Yang Pass has A+ for calligraphy, Wang Ying of Linchuan has A+ for music, while Mr. Xie has two A+ , who else can beat the three of you.

The girl in the feathered cloak was preparing to follow her friends to accompany Xie Chengyun for a talk, suddenly she remembered something, thinking about that guy’s declaration as he left, she subconsciously raised her head to look up the wall. She felt that that guy must be afraid of losing face and gave a lie, but as she thought about the black lightning at the exam hall, she actually believed that she would see his name on the top of the list.

His name is not on the top of the list for music, no, his name is not to be found on the entire list for music, this guy is just plain ignorant, Lan Lan you idiot, how could you believe him!

Situ Yilan, daughter of Yungui General, pulled the feathered cloak angrily. The girl didn’t want to look for the guy’s name anymore, but her sight just landed on the side of the lists without control—- hey!

Her eyes opened wide, looking at the top of the list for Mathematics, Imperial subject, and shooting, seeing the same name, was starting to wonder if her eyesight was failing, her red lips whimpered, reading it out subconsciously, “Ning Que…first class upper! First class upper! And first class upper?”

Along with her voice, the words of congratulations by the other candidates became smaller and smaller, everyone would find their own name, then look at the name of those who had already made a name for themselves, not many people will look out for the name of a nobody on the lists, of course they did not see the same name.

“Three first classes upper?” Someone looked at the wall, exclaiming.

Jin Wucai covered her mouth, her expression helpless, thinking about the words she heard, said disbelievingly, “So that guy was for real, he knew he would get first class upper!”

Earlier everyone was admiring the third son from the South Jin Nation’s ability to get two first classes upper, it means he must be the best for this year’s entrance exam, who would have thought that before the words of congratulations stopped, someone who got three first classes upper just… bounced out like this.

“Who is Ning Que?”

“Ning Que is who?”

Those candidates who did not see the scene of the black lightning asked their companions, those who saw it start to talk about a tale of how a black horse turned from a ferocious beast to a docile creature.

Situ Yilan looked everywhere for Ning Que and saw he was standing at a far spot, and she hurriedly pulled Jin Wucai’s hand, pushed the crowd away and ran towards him,

The three youths were just as if they were forgotten, Xie Chengyun laughed softly at himself, a indistinguishable expression appeared on his face, and gestured Zhong Dajun and Wang Ying to escort the noble girls of Chang’an away.

The crowd split apart to form a path, like water in a stream, and joined together and moved towards the candidate named Ning Que who they never ever heard of.

Ning Que was not aware of what happened at the wall, and was talking about what to eat tonight at the hawker stall with Sangsang. Suddenly he saw the commotion that was going on and that the girl in the feathered cloak was at his front.

Situ Yilan looked at him stunned and said, “Three first classes upper…… You…… You, how did you manage to do it?”

Ning Que was stunned, seeing the crowd that was gathering before him, answered, “Erm…… I revise diligently.”

Sangsang looked up at him, her leaf-shaped eyes filled with confusion, thinking "Young Master do you know what is revision is?"

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