Chapter 113: The Early Bird

"Gentlemen, the examination does not begin until the first quarter of the si hour. As sons of noble families, you possess vast wealth; why must you act like me, suffering in the sun and wind outside the Hongwen Academy so early? I went to great lengths to suppress an evil spirit, only for you to let it escape. If trouble arises in the future, everyone present here will be the primary culprit."

Luo Binwang opened his eyes, cast a cold glance around, and insulted everyone with his words. Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuzhi and Cui Xiangrong both changed expressions and turned to look at the child.

The first half of Luo Binwang’s words were reasonable enough. Since the imperial examination was still over an hour away, the wealthy candidates could easily have found a teahouse near the Hongwen Academy to wait in peace, which would have been far more dignified than loitering in the noisy square. Furthermore, staying away from the clamor to compose one’s state of mind would naturally be beneficial for the exam.

However, the latter half of his statement was bizarre. What did he mean by "suppressing an evil spirit," and how could he accuse them of letting it go? In broad daylight, who would believe in ghosts? Even if ghosts existed, it was impossible for one to approach the heavily crowded Hongwen Academy. At this moment, even Lu Xin frowned, completely bewildered by the antics of the child atop the stone lion.

"An evil spirit? Ha! Aren't you a monster yourself? Cui Xiangrong, you see this, don't you? Is it I who am bullying him, or is he bullying all of us?"

Zhang Yuzhi merely glanced at Luo Binwang before sneering at Cui Xiangrong again. The latter did not retort, instead staring gloomily at the crack in the stone lion. Seeing his silence, Zhang Yuzhi grew even more incensed and signaled to his guards. The four men surrounded the stone lion, intending to drag Luo Binwang down without another word. Just then, Cui Xiangrong shouted, "Stop!" which startled everyone.

The four guards, wary of the order, dared not move, and seeing Zhang Yuzhi shake his head, they paused. The child on the lion, however, remained indifferent, merely sneering.

After his reprimand, Cui Xiangrong did not explain, keeping his eyes fixed on Luo Binwang. It seemed that, in his view, no one else present was as important as this ragged child.

"Your insight is divine, and your methods are far beyond the reach of ordinary scholars. But the imperial court has its laws; sorcerers are forbidden from holding office. Why are you participating in the imperial examination? With your abilities, even without an official post, you could enjoy endless glory and wealth."

Cui Xiangrong’s voice was soft, but as he spoke, not only the common candidates but even those from high-ranking families like Zhang Yuzhi listened in silence. Upon hearing Cui’s assessment of Luo Binwang, everyone’s expression shifted.

The Boling Cui clan was a world-renowned noble family, and its scions were notoriously arrogant, holding no one in high regard. Yet, Cui Xiangrong clearly held the child on the lion in high esteem—a level of respect that even Zhang Yuzhi, the son of a Duke, could not command.

Before Luo Binwang could reply, a humiliated Zhang Yuzhi rushed to the stone lion and struck the lion's head with a fist.

"Boom!"

The entire stone lion shattered instantly. Fragments of rock flew in all directions, knocking many candidates to the ground. Cui Xiangrong’s face changed, but before he could speak, the billowing dust swirled and rushed toward Zhang Yuzhi. The next second, the son of the Duke of Changping and an officer of the imperial court was lifted into the air by his throat, as easily as a chicken or duck. The one who held him was the child, barely ten years old.

The four guards turned pale with fright. They wanted to intervene but feared Luo Binwang might kill their master, leaving them frozen in place.

"Young brother, whatever you have to say, put him down first. Killing an imperial official is a crime punishable by the extermination of one’s nine kin. There is no need to ruin your future for the sake of a spoiled brat."

"Cui... Cui Xiangrong! Who are you calling a spoiled brat? Today, I will peel his skin off!"

Zhang Yuzhi was beyond furious. Despite being held in mid-air, he remained unfazed. As he spoke, he pulled a yellow jade talisman from his robes and crushed it. In an instant, lightning erupted, wrapping Zhang Yuzhi’s body in thunderous energy, making him appear like a deity. Luo Binwang, feeling the sting, was forced to let go and retreat. By then, the child’s already tattered sleeves were mostly shredded.

"This is... a high-grade jade talisman refined from yellow jade, containing the power of the seventh stage of the Guanxu Realm. This man has immense resources."

Lu Xin, standing under the willow tree, was stunned. A high-grade jade talisman of such immense value, just crushed like that. It was the first time he had seen such a scene. Though Luo Binwang was powerful, his cultivation had not reached the seventh stage of the Guanxu Realm.

Once freed, Zhang Yuzhi, wreathed in lightning, moved with incredible speed. Before Luo Binwang could even finish his retreat, Zhang was upon him. Zhang Yuzhi was highly skilled in martial arts; his punches were fierce, howling with wind, and combined with the power of the talisman, he forced Luo Binwang into a corner.

"A poor brat, thinking a few parlor tricks make you invincible. Child, this world is vast; there are many people you cannot afford to provoke."

"Oh, just a high-grade jade talisman. Do you really think this is your own ability?"

Cornered with nowhere to go, Luo Binwang suddenly stamped his foot into the paving stones. Immediately, an ink-black light enveloped his entire body, manifesting countless characters in the void—regular script, cursive, large seal, small seal, and even inscriptions from the Yin-Shang period. The mass of characters formed passages of text, staining the surrounding space with the color of ink.

Zhang Yuzhi threw seven or eight punches, but despite the child being within arm’s reach, he could not land a single blow, making him anxious and enraged.

Boom, boom, boom!

His lightning-imbued fists struck the outer wall of the Hongwen Academy, quickly punching a series of holes into it. Although the Academy had not yet opened, officials were already working inside. With such a commotion, how could they not react? In less than ten breaths, the gates of the Hongwen Academy were thrown open, and dozens of imperial guards rushed out, surrounding all the candidates outside.

"Who dares to act with such insolence outside the Hongwen Academy!"

With a roar, an elderly man in civil official robes emerged. Despite being nearly sixty, his gaze was piercing. Seeing this, Cui Xiangrong’s face changed, and he whispered, "The Libationer of the Imperial Academy, one of the chief examiners for this imperial exam. If you don't stop now, prepare to be disqualified."

Cui Xiangrong’s words caused Zhang Yuzhi to stop instantly. Luo Binwang also withdrew his power, returning to normal. However, the battle between the two had left the other candidates dumbfounded. The holes in the wall alone were enough evidence of their transgression.

With the imperial exam imminent, brawling outside the Hongwen Academy was an act no court could tolerate. Just as teachers dislike fighting students, this was a great taboo for scholars.

"Is that old man the Libationer? He’s almost bald; he doesn't look very learned."

The scholar hiding behind Lu Xin was having a grand time watching the fight. Seeing the old man emerge, he began to mock him. Lu Xin ignored him, but he felt a sense of dread. In this feudal dynasty, society was built on status. The regime prioritized heritage, lineage, and a person's background and patrons. Compared to Zhang, Luo Binwang was like the earth to the heavens.

The Libationer of the Imperial Academy was not a high official, but in modern terms, the position was equivalent to the Minister of Education. In the Tang Dynasty, the Imperial Academy was theoretically the highest seat of learning in the nation, holding a status above the Hongwen Academy and the Chongwen Academy of the Crown Prince. Even if the reality was different, the Imperial Academy was a crucial institution used by the court to win over common scholars, representing the face of the dynasty. The fact that the Libationer was a chief examiner for the imperial exam was proof of his immense power in the eyes of scholars.

"Master Sun, your student Zhang Yuzhi pays his respects to the Libationer."

"Oh? It is young Master Zhang. It has been three years since we parted in Huaizhou. How is the Duke of Changping faring?"

"My father is doing well, thank you for your concern, Master."

As the Libationer stepped down from the stairs, Zhang Yuzhi approached and performed the student's salute, appearing very humble. The old man smiled and began to exchange pleasantries. In contrast, Luo Binwang stood under the wall, his expression arrogant. Seeing this, Lu Xin’s heart sank; he knew things were about to take a turn for the worse.

Sure enough, after Zhang Yuzhi whispered a few words into the old man’s ear, the Libationer’s face fell, and his gaze toward Luo Binwang grew severe. He walked to the corner of the wall, examined the holes for a moment, and let out a cold snort.

"What place is the Hongwen Academy? It is an imperial institution, and you dare to act with such insolence? As the site for this imperial examination, it was hand-picked by His Majesty. With the Emperor's grace so vast, how dare you cause trouble here? Candidates beneath the wall, state your names at once."

"Yuezhou Prefecture, Luo Binwang."

"The surname Luo?"

The Libationer glanced at the proud Luo Binwang with disdain, paused, and then spoke with even greater severity.

"Do you know the nature of your crime? As a scholar, you have disrupted the examination site. With such character and learning, do you even have the face to participate in the imperial exam?"

"What did you say? Old man, you ignore the facts to frame an innocent man—are you even fit to be the Libationer of the Imperial Academy?"

Luo Binwang was furious. Without a moment’s thought, he lashed out with insults. As his words rang out, everyone present gasped. Even Cui Xiangrong, standing not far away, turned pale.

"Brat, have you had enough of your madness? To think that such a shameless wretch exists in this world—you are a disgrace to all scholars."

Seeing Luo Binwang show no fear, Zhang Yuzhi sneered repeatedly. He was a clever man and knew how to fan the flames. By then, the Libationer of the Imperial Academy was trembling with rage.