#57 - I now have a reason to marry the princess to him!

The news of Xu Ming winning the top spot in the children's examination swept through the entire imperial capital.

Compared to Xu Pangda's previous achievement, Xu Ming's victory this time was far more significant.

The number of participants in this children's examination set a new historical record for the Wu Kingdom, and some of them were already renowned talents but were simply unable to participate in the imperial examinations previously.

Under such circumstances, the difficulty of Xu Ming standing out and achieving first place was unimaginable.

Even the officials in charge of this children's examination were concerned about public criticism and requested that Xu Ming's examination paper be made public.

The Martial Emperor naturally agreed, directly publishing Xu Ming's examination paper in the weekly report and rewarding Xu Ming with the Golden Hair Knife Brush.

The Golden Hair Knife Brush was the brush commonly used by the first scholar of the Wu Kingdom to enter White Deer Academy. Although it was not a treasure of heaven and earth, its significance was greater than some treasures of heaven and earth.

Everyone could see that even though the Martial Emperor had not yet met Xu Ming, his favor towards Xu Ming was profound.

However, in the past, due to Xu Ming's status as a son of a concubine, the rewards were not too generous and were very restrained.

Now that his status as a son of a concubine was no longer an issue, this reward of the Golden Hair Knife Brush was also to compensate for the past, so not many people said anything.

Regarding the Martial Emperor's reward, Xu Ming saw more of a meaning of co-option.

But this was normal, after all, he was still young and did not belong to any faction. Even in the eyes of the Martial Emperor, his worldview had not yet been formed.

At this time, co-opting him was the lowest cost and highest return thing to do.

Another year passed, and Xu Ming was ten years old.

In the blink of an eye, Xu Ming had been in this world for ten years. Xu Ming and Xu Pangda participated in the provincial examination together.

Xu Ming never thought that one day he would take the imperial exam like Fan Jin.

Unlike Fan Jin, Xu Ming felt that he should be able to pass the exam on his first try.

During this time, Xu Ming vaguely realized one of the effects of the Righteous Qi, which was to allow you to write like a god, learn the classics of the ancients faster, and even have the effect of drawing inferences and making deductions.

However, Xu Ming felt that the effect of Righteous Qi was more than that, but he just hadn't discovered it yet.

However, many people felt that Xu Ming's chances of passing the provincial examination were still very small.

Although Xu Ming was very talented and a child prodigy.

But how many talented child prodigies have fallen on this?

And how many people never pass in their entire lives?

However, when the day of the provincial examination results came out, everyone stood in front of the notice board and remained in shock for a long time.

At the very front of the list—

[Top Scorer - Xu Ming]

And below Xu Ming was also a member of the Xu family.

The Third Young Master of the Xu Family - Xu Pangda.

The two talents of the Xu family monopolized the top two spots in the provincial examination, making people wonder if they were hallucinating.

How could the extravagant Xu Country Mansion, the Xu Country Mansion whose children only knew how to enjoy themselves, suddenly produce so many geniuses?!

And Xu Ming even became the youngest successful candidate in the Wu Kingdom in 250 years!

Xu Ming and Xu Pangda were still playing Go in the courtyard when they heard Chun Yan running over, saying that people from the palace had come and asking Xu Ming and Xu Pangda to receive the imperial decree.

Only then did Xu Ming and Xu Pangda know that they had passed the provincial examination, and were even the first and second place.

This time, the Martial Emperor's rewards to Xu Ming did not exceed the regulations.

After all, once is fine, but if you always reward beyond the regulations, then it is not a reward, but a subtle form of harm.

Also on this day, after Xu Ming passed the examination, a string of words appeared in his mind again—

[You have fought your way out of thousands of troops and horses and passed the provincial examination as the top scorer, Righteous Qi +5000, Literary Qi +2000, Affinity with the Qi Luck of Mountains and Rivers +50. You have achieved the achievement - Xu Ming Passes the Examination]

[Xu Ming Passes the Examination: When you enter the court as an official, the impact of the world's dynasty Qi Luck on your lifespan is reduced by fifty percent.]

Looking at the words in his mind, Xu Ming was a little surprised.

There was no reward for passing the children's examination as the top scorer, but there was one for passing the provincial examination.

But that's also true, the difficulty of the two is not the same at all.

The buzz surrounding Xu Ming's passing of the provincial examination continued to ferment in Wudu.

Unlike the Qi Kingdom, in the Wu Kingdom, the children's examination is held once a year, the provincial examination once every three years, and the metropolitan examination and palace examination once every four years.

The year after the provincial examination is the metropolitan examination and palace examination.

Everyone thought Xu Ming would participate.

Xu Ming had already passed the provincial examination as the top scorer.

If he were to participate in the metropolitan examination and palace examination again and win the top spot in all three, it would be unimaginable.

Xu Ming would become the third scholar in the Wu Kingdom in three hundred years to win the top spot in all three examinations, and the youngest one at that.

However, just as officials went to the Xu Mansion to record Xu Ming and Xu Pangda's files in preparation for next year's metropolitan examination, news came out that—

Xu Ming postponed the recording of his files and would not participate in next year's metropolitan examination.

The reason was that Xu Ming was going to join the army.

As soon as this news came out, the entire Wudu was in an uproar, and everyone suspected that they had heard it wrong.

Xu Ming joins the army?

A top scorer in the provincial examination!

Even a successful candidate who could potentially win the top spot in all three examinations!

Go to join the army?!

Although the Wu Kingdom was founded on military strength, this kind of thing was truly unprecedented.

The old lady of the Xu family and Xu Zheng both persuaded Xu Ming to participate well in the metropolitan examination.

They euphemistically expressed "If you have any discomfort, just say it, we will definitely solve it for you!", "We were indeed a little indifferent to you before, but the past is the past, and now is now", "You are now the treasure of our Xu family, we will meet all your needs!"

Even the Martial Emperor had Eunuch Wei secretly come to the Xu Mansion to ask Xu Ming if he had encountered anything unpleasant.

If there is anything unpleasant, just say it.

We will solve it for you.

Can you take the Tsinghua exam first before you speak?

No, can you first pass the Jinshi exam before you speak?

The Wu Kingdom's literary world creating new history, very likely lies on your shoulders!

If there are no surprises, you will be the spokesperson for our Wu Kingdom's literary world in the future.

But Xu Ming still politely refused, expressing his determination to enter the army to cultivate and practice both literary and military skills.

Xu Ming gave a very righteous reason: "The Wu Kingdom was founded on military strength, and Duke Xu Guo has spent his life on the battlefield. Ming wishes to take Duke Xu Guo as an example."

However, Xu Ming agreed that he would participate in the next metropolitan examination in five years.

Eunuch Wei's expression was very complicated, and he didn't know what to say for a while, but he could only go back to report.

The Martial Emperor listened to Wei Xun's reply, and although he felt regret in his heart, he was even more fond of him!

"Your Majesty really likes Xu Ming," Empress Xiao said, standing behind the Martial Emperor and gently rubbing his shoulders.

"How can I not like him..." The Martial Emperor put down the report with satisfaction, "But this is also good, a man should have bloodiness, let him enter the Blood Floating Pagoda."

Empress Xiao was stunned for a moment: "Your Majesty, this... what if Xu Ming has some misfortune..."

The Martial Emperor waved his hand: "Since he wants to join the army, then We will give him enough stage to let him do his best!"

"Five years later, if he comes out of the Blood Floating Pagoda and passes the Jinshi exam..."

The Martial Emperor kneaded his fingers and said no more, but his eyes stared at the words "Xu Ming" on the report.

We will have a reason to betroth the princess to him!