Chapter 284: Lottery Draw
In the carriage, young faces showed varied expressions……
The four from the Xiahou Clan looked determined to win! The four from the Pei Clan had eyes burning with fighting spirit! The three from the Cui Clan looked helpless……
All because their most respected older brother, the Cui Clan’s star of hope, Young Master Baiyu Cui Baiyu, was actually sleeping soundly in the carriage, even snoring lightly……
“Bro, time to wake up, we’ve arrived at the West Garden.” Cui Zhongheng gently pushed Cui Baiyu, but the guy showed no reaction. Helplessly, he resorted to his ultimate move, exclaiming: “Older Brother, so many young ladies are coming this way!”
“Got it!” In the blink of an eye, Cui Baiyu sat upright, one hand propped on the carriage window, slender fingers lightly brushing his brow, his hazy gaze looking toward the outside, his posture perfectly elegant and impeccable.
His other hand quickly pulled on his shoe……
。
The West Garden was located to the west side of Ziwei Palace, the largest royal forbidden garden in Luojing City. Inside the garden, the scenery was beautiful, with pavilions and towers, and several vast flat training fields. The imperial court’s grand annual autumn military review was held here.
At this time, the sky was already bright. In the center of the West Garden, on the largest martial arts field, a circle of high platforms and Colored Pavilions had been set up, adorned with banners everywhere, golden armored guards standing in ranks. Beneath the high and low Colored Pavilions, sixteen fighting stages for the competition were set up, and sixteen cowhide drums stood atop the high platforms. Sixteen bare-chested, muscular drummers holding drumsticks were all in position.
The carriages of the various clans stopped in the distance. The thirty-two young talents participating in the Grand Competition were led by officials from the Court of Diplomatic Relations to line up neatly in front of the tallest, largest, and most magnificent high platform, together with the relevant officials who had arrived earlier, respectfully awaiting the arrival of the distinguished guests.
Today was both Great Xuan’s talent selection grand ceremony and the day of competition among the younger generation of the Eight Great Clans, so the Emperor and the seven dukes would all arrive at the West Garden to show the gravity of the occasion.
Fifteen minutes before the Mao hour, Xiahou Ba, Pei Qiu, Cui Yan, Xie Xun, Lu Shang, Wei Kang, and Mei Yi, the seven great dukes, arrived one after another. The clan members from the various clans who came to observe the ceremony had also all gathered, and everyone was quietly awaiting His Majesty the Emperor to appear on that high platform.
At the stroke of Mao hour, ceremonial music played, and everyone saw many imperial guards, eunuchs, and palace maids carrying golden melons, holding ceremonial umbrellas, and presenting ruyi scepters, lining up neatly to ascend the high platform.
Once the ceremonial guards were in position, an eunuch on the high platform announced: “His Majesty arrives……”
Except for the seven dukes who merely bowed in salute, the thirty-two talents, relevant officials, and the clan members from the various clans observing the ceremony all prostrated themselves on the ground, proclaiming in unison: “We ministers respectfully welcome Your Majesty!”
Amid the thunderous cheers, the Initial Emperor, accompanied by Empress Xiahou and the four princes, slowly ascended the high platform.
“Long live our Emperor, long live, long live forever!”
“Rise!” The Initial Emperor was in an unusually good mood, his voice resounding as he spoke, then sat side by side with the Empress on the dragon throne. The four princes, however, still stood solemnly. The Initial Emperor then said: “The dukes should also come up and take their seats.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Xiahou Ba and the others expressed their thanks, then ascended the high platform and sat on the exquisite couches prepared earlier. At this point, the four princes took their seats to the left of the seven dukes. The observers from the various clans also settled into the pre-arranged audience seats.
After a moment of bustle, the field fell silent. The Initial Emperor first glanced at the seven dukes and smiled faintly: “Last night, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau reported that the stars were shining brightly in the North Pole Heavenly Palace, an auspicious sign of Stars Paying Homage to Ziwei.” His gaze then turned to the thirty-two carefully selected young people below the platform, slightly raising his voice: “Today, these excellent young people are gathered together—does this not perfectly match the sign of Stars Shining Brightly?”
“Your Majesty speaks truly,” Old Grand Tutor Xiahou Ba smiled and chimed in: “The Grand Competition selects talent for the nation, aligning with Heaven’s Will above and benefiting the nation below. It seems this time we will surely select a batch of pillars of the state!”
Xie Xun immediately flattered Xiahou Ba: “The Grand Tutor speaks truly. It would be hard for our Great Xuan not to prosper!”
“Hahaha,” the Initial Emperor felt a wave of distaste inside but dryly laughed twice before taking back the conversation: “Since Heaven has already shown its will, I cannot remain unmoved.” He looked at the young people and said: “I hereby announce that this time, not only will the Second Rank quotas be increased to twelve people, but if anyone can take first place in both the Martial Examination and Civil Examination, I will grant him First Rank!”
“Ah, First Rank……” As soon as the Initial Emperor finished speaking, the crowd buzzed with excitement, whispering among themselves. Even Xiahou Ba looked moved: “Your Majesty, that is the Sage Rank, which has always been nominal!”
“Who set that regulation?” The Initial Emperor smiled dismissively, his tone mild yet firm: “Since First Rank was established, it was meant to be granted to the most outstanding talents. Since this is Heaven’s Will, I shall follow it.”
“Yes……” Xiahou Ba was currently biding his time, so how could he publicly contradict the Initial Emperor over such a matter? Moreover, in so many sessions of the Grand Competition, no one had ever achieved double first place in civil and martial.
Even stepping back ten thousand steps, if a miracle appeared this time, it would surely belong to the Xiahou Clan.
。
Below the platform, after hearing His Majesty the Emperor’s declaration, although the thirty-two young talents maintained solemn expressions, their hearts were surging with massive waves. That was the Sage Rank—who present did not covet it? These young people, full of vigor, all set their sights on that one and only First Rank!
But by noon today, at least half would see their dreams shattered…… Because after the Emperor finished speaking, Minister of Rites Wei Qing announced the arrangements for this Grand Competition. Unlike previous years’ civil before martial, this Grand Competition would start with the Martial Examination. The Martial Examination would consist of five rounds, with the thirty-two pairing off in combat to determine the final rankings.
Each round of competition would take half a day, so by noon today, sixteen people would fall into the Loser’s Group, eliminated from the top sixteen, and naturally could no longer hope for First Rank.
Although they were already thoroughly familiar with the rules, hearing the Minister of Rites proclaim them firsthand, the thirty-two talents still felt unprecedented pressure. Everyone’s breathing was much heavier than usual. Even the clan members who came to cheer them on were sweating in their palms, mouths dry……
The sixteen drummers simultaneously struck the sixteen large drums. The rumbling drumbeats echoed throughout the entire West Garden, making everyone’s heartbeats accelerate along with it. The atmosphere of the imminent great battle was tense to the extreme!
Amid the drumbeats, Ministry of Rites officials presented a pure gold chopstick holder containing thirty-two gold lots inscribed with the names of the thirty-two talents, beginning the tense lottery draw.
The first round followed the principle of same-clan avoidance. If the drawn opponents were from the same clan, the later drawn one would be returned to the chopstick holder for a redraw. Thus, the drawing process took longer than expected, naturally making it even more tormenting.
Everyone held their breath, watching the Ministry of Rites officials hang pairs of vermilion wooden plaques pre-inscribed with the competitors’ names beside the different fighting stages, in the order of the draw.
Stage One, Huangfu Gui vs. Pei Yuanshao.
Stage Two, Xiahou Rongsheng vs. Wei Lun.
Stage Three, Mei Lingxuan vs. Xie Mo.
Stage Four, Cui Zhongheng vs. Lu Song.
……
The talents who learned their opponents were either joyful or worried, but in any case, the weight on their hearts was lifted. No longer distracted by random thoughts, they all desperately recalled the intelligence gathered by their clans and prepared for the upcoming matches based on their opponents’ situations.
Gradually, everyone became full of fighting spirit. In a narrow path encounter, the brave wins—who cares if you have three heads or six arms!
