Chapter 284: Let’s Open a Blind Box Today—Whoever Reports First, I’ll Dig Up Their Gossip! (2 / 2)

He sighed regretfully to Xu Yanmiao, “Although a position as a principal secretary in the Ministry of Works is technically higher in rank than a Hanlin Academy editor or compiler, Hanlin graduates have a much faster path to promotion.”

Xu Yanmiao laughed at him. “If you’d practiced your calligraphy earlier, you could have become a junior compiler after the court exam.”

After the palace examination, except for the top-ranking candidates, everyone had to take another court exam. Those skilled in literature and calligraphy could be selected as junior compilers at the Hanlin Academy.

Gao He’s face flushed. “Calligraphy… isn’t something you can just practice and get good at right away. I mean, I did practice for a while, but…”

“But you used the study hall’s designated calligraphy practice time to copy scriptures instead?”

Gao He’s voice shot up in shock. “How did you know?!”

At his former study hall, students were required to copy scriptures for an hour each day, regardless of their calligraphy skills. Those with good handwriting would use expensive paper or silk, while those with poor handwriting would use bamboo or wooden slips.

The study hall would then sell these scriptures to temples, and the money would help cover students’ living expenses.

To earn money, Gao He spent all his spare time copying scriptures, prioritizing quantity over quality and pretending that they were done within the required practice hour.

—After all, back then, he never expected to get this far.

Xu Yanmiao was about to respond when the bell for lineup rang. He had no choice but to quickly part ways with Gao He and move to his designated position.

[After all, I did something similar—sneaking novels during penmanship class…]

He had read all sorts of books—Qiong Yao novels included.

Gao He, also hurrying to his spot, suddenly heard Xu Yanmiao’s voice in his head and was deeply moved.

Young Master Xu was such a good person. Even in such a rush, he still took the time to explain things to him. Though his voice was a bit loud—loud enough that others probably heard it too—it was understandable, given the urgency of the moment.

…But wait, what was “penmanship class”?

Confused, Gao He turned back, intending to say, “I heard you,” but before he could, several officials hurried past between them. In just a brief moment, Xu Yanmiao had already settled into his position.

When their eyes met, Xu Yanmiao nodded at him with a smile.

Gao He smiled and nodded back.

The other officials who were not new exam graduates: “…”

Did you two not realize that you might be smiling about completely different things?

On the first day of attending court, Gao He was incredibly nervous.

On the umpteenth day of attending court, Xu Yanmiao skillfully opened his system: [Let’s draw a blind box today—woohoo! The first person to step forward to report will have their gossip revealed!]

The assembled officials instantly paled.

Several officials who had just been about to step forward instinctively retracted their feet.

Then, they started deferring to one another.

“My matter is not urgent. Please, after you.”

“Oh, nonsense, the Ministry of Revenue’s financial affairs are far more pressing. You go first.”

“The accounts will still be there in a little while, unchanged by a minute’s delay. But I heard you were about to report an auspicious omen. That would surely delight His Majesty! The Emperor’s matters take precedence—you should go first.”@@novelbin@@

“To be honest, I was just reflecting… That so-called five-colored auspicious cloud over Mount Qi was merely a trick of the light. Hardly worthy of presenting as an auspicious sign. As for the rumors of a phoenix landing there, that’s just baseless folk gossip.”

Both ministers wore polite smiles, their expressions harmonious.

But internally:

One scoffed: Old fox! Weren’t you the one who stubbornly refused to approve our department’s budget request? And now you say money isn’t important?

The other rolled his eyes: Everyone knows that except for a rare Bai Ze beast, all so-called “auspicious omens” are just made-up nonsense. But they sound good! And if I’m lucky and His Majesty is pleased, my career will skyrocket!

And it wasn’t just them—other ministers also started shuffling and deferring to each other, transforming what was usually a battleground of political disputes into a rare scene of peaceful camaraderie.

As for the newly appointed officials…

Gao He: “…Did I get up too fast? I think I just heard Young Master Xu’s voice in the court hall?”

Liang Youwen blinked in confusion.

Someone could speak out loud in court? And no one was stopping them?

Other new officials, who had just secured positions in the capital, either stood frozen in shock or felt an eerie sense of something being amiss. Some masked their emotions, while others anxiously looked around.

Meanwhile, the senior officials smugly folded their hands and sighed meaningfully: “Ah, young people… Even if you’ve grown some facial hair, that doesn’t mean you’re ready for real responsibility. Do you not understand that only with the composure of a mountain in an earthquake can one truly thrive in the court?”

—Conveniently forgetting how their own reactions back when they first heard “thought voices” had been just as ridiculous.

Updated Official Appointments:

Ji Sui’s adopted son: Top scorer (Zhuangyuan), Hanlin Academy Editor, Sixth Rank (Junior).

Mama’s boy: Second-place scholar (Bangyan), Hanlin Academy Compiler, Seventh Rank (Senior).

Liang Youwen: Third-place scholar (Tanhua), Hanlin Academy Compiler, Seventh Rank (Senior).

The guy who got three noble ladies to invest in him: First of the second tier, Chuánlú, Hanlin Academy Compiler, Seventh Rank (Senior).

Former son-in-law of Hanlin Scholar Liu Bingwen: Seventh in the second tier, Principal Secretary of the Guangdong Judiciary under the Ministry of Justice (fictional setting—since the Prime Minister role wasn’t abolished, some positions have been adjusted, e.g., Ming Dynasty’s Thirteen Bureaus are now central divisions).

Gao He: Tenth in the second tier, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Sixth Rank (Senior).

The barbarian whose culture sacrifices firstborns: Thirteenth in the second tier, assigned as County Magistrate of Panyu.

Grandson of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Banquets: Fifth in the third tier, assigned as Assistant Magistrate of Anqiu County under Dongchang Prefecture (He did poorly on the post-exam, so he became an assistant magistrate instead).

Cousin of the Personnel Ministry’s Evaluation Bureau Director: Seventy-ninth in the third tier, assigned as County Magistrate of Chang’an in Shaanxi.

The guy who has a crush on Princess Xiangyang’s younger brother: Eighty-fifth in the third tier, assigned as County Magistrate of Ruicheng.