We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

Chapter 620: I Keep Feeling I’ve Seen His Majesty Somewhere Before

Three days after the provincial examination results were posted.

Under Great Zhou law, all successful candidates were required to attend the palace examination, given little time to prepare and so, early that morning, someone arrived at the gate of Jin Yuan's courtyard, to escort him to the palace.

Ji Yue, naturally, accompanied her husband there as well but as a family member, Ji Yue could only wait outside the palace gate, not permitted to enter alongside him.

"Wait for me a while, wife. It shouldn't take too long before I come back out." Jin Yuan said to his wife.

"Mm." Ji Yue nodded. "When you meet His Majesty, husband, please be careful and cautious. Think through every word and action three times before acting. Don't be rash before His Majesty."

"Don't worry, I know that much, and besides, I wouldn't dare be rash anyway." Jin Yuan tucked a strand of hair behind his wife's ear. "All right, I'm off."

Having bid his wife farewell, Jin Yuan entered the palace, arriving at the front hall.

"Congratulations to all of you on your success."

Wei Xun, who had already been waiting in the front hall, bowed courteously upon seeing these successful candidates.

"Today's palace examination, all of you will take turns meeting His Majesty. Before that, this one must explain the proper protocol, so as not to lose proper decorum, and, more importantly, so as not to jeopardize your future careers."

"First, when you meet His Majesty..."

Wei Xun explained the protocol to these hundred-odd successful candidates.

Though Jin Yuan and the others had already familiarized themselves with palace protocol beforehand, even having it memorized by heart, none of them dared let their guard down.

Once the protocol had been explained, Wei Xun led these candidates to the plaza before the imperial study then, following the order determined by lottery, they took turns meeting His Majesty.

In some dynasties, the palace examination required an actual written test as well but the Zhou Kingdom required none.

The Zhou Kingdom's palace examination consisted simply of the candidates answering questions posed by the emperor, the Chancellor, and the ministers of the six ministries.

Rankings were then determined based on each candidate's performance.

At first, most of the candidates appeared fairly relaxed.

After all, regardless of the outcome, they had already passed the provincial examination, and even if they ultimately ranked as merely "equivalent to a presented scholar," their future still held a position as a county magistrate somewhere.

In short, their prospects going forward would not be too bad but once they arrived before the imperial study, truly about to meet the emperor, they found themselves considerably more nervous than they had been during the provincial examination itself.

No small number of candidates found their legs trembling as they walked into the imperial study.

Once each candidate finished their interview, they were escorted directly out of the palace, many of them walking with lowered heads, seemingly regretting that they had not performed better before His Majesty.

"Jin Yuan of Liuye Prefecture! Enter the imperial study!"

As noon approached, Wei Xun called out loudly.

"Yes!"

Jin Yuan, having stood waiting for a full hour, answered loudly, steadying his mind at once, and walked into the imperial study.

"This humble scholar, Jin Yuan of Liuye Prefecture, pays respects to Your Majesty!"

Jin Yuan walked to the center of the imperial study, bowing deeply.

"There's no need for such formality, my loyal subject. Rise." Xiao Mo spoke slowly, his voice carrying an unspoken authority.

"My thanks, Your Majesty." Jin Yuan raised his head, looking at Xiao Mo.

The moment Jin Yuan laid eyes on His Majesty's face, his expression could not help but freeze.

He knew that the current emperor was extraordinarily young, even several years younger than himself but the bearing His Majesty radiated left him unable to look directly at him for long and, more importantly, for some reason, Jin Yuan felt a strange sense of familiarity stirring within his own heart.

As though he had met His Majesty somewhere before but Jin Yuan knew this was impossible.

His Majesty had grown up within the deep palace since childhood. How could he possibly have ever met him?

"Excellent, excellent. My loyal subject possesses not only remarkable literary talent, but a fine bearing as well!" Xiao Mo said, looking at Jin Yuan with a smile.

"My thanks for Your Majesty's praise. This humble scholar hardly deserves such words." Jin Yuan said modestly.

"All right, I won't keep you talking too long. There are others still waiting." Xiao Mo got straight to the point. "I have three questions today, and I'd like to hear your thoughts on them. What do you say?"

"This humble scholar will surely answer honestly and completely!" Jin Yuan felt his nerves tighten involuntarily.

"First question, how do you view Great Zhou's relationship with the neighboring kingdoms of Yan and Liang?" Xiao Mo asked directly.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, both Yan and Liang harbor wolfish ambitions. Though the three kingdoms have coexisted peacefully in recent years, major conflict remains unavoidable, especially given that our Zhou Kingdom sits surrounded by neighboring states on all sides. To achieve stability, we must ally with distant powers while confronting those nearby..."

Jin Yuan spoke eloquently, explaining one by one the Zhou Kingdom's current strengths and weaknesses, along with which matters demanded immediate attention and which could be addressed more gradually.

The more Xiao Mo listened to his explanation, the more he came to appreciate this man.

For the second and third questions as well, Jin Yuan expressed his own distinctive insights.

This clearly showed that this man's reading extended far beyond the Four Books and Five Classics, encompassing considerable knowledge of various other matters as well.

Yan Zhen and the others also posed several questions to Jin Yuan.

They, too, found themselves quite satisfied with this top scholar and this Jin Yuan seemed to possess certain insights into military affairs as well.

Xiao Mo spent a full incense stick's time in conversation with Jin Yuan.

Only then did he let Jin Yuan leave the imperial study.

Though several more scholars still awaited their palace examinations, Xiao Mo felt that the choice for top scholar had essentially already been settled.

"Chancellor Yan, I intend to have Jin Yuan of Liuye Prefecture serve as your deputy, to gain some experience under you. What do you think?" Xiao Mo said to Yan Zhen beside him.

"No problem at all." Yan Zhen smiled. "This old subject has, in truth, been rather overwhelmed with work lately, and could use a young, energetic deputy. And I'm confident that, within three years, I can shape this top scholar into a pillar the nation can rely upon independently."

"Ha ha ha, excellent. Since Chancellor Yan is so confident, then it's settled."

Xiao Mo smiled, looking toward the door of the imperial study, where the figure had already vanished.

"Jin Yuan of Liuye Prefecture..."

Xiao Mo murmured the name, unable to help rubbing his chin.

That same sense of familiarity again.

In the past, Xiao Mo had often felt this way about certain people and events, as though he had some faint recollection of them.

Meeting Jin Yuan today felt much the same.

He kept feeling as though he had seen him somewhere before yet he simply could not recall where.

After the palace examination.

Jin Yuan walked out of the palace.

Seeing her husband, Ji Yue hurried toward him, her eyes blinking with curiosity, “How did the palace examination go, husband? What was His Majesty like?"

Ji Yue had, of course, heard of what His Majesty had accomplished recently.

She felt certain that an emperor who had endured such humiliation, in the end reclaiming power from treacherous ministers, must surely be extraordinary!

"How should I put it? Simply sitting there, His Majesty inspired a natural sense of awe. Every word and gesture carried unspoken authority, and moreover, His Majesty is quite good-looking." Jin Yuan said with a smile. "Only..."

"Only what?" Ji Yue tilted her head curiously.

"How should I put it..."

Jin Yuan turned his head, looking toward the direction of the palace.

"Only, for some reason, I keep feeling I've seen His Majesty somewhere before... and there's this strange, inexplicable sense of closeness I feel toward him."