Rising Phoenix

A while later, cries of surprise could be heard from behind the yarn.

The golden silk also had the strange twisted symbols written on it, and they were even more misshapen than Feng Zhiwei’s. The scholars compared each symbol one by one, and each one was an exact match. After they recovered from the shock, they passed the answer sheet through the folding screen.

Behind the screen, the crown prince put down a cup of precious tea to listen to the servant’s report. He smiled, and leaned over to look outside. He smiled as he spoke, “Father Emperor, I never thought that someone would be able to give an answer today.”

The tall and thin, yellow robed Emperor made a sound of surprise before replying. “Since you’ve taken charge of Qing Ming Academy, talented people have come forth every year. I have not come here today in vain.”

The crown prince could not hide his excitement. A few days ago, he had spoken with his Sixth Brother, and they had spoken about how their Emperor Father had been disturbed lately by the Da You Kingdom’s frequent border raids, and pirate attacks in the Golden Sand. They had thought this competition would be a good opportunity for the Emperor to relax a little, and with the many talented people graduating from Qing Ming Academy lately, perhaps seeing a demonstration of the talents would relieve some of His Majesty’s worry. If they were to put more effort in making this Academy Competition grand and magnificent, it would not only demonstrate the prestige of their Dynasty, but also comfort the commoners and overawe the men of little character who might others not fear the law.

It looked like the Emperor was very much enjoying this Academic Competition, but the Crown Prince did not want to share the achievement with his Sixth Brother. He swallowed his word and smiled. “Father Emperor inspires us to bring prosperity to the land. All talents under heaven are gathered in Dijing, and now with the Zhuo Ying Scroll, we’ve discovered a new Peerless Scholar. When this news spreads, all the enemies of our Dynasty will quake and quiver in fear and awe!”

The Emperor wore a look of contentment, but he still lifted his eyes to match the Crown Prince’s gaze. “Only one question has been answered – it’s still too early to proclaim him Peerless.”

 “He will be what we claim he is.” The Crown Prince answered excitedly, putting down his tea and beaming. “As long as you will it, he will be the Peerless Scholar!”

The Emperor cast a glance at the prince before turning away, the smile hanging on his lips shrinking. He waved a command at the eunuch.

The eunuch parted the curtain and emerged, calling out in a trembling voice, “Next question!”

The onlookers jumped to their feet in utter amazement, and all of them looked as if they’d been struck by lightning – the first question had been successfully answered?

Ning Yi’s hands shook slightly, and a drop of tea fell on his robe. He paid it no mind as his gaze darted forward to lock onto Feng Zhiwei, and a hawk eyed glare flashed across his eyes.

Second question.

“A and B are interchangeable. In boiling water, B precipitates C. In air, C oxidizes and forms D. D smells like a rotten egg. What are A, B, C, and D?”

Feng Zhiwei’s worry had disappeared – as she saw the vaguely familiar words on the Golden Silk Scroll, various conjectures formed in her mind. As soon as she had heard the first question, she had already guessed that this so called Zhuo Ying Scroll and the accompanying Peerless Scholar was either a rumor run wild, or a giant joke that the writer of the scroll had played on the entire world for six hundred years.

No matter – though the scroll mocked all people under heaven, it gave her only opportunity.

As the answer was passed through the curtain, everyone stood attentively, peering here and there and staring forward intently. After some time, the eunuch reemerged, his high pitched voice shaken by excitement. “Third Question!”

The onlookers could not help but push forward toward the stage, all of them eager to witness the birth of a Supreme Talent. Ning Yi could no longer remain seated, and he flicked his robes and approached the stage.

As he passed Feng Zhiwei, he tilted his head and cast a glance at her from the corner of his eyes. Feng Zhiwei lowered her head calmly with a compose expression, but just as he was about to fully pass her, she called out quietly. “Your Excellency, to be a minister in the same palace as you in the future is a great honor.”

Ning Yi’s shoulders stiffened as he swept past her. Feng Zhiwei watched his departing silhouette and felt amazing.

After being bullied and suppressed for so long, always at a disadvantage, she could finally stand upright and tall.

Third Question.

 “A Divine Stone of Fate has arrived from the Grand Firmament Temple bearing tidings linked to the fate and fortune of the Dynasty. If you were to throw the stone into the È Sea around the Demon Island at exactly 7:45 on a blood mooned night, what will happen?”

The leaders from the Bureau of Astronomy and the various scholars from the Imperial Academy had all taken the chance to look at the question earlier, and all of them had been racking their brains and twisting their beards, combing through their understanding and trying different approaches from astrology, astronomy, the Book of Changes, Feng Shui, and every method imaginable to answer the question. One of the figures from the Bureau of Astronomy was muttering to himself, “Fathomless, truly fathomless…”

No one was surprised at their reaction. Several generations ago, a renowned scholar had dedicated his entire life to these three questions, and had finally concluded that, though the questions seemed on a certain level odd and childish, they encompassed inexhaustible meaning. These three questions contained profound knowledge about different transformations of boundary formations, astrolabe calculations, fate, and karma. The various mysteries surrounding these matters took up the entire lifespan of this scholar, and he could not even begin to give answers. Finally, in the last years of this grey-haired and aged scholar, he struck his thigh and sighed in amazement – this could only be the work of the brilliant Founding Emperor of Da Cheng. Only a peerless scholar would be able to give the right answer!

Feng Zhiwei finally heard question.

For a second, Feng Zhiwei paused in astonishment. This third question had never appeared in the notebook writings.

But after answering the previous two questions, Zhiwei already had a grasp on the mentality of the questioner. Aim in the most simple direction, and answer with the most straightforward and unexpected answer.

Feng Zhiwei’s final answer was soon passed through the curtained pavilion.

After a moment, the plopping sounds of collapsing bodies could be heard through the white veil.

The gauze was swept aside, and a sweaty eunuch exited. He marched forward onto the stage, lifting his sagging paunch as he stood upright and at attention, but as he opened his mouth and tried to speak, no sound could emerge.

All the hopes and worries of success and failure waited on his words, and all the onlookers held their breath, waiting for the portentous announcement, either for the birth of a Peerless Scholar, or for the death of a talented young man.

The huge courtyard filled with thousands was as silent as a mausoleum.

At the center of it all stood Feng Zhiwei, a faint smile on her face as she clasped her hands together. The three foot long golden scroll danced in the air, and its rustle sounded almost like light chuckling, floating upwards with the wind into the clouds.

Ning Yi turned to stare at that thin young man, a complex look in his eyes.

When at last the pregnant silence and suspense reached a peak and people could barely wait any longer, the eunuch finally gathered his breath. He walked forward to Feng Zhiwei and bowed deeply.

 “Please——”

 “Peerless Scholar——”

The words swept in every direction, and every heart surged with emotion.

For a moment, as if all thoughts were swept aside by the crash of mighty waves against a rocky shore, thousands of minds blanked in amazement.

Peerless Scholar!

The students were excited simply for the monumental prestige and mythology behind these two noble words, while the figures of the imperial court exchanged deep looks.

What a fated occasion… if not for the instability of the borders, and the great burden on the Emperor this year leading up to this moment, the turmoil of domestic affairs and the unrest of the commoners demanding a solution, how could this young and naive boy be granted such a lofty title so easily?