Stone Bridge Village, Xiao Mo's courtyard.

Xiao Mo, who had returned from taking the provincial examination, was having tea with the village chief.

After returning to the village, Bai Ruxue had first gone up the mountain to see her little sister.

However, at noon and evening, Bai Ruxue would still come down the mountain to cook and wash clothes for Xiao Mo.

"You're saying the last question of the policy essay was about discussing vassal kings?"

The village chief took a sip of tea, his tone somewhat surprised.

"Yes," Xiao Mo nodded.

"Indeed, the vassal kings currently have great power and military authority. Although I'm just an old scholar, I've also heard that there are strong calls in the court for reducing feudal power.

Although the last question of the policy essay claimed to discuss vassal kings, everyone knows that the politically correct answer is to reduce feudal power.

This time, putting the vassal king issue directly on the table in the last question means His Majesty really intends to take action."

Xiao Mo smiled, "Which scholar taking the provincial examination this time would dare not write about reducing feudal power? His Majesty probably also wants to use this 'voice' of the scholars to deliberately pressure those vassal kings."

The village chief also smiled, "A year ago, His Majesty personally led an expedition and quelled the rebellion of the seven kings. The vassal kings' strength was considerably weakened. Plus, His Majesty's imperial authority is now at its peak, and the court's military strength and morale have overwhelming superiority compared to the vassal kings everywhere. This is indeed the best time to reduce feudal power."

"Exactly," Xiao Mo nodded.

Xiao Mo's final decision to write about the "Grace Distribution Edict" was based on his thinking that although the various vassal kings had military authority, the current emperor had quelled the rebellion of the seven kings, giving the court tremendous military advantage over the regions, and the vassal kings were even more fearful of the court.

The fact that this provincial examination could openly present "reducing feudal power" on the test papers represented that the court was going to directly challenge the vassal kings.

Otherwise, how could the court openly have scholars discuss vassal kings?

Actually, in Xiao Mo's view, even if the court didn't dare provoke the vassal kings, even if the court's strength was at a stalemate with the vassal kings, writing about the Grace Distribution Edict wouldn't be wrong.

Because if central authority wasn't strong, any perceptive person would know the Grace Distribution Edict couldn't be implemented, but the examiners wouldn't say anything about it.

This would count as providing a different line of thinking.

The examiners would only think you "have ideas, very novel ideas, but lack thorough consideration" but even if your consideration was incomplete, the examiners' impression of you wouldn't be poor.

What?

Did you really expect a scholar who had only read books and never spent a day in official circles to govern the realm?

"Xiao Mo, how did you answer that last question?"

The village chief was indeed very curious about how Xiao Mo had answered.

If nothing unexpected happened, how well this last question was answered would greatly influence the examiners' impression of a candidate.

"I wrote about..."

"Village Chief! Village Chief!"

Just as Xiao Mo was about to discuss his Grace Distribution Edict, Hu Hansan from the village came running over urgently.

"Village Chief... outside... outside... out..."

Hu Hansan was out of breath and couldn't finish a complete sentence.

"Don't rush, speak properly. What's happening outside?" Seeing Hu Hansan's state, the village chief also became nervous.

"Village Chief! Outside, the county magistrate! The county magistrate has come!" Hu Hansan said excitedly.

"County magistrate?" The village chief was startled. "What's the county magistrate doing in our village?"

"Clang clang bang bang, clang clang bang bang!"

"Dong dong dong!"

"Dong dong dong!"

At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums came from not far away.

There were also dragon and lion dancers jumping and walking over.

Leading them was County Magistrate Sun of Qingshan County, beaming with joy, holding a fan and constantly fanning while happily shouting to those beside him, "Don't stop! Keep playing, keep dancing! Louder! More festive!"

"Could it be!"

Suddenly, the village chief's heartbeat began to accelerate, and a bold idea formed in his mind.

Tomorrow afternoon was when the results would be announced but today, county magistrates throughout Jiangnan Province would receive the results list.

In the Qi Kingdom, once the results list left the examination hall, it was no longer confidential. County magistrates could know a day early which scholars had passed.

From Stone Bridge Village, only Xiao Mo had participated in the imperial examination.

For the county magistrate to come to Stone Bridge Village at this time, making it so festive with gongs, drums, dragon and lion dances, it could only be because of Xiao Mo.

"County magistrate, that's Brother Mo there, and next to Brother Mo is our village chief."

A man pointed at Xiao Mo and said excitedly.

County Magistrate Sun immediately walked toward Xiao Mo. Xiao Mo and the village chief couldn't be tactless either, so they also walked out of the courtyard and bowed, "We pay our respects to our parent official."

"Haha, no need for such formality," County Magistrate Sun directly helped Xiao Mo up. "Provincial Graduate Xiao! No! Top Scholar Xiao! From now on, this official will be basking in Top Scholar Xiao's glory!"

"What? Top scholar?" The village chief was momentarily dazed and even suspected he had heard wrong.

The village chief had originally thought that if Xiao Mo could pass the provincial examination, it would already be a tremendous blessing but Xiao Mo... was the top scorer of the Jiangnan Province provincial examination!

"County Magistrate Sun, you're too kind. Without your sponsorship, this student probably would have had difficulty even passing the provincial examination," Xiao Mo also hadn't expected to win first place in the provincial examination.

"Haha, that Provincial Graduate Xiao could win first place is entirely due to your genuine talent and learning. This official merely added icing on the cake."

That's what he said, but actually, County Magistrate Sun was extremely pleased inside.

Originally, County Magistrate Sun, being new to his post, had only wanted to win the favor of local scholars while improving his own reputation.

He had never really expected that the scholars he sponsored this term could actually pass the provincial examination but now, not only had someone actually passed, they had even won first place in the provincial examination!

This was an achievement! A brilliant achievement!

If nothing unexpected happened, Xiao Mo would definitely pass the metropolitan examination smoothly next time, and even that top scholar title wasn't impossible to consider!

It was just that this young man was so calm upon learning he had won first place in the provincial examination.

Indeed, worthy of someone who had won first place, his mental fortitude was extraordinary.

The provincial graduate Fan from the neighboring county was said to have nearly gone mad with joy when he learned he had passed the provincial examination at sixty years old.

County Magistrate Sun saw Xiao Mo as if he were seeing a long-lost brother, becoming more animated as they talked.

The village chief was also very tactful, leading the other villagers away to let the county magistrate and Xiao Mo have a good chat.

County Magistrate Sun chatted with Xiao Mo about daily life, about his parents, about his usual interests.

When County Magistrate Sun learned that Xiao Mo had no parents, made his living by herding cattle and gathering medicinal herbs daily, feared neither cold nor heat, and traveled hundreds of li to seek teachers, he admired this disciple who couldn't even be considered from a humble family even more.

"Xiao Mo."

County Magistrate Sun took Xiao Mo's hand, his tone very emotional.

"That you could achieve today's success truly fills this official's heart with comfort, and I know you've suffered many hardships.

This official has a daughter, sixteen years old, currently waiting to be married.

If Xiao Mo doesn't mind, as Yue'er's father, how about I personally arrange your betrothal?"