Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court-Chapter 349: How Can She Be Eight Years Old?! New

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Huo Guozuo was so furious he was practically an electric motor.

Yan Linghui hesitated for a moment and cautiously took two steps back. “Are you having a seizure or something? This has nothing to do with me—everyone saw, I haven’t said a word yet.”

Huo Guozuo was now an upgraded version of an electric motor.

And he still didn’t forget to shift blame: “I’m angry on behalf of the Princess Royal! As a child, how could you think she’d allow you to be reviled by the masses? That would be too heartbreaking for any mother!”

Yan Linghui was about to reply.

Suddenly, a cold voice cut in: “The Princess Royal wouldn’t believe her daughter taking the Child Prodigy Exam would bring her public scorn. Even if it did, so what? As long as she believes what she’s doing is right, the criticism of ordinary people is nothing more than wind and frost on the path to greatness.”

Yan Linghui turned around in surprise and delight. “Dad!!!”

Who else could the speaker be but Yan Chun, the Princess Consort?

Yan Linghui instinctively wanted to run to her but abruptly stopped, remembering something. She fidgeted with her fingers behind her back and avoided eye contact. “Dad, why… why are you here?!”

[Oh-ho!] Xu Yanmiao pierced the truth with one line: [The runaway kid just got caught.]

The elderly emperor, who had rushed over upon hearing his granddaughter was taking the Child Prodigy Exam, furrowed his brow. “Ran away from home?!”

The little rascal had lied to him! Said she missed her grandpa, but her parents were too busy to accompany her back to the capital, so she had to return alone.

He had wondered—this kid is only eight, how could Fangling be okay with letting her travel from Liaodong to the capital alone, even with guards? That’s a full three thousand li!

The Princess Consort strode over, expressionless. She was covered in wind and frost, radiating a cold aura, and her gaze pierced straight at Huo the Deputy Minister: “Deputy Minister Huo, what exactly do you mean by saying you’re angry on behalf of the Princess Royal? Do you think you know her better than I, her spouse, do?”

Some of the founding officials who had seen the Princess Royal and Empress working logistics together now wore amused, meaningful smiles.

The aura she exuded was exactly like Princess Fangling’s.

Huo Guozuo forced himself to keep composed and didn’t respond directly. Instead, he barked out a rebuke: “Princess Consort, you’ve abandoned your post in Liaodong and returned to the capital without imperial decree. What if the northern barbarians invade—who will defend us? Who will take responsibility?”

Yan Chun replied calmly, “The Princess is guarding it. She’ll take responsibility.”

She thought for a moment and added, “This wasn’t an unsanctioned return. As a regional official, I’m required to report to court every three years. It’s now Year 32 of the Tiantong era—three years have passed.”

Though she had returned two months early, Liaodong was far from the capital, and this explanation held water. Besides, given her unique identity, with the Princess still in place, there was no real concern.

—In fact, to the emperor, having the Princess guarding Liaodong was even more reassuring than her consort doing it.

Hearing this, the crowd of onlookers—who had just been debating whether a girl could take the exam—suddenly realized: “Wait a minute, the Princess is the young lady’s mother. She’s perfectly capable of holding down the fort while her consort is away. How could a woman like her possibly disapprove of her daughter entering the exam just because it breaks with tradition?”

“And since the consort herself says the Princess supports this, then she must really support it.”

“In that case, the young lady taking the exam—this is an act of filial piety, isn’t it?”

With those few words, all eyes turned to Huo Guozuo.

—After all, in the eyes of common folk, wouldn’t a husband’s words carry more weight than those of a stranger?

When the Princess Consort of Fangling appeared at the exam site, Huo Guozuo already knew he was finished.

At this moment, he could only bow to the circumstances and say tactfully, “So that’s how it is. Please forgive me, Consort—Huo was merely too concerned. I apologize to the young lady. Since this is to fulfill the Princess Royal’s desire to serve as a court official, the young lady’s decision to take the Child Prodigy Exam is certainly acceptable. Please, go ahead!”

He stepped aside respectfully.

In most people’s eyes, he was just doing his duty. Though a bit rigid, he admitted his mistake in the end, so they didn’t hold it against him.

Only a few recognized that he had been maliciously making things difficult all along—not merely inflexible. They resolved to keep their distance from this high-ranking official in the future.

Huo Guozuo didn’t care.

Then, members of the Ancient Texts School approached him with smiling faces: “Deputy Minister Huo, Elder Quan asked us to bring you two items.”

Huo the Deputy Minister stiffened. “What items?”

Recalling Xu Yanmiao’s earlier sarcastic commentary, he had a bad feeling and quickly added, “You can just hand them to me—no need to…” say what they are.

But he was interrupted as the other party raised their voice: “Elder Quan says—here’s a copy of the Classic of Filial Piety and a copy of Xunzi. Read them at home when you’ve got nothing else to do!”

“Whaa—”

A gasp swept through the crowd.

Now even more eyes were on Huo Guozuo.

They were like needles, piercing into his flesh.

He nearly fled in shame.

— This was a “suggestion” from the Classic School’s leader. Though it was worded politely, in reality, it was a public slap in the face—saying that at his age, he still couldn’t distinguish between true filial piety and false filial piety! He should read more books!

Absolutely merciless. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

Huo Guozuo forced himself to smile and replied dryly, “Lord Quan is right. I truly should read more…”

The classical literature scholars nodded in satisfaction and added, “In the past, there were child prodigies who delivered excellent essay openings, yet were suspected of cheating. Why don’t you give Miss Yan a topic to solve on the spot, and Lord Quan will serve as the judge.”

“What do you think?”

Huo Guozuo was silent for several breaths.

The officials watching for drama began to murmur: “His face must be dark by now, huh? First pale, then green, then red—now black. If this keeps going, maybe we’ll see two more colors.”

“Should we start calling him ‘Palette Huo’?”

“No need. Once he’s impeached for being unfilial, who knows if he can even keep his job. Doubt anyone’ll bother with nicknames after that.”

“Well, he’s not dead. Just unemployed.”

“Might as well be dead. So old, yet losing his integrity in the end.”

Huo Guozuo still wanted to live. Better a miserable life than a noble death.

He understood why Lord Quan proposed the test: to prevent him from deliberately making things difficult for Miss Yan once she entered the exam hall. Or to avoid gossip that she passed only because she’s a girl, or a noble—someone whose mother is the Princess of Fangling.

But answering on the spot, in public? That’s different. Many would witness it.

And it served as a warning to him too.

If he made the question too easy, people would say he caved or lacked knowledge. If too hard, they’d accuse him of bullying an eight-year-old—no dignity at all.

What a crafty move!

Though no rain was falling from the sky, Huo Guozuo still felt cold to the bone.

Finally, he agreed: “I find this acceptable. Then, in front of these officials and scholars, I shall pose a question to the young lady.”

“Please listen carefully, Your Highness. The topic is—”

Huo Guozuo stared at Yan Linghui and, suddenly flipping the table, announced: “Zi yue.” (The Master said.)

You want me to pose a question that’s not too hard or too easy? I refuse. The situation is ruined anyway. If I’m destined to be a clown, then I might as well humiliate this little girl publicly. Maybe it’ll haunt her forever and become a lifelong scar.

Giving a topic like this to an eight-year-old girl! Shameless!

Even Xu Yanmiao was furious.

This kind of topic would stump many scholars and degree holders.

And they get three days to write. Yan Linghui had to answer on the spot—forget three days, even giving her three hours would be considered unfair by the crowd.

— Not that this helped Huo Guozuo’s reputation.

Many students had already begun cursing: “What a shameless old dog! Would you be able to solve that?”

Those who knew his history exposed him: “Of course not. He didn’t pass the imperial exams until he was sixty!”

Others piled on: “Using your authority to bully a candidate—disgusting! So many talented students have been forced out by dog officials like you!”

The scolding was loud and chaotic, raining insults on Huo Guozuo. Yet his expression grew calmer and more composed. He even smiled and asked Yan Linghui, “Can Your Highness solve this topic?”

The old emperor stood silently by the wall, squinting his eyes, quietly committing the man who dared to humiliate his granddaughter to memory.

Huo Guozuo glanced at the little princess, thinking she was still lost in thought. He chuckled, trying to interrupt her: “If you can’t think of an answer, that’s okay. Your filial intentions are enough, we’ll still let you—”

Yan Linghui looked up and smiled back. “A humble man can be a teacher for a hundred generations. A single word can become the law of the world.”

“I’ve solved it.”

Huo Guozuo’s expression shifted drastically.

Quan Yizhang shouted, “Excellent!”

Huo Guozuo’s face turned even worse. “Lord Quan!”

Quan Yizhang ignored him and addressed the surrounding scholars:

“‘A humble man can be a teacher for a hundred generations’—that refers to Confucius. ‘A single word can become the law of the world’—that refers to Confucius’s words. Brilliant! What a splendid ‘Zi yue’!”

Impressive! She really is a prodigy!

The scholars around were visibly shocked and moved.

Xu Yanmiao chimed in again: [This can’t be an eight-year-old?!]

The officials who could hear his inner voice nodded quickly.

Yes—how could she possibly be eight?!

In the crowd, the son of Minister Bing, who had just arrived, locked his bright eyes onto Yan Linghui, a smile forming at the corners of his lips.

It’s her!

The one from the magistrate’s office that day—the advocate behind the other party—it had to be her!

He had found her!

Suddenly, Huo Guozuo went crazy: “One more question! Let’s see you solve this! The topic is: ‘〇’! The inter-chapter marker in the Analects—‘〇’!”

Everyone’s face turned grim.

This wasn’t flipping the table anymore—this was a complete mental breakdown. Even if the princess didn’t answer this one, no one would blame her.

The Princess Consort scowled and took her daughter’s hand: “Come, let’s enter the exam hall.”

“No!” her daughter broke free and stood defiantly, hands on her hips. “He thinks I can’t solve it? I will show him! If I fail the prodigy exam, I’ll come back in three years!”

The consort sighed. “You really are exactly like your mother.”

But she didn’t stop her.

Huo Guozuo, on the other hand, was starting to panic.

He was afraid. Afraid Yan Linghui would solve it. If she did, his pride, his dignity—his whole career would be shattered.

But he had cornered himself.

All he could do was pray—that this child wasn’t that divine.

This time, Yan Linghui didn’t answer immediately. She thought about it for a full quarter of an hour.

But no one rushed her. Everyone waited, hoping she would perform another miracle.

The little girl’s brow furrowed tighter and tighter, her face reddening in the cold wind.

“Before the Sage speaks…”

She lowered her gaze, thinking aloud, slowly.

Even that one line made some hearts skip a beat, eyes wide with urgency.

Yes! That’s the right approach! “〇” is a symbol—it often comes before “Zi yue” in the Analects!

But there’s more! The second part!

Yan Linghui suddenly looked up—like a blade raised high, then striking down: “Empty, empty indeed!”

—Her solution: Before the Sage speaks, all is empty.

A follower of Zhu Xi (朱子) slapped the table in praise: “Brilliant! Before the Sage speaks—there is nothing. The symbol is silent—thus, it is empty! What a perfect ‘Empty, empty indeed!’”

Huo Guozuo staggered back, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. As he looked at Yan Linghui, it was as if he saw a ferocious, demonic spirit standing there.

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