My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!-Chapter 300 - 177 Congratulations, Prince Consort

Taichang Si.

An official bowed and said, "Lord Liu is not here."

The Lingshi from the Secretariat, who came on an imperial decree to announce the examination, was taken aback and asked, "Where did he go?"

The Imperial Examination had already concluded, and the Music Department Top Scholar was still pending. It was time to be at the office, yet the Prime Minister of Taichang Si, as the chief examiner, was not present. How daring he was to be absent…

Seeing the disapproving look on the face of the official from the Secretariat, the Taichang Si official promptly said, "Lord Liu is not absent without reason, he couldn’t come because last night, he was taken to the Ministry of Justice…"

The Lingshi looked shocked: "What?"

The Taichang Si official, feeling somewhat embarrassed, lowered his head and said, "Last night, Lord Liu was caught visiting a brothel with a crowd and was taken away by the Ministry of Justice…"

A moment later, the official from the Secretariat walked out of Taichang Si, shaking his head in resignation.

The chief examiner was locked up in the Ministry of Justice, and he, a mere Lingshi, was powerless.

After returning to the Secretariat, he could only report truthfully.

Assistant Minister of the Secretariat was rendered somewhat speechless upon hearing the news.

The Prime Minister of Taichang Si was at least a fifth-rank official. What kind of woman could he not have? To be arrested for visiting a brothel, how disgraceful…

He originally did not want to involve himself in this affair.

But there was really no choice at the moment. All subjects of the Imperial Examination had been settled, except for the Music Department Top Scholar still pending. According to the rules of the examination, without the chief examiner, the subsequent tests simply could not proceed.

And Liu Shang was not the only one caught.

He actually took a group of examiners to the brothel, and it would have been bad enough alone, but he even booked the entire venue…

Assistant Minister of the Secretariat rubbed his brow and said, "Prepare the sedan, to the Ministry of Justice…"

Not much later.

At the Ministry of Justice, Assistant Minister of the Secretariat looked at an elegant middle-aged man with a face of resignation and said, "Lord Li, I know this is against the rules, but there is nothing more important than the Imperial Examination. I really have no other option, I request your cooperation…"

Li Xuanjing nodded in response and said, "The Imperial Examination is of utmost importance. Assistant Minister Wang, take them with you."

Assistant Minister of the Secretariat immediately said, "Thank you, Lord Li, for your understanding…"

Soon after, he led Liu Shang and more than a dozen musicians out of the Ministry of Justice.

Liu Shang clasped his fists in gratitude, "Thank you, Assistant Minister."

He actually felt that there was no need for the Assistant Minister to come at all. He was familiar with the Ministry of Justice and would have been released by tomorrow night at the latest. Sometimes, when he wanted some peace, he would even intentionally go to the brothel…

Assistant Minister of the Secretariat glanced at him and said, "Come back to the Secretariat with me. You are the chief examiner for the Music Department, and we need to discuss the additional test for the Music Department tomorrow."

Liu Shang didn’t know what there was to discuss about the additional test for the Music Department. Letting two people compete head-to-head, whoever played better, he could naturally tell.

Shortly after, at a certain office in the Secretariat, Liu Shang widened his eyes in confusion, "Why?"

There hadn’t been any competition yet, but they wanted him to choose one of the candidates as the top scholar. Wasn’t this cheating?

Cheating in the Imperial Examination was a matter of losing one’s head.

He shook his head and said, "I can’t do this!"

Whether or not he would lose his head was one thing, but this was an insult to the way of music, and he couldn’t accept it.

A piece of paper was handed over.

Liu Shang glanced at it and his eyes suddenly widened.

It was a blank sheet of paper, but it bore the seals of all the Prince Regents, two Prime Ministers, and the three provinces.

This meant that both the Royal Family and the court tacitly approved of this.

King You looked at him and said indifferently, "Prime Minister Liu, the honor of the Royal Family and the court rest on your shoulders. As a courtier, you should assume the responsibilities of a courtier… Do you understand my meaning?"

Liu Shang’s lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.

...

Li Mansion.

Li Nuo had just woken up.

The Imperial Examination was also very draining, and he had gone to bed early yesterday, nearly sleeping till noon today.

Housekeeper Wu said that someone had come to the house earlier to inform him that he needed to attend the additional test for the Music Department at the Ministry of Personnel in the afternoon.

There was another exceptional candidate besides him for the Music Department.

Unlike other subjects, the Music Department had no written papers. To determine a winner, the candidates could only be assessed through a live performance.

After the conclusion of the Imperial Examination, he was on standby, ready to receive the notification for the additional test at any moment.

To avoid missing the notification, Li Nuo had stayed at home to sleep last night.

With the time drawing near, Li Nuo quickly had his meal and went to the Ministry of Personnel with Housekeeper Wu.

This additional test was even more grandiose than the first examination.

Inside an office, it was packed with people.

There were ten examiners and one chief examiner.

Additionally, three Assistant Ministers from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites were also present to oversee.

In such a setting, even Lord Father-in-law, who was just a doctor at the Ministry of Personnel, was not qualified to be there.

The other candidate who received an exceptional mark for the Music Department was a young man with his hair let down.

Sitting on a chair, he glanced at Li Nuo and then closed his eyes, seemingly gathering his energy.

Li Nuo’s examination was first in line, and, by the rules, he was supposed to perform first.

Liu Shang, holding a wooden box, came over and said to Li Nuo, "Please draw your examination question."

Li Nuo pulled out a wooden token from the box, and after Liu Shang looked at it, he said, "Daxian, chapter seven."

Li Nuo nodded, sat before the zither, and began to tune it.

Liu Shang watched him, a hint of regret surfacing in his eyes.

His knowledge of the Music was no less than Liu Shang’s own.

What a pity, ah...

Zeng!

Suddenly, the sound of the zither pierced the air, causing Liu Shang and the other ten examiners to jolt violently.

"Daxian" was music used to worship the Earth God, ancient and profound in its sound, but even so, the first note shouldn’t have made them feel as if they were standing on the vast earth itself, as if the scent of soil was hitting their faces.

The music spread, and a force within Liu Shang was instantly incited.

From Li Nuo, he felt a familiar and intimate aura.

This was the aura of the Music!

That young man with tightly closed eyes also suddenly opened them, his eyes filled with shock.

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At this moment, every official in the Ministry of Personnel, no matter what they were doing, stopped their work and slowly walked outside the government office.

On the street, passersby also couldn’t help but halt their footsteps, turning their ears to listen.

The music had such penetrating power that even several streets away, it was as if the sound was right beside them.

Jade Sound Pavilion.

Phoenix was arranging flowers at a table when her delicate body suddenly shook. She turned her head in a particular direction, her face showing surprise as she murmured, "Is it the Vast Sound? No, it’s the Music, it’s the true power of the Music..."

Song Residence.

Song Jiaren was practicing swordplay in the courtyard when her movements abruptly paused. She looked around but found nothing amiss.

Song Mu’er quickly ran outside, and then back in, puzzlingly asking, "How strange, who is playing the zither? Why can’t I find them..."

Princess Mansion.

In a room, Li Anning frowned as she packed her luggage, complaining, "Strum, strum, strum, who is playing the zither? It’s so annoying!"

Ministry of Personnel, in front of a government office.

Many officials gathered there, staring at a lush Chinese parasol tree with shock.

Just moments ago, as the music emanated from the office, they witnessed this recently planted sapling grow into a large, leafy tree in an extremely short span of time.

Liu Shang stood at the entrance to the government office, dumbfounded by the scene.

"Daxian" was music meant to worship the Earth God. Ordinary musicians wouldn’t produce anything special, but those who understood the power of Music could induce the force of the earth.

Liu Shang could do this as well.

If he played "Cloud Gate" to worship the Heavenly God, he could even bring about changes in the weather.

That’s why he was promoted three ranks overnight and, at a young age, became the chief examiner for the Music Department of the Imperial Examination.

But today, the person achieving all this was merely an examinee.

Li Nuo’s fingers left the zither strings, and the music ceased.

The examiners, who had been lying on the ground as though embracing the earth, scrambled up from the ground in a disheveled state.

The three Assistant Ministers from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites nonchalantly brushed the dust from their chests.

Liu Shang composed himself, carried the wooden box, and walked over to a long-haired young man, saying, "Please draw your examination question."

The young man glanced at Liu Shang. What was there to draw?

Didn’t he see the tree outside grow bigger?

To compete with someone who had already mastered the true essence of Music was to humiliate himself.

He stood up, gave the handsome young man a deep look, and declared forthrightly, "I resign from the examination."

With that, he turned and left without looking back.

The Assistant Minister of Rites hurriedly stood up and chased after him anxiously.

"Stop!"

"You haven’t even competed, how do you know you can’t win?"

"Don’t give up, what if a miracle happens?"

"I’m begging you, come back and play a piece..."

...

Before long, the Assistant Minister of Rites returned with his head lowered.

To preserve the face of the Imperial Family, the court had gone to such lengths; as long as he played a piece, the title of Music Department Top Scholar would be his.

But he refused to play.

They could not be blamed.

The Ministry of Rites had done everything they could and still ended up with this result; it could only be called fate.

He bowed to Li Nuo, squeezing out a smile more pained than crying, and said, "Congratulations, Prince Consort..."