4. To the audience watching, do you really think an illiterate person who wants to be the chief examiner of the imperial exams could actually pull it off?
5. "Huh? I'm illiterate?!"
6. "Yeah. Aside from writing your own name, you probably don't recognize more than ten characters. All you do all day is swing spears and play with weapons..."
Memuatkan…Memuatkan…
1. "Ningning? What are you thinking about?"
2. "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering how I can become the chief examiner for the autumn exam in a proper, legitimate way."
3. "You have to at least be at the right level; you need to be able to speak in polished verse on the fly. The autumn exam is the chance for scholars to acknowledge their teacher's grace,"
4. "Which means this is your chance to build a power base in court. Those ministers will definitely..."
5. To be honest, da feng's literary system is basically the same as the nine years of compulsory education I remember,
6. But for someone who supposedly didn't know a single character to suddenly show insane literary talent would be way too out of character...
7. "No, I need to find someone to tutor me! There are still eight or nine days before the autumn exam. Your majesty, please believe me, if I have the right teacher..."
Memuatkan…Memuatkan…
1. "It won't work. The military officials are basically all rough brutes. And as for the civil officials, who would actually teach you in good faith... Unless..."
2. "Unless..."
3. "I'll be your teacher. Wouldn't that solve everything? Who would dare question my scholarship?"
4. "Within seven days, no, within five days, getting you to memorize two timeless classics and some principles of statecraft will be no problem at all~"
5. "Then from this moment on, I am your majesty's student!"
6. "It's a deal. As a student, you have to listen closely to your teacher's guidance, okay~"
1. A graceful lady, a gentleman's good match
2. "Let's start by practicing these characters first~ ningning, try writing them."
3. So close... There's basically zero personal space between ningning and me right now...
1. Could ningning be...
2. "Between teacher and student, this is approved, right?"
4. "Your majesty?"
5. "Huh?"
6. "Your majesty, my grip on the brush isn't quite right, is it?"
1. I thought I could use "Teaching" as an excuse to spend more time alone with ningning and maybe... Get a little closer. I didn't expect ningning to try and make a move on my hand first, huh?
2. She can't hold the brush properly, so I have no choice but to teach her hand-over-hand...
3. "Th-then... Give me your hand?"
4. I've got ningning's little hand!
5. Wait-no, I'm the one being played here...
1. "Your majesty, you have to move the brush."
2. "O-oh, right!"
3. "There-hold the brush like this, then press down. First the horizontal stroke, then the vertical..."
4. A graceful lady, a gentleman's good match
5. Whew. Don't be nervous, don't be nervous. Today I must take the initiative!
1. "Your majesty, did I write it correctly?"
2. "Let me see..."
3. Foul! That's totally a foul! Sh-she's doing it on purpose, leaning in that close!
4. Is this a military strategy? Lure the enemy in, then trap them?
5. Should I... Offer up my lips? Take the initiative and catch her off guard!
1. "Not bad. Let's learn the next line..."
3. Having met the gentleman, how could I not be happy?
1. "Your majesty, if I'm guessing correctly, these three lines are all about romance, aren't they? Should we..."
2. "...switch to a different theme?"
3. "That's enough for tonight. I'm afraid if I teach too much at once, you won't be able to absorb it all."
4. "It's still early. This subject can keep studying. This subject is thirsty for knowledge!"
5. "Then this subject will go back and practice. Your majesty should rest early."
1. "Wait, no! Tonight the initiative was clearly mine. I'm the hunter!"
2. "Someone, light the lamps! I'm going to study military strategy all night!"
1. A mere guard brute actually managed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me in such a short time. I really underestimated her.
2. "My beloved ministers have surely heard: I secretly appointed minister gu as an imperial envoy to leave the palace and investigate the evil sect and the rebels. Minister gu did not fail my trust-her achievements are outstanding."
1. "Reward the bu liang ren with relocation to juying pavilion. Rename juying pavilion to the da feng fushui camp, to await orders under commander gu ning."
2. "All jinwu guards and imperial guards shall be richly rewarded. Also, the three civilian heroes who redeemed themselves, the chi sisters and the others shall have their criminal status erased and be formally enlisted into the jinwu guard."
3. "Gu ning and si yun deserve the most credit for quelling the rebellion and protecting the throne. Promote them three ranks and bestow the title of "Elite expert.""
5. "This subject dares not claim credit. The pacification of the rebels was all thanks to your majesty's divine might."
6. "This subject requests to serve as the chief examiner of the autumn exam to select talent for da feng. This is my only request—I would rather give up all other rewards!"
1. Sh-she's lost her mind, hasn't she?
2. She's actually willing to give up such a massive reward just to be the autumn exam examiner?
3. "Your majesty, absolutely not! In da feng, it is rare for martial artists to possess both literary and military mastery. This subject has long heard that commander gu is illiterate-she can't even read a full exam paper."
4. "To make her an examiner would be a public disgrace. It violates reason and propriety!"
5. "We second the motion."
6. "Hold it!"
7. "Lately, I've been studying the classics and histories with his majesty. I've improved at breakneck speed-advancing a thousand miles in a single day."
8. "In five days, I'll definitely be able to write a timeless masterpiece. Being chief examiner for the autumn exam won't be a problem then, will it?"
1. "Fine, gu ning. If you can really do it in five days, then what if I let you have the chief examiner post?"
2. "Chancellor, that's not quite right. If I can do it, that only proves my own worth. The chief examiner position still has to be decided by his majesty, so how can it be a bargaining chip for a bet between you and me?"
3. "You! Hmph! This chancellor won't waste words with commander gu. If you can't do it, it will be the crime of deceiving the emperor!"
1. I heave a long sigh and wipe away my tears...
2. "Hey, hey, hey! Start from here!"
3. "Ugh, time is still too tight."
4. Five days-forget a timeless masterpiece. Even writing a decent poem is hard...
5. "Your majesty..."
6. "Your majesty, how about we go back to yesterday's romance theme? I think I learn faster with that one."
1. "O-okay..."
2. "Hmph. This time, even if she has godlike abilities, she's finished. Forget the empress personally teaching her-"
3. "Even if she invited every grand scholar in the hanlin pavilion, she still couldn't produce a single timeless masterpiece."
4. "For this autumn exam, the chancellor can sleep soundly! We just have to wait for gu ning to walk right into the trap!"
5. "This chancellor has already secretly contacted the northern desert envoy. As long as we promise enough benefits, the tukhara mercenaries won't be limited to just one force."
6. "The northern desert? Chancellor, brilliant! That way we can completely break free of the northern border's control..."