WebNovels

Chapter 321 - Chapter 177: This Zombie Is Truly Evil!

The rooster crows at midnight, calling people home,

A single thread connects beneath the Crane Bone Flute.

All say Hu and Huang are household guests,

Yet regard the mysterious as celestial spirits.

In the past, upon the waves of the river, the Wu brothers were separated by the great tide, one heading straight towards the Jing River, the other drifting towards Jiangnan's Yuzhou City.

Wu Wencai, known for his literary talents, was rescued from the waters of Yuzhou by others and then earned his living by writing poetry and articles.

The official in charge at the Ministry of Rites in Yuzhou City, Lord Yin, admired his talent and took him in as a foster son. Wu Wencai thereby changed his name to Yin Wencai, styled Mingxuan.

Meanwhile, Wu Zhiyuan, who drifted to the Capital City outside the Gaoliang River, was rescued by an elderly couple living outside the city.

The elderly couple had only one son, but that child had died in a foreign land due to criminal matters.

Wu Zhiyuan wished to achieve scholarly honor to overturn the verdict for his father, but feared Yang Hong would harm him again, so he conspired with state officials, following the method used to frame his father to entrap him.

Thus, he also concealed his identity, adopting the surname of the elderly couple, becoming Lin Zhiyuan.

Though the brothers were separated by mountains and rivers, and their experiences were very different, their thoughts were remarkably similar.

The common people do not fight with officials, a scholar has only his mouth; when officials and bandits conspire, their struggles are in vain.

The brothers were not heroic outlaws, lacking Martial Arts Cultivation, unable to seek quick vengeance, so pursuing scholarly honor and wearing official garb seemed their only chance to turn the tide.

In March, the spring examination arrived.

In Luojing City, after meeting his foster father, Wu Wencai, along with his long-term attendant, began searching for accommodations near the exam hall.

Curiously, as he searched for a place to stay, the Crane Bone Flute at Wu Wencai's waist inexplicably trembled.

Meanwhile, not far away in an inn, Wu Zhiyuan gazed at his Bone Flute, lost in sorrow.

During the spring civil examination, outside the examination hall, crowds gathered, and over ten thousand candidates entered to take the exam.

During this, the coarse-robed Wu Zhiyuan happened to notice in the crowd a figure that seemed familiar, dressed in luxurious clothing like a wealthy young gentleman, nearly calling out but hesitated at the last moment.

How could such an elegant scion of a wealthy family be his brother?

Among the crowd, Wu Wencai sensed something familiar but saw nothing when he turned his head.

In a few days, the three exams concluded, and tens of thousands of 'scholar seeds' waited for the announcement, during which many talented scholars hosted banquets, inviting candidates from various places to revel and enjoy themselves.

Only Wu Wencai and Wu Zhiyuan stayed alone in their rooms, reading quietly by lamplight.

Deep hatred unavenged, grave injustices unredressed, their elders still suffering in prison, where could they find the leisure for amusement?

A dozen days later, the spring results were out, out of twelve thousand seven hundred-plus candidates in the examination, only three hundred and six were selected as Advanced Scholars.

On the day of the announcement, Wu Zhiyuan went alone to the examination hall, and on the yellow board, his name appeared prominently, just a name apart from a new Advanced Scholar named Yin Wencai.

"Yin Wencai?"

"Lin Zhiyuan?"

In the crowd, just as Wu Zhiyuan's voice fell, he heard someone calling his name behind him.

Turning back, he saw Wu Wencai, dressed in splendid attire, exclaiming with joy:

"Hey! Brother! It's indeed you!"

Wu Zhiyuan's eyes widened, the joy of achieving Advanced Scholar momentarily forgotten.

"Are you Wencai?"

"How can brother not recognize me? Who else could it be if not your brother Wencai?"

The two brothers, recognizing each other at last, embraced tightly, tears streaming down.

Beside them, Wu Wencai's two attendants exchanged bewildered glances, filled with great curiosity.

Wu Zhiyuan went to the examination alone and penniless, therefore happily followed Wu Wencai back to the lodging.

Upon hearing the news, Lord Yin, head of the Ministry of Rites, arrived, and after greetings, inquired curiously.

The two brothers faced each other in silence.

Wu Wencai smiled and said, "Let's have elder brother explain the matter to father."

In the lamplight, the candle flickering, in the guest room, Yin Shan listened to Wu Zhiyuan's recounting and remained silent for a while.

"Fortune and misfortune, dear nephew met with great hardship yet was rescued by a kind family, truly blessed by heaven. In the future, dear nephew must continue preparations for the imperial examination, perhaps it's best to stay here; someday, I shall visit your benefactors."

At this, Wu Zhiyuan rose immediately to offer his respects.

The other sidestepped, saying, "Wencai is now my child, and since you are his brother, you are as my child too, there is no need for such formalities."

That night, Yin Shan prepared a feast, and they drank together until deep into the night.

After Yin Shan departed the gathering, Wu Wencai suddenly said, "Brother, the waters of the White River are so fierce, one of us drifted a thousand miles unharmed by sheer luck, but now both of us are safe, it couldn't have happened without Divine Power..."

The brothers pondered and simultaneously took out the Brocade Pouch from their waists.

Inside were the protective Talismans given by Xu Qing and Hu Baosong.

The Wu brothers exchanged glances and understood, but neither spoke of the mystery, instead tacitly putting away the Brocade Pouch, securing them close.

...

The horse passes by the window, stars shift, and suddenly it's the parasol tree season.

Mid-April, today is the day of the imperial examination.

In the Hall of Preservation in the Luojing Imperial City, three hundred and three examinees arrived out of three hundred and six.

Three did not attend the exam, perhaps due to illness, tardiness, or possible capture by bandits.

Regardless of the reason, the imperial examination would not be postponed due to the absence of these three.

The examiners distributed the test papers; the aging Emperor Jingxing did not appear in the examination hall, overseeing were dukes and ministers, ceremoniously named: Examining Lord Ministers.

More Chapters