The Proud Crown Prince (42)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
It was common knowledge that millions of candidates participated in Imperial College’s entrance exam every year.
The exam consisted of a written test and a physical tryout.
The top one thousand candidates of the written test would qualify to take part in the physical tryout, and the one hundred students with the best scores in the latter would be admitted.
Feng Wu darted a look at Chaoge. “Chaoge, join me for the exam.”
“Huh? Me?” Chaoge found the suggestion unbelievable. “But I can’t, can I? I can take part in the written test, but to apply for the physical one, you have to be a Level 9 Spiritual Master at least. I’m only a Level 7 now.”
And she had only made a breakthrough because Feng Wu had pointed her in the right direction with that Inky Rain painting.
Feng Wu rolled her eyes. “The exam is seven days away, isn’t it?”
“Xiao Wu, are you saying that I can go from Level 7 to Level 9 in seven days? How is that even possible?” Chaoge wouldn’t believe it.
Feng Wu smiled. “Why not? As a matter of fact, I think it’s doable.”
“Do you think I’ll be able to achieve that?”
“Yes,” Feng Wu said earnestly.
“Alright!” Chaoge smacked her hand on the table. “If Xiao Wu says I can do it, I can do it. You’re applying for Imperial College? Count me in!”
Feng Wu was doing it all for Chaoge’s good. If the girl could get into Imperial College, she would no longer have to go back to her loveless family. If she wanted, she could come live with Feng Wu.
Feng Wu made a mental note that after she bought the Fang manor, she would invite Chaoge over to cultivate there as well. The girl would be thrilled at the speed of her progress.
However, Chaoge wavered when she came back to reality. “But Xiao Wu, we only have seven days and we don’t even know what the written exam looks like. What are we gonna do?”
“What kind of questions do they usually have in the written test?” Feng Wu asked casually.
Chaoge felt like crying.
“Xiao Wu, from the way you put it, I thought you were ready for it, but in fact, you don’t even know the type of questions in the written exam? Are you trying to scare me to death?”
Feng Wu shrugged. “The idea of going to Imperial College never occured to me before.”
“When did you come up with the idea, then?”
“Yesterday.”
Chaoge was rendered speechless.
Feng Wu said, “Why are you giving me that look?”
Taking Feng Wu’s hand, Chaoge said sincerely, “Xiao Wu, how about we give up?”
“Why?” Feng Wu was bewildered.
Chaoge was very serious. “Xiao Wu, people usually take at least ten years to prepare for this entrance exam. Only after ten years of studying and practicing is one qualified to sit the exam. And we’re going to just walk in like this… The physical tryout aside, we’ll probably hand in blank sheets for the written exam…”
“That bad?” Feng Wu frowned.
“Yes! Xiao Wu, have you read any of the past exam papers that got out? The questions are so profound. They cover everything from literature, history, art, and geography to theories on elements, formation, and even medicine… basically anything you can think of. How are we even going to begin to answer any of those without ten years of preparation? There’s also a discourse on politics, which can be anything. We probably won’t be able to even understand the question… So, how about we drop it now?”
“Can it be that difficult?” Feng Wu frowned.
“Yes, it can. Xiao Wu, the maximum score for the written exam is 300, which takes up 30% of the total score. Without any preparation, we might as well give up on those 300 marks now…” Chaoge said in resignation.
The Proud Crown Prince (43)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“Can we get any sample papers?” Feng Wu asked.
Chaoge shook her head. “Only the teachers of Imperial College have those. I heard that Grand Secretary Fang is one of the guest advisors at Imperial College and he played a big part in the design of the exam papers. He’s been head of the exam board for the past few years.”
Feng Wu’s eyes lit up!
Grand Secretary Fang?
Feng Wu didn’t know many names in the imperial capital, but Grand Secretary Fang… She had been meaning to get in touch with him in the last few days.
She had her eye on Grand Secretary Fang’s manor.
Feng Wu asked, “Are you referring to Grand Secretary Fang, the one that’s retiring soon?”
Chaoge nodded. “That’s him. It’s said that Grand Secretary Fang is from the south and he’s planning to go back to his hometown after retirement. I heard that he has already resigned from all his government positions. Sigh. I wish we knew Grand Secretary Fang. That way, at least we could borrow some past papers from him. We’re running around in the dark with our eyes closed at the moment.”
Feng Wu clapped her hands. “Let’s go to Grand Secretary Fang, then.”
In fact, Feng Wu was quite confident about the breadth and depth of her knowledge, but it would be safer to have access to some sample questions.
Moreover, Chaoge needed such sample questions even more.
And it just so happened that Grand Secretary Fang lived right next door to Feng Wu. It would be such a waste if she didn’t take advantage of that.
Chaoge didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Xiao Wu, what are you thinking? You do realize who Grand Secretary Fang is, right? He’s like a national treasure. We can’t just walk in and talk to him. Plus, we can’t even get near him even if we know where he lives.”
“I’ll think of something.” Feng Wu sat down and tapped the table with her fingers. She then looked up at Chaoge. “Do you know who Grand Secretary Fang’s close friends are?”
“I have no idea. But I’ve heard that Grand Secretary Fang specializes in formations and he’s as competent in that field as Grandmaster Wu. Maybe Grandmaster Wu is his good friend?” Chaoge didn’t sound very certain.
Grandmaster Wu, as in Priest Wu? Wasn’t he that Master Bian’s teacher?
An idea struck Feng Wu and she snapped her fingers.
“Priest Wu? Well, if he’s the one, haha, I’ve left a hint for him already,” said Feng Wu cheerfully.
“A hint?” Chaoge looked at Feng Wu in confusion. “When?”
“Yesterday in Elegant Ink Gallery. You were there as well.” Feng Wu reminded her. “Do you remember that Master Bian?”
“Of course! What he said almost got us killed!” Chaoge flared up at the mention of that name and she clenched her fists angrily. That Master Bian certainly didn’t impress her.
Feng Wu said, “I made that Master Bian purchase that Whistling Vase in the end.”
“Right, Xiao Wu, you set him up in the end. Hahaha! That Master Bian’s face almost turned green. Good job! He deserved that for working against us!”
Feng Wu said, “But I didn’t set him up.”
“Huh?” Chaoge was confused.
“I gave him an opportunity,” Feng Wu said cryptically. “But it seems that he gave it away.”
“What?” Chaoge was even more confused.
She understood every word Xiao Wu said, but put them together into a sentence and she was at a loss.
Feng Wu explained to her, “If he had been clever enough, he should have shown up outside Fallen Star Yard and begged for my forgiveness. But he didn’t.”
“Huh?” Chaoge was dumbfounded. What was that about? English, please?