The thought of his sister, whose whereabouts were unknown, weighed heavily on Mr. Xu.
But he was still delighted that a candidate from his jurisdiction had placed third, earning the title of Jingkui. He rose and cupped his hands in a salute to Gong Yuanxiu. "I must thank Mr. Gong for his favor."
"No thanks are necessary. None at all. This young man possesses extraordinary ability and fully deserves his rank."
Gong Yuanxiu was in high spirits, already envisioning his promotion to a higher office upon his return to the capital. The smile on his face instantly grew wider.
His eyes darted about. He decided that not only should he share the joy with everyone, but he also needed to eliminate any opposition to Tao Yanxun being named the top scorer. And so, he took out the transcribed copy of the top scorer's examination paper and passed it around for all to see.
"My fellow officials, please take a look. Does the Mr. Jie Yuan I have chosen live up to his title?"
