Chapter Twenty-Nine

Graduation from Hanlin Academy

It was the final day of the military exams. Ying Zetian knew that the teachers who was overseeing the military exams were looking at her strangely, but Ying Zetian is not bothered by the glances. In the whole history of Tai Ping, a lot of people had tried for both the military and normal civil officials' exams. But it was rare for people to really pass and rank high in both examinations until they could go into the service of the imperial court.

Not to said that Ying Zetian already had been appointed as a sixth rank civil official of the imperial bureau after being rank first in the civil official exams. Not only that, Ying Zetian had pass the first rounds of the military exams with flying colors and is the hot favorite in gambling dens of Changan to rank first again in the military exams.

Ying Zetian could still remember the gleam of recognition that she saw in Tang Zhong's face when she attends the last imperial civil official exam. Thus, when Ying Zetian was appointed to the imperial bureau, she knew that Tang Zhong had took this opportunity to seek revenge on her for the slap that she had given him.

The imperial bureau is the agency that oversee the behavior of the civil officials right up to the behavior of the emperor. During the time when the Ying family is still the top gentry family, the imperial bureau is clean and really serve as what it is supposed to do. But after the Shang Guan family replaced the Ying family, the imperial bureau is just a nice ornament.

Ying Zetian was sat on the horse that she will be riding for the today final round of the military exams when she saw Nan Gong Jing and Tang Wudi waving at her in the family stands. Ying Zetian sigh, she still remembers two years ago how awkward it is to apologize to Nan Gong Jing on behalf of Tang Wudi.

Ying Zetian could still remember the bruise black and green face of Nan Gong Jing face. Ying Zetian almost wanted to rush out of Nan Gong Jing's room and pull Tang Wudi to personally apologize as she thought that it was Tang Wudi who had punched Nan Gong Jing so badly. Ying Zetian only stops her actions when Nan Gong Jing said that he did not know who punched him so badly.

Luckily, that was the only time that things get so awkward between Nan Gong Jing and Tang Wudi. Two years then passed with Ying Zetian and Tang Wudi attending Nan Gong Jing lessons along with the normal lessons at Hanlin with only the sometimes childish mild fights that will happen between Tang Wudi and Nan Gong Jing.

Ying Zetian heard the teachers announcing for the start of the final round of the military exams and she pulled her thoughts back immediately. The final round will be especially tough. There will be seventy-five participants in this round. This round will test the participants marksmanship and horsemanship. Participants will be armed with arrows that will be colored at the end. The ranking for the military exams will be based on who reached the final point. And participants will be automatically out of the race if they were "marked" by the arrows or fall from their horses.