Chapter 415: New Primus
As expected, the Emperor turned a thoughtful gaze toward the Third Prince before shifting his attention to the Crown Prince, inquiring, "What are your thoughts?"
Before his arrival, the Crown Prince’s advisors had meticulously evaluated the advantages and drawbacks of the Palace Examination. They had cautioned him against revealing any vulnerability that the Emperor could exploit and had advised him to take deliberate actions to suppress Su Bin.
The Emperor’s initial query to the Third Prince had placed the Crown Prince on high alert. He contemplated the possibility that his father might have already discerned his involvement in Su Bin’s suppression. However, he was reluctant to accept such suspicions and viewed it as a test of his loyalty.
To allay his father’s doubts, the Crown Prince chose to employ a strategy of deflection and counteraction. Consequently, he swiftly responded, "I share the same sentiments as Main Examiner Huang."
"Su Bin is undoubtedly a rare talent."
"His literary abilities are also exceptionally commendable. Regrettably, my own talents do not measure up. I believe Su Bin’s composition may even surpass that of the top nine candidates. His essays clearly reflect his extraordinary talent."
"But I find myself perplexed by one aspect: why would a candidate of such remarkable caliber be ranked only tenth?"
With this statement, the Crown Prince effectively shifted the blame onto the five examiners. The Emperor turned his gaze toward the examiners and called upon Main Examiner Huang to clarify.
Without hesitation, Main Examiner Huang openly disclosed, "I had initially recommended Su Bin for the first position!"
"However, the four other examiners pointed out numerous flaws in Su Bin’s essay, and, as a result, they collectively suggested ranking him eleventh."
"Upon my insistence, Su Bin’s rank was elevated to tenth place."