Chapter 38
After Xu Xiaopang achieved the top rank in the provincial examination (Tongshi), the Xu and Qin families had been immersed in joy and celebration.
Yet, before they had even fully savored this delight, another piece of good news arrived:
Xu Xiaopang had been selected as one of Wu Kingdom’s diplomatic envoys to receive the delegation from Qi Kingdom.
The other chosen envoy was the 14-year-old son of the Minister of Rites, a prodigy who had passed the imperial examination (Juren) at the age of 13, making a name for himself in the capital at the time.
The Qi Kingdom’s delegation’s visit to Wu Kingdom was a major event, and Xu Xiaopang’s selection as part of the reception team was a significant honor. This achievement would bring great benefits to his future career in the court.
Most importantly, the finalized list of envoys would surely pass before the emperor’s eyes, and the name “Xu Pangda” would make its way into the imperial view.
—
It was on this very day that Xiao Mochi personally visited the Xu residence.
For the Xu and Qin families, their feelings about this man—currently the most talked-about figure in court—were complicated.