Chapter 87
In the imperial palace, a total of four hundred newly-appointed scholars were seated.
The seating arrangement placed the Zhuangyuan (first-ranked scholar) in the first position on the left, followed by the Bangyan (second-ranked scholar) on the far-right, with the Tanhua (third-ranked scholar) sitting beside Xu Ming. The top three scholars of the first rank and the fourth-ranked scholar of the second rank occupied the front row, while the others were seated according to their rankings.
At the forefront of the seating area was, naturally, the throne of the Martial Emperor.
Xu Ming glanced to the side, casting a look at the Tanhua, Yu Ping’an.
Noticing Xu Ming’s gaze, Yu Ping’an returned a gentle smile.
Earlier, when entering the palace, Xu Ming had observed that this Tanhua appeared to have some difficulty walking. However, that wasn’t what truly caught Xu Ming’s attention.
A physical disability was of little concern; after all, Yu Ping’an would serve as a civil official, not a military one. What intrigued Xu Ming more was the unfathomable aura surrounding Yu Ping’an.
Always wearing a gentle smile, Yu Ping’an exuded a calmness that set him apart from the other scholars, whose expressions brimmed with ambition. To him, it seemed as if this event was merely a casual banquet in the capital—a minor episode in which he happened to secure the rank of Tanhua.
Such tranquility wasn’t feigned but stemmed from an inner composure, as though he possessed an innate sense of propriety, a steadiness that enabled him to remain unaffected by external joys or sorrows.