Even after the gong sounded, the two of them were still falling uncontrollably at high speed.
At the critical moment, the sword tip struck the ground before they did. Borrowing the rebound from the blade, Lu Jinlan flipped forcefully while holding Yan Wuxin, and after staggering a few steps, the two finally landed steadily on the platform.
The plaza that held tens of thousands of people fell into an eerie silence—then, in the next instant, erupted into deafening cheers.
Ling Zhixu let out a light breath and publicly announced, “Lu Jinlan of Yunzhou—victory!”
Lu Jinlan returned to her seat with an appearance of calm, casting a grateful glance at Yan Wuxin across from her.
In truth, when she had swung Yan Wuxin back onto the stage, she had whispered, “Fight around the pillar.”
Yan Wuxin had gone along with it. Once Lu Jinlan tossed her toward the pillar, she turned and climbed it.
From the audience’s perspective, backlit by the sun and with the pillar seven or eight meters tall, it was hard to see clearly. Lu Jinlan had also deliberately chopped off chunks of wood to obstruct the view. It looked as though she was pursuing Yan Wuxin with killing intent, but in reality it was a staged performance—not an attempt on her life.
Lu Jinlan figured the headmaster hadn’t declared her winner earlier because their previous exchange had been too polite. This time they switched to a thrilling, high-difficulty style full of dramatic maneuvers.
She had intentionally displayed astonishing strength—chopping wildly around the top of the pillar, then delivering a full-force kick to knock off a section as thick as a water bucket, shocking the entire crowd.
Now that the pill’s effect had worn off, her body felt completely drained. Cold sweat beaded on her skin, and the top of her foot throbbed faintly with pain.
Ling Zhixu, her face and clothes splattered with ink, stepped down to clean up. Once the chief examiner left, the candidates visibly relaxed and began whispering among themselves.
A new pair of candidates had already taken the stage. After witnessing such an exciting spectacle, the audience was eager to discuss it. Unfortunately, the two currently fighting were rather mediocre, unable to draw attention. The entire venue buzzed like a teahouse.
People nearby kept coming to talk to Lu Jinlan. She instantly became the center of attention.
“Congratulations, Student Lu! You’re sure to get one of this year’s admission spots.”
“Student Lu, your swordsmanship doesn’t resemble any known school. Where did you learn it?”
“I just read your essay in Collected Written Examination Papers. Your policy essay was excellent, and your poetry too. That piece ‘Spring River, Flower, Moonlit Night’ was extraordinary. Do you have other poems?”
Overwhelmed, Lu Jinlan could only say, “Let’s talk after the exams are over.”
Her foot hurt badly. She quietly slipped off her shoe, folded one leg up, and began rubbing the top of her foot.
Xiang Ruzhen leaned closer and whispered, “You’re a rising figure now. No matter today’s outcome, when people speak of this grand event in the future, they’ll mention your name. You need to watch your words and conduct—set an example.”
Lu Jinlan sighed. “But my foot hurts.”
“Endure it.” Xiang Ruzhen picked up her shoe and helped her put it back on. Still, she couldn’t help asking, “How did you do it? I pride myself on my natural strength, but there’s no way I could kick through a pillar that thick.”
Lu Jinlan gave an awkward smile. “A fluke. If you asked me to kick it again now, my foot would break before the wood did.”
As they spoke, the match on stage concluded. The out-of-town candidate won. Yan Wuxin had been right—she and Chu Yishu were the strongest among the Shengjing’s local students. The rest were roughly on par with Zuo Suizhi, some even weaker.
Lu Jinlan glanced sympathetically at Zuo Suizhi. What a cursed matchmaking system.
When weak opponents met, the matches ended quickly. An hour later, ten pairs had finished—every single victory went to out-of-town candidates.
Including Lu Jinlan, that made eleven already. For the remaining candidates to secure admission, they would not only need to win but to win overwhelmingly in order to edge out earlier victors.
Xiang Ruzhen’s expression grew increasingly tense. Lu Jinlan squeezed her hand and reassured her softly, “Don’t worry. None of them are your match. When you go up, show your strength. The examiners will see it.”
Xiang Ruzhen nodded slightly. Finally, her name was called: “Xiang Ruzhen of Mianzhou versus Ling Zhaoren of the Shengjing.”
Lu Jinlan’s eyes widened. What a coincidence.
She looked anxiously toward Yan Wuxin across the way. Yan Wuxin looked just as stunned, shaking her head helplessly.
Xiang Ruzhen, however, remained calm. She walked onto the platform empty-handed, selected the iron spear she had tested yesterday from the weapon rack, and prepared to fight.
Ling Zhaoren hadn’t yet mounted the stage when she threw her Kunqian Wandering Dragon Halberd onto it. As the halberd’s tip embedded into the platform, she leapt gracefully up after it, drawing immediate applause.
Ling Zhaoren wore a red satin outfit; Xiang Ruzhen wore rough black cloth. Standing opposite each other, red and black, they were strikingly vivid.
At the sound of the gong, they shot toward each other like arrows loosed from bows. The iron spear and halberd clashed instantly, metal scraping against metal with piercing shrieks.
Both trained in hard, forceful techniques. Once in motion, even their garments snapped in the wind. With the gusts howling and sleeves flying, they fought with the momentum of thousands of troops.
Lu Jinlan watched nervously. Zuo Suizhi nudged her shoulder. “In your opinion, who has the better odds?”
“Ling Zhaoren’s techniques are seasoned. Ruzhen has overwhelming strength. It’s hard to tell for now—but I have confidence in Ruzhen.”
No sooner had she spoken than a sharp clang rang out.
Ling Zhaoren struck downward. Xiang Ruzhen raised her spear to block—but the iron spear suddenly snapped in the middle, breaking clean in two.
A collective gasp rose from the crowd. That was impossible.
Some weapons could slice through iron like mud—but the halberd had struck with its shaft, not its blade. How could the spear break?
Lu Jinlan frowned deeply. A chilling thought crept into her mind.
“The weapons are tampered with,” she muttered. “Someone interfered.”
“That’s impossible,” a candidate beside her said. “This is a nationally watched examination. Who would dare?”
Yet even as her weapon shattered, Ling Zhaoren did not pause. Xiang Ruzhen was forced to fight defensively, holding the spearhead in one hand and the shaft in the other, retreating step by step.
Ling Zhaoren pressed the attack. Near the weapon rack, Xiang Ruzhen grabbed a wooden staff and switched to offense.
But within three moves—crack!—the staff broke in two as well.
Lu Jinlan couldn’t hold back anymore. She stood up and protested, “The weapons are defective!”
She should have realized sooner. Ruzhen was the strongest among the out-of-town candidates. After showing her strength yesterday, today she was “coincidentally” matched with Ling Zhaoren, a top-tier fighter.
Others brought their own weapons. Only Ruzhen used those provided by the exam site. Yesterday’s weapons had been fine. Today, iron or wood—it broke on contact. Wasn’t that suspicious?
And if Ruzhen had competed earlier, a simple victory would have sufficed. Instead, she was scheduled after eleven out-of-town wins. Worst position, strongest opponent, worst weapons. What a damned “coincidence.”
“The weapons are defective!”
As they shouted, even the spear in Xiang Ruzhen’s hands snapped. Ling Zhaoren showed no intention of stopping. Xiang Ruzhen could only circle the weapon rack, dodging desperately.
Now even those who had doubted Lu Jinlan began to react. The out-of-town candidates shouted in unison, “The weapons are defective!”
A deputy examiner slammed the table. “Anyone causing disruption will have their admission revoked!”
The crowd immediately quieted.
Lu Jinlan snapped, “On what grounds? Anyone with eyes can see the weapons were tampered with. Why can’t we say it?”
The examiner barked, “Lu Jinlan, don’t think because you won that you can act recklessly. The Royal Academy doesn’t lack one student.”
Lu Jinlan let out a cold laugh. “An academy that can’t even conduct fair selection—no matter how famous—remains a hollow, corrupt place. What’s so great about it? Threaten me all you want. I’ll still speak.”
Not only would she speak—she would make sure everyone heard.
Fury burned within her. She couldn’t even feel her foot anymore. Jumping onto a bench, she shouted to the tens of thousands watching:
“Everyone here has seen it with your own eyes! In broad daylight, under heaven and earth, the Academy manipulates the selection behind closed doors. There is no fairness!”
The deputy examiner roared, “Seize Lu Jinlan!”
She turned to see a group of local Shengjing students charging toward her. Yan Wuxin hesitated, then ran off in another direction. Beside Lu Jinlan, only Zuo Suizhi and several out-of-town candidates stood in front of her protectively.
On stage, Xiang Ruzhen still fought stubbornly with broken weapons. Lu Jinlan no longer held back. Pointing at the platform, she shouted:
“Ling Zhaoren! What kind of hero takes advantage of someone in distress? Even if you beat Xiang Ruzhen, it’s no honorable victory!”
Ling Zhaoren snapped back, “Winners are kings, losers are bandits! What honor? Why are you yapping?”
“You admit it? Everyone heard that! Spread the word of what you’ve seen today! The Royal Academy is nothing but a fraud living on stolen fame! If you can’t win fairly, you resort to tricks? Ling Zhaoren, your victory is disgraceful! That halberd of yours isn’t even as good as a man’s embroidery needle. At least a needle can embroider—you only know how to bully people!”
By now, the local students sent to seize her were already fighting with the out-of-town students around her. Some had just faced each other on stage; those who had lost still harbored resentment and now took the chance to vent it.
Some out-of-town students hadn’t intended to get involved—but as the two sides tangled together, fists and kicks flew blindly. Youth ran hot. Someone uninvolved got hit and rolled up their sleeves too.
The scene descended into chaos.
At this point, Lu Jinlan went all in. Her words grew deliberately incendiary. If she had to give up attending this wretched academy, so be it—she would drag Ling Zhaoren and the Royal Academy’s reputation down with her.
“What Royal Academy? More like the Ling Family Academy! Not even as good as the men’s school!”
No sooner had the words fallen than a booming shout rang out from the distance, loud as a temple bell:
“Who says the Royal Academy is not as good as the men’s school?”
The voice carried overwhelming authority and pressure. The chaotic scene—noisier than a slaughterhouse—fell instantly silent. All eyes turned in unison.
They saw Ling Zhixu striding back into the arena, half her face still stained black with ink. Yan Wuxin followed behind her.
Seeing that the fight on stage had not yet stopped, Yan Wuxin shouted anxiously, “Ling Zhaoren! The Headmaster is here—why haven’t you stopped?”
The two on stage paused for a split second. Xiang Ruzhen threw away the broken half of her long blade and had just turned around when both Lu Jinlan and Yan Wuxin cried out at the same time:
“Watch out!”
________________________________________
Author’s Note:
I deliberated for a long time over the word “fairness.” I even looked up the character gong (公), which has eleven definitions. The first few are:
1. Belonging to the state or the collective, not privately owned (as opposed to “private”);
2. Shared, publicly acknowledged, applicable to the majority (like public principles or conventions);
3. Pertaining to international domains (like international waters)…
Only the last four usages have anything to do with men, such as “male,” “father-in-law,” or “young lord.”
So the word “fairness” actually has nothing to do with men—no need to replace it.