Early the next morning, several great scholars who were involved in grading the imperial examination, arrived outside the Emperor's sleeping palace.
After the eunuch announced their arrival, the Emperor invited them into the Nurture-the-Mind Hall.
Presenting their thoroughly sealed list for the Emperor's review, the Emperor, leaning against his pillow, accepted the list. Upon examining it, he paused in surprise, looking to the three scholars, "Are the scores tied?"
The three scholars nodded in agreement.
One of the scholars, a man of great virtue and respect, said, "The young master Zhou Gu of the Duke Residence and young master Su Xingze of the Jiangzhou Inspector Residence, despite their different approaches, they both stand out with their unique interpretations. All of us have spent three full days discussing and were unable to decide the winner. Ultimately, we concluded in agreement that their result would be a tie."
