The competition was officially over.
That did not mean everyone understood it.
By the time Song Jia returned to the Song Clan section of the Imperial Competition Grounds, arguments had already begun among the spectators.
Not about whether she had won.
That part was impossible to dispute.
The Imperial seal sat on the final record.
The marriage decree had been rescinded.
Her score was public.
What people argued about now—
was everything else.
"Why did all eighteen people advance after the Character Trial?"
"Then what was the point of ranking them?"
"Wasn't Master Sun second?"
"No, Sixth Prince Ding Jin was."
"Then why did another board show Master Sun second?"
"And where did Master Sun get seventeen points from?"
Song Jia stopped walking.
Then slowly turned toward Sun.
He was behind her.
He stopped too.
"What?"
She folded her arms.
"Apparently the capital would like an explanation."
Sun glanced toward the crowd.
"About which part?"
"The seventeen."
