Capital, Under the Emperor's Feet!
Eastern Evil Tomb.
This was once the tomb of the Former Imperial Family, abandoned after the founding of the Great Qin, and seldom visited by people since it became a wild and desolate graveyard.
Even during the day, few people passed by.
In a raging storm, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
In the midst of the wild wind and rain, a scholar carrying a bag dashed into a broken temple.
He was plain-looking, with many patches on his long robe, and his cloth shoes had holes in them. He appeared poor and destitute.
In the capital, there were many scholars like Hong Ming.
Born in lowly families, they studied hard for a decade, and besides gaining fame and recognition, they had no other options.
Some of them sold their properties or even mortgaged their wives and children to gather enough money to go to the city to take the imperial exam, betting on a slim hope.
Most of them failed.