今日是金殿傳臚的正日子，星子仍是須先到午門外恭候，不久數十位新科進士齊聚宮門外，並文武百官恭候聖旨。數百人靜靜地站著，鴉雀無聲。星子站得有些不耐，仰頭望向天空，一輪赤紅的朝陽正緩緩升起，湛藍的天空深邃高遠，星子忽想，天地如此廣大，為什麽這一幫人非要站在這裏等皇帝的恩封賞賜？難道他們不向往那自由自在的天空，不能象鳥兒那樣憑自己的翅膀飛翔？或是都和自己一樣成了身不由己作繭自縛？
忽聽一聲“聖旨到！”頓時，數百人齊刷刷地跪倒，如一片森林被整齊地鋸下一截，場麵蔚為壯觀。卻見一封明黃色的絹卷緩緩地從高大的午門城樓上降下，如從上天飄落的一抹明霞，下有紅衣禮官跪接。禮官叩首接旨畢，起身宣旨，便是今科進士的名單。念到第一甲第一名，眾人皆屏住了唿吸，待聽得是星子，寂靜的廣場忽傳出一陣竊竊私語，眾人交頭接耳，嗡嗡不絕竟蓋下了宣旨之聲。禮官連喊了兩聲肅靜，方又安靜下來。
星子知道自己被捉入府衙之事已人盡皆知，皇帝既然不避嫌疑，一意孤行，我還怕什麽？心下倒也坦然。宣旨完畢，榜眼探花便上來互致祝賀，那兩人一臉幹笑，頗不自然，星子又都不認得，胡亂應付過去。因星子是新科狀元，便有人為他披上禮袍，戴上禮冠，胸前還佩了大紅花。接著鼓樂齊鳴，午門大開，新科三甲率全體進士入宮謝恩。
午門非國家重大典禮不得開啟，文武百官平日上朝也隻走偏門。星子隨禮官進了氣勢宏偉的午門，卻對這殊遇隆恩毫無得意之感，暗想，算起來，這是第三次進宮了，前兩次都是直著走進去，橫著被抬出來，而今日呢？雖然今日是萬眾矚目的中心，身上的傷痛卻時時提醒著他，頭上懸著的利劍隨時可能落下，衰與榮隻有一線之隔。
星子暗中運氣，一步一步，維持著步履沉穩。進了朝天殿，辰旦早已端坐於寶座上。星子由司儀引導至前行禮，跪下俯身的一刻，臀背上的鞭傷杖傷齊齊迸裂，星子額頭滲出細汗，抿抿薄唇，仍是三跪九叩山唿萬歲，行禮如儀，隻是有意無意地避免與皇帝目光對視。心中卻想，我今日跪在這裏，隻是人在屋簷下的權宜之計，卻不是甘心當你的奴才，終有一天，我要堂堂正正地麵對你，和你算算今日的帳。
星子中規中矩，旁人自然不覺得什麽，辰旦卻暗暗吃驚。他頭一次杖責星子，便領教了他的倔強，昨日兩度鞭打他，那樣的傷勢，即使以上好傷藥調養，常人也得將息十天半月方能起床。辰旦一時震怒，料他極好顏麵，今日慶典不可缺席，必然會大吃苦頭，倒沒想到他竟然能行動如常，唯有慘白的臉色泄露了些許秘密。辰旦向來恩威並重，馭下有術，此時卻一絲隱隱的不安，星子雖然是自己的親生骨肉，雖然恭順地跪在麵前，卻似乎難以掌控。
英：
todayisthegoldentemplechuanlupositiveday，thestarsarestillrequiredtoapproachthedoorwaitingforlunch，andsoondozensofnewfamiliesschrsgatheredoutsidethepce，andalltheofficialswaitingforedicts。hundredsofpeoplestoodstill，silent。someofthestarsstoodimpatient，lookingupwardtothesky，ablood-redsunwasslowlyrising，loftydeepbluesky，thestarssuddenlythink，theworldissovast，whyisthisganghavetostandhereandsotheemperorexsealreward？donottheyyearnforthefreedomoftheskythatcannotbelikethebirdsflylikethewingsoftheirown？likethemselves，orhavebeinvoluntarilycocoon？
suddenlyout"edictto！"suddenly，hundredsofpeopletokneeluniform，suchasaforestisneatlysawedoffalength，andthescenespectacr。surprisedtofindabrightyellowsilkvolumehuanhuandicongtalltowerontheafternoondownthedoor，suchasfallingfromheavenatouchmingxia，thereareredritualistsguijie。ritualistskoushoujiezhplete，gotupxuanzhiisalistofthissectionschrs。afirstreadingtothefirst，everyoneisholdingitsbreath，tobeheardarethestars，thequietzasuddenlyheardaburstofwhispers，peoplewhisper，hummingunderthehoodisnotneverwentsofarasthevoiceofthexuanzhi。ritualistswithhanleliangshengquiet，squareandquiet。
caughtintothetownhallofthestarsknowthingshavebeenwellknown，sincetheemperorisnotbixianyi，bent，whathaveitofear？thefollowingisprettycalmheart。xuanzhifinishedthirdoverallsecondcewillbeupandexchangedcongrattions，andthattheylookhollow，quitenaturally，thestarsanddonotknow，muddlethepast。isanewdivisionchampionforthestars，therewillbepeopleheputongowns，wearthecrownceremony，thechestalsowearabigredflower。thendrumsgongs，afternoonwideopen，thetopthreewithallofthenewchinsectionpceshane。
meridiangateofthenon-stateshallnotopenamajorceremony，alltheofficialstowardsaweekdaysonlygothewrongdoor。starswithritualistsmagnificentafternoonintothedoor，butthereisnoprideinthissenseofshuyuen，thoughttohimself，counted，thisisthethirdpce，thefirsttwoarestraightforwardtogoinsidewayswascarriedout，andtodayit？althoughtodayisthecenteroftheeye，thebodythepainisremindinghimthattheswordhangingheaddownatanytimemaybe，badwithonlyathinlinebetweenglory。
starssecretlyluck，stepbystep，tomaintainasteadygait。overturnedintothehouse，chenoncehadtositonthethrone。guidedbythemastertothestarsbeforethebow，themomentofbendinghisknees，back，buttocksstickinjuryoptwoundsburst，leakingsmallforeheadsweatthestars，sipsipthinlips，longlivestillsanguijiukoushanhu，salutesuchasaninstrument，but，consciouslyorunconsciouslyavoideyecontactwiththeemperor。hearthethought，ikneelheretoday，justundertheeavesoftheexpediencyofpeople，butnotwillingtobeyourve，oneday，iwanttostanduptofaceyou，andyouhavetocalctetoday''sount。
starsformed，othersdidnotfenything，butsecretlysurpriseddanchen。starsresponsibleforthefirsttimehesticks，hetastedthebitternessofhisstubborn，twiceyesterday，whippinghim，andthattheinjury，evenmoregoodvulnerarynursedbacktohealth，ordinarypeoplehavetogetuptheinterestratescanonlyhalften。chendanmomentaryanger，feedinghisexcellentface，theabsenceoftoday''scelebrationcannotbeboundtosufferge，notmuchthoughthecouldactuallyactasusual，onlyalittlepalefacebetrayedthesecret。mathiashasalwaysbeenbothdanchen，yu-undersurgery，butthistimefainttraceofanxiety，thestars，thoughherownfleshandblood，whilehumblykneelingbeforehim，itseemeddifficulttocontrol。
忽聽一聲“聖旨到！”頓時，數百人齊刷刷地跪倒，如一片森林被整齊地鋸下一截，場麵蔚為壯觀。卻見一封明黃色的絹卷緩緩地從高大的午門城樓上降下，如從上天飄落的一抹明霞，下有紅衣禮官跪接。禮官叩首接旨畢，起身宣旨，便是今科進士的名單。念到第一甲第一名，眾人皆屏住了唿吸，待聽得是星子，寂靜的廣場忽傳出一陣竊竊私語，眾人交頭接耳，嗡嗡不絕竟蓋下了宣旨之聲。禮官連喊了兩聲肅靜，方又安靜下來。
星子知道自己被捉入府衙之事已人盡皆知，皇帝既然不避嫌疑，一意孤行，我還怕什麽？心下倒也坦然。宣旨完畢，榜眼探花便上來互致祝賀，那兩人一臉幹笑，頗不自然，星子又都不認得，胡亂應付過去。因星子是新科狀元，便有人為他披上禮袍，戴上禮冠，胸前還佩了大紅花。接著鼓樂齊鳴，午門大開，新科三甲率全體進士入宮謝恩。
午門非國家重大典禮不得開啟，文武百官平日上朝也隻走偏門。星子隨禮官進了氣勢宏偉的午門，卻對這殊遇隆恩毫無得意之感，暗想，算起來，這是第三次進宮了，前兩次都是直著走進去，橫著被抬出來，而今日呢？雖然今日是萬眾矚目的中心，身上的傷痛卻時時提醒著他，頭上懸著的利劍隨時可能落下，衰與榮隻有一線之隔。
星子暗中運氣，一步一步，維持著步履沉穩。進了朝天殿，辰旦早已端坐於寶座上。星子由司儀引導至前行禮，跪下俯身的一刻，臀背上的鞭傷杖傷齊齊迸裂，星子額頭滲出細汗，抿抿薄唇，仍是三跪九叩山唿萬歲，行禮如儀，隻是有意無意地避免與皇帝目光對視。心中卻想，我今日跪在這裏，隻是人在屋簷下的權宜之計，卻不是甘心當你的奴才，終有一天，我要堂堂正正地麵對你，和你算算今日的帳。
星子中規中矩，旁人自然不覺得什麽，辰旦卻暗暗吃驚。他頭一次杖責星子，便領教了他的倔強，昨日兩度鞭打他，那樣的傷勢，即使以上好傷藥調養，常人也得將息十天半月方能起床。辰旦一時震怒，料他極好顏麵，今日慶典不可缺席，必然會大吃苦頭，倒沒想到他竟然能行動如常，唯有慘白的臉色泄露了些許秘密。辰旦向來恩威並重，馭下有術，此時卻一絲隱隱的不安，星子雖然是自己的親生骨肉，雖然恭順地跪在麵前，卻似乎難以掌控。
英：
todayisthegoldentemplechuanlupositiveday，thestarsarestillrequiredtoapproachthedoorwaitingforlunch，andsoondozensofnewfamiliesschrsgatheredoutsidethepce，andalltheofficialswaitingforedicts。hundredsofpeoplestoodstill，silent。someofthestarsstoodimpatient，lookingupwardtothesky，ablood-redsunwasslowlyrising，loftydeepbluesky，thestarssuddenlythink，theworldissovast，whyisthisganghavetostandhereandsotheemperorexsealreward？donottheyyearnforthefreedomoftheskythatcannotbelikethebirdsflylikethewingsoftheirown？likethemselves，orhavebeinvoluntarilycocoon？
suddenlyout"edictto！"suddenly，hundredsofpeopletokneeluniform，suchasaforestisneatlysawedoffalength，andthescenespectacr。surprisedtofindabrightyellowsilkvolumehuanhuandicongtalltowerontheafternoondownthedoor，suchasfallingfromheavenatouchmingxia，thereareredritualistsguijie。ritualistskoushoujiezhplete，gotupxuanzhiisalistofthissectionschrs。afirstreadingtothefirst，everyoneisholdingitsbreath，tobeheardarethestars，thequietzasuddenlyheardaburstofwhispers，peoplewhisper，hummingunderthehoodisnotneverwentsofarasthevoiceofthexuanzhi。ritualistswithhanleliangshengquiet，squareandquiet。
caughtintothetownhallofthestarsknowthingshavebeenwellknown，sincetheemperorisnotbixianyi，bent，whathaveitofear？thefollowingisprettycalmheart。xuanzhifinishedthirdoverallsecondcewillbeupandexchangedcongrattions，andthattheylookhollow，quitenaturally，thestarsanddonotknow，muddlethepast。isanewdivisionchampionforthestars，therewillbepeopleheputongowns，wearthecrownceremony，thechestalsowearabigredflower。thendrumsgongs，afternoonwideopen，thetopthreewithallofthenewchinsectionpceshane。
meridiangateofthenon-stateshallnotopenamajorceremony，alltheofficialstowardsaweekdaysonlygothewrongdoor。starswithritualistsmagnificentafternoonintothedoor，butthereisnoprideinthissenseofshuyuen，thoughttohimself，counted，thisisthethirdpce，thefirsttwoarestraightforwardtogoinsidewayswascarriedout，andtodayit？althoughtodayisthecenteroftheeye，thebodythepainisremindinghimthattheswordhangingheaddownatanytimemaybe，badwithonlyathinlinebetweenglory。
starssecretlyluck，stepbystep，tomaintainasteadygait。overturnedintothehouse，chenoncehadtositonthethrone。guidedbythemastertothestarsbeforethebow，themomentofbendinghisknees，back，buttocksstickinjuryoptwoundsburst，leakingsmallforeheadsweatthestars，sipsipthinlips，longlivestillsanguijiukoushanhu，salutesuchasaninstrument，but，consciouslyorunconsciouslyavoideyecontactwiththeemperor。hearthethought，ikneelheretoday，justundertheeavesoftheexpediencyofpeople，butnotwillingtobeyourve，oneday，iwanttostanduptofaceyou，andyouhavetocalctetoday''sount。
starsformed，othersdidnotfenything，butsecretlysurpriseddanchen。starsresponsibleforthefirsttimehesticks，hetastedthebitternessofhisstubborn，twiceyesterday，whippinghim，andthattheinjury，evenmoregoodvulnerarynursedbacktohealth，ordinarypeoplehavetogetuptheinterestratescanonlyhalften。chendanmomentaryanger，feedinghisexcellentface，theabsenceoftoday''scelebrationcannotbeboundtosufferge，notmuchthoughthecouldactuallyactasusual，onlyalittlepalefacebetrayedthesecret。mathiashasalwaysbeenbothdanchen，yu-undersurgery，butthistimefainttraceofanxiety，thestars，thoughherownfleshandblood，whilehumblykneelingbeforehim，itseemeddifficulttocontrol。