Ever since his trip to the Examination Hall for the examinations, Zhao Yan had rarely touched his lantern. It had been gathering dust in a corner. Back in his daily life, the oil lamp in his room was enough to satisfy his basic needs. He was still a stranger to Yuanning Prefecture, and aside from the occasional outing during the day, he rarely went out at night; it had become his habit to head to bed as soon as the day was done.
Consequently, the lantern had been tucked away by Zhao Gao. Zhao Yan hadn't even noticed it until he realized he needed it for tonight and had to ask Zhao Gao to fetch it.
Fearing that the crowds would be too thick to get a good spot once the results were posted, Zhao Yan decided to leave early—so early, in fact, that it was still the Hour of the Rat, a time when Zhao Yan would usually be deep in his dreams.
Chapter 254