The Road to the Azure Clouds (Imperial Examinations)

Seme protagonist. Alternate universe. The story starts when the gong is a child. The opening isn't very satisfying, and the shou is five years older than the gong. Read with caution. * His birth mother died young, and his father remarried his concubine's younger sister. Cheng Jinchuan, the legitimate eldest son, learned to survive between the cracks before he even had time to grow up. It took Cheng Jinchuan fourteen years to go from an isolated, pitiful boy to the most famous top scholar in the capital. It took him another fourteen years to become the Grand Secretary. Content warning: The author's update schedule is unstable. Theme: Rise above adversity.