By then, it was already April.
All the scholars who had participated in the court examinations were summoned to the palace to wait for the Emperor to announce the final rankings.
Apart from a select few, the rest of the tributes were extremely nervous.
In addition to them being nervous, all the bureaucrats in the capital also started a bet.
"Grand Tutor, I heard that you are betting too?" When one of the lords saw the Grand Tutor, he couldn't help but ask, "Who are you betting on for first place?"
The Grand Tutor did not look embarrassed at all. "The Fourth Young Master of the Ye family, Ye Shaohua."
The Grand Tutor was the most knowledgeable person in the court.
He was the marking officer for both the general and court examinations. From what he said, the Fourth Young Master must be a genius.
The officials around him had their own thoughts.
The Third Prince even met with Ye Jin in secret to ask her to get along with Ye Shaohua.
Ye Jin was shocked. "Your Highness, can my Fourth Brother really be the top scorer?"
She had been trying to please Concubine Mei, but Concubine Mei was not as friendly as before. This made Ye Jin feel bad.
In fact, she was still waiting for Ye Shaohua to fail.
She didn't expect that the Third Duke would say such a thing, which surprised her.
"Now the capital city is betting on the Zhuangyuan. Almost everyone is betting on the Fourth Young Master of your mansion. Even the Royal Tutor is betting on him. This matter is set in stone." The Third Prince hurriedly said to Ye Jin and left.
Based on the fact that he had personally come to Ye Jin, it was obvious how important this matter was to him.
Ye Jin pursed her lips and made a decision.
**
Inside the palace.
"Your Majesty, have you finished reading Young Master Ye's policy paper?" A marking officer looked at the Emperor who was sitting on the throne and asked.
Duan Yunxiu squinted his eyes and looked at the officer. He put down the papers in his hand. "My dear officials, what do you think about the second to the fifth place?"
They were talking about the second to the fifth place.
No one had any objections to the first place.
When the Chief Imperial Steward, who was waiting by the door, heard this, he knew who was first in the First Division.
The marking officer looked at the policy paper and wanted to read it again.
Other than the time when the Emperor was just an imperial prince, they had never seen a policy treatise that was full of knowledge like this.
However, the other party was the Emperor after all, and no one could guess what the Emperor was thinking. These officials did not dare to say anything, and could only report the draft.
"The top three, Ye Shaohua, Li Tianxu, and Fang Yong."
Duan Yunxiu waved his brush and wrote a line of words. Soon, the first, second, and third placings were posted on the Imperial Board.
Ye Shaohua and Tang Hua were wearing red robes as they paraded through the streets.
She rarely wore such bright colored clothes. Her red brocade robe contrasted with her jade-like skin and peach blossom color. Even the eunuch leading the horse was surprised by this color for a long time.
He thought to himself that this year's zhuangyuan was not only young, but his face was also rarely handsome.
The commoners watching from the side of the street wished they could follow the horses.
Bangyan and Tanhua behind her were naturally not bad. Although Tanhua was a little older, Bangyan was only 20 years old and was also very handsome.
But compared with Ye Shaohua in front of her, she was inferior by more than one level.
As a result, few people paid attention to what Bangyan and Tanhua looked like. Their eyes were almost glued to the zhuangyuan.
The news reached the Ye Mansion.
The old lady of the Ye Mansion and Ye Qingweng were so happy that they didn't know what to do.
Fortunately, Liu 'er was clever and had already booked a box near the street in Changchun Building.
When the news came, a group of people from the Ye Mansion came in a carriage and sat by the window to watch the people parading through the street.
Concubine Mei held her handkerchief and looked at Ye Shaohua sitting on the horse. Ye Shaohua seemed to feel her gaze and looked at her. She also raised her head and waved at her.
Concubine Mei's pores were about to explode. At this moment, it was really like a dream.
Four years ago, Ye Shaohua said that she would give her a zhuangyuan. At that time, Concubine Mei thought she was joking.
Unexpectedly, now she really came back with a zhuangyuan. Concubine Mei only felt that something was brewing in her chest.
There were also people who were watching the Zhuangyuan parade in Changchun Building. They heard that the Ye Family had come.
They even specially sent people to visit.
Ye Qingweng and the old lady had never been treated like this before. For a moment, they were a little elated.
Ye Shi, who didn't believe it and followed them, fell into a chair when she saw Ye Shaohua sitting on the horse and parading through the street.
Her son got the 14th place in the second class this time, which was not bad.
But compared with Ye Shaohua, it was nothing at all.
The old lady looked at the generous Ye Shi in the past. At this time, she was a little unhappy. But in the face of guests and such a happy event, she suppressed it in the bottom of her heart.
This time, the Ye Mansion also held a banquet for several days.
They must be very happy.
"In a few days, we can enter the court together as officials." At the family banquet, Ye Qingweng looked at Ye Shaohua with a smile.
Recently, because of Ye Shaohua, he also gained a lot of glory.
The old lady also smiled with a wrinkled face. "Recently, the matchmakers who came to the house almost broke the doorsill. Concubine Mei, you should also take a good look."
Hearing the old lady's words, Ye Shi and Ye Shaoming's faces did not look very good.
The Ye family's rules were very strict. Concubines could not sit at the main table at all. However, when Concubine Mei came back, not only did she sit at the main table, but she also sat next to the old lady. How could Ye Shi not hate her?
"Speaking of marriage, mother, don't arrange it blindly." Ye Qingweng's face was full of joy. "After the court today, the Grand Tutor came to me and asked me if Shaohua was married. He also vaguely mentioned that he has a granddaughter who is only 14 years old."
"Grand Tutor?" The old lady was even happier.
But Ye Shi's face was even more uneasy.
If the daughter of the Grand Tutor married into the Ye family, how could the Ye family set rules for the daughter of a noble family?
Concubine Mei was also very happy, but when she heard about the marriage, she instantly became worried.
If it was really a son, she couldn't be happier.
But the problem was …
She was really a daughter!
"Aren't you worried?" Seeing Ye Shaohua's calm appearance, Concubine Mei couldn't help but feel that she was lack of mind. "What can we do if this goes on? It's all like this in the plays. A young and handsome boy becomes the top scholar in the exam and then marries the princess. I heard that the seventh princess is the Emperor's younger sister, and her age is similar to yours. If the Emperor bestows the marriage … "
"Mother, you don't have to be afraid of this." Ye Shaohua opened her folding fan with a swish and said casually, "Anyone can marry the princess, but I can't."
Concubine Mei looked at Ye Shaohua's appearance, half believing and half doubting.
No one knew. At the same time.
Inside the palace.
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