(I wish all my readers good health in the New Year, and good luck! Congratulations on making a fortune! Here's to you!)
Yu Shu returned to her seat and gazed at the indigo riverbank in the distance. She was no longer looking forward to the results of today's release as much as before. At this moment, her mind was spinning quickly, thinking about how to deal with the troubles that might appear next.
She had directly rejected Ji Xingxuan's request not because she was impulsive. Instead, she had considered the current situation. Even if Liu Yi knew that he had been tricked and could not take it lying down, it was unlikely that he would come after her during the Double Sun Gathering.
After all, she was now Liu Tan's guest. She had replaced Shui Yun and sat in such an obvious position. If something happened, it would not look good on anyone.
Therefore, at least during the Double Sun Gathering, she did not have to worry about Liu Yi doing anything to her. She still had time to think about countermeasures.
However, after the Double Sun Gathering, she would be in a terrible situation. Based on Liu Yi's petty character, he would definitely not let her off the hook. Needless to say, Ji Xingxuan would be the same.
Damn it. She could have discussed this with Xue Rui. However, her brother had left the capital two days ago. She did not know when he would be back.
Jing Chen, who was talking to Liu Tan, gradually realized that Yu Shu had been frowning ever since she returned. She stared blankly outside the building as if she was troubled. Therefore, he walked past Liu Tan and called out to her, "Xiaoyu."
When Yu Shu heard Jing Chen calling her, she stopped her train of thought and turned to look at him. When she saw his concerned gaze, her heart skipped a beat.
Should she tell Jing Chen that she had hit Liu Yi and ask him for help? That way, she would be able to compensate Liu Yi.
As soon as this idea came to mind, Yu Shu felt that it was feasible. Although she and Jing Chen had become estranged because of what happened to Shui Yun, their friendship was not fake. If Jing Chen knew that Liu Yi was plotting against her, he would definitely not stand idly by.
Furthermore. Given Jing Chen's current noble status as a Daoist, even a Prince would have to be courteous to him. As long as Jing Chen was able to suppress Liu Yi. She had her own ways to deal with Ji Xingxuan.
Yu Shu sorted out her priorities and immediately decided to have a chat with Jing Chen after the Shuang Yang Group ended today. At this point, she could no longer rely on acting smart to get by. If she didn't ask for help from a friend, was she really going to wait to be someone else's concubine?
"Jing Chen," Yu Shu cleared her throat and said, "I want to visit Miss Shui. I'll go with you back to the Princess's Mansion after this afternoon. "
"Alright." Jing Chen didn't think much about it and agreed. He didn't know that Yu Shu was looking for an excuse. She didn't really want to see Shui Yun.
Yu Shu relaxed and her expression became much more relaxed. She was about to say something when she saw a familiar-looking guard hurriedly walking towards her from the corner of her eye.
"Your Highness." That guard was standing behind Liu Tan. He first greeted him, then turned to Jing Chen and reported in a low voice.
It wasn't very quiet upstairs. Yu Shu couldn't hear what he said even if she listened carefully. However, she saw that Jing Chen's expression had changed. He stood up from his chair and said to the puzzled Liu Tan, "Chong Yun, I'll go back first. Help me explain to the others."
"What happened?" Liu Tan asked anxiously. "Is it Little Martial Aunt?"
Jing Chen nodded and didn't explain further. He glanced at Yu Shu and said, "It's not convenient today. I'll invite you to the Princess's Mansion another day. "
Yu Shu didn't know what happened, but she guessed that there was something wrong with Shui Yun's body. Seeing that Jing Chen was in a hurry to go back, she couldn't help but sigh. She knew that she wouldn't be able to talk to him today. A trace of disappointment flashed in her heart. She replied, "En, then another day."
Jing Chen finished speaking and left with his people. He didn't say goodbye to the others upstairs, but many people saw him leave and asked someone to ask Liu Tan.
Liu Tan played dumb with these people and didn't say that Jing Chen went back because something happened to Shui Yun.
With Jing Chen's departure, Yu Shu sitting upstairs lost the mood. She listened indifferently to the applause coming from the two sides of the arena downstairs. She held a cup of hot tea until her palms turned cold.
Unknowingly, it was almost time for the results to be released. The area downstairs was cleared and the imperial censor appeared. The announcement board with the list of names was carried out.
Yu Shu forced herself to focus and listened to the imperial censor's announcement. She compared the candidates of the remaining four princes.
In terms of difficulty, the number of people who took the first place in the Six Examinations of the Dayan was usually the least. And those who were qualified to be on the list were rarely not from prestigious families. This phenomenon wasn't strange. It wasn't easy to learn Yi. Ordinary people who didn't have a family background wouldn't have the opportunity to come into contact with superior Yi techniques.
Before the examination started, Yu Shu had once entered the Library Pavilion of the Imperial Historian's Library through Xue Rui and browsed through the examination papers of the past years. In the two hundred years since the Da Yan's examination started, the examination questions of the Extraordinary Arts course were strange of every description, and all of them were tricky. If one wanted to excel in the examination paper, then one must have a good reason and evidence, and moreover, one had to cite the Extraordinary Arts, only then would one be able to enter the discerning eyes of the few great figures in the Imperial Astronomer.
The imperial censor first opened the name list of Prince Ning and the Eighth Prince. There were six name cards in total, each different. Then it was Liu Tan's turn.
"The Ninth Prince's name card is changed. One is Taiyuan candidate Duan Hengzhi, one is Jiangxi's Fu County candidate Wang Ke, one is Yan Yang City candidate Wen Shao 'an."
When Yu Shu heard the imperial censor read Wen Shao 'an's name, she was relieved. Previously, she was afraid that Liu Tan would change her name list. It wasn't a pity that the other two names were changed, but Wen Shao' an was the number one candidate that she had calculated from the name list given by Liu Tan out of more than seventy candidates!
If Wen Shao 'an did well and entered the top three, then Yu Shu's position would be secure. No one would see her as a stopgap. If Liu Tan knew people well, he would definitely choose her. In this way, she would have another layer of protection.
Thinking of this, Yu Shu couldn't help but feel more energetic. She poured away the cold tea in her hand and refilled a cup of hot tea in her palm. She opened her eyes and looked at the riverbank in the distance, waiting for the people copying the results to arrive quickly.
Across the table, Helanchou noticed Yu Shu's anxious expression. He pinched his lips and smiled. He tilted his head and said to Liu Tan, "Your Highness, look. Miss Yu looks even more anxious than you are."
Liu Tan looked at Yu Shu and said to her, "You don't need to be nervous. If someone enters the top three, then that would be for the best. If they don't, I won't blame you."
Yu Shu embarrassedly smiled at Liu Tan and sighed in her heart, 'She wasn't worried that they would fail. She was worried that Wen Shao' an, the dark horse, would not be able to enter the top three for her! '
Just as they were talking. The sound of people outside the building suddenly increased. Yu Shu looked out and found that there were officials on horseback in the distance. They were pushing through the crowd on the riverbank and rushing towards Qiongyu Tower. Her eyes suddenly lit up and she almost stood up from her chair.
"They're here, the people copying the results are here!" The voices of people below rose and fell.
"Dang, dang, dang, dang — —" The imperial censor saw that the situation was a bit chaotic and ordered the guards to beat the gongs and drums hanging on a stand to the side.
After a while, the two officials in charge of escorting the results finally squeezed downstairs and handed the sealed copy of the scroll to the imperial censor.
After the two censors inspected it, they opened the scroll. The one on the left held it up and announced, "Year Zhao Qing, Year Three of the Great Yan Examination, Spring Roll of the Fifth Subject of Physiognomy. A total of thirty-nine people passed the roll — — Rank 39, Wei Province examinee …"
As soon as the results were read, Yu Shu heard a burst of shocked discussion in Qiongyu Tower. Even Liu Tan couldn't help but say to Helanchou, "How come only these few people passed the Wondrous Arts subject?"
Helanchou also found it strange. He had been in the capital for so many years and had experienced several Great Yan Examination. It should be known that the Wondrous Arts subject often gathered the descendants of aristocratic families. More than half of the people on the Golden Roll, which could accommodate a hundred people, were considered few. But this time, only thirty-nine people passed. Could it be that the questions this year were really that difficult?
Yu Shu didn't care about how many people passed. She only wanted to know the rankings of the three people she had chosen. The higher they were, the happier she was. As long as they could surpass the people that Ji Xingxuan had chosen and steal her limelight, that would be satisfying.
There were thirty something people in total. The imperial censor quickly read out half of the list. The first person to pass was an examinee on Ning Wang's list. He was ranked twenty-fourth.
There were many people sitting on the third floor today. There were many people who wanted to curry favor and loudly congratulated Liu Hao.
Liu Hao had Ji Xingxuan, the Hideous Great Yi Master in his prime, accompanying him. His face was flushed with success. He raised his hands towards Liu Tan and Liu Du from afar and said with a clear laugh, "Eighth brother, ninth brother. My apologies, this brother was ahead of you. "
Liu Du was envious but didn't dare to directly say anything sour to Liu Hao. He laughed dryly and turned his head to the side.
Just as Liu Tan was about to congratulate Liu Hao, Helanchou's sharp ears heard the imperial censor read out the next name. The corners of his mouth curled up and he somewhat unceremoniously interrupted Liu Tan's voice. He said with joy, "Congratulations, Your Highness. Another person has been chosen. He is ranked twenty-first!"
Liu Tan was stunned for a moment before he reacted. His eyes revealed a bit of joy. He nodded and looked at Yu Shu with a slightly profound look. Then, he turned his face towards Liu Hao and cupped his hands in obeisance. He said loudly, "Thanks to Seventh Brother's happiness, I also have my eyes on someone!"
Liu Hao's smile paused for a moment. Without changing his expression, he replied, "Congratulations, ninth brother."
Liu Du saw that Liu Tan had also been chosen. He was happy and turned to congratulate Liu Tan. His words implied that he was envious of his good luck.
Yu Shu, on the other hand, did not feel excited. She used the rule of Time of Misfortune to be sure that the three people she had chosen were all on the list. The earlier the names were read out, the worse it would be.
Yu Shu didn't want to hear the name of the person she had chosen too early. However, after a moment, the imperial censor read out another person on Liu Tan's list.
"Eighteenth place, Taiyuan candidate, Duan Hengzhi …"
"Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Liu Tan was dealing with Liu Du. Suddenly, he heard someone congratulating him. With Helanchou's reminder, he knew that another person had been chosen. He couldn't hide the surprise on his face. He turned to look at Yu Shu. He wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
Since when did the talents of the Shuangyang Meeting become so easy to pick? His Youngest Aunt Master was a descendant of the Taoism Sect. She had extraordinary wisdom and a rare treasure in her hands. That was why she could recognize people at a glance. However, wasn't this Yu Shu a self-taught genius? Where did she get this ability?
Yu Shu was in a dilemma because of the two people's low rankings. She didn't notice Liu Tan's probing gaze.
On the other side, because of Liu Tan's second success, Liu Hao's eyes flashed with a hint of gloom. However, there were some people who had a screw loose in their heads. They talked in a loud voice, "How is it that the Ninth Prince is still so lucky without the help of that Fairy Master? Who do you think the lady on his banquet is? I heard that she has some relationship with Daozi."
Princess Xi Wen was sitting beside Ji Xingxuan. She had heard about the grudge between the Ji family and Yu Shu. Hearing these discussions and seeing Ji Xingxuan's cold expression, she snorted and attracted the attention of both sides. "I know that Lady Lianfang. She is also a candidate in this year's Dayan Examination. However, she doesn't seem to have a name on the list. She is just a regular customer. "
There were six subjects in the Dayan Examination. Other than Arithmetic which was unique, the other five subjects were: Anyone who passed one subject would be promoted to a Master of Changing. Anyone who passed two subjects in the same year would be promoted to a Great Master of Changing. If the customers wanted to be promoted, they could only rely on the Unique Arts.
As everyone knew, the Unique Arts was the most difficult of the six subjects.
In other words, Yu Shu didn't have much hope of being promoted this year.
When everyone heard this, they immediately lost interest in Yu Shu. The topic of conversation changed.
Xi Wen sneered. She turned to Ji Xingxuan and whispered in her ear, "Don't be disappointed by that kind of person. You are a Hideous Great Master of Changing, the most outstanding person in the Dayan Examination this year. Your future is limitless. Who can surpass you? Older Sister has higher standards. Don't always be fixated on those good-for-nothings."
Ji Xingxuan laughed at her words. She shook her head and said, "I know. Princess, don't be angry because of me."
Xi Wen pouted. She thought, 'How could Ji Xingxuan know about the grudge between me and Yu Shu?'
Yu Shu did not know that someone was talking about her. She was listening attentively to the censor who was slowly reading out the names. As the censor continued to read out the names, her heart started to beat faster and faster. She was so nervous that her palms were sweating from clenching her fists.
Eighth, no.
Seventh, no.
Sixth, still no.
Yu Shu's heart was in her throat. She wanted to urge the imperial censor to read faster, but she was afraid that Wen Shao An's name would come out too early. Her mouth was dry, but she didn't even dare to take a sip of tea.
"Fourth place, examinee of the Taishi Library, Sun Wu."
When Yu Shu heard this name, her brows furrowed. If she didn't remember incorrectly, this person was on Ning Wang's list.
As expected, in the next moment, she heard someone congratulate Liu Hao from upstairs. Turning to look, she saw that Liu Hao had already stood up. As he dealt with the compliments around him, he raised a cup of tea and offered it to Ji Xingxuan who was sitting at the Kun table. He said in a loud and clear voice, "Ben wang uses tea in place of wine to thank Kun seat."
This sentence, this cup of tea, was offered by a wang ye. It was obvious that he was trying to boost the popularity of Ji Xingxuan, the newly promoted Da Yi Master. Everyone present was a shrewd person. They understood Liu Hao's intentions and prepared to go with the flow. Just as they were preparing to say something nice, no one paid attention to the name that the imperial censor read out next.
But at this time, someone shouted in joy from upstairs, the voice loud and clear over everyone else, "Congratulations, Your Highness, the third member of Lian Zhong has obtained a fragrant husband!"
Everyone turned to look and saw a delicate and pretty young girl standing up from the Kun table beside Liu Tan. Her face was red as she congratulated Liu Tan. It was Yu Shu.
It turned out that just now, the imperial censor had read out Wen Shao 'an's name. He had just entered the third rank of the Odd Arts and was ranked as a fragrant husband!
When Yu Shu heard Wen Shao 'an's name, she was so excited that her face turned red. A fragrant husband. Even though he wasn't the champion, he was enough to help Liu Tan suppress Liu Hao. This was a big show!
When she shouted out, it destroyed the atmosphere that Liu Hao had just created. Ji Xingxuan was surrounded by a group of people and reservedly offered tea to Liu Hao. Her face immediately darkened and she looked coldly in the direction of Yu Shu.
The atmosphere upstairs immediately froze. Everyone stood there and were in a dilemma. For a moment, they didn't know if they should first cater to Liu Hao or congratulate the winner of today's competition, Liu Tan.
In this moment of silence, no one saw the imperial censor turn his head to look at the name cards hanging on the notice board and then compare them to the list in his hand. He cleared his throat and slowly announced, "Second place, Yangzhou's Yiyang Examinee, Yu Shu."
Qiongyu Tower wasn't very tall. The third floor was only a little over three meters above the ground. This imperial censor wasn't very old, but he was full of energy. Standing on the three foot high stage, the surroundings were quiet, so his voice was especially loud.
Yu Shu was extremely happy because Wen Shao 'an had obtained the third rank. Coincidentally, she heard her name coming from downstairs. She had a confused expression and looked left and right, thinking that someone was calling her.
The first to react was actually Liu Tan. He was only stunned for a moment before he stood up from his chair. His expression was one of surprise and joy. He asked Yu Shu with uncertainty, "Miss Yu is from Yangzhou's Yiyang Examinee?"
Yu Shu nodded. Her eyes blinked and suddenly widened.
When Liu Tan saw her reaction, he couldn't help but laugh. He squinted his eyes and looked at her with a different gaze. However, he said in a light tone, "Congratulations to Miss for obtaining the third rank."
Helan Chou also stood up to congratulate her and laughed as he cupped his hands at Yu Shu.
Yu Shu's blood rushed to her head and her face was flushed red. She felt that everything that had happened wasn't real. She had actually passed the exam!
Moreover, she was ranked second before Wen Shao 'an. She was worthy of Hideous!
What a great prize!
Although Yu Shu wasn't on Liu Tan's list, she was still Liu Tan's guest. Being a guest at the table was also an honor. Moreover, she had just obtained the third rank, so she already had a fragrant husband. With the addition of Hideous, wouldn't it be four more happy events? Compared to not long ago, when Liu Tan, with Shui Yun's help, won the first rank in one fell swoop, it wasn't inferior at all!
The people sitting upstairs were all people who knew when the wind blew. When they heard that the momentum had shifted to Liu Tan, they forgot about the stalemate earlier. One by one, they went to congratulate Liu Tan and Yu Shu. The sound of congratulations rang out incessantly, and Ji Xingxuan, who was like the moon surrounded by stars, was left out in the cold.
Ji Xingxuan stood there awkwardly. She forced a smile and pretended to sit back down as if nothing had happened.
"All of you should be quiet. Didn't you see that even the imperial censor can't speak? The champion hasn't come out yet." Xi Wen suddenly poured a bucket of cold water on them. Her hand squeezed Ji Xingxuan's arm under the table, hinting for her not to be impatient.
The group of people then realized that the imperial censor hadn't spoken for a long time and was left out in the cold.
Liu Hao maintained his composure and waved his hand downstairs, "Will the imperial censor please continue to read the results."
The imperial censor's expression was strange. He held the results and studied it with his colleague beside him for a while. He cupped his hands and reported upstairs, "Replying to Prince Ning, this year's Da Yuan Qi Arts examination has an empty first rank. There is no one above Hideous."
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