Chapter 671: Top Scholar Parading the Street
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“Please announce the decree here. Our family is here,” Old Madam Wang suddenly replied from upstairs.
Ah Yu also looked up and saw Wang Wulang and the others hiding behind Old Madam Wang. They all gave her a thumbs up.
They didn’t expect that if their youngest sister, who looked the kindest and most lively, really became eloquent, ordinary people wouldn’t be able to withstand her.
Defeng Pavilion was also a royal property to begin with. He might be insulting the dignity of the royal family by announcing the imperial decree here.
Eunuch Xi did not come to announce the imperial decree this time, but to give an oral decree. What he said was that Wang Chuangui’s outstanding performance in the exam hall was not only appreciated by the Emperor, but also by some of the cabinet ministers present.
This was only a verbal praise and there was no actual reward. However, other examinees did not have this praise. In the future, if Wang Chuangui wanted to become an official, he would definitely obtain a better official position than the others.
Not to mention a person who had been personally praised by the cabinet ministers. As long as nothing unexpected happened, he could even be conferred a title of nobility in the future. He might even be able to leave a mark in the history books that records that he was a person of talent and virtue.
This was an honor that no amount of money could exchange for.
The oral decree did not mention the name Wang Chuangui, but his real name, Wang Chuheng.
Everyone originally thought that it was some young person. It was only when Ah Yu said, “Second Uncle is indeed powerful” that everyone understood that this was the Second Uncle that Village Lord Yu was talking about.
Look, he was really born into a farmer’s family. However, not only did he obtain the recognition of the Emperor, but his future was also limitless.
Those who were gossiping at the back felt their faces burn at this moment. They had never thought that the person they were originally discussing was not a bad student.
Wang Wulang called Ah Yu upstairs. Everyone was about to wait for Qin Huai and Wang Chuangui to return before starting the banquet when they realized that the students had not left. Instead, they were surrounding the Defeng Pavilion.
“Little Sister All Yu, why aren’t these people leaving? Did you say too much just now? Are they too ashamed now?” Wang Wulang was a little puzzled.
It was said that scholars were very thin-skinned, but Wang Wulang couldn’t see this trait in his family.
The Wang Family was very thick-skinned. If they were thin-skinned, many things would not be theirs.
Also, wasn’t it just a scolding? What was the big deal? It would be over after listening to it. It was their fortune to be able to listen to it, but it didn’t matter if they didn’t take the lesson to heart.
They had been scolded by Grandma since they were young and felt that Little Sister Ah Yu’s words were still too gentle. If Grandma said it, these people would probably dig a hole and hide in it.
Ah Yu also stuck her head out to look at the students. When the students saw Ah Yu’s head appear from the second floor, they opened their eyes slightly. Some students even bowed to Ah Yu.
“What else do you want?” Ah Yu asked.
One of the students mustered his courage and said, “Village Lord Yu, we know that we’re not worthy of talking to you. Just now, Village Lord’s words were like a siren of enlightenment, and we benefited greatly. May I ask if Village Lord is married? If not, I—”
“Hey, are you blind or deaf? Didn’t you just say that our Wang Family was going to climb up the thigh of Duke Yong Manor? The Young Lord of Duke Yong Manor is the grandson-in-law of our Wang Family. Who else can he marry? Of course it’s our Ah Yu!” Wang Wulang shouted loudly. Then, everyone reacted and looked at Ah Yu in shock. “The Young Lord of Duke Yong Manor?!”
Ah Yu :”…”
It turned out that after listening to their discussion for a long time, they had forgotten this important point.
Qin Huai was from the Duke Yong Manor. Old Madam Wang knew about this, and Liu Shi had also been informed by Old Madam Wang. Ah Yu also found out about it later. When the remaining people arrived in Wanning City, they could guess that Qin Huai’s status was not low.
Only Wang Wulang and the other Big Brothers were usually carefree and did not think too deeply about it.
When the students heard this, they understood and were all dejected.
Village Lord Yu looked very young indeed. They originally thought that she did not have a marriage partner arranged and thought that it was good to pull strings for their nephews. If Village Lord did not mind, it was not impossible for them to…
“Everyone, you have to know that there are no shortcuts in life. If there are, there will definitely be a price to pay. Now that the Great Chang is in urgent need of talents, if everyone really has the ambition to repay the country, why don’t you work hard? Don’t think about taking crooked paths and shortcuts. The Heavenly Dao is fair, so it naturally won’t let down the hardworking people.” After Ah Yu said that, she ignored the group of students.
She wanted to criticize these people, not be their teacher.
Some of the words she had said previously were summarized by All Yu usually, and some were learned from the stories she told. Whether they were useful or not, let them comprehend it themselves.
At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums came from afar. It turned out that the top scorer had started to parade through the streets, walking all the way from Three Thoughts Street to Defeng Pavilion.
Eunuch Xi, who had been invited to the second floor to drink tea, said with a smile, “This is the return of Top Scholar Qin and Rank 2 Scholar Wang.”
The main characters of the triumphal parade are not only the top scholar but also the top twenty candidates from the second place in the imperial examination. The top scholar rides a horse at the front, while the other candidates follow in open sedan chairs. Along the way, they scatter flowers, recite verses, and play music, circling the imperial city for a whole day in celebration.
Everyone could no longer care less about the liveliness here and went to watch the commotion of the top scholar parading the streets.
Qin Huai was the top scholar. He was wearing a red scholar uniform and a red square hat on his head. There were even flowers made of red silk tied around his waist. His face was smeared with water and powder. From afar, he looked like a monkey’s butt.
Fortunately, Qin Huai was extremely outstanding in his looks. It was rare to find such a handsome young man in Wanning City. The things on his face only made him look a little older and calmer.
As they paraded the streets, Qin Huai was expressionless and unsmiling. He formed a sharp contrast with the happy second to 20th rankers, flower scouts, and other imperial civil service examinees behind him.
The parade quickly arrived in front of Defeng Pavilion. Qin Huai stopped his horse and immediately saw Ah Yu on the second floor. He revealed a rare smile.
“Wow!”
The surrounding people couldn’t help but exclaim softly. When this young top scholar smiled, he was really quite good-looking.
Wang Wulang stuck his head out to take a look and curled his lips. When he became a top scholar in the future, he would also come to parade the streets and let Ah Yu sit on his top scholar horse in front of everyone.
He wanted everyone to see who doted on All Yu the most!
Ah Yu didn’t know what Wang Wulang was thinking. When she saw Qin Huai, she waved her hand happily. “Big Brother Ah You, I’m here!”
She balled her hands up, afraid that he could not hear her. “You’re so powerful!”
The corners of Qin Huai’s mouth curled up again. “Ma.”