The turmoil of selecting a prince consort and a royal consort began grandly and ended abruptly.

A loving father's heart ultimately triumphed over royal pride.

The emperor couldn't bear to see his own child suffer, so he decided to wait another year.

Next year, he will definitely not be influenced by his rebellious son again!

Although the emperor has stopped choosing a prince consort and a consort, he has not given up on the crown princess.

Regarding the selection of the Crown Princess, the Emperor decided to use the process of elimination.

Women of marriageable age were first identified by classifying them into categories from highest to lowest, and by classifying them into categories from highest to lowest, and then those eligible were eliminated one by one.

As for noble ladies, they were excluded by the emperor from the very beginning.

If the imperial power is to break free from the shackles of aristocratic families, it must never allow noblewomen from such families to become future empresses.

Among the noble families, the Duke of the First Rank held the highest status. However, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had no women of marriageable age, and even if it did, the emperor would not choose them, so it was directly excluded.

There are a few young ladies in the Duke of Anguo's mansion who are about the same age as Ye Jingchen, but the Duke of Anguo's mansion is his maternal clan. Those girls are either his older or younger cousins ​​in this body. How could he dare to marry them?

Therefore, he had already informed his maternal grandfather and uncle that the Duke of Anguo's family would not participate in this election.

He had also warned Wu Zemin and Gu Beichen beforehand not to get involved in the matter, because if they did, they might be caught in the crossfire.

This time, the information presented to the emperor regarding the selection of the Crown Princess was exceptionally comprehensive, even more detailed than the previous selections of prince consorts and imperial sons-in-law, to the point that the emperor found it disheartening.

But he couldn't tell the Imperial Guards that their investigation was too detailed, since being detailed was a sign of their dedication.

However, going into too much detail also exposes all the shortcomings.

So he spent half a month looking at information until he was dizzy and his eyes were blurry, but he couldn't find a single suitable one.

After months of searching, I ended up with nothing.

August arrived in the blink of an eye, and the imperial court focused its attention on the provincial and ministerial examinations.

The emperor was tempted again by the prospect of taking the provincial examination.

The autumn imperial examination is followed immediately by the spring imperial examination. The spring imperial examination has a tradition of selecting a son-in-law after the results are announced. Perhaps he can take the initiative in the palace examination and choose two sons-in-law.

He realized he had misunderstood before. The choice of a prince consort did not necessarily have to be made from among noble families. As long as he was talented, of good character, and good-looking, he could marry a princess.

Family background doesn't matter; no matter how good the family background is, it can't surpass his daughter's!

As for the selection of the Second Prince's consort, he left it to Consort Chen, telling her to take her time and choose carefully.

The provincial examination is held on the ninth day of the eighth lunar month. The person who ranks first in the provincial examination is called the Jieyuan.

They went together to see Gu Beichen off to the exam. As someone about to enter the exam hall, Gu Beichen was very calm and stood out among the many candidates.

In the capital, who doesn't know that this child prodigy is the most popular candidate to be the top scholar in this autumn imperial examination!

Watching him enter the examination hall, Ye Jingchen felt particularly sorry that there were no cameras in this era to record this meaningful moment.

After all, this is the highest honor in the imperial examinations!

Since the founding of the Daeyu Kingdom, there has never been a single person who achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations.

Let alone Da Yuan, in his era, the imperial examination system lasted for more than 1,300 years, and only seventeen people achieved the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations. In some ways, this was more prestigious than that of an average emperor.

"Your Highness, it's just seeing Gu Beichen off to the exam, why are you so agitated?" Yun Shu was startled by Ye Jingchen's tearful appearance and asked speechlessly.

"Of course I'm excited! This is a real-life example of someone achieving the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations! He's even become a study companion in the Eastern Palace. For at least the next ten years, I, the Crown Prince, will probably benefit from his success!" Ye Jingchen said with a smile.

Yun Shu shrugged. "Although Gu Beichen is indeed very capable, Your Highness, you have far too much confidence in him. He has only just entered the examination hall, and Your Highness already thinks he can achieve the highest score in all three levels?"

"I have the ability to foresee the future. He will definitely pass the imperial examination with top honors. Do you want to make a bet with me?" Ye Jingchen teased Yun Shu.

"No need for bets!" Yun Shu waved her hands repeatedly, then leaned closer to Ye Jingchen and asked furtively, "Since Your Highness has the ability to foresee the future, could you please foresee whether I will pass the academy exam?"

"Uh... this..." Ye Jingchen hesitated for a moment.

How could he know whether Yun Shu had passed the imperial examination at the county level, or in which year? It wasn't written in the book.

Even if he wrote it down, he couldn't possibly remember something like that!

All he knew was that Yun Shu later became a heartbreaker, enjoying fortune telling for noble ladies and women of all ages.

Ye Jingchen gestured to Xie Chang'an with his eyes.

Xie Chang'an definitely knows whether Yun Shu passed the exam or not!

Xie Chang'an gave Ye Jingchen a look that was hard to describe.

In her previous life, Yun Shu did not serve as the Crown Prince's study companion; she studied at the Imperial Academy and is currently taking the prefectural examination!

"It seems His Highness's precognitive abilities aren't very good!" Yun Shu pouted.

Ye Jingchen patted Yun Shu's head. "You're asking me this kind of question? Don't you have to pass the exam? If you can't even earn the title of Xiucai (a lower-level scholar), how will you go on your study tour with Jingyu next year?!"

"I don't understand what studying abroad has to do with becoming a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations)? Why can't I go on a study abroad trip if I didn't pass the Xiucai exam?!" Yun Shu wailed.

"Of course it's related. If you don't even have the title of a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), how will you support the family name of the Marquis of Zhongyong in the future?" Ye Jingchen patted his head again.

After taking the picture, he felt a strong gaze on his hand, just like when he patted Yun Shu's forehead earlier.

He turned his head and looked at Xie Chang'an, just in time to see him turn his gaze away.

Despite her age, she's still quite jealous; no wonder she and Ye Jinghe don't get along.

A few days after seeing Gu Beichen off, it will be Yun Shu's turn to take her exam.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just do what you're good at, and there won't be any problems," Ye Jingchen comforted him before he entered the examination room.

Although he told Yun Shu that he couldn't go on the study tour with Ye Jingyu if he didn't pass the imperial examination, this was just to motivate Yun Shu. Even if he didn't pass the examination, the study tour plan would still proceed as scheduled.

When Ye Jingyu went to the Ji family's headquarters in Yongzhou, he couldn't do without a lovable, lively, thick-skinned, and daring companion. Although Ye Jingyu himself was also very cute, the two cuties together would have an even better effect.

Ye Jingyu will also be on this study tour.

With the Ji family in charge, Yongzhou is considered one of the more peaceful and prosperous places among the Nine Provinces. It is quite active in both the spread of culture and economic development.

Setting up a girls' academy in Yongzhou would be very suitable, and it would be even better if the Ji family could provide support.

This means that someone needs to negotiate with the Ji family.

Neither Ye Jingyu nor Yun Shu's identities were suitable, and Ye Jingshu needed to stay in the capital. Therefore, only Ye Jingyu, who had always served as Ye Jingshu's strategist, offered her advice, and had experience in building a girls' academy, remained.