54 Chapter 54

◎The spring breeze is full of joy◎

On March 17th, the emperor announced the names of the candidates in the Golden Palace, conferred positions according to their rankings, and allowed the new scholars to ride horses in a parade through the streets.

The number one scholar and other successful candidates kowtowed to thank the emperor for his grace, wore flowers in their hair and colorful clothes, and rode horses to see all the flowers in Chang'an. 【1】

The streets of Kyoto were deserted just to catch a glimpse of the talented man who had passed the imperial examination and rose to fame.

The number one scholar was wearing a red robe, a black gauze hat with golden flowers on his head, and riding a tall horse. As he walked through the street with great bearing, flower petals fluttered down from the sky. When he looked up, he saw that they were flowers thrown by the young ladies gathered on the pavilion.

A hand as white as jade picked up a flower branch in her arms, and she lowered her head to sniff it, causing another commotion in the pavilion, and more petals fell.

The newly-appointed scholar standing nearby was also implicated and was hit on the head by several branches.

Jiang Jingyun smiled as he dodged, "Brother Zhengbai is indeed a handsome young man. After today, I wonder how many ladies will dream of him."

Zhang Zhengbai held his arms full of flowers and replied with a smile: "In terms of appearance, the third place winner is not much inferior."

Jiang Jingyun pointed at her hair bun and pointed at the golden flower on Zhang Zhengbai's head. "Compared to you, I am still a little behind today. Congratulations, Brother Zhengbai."

Zhang Zhengbai said modestly: "There is no first in literature and no second in martial arts. It's just my luck, so congratulations to you."

The two of them traveled side by side.

Suddenly, someone was heard calling Jiang Jingyun's name.

Looking up, I saw another basket of flowers pouring down on my head.

Before he saw anyone, he heard his younger brother's excited voice breaking: "Ahhhhhhh, big brother, you are so great! You are the best in our family!"

“Fifth brother, good job!” The second brother Jiang shouted while wiping his tears with his sleeve, “Wow, my Jiang family’s ancestral grave is probably going to be burning with smoke this time, my brother is really awesome… Wow… Mom and Dad will be so happy if they know…”

Xiao Muyan didn't say anything, but just smiled and gently threw the most beautiful flower in his hand to him.

Jiang Jingyun reached out to catch the flower, smiled and waved to them: "I'll be back soon."

The talented scholars rode their horses all the way to the guild hall, where they dispersed.

When they returned to the courtyard, the family had already prepared a banquet to celebrate, waiting for the three to return.

In addition to Zhang Zhengbai, who won the top spot in the imperial examination and was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, Jiang Jingyun, who won the third place in the imperial examination and was appointed as an editor in the Hanlin Academy, Su Yuheng also passed the imperial examination and was appointed as a Shujishi. All three of them were on the list this time and were very happy.

Everyone raised their glasses and drank heartily.

At the end of the drinking, Su Yuheng, who was already drunk, lay on Zhang Zhengbai and cried bitterly: "Wuwuwu... I finally passed the exam... No one knows how much pressure I felt being sandwiched between you two... Wuwuwu... Fortunately, I didn't fall behind..."

Zhang Zhengbai was also drunk, and with his remaining consciousness he patted Su Yuheng's back, imitating the way they usually spoke, and said incoherently: "Don't cry, you're great too!"

"Hmm... burp..." Su Yuheng hiccuped while crying and slowly fell asleep on Zhang Zhengbai's shoulder. He was still unaware of the situation and was still saying "You are awesome", "Very good", "I admire you" over and over again. It seemed that he was at the end of his strength.

Jiang Jingyun was holding a wine jug and grinning foolishly. When he saw that there was no movement from the other side, he pointed at them and shouted, "What are you two doing? Get up and keep drinking. We won't stop until we're drunk tonight~!"

The man who stood up was unsteady, and was supported by Xiao Muyan who was standing beside him. He took away the wine jug he was holding tightly in his arms and coaxed him, "You are drunk. Be good, we will drink again tomorrow."

"I'm not drunk~!" Jiang Jingyun's eyes were blurry, and he was still shouting, "I can still drink~! I~can~drink~a thousand cups~and never get drunk!"

"Well, you're the best," Xiao Muyan coaxed him, "Then let's go back to the room and continue drinking, okay?"

"Let's go back to the room and drink?" The drunken man looked up at him.

"Yeah." Xiao Muyan responded.

"Oh, okay." Jiang Jingyun took a few seconds to react before nodding slowly and raising his hands towards Xiao Muyan, "I want a hug."

Xiao Muyan smiled and picked him up, then looked at Brother Jiang: "Brother, please help send them back to their room. They are all very drunk tonight, so it's best to leave someone to look after them."

"Who is your second brother? Why are you yelling nonsense?" Second Brother Jiang stared at Xiao Muyan with dissatisfaction, but seeing Jiang Jingyun who was drunk in his arms, he compromised and waved his hand, "I will arrange it here, get out now!"

Back in the room, when they were alone.

The drunkard was still restless while sitting on the bed, looking around for the wine jug, "Where's the wine? Didn't you say you wanted to continue drinking?"

"Here," Xiao Muyan held a bowl of hangover soup and coaxed him softly, "Come, drink it while it's hot."

"Why does this wine smell weird?" Jiang Jingyun took a sniff and shook his head, saying, "I don't like it. Change it back to the one I just drank!"

"Once you finish that kind, you have to wait a while before you can buy it back. This is a new wine on the market. Why don't you try it first?" Xiao Muyan lied without changing his expression.

"Really?" The drunkard hesitated as he looked at the bowl in front of him.

"Well, when have I ever lied to you? Come on, you who can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, drink it in one gulp!"

"Hehe... Tanhualang is fine!" Jiang Jingyun was coaxed into drinking the entire bowl of hangover soup. After finishing, he grinned and frowned and complained, "It's so unpalatable. This is fake wine. Don't buy their wine next time."

"Okay," Xiao Muyan replied with a smile. The drunk little raccoon cat was so cute. "Let's go buy it together after we wake up."

Jiang Jingyun didn't want to sleep. He seemed a little excited after getting drunk. He cheered and threw himself into Xiao Muyan's arms. His drunken voice was full of joy: "Xiao Muyan, I did it again! It's a pity that I didn't come in first this time, but I'm also very happy, hehehe..."

Xiao Muyan was also very happy. He hugged the person in his arms tightly and shared his joy with him. "To me, you will always be number one. You are my irreplaceable pride."

Others may only see Jiang Jingyun's current glory, but only Xiao Muyan knows clearly how hard he has worked, from no longer dozing off in class to staying awake late at night, step by step, with down-to-earth accumulation, he has achieved what he has today.

The head in his arms moved, Xiao Muyan chuckled, lowered his head and touched his nose lovingly, his voice hoarse and gentle, "Now everyone can see the results of your hard work, it's great."

"Well, thank you for always being with me." Jiang Jingyun put his arms around Xiao Muyan's neck, his drunken face was rosy, but he looked at him with a straightforward and passionate gaze, "It's best to have you. Xiao Muyan, let's make a pact after we go back."

Xiao Muyan was stunned for a moment, then a smile spread across his lips, "My dear..."

How can one not be happy when the treasure that has been carefully guarded can finally be stamped with one's own mark?

The wedding night, the time when one’s name is on the list of successful candidates. 【2】

Under the light, the figure swayed.

In the brocade tent, she coaxed him softly in a low voice.

Warm fragrance and soft jade, burning delusions.

The wine is surging and surging.

The swaying red candle burned all night, and the clouds and rain stopped when the morning light began to shine.

***

At noon, Jiang Jingyun finally woke up. His head was aching slightly from the hangover and his body felt as if it had been run over by a car.

He lay on his back on the bed like a broken doll, his eyes staring at the bed curtain above his head with no focus, his mind was blank.

As his mind woke up, the events of last night came to his mind bit by bit. He jumped up immediately out of shame, but was forced back to bed by the tearing pain under his body.

Hiss...it hurts!

Alcohol and sex can mislead people!

Jiang Jingyun rolled himself up into a "cricket pupa" and dared not face the reality.

Just as he was about to dig a hole in the bed so that he could jump down and leave this world, the door of the room creaked open.

When Xiao Muyan walked in, he saw a "Spring Roll" curled up on the bed. He smiled and put down the tray in his hand, walked over to dig the person out from under the quilt, "Why are you hiding yourself in there again?"

Jiang Jingyun was so shocked when he suddenly saw the face of the other protagonist from last night that his eyes widened and his gaze wandered. He stammered and said vaguely, "Why didn't you knock when you came in?"

"I didn't knock because I was afraid of waking you up. I'll be more careful next time." Xiao Muyan explained, reaching out to touch his forehead, "Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Can you get up? My second brother said that drinking some porridge after drinking can warm your stomach. Can you get up and eat something?"

"Oh..., I'm fine, I'll get up now." Jiang Jingyun dodged the extended hand uncomfortably and replied.

Looking at his avoided hand, Xiao Muyan was stunned for a moment and said, "Last night..."

As soon as the topic was brought up, Jiang Jingyun jumped up like a frightened bird, "Last night?! What happened last night?"

Seeing him like this, Xiao Muyan raised his eyebrows, "You don't remember anything?"

"No...I don't remember..." Jiang Jingyun replied guiltily.

"Oh..." Xiao Muyan lowered his eyebrows and looked gloomy. There was only endless loss in his voice, "It turns out that everything was just a dream of mine, and my joy was in vain..."

Jiang Jingyun: "..."

What's going on with this slight feeling of guilt? Why do I feel like a scumbag who has sex after drinking and then refuses to recognize me after waking up and pulling up his pants?

Wasn't he the one who suffered last night?

But seeing the man next to him who seemed to be shrouded in gloom, Jiang Jingyun couldn't bear it anymore, so he went over to pull his clothes and whispered, "Actually... I still remember a little bit..."

"Oh..." Xiao Muyan's voice was still light. He raised his head and looked at him, his eyes full of grievance. "So you regret it and don't want to take responsibility?"

"..." Jiang Jingyun looked away guiltily without answering.

Seeing this, Xiao Muyan was about to get up and leave, but he was pulled back by him and repeatedly assured, "I will take responsibility! I will definitely take responsibility!"

"Really?" Xiao Muyan turned his head and asked, his eyes filled with a smile that he could hardly suppress.

"Really, really!" Jiang Jingyun nodded in response like a chick pecking at rice.

Xiao Muyan smiled and sat back on the bed. He hugged him and asked, "Are you still feeling uncomfortable there? I checked it this morning and it's still a little red and swollen. I was too careless last night. I'll apply some medicine to you later... um..."

Jiang Jingyun's ears turned red with embarrassment, and she covered Xiao Muyan's mouth to stop him, "Don't say anymore... Let me take it slow..."

The person whose hand was covered blinked, indicating that he would not say anything more, and only then did Jiang Jingyun put his hand down.

"Then get up and eat something?"

"Well, I'll wash up first."

Xiao Muyan knew his living habits very well. He nodded and said, "Do you want me to carry you there?"

Jiang Jingyun shook his head and said stubbornly, "I can do it myself."

"Okay, then I'll bring the water over." After saying that, he stood up and brought the basin to the bedside.

"Well... I didn't get up so late, didn't my second brother and the others ask?"

"I asked," Xiao Muyan knew that he was shy, so he stopped teasing him and answered honestly, "I said you drank too much last night and couldn't get up for a while, and he didn't ask any more questions."

"Oh." Fortunately, the last bit of face was managed to be saved.

【Author’s words】

[1] "After Passing the Imperial Examination" by Tang Dynasty poet Meng Jiao: "I am so happy in the spring breeze that I ride my horse at a gallop. I can see all the flowers in Chang'an in one day."

[2] Wang Zhu, Song Dynasty: Four Joys: Rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the wedding night, and being named on the list of successful candidates.