Chapter 189 The Sky Collapses

The parade of Jinshi scholars is held every four years, and both sides of Chang'an Avenue are already filled with people who come to watch the fun.

Even some dignitaries were waiting at their doorsteps early in the morning.

Although the top scholar of this session was snatched away by the royal family, there should be some other Jinshi who have never married.

If you take a fancy to one, you must be quick when the parade is over, otherwise you will be caught and taken to your mansion.

This parade was unprecedented in grandeur.

After all, it is common to have top scorers in the imperial examinations, but it is rare to have top scorers in all six subjects.

From afar, a luxurious carriage was seen slowly approaching, and the crowd cheered.

"The top scholar is really a man of both talent and appearance!"

"Hey, why are there two women on the float? Isn't it said that only the No. 1 scholar's wife can travel with the No. 1 scholar?"

"Didn't you hear the imperial edict just now?"

"I heard it, but I didn't understand..."

"Your Majesty has already arranged for Princess An Ning to marry the new number one scholar. It's normal for a number one scholar to have two wives sitting in the same car, right?"

"He really deserves to be the top scholar in six subjects. He already has a wife and can marry a princess. Your Majesty is so kind to him."

"That's six top-ranked subjects. If you have the ability to take one, you can also receive such grace..."

…

At first, some people were curious when they saw the top scholar surrounded by beauties on the float.

Someone soon explained the reason to them.

At the grand court meeting at the beginning of the year, His Majesty said in person that he wanted to choose a top scholar as his son-in-law.

There is only one top scorer in the six subjects, so of course there is no choice.

The emperor could not take back his words, so he really married the princess to him, and also conferred a royal title on his original wife, making her his wife along with the princess.

This kind of thing has never happened before.

This shows how much importance Your Majesty attaches to the top scholars in the six subjects.

A child watched the float pass by, listened to the discussions of the onlookers, looked up at his mother, and said innocently: "Mom, I want to pass the imperial examination and marry a princess in the future!"

The woman beside him smiled and touched his head, saying, "Then you should study hard. If you become the top scholar in the future, you can also be as glorious as the top scholar..."

The child nodded vigorously, the seed of imperial examination already planted in his heart.

Among the crowd, there were many candidates who failed the exam.

Looking at others riding on floats and parading in Chang'an, they were filled with envy.

While feeling envious, I also secretly swore in my heart that I must pass the imperial examination in this life and enjoy the admiration of everyone.

On the floats, the newly-appointed scholars were extremely excited and could not help but think of the poem by the number one scholar.

The filthiness of the past is not worth boasting about, but today my unbridled thoughts have no limits.

The horse gallops in the spring breeze, and I can see all the flowers in Chang'an in one day.

Isn’t what the poem says a reflection of their mood at the moment?

Even the children of wealthy families, who had seen the world, could not help feeling a little elated when they heard the cheers of the people, looked at the envious expressions of the failed candidates, and were bathed in the admiring eyes of the women in Chang'an.

This kind of satisfaction cannot be bought with any amount of money or power.

Everyone is equal before the imperial examination.

Even if the family is powerful and wealthy enough to rival a country, if they want to ride on this float and parade, they can only rely on their own abilities.

The float was not moving very fast, and many bold women reached into their arms and threw their handkerchiefs towards the float.

This is also the custom of the previous Jinshi parade.

The float where the top scholar is located naturally has the most handkerchiefs.

But every time a handkerchief was about to be thrown up, it would be blocked by an invisible force. The scented handkerchief would lightly fall to the ground and be ruthlessly crushed by the carriage behind, just like the hearts of these women.

The women in Chang'an looked at the two figures sitting next to the number one scholar and felt extremely envious.

If they could ride on the top scholar's float, their life would not be lived in vain.

Li Nuo sat in the carriage. The joy of being the top scorer in six subjects was far less than that of holding An Ning in one hand and his wife in the other.

Li Anning walked along and waved all the way.

In comparison, the lady was much calmer, but the fleeting joy in her eyes was still keenly captured by Li Nuo.

Even the most ruthless mental method cannot completely erase people's most basic emotions.

The carriage drove to a certain place and slowly stopped.

An official from the Ministry of Rites said, "The number one scholar has returned home!"

Li Nuo got off the carriage first, then stretched out his hand and took his wife and An Ning up respectively.

Becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination is undoubtedly a matter of honor for the family. The top scholar has to go to the family ancestral temple to worship, while officials from the Ministry of Rites and other Jinshi candidates wait outside the door.

Lu Sheng, a doctor from the Ministry of Rites, stood at the door and said to Li Nuo, "Mr. Number One Scholar, please try to keep your time within half a quarter of an hour."

Li Nuo nodded, and walked into the Li Mansion with his wife and An Ning.

A red carpet has been laid on the floor of Li's mansion, and lights and decorations are hung everywhere in the house.

Surrounded by the servants and maids of the Li Mansion, Li Nuo and them walked to the ancestral hall and paid homage to the ancestors of the Li family. When they were returning along the same route, Song Jiaren walked into a courtyard and walked out after a while.

When enemies meet, they are particularly jealous of each other.

Song Yiren looked at Li Anning beside Li Nuo and asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Li An Ning was slightly startled, but soon realized something and frowned, "Why are you wearing the top scholar's wife's dress? Where's Sister Jia Ren?"

Song Yiren snorted coldly and said, "That's my sister, not your sister. I can wear her clothes if I want to. Is it your business?"

Li Anning smiled coldly and said, "I'm sorry, but I really have no business caring..."

…

A moment later, three figures walked out of Li's house and got back on the float.

The parade continues.

While Song Yiren was still confused, she heard people talking.

"He won the first place in the imperial examination and married a princess. What more could a man ask for in life?"

"Your Majesty not only married the princess to the number one scholar, but also conferred an imperial decree on the number one scholar's wife. You are truly a royal family, and this is such a generous act!"

"I heard that the Ministry of Rites is planning a grand wedding for the three of them. This should be the first time that a princess is marrying someone else..."

The voices of the people's discussions were audible.

Song Yiren's face was pale.

She felt like the sky was falling.

The title of Lady of Imperial Noble Consort, a grand wedding, all these should have been hers!

It’s bad enough that her sister stole her husband, but now a princess comes!

Why is her life so miserable...

"Hey, why is Mrs. Zhuangyuan crying?"

"I think it's tears of emotion. I thought I married a fool, but I ended up marrying a top scholar. It's been hard work, but it's finally sweet. If I were in your shoes, I'd cry too..."

"Even crying is so beautiful. No wonder the top scholar wrote so many poems for her. She totally deserves those descriptions."

…

Listening to people's discussions, Song Yiren couldn't stop crying.

Compared with Song Yiren, who was looking tearful, Li Anning on the other side had a look of smugness on his face.

She greeted the people on the street enthusiastically, and every wave would cause cheers.

Song Yiren took a deep breath, silently wiped the tears from her face, and waved to the people on her side. The float drove by with cheers all the way.

The second floor of Yuyin Pavilion.

Phoenix leaned against the window, watching the floats passing by on the street below, and couldn't help but feel a little envious.

Nightingale came over and said with a smile: "How come the Phoenix, who is the best in the world in terms of charm, has also been seduced by the number one scholar?"

Phoenix didn't speak.

Although she has many identities, she is first and foremost a woman.

Top scorer in six subjects.

Six subjects are excellent.

This shows that he was proficient in calligraphy, painting, law, mathematics, etiquette, music, riding and shooting, and he was also a good poet. If he wanted to, he could make a woman famous for her beauty through the ages.

What's more, he has a distinguished family background and is so handsome.

Which woman wouldn't want to marry a husband like this?

If she were Song Yiren, she would be furious if her husband was snatched away from her.

She suddenly understood the second young lady of the Song family.

Seeing that she didn't refute him, Nightingale was surprised and said, "No way, do you really like him? Although he is very talented, his strength is too weak..."

Phoenix glanced at Nightingale and said calmly, "You are just a crude warrior who can only shoot arrows. What do you know?"

Nightingale said angrily, "Jiang Dai'er, try calling me vulgar again!"

Fenghuang rolled her eyes at her and asked, "Then tell me, besides archery, what else can you do? Playing the piano, painting, flower arranging, dancing. If you can do any of these, I will never call you vulgar again..."

Nightingale couldn't refute and said, "Since you like him so much, just marry him. He is the top scholar in six subjects and has a bright future. His father is the most powerful official in Daxia. If you can marry him, you will control the Li family in the future, and there is no need to worry about not achieving great things."

After thinking carefully, Phoenix shook his head slightly.

A fourth-level martial arts genius, a fourth-level princess of the Legalist family, and a fourth-level sister-in-law are entangled. No one in their family is a good person. She has no confidence in controlling them...

The float walked to the end of Chang'an Avenue and then turned back.

When passing by Li's house, Li Nuo got off the car again and put a paper plate with the name of Li's ancestor back into the ancestral hall.

By the way, let my wife and Song Yiren switch back.

A figure walked out of the courtyard. Li Nuo took her hand and felt warmth instead of coldness. He looked at Song Yiren and asked in surprise, "Why didn't you change it back?"

Song Yiren said: "She said she doesn't want to bother anymore."

Li Nuo glanced into the room and it really sounded like what his wife would say.

As time was limited, he had to take Song Yiren with him in the car.

When the floats arrived at the palace gate, the parade was over.

Li Anning and Song Yiren jumped off the carriage, looked at each other, snorted coldly, and turned their heads away.

Lu Sheng, a doctor from the Ministry of Rites, came over and was about to tell Li Nuo about the Qionglin Banquet in the evening, but when he saw this scene, he was stunned.

Her Royal Highness the Princess and the No. 1 Scholar's wife seem to be at odds with each other...

Li Anning glanced at him, realized something, and immediately put on a smile. He enthusiastically took Song Yiren's hand and said, "Sister Jiaren, you look so beautiful today..."

She leaned close to Song Yiren's ear and said in a low voice, "Don't look so stern. We are outside. Don't let outsiders laugh at you!"

Even if the sky is falling, you still have to make her laugh.

But what the busty woman said did make sense, so even though she was about to cry out of grievance, Song Yiren still forced a smile and said, "No, Sister An Ning is still prettier..."

(End of this chapter)