He suddenly changed the subject, "I heard that the third sister has some connection with this year's top scholar Yu Zhanxing. Was she originally raised in his home?"

Yu Jiao was not prepared for him to mention Yu Qizhe. She had heard from her elder sister that Cui Mubai had been the prince's companion and was now a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy. He and Yu Qizhe, who were also in the Hanlin Academy, were in the same official office. After chewing on the words "Zhanxing", she said to Cui Mubai, "He is my fifth brother."

"I've never heard him mention it. Yu Zhanxing and I work in the Hanlin Academy. He is very talented, but unfortunately, for some reason, the emperor only gave him the seventh-rank editor position." Cui Mubai sounded regretful.

Yu Jiao's eyes revealed confusion. She had no idea about the size of the official position that Yu Qizhe would hold after passing the imperial examination. She just thought that as long as Yu Qizhe could enter the prestigious Hanlin Academy, his future would be worry-free.

Cui Mubai smiled and said in detail, "This year's runner-up Song Ziqian and Yu Zhanxing both entered the Hanlin Academy, but he is a sixth-rank attendant reader, and he can serve the emperor in Fengtian Hall every day. Even the third-place winner Xiao Yantai entered the Ministry of Rites and is also the sixth-rank director of the Ministry of Rites's Guest and Guest Bureau."

Yu Jiao felt disappointed after hearing this and clenched the handkerchief in her hand. She had thought that Yu Qizhe had won the top three places in the imperial examination and was ranked first in the class, and he would be able to thrive in the officialdom. She didn't expect that those who ranked worse than him would hold better positions than him. He must have felt bad about such a gap.

"How could this happen?" Yu Jiao asked subconsciously.

When Cui Mubai saw her face change, he knew that the rumors were indeed true. The third young lady of the Yu family and the fifth young master Yu really had a deep brother-sister relationship. No wonder Liu Ci Fu had specifically asked him to take care of Yu Zhanxing in the Hanlin Academy.

"I don't really know the reason." Cui Mubai pushed aside the laurel branches hanging beside the path and said as he walked with Yu Jiao, "I heard that during the palace examination, the emperor used the theory of furnace fire cultivation to test me, and I answered appropriately at the time, which made the emperor smile. Later, I was appointed as the top scholar."

Cui Mubai smiled warmly, "It's an interesting story. On the day of the palace examination, my father-in-law and Master Cheng had a dispute in the palace. Master Cheng seemed to appreciate Editor Yu very much and tried his best to persuade the emperor to select Editor Yu as the top scholar. My father-in-law thought that Editor Yu was as beautiful as the breeze and the moon, and as bright as a delicate orchid and a jade tree, and was worthy of the title of Third Scholar. Later, under the strong recommendation of Master Cheng, the emperor personally selected Editor Yu as the top scholar. I think he also appreciated Editor Yu's talent, but I don't know why he treated Editor Yu so coldly when appointing a vacancy."

Ever since her relationship with Yu Qizhe faded, Yu Jiao deliberately avoided inquiring about anything related to him, and had no idea what happened during the palace examination. However, when she heard Cui Mubai say that Liu Yu had argued with Cheng Ying during the palace examination and wanted Yu Qizhe to only be the third place in the imperial examination, Yu Jiao suddenly felt that there must be a deeper meaning behind it. Her father would not deliberately suppress Yu Qizhe, of this Yu Jiao was sure.

However, Cheng Ying recommended Yu Qizhe as the top scholar for no reason. His actions really made people think more.

Cui Mubai pursed his lips, hesitated for a while, and then said, "A few days ago, I ran into a man who was also a Jinshi this year. He seemed to be an old acquaintance of Yu Bianxiu from the same hometown, but his character was quite low. He spoke very harshly, mocking Yu Bianxiu for being a Jinshi at the bottom of the list and being able to work as a sixth-rank official in Guanglu Temple. Yu Bianxiu was very good-tempered and didn't pay much attention to him."

When Yu Jiao heard that the man was an old acquaintance from the same hometown, she guessed who he was. It turned out that Chen Rou's brother Chen Zhiqing had also passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi.

Yu Jiao was angry. What right did Chen Zhiqing have to laugh at Yu Qizhe? In order to go to Beijing for the imperial examination, the family kept the death of their elder a secret. They were so unfilial and selfish. He was not as good as Yu Qizhe in the provincial examination, and he was at the bottom in the metropolitan examination. He didn't even have the chance to see the emperor in the palace examination. He had the audacity to ridicule Yu Qizhe shamelessly.

Cui Mubai took in her expression and guided her, "Zhang Yin Cheng is a favorite of His Majesty. Third sister is valued by Cheng Zhangyin and has a say in front of Cheng Zhangyin. If Third sister can say a few good words for Editor Yu in front of Cheng Zhangyin, I think Editor Yu's situation will be much better."

Cui Mubai's words surprised Yu Jiao. She didn't think she had a say in front of Cheng Ying. Although she was Cheng Ying's adopted daughter now, they were very unfamiliar with each other. Relying on this fictitious title, she asked Cheng Ying to do things without knowing the limits. She really didn't know her own weight.

Furthermore, Yu Qizhe was a genuine scholar-official who had studied hard and entered the officialdom based on his real talent and knowledge. How could he associate with eunuchs?

Yu Jiao didn't think much about it, just thinking it was a casual remark from Cui Mubai, and said, "As a girl, I don't know much about officialdom. Although I call Cheng Zhangyin my foster father now, I am very afraid of him in my heart. I am always afraid that I will say something wrong and make him angry, so I dare not say these things to him."

Cui Mubai smiled and said, "Since Third Sister has been adopted as the daughter of Master Cheng, she is naturally different from others in Master Cheng's eyes. How could she be unhappy over such trivial matters? Third Sister, you don't know that if Master Cheng is willing to promote Editor Yu, his career will be very successful."