Chapter 256 Banquet
On the day of the Lu Ming Banquet, the banquet was held in the evening, and Yangzhou City became lively in the early morning.
Especially those people who were selected to attend the banquet got up before dawn, changed into their most decent clothes, and repeatedly adjusted their robes, feeling excited and nervous.
Not only were all the officials of Yangzhou present at this banquet, but also a princess and a prince. Many people came from all over the place just to witness this grand occasion.
When the time came, the door of Zhuoxi Courtyard opened.
The imperial carriage set out, followed by a group of attendants. Many people stopped to watch, observing the carriage heading all the way to Tongjiang Academy.
The academy had already been decorated with lights and colorful decorations.
The newly-appointed scholars wore brand new robes and sat down in order with the selected students and common people.
The scholars gathered together to talk and discuss, and the common people also gathered together to whisper.
Officials of all ranks in Yangzhou, teachers from the academy, and the two masters of the Nian family were also greeting each other.
Nian Zhaoyun's face was flushed with rosy red, and you couldn't tell at all that many people had just died in his family.
Until the sound of drums and music started, the imperial carriage slowly arrived and everyone stood up to greet it.
Qu Ling sat down in the main seat and everyone knelt in greeting.
She raised her hand to indicate she should stand, then took her seat and raised her wine cup. "I have been in Jiangnan for a long time and will be returning to Beijing soon. I am hosting this banquet to congratulate the newly-appointed candidates, to encourage those who failed, and to wish the people prosperity and well-being."
She paused for a moment and said jokingly, "If there is another boycott of the next exam in Jiangnan, I will come again."
It is unknown what others felt, but Nian Zhaoyun almost knocked over the wine cup by accident.
Coming again?
Please don’t let the King of Hell come.
He immediately stood up, bowed, and said in a clear voice, "Princess, rest assured. The students in Jiangnan will study diligently and will never do such absurd things again."
Qu Ling smiled, raised his head and drank the wine in the glass, "Everyone, please do as you please."
Then he put down his wine glass and only occasionally whispered a few words to Chi Yuan.
This made Nian Zhaoyun feel very uneasy.
He had managed Tongjiang Academy in perfect order these days, and he fully believed that the princess held this Luming Banquet to publicly announce that he would take over the position of the principal. How come there was no movement at all?
The students also have different thoughts.
Especially those who had doubts about Mo Yu winning the first place, they thought that the princess would use the banquet to let everyone compete to dispel the rumors, but now she didn't even mention it.
Only the people who were invited didn't have so many concerns.
Seeing that the distinguished person in the main seat did not say anything, he simply let go and focused on eating.
Crispy braised duck with soy sauce, crab meat and spring rolls with three shreds of crab meat, although these are not rare and precious, it is difficult for ordinary people to eat them once a year.
There was a commotion at the table.
Qu Ling raised her head and glanced at the officials' seats. "Why hasn't the governor arrived yet?"
The Chief Secretary came out and said, "Yesterday, the archives room in the government office almost caught fire. Fortunately, the fire was put out as soon as it started. But somehow, the governor's official room also caught fire. He was frightened and returned home early. I guess he hasn't recovered for a while."
Qu Ling looked at Pei Jingming and asked, "Did you do it?"
Pei Jingming raised his eyebrows and said, "I did it."
"In that case, send someone to the Governor's Mansion to take a look."
During the banquet, one student finally couldn't contain his excitement. "Princess, all the students from Jiangnan are gathered here today, and the newly crowned champion is also here. How about you host a literary competition? It would allow those of us who failed to take the exam to share in the joy of the champion, and it would also add some fun to the banquet. What do you think, Princess?"
Many people nodded secretly.
Finally getting to the point.
According to common sense, Qu Ling should have gone with the flow, which would have been fair and would have allowed Mo Yu to clear his name.
Even Mo Yu himself straightened his back and prepared himself.
She had expected that she would not be able to avoid this battle today.
Unexpectedly, Qu Ling shook his head calmly and said, "No need."
The student obviously hadn't expected to be rejected. A look of surprise flashed across his face, and then he asked, "Could it be that the princess is afraid that Miss Mo's skills are inferior to others and she will lose to us?"
Qu Ling's expression instantly became subtle, and he glanced at him with a half-smile, "Mo Yu is the top scorer, and you're just a failure. How can you be so sure that she will lose to you?"
"Since you're not afraid, why can't we compete?"
Qu Ling's reluctance made the student feel that Mo Yu had no real talent or knowledge at all.
She turned to look at Mo Yu, "Are you willing to compete with him?"
Mo Yu stood up and nodded calmly, "Yes."
Qu Ling then turned back and said to the student, "If you win, I will reward you with 100 taels of gold and recommend you to study at the Imperial Academy."
The student's eyes lit up, and he was about to agree, but then Qu Ling changed the subject, "But if you lose, what will you give me to satisfy me?"
The student was stunned.
He never thought about what he would pay if he lost.
In his opinion, winning would prove that Mo Yu cheated and shake her position as the top scorer.
If you lose, it’s just because you are not as skilled as your opponent. The worst that can happen is that you admit your mistake. What else can you do?
Pei Jingming added slowly, "If you want to ride on the reputation of Jieyuan, you have to make a decent bet, right?"
Chi Yuan also said, "Since it's a literary competition, betting on pens, ink, paper and inkstone is a bit too light."
Before he could decide what bet to make, Qu Ling said, "If you lose, you will cut off your right hand and never take the imperial examination again in your life."
The student was shocked and his eyes widened.
Isn't this a bit too much?
Nian Zhaoyun shook his head as he watched. Why didn’t these young people understand that Princess Jia’an was vicious and cruel?
The commotion at the table immediately subsided, as everyone was obviously frightened by the bet.
An inexplicable smile appeared in Qu Ling's eyes. "Have you thought it through? If you want to compete, you must be prepared to ruin your own future."
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