The place for receiving the title and the imperial examination was the same, called the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which consisted of a main hall and side halls connected by a corridor.
Ministers and students arrived through the main gate as guests, while the emperor and princes, as hosts, entered through a side hall.
The same applies when the meeting adjourns.
Xu Mo considered himself to be quite fast, and when he hurriedly arrived at the back door of the side hall, he only saw the boy's disappearing figure.
So thin, so delicate, so familiar.
He grew increasingly certain and excited, and took off after him, pulling the small jade pendant from his arms as if it were just in case.
If the Fifth Prince is holding a long banquet, then there's no need to say more.
If the Fifth Prince were not holding a long banquet, then there would be an explanation for why an official from outside the court would so abruptly request an audience with the prince.
For example, finding a jade pendant and wanting to return it.
Xu Mo suppressed his emotions and chased after him to the corner in a few steps. Just as he was about to ask for an audience, he heard the young man stop and say in a voice that was all too familiar, "Thank you, Fourth Brother, for listening to my words of dissuasion and not donating silver on the spot."
"It was nothing," the fourth prince replied after a long wait. "Thanks to my fifth brother's wisdom in stopping me. If I had really donated the money, it would have been a waste of my elder brother's time."
Using your own money to accumulate credit for others.
Even a brother couldn't stand this.
Xu Mo then realized that the Fifth Prince's panting earlier wasn't an act, but rather a pretext to stop the Fourth Prince. This way, he would have an ally against him and wouldn't face criticism for being the only one.
Humans have a natural tendency to conform; whether it's good or bad, anyone who stands out from the crowd will inevitably be the subject of gossip.
"If we don't donate now, we'll still have to donate at the Spring Festival Banquet." The Fourth Prince was quite displeased. "The Fang family is playing the good guys and trying to coerce everyone else. I don't know what they're after."
He wanted to please the imperial family, to betray his enemies, and to kill two birds with one stone.
If the Fifth Prince hadn't stopped the Fourth Prince and then proposed the Spring Festival banquet, the Jiang and Dou families, unable to withstand the pressure, would have also donated money, and the Fang family would have been the biggest winner.
He not only pleased the emperor, but also cleared his name of the stigma of buying the third-place ranking with money, and was also able to be portrayed as a patriot who cared about the country and its people.
Xu Mo had already prepared an answer for the Fifth Prince in his mind, but unexpectedly, the prince avoided the question, instead glancing sideways at him and shouting, "Who!"
Eavesdropping on a prince's speech is a crime punishable by a third degree.
Even if you have no intention, even if you want to see me.
Xu Mo caught a glimpse of a guard approaching out of the corner of his eye, and immediately clutched the jade pendant to apologize, "Your humble servant is a newly appointed Hanlin Compiler. I found the Fifth Prince's ornament outside the main hall and dropped it, so I came to return it. I had no intention of offending Your Highnesses."
Fortunately, we were prepared.
The guards took the jade pendant with some skepticism and presented it to the two princes.
In terms of texture, the jade ornament is quite ordinary and does not seem like the kind of ornament that royalty would choose.
But for a mere Hanlin scholar to come and eavesdrop is tantamount to courting death.
The fourth prince, filled with suspicion, asked, "Brother, is this truly yours?"
At this point, the Fifth Prince's answer is crucial.
If the answer is yes, it proves that Xu Mo sincerely returned the money, and in turn, you should thank Xu Mo.
If the answer is no, Xu Mo will be accused of eavesdropping instead of helping, and it will take some effort to clear his name.
In the utter silence, the Fifth Prince finally spoke, "Yes."
The fourth prince breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, saying, "Then I must thank this scholar, otherwise my brother's things would have been lost."
Xu Mo was also moved to tears, his inner answer was confirmed, and his lost loved ones were back by his side.
They were not far apart originally.
They had brushed past each other so many times before.
In Xu Mo's estimation, since Chang Yan had accepted the jade pendant, he would probably send the Fourth Prince away and meet with him alone to reminisce. At the very least, he would ask about the situation of his older brother and younger sister at home.
However, the Fifth Prince had barely acknowledged it when he said indifferently, "I didn't intend to keep this jade pendant, so why bother sending it here by the Hanlin Academician? Since you found it, it's yours."
Xu Mo felt a chill run through his body, and a cold aura emanated from him.
The fourth prince, standing nearby, chuckled, “This jade pendant is cloudy and mixed with cotton-like fibers; its quality is indeed ordinary. It’s a bit unfair to give it to the fifth prince. I think it’s best to just throw it away.”
With just a few words, they decided who would own the ordinary jade pendant.
Just like a joyous night, the young man left behind a few large characters and then turned and left.
Could it be that these siblings are truly a burden to the Fifth Prince, an insignificant jade pendant, something that can be discarded at will?
Xu Mo's heart was in turmoil, a mix of bitterness and numbness welling up at the same time. But with the Fourth Prince present, he couldn't even utter a question.
He could only slowly raise his head, wanting to examine the familiar face and find out if his younger brother was alright.
What came into view was a waterfall of black hair and a back—he didn't even show his face.
The fourth prince showed some goodwill, saying, "This trip has wasted the Hanlin Academician's time. After being conferred the title, you still have to go on a parade. You are the top scholar, so don't waste your moment of glory."
Xu Mo remained silent, a sliver of hope still lingering in his heart.
It wasn't until the Fifth Prince, who had his back turned, spoke again, "Then, Fourth Brother, let's go back first."
"Alright, let's go back and discuss how much money to donate for the flower-viewing banquet." The two brothers walked away, their figures aligned.
Xu Mo clenched his fists, looking at that familiar, slender figure, and then glancing at the jade pendant on the ground, feeling an indescribable bitterness in his heart.
He left dejectedly and returned to the procession of scholars preparing for the parade.
Qi Huai and An Jun were looking around when they finally spotted the top scholar. They quickly squeezed in front of him and asked in a low voice, "Where did Brother Xu go? We've been looking for you for ages."
“Yes, Brother Xu, if you hadn’t shown up, the second and third place winners would have had to go first, and we would have missed out on the limelight.” An Jun clicked his tongue in amazement. “Hurry, hurry, the parade is about to begin.”
This is the most glorious moment for hundreds of students, and a grand spectacle that happens only once every three years.
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