Chapter 182 We must not let Li Nanke win first (Third update)
Li Nanke turned his head and saw Wang Tongyun tightly hugging his arm.
He muttered to himself, "Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, may some kind-hearted Bodhisattva who happens to pass by bless me."
Make sure the exam tests on the Classic of Filial Piety, and absolutely, positively, avoid testing on the Admonitions for Women!
"Please test me on the Classic of Filial Piety!"
Please, please!
Wang Tongyun's face was tense, and her hand unconsciously gripped her arm tightly, as if she were a soft-hearted bodhisattva, praying devoutly.
Li Nanke was amused and almost burst out laughing.
Lowering her voice, she asked softly, "You only prepared the Classic of Filial Piety, but not the Admonitions for Women?"
Wang Tongyun secretly rolled her eyes and mimicked her, speaking in a soft voice.
"To be honest, I wasn't just unprepared, I didn't even turn to the second page."
My grandmother said that the "Admonitions for Women" were written by men specifically to control and deceive women; only a fool would believe such a thing.
Li Nanke's eyes brightened slightly.
Madam Wang is such an interesting person!
"Then I can only wish you good luck!"
She whispered to Wang Tongyun, and as soon as she finished speaking, she heard Empress Xue, who was sitting at the head of the table, say: "The selection of the princess's companion is mainly to test your basic skills."
Today, recite the first chapter of the "Admonitions for Women" from memory, within the time limit of one incense stick burning.
Wang Tongyun let out a wail and almost knelt on the ground.
"Waaaaah, God is not on my side!"
"It must be because I didn't follow the gods' instructions to step out with my left foot first before leaving the house today! What should I do? I'm doomed!"
"This time I'm really going to die!"
Li Nanke asked curiously, "Did your elders in your family insist that you choose to be a study companion?"
Wang Tongyun shook her head, her little face scrunched up like a bitter gourd.
"Whether I get selected as a reading companion or not is secondary; the most important thing is that I have to write it down!"
"Why? Didn't your grandmother not want you to follow the precepts for women?"
Wang Tongyun's eyes were filled with tears, and she looked like she was about to cry.
"It's not that I have to follow it, but not following it and not being able to memorize it are two different things, do you understand?"
Li Nanke blinked. "Does that mean I have to learn it, but not necessarily obey it?"
Wang Tongyun nodded with a sullen face.
"It's all for the sake of the Wang family and my grandfather's reputation. My grandfather was the Right Chancellor and was highly respected by scholars and princes."
If the Wang family's daughter can't even recite the Precepts for Women... I'm doomed! When I get back, my grandfather will break my legs and lock me in a dark room until I can write it down!"
As Wang Tongyun spoke, her eyes reddened, looking as if the sky had fallen and her life was over.
Li Nanke felt that she was both pitiful and funny.
A thought flickered in his mind, and he lowered his voice to ask, "What calligraphy style do you usually practice?"
Wang Tongyun was still immersed in grief, murmuring, "Hairpin Flower Small Regular Script".
Li Nanke leaned closer and whispered a few words in her ear.
Wang Tongyun looked shocked and subconsciously shook her head.
"No, no, isn't this inappropriate?"
"Do you want your grandfather to punish you and lock you in a dark room?"
Wang Tongyun's face turned pale, and she shook her head like a rattle drum.
"I don't want to!"
"Then listen to me and do as I say."
While the two were talking, the palace maids and eunuchs had already set up the table and the writing implements.
The head maid clapped her hands.
"Everyone, quiet down, take your seats and get ready. The timer will begin now."
Li Nanke pulled Wang Tongyun toward a corner.
Wang Tongyun muttered softly, "But...but I only know the first sentence, what should I do?"
"Shh, write as much as you can, just make sure your handwriting is neat."
Li Nanke pushed her onto the table next to him.
The head maid had already started burning incense, and the hall was quiet.
Li Nanke took a deep breath, silently thought about the contents of the "Admonitions for Women," and then picked up her pen to start writing.
Women are inherently inferior; three days after giving birth to a girl... they are tossed about in bricks and tiles to demonstrate her weakness...
Ptooey! Ptooey!
What Madam Wang said was pointed out. The "Admonitions for Women" portrays women's status as so lowly and weak, which is indeed harmful!
The hall was quiet, and everyone was writing furiously.
Even Wang Tongyun was racking her brains, trying to find some memories of the "Admonitions for Women" from her blank mind.
Xue Ting was also scratching her head in frustration. She had just been slapped on the palm of her hand, and although it was her left hand, it was swollen and painful. Coupled with her feeling wronged, she could barely remember any of the precepts for women that she hadn't memorized to begin with.
Empress Xue sat at the head of the table and frowned as she looked at her niece's appearance.
He turned his head and glanced at the trusted palace maid beside him.
The palace maid understood and led the others to distribute the paper tubes.
"Each person gets a paper tube. After finishing the dictation, the girl can put it into the paper tube after the ink dries."
To be fair, the headmistress will affix a seal to the paper tube in your presence, and write your names on the seal.
The palace maid handed the paper tube to Li Nanke.
Li Nanke smiled and reached out to take it.
The palace maid glanced down at the paper in front of her, then returned to Empress Xue's side and nodded almost imperceptibly.
Empress Xue frowned slightly.
Consort Wang approached with a smile and asked in a low voice, "I heard that His Majesty intends to have Li Nanke be Zhao Ning's study companion. Did Your Majesty just send someone to check how her writing is going?"
Empress Xue twitched the corners of her mouth.
"The person His Majesty has chosen is certainly not wrong. I have been too concerned."
"Her Majesty the Empress has a kind and loving heart; His Majesty will understand."
A shadow crossed Empress Xue's eyes.
She disliked Li Nanke from the bottom of her heart and did not want him to be Zhao Ning's study companion.
But the palace maid just saw it, and Li Nanke's dictation was quite good.
Empress Xue squinted and fell into deep thought.
We absolutely cannot let Li Nanke come out on top in the exam, otherwise she won't be able to refuse His Majesty's proposal!
Soon, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn was up, and the head maid called out.
"Time's up, everyone line up and hand in your paper tubes."
Li Nanke glanced at Wang Tongyun.
Wang Tongyun understood and immediately got up.
Li Nanke and Li Nanke both stood up at the same time, and the two almost bumped into each other.
She quickly stepped aside and walked to the back.
In the instant they brushed past each other, she shoved the paper tube in her hand into Wang Tongyun's.
Wang Tongyun hesitated, not letting go of her paper tube. Li Nanke waved to her, then with a slight effort, snatched the paper tube from her hand.
Then he stood behind Wang Tongyun.
Wang Tongyun's expression changed, but under the watchful eyes of everyone, she ultimately dared not say anything more.
The two of them lined up and handed the paper tube to the head nanny.
The head maid took out red envelopes, wrote their names on them, and pasted them on the paper tubes.
Empress Xue said, "His Majesty said that, for the sake of fairness, the content you recited will be evaluated by the lecturers of the Hanlin Academy."
"Take these paper tubes to the side hall first; the lecturer will be there shortly."
"yes."
The head maid instructed the palace maids to put the paper tubes on a tray and deliver them to the side hall.
Li Nanke and the others were led by palace maids to the Imperial Garden to rest for half an hour.
Inside the side hall.
With a creak, the door was gently pushed open.
A palace maid peeked in, tiptoed in, and quickly walked toward the paper tube on the table.
He quickly scanned the area, pulled out Li Nanke's paper tube, and after a few more moments, pulled out another paper tube from it.
Gently peel off the red seals from the two paper tubes, and then stick Li Nanke's red seal on the second paper tube.
Then they pasted the red seal of the second paper tube onto the paper tube that originally belonged to Li Nanke.
After doing all this, the palace maid quietly put the paper tube back in its original position on the tray.
Then he turned and left quickly, not noticing that the curtain behind him swayed slightly.
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