After Zhou Yuanzhi and the Prince of Yanping finished lunch, they prepared to return to the inn.
The inn happened to be in the direction of the city patrol office, so Prince Yanping and Tang Ze took Zhou Yuanzhi back to the inn.
As a result, many servants were waiting outside the inn. When they saw Zhou Yuanzhi, their eyes were like those of wolves that had been starving for a long time and had seen meat, making Zhou Yuanzhi's scalp tingle.
The servants swarmed forward, wanting to deliver the visiting card to Zhou Yuanzhi and invite him to his residence for tea.
Zhou Yuanzhi had never seen such a scene before. Although he had participated in the imperial examination, Young Master Zhao was already engaged. Without this, and given that he had failed the exam and was feeling down, he left the capital that very day. Even if there had been such a spectacle, he wouldn't have been able to see him.
I didn't know what to do at that moment.
With a flick of his whip, Tang Ze's horse carried Zhou Yuanzhi away.
The servants couldn't catch up with the horse's four legs even after two streets, and could only watch helplessly as the person disappeared from sight.
Once he was sure no one was chasing him, Zhou Yuanzhi slowed down. Tang Ze and the others rode up, and Zhou Yuanzhi thanked Tang Ze, saying, "Thank you for earlier."
Tang Ze laughed and said, "I don't think you can go back to the inn. I'll arrange another quiet place for you."
Zhou Yuanzhi hesitated for a moment, "This..."
Tang Ze said, "Don't worry, my daughter from the Duke of Tan's mansion has no trouble getting married. If you really don't want to, I won't force you."
Zhou Yuanzhi was a little embarrassed. The Prince of Yanping laughed and said, "Don't be so polite with us. If you don't want to stay in the courtyard that Tang Ze arranged for you, I can arrange one for you."
Regardless of which inn he stayed at, the outcome was the same, so Zhou Yuanzhi thanked Tang Ze and accepted Tang Ze's arrangement.
Tang Ze barely managed to suppress his laughter.
Having moved into the territory of the Duke of Tan's mansion, how could he not become his brother-in-law?
Tang Ze escorted Zhou Yuanzhi to the courtyard and then sent a servant to the inn to find Zhou Yuanzhi's pageboy and bring him to the courtyard.
Many ministers wanted to win over Zhou Yuanzhi, but they couldn't find him. Not only could they not find the servants, but they also couldn't find the person the court sent to deliver the scholar's robes to Zhou Yuanzhi for his parade. They didn't know where to send them. The last time they saw Zhou Yuanzhi, he was with the Prince of Yanping and his entourage. Only by finding the Prince of Yanping could they find the small courtyard where they could stay.
The courtyard belonged to the Duke of Tan's mansion, so the ministers gave up their plans to marry off their daughters. It has to be said that the Duke of Tan's mansion had a clever strategy.
The following day, the top three scholars (Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua) rode horses through the streets.
Upon seeing Zhou Yuanzhi, the second and third place scholars congratulated him, saying, "Congratulations, Brother Zhou, on finding a good match. From now on, may your future be bright and your career soar to great heights."
Zhou Yuanzhi, “…???”
Finding a good match?
What makes you say that?
Zhou Yuanzhi hurriedly said, "That's not true..."
The third-ranking scholar laughed and said, "Brother Zhou has already moved into the small courtyard of the Duke of Tan's mansion, so why bother to hide it from us?"
Zhou Yuanzhi, “…!!!”
He moved into the small courtyard arranged for him by the eldest son of the Duke of Tan's mansion, but he was not engaged to the daughter of the Duke of Tan's mansion.
Unfortunately, no matter how he explained, no one believed him.
They simply assumed that the engagement had not been formally arranged. After all, marriages were decided by the parents and arranged by the matchmaker, and the engagement was only formally settled after the two families exchanged tokens.
Zhou Yuanzhi wanted to cry but had no tears.
He, along with the second and third place winners, rode through the streets on horseback, while many young ladies from prominent families watched them from the buildings on both sides, throwing sachets at them.
Usually, the most stones are thrown at the top scorer, but this time the most were thrown at the third-place scorer.
It's not that he's less handsome than the third-ranked scholar; his looks are no less than the third-ranked scholar's. It's just that everyone thought he was engaged and already taken. There were few girls in the entire capital who could compete with him for the daughter of the Duke of Tan. But the third-ranked scholar was not engaged yet and was also good-looking, so they had to do their best to win him over.
Zhou Yuanzhi, riding on horseback, was both spirited and exhausted.
However, what exhausted him even more was yet to come.
After they finished their parade on horseback, Tang Ze found him and grumbled, "These people are really something. Just because you live in my Duke of Tan's mansion, they think you've agreed to be my son-in-law."
Zhou Yuanzhi quickly replied, "I'm glad Brother Tang hasn't misunderstood."
Tang Ze looked at him expressionlessly and said, "I didn't misunderstand, but public opinion is a fearsome thing."
The Crown Prince of Yanping patted Zhou Yuanzhi on the shoulder, "If you explain this to people, will anyone believe you?"
Zhou Yuanzhi shook his head, looking utterly dejected.
Tang Ze looked distressed. "My fourth sister went out to watch you parade, but as soon as she stepped onto the street, she was mistaken for being engaged to you. She was so embarrassed that she ran back to the manor. Now she's really worried about getting married."
He looked at Zhou Yuanzhi so intently that Zhou Yuanzhi felt he had tarnished the reputation of the daughter of the Duke of Tan's mansion, a heinous crime.
Zhou Yuanzhi, "..."
He didn't do anything.
He didn't even know which way the main gate of the Duke of Tan's mansion faced.
Prince Yanping and Lu Cheng were also watching Zhou Yuanzhi, as was Du Cheng'an, who knew nothing but was also watching.
Zhou Yuanzhi felt completely out of place under their gaze, and then his mind suddenly went blank. "Then, then I'll marry your sister?"
very good.
Tang Ze patted Zhou Yuanzhi on the shoulder, "I knew my father might misjudge people, but Brother Yun and Brother Shen won't."
"He is indeed a responsible person."
The servant stood to the side, his lips twitching.
If the master heard this, he would surely beat the young master with a feather duster.
Just as he was inwardly complaining, he heard Tang Ze instruct, "Go tell my father that the marriage has been arranged."
The servant agreed and hurried off to deliver the good news.
Watching the servant run off with a beaming smile, Zhou Yuanzhi felt a strange, indescribable feeling. Had he just been sold out and was even helping the seller count the money for the seller?
What merit or ability does he possess to have married the daughter of a high-ranking duke?
After the procession on horseback, the Ministry of Rites held a banquet for the successful candidates.
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