Chapter 19 Jealousy
The ministers now understand why everyone keeps emphasizing that they look exactly alike; seeing it with their own eyes, it's no exaggeration at all.
Minister Feng, Lord Yan, Marquis Weiyuan, and several other ministers, including Lord Gao, all came.
They had all served as court officials and flattered the emperor.
The adults who had met Ye Jianshan finally understood why their sons had been so scared and nervous back then; his face clearly indicated a connection to the Crown Prince.
Who wouldn't feel weak in the knees after seeing that?
Minister Feng felt a pang of regret when he thought of Feng Xing. It seemed that what Feng Xing had said was true, and he had even sent the man to a temple to be locked up for a few days.
Marquis Weiyuan was speechless; the Crown Prince truly had an heir.
Lord Yan's idea was to release Yan Shengchu to get closer to Ye Jianshan, since the two were candidates in the same year of the imperial examination, and their relationship was quite special.
Everyone has their own little thoughts.
They originally came to watch the excitement, but they all had their own plans. If the family reunion went smoothly, Ye Jianshan would definitely be the Crown Prince.
The emperor had long intended to abdicate, but because the crown prince had been stubbornly refusing to marry and remained with his deceased wife, and had not left behind any children, the matter had been delayed.
Now that the Crown Prince has appeared, it seems the Emperor will have to abdicate in a few years.
Moreover, the emperor's affection for his grandson was truly extraordinary.
Although Prince Duan, Prince Qi, and Prince Zhao all have sons, and he doesn't lack grandsons, his current relationship with Ye Jianshan reveals who the Emperor truly cares about.
Ye Lei didn't know what to say. With such a large group of people arriving, he and Da Shan seemed very weak.
Ye Jianshan's attention was focused on the Emperor, and he had no need to curry favor with these ministers now; it was best if they didn't know each other.
After all, he had just finished the imperial examination and really didn't want to get involved with these people in officialdom.
Ye Jianshan felt much more at ease after hearing the Emperor's words: "That's good. By the way, where is my Grandma Li?"
I had two meals delivered today, but he didn't come.
When Minister Feng and the others heard Ye Jianshan shout that, it took them a while to realize that Grandpa Chen and Grandma Li were referring to the Emperor and Empress.
Everyone: ...
That's like the old folks selling vegetables next door.
The Emperor said, "Your grandmother is tied up with something and can't come over for a while."
The Empress was stopped by the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was seventy years old, and when she heard that the Crown Prince had a son, she summoned the Empress.
The Empress could only stay with her for now, otherwise the Empress Dowager would insist on leaving the palace to see Ye Jianshan.
It's one thing for them to come to see Ye Jianshan, but it's a bit unreasonable for the Empress Dowager, who is so old, to come to Fourteenth Street.
Ye Jianshan nodded: "I understand. By the way, Grandpa Chen, your grandson brought some people over today, and they even climbed over the wall."
Everyone's brows furrowed. What? He just said it so casually in public? Doesn't he have any sense at all?
The Emperor raised an eyebrow: "Oh, it was the heirs of Prince Duan and Prince Zhao who came with the heir of Marquis Weiyuan and the son of the Feng family. I already know."
The Emperor called out names one by one, and Minister Feng and Marquis Weiyuan, who had come with him, said: ...
Why are they involved?
Since the Crown Prince returned to the capital, they haven't had a moment's peace.
"They didn't do anything to you, did they? If you've been wronged, tell Grandpa, and he'll stand up for you."
The emperor made a promise, but the ministers acted like quails, shrinking back and pretending they hadn't heard a thing.
That's way too protective of their own.
"No, it's just that climbing the wall is too dangerous. If you want to be friends with me, you can come in through the front door."
Ye Jianshan blinked and looked at the Emperor with an innocent expression.
It seems like they genuinely want to be friends with them.
The Emperor made the decision: "That's right, I'll go back and talk to them about it."
Ye Jianshan lowered his head and drank his tea. What if he complains?
His feeling was correct; those two princes were indeed hostile towards him.
Prince Duan and Prince Zhao?
He is the Crown Prince's brother. Before he returned to the capital, he heard some gossip that the Crown Prince would be chosen from among several heirs, and the most likely candidate was the heir of Prince Duan, who was the eldest grandson of the Emperor.
The Emperor appreciated Ye Jianshan's frankness. After the grandfather and grandson finished chatting, he began to introduce the ministers.
Ye Jianshan performed a scholar's bow: "This student greets all esteemed gentlemen."
The ministers returned the greeting one by one, quickly saying, "We dare not accept such praise."
"Grandpa Chen, do you have some time these next couple of days?"
Ye Jianshan glanced at his desk, seemed to remember something, and asked.
The emperor and his ministers looked at him curiously, wanting to know why he asked that question.
The Emperor: "Yes, what do you want to do?"
"Oh dear, I just finished the provincial examination, right? I want to take advantage of the fact that I still remember it and write down what I wrote in the examination room so you can take a look. I'm not very confident about this exam, and I want Grandpa Chen to give me some encouragement."
Ye Jianshan said modestly.
The emperor was overjoyed to hear this and didn't find it troublesome at all. He quickly said, "Grandpa will take a look for you."
"Alright, then after I finish reciting, I'll have General Guo help me send it to the palace?"
Ye Jianshan asked cautiously.
"Would you like to go to the palace for a visit?"
The emperor still wanted to bring him back to the palace to show off.
Ye Jianshan glanced at Ye Lei, Ye Lei: ...
Why are you looking at him?
He dared not enter the palace.
But I was still a little curious.
"Third Uncle, are you going?"
Ye Jianshan really wanted to go to the palace to take a look.
There's still some time before the palace examination. Once he leaves the palace, he'll go into seclusion to prepare for it. He's still not fully recovered and has a bit of a cough.
Everyone looked at Ye Lei.
Ye Lei, under the watchful eyes of everyone, said: "...Go."
All he could say was that he went; the Emperor's gaze was terrifying.
“Then I will have General Guo take me to the palace.”
"Alright, I'll send someone to pick you up then."
The emperor was overjoyed, as long as the child didn't reject the palace.
After it was settled, the Emperor and his entourage left. After the Emperor left, the Empress sent over dinner.
Ye Lei remarked with emotion, "The cook, Aunt Zhang, even complained to me that we don't need her anymore."
Ye Jianshan: "Then I'll talk to Grandma Li and tell her not to deliver it anymore."
"No, you've just recovered from being sick, you should eat something good."
Ye Lei naturally wouldn't refuse such a good thing. Besides, those were his grandparents from the mountains, whom he had owed for more than ten years, and now it was only the beginning.
Although Ye Jianshan didn't think that way, he felt that the Emperor and Empress were different from what he thought. They seemed quite kind, reminding him of his maternal grandparents.
"I miss my mother, and my maternal grandparents."
This was the first time Ye Jianshan had been away from home for so long and had encountered so many things; it was impossible for him not to miss home.
Ye Lei patted his head: "I've thought about it too."
But Da Shan has grown a lot during this trip to Beijing, which Ye Lei greatly admires.
"By the way, the Emperor and Empress are both here, but why isn't the Crown Prince? He only saw you briefly at the examination hall..."
Ye Lei couldn't quite understand what the Crown Prince wanted to do.
Hearing his third uncle say that, Ye Jianshan's face turned green: "No, we sat facing each other in the examination hall for nine days. I could make eye contact with him even when I relaxed and stretched."
Ye Jianshan didn't want to recall what happened during those nine days.
He's almost used up all the times he hasn't looked into his own father's eyes in sixteen years, and the Crown Prince is the same, always staring at him.
What's so interesting about two identical faces?
Ye Lei was speechless, having not expected this outcome.
I knew the Crown Prince and Da Shan had met, but I never expected that they would meet every day for nine days.
"The Emperor said it won't affect your performance in the imperial examination, so your third uncle won't worry."
"What's there to worry about? I answered all the questions myself, I didn't cheat."
Ye Jianshan had this much confidence; his mother had said he was a promising student.
"Well, it will probably take about half a month for the results to be posted."
There's going to be a wait, Ye Lei calculated the time.
Ye Jianshan: "Pretty much, so I won't be able to see the Crown Prince for the next two weeks. He's the chief examiner."
"After that list is posted, the palace examination will take place."
Without a doubt, whenever his family's mountain appears, he is the most eye-catching presence in the crowd.
As I said before, this face just can't be kept low-key.
"Yes, so after I entered the palace, I planned to go into seclusion upon my return."
Ye Jianshan had a habit of studying intensively in seclusion before exams, and Ye Lei knew about it.
"good."
The uncle and nephew ate and chatted, and Guo Yu, listening from the doorway, felt a warm glow in her heart.
I just invited him in to eat with us, but Guo Yu refused. That's against the rules, so I'm just standing guard at the door.
Just then, someone whispered something in his ear at the door. Guo Yu followed him to the door and met the Ye family.
The Ye family, Ye Yun's maternal family, has kept a low profile in recent years due to the passing of the Crown Princess.
They only came to the door rashly after learning that Ye Yun was not dead and had even given birth to a son for the Crown Prince.
Everyone knows that the Crown Princess and the Ye family are at odds, and even the Crown Prince dislikes the Ye family. How dare they come to visit now?
"General Guo... My master sent an invitation to Ye Jieyuan, wanting to invite him to come over for a chat."
The Ye family steward was surprised to see General Guo Yu emerge. He took a step back in fear, but remembering his mission, he braced himself and stepped forward to present the invitation.
Guo Yu didn't move: "Ye Jieyuan will be entering the palace tomorrow."
I won't go to any Ye family's place.
The Ye family butler was overjoyed, not expecting to receive such news, and asked with some surprise, "Are you preparing to acknowledge our family?"
If they accept this, then the Ye family will be the maternal family of the Crown Prince, and when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, they will be the Emperor's brother-in-law.
When I get back, I must tell the master this news. If the master finds out, he will definitely have to go to the palace tomorrow. After all, Ye Jieyuan will have to call their master "maternal grandfather".
Guo Yu said expressionlessly, "No."
Butler Ye's expression froze: "Aren't you going to acknowledge our relationship?"
The Ye family couldn't understand why they were hesitant about recognizing their relatives.
For Ye Jieyuan, wasn't the position of Crown Prince tempting?
For the Emperor and the Crown Prince, the position of heir apparent already had an heir, and one who was so outstanding.
Guo Yu, unusually, paid him some attention: "May I ask for your guidance?"
Butler Ye: ...
Is Ye Jieyuan stupid? He's already recognized his relatives and become the Crown Prince, why does he still need academic titles?
Can any official rank surpass royal blood?
Guo Yu could tell what Butler Ye was thinking from his expression, and made a gesture: "Someone, take Butler Ye away."
Butler Ye still had many questions to ask, and he was sent away in such a confused state.
Although I received some information, my doubts grew stronger.
Never mind, I'll go back and report first.
Ye Jianshan was talking about the Crown Prince, who was all alone in the examination hall when he sneezed.
Because of his special status and for Ye Jianshan's sake, he couldn't go to see him, so he simply returned to the examination hall after court.
The grading and marking of the papers were handled by the deputy examiners. Finally, the rankings were submitted to the crown prince for review and approval. If there were no problems, the list of successful candidates would be posted.
The examiners were all very nervous this time, and they couldn't afford to be careless at all.
All the candidates' exam papers were anonymously copied again using a uniform font, so no one knew which one would be the future young prince's.
The marking process is exceptionally challenging; it must be done fairly and impartially, otherwise there will be endless disputes.
I'm so unlucky to be one of this year's examiners.
The more excited I was when I applied to work with the Crown Prince, the more I regret it now.
The crown prince was already frightening, and now there's another son who looks exactly like him.
His own son was a top scholar in the imperial examination, and he did better than they had when they took the exam.
Thinking about it, I feel a little jealous. Not only did he rank first in all the exams and become the top scholar, but his true identity was also the crown prince's biological son. How could he be so lucky?
Cui Jianbing was so stubborn that he could hold on after leaving the examination hall, but he fell ill after learning from his grandfather that Ye Jianshan was the Crown Prince's biological son.
He still has a high fever.
He originally had the advantage of a prestigious family background, but Ye Jianshan's status was even more noble, which drove him insane with jealousy.
Since Cui Jianbing was born, why was Ye Jianshan born?
A note from the author:
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There won't be any make-up updates today, I'm so sorry [please][please][please]. I've calculated the time and plan to make it a paid chapter on Friday. Thank you for your support [please][please].
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