Chapter 109 Aside from first place, I don't want anything else...
Xu Rong thought that afternoon was just an accident; after all, she was young, and it was understandable that she would suddenly fall in love. But in the following two weeks, until the start of the palace examination, she realized that Tianzhen was indeed her.
When accidents happen every day, we should probably change the term to "normal."
Xu Rong couldn't recount how each encounter began. Sometimes she could sense his intentions, while other times it was just a matter of exchanging glances, and the atmosphere would suddenly become romantic.
Should she blame him? Xu Rong couldn't bring herself to say it, but she hadn't really refused.
The only effort she made was to make a firm resolution every morning when she woke up: I can't do this today, I should restrain myself.
Then another day of repeating the same mistakes.
In fact, apart from the first two days, Lin Xin also did some serious work. In these limited half months, he had been working on his policy essay. The palace examination didn't have many variations; it only tested this one type of essay.
The amount of Xuan paper he wrote on every day could fill a wastebasket.
But he still manages to squeeze out a lot of time from his busy schedule to spend with Xu Rong.
This spring-like atmosphere was so wonderful that even Lin Ding, let alone the maids in Chun Sheng Courtyard, felt the difference. His son called him "father" more often and it became more natural. He would even smile at him occasionally, which made Lin Ding feel flattered. He went back and wrote a long essay to Madam Wei about his feelings.
He then sent Xu Rong a pile of silk and gemstones, feeling that Lin Xin's transformation was due to Xu Rong's persuasion and that he deserved a reward.
Xu Rong didn't actually do anything. She felt that it was best to let things take their natural course, but backing down was not easy, so she said a few words to Lin Xin about it.
Then she received an even bigger pile of miscellaneous valuables.
"My father gave it to me," Lin Xin told her. "I should have given it to you a long time ago, but I forgot."
He was used to living frugally with the Wei family and rarely spent money. Lin Ding, out of fatherly love, subsidized him and moved several large boxes of things into his room at some point. He didn't even bother to tidy them up until Xu Rong mentioned them, and then naturally handed them all over to her.
Xu Rong was convinced. No wonder they were father and son; no matter how different they seemed on the surface, they were the same in their hearts.
Bai Fu and Xin Cheng helped her count and register. Bai Fu smiled and said, "The young master treats his grandmother so well, he doesn't hold anything back."
Xin Cheng said confidently, "Isn't that only right? Grandma treats the young master even better."
A little older, Hongliu peeked out from the door and giggled, "It would be even better if Grandma had a little prince!"
"You little devil!" Xin Cheng turned her head and laughed, "You're right to say that. I think you've really grown up and are quite something. It would be good to find you a son-in-law as soon as possible."
To outsiders unaware of the situation, Xu Rong's three years of infertility after marriage should have been cause for concern. However, the head maids were more discreet and dared not put pressure on their mistress. Moreover, after Xu Rong's escape and subsequent return, even Xin Cheng's trust in her had reached the point of blind obedience. After scolding Hong Liu, she automatically found a reason: "I think it's all because of the bad feng shui of the Changxing Marquis's residence. The eldest mistress there was diagnosing a promising male heir, but the baby turned out to be a girl. Now that you've left there, your luck should naturally turn around."
Xu Rong was both amused and exasperated, and since she couldn't offer any opinion on the matter, she simply pretended not to hear and let it pass. Bai Fu then remembered something and reminded her, "Grandma, Madam sent a letter yesterday saying that the Marquis is getting engaged to Miss Luo. Shouldn't we start preparing the gifts?"
Xu Huazhang and Luo Yanfeng have already had their horoscopes matched, and the auspicious date for their engagement has been chosen by a high-ranking monk according to Madam Xu's custom; it will be at the beginning of next month.
Xu Rong paused, writing: "That's right."
It was all because of Lin Xin's actions; she hadn't even thought of such a pressing matter right in front of her.
Preparing the dowry was not difficult. She opened the dowry book, picked out suitable items, pieced them together, and finished. She then had someone send it back to the Marquis of Ji'an's residence.
Before Xu Huazhang went to the Luo family to make his betrothal, the palace examination arrived first.
**
On March 15th, while it was still dark, Lin Xin was already dressed and carrying a test basket that was much lighter than before, ready to go out.
Xu Rong got up early and saw him off with Lin Ding and Wei Shi.
When the moment finally arrived, Xu Rong was actually nervous. He could say he didn't care, that being in the top three was fine, but this was the highest level of assessment in the feudal dynasty. This test determined whether one would be a victim of the old rules or a pioneer of the new era. How could he really be indifferent?
She wasn't sleepy anymore, but she didn't dare put pressure on him. She just encouraged him, saying, "Xuancheng, just do your best."
Lin Ding also chimed in with a few words, essentially telling him to take the exam casually, that it didn't matter how he did, and that he could always go home and inherit the title. Madam Wei smiled gently and nodded from the side.
Lin Xin's gaze swept over Xu Rong, Lin Ding, and Madam Wei. These were his closest relatives, and he should have no regrets.
but--
He chuckled, his young face shining through the ambiguity, his ambition and spirit undisguised: "I don't want any position other than first place."
He turned and strode into the car, his figure disappearing behind the curtain.
"..." Xu Rong was stunned, because he said this while looking at her.
She had never seen him have such ambitions, but when she thought about it, it made perfect sense. He was the top scholar in the county, prefecture, and court, the top scholar in the provincial examination, and the top scholar in the metropolitan examination. Why should she force him to accept his fate and admit defeat?
And who has that qualification?
She couldn't describe the heat in her heart at that moment, only that she felt he was genuinely different from before, but with Lin Ding and Madam Wei present, she had to hold back. Lin Ding, on the other hand, clapped his hands without any attempt to hide it, his eyes shining: "Good little treasure, he's my child!"
He enthusiastically praised it all the way back.
**
The sky was beginning to lighten with the first light of dawn.
Lin Xin was already queuing outside the palace gates, waiting to enter the palace. He was the top scholar in the imperial examination, ranking first among the three hundred successful candidates.
He could sense that many people were staring at him from behind, perhaps because of his ranking, his background, or his... but none of that mattered.
His goal was very clear; he wouldn't care about anything else, not even—
The palace gates opened silently, and a squad of armored guards carrying spears came out to protect and maintain order. The man in the lead had a square face and an official air, and he looked very familiar.
It was Shawn.
Since returning to Beijing, Lin Xin has not seen him yet.
The first meeting between former brothers was unexpected, and it happened in this kind of setting.
"Erlang." Xiao Lun seemed surprised to see him, paused, and stopped in front of him.
Then he smiled and corrected himself, "I misspoke, I shouldn't call you Erlang anymore."
An official from the Ministry of Rites reminded him, "Commander Xiao, it is time for me to call out names to enter the palace."
This was no time for pleasantries, but as he said this, he still glanced at Lin Xin with curiosity—who in the capital didn't know about the dramatic performance of Gui Zong before the imperial examination?
He keenly sensed the subtle atmosphere between the two and couldn't help but think to himself: This is not a very appropriate time to meet.
With the imperial examination fast approaching, even the slightest change could affect the candidates' state of mind.
"Understood." Xiao Lun responded, stepping aside, but at the same time said regretfully, "Erlang—I'll still call you that. Aren't you going to say something to me?"
Lin Xin finally glanced at him and said calmly, "Brother, it might be better if you didn't look so surprised."
He didn't know that Xiao Lun would be on duty today, but Xiao Lun had come out to take on his duties, so how could he not have known that he would run into him?
Thinking deeper, the question remains: how did Xiao Lun get this job? If he was worried about making things awkward for the other party, given his rank, it wouldn't be difficult for him to switch shifts or decline the offer.
Xiao Lun: "..."
He gave a hasty laugh, wanting to retort, but the Ministry of Rites official, having thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle, dared not forget his duty and hurriedly said, "Alright, everyone, it's time to enter the palace. First up—"
He held the roster and read the names one by one. A junior official stepped forward solemnly, verified the person's identity, and let them in.
As the morning sun shone on the golden roofs of the three main halls, three hundred successful candidates gathered in front of the Chengtian Hall. The emperor ascended the throne inside the hall, and everyone bowed down in unison.
At such a distance, it was impossible to see the emperor's face clearly, and even the imperial edicts were not easily heard. He simply knelt down as instructed by the officials beside him, and only after bowing did he enter the hall to receive the examination papers and answer questions.
The emperor was no longer present at this point, and his presence among the candidates was so brief that it was almost a fleeting glimpse—in fact, he didn't even catch a glimpse of them.
Without going into how hard the candidates wrote, because of the palace examination, many ministers in the court were transferred to supervise the examination. Today, the emperor did not need to attend court or meet with his ministers. After going through the formalities in the Chengtian Hall, he came to the East Palace.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess hurriedly came out to greet them and pay their respects.
The Emperor waved his hand, ordering that the formalities be waived, and said, "Quickly help the Crown Princess up."
Crown Princess Luo Ying finally became pregnant last year, and is now nine months along and about to give birth.
As fate would have it, the Crown Princess was found to be pregnant around the time of the provincial examinations, and her due date was shortly after the palace examinations. The Emperor felt that this eldest grandson was born with a literary talent and would surely become a literary emperor in the future. Therefore, even before seeing him in person, the Emperor had already placed great hopes on him.
After the Crown Princess was helped to rest by the palace servants, the Crown Prince humbly declined, saying, "Father, it is still uncertain whether this is a boy or a girl. I dare not accept such praise from Father."
The Emperor dismissed it, saying, "I have ordered numerous imperial physicians to diagnose the case. How could there be any mistake? You were just frightened by the affair of the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xiao family. Every family is that unlucky."
Crown Prince: "...cough."
The Emperor realized he had spoken out of turn: "It was just a private conversation between my son and me, nothing to worry about."
In truth, his desire for a legitimate eldest grandson was far more urgent than that of his ministers. The ministers only had small family fortunes, while he possessed a vast empire.
"I heard that the girl Que'er is getting married?" The Emperor sat down in the center of the main hall.
Luo Ying was afraid that her younger sister's name was too vulgar and would be ridiculed when she entered and left the palace, so she changed it. However, Luo Que'er was much easier to remember than Luo Yanfeng. The emperor remembered it after hearing it once, and since he didn't change it, no one dared to ask him to.
The Crown Prince bowed and said, "Yes, the engagement is set for next month. We still need to choose a date for the formal wedding and discuss it with the Xu family. I didn't expect it to alarm my father."
"It's a joyous occasion, and I'm happy to hear about it too," the Emperor said with a smile. "This in-law is a good choice. Zhaoluo, you should put your mind to it. This young Marquis of Ji'an may have fallen from grace, but he has a clean background. In the future, he might become a valuable asset to you."
The Crown Prince, who was in charge of the court, knew why the Emperor had said this, and replied, "Yes, I will teach him when I have time, so that he can serve the Emperor."
He was subtly praising the Emperor for being in his prime, and the Emperor, though he could tell, was still pleased and smiled, saying, "I know he's still young and has a bad temper. I have someone to rely on now, and the Marquis of Yongjing is loyal and devoted. What's more, he has a fine son. I only caught a glimpse of him in the front hall."
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince hesitated for a moment: "Father, I seem to have heard—"
"I know." The Emperor's expression was a half-smile. "I also know that Hui Yuanlang met someone he shouldn't have met at the palace gate. I am above all others, but these millions of people who have elevated me higher and higher, further and further away, can always get what they want done by bypassing me and doing it in a seemingly reasonable way."
"What does Father mean?"
"Let's see if he can live up to his expectations." The Emperor's tone turned indifferent. "If he is easily influenced and cannot even place himself before me, then there is nothing I can do."
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