Chapter 187 Emperor Xia’s Decision
"You agree?"
Li Nuo looked at his wife with a look of surprise.
On the day of the ceremony, riding in a carriage or on horseback was a privilege exclusive to the wife of the top scholar.
Imagine, wearing exquisite makeup and gorgeous clothes, riding on a horse or sitting in a carriage, parading along Chang'an Avenue, with the roadside full of onlookers, whether they are girls from poor families or daughters of rich and powerful people, all looking at you with envy and jealousy.
This kind of opportunity only comes once in a lifetime.
Even though Li Anning was a princess, she could not enjoy such treatment.
She was actually willing to give half to Yiren.
Between the two sisters, one dares to speak and the other dares to agree.
Song Jiaren nodded and said, "They can't see it anyway. If she wants to sit for a while, let her sit for a while. Grandmother asked me to give in to her a little."
Li Nuo moved his lips but ultimately couldn't say anything.
Since his wife had no objection, how could he dare to have any objection?
If you don't agree to Song Yiren, she will definitely make a fuss.
Li Nuo has seen too many such things happen to Mu'er and Ning'er.
It's better to go along with her. If Song Yiren is pushed into a corner, she will do something to him while his wife is not around, and he won't be able to even resist.
It’s strange to say, the twins were born just a little bit apart, but why is the older sister always more sensible?
Ignoring the sisters, Li Nuo pulled his wife over again, letting her sit on his lap, and continued what Song Yiren had just interrupted...
…
March 21st.
Before daybreak, the imperial guards had already cleaned Chang'an Avenue thoroughly and then rinsed it with clean water until it was spotless.
Today is the day when the newly-appointed Jinshi are paraded through the streets, and Chang'an Avenue will be under martial law for half a day.
During this half day, no pedestrians or carriages were allowed to pass through the main street of Chang'an Avenue. Violators would be fined at the very least, and imprisoned at the worst, even powerful officials were no exception.
Today's Chang'an belongs to the newly-minted Jinshi.
Li Mansion.
Li Nuo got up very early, not only because the car from the Ministry of Rites would come to pick him up soon, but also because he wanted to put beautiful makeup on his wife before leaving home.
She doesn't usually wear makeup, but today she has to show her best side in front of so many people.
Song Jiaren sat in front of the bronze mirror, and Li Nuo braided her hair first.
As the wife of the top scholar, she can wear the phoenix crown today.
The Ministry of Rites delivered their formal dresses yesterday afternoon.
Of course she can't wear a ponytail when wearing a phoenix crown, so Li Nuo wants to give her a dignified and elegant hairstyle.
Song Yiren arrived at Li's house early in the morning.
There will be a parade today, and she was so excited that she couldn't sleep all night yesterday.
When she walked into the room, she saw Li Nuo drawing Song Jiaren's eyebrows, and the smile on her face disappeared immediately.
She was supposed to be her husband, but he was drawing eyebrows and doing makeup for someone else.
She just felt extremely sad in her heart, and she didn't even have anyone to talk to.
After a while, Li Nuo put a flower on his wife's forehead, a smile appeared on his face, and he said, "Okay."
Song Yiren looked at the woman in front of her who looked exactly like her and felt astonished.
She knew she was beautiful, but she didn't know she could be this beautiful.
It's obviously the same face, but when standing next to Song Jiaren, I look like her maid.
After his wife left the dressing table, Li Nuo glanced at Song Yiren who was standing at the door and said, "What are you still standing there for? Come here. It's almost time. People from the Ministry of Rites will be here soon..."
Song Yiren was slightly startled, looked back, and found that there was no one behind her. She pointed at herself and asked unsurely: "Me?"
Of course Li Nuo was talking about her.
At that time, the carriage will depart from the palace gate and stop at Li's Mansion on the way. At that time, the lady will switch with her.
They look exactly the same, with the same hairstyle and makeup, so it's hard to tell them apart, not to mention outsiders, even Li Nuo herself might not be able to tell them apart.
Song Yiren sat in front of the mirror, her face slightly red, but because she had put on rouge, it was not easy to see.
This was the first time in her life that someone had done her makeup.
Women in the sect rarely wear makeup.
Her mother wouldn't teach her these.
She fled all the way from Sanqing Mountain to Chang'an, and it was on the road that she came into contact with rouge and powder for the first time. She still remembered that the first time she put on makeup, she was shocked by how ugly she looked.
But Yanzhi, who didn't listen to her very much, could be placed in the most appropriate place in his hands.
It would be nice if someone could dress her up every day.
Li Nuo quickly put makeup on Song Yiren and put a flower ornament on her forehead that was exactly the same as hers.
Now that the two people were standing together, even Li Nuo couldn't tell them apart at first glance.
He managed the time just right. Just as he finished putting makeup on Yiren, Butler Wu walked in from outside and said, "Master, the people from the Ministry of Rites are here."
The newly-appointed Jinshi had to first go to the palace to meet the emperor and express their gratitude for his grace.
Li Nuo looked at Song Jiaren and said, "Madam, please change into your formal dress and wait at home for a while. Someone from the Ministry of Rites will come to pick you up when the time comes."
After instructing her, Li Nuo walked out of the Li Mansion and got on a carriage with a red silk hanging on it.
Inside the Li Mansion.
The two sisters sat across from each other at a table.
Song Yiren glanced at Song Jiaren, and a strange feeling arose in her heart.
Although she blamed Song Jiaren for stealing her husband, she had to admit that she was the closest person to her in the world, no one else.
I haven't seen my father since I was a child, so it's hard for me to have a close relationship with him.
As for her mother..., she was more afraid of her.
Only this sister who looks the same as her can make her feel a sense of intimacy that comes from blood.
It would have been better if she hadn't stolen her husband.
Song Jiaren looked at Song Yiren, looking at this extremely familiar face, and also felt a wonderful feeling in her heart.
…
Inside the palace.
One hundred newly-appointed scholars walked into the hall in an orderly manner.
Li Nuo was wearing a red dragon robe, a black gauze hat with golden flowers on his head, and a few palace flowers in his hat. Led by a doctor from the Ministry of Rites, he walked at the front of the crowd.
The hall was empty, without a single official.
The purpose of this arrangement was to let the new scholars who came to the palace for the first time know whose subjects they were.
Lu Sheng stood at the front and spoke passionately, probably praising the emperor's merits. He said that the new scholars could stand here because his majesty valued talents, and they should always remember his majesty's kindness...
He spoke for a full quarter of an hour. At one point, he turned around and looked at the 100 newly-appointed scholars, saying loudly, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
One hundred newly-appointed scholars uniformly performed the ritual of three bows and nine kowtows to the Emperor of Daxia.
The first item of the ceremony was to thank the emperor for his grace, and the second item was to call out the names of the guests.
As the name suggests, the officials of the Ministry of Rites would read out the names of the new Jinshi aloud, firstly to report to the emperor, and secondly to announce to the world.
Outside the main hall, there was a guard standing at regular intervals. Every time an official from the Ministry of Rites read out a name, they would pass on the name of the Jinshi one by one until it spread throughout the entire Chang'an Street.
Chang'an Avenue was already crowded with common people, and the scholars felt very honored when their names were called out in this way.
The front of the hall.
The Emperor of Daxia sat on the dragon throne, his eyes sweeping over the figures standing in the front.
According to convention, those standing in those positions are the top scorers in the imperial examination and the top scorers in individual subjects.
good.
This year's top scorers are not only talented in writing, but also good-looking.
Especially the top scholar at the front, who was really a handsome man and gave him a very attractive feeling.
Any one of these people is worthy of the position of prince consort.
Lu Sheng walked to the center of the hall and shouted, "The first place in the imperial examination is Li Nuo!"
Li Nuo took a step forward and bowed towards the front of the hall. Although he was curious, he did not look up.
It is impolite to look directly at Your Majesty. This kind of low-level mistake must not be made.
Lu Sheng paused and spoke again: "Second place, Cui Jing."
Behind Li Nuo, a handsome man walked out, bowed respectfully towards the front, and then returned to his original position.
"Third place, Wang Lin."
"Fourth place, Pei Qian."
…
"No. 86, Zhou Yu."
"No. 87, Du Xuan."
…
"No. 100, Lu Haoran."
After Lu Sheng finished reading the last name, he closed the book in his hand and said, "Your Majesty, the names of the 100 new Jinshi have been called out."
Emperor Xia frowned and asked, "Where are the top six students? Why didn't I hear their names being called?"
Although the top scorers in the six subjects are not as important as the top scorers in the imperial examination, the Ministry of Rites should not have omitted their names. This is an omission that should not have happened.
Lu Sheng moved his throat and said, "Your Majesty, in this imperial examination, the top scorers in all six categories are the new top scorer Li Nuo, so his name was not repeated."
"What?"
Emperor Xia stood up from the dragon throne.
The last time the top scorer in all six subjects was the same person, it was the last time.
That time it was Li Xuanjing.
This time it's Li Nuo.
During the hundreds of years since the founding of Daxia, the only two times that one person won the top honors in the six subjects were when he was emperor.
"Li Nuo, Li Nuo..." Emperor Xia kept repeating the name, muttering, "This name sounds familiar..."
An eunuch walked up to him and whispered a few words.
Emperor Xia finally remembered something, and a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.
At this time, Lu Sheng, a doctor from the Ministry of Rites, spoke again and asked, "Your Majesty, can we proceed to the next item of the ceremony?"
After the names are called out, the new scholars have to worship at the Confucian Temple, and this has a strict timetable.
Emperor Xia said solemnly: "Proceed in order."
After Lu Sheng led the scholars out of the hall, the Minister of Rites walked in quickly, bowed to Emperor Xia, and said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty once said at the grand court meeting that he would choose one of the top scorers as Princess An Ning's consort. Now, the top scorers in all six subjects are the same person, and the new top scorer is already married. The Ministry of Rites does not know how to deal with it. Please make the decision, Your Majesty..."
Emperor Xia stroked the armrests of the dragon throne with his fingers and fell silent.
When he made this decision that day, he had never imagined that such a situation would occur.
If it is a private promise, there is still room for withdrawal.
But that was said at a grand court meeting in front of all the officials in the world. How could there be any reason to regret it?
The new number one scholar is already married. If he is asked to divorce his wife and marry the princess, who knows what people will say. I am afraid that the royal family will have to bear the infamy for hundreds of years to come.
He thought for a moment and said, "It is rare to have a champion in the six subjects. It is not unfair to An Ning to marry such a pillar of talent. The Ministry of Rites will follow the regulations and choose an auspicious date to arrange the princess's marriage. The champion's original wife will be given an imperial decree and will be the princess's legal wife. She does not need to bow to the princess..."
The Minister of Rites bowed again and said, "As you wish."
There has never been a situation where a royal princess was the principal wife of another woman.
However, top scorers in all six subjects are so rare that it is understandable to make an exception.
Over the past few hundred years, there have been countless royal princesses, but only two who have won the top prize in the six subjects.
Your Majesty's move not only fulfills your original promise, but also does not bring criticism to the royal family.
Princess An Ning has to suffer injustice.
Emperor Xia also sighed and said, "I was not thoughtful enough at the time, but you are not joking. I can only make such arrangements now. I hope An Ning will not blame me..."
(End of this chapter)
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