Chapter 67 Beating a prince is a capital offense!
The Jiang family used to never receive these kinds of invitations, since they had no daughters to marry.
There is no such plot in the book, and she doesn't know whether the empress sent the invitation to them to make up the number of participants or if she had other intentions.
The prince is choosing a wife!
Neither book focuses on the royal family, and she didn't know much about the princes.
Unfortunately, Jiang Liangxu wasn't home, so there was no one to discuss it with.
After glancing at the post, I learned that the Empress had specially arranged for a eunuch to deliver it, so I had no choice but to go.
But before going, Zhao Xian still wanted to see what Cui Tingyue thought.
"Me?" Upon hearing that the prince was selecting a consort and that she was among the candidates, Cui Tingyue was momentarily surprised.
Given her former status, it would have been absolutely impossible for her to participate in the selection of a prince's consort.
Cui Tingyue didn't hesitate; instead, she said earnestly, "Mother, of course we must go to the Empress's invitation, but my mourning period is not yet over..."
“If the palace dared to send an invitation, they must know. Besides, you’ve completed more than a year of mourning. Even if you are truly chosen, it would be acceptable to tell them the truth and postpone the wedding for a while.” Zhao Xian herself wasn’t really sure, mainly because in this era, imperial power was paramount.
As Zhao Xian spoke, she changed the subject, "Actually, we don't need to think about it so much. You might not be selected if you go, but you might also be selected. It's hard to say."
"Now that you are a goddaughter of the Jiang family and listed in the family genealogy, you are bound to the Jiang family in the eyes of outsiders. If you are really chosen, I cannot refuse the marriage for you; if you are not chosen, we will look at other people normally. I am telling you this so that you can be prepared."
Cui Tingyue held the embroidered handkerchief in her hands and said slowly and gently, "Mother told me not to feel burdened by the prince's selection of a concubine, nor to be saddened by not being chosen?"
Zhao Xian patted her hand, "That's the only way."
The Jiang family had no intention of vying for any position, so there was no need for Cui Tingyue to make any sacrifices.
He then turned to Li Lianniang and said, “The palace’s flower-viewing banquet is scheduled for the fifth day of the third month. The timing is a bit too tight. Lianniang, you should tell the embroidery workshop to hurry up and prepare a set of clothes for Tingyue to wear to the palace. She is still in mourning, so the clothes should not be too bright, lest people gossip about it.”
Even if you're just there to make up the numbers, or if the Empress has some other ideas, you can't ruin your reputation over a flower-viewing banquet.
Granny He chimed in, "Miss Tingyue, can you dance? Or do you know how to play any musical instruments? It would be best if you prepared your own dance costumes, but the palace has all the musical instruments."
As soon as Granny He finished speaking, three pairs of eyes turned to her.
Zhao Xian spoke first, "Do we still need to show off our talents?"
Granny He nodded: "It has always been the case in the palace to select consorts for the princes."
Under the watchful eyes of several people, Cui Tingyue shook her head and said weakly, "I can't."
Cui Tingyue twisted her handkerchief in her hands. Her mother had passed away early, and her father and brother both worked in the government office and were very busy. Apart from the embroiderer and female tutor that her mother had hired for her when she was alive, they never thought of letting her learn anything else. Moreover, the tuition fees for hiring the embroiderer and female tutor would take up half of their salaries.
She was never mistreated; the deaths of her father and brothers even provided her with another way to live.
She never expected the palace to suddenly summon her to choose a prince's consort, and she instantly felt her status had been lowered.
Zhao Xian sighed: "It was my oversight."
When Cui Tingyue arrived at the Jiang family, she was already sixteen years old. They hired a nanny to teach her etiquette and manners, and she also helped Li Lianniang manage the household. However, Zhao Xian really hadn't expected her to have any talents.
In her heart, Li Lianniang was a proper wife, and it was enough for her to have hobbies like embroidery, be literate, and be good at managing the household.
After all, managing household affairs is tiring enough, and it's already quite difficult to find time to do embroidery and pursue hobbies. If she also had to dance to please her husband, she would die young.
The main reason is that the original owner of this body didn't know these things, and Zhao Xian, a transmigrated office worker, also didn't know them, so it wasn't taken into consideration.
Li Lianniang thought for a moment and said, "Why don't we learn a tune on the spot to get by?"
She can dance, but that started in elementary school, so it's a bit late for her to start now.
"Do you want to learn? It's a seven- or eight-day crash course, very tiring." Zhao Xian was somewhat suspicious. Was the Sixth Prince's selection of a consort a last-minute decision? If the invitation had been sent earlier, there wouldn't have been such a rush.
Cui Tingyue nodded: "My daughter isn't afraid of being tired."
She is now the adopted daughter of the Jiang family. If she does nothing, she will be ridiculed and the Jiang family will lose face. No matter what, Cui Tingyue must learn.
Zhao Xian made the decision: "Then let's invite a tutor to teach us."
Cui Tingyue had no time to do embroidery.
Zhao Xian sent someone to inquire and learned that all the noble ladies in Jin'an were proficient in music and etiquette. Because they had practiced dancing since childhood, their talent and temperament were exceptional.
Cui Tingyue, being a beginner, certainly couldn't compare to them; she was just there to accompany them and go through the motions.
Despite saying this, Zhao Xian went to see Cui Tingyue practice dancing. It was really hard work. According to the maid, she couldn't sleep peacefully at night after practice because she was in pain and cried.
Zhao Xian thought for a long time and came up with two magic tricks...
Before we knew it, it was the day before the end of the imperial examinations.
When Li Lianniang came to pay her respects, Zhao Xian asked her about picking someone up at the entrance of the examination hall the next day.
"Have the kitchen prepare some easily digestible food to take with you. After you pick him up, you can eat something to fill your stomach in the carriage. Your brother has been taking exams for nine days straight, and he's been eating dry rations. He's probably already very hungry. Remember to tell the kitchen not to prepare anything too meaty or fishy, so he doesn't get an upset stomach."
"Alright, I'll give the order in a moment." Li Lianniang actually wanted to arrange for a maid to pick her up, but considering that the exam had lasted for nine days and that she had been sincerely hoping for Li Linsu to pass with flying colors for many years, she decided to go anyway.
In fact, during the nine days of the exam, the Jiang family had arranged for servants and pageboys to guard the door, in case Li Linsu suddenly fainted and was carried out without anyone to take care of him.
According to the servants, starting from the second day of the imperial examination, people were carried out one after another, and some of them went mad as soon as they left the house.
As the gates of the examination hall opened, everyone who came out shielded their eyes from the light.
Some collapsed as soon as they stepped out of the examination hall.
Some people suddenly burst into laughter, while others cried loudly; the scene was chaotic and noisy.
Li Linsu's page pointed to the gate of the examination hall and said, "Young master, it's the young master."
The servant carried Li Linsu, whose lips were pale and whose steps were unsteady.
There were too many people at the entrance of the examination hall. Li Lianniang, wearing a veiled hat, did not approach. It was only when the servant carried her to the sedan chair that she could see Li Linsu's appearance clearly.
His clothes were wrinkled, his hair was matted together from nine consecutive days of exams, his face was pale, he smelled bad, and he had lost a lot of weight.
"Brother, you've worked hard. Quickly help him onto the carriage."
On the way, Li Linsu ate a hot meal. When he got back, his servants served him his washing and dressing. After that, he slept for a day and a night before waking up.
Once the imperial examinations were over, the busiest people were the chefs at the restaurants, preparing food for the candidates, their spoons practically flying everywhere.
The Jiang family's main kitchen was also busy. Li Lianniang even paid out of her own pocket to have the family physician prepare medicinal meals to nourish Li Linsu's body.
The imperial examinations were overseen by the Ministry of Rites. However, when the examinations ended and it was time to review the papers, the examiners were invited to the palace only to find that there were no papers waiting for them to review.
The crowd blocked the Minister of Rites: "Your Excellency, where are the candidates' answers to the exam questions? How can we grade them without the exam papers?"
"That's right. In previous years, the papers were reviewed at the Ministry of Rites, but this year it's being reviewed in the palace. But what about the questions the candidates answered?"
The Minister of Rites raised his hand to reassure everyone, "Please calm down, everyone. His Majesty has decreed that the examination of papers will be postponed by two days this year."
Why is that?
"Postpone it for two days? There are many things that can be done in two days. What does the Ministry of Rites want to achieve this year?"
"I'm going back without the exam paper."
Quite a few people wanted to leave, since there was nothing to do but wait without an exam paper.
However, upon exiting the palace gates, they found that the imperial guards were stationed there.
He immediately questioned, "What does this mean? Are you treating us like prisoners?"
The Minister of Rites smiled wryly, “His Majesty has decreed that none of you ministers may leave until all the examination papers have been reviewed.”
The commotion in the palace did not affect those outside, since the number of examiners selected was fixed, and their ranks varied. Those of lower rank remained silent and pretended to be timid.
Those of high rank who caused trouble were brought before the emperor and then behaved themselves.
--
On the eve of the flower-viewing banquet, Lou Bai handed a letter to Zhao Xian about the young lady Lang.
Lang Zhizhi somehow became acquainted with the noble lady of Jin'an, attended many banquets, and told others that she was Jiang Wei's savior.
"..." After reading the letter, Zhao Xian had a bad feeling.
The next day was the flower-viewing banquet. Zhao Xian put on her official robes and entered the palace with Cui Tingyue.
Inside the carriage, Zhao Xian thought of the letter Lou Bai had handed her and looked at Cui Tingyue: "Entering the palace today..."
Unsure whether Lang Zhizhi's ramblings would affect outsiders' perception of the Jiang family, she thought it over and decided to warn Cui Tingyue so that she wouldn't be asked about her ignorance.
At the palace gate.
"Madam Jiang?" A lady was quite surprised to see Zhao Xian. When she saw Cui Tingyue beside her, she suddenly realized and said, "Oh right, the Jiang family has adopted a goddaughter. You have a daughter now."
Zhao Xian immediately adopted a polite expression, "Madam Chen, you've arrived quite early. Tingyue, this is the wife of the head of the Imperial Medical Academy. You should call her Auntie."
Cui Tingyue curtsied and greeted her, saying, "Greetings, Auntie."
Madam Chen offered a helping hand and praised, "What a beautiful woman!"
Zhao Xian's smile was as solid as if it had been welded to her face. Looking at the two girls behind Madam Chen, she immediately praised them, "They are not as good as your two daughters, who are both exceptionally talented and beautiful."
"Madam Li..."
“Mrs. Zhou, you’ve arrived quite early. Your daughter is already so grown up.”
"Madam Qin..."
Besides Madam Chen, several other ministers' carriages stopped one after another. The ladies who got off the carriages were more or less able to meet familiar people. They greeted each other and led their unmarried daughters to recognize and greet each other, making it quite lively.
The group complimented each other as they made their way to the palace.
Zhao Xian wanted to find a match for Cui Tingyue, so she learned about the young masters of prominent families in Jin'an beforehand, scanning the families with sons and observing the interactions between the ladies and daughters.
In ancient times, when a woman got married, the husband was secondary; the first thing she had to consider was the character of her mother-in-law.
In an arranged marriage where neither party has an emotional foundation, it's impossible to expect the husband to side with the wife; the mere mention of filial piety is enough to render him powerless.
As she watched, Zhao Xian found herself amused.
While others brought their daughters to compete for the position of prince's consort, she brought Cui Tingyue to meet her future mother-in-law.
Cui Tingyue looked at Zhao Xian, who had suddenly burst into laughter, with a puzzled expression. "Mother?"
Zhao Xian suppressed her smile. "Ahem, it's nothing."
Upon arriving at the Imperial Garden, one finds many flowers in full bloom in March, but the most luxuriant and beautiful bloom today is undoubtedly the large patch of weeping crabapple trees surrounding the tables and chairs.
The seats were arranged under the trees, where you could see the blooming flowers when you looked up. A gentle breeze would occasionally stir the flowers, causing petals to fall, creating a very picturesque scene.
A eunuch approached, holding a whisk, and bowed to Zhao Xian, saying, "Madam Jiang, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence."
Zhao Xian and Cui Tingyue exchanged a glance, then both stood up and followed the eunuch.
--
Meanwhile, inside the palace where the Sixth Prince resided, Han Mu was cornered inside, his tone full of confusion: "Today you're choosing your consorts, why are you blocking our door?"
The Sixth Prince's clear voice came from outside: "Cousin, come with me."
Han Mu: "You're choosing concubines and I'm going to do it? Is that appropriate?"
The Sixth Prince laughed and said, "Didn't you promise your grandmother that you would come to Jin'an to find a wife? It just so happens that everyone here today is a young lady from Jin'an who is not yet married. Why don't you choose one?"
"Have you forgotten that you've already given away the keepsake my grandmother gave me? Move aside, I need to find someone to get it back."
The sixth prince, arms crossed, leaned against the door and said in a suddenly lewd tone, "If I told you that the young lady had also come to the palace today, would you still go out to look for her?"
There was a moment of silence inside the door, then a chuckle suddenly came from inside.
So his cousin already knew who the girl was, but kept it from him for two months.
"Xiao Jingbei, come here and open the door for me. Your cousin will teach you Han Family Fist today."
Sixth Prince Xiao Jingbei: "...Beating a prince is a capital offense."
Han Mu corrected him through the door, "You used the wrong word. It should be 'to impart' or 'to teach'."
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