"Look, it's Zhu Sheren's carriage!"
Suddenly, someone shouted from outside the crowd.
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a carriage coming from one end of the street. Because there were too many pedestrians on the street, the carriage was not moving fast, and the character "祝" (zhu, meaning blessing) on the curtain of the carriage was particularly eye-catching.
As the carriage drew closer, the crowd pushed Chen Jiannan out.
"Brother Chen, you just got first place in the imperial examination, why don't you hurry up and tell Zhu the good news?"
"Indeed, Brother Chen and Lady Zhu are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. With Brother Chen's talent, if he were to receive further assistance from the Prime Minister's office, his meteoric rise to prominence would be just around the corner!"
"Master Zhu is also someone who cherishes talent. He would be overjoyed to hear that Brother Chen has passed the imperial examination, wouldn't he?"
Encouraged by the crowd, a smug Chen Jiannan smiled and said, "Then I'll head over?"
"Go ahead, go ahead!"
Everyone waved their hands.
Seeing this, Jing Zhe was very puzzled.
Judging from this, is Zhu Sheren his second sister?
But this name... sounds awful, doesn't it?
He clearly remembered that his second sister's nickname was Ningning...
He then pulled another man aside and asked, "May I ask, sir, who is this Zhu Sheren?"
"Zhu Sheren doesn't know?"
The man raised an eyebrow and glanced at him. "That's the daughter of the current Prime Minister, Zhu Xinning, the Lady-in-Waiting..."
"..."
After someone explained it to him, Jing Zhe finally understood.
It turns out that his second sister's name was Zhu Xinning, and "Sheren" was her official title, which was Zhongshu Sheren in full.
Although this was only a fifth-rank official position, it required the person to be responsible for drafting the most important edicts of the Secretariat, as well as recording the meetings of the Prime Minister and the documents reviewed. In short, it was equivalent to the Prime Minister's secretary.
To assume this position, one needs not only high literary talent but also good political ability. Therefore, Anguo attached great importance to the position of Zhongshu Sheren, which was regarded as the highest position that a literary person could hold.
Logically speaking, women who hold official positions usually serve as assistants in the inner palace. Zhu Xinning's ability to hold this position is not only due to her father's meritocratic approach of recommending talented individuals regardless of kinship, but also largely due to her sophisticated way of handling affairs and her political acumen, which she has demonstrated since childhood.
The scholars present even felt that even if she wasn't the daughter of the prime minister, she would be more than qualified for the position. Some even thought that Zhu Xinning would definitely become prime minister in the future and assist the royal family of Anguo.
His words were filled with reverence for Zhu Xinning!
After listening, Jing Zhe couldn't help but sigh. He had thought his second sister's father, the prime minister, was powerful, but he hadn't expected his second sister to be just as capable. This powerful ally was becoming increasingly formidable...
...
At this moment, Chen Jiannan had already leisurely arrived in the middle of the road. On both sides of the street, the scholars who had just been looking at the list and the vendors and citizens on the other side were all watching him intently.
Chen Jiannan himself had a warm and gentle expression. In addition, he was handsome and talented. With the breeze blowing his robes, he looked like a dashing and elegant scholar!
He was quite satisfied with his current state, nodding slightly and smiling as he watched the approaching carriage.
As the carriage drew closer, the driver saw someone standing in the middle of the street blocking their way, pulled on the reins, and shouted.
"Whoa!"
The carriage gradually slowed down and stopped in front of Chen Jiannan.
Chen Jiannan, dressed in a brocade robe and possessing an extraordinary demeanor, was clearly of noble birth. Ordinary people would not dare to offend him, and in this situation, they would definitely ask, "May I ask what business you have here, young master?"
But who was sitting in the car?
That was Zhu Sheren, the daughter of the current prime minister and the only male civil official in Anguo. The coachman had seen all sorts of grand occasions. Without even getting out of the carriage, he glanced at Chen Jiannan and asked in a cold voice.
Who goes ahead?
Chen Jiannan cupped his hands in a respectful bow and said, "My name is Chen Jiannan, and my father is Chen Guozhong from Yongzhou."
"What is it for?"
"The Chen family of Yongzhou and the Zhu family of Jingzhou are distant relatives. My purpose in coming to the capital this time is twofold: first, to participate in the imperial examination; second, to visit Uncle Zhu; and third, to see my cousin Xinning, whom I haven't seen for many years!"
Chen Jiannan deliberately didn't mention that he came first in the exam. Firstly, it made him seem modest. Secondly, he expected that since he had said he was going to take the exam, and today happened to be the day the results were released, Zhu Xinning in the carriage would definitely ask how he did.
Then, when he calmly said "first place in the high school entrance exam," it was a low-key yet sophisticated statement full of meaning!
—It comes from a commonplace, unremarkable, pretentious routine of the strong.
Sure enough, the driver stopped talking after hearing his words.
If he encountered any sons of high-ranking officials such as ministers, scholars, censors, or grand commanders blocking his way, he would not need to ask for permission and would simply deal with them himself, since no matter how high their official rank was, it was certainly not as high as his master's.
But the person in front of him was a relative of the master's family... This was a family matter, not something a servant like him could interfere with, so he remained silent and waited for the young lady to make a decision.
The surroundings fell silent, and Chen Jiannan was very excited.
He was mentally planning Zhu Xinning's entrance and outlining his own performance strategy in an effort to achieve perfection.
Even more excited than him were the onlookers around him.
If there is one woman in Jingzhou City who inspires both awe and longing, it is none other than Zhu Xinning.
Her father was the current prime minister, and she herself was a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat. More importantly, she possessed a face as beautiful as a fairy, so beautiful that one glance was enough to make people linger and never forget her.
Previously, Zhu Xinning often attended poetry gatherings, and everyone could catch a glimpse of her beauty and find solace in her presence. However, since she became a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, she has been busy with court affairs every day and rarely attends poetry gatherings anymore.
For everyone to see her again was as difficult as climbing to heaven.
Today happened to be an opportunity, and Chen Jiannan stopped her. Given her cousin's connection, Zhu Xinning should show up, right?
Amidst the clamor of the crowd, the carriage curtain was lifted slightly, and a young maid with her hair tied up in a bun peeked out, glanced at Chen Jiannan, and then looked away.
She said to the coachman in front, "Miss must be very tired after a long day at court. Let's go back to the manor and rest!"
"Alright! Miss, please sit down. We'll be leaving right away!"
As soon as the maid withdrew her head, the coachman raised his whip, his expression no longer polite as before—the young lady clearly didn't want to talk to this man, so why should he still be nice to him?
"Young master, please move aside!"
"Horses have no eyes; they might trample on the young master!"
"drive!"
The whip cracked and fell, and the carriage started moving again.
Chen Jiannan ultimately dared not block the carriage with his own flesh and blood. He staggered two steps, quickly moved to the side, and watched helplessly as the carriage drove further and further away and disappeared at the end of the street, looking utterly dejected.
The people around looked at each other, whispering amongst themselves.
————
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