Top Scholar
In the third month of spring, the winding stream is filled with the joy of floating wine cups.
Xie Lingxi stayed in the house for several days, finally accepting the fact that she had been reborn. She calmed down and felt restless with nothing to do.
Hearing that his elder brother had said he would hold another banquet in two days, he refused to go no matter what.
"You're so strange. You were the one who said you had nothing to do in your spare time and needed to make the most of the spring."
Seeing his younger sister lying by the window, he said indifferently, "Ever since I saw that scoundrel fall into the water, I feel palpitations whenever I see water. If you asked me to go to the winding stream party, I might just faint on the spot."
Xie Lingjun slapped her on the head with a "smack," his voice rising with agitation, "What nonsense are you spouting, talking about dying? This time you suddenly caught a cold and are bedridden, scaring your father so much that he hides in his room crying every day, and nothing we say works."
Xie Lingxi tilted her head and touched the clusters of peach blossoms that stretched in from outside the window. "Brother, don't be afraid. I'm hard to kill."
"What killing?!"
Xie Lingjun reached out and placed his hand on her forehead. After a moment, he withdrew his hand, straightened his clothes, and strode out of the house, muttering to himself, "I have to call a doctor right away. She's probably not far from becoming mentally impaired."
But Xie Lingxi called out to him, "I promised, I will go tomorrow. I will go with Second Madam Cui."
"What?!"
Seeing her brother flee like a cunning rabbit, Xie Lingxi laughed crisply and shouted loudly at the back of his head, "Your sweetheart! I'll put in a good word for you!"
If I remember correctly, tomorrow's winding stream party will be the first time Yan Ji and she meet.
Perhaps it was at this moment that evil thought arose spontaneously in his heart?
Xie Lingxi prided herself on not being a vengeful person; past lives have their own causes and effects. However, in this life, she and Yan Ji were naturally destined to never meet again.
Early the next morning, Cui Yi greeted Xie Lingxi at her doorstep and waited for her to get into her carriage.
After dawdling for half a day without coming, I couldn't help but rush into the house. I saw that the person was still half-lying on the bed, and I was about to pull him out with brute force.
"Lingxi! You promised to come with me, you can't go back on your word!"
Xie Lingxi covered her face with her pillow, "I'm scared," she shook her head repeatedly, acting like a rogue, "I don't want to go to Ayi, no one will care whether there is a Xie Sanniang at the banquet or not."
Cui Yi nearly choked on her breath, exclaiming angrily, "If we don't go, we'll never see that incredibly handsome top scholar!"
"The top scholar?"
"Master Liu Xu! Everyone who has met him says he's wonderful!"
Xie Lingxi narrowed her eyes upon hearing this: "You admire him?"
Cui Yi closed her eyes, lost in reverie, and said, "Isn't the yearning for beautiful things an innate human instinct?"
"Okay. I'll go."
Beautiful things, a divine gentleman—how does he compare to her brother?
...
Xie Xian also arrived and was talking with a refined young man. When he saw Xie Lingxi coming over, he quickly called out to her, "Third Sister!"
Xie Lingxi smiled back: "Big brother."
“My mother often tells me about Third Sister’s righteous deeds, but I have never had the chance to thank you.”
Xie Xianren lived up to his name, being upright and honest, and patient and reserved in his dealings with others.
Xie Lingxi also enjoyed listening to him talk, so she said a few more words: "There's no need for thanks between sisters. The imperial examination is just around the corner, how are you preparing, elder brother?"
The young man next to Xie Xian laughed heartily: "Third Sister, you don't know, Lingyin has always been intelligent and diligent. We all say that next year's top scholar and second-place scholar should be chosen by him!"
This is Xie San Niang? The wonderful younger sister Lingyin spoke of?
She was indeed exceptionally beautiful, and every gesture she made exuded the elegance and pride of a lady from a prominent family.
Xie Xian waved his sleeve sheepishly, saying, "Yu Zhi, a true man doesn't lie."
"I'm not making this up. Look at Liu Xu this year, he passed the imperial examination with top honors in all three levels. How glorious is that!"
Scholars and outstanding figures enjoy composing poems and gossiping. Today's protagonist is the top scholar who rode through the streets a few days ago.
It is said that on that day, girls who threw fruit and flowers filled the elegant seats on the high platforms of restaurants in Chang'an!
One person retorted: "No, no, no, I heard he has a deficiency and was almost crushed by the flowers and fruits."
Another person exclaimed, "Everyone says it was the dust kicked up by the horse's hooves that made him sick and bedridden at home!"
Why not say he collapsed from exhaustion while riding his horse?
"..."
So the top scholar fell ill. Xie Lingxi thought to himself.
"Is he handsome?" a woman interjected.
"beautiful?!"
The scholars were horrified: "What a rumor!"
"No matter how bad Brother Liu is, he is still a decent and upright young man! Even if he is sickly and weak, and looks at flowers and water, he does not deserve the word 'beautiful'!"
Is he handsome?
One man held up a scroll and exclaimed, "He is as radiant as the morning glow, as graceful as the willow in spring! Like the bright moon in one's arms, he is indeed a handsome young gentleman!"
That's...exaggerated.
Xie Lingxi sighed inwardly, fearing that he would soon steal Ayi's heart.
Beside the stream, Xie Lingjun grabbed a jujube from his sleeve, felt an itch on his face, and suddenly sneezed.
The large green jujube fell to the ground and disappeared.
"Achoo!"
The young men around him quickly surrounded him, asking, "What's wrong?"
"Third Sister, you're here again. Is it a hereditary cold in your Xie family?"
"Believe it or not," a young man laughed loudly, "Hahaha, Brother Xie, you've certainly captured my romantic thoughts!"
"..."
Xie Lingxi looked quietly at her elder brother, knowing that his distress was only because of that jujube.
However… she thought of that brilliant top scholar who lived on in the mouths of all the students, and he was sweating profusely, wasn’t he?
She found a quiet spot and stared blankly at a willow tree.
Cui Yi invited her close friends to have some snacks, and the conversation turned to Xie Lingxi.
"Lingxi, I heard you had a fever a few days ago, are you fully recovered now?"
Xie Lingxi replied, "It's fine now."
Cui Yi vividly reenacted the grand opera in the octagonal pavilion that day, making all the ladies burst into laughter, and then recited the words she had used to curse Lin Jun in front of the princess.
"That bullying bastard, I've disliked him for a long time. Lingxi is much braver; we don't have the guts!"
"Ah Yi is truly fearless, daring to challenge the princess right in front of her!"
Cui Yi said cheerfully, "Of course! I was just concerned about the county princess, but who knew who that scoundrel was? Would she dare to hit me over something like this?"
Another person said, "Ayi is right. Speaking of which, that Lady Jing'an is not a good elder, and she's not easy to get along with. I beg her not to take a liking to me."
"Isn't her son mentally challenged? How can he get married?"
Everyone in Chang'an knows that the good-for-nothing prince is good for nothing, and even his parents are about to give up on him!
Wang Shiqi Niang patted Cui Yi and chuckled, "Don't be too good at scolding!"
"However, among the nobles in the capital, only the Fifth Prince is truly worth befriending!"
Xie Lingxi was still lost in thought, only verbally agreeing. Upon hearing this, a cold smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.
Heaven is unjust; those hateful jackals, disguised as humans, are still able to thrive in this world.
How could Yan Ji, such an unrighteous, disloyal, and unfilial person, have the nerve to go out?
When the Fifth Prince was mentioned, he arrived immediately.
Yan Ji strode with great strides, surrounded by several servants. He stood up straight, his wide sleeves swaying with his movements, exuding royal style in every gesture.
The women bowed and said, "Greetings, Fifth Prince."
Yan Ji laughed heartily: "Gentlemen, there's no need for such formalities. With the spring river flowing and the green willows swaying along the banks, let's enjoy ourselves together!"
Just then, a young man walked by, and he stepped forward and asked in a humble tone, "Where is Chengzhi?"
"Oh? When did you get sick?"
After receiving the answer, Yan Ji hurriedly left, seemingly to visit Liu Xu.
A noblewoman nearby sighed, "He is truly a man who treats the virtuous with respect..."
Xie Lingxi smiled, her eyes devoid of warmth: "Wang Shiqi Niang is really biased. In my opinion, his humble and courteous character is not even as good as your brother's."
...
Liu Chengzhi never expected that his feigning illness to cancel the spring banquet would cause him such a big problem.
He deeply resented princes and nobles. In his early years, when his hometown suffered a famine, the King of Qin was ordered to provide disaster relief. He was only concerned with his own good reputation—he made a show of distributing porridge, but none of the money went to him; it all ended up in his pocket. Strangely enough, no one criticized him, and his good reputation spread far and wide.
No matter how powerful their voices were, ordinary people like them couldn't possibly fly into Chang'an.
The green hills remain, while the river flows eastward at will.
...
Yan Ji led a large group of people toward the house that Liu Xu was renting.
He had come here specifically to see Liu Xu today. If he could win him over, he couldn't imagine how much help he would provide in the future. However, he was told that Liu Xu was sick at home. So he rushed over in a hurry, afraid that he would be a step behind his brothers.
Upon reaching the gate, there were no guards or anyone to greet them.
There was only one willow tree with sparse branches, and a water vat full of rainwater stood by the door. The courtyard was empty, with withered branches scattered on the ground, seemingly revealing the owner's lack of skill in cleaning.
Yan Ji paused, withdrew his foot from the door, flicked his sleeves, and politely knocked on the door knocker: "Is Young Master Liu in? We have come to visit."
A moment later, a young boy trotted over from the backyard, glanced at the verdigris before him, and then, with great restraint, glanced at everyone: "My lord has been bedridden since returning home the day before yesterday, and is still asleep!"
Seeing that some people were showing impatience, Liu Zhi quickly said, "Thank you gentlemen for your concern. It's early spring and the wind is still chilly. To avoid catching a cold, please go back."
Pei Qian felt he had been humiliated and was about to reprimand him when Yan Ji glanced at him lightly, turned to the boy and smiled, "Alright, then I'll come back another day."
A low cloud of dust drifted by. Liu Zhi watched their departing figures, glanced sideways, and spat.
"My lord is right. What's the point of visiting someone who's ill? They're just putting on airs!"
He then happily strolled into the house, took out the storybook that Liu Xu had bought for him a few days ago, and carefully wiped it clean.
After Yan Ji and his group had walked half a mile, Pei Qian finally couldn't help but spit out, "That Liu Xu clearly doesn't take us seriously. What he's saying about cold illness is just an excuse!"
He frowned and looked at Yan Ji: "Your Highness, what is so special about that person that makes him worthy of our visit?"
Yan Ji's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly regained his cheerful demeanor: "While it is rare for someone to achieve the highest honors in all three categories, it has happened before. What is truly remarkable is that Liu Xu has no illustrious family background and has been impoverished for many years, yet he has managed to surpass all the other young men from prominent families and win the top prize. Such a person must possess extraordinary talent or unwavering determination. Even if he is ruined, he must not fall into the hands of my brothers."
Even the "prodigy" of the Xie family dared not underestimate him, which shows that Liu Xu was very capable.
Thinking this, Yan Ji patted Pei Qian on the shoulder: "Yuan Jing, next time you see him, control your temper and don't be rude."
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