After staying at Ji Yu's place for a few days, Master Lin went to stay with Lord Li. On the one hand, the two were of similar age, and on the other hand, Master Lin also wanted to ask Lord Li more about the situation in the court.
In the past month, Ji Yu spent every day in the study room studying except for eating. He even slept on the small couch in the study room at night.
Apart from seeing him two or three times when she delivered meals to him every day, Gu Qingqing did not dare to disturb Ji Yu at other times.
The night before the palace examination, Ji Yu did not review his lessons for the first time. The two of them lay on the bed without speaking to each other. Gu Qingqing was afraid to disturb Ji Yu rashly.
"Qingqing, when I pass the exam and ride a horse in the parade, find the best spot and throw flowers to me!" In the dark night, Ji Yu was the first to speak.
After passing the imperial examination, there was an opportunity to parade through the streets. The newly-appointed scholars wore brand new clothes, tied colorful ribbons and red flowers on their heads, rode tall horses, and paraded through the city of Chang'an. The women of marriageable age on both sides of the road would bring flowers they had prepared in advance and throw them to the men they loved.
When Gu Qingqing thought of Ji Yu's eye-catching face, she felt both excited and worried, fearing that countless noble ladies in the capital would pledge themselves to him.
"Ah-yu is so handsome. Even if I don't go, there will be countless women vying to throw flowers to him."
Although Ji Yu heard her tone was indifferent, he knew that Gu Qingqing must be a little jealous. The two of them had rarely communicated for many days, so Qingqing must have thought too much.
In the dark night, Ji Yu took the initiative to hug Gu Qingqing for the first time. His voice was filled with the tenderness and sweetness that only a young man could express. "I only want flowers from Qingqing. Qingqing is my wife, and those women are not my relatives. I don't want flowers from others."
While Ji Yu was talking, he kept rubbing his head against Qingqing's shoulders and chest.
"If you weren't going to take part in the palace examination tomorrow, I would definitely not let you go tonight." Gu Qingqing's baby voice was full of threats.
"Qingqing, you are still young." Ji Yu certainly knew what Gu Qingqing meant, and he still took her age into consideration.
"Not young anymore. I turned 17 a few days ago." Gu Qingqing reminded.
When he heard that she was seventeen years old, Ji Yu remembered that he had been so busy studying these days that he had forgotten Gu Qingqing's birthday. He said guiltily, "Qingqing, I'm sorry. I was so busy these days that I even forgot your birthday."
"It's okay. Ah Wei is a man who wants to do great things, how can he be bothered by these trivial matters." Gu Qingqing didn't care at all.
Ji Yu felt even more guilty. "I will make it up to you after I finish the exam."
"It's a deal then. We'll consummate our marriage after you finish your exams." The compensation that Gu Qingqing wanted was not the same as the compensation that Ji Yu mentioned.
"Go to sleep! Go to sleep!" Ji Yu had to change the subject.
A quiet night.
The day of the palace examination.
Ji Yu got up early, changed into tribute clothes, and then, with Gu Qingqing's reluctant gaze, got on the carriage to the palace.
Ji Yu got off the carriage at the gate of the imperial palace, and walked for a while before arriving at one side of the palace gate.
Ji Yu arrived not too early. At this time, among the 300 new tribute scholars, only one or two hundred people had arrived scattered around.
There are now 300 tribute scholars gathered outside the gate, and the scene can be said to be grand.
Because the standing team for this exam was based on the ranking of the last joint exam, Ji Yu stood at the first position as soon as he arrived, which also attracted the curious and scrutinizing eyes of many candidates.
After all, after the imperial examination, many people sent invitations to Ji Yu to invite him for a chat, but because Ji Yu returned to his hometown, Master Lin rejected them one by one.
After Ji Yu returned to the capital, he continued to receive invitations, some of which were even sent to his home. Ji Yu rejected all of them on the grounds that he was preparing for the palace examination.
Everyone is particularly curious about this 15-year-old high school student who ranked first in the imperial examination.
No wonder his eyes have been fixed on Ji Yu since she arrived.
Fortunately, everyone was very polite and just looked at him. No one really went up to talk to him or disturb him.
After all the candidates arrived, the guards with swords searched them one by one to make sure they had no weapons or poisons, and then let them in.
It was also Ji Yu’s first time to enter the imperial palace. Looking at the towering buildings and magnificent palaces in front of him, he couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.
The neatly-organized team passed through the palace gate and walked along the long stone path. They walked along the long corridor, crossed the arch bridge, and finally arrived at the door of Baohedian.
Several eunuchs taught the candidates some basic etiquette. After learning the etiquette, the eunuchs called out their names and took them to their seats in order.
Their seats were also arranged according to their ranking in the imperial examination. Ji Yu was the first to enter the hall and sat in the first seat.
Each candidate had only a table in front of them and a cushion on the ground. The eunuch who taught etiquette before they came said that they needed to kneel on the cushion to answer the questions and could not sit directly.
Ji Yu knelt on the futon and chose a more comfortable position. He would not start distributing the examination papers until all the candidates entered the venue.
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