Chapter 7: Gentlemen
"This child's pipa is so moving..."
The lady looked at Xue Xiyang, and while she admired him, she remembered the absurd way he gambled his marriage yesterday. She thought her daughter might have some emotional problems, and she turned her head to look at him.
But Qiandeng was sitting quietly listening, looking at the young man thoughtfully.
She felt a little relieved. After all, her daughter was well-behaved and obedient. She knew how to weigh the pros and cons and did not make trouble.
Qian Deng looked at the person outside the screen, who was charming and elegant, like a handsome young man in a corrupt society. The tenderness in his eyes looking at her through the veil was clearly visible and awe-inspiring.
Is this the legendary peach blossom eyes?
Qian Deng thought, my first impression yesterday was right, this guy really doesn't look like a serious person...
She looked down at the scroll in her hands. This unruly man was currently serving as the Minister of Music. Because of his outstanding charm, he was appreciated by the princes and princesses and was recommended for selection.
Everyone around was already immersed in the music. Aunt Xuanji, with tears in her eyes, whispered, "If the prince were still alive, he would definitely like this song."
After all, King Changhua was born into the royal family of Kucha, and among the ten types of music, his favorite was the music of his hometown.
When the song ended, seeing the Lady had no further questions, Xue Xiyang stood up, holding his pipa, and took a half step closer to the screen. His voice, smiling and deliberately lowered, was like the sound of an empty string, mysterious and captivating. "Xiyang observed the Lady's movements as she listened to the music behind the screen. They perfectly matched the rhythm of the pipa, clearly a kindred spirit. If you wish to understand its subtleties and appreciate its meaning, feel free to discuss them with me. Xiyang will certainly be ready to welcome you."
He said this seriously, but the rising tone at the end of his voice was like a little hook, making the appointment even more ambiguous.
What? Are you afraid that you won’t get back the 100 gold you bet?
Qian Deng thought to himself, but did not answer. He just stood up, bowed to him, and sat down as usual.
Xue Xiyang did not show any disappointment. He turned around and smiled at her behind the gauze screen, then left with the pipa in his arms.
His mother looked at his back and sighed quietly, "Where did they pick these young men? They are all so handsome."
Qian Deng hadn't replied yet when Cui Fufeng named "Yan Penglai" next. Aunt Xuanji smiled and said, "When it comes to looks, I heard that Yan Penglai is the best."
The lady suddenly remembered and asked, "Yan Penglai? Could he be the one who led the sacrifice to heaven during His Majesty's ceremony a few years ago?"
"Yes, it is this Mr. Yan."
Because it was a grand sacrifice of the imperial court, the Ministry of Rites selected 108 handsome young men from all over the Tang Dynasty to lead the emperor to the Taimiao to worship his ancestors, and the first requirement was appearance.
As a result, handsome young men of marriageable age from all over the Tang Dynasty gathered in the capital, which became another major event in the matchmaking world after "catching a son-in-law from the list".
On the day of offering sacrifices to heaven, the ceremonial procession set out for the Taimiao. The person that onlookers talked about along the way was the young man standing in the middle of the first row, holding the jade book in his hand.
His appearance, resembling a celestial being, shocked everyone. From then on, all popular portraits of the Fairy Child God depicted him.
Even the emperor who was sitting in the jade throne at that time was shocked by his appearance. After offering sacrifices to the Taimiao, he personally gave him the name "Penglai".
At this moment, this young man, who looked like a god descending to earth, dressed only in a plain singlet, stepped over the threshold, bowed to the Crown Prince, and then saluted everyone through the screen: "Yan Penglai greets the Madam and the County Lady."
This young man, who had a stunning appearance when he was young, now looked even more radiant, as if he had brought in the late summer sunlight outside the hall, filling the entire room with light.
The invisible light outside the door turned into a visible glow as he entered; and his obviously visible appearance turned into an invisible impression, making the people in front of him unable to see his specific appearance for a moment. There was only an inexplicable power that made people stare at his face, their hearts and emotions being gripped, and they couldn't take their eyes off him.
Everyone in the room fell silent for a moment, wondering how such a handsome man could exist in this world.
After a long while, the lady came back to her senses and asked, "What are your hobbies and what do you usually do?"
His voice was clear and light, and his expression and gaze carried a faint sense of vagueness: "The truth is simple; clinging to delusion is useless. Life is as fleeting as a journey, so why bother with pleasure? I simply recite classics every day to while away my time."
Madam and Aunt Xuanji looked at each other and smiled bitterly. This young man was so young and so handsome, how could he look like a cultivator with a pure heart and few desires?
They turned to look at Qian Deng, wanting to see what she meant, but saw her gently raise her hand and touch the scar on her eyebrow.
Although she said nothing, everyone remembered that when she was just injured, it was this god-like husband who diagnosed her with a face fortune of "no relatives and bad luck to her husband".
But now, the person who first knew about her disfigured appearance and fate appeared among her candidate husbands.
Suppressing the strange emotions in their hearts, they asked him about his job and whereabouts, only to find out that this immortal was named after the fairy mountain Penglai, and he was also an immortal from other world.
He was the Minister of the Imperial Ascension Office, a man of ethereal grace and a mind far removed from the heavens. He had no interest in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, nor did he bother with cockfighting or dog racing. His daily routine consisted of burning incense, meditating, divination, and reading the sutras, a man of pure, otherworldly beauty.
Such a wonderful boy, who talks about Buddhist verses and Taoist scriptures all the time. His unworldly appearance makes people love and hate him.
Several people in the side hall were also paying attention to this side. Seeing Yan Penglai talking ramblingly, Xue Xiyang sneered and ate the rose petals left for him slowly: "I might as well become a monk than marry this kind of person."
Ji Linyou said, "Brother Ji, you are wrong. If I were a young lady, and could face such a handsome man every day, even if I remained silent and looked like a clay or wooden sculpture, I would eat two more bowls of rice!"
Jin Tang refuted, "Shallow! How could the county lady be like that? She would definitely look down on you!"
Everyone in the hall looked at this most shallow rich boy, with their hands folded in their arms, and no one was willing to pay any attention to him.
Yan Penglai was so glorious that Jin Tang in the back was very depressed. He was afraid that he would be inferior to the last one to enter, so he got up early to check his gifts and prepare to go in.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stood up, he cried out "ouch", held his lower abdomen, and couldn't even straighten his back.
"I... I suddenly have a stomachache..." He felt a cramp in his stomach, his body covered in cold sweat, and his lips were pale. "Everyone, I, I need to go wash my hands... Please apologize for me."
At the critical moment, he suddenly had to go to the bathroom.
Su Yunzhong watched from the side with his arms folded. He didn't like Jintang in the first place, so he asked Cui Fufeng, who came over to call the roll, "Should we wait, or should the next one come first?"
Seeing that Jin Tang was pale and sweating profusely, Cui Fufeng signaled his servants to take him out first and let Su Yunzhong enter the main hall first.
Although Su Yunzhong's family background was ordinary, the Changhua Palace did not mind it. The lady also came from a farming family. Seeing that his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes were quite similar to her husband's style when he was young, and hearing that he was promoted to the Left Guard for capturing a bandit, she was even more impressed and talked with him for a long time.
After he went down, two young men who had passed the military examination followed him, one was Nan Yu and the other was Ji Linyou. They were both smart young men with heroic appearances. The lady was naturally happy to see them.
Then it was Shangluo's turn to come in. His youthful face still had a hint of childishness, and his beautiful big eyes stared at the screen with curiosity.
The mother was a little surprised. After asking, she found out that Shangluo was only thirteen years old this year.
Xuanji whispered, "Young Master Shang's grandfather was once the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and his father is now the Vice Governor of Jizhou. He himself is also a good student. At a young age, he entered the Imperial Academy and was highly praised by his teacher."
Because he came from an excellent family and people often said that a woman three years older than her husband would bring him wealth and wealth, they would definitely be compatible and harmonious with each other. After repeated discussions between the Ministry of Rites and the Inner Palace Bureau, this young man was selected as an exception.
He was very knowledgeable at a young age. Aunt Xuanji asked and answered questions with him, and the lady was smiling happily beside him. She was also quite happy. She even thought that it would not be a bad idea to wait for three to five years for such a promising child.
Qiandeng listened disjointedly, her chin in her hand, thinking that being young did have its advantages: she could slowly prepare for marriage over the next few years, and she could still enjoy a few more years of relaxed and comfortable life at home...
After Shangluo, the oldest person to come in was Yu Guangling. He was twenty-four, eight years older than Qiandeng, and therefore looked more stable and mature than the others.
He came from a poor family, and because of some distant relationship with the Jin family, the Jin family sponsored him to attend the Imperial College to accompany Jin Tang to study. However, his academic performance was extremely outstanding, and he was highly praised by the teachers of the Imperial College. If he had not missed the previous imperial examination to accompany Jin Tang, he would have had no problem passing the imperial examination.
However, quite a few people placed bets on him yesterday.
Qian Deng thought about it, and a faint sense of absurdity arose in his heart.
Because Yu Guangling's horoscope was most compatible with hers, everyone in the Sitiantai praised him, saying that they were a rare match in the world, and that was why he stood out.
After his mother learned of his fate, she gently tugged at Qiandeng's sleeve and said softly, "This young man looks down-to-earth and serious, and is willing to study hard. He must be a gentle and reliable person."
Qiandeng nodded silently, but still did not reply.
All nine people had met each other, but Jin Tang, who had gone to wash his hands for nearly half an hour, had not returned yet.
No one else cared, except Yu Guangling, who was looking forward to it with worry.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside. The servant who had led Jin Tang to the toilet came running back and said, "It's terrible! Young Master Jin is in trouble!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com