Chapter 166: Passed the test and entered the palace to see his mother
"Gu'er, you still don't admit your mistake!"
Xiao Tong shouted angrily and secretly glared at Shang Yuwan several times.
Shang Yuwan lowered his eyes, wondering what Xiao Qinggu had written that could make Xiao Tong's emotions so exposed?
Xiao Qinggu pursed her lips and was about to speak, but Emperor Chengming took the lead.
"Seventh sister, why are you so angry?"
When Shang Yuwan heard the voice, she glanced towards Emperor Chengming.
It doesn't sound like he's angry, so why is Xiao Tong angry?
Could it be... ?
Xiao Tong frowned, "Brother, you can't spoil her this time. Look at her! She's completely lawless! She must be severely punished!"
Emperor Chengming seemed very interested: "Seventh sister, how do you want to punish me?"
Xiao Tong paused, then quickly reacted and said, "How can I punish you? This matter naturally rests with my brother, the emperor."
If she said how to punish Xiao Qinggu, it would be an act of usurpation in front of Emperor Chengming!
Emperor Chengming smiled and turned his eyes to Xiao Qinggu, with a majestic aura without anger.
"Gu'er."
Xiao Qinggu's body trembled slightly, and he bent down with his forehead resting on the ground.
"Your son is here."
"After the results of today's assessment come out, you and your father will go to the palace."
Emperor Chengming said with a hint of meaning, "We father and daughter haven't spoken to each other for a long time."
"...Yes." This was the emperor's order, and Xiao Qinggu had no room for refusal.
Xiao Qingxu's mind moved, and Shang Yuwan's eyelids also raised a little.
Why didn't one sense any murderous intent in the tone of Emperor Chengming's speech to Xiao Qinggu?
Xiao Tong remained silent, she was also very curious.
Xiao Qinggu's writings were extremely disrespectful. If they got out, how would Emperor Chengming save face? Damaging the royal family's reputation was a serious crime. But this person didn't seem to be angry at her at all. Instead, he seemed... a little happy?
Xiao Tong's mouth twitched.
Could it be because of Shang Yuwan? Seeing that someone anticipated that he would be angered by Xiao Qinggu, and specially brought him a cup of Biluochun, he was so happy that he went crazy?
Is he sure that tea is for him? Is it poisonous?
Xiao Tong took a look at Biluochun.
Ji Suxian saw her little action and secretly rolled her eyes. Xiao Qingxu sneered inwardly, while Shang Yuwan reacted indifferently.
She wouldn't poison the tea. She wanted more than just Xiao Tong and Xiao Qingji to die.
Emperor Chengming asked Xiao Qinggu to take a seat, raised his hand to pick up the teacup and took a sip of Biluochun, smiling without saying a word.
After a while, Bailipu returned with people from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy.
They all saluted, and Emperor Chengming's attitude became much gentler.
Bailipu submitted the answer sheet, which was taken away by Eunuch Kang and handed to Emperor Chengming.
Emperor Chengming took a look and his eyebrows moved slightly.
He asked, "Censor Baili, how did you guys come to an agreement? Did he pass the assessment, or did he fail?"
Bailipu taught Xiao Qinggu a lot of things in April, but the invigilation and judgment of the examination results were not decided by him alone. Instead, multiple civil servants discussed it together and selected the final result through anonymous voting.
Although Baili Pu was strongly dissatisfied, other officials who were prejudiced against the princess being crowned as a king did not dare to express it too strongly, but Emperor Chengming could not turn a blind eye to it, and Baili Pu naturally knew this.
After Emperor Chengming casually mentioned this once, he invited officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy, both of whom held high positions, to supervise the examination and vote on the day of the examination. By doing so, they could also enhance the fairness of the examination to the outside world.
That was the answer sheet that was reviewed by Baili Pu, the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy. There were also several people who set questions for the imperial examinations in previous years. Emperor Chengming was also present here. Who would dare to question it?
As soon as Emperor Chengming finished speaking, Xiao Qinggu's heart was in his throat before he could recover.
Bailipu leaned forward, raised his arm in salute, and bowed his head, saying, "Your Majesty, we have carefully read it. After voting, we believe that—"
Xiao Qingxu and Shang Yuwan couldn't help but hold their breath, afraid they might have misheard. Ji Suxian's eyes widened, afraid she might have misread Bailipu's mouth shape.
"Her Royal Highness's assessment today..."
Xiao Tong stared at Bailipu's mouth so closely that Xiao Qinggu even forgot to breathe.
"Passed."
"..." Lord Li stared at Xiao Qinggu's stiff body, the huge waves in his heart stirred up by the answer sheet had not yet subsided.
"......" Xiao Qingxu's lips moved and his hand trembled. Shang Yuwan quickly grasped the teacup. If she hadn't reacted quickly, the Biluochun in Xiao Qingxu's hand would have fallen to the ground.
Passed.
......
Passed?
Passed!!!
Xiao Qinggu's eyes suddenly lit up!
Xiao Tong was subconsciously happy, but soon a look of worry and disbelief appeared between his brows.
"Shang, Da...Father!"
Xiao Qinggu's face was full of joy and he stood up excitedly.
"Father! Your son..."
Xiao Qinggu suddenly realized that the crisis had not been truly resolved. The smile on his face froze and he saluted.
She completely drooped, "Yes, I'm sorry, I'm rude."
Bailipu: “…” No matter how well she wrote the answer sheet, she was still an unstable child after all.
Emperor Chengming was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed in a low voice.
"Gu'er, why are you so flustered? Now that you've passed the assessment, go back to the palace to talk with your father. It's a good opportunity to meet your mother."
"......" The more he acted as if nothing had happened, the more panicked Xiao Qinggu became. "Yes..."
Xiao Qinggu felt mixed emotions. Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu looked at her with relief, worry, and confusion.
What on earth had she written on that piece of rice paper? Why was Emperor Chengming reacting so strangely?
Emperor Chengming left with Xiao Qinggu, and Baili Pu and the people from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy also left one after another to go back and prepare for the reception of the Langjiang envoy tomorrow.
Xiao Tong glanced at Xiao Qingxu and Shang Yuwan sideways, snorted coldly, and left with a flick of his sleeves.
Ji Suxian openly made a face at Xiao Tong's back.
Xiao Tong seemed to sense something and turned his head suddenly. Ji Suxian suddenly broke into a brilliant smile.
Xiao Tong's brows twitched: "......"
Xiao Qingxu smiled at her: "......"
Shang Yuwan also smiled at her: "......"
The corners of Xiao Tong's mouth twitched twice, and a smile appeared on his stiff face.
You little bastards, just wait for her!
Xiao Tong walked away. Ji Suxian snorted and turned around and asked, "Did you see that? So...what happened to you guys?"
When she turned her head, she saw that Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu's faces had darkened.
They looked at each other, their eyes filled with dark clouds.
What exactly did Emperor Chengming want to do by calling Xiao Qinggu into the palace alone?
Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu returned home and secretly sent people to the palace to inquire about the situation.
On the other side, Emperor Chengming and Xiao Qinggu had already arrived at Concubine Yue's bedroom.
When they arrived at the gate of Wanning Pavilion, the palace maids who had received the news early and were guarding here all bowed to greet Emperor Chengming when they saw him coming.
"Your Highness, the Fifth Princess—"
"No need to be polite."
"Thank you, Your Majesty—"
Emperor Chengming was about to step in, but Xiao Qinggu suddenly stopped.
Emperor Chengming seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. He immediately noticed her abnormality and turned around and chuckled, "Gu'er, what's wrong?"
Xiao Qinggu's eyes reflected the appearance of Wan Ning Pavilion and the silent faces of the two palace maids with their heads bowed.
In a trance, she seemed to have returned to that year.
A three-year-old girl was dragged by her hair by a palace maid in the corridor of Wanning Pavilion. The girl grabbed the hand that was holding her hair and struggled and stumbled.
【I'm not wrong! I didn't!】
[You pulled Concubine Ning's hair in public, and they just came to your door, and you still refuse to admit it! Bi Jin, continue!]
The girl's scalp was pulled red, and there were many palace maids hiding around her who were watching the show, all watching coldly.
She had no one to turn to, but she refused to admit her mistakes, and she didn't shed a single tear. She only cried out with red eyes and a trembling, heartbreaking voice in her childish voice:
【I am not wrong!!!】
The first complete sentence Xiao Qinggu learned when he was a child was "I'm not wrong."
How ridiculous for a princess like her.
"Gu'er?"
Xiao Qinggu suddenly came back to his senses.
Emperor Chengming looked at her, and others looked at her too - just like back then, all pairs of strange eyes were glued to her, pressing her so hard that she could hardly breathe.
Xiaoman came to her side when she was three years old. Before she met Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu, no one had shown her obvious favoritism like them.
But it's different now.
After Xiaoman died, she was not alone.
Xiao Qinggu smiled lightly.
"Your Majesty, let's go in quickly. Mother must be waiting anxiously."
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