Chapter 90: Audience Etiquette, Rumors of the Brothel
After the results of the imperial examination were announced, the group went to the Court of State Ceremonial to learn the etiquette of audience with the emperor.
At dawn, it was just getting light outside the window, while the lights inside the house were dim and yellow.
Zong Suyi, dressed in a snow-white undergarment, stood barefoot on the carpet, still half-asleep. She forced herself to straighten the last wrinkle on Zhang Ting's robe before softly saying, "It's done."
He opened his sleepy eyes, yawned, and turned back to continue catching up on sleep.
Unexpectedly, his waist was grabbed halfway, and he was pulled into someone's arms and held tightly, their hot breath lightly brushing against his neck.
Zhang Ting rested her chin on Zong Suyi's shoulder and gently kissed his cheek. "Don't sleep too long, remember to eat early." She had just gotten up herself, and her voice was thick with a nasal tone.
Zong Suyi's eyelids were drooping, and he was already very tired. He subconsciously pressed his face against her and whispered indistinctly, "I know, you should come back soon too."
A charcoal brazier was burning in the room, so he was warm even though he was dressed in thin clothes. He leaned his head against Zhang Ting, his eyelids feeling as heavy as if they were made of lead.
Seeing Zong Suyi's dazed look, Zhang Ting doubted whether he could walk back to the bed on his own.
She shook her head helplessly, then simply picked him up and carried him back to bed herself.
Zong Suyi struggled to open his eyes, extremely exhausted, yet still managed to tug at her sleeve, instructing, "Don't linger outside... there are too many temptresses out there."
"I'll return home as soon as I leave the Ministry of Rites," Zhang Ting said softly, tucking him in. With the imperial examinations approaching, it's best to avoid lingering outside except for necessary gatherings and invitations, lest you invite trouble.
Hearing her promise, Zong Suyi finally relaxed her clothes, closed her eyes, and turned over to sleep.
Zhang Ting carefully closed the door behind her as she left, then joined her fellow senior sisters. She had ranked first in the provincial examination, but her three senior sisters were also quite well-ranked. The eldest senior sister was fourth, the second eighth, and the third fifth. If it were the palace examination, they would at least be in the second tier.
"Junior sister, come quick!"
"Coming," Zhang Ting replied and jogged over.
At this moment, the sky began to lighten, and a touch of crimson quietly rose.
Yang Fuchen tossed her a bag of food, saying, "Eat this to tide you over."
Zhang Ting quickly caught it, lifted the oil paper, and saw that it was another steamed bun... Her lips twitched. Senior Sister eats this for breakfast every time. Doesn't she get tired of it?
Fortunately, she wasn't picky; as long as there was something to fill her stomach, she was fine.
Zhang Ting lowered her head and took a bite of her steamed bun, but Xun Han bumped into her from behind and teased her with raised eyebrows: "You've been married for three years, and you're still so lovey-dovey with your husband. Even when I was newly married, I wasn't this clingy."
Finally, Xun Han glanced at her waist and said earnestly, "Junior sister, be careful of your yin and kidney deficiency, or your body won't be able to take it."
Wu Pingliu was passing by when she heard this. She smiled and gave her a meaningful look, as if to say, "Junior sister, excessive indulgence is harmful to your health. You must exercise restraint."
Zhang Ting laughed and said, "I stayed up too late studying last night, which is why I was a little late."
Actually, last night Zong Suyi kept pestering her to hear strange and bizarre stories, so she deliberately made them bloody, which scared her so much that she couldn't sleep... Okay, it did accidentally veer towards something indescribable. But she would never admit it.
Yang Fuchen believed it to be true. His junior sister was steady and composed. With the palace examination just around the corner, how could she be distracted by beauty?
He spoke up to help her out of the predicament: "Alright, if you don't leave now, it will be too late."
Xun Han glanced at Yang Fuchen, displeased, but didn't say anything more.
It was still early and the streets were sparsely populated, so the four of them decided to ride horses to the Ministry of Rites.
As the admonition drew to a close, it was the last time the group would visit the Court of State Ceremonial.
The palace examination will be held in ten days.
Today's admonitions were as usual, nothing unusual.
But on the return trip, the streets were bustling with people, making it quite different.
Some students, traveling together, recognized Zhang Ting and exclaimed her name in surprise, drawing attention from everyone.
In the teahouse, young men who admired Zhang Ting's writings and talent gathered around the window. Seeing her beautiful appearance and radiant charm, they couldn't help but turn their heads away, blushing with embarrassment. Their hearts fluttered, but they couldn't help but turn their gaze back to her.
They were all young masters from prominent families, dignified and virtuous, reserved and modest. They shyly instructed their servants to inquire whether Zhang Huiyuan was married. If the heavens were on their side, they would ask their mothers and elder sisters to act as matchmakers.
The bolder ones, such as the local teenagers, shouted Zhang Ting's name and threw flowers, sachets, and handkerchiefs at her.
Upon seeing this, Zhang Ting's expression changed. She bent over and dodged to the side, but unfortunately, she was still hit and a delicate apricot blossom got stuck in her hair.
The beautiful queen rode her horse through the streets, her features exquisite, her peach-blossom eyes blinking gently. Wherever she looked, she seemed to be filled with deep affection. At this moment, an apricot blossom was tucked into her hair, which made her appearance even more beautiful and unparalleled, captivating the hearts of the young men present.
If it were merely a pretty face, it wouldn't matter, but she possessed unparalleled talent, was a leader among the scholars of the land, and a highly sought-after candidate for the top spot in the imperial examination. The young man, enamored, fell head over heels in love.
Someone in the crowd shouted Zhang Ting's name, and then more and more people joined in, creating a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the street.
People from other streets and alleys heard the noise and also put down their things and rushed over to see what Huiyuan Niangzi looked like.
For a moment, it seemed as if the eyes of the whole world were focused on Zhang Ting, captivated by her talent and impressed by her temperament.
In the teahouse, some young noblemen, seeing Zhang Ting so popular, finally couldn't resist and, abandoning all convention, began throwing handkerchiefs at her. They were afraid that if they were too slow, their beloved wife would be snatched away!
Zhang Ting was surrounded by all sorts of fragrances, some strong and some faint, which made her sneeze and quickly spurred her horse to escape the area.
After passing through that bustling area, Xun Han shook off the flowers on her body. She had been accidentally injured, and she covered her head and sighed, "Even the top scholar has never heard of such a grand spectacle."
She turned and stared at Zhang Ting, as if studying some kind of mystical object, clicking her tongue in amazement: "Junior sister, your luck with men is really amazing!"
Good heavens! He hasn't even passed the imperial examination yet. If his junior sister passes with flying colors, won't she be even more sought after? I'm afraid even the Zhang residence will be surrounded by people.
Yang Fuchen was furthest from Zhang Ting and was completely clean, but she felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
Why doesn't anyone notice her and throw flowers or handkerchiefs at her?
Wu Pingliu was still shaken. Those men were really crazy. There must have been several cartloads of handkerchiefs, sachets, and flowers scattered on the ground. They almost tripped the horses.
The thought of being blocked by the crowd and unable to leave once she dismounted sent a shiver down Wu Pingliu's spine.
She looked up and her gaze fell on Zhang Ting, a deep fear flashing in her eyes. She thought to herself that her junior sister was not only a monster in terms of talent and conduct, but also had an astonishingly good luck with women.
The scene just now was so terrifying that even a person with just a handkerchief could drown!
Zhang Ting sighed. If she had foreseen this situation, she wouldn't have walked down that street. Fortunately, she escaped with her life.
"Thank you for your hard work today, my three senior sisters. I'll treat you to dinner tonight."
Xun Han was very happy to hear this. He had been staying at his junior sister's house to prepare for the exam for the past two or three months since he came to Kyoto. The only times he went out were to go fishing with his teacher.
To be honest, she had never tasted the flavors of Beijing.
Wu Pingliu smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
With the imperial examination not far off, Yang Fuchen wanted to persuade his three junior sisters to go back and study, but seeing the expectation on their faces, he swallowed the words that were about to come out.
"Then let's go. As the senior sister, I'll treat you this time."
"Senior sister, don't argue with Ting. Today, Ting should come to apologize."
How could Zhang Ting let her pay? The eldest sister came from a poor family and both her parents had passed away. Her life only improved after being taken in by the teacher, but she refused to accept much help from the teacher and earned money by copying books and writing inscriptions. She was the one who lived the most difficult life among them.
Yang Fuchen pursed his lips and glanced at his fourth junior sister. Apologize? She hoped to attract some romantic luck to herself, but unfortunately she was clean and had nothing to apologize for.
Zhang Ting thought she was unhappy, so he coaxed her, "I'm treating today, so you can come again next time, Senior Sister."
Seeing that Xiao Si had said so, Yang Fuchen stopped being stubborn and nodded in agreement.
Zhang Ting then led the three of them there. She was more familiar with the environment in the capital. While chatting with her senior sisters on the way, she thought to herself that she had broken her promise to Zong Suyi and would bring back more food to appease her.
The four of them then went to one of the most popular restaurants in the capital recently. As soon as they sat down and ordered, they heard several people talking in the corridor outside.
"Have you all heard? Young Master Liuyin admires the talent of the new top scholar's wife and even boasted that he would redeem himself for her, without asking for any title, and was willing to serve Zhang Huiyuan as a slave."
Having just suffered an ordeal, Zhang Ting was drinking tea to soothe her throat and relieve her distress when she heard these words. She almost spat out the tea in her mouth, but managed to swallow it down, though she choked and coughed.
Xun Han glanced at her, his eyes gleaming with obvious amusement. He chuckled twice, then squinted and leaned closer, whispering, "Junior sister, you're quite the ladies' man~" His words carried a hint of lewdness.
Zhang Ting gave her a disdainful shove and pouted, "You're so indecent."
The voices in the corridor continued.
"Could it be Young Master Liu Yin, the leader of Zuifeng Pavilion? I've heard he's incredibly handsome and talented, and he only sells his art, not his body, and has rejected many high-ranking officials and nobles."
"It's him, it's him. It's said that he had a tragic past, and was the son of a high-ranking official. In the end, his mother was wrongfully killed, and he himself ended up in a brothel..."
Some women lamented Liu Yin Gongzi's fate, yet praised his devotion, saying, "Liu Yin Gongzi lives in a filthy and dissolute place, yet he has a sincere heart; he is a rare and devoted young man."
"Madam Huiyuan is truly blessed to have won the favor of such a wonderful young man, who is even willing to spend all his savings just to become a lowly servant by her side." After saying this, the man sighed with regret, as if lamenting that he had never encountered such a wonderful thing.
"Do you even need to tell me? That's the Lady of the Imperial Academy, a model and exemplar for all scholars. And I heard that His Majesty summoned the cabinet to discuss her policy proposals!"
"Ah? This... My goodness! The Lady of the Imperial Examination is too amazing! I think she is the undisputed champion of this year's examination. No wonder she has attracted the admiration of Young Master Liu Yin. If I were a man, my heart would also be devoted to her."
"Hahaha, you're so fat, don't disgust people when they get there..."
The footsteps grew fainter and fainter until they disappeared.
The other three people in the private room stared intently at Zhang Ting, their eyes filled with sorrow, their mouths slightly agape as if in astonishment: Is this even human?
Why is it that as soon as she publishes an article, young men are attracted to her and abandon everything to serve her?
And what an amazing article!
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