Chapter 417 The person you like is not good enough
"It's been a while since the results were announced. Don't stay here. Go to the front yard and see if anyone has returned." said the old lady.
Mother Wen nodded helplessly: "Yes, old lady, don't worry, I will go right away."
But just as he was about to leave, the old lady stopped him again: "You are too old to run, let Bizhu go."
Mother Wen then went out again to instruct Bizhu.
She couldn't help laughing in her heart. The old lady was so nervous that she was confused. Even if Bizhu went to the front yard to wait, it would take time to come back to report. It would make no difference.
After receiving the order, Bizhu did not dare to delay and ran to the front yard.
As soon as I reached the second gate, I saw Wenzhu running towards me in a hurry.
"Did you win?" Biju asked impatiently.
Wenzhu nodded and panted.
When Bizhu saw him nod, she turned around and went back to Fuyuan Hall in ecstasy. As soon as she entered the yard, she shouted, "The eldest young master won, old lady, the eldest young master won."
The old lady jumped up from her chair at once, and without Mother Wen's support, she ran out in a hurry.
"Really hit?"
"Yes, yes." Bizhu said with a smile, "Wenzhu will be here soon."
The old lady burst into tears of joy and clasped her hands together: "May our ancestors bless us, may God bless us..."
"Congratulations, old lady. Congratulations, old lady." Mother Wen took the lead and led the servants in the courtyard to bow and congratulate.
The old lady smiled broadly upon hearing this, and even the wrinkles on her face showed joy.
At this time, Wenzhu came in, smiled and bowed, saying: "Your servant greets the old lady. The eldest young master has won the 76th place in the second class, and is a real Jinshi."
"Good, good, good." She said three good words in a row, her joy was beyond words: "We haven't had such a happy thing in our mansion for many years. Pass the order on. Everyone in the mansion will be rewarded. Each person will be rewarded with three sets of clothes, plus a month's salary."
Everyone was very happy.
"I, the servant, thank you for the reward, Madam."
"Where is the eldest young master?" asked the old lady.
Wen Zhu said, "The eldest young master has booked a banquet at Chun Man Lou, and invited the eldest young mistress, the two young masters of the Qiao family, and the third and fourth young ladies to celebrate together."
The old lady nodded: "Mother Wen, tell the kitchen to prepare a good banquet tonight."
Originally, she only hoped that he could pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi. As long as he had this honor, with the ability of the Lu family, it would be possible to arrange a small official position for him. Unexpectedly, Lu Chao entered the second class, which was a pleasant surprise.
Mother Wen smiled and replied, "Yes, old lady."
"Now, accompany me to the ancestral hall. I want to burn incense for the ancestors of the Lu family."
"Do you want to go and tell the master the good news?" asked Mother Wen.
The old lady thought for a moment and said, "Go ahead. He's been thinking about you outside. Telling him might make him happy."
…
Two days later, the palace examination began.
After the palace examination was over, Emperor Chengde would announce the top three winners on the spot and then parade them through the streets.
I have studied hard for many years just to get my name on the list of successful candidates.
It was still on the third floor of Chunmanlou, and we had changed to a larger private room.
Everyone from the Qiao family came, even the baby Mo Mo in the cradle was brought here.
After a round of greetings, everyone sat down.
The Qiao family was extremely nervous and no one spoke for a while.
Lu Qiao had never had any contact with the Qiao family. Looking at the serious faces of the Qiao family members, she did not dare to say much, for fear of making the Qiao family unhappy.
In contrast, Lu Xiang looked indifferent. He drank tea when it was time to drink tea, ate snacks when it was time to eat snacks, and brought a piece of snack to Lu Qiao from time to time.
Lu Qiao couldn't help but admire her third sister in her heart for being so steady.
In the center of the Golden Luan Hall, ten candidates were writing furiously, Emperor Chengde was sitting high under the dragon throne, and the officials were standing quietly on both sides.
The candidates had one hour to answer the questions, and the hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Emperor Chengde sat there and suddenly waved to his lower right.
Chu Jinyan saw it out of the corner of his eye but ignored it.
Emperor Chengde thought his son didn't see it, so he winked at Hu Qian.
Hu Qian understood and immediately trotted to Chu Jinyan's side and said in a low voice:
"Your Highness, the Emperor invites you."
Chu Jinyan frowned unhappily and walked towards Emperor Chengde.
Why do you have to say it at this time?
Chu Jinyan walked to the side of Emperor Chengde and bowed to him silently.
"Son, didn't you say you had high hopes for the son of the Ye family, the Shaoqing of the Taichang Temple? Why don't I see him in this palace?" Emperor Chengde wanted to select a useful person for his son, but this person was not in the palace. Even if he wanted to find someone privately, he had nowhere to look for him.
Chu Jinyan said sternly, "The Autumn Examination is such an important exam. I cannot disregard the law for my own sake. He failed because of his own incompetence. I cannot let him impersonate someone else. This is unfair to others."
Emperor Chengde: "..."
Why did his son feel like he was slapping himself in the face when he heard what he said?
He must be overthinking it.
As expected, he was the crown prince he had chosen, with such outstanding character and personality.
Although Emperor Chengde regretted not being able to help his son, he couldn't help but smile with satisfaction as an old father when he saw such an outstanding son: "It's best that you think so. Those in the palace today are all outstanding people, and they will surely be of use to you in the future."
The two were talking in whispers, and except for Hu Qian who was standing closest to them, no one else could hear anything. Liu Xiang's face turned slightly blue, and he felt indescribably aggrieved.
Except for Chu Qingyun, the other princes were all jealous.
Chu Jinyan returned to his seat, his cold eyes inadvertently sweeping over Liu Xiang, as sharp as an eagle.
Ye Ming, the Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, was originally his favorite candidate for the Minister of Justice, but Lu Xiang said that this person could not be trusted, so he helped Zuo Shiwen to take the position. Before the autumn examination, he deliberately spread the word that he was optimistic about Ye Ming's son. When Prime Minister Liu found out, he would naturally be interested in this person. Ye Ming's son was a man of real talent and learning, and because of this, the talents of Liu's party would not easily let him pass the exam.
Since Ye Ming is useless, there is no need for his son to enter the officialdom, lest he give his opponents another arm to deal with him in the future.
Little did he know that the person he really wanted to win over, Qiao Yuanan, was sitting in the hall at this moment.
Before Qiao Yuanan gains a firm foothold, Chu Jinyan will not expose him easily, lest he be suppressed and unable to make a name for himself.
After all, the Qiao family does not have a deep background.
One hour seems slow for those who are anxiously waiting, but it seems fast for the candidates.
Although all of these ten people are talented, answering questions in the Imperial Examination Hall is different from answering them in front of the emperor in the Golden Luan Hall. Considering the invisible pressure emanating from Emperor Chengde and being watched by so many powerful ministers, not everyone can withstand it.
Some people fainted halfway through the test, while others had a blank mind and couldn't write a single word.
As Hu Qian shouted the time, everyone put down their pens.
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