Chapter 25 Can this good fortune be given to someone else?
Emperor Wusu felt that the woman in the distance was walking back and forth, dazzling his eyes.
Today, because she came to seek a master and learn from him, Ji Qingwu dressed very simply, with her hair tied up in a bun and only a jade hairpin in her hair, without any other jewelry.
The hem of her light blue gauze dress swayed with her steps, like a soft blue cloud.
The loose skirt accentuates her slender waist, making viewers want to bend her over.
Li Yuzong noticed that the emperor's gaze was fixed on the outside of the palace, and he stared at it for a long time.
He followed the gaze with curiosity and glanced at her, then bowed and approached, whispering, "Your Majesty, this is the fifth daughter of the Ji family. She brought her daughter to the Imperial Study for the entrance exam."
The news had actually reached the Emperor's ears yesterday, and Li Yuzong reminded him again with utmost care.
Emperor Wusu glanced at the noisy eunuch before turning his gaze away.
Then, with a nonchalant expression, he picked up the memorial he had just tossed aside and wrote a reply in vermilion ink.
With a flourish of his hand, he produced a magnificent calligraphy, the characters on the folded paper both powerful and elegant.
Seeing that the Emperor's mood seemed to have improved, Li Yuzong, though unsure why, tiptoed back and heard Emperor Wusu coldly give an order.
He rubbed his ears in surprise, almost thinking he had misheard, before accepting the order and leaving.
Inside the study, the sound of soft reading could be heard.
Standing at the door, Ji Qingwu felt uneasy. She wasn't too nervous when she left, but the longer she waited, the more unpleasant scenarios would automatically pop into her mind.
So when Li Yuzong appeared behind her, she was startled.
"Miss Ji."
Ji Qingwu suddenly turned around and saw Li Yuzong and the eunuchs carrying things.
Thinking she was blocking the way, she quickly moved aside.
One of the eunuchs was none other than Xiao Dongzi, who had come to the mansion to deliver the imperial decree that day. He smiled and said, "This servant greets Miss Ji. This is my master, Chief Steward Li Yuzong of the Imperial Household Department."
In the palace, the eunuchs who served the emperor were not ordinary servants; the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department held the most power.
Ji Qingwu replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Greetings, Steward Li."
Li Yuzong was also very polite: "Miss Ji, you flatter this old servant."
"Put the chairs here," Li Yuzong instructed his men.
Ji Qingwu looked at a rosewood chair carved with dragon and cloud patterns, which was placed in front of her.
This is.......
Seeing her confusion, Li Yuzong said directly, "This is a gift from His Majesty. The Emperor said that although Miss Ji has an elegant figure, walking back and forth in front of this door is really an eyesore, and ordered Miss Ji to sit down."
Does the Emperor find her an eyesore?
Ji Qingwu's expression changed repeatedly, neither angry nor amused.
However, recalling the terrifying aura of the Emperor in the side hall of Cining Palace that day, she could only sit down obediently and respectfully reply, "Thank you for the Emperor's reward."
She watched Li Yuzong return to the Qinzheng Hall.
He was also puzzled. The Imperial Study was at least thirty or forty meters away from the Hall of Diligent Governance. The Emperor's eyesight was truly extraordinary.
Once she sat down, she didn't dare to move her buttocks, her back straight as if she were being punished.
Chiu Chiu blinked her eyes and said, "Mother, the Emperor is such a kind person. He even let you sit down because he saw you were tired of standing."
This good fortune... can it be given to someone else?
For no apparent reason, a woman was sitting at the entrance of the Imperial Study, in a chair with dragon and cloud patterns from the Hall of Diligent Governance—an unprecedented sight.
Although the palace servants passing by dared not gossip, a few secretly turned their heads to look at her.
Ji Qingwu felt like he was sitting on pins and needles; it would have been better to stand.
Li Yuzong quickly returned to the Hall of Diligent Governance and quietly stood in his usual spot.
At this moment, Emperor Wusu held a memorial in his hand, the vermilion pen hovering over the paper. His long eyebrows furrowed, and he glanced at Li Yuzong with cold eyes.
Chief Eunuch Li, who was always the most perceptive of the emperor's intentions, did not understand what the emperor meant.
Li Yuzong observed Emperor Wusu's expression and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, Miss Ji has already sat down and will not disturb you any further."
Looking from the direction of the Hall of Diligent Governance, Ji Qingwu was already sitting comfortably in a chair, his posture dignified and motionless, as if he were in a meditative state.
The clouds no longer float, yet they still cause restlessness.
Emperor Wusu said with some impatience, "What did you say?"
Li Yuzong then realized that Ji Qingwu wanted to know what Ji Qingwu had said.
He quickly replied, "Miss Ji said she is grateful for His Majesty's gift."
Emperor Wusu nodded, raising an eyebrow, as if waiting for the rest of the story to unfold.
Now, Li Yuzong was sweating so much that the fabric of his hat brim was almost soaked. He hesitated and said, "How about I go and ask Miss Ji if she has anything else to say?"
A short while later, a cold voice came from the throne.
"The vermilion gate was closed."
It implies that out of sight, out of mind.
For some reason, Emperor Wusu was unusually difficult to serve today. Li Yuzong was extremely careful and quickly ordered his eunuchs to close the two large doors, leaving only a crack for ventilation.
Ji Qingwu watched helplessly as the gates of the Diligent Governance Hall closed right in front of him.
She's sitting there obediently, is she even an eyesore?!
If she could, she wouldn't want to enter the palace and offend the emperor.
"It's all good," Ji Qingwu sighed, and relaxed his posture a bit.
After waiting a while, an elderly man wearing an indigo-blue robe with a round collar and narrow sleeves appeared at the door.
Seeing the man's demeanor and bearing, Ji Qingwu knew that he must be the examiner of the entrance examination, namely Qiao Menghan, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince of this dynasty.
When Qiao Menghan saw Ji Qingwu and Qiuqiu, as well as the familiar rosewood chair, a glint of light flashed in his old eyes.
He recognized the chair; it was the chair the Emperor used to summon officials to the Hall of Diligent Governance, where elderly and frail officials were allowed to sit and rest. But why was it here?
Qiao Menghan was a cunning old fox in officialdom. He didn't say anything and pretended not to see it, because the chair wouldn't have appeared there for no reason.
Ji Qingwu quickly stood up, greeted them, and then stepped aside to stand quietly by.
Old Master Qiao nodded, then looked at the child who only reached his knees and asked seriously, "Are you Ji Bolian's granddaughter?"
Chiu Chiu didn't flinch and replied, "Yes, how do you know my maternal grandfather's name?"
Old Master Qiao, without a smile, said, "Never mind how I know, do you know why you're here today?"
The little girl honestly replied, "To study."
"Since you are here to study, what are your strengths?"
Chiu Chiu proudly puffed out her little chest: "Counting money."
Qiao Menghan stroked his beard and said, "Alright, let me ask you this: If people buy things together, each person pays eight coins, and there is a surplus of three coins; if each person pays seven coins, there is a shortfall of four coins. How many people are there and how much is the price of the goods?"
It's a profit and loss problem.
Ji Qingwu's eyes were bright and gentle as she waited for her daughter's answer.
Her bright black eyes darted around a few times, her little hands were fidgeting, and her little mouth was making a muttering sound.
After a short while, he excitedly said, "Seven people, fifty-three coins."
Old Master Qiao nodded. No need for paper and pen; answering so quickly shows a talent for arithmetic.
"There is a famine in a certain place. The imperial court allocated 10,000 taels of silver for disaster relief. One jin of rice porridge costs one and a half strings of cash, which is enough to feed three people. How many people can be fed with this disaster relief money?"
This question is even easier than the last one, Ji Qingwu thought to herself, encouraging her daughter.
Chiu Chiu thought about it for a long time.
Her eyebrows furrowed together, as if she were in a difficult situation.
"I have no idea."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
