Chapter 53 Encounter in the Streets, Drunkenness at the Deer Cry Banquet
Inside the Golden Palace.
At the beginning of the morning court session, the names of the examinees were announced.
The top three candidates in the imperial examination, personally selected by the emperor yesterday, entered the palace under the watchful eyes of all the officials.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects! Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Wusu looked at the kneeling people in the hall with a deep expression.
The one kneeling at the very front is the top scholar he personally selected yesterday.
Grand Tutor Qiao was not mistaken. In terms of talent and ambition, Li Chengxun far surpassed his contemporaries. His writings were grand and insightful, and he was able to criticize the ills of the times.
Since he is ambitious and truly capable, and wants a high position, what harm is there in giving it to him?
A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be felled by the wind.
It's just unknown how long he can maintain his position in the treacherous world of officialdom.
"Rise, my dear subject."
Upon hearing the shout, Li Chengxun bowed and stepped aside.
Emperor Wusu, seated high on his throne, said, "A top scholar stands tall in the land, capable of enduring a thousand autumns. Do you know the expectations I have for you?"
Li Chengxun stepped forward again, prostrated himself, and said gratefully, "Your Majesty, I will certainly not disappoint you."
After expressing his gratitude to the emperor, the top scholar, personally selected by the emperor, began to ride a horse through the streets.
Li Chengxun wore a black gauze hat adorned with gold flowers, a bright red robe, and rode a red-maned horse with a golden saddle. He was accompanied by flag bearers, drummers, and musicians, creating a grand and imposing scene.
The people all came out to watch, eager to witness the demeanor of the newly appointed top scholar.
"This top scholar is so handsome! I have never seen such a handsome young man before."
"Oh, don't be envious. This top scholar will soon become Princess Qingyun's husband."
"If you ask me, the Emperor truly dotes on the princess, choosing such a wonderful husband for her..."
Because this top scholar was so handsome, even knowing that he was going to become the emperor's son-in-law, many girls still dared to throw fruit at his carriage.
The procession was here, and the road was completely blocked.
Two carriages had to pull over and wait for the crowd to pass.
It was the carriage of the Ji family.
Madam Ji and her two daughters-in-law sat in the larger carriage in front, followed by a smaller one for the young ladies of the family.
Ji Qingyuan lifted the curtain on the car window and glanced at the man in the center of the crowd.
He turned his gaze to Ji Qingwu, who was resting with his eyes closed across from him.
There are no secrets that stay hidden forever.
She had also heard the rumors about her fifth sister and this top scholar, a handsome and talented man who had been snatched away by Princess Qingyun.
She couldn't stand seeing her fifth sister being better than her. Now that she heard that her sister had been abandoned, she felt a sense of superiority, but also a touch of sympathy and pity.
Today's palace banquet is grand, and it's also the Deer Cry Banquet, so the two of them will definitely meet at the banquet.
Qiao put in all her effort to dress up Ji Qingwu, determined not to lose face.
At this moment, Ji Qingwu was wearing a light blue, wide-sleeved, open-front, low-necked blouse, with the upper garment tucked into a long, flowing skirt adorned with balsam flowers.
The double-ringed hair bun is adorned with a three-winged oriole feather pearl hairpin, and there is also a Xiangfei-colored water lily hairpin on the forehead.
The collar of her blouse was wide open, revealing skin even more lustrous than the pearls on her head.
But what's the use of dressing up to be stunningly beautiful? Who will appreciate it?
Ji Qingyuan pointed outside and said, "This newly appointed top scholar is indeed handsome, don't you think, Fifth Sister?"
It would be a lie to say that Ji Qingwu, who was pretending to be asleep with his eyes closed, was not bored.
What did that man say back then? He said that once he became the top scholar in the imperial examination, he would marry her in grand style.
Now he rides a tall horse, a large red silk flower hanging on his chest, entering officialdom in glory, but the person he is to marry is not her.
Seeing that Ji Qingwu didn't want to talk, Ji Qingyuan lowered the curtain.
He said to himself, "If you ask me, no matter how handsome this top scholar is, he can't outshine that person."
It was rare to find a woman who wasn't captivated by Li Chengxun's face; Ji Qingwu's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
Are there even more handsome ones?
Having witnessed even larger events, Ji Qingyuan began to reminisce about the past.
He said smugly, "When His Majesty was still the General Who Pacifies the North, after quelling the rebellion of the Eastern Jurchens and returning to the capital, all the women in the city wanted to see the great hero. The scene was out of control; countless flowers and fruits were thrown, and even more..."
She suddenly stopped, a hint of shyness on her face.
Ji Qingwu stopped pretending to be asleep.
She stopped halfway through her story, opened her eyes, and asked curiously.
"Fourth sister, what else is being thrown?"
Ji Qingyuan covered her mouth and whispered, "Dudou (a type of undergarment)."
Ji Qingwu thought about that scene...
The valiant general rode his warhorse, his silver armor as cold as frost.
However, she was wearing a brightly colored bodice typical of young women.
Connecting this to her current image as a cold-faced monarch, Ji Qingwu tried hard to purse her lips, preventing herself from laughing out loud.
The frustration in my chest immediately dissipated considerably.
What should have been a half-hour journey took an extra hour because of the frequent stops and starts.
This banquet was large in scale and was specially held in the south corner of the Imperial Garden.
The musicians were already prepared, and as the guests arrived one after another, the sounds of sheng and huang, and various string and wind instruments filled the air.
The Ji family was the Empress Dowager's maternal family, so apart from the royal family, they were seated at the very front. At the banquet, men and women were seated separately, separated by a two-zhang-wide aisle.
The area is close to the lotus pond, and the fresh fragrance of the flowers is carried over by the wind.
On his way here, Ji Qingwu saw the lotus flowers in the pond stretching to the sky and under the blue sun from afar. They were quite beautiful. The ones in the palace were even more carefully cultivated, and the varieties were better. The lotus pods were even bigger than those outside.
I suddenly have a craving for fragrant lotus seeds.
Ji Qingwu stared blankly into the distance, unaware that the Empress Dowager and Princess Qingyun had taken their seats.
As the surrounding area began to stir and discussions arose.
She looked over and saw Li Chengxun, dressed in a red robe and with a jade belt around his waist, appear at the door.
His face was beaming with pride, a smug look that he couldn't hide no matter how hard he tried.
Through the crowd surrounding him, Li Chengxun immediately spotted the woman sitting on the far right of the front row.
Ji Qingwu did not immediately look away from her gaze.
Because she suddenly remembered what Ji Qingyuan had said, she lowered her head and gently raised her hand to cover the smile on her lips.
A long dress adorned with balsam flowers accentuated her delicate and charming appearance.
What truly touches the heart is that shy, lowered head...
Li Chengxun was momentarily lost in thought.
After everyone was seated, Emperor Wusu arrived and joined the banquet.
Today, because he was hosting a banquet for his ministers and guests, Emperor Wusu did not wear his golden crown.
Instead, he wore a black bamboo-framed gauze hat with gold thread, a black cross-collar plain gauze robe with wide sleeves, a red narrow waist belt, and a jade pendant with nine tripods hanging from it, making him look even more refined and handsome.
The most meticulously prepared dish at the Deer Banquet was venison. It was not only a dish, but also a symbol of the emperor's boundless grace and high regard for talented individuals.
Ji Qingwu was in a so-so mood, but his appetite was unusual.
Since we're eating venison, we'll definitely need to pair it with alcohol.
The venison was tender and juicy, and she ate it in small bites, finishing her small cup of wine before she knew it.
In contrast, Ji Qingyuan, who was sitting next to him, hardly touched her chopsticks or her wine.
Ji Qingwu leaned over and stared at the wine and venison in front of her, softly calling out, "Fourth Sister."
Seeing her staring blankly, Ji Qingyuan assumed that she had unspeakable suffering in her heart and wanted to drown her sorrows in alcohol, so she pushed the plate and wine cup over to her.
Ji Qingwu poured a glass of wine, the clear liquid carrying a mellow aroma.
She opened her lips as if to drink.
Unexpectedly, several figures suddenly appeared in front of him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com