Chapter 80 Lu Yao Attends the Banquet
Bai Li Hong's two main businesses in Jinxiufang, West Market, were Baibaoju, which sold items such as ice, tinderboxes, and fine salt, and Tianyuanlou, located at the entrance of Jinxiufang.
After the New Year, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao ordered people to thoroughly clean Tianyuan Tower again, just to welcome the students who were arriving in the capital one after another and provide them with a place to stay.
To give them the best experience, all one hundred superior rooms and one hundred regular rooms in the building were cleaned and tidied up, the bedding was all new, and the tables, chairs, doors and windows in the superior rooms were all new.
The tables and chairs in the hall were covered with new tablecloths and cushions, and the already clean kitchen was even cleaner.
After tidying everything up, Qin Xiao sent more than a dozen imperial chefs, led by Granny Zhong, to take charge of the cooking.
Then there's Qin Chaoyang, who was temporarily appointed as the "Chief of the Imperial Examinations," working with Wang Zhiyuan, the Minister of Rites, to handle all matters within the building.
Chu Jiubian then had Baili Hong personally write the three characters "Qingyunlou" and have them made into a gold-plated plaque, replacing the previous "Tianyuanlou" signboard.
Emperor Chengzong and Emperor Yingzong both renamed this building, so no one said anything when Baili Hong changed it.
However, those who are interested know what the word "青云" means. It is naturally a heartfelt expectation for those students who come to the capital, hoping that they will "rise to great heights".
Many people don't understand why Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao chose to arrange the students in such a bustling location.
Logically speaking, the bustling and noisy Jinxiufang should be a good place for students to prepare for exams.
But Chu Jiubian did this intentionally.
The palace examination consisted of two rounds, the first of which tested professional skills.
There are seven subjects in total. Students majoring in classical studies have to write a policy essay on a specific issue on the spot, while students majoring in mathematics have to answer several questions set by the Chu Nine Arguments. All of them are assessments of professional skills.
The second round consisted of ten questions prepared by Chu Jiubian, Baili Hong, and Qin Xiao, which the students needed to answer orally.
However, not everyone will be asked all the questions; only one or two questions will be asked to each person.
These issues, including the assessment of students' professional skills, need to be based on the actual situation in Daning, and students need to have a good understanding of Daning.
Most of the students came from the county seat and smaller towns and villages. Having witnessed the lives of ordinary people, even the poor, they had a deep understanding of it.
On their journey to the capital for the examination, each of them had experienced assassination attempts, witnessed the local customs and traditions, seen the flattery or harassment from those around them upon passing the exam, and experienced the coldness and warmth of human nature. Their mindset was no longer the same as it was at the beginning, and their perspectives and depth of understanding of issues were naturally different as well.
But that's not enough.
Chu Jiubian also wanted them to live in the most bustling downtown area of the capital, to see the bright lights and extravagance of the powerful and wealthy, and to see the disparity between the upper and lower classes of Da Ning.
He would not control the movements of these students during their time in the capital. Whether they attended literary gatherings to get to know the great scholars and famous figures in the capital, or went to banquets for high-ranking officials and nobles to experience the elation of being flattered and recruited, it was all up to them.
The extravagant and luxurious capital city of Shengjing would surely dazzle these students.
However, if they can still maintain their composure under such circumstances, and even gain deeper insights from it, then they are the people that Chu Jiubian will definitely focus on cultivating in the future.
He was also confident that these students who had already obtained the Imperial College pass were not ordinary people.
They will surely deliver outstanding results in the main hall of the Fengtian Hall, under the watchful eyes of all the officials and princes.
To these powerful and influential people, and to the whole world, we must show the sharp edge of the students of the Imperial Academy.
In this way, one can make a name for oneself.
Then one can pass the imperial examination and enter officialdom sooner.
His intentions were not hard to guess, but these aristocratic families, who were always arrogant and haughty, could not possibly look down on these students from the countryside who were originally unknown.
Therefore, they only pondered briefly why Chu Jiubian had arranged for them to be placed here, thinking that perhaps he simply wanted to provide these students with more comfortable living conditions, and then they stopped thinking about it.
However, they were still somewhat interested in some of the students.
For example, two renowned Confucian scholars—Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng.
Only two scholars passed the imperial examinations, not because the other scholars were uneducated and unable to pass, but because the vast majority of them had already joined aristocratic families or disdained to participate in the imperial examinations.
Moreover, they were already famous and had many disciples. If they participated in the imperial examination and passed, that would be good, but if they failed, that would be truly shameful.
Since ancient times, there has never been a first in literature.
No one ranked these scholars and intellectuals, but the imperial examination system was a huge ranking that would be known to the whole world.
Those proud and self-important literati naturally did not want to be subordinate to others.
Therefore, they simply stopped participating.
When the rankings were announced, neither Tan Ji nor Yan Jinsheng managed to take first place in the Classics subject. Instead, they were overshadowed by the relatively unknown Lu Yao and Tan Yuzhu, who was a woman. Many people openly or secretly mocked the two of them.
But none of them cared and they remained cheerful.
Why did their daughter get second place in economics and their son get first place in engineering?
It's more prestigious for children to be successful than for them to be successful themselves.
That said, although these two received a lot of ridicule, their status and position meant that many forces still wanted to recruit them.
Among the four great families, the Xiao and Wang families have more literary background, so they extended their olive branches early on.
The Prince of Huguang, who was known for his love of talent, and the Prince of Dongjiang, who prided himself on his romantic nature, also sent invitations.
Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng have become the focus of attention for all parties, who want to see what choices they will make.
On February 15th, a light snow began to fall in the capital, covering the branches and treetops, turning the city into a silver-white wonderland.
However, perhaps because it is already March according to the lunar calendar, the weather has warmed up a bit.
Even though it was snowing, it wasn't as cold as it is during the Lunar New Year.
As always, Jinxiufang was bustling with activity. In front of Qingyunlou, people from different factions would come from time to time, either to deliver visiting cards or to receive invitations.
The students in the building would often come out in twos and threes to stroll around various parts of the city.
However, the Imperial Guards and City Defense Forces led by An Wuji increased their patrols, and some people were even secretly protecting these students.
If it were just a normal interaction, no one would care.
If anyone wanted to forcibly take the students away, they wouldn't have the chance to do so.
It was nearly noon.
Wang Qichen, the young master of the Wang family, stood at the entrance of Qingyun Tower, wearing his signature light pink robe and pure white fox fur cloak, his slightly curly long hair cascading freely, holding an umbrella to shield himself from the snow.
From the moment the students moved into Qingyun Tower, no one was allowed to enter the tower at will.
Unable to enter, Wang Qichen stood at the doorway, nodded slightly to the palace servants who came out to greet him, and said with a smile, "Please ask the two great Confucian scholars, Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng, for me."
There are servants in Qingyun Tower, as well as eunuchs sent from the palace.
The one who came out now was a eunuch, and he was from the Directorate of Ceremonial.
The eunuch recognized Wang Qichen and bowed respectfully, saying, "Please wait a moment, Young Master Wang, while I go and invite the two scholars."
Chu Jiubian had previously instructed that no matter which faction in the capital sent someone to invite the students, the matter should be reported to the authorities.
Whether or not to attend the appointment is entirely up to the students.
If you want to enter officialdom, you have to get involved in these things; it's just that it's happening earlier now.
"Thank you for your trouble," Wang Qichen said with a smile.
On the opposite pavilion, Wang Wenyao, the second son of Wang Huanzhi, the head of the Wang family, was standing side by side with Wang Ruzhen, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.
They held hand warmers in their hands, gazing at the figure standing in front of Qingyun Tower.
"He actually wants to find those two great Confucian scholars as well," Wang Ruzhen said with a smirk.
Wang Wenyao's eyes were deep as he said in a low voice, "Even when the head of the Xiao family came in person, he was humiliated. Those two clearly did not intend to associate with powerful and influential families, but my elder brother couldn't see that."
Wang Ruzhen said, "That's true. However, he's been making more and more frequent moves lately. It's said that the person behind the new paper has already made contact with him."
A cold smile flashed across Wang Wenyao's eyes: "I bet he's the one who leaked this information himself."
"Oh?" Wang Ruzhen turned to look at him. "Does the young master know something?"
Wang Wenyao said, "Father has already contacted the paper maker."
Wang Ruzhen's eyes lit up: "Did you say when we'd meet?"
He was present when the new paper was produced, and he could see how good it was.
If the Wang family could cooperate with the other party, regardless of how much the Wang family would benefit, he, as a second-rank official in the current court, would also benefit greatly.
It should be noted that when Langya gold paper was extremely rare, he was still able to receive a monthly allowance of twenty sheets.
If he were to obtain the Jade Terrace Green Paper later, he would be content with just ten sheets a month, no, five sheets.
Wang Wenyao said, "That person had arranged to meet Father tonight, but what was the outcome...?"
His voice suddenly stopped, and he leaned forward, gripping the windowsill tightly with both hands, his eyes fixed intently on a certain spot downstairs.
He looked astonished.
Wang Ruzhen's heart skipped a beat when he saw this, and he quickly looked downstairs as well.
The area in front of Qingyun Tower, which had been quiet just moments before, had become bustling with activity.
Three men and one woman walked out of the building and approached Wang Qichen. The two sides greeted each other.
These four people were none other than Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng, whom various forces had tried to befriend and recruit without success, along with their children, Tan Yuzhu and Yan Rui.
The four arrived in the capital at the end of January and checked into Qingyun Tower, where they refused any offers of employment.
Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng almost never left the building, but the two children would occasionally go out shopping and look at some new and interesting things.
But the two children didn't interact with anyone. Even when they did, it was always Tan Yuzhu who helped them and Yan Rui refuse other people's invitations.
Yan Rui herself was younger and relied heavily on Tan Yuzhu, who was like an older sister to him. Therefore, whenever something happened, she would hide behind Tan Yuzhu and remain silent.
Yet these four people actually came downstairs to meet Wang Qichen today.
The other party didn't say a single kind word, nor did they send any invitations or visiting cards. They simply had a palace servant deliver a message, and the four of them came down.
This is truly unacceptable.
However, what followed was even more unacceptable.
After exchanging greetings with Wang Qichen, the four men planned to go elsewhere for a more detailed discussion.
Just then, two figures dressed very differently from those in the capital walked over from not far away and stood in front of them.
The two were dressed in clothing unique to southern Xinjiang, with silver ornaments, earrings, and waist chains jingling. They also had almost identical faces, except for a significant difference in height.
The identities of these two were already known to everyone in the capital; they were the princess and the heir of the Southern Border Royal Palace.
Si Tu Zhaoling knew that there were many women among the candidates who came to the capital this time, with the most women taking the needlework and medical subjects, totaling sixteen.
Among them were thirteen women skilled in needlework and three women doctors.
Si Tu Zhaoling had previously encountered those three female doctors in her silk shop.
The oldest of the three female doctors was only in her early twenties, an age when they all loved beauty.
Seeing that many young ladies and ladies in the capital were wearing silk from the southern frontier, they thought the bright colors were particularly beautiful and wanted to ask about the price. If the price was right, they would like to buy some to make a dress.
They were already students of the Imperial Academy and would be living in the capital from now on, so naturally they needed to dress more respectably.
This is actually because they have been living in the most prosperous part of the capital recently and have not been to the working-class areas of the East Market, so they feel that everyone in the capital is rich and powerful.
However, they were not very wealthy and did not have much spare money. They wanted to save the money the court had given them for their future security.
Therefore, after learning about the high price of silk, they gave up their plans and prepared to leave.
But Si Tu Zhaoling was upstairs at the time, and when people downstairs heard that students were coming, she hurriedly ran down.
Seeing this, he called out to the three of them, greeted them with a smile, and introduced himself.
The three female doctors all came from a small county town. The highest-ranking official they had ever met before was the prefect and others they had met on the day the imperial examination results were delivered.
Therefore, upon seeing the legendary princess of the royal palace, they all turned pale, probably because they had inadvertently offended her.
They didn't think the princess wanted to befriend them, after all, in the current environment, doctors didn't have a particularly high status, and female doctors had an even lower status.
Everyone says that women should be good wives and mothers. If a woman spends all her time practicing medicine outside, she is not a good woman and is considered to be restless and only treats women.
After hearing such derogatory remarks so often, they themselves no longer dared to think highly of themselves.
If it weren't for this imperial examination, which ignited an unknown fire in their hearts, they might have given up practicing medicine soon enough and become good women under the constraints of worldly norms, devoted to their husbands and raising their children.
In particular, the oldest of the three, a female doctor, is already twenty-two years old. At an age when ordinary women are expected to get married in their teens, she has been delayed for so many years because of her medical studies, and she is still unmarried.
However, because she was able to earn money, her family never kicked her out, nor did they intend to marry her off. They only planned to have her support her brothers in the family.
But before the New Year, her family learned that she had shamelessly signed up for the imperial examinations and worked with men, and they felt it was too shameful to continue their marriage.
As a woman, and given that women were not allowed to live in households in Da Ning, she considered giving up practicing medicine and marrying a widower if she failed the imperial examinations.
Fortunately, she persevered with the idea of "giving it her all," which is why she has made it this far.
She knew her medical skills were not up to par and that she couldn't compare to those of the more qualified doctors.
She has been able to get to where she is now only because female doctors are rare. There are only three female doctors like her who have signed up for the imperial examination, so all three of them have been able to enter the Imperial Academy.
That being said, she looked down on herself, and after moving into Qingyun Tower, she became even more aware of how different she was from others.
In the past few days, people have been coming in droves to find other students, and even for the needlework subject, many embroidery workshops and silk shops have come looking for students.
The three female doctors were ignored.
Therefore, when a noble lady like Si Tu Zhaoling stopped them, none of the three women thought that she wanted to befriend them.
But to their surprise, Si Tu Zhaoling gently comforted them and invited them upstairs to sit.
The three of them were in a daze, their minds blank, not knowing how to refuse, and in fact, they dared not refuse.
So they followed Si Tu Zhaoling upstairs.
The young princess was younger than the three of them and had a lively and cheerful personality. She not only had tea and snacks delivered to them, but also kept talking to them.
The conversation revolved around female doctors and women's diseases, and they even asked them to take the pulse of themselves and the embroiderers in the silk shop.
Upon finally receiving the news that she was in excellent health, Si Tu Zhaoling happily showered them with compliments and even promised to give each of them a set of clothes as payment for their medical consultations.
The three dared not agree, but Si Tu Zhaoling acted swiftly and decisively, ordering the embroiderer to take their measurements.
Today, Si Tu Zhaoling appeared at Qingyun Tower with three sets of clothes that had already been made, as well as some small and exquisite but not too expensive jewelry.
She said it was a consultation fee, but what she really felt for was these female doctors. She wanted to do something for them, at least to let them feel some kindness and stop them from being so timid.
When the siblings ran into Wang Qichen at the building entrance, their eyes lit up.
But since the three of them didn't know each other in front of outsiders, they suppressed their excitement and stepped forward to greet each other politely.
Wang Qichen, with his smile unchanged, returned the greeting with impeccable manners.
They didn't talk much; after exchanging greetings and pleasantries, Wang Qichen planned to leave with Tan Ji and the other three.
But Si Tu Zhaoling couldn't help but say, "Wait a minute."
The group stopped in their tracks.
Wang Qichen asked gently, "What are your orders, Princess?"
"I'd like to ask this Scholar Tan a question," Si Tu Zhaoling said, her eyes bright as she looked at Tan Yuzhu. "Would you do me the honor of having lunch with me?"
Wang Qichen smiled and turned his face away.
Tan Yuzhu caught a glimpse of his movement out of the corner of her eye, but she didn't know what he meant.
She knew her father was the young master of the Wang family, but she had never met him before. Today, she found that he was completely different from what she had imagined.
He doesn't match his father's description of him as "calm and reserved, mature beyond his years" at all; at most, he could be described as "elegant and charming."
However, because of this, she cannot judge a person's personality and way of doing things just by meeting them once.
The capital was rife with undercurrents and complex interplay of various forces, leaving her unsure whether she should leave with Si Tu Zhaoling.
Although she couldn't understand it, her father, Tan Ji, did know Wang Qichen quite well.
Seeing his reaction, he knew that the other party was not going to stop him, so he said to his daughter, "Zhu'er, since the princess has invited you, you should go."
Tan Yuzhu immediately understood.
It seems that the young master of the Wang family and the princess of the Southern Frontier are on good terms.
So she smiled gently and said to Si Tu Zhaoling, "Then I will respectfully comply."
Si Tu Zhaoling usually interacts most with girls from the southern border regions. The girls there are almost all fiery and energetic. Even the few who are gentle and soft-spoken are just putting on an act. Once you get to know them, they are all more bold and unrestrained than the last.
Of course, there were also a few she didn't like. They were either too fake or too pretentious, always pretending to be wronged and pitiful, just to make other women uncomfortable.
Si Tu Zhaoling knew that people were good or bad, regardless of whether they were men or women.
Therefore, she never hesitates to be polite to those who are annoying.
To be honest, before meeting Tan Yuzhu, she always thought that women who spoke softly and had such dignified manners were a bit pretentious, just like the Wang family.
Um...excluding Wang Qichen.
Although Tan Yuzhu felt the same way, she felt as if she were bathed in a spring breeze, and her face even felt a little hot.
When she spoke again, she unconsciously lowered her voice and said, "Then please wait for me a moment, Scholar Tan. The clothes I promised to make for Scholar Bai and the others are finished. I'll give them to them first, and then we'll go elsewhere."
Tan Yuzhu knew all the students in Qingyun Tower and knew that Si Tu Zhaoling was referring to the female physician who had passed the imperial examination. She nodded and smiled, "Please go ahead, Princess."
Si Tu Zhaoyao also took a few more glances at this scholar Tan. He really looked like a noble lady from a wealthy family, completely different from his sister's lively personality, but both of them had good looks.
He then looked at the boy who was staring longingly at Tan Yuzhu and smiled, "Are you Tan Juren's younger brother?"
Yan Rui was taken aback when the heir of a powerful prince spoke to him. His face paled, and he quickly bowed and said, "Yes."
After saying that, he remembered that he couldn't deceive the royal family, so he quickly added, "Not by blood, but just like a biological child."
Si Tu Zhaoyao was amused by him and said, "Don't be so nervous, neither my sister nor I would eat people."
Yan Rui gave a dry laugh, which looked even worse than crying.
Seeing this, Tan Yuzhu patted his shoulder, both amused and exasperated.
"Do you want to come with us?" Si Tu Zhaoyao asked Yan Rui again, "If the sisters are talking, we can chat together."
Yan Rui subconsciously glanced at Tan Yuzhu again, and seeing her nod, a smile immediately appeared on his face. He quickly composed himself and said to Si Tu Zhaoyao, "Thank you, Your Highness. I... I..."
The more nervous he became, the less he could speak, and the less he could speak, the more nervous he became, instantly falling into a vicious cycle.
Yan Jinsheng frowned as he looked at his son, feeling worried.
My son has always been aloof from socializing, only liking to stick close to Tan Yuzhu. But he's already a teenager, and we can't keep doing this forever.
He brought his son to participate in the imperial examination this time, partly because he was encouraged by Wang Qichen and felt that the current court was good and he wanted to serve it.
Secondly, it's so that my son can go out, meet more people, and get more opportunities to grow.
But seeing his face flushed red from holding back his anger, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him and regret his actions.
Tan Ji knew what he was worried about, so he tugged at his arm and said, "Let's go and talk to the young master. Zhu'er is here, she's more useful than you."
Yan Rui is sometimes very stubborn; he doesn't even listen to his own father, but he listens to Tan Yuzhu.
So Tan Yuzhu is indeed more useful than his biological father.
Thinking of this, he felt a little relieved and walked away with Wang Qichen and Tan Ji, turning back every few steps.
Si Tu Zhaoling handed the clothes in her hands to the female doctors. The three of them were extremely grateful, but unlike the first time, they were not fearful and apprehensive. Their eyes looked at the princess with a brighter light.
Seeing their reaction, Si Tu Zhaoling was also happy. She turned to Tan Yuzhu and asked if she could take the three female doctors out for a meal.
Tan Yuzhu was naturally willing.
Si Tu Zhaoling then asked several female doctors, and the three of them had previously discussed standing up straight, like the women of southern Xinjiang.
So, although they were still a little hesitant, they still agreed to go out to eat together.
After asking the palace servants inside to help put away their brand-new clothes and jewelry, the seven of them left Qingyun Tower in a grand procession, leaving behind pairs of prying eyes all around them.
Wang Ruzhen and Wang Wenyao stood upstairs, both looking rather grim, with Wang Wenyao's expression being particularly unpleasant.
"It's just using the Wang family's name," Wang Wenyao said in a low voice.
The Wang family has been a family of scholars for generations, so these great Confucian scholars would naturally be willing to do them a favor.
If it were Wang Wenyao who personally invited Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng today, I imagine the two of them wouldn't refuse.
Wang Wenyao regretted in his heart why he had only sent an invitation instead of personally going to find the person, all for the sake of saving face. However, he was unwilling to admit that Wang Qichen was more daring and capable than him.
Wang Ruzhen, however, saw things more clearly than him and did not respond.
In his view, these two great scholars must have been in contact with Wang Qichen before, not because of the Wang family, but because of Wang Qichen's own connections.
This young master's abilities are becoming increasingly unfathomable.
Wang Ruzhen felt a little uneasy. Could it be true that the rumors about Wang Qichen coming into contact with people who make paper?
If the paper maker wanted to compare prices from different vendors and get the highest price, then he might have contacted both the family head, Wang Huanzhi, and the young master, Wang Qichen.
Wang Qichen, unaware of what the other party was thinking, simply found a restaurant and reminisced with the two Confucian scholars he hadn't seen in a long time.
Meanwhile, Si Tu and his siblings had already gotten along very well with these scholars.
Si Tu Zhaoyao originally thought Yan Rui's personality was a bit funny, but he didn't expect that the other party was actually the top candidate in engineering, and that the other party had made great achievements and talents in invention and creation!
This aligns perfectly with Si Tu Zhaoyao's interests.
When Yan Rui learned that the Crown Prince also loved inventions, his eyes lit up immediately, and he became much less nervous, even becoming quite talkative.
Si Tu Zhaoyao was also excited because it was the first time he had met someone who could talk to him about these things and keep up with his train of thought.
The two boys chatted for so long that they lost track of time and ended up calling each other brothers, almost to the point of becoming sworn brothers.
Meanwhile, Lu Yao also received an invitation from the Lu family.
"Are you going?" Qin Chuan asked him.
Lu Yao thought for a moment and said, "Go."
Although he was determined to serve Grand Tutor Chu, it was also worthwhile to visit the Lu family to see what their purpose was.
Qin Chuan also felt that they should go, and that he should take him along.
Even if Lu Yao couldn't hear the subtleties, he would be able to tell.
Moreover, opportunities to openly and legitimately enter the inner circle of a powerful family are few and far between, especially the Lu family.
The Lu family is very likely involved in the deaths of his parents!
A shadow crossed Qin Chuan's eyes, and Lu Yao glanced at him.
In the palace.
After having lunch and moving around for a while, Baili Hong went to take a nap.
Chu Jiubian wanted to continue reviewing the memorials, but Qin Xiao said, "My wound is a little itchy. Can you take a look and see what's wrong?"
"Itchy?" Chu Jiubian frowned. "Then it should be getting better soon."
Qin Xiao added, "It still hurts a bit."
Chu Jiubian stared at him intently, his eyes narrowing slightly: "Why don't you show any reaction when you lie?"
When people lie, they blink and touch their nose, which is a sign of guilt.
But Qin Xiao acted as if nothing had happened.
Qin Xiao laughed: "Because I wasn't lying."
"..." Chu Jiubian turned and left.
Qin Xiao quickly caught up with him, turned his head to look at his expression, and said, "Don't you want to see?"
Chu Jiubian's eye twitched: "What am I looking at?"
Qin Xiao just smiled and didn't say anything.
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