Chapter 77: Choosing a Future Path

Chapter 77: Choosing a Future Path

After the Double Ninth Festival comes Frost's Descent, and in a blink, Start of Winter and Minor Snow also passed.

In the imperial court, the September metropolitan exams and the October palace exams were completed, and the Emperor was busy finalizing the first-rank scholars.

Qingfeng reported back to Jiang Hui from behind the Eight Immortals table.

"The top scholar is Zhao Quan, the second son of Marquis Changping, also a popular candidate for this grace science top scholar; the second place scholar is a gentleman from Liangzhou, surnamed Li, over thirty and already married; the third place is a young master from the Shen family in Jiangnan, newly reached adulthood and reportedly not yet betrothed."

Jiang Hui hummed in acknowledgment, gesturing Qingfeng to leave, while she leisurely sipped her steaming cup of Seven Treasures tea.

Shan Zha chattered, "Mistress, His Majesty wouldn't appoint the Marquis Changping's son as the top scholar, would he?"

"Shan Zha! Watch your words!" Qiu Kui reprimanded, "Go to Ge Mammy for your punishment."

Ge Mammy, an old nurse assigned to Yaohua Palace after several palace maids were released, had previously served in Ci'an Palace. Jiang Hui had appointed her to help manage Yaohua Palace's maids.

"Yes," Shan Zha acknowledged her mistake, aware that even among familiar faces, such slips could cause trouble if made a habit. She promptly left to find Ge Mammy without protesting.

Jiang Hui did not interfere with Qiu Kui's decision, but she pondered to herself that, considering the Emperor's mindset, he probably wouldn't select Zhao Quan as the top scholar.

It wasn't entirely due to the reason related to Zhao Shuren; after all, Zhao Quan was from the Emperor's maternal family and part of the nobility. For the chief examiner to choose him as the top scorer would already be the utmost honor.

After pondering for a while, Jiang Hui let go of the matter. Setting down her warm porcelain cup, she asked, "Did His Majesty summon Wan Xuan Shi to serve last night?"

"Yes," Qiu Kui replied, inserting a freshly filled hand warmer into Jiang Hui's embrace, "It's said that Wan Xuan Shi has improved in her dance skills. Yesterday, she happened to meet His Majesty in the bamboo grove outside Langhuan Pavilion."

This meant that Wan Xuan Shi deliberately danced in the bamboo grove.

His Majesty wouldn't fail to see through such a ploy. Since he summoned Wan Xuan Shi, she must be in favor again for some time.

Jiang Hui nodded slightly, unconcerned, "Bring me the 'Rongdi Shenglan'."

"Yes," Qiu Kui complied, and soon a handwritten copy of 'Rongdi Shenglan' was placed in Jiang Hui's hands.

She opened the book, retrieved the bamboo bookmark she had placed inside last time, and continued reading.

She had been reading this book intermittently for two months. Although it mostly discussed the Rong and Di tribes, now reduced to the Xiongnu and Xiqiang, it contained quite useful information.

She needed to understand more about the ring from He Fei.

Jiang Hui's guess was accurate; the Emperor indeed did not choose Zhao Quan of the Marquis Changping's household as the top scholar.

In the end, Zhao Quan was not even among the top three.

The top scholar turned out to be Li Huaimin from Liangzhou, the second in the metropolitan exams.

The runner-up was a surprise, originally ranked beyond the twentieth but favored by the Emperor for his radical essays in the palace exam.

The third place was as expected by the capital's betting parlors, the handsome young master of the Shen family from Jiangnan.

Zhao Quan, who initially topped the list, ended up as the first in the second rank, a bit of a letdown.

In the Marquis Changping's mansion, upon hearing the news, Zhao Quan showed no sign of disappointment or resentment. Bowing to his father, Marquis Changping Zhao Zhongshi, he said, "Father, I wish to petition His Majesty to renounce my rank, in exchange for my younger sister's freedom."

Marquis Changping laughed heartily upon hearing this, and after his laughter subsided, he said, "You must have read yourself silly! Do you think such a rank is so easily renounced? Unless one day you or I commit a crime, there's no need for you to ask; it will be renounced naturally!"

"Moreover," he said, taking a sip of tea with a heavy laugh, "even if you save your younger sister, what then? She's just languishing in the cold palace, better off dead!"

"Father!" Zhao Quan urgently interjected, "My sister is only eighteen years old!"

"I know." Marquis Changping set his teacup down firmly, coldly stating, "Instead of worrying about her life, you should focus on how to serve in the future, assisting your future nephew."

Zhao Quan seemed unable to accept his father's coldness, pausing for a long moment before struggling to say, "Father, the child in my youngest sister's womb... might not be a prince..."

"It is a prince!" Marquis of Changping asserted, glancing at his somewhat naïve eldest son. "If not, then your fifth sister should prepare to enter the palace."

Zhao Quan fell silent for a moment, then softly said, "Father, is there really no way to save my youngest sister? She’s already five months pregnant..."

Marquis of Changping stared into Zhao Quan's eyes and said slowly, "A single misstep led to this witchcraft calamity. This is already the best outcome. You should be grateful to your youngest sister for your ability to take the imperial examinations... What you should consider now is how to avenge her."

Zhao Quan bowed his head, replying in a heavy voice, "I understand, Father."

In early December, with the New Year approaching, the Empress submitted a petition to promote the ranks of the imperial consorts, to which the Emperor granted approval with a single word: "Approved."

As a special case, Consort He remained unchanged in rank; Jiang Hui had nowhere further to be promoted and received only additional privileges; the rest of the consorts were elevated by one or two ranks.

Xu Xiuyuan was promoted to a second-rank consort, becoming Consort Xu. Though she had no specific title yet, she was now on par with Consort He.

The entire palace was immersed in joy, and soon, it was time for the New Year's first birthday celebration.

In Yaohua Palace, dragon-shaped paper cutouts adorned the wooden windows, and as per tradition, Ao Mountain lanterns were displayed in the courtyard. This year, they were fashioned into majestic dragon lanterns, a stark contrast to the previous year's cute rabbit lanterns.

As the Emperor's only son, the crown prince's first birthday was celebrated grandly, attended not just by the imperial consorts but also by the imperial dowagers and ladies of external commanderies.

The Emperor even decreed that the Gongye Bureau create a golden sword and a silver bow, as well as a jade inkstone and a sandalwood stand for the crown prince's birthday, evidencing his deep affection for the child.

Once the ceremony concluded, Jiang Hui gently placed the crown prince on a plush carpet, tenderly saying, "Pick whatever you like, my child."

The crown prince, still unable to speak, gazed at Jiang Hui with his round, bright eyes for a long while before babbling and slowly starting to play on the carpet.

Much like the second princess's first birthday, the carpet was spread with various objects, minus the typically feminine items like rouge and hairpins.

Normally, royal children's first birthday selections in the palace are guided beforehand to choose items that align with the adults' expectations.

However, Jiang Hui did not do so. In the eyes of the world, the crown prince, though the eldest, was seen as a frail child unlikely to ascend to the throne. Hence, there was no need to guide him towards picking anything particularly significant.

Emperor Xiaosheng approached, smiling as he removed his scholarly sword and jade pendant from his waist and placed them on the carpet, playfully asking, "Would you like something of your father's, my son?"

The crown prince, often visited by the Emperor in Yaohua Palace and thus familiar with his father's voice, turned his head at the sound of Xiaosheng's words.

Slowly crawling to the Emperor, the father and son locked eyes for a moment. The crown prince, his eyes clear and bright, lowered his head and grasped the scholarly sword, about eighteen inches long.