novelaction Chapter 198 Palace Examination
Chapter 198 Palace Examination
Well, it’s not that no minister mentioned it.
Before the morning court session, a minister asked Shen Sui a question, but Shen Sui blocked his reply with a single sentence, "Today is the day for the imperial court to hold the palace examination and select talents. Lord Li, do you want to trouble the emperor with the family affairs of Shen Sui and Old Prince Ning?"
The palace examination is the most important thing. As for whether Xiao Huan is the grandson of Prince Ning, Shen Sui has lost his son for more than ten years, so there is no need to rush for one or two days. Besides, it is Shen Sui who lost his son and has no children. Shen Sui is not in a hurry, so why should they be in a hurry?
After the morning court session, it was time for the palace examination.
The students on the imperial examination list entered the palace, where their identities were confirmed, and then the essay questions were issued and they were required to hand in their papers at dusk.
There is no elimination in the palace examination, so except for the top one, the rankings are not that different. But there is still a difference after all, and naturally the higher the ranking, the better.
Shen Tang prayed in his heart for his two cousins, hoping that they would answer the questions smoothly and get a good ranking in the end.
Sitting on the swing in the garden and looking at the gorgeous sunset in the sky, I knew that the palace examination was over.
There were few people taking part in the palace examination and few questions, so the papers were marked very quickly. The examiners would present the ten best papers to the emperor for his review, and the emperor would select the top three.
The results will be released in three days at most, and sometimes as fast as two days.
The second branch was driven out of the mansion, and the troubles in the mansion were reduced by 90%. Shen Tang stayed in the room reading books and doing needlework, and two days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the day the results were announced, the weather was fine and the sky was clear and cloudless.
There were many people looking at the list, so Shen Tang did not leave the house to join in the fun. Ginkgo took over the job of looking at the list, took Si'er out of the house, and left Qiutong to serve Shen Tang.
Gingxing and Si'er had gone out after breakfast. After lunch, they hadn't returned yet. Shen Tang was watching Qiutong knitting when they heard footsteps outside. Qiutong said, "Gingxing and the others are back."
Shen Tang looked up at the screen and saw Ginkgo running in. He had run all the way back and was so tired that beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Ginkgo wanted to speak, but her mouth was dry and smoking, so Qiu Tong quickly poured her a cup of tea.
Ginkgo drank it all in one gulp. Shen Tang asked, "How did the two cousins rank?"
Ginkgo grinned with his eyes shining, and Shen Tang knew that his two cousins must have done well in the exam.
Ginkgo said, "My eldest cousin ranked first in the second class, and my second cousin ranked last."
Shen Tang, "..."
Coincidentally, this ranking took up all the second place.
Shen Tang knew that his cousin was a good student, but he didn't expect him to rank so well. Being first in the second class was already an excellent ranking. The next place above that was first class, and there were only three of them.
It was in this spring examination that Jiang Mingxiu ranked fourth.
Grandparents, uncles and aunts must be very happy. Shen Tang was happy for the Jiang family from the bottom of his heart.
Qiu Tong asked, "Who is the top scholar?"
Ginkgo covered her mouth and laughed, "That's the one who stepped on my cousin's foot, the one who ranked first in the imperial examination, the eldest young master of the Jiang family."
Last time, Jiang Mingxiu said that he would most likely be the top scorer this year, and it turned out to be true.
Ginkgo said, "Last time, a group of people were trying to capture Young Master Jiang. I didn't see it, but today I saw it. Many officials from ministers' families sent invitations to Young Master Jiang, inviting him to visit their homes to appreciate the flowers. He was so scared that he ran away..."
Shen Tang, "..."
The rat scurried away with its head in its hands.
After hearing these four words, Shen Tang's forehead was covered with black lines.
Is there any way to describe the newly crowned top scholar?
Ginkgo said, "When Young Master Jiang was walking towards me, I almost couldn't help myself and reached out to grab him."
Shen Tang raised his hand and knocked on Ginkgo, "Why did you arrest the top scholar?"
Ginkgo grinned and said, "I'm here to find a husband for my cousin. The Jiang family has produced two Jinshi (imperial scholar) in the first imperial examination. If we can find another number one scholar to be our grandson's son-in-law, all the wealthy families in Kyoto will be envious to death."
Shen Tang laughed, "I don't even dare to think about such a beautiful thing."
But it would be nice if it were really like this.
It was getting late today, so Shen Tang didn't go to the Jiang family to congratulate them and planned to go tomorrow.
The next day was also a sunny day.
After breakfast, Shen Tang went to Songhe Hall to pay his respects to the old lady. The old lady had been bedridden for several days and finally recovered. Shen Tang did not pay his respects at the bedside.
The old lady sat on the Luohan couch, and the third wife sat on her left and right. When she saw Shen Tang come in, the third wife smiled and said, "The two young masters of the Jiang family did really well in the exam this time."
Shen Tang said, "I didn't expect my two cousins to do so well in the exam."
The old lady smiled and said, "The Jiang family is upright and honest. The two young masters Jiang are both good. The court needs such upright officials."
For so many years, the old lady never mentioned the Jiang family, and no one dared to mention it in front of the old lady. Shen Tang was really a little uncomfortable with suddenly praising the Jiang family like this.
Shen Tang said, "Grandma, I want to go to the Jiang family to congratulate you later."
"It should be," the old lady nodded.
The fourth wife said, "I'll have someone prepare a gift right away..."
Shen Tang shook his head and said, "I can just go empty-handed. My father will send a gift."
For such a big event, of course it would be more formal if the father sent it.
The old lady nodded and said, "When you go back to the mansion to get married, you can't leave easily. Go early today and stay at the Jiang family for a while."
Shen Tang was also in a hurry, so he stood up.
After arriving at the gate of the Marquis' Mansion and waiting for a while, the servant finally brought the carriage over. After Ginkgo Qiutong helped Shen Tang get on the carriage, he also got in.
Normally, Shen Tang would only bring one maid with him when he went to the Jiang family. Today, both maids were going to the Jiang family to share in the good fortune, so Shen Tang didn't show favoritism and brought them both with him.
The carriage arrived at the Jiang family without any obstruction. When the servants of the Jiang family saw Shen Tang coming, they all smiled brightly. After the results were announced yesterday, Old Lady Jiang was happy and rewarded the family with monthly wages for the first and second half of the year. Everyone in the Jiang family couldn't help but be happy.
Just then, Ginkgo Qiutong followed Shen Tang into the mansion, and the Jiang family's steward stuffed two purses in front of her. Ginkgo Qiutong took them, feeling the heavy weight and smiling from ear to ear with joy.
After entering the inner courtyard and walking a hundred steps, Jiang Ning and Jiang Li came over. Jiang Li said, "I thought my cousin would come to the Jiang family to wait for the results with grandmother like last time."
Shen Tang said, "If I had known the results would be announced yesterday, I would have definitely come."
This is true.
The results will be announced in the next two days, but the specific day is uncertain, so it is possible that they had made a wasted trip yesterday. They waited for the whole morning and thought that the results would not be announced, so they were ready to go home. Fortunately, they waited a little longer, otherwise they would have waited for a whole morning in vain.
Jiang Li took Shen Tang's arm and said, "Cousin, you don't know how happy grandparents were yesterday..."
One can imagine without even looking that the Jiang family probably wouldn't have encountered one or two things as happier than yesterday in a hundred years.
When Shen Tang went to Cuibai Courtyard, he saw Madam Jiang sitting on the Luohan couch. She was in high spirits. Shen Tang bowed and saluted, then sat down next to Madam Jiang and stretched out his hand for the wedding money, "Grandma, I want to share in the joy of my two cousins."