Chapter 690 - 252: Xinglin Banquet
Chapter 690: Chapter 252: Xinglin Banquet
"Where did this Brother Meng come from? And where did this Meng Jintang come from?" Xu Yanhe wondered. "Could it be that this so-called Meng Jintang is, by some sheer coincidence, the exact same Meng Jintang I’ve heard about?"
The shock sobered Xu Yanhe up instantly. He quickly looked toward the direction of the voice. Not far away, beneath an apricot tree, a young man about his age was surrounded by two other Advanced Scholars. The surrounded man was quite tall, his features exuding a natural masculinity. His smiling face was as bright and fiery as the sun in the sky.
Xu Yanhe’s heart skipped a beat. This man had an imposing presence that perfectly matched the information his family had gathered. He wondered who else it could be if this wasn’t the Meng Jintang who had previously been engaged to his cousin.
He hurriedly searched for Zhao Jing.
Zhao Jing was actually very easy to spot. He was sitting right beside Prince Ning, the chief examiner.
Prince Ning was deeply passionate about calligraphy and painting. In his early years, he had traveled across the rivers and lakes of the realm, his footprints reaching as far as Lingnan Prefecture. However, as the late Emperor’s brother and a member of the imperial nobility, it was obvious that his so-called travels were meticulously arranged by servants. Prince Ning simply had to sit in his palanquin or stand on the deck of a ship to enjoy the scenery. Without braving any personal danger or experiencing the harsh winds and rains along the way, merely glancing at the sights in passing could hardly be called true traveling.
In contrast, although Zhao Jing hadn’t gone through much hardship either, just the journey from Qingshui County to Xinghuai Prefecture was enough to weave an unforgettable tale. Add in rampant river bandits and a scholar risking life and limb for the sake of academic honors, and the story became even more captivating.
Initially, Prince Ning hadn’t intended to speak at such length with Zhao Jing. As the chief examiner, he was supposed to receive greetings and toasts from all the students today. But he was curious about the Champion Scholar personally appointed by the Emperor. Rumor had it that to bestow the title of Champion Scholar upon Zhao Jing, the Emperor had even clashed with the Empress Dowager, forcing her to retreat back to the inner harem.
This was truly a rare occurrence.
To be honest, while the Empress Dowager’s ability to hold a place in the imperial court all these years had something to do with her early maneuvering, the crux of the matter was the Emperor’s weakness and submission whenever he faced her. Had it not been for the Emperor’s intentional or unintentional indulgence, the Empress Dowager’s faction would have been purged long ago.
But they were biological mother and son. Some things were inappropriate for outsiders to point out. Even if someone did, the Empress Dowager only had to shed a few tears or feign illness, and the Emperor would feel guilt-ridden once more. The mother and son would reconcile as if nothing had happened, leaving those fiercely loyal officials with no way out. It was precisely the Emperor’s deep-seated misplaced benevolence that had led to the current stalemate in the court.
Yet this time, the Emperor had openly argued with the Empress Dowager over Zhao Jing. This was unprecedented.
Curious about Zhao Jing, Prince Ning summoned him over. After exchanging a few words, they found they hit it off remarkably well. Prince Ning even forgot the current setting, pulling Zhao Jing aside for a long conversation. But it remained merely a thought. Given such a rare opportunity to climb the social ladder, some students were willing to risk being labeled discourteous just to make an impression on their superiors. Sure enough, several Advanced Scholars were waiting patiently on the sidelines, wine cups in hand.
Zhao Jing couldn’t overstay his welcome, nor could Prince Ning afford to neglect the rest of the students, so the two parted ways.
Zhao Jing planned to find Xu Yanhe and keep an eye on him to make sure he didn’t drink too much. Xu Yanhe’s status was extraordinary, and many people were targeting him today. Drinking often led to trouble, and it would be disastrous if he lost his composure in word or deed.
His gaze collided with Xu Yanhe’s mid-air. To his surprise, although Xu Yanhe’s eyes were hazy with intoxication, a closer look revealed a panicked clarity. Such a multitude of emotions appearing simultaneously in one pair of eyes was certainly intriguing.
He didn’t have to wonder for long. The answer came the very next second. Xu Yanhe shot a seemingly guilty glance in another direction. Zhao Jing followed his gaze and, unsurprisingly, spotted Meng Jintang.
He had actually noticed Meng Jintang earlier when he first walked in. He hadn’t cared whether the man passed the Imperial Examination or not. During the Palace Examination, they had brushed past each other while waiting outside the Meridian Gate. At the Grand Ceremony of Announcing the Results, he had been too preoccupied to pay attention to others and thus had no idea what rank Meng Jintang had achieved.
But seeing him in such high spirits now, it was evident that his ranking in the Palace Examination was quite good. But no matter how good his ranking was, what did it matter? His older sister was his now; she would only care for him, bear his children, and make incense for him.
Zhao Jing unhurriedly withdrew his gaze and walked over to Xu Yanhe.
Seeing Zhao Jing approach, the circle of Advanced Scholars around them backed away slightly. Although Zhao Jing did not possess a status as noble as Xu Yanhe’s, he had won the title of Champion Scholar. Furthermore, faint rumors had been circulating over the past two days, suggesting that his title had been hard-won.