pdf-ebookys Chapter 391 A Test About Marriage
Chapter 391 A Test About Marriage
Gu Li tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought again, and soon after, he made a decision.
"Here's what we'll do: you all go back to your residence and rest first, then go find Prime Minister Yang. When I was in a coma for several days, he was the one who investigated this matter from beginning to end. Tell him all the clues you've found so far, and I believe he will definitely come up with a good solution for you!"
Gu Zhanghua and Zhao Xuan exchanged a glance, both seeing the joy in each other's eyes; their father's suggestion had struck a chord with them.
"Father, we haven't bothered Professor Yang until now because we haven't found any conclusive evidence! Now we can finally have a good discussion with Professor Yang about the case from back then!"
"Yes, back then, Xiao Wu and Teacher Yang discussed the specific details of the case. However, because I was still a princess of Yue Kingdom at the time, it was inconvenient for me to get involved, so I didn't accompany Xiao Wu. Now, I can finally hear Teacher Yang's teachings in person!"
Zhao Xuan chimed in from the side.
"Let's leave it at that for now!"
After speaking, Gu Li looked at the two of them with concern.
"Have you two had lunch? Should I have the imperial kitchen prepare some food for you right away?"
Gu Zhanghua quickly shook his head.
"No need to trouble yourself. We ate something on the way and aren't hungry at all. By the way, Father, is there any good news from Mother? Have you found a suitable candidate for the marriage alliance with the Rongdi King?"
Gu Li smiled upon hearing this.
"It's quite interesting. In the past, the noble ladies of various families would avoid the Rongdi King like the plague, but now, after all his fuss, quite a few noble ladies have taken a liking to him."
As Gu Li spoke, she looked at Gu Zhanghua.
"Fifteen young ladies have already volunteered for marriage. Xiao Wu, you're back just in time. Hurry up and help your mother review the papers."
Zhao Xuan was speechless with astonishment.
"Grading exam papers? Do we have to take an exam to get married?"
"Yes, the exam just happens to be held today, in your mother's Qilan Palace. How can we do justice to the Rongdi King's personal trip to our Xia Kingdom if we don't conduct a proper selection process?"
Gu Zhanghua felt that his father's words had a hidden meaning, but he didn't press the matter. He and Zhao Xuan bid farewell to Gu Li and headed to Qilan Palace.
Inside the main hall of Qilan Hall, rows of tables and chairs had already been placed.
The young ladies sat at their respective tables; some had already handed in their papers and were tidying up their pens and ink, some were still writing furiously, and some were deep in thought…
Consort Xiao Aiyue, acting as the proctor, was looking at a test paper in her hand and sighing. She looked up and saw Gu Zhanghua and Zhao Xuan tiptoeing in, and hurriedly waved to them.
Gu Zhanghua walked up to Xiao Aiyue and whispered, "My father ordered me to help you review the papers."
Zhao Xuan looked at the young women taking the exam and muttered something to herself.
"Getting married requires taking an exam, it's so difficult..."
Xiao Aiyue gestured for Zhao Xuan to be quiet before speaking to the two of them in a low voice.
"It's all your father's bad idea. He said that not only should we be good at needlework, but we should also be knowledgeable and reasonable, so that we can spread the culture of our Xia Kingdom to the Rong and Di people. Why not just test us on poetry and songs? But look, he also wants to test us on astronomy and geography!"
Gu Zhanghua took the test paper from Xiao Aiyue's hand.
The map above is of the Xia Kingdom. The test requires students to correctly fill in the names of the Xia Kingdom's major mountains, rivers, and towns on the map.
However, on the test paper in Gu Zhanghua's hand, he only filled in Henghe correctly, and everything else was wrong. He even wrote the place name "Fengcheng" wrong, writing "Fengcheng" instead of "Feng" (meaning abundant).
Only then did Gu Zhanghua realize the profound meaning behind his father's words: a marriage alliance with the Rongdi tribe was by no means a simple matter.
King Yingyang of the Rongdi Kingdom was extremely cautious, personally coming to select a queen. The Xia Kingdom was even more cautious about this matter than Yingyang, choosing a queen who was not just one in ten thousand.
Looking at the exam paper, Zhao Xuan's face scrunched up like a bun, and she said to Gu Zhanghua with lingering fear.
"Father's requirements are too strict. Fortunately, I married you in your place back then. If you were to choose a consort for me according to Father's current standards, I would definitely be eliminated in the first round!"
“That’s right,” Xiao Aiyue rolled her eyes at Zhao Xuan, “So you should be secretly happy now. You’re lucky to be able to marry such a fine young man as my son. You should cherish him more than anything, you know?”
"I know, I know!"
Xiao Aiyue suddenly suggested that Zhao Xuan pay more attention to Gu Zhanghua, which left Zhao Xuan speechless.
Wasn't she good to Gu Zhanghua?
From which crack in the door did her mother-in-law see that she didn't cherish Gu Zhanghua?
Gu Zhanghua couldn't help but laugh as he listened to the conversation between his mother and daughter-in-law.
“Sister Xuan, now that you mention it, I remember that when we were studying together at the palace school when we were little, you were most afraid of exams. As soon as you heard that there was an exam, you would immediately complain that your stomach hurt.”
Zhao Xuan secretly stuck out her tongue.
"I'm not afraid of Uncle Qin's classes or exams, but I'm most afraid of Teacher Yang's exams. When I saw those girls looking so worried, I immediately thought of my miserable days back then... Sigh! Now I've finally made it through. You know what? I still have post-exam anxiety. The worst nightmare I've ever had is dreaming about taking an exam!"
"What can I say about you?"
Gu Zhanghua smiled helplessly at Zhao Xuan, placed the test paper on the desk, and asked Xiao Aiyue with some concern.
"Mom, what if not everyone gets all the answers right?"
"Then we'll have to choose the best among the worst!"
As Xiao Aiyue spoke, she glanced at the incense stick that was about to burn out next to her and waved to the wet nurse standing beside her.
"It's been ten incense sticks already. Wet nurse, go and collect all the papers, then let them go back to their respective residences and wait for news."
"Yes! I obey your command!"
The wet nurse went to collect the exam papers, and Xiao Aiyue glanced at the side hall again before quietly informing the two of them once more.
"King Rongdi is still waiting in the side hall to see the result! Why did he come to join in the fun? Whether he knew sooner or later, the result would be the same."
Zhao Xuan exclaimed in surprise, "Huh?"
"Xiao Wu, you help Mother review the papers, I'm going to check on the Rongdi King!"
In the side hall, Yingyang watched through the crack in the door as the young ladies handed in their exam papers one by one, and he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Zhao Xuan pushed open the door and entered the side hall, where Ying Yang immediately rushed to greet her.
"Princess Consort Xian! Do you know why Miss Qin didn't come to take the exam?"
"You mean Yun'er? Why is Yun'er taking the exam?"
Zhao Xuan then threw the question back to Ying Yang.
"Shouldn't she...have come?"
Ying Yang stared wide-eyed at Zhao Xuan.
That's true. Princess Xian went on a long trip with Prince Xian, so she probably doesn't know what happened between her and Miss Qin.
Let's not even mention the sachet she gave me when I was a boy; just a few days ago, Miss Qin saved my life!
Princess Xian was unaware that he had already confessed his feelings to Miss Qin, and it's understandable that she was unaware of the current situation.
"Should she come? All the noble ladies who came are from various families who want to marry into your family. When did my Yun'er ever say she wanted to marry you? She shouldn't have come!"
Zhao Xuan stood in front of Ying Yang with her arms crossed, looking completely at ease.