A few days later, Nian Jiaojiao arrived at the main gate of the imperial palace with her identification token. After her identity was verified, she was led into the palace by a group of guards carrying swords.
With people surrounding her on both sides, Nian Jiaojiao found it difficult to look around. After passing through a long outer path, as they neared the inner palace, the guards stopped and were replaced by eunuchs and palace maids to guide them.
Seizing the opportunity to breathe, Nian Jiaojiao didn't immediately survey the palace. Instead, her attention was drawn to the eunuch leading the way.
So, this world also had eunuchs...
Indeed.
Originally, she thought most of the men in Da Yue were already quite effeminate, but it seemed some were even more so.
Looking at the old eunuch ahead, who was enthusiastically swaying his hips, Nian Jiaojiao fell into silence.
Just then, the eunuch leading the way stopped and asked Nian Jiaojiao with a smile, "Scholar Nian, why are you looking at this humble servant like that?"
Cold sweat broke out on Nian Jiaojiao's back.
Do you have eyes in the back of your head?
But she calmly replied, "Please forgive me, respected Eunuch. This is my first time in the palace, and I dared not look left or right, for fear of offending any noble person. Therefore, I could only look straight ahead. If you misunderstood, I shall look elsewhere."
These words indicated that her gaze was fixed forward, not on the eunuch. The old eunuch, as expected, found it difficult to press the matter further.
He cast a deep look at Nian Jiaojiao, turned around, and continued to lead the way.
Nian Jiaojiao no longer stared impolitely and instead began to admire the palace architecture.
She had to admit, the palaces of Da Yue were truly grand. With vermilion walls and yellow tiles, they were dazzling. The carved beams and painted walls were exquisite, and the eaves, like birds' beaks, were arranged in a well-ordered manner.
As they passed a small garden, Nian Jiaojiao's eyes were opened again.
The garden was filled with exotic flowers and rare plants, all vibrantly beautiful.
However, the garden was not large, likely a place for a male consort to stroll nearby.
Unbeknownst to Nian Jiaojiao, as she admired the garden, someone in a pavilion was also watching her.
"Is this the scholar participating in the imperial examination?"
Those who could participate in the imperial examination were the top thirty scholars. These female scholars were all outstanding individuals.
The one asking was the Imperial Concubine of Da Yue, known as the "White Lotus of a Prosperous Age."
"If they are being led by Xiao Xuanzi and the others, they must be scholars heading to Qingxuan Hall."
Although the Imperial Concubine of Da Yue was thirty-four years old, he was extremely well-preserved. His skin was smooth and supple, appearing as if it would break if touched. One could easily mistake him for a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth.
His physique was slender, giving the impression that a gentle breeze could blow him away.
His facial features were delicate and spirited, making him appear exceptionally refined and unconventional.
Upon hearing the reply from his attendant, the Imperial Concubine of Da Yue straightened slightly, seemingly curious, and asked, "Do all scholars participating in the imperial examination look like that?"
In the Imperial Concubine's opinion, Nian Jiaojiao, as a woman, was excessively beautiful.
However, this simple question put the attendants in a difficult position, unsure of how to respond.
The Imperial Concubine of Da Yue did not mind and continued, "Someone so good-looking and talented should be the wife of Zhao'er."
The "Zhao'er" mentioned by the Imperial Concubine was his nephew.
Although the Imperial Concubine of Da Yue was favored, perhaps due to his weak health, he had never conceived. Therefore, his nephew, "Zhao'er," was treated as his own son.
"Zhao'er" was also frequently summoned into the palace to accompany the Imperial Concubine.
Thus, Zhao'er had grown up alongside the princes and princesses.
...
At this moment, Nian Jiaojiao was unaware that she had once again caught the attention of an elder. She had already arrived with the others beneath a grand palace.
To enter the palace, one had to ascend countless steps.
Nian Jiaojiao stepped onto them.
The ground was paved with white jade, which shimmered with a soft luster when viewed from afar.
As she continued to ascend, Nian Jiaojiao clearly saw the name of the hall –
Qingxuan Hall.
The eaves of Qingxuan Hall were different from those of the palaces they had passed along the way. The eaves were shaped like phoenixes with spread wings, about to take flight.
When Nian Jiaojiao reached the entrance of Qingxuan Hall, the eunuchs and palace maids who had been leading the way retreated to the sides.
She walked into the hall alone.
Inside, over a dozen people were already waiting. Sensing the arrival of a newcomer, everyone turned to look.
However, Nian Jiaojiao had made few appearances at the examination hall, and she was part of a new batch of entrants. Therefore, even though her name was widely known, no one present recognized her appearance.
Consequently, after a brief glance, everyone turned back and resumed their meditative repose.
In this tense and solemn atmosphere, no one was inclined to strike up a conversation.
Nian Jiaojiao noticed that thirty orderly desks had been placed in the hall.
There seemed to be small wooden plaques on the upper left corner of the desks.
She walked closer and saw that the wooden plaques were inscribed with the names of the scholars participating in the examination.
Nian Jiaojiao understood.
This was a matter of finding one's assigned seat.
Soon, she found her position.
The third seat in the first row.
It was quite a conspicuous position...
Seating herself, Nian Jiaojiao also closed her eyes to rest.
Although she appeared to be resting, her mind was highly active.
At this moment, she was very curious. Hadn't they said it was a "literary duel"?
Why were there desks and writing supplies? How was this different from traditional examinations?
Just as Nian Jiaojiao was wondering, the palace became lively.
Meanwhile, several princes and sons of high officials were discussing the scholars participating in the examination in the back garden.
"I heard that today's imperial examination is different from the usual, adopting a hall examination format. This makes this prince very curious, and I wish to go and see."
The speaker was the Eighth Prince.
The ranking of princes and princesses in Da Yue was separate.
There were seventeen princes, from the First Prince to the Seventeenth Prince.
And there were eight princesses, from the First Princess to the Eighth Princess.
Among them, the First Prince to the Seventh Prince were already married and no longer resided in the palace.
The Eighth Prince to the Thirteenth Prince were of marriageable age.
The Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Princes were all sixteen years old, while the Eleventh and Twelfth Princes were fifteen, and the Thirteenth Prince was fourteen.
The remaining princes were younger, the oldest being only ten, and the youngest still in need of being nursed.
As a prince of marriageable age, the Eighth Prince naturally paid more attention to this aspect.
As princes, they generally married daughters of loyal ministers or important officials.
Compared to the important officials who could be their "mothers," the princes naturally preferred the younger scholars.
Once these scholars passed the imperial examination, they would gradually become important officials, and fresh ones at that.
As for the daughters of important officials, the princes were less inclined to marry them, as there was a higher probability of them being dissolute nobles.
As expected, after the Eighth Prince finished speaking, the Ninth Prince immediately chimed in, "Do you have their information?"
The Tenth Prince said, "I asked A'Zhao to collect them for us. A'Zhao, bring them out quickly."
The man called "A'Zhao" was the nephew of the Imperial Concubine of Da Yue. He also knew that the Imperial Concubine wanted to find a suitable wife for him among the scholars participating in the imperial examination.
Therefore, even if the princes had not instructed him, he would have collected the information.
Without further ado, he laid out the collected information.