The next day, rumors ran rampant as expected.
However, the circulating gossip was that the Crown Prince had snatched away the woman his own brother fancied. As for my minor offense of bullying Song Shuxian, it paled into insignificance amidst the royal drama of two men vying for one woman. My temperament, inherited from my mother, had always been indifferent to the ephemeral nature of reputation; after all, no one dared to speak ill of me to my face.
But my father and elder brother became anxious.
They fretted about the possibility of me being labeled a vixen, which would jeopardize my future prospects of becoming a queen. Fortunately, Pengcheng soon sent word, alleviating their worries.
Pengcheng informed us that the rumors were intentionally spread by someone with ulterior motives, and His Highness the Crown Prince would personally handle the matter.
Indeed, within two days, no one on the streets mentioned it anymore.
Meanwhile, in the imperial court, Situ Yang, the heir of the Prince of Qing, was unexpectedly dispatched to Ganzhou to serve as a county magistrate.
The heir of a princely manor serving as a minor official in a remote area was highly suggestive.
When Situ Yao came to see me, I finally voiced my lingering doubts: "Were the rumors deliberately spread by the heir of the Prince of Qing?"
"Mm."
"What was his motive? The Second Prince has no interest in me, so no matter how fierce the rumors, they wouldn't become reality, would they?"
"But it can stir up the waters, allowing one to fish in troubled times."
The affairs of the court were too complex for me to comprehend.
Situ Yao gently stroked my head, "You don't need to understand. I will protect you."
"The incident in Meicheng was also his doing, and after returning to the capital, he repeatedly tried to sow discord between you and the Second Prince. Is the Emperor just letting him off the hook like this?"
To plot against the Crown Prince, it would be fortunate if his entire family wasn't implicated; how did he manage to keep his wretched life?
Situ Yao sighed, "My father is ultimately too soft-hearted."
Historically, imperial successions were often fraught with bloodshed. Many brothers would be eliminated, and those who narrowly survived were usually relegated to their fiefdoms. Yet, the Emperor was an exception. The late Emperor had seven sons; the eldest died young, and Prince Ning, Situ Jue, succumbed to illness in his prime, at which point the current Emperor was not even the Crown Prince.
After the Emperor ascended the throne, Prince Yong commanded the Ministry of War, and Prince Jing oversaw the Ministry of Works, both influential figures in the court. Even the less capable Sixth Prince was granted a princely title.
Only the former Crown Prince, the Prince of Qing, faced some hardship, yet his son continued to diligently serve in the court.
Alas, insatiable greed, like a snake attempting to swallow an elephant, led some individuals to harbor undue ambitions due to the Emperor's leniency.
After a month of relentless effort, the Hanlin Academy finally announced the honor roll of the imperial examinations.
My elder brother calmly sipped tea at home, advising us not to crowd around the list, as notification would be sent if one succeeded. An Yishi was envious, "Brother Wang, your talent is extraordinary, you're bound to be on the list, so you can afford to be calm. I, on the other hand, must see for myself, otherwise, this gnawing anxiety will be unbearable."
My father quickly said, "Then I'll send someone to accompany you."
I immediately volunteered, "I'll go."
"Stay put and behave yourself," my elder brother grabbed me, "You are already the betrothed Crown Princess. Going to squeeze in with the crowd to look at the list—are you afraid people won't find fault with you?"
"Exactly. If you dare to embarrass His Highness the Crown Prince, your mother will summon four governesses from the palace to teach you a lesson."
"Fine, let Steward Zhong make the trip."
Steward Zhong Ling Shu had been living comfortably at our residence since his arrival, and though he hadn't gained weight, his complexion appeared significantly healthier. He probably never imagined that his first task upon arriving at my home would be to join the throng to view the examination results.
Those with martial arts skills could fly, and in no time, Zhong Ling Shu returned.
My elder brother had achieved the top rank, and An Yishi was also on the list, albeit further down, at 128th.
Expecting him to be disheartened, he instead expressed immense gratitude, "Thank heavens, I passed, I passed."
He was even happier than my elder brother, the top scholar. As tears streamed down his face while he chuckled, he bowed deeply to my elder brother, "Brother Wang, without your guidance, I would certainly not have passed this year. Great kindness is beyond words; I shall forever remember your great debt, Brother."
He then thanked my parents for their hospitality.
My mother said, "Why speak of such things on such a joyous occasion? Given my friendship with your grandmother, wouldn't saying that create distance? Husband, quickly order firecrackers to be set off, and book a banquet at Drunken Fragrance House. We shall not return until we are drunk tonight."
My elder brother coughed, "Mother, don't make a fuss. The imperial examination is in three days. If we book a banquet now and it affects your state that day, what then?"
Out of over five thousand candidates participating in the spring imperial examinations, only three hundred were selected.
These three hundred individuals were called Gongshi. Three days later, they would be personally assessed by the Emperor in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The top one hundred would be granted the Jinshi degree, while the remaining two hundred would be Tong Jinshi.
My elder brother was somewhat worried and pulled An Yishi aside, "Brother, you are still young. If you study diligently for a few more years, your chances of becoming a Jinshi will be greater. With this current ranking, if you cannot perform well in the imperial examination, I fear you may end up as a Tong Jinshi."
Jinshi had a greater chance of being selected for the Hanlin Academy and remaining in the capital to serve as officials.
However, Tong Jinshi would mostly be assigned to posts outside the capital.
An Yishi, however, was remarkably open-minded. He smiled shyly, "Brother Wang, passing this examination is already a great satisfaction for me. If possible, I would love to return to Jiangnan and serve as a county magistrate. Not only can I fulfill my aspirations, but I can also take care of my family. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
As for serving in the capital and entering the Hanlin Academy, he had never even considered it.
As the saying goes, "A fish cannot know the joy of a bird."
My elder brother suddenly understood and no longer dwelled on the matter, smiling and patting An Yishi's shoulder. While helping him remain in the capital might be difficult, ensuring he could serve in his native region was much easier.