The spring breeze is so warm that it is intoxicating.

Prince Duan walked out of the gate of Nanyuan half determinedly and half confusedly, then mounted his horse and galloped towards the direction of Zhikong Temple.

He had some vague thoughts in his mind. He couldn't let the boss always block his way...but he still wanted to ask God's will.

Murong Xuan watched Prince Duan leave with a smile and coughed lightly at the right time. Mao Ping immediately received the message, quietly blended into the crowd and followed him.

More and more people came to Nanyuan. Shen Xiyue looked at the newly graduated scholars gathered together and felt more at ease. These people would become his loyal ministers in the future!

We have to win them over well!

Number one scholar Wan Xiu Ze had not arrived yet, while number two scholar Qin Lang was drinking and chatting happily with number two scholar Liao Wei. As for Zhao Zhe, who was ranked fourth in the first class, he looked at Shen Xiyue and snorted coldly. Not to mention that a woman should not serve two husbands, she was not from the Jiang or Qin family. It was really a pretense for her to become a phoenix once she rose to the top.

Just think about it, a gentleman of upright and proud character, and now I have to pay homage to such an inappropriate princess. It is so unlucky.

When he turned around, he saw the top scholar Wan Xiu Ze, who was walking towards him with a humble look on his face and a smile on his face, surrounded by people.

Zhao Zhe considered himself to be from a scholarly family and thought he would be the top scorer this year, but he did not expect to be squeezed out to fourth place!

The second and third place winners were fine, as they all had family backgrounds, but the number one scholar, Wan Xiu Ze, who came from a humble family, made him so angry!

He hated to see Wan Xiu Ze's approachable attitude of accepting everyone who came to him, and he couldn't help but feel doubly unlucky.

He didn't dare to discuss the Crown Princess in public, but he dared to ridicule Wan Xiu Ze: "Oh, isn't this Wan the champion? Look at this smiling face, are you the champion of the imperial examination or the champion of the brothel? You are the last one to come to this Lu Ming Banquet, are you tired from welcoming and seeing off guests~"

Hearing him mocking Wan Xiu Ze, the other Jinshi who were on good terms with Zhao Zhe burst into laughter.

Since Zhao Zhe's father was the Minister of Revenue, which was one of the most powerful departments, those who were not prominent in rank and whose family background was not as good as Zhao Zhe's all flattered Zhao Zhe in the hope of getting a good job.

Wan Xiu was the top scorer in the gold exam, so he already had the upper hand.

It would be great if we could join forces to exclude him!

Wan Xiuze didn't show it on his face, but in his heart he was still worried about what he would say in public later. However, after hearing what Zhao Zhe said, he immediately said in a gentle voice:

"Yes, Brother Zhao, you don't know that after I paraded with red flowers that day, many guests came to my house to congratulate me, and naturally, many like-minded people came to my house."

Zhao Zhe's ridicule was in vain, and he was even more depressed by the fact that Wan Xiu Ze was carried out for a parade through the streets. Looking at Wan Xiu Ze's smug look, his teeth were almost broken.

Haha, laugh, and see how long you can laugh!

What good would it be even if you passed the imperial examination and became the top scorer if you don't have any family background in the court?

By then, won't you still be stepped on by me?

Zhao Zhe was thinking about the future, trying to balance the unreasonable anger and unwillingness to be inferior to others in his heart. Several people immediately gathered around him and whispered their contempt for Wan Xiu Ze.

However, Wan Xiu had already walked far away, and he could not hear what they were saying...The position of the top scholar was right below the prince.

Until a gong sounded, and then all the sounds disappeared.

The banquet officially began.

Only newly-minted Jinshi were eligible to sit at the Qushui Liushang seats, so the female members of the family went to the pavilion nearby to admire the flowers and choose their husbands. Qin Yu, who had just washed and combed his hair, also sat aside inconspicuously at this time, watching the fun with everyone else.

As Jinshi who have one foot in the imperial court, they are naturally familiar with court affairs and have their own considerations for their future career development.

In their hearts, most of the newly-appointed Jinshi scholars still harbored a resistance to this weak prince since childhood - it was his fault for marrying "Shen" and ruining his own future.

However, when Murong Xuan and Shen Xiyue stood up hand in hand and looked down at them, everyone couldn't help but be shocked.

The Crown Prince was in a leisurely manner, while the Crown Princess was dignified and open-minded, but their gazes were exactly the same, and they were intimidating without even getting angry.

Their held hands made these newly graduated scholars, who were used to being conceited and believed that women were born to be dependent on men, feel as if they were burned and they dared not look directly at them.

The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, how... how... are they like two ferocious beasts.

Although they were dressed in gorgeous clothes and looked like fairies, one look at them would immediately tell that they were man-eating beasts!

Even if you stand quietly, the looks in their eyes are as if they want to pull out your bones and carve them into flowers.

This inexplicable oppression made the newly-appointed scholars who intended to look down on the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess suddenly feel fearful and dared not act presumptuously.

Murong Xuan and Shen Xiyue looked at the new scholars who instantly lowered their eyes and smiled at each other. Very good, fear is also an emotion of submission.

Murong Xuan raised his hand, and the ceremonial officer beside him received his signal and immediately bowed in response, turned around and walked down the next step, spread out the imperial edict, and read the congratulatory message written by Emperor You'an.

"...The Deer Singing Banquet is hosted by the Crown Prince. I am here in person." The ceremonial officer finished the last sentence slowly and said loudly: "Kneel—"

The newly-appointed scholars below all stood up and knelt without exception. Murong Xuan and Shen Xiyue were standing on the high platform, receiving this complicated kneeling ceremony.

Murong Xuan then raised his hand and smiled: "Get up. Although I am here on behalf of the emperor today, the Luming Banquet is held by the court for the newly-appointed scholars. There is no need to be formal. Now is a good time. Let's enjoy poetry and wine while we are young. Just enjoy yourself today."

The newly-appointed scholars suddenly became more sober... This is a prince, and the legitimate son of the Empress, the crown prince personally appointed by the current Emperor!

The Crown Princess who married for the second time was granted marriage by the Imperial Decree written by the Emperor!

Since they were going to serve as officials in the court, how could they question the emperor's decision?

As a result, everyone was very considerate and played Qushui Liushang with all their might. After a while, the atmosphere at the table was filled with joy.

Shen Xiyue saw that the time was almost up, and then looked at Wan Xiu Ze who was sitting below the prince, and said to him: "Wan Zhuangyuan, it is said that if you study hard for ten years, no one will care about you, but if you become famous overnight, the whole world will know you. I believe you can relate to this the most. Do you have any feelings to share?"

When Wan Xiu Ze arrived, he saw Prince Duan riding away on his horse with an unhappy look on his face... It was obvious with just a guess that it must be the Crown Princess who was trying to get Prince Duan out of the way!

He knew that the Crown Princess was completely trustworthy in both her character and ability!

Thinking of this, he grinned, stood up slowly, and bowed:

"My biggest feeling is that I was born at the wrong time. If I could catch up with the good time when Your Majesty opened a bookstore, I might have been able to pass the imperial examination a few years earlier! However, it is precisely because of the bookstore opened by Your Majesty that I suddenly have an idea..."

Shen Xiyue also acted as if she had no idea about this matter. She raised her eyebrows with a smile and said, "Oh, can you elaborate on it?"

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