After giving up being the wife of a powerful official, Ling Yunlu became a concubine

"You can only choose one between her and this princess!" After saying that, Anyang turned over and faced away from Zhao Jingyan.

"You are the only one in my heart." Zhao Jingyan hurriedly leaned down to coax her.

In the past, he could earn a bright future through his own efforts, but now he has fallen into the dust.

He must hold on to this life-saving straw tightly, and even if he goes to hell, he will drag her with him.

The results of the imperial examination came out, and Han Yang was still at the top of the list.

In the third month of the lunar calendar, all successful candidates in the imperial examination would enter the Baohe Hall to take part in the palace examination.

The imperial examination had only one essay question: "As if protecting a baby, seek it with a sincere heart." (Note 1)

The topic note is: "Protect the people as if they were your own children, and seek the way to govern the country with a childlike heart." (Note 2)

The emperor was flipping through the test papers submitted by his ministers and suddenly stopped at one of them.

This policy paper is not like other people's general discussions, but is very sharp in its words.

The examiner did not think highly of this test paper, and the reviewers only made a few remarks on it.

The memorial said: "From ancient times to the present, the greatest trouble for the people has been caused by poverty. When officials are poor, they are corrupt; when the people are poor, they become thieves; when the army is poor, it has no means of warfare. The root of this is the lack of frugality..." (Note 3)

It also puts forward many specific suggestions later, and it is a good article with profound insights!

He opened the first page and saw the name: Han Yang.

The final results of the palace examination came out, and the emperor appointed Han Yang as the new top scholar!

Shen Yunjin and Wang Zhaozhao booked a private room in the restaurant early in the morning. From the window of this private room, they could clearly see the entire street.

"Jin'er, here!" Wang Zhaozhao jumped excitedly and waved to Shen Yunjin.

Shen Yunjin protected her stomach and squeezed through.

"Are all the people in the family here?" Shen Yunjin covered her mouth and whispered into Wang Zhaozhao's ear.

Wang Zhaozhao smiled silly and nodded. This was a big deal!

"Don't you know that my aunt-in-law once sneered at me and said that I would regret marrying a poor student in the future?"

"This time, she is here too. Yes, she brought her daughter with her."

Wang Zhaozhao pointed to the other side.

Shen Yunjin glanced and saw only two backs.

"Here he comes, here he comes, look! The number one scholar!"

Someone shouted and everyone rushed to the window.

Han Yang was seen sitting on a tall horse, with a serious expression, looking straight ahead, with a big red flower on his chest.

"Ah!" a woman shouted, and then a purse fell from the sky and hit Han Yang.

Han Yang, who was on horseback, slightly tilted his body, and the purse fell off the side of the horse's back.

All of a sudden, as if some mode had been turned on, people in the crowd threw handkerchiefs, purses, flowers, and all kinds of things flying everywhere.

Now, Han Yang was hiding in a somewhat embarrassing way.

Wang Zhaozhao was laughing so hard upstairs that she couldn't straighten her back, and Shen Yunjin was also holding her stomach and laughing.

Han Yang downstairs seemed to hear Wang Zhaozhao's laughter, and he looked upstairs.

Then...then...he smiled at Wang Zhaozhao.

Time seemed to have stopped, and everyone was on pause.

Then, the women watching upstairs and downstairs all screamed!

This time, there are more things flying, even embroidered shoes!

Han Yang, who was almost hit, hurriedly pulled his horse out of the encirclement.

The person behind the top scorer was the runner-up, a middle-aged man, and the crowd gradually quieted down.

It was not until they saw the third place winner behind them that they started making noise again.

"Okay, let's all go." Old Madam Wang tapped her cane. The old lady was not in good spirits and was already tired after just a short while.

Mrs. Wang hurriedly arranged for the servants to send the old lady back.

The others rarely come out, and they all said they wanted to take a look around.

Wang Zhaozhao fell on the stool, holding his stomach and shouting "Ouch".

Shen Yunjin looked at her best friend who was so lively and smiled slightly.

"Why did your aunt bring your cousin along?"

Shen Yunjin saw that everyone had left before he asked.

Wang Zhaozhao sat up straight, took Shen Yunjin's hand, and whispered, "My aunt promised my cousin to the man she was going to give me last time."

"Ah? Is it the one named...Cao Meng?" Shen Yunjin looked surprised.

"Yes, it is said that the groom went to war on the wedding day and has not returned yet."

"I overheard my aunt and mother chatting. I heard that my husband's family is not easy to get along with. I brought them here to relax."

Wang Zhaozhao lowered his voice, his tone revealing relief.

Fortunately, she married Han Yang, her husband took good care of her, and her in-laws were simple and easy to get along with.

"Jin'er, I've always wanted to say thank you to you!"

"If it wasn't for you, I would have been the one to suffer if I married her."

Shen Yunjin reached out and hugged Wang Zhaozhao, "You are my best friend, of course I hope you are well!"

"Hurry up and get pregnant with a baby. Then they can be good friends like us."

Wang Zhaozhao nodded with a red face. Her mother urged her to do the same.

"Do you know? Ning Ruyan is dead!" Wang Zhaozhao touched Shen Yunjin's belly and remembered something.

"Ah?" Shen Yunjin couldn't help but widen his eyes.

After Ning Ruyan's divorce, she returned to the Ning Mansion and waited for the prince to marry her as a concubine.

Man proposes, God disposes. The prince was demoted to a commoner and was also confined to his fiefdom.

Now, there are even more playboys at the gate of Ning Mansion.

Even the maids who went out to do errands would be teased.

The woman who was already engaged in the Ning Mansion had her engagement broken off.

Those who were not driven back by their husband's family also suffered from the cold stare of their in-laws.

If there wasn't a Noble Lady Ning in the palace and Lord Ning still held an official position, it is estimated that all the women in the Ning family would be divorced by their in-laws.

There were cries in Old Madam Ning's yard every day, and relatives from other branches also came to accuse Ning Ruyan of dragging down their daughter.

In the end, Madam Ning gave Ning Ruyan a cup of poisoned wine.

Shen Yunjin listened without saying anything.

Women nowadays have a low status and are stepping stones to pave the way for the future of their fathers and brothers.

If you are useful, the whole family will hold you in high esteem.

When you are worthless, they can abandon their blood ties and poison you directly.

"She deserves it!"

Thinking about how Ning Ruyan had schemed against him several times and how he almost lost his life, Shen Yunjin breathed a sigh of relief.

A few days ago, Xiao Minshen handed the evidence he found to the emperor.

The emperor personally lifted the ban on the Prince of Qi's Mansion. Without the soldiers guarding it, the Prince of Qi's Mansion returned to normal.

He was too clever and planned everything, but ended up losing his beloved life!

I don’t know. If Ning Ruyan knew the current result, would she regret it?

Shen Yunjin thought.

Note 1: Taken from the examination questions of the special examination in the second year of Tongzhi.

Note 2: Taken from the notes on the examination questions for the special examination in the second year of the Tongzhi reign.

Note 3: Taken from the policy essay test questions of Zhang Zhidong, the third place winner of the imperial examination.