So what if I traveled through time? I'll continue to roll in another place

The cabinet's previous plan for the main speaker for the autumn banquet has become a secret within the court that has not yet been officially announced.

Ministers in the court were discussing Dong Lin's practice of giving up his main lecture and insisting on recommending students for promotion. Some praised Dong Lin as a role model and a heart that loved talents; some envied Jiang Jun for being so favored by the chief academic officer of the Imperial College and about to rise to the top overnight; some were jealous to the point of going crazy and turned to criticize Dong Lin for failing to distinguish between public and private.

Many well-informed people came to Zhou Yao to gossip. Some felt sorry for his loss; some were upset that Xiao Zheng did not support him; and some people who did not get elected came to express their jealousy.

Zhou Yao was the only one who was very happy to know that he didn't have to be the main speaker. Because of his good mood, he showed rare patience towards outsiders and smiled and dealt with the onlookers one by one.

Unexpectedly, during the morning court session, Song Pu suddenly announced: "There are many talented scholars in this open call for papers, and the cabinet has decided to add one more day to the autumn banquet and select nine lecturers to give lectures."

Good fellow, if the bowl of water is not evenly balanced, just add more water if there is too much noodles, and add more noodles if there is too much water, right? The world is really a huge makeshift team.

In addition to Huo Qian, Huang Chunru, Lin Guorui, Xiao Zheng, Ye Shaojun and Jiang Jun, who were previously selected by the cabinet, Dong Lin was also added, and he was not really asked to give up his position. This move gave the Imperial College's chief priest some face, and did not make it clear that he was doing his utmost to protect Jiang Jun.

The other two people added were Zhou Yao and Yang Wanfan, an engineering official who had never been heard of before.

When Zhou Yao heard the news brought back by Ye Shaojun in the Hanlin Academy, he was struck by lightning.

It’s over, it’s over, why can’t I escape?!

Zhou Yao was shocked. Amid the congratulations from the adults around him, he smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to respond.

Dong Lin's favorite student, Jiang Jun, the new champion, was also in the Hanlin Academy. After winning the championship, he was awarded the sixth-rank editor, which was a high starting point. However, he worked in the Compilation Office, so Zhou Yao had never met him before.

Two of the three young lecturers were from the Hanlin Academy, which was enough to make the officials of the "Emperor's Study" proud. Many people came to congratulate them, and of course many people also compared Zhou Yao and Jiang Jun.

Some people said that Jiang Jun's new champion was due to Dong Lin's support, and that Dong Lin was the first to propose giving him the chance to give lectures at the autumn banquet, which made some jealous people say that he was unworthy of the title. Although Zhou Yao was ranked eleventh in the second class of the previous exam, it was because of his mother Ji's family's involvement. If he could wait until the late emperor forgave the Ji family and let him take the exam at the same time as Jiang Jun, he would probably be better.

Some say that Zhou Yao relied on his father-in-law Xiao Zheng. Compared with the master-disciple relationship between Dong Lin and Jiang Jun, the kinship relationship is even more abused for personal gain, and Zhou Yao may not be honest. Moreover, there are twelve people between the eleventh place in the second class and the first place in the first class! Saying that Zhou Yao is better than Jiang Jun is really flattering Zhou Yao.

Jiang Jun himself didn't react much, and Zhou Yao didn't care about the gossip. His world was falling! He just wanted to go home and complain to his wife!

After finally getting through the breakup, Zhou Yao returned home and quickly told Xiao Yueshan the news, "Oh my God! Wasn't I eliminated? How come I was still selected... Did Dad Xiao ask someone to do it?"

He was about to break! Although he had presided over projects of all sizes and was accustomed to giving lectures and leading students, this was the first time he went out to tell mythological stories.

Ah... Xiao Yueshan was also embarrassed. When he was writing it, he was just making up whatever he wanted. Who could have thought that it would stand out from the hundreds of people who submitted their works?

They quickly drove to the Xiao family and asked Xiao Zheng if he knew about the situation.

Unexpectedly, when he arrived at the Xiao Mansion, Xiao Zheng was happy for him but also puzzled. "Although I am happy for Yao'er, it is indeed not for my father to arrange it. When I heard it at the morning court, I was also shocked."

Although it was unexpected, Xiao Zheng was still excited that his son-in-law had this opportunity. "After the lecture, there will be a discussion. Yao'er must prepare well."

Zhou Yao did not get any useful information from Xiao Zheng, so he thought of Ji Shu and Shou Junwu. The Shou family was a royal family, so he wondered if Shou Junwu would be more informed.

That night the couple went to Zuihuayin, and sure enough, Shou Junwu was listening to music in the old place again.

Zhou Yao and Xiao Yueshan found Shou Junwu's private room. When Shou Junwu saw the two of them, his eyes lit up and the sadness on his face disappeared instantly.

"Brother Yao, I heard that you were chosen as the keynote speaker for the autumn banquet. Congratulations!" He stood up happily to greet him.

"I wanted to have dinner with you, but my father said you must be busy preparing, so he told me to wait until the autumn feast was over before looking for you so as not to disturb you. I didn't expect to meet you here!"

Xiao Yueshan winked at the shopkeeper Deng Tong, who immediately left with the waiters and considerately lowered the thick curtains.

"Unfortunately, I came here to see you." Zhou Yao and his wife sat down at the table.

"On the day when the candidates were nominated, Yueshan's father came back from the cabinet and clearly said that I had been excluded from the list of six speakers. For some reason, the number of speakers increased by three, and I was included. I didn't know if Junwu had any news, so we came here specially to meet you by chance." Zhou Yao asked.

"Haha, then I have to quickly ask Mr. Yuanjun and Mr. Qianshan if they are willing to go to Shou Mansion with me. What should I do if everyone knows to come here to block me like Brother Yao did?" Shou Junwu joked.

Then he became serious and said solemnly: "Brother Yao, you know that I don't like to spend time on these scriptures, so I don't take the autumn banquet's essay solicitation seriously. But I do know something about the matter you asked.

On the day when the cabinet was drawing up the plan, the people who recommended you included your father-in-law, Lord Xiao, and General Gao Mao, but the Prime Minister did not agree. Lord Xiao should have known about this.

But after the six-person list was drawn up, Princess Changying sent someone to invite the Prime Minister to come to her house to talk, and later there was this list of nine people. I don’t know if General Gao persuaded the Princess to come forward and add you to the list of speakers. "Shou Junwu whispered.

Chu Changling? Why did she do that?

Zhou Yao and Xiao Yueshan both had question marks on their faces.

"As for Jiang Jun, you all know that he was recommended by Dong Lin, the Imperial College's chief priest. And the quota for Yang Wanfan, the Minister of Works, was obtained by Meng Zhengcheng, the Minister of Revenue, from the Prime Minister.

Since I have to do a favor for one person, I might as well do more. Nine is the highest yang number, and three people is also considered auspicious, so the three of you have been added to the list of speakers."

Shou Junwu was indeed well-informed. "Brother Yao, when did you become so familiar with General Gao that you were able to ask Princess Changying to come forward."

The Shou family and the Gao family each held military power and had no close relationship with each other. Upon learning that the eldest princess Chu Changling had asked Song Pu for Zhou Yao's quota, Duke Dingguo Shou Yueheng immediately told his youngest son that his new friend Zhou Yao was no simple matter.

"If I say that none of us, including Yueshan's father, knew about this, would you believe me?" Zhou Yao looked at Shou Junwu and said, "I have never met the Gao family, and Yueshan has only met the Grand Princess once. I don't know why they would do this."

"Hey! If I didn't believe you, why would I tell you everything I know?" Shou Junwu was as free and easy as ever.

"I've been really annoyed lately! My mother said I'm not young anymore and kept asking me to go to marriage proposals. It's not enough for me to go to various houses to look for girls, she also forced me to go to social gatherings.

Those girls are very nice, but they are not what I want in my heart." He was very sad and took another sip of wine.

No one can escape the pressure of marriage and blind dates! Xiao Yueshan and Zhou Yao looked at Shou Junwu helplessly.

"My mother dotes on me and asked me what kind of lady I wanted to marry, but I couldn't answer. I just wasn't attracted to those ladies." Shou Junwu said dejectedly.

Shou Junwu was born into a noble family with a distinguished background. He was also a handsome man and had long been a popular candidate on the list of sons-in-law for the ladies of various families.

But the Shou family had their own concerns. There were only three legitimate sons in the Shou family. The wives of the eldest and second sons were of very noble birth. They thought that the youngest son could not marry into an equally prominent family for fear of gossip. They also did not want to marry a woman from a too low a social status to lower his status. They also wanted Shou Jun to marry someone he could accept and like.

With all these requirements set out one by one, there are not many suitable ladies.

Madam Shou has looked at all the young ladies in the capital who meet the requirements, but she doesn't know who will be the lucky one in the end.