Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

The dowry given to the Fifth Princess by Emperor Jingzhao was the most meager of all the princesses' dowries.

If it weren't for the sake of the royal family's reputation, he would have given even less.

But the Fifth Princess dared not complain in the slightest; she felt that things were already very, very good.

So she quietly and smoothly left the capital with her dowry.

After the Fifth Princess got married, the imperial examination finally arrived.

Something else happened before the spring imperial examinations began.

It's about the seventh prince.

Lingyan had secretly added a slow-acting poison to his medicine.

Now that three months have passed, the Seventh Prince was eagerly anticipating the day when he would finally be cured and could finally enjoy himself.

The result was the same as three months ago: no reaction whatsoever.

The seventh prince had a feeling that he had been tricked by Lingyan, and angrily went to the palace to complain to Emperor Jingzhao.

Emperor Jingzhao had always had a good impression of Lingyan.

I think she is exceptionally intelligent, knows how to conduct herself appropriately, is deeply righteous, and is both talented and sensible.

How could I possibly be deliberately playing tricks on him?

Therefore, he immediately summoned the imperial physician to treat the seventh prince.

The answers given by the imperial physicians were consistent with the diagnosis that Lingyan wanted them to make.

Excessive indulgence depletes vital essence, leaving the body weak and beyond recovery.

The seventh prince was struck dumb by the diagnosis.

He stood there frozen, completely unresponsive, utterly stunned.

These dozen or so words kept replaying in my mind.

Then, after realizing what had happened, I couldn't accept the result at all.

He rushed to the imperial physician like a madman and asked them to re-examine him.

The imperial physicians were also helpless; they had examined the patient three times just to make sure they hadn't made a mistake.

Besides, if one person is wrong, it's impossible for everyone to be wrong.

Therefore, they absolutely did not make a misdiagnosis.

The Seventh Prince is just deceiving himself.

Emperor Jingzhao was well aware of this.

It turns out that he ruined his own body to this state.

They even had the nerve to say it was the sixth son's wife's fault.

This son is completely ruined.

It's too late to turn things around.

With the body so depleted, unless one is a celestial being, no one can save it.

After going crazy for a while, the Seventh Prince finally stopped deceiving himself and forced himself to accept the result.

But he couldn't accept it at all.

For over a decade, from the age of thirteen until now, he has spent every day partying with all sorts of handsome men.

But now he is being told that he is completely ruined and can no longer enjoy that pleasure.

He couldn't accept it, and in his turmoil, he fainted.

When Lingyan received the news, she only said, "Serves him right."

It's wonderful that such a scoundrel can no longer harm others.

Three days after this incident, the official spring imperial examinations began.

The imperial examinations begin on February 18th.

The candidates had to work for nine days and nine nights, during which they were not allowed to leave the examination hall.

Therefore, it's best not to attempt this without a strong physique. Otherwise, you might get seriously ill if you're lucky, or even die if you're unlucky.

That morning, the sky over the capital was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

At this time, some vendors carrying lanterns on the street have already started to get busy, preparing hot breakfasts for the upcoming test takers and those seeing them off.

White steam rose from the steamer baskets of the baozi shop, filling the air with the aroma of steamed buns.

The owner of the wonton stall skillfully stirred the bubbling wontons in the pot with a long spoon, the spoon making a crisp sound as it collided with the edge of the pot.

The street where the examination hall was located gradually became lively, with the sounds of horses' hooves and wheels mingling together.

One carriage after another slowly drove by, their decorations appearing and disappearing in the hazy morning light.

Some of the carriages were extremely luxurious, with exquisite carvings and silk curtains that showed the wealth of the candidates' families.

Some were simpler, just wooden carts, but they also carried the hopes of the test takers.

Some candidates also walked here, carrying heavy book boxes on their backs, the brass buckles on the boxes gleaming with an antique luster in the sunlight.

The gates of the examination hall were tightly closed, and two majestic stone lions stood silently in front of them, as if they too were waiting for this important examination to begin.

On either side of the gate, guards holding spears stood tall and straight, their gazes firm and serious. Under the dim light, they stood like statues, maintaining order.

At this moment, candidates are arriving from all directions.

Some candidates were alone, carrying heavy backpacks, clutching their exam baskets tightly, walking hurriedly, their eyes revealing determination and tension.

Some came accompanied by their families, who kept whispering words of encouragement and advice.

Most of the candidates wore brand-new long gowns and headscarves, striving to present their best appearance for the exam.

The young candidates, some with youthful innocence and others with mature expressions, all carried with them aspirations for the future and a deep sense of importance attached to this exam.

Some of the older test takers, having weathered the trials of time, had a more composed and determined look in their eyes.

As time went by, the sky gradually brightened, and the sunlight began to try to penetrate the clouds.

More and more candidates gathered in front of the examination hall. Some chatted with each other, exchanging their feelings and preparations before the exam; others stood quietly, closed their eyes, and silently reviewed the knowledge they had learned.

By this time, a long queue had already formed at the entrance of the examination hall.

As the first rays of golden sunlight fell upon the roof of the Imperial Examination Hall, its gates slowly opened with a heavy creak.

The candidates immediately quieted down and checked their belongings again.

Gently open the examination basket and check if the brush tip is intact, the ink block is complete, and the paper is free of wrinkles.

At this moment, the atmosphere at the entrance of the examination hall was solemn and tense.

Two rows of officers and soldiers stood like statues, their faces stern and their eyes piercing, as if trying to penetrate the soul of every examinee.

The candidates lined up in long queues and moved slowly forward.

The examinee was being checked when two soldiers stepped forward.

An officer first signaled the candidates to stop and stand in the designated position.

His eyes were sharp as he scrutinized the candidate, not missing a single suspicious sign.

Then, another soldier began to inspect the area.

He started by gently touching the candidate's handkerchief from the head to confirm that there were no hidden items inside.

Then, his hands slowly slid down the candidate's shoulders, carefully feeling under the candidate's clothes for any unusual bulges or hard objects.

When checking the examinee's arm, the officers grasped the examinee's wrist, rotated it, and checked whether there was anything hidden in the sleeve.

Then, he put his fingers into the candidate's sleeve and felt around for a while.

Next, the officers and soldiers gently pressed their hands on the candidate's chest and back to check if the thickness of the clothing was normal and if there was any possibility of hidden layers.

Although their movements seemed rough, they were actually very meticulous, leaving no corner unchecked.

When checking the waist area, the officers and soldiers paid special attention to the examinee's belt.

They untied their belts to check if there were any pieces of paper or other items hidden inside.

Then came the legs. The officers and soldiers squatted down and ran their hands along the candidates' trouser legs, from the thighs to the calves, and even down to the ankles.

Then they gently lifted the examinee's foot to check if there was anything unusual about the sole of the shoe.

Finally, there are the books and exam baskets that the candidates bring.

The officers and soldiers opened the book box, took out the books one by one, and gently turned the pages to check if there were any cheat sheets hidden between the pages.

Next, the cakes, pastries, and other snacks, as well as the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones in the examination basket, were all checked one by one.

The ink block was gently tapped to see if anything was hidden inside.

The handle of the calligraphy brush was unscrewed to check for any possible hidden objects inside.

Hold the paper up to the sunlight to check for any pre-written words.

The cakes, pastries, and other food items were all broken into pieces and inspected one by one.

In the end, only some fragments remained.

The candidates dared not utter a single complaint about this.

Throughout the examination, some of the candidates looked nervous and were sweating.

Some tried to remain calm and silently endured the rigorous inspection.

The officers and soldiers remained focused and meticulous, ensuring that no cheating items were brought into the examination room.

After all the candidates had finished their searches and entered the examination room, the gears that would soon determine their fate began to turn, marking the start of this extraordinary day.