"Your Royal Highness," Yao Songbai's eyes fell on the Crown Prince standing beside Hua Liuli. He stepped forward and saluted, "Greetings to the Crown Prince."
Only then did Yao Wenyin notice the presence of the Crown Prince and quickly followed behind her brother to offer her greetings. It wasn't her fault for being inattentive; it was just that Hua Liuli was so detestable that she couldn't pay attention to anyone else as long as Hua Liuli was around.
"Miss Yao, you're here too?" Hua Liuli only noticed Lin Wan walking ahead of them and didn't expect Yao Wenyin to be here as well.
Upon hearing Hua Liuli's inquiry, Yao Wenyin felt somewhat uneasy and murmured a faint response. She couldn't help but feel the sting on her face now, thinking about how straightforward she had been when she said she didn't believe in ghosts and gods.
"Fushou Junzhu," Yao Songbai was friends with Hua Changkong, but this was the first time he had a closer look at Hua Liuli's appearance.
Fushou Junzhu didn't seem like someone who had lived on the border for a long time; she seemed more like someone who had grown up in the southern province, gentle as water, evoking a sense of pity in others upon seeing her. No wonder a fellow candidate inquired about Fushou Junzhu's marriage prospects after catching a glimpse at her just once.
"Is Young Master Yao also here to pay respects to Wenqu Star?" the Crown Prince reached out and lightly held Hua Liuli's wrist, "Be careful on the steps."
Noticing the Crown Prince's gesture of holding Fushou Junzhu's wrist, Yao Songbai quickly diverted his gaze, "My younger sister mentioned that this place is quite efficacious. I wanted to seek peace of mind, so I came to pay my respects."
Yao Songbai was quite open-minded and didn't think there was anything embarrassing about coming to pray to Wenqu Star before the Palace Examinations.
But Yao Wenyin felt embarrassed. She silently covered her face and wished she could pretend she had never been here.
"Oh~" Hua Liuli smiled and looked at Yao Wenyin with narrowed eyes, "Last time, Miss Yao here didn't believe in the efficacy of Wenqu Star, but it seems she's changed her mind so quickly?"
Yao Wenyin: "..."
I don't want to talk, thank you.
The Crown Prince chuckled lightly, pretending not to notice that Hua Liuli was deliberately teasing Yao Wenyin, "Young Master Yao's words are right. It's also good to seek peace of mind."
As the group entered the Temple of Wenqu Star, the guards surrounded the temple, causing the temple priest to jump in surprise and bow respectfully to greet them.
However, before he could approach the Crown Prince, he was intercepted.
"Apologies, our honored guest is offering incense. Others are not allowed to approach," The guard in a black robe spoke politely, but his expression was serious. The temple priest quickly backed away, not hesitating at all.
There were many esteemed individuals in the capital, but who other than the imperial relatives and nobles could bring so many guards with them when going out?
Just as Lin Wan was about to kneel on the cushion, she heard the commotion outside the temple. She turned her head to look and saw a group of guards surrounding the Temple of Wenqu Star, with the remaining guards protecting four well-dressed young gentlemen and young ladies.
She had intentionally chosen a day when there were fewer people to visit the Temple of Wenqu Star to avoid running into acquaintances, but she didn't expect to avoid the people she didn't want to see and encounter the ones she did.
She bowed three times before the statue and then approached the Crown Prince, "Your Royal Highness, I pay my respects."
The Crown Prince nodded slightly and walked toward the temple with Hua Liuli, it seemed as if even a glance at Lin Wan would be a waste of his valuable time.
This obvious attitude made even the simple-minded Yao Wenyin realize that the Crown Prince clearly didn't like Lin Wan. She had wanted to mock Lin Wan a few times, but seeing the Crown Prince's behavior, she dared not speak further.
When someone was despised by those in power, even exchanging a few words with them could bring trouble.
Lin Wan stood stiffly in place, watching them enter the temple, her expression incredibly complex.
What made her even more uncomfortable was that Hua Liuli didn't look at her from beginning to end, as if her existence was insignificant. Perhaps to Hua Liuli, she was just a roadside stone, an ant, or a withered leaf, devoid of any meaning.
It was truly laughable.
Every day and night, she regretted why she couldn't get along with Hua Liuli. If she had spoken a little less, at least she could still be the future Ying Wangfei. Unlike now, living in the bustling capital but feeling no sense of belonging, she was like a passerby in this city. No one was surprised when she arrived, and no one tried to keep her when she left.
The noble ladies who had been polite and courteous to her during the Flower Festival now hurriedly walked away when they saw her, as though they could gain some benefits by distancing themselves from her.
What was even more ridiculous was that her father's transfer order was suppressed by the Emperor and was only resolved quietly due to Hua Liuli's father's plea in the palace.
Now, every time she saw Hua Liuli, she felt embarrassed, regretful, resentful, and a mixture of indescribable hatred. Even if Hua Liuli had mocked her a few moments ago, it would have been better than this current attitude of being ignored.
"May the Star God bless my brother to achieve the top rank..."
Hua Liuli and Yao Wenyin both knelt on the cushion and said the same words. They turned their heads to look at each other, their eyes engaged in a silent battle.
"Star God above, this devotee is willing to donate one hundred taels of silver," Yao Wenyin spoke first.
"Star God above, this devotee's companion spoke ill of you just last month," Hua Liuli said, "In the name of the Star God, this devotee is willing to donate five hundred taels of silver to the charitable hall for the purpose of helping more people."
Yao Wenyin was stunned to hear Hua Liuli's words. She didn't expect this shameless woman to make such a move.
"Star God above, this devotee's previous words were spoken unintentionally. Please do not take them to heart," Yao Wenyin glared at Hua Liuli, knowing that Hua Changkong's success in the top rank was the reason why Hua Liuli could do anything wicked.
Yao Songbai stood awkwardly beside them, trying to appease the Crown Prince with forced laughter. He said to the Crown Prince, "My younger sister is still young and ignorant. Please forgive her, Your Royal Highness."
The Crown Prince nodded slightly without saying a word.
Seeing the Crown Prince's attitude, Yao Songbai became even more uneasy. The Yao family knew that the Crown Prince had a strained relationship with Princess Shunan. Princess Shunan's Fuma was their uncle, so every time the Yao family interacted with the Crown Prince, they were extra cautious, fearing that the Crown Prince might suddenly vent his anger on them if he was in a bad mood.
As a scholar, he does aspire to be at the top in the Palace Examination. However, Yao Songbai admired Hua Changkong's talent and demeanor, so even if Hua Changkong came out top in the Palace Examination, he would accept the result with sincerity and contentment.
"I was just joking earlier. Miss Yao, please don't take it to heart," Hua Liuli stood up and smiled, "I wish Young Master Yao to achieve a good ranking in the palace examination."
"Hmph," Yao Wenyin would never believe the hypocritical Hua Liuli again. She stood up and grabbed a handful of silver coins, throwing them into the charity box, saying, "My brother will definitely achieve a good ranking."
"Wenyin," Yao Songbai worried that the atmosphere would turn tense if the two girls continued arguing, so he quickly stepped in to mediate, "Let's not be disrespectful."
Yao Wenyin pursed her lips and didn't say anything more. It was clear that she didn't want to embarrass her brother any further.
"There's a tea house nearby. If the Crown Prince and Junzhu don't mind, we can go there to have tea and chat," Yao Songbai bowed to the Crown Prince, "May I know Your Royal Highness's opinion?"
The Crown Prince turned to look at Hua Liuli, "Would you like to go, Liuli?"
Hua Liuli noticed that Yao Songbai was trying to establish a closer relationship with the Crown Prince. She turned her head and saw no sign of reluctance on the Crown Prince's face, so she nodded and said, "I will follow Your Royal Highness's arrangement."
"Then let's sit for a while before leaving," As they walked out of the temple, the Crown Prince looked up at the scorching sun and took the fan handed over by the eunuch, opening it to shield Hua Liuli's head. He whispered in her ear, "Envoys from other countries have been arriving in the capital in recent days. We may able to overhear some news in the tea house."
In the vicinity of Great Jin, there were only two powerful countries with vast territories, the Daimei Kingdom and the Jinpo Kingdom. Most of the other countries were small and posed no threat to Great Jin.
Some small countries that were previously oppressed by Jinpo had no choice but to bow down to Great Jin, hoping to receive the protection of Great Jin.
Whenever something good happened in Great Jin, these small countries would send envoys with gifts to the capital, praising Emperor Changlong and bribing officials in the capital with gold, silver, and jewels, ensuring that Great Jin's support remained secure.
There were even some poorer and more remote tribes that wanted to directly join Great Jin and obtain Great Jin's citizenship. However, their enthusiasm was rejected by Emperor Changlong.
Merging other small countries and tribes involved many political factors and interests. Although Emperor Changlong was tempted, he was not willing to act rashly.
But this time was different. Great Jin's army had defeated the usually arrogant Jinpo and forced them to surrender. What had previously been impossible to consider, could now be contemplated.
The victory achieved by Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue for Great Jin would not only have an impact in the present but also shape the future of the Great Jin Dynasty for the next hundred years.
It was precisely because of this that other officials thought that the Hua family would be targeted. There was no emperor who could tolerate such a great hero by their side, and no emperor liked their subordinates' reputation being more clamorous than their own.
Yao Songbai was a scholar, so it was obvious that the tea house he liked to go to was also frequented by scholars.
Most scholars were cultured. Although there were many of them gathered in the main hall, talking and enjoying tea, there was no loud noise, and the atmosphere was excellent.
As some scholars descended from the upper floor, they noticed Yao Songbai and his group accompanied by young ladies, so they consciously stepped aside to avoid colliding with the young ladies.
The second floor had many small rooms separated by screens. On one of the stages, an elderly man played the pipa and sang a tune. His relaxed and contented demeanor did not seem like he was performing for money, but rather like he was indulging in his own passion and wanted to entertain the guests.
There were fewer customers on the second floor compared to the ground floor. They sat at separate tables in groups of two or three, with some speaking softly, some discussing examination questions, and some even playing chess.
"The Biluochun tea here tastes exceptionally good. Would Your Royal Highness like to try it?" Yao Songbai beckoned to the attendant as he sought the Crown Prince's opinion.
"Three cups will do. Benwang has already prepared some snacks that Fushou Junzhu enjoys," the Crown Prince ordered a few snacks and turned to Hua Liuli, who was sitting cross-legged on his right side, "Most of the snacks outside are of that kind, with no attention to craftsmanship. If you like them, Benwang can have the Eastern Palace's chef make them for you."
Yao Wenyin widened her eyes. The Crown Prince and Hua Liuli...
She discreetly swallowed her saliva and began to recall if she had offended Hua Liuli too severely.
As the tea and snacks were served, before the four of them could exchange a few words, they heard someone at a nearby table say, "The women of Great Jin have no shame. It's one thing to appear in public, but to let a woman become a general..."
"The military camp is filled with men. How can a woman boss around men like that?"
Yao Wenyin frowned in displeasure. What was wrong with a woman being a general? General Wei was admired by many young girls in the capital. She followed the sound of the voice and saw three men sitting together. Although their clothing style was similar to that of Great Jin, she could tell at a glance that these three were not locals of the capital, and they might not even be from Great Jin.
"What kind of reasoning is this?!" Before Hua Liuli and her group could speak, several other scholars slammed the table and stood up, "The ones who made those remarks, who gave birth to you - a male or a female?"
Krish728
Author's Note:
The scholars of Great Jin: Make way, it's finally our turn to make an appearance! We may not be good at fighting, but when it comes to arguments, we are professionals!
"Your Royal Highness," Yao Songbai's eyes fell on the Crown Prince standing beside Hua Liuli. He stepped forward and saluted, "Greetings to the Crown Prince."
Only then did Yao Wenyin notice the presence of the Crown Prince and quickly followed behind her brother to offer her greetings. It wasn't her fault for being inattentive; it was just that Hua Liuli was so detestable that she couldn't pay attention to anyone else as long as Hua Liuli was around.
"Miss Yao, you're here too?" Hua Liuli only noticed Lin Wan walking ahead of them and didn't expect Yao Wenyin to be here as well.
Upon hearing Hua Liuli's inquiry, Yao Wenyin felt somewhat uneasy and murmured a faint response. She couldn't help but feel the sting on her face now, thinking about how straightforward she had been when she said she didn't believe in ghosts and gods.
"Fushou Junzhu," Yao Songbai was friends with Hua Changkong, but this was the first time he had a closer look at Hua Liuli's appearance.
Fushou Junzhu didn't seem like someone who had lived on the border for a long time; she seemed more like someone who had grown up in the southern province, gentle as water, evoking a sense of pity in others upon seeing her. No wonder a fellow candidate inquired about Fushou Junzhu's marriage prospects after catching a glimpse at her just once.
"Is Young Master Yao also here to pay respects to Wenqu Star?" the Crown Prince reached out and lightly held Hua Liuli's wrist, "Be careful on the steps."
Noticing the Crown Prince's gesture of holding Fushou Junzhu's wrist, Yao Songbai quickly diverted his gaze, "My younger sister mentioned that this place is quite efficacious. I wanted to seek peace of mind, so I came to pay my respects."
Yao Songbai was quite open-minded and didn't think there was anything embarrassing about coming to pray to Wenqu Star before the Palace Examinations.
But Yao Wenyin felt embarrassed. She silently covered her face and wished she could pretend she had never been here.
"Oh~" Hua Liuli smiled and looked at Yao Wenyin with narrowed eyes, "Last time, Miss Yao here didn't believe in the efficacy of Wenqu Star, but it seems she's changed her mind so quickly?"
Yao Wenyin: "..."
I don't want to talk, thank you.
The Crown Prince chuckled lightly, pretending not to notice that Hua Liuli was deliberately teasing Yao Wenyin, "Young Master Yao's words are right. It's also good to seek peace of mind."
As the group entered the Temple of Wenqu Star, the guards surrounded the temple, causing the temple priest to jump in surprise and bow respectfully to greet them.
However, before he could approach the Crown Prince, he was intercepted.
"Apologies, our honored guest is offering incense. Others are not allowed to approach," The guard in a black robe spoke politely, but his expression was serious. The temple priest quickly backed away, not hesitating at all.
There were many esteemed individuals in the capital, but who other than the imperial relatives and nobles could bring so many guards with them when going out?
Just as Lin Wan was about to kneel on the cushion, she heard the commotion outside the temple. She turned her head to look and saw a group of guards surrounding the Temple of Wenqu Star, with the remaining guards protecting four well-dressed young gentlemen and young ladies.
She had intentionally chosen a day when there were fewer people to visit the Temple of Wenqu Star to avoid running into acquaintances, but she didn't expect to avoid the people she didn't want to see and encounter the ones she did.
She bowed three times before the statue and then approached the Crown Prince, "Your Royal Highness, I pay my respects."
The Crown Prince nodded slightly and walked toward the temple with Hua Liuli, it seemed as if even a glance at Lin Wan would be a waste of his valuable time.
This obvious attitude made even the simple-minded Yao Wenyin realize that the Crown Prince clearly didn't like Lin Wan. She had wanted to mock Lin Wan a few times, but seeing the Crown Prince's behavior, she dared not speak further.
When someone was despised by those in power, even exchanging a few words with them could bring trouble.
Lin Wan stood stiffly in place, watching them enter the temple, her expression incredibly complex.
What made her even more uncomfortable was that Hua Liuli didn't look at her from beginning to end, as if her existence was insignificant. Perhaps to Hua Liuli, she was just a roadside stone, an ant, or a withered leaf, devoid of any meaning.
It was truly laughable.
Every day and night, she regretted why she couldn't get along with Hua Liuli. If she had spoken a little less, at least she could still be the future Ying Wangfei. Unlike now, living in the bustling capital but feeling no sense of belonging, she was like a passerby in this city. No one was surprised when she arrived, and no one tried to keep her when she left.
The noble ladies who had been polite and courteous to her during the Flower Festival now hurriedly walked away when they saw her, as though they could gain some benefits by distancing themselves from her.
What was even more ridiculous was that her father's transfer order was suppressed by the Emperor and was only resolved quietly due to Hua Liuli's father's plea in the palace.
Now, every time she saw Hua Liuli, she felt embarrassed, regretful, resentful, and a mixture of indescribable hatred. Even if Hua Liuli had mocked her a few moments ago, it would have been better than this current attitude of being ignored.
"May the Star God bless my brother to achieve the top rank..."
Hua Liuli and Yao Wenyin both knelt on the cushion and said the same words. They turned their heads to look at each other, their eyes engaged in a silent battle.
"Star God above, this devotee is willing to donate one hundred taels of silver," Yao Wenyin spoke first.
"Star God above, this devotee's companion spoke ill of you just last month," Hua Liuli said, "In the name of the Star God, this devotee is willing to donate five hundred taels of silver to the charitable hall for the purpose of helping more people."
Yao Wenyin was stunned to hear Hua Liuli's words. She didn't expect this shameless woman to make such a move.
"Star God above, this devotee's previous words were spoken unintentionally. Please do not take them to heart," Yao Wenyin glared at Hua Liuli, knowing that Hua Changkong's success in the top rank was the reason why Hua Liuli could do anything wicked.
Yao Songbai stood awkwardly beside them, trying to appease the Crown Prince with forced laughter. He said to the Crown Prince, "My younger sister is still young and ignorant. Please forgive her, Your Royal Highness."
The Crown Prince nodded slightly without saying a word.
Seeing the Crown Prince's attitude, Yao Songbai became even more uneasy. The Yao family knew that the Crown Prince had a strained relationship with Princess Shunan. Princess Shunan's Fuma was their uncle, so every time the Yao family interacted with the Crown Prince, they were extra cautious, fearing that the Crown Prince might suddenly vent his anger on them if he was in a bad mood.
As a scholar, he does aspire to be at the top in the Palace Examination. However, Yao Songbai admired Hua Changkong's talent and demeanor, so even if Hua Changkong came out top in the Palace Examination, he would accept the result with sincerity and contentment.
"I was just joking earlier. Miss Yao, please don't take it to heart," Hua Liuli stood up and smiled, "I wish Young Master Yao to achieve a good ranking in the palace examination."
"Hmph," Yao Wenyin would never believe the hypocritical Hua Liuli again. She stood up and grabbed a handful of silver coins, throwing them into the charity box, saying, "My brother will definitely achieve a good ranking."
"Wenyin," Yao Songbai worried that the atmosphere would turn tense if the two girls continued arguing, so he quickly stepped in to mediate, "Let's not be disrespectful."
Yao Wenyin pursed her lips and didn't say anything more. It was clear that she didn't want to embarrass her brother any further.
"There's a tea house nearby. If the Crown Prince and Junzhu don't mind, we can go there to have tea and chat," Yao Songbai bowed to the Crown Prince, "May I know Your Royal Highness's opinion?"
The Crown Prince turned to look at Hua Liuli, "Would you like to go, Liuli?"
Hua Liuli noticed that Yao Songbai was trying to establish a closer relationship with the Crown Prince. She turned her head and saw no sign of reluctance on the Crown Prince's face, so she nodded and said, "I will follow Your Royal Highness's arrangement."
"Then let's sit for a while before leaving," As they walked out of the temple, the Crown Prince looked up at the scorching sun and took the fan handed over by the eunuch, opening it to shield Hua Liuli's head. He whispered in her ear, "Envoys from other countries have been arriving in the capital in recent days. We may able to overhear some news in the tea house."
In the vicinity of Great Jin, there were only two powerful countries with vast territories, the Daimei Kingdom and the Jinpo Kingdom. Most of the other countries were small and posed no threat to Great Jin.
Some small countries that were previously oppressed by Jinpo had no choice but to bow down to Great Jin, hoping to receive the protection of Great Jin.
Whenever something good happened in Great Jin, these small countries would send envoys with gifts to the capital, praising Emperor Changlong and bribing officials in the capital with gold, silver, and jewels, ensuring that Great Jin's support remained secure.
There were even some poorer and more remote tribes that wanted to directly join Great Jin and obtain Great Jin's citizenship. However, their enthusiasm was rejected by Emperor Changlong.
Merging other small countries and tribes involved many political factors and interests. Although Emperor Changlong was tempted, he was not willing to act rashly.
But this time was different. Great Jin's army had defeated the usually arrogant Jinpo and forced them to surrender. What had previously been impossible to consider, could now be contemplated.
The victory achieved by Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue for Great Jin would not only have an impact in the present but also shape the future of the Great Jin Dynasty for the next hundred years.
It was precisely because of this that other officials thought that the Hua family would be targeted. There was no emperor who could tolerate such a great hero by their side, and no emperor liked their subordinates' reputation being more clamorous than their own.
Yao Songbai was a scholar, so it was obvious that the tea house he liked to go to was also frequented by scholars.
Most scholars were cultured. Although there were many of them gathered in the main hall, talking and enjoying tea, there was no loud noise, and the atmosphere was excellent.
As some scholars descended from the upper floor, they noticed Yao Songbai and his group accompanied by young ladies, so they consciously stepped aside to avoid colliding with the young ladies.
The second floor had many small rooms separated by screens. On one of the stages, an elderly man played the pipa and sang a tune. His relaxed and contented demeanor did not seem like he was performing for money, but rather like he was indulging in his own passion and wanted to entertain the guests.
There were fewer customers on the second floor compared to the ground floor. They sat at separate tables in groups of two or three, with some speaking softly, some discussing examination questions, and some even playing chess.
"The Biluochun tea here tastes exceptionally good. Would Your Royal Highness like to try it?" Yao Songbai beckoned to the attendant as he sought the Crown Prince's opinion.
"Three cups will do. Benwang has already prepared some snacks that Fushou Junzhu enjoys," the Crown Prince ordered a few snacks and turned to Hua Liuli, who was sitting cross-legged on his right side, "Most of the snacks outside are of that kind, with no attention to craftsmanship. If you like them, Benwang can have the Eastern Palace's chef make them for you."
Yao Wenyin widened her eyes. The Crown Prince and Hua Liuli...
She discreetly swallowed her saliva and began to recall if she had offended Hua Liuli too severely.
As the tea and snacks were served, before the four of them could exchange a few words, they heard someone at a nearby table say, "The women of Great Jin have no shame. It's one thing to appear in public, but to let a woman become a general..."
"The military camp is filled with men. How can a woman boss around men like that?"
Yao Wenyin frowned in displeasure. What was wrong with a woman being a general? General Wei was admired by many young girls in the capital. She followed the sound of the voice and saw three men sitting together. Although their clothing style was similar to that of Great Jin, she could tell at a glance that these three were not locals of the capital, and they might not even be from Great Jin.
"What kind of reasoning is this?!" Before Hua Liuli and her group could speak, several other scholars slammed the table and stood up, "The ones who made those remarks, who gave birth to you - a male or a female?"
Krish728
Author's Note:
The scholars of Great Jin: Make way, it's finally our turn to make an appearance! We may not be good at fighting, but when it comes to arguments, we are professionals!
