“Princess, please wait.”
Rong Ke heard someone behind her and paused. She turned around and found it was a familiar face: “Xiao Jingduo, why is it you?”
Xiao Jingduo stopped in front of Rong Ke and sincerely advised, “Princess, polo is too dangerous. At your current age, it’s best not to participate.”
Rong Ke snorted softly: “I was just talking casually, to get away from Hejing. I don’t want to stay with her.”
Xiao Jingduo nodded silently, he could see that.
Xiao Jingduo was overjoyed with this answer, rarely was this little ancestor so obedient. He quickly said, “That’s very good. The Crown Princess is probably getting anxious too. I’ll escort the Princess back now.”
Today, the Emperor went out for a leisure trip, and the Crown Princess was naturally in the entourage. The royal ladies were resting at Fuyun Tower, with layers of armored guards outside. A maid-like servant was standing at the door, anxiously looking out.
Suddenly, her eyes focused, and she called out excitedly, “Princess, you’re back!”
The palace maid quickly ran over to greet her. Rong Ke nodded lazily and asked, “Is mother still inside?”
“Of course, the Crown Princess is inside. Princess, earlier, Princess Xin’an sent a message for us to meet you at the pavilion, but when we went there, no one was there. It was truly worrying. If you hadn’t come back, the Crown Princess was about to send guards to search for you.”
“Oh, I just walked around the garden casually,” Rong Ke replied vaguely. Xiao Jingduo sighed inwardly, thinking you can never guess what Rong Ke wants to do next. They had just agreed to return to Fuyun Tower, but halfway there, Rong Ke suddenly became interested in the surrounding flowers and plants. Xiao Jingduo couldn’t leave her behind nor force her back, so he could only accompany Rong Ke wandering aimlessly in the Furong Garden. Needless to say, this back-and-forth wasted quite some time, and they happened to miss the people the Crown Princess sent to meet them.
Xiao Jingduo sincerely doubted that Rong Ke did this intentionally.
Xiao Jingduo stood behind Rong Ke, and naturally, the palace maid had already seen him. Although she didn’t yet know Xiao Jingduo’s identity, people in the palace always carried a certain smoothness. Regardless of her inner thoughts, the maid still greeted Xiao Jingduo politely: “This servant pays respects to the young lord. Is the young lord well?”
Xiao Jingduo stepped aside to avoid the greeting. While the two of them were still exchanging pleasantries, Rong Ke had already walked far away.
After leaving the sight of the guards outside the tower, Rong Ke became even more unrestrained. In the end, she simply left Xiao Jingduo and several maids behind, quickly running inside by herself: “Mother!”
Crown Princess Xia was sitting in the room chatting with the wives of officials. Hearing the familiar voice, she raised her hand to rub her brow, saying angrily: “So you know to come back?”
Rong Ke wasn’t afraid of the Crown Princess at all. After running into the room and seeing all familiar faces, she became even more unruly. She smiled and greeted the wives of several ministers: “Hello, ladies. It’s been a few days, but why do I feel you’ve all become even more beautiful?”
The ladies pointed at her and laughed: “Oh my, Ke’ke, you always know what to say. You’ve angered the Crown Princess, don’t drag us into it. We won’t speak up for you.”
“My ladies, you speak too modestly. Your virtue and kindness are admirable, and my mother has respected you for a long time. As long as you’re sitting here, my mother would be secretly delighted, how could she remember to scold me?”
Rong Ke’s words made the ladies laugh heartily, and even the Crown Princess couldn’t help but slightly curl her lips. Seeing that the Crown Princess was no longer stern-faced, Rong Ke knew she had passed this hurdle and became even more relaxed and at ease.
Standing outside the door, Xiao Jingduo couldn’t help but admire Rong Ke’s words in his heart.
With just one sentence, she not only complimented the ministers’ wives but also indirectly revealed the Crown Princess’s reverence for them. It’s worth noting that implicit praise is far more effective than explicit compliments. In just a few words, she had spoken well of her own mother and imperceptibly brought the Eastern Palace closer to the ministers’ wives. So, it’s not without reason that Rong Ke has been favored for so long.
The Crown Princess’s anger subsided, and she finally had the mind to give her daughter a meaningful look: “Why are you only coming back now?”
Rong Ke immediately understood that the Crown Princess was asking about Xiao Jingduo.
“I forgot to introduce everyone. This is Xiao Jingduo, the eldest son of the Marquis of Dingyong, currently studying at the Imperial Academy. Today, while I was out with Aunt Xin’an, we happened to meet Xiao Jingduo, and it was he who escorted me back just now.”
Although Xiao Jingduo had returned with Rong Ke, he was exceptionally courteous and didn’t enter the room before the Crown Princess spoke, just quietly standing outside. Now, hearing Rong Ke’s introduction, he responded by taking a step forward and bowing to the Crown Princess and the ladies inside: “I am Xiao Jingduo, paying my respects to Her Highness the Crown Princess and the honorable ladies.”
“Duo, that’s a good name,” the Crown Princess smiled faintly. She had already noticed the young man behind Rong Ke, but earlier she was busy being angry with her daughter and hadn’t looked closely at this young lord. Now that she did, she realized what a handsome young man he was. The youth was about fourteen, with clean and beautiful features, standing outside the room with lowered eyes, easily inspiring goodwill. The Crown Princess found herself smiling: “So you escorted Ke’ke back today? This child is willful and unreasonable. Thank you for today.”
“Mother, I admit I’m willful, but how am I unreasonable?”
The Crown Princess turned to glare at Rong Ke. Although Rong Ke was unconvinced, she could only shut up. Xiao Jingduo and the ladies all laughed.
In Xiao Jingduo’s impression, Rong Ke was precocious to the point of being uncanny, meticulous, always thinking three steps ahead, a rational girl bordering on cold-blooded. However, Xiao Jingduo hadn’t expected that in front of her family, she could also be this lively and coquettish.
The Crown Princess asked a few more questions, which Xiao Jingduo answered one by one. The Crown Princess was truly a gentle person, and Xiao Jingduo found his goodwill towards this future mother of the nation increasing greatly. Not to mention the Crown Prince, who was also an easygoing and gentle heir apparent. Having such a gentle pair of parents was truly life’s greatest blessing.
Xiao Jingduo thought of his own parents, feeling a bit desolate, but no one can choose their birth. This thought had barely surfaced before Xiao Jingduo dismissed it.
“You’re now studying at the Imperial Academy, that’s excellent,” the Crown Princess smiled. “In the future, do you plan to enter officialdom through hereditary privilege or take the imperial examinations?”
“I want to try the imperial examinations.”
The Crown Princess was slightly surprised, then smiled more gently: “Very good, you have ambition.”
At this point, another lady chimed in: “So you’re Xiao Jingduo? I’ve heard our good-for-nothing grandson mention you. Your grades are excellent, top-ranked in every ten-day exam, which is quite remarkable.”
Xiao Jingduo wasn’t yet at a level to interact with these ministers’ wives, so he naturally couldn’t recognize who this lady was. But any lady sitting with the Crown Princess was at least of the third rank, so this lady’s grandson must be one of Xiao Jingduo’s classmates. Xiao Jingduo lowered his head modestly: “The lady praises me too highly. It’s all thanks to the excellent teaching of the Director and Professors.”
“With your outstanding scholarship and hard work, I’m sure the imperial exams will be as easy as reaching into a bag for you. Who knows, we might see you at the Tanhua banquet1 Tanhua is the title of the third place winner of the palace examination in the Chinese imperial examination system , comparable to the first place Zhuangyuan and the second place Bangyan. Those who passed the imperial examination would celebrate by touring gardens, which was called the “Tanhua Banquet”. one year,” the Crown Princess smiled. “And I think that day isn’t too far off.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness. Xiao Jingduo is deeply grateful,” Xiao Jingduo was overwhelmed by the Crown Princess’s personal blessing and hurriedly expressed his thanks.
Perhaps in response to the Crown Princess’s words, Xiao Jingduo’s life at the Imperial Academy indeed went very smoothly after that, and before he knew it, it was the eighth year of Qiyuan.
The 8th year of Qiyuan, at the Imperial Academy.
When Bai Jiayi entered the room, Xiao Jingduo was sitting by the window reading. Bai Jiayi walked over smiling and asked, “Tomorrow is the ten-day break. Are you going out?”
The Imperial Academy had exams every ten days, hence called “ten-day exams.” After each ten-day exam, there was a one-day break for students to rest and recuperate, also called the “ten-day break.”
“No, the graduation exam is approaching. I’m preparing for it,” Xiao Jingduo replied without looking up.
Xiao Jingduo had entered the Academy in the 5th year of Qiyuan and completed the Five Classics within three years, becoming one of the fastest graduating students among those who entered in the same year. After completing the corresponding classics, according to the Academy’s regulations, Xiao Jingduo only needed to pass the graduation exam to successfully graduate and obtain qualification for the imperial examinations. He could then register with the Ministry of Rites for next year’s imperial exams.
The Academy had set the graduation exam in August. It was now July, and the exam was approaching.
Bai Jiayi wasn’t surprised by Xiao Jingduo’s answer. He smiled and sighed, “I knew it. As expected of the Academy’s unshakeable top student, always so diligent.”
Xiao Jingduo also smiled: “It’s fine when others say it, but you’re just joining in the fun.”
“Come on, you’ve been top-ranked in every ten-day exam without exception, and even in the annual exams, you’ve overwhelmed everyone. Go ask around, who in our class doesn’t know the name Xiao Jingduo?”
Xiao Jingduo just smiled at this, not wanting to argue further with Bai Jiayi. Despite what Bai Jiayi said, his own grades were also quite excellent.
When they first entered the Academy, Bai Jiayi made many common mistakes due to unfamiliarity with the environment. Xiao Jingduo saw all this but didn’t point it out. Later, when Bai Jiayi adjusted, he showed a strong competitive spirit. Although he remained casual in demeanor, he worked very hard academically. Besides studying, Bai Jiayi seemed to be competing with Xiao Jingduo in martial arts as well. Now, three years later, Bai Jiayi no longer resembled the frivolous young master he once was.
Xiao Jingduo was glad to have such a worthy rival. He didn’t back down either, putting effort into both studies and martial arts, always staying a step ahead of Bai Jiayi. They spent three years in this atmosphere of mutual competition, becoming part of the fastest graduating group of students in the Academy.
After joking, Bai Jiayi turned to more serious matters: “What are your plans after the graduation exam?”
His words assumed the result of the graduation exam.
Xiao Jingduo was also confident about passing the graduation exam. He openly discussed his future plans: “I intend to participate in next year’s spring imperial examination.”
“Next year’s spring examination will probably be in the first or second month, only half a year from now. Are you that confident?”
These students graduating from official schools were called “shengtu” and could directly register for the imperial examinations without needing to participate in county or prefecture-level selections. Each year, there were over a thousand candidates from official school graduates and recommended scholars from various regions, but only about twenty were selected. It was truly a selection of one in a hundred. These candidates were all local elites, proficient in poetry and prose, yet they had to compete fiercely for limited positions. It wasn’t hard to imagine how difficult it was to pass the imperial examination.
Therefore, most people taking the imperial exams didn’t expect to pass on their first attempt. Many took the exam multiple times, with some trying for four years without success. Xiao Jingduo daring to take the exam just a year after graduation showed great courage.
“It has to be taken sooner or later. What difference does it make if it’s earlier or later?”
Bai Jiayi nodded: “That makes sense. Well then, see you at the spring examination next year.”
Xiao Jingduo also nodded slightly with a smile: “See you at the spring examination.”
After three years as classmates and roommates, Xiao Jingduo and Bai Jiayi had developed an unusual rapport. However, although Xiao Jingduo and Bai Jiayi appreciated each other, he always remained cautious of Bai Jiayi. After all, Bai Jiayi’s unusual nature was very obvious, and with the precedent of Wu Junru, Xiao Jingduo couldn’t help but be more thoughtful.
He believed Bai Jiayi felt the same towards him – both trusting and wary.
The graduation exam soon began. The Director stood in the examination hall, looking at the many students below, feeling deeply emotional.
It seemed like only yesterday they had entered the Academy, and in the blink of an eye, they were about to leave and step into the more glorious but also more perilous court. Who knows, in a few years, some of these students might become his colleagues in the court, or even his superiors.
The Director thought a lot, but only a moment had passed. He composed himself, said some words of encouragement similar to those at their entrance, and announced the start of the exam. Only this time, the focus of his teachings had shifted from methods of study to ways of being an official.
The graduation exam was set by the professors and invigilated by the Director. Soon, the large classroom was filled only with the sound of brushes on paper. The Director slowly paced in this silence, silently passing by one student after another.
When the Director reached Xiao Jingduo, he couldn’t help but stop and look down at his answer sheet. The Director had a deep impression of Xiao Jingduo. He was the eldest son of the Marquis of Dingyong, but he didn’t seem close to his family, often staying at the Academy even during breaks to study. But every family had its difficulties, and with so many students in the Academy, Xiao Jingduo wouldn’t have caught the Director’s eye if it were just for his complicated family situation.
The Director’s strong impression of Xiao Jingduo was more due to his academic performance.
Over these three years, Xiao Jingduo’s performance had been outstanding, excelling in both literary and martial arts, making him one of the most prominent students in this batch. The names of Xiao Jingduo and Bai Jiayi were well-known throughout the Academy. Everyone knew of these two roommates and classmates with outstanding appearances and strong abilities in both literary and martial arts, who were among the most notable figures in the Academy. However, Xiao Jingduo and Bai Jiayi had different personalities. Bai Jiayi was often active in student gatherings, while Xiao Jingduo was more aloof and mysterious.
However, one thing was undeniable: anyone who had seen Xiao Jingduo in person would not easily forget him. With his beautiful features, upright posture, and that innate aura of sharpness, he only needed to stand there, doing nothing, to become the center of attention.
The Director looked at Xiao Jingduo’s paper for a moment, nodding inwardly with satisfaction before silently walking away.
While most people would tremble nervously with the Director standing beside them, Xiao Jingduo’s writing speed remained steady, completely unaffected by the Director’s presence from start to finish.
After leaving the exam hall, Xiao Jingduo squinted at the blazing sun above, showing a rare smile.
Bai Jiayi had also performed well. Seeing Xiao Jingduo standing outside, he walked up and joked, “It seems I don’t need to ask how you felt about this exam.”
Xiao Jingduo nodded with a smile: “Same to you.”
With their parting imminent, Bai Jiayi unusually showed a touch of sentiment: “The graduation exam is over, and I’ll be moving back to the Bai residence. We don’t know when we’ll meet again after this parting. You’re welcome to visit the Bai residence when you have time. I’ll introduce you to my sisters then.”
As expected, Bai Jiayi couldn’t say anything nice. Xiao Jingduo’s smile faded as he glared at him, saying, “A woman’s reputation is of utmost importance. Don’t talk nonsense.”
Bai Jiayi shrugged, saying, “I’m telling the truth! If you became my brother-in-law, wouldn’t that be adding closeness to our relationship and make for a good story? You don’t know how famous you are among the ladies. Since my sisters found out we’re roommates, they’ve been pestering me daily about you. Some even wanted to come to the Academy just to catch a glimpse of you!”
Xiao Jingduo smiled coldly: “You should be thankful you didn’t agree.”
“Tsk.” Bai Jiayi complained, “So unromantic. I really can’t understand why you’re so popular among the ladies. In my opinion, with your personality, you’re definitely not going to find a wife in the future.”
“You’re still talking?”
Hearing Xiao Jingduo’s tone change, Bai Jiayi immediately backed off: “It’s just a joke! But one thing I said earlier was true – you’re welcome to visit the Bai residence, I’ll welcome you with open arms.”
Xiao Jingduo silently nodded to himself, thinking Bai Jiayi had indeed improved a lot, now able to casually use elegant phrases.
Xiao Jingduo’s face remained serious. Bai Jiayi had no idea the person in front of him was internally criticizing him, and he sincerely bid farewell to his classmate: “Take care, see you at next year’s imperial examination.”
“See you next year.”
As classmates moved out one by one, Xiao Jingduo also left the dormitory where he had lived for three years and moved back to the Marquis of Dingyong’s residence.
Returning now, Xiao Jingduo’s status had risen another level. He was no longer the passive youth from years ago who could only react defensively.
Unfortunately, peaceful days never last long. Just as Xiao Jingduo had barely settled his luggage and hadn’t even had a chance to catch his breath, his blood relatives presented him with another difficult situation.
Under the persuasion of others, the old madam had developed some hidden thoughts.
If you enjoy my translations, feel free to consider supporting me on ko-fi! Thank you!
Updates on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays
