As he walked in, he actually carried a kind of imposing presence that made the men present step back one after another, while causing the women’s hearts to flutter like startled deer. Whether they were unmarried young ladies or married wives, they couldn’t help but blush secretly, thinking that this Second Young Master Qi truly lived up to his reputation and was someone anyone would admire and praise upon seeing.

He didn’t return to the mansion alone – behind him were two more palace carriages. When the distinguished persons in the carriages alighted, the guests finally saw who had come: it was Sixth Princess Xiao Ziyu, along with the Fourth Prince and Fourth Prince Consort.

First, let’s speak of this Sixth Princess.

This Highness was already nineteen years old this year, nearly twenty. Among the young ladies of Jiankang City, any who were the least bit diligent would already have several children by now, yet she still hadn’t recruited a prince consort. It was said she was wholeheartedly infatuated with Second Young Master Qi and was determined to marry no one but him, so she kept delaying until now.

She wasn’t worried about it either. Presumably she had long regarded Qi Ying as her husband in her heart, so she felt that whether there was a marriage certificate or not didn’t matter much. When she was in her prime years, she would chase after Qi Ying all day long. Now that she had grown up, she knew even less about avoiding suspicion and had very calmly and frankly accepted others’ critical gazes.

Next, let’s speak of this princess’s fourth brother and fourth sister-in-law.

Fourth Highness Xiao Ziheng had married the year before last, taking Fu Rong, the legitimate daughter of the Fu family, as his primary consort. The two had now been married for two years.

Fourth Highness was naturally quite romantic. In the two years since his marriage, he had taken three beauties into his household. Yet the Fu family daughter had the best temperament – she probably had memorized the women’s virtues and teachings perfectly. She wasn’t jealous or envious at all. Whenever Fourth Highness took a fancy to someone, she never failed to nod in agreement, helping and encouraging each one very considerately. This made Fourth Highness leap to become the object of envy and admiration among the princes and nobles of Jiankang City.

This marriage between Fourth Highness and the Fu family daughter had once caused heated discussion in the court, since no one had expected these two seemingly incompatible people to become a pair, naturally causing astonishment. However, later everyone came to their senses and felt this marriage alliance was quite suitable: Fourth Highness was originally from a background close to the aristocratic families, and now that he had married a daughter of an aristocratic family, he would be able to gain even more support from them in the future. When competing with Third Highness Xiao Zihuan, he would have more confidence. Very good, very good.

However, those with good memories still remembered that three years ago, the Sixth Princess and Fourth Prince Consort had caused quite a conflict at Second Young Master Qi’s private residence. At that time, this sister-in-law had even publicly slapped her brother’s wife, which inevitably became a knot in the hearts of the sisters-in-law. Now that Fourth Highness and the Fu family daughter had been married for two years, the sisters-in-law still had nothing to say to each other. At this moment, entering the Qi mansion one after the other, they still ignored each other as usual, which was quite awkward.

Fortunately, not one of the distinguished guests at this mansion lacked perception or acting skills. They all ignored the unnaturalness between Fourth Prince Consort and Sixth Princess. After paying their respects to the various Highnesses, they all rushed to greet Qi Ying, the main subject, and for a time the sounds of congratulations and well-wishes were endless.

While Qi Ying was surrounded by the crowd over here, Fourth Highness led his wife and sister to pay respects to Left Prime Minister Qi Zhang and Lady Yao Shi. After both sides exchanged greetings, they all took their seats.

Although there wasn’t even a hint of anything between Xiao Ziyu and Qi Ying yet, she had been treating Qi Zhang and Yao Shi as her future parents-in-law these past few years. Whenever she had the opportunity to meet the two elders, she would eagerly attend to them with great diligence.

Qi Zhang was imposing, so she couldn’t easily strike up conversation with him, so naturally she had to focus her efforts on Yao Shi. The Princess Highness personally offered fragrant tea to Yao Shi, smiling charmingly as she said: “Today Father Emperor kept Brother Jingchen rather late, delaying the mansion’s banquet. I’m afraid it also made you worry, didn’t it?”

Yao Shi had felt in earlier years that having the princess serve her this way was highly inappropriate and had tried to decline, but discovered that the more she declined, the more diligent this Highness became. So now she simply didn’t push back and forth with her, accepting the tea and politely saying: “Your Highness speaks too seriously. Jingchen serves as an official in the court – this is his duty. Not to mention just returning late for a moment, even if he discussed politics all night, it would be perfectly proper. His Majesty keeping him shows high regard – how could this be called a delay?”

These words were spoken appropriately and comprehensively, leaving no room for criticism.

Before Xiao Ziyu could respond, she heard her fourth brother laugh and scold her: “The Prime Minister and his wife are magnanimous – how can you be so lacking in understanding?”

Hearing her brother criticize her in front of the two elders, Xiao Ziyu was naturally quite displeased. She turned around and secretly glared at him, then saw her fourth brother straighten his expression and say to the Left Prime Minister and Yao Shi: “Today is Jingchen’s birthday. When he left the palace, we happened to encounter him, so we presumptuously came uninvited to ask for a cup of wine. If this has caused trouble for your mansion, please don’t blame us, Prime Minister and Madam.”

Being so polite, Qi Zhang naturally couldn’t refuse to acknowledge this courtesy. Hearing this, he said: “Why does Your Highness say such things? It’s merely this humble son’s birthday, yet Your Highness is willing to personally grace our humble abode – this is his fortune and also the Qi family’s fortune. How could there be talk of trouble?”

Both sides competed to be more courteous and thoughtful than the other.

After finally finishing the courtesies, Xiao Ziyu planned to further curry favor with her future mother-in-law, but before she could think of an approach, she was intercepted by her fourth sister-in-law Fu Rong.

She heard Fu Rong ask Yao Shi: “Aunt, today I didn’t see the Old Lady in the hall. Is there something wrong with Great-Aunt’s health?”

Speaking of this matter, there was quite a story behind it.

Years ago, Old Lady Qi had been determined to arrange a marriage between Fu Rong and her second grandson, even causing quite a stir in the family over this. In the end, however, the other party wasn’t very appreciative. Having just been politely rebuffed by Qi Ying, she immediately became involved with Fourth Highness, and before long they began discussing marriage. By the time the Old Lady realized what was happening, both sides had already exchanged marriage documents, which greatly chilled her heart.

Old Lady Qi was naturally quite displeased about this. She felt that her kind efforts to promote her natal family were very hard work, yet Fu Rong had disappointed all her painstaking efforts and even made her lose face as a matchmaker, so naturally she threw a tantrum. Old people become even more temperamental with age. After Fu Rong married Xiao Ziheng, she once visited the Qi family, but Old Lady Qi actually used illness as an excuse to refuse to see her, making things quite cold and stiff.

However, Old Lady Qi was soft-hearted after all and truly doted on this girl from her natal family. Later, after some time passed, she gradually became reconciled to it. Plus Fu Rong was diligent in her attentions, coaxing the old lady out of her temper, so the matter was settled.

Today Old Lady Qi wasn’t at the banquet not because of anything else, but simply because she was getting old and couldn’t stay up too late at night. She always had to rest early and couldn’t tolerate too much noise, so naturally it wasn’t convenient for her to attend.

Yao Shi explained this reason to Fu Rong, who nodded with some regret and said: “I didn’t think this through properly. Next time I should choose an earlier time to pay respects to the Old Lady.”

Listening from the side, Xiao Ziyu felt this conversation had reached a conclusion, so she quickly seized the opportunity to insert herself, pushing Fu Rong aside and beginning to attend to Yao Shi with diligence again.

While their side was chatting lively, Qi Ying over there wasn’t idle either.

The distinguished guests who had come took turns approaching this Young Master Qi to toast him, and also began boasting and introducing how precious the congratulatory gifts their families had sent were. For a time, the hall was limitlessly lively.

Second Young Master Qi was also amiable – he drank all the wine offered, but wouldn’t accept any gifts. The guests had already bought them, so naturally they tried hard to persuade him to accept them. Yet even though everyone exhausted all their fine words, Young Master Qi still declined to accept them, saying: “I’m grateful for everyone’s generous affection, but currently there’s much warfare in the north and south, and His Majesty also advocates a spirit of frugality. I am merely a junior of the younger generation – firstly, I have no face to accept such generous gifts from everyone, and secondly, I dare not go against His Majesty’s intentions. Please, gentlemen, enjoy yourselves freely at tonight’s banquet. As for congratulatory gifts, they really aren’t necessary.”

Though Young Master Qi was still young, the aura about him was very imposing, no less than his father who had weathered the political seas for decades. With one light remark he made people dare not say anything more. Moreover, he had brought up His Majesty, which naturally blocked everyone from speaking further. They could only seal their mouths from further persuasion to avoid being labeled with the crime of ignoring national difficulties and being extravagant and dissolute.

But if gifts couldn’t be presented, what other methods could be used to gain Young Master Qi’s favor? Everyone silently pondered bitterly, unable to find an approach for the moment. Just then, however, they saw Hanlin Academy’s Hanlin Attendant Mo Yufeng approach Young Master Qi.

This Hanlin Attendant was already approaching forty, yet at this moment before the twenty-four-year-old Young Master Qi he presented a servile, bowing and scraping appearance, making the observers feel contempt – although if it were them in his place they would bow and scrape just the same. But now that this bowing and scraping opportunity had been seized by someone else, they couldn’t help feeling sour and secretly cursing this Mo Yufeng for truly losing all scholarly dignity!

Master Mo didn’t care about this at all. After toasting Young Master Qi, he said very frankly and very attentively: “My lord, last month this subordinate made a request. I wonder if my lord could spare the time to serve as chief examiner for next year’s metropolitan examination? At that time, my lord said this matter would be discussed later. I wonder if my lord has made a decision now?”

The crowd squatting in corners heard this and were immediately dumbfounded, cursing in their hearts that this Mo Yufeng was truly a master at flattery and bootlicking! How had they never noticed this person had such hidden skills!

This matter indeed had significance.

The metropolitan examination was a crucially important level of the imperial examinations – candidates from across the realm could only enter the palace examination after passing the metropolitan examination. Since it was an examination, there naturally had to be a chief examiner. This examiner position might sound like it had no profits to be gained, but this wasn’t actually the case.

Everyone knew that the chief examiner of the metropolitan examination was the teacher of that year’s candidates, and if the successful degree holders later became officials in court, they would naturally be the teacher’s disciples. Through this, the chief examiner could very respectably and proudly consolidate the foundation of his own career path – it was an excellent position that brought both fame and profit.

However, in previous years the metropolitan examination examiners were generally served by Grand Academicians of the Hanlin Academy. For the sake of flattery, this Mo Yufeng could actually yield even this position to Qi Ying? Though Young Master Qi had indeed achieved second place in the imperial examination at thirteen and his scholarship was truly first-rate, he was currently the Director of the Privy Council managing military and political affairs – this had absolutely nothing to do with the metropolitan examination!

Just as everyone was silently criticizing, they saw Young Master Qi set down his wine cup and politely say: “I’ve already considered this matter. I don’t serve in the Hanlin Academy and am young with shallow talents – I really can’t bear such a great responsibility. Master Mo, you should still ask the Grand Academicians to manage this affair.”

These words were both reasonable and proper, and all who heard them deeply agreed.

But Mo Yufeng still wouldn’t give up. He respectfully bowed to Qi Ying and said: “My lord is truly too modest – who doesn’t know my lord’s brilliant literary talents and heaven-encompassing abilities? You are precisely a model for candidates throughout the realm and also display the scholarly spirit of Jiangzuo. This isn’t just this subordinate’s idea alone – Master Wang has also nodded in agreement, the Hanlin Academy previously asked His Majesty’s opinion, and His Majesty was also very pleased. I earnestly hope Young Master Qi won’t decline further.”

This speech had quite some momentum – “model for candidates throughout the realm,” “scholarly spirit of Jiangzuo” – he even used parallel phrasing, showing this speech was prepared in advance. Moreover, when he spoke it was with deep sincerity, as if Qi Ying would kneel and kowtow if he didn’t agree, making observers somewhat unable to bear watching. Thus everyone only heard Young Master Qi remain silent for a moment, then sigh and say: “Since this is the case, it would be impolite to refuse.”

Mo Yufeng was overjoyed and launched into another round of fawning flattery toward Qi Ying, with pleasant words popping out like spilled beans, leaving others speechless.

Everyone wore smiling faces on the surface, but inevitably felt somewhat dejected at heart, thinking that at today’s Young Master Qi’s birthday banquet, Mo Yufeng this bastard had ultimately won first prize! After all, with such an extravagant congratulatory gift as the position of metropolitan examination teacher, what did the things others respectfully offered amount to!

Alas! Alas!

Author’s Note: Many things happened in three years – I can’t explain everything in one scene, so I’m trying to spread it out to avoid making it too difficult for everyone. Wenwen will probably appear in the next update or the one after that~