After sitting for another hour or so, the day dawned and the family went out, about to take the carriage to the place where the list was released, when the Xu family’s carriage drove by and Song Wan Yue lifted the curtain, “Grandma, second uncle, second aunt.”
These few days she was not staying at home, Grandma Song had been feeling empty in her heart, when she saw her, she smiled with joy, “Grandma knew you would come over.”
When the carriage stopped, Song Wangyue jumped down and quickly came over to hold Grandma Song’s arm, “Grandma still knows me.”
Grandma Song looked at the carriage she was sitting in and saw that there was no movement, so she knew that Xu had not come and asked, “Are your mother and grandmother okay?”
“Yes, my mother wanted to come too, but when she came, my grandmother wanted to come with her, so I was afraid that they would be crowded, so I asked them to stay at the house.”
“You should, your grandmother is weak, so it’s best if she doesn’t go. When the list comes out later, have someone send them a message.”
Song Wangyue nodded and followed on to the carriage on this side, with the Xu family’s carriage following behind.
The place where the imperial list was posted was already crowded with people, most of them were people watching, knowing that as long as they were on the imperial list, even if they were in last place, their future would be unlimited.
They wanted to see who the first prize winner would be at first sight.
It was the first time that Grandma Song, Song Shu and Liu Cui Lan had seen such a scene, and they were curious and surprised.
Gu Yi sent Xiao Si and two other boys over.
Half an hour later, there was a commotion from the crowd and Song Wan Yue could not help but come out of the carriage and stand on tiptoe on the front board to look at the place where the royal list was posted.
The crowd was so black that nothing could be seen.
Bam!
A gong sounded from the front, and the shrill voice of the palace staff came through the dark crowd, “First place, Song Si, second place, Sun Jin ……, tenth place, Zheng Qian, follow us into the palace!”
The crowd was in an uproar, turning their heads to look.
Song Si got down from the carriage, straightened his clothes and walked over in the direction of the palace people, the crowd automatically made a way, all of them sizing him up.
Walking up to the palace man and standing in front of him, “I am Song Si, a candidate from Qingping County.”
The onlookers were in an uproar.
The palace man nodded slightly, gesturing for him to come later, and when all ten people had arrived, led them through the palace gates and up to the Golden Palace.
The civil and military officials looked at them, especially at Song Si, who, unsurprisingly, must be this year’s top student.
A fifteen year old scholar with an unlimited future, perhaps in a few years’ time, he would be on a par with those of them standing here.
The ten men made a kneeling salute.
“Flatten yourself.”
The ten men stood up.
“Song Si, raise your head.”
The Emperor’s gaze fell on Song Si, “Song Si, raise your head.”
Song Si raised his head slightly.
The clear and graceful face fell into the Emperor’s eyes.
The emperor became more and more satisfied, and only then did he allow the remaining nine people to raise their heads one by one, and after he had read them, he asked them about their opinions on several political matters.
The people all answered carefully, lest they make a mistake and provoke the wrath of the emperor, and lose their hard-earned titles, or even their lives.
Song Si and Sun Jin were the only two who were frank and clear.
The emperor was so pleased that he immediately named Song Si as the top scholar and Sun Jin as the top scholar.
“Your Majesty ……”
The Duke of Qi came out from the queue and bowed, “I have something to present.”
The civil and military officials looked at him strangely, all the books that should have been played at this morning’s court had been played, what did the Duke of Qi have to say at this time.
The emperor was also surprised, “Granted.”
“I think Song Si is not qualified to be the first scholar.”
When he said this, the court was in uproar.
Even the Emperor slightly owed his body, “Why did Ai Qing say that?”
“In reply to Your Majesty, Song Si once sold peppermint oil to fellow scholars during the government examinations.”
The emperor narrowed his eyes.
The merchants were at the bottom of the list, let alone peddling to fellow students during the government exams.
“Song Si, is it true what Duke Qi said?”
“Your Majesty, yes.”
Song Si did not panic and was very calm, “At that time, my family was poor and I had to borrow money from my family to pay for the travel expenses to the Imperial Examinations, it just so happened that my sister had inadvertently made peppermint oil, which was very beneficial to the students as it was refreshing. So, I brought some with my family to the exams to earn some silver so that I could save up some money to stay at the hotel.”
“What a load of nonsense!”
The Duke of Qi refuted him, “As far as I know, you lived in an upper room when you went to the Prefecture, and later rented a large courtyard and lived comfortably.”
Song Si turned slightly, “In that case, you should know that those were not the silver I spent.”
“Whose house was it then?”
“The family my little sister is betrothed to, the Gu family’s.”
As Song Si’s words fell, there was another outcry from the civil and military officials.
Xu Qingwan’s return had caused quite a stir in the capital, and various families had sent people to pry, only to learn that she had lost her memory after being injured that year, and had strayed to Qingping County, where she had married a country man and had a daughter. And by a good coincidence, she turned out to be Song Si’s eldest aunt, and Song Si only had a younger brother, so the little sister he was talking about would be Xu Qingwan’s daughter, who was only eight or nine years old, and was even engaged to be married!
The Duke of Qi bowed once again, “Your Majesty, I heard that that boy from the Gu family has followed him to the capital, please declare that he has come over to confront him, if it is really as Song Si said, I am willing to make amends to him, if not, please also cancel this scholarship for Song Si, the court does not need people who lie.”
The emperor was somewhat confused about the Duke of Qi’s intentions.
The Duke of Qi was the maternal grandfather of the Sixth Princess, and after the Palace Examination that day, the Emperor had revealed to him that he wanted to recruit Song Si as his horse’s harnessed by the side of a horse, and the Duke of Qi was very happy at that time, how come after these few short days, the Duke of Qi had changed his attitude?
But still, he gave the Duke of Qi face, “Granted!”
“My family should be right outside the palace gates.”
Song Si informed.
Eunuch Huang passed the order down, and a young eunuch soon exited the palace gates.
On the far side of the palace gates, there were people standing around watching, all waiting to see the first glimpse of the new Scholar of the Imperial Academy.
The little eunuch walked over to him and, with a sweep of the dust in his hand, asked in a thin voice, “Who is Song Si’s family?”
The crowd of spectators quieted down.
There was no response.
The young eunuch asked again, “Who is Song Si’s family?”
When Song Si’s family left in the morning, they had agreed with Song Si that they would return after he was paraded in red.
At this moment, Song’s grandmother was talking in the carriage, and still did not hear the little eunuch’s questioning voice.
Xiao Si had sharp ears and heard it, so he hastened to report, “Young master and Miss Song, someone from the palace has come out to ask who is Song Si’s family?”
There was a silence in the carriage.
And then, cold sweat swished out of Song Shu’s body, the emperor sent someone out to inquire, surely he wanted to see them, he, he, he, he …… he wanted to faint.
Grandma Song and Liu Cui Lan were also dumbfounded and forgot to react.
Song Wangyue lifted the curtain of the carriage and raised her voice, “We are.”
The young eunuch came over, “Who is Gu Yi?”
Gu Yi poked his head out with a swish, “I am.”
“His Majesty has called you into the hall!”