Chapter 3
At this moment, Emperor Jingtai strolled down from the high platform, speaking very amicably with Minister Lin, while his eyes kept darting toward Lin’s hand, partially hidden by his sleeve. Minister Lin had always appeared elegant and refined, and ever since his youth, many women had swooned over him—but who would have thought he had such a secret?
Hehe… hehe hehe…
Minister Lin felt a chill down his back, but having served in government for so many years, he was already accustomed to the emperor’s unpredictable behavior, so he remained calm. It was instead Emperor Jingtai, who had been missing out on the fun, feeling regretful. His eyes, filled with curiosity, drifted over to Ying Jiuque.
From a distance, he hadn’t observed clearly, but upon closer inspection, he saw that the girl had willow-shaped eyebrows and apricot-like eyes, a tall and elegant figure—a budding beauty. Though she looked somewhat frail…
Hmm, the emperor, now older, liked to play matchmaker for the young, and his old habit had flared up again.
“How old is this child now? Has she been promised to anyone yet?”
Minister Lin smiled faintly, looking a little troubled as he spoke.
“This child has been physically weak since childhood, falling ill from time to time, which delayed her marriage. She is already eighteen, yet no suitable match has been found…”
“That’s no problem. She is in the prime of youth. I have someone in mind…”
Ying Jiuque shyly smiled in response.
[Oh no… is he trying to find me a match? Blind marriage is unacceptable! I’ve heard young men of this era like the “red sleeves and scented books” type—do they mean I’ll have children before I even marry? Hm… Crane’s Crown poison? Too tricky. Arsenic? Too obvious for doctors. Smallpox virus? Impossible—it spreads too easily and could harm innocents; my morals won’t allow it…]
Emperor Jingtai shuddered, resolutely looking at Ying Jiuque. Smallpox? The one that once wiped out many in its path? Forget Crane’s Crown—it kills only one, but smallpox kills many!
Looking at the seemingly gentle Ying Jiuque, he swallowed hard. Did this girl even know what he was thinking? He knew Ying Jiuque possessed some supernatural traits; although he didn’t know her full capabilities, he decided to accumulate merit and not harm this young girl.
“…A girl in her prime, no need to rush. She can wait a few more years.”
Huh?
Ying Jiuque smiled to herself. [The old emperor isn’t so bad. A girl at eighteen is like a flower in full bloom—why rush her into marriage? Life hasn’t even fully begun.]
[Also… how come I didn’t know I had so many relatives? I spent thirteen years in the manor without anyone knowing. Now that I am appointed county lady, all my relatives have appeared. This is the classic “unknown in a bustling market”… ah!]
Ying Jiuque suddenly let out a sharp scream, her eyes gleaming with excitement, making Emperor Jingtai tremble. What now?
[What?! Some sensational, earth-shattering news shaking the entire court? The current third-place scholar forcing the top scholar to strip? Failing, then angrily drawing a knife? What a tragic, shocking event! How far did it go? Where are the clothes? The belt? The scene itself?! Why can’t I see it with my own eyes…]
Emperor Jingtai nearly bit his tongue in disbelief.
Wh-what does it mean, the third-place scholar forcing the top scholar?! The top scholar is forty this year! And the third-place scholar is not yet twenty! Even if such… delicate matters were made public, they couldn’t be so blatant! Morals are declining, people are corrupt! And now, affairs are reaching the imperial palace itself!
And why is there a knife? What are the Golden Feather Guards even doing? Can’t they frisk anyone? If something truly terrible happened—blood staining the main hall—this birthday banquet would go down in history!
Immediately, he summoned Jiufu to whisper in his ear. Jiufu’s face changed, and he hurried down, but alas, he was a little late. Before he even arrived, a shriek rang out, followed by a chaotic rush of footsteps that drew everyone’s attention.
So much for secrecy! Could anything be more conspicuous?
Even Emperor Jingtai’s face darkened.
He had wanted to quietly suppress the matter, but now, it could only go public.
The emperor quickly headed toward the source of the noise. Ministers followed—some worried, some curious—and soon they came upon a scene of blood and struggle. The young third-place scholar, a rather handsome youth, was now covered in blood, pinned down by a few eunuchs. He didn’t resist, instead glaring at the top scholar, who struggled for air.
Ying Jiuque was particularly curious and peered through the crowd. The top scholar, though decently maintained and middle-aged, was nearing forty, with a beard, while the third-place scholar’s youthful face looked tender and delicate. The mismatch was obvious—was this a case of a young man attracted to older men? Hmph, such a flaw is troublesome…
It wasn’t only Ying Jiuque who was curious—so was Emperor Jingtai. He studied the scene carefully but couldn’t make sense of it, remaining silent.
“Your Majesty, the top scholar has been stabbed in the chest. The wound barely missed the heart. Although there is significant blood loss, his life is not in immediate danger.”
By now, the top scholar was slowly regaining consciousness, though his face was pale and pained.
The dagger remained on the ground. No wonder the Golden Feather Guards hadn’t found it. The third-place scholar had evidently enlisted a skilled craftsman to fashion the dagger into the shape of a hairpin, with only half a palm’s length of the blade exposed. Perhaps this is why the top scholar survived.
With the situation clear, Emperor Jingtai wanted to have the third-place scholar arrested. Unexpectedly, the top scholar’s face shifted from pale to angry, and he suddenly spoke:
“Your Majesty, Third-Place Scholar Xin did not intend to harm me. He only accidentally injured me during a push and shove.”
Xin Third-Place Scholar sneered. His words shocked everyone.
“Bah! Spare me your false concern! You heartless man! I sincerely approached you, spoke politely, and yet you chose to break off our acquaintance?! Do you take me for dead?! Even offering me some silver to dismiss me? Bah! Where in the world does such a thing happen?! Damn you!”
Hiss—
People love to watch chaos. Otherwise, most of the officials wouldn’t have followed. Hearing this explosive news, their eyes lit up as they focused on Xin Third-Place Scholar, eager for firsthand information.
So… what exactly happened that made the third-place scholar so furious as to attack?! Even if he didn’t succeed, the heavens themselves must have heard!
Under everyone’s gaze, the top scholar’s face turned blue and purple!
