"Li Huai'gu, this year's Number Three Scholar, courtesy name Fang Gui, hails from a family of physicians."
"A renowned prodigy from Shu State City, he was a student of Mr. Yue Ming at Guiyun Academy. He was a gifted child, well-versed in the classics and histories from a young age."
"He passed the County Examination to become a Scholar at sixteen and succeeded in the provincial examinations at nineteen. At twenty, he traveled to the Capital Prefecture, where he first became the Provincial Top Scorer and then placed in the First-Class Honors, graciously granted the title 'Advanced Scholar' by the Holy Emperor as the Number Three Scholar."
"And now he's returning to Shu State for an official appointment. How enviable…"
Hearing the envious murmurs from the crowd, Chen Yi watched Li Huai'gu ride by on his white horse. He could certainly see the man's triumphant spirit.
After all, it was no small feat for a scholar to pass so many examinations in succession over just four years and be named Number Three Scholar.
Most scholars were like Huang Chao, failing once, then twice… and then they would just quit. All that would be left in their hearts was the sentiment, "When my flower blooms, all others will die." They'd dream of nothing but taking a blade to those animals in the Ministry of Rites.
'But Li Huai'gu is returning to Shu State for a post?'
Chen Yi frowned, recalling something. The First Lady of the Chen Family, Cui Yu, had written in a recent letter, "Your elder brother, Chen Yunfan, became the Number One Scholar and will be appointed to a post in Shu State shortly."
'Strange.'
'As far as I know, in the Great Wei Dynasty, the Number One Scholar is always appointed as a Hanlin Editor and remains in the Capital Prefecture to be specially groomed. They're only posted to the provinces after at least three years.'
'And even when Hanlin Academy scholars like Li Huai'gu are posted to a State Capital, they're deliberately sent away from their home regions to prevent collusion with local family and clan.'
'They're all flocking to Shu State... Are the old masters in the Imperial Court planning to play a game of chess here?'
Chen Yi had no way of knowing.
His knowledge of the Great Wei Dynasty's current affairs was limited. He could only rely on his memories and logical deduction, but some things still didn't add up.
After a moment's thought, he lifted the front curtain of the carriage. "Brother Si, please pull over."
Liu Si'er didn't question it, immediately pulling on the reins. He didn't forget to add a quiet reminder, "Young Master, Master Chen, it's crowded here. Do be careful."
Chen Yi glanced at him, nodding with a smile. He stepped out of the carriage first and then lifted Xiao Wuge down.
Xiao Wuge looked up at Li Huai'gu. "Brother-in-law, that man is so impressive!"
Once Xiaodie, Wang Lixing, and the others had caught up, Chen Yi chuckled. "There were hundreds of thousands of candidates in this examination across the Great Wei Dynasty. It's only natural for the man who placed third to be a little impressive."
Xiao Wuge looked away from the procession and said to Chen Yi with conviction, "If you had taken the exam, Brother-in-law, you would have definitely done better than him."
Before Chen Yi could speak, a few scholars nearby laughed without even turning their heads.
"What a joke. Who's so arrogant they'd dare say something like that?"
"Exactly. Brother Huai'gu's talent is immeasurable. If the Holy Emperor hadn't been biased, the title of Number One Scholar would have been his."
"You…"
The two sneering scholars looked over. When they saw the red flag of the Xiao Family hanging on the carriage, they were struck dumb. Their faces flushed red, like crayfish dropped into a boiling pot.
Amused, Chen Yi patted Xiao Wuge, who looked ready to argue. "Let's go. We won't get a good spot if we're late."
Xiao Wuge shot the scholars a glare before obediently falling in step beside Chen Yi.
Xiaodie puffed out her cheeks and followed along, her face sullen.
Wang Lixing and his men strode past the scholars, towering over them. The corner of Wang Lixing's eye glinted with a cold light.
"Next time, look carefully before you speak."
The icy voice scared the two scholars into dead silence. It took them a long moment to recover.
A refined-looking scholar in a green robe standing nearby watched Chen Yi's group disappear into the distance before he spoke.
"Gentlemen, we should be more careful with our words next time."
One of them gave a bitter laugh. "You must find this amusing, Brother Xu. Who would have guessed they were from the Xiao Family? I took them for some arrogant bumpkins who'd read a few books."
The other scholar nodded but remained stubborn. "Xu Nian, we weren't wrong. With Brother Huai'gu's talent, even someone born in the Marquis's Mansion couldn't hope to match him."
The scholar named Xu Nian shook his head. "Others might not, but that man's reputation is every bit as great as Brother Huai'gu's."
"That man?"
"Have you forgotten the birthday poem that took Shu State by storm a few days ago?"
The two men quickly looked for Chen Yi, who had already blended into the crowd. All they could see were the backs of several tall, burly guards.
Seeing their dawning realization, Xu Nian sighed. "Chen Yi, also known as Chen Qingzhou. His name is still well-known in Jiangnan Prefecture. If he hadn't married into the Xiao Mansion, he likely would have earned a spot in these examinations as well."
As he spoke, he started walking forward, softly reciting, "Why lament your graying hair? The very stars are your medals of honor... Such fine words, truly fine words."
The other two looked embarrassed. After a moment of stunned silence, they both spoke at once.
"On the strength of that poem alone, I admit my inferiority."
"At the end of the day, he's just a live-in son-in-law. He'll find it hard to ever make something of himself."
The words had barely left their mouths when they looked at each other, surprise evident in both their expressions.
"You're wrong to say that!"
"You're wrong to say that, too…"
As for Chen Yi, he paid no mind to the wagging tongues of others.
But young Xiao Wuge was quite upset. It was the first time he had ever been mocked so openly by strangers.
"Brother-in-law, the way they spoke was completely unbecoming of scholars."
Chen Yi smiled, leading him through the crowd. "Someone who has only read books for a few years can't be called a 'prodigy.' At best, you can say they're literate."
Xiao Wuge paused. "Then what is a prodigy?"
"A scholar who has both talent and virtue, of course."
Xiao Wuge understood and broke into a grin. Chen Yi was calling those two scholars talentless and virtueless.
"Brother-in-law, then you must be a prodigy!"
"I'm not. I'm just your second sister's husband."
"And another thing. Stop going to the Old Patriarch and your sister claiming you're trying to help me. If you really get me sent to a military barracks, who's going to go fishing with you?"
"Oh…"
Hearing Chen Yi's words, Xiaodie also forgot about the two scholars, giggling as she kept pace with them.
Behind them, however, the expression on Liu Si'er's face shifted slightly. 'Does this Fledgling really not want to go to the barracks, or is he just biding his time?'
...
Throughout the procession, Li Huai'gu rode his white horse, flushed with success.
The other scholars followed behind, their chests puffed out with pride, sharing in his glory with an inexplicable excitement.
Young women lined the road, tossing flower petals—whether planned or spontaneous, it was hard to tell. They cast shy glances at Li Huai'gu, looking as if they wanted to speak but were too bashful.
If it weren't for the accompanying government officials from the Prefectural Yamen, they probably would have thrown themselves at him.
However, this was just the beginning.
After following for ten li, having barely circled the northern part of Shu State City, the 'talented scholars and beautiful ladies' who had come to join the spectacle were no longer so comfortable.
One by one, they struggled to maintain their straight-backed postures and delicate airs. They were all just one step away from letting loose a stream of curses.
Fortunately, they remembered their stations in life and managed to follow for the entire procession. They could still force a smile to congratulate Li Huai'gu as he dismounted his white horse.
"Brother Huai'gu, congratulations."
"To become the Number Three Scholar! You are truly worthy of being the top student of our Guiyun Academy here in Shu State."
...
Li Huai'gu's face had gone stiff from smiling, but he forced himself to return their greetings.
But in the pauses between pleasantries, his gaze drifted, intentionally or not, toward a willow tree in the distance.
A plainly dressed girl was standing there, her eyes full of affection as she watched him. When their gazes met, a blush rose to her cheeks, but she didn't look away.
Chen Yi took this all in, subconsciously accepting a handful of melon seeds from Xiaodie.
'It's obvious the girl Li Huai'gu has feelings for is from a common family. No wonder the Lady of the Li Family wants to break the happy couple apart.'
'I'd guess there are two reasons: their families aren't a match, and it would interfere with Li Huai'gu's future.'
'On one hand, his parents' wishes. On the other, his childhood sweetheart, the one that got away. I wonder what he'll choose.'