After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 38
In August, the city of Chang’an is shaded by willow trees, and the sound of cicadas is unending.
The Imperial College has just finished its monthly three-day examination.
The examination is held on the ninth day of each ten-day week, and the students get a day off on the day after the exam.
However, the instructors at Guangwen Hall did not take a rest. Chen Duo summoned the Imperial College’s academic officer and scholars to discuss matters in the hall.
“Why not just use yesterday’s exam papers to test the Huo family’s eldest grandson? The content of those papers focuses on the essence of the major classics. This morning, when I reviewed the papers, I found that only the eldest grandson of the Li family answered well. The rest of the officials’ children’s essays were not satisfactory.”
“The Huo family’s eldest grandson is just four years old. Even if he is clever, he won’t be able to answer many questions.”
Chen Duo frowned deeply upon hearing this. Although he disdained the power and arrogance of the Huo family, in recent years, Huo Lang has been claiming illness and not attending court, never abusing his power or overstepping his bounds.
So why did he suddenly request the Emperor to allow his four-year-old grandson to enter the Imperial College this year?
This didn’t seem like Huo Lang’s style.
Years ago, when all four major academies of Li Kingdom refused to accept Huo Pingxiao, Huo Lang quickly accepted the Emperor’s suggestion and sent him to Meishan to learn martial arts.
The more Chen Duo thought about it, the more puzzled he became. But regardless of Huo Lang’s true intentions, if his grandson wanted to enter the Imperial College, it wasn’t something that could be achieved just by saying so.
The enrollment at Guangwen Hall is fixed. If there is a sudden vacancy, students from poorer backgrounds who study at the four academies have the opportunity to take part in the promotion exam held every six months.
Only those who perform exceptionally well can study at the Imperial College alongside the children of nobles and high officials.
Of course, the promotion exam for students from poorer backgrounds is much harder than the regular exam for officials’ children.
Even if some students from poorer backgrounds manage to get into the promotion list through hard work, the chances of passing the exam are still very low.
Considering this, Chen Duo narrowed his eyes and asked the academic officer in a low voice, “Have the four scholars selected the students for the promotion exam?”
The academic officer replied, “The student with the surname Wen in legal studies has performed exceptionally well. The lecturer plans to recommend him for the promotion exam after the holiday.”
Chen Duo stroked his white beard, pondered for a moment, and then said, “In that case, there’s no need to use the exam papers to test the Huo family’s eldest grandson. Since Huo Lang is so proud of his grandson’s intellect, let’s use the promotion exam papers to test him.”
The Imperial College scholar, who was once Chen Duo’s student, knew his teacher’s temperament well. Chen Duo, even more fearless than the imperial censors, had offended many colleagues in the officialdom in his early years. Yet, he was a great scholar with exceptional talent and knowledge.
Chen Duo’s abilities and scholarship are well recognized, and the Emperor also intends to curb the power of noble families, wanting more students from poorer backgrounds in official positions to control them. That’s why he allowed the upright Chen Duo to remain as the Imperial Preceptor of the Imperial College.
Otherwise, with his teacher’s temperament, he would have lost his head long ago.
But the person who would be taking the promotion exam wasn’t an ordinary official’s child.
It was the grandson of Huo Lang, the son of Huo Pingxiao.
If Chen Duo really didn’t allow Huo Xi to enter the Imperial College, it might lead to unrest in the previous court.
If Huo Lang gets angered, perhaps even the Emperor might not be able to protect Chen Duo’s head.
The apprehension of the Imperial College scholar about potential turmoil in the court did not come to pass.
Instead, the Crown Princess in the Eastern Palace, upon hearing that Huo Xi had exceptionally become a student and would be entering the Imperial College in October, was deeply shaken.
Li Shuying, dressed in a splendid gown, stood on the high platform of the Eastern Palace, still finding it hard to believe.
Imperial Preceptor Chen Duo would never easily bow to the Huo family. If Huo Xi were not truly extraordinarily talented, Chen Duo would never have agreed to his admission to the Imperial College.
Originally, it was thought that besides Huo Pingxiao, the Huo family could hardly produce any other capable individuals, and such a powerful family should be on the decline. Who would have thought that Huo Lang’s grandson would be so intelligent?
Li Shuying’s brother, Li Yi, was extremely intelligent and had been nurtured with high expectations, yet he only entered the Imperial College at the age of nine.
How old was Huo Xi? How could a four-year-old child possibly pass Chen Duo’s examination?
Thinking of this, Li Shuying coldly asked the eunuch who delivered the message, “Are you sure it was Huo Xi himself who passed the examination? Did Prime Minister Huo not exert any pressure on Chen Duo?”
The eunuch replied in a somewhat sharp voice, “Your Highness, it was indeed the eldest grandson of the Huo family who answered on his own. Some of the scholars at Guangwen Hall had criticized Huo Lang in their writings when they were civilians. But recently, those scholars have been full of praise for the essays written by Huo Xi.”
Upon hearing this, Li Shuying’s expression became even more solemn.
Although Huo Xi was raised by Huo Lang, it had only been half a year since Fang’s cousin brought him into the Huo family.
It seems that all this could not have been achieved without Fang’s cousin’s nurturing of her son.
Madam Fang was indeed not a simple woman; no wonder the usually indifferent Lord Dingbei married her.
Remembering Huo Pingxiao’s cold attitude towards her outside the Chengtian Gate, Li Shuying’s beautiful eyes narrowed.
“My mother’s birthday is approaching, and the Zichen Palace will host the Millennium Banquet. She will likely use the occasion of the Millennium Feast to select suitable ladies for the Crown Prince. The banquet is entrusted to me to organize. Don’t forget to send invitations to the various noble families in the capital in advance.”
“Yes.”
“And remember to write the invitation for Madam Fang, wife of Lord Dingbei, first.”
The next day, after Ruan An returned from the pharmacy, Bai Wei handed her the invitation from the Eastern Palace.
Before Bai Wei could elaborate on who sent the invitation, Ruan An guessed the identity of the sender upon smelling the faint fragrance of the expensive paper.
“Lady, the Eastern Palace has sent an invitation, inviting you to attend the banquet on the day of the Millennium Festival.”
After Bai Wei finished speaking, she looked up to see Ruan An not taking the invitation.
Bai Wei even felt that Ruan An’s complexion had suddenly turned paler.
Her delicate hand trembled as she reached for the invitation, but eventually, she let it fall limply, not taking it.
“Lady, what’s wrong?” Bai Wei asked with concern.
Ruan An’s lips were pale as she shook her head towards Bai Wei, trying to maintain her composure, “Keep the invitation from the Eastern Palace well…”
“Yes.”
The fragrance of the flowers lingered in her nose, also evoking memories and experiences from Ruan An’s past life.
The words “Eastern Palace” and “entering the palace” weighed heavily on her heart, making it difficult for her to breathe and find respite.
Ruan An covered her racing heart with her hand, forcing herself to calm down, comforting herself that there was nothing to be afraid of.
The person Li Shuying wanted to invite was her in another identity. She was now the cousin of the Fang family, the wife of Lord Dingbei. She couldn’t do anything to her, and she wouldn’t harm Huo Xi. She and the child were safe; she couldn’t be afraid.
She was the wife of a Marquis and would inevitably face the royal family. She had to overcome her fears.
She must not be afraid, and she must not cry.
Those things were all in the past, and no one could hurt her and Huo Xi anymore.
But at night, Ruan An still had a nightmare.
The scenes in the dream were terrifyingly realistic.
She was back in the Yeting, laundering clothes amidst the shrill insults of the managing aunt, her hands, frostbitten, soaked in icy water. The bone-chilling cold gradually seeped into her flesh, and there seemed no end to such days.
The drunken Crown Prince cornered her, leering as he bent over her, intending to take advantage of her in the firewood room, but she had no escape.
She didn’t know the whereabouts of her child, only remembering their last meeting before they were separated. Huo Xi’s originally clear and bright eyes had clouded over, and he asked her gloomily.
“Mother, do you not want me anymore?”
“Why can’t you take off your veil to look at me?”
Ruan An also dreamed of herself, her beauty completely ruined, standing under the shadows of the palace walls, wearing tattered clothes that reeked of decay.
She could only peek through the gaps in the barred windows to see Huo Pingxiao, who had just finished his court duties, standing under the scorching sun.
She humbly wanted to look at him a bit longer, but the man’s pace never halted.
He walked further and further away from her until she could no longer see his face.
“Don’t!”
“Please, spare me!”
“Xi’er! Xi’er! Mother didn’t abandon you!”
“Don’t go! Please don’t go…”
Huo Pingxiao, a light sleeper, naturally heard the suppressed sobs coming from beside him.
Ruan An was still not awake from the nightmare, each of her mumbled words screamed out in desperation.
“Ah Xun.”
The man’s deep voice finally rescued Ruan An from the terrifying dream.
Huo Pingxiao picked up the petite woman, letting her whole body, soaked in cold sweat, lean against him, trying to use his body warmth to warm her, his distinctively boned hand gently stroking her disheveled hair.
His actions were soothing, repeatedly caressing the top of Ruan An’s head dampened by sweat, and he asked in a low voice, “What nightmare did you have?”