Chapter 783: Chapter 745: Wedding on the Same Day (Part 2)

Fan Zhuowen threatened with her life, so Lu Yanqing had no choice but to take her to the Capital.

Everything he did in Ningzhou had already been meticulously relayed to Zhao Xunyin by the Hidden Guard, including the fact that Lu Yanqing brought a young lady back to the Capital.

Knowing in advance that Fan Zhuowen was the family member of a coal mine disaster victim from eight years ago, Zhao Xunyin appeared very courteous and warm when she saw her in person. She instructed Dou Kou to tidy up a guest room for the young lady, and then pulled Lu Yanqing aside to ask, "Where have you been all this time?"

Lu Yanqing looked at her and said, "Didn’t mother already know from the start?"

He had been blind for a period while in the Northern Desert, making him particularly alert. He knew that Hidden Guards were following him on his way to Ningzhou.

Exposed with a single sentence, Zhao Xunyin felt a bit awkward, then asked, "Now that you’ve brought the young lady into our family, how do you plan on settling her?"

"Mother can decide!" Lu Yanqing said blandly, "I won’t be staying at home for long."

Zhao Xunyin’s expression changed, "Where are you going again?"

"The war in the Northern Border won’t end so easily," Lu Yanqing replied, "I’ll go with them when the reinforcements depart."

Zhao Xunyin was utterly shocked, "You want to go to war? How can that be allowed?"

Lu Yanqing’s expression remained indifferent, "Everyone wished I died in the incident eight years ago, but I still haven’t managed to die. Actually, if I died, those eighty-plus workers wouldn’t come back to life. Instead, it’s better if I go to the Northern Border, where I might be able to save someone."

"I don’t agree!" Zhao Xunyin immediately objected, "You’ve never served in the army, and you can’t perform martial arts. How do you plan to fight? If you really go, wouldn’t it be sending yourself to death for nothing?"

"I was blind for a long time in the Northern Desert, making my hearing extraordinary," Lu Yanqing replied, "I can’t fight, nor perform martial arts, but I think my hearing might be able to help him."

This "him" naturally referred to Lu Xingzhou.

Zhao Xunyin was once again taken aback.

Both her son and daughter had experienced unexpected events; Wanwan had an extraordinary intuition, and Yanqing extraordinarily acute hearing—was this a gift from the heavens or a punishment?

When she finally processed it, Lu Yanqing had already returned to his room.

Zhao Xunyin stood under the corridor, looking in the direction he left, somewhat in a daze.

In the past, if she didn’t agree with Lu Yanqing about something, he would rebel and make trouble. But the current Lu Yanqing had made up his own mind; even if she disagreed, he wouldn’t argue but would certainly follow his own decision.

Indeed, a grown son does not belong to his mother.

Zhao Xunyin sighed helplessly.

...

The time it took for Lu Yanqing to go there and back was not short, and by the time he returned home, it was already February, with the spring civil service examination about to begin.

As early as the sixth day of the first lunar month, Zhao Xi had Eunuch Sanbao announce this year’s list of chief examiners for the imperial examination; Song Wei was indeed on the list.

Song Yuanbao was overjoyed. Although his father wouldn’t engage in favoritism, the thought that the chief examiner was his father, and that Zhao Xi, the examiner of the palace examination, was his close friend, thrilled him.

According to regulations, after the examiner list was announced, they had to move into designated villas and cut off contact with the outside world, to prevent candidates from bribing or probing examiners’ preferences.

Thus, during this period, Song Wei was not at home.

Wen Wan and the Second Lang’s wife were busy preparing for Song Yuanbao’s wedding.

Song Yuanbao had long said he wanted to go to the Ye Family and marry the bride on the day he passed the examination.

Wen Wan consulted someone about the date, and April 26th was chosen as an auspicious day. If the list for the palace examination could be released that day, then the wedding would be set. But if the list wasn’t announced on April 26th, it could become problematic.

Wen Wan discussed it with Song Yuanbao, and he was also troubled. He took his palace waist card and made a trip to the Imperial City to see Zhao Xi in the Eastern Palace, asking if the list’s release could be set for April 26th.

Zhao Xi looked at him, "Isn’t it too early to be thinking about the palace examination when you haven’t even passed the imperial examination yet?"

Song Yuanbao chuckled, "With my ability, isn’t it a sure thing?"

Zhao Xi paused, "Are you certain April 26th is an auspicious day?"

"Of course." Song Yuanbao said confidently, "My mother consulted about that day; she wouldn’t set me up, right?"

Zhao Xi was silent for a moment, "What I mean is, you might not be able to get married that day."

"What?" Song Yuanbao stared at him, "Are you kidding me? I’ve been begging you all this time, and you’re telling me no?"

Zhao Xi slowly replied, "According to father’s arrangements, the Astronomical Bureau also looked at a date for me."

Song Yuanbao suddenly had a bad premonition.

Sure enough, the next moment, he heard Zhao Xi say, "My wedding is also set for April 26th."

Boom—

Song Yuanbao felt as if he had been struck by lightning, scorched on the outside, tender on the inside.

After a long while, he finally processed it and cried out loudly, "Wasn’t it said that the Crown Prince must be at least eighteen years old to marry? You still have a year to go—how can you pull such a stunt?"

If the Crown Prince’s wedding is on April 26, as a subject, I can only give way.

The next auspicious date on the Chinese calendar, who knows when it’ll be!

"Father’s will."

Zhao Xi seemed quite helpless, but Song Yuanbao felt that beneath that layer of helplessness, there was a hint of smugness and schadenfreude.

Song Yuanbao fell to his knees with a thud, "Your Highness, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda! Can you give that day to me?"

Zhao Xi: "If you don’t marry her, will you die?"

"I will!" Song Yuanbao said seriously, "Not seeing her for a day feels like three autumns have passed. It’s been so long since I last saw her, and if I don’t marry her soon, half of my body will be in the grave."

Zhao Xi was evidently speechless at his glibness, "And if I refuse?"

"Then I’ll keep kneeling here until you agree."

"Then keep kneeling!" Zhao Xi maintained a calm expression as he stood up and left Chengming Hall for the Imperial Study Room.

Song Yuanbao reached out to rub his numb, kneeled legs, cursing inwardly. "What are the old folks at the Astronomical Bureau thinking? There’s plenty of time this year, can’t they just move the Crown Prince’s wedding date a bit?"

As he was pondering this, he heard footsteps behind him and felt a surge of excitement, "Your Highness, you’ve finally agreed..."

Before he could finish speaking, his smile froze on his face. "Sanbao? What are you sneaking around for?"

"I’m not sneaking around; I came in openly." Eunuch Sanbao snorted softly.

Song Yuanbao squinted at him, "Did His Highness send you to deliver a message?"

"No, he didn’t," replied Eunuch Sanbao. "I came on my own accord."

Song Yuanbao turned his head away, unwilling to engage with him.

Eunuch Sanbao continued unabated, "I heard everything you said to His Highness just now. Let me tell you the truth: the Ministry of Rites is already preparing for the Eastern Palace’s grand wedding on April 26, which belongs to our prince."

Song Yuanbao was uninterested, "His Highness hasn’t even said a word yet, and you, a little eunuch, dare to threaten me?"

Eunuch Sanbao huffed, flicked his horsetail whisk, and stepped over the threshold.

Song Yuanbao remained kneeling in Chengming Hall until the afternoon.

When Zhao Xi returned after reviewing memorials, he was somewhat surprised to see him still there, "Why are you still here?"

"Didn’t Your Highness tell me to keep kneeling?"

Zhao Xi’s eyes were deep, "You’ve never really taken my words to heart before."

"That’s not true." Song Yuanbao replied with a giggle, trying to play dumb, "How could I, a subject, dare forget Your Highness’s words? How about this: as long as Your Highness can give me that day, I’ll do whatever you ask. If you tell me to go east, I’ll not go west. How’s that?"

"Not happening." Zhao Xi sat before the writing desk and began unrolling a bamboo scroll.

"Your Highness~" Song Yuanbao sniffled, looking as if he were about to cry, "You know, my lifelong wish has always been to marry a beautiful wife on the day I rank top scholar. For the sake of the two years I served as your companion, please fulfill my wish?"

Zhao Xi looked at him seriously, "Father is gravely ill, and his greatest desire is to personally witness my grand wedding while he still has breath. Why don’t you help fulfill his wish?"

Song Yuanbao suddenly found himself speechless.

Indeed, compared to Emperor Guangxi, his own wish seemed trivial.

With a heavy heart, he resigned himself to the situation, "Alright, I’ll give it up. I’ll ask my mother to find another date."

He added sullenly, "Congratulations in advance on Your Highness’s wedding."

Zhao Xi: "This congratulations doesn’t sound sincere."

Song Yuanbao: "..."

His heart was aching, where did he have the leisure for sincerity?

Seeing Zhao Xi watching him, he reluctantly congratulated him again before finally taking his leave.

As he was about to step over the threshold, he heard Zhao Xi’s clear voice from behind, "Who says you can’t have your wedding on my wedding day?"

Song Yuanbao’s eyes brightened, "Your Highness, are you serious?"

Zhao Xi withdrew his gaze, focusing on the bamboo scroll, and spoke softly, "If you can rank top scholar, I will allow you to marry on April 26."

Song Yuanbao felt a surge of excitement, "Then I will strive to rank top scholar."

"Don’t celebrate too soon." Zhao Xi dashed his hopes with a bucket of cold water, "There’s a competitor in your family. At the Chrysanthemum Poetry Gathering on the Double Ninth Festival, he wrote an essay and several poems. I’ve seen them; they’re profound and remarkably talented. If you want to be the top scholar, you’ll have to surpass him."

Zhao Xi was referring to Xu Dengke, a great talent who had previously been delayed by ’slowness.’

Upon hearing this, Song Yuanbao wanted to find a hole to crawl into.