Chapter 124: The Banquet of Honor

Chapter 124: The Banquet of Honor

The blazing sun rose from the east, bathing everything in a vibrant glow.

In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, under the presence of the emperor, the witness of dukes and marquises, and the solemnity of all officials, the grand ceremony of announcing the imperial examination results continued.

After Du Yunse, a scholar in his thirties from Jiangnan named Chi Zihuai was awarded the second place, while Jie Tanguang was named the third.

The names of the top three scholars were announced three times each. After stepping forward to express their gratitude, they returned to their positions, standing at the forefront.

Next, the names of the second and third-tier scholars were announced.

The number of scholars in the second and third tiers was not fixed. In this session of the imperial examination, ninety-six were awarded the title of "Jinshi," and two hundred and one were awarded the title of "Tong Jinshi."

"Jinshi Jidi," "Jinshi Chushen," and "Tong Jinshi Chushen" are the three ranks of Jinshi.

Though all three ranks are called Jinshi and qualify for official positions, there are subtle distinctions. For instance, in the official hierarchy, "Tong Jinshi" ranks lower. In the subsequent examination for the Hanlin Academy, the chances of "Tong Jinshi" passing are also lower than those of "Jinshi."

Among the Jinshi from Liaozhou, Qi Yazhi ranked the highest, at fifteenth in the second tier.

Li Ruicong, who topped last year's Liaozhou provincial examination, ranked in the nineties in the second tier this time, almost falling into the third tier.

Wang Yinzhi ranked just over two hundred overall, not making it into the second tier but still considered high in the third tier. For him, this was a solid achievement, and he opted to take up an official post directly, aiming for a favorable assignment.

Once the sun had fully risen in the east, the grand ceremony of announcing the results finally approached its end.

After the emperor's procession left, the officials from the Ministry of Rites took charge of the imperial edict and approached the line of three hundred new Jinshi, signaling them to follow.

Du Yunse straightened his wide sleeves and lightly lifted the hem of his robe with one hand, walking at the forefront, followed by the second and third place scholars, and then all the new Jinshi.

They made their way along the imperial road out of the palace, arriving at the Meridian Gate, where the main gate was wide open. The top three scholars exited through the main gate, while the rest of the new Jinshi exited through the side gates of the Forbidden City.

They then successively passed through the Duan Gate, the Chengtian Gate, crossed the Golden Water Bridge, and arrived at the imperial street outside the royal city.

A few hundred steps east and west along the imperial street led to the bustling market. Today was the day of the grand ceremony, and a crowd had gathered outside the East Gate of Chang'an to witness the imperial edict and the Number One Scholar's parade.

Officials from the Ministry of Rites were already there with rewards, the canopy, and the Number One Scholar's procession.

This afternoon, the new Jinshi were to attend the Banquet of Honor. Each Jinshi received a silk flower beforehand, crafted from colorful silk and adorned with a small copper plate engraved with "Banquet of Honor."

The Number One Scholar's silk flower stood out, with silver branches and leaves, kingfisher feathers, and a small gold plate that shimmered in the sunlight.

In addition to the unique silk flower, the Number One Scholar also received a set of imperial robes.

After thanking the emperor, Du Yunse was escorted by attendants to a small prepared room, where he quickly changed into the Number One Scholar's robe.

Over a white silk undergarment, he wore a large red robe and a large red skirt, both with black-blue borders, and new court boots and woolen socks.

He donned a court hat with a hairpin, its strings dangling beneath his chin, a simple silver belt, and a jade pendant at his side.

A servant held up a bronze mirror as Du Yunse placed the silver and kingfisher-feathered silk flower on the side of his court hat. The young Number One Scholar took the reins in one hand and, under the envious eyes of the new Jinshi, swung onto his horse.

Under Yu Dynasty law, unless the emperor granted special permission, officials of any rank had to dismount and walk when passing through the East and West Gates of Chang'an onto the imperial street.

Only on the day of the grand ceremony was the Number One Scholar allowed to ride his horse on the imperial street.

Du Yunse gave the reins a gentle shake, urging the tall horse into a trot, and his procession quickly fell in line.

At the front, two attendants carried red lacquered signs, the left one reading "Number One Scholar" and the right one "Appointed to the Hanlin Academy."

Behind them stood several musicians, playing elegant music in pairs.

On the wide and open imperial street, the red-robed Number One Scholar led the procession on horseback, the vast blue sky stretching above and behind him.

Once he boasted of lofty ambitions; today he rides through the imperial street.

...

To be the first to know the final result, Qiu Huanian had long since reserved the best private room in a high-end restaurant outside the East Gate of Chang'an at great expense.

The private room opened onto a balcony, offering an unobstructed view of East Chang'an Street, specifically designed for distinguished guests eager to watch the imperial processions entering and leaving the palace.

Qiu Huanian not only came himself but also brought Deng Die and Min Leyi, who was there to soak up the excitement.

Min Leyi's father and elder brother were both imperial examination graduates, but he had never been in the capital before. Watching the posting of the imperial examination results, the Number One Scholar's parade, and the new graduates leaving the palace was a first-time experience for him.

He had just arrived and couldn't sit still, dashing to the balcony to look around.

"When will they come out? I'm so anxious. It's a shame I can't go in and see. The Number One Scholar's name should have been announced by now."

Qiu Huanian called him back in, "The morning dew is heavy; don't catch a cold. I've heard the grand ceremony usually takes two to three hours. It's still early."

Min Leyi ran back in and took a sip of hot tea.

"I don't believe Brother Hua isn't anxious. If you weren't anxious, why would you come here so early to wait?"

After entering the private room, Qiu Huanian didn't touch the beautiful pastries he usually loved, clearly distracted.

Compared to him, Deng Die was much calmer, because for her and Wang Yinzhi, passing the imperial examination was already a great joy, and higher rankings were beyond their expectations.

Deng Die comforted Qiu Huanian, "I don't understand much about academics, but I've always heard that Yun Se is the reincarnation of the literary star. Since he's the literary star, he must be the Number One Scholar. Brother Hua, just wait and watch the parade."

Qiu Huanian smiled and shook his head, "I've accompanied him all the way, knowing the difficulties of the imperial examination. Getting to this point is already quite remarkable; it's not necessary for him to be the Number One Scholar."

But precisely because he knew the hardships and difficulties along the way, and how excellent Du Yunse was and how much he had sacrificed, Qiu Huanian hoped he would have no regrets.

Thus, the result of the grand ceremony still weighed heavily on his heart.

Waiting restlessly until noon, the tea and snacks on the table were replaced several times, and finally, noise erupted from the street below the restaurant.

Qiu Huanian heard many people excitedly shouting, "They're coming out! They're coming out soon!"

He immediately set down his teacup and stepped onto the balcony.

There was no sign of the new graduates at the East Gate of Chang'an yet, but many people had already rushed to both sides of the road, likely having spotted the procession on the imperial street.

Qiu Huanian's eyes were fixed on the East Gate of Chang'an. The first to emerge were the officials from the Ministry of Rites holding the imperial examination results, who posted them outside the East Gate of Chang'an, where they would remain for three days.

The results were posted, but no one rushed to check them immediately, because the Number One Scholar and the new graduates were about to emerge.

The melodious and festive music drifted out of the East Gate of Chang'an first, followed by a pair of officials holding tall wooden signs.

The eight characters "Number One Scholar" and "Appointed to the Hanlin Academy" seemed to possess an awe-inspiring power, and the entire East Chang'an Street fell silent in that moment.

Qiu Huanian stared intently at the small patch of ground outside the East Gate of Chang'an, where the large hooves of a horse emerged from the gate, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Today, only the new Number One Scholar was permitted to ride a horse on the imperial street.

Qiu Huanian took a deep breath and abruptly raised his head.

"......"

The crimson-robed Number One Scholar, Du Yunse, on horseback was already looking at him.

Their gazes met in mid-air, gently stirred by a spring breeze.

Du Yunse was smiling at him, and Qiu Huanian, realizing this, also smiled.

The Number One Scholar, whose face was as flawless as jade and who exuded a heroic aura, wore a crimson robe and smiled atop a tall horse, eliciting cheers from the crowd lining the street.

But Du Yunse's eyes never strayed from Qiu Huanian.

Gradually, others who noticed the subtlety turned their gaze to the tavern balcony, catching sight of the Number One Scholar's beloved.

They were truly a matchless pair, both stunning and graceful.

In the early spring weather, Qiu Huanian wore a moon-white robe adorned with narcissus embroidery, draped with a light lilac brocade cloak. The spring breeze lifted the snow-white rabbit fur at the edge of the cloak, making him squint a little.

His increasingly striking and captivating face, even from a distance, made many hold their breath.

The procession moved slowly, but it had to move forward. As the procession gradually passed the tavern, out of propriety, Du Yunse could no longer look back from his horse.

Qiu Huanian let out a long sigh, "Let’s go, we’d better head home."

Min Leyi, with his arms crossed, said, "Brother Hua finally remembered we're here."

"Just now, it felt like the world revolved around just you and Du, the Number One Scholar."

Qiu Huanian smiled, letting Min Leyi rib him.

Deng Die, having seen Wang Yinzhi in his scholar's robe with a silk flower in his hair, was satisfied and eager to rush home to share her excitement with her husband.

After leaving East Chang'an Street, the other scholars could leave on their own, but the procession would escort Du Yunse all the way home.

Du Yunse lived in Nanxun Fang near the imperial city, sparing the procession some trouble.

But this was a ceremony of immense honor and imperial favor, so it couldn't end too quickly. Thus, Du Yunse had to walk to the end of East Chang'an Street, take the main road between Nanxun Fang and Chengqing Fang, and take a long, winding route home.

To allow more people to see, the procession moved very slowly, allowing Qiu Huanian and his friends plenty of time to take a shorter path home.

The news of Du Yunse becoming the new Number One Scholar spread like wildfire. By the time Qiu Huanian arrived home, the procession had not yet arrived, but the neighbors had already dispatched messengers to offer their congratulations.

Those who lived in Nanxun Fang either came from influential families or held high official positions. Previously, Du Yunse was just a scholar without an official position, so the neighbors hadn't paid much attention to the newly moved family.

But now it was different. The new Number One Scholar was destined to enter the Hanlin Academy, starting his official career as a sixth-rank Hanlin editor. After three years, he would be reassigned to a position of at least fourth rank, and as long as he didn't make major mistakes, his career would soar.

With such a promising future, there was no better time to befriend him than now.

Qiu Huanian accepted the congratulatory notes from the neighbors, instructed the servants to open the main gate, clean the courtyard, and bring out the prepared rewards.

—Although he knew anything was possible, Qiu Huanian had secretly prepared a large number of silver melon seeds for the procession.

The silver melon seeds were slightly smaller than real melon seeds, exquisitely made, each weighing a little over a gram. Forty or fifty of them made up an ounce of silver, a small handful that looked much more elegant than silver ingots.

The silver melon seeds Qiu Huanian had custom-made were engraved with the tiny characters "Number One Scholar."

He had already decided that if Du Yunse didn't win, he’d discreetly have them melted down.

But Du Yunse was determined enough not to give him the chance to melt the silver melon seeds.

The servants in the mansion, knowing that their master had become the Number One Scholar, were all beaming with joy and swiftly tidied up the courtyard. The sound of drums and music from the Number One Scholar's Procession also reached everyone's ears through the alley.

Neighbors on both sides opened their doors to watch the spectacle.

Qiu Huanian stood at the main gate, watching Du Yunse on his high horse gradually approach, inevitably coming before him.

He reined in his horse, dismounted, and took Qiu Huanian's hand.

The apricot blossoms by the side of the small alley were in full bloom, and a gentle breeze swept through, sending a flurry of pink and white petals floating through the air.

Du Yunse slightly lowered his head amidst the spring blossoms, the medicinal jade pendant at his waist chimed softly, and the tassels on either side of his official hat swaying gently.

The Number One Scholar's crimson robe was dazzling, and the unique silver and green adorned hairpin sparkled.

"My husband, Yunse has lived up to your expectations."

Qiu Huanian was momentarily stunned, then suddenly felt a lump in his throat, and tears brimmed in his eyes.

He quickly withdrew his hand, patted Du Yunse's hand, and turned his head to control his emotions.

Today's Du Yunse was radiant and full of spirit, even the rising sun and the vast sky seemed to pale in comparison to his brilliance.

He had nurtured a small, sturdy tree as it took root in the mud, enduring wind, frost, rain, snow, thunder, and dew, finally waiting for the day it became lush and famous throughout the world.

No one dared to disturb the young couple before them; the Number One Scholar and his husband held hands and gazed at each other in silence for a long time.

It wasn't until the Number One Scholar's Procession played the next movement that Qiu Huanian suddenly came to his senses and had Xing Mi distribute the silver melon seeds, ensuring each person received a generous portion.

After that, they set up the altar, made offerings to their ancestors, received visitors, and accepted congratulations.

Du Yunse had still gotten up at dawn today, busy all morning, with the Enrong Banquet in the afternoon. Qiu Huanian was busy managing household affairs and let him rest for a while first.

The Enrong Banquet invited the new jinshi and all the officials who had graded and sealed the Palace Examination papers. The emperor would not be present, usually appointing one civil and one military high-ranking official to represent him, and sometimes even a prince.

In past Enrong Banquets, the civil official was usually chosen from among the grand secretaries, while the military official was traditionally held by General Wu Dingshan.

However, this time, Wu Dingshan, as the cousin of the crown prince, had his family's property confiscated and was exiled in the major case of the twentieth winter of the Yuanhua era. Only his son, Wu Shen, escaped and served as a centurion on the frontier, making it impossible for him to attend the Enrong Banquet.

Therefore, for this Enrong Banquet, the Yuanhua Emperor appointed the second prince, Jia Hongyi, as the military official.

This news thrilled the faction of the second prince. Although the second prince was skilled in martial arts and military strategy, he had never had the opportunity to command troops, limited to training his personal guards in his mansion's drill ground.

By placing the second prince in the position of the military official, was the Yuanhua Emperor considering entrusting him with military command?

However, soon after, the Yuanhua Emperor issued another decree. This time, the civil official for the Enrong Banquet was not chosen from among the grand secretaries, but rather Prince Jin, Jia Honghan, who had achieved significant literary acclaim in recent years.

As for the crown prince, the Yuanhua Emperor did not forget him either. With both civil and military officials appointed, the crown prince would attend as a prince, bringing the three adult princes together.

After learning about the arrangements for the afternoon Enrong Banquet, Qiu Huanian whispered his complaints to Du Yunse.

"This is no banquet of honor; it's clearly designed to unsettle the new jinshi. With three rival princes sitting at the table, who could still eat?"

Du Yunse, while re-dressing in his Number One Scholar's robe to attend the banquet, chuckled softly.

"Curbing the new jinshi's arrogance and exposing them to the perils of officialdom is beneficial."

Qiu Huanian thought about it and still considered the Yuanhua Emperor's arrangements rather peculiar.

"Although the princes are all subjects, attending the Enrong Banquet as escorts also signifies the emperor's favor. But having the second prince and Prince Jin attend as subjects, while the crown prince retains his status, isn't this implication too transparent?"

This doesn't quite match the Yuanhua Emperor's usual style of pulling the strings from on high.

Du Yunse placed the court hat on his head, and Qiu Huanian came over to pick up the hairpin, helping him fasten it in place.

"The people behind the Second Prince and Prince Jin have invested too much, placing their bets even before the Emperor ascended the throne. It's too late to withdraw now. Years of obsession won't just vanish with a single hint."

Qiu Huanian was puzzled, "Then who is the Emperor hinting at?"

"Naturally, it's the Crown Prince."

Qiu Huanian blinked, missing too much key information to keep up with Du Yunse's train of thought.

Du Yunse inserted the hairpin adorned with the small plaque reading "Banquet of Enrong" into his hair, gathered his wide sleeves, and stood up, his robe billowing.

After confirming that no one was eavesdropping from any direction, Du Yunse parted his thin lips and dropped a bombshell.

"The Emperor wants them to live, but the Crown Prince only wants them dead."