Chapter 353: She’s the Laureate

Chapter 353: She Takes the Laureate

She went over to block Ji Qingqing again, "Second Miss, you can't break this one either. This scented ball is also priceless. If it breaks, we can't afford to pay for it."

Ji Qingqing slapped her right across the face.

"This can't be smashed, that can't be smashed. Are you deliberately trying to mess with me?"

Then she tossed the scented ball to Cui Liu and cursed, "Bitch! You're all a bunch of bitches! Once I become the Crown Princess, I'll make that bitch Ji Yuntang pay!"

"I'll make her see what happens when you mess with the future Crown Princess!"

While Ji Qingqing threw her tantrum in the room, Luo Jingshen kept nitpicking Ji Yuntang's mistakes on the competition field.

"Princess Ye, I can let the matter of you hitting someone just now slide, but you taking Young Master Jiang's competition spot is something I can't overlook!"

"According to the rules of the Canglang Poetry Talk, anyone who humiliates a fellow contestant or harms another's interests should be disqualified."

Ji Yuntang found Luo Jingshen genuinely annoying. She furrowed her brow and said, "I did not take Young Master Jiang's competition spot."

Jiang Yunhang then stepped forward to explain, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is mistaken. Princess Ye did not take my competition spot. I voluntarily gave it to her because my poetry skills weren't good enough and I was afraid I'd hold her back."

"She didn't pressure me or force me. I gave up on my own."

Luo Jingshen immediately got anxious after he finished speaking. "Jiang Yunhang, do you even know what you're saying?"

"If you forfeit, your poetry score will be zero. Even if you aced the first four rounds, it'll all be dragged down. Are you really willing to throw away your bright future for a woman?"

Jiang Yunhang didn't answer him. Instead, he asked him a question.

"Your Highness, since my forfeit gives me a zero, if I give my chance to Princess Ye, can she get an extra hundred points?"

Luo Jingshen: "..."

Luo Jingshen: "!!!"

He wanted to curse at Jiang Yunhang for being crazy, but what came out instead was, "Are you worthy of Grand Commandant Jiang by doing this?"

Jiang Yunhang replied with elegant composure, "If my grandfather knew I was doing this, he would definitely support me."

"With Princess Ye's first-place results in the first four rounds, even if I hadn't been eliminated in the fifth, I couldn't have won the crown anyway."

"I'm self-aware enough to know that."

Luo Feizhou snorted. He shot Luo Jingshen a contemptuous look, then praised, "Young Master Jiang has great vision."

"I think Young Master Jiang's proposal is pretty good. How about we add all his points to Third Sister-in-law? What do the judges think?"

The Minister of Rites had a hot temper. He snorted coldly.

"Unacceptable! Does he think the Canglang Poetry Talk is a kids' game? You can't just change the scoring rules on a whim!"

"This is already unreasonable. If we allow one, there'll be a second. If everyone does this in the future, can the exam even continue?"

Luo Sinian felt that Luo Feizhou's smile had a hidden meaning, and he instinctively knew the man was up to no good.

This time, he didn't speak impulsively. Instead, he weighed the consequences in his head and came to a conclusion.

If Ji Yuntang actually took Jiang Yunhang's points, not only would she get scorned by scholars from the four nations, but she'd also offend the Jiang family.

Jiang Yunhang might not care, but that didn't mean his parents and brothers wouldn't either.

Without her realizing it, this would attract a wave of hostility and ruin her reputation among the scholars.

Luo Feizhou's move could well be described as killing with a borrowed knife.

Luo Sinian immediately stepped forward and said, "Minister Gong is right. The scoring rules can't be changed."

"I think we should just score Third Sister-in-law by the original rules."

Even without the extra hundred points, Ji Yuntang was still firmly in first place, so Luo Sinian felt there was no need to cause her trouble.

Jiang Yunhang clasped his hands toward the judges. "Prince Chen is right. I was being presumptuous. Please score Princess Ye normally, gentlemen."

Luo Jingshen stood nearby, too angry to speak.

He desperately wanted to give Ji Yuntang a low score, but hearing the judges' praises for her flow like an endless river, he knew she had already won!

To avoid looking too out of place, Luo Jingshen reluctantly gave Ji Yuntang ninety points—the lowest score she got in the poetry competition.

But that didn't stop her from taking first place in the poetry round.

With all five rounds officially over, after the judges tallied and evaluated everything, Ji Yuntang ultimately took first place with a total score of four hundred and eighty-seven.

Second place went to the humble scholar Zhao Qian, who was also a dark horse, securing second place with a total of four hundred and sixty points.

Third place went to Princess Shuyang, Song Weilan, whose total score was slightly lower than Zhao Qian's, putting her in third place with four hundred and fifty points.

Jiang Yunhang had forfeited, his fifth-round score was voided, and his ranking fell out of the top ten.

Cheng Rushan patted his shoulder and asked, "Yunheng, do you regret it? If you hadn't given up the poetry competition, second place would've definitely been yours."

Jiang Yunhang shook his head, his voice still calm and soft.

"I don't regret it. Letting Princess Ye finish the whole poem was the best decision I've ever made."

"Headmaster, I've already decided to prepare hard and take the spring imperial exam next year. I'll give it my all and won't let you down."

Cheng Rushan said with satisfaction, "Good, good, good. I have high hopes for you."

The Canglang Poetry Talk came to an end, and everyone dispersed.

Before leaving, Mei Zhuyu reminded Ji Yuntang, "Princess Ye, go back and think carefully about which aspect of the Dongchen Kingdom most needs change. At tomorrow's Grace Banquet, you can offer your suggestions to His Majesty."

Ji Yuntang smiled slightly. "Thanks for the reminder, Director Mei. I'll think it over carefully when I get back."

After exchanging pleasantries and stepping outside, she saw Wang Sheng's carriage waiting out front.

Ji Yuntang asked Wang Sheng, "Where's Chen Hu?"

"Brother Chen Hu had something to take care of and left first. He told me to escort the Princess back to the residence."

Ji Yuntang looked up at the teahouse and noticed the second-floor windows were shut tight, as if everyone had already left.

A flicker of confusion crossed her mind. Had Luo Junhe already left?

Yesterday he had waited to go back with her, but today he had left before her.

Ji Yuntang thought it was strange. She looked around but didn't see Xie Liuzheng or Luo Qingge anywhere.

She frowned slightly. "That's odd. I just saw my brother and Qingge here a moment ago. Where did they go?"

Wang Sheng said, "When I arrived, I didn't see Heir Xie or Princess Jiu. Maybe they left early for some reason!"

Ji Yuntang nodded. "Could be. With my brother by her side, Qingge will be fine. Let's head back to the mansion!"

Ji Yuntang stepped up into the carriage.

At that very moment, the two people she had looked for but couldn't find were lying in wait outside a pauper's burial ground, waiting for Ji Qingqing to arrive.

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