webnovelfull Chapter 353 Slapping the Face of the Incompetent Prince 12
Chapter 353 Slapping the Face of the Incompetent Prince 12
The day after the palace examination was the day for reading the papers. The officials who read the papers divided them into three grades, and then the emperor determined the top three candidates for the first grade.
Before the examiner began reading the examination papers to the emperor, the emperor asked, "Where is the examination paper of the top scholar?"
The examiner knelt down and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the top scholar's exam paper is among the first-class papers."
"Read this person's name first," the emperor ordered coldly.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The examiner put down the examination paper of the powerful minister's son, found Leng Yuexing's paper among the first-class papers, and began to read the paper to the emperor.
The examiner had only read a few sentences when the emperor, who had been keeping his eyes closed and expressionless, suddenly opened them. He looked intently at the examiner, his eyes filled with surprise and admiration.
After the examiner finished reading the exam papers, the emperor excitedly gestured to the attendant beside him to bring the exam papers to him.
"Strokes as strong as iron hooks and silver lines, powerful enough to penetrate the paper! What excellent calligraphy!" the emperor exclaimed.
He then looked at the attendant beside him and asked, "Is the Huiyuan the one who sat in the very center of the first row yesterday?"
"Your Majesty, it is he," the attendant replied respectfully.
"With unparalleled beauty and extraordinary talent! It's truly a wonderful thing that our Great Yue Kingdom possesses such an outstanding individual!"
"Bring me a pen!" the emperor shouted with a loud laugh.
The attendant respectfully handed the pen to the emperor, who then wrote down Leng Yuexing's name while announcing loudly, "First place in the first class: Leng Yuexing!"
After determining the top scholar, the emperor then decided on the list of the second and third scholars, as well as the subsequent second and third-ranked scholars.
On the third day, the emperor personally presided over the ceremony of announcing the results of the imperial examinations.
After those who passed the imperial examinations participated in the grand ceremony of announcing the results, the imperial list of those who passed was posted outside the palace gates to be displayed to the world. The newly appointed top scholar would then ride a tall horse bestowed by the emperor back to his residence.
After Leng Yuexing followed the official in charge of announcing the imperial decree out of the palace, she wore a red flower and a red silk shawl and rode back to her residence on a tall horse bestowed by the emperor.
Leng Yuexing sat steadily atop the tall and majestic steed, her posture upright as a pine tree.
The streets were bustling with people, who stopped to watch, their eyes filled with envy and admiration.
As expected, Leng Yuexing became the top scholar in the imperial examination, and Wen Yunsheng began to take action to ensure that Leng Yuexing could attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.
As soon as Consort Yun came out of the small Buddhist hall, her personal maid rushed forward to help her.
She looked at Consort Yun, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating. Consort Yun noticed this and gently patted her hand, saying, "Ruyi, just say what you want to say."
"Your Highness, these past few days the maids have been talking privately about the newly appointed top scholar, Leng Yuexing."
The imperial concubine slowly sat down on the chaise longue. "Oh? I've heard about that too. They say her face is like solidified cream, her eyes like polished lacquer, like a celestial being."
"But so what?" the imperial concubine asked, puzzled.
After hesitating for a long time, Ruyi finally said, "They say that she seems to resemble you, the Imperial Concubine, somewhat."
Consort Yun, whose expression had been as calm as still water, trembled slightly in the hand holding the prayer beads. "What did you say?"
"Ruyi, say it again!" Consort Yun asked, grasping Ruyi's hand.
"Your Highness, we have been searching for the prince for many years. I wonder if this time it will be another disappointment." Ruyi looked at the tearful Consort Yun with heartache.
Consort Yun choked back tears as she said, "So what if I'm disappointed again? As long as I can find my son, I can endure a thousand disappointments!"
"Don't be sad, Consort Yun. Perhaps he really is a prince!" Ruyi said, gently patting Consort Yun's back.
Consort Yun took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears. “I really hope so. Back then, when the concubines in the palace caused trouble, they kidnapped my son, and his whereabouts are still unknown. It was all my fault. I only hope that my son has not suffered all these years!”
"Your Highness, rest assured, the prince is a lucky man, and with your daily prayers, he will surely live a happy life."
Then Ruyi thought of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet that the maids had been talking about recently, and asked in a low voice, "Why don't we ask His Majesty to invite the top three scholars of the first-class imperial examination to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet for all officials?"
Consort Yun pondered for a while and thought it was indeed a good idea, so she nodded slightly and said, "Then I will ask His Majesty for permission."
The next day, Consort Yun brought up the matter with the Emperor. After pondering for a while, the Emperor granted Consort Yun's request.
He had recently heard rumors in the palace that Consort Yun was not only the most talented woman in the capital but also the most beautiful woman in the capital, and the Leng Yuexing he met did indeed resemble Consort Yun.
The emperor was filled with mixed emotions at the thought that the newly appointed top scholar might be his own son. He had originally thought that he would never find his son again in this lifetime.
He secretly instructed his guards to conduct a thorough investigation of Leng Yuexing in private.
The emperor's actions could not be hidden from Mo Ran, the head of the Death Pavilion.
To make things easier for the emperor's secret guards, he arranged for the assassins protecting Leng Yuexing in the mansion to hide so that the secret guards wouldn't discover them, and he also proactively passed on some information about Leng Yuexing to the secret guards.
Although the secret guards felt that the investigation was going too smoothly, after verification, they found that the information they had obtained was true, so they reported all the information they had found to the emperor.
After reading through the information gathered by his secret guards, the emperor was overjoyed to discover that Leng Yuexing was very likely his prince. Even his somewhat gloomy complexion seemed to brighten up.
Amidst everyone's anticipation, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet officially began.
Consort Yun followed the emperor into the banquet, glancing out of the corner of her eye towards the direction where the officials were.
Unfortunately, as the newly appointed top scholar, Leng Yuexing was seated at the back, and Consort Yun did not see him.
Even after assuming the high position, Consort Yun remained somewhat absent-minded.
Knowing that Consort Yun wanted to see Leng Yuexing, the Emperor, after the banquet began, asked the newly appointed top scholar Leng Yuexing to compose a poem on the theme of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Leng Yuexing slowly stepped forward. He was dressed in a blue robe, with an unparalleled face and a noble and aloof demeanor.
The moment Consort Yun saw Leng Yuexing, she couldn't help but stand up. She stared at Leng Yuexing blankly, feeling that there was an unusual and intimate connection between them.
Ignoring the emperor beside her, she stood up and strode down the high steps to Leng Yuexing's side.
She fought back tears and said, her voice choked with emotion, "Child, may I see the inside of your right arm?"
Leng Yuexing didn't expect that before he could take any action, Consort Yun would come to inquire in person. He knew that this might have been orchestrated by Wen Yunsheng.
He smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "Of course."
Then, he rolled up the sleeve of his right arm and showed the inside of his arm to Consort Yun.
Leng Yuexing has a plum blossom-shaped birthmark on the inside of her right arm, exactly the same as the one Consort Yun remembered.
The next moment, Consort Yun couldn't help but grasp Leng Yuexing's hand and sob softly, "My son! I've finally found you!"