Chapter 77: Questioning Lu Chen

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

The maidservants outside heard the sound of mirror breaking and hurried in. When they saw Lu Chen, they were dumbfounded…

Why is His Royal Highness here?

Lu Chen glanced at the fragments of the bronze mirror on the ground, frowned and said to Qiao Jinniang, “Tuan’er will be three years old soon. Father has thought of several names for him. Take a look. Which one do you like?”

Qiao Jinniang glanced at the note that Lu Chen took out and thought for a while. “This one, Lu Xi.”

“Will you come to Tuan’er’s birthday banquet?”

Qiao Jinniang said, “Yes.”

Although she didn’t like palace banquets, she wouldn’t miss Tuan’er’s birthday banquet.

After Lu Chen left, Qiao Jinniang said to the maids, “Don’t tell anyone that the Crown Prince came here.”

Hongling took the lead to respond. “Yes, Miss.”

After Lu Chen left the Duke Mansion, he went to find Zhou Siming for a drink.

Watching Lu Chen finish one bottle of liquor after another, Zhou Siming said to Lu Chen, “Your Royal Highness, the palace exam is tomorrow. If you are drunk, I’m afraid it’ll be inappropriate.”

“Is Li Yun better than me? But he is such an average-looking and average-talented man!”

Lu Chen said as he finished another bottle.

Zhou Siming said, “If Your Royal Highness wants a woman, just ask His Majesty to issue an imperial decree. Why do you have to torture yourself like this?”

Lu Chen was slightly drunk and said, “You don’t know her. She is very stubborn. If I force her, she may even kill herself.

“You don’t know that she already dared to bring a group of servants to beat a hooligan and almost killed him when she was only fifteen.

“When she was six or seven months pregnant, she held the door bolt and fought with the refugees. She is a very tough woman.”

Zhou Siming: “…”

He couldn’t believe that such a violent girl could make his noble cousin so miserable to the extent that he had to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

…

The one who came to propose to Qiao Ruofeng was a relative from Old Madam Qiao’s natal family.

He came to Chang’an to visit Old Madam during the Mid-Autumn Festival and happened to fall in love with Qiao Ruofeng.

He was a merchant, and it was not easy for him to marry a noble girl, so he didn’t care that Qiao Ruofeng had been in prison.

As for the matter of Prince Mediocre, Old Madam and Qiao Ruofeng didn’t tell anyone about it, so very few people knew about it.

After the Qiao Family was divided up, Qiao Ruofeng and Jinniang were not family anymore. So what Jinniang told Lu Chen was just an excuse.

Old Madam Qiao said to the Dhess with a happy smile, “Now two girls of our family have got fiancés. The next one will be your son. Select a good girl for him.”

The Duchess said, “Mother, my son is only sixteen years old!”

“He’s already an adult. The Duke married you when he was sixteen years old,” Old Madam Qiao said to the Duchess.

“Xiao’er, I know what you’ve done for this family over the years.

“I know you still can’t forgive the Duke because of what happened to Jinniang, but that b*tch has been dead for almost a year, so it’s time for you to reconcile with the Duke.

“The Duke’s birthday banquet is just around the corner, and he’s only thirty-six.

“If you keep him from touching you, other women may take advantage of this. You’re a grown-up. Don’t be childish, okay?”

The Duchess lowered her eyes and said, “Mother, I see.”

Old Madam Qiao turned the Buddha beads and said, “I hope Li Yun can rank among the top three in the palace exam. Then Jinniang’s wedding will be grander.

“However, I heard that the Crown Prince would be in charge of this palace exam. I hope he won’t pick on Li Yun because of Jinniang.”

…

After the palace exam, Li Yun was full of sweat.

Only after this exam did he realize how lucky he was to win first place in the previous exam.

As everyone knew, the Imperial Examination this time was held to recruit talents for the Crown Prince, so many talented people attended it.

The reputation of the famous Qingming Academy was really well-deserved, and the talent of its students was far above his own.

Emperor Huilin who was sitting on a high seat asked, “Where is Li Yun?”

Li Yun knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, I’m here.”

Emperor Huilin asked, “In the Imperial Examination this time, Prince Mediocre delivered meals to you. All the examinees had eaten the food and had diarrhea, but only you didn’t eat it. Why?”

Li Yun said, “Your Majesty, I know County Mistress Jia’an very well. I saw the logo of Guest Welcoming Building on the package of the food delivered to us, and Guest Welcoming Building is the opponent of Tasty Pavilion, so I didn’t eat the food.”

Emperor Huilin nodded. “Then what did you eat during the three-day examination?”

Li Yun took out two pieces of cakes from his pocket and said, “Your Majesty, this is the pastry County Mistress Jia’an made for me to eat for the Imperial Examination. It tastes very good, and I wasn’t hungry after eating it.”

Lu Chen stared at the pastry and had a headache!

Emperor Huilin motioned to the eunuch beside him to bring the pastry up to him and took a bite. The aroma of glutinous rice melted on the tip of his tongue as soon as it entered his mouth. He said, “This pastry is not bad.”

Lu Chen explained to Emperor Huilin, “This pastry is called the Champion Cake in the South, because the champion of the previous Imperial Examination also ate it during the exam, so when he returned to his hometown after winning the first place, he granted this pastry the name of Champion Cake.”

After he finished speaking, Lu Chen looked at Li Yun and said, “Unfortunately, according to Mr. Li’s discourse on politics… You didn’t do quite well in this palace exam. I’m afraid you can’t be the champion this time.

She wanted to become Li Yun’s wife? Even if he cherished talents, he couldn’t relax the standard too much and let Li Yun be the champion!

Li Yun cupped his hands and said, “You’re right, Your Royal Highness. I’ll study diligently and make persistent efforts.”

Lu Chen grunted indifferently.

…

After the palace exam, the rankings would be announced on the very day, and the champion would parade through the streets on horseback.

Therefore, on this day, the private rooms of Tasty Pavilion were even more crowded with women, who all wanted to watch the champion parade.

Qiao Jinniang looked down in the No.1 private room, but didn’t see Li Yun.

Fulu stood on tiptoe and looked. “Why is Li Yun not among them? Did my imperial cousin pick on him? Li Yun got first place in the previous examination, but why is he not even second place in the palace exam?”

Qiao Jinniang frowned. She thought too well of Lu Chen. She thought that at least Lu Chen would not use his power to pick on Li Yun.

Yuyan hurried over and said, “Congratulations, Miss, Young Master Li won eighth place in the palace exam!”

Qiao Jinniang clenched her hands. Li Yun was first place in the previous exam, but only eighth this time?

She didn’t believe that Lu Chen didn’t do anything.

“Jinniang.” Seeing Jinniang suddenly become angry, Fulu hurriedly chased after her.

Qiao Jinniang went straight to Duke Rong’s Mansion, and Junior Duke Rong welcomed her warmly. “Miss Qiao, how did you make the Champion Cake? His Majesty really liked it!”

Qiao Jinniang said, “If you like to eat it, I will make it for you another day.”

Junior Duke Rong: “…”

After a long pause, Junior Duke Rong said helplessly to Qiao Jinniang, “There is a banquet in the imperial palace, and His Royal Highness can’t get away, so he had someone send Tuan’er back.”

Qiao Jinniang said to Junior Duke Rong, “Can you get me into the East Palace?”

“Yes, but…”

Qiao Jinniang said to Junior Duke Rong. “Please help me, Your Highness.”

She must not ruin Li Yun’s future. If he lost the championship because of her, she would feel guilty toward him the rest of her life.

After the banquet, His Majesty would give these examinees official positions, so she must be quick.

Qiao Jinniang disguised herself as a palace maid in the East Palace and entered Lu Chen’s study with Junior Duke Rong.

Lu Chen was writing the official positions to be granted to the examinees, and when he saw Qiao Jinniang come in, he was a little surprised. “Why are you here? I’m very busy today. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Qiao Jinniang waited until Junior Duke Rong went out and went straight to the point.. “If you hate me, come at me. Why do you have to ruin Li Yun’s future?”