On a March day, the spring breeze is gentle, catkins are flying, and all things are reborn.
But today, no one was enjoying the beautiful scenery. They were all staring at a wall with bated breath.
As soon as the list was posted on the wall, noises started coming from everywhere, and people kept pushing towards the list.
After a while, there were congratulations, and faint cries could be heard.
There was a half-open window on the top floor of a restaurant in the distance, and two young men were sitting inside.
One person was dressed in black, with a slender figure, sharp edges on his face, sharp eyebrows and eagle eyes, with a bit of a smile in his eyes.
The person sitting on the other end of the table, which is less than three feet wide, is wearing a silver-white brocade robe, his hair is tied up with a hosta, his forehead is full, his face is fair, and there is anger hidden in his indifferent eyes.
There was only a plate of peanuts, a pot of wine, a wine glass, and two pairs of chopsticks on the table.
"Xu Liu, do you dare to bet with me?" Xiao Yuan looked at Xu Nuo jokingly. After speaking, he picked up two peanuts with chopsticks and threw them into his mouth. After chewing them, he raised his chin proudly.
"explain!"
Xu Nuo thought about how she was dragged here early in the morning with an empty stomach and no money, but Xiao Yuan picked at the ground and only ordered a plate of peanuts. He didn't look good at all and spoke in a very tough tone.
"Let's bet on the surname of this year's number one scholar. The loser will carry the winner from here to the bottom of the list, shouting that he will never take part in the imperial examination in this life." Xiao Yuan promised with a grim face, unable to help but say such a bet.
After hearing this bet, Xu Nuo didn't want to say another word to Xiao Yuan, but she had already agreed before.
The two of them dipped their fingers into the wine and wrote a word on the table with one hand covered.
After finishing writing, the two looked at each other and took their hands away at the same time.
As someone who traveled through time, Xu Nuo was so calm naturally because she knew the development of history and knew the name of the number one winner in this year's imperial examination.
The imperial examination has been promoted for hundreds of years. By the Dazhong Xiangfu period of the Northern Song Dynasty, it had reached a state of perfection.
The examination system became more rigorous, and a name-blinding system was introduced. All content related to the imperial examination was taken seriously and cautiously by people.
The much-anticipated palace examination is even more closely guarded.
Because he knew something about today's imperial examinations and knew that Xiao Yuan should not know the news on the list, Xu Nuo was puzzled by Xiao Yuan's indifference when he told him about the bet.
Each of them wrote a character in front of them.
Look forward. I saw Xiao Yuan writing a few characters in front of him. Xu Nuo was shocked.
He clenched his hands a little tighter, but his expression didn't change at all, still indifferent and casual.
Xiao Yuan didn't even move his hair after seeing the words Xu Nuo wrote. He said nonchalantly: "What a pity, you lost an opportunity to carry me."
Xu Nuo smiled and said, "You can afford to lose this person, but I can't afford to lose him. I can't lose such a childish game."
She said childishly. But they knew in their hearts that if others knew about their bet, it would cause trouble. No small matter.
She was confused and turned to look outside the house for a while. The crowd under the list only increased.
After a while Xu Nuo turned his eyes back and said seemingly casually: "Do you dare to bet with me on guessing the name of this year's top scorer?"
She didn't know that Xiao Yuan happened to guess that this year's top pick was named Zhang. Or he already knows. If he already knows who this year's No. 1 pick is, that would be incredible.
Xu Nuo believes that the second possibility is more likely.
If it is the second case. It can be seen from the side that the queen's power has expanded again.
The Ministry of Rites already has her people.
"Why don't you dare?" Xiao Yuan seemed to be smiling, and used chopsticks to pluck the remaining two peanuts in the dish. Finally, I felt that the peanuts were not full enough and put down my chopsticks.
He looked calm and calm on the surface, but he was secretly surprised in his heart.
Based on his understanding of the promise, since she could say that she wanted to make a bet, she must be absolutely sure.
How did she know that the number one scholar was Zhang Guan?
Xu Gucheng told her?
No, Xu Gucheng is from the Ministry of War, so there is no way he knows this.
So, what method did she use or what channels did she use?
Just when Xiao Yuan spoke again, someone outside the building started shouting loudly: "The number one scholar in the Jiayin Branch is Zhang Sizheng..."
The sounds outside drowned out Xiao Yuan's voice, but Xu Nuo saw the shape of his mouth clearly and confirmed that he really knew about this.
"We can't bet now, let's go back." Xiao Yuan shook his sleeves, stood up, and closed the window.
The noise outside immediately died down.
Xu Nuo shook his head, stared at Xiao Yuan for a moment and then said seriously: "You owe me a duck leg."
After Mrs. Sun's birthday, Xiao Yuan once ran into her room with a duck leg in her arms. She thought she had eaten good food, but she could never forget the smell. She had eaten duck legs several times during this period, but none of them were as good as that night. The duck legs are fragrant.
When Xiao Yuan saw her like this, he was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed. There was no joking or ridicule in his smile, but a pure smile.
After that, he said "you'll wait" and left the box.
Soon after, the waiter in the restaurant brought a roast duck.
Xiao Yuan then came in, picked up the roast duck and sliced the duck meat as quickly as possible, leaving the duck legs and handing them directly to Xu Nuo.
Seeing Xiao Yuan's skillful knife skills, Xu Nuo asked foolishly: "Did you bake it?"
"Nonsense." Xiao Yuan blocked the promise with two words without even raising his head.
Young Master, I can enter and leave the palace at will because of my cooking skills.
He promised not to ask any more questions and just started eating.
This room promised to have a happy meal, but the Ding family was completely speechless.
Every servant murmured in their hearts about how their own Shiro-kun might not be the number one scholar. Now with this result, Madam is probably going to be fuming with anger. She has to be careful about what she says and do in the future. If she says the wrong thing, she will suffer disaster.
Mrs. Ding was indeed fuming with rage.
Ding Mo got the third place in the first class exam this time. Ordinary people would have celebrated if they could achieve such an honor. However, the Ding family has high expectations for Ding Mo. The third place is not enough, and even the second place is not enough to meet the Ding family's expectations. .
Ding Mo was originally very calm about the opening of the rankings, thinking that he could accept any result.
But not long ago, the boy came in hesitantly, and after a while of ink-writing, he told him that he was not the number one pick this year, but ranked third like his father.
He was stunned.
He thought that no matter how bad he was, he wouldn't get third place, at least he would be second.
He has always wanted to surpass his father, but now he is also ranked first and third.
In this way, he is inferior to his father.
Ding Mo sat quietly in the room for half an hour without moving. It was not until someone announced that someone came to congratulate him that he slowly stood up.
What he doesn't care about is that the so-called No. 1 pick is just a title. He is not a person who values fame. He can face anyone calmly.
Although he comforted himself in this way, when he was about to go out, he realized that he had been holding a tea cup in his hand. He had not put it down since he heard that he was not the number one scholar.
When Mrs. Ding heard the news that someone came to congratulate her, she angrily pushed the reward money she had prepared early to the ground, and the copper coins were scattered all over the floor.
If she had known today, she would not have held a grand banquet in spring.
Now, it feels like a slap in the face. (To be continued)
