Changyu didn’t hesitate much before deciding to take Manbao to watch the excitent, so Mingda put down the book in her hand and wanted to go too.
The three of them talked as they walked over, "Didn’t you say you weren’t going?"
Mingda replied, "Since both of you are going, what’s the difference if I go or not? You’d just tell everything when you co back, so I might as well see it myself."
Manbao said, "I think you should have told the emperor directly and gone yourself to choose. After all, you’re picking a husband."
Mingda chuckled, "Aren’t you afraid I won’t choose Bai Cheng?"
Manbao responded, "Although he’s my Junior Brother, you’re also my friend. Naturally, such things should be based on mutual consent. If you think one of those eighteen people is more suitable than him, then pick him."
"Father wouldn’t agree; he would at most decide on a few candidates, and then let Mingda have a look at them."
The three reached the grand hall where the emperor t people as they chatted.
That’s right, it was the grand hall!
They said it was for people to admire flowers, but no flowers were shown; instead, people were brought directly to the hall to be tested on their knowledge.
Those unaware might think the emperor admired their talents and wanted to use them, so they were giving it their all in answering.
Bai Cheng was also putting all his effort into answering.
Aside from the Imperial Academy exams of the past, this was the first ti he felt such pressure during an exam.
More cautious than ever compared to his academic exams, Bai Cheng reviewed in his mind first before writing the answers, his handwriting very ticulous, even surprising himself at how impressive he was.
Upon arrival, Changyu felt a bit awkward, and Mingda led the way, taking the two along skillfully and stealthily sneaking forward.
The guards were unsurprised, and rely blinked as if not seeing them.
Those from the inner court and palace maids were even more familiar, watching as Princess Mingda quietly pulled two others through the door and then hid behind a screen.
Not just the eighteen scholars sitting below, even the emperor sitting above didn’t notice them.
He was lowering his head at that mont, reviewing poems they had just written, tossing each sheet left, middle, or right after reading, with the left being barely passable, the middle needing review, and the right not needing to be considered.
It was Gu Zhong who stepped forward to add tea, subtly hinting a bit, causing the emperor to lift his head, sweeping his gaze across the hall, imdiately spotting the three heads poking out from behind the screen.
The emperor froze for a mont, the paper in his hand trembling slightly.
Gu Zhong cautiously reminded, "Your Majesty?"
The emperor glanced at the poem in his hand and directly tossed it to the right.
Gu Zhong glanced at it, thinking that the poem by ng Zhijie from the Imperial Academy was rather good, at least no worse than what the emperor had placed on the left.
But Gu Zhong didn’t dare say more, as it was about selecting a son-in-law, not talent, and who could tell if a single word might not suit the emperor?
The emperor turned a blind eye, acting like he hadn’t seen the three little heads.
Rarely having the chance to peek here, Changyu was a bit bold, whispering to Manbao and Mingda, "Which one do you think looks good?"
Mingda said, "This is about choosing a husband, not a beauty contest. Why look at appearances?"
"Of course, looks matter," Manbao and Changyu whispered together, "Appearance is still important."
Manbao seized the chance to recomnd her Junior Brother, "My Junior Brother looks quite handso, doesn’t he?"
Changyu had realized earlier that Manbao wanted to match Mingda with Bai Cheng, thinking Bai Cheng wasn’t quite fitting for Mingda.
But seeing Mingda seed sowhat interested in him too, Changyu didn’t speak further. At this mont, she seriously reviewed the looks of the other seventeen people, slightly nodded, and said, "Just looks, he ranks in the top five."
"Top three," Manbao fairly said, "Only those two look better than him, the rest are inferior."
"I also think those two look the best, but those others are fine too."
Manbao refused, "Not as handso as Bai Cheng, see for yourself by asking Mingda."
Mingda took a careful look again and nodded, "Manbao’s right, those two have slightly lesser presence, showing signs of fatigue."
Bai Cheng quietly lifted his head looking to the side, imdiately eting the gaze of the three, causing Mingda to shrink back quickly, pulling Changyu and Manbao with her.
The two also withdrew their heads.
Bai Cheng was dumbfounded, thinking he indeed heard voices earlier, including familiar ones...
Glancing left and right, seeing everyone focused, seemingly unaware of anything, he quickly lowered his head to continue pondering.
Once interrupted, it’s hard to reconnect thoughts; Bai Cheng scratched his head, unable to resist puffing his cheeks.
Lowered, he didn’t see the emperor at the top squinting at him, then glancing back at the trio hiding behind the screen, inexplicably letting out a soft hum.
When ti was almost up, the emperor glanced at Gu Zhong.
Gu Zhong looked at the still-burning incense, lying boldly, "Ti’s up, everyone please hand over your papers."
So handed them over calmly, so with regret and frustration, others with visible joy; Bai Cheng’s face showed a conflicted expression, scratching his head before handing in his paper.
The emperor let them sit back on their mats, scanning their papers rapidly while saying, "Today I intended to summon you to the palace to admire pogranate blossoms, only to find they had gone, leaving only pogranates."
The emperor continued, "People consider having many children and much fortune a good thing. Tell why this is good, and how many children you would want in your lifeti?"
This was a question set by the empress. In his opinion, such questions were unnecessary because who doesn’t want many children? Naturally, the more, the better.
Those unaware thought there was so hidden implication, with imaginative ones even linking it to the current contention among princes or the local regions, believing the emperor intended to establish more prefectures to disperse current prefectural powers...
While those aware only thought of Princess Mingda’s health.
There are scholars like Liu Huan who don’t wish to beco imperial sons-in-law, and naturally, those like Bai Cheng who aspire to be, trying their best to give the emperor a perfect answer to achieve their aims.
Bai Erlang seriously contemplated before telling the emperor, "Your Majesty, I believe children don’t need to be many; three or so is best."
The emperor had heard a lot about the more children, the more fortune, heard others discuss filial loyalty, and had heard half-baked opinions about letting fate decide offspring, but this was the first ti a specific number was ntioned, so he asked, "Why three instead of five, six, seven, or eight?"
Changyu thought: When do so many children resemble pigs?
Manbao pondered, having many children would ruin anyone’s health, like her mother.
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