Suddenly, there was a commotion downstairs. Someone shouted excitedly, "Here he comes! Here he comes! The number one scholar is coming!"
The parade procession finally reached this place.
Twelve junior officials from the Ministry of Rites walked in the front, holding tall crimson banners. Behind them followed the仪仗 of wind and percussion instruments. The imperial guards lined the streets on both sides, looking very imposing.
The man in the very front was riding a tall horse. He wore a brand - new black gauze hat with wings and a bright red round - collared silk robe. A silver belt was tied around his waist.
He was precisely this year's number one scholar.
Indeed, he had a handsome face and an imposing manner.
However, the moment Li Wanming saw his face, the flower in her hand dropped in shock. "How could it be him?!"
The man on the horse was none other than her former fiancé, Pei Yanqi, whom she had hired at the entrance of the Imperial College and then abandoned on their wedding day.
Li Wanming never imagined that the scholar she had casually hired would turn out to be this year's new number one scholar!
What luck... It was just too accurate...
Xiao Jingnan wasn't particularly surprised. Leaning against the chair, he squinted slightly. "What? Are you regretting it, wife?"
At the next table, Sun Miaoqing looked even more shocked than Li Wanming.
Her eyes were about to pop out!
"He, he... Isn't he your... your..."
She suddenly stood up, her finger pointing at Li Wanming trembling constantly. She couldn't utter a complete sentence.
Guo Xinyue's expression finally changed. "What's going on?"
Someone well - informed nearby recognized Pei Yanqi and gasped in a low voice. "I've seen this man! Wasn't he the gentleman who rushed to snatch the bride on the wedding day of the third miss of the Li family? How did he become the number one scholar?"
Hearing their discussion, Chuntao immediately puffed out her chest proudly.
"Yes, that's right! It's Young Master Pei!"
"Unexpected, right? The man our miss casually ditched is this year's number one scholar!"
Guo Xinyue's face changed drastically.
She had heard her father praise Pei Yanqi's talent. So, during a family banquet, she secretly came out to take a look. At first sight, she fell head - over - heels in love and was completely infatuated.
Therefore, she had reserved a window seat in Muyun Pavilion today, planning to throw a flower at him in the street.
She thought that if word got out later, it would be a beautiful story of the daughter of the vice - minister of a ministry admiring the talent of the number one scholar and throwing a flower in the long street, a perfect match...
But she never expected that this man already had a beloved woman!
And he was so infatuated that he even rushed to snatch the bride when the woman was already getting married?
And he didn't succeed?
...
In an instant, the look in her eyes towards Li Wanming turned frosty. The flower branch in her hand seemed to turn into a sharp arrow, as if it would pierce Li Wanming to death the next second.
Li Wanming felt extremely uncomfortable, wishing she could just run away immediately.
However, it was too late.
Guo Xinyue had stood up and was walking over slowly.
"I've long heard that the third miss of the Li family chose a suitable husband among the successful candidates in the imperial examinations. I didn't expect that the third miss of the Li family and Scholar Pei were old acquaintances."
Her tone was gentle, but there was undisguised hostility in her eyes.
"No, no such thing... That's all a rumor, just a rumor..."
Li Wanming forced a smile, stuttering.
"The third miss of the Li family means that you don't know Scholar Pei?"
"I don't know him! I've never seen him before!" Li Wanming blurted out instinctively.
All the women on the street today were here to see Pei Yanqi. If she admitted at this moment that she had almost gotten married to Pei Yanqi, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to leave this street alive.
"But just now..." Guo Xinyue pondered, looking at the maid beside Li Wanming.
Li Wanming said, "Chuntao misrecognized him!"
"Ah?" Chuntao was confused, but immediately changed her words. "Yes, yes, I misrecognized him."
Although she didn't understand why her miss was acting like this, she always stood by Li Wanming and never questioned her words. She always carried them out immediately.
Guo Xinyue frowned. "But you just said Young Master Pei..."
Chuntao said, "What Young Master Pei? Where is there a Young Master Pei! I never said Young Master Pei. You misheard."
Suddenly, Sun Miaoqing showed an expression as if she had discovered the truth and shouted, "I know! You must admire Scholar Pei and mentioned him to Chuntao, so she said in a daze that you had ditched Scholar Pei!"
On the day of Li Wanming's wedding, she heard that there was a disturbance and went to take a look.
But it was too far away, and she didn't see clearly. So she wasn't sure if that person was Pei Yanqi.
Li Wanming: ...
Miss Sun's associative ability was truly unparalleled.
She stood up and faced everyone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to solemnly declare today. I chose my current husband among the successful candidates in the imperial examinations last month.
"There was no such thing as snatching the bride. I've never known Scholar Pei.
"Moreover, as a married woman, how could I possibly admire another man? Don't ruin my reputation!"
"But..." Sun Miaoqing still had some doubts.
Li Wanming ignored her and continued her speech:
"As the saying goes, rumors stop at the wise, and justice lies in people's hearts. I hope everyone will not believe or spread rumors, and clear my husband and me of any suspicion. Thank you!"
Sun Miaoqing said, "Then what are you doing with such a big bunch of plum branches?"
Guo Xinyue's gaze also fell on the flower branches, and her expression became even more unpleasant.
Li Wanming opened the note on it and showed it to them openly.
"I wanted to throw the flower on behalf of my good friend, Liu Yiyi. Her name is written on it."
Seeing the three characters "Liu Yiyi" on the note, Sun Miaoqing finally believed.
Relieved, her expression immediately returned to its usual contempt. "I knew it! How could you possibly know the number one scholar?"
After seeing the note, Guo Xinyue didn't say anything more. She just nodded reservedly and returned to her seat.
Li Wanming wiped the sweat off her forehead. She felt that her back was soaked. It was as if she had survived a disaster.
Xiao Jingnan was still leaning against the chair, motionless. He said coolly, "Not only do they suspect, but even I would think that you admire the number one scholar when I see these flower branches."
"Bullshit!"
Li Wanming pulled him up. "While they're not paying attention, let's go quickly!"
The corner of Xiao Jingnan's mouth curled slightly. Suddenly, he shouted loudly, "Hey, didn't you say you were going to help Miss Liu choose a husband? Why aren't you throwing the flower branches but leaving instead?"
...
Li Wanming glared at him.
As if he didn't notice, he continued, "What? Do you really know Scholar Pei and are afraid that he'll recognize you?"
After he said this, the eyes of everyone in the hall immediately turned back to her.
Li Wanming had no choice but to sit back down dejectedly. She gritted her teeth and said, "What do you want?"
Xiao Jingnan picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. "I think Miss Guo seems to want to see you throw the flower. Coincidentally, I also want to see..."
Li Wanming turned her head and indeed saw Guo Xinyue staring at her.
Moreover, Guo Xinyue picked up the crabapple flower branch on her table and threw it down gently. Then she stretched out her hand slightly, signaling Li Wanming: Please.
...
Now she was really cornered!
If she threw it, she was afraid that Pei Yanqi would recognize her.
If she didn't throw it, it would seem that she had something to hide.
Li Wanming hesitated for a moment. Finally, she gritted her teeth and stamped her foot, throwing out the whole bunch of flower branches in her hand!
Other girls would throw the flowers one by one in order to hit the target, hoping that after several tries, a few flowers would land on the number one scholar.
Li Wanming was different. She thought: Whether I stick my head out or shrink it back, I'll get cut. Anyway, I have to do it, so I might as well get it over with!
Since she had to throw it, she might as well finish it earlier!
...
Ever since Pei Yanqi stepped onto Changming Street, he had been groaning inwardly.
Although the flowers in March had already bloomed, in order to throw them accurately, those women cut off the flower branches together!
The sharp branches were like hidden weapons, hitting him like flying knives!
He felt that as he walked along this street, he was like a living arrow target, with all kinds of sharp objects stuck in his body.
Moreover, he didn't know which unlucky woman had thrown a jade pendant down. It was so hard that it had given him a huge bump on his head!
Scholar Pei just wanted to curse!
...
It was a work - related injury.
It must be a work - related injury!
When he reported to the Ministry of Personnel later, he must apply for a work - related injury for himself!
Just as he was thinking about how to talk to the vice - minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he suddenly heard a whistling sound behind him.
He turned around instinctively and saw a huge bunch of flower branches hurtling towards him like a caltrop!
In an instant, Pei Yanqi seemed to hear the sound of his shoulder bone cracking...