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S T E L L A R C L O U D
[Azurixa] [Celeste S.] [Christine G.-L.]
O R A N G E S T A R
[J Jean] [K.Rom] [Smurfinbatik] [Tori D.] [Ziana K.-P.]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Leticia P.] [Maria P.] [Nicole]
G O L D S T A R
[Cindy] [Nanashi D. Y.] [Reece P.]
R A I N B O W S T A R
[Amanda] [Book W.] [Britnae M] [Caroline] [Christigale M.] [DetectiveGeek421] [Hlau V.]
[Ine O.] [Kiiayame] [kuroneko_chan] [Liznel M.] [Michelle K.] [onepiece] [Oushna]
[Quae] [Ray] [Scorpion Princess] [Sweetlove] [Victoria]
After Little Jing Kong planted the kiss, both of them felt bad all over.
Heavens, what kind of sin did he commit to suffer this!?
Little Jing Kong: I sacrificed too much!
Little Jing Kong felt extremely horrible. He stuck out his tongue, rolled his eyes and went out of the study madly!
Xiao Liulang trembled upon coming back to his senses, indicating that he was also horrified.
When Gu Jiao entered the study, the corner of Xiao Liulang's mouth was still twitching in shock.
"Hm? What's the matter?" Gu Jiao looked at him in surprise.
Xiao Liulang coughed lightly, "Nothing."
It was embarrassing and it wasn’t worth mentioning.
Gu Jiao walked into the room and handed him a small brocade box.
"This is——" Xiao Liulang took the box and opened it. Inside was a red satin headband.
He still wasn’t at the age where he could put on a haircrown, and he wasn’t accustomed to using hairpins.
The original headband he was using was already old. This color was a product of Gu Jiao's personal bleaching and dyeing, which suited him just right. It looked as cold as jade, but as gorgeous as peaches and plums.
"Is this... a reward for becoming Huiyuan?" Xiao Liulang asked.
"Huh?" Gu Jiao stilled.
Obviously not. Xiao Liulang lowered his eyes. He didn't say anything, but his appearance somehow looked a little aggrieved.
In an instant, Gu Jiao felt that she had wronged her husband.
Xiao Liulang sighed, "Jing Kong just gave me a present."
What happened to being ‘not worth mentioning’?
His implication was, even Jing Kong rewarded him with a gift, so wouldn't it be unreasonable for her not to give him a reward?
Gu Jiao hurriedly asked, "What gift do you want?"
"Actually, it doesn't have to be anything complicated. Just keep it simple." Xiao Liulang looked straight at her and said solemnly, "On our birthday, Little Jing Kong had it, but I didn't."
The last time Xiao Liulang said that, he got a little kiss from Gu Jiao.
"Oh." Gu Jiao understood in a second. She turned around and went out, and when she entered the study again, she had an extra paper crane in her hand, "Here!"
In Gu Jiao's view, what Little Jing Kong had on their birthday that Xiao Liulang didn't have were the kiss and the paper crane. She had already given him the kiss, so only the paper crane was left.
Xiao Liulang, who didn’t want this paper crane at all:“…"
……
Zhuang residence.
The apricot ranking list was sent to the hands of Grand Preceptor Zhuang and An Junwang.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang had long known the top two results. Except An Junwang, there were no outstanding examinees in the faction of the Zhuang Family this time, so the apricot list was put aside by Grand Preceptor Zhuang when it reached his hand.
An Junwang didn't look at it either.
He had absolute confidence that he would come first in the exam.
He just asked, "Is there a Xiao Liulang on the list?"
Wu Yang answered, "Yes, he’s tied for the first place with Junwang."
"Oh?" An Junwang’s eyebrows slightly lifted up.
Wu Yang handed over the list to him once more.
An Junwang's eyes rested on Xiao Liulang's name and raised an eyebrow lightly, "This Xiao Liulang is quite unexpected."
Wu Yang was about to speak when the servant girl outside the door spoke, "Your Lordship, you’ve arrived?"
Wu Yang hurriedly retreated to one side and hurriedly saluted Grand Preceptor Zhuang.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang waved his hand, and Wu Yang respectfully stepped down.
An Junwang stood up and greeted him nicely, "Grandfather!"
"Hm." Grand Preceptor Zhuang responded.
An Junwang bypassed the desk and waited for Grand Preceptor Zhuang to take a seat in the official hat chair before he sat down in another chair below him.
The servant girl served them tea before slipping out.
The room was quiet, only the sound of Grand Preceptor Zhuang sipping tea could be heard.
An Junwang asked, "Grandfather, why haven't you rested yet at this late hour?"
"To come and see you." Grand Preceptor Zhuang put down the hot tea in his hand and looked at An Junwang unsmiling, "Have you seen the apricot list?"
"En." An Junwang nodded. "I just read it."
Grand Preceptor Zhuang asked, "Is that Xiao Liulang your classmate at the Imperial Academy?"
"Yes." An Junwang nodded again.
After experiencing the undulating officialdom for many years, Grand Preceptor Zhuang could already catch on to certain information with just one look. He cast a doubting look at his di grandson and asked, "Do you know him?"
An Junwang responded with a smile, "Grandfather, do you remember why I persuaded you to have the Imperial Academy reopen?"
Grand Preceptor Zhuang frowned, "You told me that the Empress Dowager currently lives in an examinee’s home, and as long as that examinee enters the Imperial Academy, he will bring the Empress Dowager along to the capital... Is it this person?"
An Junwang answered, "Yes, that's him."
Grand Preceptor Zhuang's eyes grew cold.
An Junwang said, "First, Grandfather need not be anxious and let oneself suffer from excessive internal heat. He doesn’t know Grandaunt's identity. I guess Grandaunt had fainted in front of his house when he was living in that village. Someone in his family knew medicine and recognized Grandaunt's leprosy. Afraid of being sent along to the Leprosy Mountain, they secretly hid Grandaunt and cured Grandaunt’s disease."
"Can leprosy be cured?" Grand Preceptor Zhuang expressed doubts.
An Junwang replied, "I've met Grandaunt, and she indeed had recovered from leprosy."
Grand Preceptor Zhuang didn’t believe that anyone in the world could cure leprosy. Compared with this, he was more willing to believe that the original information they got was wrong, "Maybe the Empress Dowager didn't have leprosy at all, it’s just something that looks like it."
An Junwang didn't refute Grand Preceptor Zhuang’s speculation. It no longer mattered. Empress Dowager had already recovered. As long as they rearranged the situation in the capital and the Empress Dowager recovered her memory, their Zhuang Family would be at the peak of power once again.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang mused, "This examinee is not simple."
An Junwang didn't care much, saying, "It's just a mere Huiyuan. Grandfather doesn't have to take it too seriously. I originally didn't put much effort into this exam."
It was the truth. He really didn't give his all in this exam.
On the other hand, Xiao Liulang must have done his best. Even so, having tied with him for first place was also a testament to Xiao Liulang’s ability.
An Junwang had never met anyone who could compete with himself since he was a child.
Even though the Little Marquis of Zhao was very famous, in his opinion, it was simply because he didn't meet him. If he hadn't gone to the State of Chen to be a hostage prince for nearly ten years, it was unknown who the title for number one young talent of Zhao would fall into.
An Junwang added, "I'm going to keep this person for my own use. Asking grandfather not to touch him."
Naturally, keeping the other party for his own use would be the best. After all, he knew too much. If he took refuge in other camps, it might be detrimental to the whole Zhuang Family.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang let out a sigh, "Since you say so, then I can leave him alone for the time being. However, you have to understand that you must not lose to him again in the palace exam."
What the Zhuang Family wanted wasn’t just any Jinshi, but the top Jinshi among the first class Jinshi!
"I understand." An Junwang smiled faintly and said as though victory was within his grasp, "I will do my best in the palace exam."
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