Chapter 290 – The Perfume Pouch Toss
Jiang Pengji suddenly laughed, a hint of mischief bubbling up in her heart as she deftly unfastened the perfume pouch from her waist and accurately hurled it into the carriage.
Feng Jin could only stare in shock; Jiang Pengji was too quick, and he didn’t have the chance to stop her.
It wasn’t just Feng Jin who was taken aback; Wei Ci, who was sitting inside the carriage quietly reciting the Tranquil Heart Sutra, felt something unusual in his embrace. He opened his eyes to see a delicately crafted light yellow perfume pouch. Although it resembled something a man would use, it looked more like it belonged to a woman. It seemed oddly familiar…
Driven by curiosity, he picked it up, noticing that one corner was embroidered with a tiny “Xi”. His heart tightened, and his pupils slightly contracted.
He abruptly turned to glance outside. In just one look, he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the window, offering him a rather devilish smile.
Wei Ci turned his face expressionlessly, gritting his teeth as his right hand inadvertently gripped the perfume pouch tightly in his palm.
The pouch crumpled into a ball, his knuckles whitening as turbulence surged within his chest, refusing to settle for a long time.
Jiang Pengji chuckled softly, a glimmer of interest flashing in her eyes.
“Lan Ting… Are you interested in that Young Master?”
Feng Jin watched helplessly as Jiang Pengji’s perfume pouch fell into the carriage of the unfamiliar Young Master, unable to intervene.
“Why do you say that?” Jiang Pengji turned her head to Feng Jin and said, “I just think he’s pure and unpretentious, a significant contrast to those flamboyant tramps. Didn’t you notice? He’s as naturally beautiful as Huai Yu.”
Feng Jin: “…”
Suddenly, he found the term “naturally beautiful” a bit hard to stomach.
He took a deep breath and replied, “Although Lan Ting is playing around, such a personal item like a perfume pouch shouldn’t be casually given away to strangers!”
“Relax, I know that Young Master. It’s just a joke; he won’t mind. It was just to scare him a little.”
Given Wei Ci’s demeanor, even if he minded, he probably wouldn’t have the guts to say it out loud.
She was quite sure that before coming to the capital, she had never met Wei Ci. Yet, he seemed to know quite a bit about her—no, not about Liu Xi, but about Jiang Pengji.
Now, that was intriguing; it made her want to tease a little. Just like when others tossed handkerchiefs or flower pouches, she tossed one too.
Jiang Pengji took a sip of tea with a smile, while Feng Jin looked at her, feeling quite worn out.
Inside Wei Ci’s carriage were all familiar faces, people she had met once or twice.
Unlike those Young Masters who had grown up in the capital, they were accustomed to luxurious attire, which emanated a sense of decadence.
Mr. Yuanjing was a proper teacher, and the students he taught were also quite upright, not resembling the “nobility” of the capital, but more like scholars. More importantly, compared to those flamboyant tramps, these people aligned better with the audience’s aesthetic.
Every time a carriage passed by, the audience in the livestream would go wild, wishing to rush over and embrace the beautiful figures.
【Orange-Flavored Drumstick】: I wish I could time travel! Then I could hug the streamer’s thighs, admire beauties, and maybe, with some Tang poems and Song lyrics, become a rich and beautiful person who marries a handsome and wealthy man, reaching the peak of my life…
【Three Cups of Light Wine】: #Disdain, time travel? First, take a look at your own face! Beauty standards are immense in ancient times. Forget about your Tang poems; even if you’re the reincarnation of Li Bai or Du Fu, without a pretty face, you won’t be getting anywhere.
【Orange-Flavored Drumstick】: #Clutching my chest and spitting blood, sob, sob, you’re so discouraging!
The red silk carriage entered the royal villa one by one. As soon as they got close, a rich floral fragrance wafted over the tall courtyard walls, straight into their noses.
Wei Ci leaned down and stepped out of the carriage. His expression had already regained its composure, and that light yellow perfume pouch had mysteriously vanished.
Han Yu, pretending to inquire, asked, “Zixiao, it seems I saw someone toss a perfume pouch into your carriage. Who’s so bold?”
Wei Ci’s face remained indifferent as he replied, “Just some mischievous and rude person.”
Perhaps due to past experiences, Han Yu seemed more composed than before, yet his eyes still carried a cheerful glint.
If it weren’t for the strange atmosphere, he would have liked to pull Wei Ci aside for a thorough interrogation.
“Don’t let Governor Liu hear that; otherwise, Zixiao, you can forget about passing this year’s evaluation,” Han Yu warned.
Wei Ci still maintained his indifferent demeanor.
Those noble sons who had reached this level were carefully selected from various places in Dongqing, considered the cream of the crop for this generation. Unless there were exceptional circumstances, they typically passed the evaluations, though there were rankings.
If Wei Ci, with the title of Mr. Yuanjing’s top student, were to score at the bottom, not only would it be shameful for him, but it would also tarnish his teacher’s reputation.
As far as he could remember, this was Wei Ci’s first evaluation, and during the parade, the bustling scenes around him felt surreal until that small perfume pouch was maliciously tossed into the carriage, dragging him back from his memories.
“I wonder what questions Governor Liu will ask. My master mentioned the future is unpredictable and advised us to observe patiently and respond adaptively.”
Han Yu sighed. Given Mr. Yuanjing’s capabilities, he could see some clues, but he didn’t reveal anything to his students.
Wei Ci listened with his usual indifference. If the situation hadn’t changed, he knew what this year’s topics would likely be.
However, it was unlucky that the one setting the questions was not the current chief evaluator, Liu Zhi. Who knew how he would phrase them?
“With Liu Zhi’s character, it’s not hard to guess,” Lü Zheng whispered to Cheng Jing, lowering his voice to make a comment.
“Can you really guess?” Han Yu smiled at Lü Zheng.
“My teacher once said that Liu Zhi is a practical man. The questions will mostly relate to governance,” Lü Zheng speculated.
In past evaluations, most involved composing poems, with a crowd indulging in melancholy, or singing praises.
According to hearsay about Liu Zhi in the outside world, he was more practical.
Evaluations targeted picking suitable young talents for Dongqing, not flattering sycophants. Liu Zhi should be quite different from previous chief evaluators. No need to mention how other Young Masters tried every trick to find out Liu Zhi’s preferences, and even their attire had been simplified a lot.
Indeed, if it weren’t for wanting to cater to Liu Zhi’s tastes, Jiang Pengji and the audience would have witnessed a far more extravagant (eye-watering) parade!
Wei Ci didn’t partake in the conversation, merely listening quietly from the side.
Han Yu asked him, “Zixiao usually cares most about this. Don’t you have any insights?”
He lowered his gaze and replied, “If it weren’t for my master’s request, I wouldn’t want to be here. As for what topic Governor Liu brings up, it truly doesn’t concern me.”
As long as he wasn’t at the bottom, it could be considered a pass.
Yes, he was merely passing through.
With the current selection standards in Dongqing, despite his abundant talents, Wei Ci would have no chance of being appointed.
Han Yu seemed to realize something and sighed, not pressing further.
Meanwhile, Jiang Pengji had arrived at the villa alongside Feng Jin. A pleasing fragrance wafted around, and despite it being late autumn, the royal villa was still blooming with flowers. Unknown trees were adorned with bright red blossoms, and the rich scent emanated from them.
The scenery was delightful, and the beauty matched perfectly with the surroundings.
