Chapter 1786 – Fragrant Truth
“Chasing Water Melody” wasn’t very exciting, and the stowaways lost interest after a few segments.
Jiang Pengji also took the opportunity to zone out for a bit, but the upcoming “Rite of The Lord” required full attention.
As the students took their turns, the stowaway chatter shifted from Feng Zhen to Jiang Pengji.
Why?
The “Rite of The Lord” tested horsemanship and driving skills, with an element of etiquette—specifically, the students had to pay their respects to Jiang Pengji.
Seeing this familiar scene, the stowaways erupted with excitement.
[Bilibili Animation]: Don’t be afraid to say it, doesn’t this situation look like a grand military review on a certain important day?
[Canteen Lady]: For instance, the host says, “You’ve all worked hard, students,” and they respond, “Serving the Lord!”
[Stowaway Non-Money]: Up there, your name’s on the November list.
[Juicer Juice]: Open the door, check the roster, Dongfeng Express!
Jiang Pengji wasn’t quite grasping the political context of the stowaways’ jokes; she only partially understood the innuendos.
It wasn’t just the stowaways losing their cool; the renowned scholars were fidgeting as well.
They all knew Jiang Pengji’s ambitions, aware that she was just a ritual away from becoming an emperor and announcing it to the world.
However, until she completed the coronation, she couldn’t call herself a “monarch.”
Accepting the homage of Golden Scales Academy students so openly felt unwarranted and incorrect.
Yet ┓(′?`)┏ no one cared about their thoughts; Feng Zhen and the others were thoroughly entertained, and the students felt overwhelmingly passionate while performing the “Rite of The Lord.” Especially the young ladies of Golden Scales Academy, who returned with red eyes after their turn.
“Thank goodness we didn’t listen to them and give up back then; we’re nearly to our sweet rewards now.”
Even with independent household registries and years of education, possessing formidable skills and talents that others respected, these young women still found it hard to believe. They feared everything might be an illusion, beautiful for a while but fading away upon waking up.
Growing up in the academy, most young women weren’t so fixated on marriage.
Their worries centered around their future and prospects.
Therefore, a few resolutely joined the female military corps, now holding varying ranks with promising futures.
Though they risked their necks, the future didn’t leave them bewildered.
Some chose to marry, yearning for stability; being a good wife and raising children seemed just fine.
Once they had sons and daughters, they could teach them the knowledge they gained, hoping to nurture promising heirs.
Each had their aspirations, and no one could force a different choice upon them.
A fellow classmate who got married once said something memorable.
[Lan Ting]: “Even the noble Lan Ting is in his twenties and unmarried; perhaps he thinks all women should wait around in the academy to reach this age. But ah, women can’t compare to men; years just can’t be stretched. Everyone says Lan Ting supports women entering officialdom, but despite us mastering our studies, we still didn’t get any news. Don’t blame me, I’m two years older than you all. I truly can’t afford to wait. You still have time, but I can’t delay anymore; who would want a bride of such an age? Even if I marry, I’d just be a stepmother raising someone else’s kids… I feel like I’m failing Lan Ting’s years of nurturing. If I get a chance later, I’ll certainly repay him.”
Even though Golden Scales Academy tried to insulate its students from outside influences, they didn’t spend all their time there—eventually, they had to interact with the outside world. Facing the reality of their age, watching peers get married and start families, an indescribable anxiety spread within them. They felt like travelers in the dark, unable to see the path ahead, uncertain if they were heading towards a bright road or a treacherous bridge, or perhaps a sheer cliff.
These worries and concerns echoed even among the remaining young women.
Some couldn’t take the risk, so they retreated into the safe harbor of marriage and motherhood.
However, today, when they saw the parade of chariots passing through the gates, looking at Jiang Pengji, all their doubts and confusion faded away. They had ultimately waited for their chance, witnessed the light, and saw that the future was a pathway, not the dreaded cliff they feared.
Compared to the many deductions in “Ming and Luan” and “Chasing Water Melody,” the full score for the “Rite of The Lord” was quite high.
Feng Yi finally received his first full score.
Of course, he wasn’t particularly pleased because the next events were “Dancing at the Crossroads” and “Chasing Birds Left.”
These two tasks severely tested stamina and skill; Feng Yi wasn’t physically up to par, so he had little hope of a full score.
Nevertheless, he still stood out in the “Dancing at the Crossroads” segment; after all, he was handsome and had a good aura!
This performance caught the attention of several noble ladies, who subtly inquired about which family he was from, noting his impressive demeanor.
Upon inquiry, the ladies furrowed their brows.
It wasn’t that they disdained Feng Yi for being Feng Zhen’s son; it was just that he was already betrothed to Feng Jin’s daughter.
No matter how great he was, he was still someone else’s son-in-law!
They kept searching, hoping to spot an eligible bachelor.
Sure enough, a few suitable prospects emerged among the young talented sons of different noble families, looking quite decent.
The hottest prospects were the two legitimate sons from the Feng Gui family.
Even if their scores weren’t stellar, their natural brilliance overshadowed everything!
Especially the eldest son of Feng Gui, as the legal firstborn, he was set to inherit the Feng family.
The second son was also decent; without the pressure of succession, he was suitable for their daughters.
When they learned that the two Feng family lads’ noble mother had divorced and the current Feng Gui lady was a stepmother, their fiery hearts cooled slightly.
Children raised without a mother didn’t seem very reliable…
Jiang Pengji was meticulously assessing the potential of these students while a bunch of noble ladies were busy hunting for suitors for their own children _(:з)∠)_
The stowaways…
They were thoroughly enjoying the ancient-style dressage.
Even if they didn’t understand the intricacies, watching the graceful ladies or the dashing young men on horseback was quite a feast for the eyes.
[What are we thinking?]: After watching this, I just had one thought—I’d love to ride a horse!!!
[Sang Que]: Coach, I want to ride a horse.
[The Scheming Beauty]: First, measure your weight before riding, so you don’t end up breaking the horse’s back.
Riding horses isn’t an option; I don’t own a mine _(:з)∠)_
After the five tests concluded, the overall scores were tallied.
There were forty-six full scores, with thirty-three belonging to the young ladies.
Feng Yi scored twenty-four, landing him in the lower tier, whereas Sun Lan fared slightly better, scoring twenty-seven, which placed her in the upper middle.
Jiang Pengji glanced over the scores and said, “Time is still ample; let’s proceed to the next subject.”
Following the horsemanship came archery.
Archery consisted of three events, each worth ten points, totaling thirty.
To prevent any accidents, the venue was rearranged.
Seeing the new setup, whispers floated around.
“Lan Ting truly has the courage to take risks; isn’t she afraid of being accidentally hit by arrows?”
“Having skills doesn’t mean immunity… she could get too confident…”
Jiang Pengji snorted, “How could such a flag ever come true?”
