Chapter 1793 – The First Graduation Ceremony
“It seems like both of my cousins have given up on Lady Gu Zhen.”
As Meng Heng and Nie Xun stood up to take their leave, Liu Zhao finally poked his head out.
Liu Zhi said, “They are simply being smart, though you could say they’ve completely lost faith in Gu Zhen.”
While that’s true enough, Liu Zhao still felt a twinge of sympathy for Gu Zhen, who was now confined in the backyard.
Not long ago, she was living the high life, enjoying luxuries in every aspect, with maidservants whose status could rival that of the Empress Dowager. Everyone treated her like the future Empress Dowager, flattering her and singing her praises, even attributing Jiang Pengji’s current success to Gu Zhen’s skilled guidance, making her dizzy with pride. And now? Locked up in the backyard, everyone avoiding her like the plague, even her two own sons had given her up!
Liu Zhi shot a glare at his son and said gruffly, “Instead of worrying about others, focus on your own concerns.”
After all, Gu Zhen had enjoyed a wealth of privilege and status over the years, while Liu Zhao’s life was just beginning.
Did he really have the luxury to sympathize with others before ensuring his own safety?
Liu Zhao replied, “What do I have to worry about? My sister and I are not competing for anything; our whole family is counting on her to support us!”
As a freeloader, Liu Zhao found himself in a perpetual state of boredom, desperately seeking something to fill his day.
Every day he would reflect on himself, pondering what he was good at, only to conclude after days of thought that his true talent lay in eating, drinking, playing, and enjoying life.
Spending money on enjoyment was truly his greatest skill; struggling for a career felt too far off.
While others toiled tirelessly throughout their lives seeking the finish line, what was he to do?
His sister was the event organizer, and he could simply show up at the finish line and win without lifting a finger. Why exert all that effort?
This line of reasoning sounded so rational that Liu Zhi found himself at a loss for words.
Feeling a surge of irritation, Liu Zhi exclaimed, “Is this all you’re capable of?”
Liu Zhao retorted with his chin up, “Others might spend their entire lives getting to my level, so who’s the real winner here?”
With his current standard of living, outsiders would have to toil their entire lives just to reach the ranks of the bureaucrats.
In terms of annual income, several of Jiang Pengji’s ministers could easily match Liu Zhao, but when it came to disposable income, none could compare. Those ministers had to juggle social obligations, family expenses, and dependents, leaving them with hardly anything at the end of the day. Liu Zhao, on the other hand, had all his needs covered by his sister, enjoying the perks of nobility, and the money he received was all pocket money.
Liu Zhi was left speechless.
The more he looked at his son, who had taken such a wrong path, the more despairing he felt.
According to tradition, now that Liu Zhao was married, Jiang Pengji should have been monitoring his pocket money and having his sister manage the finances.
Yet, this shameless lad refused to have any sense of pride, clinging to Jiang Pengji and whining about how his standard of living had taken a nosedive, begging her for more pocket money. Such shamelessness was not just embarrassing to reveal to outsiders; even the mere thought of saying it privately made him cringe.
And Jiang Pengji, astoundingly, went along with his antics and approved it.
Liu Zhao got even bolder, even asking Jiang Pengji for extra funds to raise his child after having one with Cheng Shi.
“Wasn’t the money I gave you enough to support a child?”
At that time, Jiang Pengji was off fighting in South Sheng, and upon reading Liu Zhao’s letter, she wrote back simply, “You’re the father, but this is also my nephew, so I won’t let my living standards drop because of this child.” In the end, Jiang Pengji could only approve of the funds for the baby’s formula and diapers.
It was rare for a father to be as unreliable as Liu Zhao had become.
Desperate though he was, Liu Zhao had long accepted this, and Liu Zhi felt a small sense of relief.
Hadn’t Gu Zhen reaped a whirlwind for her insatiable desires?
If Liu Zhao could spend the rest of his life carefree, living off Jiang Pengji, that would save Liu Zhi, the father, quite a bit of trouble.
For Jiang Pengji, everything that could be solved with money was never a problem. Ensuring Liu Zhao’s lifelong wealth and privilege was not difficult at all; as long as he stayed true to himself, she wouldn’t mind supporting him forever. This was her way of repaying Gu Min’s kindness.
Even though she had never met Gu Min, she had indeed benefited from the kindness Gu Min provided.
Jiang Pengji was first and foremost someone who knew how to settle scores; she would return cruelty for cruelty and remember kindness warmly.
Liu Zhi flatly dished cold water on his son’s exuberance, saying, “Some matters cannot be wished away just because you don’t want to engage.”
Liu Zhao couldn’t help but perk up, noticing that Liu Zhi didn’t seem inclined to say more, so he humbly asked, “Son is foolish and does not understand, please enlighten me, Father.”
“As long as your sister remains childless, you will always be in danger of being roasted over a fire.”
As Jiang Pengji grew older, the pressure to have children became heavier.
To outsiders, if there were no children, adopting in a relative’s child was the most secure alternative.
Nephews and nieces shared some bloodline with Jiang Pengji, so they could easily be considered her own children.
And therein lay the danger for Liu Zhao.
“Even if my skin is thick, I can’t really tell my sister to go out and sleep with men, can I?” Liu Zhao said, unable to hide a grimace, his expression tormented. “If my sister were a man, or if a man should bear the burden of childbearing, I’d help her find handsome suitors to send to her room to enjoy. But that’s impossible! Ultimately, whether she can have children is still up to her!”
This dilemma was far too much for him!
Liu Zhi said, “Why not just boldly ask? You never know!”
Liu Zhao was speechless.
Dad!
Real dad!
“Are you serious about that?”
Liu Zhao made a fateful inquiry, “What if my sister has a hidden ailment and can’t have children?”
Liu Zhi rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, she can have children; the question is when she’ll be willing to.”
If she couldn’t have children, how would the female emperors mentioned by Gu Min have continued the lineage?
Jiang Yan, as the second female emperor of the Jiang Dynasty, not only carried out her mother’s wishes by ushering in a prosperous era but also laid a solid foundation for the dynasty’s future. Without the efforts of successive emperors, the Jiang royal family wouldn’t survive the storms of reform.
Strangely, while other dynasties had emperors of varying quality, the emperors of the Jiang Dynasty were consistently excellent and wise, setting a standard that was almost despairing in its high average.
According to Gu Min, of all the emperors throughout the Jiang Dynasty, only Emperor Chen had ever been criticized; the rest were beyond reproach.
Interestingly, many web novels that featured time travelers into ancient eras depicted other dynasties as places for aspiring struggles, while the Jiang Dynasty was suitable for romance. According to certain romance and yuri authors, they were unsure if their protagonists could surpass these female emperors, so why not just indebt themselves to them?
There was no way the founders of the Jiang Dynasty wouldn’t be capable of producing children.
If they couldn’t, remarkable female emperors would simply spring forth from stones!
Liu Zhao groaned, “How would I know when my sister is ready? If I could, I’d want to bear the child for her myself!”
Liu Zhi shot a glance at his son.
So much for promising; now he was off trying to defy the natural order!
In summary, Jiang Pengji was facing pressure to have children, yet the most anxious and restless one turned out to be Liu Zhao, who knew that his very life was at stake.
Jiang Pengji had been incredibly busy lately, and Liu Zhao had yet to have a chance to see her.
He was mindful enough to avoid bothering her at such a time.
As he waited and waited, he finally found the perfect moment.
One fine day, under a bright sun.
“Brother Rongli looks especially dashing today, radiating confidence!”
Changsheng was still wearing the blue and white uniform of the Golden Scales Academy, while Feng Yi changed into the graduation attire exclusive to graduates.
The boys in uniform wore the same slim-fitting round-collared shirt, and the waist sash accentuated their tall figures, giving an air of elegance.
Feng Yi usually wore scholarly robes, and he had a rather frail appearance, which made him seem more refined than dashing.
But today, he had completely changed his style, making Changsheng’s eyes light up as she circled around him several times.
“It’s getting late; we need to go to the school field, or we’ll be rude!”
Feng Yi hooked his finger into Changsheng’s palm, gesturing for her not to fiddle with the accessories at her waist, which felt quite embarrassing.
Changsheng remarked, “Jiang Jun is so kind. Today is a big day for Rongli, and I was afraid I wouldn’t have the privilege to witness it!”
She had not been able to attend the previous graduation assessments and thought she wouldn’t be able to make it to the graduation ceremony. However, Jiang Pengji had declared that all students of the Golden Scales Academy could attend! Each branch from other states and counties was far away, yet they could each send dozens of representatives to witness. Just imagining such a grand scene was exhilarating!
Feng Yi nearly missed her mentioning “Jiang Jun.”
Jiang Pengji had changed her name, so her usual titles, “Lan Ting Gong” and “Liu Gong,” were no longer suitable, and she hadn’t clarified what to call her. Outsiders could only choose from “Ming Gong” or “Jiang Gong.” “Ming Gong” sounded fine, but “Jiang Gong” felt a bit odd.
In some popular novels, there was a figure called Jiang Taigong.
Since Jiang Pengji had clearly expressed her disdain for the title “Jiang Gong,” everyone had shifted to calling her Jiang Jun—it meant the same anyway.
The Golden Scales Academy was quite sizeable, and with the representatives from various branches present, there were over two thousand students in the entire schoolyard.
In the same arena but with a shifted mindset, the atmosphere was transformed.
Feng Gui observed the sea of students in their blue and white uniforms and could faintly predict the bright future ahead.
“Jiang Jun’s ambitions are truly vast.”
Would the aristocrats feel a sense of urgency now?
No matter how many members a noble family had, they could hardly match such a scale, let alone the talented youths among them.
This batch of students was nurtured by Jiang Pengji herself. Regardless of their quality, the numbers alone would make it hard for most noble families to sit still.
For the aristocrats wanting control over education and official pathways like before, that was no longer possible.
Feng Jue looked toward Jiang Pengji at the head table and gazed for a long moment.
Feng Jin was unbothered, as the developments of these students wouldn’t impact the Feng clan significantly; in fact, the Fengs might benefit from it. Fundamentally, the Feng family stood on different ground compared to other noble families, which is why they could still banter lightly, watching the storm with amusement.
To suit the festive atmosphere, Jiang Pengji wore a female graduation outfit embellished with complex patterns, draped over a lightweight luxurious robe. The style of her attire matched that of the students.
Mr. Yuanjing led the assembly, with several prominent figures from the academy delivering speeches.
Having worked in education for so many years, they had never felt as joyful as today, especially Mr. Yuanjing, who was absolutely beaming.
A total of 181 students successfully graduated, while a few others failed to meet the requirements or stumbled due to underperformance.
The top three students would receive their unique graduation tokens directly from Jiang Pengji.
According to the rules, the tokens for the top three were made of silver, those for the fourth to fiftieth were bronze, and the remaining students received wooden tokens.
Surprisingly, this year’s top scholar wasn’t the highly favored Feng Yi nor the expected boy student, but rather a girl from the class. Although everyone knew the results on announcement day, seeing the real person still shocked the crowd, leading to a hubbub of discussion.
“You did exceptionally well; you must continue working hard for the upcoming civil service exams,” Jiang Pengji said, personally handing the graduation token representing the top scholar to the young lady.
“I will not disappoint Jiang Jun’s expectations,” the top scholar replied.
The second-highest achiever was a handsome young man, and the comments flowing in the live chat were full of “Hey, handsome, wanna hang out?”
He had never seen such a grand occasion, let alone speak with Jiang Pengji so closely, leaving him so nervous that his muscles were as taut as a bowstring.
Jiang Pengji, too, offered words of encouragement before handing the token to the second scholar.
“You seem like you have something to say to me?”
Noticing the second scholar hesitating to speak, Jiang Pengji inquired.
Seizing the opportunity, he asked, “I heard Jiang Jun was previously attacked; are you now fully recovered?”
As soon as he spoke, a nearby grand scholar darkened his expression and scolded softly, “Inquiring about one’s health? Do you even realize the grave sin in that?”
While it seemed like a reprimand, it also served as protection.
Instead of letting Jiang Pengji lose her temper, it was better for the grand scholar to chastise him first, leaving Jiang Pengji to let it slide.
Jiang Pengji waved her hand in reassurance, “It’s nothing serious, just student concern. I’m fine now, you needn’t worry.”
The latter half of that was directed at the second scholar.
The young man visibly relaxed with a smile, bowing as he stepped back.
Feng Yi and the others, witnessing this spectacle, exchanged puzzled glances, sneakily glancing at Wei Ci.
Wei Ci still smiled, showing no signs of discomfort.
Of course, in his past life, he had seen many lovestruck students; every one of them was treated as a rival—the Jiang court had no lack of competitors!
Feng Yi quietly teased Wei Ci, calling that smile the smile of a legitimate first wife.
As events unfolded, it was now the turn of the third-highest scholar.
Feng Gui, Zhang Ping, and Shao Guang hurried to offer their congratulations to Feng Yi, who happened to be the third-highest scholar!
Feng Zhen was so delighted he could barely contain his joy, but a few sour grapes in the crowd couldn’t help but scoff.
“Not the top scholar or even the second, just the old third horse, acting all high and mighty?”
Nothing but a noble getting overshadowed by two commoners, how ridiculous!
But upon realizing a few other families were also celebrating their children’s graduation, who had barely made the top ten, their hearts felt even more unbalanced.
“There’s your father’s style, but don’t let it go to your head. You still must work hard and not tarnish the family’s honorable name,” Jiang Pengji advised Feng Yi, speaking more as a family member than a formal congratulator.
Feng Yi bowed and stepped back, allowing Jiang Pengji to return to her seat.
The remaining students were presented their graduation tokens by Mr. Yuanjing and others.
Students ranked four to seven approached one at a time, while those ranked eleventh to fiftieth went two at a time, with the remainder grouped in fives.
By the time all students had received their graduation tokens in front of witnesses, an hour had passed.
After the ceremony, some entertainment activities followed, and the earlier solemnity began to wane.
Finally, Liu Zhao found a chance to have a private conversation with Jiang Pengji.
“Sis, there’s something I’d like to ask.”
Jiang Pengji was currently reviewing battle reports from Qi Guanrang and others sent from the border, just as Liu Zhao approached.
