chsdbacks Page 14
Page 14
In the following days, Baochai's health gradually improved, and Tanchun and her sister came to visit Daiyu. Gu Yu then found an excuse to invite them to be his hosts and take a closer look at the beauties in the Jia family now.
Although Baoyu was among them, Gu Yu ignored him and looked closely at Baochai and the three sisters, who radiated a rare enthusiasm.
For the first time, Daiyu felt that Zijuan's suggestion might be a bit unreliable, but she was also afraid that she had made a wrong judgment, so she became a little sullen after the game.
Gu Yu was even happier when she saw this, thinking that Li Wensong was a rare reliable person. She decided to treat them to a meal when they arrived at the Imperial College, so she tried even harder to win over the other girls.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. As always, Gu Yu got up early, stretched her body, had breakfast, and then went out.
If luxury sports cars are irresistible to modern men, then a fine steed is even more irresistible throughout history!
Moreover, compared to modern transportation, without Xiangling and the others accompanying her, Gu Yu really didn't want to ride in that slightly bumpy sedan chair.
After arriving in the capital, because he was still young, someone specially sent him a gentle mare to practice riding. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Gu Yu knew where it came from.
With the development of the times, the imperial chariot skills test in the Six Arts of this dynasty has gradually degenerated from the ancient chariot driving test to horse riding skills.
Although her horse was slightly smaller than the others', Gu Yu didn't care. She happily took care of her first prized horse. Fortunately, the legendary scenes of classmates looking down on her, bursting into laughter, or publicly humiliating her didn't occur.
During the more than one hundred years of peace and prosperity under the Great Qian Dynasty, the capital city underwent several expansions. The main roads were nearly thirty zhang wide, with several lanes in the middle that allowed carriages and horses to travel quickly, so even within the city, one could ride a horse at full gallop.
However, anyone who dares to do this without some family influence will be summoned for questioning by the Prefect of the Capital.
Unwilling to attract attention, Gu Yu rode his horse along a side road to the Imperial Academy, so he didn't encounter any classmates along the way and slipped in through a side gate.
He dismounted with practiced ease and led the horse to the backyard, where, as expected, Li Wensong and Kong Chengli were waiting, looking at him with disdain.
Gu Yu's face stiffened as she carefully considered what flaw she might have revealed. Could it be that she had been found out that she cuddled with Xiang Ling every night while sleeping? That shouldn't be the case...
However, before he could even speak, Li Wensong impatiently spoke up.
Seeing Gu Yu step forward, Li Wensong raised an eyebrow and said with a strange expression:
"It seems Yu Meiren is quite shrewd... She had her eye on you when you were six years old? I refuse to believe that you only started having those thoughts after returning to the capital this time!"
After hearing the story of Gu Yu's so-called friend, the two of them did some special investigation. In the past few years, only a Miss Lin had been taken in by the Jia family. Although they had three daughters of their own, Kong Chengli carefully calculated and concluded that the opportunity had fallen to this Miss Lin.
Thinking back to their ages at the time, it's a bit absurd, yet it also evokes a touch of bitter jealousy.
Just like how those without sisters all wish they had one, after "seeing" Gu Yu's story, they also wanted to have a childhood sweetheart like that...
Gu Yu was startled and was about to blurt out, "How did you know?!", but after hearing the undisguised sourness in Li Wensong's words, she realized what he meant and put on a smug look.
"Hmph! A scholar's affairs—that's not just 'concern,' that's 'true affection'!"
They deliberately said things like "childhood sweethearts," making the two nearly fifteen-year-old single guys' faces contort with jealousy.
Seeing that the two losers were about to come up and beat someone up, Gu Yu decisively shut up and steered the conversation toward today's main topic: revealing names.
Do you think it'll pass?
"Oh dear, I didn't perform well this time. I guess I have no hope of finishing in the top five. Let's see if I can at least finish in the top ten!"
Kong Chengli, gentle and refined, said modestly, "The upper dormitory is full of hidden talents. There may be a master who will go all out in the last round. I can only do my best."
As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on Gu Yu with a meaningful look, a half-smile on his face.
I still remember when we were not familiar with each other, Gu Yu was ranked in the top class, but he was always at the bottom. Even if the questions on the classics were very simple, he would still get three questions wrong and almost dropped out several times.
However, after they got to know each other better, they found that Gu Yu still got three questions wrong in several increasingly difficult tests.
Moreover, regardless of the topic, the quality of their essays remained remarkably consistent, and they gradually began to appreciate their approach.
On a dark and stormy night, the two of them caught Gu Yu and interrogated him for a while. He finally confessed the truth, leaving the two of them speechless with tears in their eyes.
"I don't know if it's difficult or not, but it all seems pretty easy. Just pick three questions and deliberately answer them wrong."
...
Gu Yu chuckled and didn't reply. The three of them headed towards the school. If nothing unexpected happened, this would be their last day at the Imperial Academy.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Can gay men just leave?
During the previous dynasty, the Imperial Academy was originally located outside the capital. However, when the current dynasty attacked the capital, the Imperial Academy was miraculously preserved because it was abandoned.
Later, the founding emperor decided to learn from the experience of previous dynasties and reopened the Imperial Academy, selecting the best talents in the country to enter it, also known as the Imperial Academy students.
Although some meritorious officials and gentry did become students of the Imperial Academy through hereditary privilege, and some landlords and wealthy families donated money and grain to become students of the Imperial Academy through donation, they were not the same as those selected from the various states across the country. Nine times out of ten, they were just getting by in the outer dormitories.
Gu Yu was originally supposed to go through the connections of Li Wan's father, Li Shouzhong, through Lin Hai. However, unexpectedly, Li Shouzhong had already been transferred when Gu Yu arrived in the capital, and it was uncertain whether he was even willing to help.
Later, it was Gu Yu's outstanding performance that earned him a letter of recommendation and the appreciation of the current Chancellor, which allowed him to infiltrate the Imperial Academy without anyone noticing.
The unveiling of names is a unique rule of this dynasty.
The Imperial Academy was a melting pot of people, including the most talented individuals in the country and the children of wealthy families. Therefore, each student was given a number upon enrollment, and the corresponding information was known only to professors and officials of higher rank, in order to prevent the arbitrary oppression of students from poor families.
Of course, having a powerful family background naturally provides ways to obtain information, but it's still much better than the increasingly decadent Imperial Academy of the past!
After several expansions, the Imperial College, including the horse farm, covers nearly a thousand acres. The capital city has also expanded several times, and its teaching area has long been incorporated into the city.
There were 5,000 places available, with about 4,100 to 4,200 of them being students of the Imperial Academy. Of these, 1,000 were in the outer dormitories, with four students per room. Although the children of wealthy families didn't care about these places, they were rare accommodations for those from poor families.
The inner quarters consist of 480 rooms, with two people per room, while the upper quarters consist of 40 rooms, with one person per room.
Apart from the outer dormitory, which was inconvenient to manage due to its large number of students, the inner and upper dormitories were managed as elite institutions. Not only did students reside at the Imperial Academy for extended periods, but the courses were also rich and diverse, and the professors were all renowned scholars and literati.
Therefore, with very few exceptions, it can be said that it has captured all the elites in the world!
Of the officials of the third rank and above in this dynasty, 70% came from the Imperial Academy, and 80% of them were from the Inner and Upper Schools!
The Inner and Upper Schools are assessed monthly. Every six months, the top twenty students in the Inner School can challenge the Upper School. Those who graduate and are ranked in the Upper School can be recommended to the Ministry of Personnel by the Chancellor, which is equivalent to winning at the starting line.
As for the upper dormitory, the last ten spots are usually given to newly enrolled high-achieving students, while the original bottom ten can only fall into the inner dormitory, and the results will be announced next month.
Because Gu Yu deliberately concealed his abilities and was young, he was challenged quite a bit when he first arrived, but he always won by a narrow margin, barely escaping elimination. As a result, no one bothered to challenge him anymore.
Some people suspected that he was being unassuming and deliberately let people ranked higher than him challenge him, but Gu Yu could still remain calm and say that he was "slightly inferior," leaving people speechless.
...
The three chatted and laughed, and it took them half an hour to walk from the backyard stables to the main school. At least they weren't late.
Not everyone can be named at the graduation ceremony; generally, only the top twenty students in the upper dormitory and the top three students in the inner dormitory can gain fame among all students of the Imperial Academy nationwide.
This is the scene that these young people yearn for the most, besides the Imperial Street Parade and the Qionglin Banquet; even the Deer Cry Banquet can't compare to this!
When the three arrived at the main school, most of the crowd had already gathered, so they casually found a corner and sat down side by side. Although they were in a corner, they still attracted the attention of most of the people present.
There was no way around it; two of the three consistently ranked in the top five of the dormitory, and the third, although not as academically gifted as them, had become increasingly strikingly handsome with age, attracting the attention of many.
However, the three of them are basically inseparable on weekdays, so there are fewer people coming to bother them.
Once all forty people had arrived and sat for a while, about half of the officials, starting with the chief minister, arrived and filed in through the main gate. The others went to their respective outer and inner quarters.
The graduation ceremony for revealing names changed with the autumn examination schedule. The names on the exam papers were numbered, and the list of successful candidates was sent to the Imperial College in advance. At that time, the names of the candidates who wished to reveal their names were recorded.
Only the bottom twenty students or those who did poorly on the exam were not included in the official list because they were ashamed of their ranking. Their names were simply replaced with numbers on the official list and reported to the Ministry of Personnel.
Generally speaking, once you've accumulated enough points, it's time to participate in the autumn imperial examination, so very few people graduate and go home before participating in the autumn imperial examination.
Doing so would not only reduce the chance to become famous, but also deprive you of the atmosphere of studying at school for a year. Only a fool would run away in advance!
However, Gu Yu had only participated once as a spectator during his first year of school. The process was tedious and boring, and he almost fell asleep. It was only when he made a name for himself on stage that the enthusiastic atmosphere around him woke him up.
Gu Yu was confident that he would pass the imperial examination and become a Juren, and he also knew that he was just a participant in the examination. So he didn't care and just sat there lost in thought.
"Qingwen seems a bit resentful these days. Could she be jealous? Looks like I need to have a serious talk with her... It's time she knew I always intended to take her as my concubine..."
Gu Yu didn't hear a word of what the chief priests on the stage were saying. She only glanced at Kong Chengli and Li Wensong when they went up, and after hearing a few words of official language, she felt dizzy and didn't care anymore. She continued to think about the fragrance on Hao Xiangling's body.
"How about we try some rouge today? I think Xiangling's been eyeing it... Yes, that's right, as the young master, I should be considerate of my servants..."
……
Lost in his thoughts, Gu Yu didn't notice the two scholars next to the chief priest staring at him from time to time. It wasn't until everyone started leaving that Li Wensong patted him on the shoulder and brought him back to his senses.
"Beautiful Lady Yu, Brother Kong and I are going to make a name for ourselves in front of the Imperial Academy. Would you like to join us?"
They already knew that Gu Yu was not in the top twenty as expected. Given his personality, he wouldn't even bother to register on the honor roll. They felt it was a great pity and sympathy for him.
After all, which scholar in the world wouldn't want to be famous throughout the land?! It's a pity that Gu Yu was forced to "retire," which truly saddened his friends!
Seeing Li Wensong's barely suppressed smile, Gu Yu's lips twitched, and she said speechlessly, "Do you think I have nothing better to do? Standing there for half a day, I might as well go home and continue..."
Li Wensong's face stiffened, but he asked calmly:
"Your friend... has tried that method? How did it feel..." He took a small step back, ready to run away at any moment.
Gu Yu gave him a grateful smile and said sincerely, "I didn't expect Brother Wensong to be so reliable. My friend's cousin was indeed predicted. I believe it will definitely be effective."
Li Wensong secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but was also puzzled. Could it be that I am truly destined to be a romantic? His confidence soared, and he couldn't help but feel smug.
"Of course, I've always been a womanizer, never getting a single petal on me. Such a small matter is naturally a piece of cake for me. Just don't forget the conditions you promised me."
……
Kong Chengli's pupils dilated slightly. He hadn't expected this kid to actually stumble upon a lucky break. Or did he actually have some skill? Thinking about his own situation, his mind gradually became chaotic.
"How about... I ask him about it later?"
……
The three of them were preoccupied with their own thoughts when suddenly another person walked over. Li Wensong happened to be facing him, and upon seeing the newcomer, he couldn't help but pat Gu Yu with a strange expression, signaling him to turn around and look.
Gu Yu turned around in confusion, and his face immediately darkened. The person who came was none other than Zhu Xin, the one whose bones had been broken half a year ago on his way back to the capital.
Looking at the increasingly handsome Gu Yu, although Zhu Xin felt a slight pain in his ribs just from seeing his eyes, which had completely eliminated the effeminate quality on his face, he felt a burning passion in his heart.
Zhu Xin stood frozen in place ever since he passed by the pavilion that day and saw Gu Yu resting alone there.
He had never seen such a stunningly beautiful woman, but upon seeing her Imperial Academy student robes, he knew she was a man.
He had actually met Gu Yu a few times, but he was still young at the time and didn't have any particular feelings for her. In addition, Gu Yu deliberately kept a low profile and had Li Wensong and Kong Chengli help cover for her, so she rarely interacted with others.
Now that they all know about matters between men and women, Gu Yu has grown even more handsome. Coupled with his delicate and fragile appearance when he closes his eyes to sleep, he instantly captivated Zhu Xin, who was exhausted from his field research.
He should have felt like he'd been struck by lightning, but after glancing at Gu Yu once, then again, and again... by the time he came to his senses, he had already quietly walked up to Gu Yu.
As a scion of a noble family, he had heard plenty of such absurd and outrageous things, and naturally knew that some people enjoyed using male prostitutes to relieve their lust.
He had previously scorned the idea of having a relationship with his personal maid at a young age, but upon seeing Gu Yu, it seemed as if some shackles in his heart had been broken...
The moment he felt a slightly cool touch on his fingertips, he saw Gu Yu open her bright eyes. The delicate beauty on her face when she had her eyes closed seemed to be just an illusion he had just had.
Then he saw a diced elbow, and the next second a sharp pain shot through him, and he lost consciousness...
After returning to Beijing, he even sought out several famous courtesans to vent his frustrations.
But after indulging himself, Gu Yu's image became clearer and clearer in his mind, yet he didn't even know her name, which made him feel even more tormented.
"Sisanjiuliu, what is your real name?"
He had thought that this revelation would reveal Gu Yu's real name, but to his surprise, Gu Yu didn't show up. Unwilling to give up, he saw people starting to leave and hurriedly squeezed through the crowd.
The two people behind him couldn't help but laugh when they heard the familiar sentence.
On the way back to the capital, Zhu Xin, whose injuries had not fully healed, came to see him several times.
"Si San Jiu Liu, I just want to be friends with you, I have no other requests."
"What you say is very true, but I am used to being aloof and am not a good friend. I'm sorry."
...
"I was just out of my mind before, I'm not that kind of person who indulges in debauchery!"
"Yes, yes, it's just a misunderstanding, don't worry about it."
"..."
"Yes, yes."
"..."
"Ah, yes, yes."
……
Thinking about Gu Yu's lazy tone, it was really quite amusing. Now that this gay man was sticking up to her again, Gu Yu finally lost patience with him.
"Did a few polite words give you the wrong impression? Are you going to keep nagging me? Wasn't my meaning clear enough?"
Zhu Xin's expression changed, and he was about to speak when Gu Yu stopped him.
"You don't need to put on a show of sincerity here. Your sincerity is nothing but cheap impulsiveness, it's disgusting. Can you please stop coming here to act crazy in the future?"