Xie Fengran felt that this man always managed to show up and make an impression when least expected.
In the past, his appearances had caught her off guard, and she hadn't wanted to accept them. But now, he had learned to be more tactful and to cater to her preferences.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Sun Yuelan beside her clicked her tongue twice. "Look at you now. You're all flushed. Confess, have you taken a fancy to the prince?"
"Cough, cough!" Xie Fengran carefully put away the amulet and said seriously, "I'm just in a cooperative relationship with him now. Don't talk nonsense."
Sun Yuelan didn't believe a single word Xie Fengran said. Just as she was about to press for more details, the surrounding suddenly fell silent. A shrill voice at the entrance shouted, "The crown prince is here."
Everyone's gazes turned towards the entrance. The crown prince was dressed in a bright yellow python - patterned robe. Behind him were the second prince, the fourth princess, and Qin Junxing. Escorted by a group of guards, they walked towards their seats.
Xie Fengran took a quick glance and was immediately drawn to the figure in black in the crowd.
Qin Junxing was wearing a long black brocade robe embroidered with hidden patterns today, exuding an air of refinement everywhere. There was a warm jade pendant hanging from his waist, and his hair was neatly coiled up, revealing his delicate facial features.
He bore a three - point resemblance to the crown prince in his eyebrows and eyes, but his bearing was no less imposing, and his looks were even more outstanding.
Xie Fengran still remembered the cold and hard aura Qin Junxing had when they first met, with his eyes fierce and menacing.
It had only been a little over a month, but he had already shed the blood and gore from the border and truly integrated into the life in the capital. Only occasionally could one tell that he was not a sparrow released into the clear sky, but an eagle that had fought in the long sky amidst the frost and wind on the border!
As if sensing something, Qin Junxing in the crowd suddenly glanced in this direction and met Xie Fengran's phoenix - like eyes. The corner of his mouth curled up, showing a knowing smile.
"Ah! The prince is looking at me! Looking at me!"
"You're lying. He was clearly looking at me."
"No, no, he was looking at me."
When Lord Qin smiled, the young ladies sitting around went into a frenzy.
"Why didn't I notice before that the prince is so good - looking? He's even better - looking than the second prince."
"Right! That figure, that face. He's simply a peerless beauty in the world."
Xie Fengran: "..." This guy is doing it on purpose, right!
Right? Right?
Sun Yuelan didn't know what had happened. Hearing what these people said, she almost burst out laughing. She nudged Xie Fengran. "The prince was looking at you?"
"..." You don't have to be so sensitive.
Xie Fengran simply ignored her and shifted her gaze to the high platform in the front.
There were four seats on it, and four examiners were sitting there. They stood up and saluted the crown prince.
"These masters are respected by the emperor. I'll leave today's interview to you. I hope you won't let the emperor down."
The crown prince's eyes swept across the high platform and inadvertently landed on the young ladies. Seeing Xie Fengran listening attentively, the corner of his mouth curled up unconsciously.
It wasn't that Xie Fengran outshone the others in beauty. It was just that on this occasion, her attire was really plain. She was wearing a light cyan silk gauze dress, with only a white jade hairpin in her hair. Without any makeup, her small face was very eye - catching.
The crown prince said a few words, and then Minister Sun came out to announce the official start of the interview. The young ladies held the number tags they had received. When their numbers were called, they would go up.
Those young ladies who had paid their way in didn't have to go through this process. Someone came and led them to Minister Sun.
There were a total of fifty young ladies. Xie Fengran was the twentieth, and Sun Yuelan was the fortieth.
"I'm even further back than you. I wonder what these old guys will ask?"
Xie Fengran wasn't in a hurry. "We'll know once we listen."
The first one to take the stage was the daughter of a vice - minister from the Ministry of Works. When the masters on the stage saw a gaudily dressed 'butterfly' come up, they all frowned.
"I've always said that coming here to examine these girls is a complete waste of time."
The one who spoke was Master Wang, who taught political theory in the Imperial College. He was from the empress's maternal family and was the most opposed to the emperor's decision to reopen the women's college.
Someone beside him echoed, "Master Wang is right. A school is a sacred place. If everyone dresses like this, who will really care about learning? It's really inappropriate."
"This person is on good terms with Master Wang. His surname is Lin. The Lin family has always been attached to the Wang family."
Every time someone on the stage spoke, Sun Yuelan would whisper an explanation to Xie Fengran.
"Beside Master Lin is Master Wu. He's the most old - fashioned and inflexible, but his knowledge is really good." Sun Yuelan pointed at the tall and thin old man on Master Wang's left.
"The master on the far side has the surname Zhou. I don't know much about him, but I heard my mother say that this Master Zhou is the most knowledgeable, but he's very ostracized in the Imperial College."
Zhou?
Hearing this surname, Xie Fengran's heart skipped a beat. There didn't seem to be a master with this surname on the list Qin Junxing had given her!
"Now, let me test you." Before she could figure it out, Master Wang spoke again:
"The Three Obediences and Four Virtues!"
When the young lady on the stage heard this question, she let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief and replied loudly, "Before marriage, obey your father; after marriage, obey your husband; when your husband dies, obey your son. Womanly virtue, womanly appearance, womanly speech, and womanly work!"
Hearing this answer, Master Wang's eyes showed a glint of interest. He stared directly at the young lady and asked, "If that's the case, why do you want to come to the women's college?"
...
"What does this Master Wang mean by asking this question?"
Sun Yuelan wrinkled her small face. She had never heard her mother say that anyone would ask such a question during the interview for the women's college!
The Three Obediences and Four Virtues had not been advocated since Emperor Dezong's time. Bringing it up now was like slapping the women's college in the face.
That stupid girl on the stage actually answered!
Xie Fengran glanced at her. As if knowing what she was thinking, she said indifferently, "They're all old foxes. First, they discuss the attire, and then they criticize. I'm sure this girl can't remember anything at this moment. Naturally, she'll answer whatever is asked."
Sure enough, the girl on the stage answered instinctively, "To find a good husband."
As soon as these words were out, there was an immediate burst of laughter both on and off the stage, except that the expressions of the people on the stage were not very good.
The crown prince stared at Master Wang with a gloomy look in his eyes. If the interview for the women's college was disrupted by the Wang family this time, would the emperor think that he had given the order?
After all, the imperial concubine was from the women's college...
Master Wang seemed unaware. He laughed and said, "Since you're here to find a husband, you should go to a matchmaker. I didn't know that Minister Sun's place had become a matchmaking agency!"
"This is simply going too far!" Sun Yuelan clenched her fists and was about to rush up.
"What are you doing? If you go up now, you'll only humiliate yourself. He'll just say that the daughter taught by Minister Sun has no manners!"
Xie Fengran stopped Sun Yuelan and fixed her gaze on the high platform. The girl on the stage had also realized what was going on by now, and tears were welling up in her eyes.
After Master Wang had had enough of his mockery, he finally let her go off the stage.
Sun Yuelan calmed down a bit, but she still wanted to go on stage. "Are we just going to sit here and watch him humiliate us?"
"Of course not!" Xie Fengran's phoenix - like eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of coldness flashed in them. She said softly:
"I'll do it!"