The Verification at the Hall of Extensive Learning was held every October.
Verification was a test for every student in the academy. The most outstanding students would have the opportunity to showcase their talents, and most importantly, many renowned scholars and court officials would be present to observe, with even the princes watching from the side. If a student performed exceptionally well, they might gain an opportunity to enter officialdom.
In short, displaying one's talents to others was always a way to stand out. Thus, every year, students gave their all during Verification, hoping to earn a notable ranking.
Among the second-year students, Shen Yue was the most accomplished in literature and arts, always shining brightest during Verification. Though Shen Qing couldn't match Shen Yue's poetic talents, she excelled in arithmetic and calligraphy, often securing a high ranking in those subjects.
As for Shen Miao, she was the one who consistently ranked at the bottom. She had no skill in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, nor any understanding of arithmetic or policy debates. Every year during Verification, she would embarrass herself, struggling even to pass the basic tests, let alone participate in the talent showcase. In her past life, Shen Miao had dreaded Verification the most, watching Shen Yue and Shen Qing bask in glory on stage—though she couldn't deny the envy in her heart.
Now, looking back, it all seemed like childish competition. Having experienced far greater trials, she truly didn’t care about Verification anymore.
She glanced at Feng Anning and said, "Verification? I’ve never thought about competing for rankings. What’s the point in fighting for last place?"
Feng Anning was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t expected Shen Miao to admit her poor performance so openly. She studied Shen Miao carefully and asked, "Did you really suffer so much that it changed your temperament like this?"
Shen Miao seemed like a completely different person overnight—calm, composed, and poised in a way that didn’t match her age. Since they sat at the same table, this change in demeanor was even more noticeable.
"Yes," Shen Miao smiled faintly and said nothing more.
Perhaps because young people instinctively respected or admired those who seemed more mature, Feng Anning found herself unconsciously treating Shen Miao with a bit more regard.
After the arithmetic lesson, the students went to the garden outside the Hall of Extensive Learning to rest and play. The girls stayed inside the academy, playing chess or discussing newly written poems, when suddenly, the sound of a startled horse echoed from outside.
"What was that?" Yi Peilan turned her head.
"Let’s go see what’s happening," Jiang Caixuan suggested, pulling Shen Yue along. "Come on, let’s check it out."
Shen Miao had no intention of joining the commotion, but Feng Anning took a few steps before turning back. After a moment’s thought, she grabbed Shen Miao’s hand. "Come with us!"
Shen Miao was surprised. Feng Anning had always looked down on her, let alone initiated such a friendly gesture. Before she could make sense of it, Feng Anning had already dragged her out of the academy.
Outside, many students had gathered at the entrance, drawn by the noise. When they saw Feng Anning pulling Shen Miao along, they cast surprised glances. Shen Yue’s eyes flickered slightly, but she remained silent, while Shen Qing snorted disdainfully through her nose. Ever since learning that Shen Miao also admired Prince Ding, she couldn’t even pretend to be civil anymore.
But what truly shocked them wasn’t that. Cai Lin had just pushed through the crowd and, spotting someone outside, exclaimed excitedly, "Young Marquis Xie!"
Young Marquis Xie? Shen Miao looked out.Outside the vermilion gates of the Hall of Extensive Learning stood a chestnut steed, its coat glossy and smooth, clearly a rare and priceless thoroughbred. The horse kicked its front hooves with a hint of arrogance, its elegant form effortlessly drawing the crowd's attention.
Yet it paled in comparison to the brilliance of the rider atop it.
The young man sat upright on horseback, clad in a narrow black brocade robe embroidered with cloud patterns, draped over with a deep purple sable cloak. His right hand idly toyed with a riding crop, his features sharp and striking—sword-like brows, starry eyes, and an exceptionally handsome face. The corners of his lips curled slightly in a smirk, his gaze icy and detached.
Instantly, young girls in the crowd blushed, forgetting their surroundings as they boldly folded their handkerchiefs into silk flowers and tossed them toward the young man. Ming Qi's customs were liberal, especially lenient toward the youthful whims of boys and girls.
A silk flower landed in the young man's lap. He picked it up, twirling it between his fingers with a faint smile. The girl who had thrown it clutched her chest, her face flushed, utterly enchanted.
But in the next moment, his mischievous grin vanished. The silk flower fluttered to the ground, crushed beneath the chestnut steed's hooves into a crumpled mess.
He lazily straightened his posture, exuding an innate, overwhelming aggression that, paired with his striking looks, amplified his allure to perfection. He was the kind of person who commanded attention effortlessly.
What a cold and ruthless person.
Yi Peilan murmured, "It's the young Marquis of the Xie family."
Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. The young Marquis of the Xie family—Xie Jingxing.
Many of Ming Qi's current aristocratic families owed their status to the meritorious deeds of their ancestors who had fought alongside the founding emperor. Over generations, some families retained only their illustrious names, hollow inside, while others flourished even more brilliantly.
There were civil officials like the Feng family and military generals like the Shen family. If the Shen family, with generations of military service, were known for their steadfastness and honesty in warfare, then the Xie family, wielding formidable military power, were notorious troublemakers inside and out—so much so that even the emperor found them impossible to handle.
Perhaps it was because the Xie family had a rebellious streak in their bones. Their actions were often reckless—like disregarding orders from the distant capital to retreat, choosing instead to press their advantage with unorthodox tactics. They even justified it with the saying, "A general in the field may choose whether to follow orders." Yet the imperial family could do nothing about it because the Xie family never lost a battle.
The Shen and Xie families had always been at odds, partly due to the deliberate estrangement and provocation by the late emperor to maintain a balance of power in the court. Shen Xin and the Marquis Xie had never seen eye to eye politically. Shen Xin despised Xie Ding's aggressive and unorthodox battlefield tactics, while Xie Ding scorned Shen Xin's reliance on military manuals, deeming him rigid and inflexible. Beyond their quarrels in court, the two families had no interaction—a situation the late emperor had clearly encouraged.
After Xie Ding's wife passed away, he never remarried, keeping only one concubine who bore him two sons. This meant Xie Jingxing had two illegitimate younger brothers. Perhaps out of pity for his eldest son's early loss of his mother, Xie Ding doted on Xie Jingxing excessively, ultimately molding him into a lawless and unruly character.Yet even so, Xie Jingxing remained an extraordinarily brilliant man. Apart from his inherently mischievous and aloof nature, his talents, intellect, looks, and family background were all among the finest in Ming Qi. Otherwise, so many young women wouldn’t have secretly admired him in their hearts.
What a pity, Shen Miao sighed inwardly. Such an outstanding young man would ultimately meet a tragic end—pierced by countless arrows, his skin flayed and left to dry in the wind.
Perhaps the pity in her gaze was too obvious, for the young man suddenly turned his head toward her. His deep, star-like eyes flickered slightly as he gave her an inscrutable look.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Is my son handsome? Handsome! Or! Not!
OpenNovel