The verification officials on the stage were evaluating the results, while the students below engaged in lively discussions.
Today, Shen Miao had not made a fool of herself, which made the verification somewhat dull but also drew the attention of classmates who usually ignored her. People are strange—when someone who is usually terrible shows even slight improvement, others might see it as a remarkable turnaround.
Feng Anning, however, seemed nervous, frequently glancing toward the verification officials on stage. For some reason, the officials appeared to be arguing among themselves.
"It seems today is quite intense," Fu Xiuan remarked with a laugh. "But for young ladies, why be so competitive? After all, they won’t be entering officialdom." His tone carried a hint of arrogance, unconcerned about offending the officials nearby—some of whom had daughters among the students who had just performed.
"The verification is a rare opportunity," Fu Xiuyi said. "Naturally, one should make the most of it."
"Ninth Brother speaks wisely," Fu Xiuxuan replied, taking a sip of tea from his cup. "If there are any particularly outstanding young ladies, Ninth Brother might consider taking note." Though he appeared calm, he was shrewd and difficult to handle. His words, both overt and subtle, were probing whether Fu Xiuyi would seek a wife with a powerful background.
"Fifth Brother jokes," Fu Xiuyi shook his head. "My marriage will be decided by His Majesty. How could I presume to have a say?"
This was true. Fu Xiuyi’s actions were usually dictated by the emperor, and he rarely took initiative on his own. To outsiders, such a prince seemed excessively docile and lacking ambition—much like Consort Dong. But in the eyes of Prince Jing Fu Xiuxuan, there was always something slightly different about him.
"In life, one must strive for something—even in choosing a wife, isn’t that so?" Prince Jing’s words carried hidden meaning. "Until the very end, who knows what the outcome will be?"
Prince Zhou also sensed his younger brother’s probing of Fu Xiuyi. His eyes flickered, but he remained silent.
Before long, the verification officials on stage stepped forward to announce the results.
In the qin category, as expected, Feng Anning took first place. Among this group, there were no particularly outstanding performers, making Feng Anning’s skill stand out. Naturally, she was delighted. She went up to receive the verification certificate and happily brought it down to show Lady Feng. Lady Feng was pleased—such honors, though not leading to official positions, were like icing on the cake for young women. Noble families’ children lacked neither wealth nor status, but their talents and beauty clearly set them apart in rank.
With today’s verification, Feng Anning had elevated her standing.
In the chess category, Bai Wei claimed first place. A verification official specializing in recording chess matches displayed the recorded moves to the audience to ensure fairness. Shen Miao glanced at the board—throughout the matches, Bai Wei’s play had been meticulous, allowing her to advance to the final round. However, her excessive focus on minor details had hindered her ability to see the bigger picture, making her moves sluggish and somewhat redundant.In the literary category, Shen Qing only secured second place. The top spot went to Yi Peilan. Her melancholic poem about chrysanthemums, written from the perspective of a secluded maiden, was elegantly charming. Although it might be considered somewhat inappropriate for an unmarried young girl to compose such verses, the Hall of Extensive Learning prided itself on breaking free from the constraints of propriety and was not overly strict with its female students. Moreover, the poem was genuinely delightful in its sentiment, not merely praising chrysanthemums but using them as a metaphor for longing, adding another layer of depth.
Shen Qing’s expression darkened, though poetry was never her forte, so she could only resign herself to the outcome.
Finally, it was time for Shen Miao’s group—the "painting" category.
The judges on the stage wore varied expressions, suggesting that this category had sparked the fiercest debate. The ladies in the audience speculated that the competition must have been between Shen Yue and Qin Qing, as these two were often compared in the Hall of Extensive Learning. Qin Qing sat haughtily in her seat, appearing utterly indifferent to the results, though her fingers gripping the teacup were slightly stiff.
In contrast, Shen Yue seemed much more composed. She sat beside Chen Ruoqiu, her gaze playful and shy, while Chen Ruoqiu looked at her tenderly. This daughter of hers was clever and talented, excelling in all the arts—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Every year during the Verification, she stole the spotlight. Seeing her so cheerful today, it seemed victory was all but assured.
Shen Yue was indeed confident. She had the skill, the creativity, and even the thematic depth. It was as if she had already deciphered the judges’ preferences and could always deliver her best work. So what if Qin Qing was beautiful? Beauty alone was useless. The thought of uselessness made her glance at Shen Miao, seated elsewhere. Today, Shen Miao had caused her such humiliation. She had expected Shen Miao to embarrass herself on the Verification stage, yet somehow she had escaped unscathed. But now, with the paintings about to be displayed for all to see, Shen Miao would surely face ridicule.
No matter what, she was bound to become a laughingstock. A flicker of satisfaction crossed Shen Yue’s heart.
The Verification official responsible for announcing the results proclaimed loudly from the stage: "First Class in the painting category—Shen Miao—"
Shen Miao? First Class!
The announcement sent shockwaves through the crowd. The uproar drowned out the names of the other winners read afterward.
Shen Yue’s smile froze instantly. Disbelieving, she turned to Chen Ruoqiu, her voice trembling: "Mother, who—who was just announced as First Class? Did I mishear?"
Chen Ruoqiu pinched Shen Yue’s arm. Though inwardly furious, she had decades more experience and knew many were watching for Shen Yue’s reaction. If Shen Yue had remained composed, it would have been fine, but this display of distress was already a misstep.
Shen Qing and Ren Wanyun, though gleeful at seeing Shen Yue humiliated for the first time, were equally stunned to hear Shen Miao’s name. They wondered if the official had mistaken Shen Yue for Shen Miao.
Whispers spread among the ladies, and the men’s section was no less chaotic.
"What’s going on? Why wasn’t it Yue?" Cai Lin stood abruptly, turning to her classmates. "Did I mishear? Did that old man read it wrong?"
She wasn’t the only one with such thoughts, especially among the young men who had studied with Shen Miao. They exchanged looks of utter astonishment, discussing the outcome in disbelief."Look, brother, I knew she would win." Su Minlang tugged at Su Mingfeng's sleeve. Among the crowd, he was probably the happiest, his plump cheeks quivering with joy.
Su Mingfeng had a headache. Who would have thought it would be Shen Miao? Before every verification, underground betting pools would open, and he had placed a thousand taels on Shen Yue!
Well, there goes a thousand taels down the drain. If Master Su found out, he'd skin him alive. Glancing at Su Minlang bouncing with delight, Su Mingfeng wanted to cry but had no tears.
Pei Lang frowned, but instead of looking at the verification official on stage, his gaze fell upon the purple-robed maiden in the women's seating area.
Her face was unusually calm, indifferently observing everyone's shock and disbelief.
She had known all along that she would win.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Don't panic, the young marquis is on his way~ (≧▽≦)/~
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