Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 151: Third Lifetime Extra 5
Shen Shu realized she had stepped on someone and quickly turned around.
Zhou Shu’an was tall, so when Shen Shu turned, her eyes only reached the sharply defined adams apple. Looking up a bit more, she saw the corners of his mouth curved in a faint smile.
She looked down at his foot and said, “Are you alright, My Lord?”
“I’m fine,” Zhou Shu’an’s deep voice brushed past the tips of her hair. “Came to see the results?”
That tone, to a maiden’s ears, sounded no different from: “Did you come to see me?”
Shen Shu looked up and met his gaze, and at that moment, she recalled the large characters on the golden list behind her:
Third Place: Sui Yu.
Second Place: Cheng Jiarong.
First Place: Zhou Shu’an.
Though she had overheard his conversation with her father from behind a screen and knew he was quite learned, she hadn’t expected this man to top the imperial exams.
Shen Shu slowly said, “Congratulations on your success in the examinations.”
Zhou Shu’an looked at the seventeen-year-old Shen Shu, stunned by her words.
In my past life, I also saw you at this very moment. But that ‘congratulations’ wasn’t for me.
You only stepped on me, said sorry, and left.
After that, all of Chang’an was saying that the eldest daughter of the Yunyang Marquis’ household might marry Li Di.
Zhou Shu’an replied, “Thank you.”
Just then, a brightly dressed matchmaker came up to him and began the usual post-results matchmaking, “Have you married yet, My Lord?”
Zhou Shu’an frowned.
The matchmaker raised her brows. “The Lu family has a sixteen-year-old daughter, stunningly beautiful. Are you interested?”
Zhou Shu’an glanced at Shen Shu and said, “No need.”
The matchmaker was sharp-eyed. One glance at Shen Shu’s attire and looks told her much. She stepped closer and whispered, “How about taking a concubine, then?”
“No.”
Hearing this, Shen Shu quickly bid farewell—this was no conversation she should stay to hear.
She grabbed the stunned Shen Yao and left.
Zhou Shu’an wanted to follow, but was suddenly blocked by a group of fellow scholars.
“Rongjing, congratulations! First time sitting for the exams and you’re already the top scorer!”
“Brother Zhou, was that the daughter of the Yunyang Marquis just now? The one you saved from the lake? Should I be offering congratulations in advance?”
Some were genuinely congratulatory, others less so.
One man, in a sarcastic tone, said, “You always acted so modest—who knew you were so calculating? No wonder they say, ‘It’s the quiet dogs that bite hardest.’”
This speaker was a friend of Lu Shiyi, a man from Longxi.
He had failed five years in a row.
Lu Shiyi had hoped to rank in the top three this year but barely made sixteenth, while someone he deemed unworthy had taken the top spot. He was bitter and full of resentment.
He strode up to Zhou Shu’an and said darkly, “Congratulations.”
Zhou Shu’an replied, “Thank you.”
“Hah,” Lu sneered. “Thank you? I must’ve misjudged you. Didn’t expect you to hide your hand so well.”
Zhou Shu’an calmly said, “It seems Brother Lu has misunderstood me.”
Lu snapped, “Zhou Shu’an, this is Chang’an. Every year we get a new top scorer, but not all of them become officials. If you can’t pass the Ministry of Personals’s examination, this is where it ends for you.”
“To be an official, you first need to be a man of connections. Understand?”
Zhou Shu’an nodded, “Thank you for the advice.”
Lu Shiyi had no idea that this supposedly low-born, friendless scholar would not only pass that exam and become an eighth-rank censor, but soon after would gain the Emperor’s favor and rise to Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple. Trusted by the monarch himself.
Within a year, the current Minister of Justice would be forced to resign for repeated blunders—and Zhou Shu’an would take his place.
Lu Shiyi turned away with gritted teeth, saying, “Don’t disappoint me, Brother Zhou.”
Zhou Shu’an sighed helplessly.
If it hadn’t been to save Shen Shu from drowning, I never would have had anything to do with Lu Shiyi.
Soon after, Shen Yao spotted Sui Yu.
Shen Shu teased her, “Look at you, arriving even before the results came out.”
Shen Yao blushed but didn’t respond.
She whispered, “Sister, I’m going to congratulate him.”
“Go on,” Shen Shu smiled.
Shen Yao darted shyly behind Sui Yu and fanned him with her folded fan. “Congratulations, Second Place Scholar.”
Sui Yu didn’t need to turn—he knew who it was.
A smile bloomed across his face as he turned. “Yao Yao, when did you get here?”
“I just arrived,” she replied innocently.
“Really?” he raised an eyebrow.
She fanned herself, “Of course.”
He leaned in and whispered by her ear, “But I saw you the moment I arrived. I saw how your face lit up with joy when you knew I had passed.”
Shen Yao froze, then smacked him with her fan, “You’re the one beaming with joy!”
Sui Yu let her hit him.
Seeing the two being playful in public, Shen Shu walked over and said, “Congratulations, my lord.”
Sui Yu immediately put on a straight face. “Thank you.”
At that moment, Cheng Jiarong approached. “You’an(Courtesy name of Sui Yu), shall we go to the Ministry together?”
Per Jin dynasty custom, newly announced scholars were to visit the Ministry of Personnel to pay respects to the Chief Examiner and Prime Minister—this was known as guotang.
“Alright.” Sui Yu turned to Shen Yao. “Wait for me.”
“Focus on preparing for the next exam,” she reminded him.
He nodded. “Got it.”
An hour later, the crowd had dispersed. Joyful congratulations gave way to silence.
Some wept quietly, recalling years of hardship. Others touched the list on the wall and vowed to return next year.
The golden list always brought both joy and sorrow. It was the same every year.
Li Di stood stiffly before the list.
He had failed.
A youth in pink stood up from the ground and slung an arm around his shoulders. “Come on, let’s go to Pingkang lane. You need a good drink and a pretty face. My treat!”
Li Di shook him off.
“Some are lucky, some aren’t. All came to take the exams, but some rise to the top, and others don’t even place,” the youth snorted. “One jumps in the water to save a beauty, and wins a lovely wife. Another jumps in, and gets nothing!”
“Shut up!” Li Di snapped.
“Oh? I can’t even speak now?”
Li Di punched him.
“You dare hit me?! Do you even know who my second uncle is?!”
In the Anhua Palace.
A palace aide in eunuch garb whispered, “Your Majesty, there are 26 successful candidates this year.”
Empress Xu sipped her tea and asked, “Did Lu Shiyi place in the top three? What about Li Di?”
The aide began to sweat.
She raised an eyebrow. “The list. Give it to me.”
He handed it over with both hands.
She scanned the names. Her sharp eyes narrowed. “Top scorer? Didn’t you say he was talentless? That he had no chance?”
She slammed the list down.
The aide whispered, “Your Majesty, some top scorers remain ninth-rank officials for ten years. It’s not unprecedented.”
“If he had a powerful father-in-law, would he stay ninth rank?” she tapped the table with a finger. “Is this how you handle things for me?”
The aide’s chest rose and fell rapidly. He said, “Your Majesty, I do have a suspicion.”
“Speak.”
“The Chief Examiner this year was Lu Si. He’s quite close to the Yunyang Marquis. Could it be…”
“If you suspect something, investigate. Don’t come back until it’s clear.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. What about Li Di? He knew about the incident with the Shen girl who fell into the water.”
“Send him some silver. Tell him I’ll give him one more year.”
“Yes.”
The Empress took a deep breath and traced the name Sui Yu on the list. “Any news from the Xuanping Marquis’ household?”
“I was just about to report, Your Majesty,” the aide said. “It appears the Marquis’ heir plans to marry this year. From what I hear, it’s the second daughter of the Yunyang Marquis.”
“If those two houses join through marriage, it could hinder the Sixth Prince.”
“Ask my second brother at the Court of State Ceremonies: when is the Uighur Second Prince arriving?”
The Jin dynasty had close ties with the Uighurs, trading thousands of horses for silk each year. But this year, instead of an envoy, the Second Prince himself was coming.
That could only mean one thing.
The aide paused, then said, “Understood, Your Majesty.”
After leaving the Ministry, Sui Yu returned to the Xuanping Marquis’ estate.
The whole household was waiting.
Even the usually stern Marchioness had a smile on her face. The table was covered with good food and wine.
Sui Zheng, his older cousin, tried to get him drunk, but Sui Yu kept signaling with his eyes. He whispered, “Dear cousin, I need to talk to my mother later. Can we reschedule?”
“Promise?”
“Of course.”
That evening, Sui Yu entered the Marchioness’ room. “Mother.”
“You’an? Come in.”
He sat down and said softly, “Mother, I want to marry.”
The Marchioness paused her embroidery. “Shen Yao?”
To be honest, she was never fond of overly beautiful girls. She believed men should focus on their careers, and pretty wives were a distraction. Especially at such a young, impressionable age.
But Shen Yao? She’d watched her grow up. Well-mannered and respectable. A good match.
“Yes,” Sui Yu said.
The Marchioness returned to her needlework. “Is this something you two agreed on?”
He knew his mother well and added, “She told me to focus on the next exam.”
That exam, given by the Ministry, tested looks, speech, handwriting, and document review—none of which posed difficulty for a noble-born like Sui Yu.
The Marchioness slowly said, “She’s right. You need to stay focused. Don’t get distracted.”
Sui Yu pressed on, “But buying betrothal gifts and hiring a matchmaker takes time. If we proceed with the full six-rite process, it might be six months before the wedding.”
She set her needlework down. “So you’ve made up your mind?”
He nodded, then asked cautiously, “Do you dislike her?”
She smacked him lightly. “Relax! Your father mentioned this to me long ago. I approve. I just don’t want you losing your focus. This is a crucial moment.”
“Look at Lu Yan. He’s older than you and not rushing into marriage.”
Sui Yu’s voice dropped. “Mother, what exactly are you trying to say?”
The Marchioness sighed. It was a joyful day; she didn’t want to dampen his spirits. “Alright, tomorrow I’ll begin preparations and hire the best matchmaker in Chang’an.”
“When you pass the Ministry exam, I’ll go personally to propose.”
“You’re a top scorer now. Makes for a grander impression.”
Sui Yu exhaled with relief. “Thank you, Mother.”
She waved him off. “Go rest.”
At the Yunyang Marquis’ estate, night had fallen.
The Marchioness sat by her bed, shaking a rattle for baby Shen Hong.
“Madam, that young man’s been in Lord Marquis’ study for two hours now,” said An momo.
The Marchioness smiled. “You know him. If he likes someone, it shows on his face. He dotes on the boy, but that doesn’t mean the feeling is mutual.”
An momo laughed. “And what does Madam think?”
The Marchioness smiled. “Call me practical. A few days ago, I’d never agreed to this match. But now that he’s the top scorer… well, maybe he’s not so bad after all.”
“That’s not being opportunistic. The boy’s background didn’t match our girl—until now.”
The Marchioness handed the baby to the wet nurse. “Go fetch Shen Shu for me. I need to ask her something.”
“Yes, Madam.”
A short while later, Shen Shu entered.
“You wanted to see me, Mother?”
“Yes.” The Marchioness took her hand and rubbed her palm gently. “That top scorer—what do you think of him?”
Shen Shu was taken aback. “Has Father convinced you?”
Everyone in the house knew the Marquis liked Zhou Shu’an. It wasn’t a secret.
The Marchioness smiled. “That doesn’t matter. What do you think?”
Shen Shu hesitated. “Aren’t you afraid he wants to marry me just to please Father?”
“Of course I was!” the Marchioness said. “I thought he was behind all those rumors too. But after watching him… maybe I was wrong.”
Shen Shu stayed silent.
“Do you dislike his background?” the Marchioness asked.
Shen Shu shook her head. “Not at all.”
The Marchioness glanced out the window, then changed the subject. “I know all about what’s going on between Yao Yao and Sui Yu. But no one knows that—I don’t like Sui Yu’s mother.”
Shen Shu asked, “Why is that?”
“First, she’s full of rules and always puts on airs. Second…” The Marchioness recalled her own little thoughts just moments ago and couldn’t help but chuckle. “When she smiles, it always feels fake—like her face is smiling but her heart isn’t. In short, Yao Wanyi is even more calculating than I am.”
Shen Shu said, “Mother, how can you say that?”
The Marchioness replied, “Let me put it this way—if something were to happen to our marquis household right now, no matter how much she likes Yao Yao, she definitely wouldn’t lift a finger to help.”
Shen Shu quickly said, “Mother! How can you say such things!”
“All right, all right, I’ll stop.” The Marchioness softened and looked into Shen Yao’s eyes. “Still, I do like that boy Zhou Shu’an. Your father and I think the same—if you’re willing to marry him, he would never mistreat you.”
